KNOW WHAT I'M CRAVING???

A "Galao", it's this very popular coffee served in Portugal. It's like half milk and half coffee in a tall glass, but it's just SOOO good.

I remember growing up in Portugal, every coffee house, restaurant, snack bar etc, serves coffee. I would have to say the most common request is the "Bica" an espresso. The second most common would be the "galao" and then for the kids there's the "garoto" which is more milk than coffee.

Nothing like walking into a "pastelaria" in the morning and ordering a galao and a pastel de nata. Those were my favorites :)

Yesterday was one of those days. The ones that make up for all the bad times you may have. As a mom, there's times that I feel like I'm loosing control, of the kids, of the house, of myself actually......I want to just run out the door and keep going!
The kids act out (how dare they act like kids? lol) and I walk around stressed, exhausted and really down.

We didn't get to make it to the grocery store, we went to the BX where we were met by Mickey Mouse, Minnie, Winnie the Pooh, Tiger and Roo. The kids were thrilled, well, Jasmine was thrilled, Nicholas was not impressed. He walked with his eyes closed so as not to see them LOL

We grabbed some lunch and then came home to eat while waiting for the library to open. After the library trip, which they actually behaved for, we came back home again, took a bubble bath, put on pj's then sat on the couch reading books, thrilling ME beyond words, my kids love books, is there anything better than that???

After the books they wanted to do some finger painting....yes, a bit backwards since they had just had a bath, but then again the whole day was backwards because we NEVER have baths in the middle of the day. But anyway, after their "works of art", we migrated to the bedroom, lay down and took a 2 hour nap. It's a *drumroll*, *hands up in the air*, *hallelujah* kind of thing, the last time I was able to take a nap was, well, I really can't remember, it's been years. LOL

I woke up before they did, and as I looked over and saw them snuggled up, peacefully sleeping, I thought "boy, if I could just have hubby here right now, I would freeze this moment in time". You ever have one of those moments you want to capture??? Those where you just know that you're in the right place and the right time, no where else you would rather be???
Life is good, it's full of ups and downs but it makes it exciting and worthwhile.

We're saving the grocery store trip for this morning, and for some reason, I'm not dreading it like I always do. I'm a true believer that negative thoughts bring negative situations.
I will admit that everytime I have to get groceries or make a run to a store, with kids in tow, I start panicking and tell myself "you know what's going to happen, the kids are going to act up, they're going to run away, they're going to make you scream like a psycho, you won't be able to get the groceries". Low and behold, I am usually the frazzled psycho mom running after the kids, trying to keep them in the cart, and walking out with only half of what she needed.

I'm picking a different approach today, I'm going to think positively, I'm going to imagine that they cooperate and that our trip will actually be pleasant. So now let's see how things go.

While out yesterday, I signed us up for some family photos. Every year there is a photography studio that comes to the base, they take really good pictures, the last time they were here, we didn't do a family portrait, just the kids. Look how adorable they turned out:

We're having Sepia Toned Family portraits done :) I just can't wait :)

BTW, yes this is a new template. What do you know? I woke up this morning to a "blue screen of death" and a messed up computer again. I think it's time for a new one soon, just wish they weren't so expensive. For now, I'm just going to have to stick it out with this one.

Arrrgh, I just took a sip of my coffee and it's cold. Nothing worse than a mouthful of cold yucky coffee. So, I am going to refill and then finish getting the kids ready to head out.

Father, we thank thee for the night,
And for the pleasant morning light.
For rest and food and loving care,
And all that makes the day so fair.
Help us to do the thing we should,
To be to others kind and good,
In all we do, in all we say,
To grow more loving every day.
Rebecca J. Weston

For dinner I'm making Barb's Sloppy Joes, go on over and get the recipe, they sound delicious :)





Anne of Green Gables
Felicity an American Girl
60 Minutes







Grocery shopping
Vacuuming and steam cleaning carpets
Mopping kitchen floor
Laundry