Generations

Easter Weekend

My Sister Bean aka Gina, came to see me last weekend. She brought with her; her hubby Izzy,her two girls Savanah and Sophia, my brother Jeremy, and My mom and dad. And...She brought her beloved camera.

Did I mention she also brought the movie star child above, my niece Savanah, who can sing the whole Adele song, Rolling in the Deep? Start to finish she doesn't miss a beat or a lyric. Amazing. This little movie star child is going places, mark my words! I might be a bit partial because I am her Auntie, but this lil one can sing!

We went to the tulip festival here in Washington and it once again confirmed my love for this beautiful spot on planet earth where I get to live.

Did I mention, her little peanut, my new niece Sophia, aka Last Minute Biscuit is the cutest baby ever? I mean I hope my kids don't get jealous, but she is so CUTE! I had to fight off my Fab 4 all weekend to keep that lil peanut in my arms. I treasured every, single second and I took in a good long wiff of that baby smell. Not the stinky diaper kind, but the new born baby lotion scent that just reminds us that the world is a beautiful place and that everything is going to be okay, You know that one?

Also, I now want one.
Psshh.. don't be silly,
NOT a last minute biscuit, but a Nikon D40 camera. Although, I did ask her to leave her last minute biscuit too, but she politely refused. I told her I would give her back around the time she starts learning the word "NO!" Still, she refused.
Her camera is really so great. I have a new item to put on my long list of "want". The things I could accomplish with this camera, I mean maybe I really "need" this camera.

We got so many amazing pictures that I can hardly contain myself when it comes to sharing them all with you. They will be treasured for years to come.
These pictures are amazing. And so is this little peanut.

I bought the lil biscuit that outfit she is wearing and it is mandatory that you speak French to her when she is wearing it. She will smile if you do. Actually, she will smile either way cause she is just that happy.

What kind of camera do you use?
I am in the market for a new one because the flash on my old one is broken. I won't be buying anytime soon but I am doing some research.
Gina's camera really helped in this process because it was so newbie friendly.
Is your camera newbie friendly?

Happy Easter 2012

Life.

Is.

Beautiful.

Dear Riot

Dear Riot,

I have discovered that you work the skinny scrappy dog angle quite well.

The whole, "I'm starving please feed me. I'm an orphan please help me" really does do it's trick.

The fact that you are not the baby dog, or the little dog, really does work in your favor.
I mean it's not like you are taking advantage of us like this guy.

Okay, so we pretty much love you, you can stop the whole feel sorry for me act.

Welcome to the family.

P.S. We'll work on the whole over excited barking that occurs when we are playing fetch next month.

My Walk From Oregon to Washington

What to do if you ever find yourself, in a motel room, on a Sunny Day in Portland(which rarely to never happens), BUT with no car, and no money.
Go Home! Just Kidding.

If you don't know why I'm here with no car, and no money read post below. Moving on.


Mo left for work around 4:30am. I tried to go back to sleep but I was just too excited to have a whole day to myself in my favorite city no less. So I got up. That right there should be shocking to those of you that know me. There was a day when if I heard a person utter the words, "I Got up at 4:30" well, that would have meant that we were no longer friends. But, what can I say, I'm a new woman. No really, this is probably never going to happen again so I am glad I have it here in writing. And also the words "got up" should be noted as a very loose translation. Because I got up to ...



Read, read some more. Drank coffee, and read some more. Then I worked out in the lil gym. Also nice, but I prefer the great outdoors always to a treadmill. Still, it was, Ahh so nice. Then I started to get hungry, so I ate the free breakfast. Mmm, Mmm good!

It never ceases to amaze me how much better food tastes when someone else made it. Can I get a witness?

It was at about this time that I was noticing that I might not need the countless books I brought or 4 to 5 chic flicks, or even my beloved Maccy, to keep me busy, because the sun was making a glorious appearance. It was quite obvious an adventure was waiting for me.

