Oh Great Spirit

"Oh, Great Spirit, whose voice I hear in the wind,

Whose breath gives life to all the world.

Hear me; I need your strength and wisdom.

Let me walk in beauty, and make my eyes ever behold the red and purple sunset.

Make my hands respect the things you have made and my ears sharp to hear your voice

Make me wise so that I may understand the teachings of my people.

Help me to remain calm and strong in the face of all that comes towards me.

Let me learn the lessons you have hidden in every leaf and rock.

Help me seek pure thoughts and act with the intention of helping others.

Help me find compassion without empathy overwhelming me.

I seek strength, not to be greater than my brother, but to fight my greatest enemy

Myself.

Make me always ready to come to you with clean hands and straight eyes.

So when life fades, as the fading sunset, my spirit may come to you without shame.

~Chief Yellow Lark, Lakota Tribe

Glowing Hearts

I'm mommy-blogging from the couch in between commercial breaks during the super exciting 2010 olympics, and Lyndsey Vonn just finished her downhill course on one ski. All her competitors are crashing out. That's the latest from Vancouver. But back in FL, representing USA from mom's living room, the latest news around here is: the kidlets are asleep. All but one. Anakai is still wide awake.

She found and finished a hidden box of valentine chocolates without getting caught. [voice over: the thrill of victory] What gave her away was the disappointment of an empty heart shaped box that followed. [the agony of defeat] She mimics figure skating moves with Amanda Evora, and speed skating positions with Apolo Ohno. She loves the snowboarding red-head who wears stars on his scarf, Shaun White, and says,"Whowww, he's awwwesome."

Between the X-games a few weeks ago and the winter games now, the kidlets have been inspired to test their olympic potential. They've been streamlining their pink princess scooter techniques. Bouncing their pink & purple mini basketball, and kicking their shiny pink soccerball around. The games around here could not be pinker. I gotta say, little Brittany is pretty aggressive with the soccerball!

Now back to the games: On the half pipe finals Shaun White just earned another gold medal... threw a sweet double mc-twister when he didn't even need to. But by my side all snuggled up, my baby Anakai Ocean is finally asleep.

Blogging live from the couch, thanks for joining us. I'm da ma-ma. Good night.

Project: Valentine

Mission: Sharing The Love

It's a pretty important day around here. All 3 tots awoke to a valentine's day balloon and card from a mysterious mama. Wawa made heart shaped french toast for breakfast. Of course, red heart shaped boxes of chocolate kisses from a mysterious papa. But not til after lunch.

They all got manicures with a heart design on every finger (If you click on the above pic, you can take a closer look at Kai's nails.) Now I can add 'manicurist' to my list of mama-skills.

Coloring our valentines.






Who said "Love doesn't grow on trees?"

Make a Smilebox greeting

Happy Birthday Papa!

February is full of family birthdays.

First Brittany on the 9th. Chris' today. Tita Cynthia's on the 22nd; Tito Boy's the 23rd; Mom's 70th is on the 24th; Lolo Baldomero on the 25th.

Guess who loves their new Tinkerbell nightgowns?!?!

Happy Birthday Brittany

The birthday princess woke up early this morning. First at 5:30am. Gramma said to the wide-awake wonder,

"How's the three year old this morning?"
"I'm not three yet. It's still dark."

About 8:30am she said to Gramma,
"I need to put on my dress. It started already!"

Here's all of us singing to the little big girl. (Be glad you didn't get the audio :)


Princess Brittany making her birthday wish...


Brit's birthday cake baked and decorated by twincess cousins, and princess Tita Sheila.

(With 3 kiddies around, we ran out of icing before the entire cake was iced :)

"Hooray, I'm big enough to cut my own cake!"


Mmmmmm birthday cookies from mommy, daddy, and Ashley! Brittany was so excited to receive a special delivery, "Is that for me?!!"

These cookies are amazing! Too good to keep a secret. Share this sweet love and go to twofatcookies.com

We Are Family

I got all my sistas and me...


slide with us papa!

Sugar Sand Puppet Festival

Posing with Alice in Wonderland and the Queen of Hearts.

Brits is holding Alice's basket, and was invited to play a game of croquet. Kacia and Anakai are skeptical, "Where are all her hearts?"

Look who's a twincess?!

Anakai didn't like the funny mirrors.

Decorating their mad-hatter top hats.

This last one is my favorite pic of the day. Now I understand why the hatter went mad.

Brittany's become Napoleon? Mom looks like Yoko Ono as a court jester! Kacia is distracted. Anakai has to pee.
(Kinda like a failed album cover attempt for Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band :)

Writing

Anakai's so into her practice of writing the alphabet.


ta-DAH!