I'm still here & a quick recap!

Hidey-ho!

Still here..life has just been crazy busy.

This past weekend Hubby and I were able to escape from the kids for a wedding {on the beach} and a night with friends at a reception! 

The weather could not have been more gorgeous for a March wedding at the beach.

 It was fun and much needed.

On another note...

We're gearing up for a big trip here in the Acosta house...

DISNEY !!!!

The kids are ecstatic and I'm borderline losing my mind!

Sitting in a car for.18.hours. with 3 kids age 5 and under...is not the most settling thought.

On top of the thought of everything that needs to be packed...Oye!

The lists have come out.

The cleaning has begun.

The bags are being packed...slowly.

And at the end of the week we will hit the open road :)

I haven't been on here much lately-not to worry though I have been lurking!

Maybe it's the fact that I'm feeling the writer's block, or not feeling like my thoughts are important enough for others to want to read...

I'm thinking the latter of the last two :(

I've been immersing myself in parenting/relationship/Christian books, 

and doing some soul searching.

Either way this vacation is going to be good.  A break.  

Some time with my thoughts.  

Hopefully the sand between my toes and I'm sure in my ears, on my sandwich and every other unmentionable place while trying to tackle the beach with 3 boys!

I've been thinking about re-doing the shop as well when we get back, possibly moving it to Store Envy.

Re-vamping the blog too.

Perhaps starting a diet, since beach season is right.around.the corner-HA! 

Time will tell.

Catch you on the flip side!

Enjoy a pic of me and Hubby at the wedding this past weekend!

Family

This past weekend we were blessed to get to spend time with our family!  

If you've been following me for a while you know how lucky I am to have married into a genuinely wonderful family. 

 Sunday morning I attended a baby shower for mutual friends of mine and my husband's and then joined up with my husband and the gang in the early afternoon.  

As usual we all had so much fun!  

There were laughs, jokes, a birthday, and great times all around. 

 There truly is no better place to be than surrounded by family.  

How was your weekend?

Pass it Forward

So there's this SHINE-Y girl, named Ashley. 

 I discovered her a few months ago on my blogging quest, and she has quickly become a daily read.  

Ashley is always thinking of ways to spread her shine and her latest venture is just AMAZING!  

It's the Pass It Forward movement.  

Ever since I "met" Ashley I have been more concision to pass it forward.

I have looked for opportunities in the smallest of places, to make someone else's days just a little brighter.  

This week I passed it forward.  

We made our first Easter donation to the local rescue mission and inside of the envelope along with our donation was a place mat.  

You could simply sign your name, or write a little word of encouragement on this place mat.  

I chose this verse from the Bible, "For I know the plans I have for declares the Lord, plans of welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." 

Jeremiah 29:11.  

I can only hope that those few words, and one small bible verse would give someone encouragement.  

Perhaps it's a fellow mom like myself...or a son, a daughter, brother, sister, husband, wife, aunt, or uncle.  

The point is we all go through struggles.  

We have all come upon hard times-some harder than others.

Thankfully there are places like our rescue mission to help those in our area who have come upon these hard times. 

 Everyone we meet is fighting a battle.  

Perhaps they wear their battle scars on their sleeve, but most don't.  

If I can make a difference in the life of one person, or put a smile on one person's face where there wasn't a smile before-then I have succeeded.

I can only hope that the person who receives my place mat will take those words of encouragement and pass.it.forward to someone else. 

 All it takes is one person to make a difference.  

Thanks Ashley!

Thursday 13...

So there's this awesome bloggy girl I recently discovered who is cute, and outspoken and has this really fun Thursday link-up party !  

She's also has the biggest collection of bouncy balls around !
So I've decided now its my turn to finally join her

I give to you my list of Thursday 13....

Things I would bring with me to a deserted island:

1. My kindle

I love books, always have.

Source

2. Pandora

Great tunes can get you through anything

Source

3. Chamomile Tea

This has become a big part of my night time routine

Source

4 & 5.  Toothpaste & Toothbrush

I love love love brushing my teeth!  This would be a necessity!

Source

6. Sunscreen

Ever since I had the boys I burn very very easily, ouch!

Source

7. Hair ties

I'm more of a ponytail kind of girl!