Okay True, I didn't have a car or lots of money but I had my legs and more importantly a camera. Not the best camera in the world, still the more I take pictures with my Iphone, the more beloved that baby is becoming.

*Sidenote, I can't believe I haven't named my phone yet. Maybe it should be named Baby, so then I could quote Dirty Dancing by saying, "Nobody puts baby in a corner" Sometimes, I entertain myself. Have you noticed?

Pshh... so I didn't have a car,( are you noticing how many times I'm mentioning that I didn't have a car?) I was not going to let that stop me. It would have been nice to have a car... but I didn't SO GET OVER IT ALREADY! So I walked out the hotel lobby and I checked out the area around me. I saw a bridge. I like bridges. Can you see the bridge?

So I decided the best adventure walk I could take would be to get to that bridge. I had no idea it would be the bridge that crosses over from Oregon to Washington. The Columbia River Bridge.

It's always fun to walk from one state to another, always.

That sign is at the start of my big adventure for the day.

It may not be remarkable to cross over in a car from Oregon to Washington, or from Washington to Oregon, but on foot... well it was a real treat.

I have only walked 3 busy bridges in my life.
One in San Fran.
One in Budapest.
And now this one.

I could die a happy woman.

Have you ever walked a busy or famous bridge? Please do tell.
I would still like to walk the Brooklyn Bridge in New York.
It's for sure a bucket list bridge.

I have to interject at this point that when you are on a busy bridge like this, and every semi truck that passes you by kinda makes you want to pee your pants, you realize that bridges could quite quickly turn into your worst nightmare.

As I was crossing taking in the view that was off the charts, AMAZING.. I kept thinking of My Dawl,Allie, and how this quite literally would have been an event that most certainly would have been the cause of the need for Depends in her life.

She has an aversion to bridges. When begging her to move to Seattle so we could once again be reunited, she said, point blank "Nope, too many bridges!"
And then she proceeded to shutter from just the thought of them.
Ok so we've established that she won't be walking bridges anytime soon.

She would prefer this route better. Under the bridge :)

But NOT ME!!

Wait... stop right there. Those of you who live in Carson City and have lived there a long time... do I not in this picture look like the lady who wears sweaters, hats, and sunglasses and walks the streets of Carson City quite frequently? Do you know who I'm talking about? She's kinda a legend. Many a story has been told as to why she wears such warm clothing on Sunny days.

My little mini vacation has turned out to be just, amazing.
I wasn't frazzled or burnt out or anything, but I was missing my Mr. Big, and what mom of 4 is going to refuse a little time on the lap of luxury? Not this one
I sometimes have to giggle at how spoiled I am from Doctor Father God. He's a good Doctor. The best, really.

Normally

Here I sit in a motel room in Portland Oregon, completely alone with nothing but my Maccy and My Pandora station, set to Mumford and Sons at the moment.

Normally, when one is in a motel room it's for a vacation. Normally a motel room is only the place you lie your head at night after the day of sight seeing and fun activities are done.
Normally the motel room is not the vacation, in and of itself.

Normally.

An unexpected, pleasant surprise finds me in this spot.

Normally, My Giant has to travel for work and often times is only hours from home in a lonely motel room when the work day is done. And normally, he has to share his hotel room with other smelly guys.

Normally.

Normally, I have 4 kids who have to get to school, hip hop, voice, playdates, etc... Normally, my kids are in need of my taxi cab driving, and THEY have planned for me to go here, there, and everywhere before I even get my cup of coffee in the morning.

Normally.

But yesterday afternoon I was posed with the question that was not normal.

"Do you want to come with me this time?"

Hmmm....

Here's where it gets not normal.

My Giant has his own room this time.
My Fab 4 are on Spring Break.
Cousin Derek is home to monitor.
I am foot loose and fancy free.


Greetings from Portland,Oregon!

What to do, What to do?

Spring Break

We are on Spring Break here in the MoNoSco household. Woot, Woot!!

