This week...

I have told myself to try and make dinner more.. And also to save on money I need to try to be better. But to try to add more different meals to the table. I have my dishes that i normally make but i want to make sure that my little sister and M try different things.. And to my surprise they are both eating well..

I also worked on my budget and told myself that i must pay off my car. and i have to figure out how much i can spend on D's bday. we have to take him out for dinner and buy him something good.. or i was thinking of just getting him giftcards so that he can just go shopping and buy whatever he wants... i do have one thing in mind of getting him that can be opened and from M and B. ;-P hehehehe

Cards....

I still love receiving cards or letters via mail... Yes emails are nice but I mean snail mail. Nothing makes my day brighten up to coming home to a nice card... It's nice to see that in the pile of junk mail. :-D so i have promised myself to try and be better about mailing out anniversary and birthday cards.. My grandma is so good about this. And she has taught my mom to be like that too.. Its so small but can make someone's day. So I will be trying to do this and how nice is it that we can do this from the computer. And there are places where you can order the card and actually personalize it and have it mailed from there which you pay extra for postage. This can't make my life easier and less of an reasons to not be better about it.

Photo of the day...

lately this 'creek' by the building i work at is dried up. So today when I was walking by I noticed that there was water. Got excited and had to take a picture.. Just watching the water go by has this calming effect on me. I wanted to share with whoever would like to see. I am trying to appreciate the little things that either i see or happen to experience something with. Yes i am smelling the roses - thank you. :-D

To bento box or not....

I feel that beginning this year I have been doing a better job of putting together M's lunch for daycare. But one day that i don't feel like packing a lunch and have no idea what to put in it I am 'talked' to by the main person. Which I am glad that she did. At first I was offended but honestly I am trying to look at things differently. So why am I happy? Because she cares that much for him to mention it to me and suggest things I can do instead.

So I have taken what she says and will put a twist on it. I will make it work for whatever M and I like.. And what I am capable of doing - which is anything to make my little guy happy and healthy. :-D

See I actually do practice what I preach and try to reach my goals that I do for myself.

I am even thinking of posting pictures so that i will make sure to do it.

Best V-Day present

Yesterday I received the best V-Day gift EVER!! The first of many to come hopefully.. M made me bath salts at school... It was so sweet and he was so excited to give it to me. he reminds me every day why i love being a mom and how lucky i am to have him in my life. this past year i have learned to treasure our moments together. yes i am not a perfect mommy and i have my moments. but for the most part we teach each other something.

Starting today..

i will take a photo of each day to represent and to remind me moments of the day that i want to remember or just because.. :-D

Trying to do things for M

I decided that I would try to save up and buy myself a bike.. i haven't had one since I was in grade school because mine was stolen.. And I haven't felt like I wanted another one. But now that M is 4 and a 1/2 he wants to ride his bike more. And now that we live in an area that we both can ride and not worry about so many cars - I think it could be a good time to buy one. But it's not high on my priority because I have my jogging stroller that I want to use more often. I can't wait for the sun to down later.

Interesting... 5 Best Things to Do for Your Relationship

I read this article and find it very simple and interesting.. Why do we (women) have to stroke our husband/partner's back for everything little thing they do?? I mean by all means for me I do so much more but do I get a thank you? But if it helps this is definitely worth trying out. Call it my experiment to a happier marriage. ;-P

When it comes to love, relationships can be like cars: constant care and adjustment (instead of pricey and painful visits to the body shop/marriage counselor) are often the best way to improve and strengthen your bond. One of O's staffers gets the lowdown from the experts on five fixes to start making now.


1: "Stop all shame, blame, and criticism. Instead ask for what you want in a clear, specific, and positive manner, and express appreciation for your partner. To elaborate: Men need to feel competent—that they make a contribution and that it is noticed. They like to be told what 'behavior' makes you happy. Since men tend to express affection by doing things, you should interpret their actions as love. When men know what to do and are acknowledged for it, they tend to keep doing it." — Harville Hendrix, PhD, author of Getting the Love You Want

2: "Change from a critical habit of mind, in which you're very involved with your partner's mistakes, to a positive one, in which you catch him doing something right. Notice one small thing, and express genuine appreciation. That will change your interaction patterns from escalating negativity and criticism to building a culture of appreciation." — John M. Gottman, PhD, author of The Relationship Cure: A 5 Step Guide to Strengthening Your Marriage, Family, and Friendships

3: "When your relationship starts to break down, you need AAA: an Apology, Affection, and a promise of Action. You say you're sorry for what you've said or done to hurt or disappoint your partner. You immediately offer a hug, a kiss—some meaningful gesture of warmth. You pledge to do something that matters to your partner ('From now on, I will…'). And, of course, you stick to that. This whole AAA thing can take two minutes, but in that time you've healed the past, built a bridge to the present, and created hope for your future." — Mira Kirshenbaum, psychotherapist and author of The Weekend Marriage

4: "With books on the market like How to Make Love Like a Porn Star, one of the greatest services you can do for a guy is to reassure him that he doesn't have to make love like a porn star. You can show him how to have sex like a woman: creative, sensual, non-genital-based, and more pleasure- than orgasm-focused. Lead him to an experience that goes beyond his penis and makes him fully engaged—mind, body, and soul." — Ian Kerner, PhD, author of She Comes First

5: "All relationships grow a bit stale as time goes by, and the longer-lasting they are, the staler they can get. The best thing you can do is pump in some fresh air. A long weekend in a romantic hideaway would be ideal, but even a few hours in a motel helps. Don't tell anyone where you are, turn off your cell phones, and unplug the TV. When you get home, you'll find your relationship has acquired ruddy cheeks." — Dr. Ruth Westheimer, psychosexual therapist and author of 52 Lessons on Communicating Love