Two Worlds Meet

Organizing over time

2012-01-26T11:20:00.000-08:00

Hello,

WOW ! It is amazing how time flies...with time comes change..change of seasons, change of seconds into minutes, minutes into hours , hours into days, days into weeks, weeks into months, months into years..speaking of which I was last on this blog in October.I make no excuses except for one LIFE !!! Life is constantly moving and moving forward and ahead.The kids the growing up and growing up fast.

I continue to wear many hats..cub scouts, girl scouts leader. mom, wife, chaffeur, nurse, Realtor and the lists goes on and on and on...

So with that said I will stop by here when it takes my fancy to fill you in on something ..who knows who cares..but I will ramble on in the hopes that someone is paying attention and can take an idea or two and make it their own.

This has been a quiet week for me on the work front..today I have 5 girls coming over for a playdate..yeah they are only five but it was motivation enough to organize..yes organize..not clean..with my busy schedule I have been able to keep the house in great shape but there is always room for improvement.

I tackled my laundry room today. I already had the white bins in there with the kids pictures so they know where to throw their winter stuff. I love that my carousel for shoes is working. Every week I switch shoe duty with the kids and they need to make sure that their shoes are hung up.

Reno has set some records with a dry dry winter..in fact it has been so dry that we had two major fires, two months apart and in each fire over 20 homes were burned. Over 10 000 people were evacuated and it has been devastating...Recently we had some snow Finally !!! So off I went to the store to get knew snow shoes that were 1 size too big so they can wear them for another season.

My 9year old has feet that is only a toe smaller than my feet..yeah we can wear almost the same size shoe now..scary..so when I forgot what size shoe he wore I got him a size 4 kids boots as I know that I can fit into a kids 4..yes I have small feet. Well that meant that I no longer have small cute boy shoes. His shoe takes up way more space now. Priyasha is a real diva and has different colored boots for different outfits. I was sick of no space on my shoe rack that I decided to hang up my boots on hangers and I love love love this idea. My floors are neat and tidy and they help the boots dry faster.

Here are some pictures for you to enjoy ! Hope you get an idea or two..drop me a note and let me know what you think !

Retiring the flag with the boy scouts

2011-10-12T00:42:00.000-07:00

Hello World,

Pack 512 Troop 15 today decided to retire an old flag. We usually hold out meetings at the fire station in Reno and the boys got to learn a little about fire safety rules as well.

As always my world is a busy and crazy one. Might I add I would not like it to be any different. This week my friend Kim is her from South Africa visiting me. She has been in my life for 9 years and most of that time we have been oceans apart. She has seen me through one of the hardest moments in my life and I was so happy to see her again after two years. We have been doing touristy things like going to San Francisco and driving around Lake Tahoe. We made it back to Reno in time to catch the flag retiring ceremony with the cub scouts.

When a flag becomes worn or tattered, it is to be replaced with a new flag and the one one is to be reitred in a proper way. This required theflags to be burned in a ceremonial way with the highest respect.
According to the Boy Scouts of America publication 'Your Flag' 'When our national flag is worn beyond repair, cut it into small pieces that will burn easily and completely on a modest, but blazing fire. This should be done in a simple manner with dignity and respect. Be sure the flag is reduced to ashes unrecognizable as a former flag.

There are many many ways to have a flag burning ceremony. My troop did a informal version but the boys learned about the rules about the flag and how it should be retired. Each boy took a turn to read a little about the flag before we lit the fire in a bowl. The boys did a great job and I as a grown up learnt a lot too. If you have a boy I hope you will consider joining the cub scouts. It is a great amazing program.

Here is what our ceremony looked like. Thank you for stopping by.

Here is some flag ettiquette we should all know and teach our kids: ( This was found on the internet )

American Flag Etiquette.

Federal law stipulates many aspects of flag etiquette. The section of law dealing with American Flag etiquette is generally referred to as the Flag Code. Some general guidelines from the Flag Code answer many of the most common questions:

The flag should be lighted at all times, either by sunlight or by an appropriate light source.
The flag should be flown in fair weather, unless the flag is designed for inclement weather use.
The flag should never be dipped to any person or thing. It is flown upside down only as a distress signal.
The flag should not be used for any decoration in general. Bunting of blue, white and red stripes is available for these purposes. The blue stripe of the bunting should be on the top.
The flag should never be used for any advertising purpose. It should not be embroidered, printed or otherwise impressed on such articles as cushions, handkerchiefs, napkins, boxes, or anything intended to be discarded after temporary use. Advertising signs should not be attached to the staff or halyard.
The flag should not be used as part of a costume or athletic uniform, except that a flag patch may be used on the uniform of military personnel, fireman, policeman and members of patriotic organizations.
The flag should never have any mark, insignia, letter, word, number, figure, or drawing of any kind placed on it, or attached to it.
The flag should never be used for receiving, holding, carrying, or delivering anything.
When the flag is lowered, no part of it should touch the ground or any other object; it should be received by waiting hands and arms. To store the flag it should be folded neatly and ceremoniously.
The flag should be cleaned and mended when necessary.
When a flag is so worn it is no longer fit to serve as a symbol of our country, it should be destroyed by burning in a dignified manner.

I wanted to share this version of the flag retiring ceremony. I read this on the internet and I wanted to share this with you. If you want to read more ways to organize a flag retiring ceremony then you can get some ideas at this link . http://www.ushistory.org/betsy/more/flagretirement_scouts.htm

I AM YOUR FLAG
I was born on June 14, 1777
I am more than cloth shaped into a design.
I am the refuge of the world's oppressed people.
I am the silent sentinel of Freedom.
I am the emblem of the greatest sovereign nation on earth.
I am the inspiration for which American Patriots gave their lives and fortunes.
I have led your sons in to battle from Valley Forge to the blistering desert of the Arabian Peninsula.
I walked in silence with each of your honored dead to their final resting place beneath the silent white crosses, row upon row.
I have flown through peace and war, strife and prosperity, and amidst it all I have been respected.
"Old Glory" is my nickname; proudly I wave on high. Honor me. respect me, defend me with your lives and fortunes. Never let my enemies tear me down from my lofty position lest I never return. Keep alight the fires of patriotism, strive earnestly for the spirit of democracy. Worship Eternal God and keep his commandments, and I shall remain the bulwark of peace of freedom for all people.
FOR I AM YOUR FLAG!
(Stop here until the colors are completely separated. Then continue:)
My red stripes symbolize the blood spilled in defense of the glorious nation.
Let us retire the Red Stripes — Salute!
(burn the RED stripes)
Two.
My white stripes signify the burning tears shed by Americans who lost their sons.
Let us retire the White Stripes — Salute.
(burn the WHITE stripes)
Two.
My blue field is indicative of God's heaven under which we fly. My stars, clustered together, unify 50 States as one for God and Country.
Let us retire the Blue Field with Stars. — Salute.

Thank you for stopping by.

Promises, bribes, threats,rewards..what would parenting be without these ?

2011-10-06T21:59:00.000-07:00

Hello World,

Don't know how much you know about me and what I do ? Well it would take a long time to list it all. I am sure it is the same for many moms. Some would consider me to be like and onion , but I do not make people cry, then there is the cabbage, but it is stiff and hard, so I would like to be like a rose , nooo that has thorns,, so a Dahlia I shall compare myself to. What am I talking about ? Layers.. I have many layers ( Oh this reminds me of the clip in Shrek, onions have layers, ogres have layers ) My version is Dahlia's have many layers and people have layers, I have layers and layers.

Click here Shrek video clip to see the video clip. I cannot believe that I found this clip just by googling for it. Amazing technology. See I am already off on a tangent. Like many many of you out there I do a juggling act every single day and I wear many hats to achieve all the things I do.

So anyway I will get to my story. On Wednesday Priyasha was having an emotional morning and was being very clingy. She is in kindergarten and usually rides the bus. Every so often I drop her off at school on my way to the office or to the gym. On Tuesdays I stay and help in her classroom. Well on Wednesday she decided to imitate the old fashion velcro. She clung to my legs and my heart raced with panic. Her teacher looked at me and re-assured me that she will be fine. I felt helpless as she was peeled of my legs. I walked out of the classroom and did not look back till I was out of her site. I stood outside the gate staring at her classroom and sighed a deep ***siiigghhhh**

What's a mom to do ? I did what was right, I keep on trekking.. I went to the gym and did a kick ass workout... all the while thinking of my baby girl.

Drenched in sweat I stopped by the school again to check in on her and she was fine just like her teacher had promised me. So all sounds good right ? Wait, rewind to when she was crying and holding onto me...her little girlfriend Lauren was also crying and holding her mommy. We met Lauren on day one and she is having a really hard time adjusting to being away from mom. Some of why Missy cries is because she sees someone else cry. She is my sensitive one.

I was so heartbroken to see them both cry, I had a GENIUS MOMENT ...NOT !!!! Have you ever open your mouth and said something and then wanted to reach in your mouth and tie up your tongue in a knot... Yep that was me. I bribed the girls and told them that Lauren could come over and have a playdate tomorrow ( Thursday ). Wait there is more and we can bake cookies... Now remember I work, I had two closings this week, 5 active buyers and cub scouts and girl scouts in the works..yeah did I mention I had layers...

So the minute I suggested it, I wondered how the heck I was going to pull it off. Well I did and it was a blast. I had the other mom follow me home and she visited for a while. Then when she left we baked brownies. I chose to go with the package kind to keep this a simple task for five year olds. We also had very little time to pull it off. The girls learned to measure, take turns and be patient. Lauren had to be picked up right when the brownies were ready. I sent her home with some yummy brownies. It was easy enough for the girls.They did make a mess but it is no fun with no mess right ?

Now I need to work it off tomorrow with my body sculpting instructor wah wah !!

Okay so a very good friend of mine Kelly has a point.
She said " This is such a sweet thing you did for two little girls. What memories they will have!!!! "
She also added " That is so adorable! It may have been a bribe in the beginning, but now it is a wonderful memory in the start of a little girl's friendship "

Kellie thank you for being a great friend and for stopping by for tea today. Kellie started her own blog about motherhood too. Please stop by her blog and say hi. She needs some encourage in our wonderful blog world. You can find her here scoutmomx2.blogspot.com

Hope you enjoy my pictures.

Thank you for stopping by...

Barley Soup and Snowy mornings

2011-10-06T11:37:00.000-07:00

Hello World

It is only Oct 6.. it was not even two weeks ago when we said goodbye to summer. I was looking forward to the harvest season.You could feel fall in the air. The kids and I have been dreaming of apple pies, pumpkins and cider. So much to look forward to in the fall season....but the last two days have been cold. I have the heat turned on already. I am so tempted to get the fireplace going too.

This morning we woke up and there was snow on the mountains. Can you see it in the picture. Off course my son decided to take off his jacket at the bus stop. I noticed and yelled after I took the picture heheee ! As for my daughter she out grew all her jacket wah wah !! Well I stuffed her into something one size too small and called it good. Her head and hands did not grow much yay ! So this weekend I am off to do some winter shopping.

I cancelled my appointment with the personal trainer at the gym and decided to work at home.Work in real estae that is and not a work out. I have been running around like a mad woman and needed some time to catch up. So yesterday missy was as clingy as could be and I left the school and wanted to cry ( No I did not, teach me how to again ) It was heart breaking having the teacher peel he off my legs and me walking away. Yes she is the new velcro strap in town. I thought that was supposed to end when we started pre-school and here we are in kindergarten and she is still attached to me. She loves he mama... but I am ready to stretch the cord to all day in school ( wohoooo for me ) I feel guilty that she is in school all day but I really shouldn't , shoud I ???

So yesterday I bribed her and told her if she did not cry when I left then she could have a friend come over and bake cookies..What was I thinking...Oh dear..So I will bake cookies and enjoy the afternoon with her. I had to get dinner under control so I took out the crock pot today.

