how cute are these?

How cute are these wooden bumble bee and lady bug souvenirs
my mom brought my girls from Slovenia?

They are so lucky to have such a great grandma...

went to Coney Island!

We go to Brooklyn frequently but this was our family's first trip to Coney Island.
What a perfect way to spend Labor Day, eating Nathan's hot dogs, riding the attractions at the 90 year old Wonder Wheel Amusement Pier and walking along the beach....

Photos taken with the Hipstamatic iPhone app,
it's really fun with tons of options to tweak your photos

had another post planned

I had some fun and frivolous ideas for upcoming posts, I've been receiving tons of packages in the mail and wanted to share some of my great finds with you. I like blogging for the creative escape it allows me and also because it gives me an outlet to celebrate the little things, like a new lip gloss, a fun movie or an activity with my children that make life rich.

I sat down with the intention to share a quick blurb about my day while my girls napped and I became sidetracked as I often do with reading my Google Reader first. I love the various blogs I follow, they are all so different, unique and inspiring. I was impatient to see how varied our interests on a normal Tuesday could be. I stopped dead in my tracks when I read this guest post on Design Mom from Reagan's Blob. I was in tears - a first for me in my 3 months in Blog World.

Reagan shared her story of her daughter's Piper Jane's birth and subsequent diagnosis of Cerebro Costo Mandibular Syndrome. Her daughter is now 3 years old, a feat within itself and has still never left the hospital as she is connected to a ventilator.

I was moved to see a mother's love and strength during I time when I imagine I would feel so helpless I would want to curl up and hide. Also, I felt guilty for the small and "big" things I complain about and for the days when I feel so bothered by minutia. I feel so eternally grateful for my life - which is my family and so embarrassed that I don't express that every minute of every day in my actions.

Perhaps, I should have saved this for a Mother's Day post since I feel re-energized to live each minute of motherhood to the fullest but on the other hand also feel comfort in knowing that just as I teach my daughters to be better citizens of the world they will be teaching me to be the person I want to be as well.


Until tomorrow,

celebrated her Mom's birthday

I love my mother as the trees love water and sunshine - she helps me grow, prosper, and reach great heights.

~Terri Guilleme

Until tomorrow,