Here are some things we've got planned for our Spring Break this year.

This cake is a must try because, for one I LOVE sunflowers, and for two I love sunflowers :)
You can find the recipe here;Peeps Sunflower Cake.

Then we plan to finally get over to the zoo. I am already so excited for the pics that will come from this outing. I wonder if there is something wrong when I am more excited about the pictures that will come from an outing that the outing itself? Hmm.... Does anyone else think like this?

Come on picture taking people, help me feel normal again.

In between outings we have many at home projects,and fun activities planned because let's face it there are just as many fun things to do at home as there are when you are out and about. Especially when you have Pinterest as your new bestie.

Here is a must try idea, that we found on Pinterest. Big surprise there, right?Marbled Cracked Eggs

This is something that I wouldn't dare try when my kids were younger. I'm gonna be really honest for a minute here and just say that the whole dying eggs activity, even as a preschool teacher always scares the shit out of me.

Maybe I am alone here, but the constant thought in the back of my mind, no matter how many precautionary measure I have taken to keep those cups full of bright dyes from falling all over the place is something that looms in my psyche each and every time I hand that wand over.

Come on, keep it real. Am I alone in this?

Also on the list of activities is the event we have been waiting for, for quite some time.
The arrival of our beloved family. Grandam Ellen, Grandpa Greg, Uncle Jeremy, Auntie Gina, Uncle Izzy, and cousins Savy and brand new Sophie.

They are coming to see us, but also my sister Bean, aka Gina, her favorite flowers are tulips and so ...

We are planning to take the family to this event this weekend;Tulip Festival

Again another event that I am really just giddy over the potential pictures that are to be.
Crazy, but true.

Of all the events that I am most excited about this Spring Break, none will compare to this...

Meeting my last minute biscuit.
AKA my new niece Sophia Adelle.
Sigh...
Is she not the cutest lil last minute biscuit you have ever seen?
Are you wondering why I keep calling her last minute biscuit?
Well, I am glad you asked.
She was born on New Years Eve.

I haven't met her officially yet, only via skype, and pictures so more than all the potential awesome pictures in the world, my heart is swelling in anticipation with the thought of holding this beautiful baby girl.


What are your plans for Spring Break?

The Secret (A Poem)

The Secret

I met God
in the morning
When my day
was at it's best,
And his Presence
came like the sunrise,
Like a glory
in my breast.

All day long the
Presence lingered,
All day long He
stayed with me,
and we sailed
in perfect calmness
O'er a very
troubled sea.

So I think I
know the secret,
Learned from
many a troubled way,
You must seek Him
in the morning
If you want Him
through the day!

Ralph S. Cushman

Pictures From My Long Walk

These are the pictures, as promised in my previous post, from my really long walk last Friday. Oh and one bonus pic at the end. Oh and because I love you, I care, and I'm a giver a quote at the very end.

This is a new building in downtown Redmond. Sun, Clouds, and Blue Sky... three things that make me damn happy.( I was going to write three things that make me very happy, but I read a writers tip by Mark Twain this week that said every time you are going to use the word very, replace it with damn. The damn will be edited out and eventually very will be no longer a part of your vocab) I'm not sure why I feel compelled to follow Twain's advice but there you have it! Those three things make me Damn Happy!


I don't know what the real name of these purple flowers are, but in our house we call them THE PURPLE DEVIL! Let me explain.

When we lived in Carson City, NV. in a cute, small house on NV Street these lil guys would pop up along side our house every Spring. When Emma, my oldest was only about 3 or 4 she picked a bunch of them one sunny Spring day and brought them in as beautiful, messy flower arrangement ... grass and dirt included. I was so happy from her kind gesture that I didn't even notice at first that around her big green eyes she was starting to look a lil swollen, puffy, and red eyed. I put the flowers in water, got distracted with the two other lils that I had at that time and about an hour later, Emma came out looking like Rocky Marciano(I'm related somehow to that guy... you get that for free cause I think it's cool that I'm related to one of the greatest boxers of all time) Anyway, I called my mom she rushed right over, and then we were off to the Doctors. It was at this time that we realized that Miss Emma dilema has seasonal allergies. A box of Zyrtec and some much needed spoiling she was looking like her pretty little Emma self again, but I will never forget what those pretty little purple flowers did to my baby.