So much has been going on in the Real Estate world. That is another discussion. So if you need to know about short sales and having the deficiency waived please ask even if you are in a different state.

Anyway back to cooking for now. This is a super duper easy recipe that I stole from a very good friend. See pictures below and recipe below that.

Thanks for listening to me ramble.. Please leave me your comments.

Barley Soup

Stew Meat
1 can corn
1 can tomatoes
1 large can chicken broth
1 small bag barley
celery
carrots

open up cans and dump into crock pot with veggies..Cook on low 6-8 hours..

Enjoy !

Eezzy Peezy !

It is now 6pm and dinner is served !

Hope you give it a try. Let me know how you change it and how it turns out.

Cub Scout popcorn sale

2011-09-25T22:05:00.000-07:00

Hello world,

I have to say that I love love love the Cub Scouts !

70% of your purchase goes back to the Scout, his troop or pack, and his council. The Boy Scouts of America provides a program for young people that builds character, trains them in the responsibilities of participating citizenship, and develops personal fitness. Well scouting is a long long road and requires a deep commitment. We have been in it since Kindergarten and I hope Pravan will see it all the way through Eagle Scouts.

Did you know it takes about $235 to cover all the activities for each scout every year. The council is asking that each boy sell popcorn for $235. $10 a bag for yummy goodness. If you have not tried some you should pick up some at the local show and sell in your area. Yes I am talking about those dedicated responsible boys in uniform outside Walmart, Raley's or Safeway. They work hard and they are also learning key skills like communicating with people. Some boys are shy and this is a great opportunity for them . I know my son is one of them.

Here are the boys awaiting a customer...Don't they look so handsome ??

The boys were having a good time chatting to the people of NW Reno as they entered the store on a Saturday to shop for groceries and then this nice man stopped by and asked the boys lots of questions about popcorn and prices. He then purchased a $20 bag of thriple chocalate delight which is out of this world.He then told the boys that they could have the bag if they promised to share. They did not waste anytime. It was delicious.

Pravan is working on not being so shy and here he is interacting with a nice lady ..She offered to buy a box of popcorn.

I refused to go around my neighborhood selling popcorn with an order form. Taking money from people that may not know me or trust me was awkward. Then I would have to revisit their house to deliver the popcorn....Way too much work in my already hectic schedule. I was able to get a box of popcorn and we sold $130 worth of it in an hour. I got a work out and the kids were drenched in sweat by the time we made a circle around the neighborhood.

Priyasha has always been a cub scout wanna be so she was more than happy to help her brother sell popcorn. She has no choice but to be at all his meetings so she know the promise and most of the rules. We started off in a wagon and Pravan pulled her around but that got old real fast and he decided to ride his bike while I pulled missy in the wagon. I was impressed at how well Pravan did his selling to the neighbors that answered the door.

We need to get another box and sell more this week....If have not already support a cub scout, please do so. it really helps keep scouting alive. What an amazing program for our boys ? If you have a little boy I hope you will consider signing him up for Scouting. You will be glad you did.

Till next time ..Mwah !!!!

Lunches and good food

2011-09-18T21:29:00.000-07:00

Ladies,

Thank you for stopping by. I will post as much as time allows me in my crazy schedule. I know many of you have face book so please like my face book page. I will post there more often as it is can be quicker for. I started an album on there called lunches.

I am proud to say that my son is nine and my daughter is 5 and we have never eaten at a fast food restuarant besides Subway and Port of Subs but that is just sandwiches. I have always packed my son's lunches. Now that my missy is in school I have two lunches to make. It can be challenging so I am mostly prepared with a small menu on Sunday. I also have lunch notes ready to go for the whole week.

I wanted to share some of my ideas with you. Please let me know what some of your ideas are ? I hope this will help some of the other busy moms out there...

I am actually two weeks behind in posting my lunch box pictures so I should have regular content to share with you. One idea a day is my goal for now... Today you get three ideas to mix and match.

Thanks for stopping by.

Tuna submarine with a red pepper for a sail...gold fish , carrots and a cookie

Boiled eggs no yolk, blueberries, red peppers, string cheese and a gogurt and peanut butter pretzels for snack time.

Dinosaur pastrami sandwiches, raddish's, yogurt, fruit snacks and a granola bar for snack time plus cashews

Yes my kids eat all of their lunch..Lunch time is at 12:30 for the boy so he is starving as breakfast is at 7:15 and snack at 10:30.. My girl has lunch at kindergarten at 11:45 and she also eats all her lunch. I was surprised.

Thanks for stopping by..Please share your thoughts.

Crockpot dinner makes one part of my day mindless

2011-09-13T21:03:00.000-07:00

Okay ladies...

So I promised that I would post my recipes on here. Today I knew was going to be a whirlwind of a day for me so I used my frozen crock pot dinner as a lifesaver. While the kids ate breakfast I set up the crock pot and opened up the bag of my roast pork for dinner.

Grab a glass of wine, a glass of martini or a nice cup of tea. Put up your feet and take a glimpse into my day. I was up at 6:20am today as I did not make lunches for my kids last night and I knew I had a ton to do. I had to get the kids on the bus, stop by the church and meet a girlfriend for coffee by 8:45. I was on schedule after 50 pictures of my lunch boxes and my little girl..We take pictures everyday of her for 100 days for her 100 day project at school. Okay so I know it should be one picture a day but I take like mmmmhhhh 10...So I will have a 1000 pics for 100 days of school but whose counting right ?

Then I realize I am out of gas so I call my girlfriend to let her know but she was dropping her kids off too. I get to coffee and I knew it was the only peace and quiet in my day until now... I relax and chat and we are catching up on jib jab... a few moms come in and they say hi and talk to me about the crock pot recipes.. they tell me I was the topic of discussion at their luncheon :) :) :) I am so glad I can share my adventures with you.

SO for those that do not know me on facebook I came up with my freezable crock pot meals and made 10 in less than two hours. It has been an overwhelming response so I created a page called Moms, Martinis and Munchkins... or something..Here it is
http://www.facebook.com/pages/MomsMartinis-and-Munckins-Everyday-is-a-juggle-and-a-struggle/274426095909478

I then race off to meet a client I squeezed into my day..4 houses later I had to leave to pick up an out of town client from the Atlantis...I will share the joys of home showings in another post... Around 2 pm I drop off my client at the hotel and squeeze in the client from the morning again to write a full price offer on a house. Then I had to call the school and tell them to have the kids ride the bus home and I raced home to get them from the bus stop...I barely made it. We grab a snack and head to cub scouts.. I call clients to tell them their offer is accepted and listen to them screeching..... YAY !!! Happy day... for them ...i still have 200 emails to read and two more offers to write.,,,Yeah I will be up till the sun comes up tonight..I am taking a break to share with you my pics of dinner and the easy easy recipe...Keep reading...

So we are at cub scouts at 4:30 and then I am working out with the kids in my long dress and boots... as they are earning their athletic badges... Then there is drama...one sprained ankle... he is okay..then two kids coming running to get us as one boy fell off the play structure landed on his face...covered in blood and a possible sprained arm...the leader is so awesome and had a first aid kit and we all assist as I babysit another boy as his mom had to go to school and I was waiting for dad...then it gets gloomy and dark and starts to rain as I race to get to the school by 5:30 for the PTO meeting..yes did I fail to mention I am now the secretary of the PTO ...It was a great meeting with a good number of parents that showed up. On the way home at 6:30 I remembered we were out of milk and called hubby as I thought he was home cooking my egg noodles but he never made it home..so I had to race home and cook egg noodles and his punishment was to bring me a bottle of wine heheeeee!

Now her are pictures of my dinner..it was really delicious but a little too salty..I need to read the labels on the soup can a little closer next time. I kind of threw this together so it does not have a name.

Pork Roast and Lipton mix ( is what I will call it )
one large can of cream of mushroom soup
a bag of lipton onion soup mix
throw it together and call it good

EASY RIGHT ...and it tastes sooo good.

I served it with egg noodles and veggies. You can serve with mash potatoes as it makes a great gravy and a salad or just veggies.

Hope you try it. Please leave me some feedback. I promise not all my recipe posts will be so long...

testing

2011-09-12T16:48:00.001-07:00

do u see this ?

hello

2011-09-12T16:29:00.000-07:00

Thank you for joining my page Moms, Martinis, Munchkins Everyday is a juggle and a struggle.

Please visit me soon. I will be adding recipes and lunchbox ideas as I go through my weeks and days and months of juggling my act each and every day. I love what I do and I am happy to share my ideas. Thanks again for stopping by.

Another disappearing act

2011-09-11T20:41:00.000-07:00

One in my cyber world would think that I was magically transformed into Houdini.

Actually my real world friends will say otherwise. My life has changed in ways I cannot imagine. My little girl is not so little anymore. She is in kindergarten. My boy is in in fourth grade and I am now a full time Realtor with Coldwell Banker. I am still a full time mom, cook, chaffeur, nurse, pyschologisy, teacher, therapist, picker upper, fixer upper ..you name WE MOMS DO IT !!!

SO everyday is a juggle and a struggle. I also help with the cub scouts, girl scouts and signed up to be the secretary for the PTO at my kids school...sshhhh!!! so much going on so I know you will forgive me for not blogging. I have folder and gigabytes of pictures to edit...I am out of breath just thinking about it all and now I am also trying to squeeze in the gym..I need to loose my rolls. LOL !

I hope my cyber friends can encourage my return...I have so much to share. I have tons of recipes I want to post on here. I take no credit for them as I researched these over the internet over time and I do not know where or who I got them from.

Stay tuned and I will post you some yumminess and bags of giggles as I go through my days of work, clients and kids.

MWAH !!!

Charred Rosemary Pork Chops

2011-03-01T22:18:00.000-08:00

Hello World !

It feels good to finally put my feet up and kind of relax. Actually I have some work to get done tonight before I call it a day. It has been very busy today. I ran errands with the girl but forgot to plan her lunch before she was picked up for school by a friend. I stopped at the store and picked up a lunchable for her to eat as I shopped for some groceries. What a terrible mother I am...hey better than McDonalds right ???

I then had to meet my friend to pick up the girl for school, race over to see my bestest buddy Stacey for Thai food yum ! yum ! Then off to the dentist, back home to sew more aroma therapy bags, 3 loads of laundry, mop the floors and whip up this amazing dinner.

So another happy place for me is the kitchen. I love love love to cook. The kids helped with other chores while I cooked. Here is the recipe for you to try out. Quick meal with some prep work but can be done in steps and up to a day ahead.

I served this up with mashed potatoes and green beans stirred in with almonds.

To start with :

Pork Chops

Ingredients

• pork chops
• 4 T granulated sugar
• 1 T garlic, minced
• 3 Serrano chilies, minced
• 2 T rosemary, chopped
• 3 T parsley, chopped
• 1½ oz. olive oil
• 1 T kosher salt
• 2 tsp. black pepper

Directions

Place pork chops in a large bowl and reserve. In a blender add sugar,garlic, chilies, rosemary, parsley, olive oil, salt and pepper; macerate until smooth. I also added 2 T of chipolte pepper spice . (Can be found in spice aisle next to chilli seasoning ) Just thought I woud experiment a little.

Rub pork chops generously with mixture and let stand for 20 minutes if possible.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Grill pork chops over an open flame or sauté, to medium-rare. Be careful not to over-caramelize (the sugar in the rub will burn if left on the fire too long). Once a golden color is achieved transfer to the oven and roast until internal temperatures reaches 125°F. Let rest 3 minutes before serving.

I scooped some mashed potatoes on the bottom of a deep plate. Top with Pork chop and add green beans for some color and drizzle sauce.

For Sauce :

2 T parsley, chopped

• 1 T oregano
• 1 T thyme
• 1 tsp. red chili flake
• 6 T extra virgin olive oil
• 2 T aged sherry vinegar
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• ½ tsp. black pepper

Directions

In a mixing bowl add parsley, oregano, thyme, chili, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Whisk and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour before serving.

