Category Archives: Family

Fabric {My "Crafty" Side}, Family, Friends, Frugal Finds, Fun

‘Round Here

January 23, 2014 Amy Leave a comment

Hey friends!

So here we are one week away from February and I haven’t taken the time to sit and blog. When I read other blogs, I start to miss the daily/every couple days entries. My GOAL is to sit down more and chime in even if it’s just a new healthy recipe I’ve discovered or a little craft I whipped up or a little facelift to the house or a fun, frugal find I came across along my travels.

I miss this space and connecting with you.

Here is what we’ve been up to in the new year {instead of blogging}…..

{Researching monthly quotes for our chalkboard. I love updating this inspirational piece that hangs in the hub of our home. I have another old/outdated framed graphic that I’m going to spray paint and turn into a second chalkboard. It’s on the list of “Things To Do”.}

{This little gallery wall was swirling around in my head for months. I had finished re-doing the aqua table over the summer and couldn’t wait to get something hung over it. This happy space is in our master bedroom and I just love it. It took me awhile to source the makings of this space, but I love the way everything came together. The mirror is from Target clearance, the “I” & “U” hooks are from Anthropologie clearance, the sweet little chalkboard hook with the heart {with hat} is to help support my friend Lena and her heart for Acres Of Love here, the 8 X 10 prints on the clipboards were a gift from sweet Lindsay at my baptism last Spring and can be found here and the smaller 5X7 prints can be found here and here.}

{I love finding printables to stick in these two red frames with the change of seasons or holidays. I just searched FREE Valentine’s printables on Pinterest and voila!}

{Over Winter Break we had some friends over for the day and the mamas made these fun canvases that I spotted on Pinterest. We had to break the boys away from the PS3 and the girls away from their Rainbow Looms to paint their hands and feet, but I adore the way they turned out.}

{I love that Holden’s birthday is in February because it gives me something to focus on after the letdown of the holidays. I always start planning and shopping for goodies in January and let the party planning begin. This year he is having a few little boy buddies over for an early morning pajama party…more fun details to come!}

{With the new year comes the promise to eat less and exercise more. I try to drink plenty of this water daily and find it a little more interesting than plain old H2O. Add a sliced lemon, half a peeled and sliced cucumber and some fresh mint leaves to your water. I refill the jar several times before changing out the produce. Per Pinterest, this concoction is good for detoxing. I’ll let you be the judge 😉 }

{I’m trying to be better about reading the calorie count when in restaurants. On our Santa Barbara day trip last Sunday, I ordered this crispy Asian salad with less than 350 calories at silvergreens. I didn’t eat the roll, but the salad was delicious and filling.}

{At home I’ve been trying to create flavorful, lo-cal versions of my favorites. I could eat pizza every day all day, but with this BBQ chicken tortilla pizza, I don’t need to feel guilty. Ezekiel sprouted grain tortilla, 2 tbsp BBQ sauce, red onion, cilantro, 3 strips of precooked chicken (TJ’s), 1/4 cup lite mozzarella cheese and some Sriracha drizzles added after baking for 8-10 minutes at 325*. It’s around 300 calories and will most certainly take care of your pizza cravings!}

{With friends posting about Snow Days and single digit temps in other parts of the country, it still amazes me that we are on the beach and the kids are frolicking in the surf in mid-January. Our MLK weekend was made perfect with a little day trip to Santa Barbara and we hope to do more of these throughout the year. It’s so easy to get holed up in our little valley, but it sure was nice to take a drive up the coast for the day and still be home in time for dinner and a relaxing evening.}

*****

So, that’s what’s been goin’ on ’round here for the past several weeks. It’s been nice to have a break from soccer, but Spring will get busy again with baseball for Holden and AYSO for Elliott along with some after school enrichment classes that start up next week! Just taking it day by day……

I hope you all have had a great start to Twenty14.

XOXO

Family, Friends, Fun

Twenty13 in Review ~ Photo-a-month

January 11, 2014 Amy Leave a comment

Hello and Happy New Year!

Here it is almost mid-January and I am just now sitting down to review 2013 with my annual one-picture-a-month to relive just some of the highlights of our year.

{Vegas with Lolo & Lola in January}

{Elliott’s First Reconciliation in February}

{Palm Sunday in March}

{Neon Day in April}

{First Holy Communion in May}

{Shooting a pirate commercial in June}

{Savannah, GA in July}

{Last hurrah of summer in August with friends in the OC}

{Spent the day as superheroes in September}

{GoPro-ing at Legoland in October}

{Frolicking in the country with dear friends in November}

{Family day at The Grove to celebrate the season in December}

*****

It’s never easy to select just one picture, but I love recalling memories made over the previous 12 months.

You can view previous years’ recaps here.

A mother’s happiness is like a beacon, lighting up the future but reflected also on the past in the guise of fond memories. ~ Honore de Balzac

Faith, Family

O Holy Night

December 24, 2013 Amy Leave a comment

Merry Christmas Eve.

Tomorrow we’re gonna party like it’s Jesus’ birthday…

Celebrate BIG, friends.