Still, they are pretty.

Cherry Blossom Trees are one of my favorite trees. I have a bracelet tattoo of cherry blossoms on my left wrist. Before I got this tattoo, I looked up the meaning or symbolism of these flowers, but really I just wanted them because when I was a young girl we had a cherry blossom tree outside our home. They have always been a happy sign of life to me.
For those of you who do want to know their symbolism-

"The flower symbolism associated with the cherry blossom is education. In China, the cherry blossom is also a symbol of feminine beauty. It also represents the feminine principle and love. In Japan, cherry blossoms symbolize the transience of life because of their short blooming times. Falling blossoms are metaphors for fallen warriors who died bravely in battle. This connotation links them with the samarai."

Don't you feel smarter now?

This is my hill. Or aka my treadmill. Once I get to the top of this bad boy I'm home. After that really long walk, I took this hill real slow. I have walked this hill countless times since moving here. To pick up kids from the bus stop, to get the mail, to chase after Bella.... I love this hill but it is fondly known as BBKH. Bootie Butt Kicker Hill. I should have a butt like J.Lo by now. There is a beautiful old asian man, my neighbor who I am determined to meet one day and no longer refer to him as beautiful old asian man. Anyway, he comes up this hill every morning to sing opera to the whole neighborhood. I love him too. He makes me happy.

Home again, Home again Jiggity Jig! That is my lil creek. The one that runs outside my lil cabin. The one that makes me feel like I have to go pee a lot :)

AND here... drum roll please is your bonus picture....

A four year old Emma. I thought you needed the visual of that cute lil face coming in looking like Rocky. It was quite scary for me as a young momma, that's why those flowers will be forever the PURPLE DEVIL!!

"Health is not simply the absence of sickness." Hannah Green
So true Hannah, so very true.

A Poignant Point

I read this question the other day and it stuck with me all throughout my day.
I decided to pair it with a picture, big surprise!!
It really reminded me once again to have a Grateful heart.


As I dropped my kids off for school, I not only prayed for their day like I normally do, I

thanked God for them.

As I got off the phone with My Giant who's out of town for work, I thanked God for him. For how hard he works and for how he loves his family, and me.


As I walked my dogs I thanked God for them.

When I got off the phone with sister Jen, I thanked God for her and my other sister, two brothers, mom and dad, and my moms and dads through marriage. For family. For sister friends.
For amazing friends that I get to live life with.

For my health, my home, my bible, food, drink, my car, my computer, my phone, my camera :)

No matter where you are and what your life looks like, there is always, always, always something, someone to be thankful for.

Life really is so much fuller when lived with a Grateful heart.

Holy Moses !!

Holy Moses that was a long post below!!

I like saying Holy Moses! I like Moses too. He's cute.

All I gotta say is, IF you read that blog below you are either a bestie, or a relative. Or both.

I have a little something shorter here for you...

short-winded readers,

aka non-marathon readers,

aka people who have jobs :)

These are Isaiah's old rain boots.
I had seen this idea on pinterest and I couldn't wait to try it.
I think they are so cute.
So now you know what to do with your old rain boots.

Speaking of rain boots, did you know...
They are supposed to be yellow?

A Really Long Walk

On Friday, it was so beautiful out that I decided to get on my walking shoes and go for a really long walk. I love to go on walks. You see so much more of an area when you walk places, rather than drive. Don't you agree? (Stay tuned for a picture blog of my walk)

I know that long walks take time, and I had a lot of errands to run on Friday, so I thought where could I go that would be a longer walk and an errand run?