Not sure I like the sauce very much but hubby did so that is all that matters. We cracked open a special bottle of South African wine from the 2010 World Cup collection... A romantic dinner for two in the middle of the week. He may even score tonight once again LOL ! To top it off we had some wonderful South African chocolate aaahhh !!! what more can a lady ask for ..a backrub ??? Maybe I will be lucky.

Remember the key ingredient to cooking. You can never run out of it and it can be found in your HEART , it is " LOVE "

I have very fond memories from my childhood days cooking with my mom. She always said that if you cooked with love , no matter what you make it will always taste mmhhmmmhhh GOOOOOOOODDDDD!!!!!

So my secret ingredient is " LOVE "

Hope you give this a try.

Thanks for stopping by. Hope you had a productive day and your TO DO LIST has a ton of strike offs like mine does. Let's face it ...we will never get to the bottom of it as we keep adding stuff to it.

Free Spirit XOXOXOX !!!!!

Aroma Therapy neck wraps

2011-02-27T23:06:00.000-08:00

Hello World !

24 hours in a day
1440 minutes in a day
86 400 seconds in a day

How productive are you ? How are you using your time ? I have been busy busy...

Work is frustrating lately. Been dealing with short sales and negotiating with the banks and I have managed to relieve my seller of the deficiency on her loan. Hoping to close in 45 days. Every time expectations and dead lines are met there is another hurdle. I am hoping for this to finally close. Are you upside in your home ? Ask me how I can help ???

Other than devoting my time to work , cub scouts has been bust too and lots of projects with the boys and my personal projects with kids. I have so many sewing projects now it is crazy. I need to stop starting a new one before I finish one in progress.

My latest project is aroma therapy neck wraps. I have a square bag for myself but the kids have been fighting over mine so I decided to each of them one. I re-searched this for a while and did not find a pattern anywhere. I drew mine on muslin free hand and I am so happy with myself. If you look at the bottom right picture you will see my pattern.

Here is a sample of silk brocades I purchased today. I love it when I can use a 50 % coupon and a 20 % coupon of your total purchase at Joann Fabrics. Print your coupon. See end of blog post.Save some money and create something beautiful.

Fabric makes me happy....I love that I can take a beautiful piece of fabric, cut it up and create something beautiful, useful and

the joy it brings to my kids is priceless !

Pravan loves my sewing machine and he is really getting good at driving it on his own.

He helped me measure and mix and fill the bag. I sewed a channel in the bag so the filling will be evenly distributed. As you can see I used flaxseed, rice and freshly dried lavender. This is on of four bags. I will post part 2 when I sew one for the girl. Thanks for stopping by. Let me know if you have any questions on how to make one of these.

This coupon ends soon.

Thanks for stopping by

Free Spirit xoxoxoxo

I heart Faces {Red - In support of Go Red For Women)

2011-02-13T22:18:00.000-08:00

This is my first entry for I heart faces. Hope you like this picture as much as I do. For a while now I have lurked on the site and felt like a stalker of so many talented photographers out there.

I love taking pics and I am still learning so much. I love all the inspiration out there. Clickhappy is what my family calls me and viewing life through the lens is a daily activity and an absolute pleasure. I look forward to my adventure hopping to each of your blogs and learning a thing or two along the way.

Thanks for taking a peek at my work.

Thanks for stopping by.

I heart you !

2011-02-13T22:14:00.000-08:00

K*I*S*S

Keep it simple Sweetie

When will I learn... I had a blast with this photo shoot.

I entered this photo in the I heart faces blog... never done that before so I am giving it a try. I was just disappointed that I had to crop the picture for the blog.

Here is my creation for Valentines Day cards. This was a spin from another blog. You can view HERE Thanks for sharing your creativity.

Happy Valentines day and thanks for stopping by.

Snipits

2011-01-05T20:50:00.000-08:00

Dear World,

Happy New Year ! I took a break over the holidays from the world of technology.I have several posts I will make in the week ahead that will be related to xmas. Better late than never but here is a little something I wanted to share from this week.

STOP !! STOP !!! Wait what am I thinking ? Should I really cut her hair. Well I have been saying this for the last four years. I had to bite the bullet and just do it. I also had to talk Girly into trimming her hair.

This week I scheduled to take Girly to the hair salon..Her hair was almost to her bottom but it really is very thin. It is a myth that your hair will grow in thicker if you trim it. However it does appear healthier and thicker. I was willing to cut off as much as four inches so her hair will look healthier and be even.

Once I got to the salon I asked for some advice and I was told it was better to cut it where is was thinning out and uneven. Girly is still in pre-school and she already has such long hair. I finally talked myself into trimming it as I know it will grow again. It is a very traditional and cultural thing for me to have beautiful long hair.

When I was a little girl I remember my mom trimming my hair once a month. I had to wrap up the hair and then I usually went on a search for a banana tree in the neighborhood. I loved in an apartment complex close to the railroad tracks and their were plenty of banana trees along the tracks.

I suppose it is an old wives tale. I was told to find a banana leaf that was still closed. I had to slip the carefully wrapped up hair in the leaf. My mother told me that my hair would grow as the leaf opened up.Well my hair certainly grew. It was all the way down to my ankles, so I believed in this old wives tale growing up. Traditionally all the little girls had their hair in braids everyday for school with silk ribbons and it was covered in coconut oil. Another old wives tale. The oil helps your hair grow. I think I believe that the oil can moisturize and nourish your hair but my hair grew as any body else's hair would grow.

Now I am a mom myself and living in the U.S I do not follow many or should I say ANY of the Indian customs , but I did decided to finally trim my little girls hair. This is her second trim in almost five years. We went to a super fun kids hair salon in Reno called Snipits. Check it out HERE

It is a bright fun place and makes me want to be a kid.

Before

six inches cut

AFTER

I even got her a mini manicure and we had a very special date and today was all about her. If you live in Reno I highly recommend this place. First she got a fun pass and then she got to watch a movie while they trimmed her hair.

When they are done the kids have to push the card into a slot and they watch the needle move.

This contraption then spits out a toy. Girly's favorite part.

We finished the day with lunch together , just the two of US.She is one happy girl. Now I will have to get used to the fact that I snipped off six inches of her long beautiful hair.

Mwah !!! Thanks for stopping by. I would love to hear your feedback.

2010-12-22T15:16:00.000-08:00

It's not the decorations or shopping that make me crazy, it's the expectations that I've attached to those things. I've been listening to my inner "Should!" without even recognizing it. This voice tells me what I'm supposed to do.

This is not the Mommy Olympics. Although every moment of everyday it feels like it.Motherhood is no Sprint, but it really is a marathon. The difference on the journey of motherhood is to make memories along the way and enjoy moments with the kids. I mean truly enjoy quality time with the kids.

I spend so many days and nights with my kids but so much of the time is not quality. I strive all the time for true quality with each kid. Very often I complain about this to my dear friend stacey and she cracks up.

Well my effort to make some holiday stress is failing miserably. My house feels like and smells like a cookie factory...

I am posting my melting snowman cookie for you to give it a try.

Directions are as follows:

Use sugar cookie dough

Smash a ball of dough flat( It does not have to be perfect )

Bake as would for any sugar cookie recipe

Allow to cool

Make icing and use back of spoon to coat the cookie

Allow to dribble over sides

Place 2-3 marshmallows on a plate and microwave for about 10secs

( watch carefully )

Do not let marshmallow double in size

Place on cookie

Once dry , decorate as desired

Let your imagination run wild

I used gel pen tubes from Walmart which made the decorating fun and easy.

We have had quiet a bit of snow lately but it all melts so fast. There has been a ton of rain which made for slushy snow and bad road conditions. Well we have made our own melting snowman inside but these are yummy..Take a look.

We have some sad melting snowmen

He is being so careful...

I love the excitement and wonder in kids...

Ready to eat his work of art ...

She is so happy with the snowmen...Well we found a way to make a snowman since the snow outside is slushy too.

YUM YUM !!!

My little helper...

Happy little girl

off with his head

Frost lost his head Oh No !!

Gel pens $3.50

Marshmallows $1.59

Powdered sugar $ 1.29

The memories and time with your kids PRICELESS !!!

Give it a try and go make some memories with your kids.

Thanks for stopping by.

Cutting the tree

2010-12-21T14:53:00.000-08:00

So every year it is a debate as to wether we should splurge on an artificial tree or not. Somehow I cannot bring myself to to accept a fake tree. On the other hand I am adding to the fact that the world has one less tree...aarrgghh!!! I suppose I am willing to live with that.. Christmas is such a magical time.. A time to rejoice in the birth of Baby Jesus. I may not go to church or be a christian but I Believe..I believe there is power much great than we know and if we put our trust in HIM, he will show us the way.

It is a very exciting experience for your child to prepare, plan and decorate for Christmas. Christmas is not merely a festival, it is a holiday tradition. The most important and probably the most recognized feature related to Christmas is the Christmas tree. All over the world, the Christmas tree is probably the most widely accepted symbol of Christmas.

The christmas tree today in your home marks the spot. A place where Santa would leave all the gifts made especially by Santa's little helpers for all the good little boys and girls around the world, to be unwrapped and celebrated on Christmas morning.

For the last few years we went to Home Depot up the street and got a tree which was perfectly fine. This year Pravan could not remember the last time we cut a fresh tree. In the past we have also hiked into the mountains, with snow knee high and found a tree in the forest after getting a permit off course. Hey a pretty good way to spend $10.There is nothing like seeing the kids run around looking for the perfect tree and that fresh smell of the tree indoors is heavenly.

This year we drove 2 hours to Grass Valley and went to our favorite tree farm.You can see it here. http://www.rainbowridgechristmastrees.com We had some good friends join us.Dave and Piret Griffith and their adorable little boy,Sebastian. Piret is from Estonia and has a lovely accent. This was my first time meeting her although I have know Dave for a while.Dave and hubby work together.It was a lot of fun to hag out with friends.

I adopted Priyasha's best friend Samantha and had an extra kid. it was great to see what three kids would feel like. Well it was great , but it was even better that I got to give her back... And NO I am not having a third kid.

Here is what our day looked like...

Looking for the perfect tree....

Kids have a turn to use the saw...that was the high light of the day for the girls...

The kids had a very fun day but were cold and exhausted....

The Landry tree...

What a fun day...

I hope Santa brings all your kids something special... Hoping we have a white christmas. It is such a clear night and a lunar eclipse as well. My kids have been guessing where Santa might land his sleigh and are prepared to feed the reindeer...Christmas is a time to rejoice and a time to give with a open heart. Enjoy !!!!

Merry Christmas .... Thanks for stopping by.

So much to be Thankful for

2010-11-24T18:11:00.000-08:00

Turkey time is here once again.Time for football, pumpkin pie,Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade,gravy, mash potatoes, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole and cranberry sauce. Yum !Yum ! My goodness where has the year gone... Seems like it goes by faster each year. This year I am most thankful for my health and my family. The kids are getting bigger and now they can help me with many things around the house. I am thankful for all my wonderful friends and family. Believe it or not I am thankful for a great boss. While the unemployment rate is so high in Nevada, I am so grateful to be part of
Homefolio Magazine and Prudential Sierra Nevada Properties.HomeFolio Magazine is a beautiful and effective media-marketing tool for Realtors.
Check it out www.homefoliomagazine.com.

Today as we gather around the table for a wonderful meal, we give thanks for many many things. I am so glad that my kids appreciate all that they have because in my opinion they are spoiled. Tomorrow they will work on a few craft projects as the turkey is being basted.

My brother is far far away in South AFrica and I will be thinking of him, like I do every day. We did not celebrate Thanksgiving in South Africa but now that I am thankful to be in America and I try to learn the basics of all these traditions and I feel confident that when my kids are grown and gone I will be visiting them for the holidays and they will know how to throw a feast together.