*****

Matthew 1:21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.

Family

Season’s Greetings ~ 2013 Style

December 20, 2013 Amy Leave a comment

I don’t know about you, but the minute I drop the 120+ Christmas cards into the big blue mailbox at the post office drive-thru I can breathe a sigh of relief. I like to get them out fairly early so they aren’t hanging over my head too far into the season. But, getting them out early means that you have to have your picture and your card in the works before Thanksgiving! We usually just include the kids in our Christmas card photos because honestly, who wants to see a couple of tired, 40-something parents?!?

This year, on Thanksgiving weekend, we headed to nearby Mentryville on a Sunday afternoon and Jay snapped a few pics. I was, of course, determined to get “THE picture” that day so I could get on with the Christmas cards. I had already scoured Shutterfly, Costco, Walgreens, you-name-it for a template that I liked. I found one on the Target site that I loved which coordinated with the paper that I chose for our annual letter. Score!

For me, coordinating the kids’ outfits is the hardest thing about photos. Do we want formal or casual? Plaid or stripes? Traditional red & green? As I was wandering through Target one day {not unusual, of course} I noticed that the Levi’s dENiZEN jeans that fit Holden so well were temporarily marked 40% off. I immediately grabbed the camo pair that I had been eyeing for full price in the last size 6 and knew that I was going to work these into the holiday photo somehow. Then minutes later I visited the girls’ clothing section and found this lonely camo shirt {from the Disney D-Signed line} hanging on the clearance rack for 50% off ~ about 10 bucks. Done.

I knew Elliott would wear her favorite Old Navy skinnies, but now I was on the lookout for a top for Holden. I quickly ducked into Crazy 8 on Black Friday and found a green and blue checkered plaid button up and fun graphic tee for Holden {both for under $10!!} Done. I like to layer the short sleeved tee on top of the button up…the saleslady looked at me funny when I told her that’s what I was going to do, but I think it looks darling….er, cool.

He needed some shoes so I popped into Children’s Place and found the little brown boots that I thought would be good church shoes since he always seems to wear either his beat up tennies or flip flops to mass. Black Friday deal on the boots ~ $9 and change! Done.

I didn’t order enough of the above card and Jay needed extras for his co-workers so I reordered 25 more cards with this simple chalkboard design…

That’s our Christmas card story for Twenty Thirteen.

Until next year….

*****

We hope your holidays are merry & bright and filled with family, friends, laughter and good cheer!

Many blessings to you and yours in 2014 and always.

XOXO,

The Aspiras’

Family, Fun

Have A Seat ~ Visit To Santa 2013

November 19, 2013 Amy Leave a comment

Santa shimmied down the chimney of our local Westfield Mall on November 15th.

The kids walked right on up and had a seat on his lap on November 17th.

No line.

No waiting.

Holden had all the time in the world to talk Santa’s ear off about Skylanders Swap Force Starter Pack.

Elliott simply requested an iPad Mini.

We were in and out again this year.

I am happy. I have my 5×7 ready to be framed and perched on our holiday mantel.

This is the 9th year in a row that we’ve gone to a Westfield Mall for our Santa picture. I am all about tradition when it comes to this sort of thing. Each year I display all our Santa pics from 2005 to present. I love seeing how much they change from year to year.

We were fortunate and never had any tears when it came to Mr. Claus. Elliott & Holden were always eager to have a seat on Santa’s lap and whisper their wishes into his ear.

I must add, however, that Elliott and I went around and around about her wearing this darling ROXY plaid flannel for the pic. She had other ideas which involved Justice shorts and a tank top {her argument was that they were purple and matched Holden’s outfit}. After explaining to her {OK….bribing} that I wanted them to look festive and “winter-ish” she reconsidered and ditched the Justice idea.

Past Santa Adventures: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

*****

I am happy to say that I have a good handle on Christmas this year. Several little gifts purchased and wrapped. Classroom goodies in the works. Annual family ornaments purchased.

After Thanksgiving we have exactly 26 days until family arrives, feasts are prepared, Christmas Eve Mass is attended, gifts are scattered under the tree and egg nog is sipped in anticipation of Santa’s arrival.

For as much running around and stress that I am prepared for, I am also looking forward to having a seat, putting my feet up, staring at our old-fashioned trimmed tree and listening to Christmas carols old & new.

But not before giving thanks with a turkey and all the fixins a week from Thursday…

Off to make my shopping list!

Faith, Family, Flashbacks

I Always Knew

October 10, 2013 Amy 2 Comments

I always knew I wanted to be a stay-at-home-mother.

But I also always knew that I wanted to go to college and earn a degree.

There was a time when I was focused on graduating from SDSU and being a mama was not on my immediate radar.

There was a time when I thought I may NOT be able to be a SAHM.

Thankfully, I surrendered and listened to what HE had in store for me. It took some time, but eventually I saw and understood why everything that had happened in my life up to that point.