8. My Bible

9. Sauvignon Blanc

My new favorite wine!

Source

10.  My Keurig

I have a total coffee obsession...like at least 6 cups a day, yum :)

Source

11. Carmex
My lips get oh so chapp-y and sun burt easily.


12. Rainbows
Not the kind inside of your lucky charms!  These are the most comfortable long lasting flip flops you will EVER own!


13. My iphone
It's true..I've become obsessed! You can seriously do so many things with this phone :)


Well, there you have it my first Thursday 13! I've linked up so come over and see the other fun Thursday 13 girls!

Saturday Fun

Today Angel had a birthday party for a little boy who is in his class.

  It was a bowling birthday party-true Kindergarten boy style right there! 

 We've been to two so far this year and Angel wants to have his birthday at the bowling alley too!  

As it turns out Angel and the birthday boy end up getting along like oil and water. 

 After observing the birthday boy's behavior for a while I finally figured it out...

Angel and the birthday boy have the exact same personality!  

Stubborn, full of attitude, and they think they are 5 going on 15.

  At one point the birthday boy's mom came over {after having to separate our two kids for the 20th time} and tried to apologized.  

Before she could even get the "I'm sorry" out of her mouth I stopped her and let her know that there was no need to apologize. 

I felt like this was my point, my turn to turn to her and let her know that she wasn't alone.

There wouldn't be any judging or talking behind the back.

We were fighting the same battle.

She looked at me with the biggest look of relief and surprise and said to me 

"Are you kidding me?"  

I told her I had watched her son and the way he interacted with her, and the other adults at the party and it was Angel to a tee.  

The rest of the party was filled with laughs and looks back and forth between us two moms like "yup, I understand what you're going through."  

And you know what?  It was GREAT! 

 Honestly I thought Angel was the only 5 year old who thought he was 15, and apparently that is not the case. 

  As a mom it is a great feeling to know that someone else is going through the same thing that we are going through.  

That we are not alone and that we're not doing anything wrong!

To know that we are not the only ones who feel like we don't have control and that most days it is easier to not set him off than the try to fight every battle with him.  

At the end of the party the birthday boy's mom and I exchanged numbers and gave a promise to call each other one night this week after the kids are in bed to discuss our "notes"  from the day haha!  

Overall it was a great day. 

 Exhausting, but great!

Morning fun

Our Sunday morning started off with a dance partayyyy and it was so much fun!!

 The rest of the day we lounged around, hit the park in the afternoon and then ordered in pizza for dinner! 

 I was flying solo tonight and most of the day as Daddy was at a Sixer's game with some co-workers! 

 The boys and I had a blast today.

And anytime we can get to the park in February is a good day!

We were all able to soak up some Vitamin D, and they were able to release some energy.  

Weekends really do go too fast!

I want to remember

I'm writing this post because I want to remember all of things our kids do and say.

Their funny stories, how they interpret what we tell them, and their spin on this crazy ride we call life. 

For example tonight while doing a magic trick Angel told me to "rememorize" my card.  A combo of remember and memorize. How funny, the things kids say!

I want to remember this moment when Aaron's four top teeth and two bottom teeth are just about the.cutest.thing.ever when he laughs.

I want to remember the smell of Johnson & Johnson and how cute the boys look with bath time mohawks.

I want to remember the soft and high pitched way Aaron says Hiiiiii!

I want to remember Ayden's coping mechanism of saying "I love you mommy" when I put him in an environment he is not comfortable in.

I want to remember that Angel and Ayden's favorite game right now is "Man."  Where they go around being anything from cowboys, to bank robbers, to spiderman and calling each other man.  "Hey man!" "Over here man!" I think it's hysterical.
I want to remember Ayden's sweetness.
I want to remember Aaron's open mouthed kisses.
I want to remember Angel's patience with his baby brother, Aaron, and the way he loves to tickle him.

I want to remember that Angel's favorite color is blue, and Ayden's is green.

I want to remember that Aaron tries so hard to be included in what his big brothers do.  He is constantly chasing, wrestling, and teasing them!

I want to remember the pure joy and love that Angel and Aaron have for one another.  They are going to have a special relationship when they both are older.
I want to remember how much Angel loves Justin Bieber.
Most of all I just want to remember...and never forget.
What do you want to remember?