Most of my friends will be visiting their moms during Thanksgiving, Christmas and other holidays and spending time with family. I wish them all a safe travel. Some of my friends choose to do this because they do not know how to cook a turkey or a ham :( So sad, if you ask me. So what happens to the tradition when their mama is no longer here... what will the younger kids do? What happens to this tradition in the future? I hope they will at least attempt to show the kids, but maybe grandma will.

So what is the history of Thanksgiving?

When we sit down to our Thanksgiving dinner, we honor a piece of early American history. The story of the Pilgrims and Native Americans serve as a good reminder for all of us to be thankful for what we have--no matter how much or how little.

George Washington declared a feast of Thanksgiving in 1789, and presidents issued similar yearly proclamations after that during the Civil War.

President Abraham Lincoln saw it as a way to unite the country, and he in 1863 he proclaimed a national Thanksgiving celebration on the last Thursday in November.

It was changed from the last Thursday to the third Thursday by Franklin Roosevelt in 1939 as a way to lengthen the Christmas shopping holiday. In 1941, Roosevelt finally changed the date to the fourth Thursday in November, proclaiming it a Federal holiday in 1941.

You can find a ton more interesting facts HERE

Anyway I just wanted to share a project we did today in preparation for tomorrow. I made four place cards with the kids and a centerpiece. Tomorrow the kids will write their names and help with table seating. I take no credit, as I have not invented these. I downloaded these cards from www.marthastewart.com I have added these to my blog for your convenience. These do not require hours in the oven or basting, it does need some pasting. I also lost control with the stickles. I love love love stickles. A great product if you have not tried it.It adds glitter and dimension. Check it out HERE

I hope you try out these awesome turkey templates. Here is how mine turned out.

One card for each of us and a centerpiece.

This is the place card that the kids will add their names to.

This is the large turkey.Notice the glitter glue.

Sorry the lighting was bad. I will reshoot these in the morning. Well Happy Thanksgiving. There are many many more reasons I am thankful. I am very thankful to be here and share some of my joys with you. More to come tomorrow.

Thanks for stopping by. If you make the turkeys, link back to me so I can check out your creations.

Gobble ! Gobble !

Mwah !!!

Snow blankets Reno today

2010-11-23T19:19:00.000-08:00

After a long warm fall, we have the first snow fall of the season. Well, I guess it was more of a blizzard.

Here is the view from my front door. You cannot see the mountains. It is a white out for sure.

My husband works in Truckee, California and most times during the snow chains or four wheel drive is necessary for safety reasons. He will sometimes take my car and I am happy to stay home. Today I had several appointments scheduled and needed my car. He was sweet to make arrangements to car pool. He left home at 6am only to sit in traffic since Highway I80 was shut down. It was not too long before he called me to let me know that he was on his way back home. The roads were terrible and the highway was dotted with many vehicles that went off road and several car accidents. A few involving 18 wheelers. No matter how careful a driver you are, we have to always watch out for the ones that are not.

Due to the weather I cancelled my appointments for the day. Here is my car armed with studded snow tires. I love that we have studs. It makes driving in the snow a little better. It gives the car a lot more traction.

I checked facebook periodically, watched the news and called the parent hotline to see if there were any delays for school. Nope nothing of that sort, not even a snow stop announcement. If the roads are really bad, (and they were this morning ) the kids are picked up at designated stops so the bus does not have to travel on the smaller roads that are snow ploughed last.

As a parent I was not comfortable sending him on the bus that does not have seat belts. I am glad I made that choice. On my way we saw cars sliding on the slippery roads, a couple of accidents and drivers spinning their wheels. Not a pretty site on the road today.

Here is Pravan before he went to school this morning. He was such a good sport to do a mini photo shoot in the snow.

The snow however is pretty soft powder that my kids love to eat, sled on and make snow angels. Snow ball fights and a snowman is always a warm welcome in winter play. Since Friday we have managed to go sledding and eat snow. That is a whole other post as I have too many pictures to post.

I am looking forward to the long holiday weekend and having some quality time with the kids in the snow. I have a feeling that tomorrow the phone might ring at 6am to announce some sort of delay for school. The high is expected to be 6 degrees Fahrenheit. For my metric friends that will be -14.4 celsius.

Here are some highlights from the news today :

Mayor Bob Cashell has cancelled the tree lighting ceremony tonight due to the treacherous road conditions.

The artic front will also bring some windy conditions, with gusts to 45 mph in Reno-Sparks.Record lows are likely to be set with this cold blast of Arctic air.

So as I write this I got a connect ed call from the school district informing us that we may have a delayed start in the morning due to icy road conditions from a drop in temperature. This will be determined in the morning and I am sure we as parents can expect to be woken up by a phone call super early. So what is the point of a delayed start if we cannot sleep in.... arrghhh!!!

Thanks for stopping by... Send some sunshine my way :)

Mwah !!!

Glitter and Gold, Fairies and dust, Magical childhood is a must !

2010-11-16T21:55:00.000-08:00

Hello World !

This is by far my post popular post. Thanks for stopping by. Please please leave me a comment or a thought. Another tooth is lost and one more loose...stay tuned as I update this post.

Glitter and Gold,
Fairies and dust,
Magical childhood is a must !

Being a child is surely a wonderful thing, the laughter and excitement and the glow on their faces when the fairy visits or when Santa comes makes being a MOM truly amazing. So why is loosing a teeth so special... It is a SMILESTONE !!!

Read on to learn a little about the tooth fairy and some beliefs....

( okay not sure why there is so much space above, I cannot see it in the draft but it shows up when I post. Anyone blogger out there can tell me how to fix it. Thanks. )

Inflation seems to have crept into the tooth fairy’s economy as the price of a tooth seems to be going up. According to records back in the 40's a kid was paid a dime and in the 1950's that quickly changed to a shiny new quarter.In the 60's the Kennedy half dollar was more common and this quickly changed to a dollar in the in the 70's and 80's. So in the 90's to the 2000's it varies from a dollar to five dollars.

Seems as thought the going rate in 3rd grade is $5. So Pravan was thrilled to redeem 5 gold coins per tooth and bonus coins for setting out 2 teeth and saving the fairy a trip. After all the fairy has to figure out a way to get in the house, bypass the cat, find the right room, bunk beds can be an issue. How does she know a kid lost a tooth anyway ? How does she do the currency conversions ? Carry all those GOLD coins ??

Her only source of light is the fairy dust so she shed a ton of it everywhere. The bookcase, window sill, ladder, pillows, sheets, floors and even Pravan's hair. Boy did she make a mess. A huge mess, no fault of her own... Special fairy dust makes her fly and touching a human child makes her shed.... she has to be cleansed before she returns to tooth heaven.

So after the tooth fairy visited last night I spent hours sucking up the glitter with the vacuum hose.. and still there will be glitter everywhere.... Pravan loved every bit of this....He laughed as I whined and whined and I tried endlessly to vacuum up all the evidence she left behind. He says that I should not blame her as she was bringing him treasures and had no intention of making mommy mad. Princess piped in and told me that she was super excited and needed to shed more glitter to carry two teeth. She is about the size of Thumbelina so two teeth would weight more than she does... LOL !!!

Perhaps it is a reward for a "passing of age." A lost tooth is one of the first signs of growing up. It was not too long ago I was making notes of each tooth and documenting when they came in. Now I find I am doing the opposite.Perhaps a piece of childhood is lost with every lost tooth.

There are many stories available on the internet as to how the tooth fairy came to be. Here are some traditions of other countries:

Centuries ago in Europe it was common practice to bury a tooth in the ground.One reason for this ritual was the superstition, that if a witch got a hold of the tooth, a curse could be placed on the child, (as with fingernail clippings and/or hair). So by burying their children's teeth, this unfortunate curse was prevented from happening.

In some countries there is a mouse instead of a fairy ( I love the idea of the tooth fairy, Oh by the way have you watched the movie... " Tooth Fairy " My kids and I loved it... You should watch it...It is a barrel of laughs and giggles...

Other countries like Taiwan and Greece instruct their children to throw their tooth on the roof for good luck.

In Argentina and Sweden, a child places his or her tooth in a glass of water. Overnight

a Magical Mouse drinks the water, takes the tooth and leaves money.

Two teeth for the fairy to collect ...

Pravan was excited to put his teeth under his pillow... I am so glad that we have a tooth fairy and no longer have a mouse or rat to collect the teeth. Now if she can lay of the glitter on her next trip. I may have to use a night light the night she is expected...heheehehehee....

Pravan's teeth are ready to exchange for his treasure....

And here is his treasure...... 5 gold coins for each tooth and one bonus for each tooth since he saved her a trip... that is 12 gold coins but he got 11 and two half dollar coins, she knew he has been collecting special coins....

I got out of bed just in time to freeze this special moment... These are the special moments that make motherhood soooo rewarding....

Pravan got a letter from the tooth fairy and a certificate showing when she took the teeth away and his address... I will post at the end of this post for a closer view... Yeah the tooth fairy is up to technology speed and made sure mommy got an emailed copy for the scrapbook.... heheheeee....

reading his letter ....

Of course it doesn’t end there. Children often ask "what happens to my teeth after the tooth fairy takes it away ? " Parents have had many different answers to this question. For example: The Tooth Fairy

- Gives them to newborn babies who don’t have any teeth as yet.
- Gives the teeth to Santa to give to dolls in his workshop or turn into jewellery.
- Turns them into seashells for fish to live in
- Plants them in her garden and grows children
- Grinds them into fairy dust that she uses to enable her to fly.
- Makes tooth castles in the sky.
- Turns the teeth into the stars of the night sky.

The tooth fairy certificate

Whatever the answer, the story of the Tooth Fairy has endured for hundreds of years and will surely endure for hundreds more to come.

The traditions mentioned in here about the witch and tooth mouse was information I read on various sites. I do not take credit for it nor did I make it up.

And that's the tooth, the whole tooth, and nothing but the tooth.

Thanks for stopping by... Please leave me your comments or share with me your tooth fairy story. It will be published in the comment section for other moms to read...

Mwah !!!!!

xoxoxoxo !!!!!!

Freedom is not Free

2010-11-13T23:12:00.000-08:00

Grab a cup of coffee. This is a long post. I know I am a few days late but here is my Veteran's Day post.

Many seem to confuse Memorial Day with Veteran's Day. Memorial Day is the day set aside to honor America's war dead. Veterans Day honors both the living and the dead. Veteran's Day is mainly to thank the LIVING Veterans for their dedication, sacrifices and loyalty to their country. November 11th is the day Veteran's know that we deeply appreciate the Heroes we have amongst us and all the sacrifices they have made for us and the freedom we know today.

There is a very high price we pay for freedom. American soldiers sacrifice so much for all of us. All for the freedom of our country. Leaving their families and heading off to war , unaware of what the future holds. I took a moment today to think of the great sacrifices made by these brave heroes.

We should never forget all the men that have died

We should never forget the battles they have fought.

We should never forget all the tears the families have cried.

We should never forget every child that has to grow up and experience life's milestones without a dad, not because they chose not to be there, but because they chose to fight for our country.

It is an unimaginable debt, and a tremendous amount of gratitude that can never bring back the unknown identities lost to the cold hard bullets.

Today I am a proud mom to know that I have shared with my kids what the true meaning of Veteran's Day is. Pravan very proudly marched in the parade in down town Reno as Priyasha, dad and I waited along the side of the road for him to make his way down Virginia Street.

Here are all the wolf cubs that marched together.

Pravan and his buddy Alan since Kindergarten.

A close look at this awesome plane.

I love that he has his hands in the pocket..is that the new style ???

Missy had to give it a try too..

Patiently waiting for brother to come by in the parade.

