A Clean Sink


You’re gonna laugh but having a clean and empty sink at the end of the day is something that makes me truly happy. I’m even happier when I’m not the one doing the emptying and cleaning. I’m also extremely happy when all the dishes are off the counter and put away, even those that were “drying.” 

When the sink is empty, I feel likes it’s a clean palate to begin creating something wonderful again! 

The kitchen is the hub to the family. If it’s orderly, everything else seems to flow smoothly. When it’s messy, things feel chaotic and the hub feels rickety.

So I’m happy tonight with my simple, clean sink! Now if someone would just clear the papers and clutter from the table…I can just imagine the joy to come.

Cheers to clean kitchens and simple joys! May we all have them.

xo

Job Sharing


This is my work partner. We job share. She keeps me company and keeps an eye out for me. Well, she keeps an eye on my cursor and follows it diligently making sure I keep it moving. Luckily I had two monitors today so she couldn’t slow me down.

The perks!


This is my night shift partner. He makes sure I keep my priorities straight, like providing him with a warm lap instead of folding the sorted laundry.

Still can’t believe I’ve turned into a cat lady!

Life is good.

Love and Light

These are my favorite words right now. I love them as a blessing to others and I love experiencing both. I love the thought of love and light and focusing our attention on all that is good. What we focus on, is what we create and I choose love and light. They’re kinda like my BFFs.

Today I loved finishing the second to last day of my 30 day challenge, completing 240 squats, 38 push-ups and 95 leg lifts!! This makes me very happy. What challenge should I accept next, Yaya?

I decided to complete today’s challenge before dinner. The only thing that’s been consistent with this challenge is completing the daily challenge. Some days I’ve worked out in the morning and others at lunch, mid-afternoon, before dinner and at least before bed. Those ones were the hardest!

Tonight I finished the challenge right around 7pm and decided to shower before dinner. I loved the late afternoon sunlight coming through my bathroom window and didn’t want to leave until sunset.


Love and light. May it surround you and be part of your every day.

namaste

Memory Collection

What memories did you create and collect today?

Are you holding them secret, just for you? Did you take a picture or write about your moment(s) to remember?

Today I baked Aunt Debbie’s King Ranch Chicken casserole for dinner. It brought back great memories of visiting with her in Colorado probably when Christian was a baby. I liked seeing her handwriting on the recipe card I still carry and enjoyed thinking of her while I cooked and we enjoyed dinner.

I love food, family, tradition and making memories!

And I love that you choose to share this wonderful life with me, by reading and reflecting, connecting and sometimes sharing a like or a comment with me. Thank you!  I hope you enjoyed your weekend and have a great week!

xo

Chili

I asked Jeff what we should make for dinner tonight. I’m out of ideas and everything sounds boring. He picked chili, as it was cold, cloudy and rainy today.  So we went to the grocery store after Charlie’s soccer game to pick up all the ingredients. It was fun shopping together.

I asked Juliana to help me chop the peppers, while Charlie helped to declutter the kitchen table and I began browning the meat and onions. Jeff and Christian were working on other projects. 

I loved having my creative girl in the kitchen with me again.


She sees love like I do… everywhere…even in peppers!

Just another day in the life, living happily ever after one day at a time. How was your day?

nAMaste

Taste of Summer

I tricked her. I went in her room while she was studying and said, 

“Come out here and be with me, …and unload the dishwasher.”

Luckily she wants to spend time with me. She didn’t however like the idea of doing the dishes, but she did it anyway. I was getting ready to prepare dinner and wanted her company.

She retorted, “Let’s empty it together.”

Deal.

She unloaded and handed them to me while I put them in their place. Then we switched without exchanging words because she was closer to the place the dishes belonged.  We danced and flowed from dishes to conversations about our day, while we began to cut up fruit and prep dinner.

She cut. I boiled. She stirred. I chopped. She drained the noodles. I spiralized the zucchini and carrots. We go well together.


Afterwards, I sat down to relax. She followed me. We read and worked side by side. 

She got up and decided she wanted to bake. I followed her back into the kitchen.

She baked. I admired. She shared. I tasted.


We all gathered in the small space together and I called for a group hug. They thought I was crazy. I know they are growing up but they’re still all my babies. So we hugged. In that moment. For a second, because they know their mom is crazy!


Summer is almost here. I can almost taste it.

Can’t wait!

🙂 

28

I did 28 push-ups today, for real!


I’ve never done 28 push-ups before and surprised myself. I’m doing a 30 day challenge to get ready for summer, and everyday for the past 24 days the reps have been building up. I am loving this strength challenge that is pushing and motivating me to be stronger and more fit. I am surprised that I can now do 185 squats and a ton of leg lifts! 

I am loving that I’ve stuck with the challenge and haven’t missed a day. This is practicing discipline. I think I’ll do a 30 day food related challenge next month. This daily challenge inspires and motivates me and I’ve found my stick-to-it-ness!

Thank you Cori for originally sharing the challenge on FaceBook. I love it!

Do you like challenges? Are you following any that you love?  I wish you well!

nAMaste

Salud!


As I’m practicing what I like to call “adulting,” I am missing my grandparents. I want to know them and to love them and share stories and my kids with them now that I’m an official adult. I keep missing them and our traditions.

I am thankful for my mama who learned how to cook the family recipe and to my husband who meticulously watched and took notes to capture how she made the liquid gold, because she doesn’t follow a recipe.  He watched as she cooked and created a Google doc that we could share, find and reuse.

Following the recipe this morning made me think of my mama and our family and the love we’ve shared over spaghetti dinners. I loved the process and the smell in the house and was excited for my family to come home to enjoy it with me.  I loved having it cooking on the stove all day, as I worked from home, getting up every so often to give it a stir, sniff and taste.

Everyone came home at different times tonight, and even though we didn’t get to sit together and share a meal at the same time, I got to see their faces and empty bowls and seeing them go back for late night snacks. 

Do you have a favorite family meal that brings back good memories? 

Salud! To your health!! 

Mangia!! Mangia!

nAMaste.

Sparked Joy!


I went shopping with my BFF this weekend and we had so much fun, browsing and trying on shoes and makeup and clothes together. I never take the time to do this and the hours just passed by before we knew it. 

We joked together and enjoyed people watching and told each other what looked good and what didn’t, laughing along the way. She has great taste and helped me to pick out a new summery outfit, and I helped her pick out a fun new top and belt.  She really picked out her own and I just validated her choice. I had the easy part! 🙂

I was going to save my new outfit for a special occasion and then decided today was a special occasion for no reason, well actually, because I’m living my happily ever after today and that’s a good enough reason. I loved the feeling of dressing up a bit and feeling fun and cuter than usual. It sparked joy and made me happy.

The little things…and who knew?

What little things spark joyed in your life today on this magnificent Monday?

Have a great week, hot stuff!!