What do you know?

the ferrari

 Some funny conversations happen in the "ferrari" (that's what my kids call my old car).  Jordan has lately been saying a couple of phrases:  so tutto su... I know everything about..., and so un po` di... I know a little bit about...

For example both Paolo and I have heard more than once that Jordan knows everything about volcanoes.  He's seen some pictures and videos on the internet with mom and with uncle Daniele.  Therefore he is now an expert, or so he thinks.

The other day this one made me laugh:

So un po` delle streghe.  Sono cattivissime. (pausa mentre ci pensa)  Mangiano la carne. (un'altra piccola pausa)  E mangiano i bambini per la pappa.

I know a little bit about witches.  They are evil!  (a pause while he thinks about it)  They eat meat.  (another small pause) They eat little children for dinner.

Good to know.  Stay away from witches folks!

 The little principessa has recently started pre-school.  She loves it! FINALLY, a break from mom.  Nothing but kids, kids, kids to play with!

lucky

 So I've never won anything in my life, but a couple of weeks ago this cool quilting book came out and several blogs offered a give-away.  I love looking at quilting done by Angela Walters and have taken a couple of her classes that she does on Craftsy.  By sheer luck I was the chosen comment on her blog to win this book.  I've loooooooved looking at it in my spare moments and I'm already dreaming of what I can do with it.

So thank you Angela!  Getting this in the mail was so exciting!

 This is a quilt top that I finished piecing a few weeks ago and started quilting last night.  I stole the hexagon idea from my friend Kati.  I pieced it with some left overs of a quilt that I made for my little sister that had a baby a few weeks ago.

mommy millionaire

I read an article recently from a mother with her feelings on motherhood.  She mentioned how hard it can be at times (something that I share), but how it is also very rewarding and wonderful to be a mother (something that I also share with her).  She had mentioned how finding the things that she absolutely loved about being a mom and focusing on them, helps with the monotony of tasks and life.

So I've been mentally trying to think of things that I LOVE about being a mother and that give me great satisfaction.  Here are a few:

• my kids get a kick out of collecting flowers for mommy and hearing me shriek with surprise and then shower them in kisses.   To tell the truth, I think I get the biggest kick out of this one. Daisies have become one of my favorite flowers.
• the way my kids smell after bath time
• wet, slobbery kisses from my 2 year-old (the dry ones too from older kids)
• when you kids reach out for you with their arms held out and they want and need only you
• when Aaron and Jordan hold hands and run home from school together
• seeing Isabel's little bity hands wrapped fully and tightly around Papa`'s neck and her fingers can barely touch.
• listening to my children pray
• being moved when those children pray for me!
• when Jordan smiles so big that his face looks like it'll be frozen like that because he's so happy with something he was able to do
• when Aaron lets Isabel climb in bed with him and he puts his arms around her and whispers "I love you Isabel.  I'll protect you."
• when my kids miraculously are able to work out a problem with crying or hitting.  It's a miracle!
• how very generous they can be at times with their most prized possessions (like a rare ice cream cone or treat)
• when one of them comes and snuggles up to you
• dirty bath water.  I know that my kids are happy, healthy and playing in the mud!

The other day the boys had a contest to see who could give me the most flowers. If I had a penny for every little daisy I've been given, then I'm a millionaire!  And even without those pennies, I'm still a millionaire because of those sweet little children in my life.