Here he comes. He turns and waves to daddy's voice... and he tries to find us in the crowd.

This was a happy click moment. One min she was next to me and the next she was hugging uncle Sam in the middle of the road... It was so cute...

This was the marching band practicing before the parade.

There were many dogs in the parade. This one definitely rode in with style and very patriotic...

This was paparazi mom running along in the parade to get this shot.

Have you explained to your children the true meaning of Veteran's Day ?? It is up to us to share the knowledge we have with the future... OUR KIDS ....

We owe veterans our gratitude

For they are the reason we are free !!!

Thank you for stopping by. Any feedback, comments are always welcome. I wish you a happy week.

Mwah !!!!

Last , First Day of Pre-school

2010-11-03T21:00:00.000-07:00

Hello World !

Last month my little Girly has her last first day of pre-school. You may not know that she graduated from pre-school last year as she met all the academic requirements for kindergarten.Unfortunately for her she is still not five and needs to be in pre-school one more year.

Fabulous for me as I want do not really want her to grow up so fast. Well since she is my last baby this is the last time I have a first day of

pre-school moment.

Since Pravan ( Lollipop ) was in pre-school we have been doing the kissing hand tradition. We read the book and I love that we have done this since his first day.Off course he is not in third grade and I could not get away with doing this in front of the school. He says he it is too embarassing :( **sigh ** They grow up so fast.

The Kissing Hand~A perfect first day story. This is a story about a little raccoon ready to start school. He talks about his

fears to his mother, fears that most children have before beginning school. His mother comes up with a wonderful solution to help her little raccoon remember that she loves him and is thinking about him, even whenshe isn't with him. A wonderful and heart-warming story to share with little ones.

Girly on the other hand still loves being with her mama. She was not shy giving me my kissing hand as her friends waited for her.Some kids cried and refused to let go of their mom. Priyasha was happy to be in school but she also lets me know that she missed me, whenI pick her up. That is what makes being a mommy so worthwhile.

Now we continue this with Priyasha (Girly) and she makes sure that Pravan never leaves the house without giving her a kissing hand.

Daddy had the day off today and I love that he is such a great dad and always makes time for the kids. He is a positive influence in their lives and helps maintain the balance of our discipline in this house when I over re-act.He certainly helps keep the peace with me and the kids.

Girly was most excited today. She picked out this cute outfit at the store and was thrilled to wear it to school. I took her on a date with mommy and shopping was a huge part of our special day together.

Well it seems as though I am slowly aging and I have passed the milestones many young mothers look forward to. I am moving on to a new chapter in motherhood and the this was my last First day of pre-school. One of my absolute joys in life is freezing the moment and here are some of mine that I can proudly share with the world.

Thanks for stopping by. Sorry this has taken me so long to post. Life is crazy right now..

Mwah !!!

A quiet morning can only be wishful thinking..

2010-10-24T10:20:00.000-07:00

Hello World

Yesterday I spent most of the day spring cleaning and as you know I love having a clean house. It makes me feel like I have control. Scattered toys, splattered toilets, crumbs on the floor, dishes and laundry drives me crazy. I took care of most of that yesterday so when I got up this morning I would have a relaxed morning. Ya right !!!

Well recently I have been put on mandatory rest and have been asked to slow down. I consciously have been going to bed around 11pm which is two hours earlier than my 1am lights off routine. This morning my wonderful husband let me sleep in until 9am in the hopes that I would not wake up Bitchy today as I did yesterday when he got me up super early to ask me a dumb question... aahhhh finally he did something right.

We had a good start to the day, I had a nice cup of tea while he sipped he coffee that was probably cold since he made it , What an hour ago...why do coffee drinkers sip that coffee forever ???? Pravan got his reading done for the day and Priyasha was happily playing pretend with her dolls. Todd finally sat on the couch and decided to take football of pause.. All of a sudden we heard Pravan screech.. " Mommy look at the trampoline !!!! "

This is the neighbors backyard. Notice their shed lost the roof...

Todd and I were in shock as this gale force winds lifted up the trampoline that was not staked down as we finally got grass, yes we finally got a backyard...that cost way too much for grass, so taking care of it by not staking a trampoline before the roots take to it's new surrounding was priority..

Todd runs next door to check it out... Thankfully there was no damage.

So we worked together as a team to get the trampoline back into out backyard...

I helped gather all the legs and just when we thought we were in the clear...

There was another gust of wind and the trampoline took off again... Missing hubby by inches. It landed back in the neighbors backyard.

Thank heavens we have wonderful neighbors and they were understanding and came out to help. Just as we got the trampoline over the fence , it blew right back into the neighbors yard. We then decided to leave the trampoline in their yard and weight it done with some wooden pallets.

All of these pictures are courtesy of my eight year old boy. He did a pretty good job taking these from the upstairs bedroom window. He takes after his mama... life through the lense...

So much for a quiet morning and this time I actually scheduled it in my day ****SIGH ***

Much love to you all

You only have time what is a priority in your life

2010-10-15T08:01:00.000-07:00

So often people say " I don't know how you have time to do that " I smile and think to myself...if something is important enough to you or means a lot to you then you will find the time.

I have obviously removed blogging from my life for while for many reasons. I also stopped reading all the blogs I follow. Instead for the last year and a half there has been a ton of emotions to process and still even as I sit here and write this I have thoughts and feelings about things too personal to share. But what saddens me the most , is the realization that I have turned my back on so many blogging friends.

The cyber world was a big part of my life that made me smile every single day. Today I have decided to get that back. I will blog more every week and will not feel the pressure of filling in the missing parts of my life over the last year.

I hope to find all my lost cyber buddies once again. I missed you all.

Free Spirit

XOXOXOXO

I'm Back !!!!

2010-04-05T21:51:00.000-07:00

Hello world

Life this last year has been one Tsunami after another. So much has happened and I have no idea where to begin. I would really love to get back to this cyber world. I miss all you guys. Life has been so so overwhelming that I needed the break. A very very long break.

Last year I received some unexpected news that my mother was very ill. Within 15 mins I heard back from my family in South Africa that my mom had passed away. I was at a birthday party at the time and had to rush out leaving my kids behind. I desperately needed to be by myself. Thankfully I have amazing friends that took care of my kids.

It was no too long that I wiped away my tears and had to figure out how I was going to get to South Africa from the west coast in the United States. Financially it was a challenge and personally as well. My family was scheduled to fly to the east coast to visit with my in laws. I was packing and preparing to travel already. However going to my mother's funeral was never ever a planned thought. Yes I thought about it real briefly and dreaded that this day would come and it was here and this was last July. I have so much to say and get out there and I hope blogging about it a little with help with the grieving process which I have not allowed myself to do.

I had many many miles ahead of me and little to no strength to do it.To be precise I had to travel from Nevada to New York which is about 2, 413 miles or 3 883 km.

From New York to Johannesburg is 7960 miles or 12810 km and

from Johannesburg to Durban is 308 miles or 497 km.

I then had another 45 km which is about an hour drive from the airport to my home town, Tongaat which is in Kwa- Zulu Natal set in the rolling hills with sugar cane plantations.

Nothing could have ever prepared me for the journey that waited. All the life experiences I have been through did not help. I somehow went on auto-pilot mode and did what needed to be done. I have so much more to tell you but I need to do this in stages. If you have any suggestions on how I tell my story please feel free to write a comment or e-mail me at esplandry@sbcglobal.net and in the subject line " life story" .

Thanks for stopping by. I promise to add pics from my trip so you can get a glimpse of my life and of South Africa.

XOXOXO

Free Spirit !!!

It's raining, it's pouring and pump it up

2009-06-09T17:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday the kids were had a fun filled day. Early in the morning we went to a great place in Reno called pump it up. It was our first visit. A nice friend of mine who lives on my street invited the whole neighborhood to go and play. She won an auction and had to use up her voucher. What a splendid idea to invite all the kids for a massive play date. Thanks

Michelle.

Pump it up is a place where they have parties and open play on certain days. We had the whole place to ourselves and there was two rooms. We first watched a safety video and then we got to go to the first room to play. There was a basketball bounce house, an obstacle course and a climbing wall and a slide. The kids loved it. I was the big kid and got into the structures with my wonderful new D3oo and got some fantastic shots.

After about an hour or so we were directed to the next room. In this room there was another maze like obstacle course and a massive slide and also a battle arena. The kids had to slide down on mats if they wanted to and in the arena they wore a safety helmet and got to battle with another kid with this huge stick thing. Priyasha was too little but she had to check it out with her brother. The stick thing was bigger than her and she could not carry it. The helmet gave her a bad hair day and then about 30 seconds later she was done and off to the big slides. The boys were thrilled not to have a little princess ruin their rough play.

The prince all suited up.

Get off !!! This is not for girls.....

I want to try buder !!!!!!

Oh forget this !!!!!!!

This messed up my hair ....

All tuckered out and best buds again.

It has been raining in Reno for about two weeks. This is the most I have seen it rain in the last six years. We will no longer be in a desert if this precipitation persists. Today was the first clear day but this afternoon on my way to spin class we could see a storm brewing. The sky got darker and darker. We heard the thunder rumble and saw lots of lightning. When I left the gym we saw a double rainbow. In the two minutes it took me to get home the one rainbow disappeared.

The sun was out but it was a constant rain.I raced the whole one mile home to grab my camera. I found my wonderful husband with my camera in his hands taking some pictures from the back door. He was trying to get the lightning strike with the rainbow. My camera will do 8 frames per sec but he had no idea how to activate this feature.I could hardly stand watching him take pictures so I asked to have a turn. I actually got in the car and drove up a hill to get a better shot. It was still raining and I had to be careful . After the first shot I realize there was no memory card. I raced back home and got the memory card and raced back up the hill. In case you were wondering I was in the car and not running. I parked on the road several times and put my hazards on. I got out for a few seconds and snapped some shots. I had to be careful with

my new toy in the rain.

I snapped several shots and I have attempted to panoramic stitch the pictures to get one amazing shot. Here is my try. This is my first shot but I hope to keep trying this new technique. In the future I hope to get a wide angle 12- 24 mm lens so this type of pic will be easier than edited in photo shop. The rainbow was a nice way to end the day.

So prepare to see the worst attempt at a panoramic stitching. Pravan coached me and told me to be better than the best and if I keep practicing I will perfect it.Great advice from a six year old. I taught him well. I could have planned this better and taken better overlapping shots. I am not sure why there is a patch over where the pics meet. Oh well this was my very first try and I am okay with this result for now but the next one will be way better.

Thanks for stopping by. Please stop by to follow along the kids footsteps to get their first real pet. The cat we have does not count as that is my cat from when we were first married.Can you guess what they got ??? I will post that in a few days.

Free Spirit !!!!

Still alive and kicking

2009-06-05T06:52:00.000-07:00

So how is everybody ???? Thanks for still stopping by. Life has been very crazy and there has been a lot going on. Here is a short list of all I have been doing.

**** Been very sick. All better now. Have two nodules on my thyroid glands but since they are so small it will be monitored for growth.

***** Been running the kids food campaign. That is going well and we still have several places that are hosting the barrels.Here you see the food drive truck picking up the barrels at the schools. He already had the barrels loaded from six different schools.I happened to see him at Pravan's school and we took some pics.

**** The princess is in gymnastics and that has been a great journey with a natural monkey for a child. I have so many more pictures that I will share in a upcoming post.

***** Been working out a lot more. I am now doing a hoop dance class. Yes I can dance and move, walk with a hoop. Great work out. Zumba is a Latin dance exercise class full of energy and a great workout.I am looking forward to the mastery Zumba class on Saturday at Gold's Gym on Longley Lane. If you are in the Reno area maybe you can stop by and join in on the fun. My best class is the trampoline class that kicks butt. I still doing my body sculpting with weights twice and week and now I will include water aerobics.My spin and body sculpt class is brutal and I swear I cried through part of it. It hurt and burned so bad but it is all good.