I headed out to get some Jamba Juice gift cards for my faithful reader, and recent winner Natalie, and one for my newest readers Dan. Congratulations you two!

Jamba juice is about 2 miles from my house so I thought that would be perfect.

Long walk √

Run an Errand √


The sun was shining, the birds were singing, spring was in the air here. By the time I got to Jamba Juice, I was for sure ready to get my Jamba Juice on as well. I ordered a pomergranate pick me up. Mmm Mmm good! Well, and then because it was so beautiful outside I decided to keep on walking.

I ended up here;Discover Yoga.
I have to say that I wasn't intending on going in and partaking, because it was beautiful outside, but I have been meaning to check this place out for a while. I just wanted to go in get some info. and get out. But I did end up taking a class that was about to start. The lady at the front desk was so welcoming, and I thought what the hell, why not ? Have I mentioned I am spontaneous? I am so glad I did take the class. It is just what this tired momma needed.

Here is my segue to my title, A Really Long Walk....

I have been so intimidated to take up Yoga again here in Redmond. I'm not really sure why. Before we moved here and while My Giant was here in WA. renovating our cabin, he kept calling me(I was back home NV. with the Fab 4, yeah remember that? Not fun.) He would say, "Babe", (he likes to call me babe alot. It doesn't offend me. I know he's not thinking of the pig :) Anyways, he said "Babe, you are going to love it here. They have a so many yoga places. There's one around every corner".

He knows I love Yoga.
I know I love Yoga.

So why, oh why has it taken me 2 whole years to get to my first Yoga class?
Well, a lot of reasons.

Do you want to hear the reasons?

If you don't want to hear the reasons, now would be a good time to wander over to another site.

If you want to hear the reasons, but were looking for a pause button on this really long blog, about "A Really Long Walk" here it is: ∆

And if you do want to hear my reasons, get comfortable, this might a take a minute or two or three.

First- I have to say that when we first moved here, we were on survival mode. Really, I mean we had left NV behind with a foreclosed house, and not a penny in our pockets. Or as my mom would say, "not a pot to piss in." If it weren't for the kindness and generosity of our friends, and family I'm not sure how we could have made it.
Needless to say, we didn't have money for something as silly as stretching.

B.-The year before we moved here I had really, really let myself go. I was so stressed about our
house that I used it as an excuse to eat,drink, and Not exercise. Repeat cycle for 2 more years and you have me. Right now.

X.- I was depressed about not being able to exercise with my sisters or friends, or sister friends who exercise. I was also bummed about leaving one of my favorite fitness instructors in NV. And well, I Didn't get out much to do anything let alone yoga it up with a bunch of strangers.

4. I was intimidated. With a lot of yogi's out there, I knew that people take their yoga for reals here, so I was thinking I would be a small fish in a very big pond.

Lastly- I just wasn't feeling it. Ya know what I mean? Ya get me? Ya trackin what I'm laying down?



So there you have it folks. All the excuses in the world and yet... while I lay there on the floor at the end of class, I thought... Why? Why did I wait so long to do this what I love?

The Pastor that married MY Giant and I used to say in a very Texas accent, "Life is short, and Death is Real, ever seen me light a match?" And then he would proceed to light a match and blow it out to prove how short life is.

It stuck.

It's true Life is short.

Don't wait to do the little things that make your heart sing.

Which brings me to this question for YOU, is there something, some special thing that really brings you such joy? What is it? I want to know. Are you actively enjoying it on a regular basis?

Yoga was/is for sure a simple thing that brings me such joy. Yet, I wasn't partaking.

I am now signed up and ready to participate in this simply joy I love. I hope this blog encourages you to get out there and do what you love. I hope you don't wait as long as I did to do it. And I hope no matter who you are, if you have read this whole post, just know that I love you for it :)

I am thankful to be able to process all of that here with you.

A Really Long Walk alone, would have been worse.