I recall being at lunch with my colleagues when I was working FT in Del Mar and looking across the restaurant at a group of what I assumed were SAHMs. They had their strollers, infant carseats, burp cloths, etc. and were sitting around chatting about what moms of infants and toddlers probably chat about ~ sleep deprivation, finding the right diapers, etc.

I recall thinking to myself, “I want to do that someday.” Not live in Del Mar and sit in a brewery/pizza joint, but be a SAHM.

That was about 16 years ago.

I’ve been at home for almost 8.5 years now. It’s hard to believe. I don’t have it all figured out. Like at all. Somedays I feel so productive and others I feel like I’m letting my family down. Some days I just have to be OK with doing the bare minimum…

Kids up, dressed, fed, teeth brushed, hair done, lunches packed, homework in the backpack, socks & shoes on and to school on time {a pet peeve of mine}.

Dishes in the sink at least washed and placed in the dish drainer.

Maybe a load of laundry started {and probably forgotten in the washer for a day or two, but I always know that Jay will remind me it’s in there!}

Making sure we have SOMETHING for dinner that is semi-healthy and not from a drive-thru.

Picking up the kids from school and getting homework done before soccer, religious ed, dance, etc.

Remembering who has practice and at which field/park and at what time.

Asking Holden 26 times to get his shoes on and get in the car.

Getting home from said soccer practice {late} and getting dinner together, the kids in the bath, reading minutes logged, teeth brushed and tucked in.

Somedays that’s all I can do. And that’s not to say that I do this all alone. Jay is obviously tired after commuting and working all day, but he helps a lot, too.

And I’m not complaining about this at all, I’m just saying that there are days {lately more so than not!} that I don’t get a thing more done than what I have to. I am totally aware that I need to put down my phone more and pick up the Swiffer duster and Hoover more. I know this. I get it. I want to. But somedays I just don’t have it in me. And I’m not saying that’s OK either.

What prompted this whole post was reading this article floating around Facebook.

I’m not going to get real deep here {because I never do}, but sometimes you just need to hear that being a SAHM IS work and that it DOES count as a “job”.

I am beyond blessed that I’ve been able to stay at home this long. Yes, we have to make sacrifices and say NO and sometimes even worry about money.

But, lately we have truly seen God’s grace and witnessed his promise to always provide.

It was laid on my heart many, many years ago to be in this exact place right now and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

Bad days and all.

Because my “bad day” is someone else’s dream day come true.

The little 4X4 IG photos above are WHY I stay home with my kids.

I am gathering moments each day, the good and the not so good, so that when my babies are older and go off to college or I deliver a speech at their weddings, I can look back and know that I embraced what God placed in my path.

I may not get everything right, but I hope I get this right…..

I knew 16 years ago.

I knew 20 years ago.

I ALWAYS knew.

Family, Fun

Southern Comfort

July 28, 2013 Amy Leave a comment

Just returned from 2 weeks in the Carolinas.

We’ve got a bit of an airline hangover, but we made it safe and sound.

Resting up in order to enjoy some Kingdom Rock this week ~ E & H are first time VBSers.

I know they’ll love it.

Carolina Summer recap to come….

Nighty night.

XOXO

Family, Friends, Fun

Summer ’13 {Sand} Bucket List

July 2, 2013 Amy 2 Comments

For the past few years I’ve drawn up a Summer To-do List. Last year we were not very successful at crossing off our items, but we DID have a fantastic summer!

This year I tried to make the events a little simpler so we can {check} away….because we all know a to-do list immediately becomes less daunting when you see check marks all over the place and know you’re making progress.

So, without further ado, here is our Twenty-Thirteen Summer Bucket List:

1. Rita’s for dessert. I hear it’s ah-mazing! Line-out-the-door-and-around-the-corner ah-mazing.

Thinking about ordering Iced Coffee or Mint Oreo Cream Ice….

2. Pizza at the pool. This rolls over every year and I don’t know why because it’s such a fun and easy one….going to do our best to check this one off once and for all this year!

3. Send Happy Mail and surprise someone special

4. Visit our OC friends for the weekend

5. See Despicable Me 2 on opening day ~ July 3rd

6. Baked S’mores!!

{via}

7. Bike to Starbucks/donut shop on the weekend

8. Dine at Cracker Barrel and rock on the porch 🙂

9. Visit Hobby Lobby {first timer}

10. Early morning walk on the beach

11. VBS

12. Sign Holden up for Taekwondo

13. Attend a couple concerts in the park

*****

A few of these we/I will have to accomplish when we are on the east coast later this month. Fun. Fun.

You can view previous summers’ to-do’s here: 2010, 2011 & 2012.

Gotta go. We have some summer livin’ to do!

XOXO

Family, Fun

Pop Of Color

June 20, 2013 Amy 2 Comments

I’ve always loved the photography trick of having the bulk of a picture in black & white and then highlighting one thing in it’s original color. This concept is nothing new, but recently I viewed some Instagram pics with this filter and knew I had to download the app ASAP. Come to find out it’s FREE and oh so much fun! It’s called Camera360 and the filter is MagicColor.

Thanks again, Jane!

I went back into my camera roll and chose a rainbow of pics to play around with….