**** School is out now. Field trips, classroom time and homework has kept me hopping. Got two cute baskets made up for the teacher and an awesome school bus driver. Filled with yummy goodies and a great container they can use always. I am looking forward to no real other than my own. No more nagging in the morning or racing to catch the bus or packing creative lunches. OOOOHHH it feels like so much pressure is off. It will be a great summer with lots of fun stuff happening.

Priyasha had to hug his teacher too.

*** Cub Scouts has been great for the Prince. He is officially a wolf cub and graduated from a tiger cub. So exciting.It was a huge ceremony and deserves it's own post so be on the look out for that.

***** Been cleaning house from inside out. Every draw and room. Still a long way to go but it is looking better. No better feeling than recycling, reducing and re-using. I do not have pics of this as I have a long long way to go. Maybe the end of summer I can do a post on all my drawers. Yeah right that will be "Mission Impossible " or " Mission Accomplished " We'll see.

**** Been scrapbooking a lot more.

*** Changed and re-arranged all the kids furniture. Princess got a double bed. For being three she went from a crib to a toddler bed to a daybed (twin size ) and now to a double bed. Luckily I had all these sizes available to me. For the full bed all I had to buy was a headboard. Pictures to come soon.

**** Moved kids folded shirts, pants from draws to hangers. Much easier, way neater and they can reach the new lower rod. Life is good. I actually enjoy doing laundry a little more.

**** had three four jobs. Quit the concession stands to work at the Bistro. I loved it there on the weekends. I still babysat for two different families and I still do that. I had to quit the bistro as it conflicted with the family schedule. I was pissy about that but I love my freedom and family time on the weekends. **** Been chatting with a nice young lady on the Internet who lives in Poland and has been teaching me how to make Kanzashi. It is a great way to make flowers out of ribbon squares. I will share that too in the future.

**** Planning a quilt for Priyasha's bed now.After going through about a hundred quilt patterns and books I think I found the right pattern. More to come on this later........

****The best thing ever is I have my new baby my D300 which I have been saving for these past two years. I am so thankful for a wonderful husband that supports me in having such an expensive toy. I love it and will show you some pics soon.

There are so many more things I have not mentioned but this combined left me with little time to use the bathroom and that created other issues that I will not mention here. So I have had to sit back and re evaluate my way of life. I am under control once more and will blog more often. I have so much to share with the world and all my loyal followers. Thanks for stopping by and reading about a day in life as a mom.

Free Spirit !!!!

Official thank you from the food bank

2009-04-08T12:17:00.000-07:00

Today I am very pleased to share with the world a formal thank you to my kids from the food bank. I hope that we will be able to top this number next year. We still have a few months to add to the total for this year. I will keep you posted on that effort. For now here is the nice letter that was sent to my kids.

April 8, 2009 Pravan and Priyasha Landry xxxx Willow Ranch Trail Reno, NV 89523 Dear Pravan and Priyasha, On behalf of the Food Bank of Northern Nevada, thank you for organizing and coordinating the food drive during the Easter Egg Hunt at Summit Ridge Park. The food drive generated 339 pounds of food valued at $1.49 per pound for a total value of $505.11 With the help of your generous contribution, we have been able to feed over 65,000 people in Northern Nevada – almost 1 out of 10 people in the area. We primarily feed seniors on fixed incomes and families with children. These groups make up 87% of the people we are able to supply with food. I also want to take this time to thank you for your effort in 2008 when your Easter Egg Food Drive collected 246 pounds of food for the Food Bank of Northern Nevada. In addition to the over 100 partner agencies, we also provide food through several outreach programs. These programs include but are not limited to the Commodity Supplemental Food Program and Kids Cafe. The Commodity Supplemental Food Program staff and volunteers deliver boxes as far away as Eureka, Battle Mountain, Gerlach and Hawthorne. These boxes are for income eligible seniors. Approximately 30 boxes are also delivered each month to home bound seniors here in the Truckee Meadows. One gentleman in poor health eagerly awaits his box as this food is not just a supplement for him; it is the food he will live on for the next month as his meager veteran’s pension covers little more than his rent. The Kids Cafe programs serve an evening meal to children between 12 months and 18 years of age during the school year and a lunch meal during the summer. This summer at a food site, a record number of 182 children lined up in the extreme heat to receive a meal. Thank you again for your support and we look forward to our partnership in the future. Sincerely, Bill Kolton Bill Kolton Volunteer and Events Coordinator

Thank you for stopping by and sharing in the pride and joy Todd and I have for our kids.

Free Spirit !!!!

Updates, real numbers and still very busy !!!!!

2009-04-07T14:40:00.000-07:00

Okay I heard back from the food bank and we are very pleased with the results. Here is the e-mail I got from them : Dear Easperee, Thank you for your efforts on behalf of the Food Bank of Northern Nevada. We weighed the food and a total of 339 pounds was collected. Using Feeding America's guidelines if $1.49 per pound for donated food, the total value of your donation is $505.11. Thank you again, Bill KoltonVolunteer and Events Coordinator I have finally taken some time to care for myself. I went to the dentist yesterday and got my teeth cleaned and then had a nice lunch date with hubby. Today I went to the doctor and I have a double sinus infection, double ear infections and an enlarged thyroid gland. I have blood work scheduled and an ultrasound of the thyroid gland scheduled this week. This is not going to be a mellow week for me. I am just glad that I will have some meds and can feel better soon. I am off to the channel 4 news room this afternoon to get a tour with the cub scout group and we get to watch the 5 o' clock news live. That will be so exciting. I am also baby sitting a little girl this afternoon so I will have one more kid for the night. Oh I also got good news that I am an aunt once again. Hubby's sister had a little baby girl named Westerly. She is a healthy little girl and all is well. Hope you are all doing great and I will fill you in on my week soon. Thanks for stopping by. Free Spirit !!!!

Easter Egg Hunt

2009-04-05T20:09:00.000-07:00

Hop one ! Hop all. Hop on over to
Pravan's sixth and Priyasha's third annual Easter egg hunt.
Sunday April 5, 2009 3pm-5pm
Meet at Summit Ridge Playground Close to K-mart and Home Depot
Bring your favorite basket, A dish to share
Pass the news to all moms you know.
Just one rule, no candy in the eggs please.
Entry fee is 3 cans of food for the food bank or more. This is Pravan and Priyasha’s second year helping the food bank. Please join the kids on their mission to feed the hungry.Please forward this to everyone you know as it is an open invitation. I would like to fill more than one barrel of food for the food bank.
See you there for an eggciting time!
Easperee, Pravan and Priyasha
830-6377 http://www.twoworldsunite.blogspot.com/

This was the info that was floating around on the e-mails and via word of mouth. This was the sixth year that I hosted it and it was Priyasha's third year as she is only three. Collecting food for the food bank started out as a threat at the dinner table with the kids. I told them that lots kids were starving and go to bed with no food.Next thing I know the harshness of the truth right around us and far away was too much for either one of my kids as they were both in tears. They wanted to share their dinner with the hungry kids and so the food bank collection for my kids and I was born. This year is year two we are supporting the food bank.
It was a bigger success than last year and we are so happy that we can help. The food bank is 35 % up in their demand for food yet with the down economy they need your help more then ever. Todd and I are very proud of the kids and I will do all I can to help support their dreams. The little people are making a difference with our help and I hope you will take the time to donate some food to the food bank in your area or do something similar and bless someone in need.
The big day has finally arrived. We have been promoting this while over a month now. I had passed out 250 fliers in my son's school amongst the first graders and kindergartners. There also was a large group of my friends that helped me pass out the invite. I really was expecting a large group of people today. I was actually nervous about it. It was extremely successful. Lots of people close to 100 showed up. We filled up a huge barrel of food. Each barrel can hold up to 250 pounds. The guy who picked it up estimated that we had 362 pounds of food. I will get the exact figure in the morning and update you.

As you many of you know the kids and I have a goal to get 10 barrels of food by the end of the school year. We have one down and nine more to go. After spring break we will have the schools on the area involved and a few local business's that will help out as well. I am now drained and really sick. I hope to have a some what quiet week and rest up. I have scheduled rest in this week and a doctor's appointment and a dentist appointment.It is about time this body got a tune up. I sure do like being in 10Th gear but the wheels need some grease and I earned my rest. Thank you for helping me help my kids help all the other kids that need some food. Here is a poster and the invite so you can see what we have been up to.

A big thank you to David Spillers from Digi Print Reno for sponsoring the posters. http://www.digiprintcorporation.com/ David was very generous to sponsor some fantastic posters that will be used in the schools to promote this mission. Thank you to Kirk Bailey who helped make today's event a success and help me get the posters sponsored.

Part two

I want to say a big thank to all the people that have assisted me in making today a huge success. We could not have done it without you. Thank you for reading the great achievements of my kids. I will keep you updated on how we are doing with our goal of 10 barrels. Thanks for stopping by and reading our story.
Free Spirit !!!

What a blast or a blur !!!!!!!

2009-04-02T11:21:00.000-07:00

The turn out last night was fantastic. It was incredible to see how many woman came to celebrate with me. I had a wonderful time. If I really drank all the drinks that were offered to me I would have had alcohol poisoning. Every time I turned around someone offered to buy me wine.

I am a martini gal and stuck to my martini's. It was a great night. Thank you to all the ladies that came out and celebrated with me. I appreciated the gal's night out. It was so awesome to have such a diverse group of woman be my friends. This really was the first birthday celebration I ever had and it was a blast. My very good friend Brandy baked me the cake and everybody sang to me. First they sang in English, then in French, then in Russian and also Spanish. By the end of the night we had about 22 woman that drank with me and had a great time. Still I had several regrets from lots more woman that could not make it for various reasons. My Filipino,Korean or Vietnamese friends were not there. I wish I had recorded them singing. It was great. So since I am from South Africa I am going to find out how to sing it in Afrikaans and also in an Indian language. I should know how but sadly I don't. We were all in the wine shop a mile away from home. Some people got food from the Bistro where I work on the weekends and ate it at the wine shop. It seemed like through out the night we arranged the entire wine store. We kept adding tables and we made a train of tables and it was great. When they sang to me we took over the over place. It really felt like it was just us but it was busy last night. The bar usually close at 9pm but stayed open for us until 10pm. Then we got kicked out. My friend Suzanne smuggled champagne in but we had to get some to go cups and took the champagne and another bottle of wine and took the party outside. We sat on the chairs next to the fire place. The group trickled down to a few of us but we had a blast until we all needed to pee. I had a ride home with Jennifer, a friend and neighbor. Instead of going home she and I decided to go to another bar and get food. before we sat down we found the bathroom. I was in a desperate rush to pee. I ran into the ladies room and pushed the first door and next thing I know there was a loud scream. I slammed the door into another woman that was peeing. The power of a lock is priceless in the public restroom. I ran to the next stall and then later found out it was the woman in the wine place that I had take our group picture. It was so funny and we had a good laugh. We ordered food and drinks but never finished it. We headed home about 1:30 am and that last part feels like a blur. Today I am drained and exhausted. No hang over though which is a good thing. I am very happy that I had my first party after planning all those wonderful parties for my kids. It was a blast and feels good to be loved. Thanks for reading. I will post pics soon from Priyasha's birthday party.

Free Spirit !!!!

April Fools Day !!!!!!

2009-04-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to me. These are the cards I received in the mail so far from family. Hubby surprised me with this lovely bouquet of flowers. They were delivered to the house and it was not what I was expecting at all. Today I plan on getting my hair cut and styled and to wax my eye brows and lips. It should be a good day as I plan on pampering myself. I am very excited and looking forward to ladies night out. I planned on meeting over 20 woman tonight at the wine shop about a mile away from my house. I just read a few e-mails asking if it was an April fools joke. No it is not. I am really born on April 1. I hope the joke is not on me and people do show up. It is going to be a blast. I hope you all pull put a fabulous trick to play on your loved ones. Last year I melted marshmallow in a pan and dropped them by the spoonful around a dried apricot. It looked like a sunny side up egg. I took it to Pravan's class and played a trick on all his classmates. I also made a cake out of ground beef and used cocoa in the meat so it looked like chocolate. For the frosting I used mashed potatoes and colored it red with beet juice. Yeah it sounds nasty and I did not dare try it. I gave it to a friend as a joke and never heard about it. Must have been awful. Oh those were a few things I did last year. Today I am going to cut out all the extras and have this day be for me. Wish me a happy happy birthday. This will be the first real semi- sort of party for me. I have never had a party before so I am thrilled that so many woman I know will share this day with me. Hope nobody made you too much of a fool. Free Spirit !!!!

Class Act Honoree

2009-03-25T09:03:00.000-07:00

A week ago I received a phone call from the school Principal letting me know that Pravan was invited to the school district board meeting with the board of trustees and the superintendent. Pravan was thrilled and so was I. All of this took place yesterday after school.

As soon as Bill Chronister the school principal at Westergard Elementary school sat with Pravan , his little sister yelled out from the back of the room " HI " You can see the principal laugh and wave to her.

You can see her taking his spot and pushing him out of the way.

Priyasha is usually shy and will just cling to me and that was what I was expecting. However she stole the lime light away from her brother. It was a little comedy show and Pravan did not get a chance to talk very much. "Do you want to introduce your mom and sister ? " the board members asked. " NO " was Pravan's response. The crowd laughed.

Priyasha grabbed the microphone and told everybody her name and then told them my name. She loved the attention and amused everybody. At the end of the recognition they asked Pravan to step aside to take a picture and she said " I can't believe it " She is already loud so with the microphone you could hear her a block away. I laughed too, it was so funny and now I feel embarrassed and mortified. Not once did I remember to thank the board or remind Pravan to do so. I did loose some sleep over this as I want to teach the kids the right things. I was flustered and distracted by the class act of a three year old. To fix this I call the superintendent this morning and we will have a chance to stand in front of the board at the next meeting and thank them publicly for honoring Pravan.

Just an update on "Pravan and Priyasha's mission to feed the hungry".

I have 3000 sheets of paper sponsored by a local paper company in Reno " JC Paper " Keystone printing has offered to print me 10 000 fliers with a message that will go home with the kids so they can bring canned food to the school.I have another company that will be printing us 11 x 14 posters to attach to the food barrels. This is what the poster will look like.

The goal has now been changed to 10 barrels of food. Each will hold 250 pounds of food. We hope to collect almost 1000 pounds of food.I have selected six elementary schools in the area that will host a barrel each.

I am talking with some local business's to help out and we have the egg hunt planned for April 5Th which will bring in one barrel or two.

I have been busy running this campaign for a six and three year old. This is nuts, what will they do next ? Run for president. I am thrilled that I have taken words of out my kids mouths and escalated it to the next level. We all need to believe that the kids even though they are little , they can make a huge difference. Todd and I are very proud of the kids and hope this will encourage others out there in this tough economy to step up and help out no matter how small the gesture is. I am hoping the video will be on the school website soon so you too can laugh at the kids the way I did and all those people that cared enough to attend a meeting like this out of pure concern for the future of the kids. Note this is a public meeting and all is welcome.The people you see in the background are strangers to me.

This is Barbara Clark. She is the president of the Board of Trustees.

Below is a picture of the resolution Pravan received from the district. This is a huge honor for a six year old and we are proud. I will keep you posted on how the food drive is going. Wish the kids luck.

Thanks for stopping by.

Free Spirit !!!

St Patty's Day part two

2009-03-17T20:11:00.000-07:00

We went to cub scouts tonight and it was a lot of fun. We sat in a circle and the first person whispered a sentence in the next person's ear.We kept doing it and the last person has to say it out loud. Almost every time the sentence was different. This was a lesson for them to understand that when a story is repeated it changes from person to person. All was well until we were leaving. Pravan was at the door and his friend was running toward him. Pravan decided to run toward his friend but his friend tried to turn around and run away.The timing was bad and the other kid's nose smashed into Pravan's head. He cried so loud and I was scared. There was a lot of blood and his mom came running. I felt so awful and helped to stop the bleeding. Pravan immediately apologised to me and ran away to hide in fear of being in trouble. Priyasha stood there and cried as well as the other kid was crying. The mom was nice and told me that boys will be boys. Pravan apologised to his friend and when we got home he called him and made sure he was okay. We sat down to a nice corn beef and cabbage dinner. My night is almost winding down and I am enjoying a glass of wine. Happy St Patty's Day !!!

Thanks for stopping by.

Free Spirit !!!

Happy St Patty's Day

2009-03-17T15:20:00.000-07:00

Wow it is finally here.Happy green day. Everybody was so green day. We went to story time and all the kids and moms wore green. At Pravan's school this morning almost everyone wore green and there was so much excitement as the kids came into the classroom to discover what the leprechaun brought and if anyone caught him. Pravan was very excited as he lifted up his trap but there was no leprechaun. He did get a gold coin though. Here are pictures I took this morning. I am planning on taking a few more of the kids together when Pravan gets home soon. Then it is dinner time and off to a cub scout meeting. Thankfully Priyasha is taking a nap. She had a friend come over and play all morning and is tired and so am I. Well Happy St Patty's day to you all. Enjoy corn beef and cabbage and hope for lots of green to come your way. I know I will.

Updates and coming attractions !!!!

2009-03-16T12:23:00.000-07:00

Life has been a whirlwind and I am running on pure adrenalin. Wow !!!! Where do I begin. Okay I keep adding more to my schedule and I am not willing to knock anything off. Blogging has taken a back seat but that has not stopped me from visiting other blogs. Okay there is a lot of good things going on. Priyasha turned three and her b-day spa party with about 14 girls was a blast. Pics and details to follow soon. Pravan recently received an invitation by the board of trustees and the school district to attend their board meeting this month. This is so he is recognized for his good deeds and getting the award. Before we found out about that he set a goal of collecting 25 barrels of food. Ia m told that each will hold about 250 pounds will be total over one ton with just ten. More details to follow on this mission we are calling "Pravan and Priyasha's mission to feed the hungry." The postcard mission is still on and has been successful. It is ongoing and we have reached six continents. We still need some from South America. If you want to send the kids some please refer to the link above for details. Also see the links at SCS. The ladies there have been wonderful and have helped a lot. I appreciate their time and generosity in sending the kids cards as well as spreading the word via e-mail and by posting on their blogs as well. Your help is welcomed. http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/forums/showthread.php?p=13417354#post13417354 http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/forums/showthread.php?p=13417354#post13417354 My B-day night out with the ladies on April 1 is in the works. Yes I am a April fools baby. NO JOKE !! The Easter egg hunt and food bank cause is scheduled for April 5Th. Pravan is very busy with cub scouts and that keeps me busy too. He will cross over from a tiger to wolf in May. Details to follow We were successful in building a tricky leprechaun trap and it was a delight to see Pravan so excited and creative. Pic's and details tomorrow. I am babysitting for three families now and I got a job on Fr, Sat and Sun at a restaurant a mile away from home. I work 10 hours a day and kissed my weekends goodbye. Just what I need to do for now but it has been a hard transition. I love being outside the home and this has been a wonderful thing for me and a much needed break from all the kids. Met a wonderful new neighbor and he gave me wonderful backgrounds to take pics with and I am so thrilled. I am exchanging baby sitting for these and I cannot wait to get my dream camera the D300 and get more serious about photography. I should be getting lights from this neighbor as well. I am more than thrilled. Pics will be up soon. Okay there is so much more to tell you about but you will have to check back. Got to run. Have a sponsor for 10 000 fliers to send to the kids at the schools so we can get more barrels filled. SSHHHHHHH!!!!! I am exhausted and need to schedule time to chill out. I feel like a real secretary as I have been talking to the media, the paper and the schools etc to get as much guidance and help to make this food drive successful for the kids. Check back soon and I look forward to any suggestions and feedback for the food drive. Free Spirit !!!

Proud, Protective and passed out

2009-03-04T12:20:00.000-08:00

Hello friends. I have been absent for a while but I have been following a lot of your blogs. There is a lot going on in my life right now. All good things but a few minor adjustments. I have taken on more tasks and as a result my blogging has taken a back seat. I have so much to share with you. So stay posted as I have lots of good things to show you. Priyasha will be three years old or as she used to say " I am two going on twenty " Now she has changed that to " I am three going on twenty three " OH so cute. I am planning her party and it is going to be a blast. I cannot wait to show you all she and I have been working on. For now I uploaded loads of pics and wanted to share these that go back to Pravan's fame. That day it aired on TV I had several unexpected guests but it was a pleasant surprise. A few of Pravan's friends showed up and were able to watch him on TV. Here are some pictures for you to enjoy. Thanks for stopping by and as always I appreciate your thoughts and comments.

When Pravan saw himself on TV he was so embarrassed and shy. He is in blue, can you tell ?

We had his friend Dylan and his sister Raya who is Priyasha's BFF. They are holding each other. They we have Joshua and Bethany who are siblings and both are Pravan and Priyasha's friends.

When his friends left he wanted to watch it again and since I had it recorded Pravan and his sister watched it one more time.

After dinner Pravan got to dig into his cookie basket and gobble up cookies.These cookies were from a gourmet cookie shop and were presented to him with the award.They were yummy !!!!!

Pravan is very protective of his award. He asks me to shine the glass with glass cleaner almost everyday and this is a pic of him the night he was on TV and he took the award to bed with him.

Passed Out, Protective and Proud !!!!

Thanks for reading our proud parent story.

Free Spirit !!!

In the Spotlight

2009-02-19T17:13:00.000-08:00

Here is the video that is posted online. I have more pics to post of Pravan celebrating with his friends. This has been a whirlwind of a week and I have been spinning my wheels. It's all good just no breaks in my day. I will upload sometime soon. I am off to take Pravan to his cub scout banquet dinner. Thanks for stopping by.

http://www.krnv.com/Global/story.asp?S=9869833&nav=menu113_4_1

Pravan's first television interview

2009-02-17T19:12:00.000-08:00

Today was a very special day. Pravan was awarded a good class act award by the channel 4 news people. This was a huge surprise for him and he was unaware of it until a short while before the class was visited by the news team. Pravan is actively involved in helping people. For the past five years I have hosted an annual Easter Egg Hunt all on my own with a little help from other moms. It started out with about 9 woman in my backyard in 2004. The following year I was talked into doing it again and so I did except it was much bigger. I hosted it at the playground. Each year after that it was expected and I willingly hosted. Last year we had over 50 families join us and as long as I am in Reno I will continue to host it and help others along the way. This year it will be much bigger as Pravan is a cub scout and the cub scout group will help me with more activities and it will be a blast.

In 2006 I delivered a beautiful little baby girl on March 07 and still after a C-section I hosted the hunt a month later.In 2008 Pravan and I decided to help out an organization and we picked the food bank. I learned that the food bank had a backpack program that stuffed the less fortunate kids backpack with food and none of the other kids were aware. This way no child would go hungry. They also help a lot of other people in need.

We asked people to bring three items of food to get a ticket for a chance to win something. I walked the stores and got sponsorships for this and we were able to get a barrel full of food. This year we will do the food drive again. Pravan has also given away lots of stuffed animals to the fire department to help the kids whose houses are on fire and who may have lost everything. He also donated a tom of stuff to Big Brother's , Big Sisters club. Pravan also came up with the idea to use both sides of the paper to save trees, which would save the environment and not to mention energy conservation and money.

Who said a small child could not make a difference. Every little bit helps one small gesture at a time. Thank you to Shelby Sheehan the News 4 reporter for interviewing Pravan and recognizing his efforts to help at such a young age. Below are lots of pics of how the interview unfolded and some of the egg hunt last year.

Pravan with his contribution last year.

Priyasha following in her brother's footsteps.

They are so close and can conquer the world together or alone.

This was what Pravan received as his recognition for his good deeds. This is an amazing achievement for him.

Shelby Sheehan introduces herself as the kids listen attentively and Mr Chronister the school Principle watches proudly with the other ladies from the news room.

Pravan was called up and Shelby shakes his hand.

Her first conversation with Pravan.

Shelby hands him the good class act award. He is clearly mesmerized.

Proud Pravan posing for the news camera.

In the spotlight and loving it. He was so confident and excited.

The real interview begins.

I was amazed at how he carried himself and how well he answered her questions.As you can see I videoed it as well as took many pictures to share with the world.

He is so proud and so am I and Todd.

Pravan talked about all his good deeds.

Final statement. He said " This is my first time on the news and first time meeting a news lady " It was so adorable. She said " it was a pleasure to meet such a handsome young man in his buttoned down short and

slacks "

It was such an honor to meet Shelby Sheehan in person.

Mrs Ferguson with us. She is a wonderful teacher and Pravan is excelling in her class and is loving all the extra work she gives him as he is so advanced. She tries to keep him challenged and he is doing third and fourth grade level math. He is a math whiz for sure.

All smiles !!!!! It was clearly a day Pravan will always remember and will keep doing good in the years to come.We are very proud parents and now the world too can see. This will be on the local news channel tomorrow Feb 18 on channel 4 at 5pm. For all my cyber friends I will post a link to the news website as you will be able to view the video as well. I will update with that tomorrow. Thank you for stopping by and reading about his achievements.

Free Spirit !!!!

I heart you !!!!!

2009-02-12T18:50:00.000-08:00

Today was a busy day for me , yet a very productive one. I watched two other kids and was very successful in getting all three girls to nap at the same time. While they napped I baked some cookies with the sugar cookie dough I made earlier in the day. I also am very proud of myself as I did not eat any cookies as I worked out today. I did my favorite body sculpting class and then 45 min of cardio on the elliptical machine.

Tomorrow is early release and I will be helping in the classroom. I baked these heart shaped cookies and Pravan dusted it with cocoa and drizzled it with chocolate. He is a great helper in the kitchen. He unwrapped all the Hershey kisses, counted the cookies and then helped all the way. He is a little boy after all and his favorite part was licking the spoon when we were all done. He said " mommy we should do chocolate licking photo shoots more often " I paid for all this sugar he inhaled. I had to let him run around in the backyard for a while to work it all off. The kid must have ran at least 20 times the length of the backyard and still had so much energy to spare. If only we could borrow some then I would never need to sleep and be able to do so much more in a day.

Pravan is excited for his valentine party as his teacher is serving heart shaped pizza and I will take in these delicious cookies. He wrote on each of the transformer cards and did a great job. He also told me that the I am the kids favorite class mom as I always have a treat when I go into the class. That warmed my heart and it is true I have a treat every time I go in and that is at least once a week. They work hard and deserve it although it is not always sweets. I very often bring fruits on a stick but I make it fun. Thanks for stopping by and Happy Valentines Day !!! Hug your loved ones and remember that you can never say " I LOVE YOU " often enough.

Free Spirit !!!!

My absence

2009-02-10T21:04:00.000-08:00

Hello I am thrilled that I now have 11 followers and I love that I can see the count from the different countries. I love you ladies and appreciate you all stopping you. I have not been blogging for a while now and I have my reasons. Everything is fine, so do not worry. I just need to get back on the horse and start blogging more. I am trying to figure out how to upload 12x12 layouts as I do not have a big scanner. If you already do this please let me know how to do it so it looks like it is upright rather than laying flat. I have been very busy re-organizing the house and cleaning from inside out. I find that I feel more peaceful and relaxed yet not much has changed as far as my schedule. I have been following the flylady on http://www.flylady.org/ I have been reading her e-mails and we now have the house fairy that visits. You can find her here :http://www.housefairy.org/ The kids love it as they view her videos and truly believe. I also believe that the kids want more quality time with me so they get rewarded with something I type up on the PC. For eg. tea party with mommy or a game of candy land. You get the idea. My kids finally understand that we all work as a team in this family and if they do their share then I have less to do and that frees me up to play with them. Don't get me wrong, my kids are not perfect by any means and I still use bribery and threats but positive discipline is key. No good deed go unrewarded and it does not always have to be a toy or candy. Getting back to what is most important like quality time together is what the point and focus is and my kids value that more than candy or a toy and for that I feel blessed. The last month or so has been all about being organized and I have a long way to go but a little everyday. In 15 min you can do a lot and this way I am no longer overwhelmed and feel like there is so much to do. Check out the sites and you to will be a lot more relaxed and most importantly be caught up with the house work. I have forgotten how much I like to blog and I will get back to it now. Thanks for stopping by. Hope you all are well. Hugs and kisses to you all. MWAH !!!!! Free Spirit !!!

I've been tagged

2009-02-01T19:49:00.000-08:00

I have been tagged and I feel so loved. This is maybe my third award.Thank you so much Nat. Nat is very creative and also has a website with lots of challenges. http://nat9248.blogspot.com/ http://www.readysetscrap.com.au/ Now the rules are: Link to those who award it; Post the award; list 5 other nominees deserving of the award. So here are my 5 deserving bloggers Shirley http://cardartetc.blogspot.com/ Connie http://connieemeraldeyez.blogspot.com/ Tracey http://tj-runningwithscissors.blogspot.com/ Jami http://westamphappy.blogspot.com/ Melissa http://dezinegirl-melissa.blogspot.com/ Please check out these blogs. I love these woman and they all inspire me. Thanks for stopping by. Free Spirit !

e: Challenge #3 2009 - GIRLS (set by Amy)

2009-01-25T13:41:00.000-08:00

DRAMA QUEEN !!!!!!!

This is for my photo challenge group. They have a new and improved site that is a forum and is more interactive now. I am behind on the challenges but decided to jump in and add some pictures. This week is on girls and here is my submission. Whenever Priyasha is upset this is how she cries and it is hilarious.

Thanks for looking.

Today history was made

2009-01-20T18:49:00.000-08:00

This morning the kids got up and were all excited to see the activities on the television towards the Presidents inauguration. It truly is a great moment in the history of not just the United States but the world around us. So many people have waited so long to see a black man step into power like this and lead us into a better future. It was not long ago that a black person in this country could not be seated in a bus anywhere they chose or walk into a restaurant and get equal service and TODAY we had the opportunity to witness PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA reach the highest power and swear his presidential oath of office.This brings the hopes of more jobs and better security and most importantly to end the war and bring home the troops. His goal to bring home all the dads and moms back to the responsibilities they abandoned to serve this country will be a blessed,joyous and proud moment that so many long to see.

President Barack Obama is going to be a very different kind of leader.He and Michele will be working right along side each and everyone of us in shaping the future and making it a better place not just here in America but all around the world. I was very happy to see that he is much more down to earth and not inaccessible as most important people seem to be. Walking down the street after being sworn in when security advised against it was brave but to him it was am important thing to do. His need to be up close and personal the way he chooses is very admirable. This country is in good hand and BIG CHANGE IS COMING !!!!!!!!!!

I know that today was a remarkable day in history and having my kids be a part of it all is amazing. We could not travel to Washington for many reasons and watching it on CNN.com was nowhere nearly as exciting as being one of the two million braving the low temperatures so the next best thing was the comfort of my own living room. I just could not resist and had to take pics of the kids in front of the TV screen. Pravan embraces technology with two arms and asked that I record the show as he had to leave for school. I did and Priyasha and I watched it again with him when he got home from school.

We are all about to witness many important changes to come and with his guidance we will make this a better, stonger country and world just once step at a time. Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Free Spirit !

Conked out

2009-01-08T18:21:00.000-08:00

This has been a very uneventful week so far and I am still not 100% back to myself so I have been taking it easy. Today I decided to feed the kids spaghetti and meatballs. That seems to be their favorite food lately. I then got a phone call from Pravan's cub scout leader and started chatting with her. Pravan was next to me listening to my conversation but Priyasha was at the dinner table. You was unusually quiet and when I checked on her this is what how I found her .........

She has not even done this as a baby on her high chair. She skipped her nap today. I was having too much fun with her and did not want her to nap. I must have been on drugs or something. That does not happen often.

Here she straightened up when the flash went off.

This is her falling over as she was so tired. She started to cry as she was cranky and off course she has mismatched jammies on her she says

" I can do it mytelf " Hey she is entitled to her own fashion statement after all.

Below is another time around the holidays when she conked out.

She adjusted herself into a more comfortable position when the flash went off.

I hope to get back to blogging more regularly soon. Thanks for stopping by.

Free Spirit !!!

Happy Happy New Year " remember to back up" Protect your precious memories

2009-01-02T11:42:00.000-08:00

I have heard them say " When all else fails, PRAY " My faith in GOD has been renewed and I feel as if I have been re-born again. ON Xmas eve my external hard drive crashed and I had about 60 000 pictures on there. I was so afraid to leave my pictures on my laptop that I purchased a 500 GB external hard drive and then removed my pictures from the laptop. I should never have done that. Back up means you have copies of your work in more than one place. It is recommended that you save your work on your computer and back up to an external hard drive and then you back up the hard drive to another hard drive. You can never have it in too many places. It is also recommended that you copy all your pics to DVDs. I am going to organize my pic in a better way. Here is what I suggest you do to protect your memories: *Make one folder on PC called photos *make one folder for each year that you have pics * organize pics by month Some people have other ways that work like themes, holidays, people etc. Find a method that works for you. Just remember you need to pick one and stick with it. For me it works better to organize according to the calendar. If I need Easter pics I go to the March or April folder and if it is Xmas I know to look in December folder. Then you drag each month to the year it belongs to. * You then back up to the external hard drive and back up once more. Yes this is a very long process but if you stay organized it will be easier to locate what you need when you need it. I try to edit my pics as soon I download the camera. If you are like me then you may need to download everyday or at least once a week. That way you have fewer pics to edit. Do not be afraid to invest in software to help. There are many out there. I like to use Photoshop Lightroom. It is a high end product and it is not for everyone. ACDSEE is another good one. You can also use Kodak software. You can download for free :http://www.kodak.com/global/en/service/software/easyshare/en/dln_ekn026079.jhtml?pq-path=4509 This is a very user friendly software and you can edit with one click. A lot of woman I know use photoshop. There are many versions of this and you need to find what fits your pocketbook and your needs. If you have any questions or need any help at all please drop me a line. I cannot tell you how happy I am that Geek Squad was able to save my pics considering my drive was smoking.I prayed and prayed and GOD heard my pitiful cries. I believe , do you ? I have been so torn about religion for so long as I grew up Hindu and married a Catholic yet we do not follow any one way. My poor kids are lacking in this road. I have talked about it to a few friends that are from South Africa in hopes they will be able to guide me and understand. They all recommended praying. You do not need to go to church or fast like most Hindu's believe. All you need to do is close my eyes and pray because he can hear you no matter where you are. That makes sense now. I may not get dressed up and go to church on a Sunday morning or meditate in a temple but I will pray now and I know that is all it takes and he will never forsake any one. Thank you so much for your patience and support. Thanks for your kind words Melissa and to you Shirley. I truly feel so much better and alive. MY sinus infection is not completely cleared but happy a re-charge to my soul and mind emotionally and mentally will help me recover to 150% again physically in no time. I sure do miss being int 10Th gear. This time I will promise not to over do it and if I cut some corners it will be okay. Now I know that. Free Spirit !

My system crashed

2008-12-30T17:10:00.000-08:00

Okay I have always been stuck in 10Th gear and wished all year long to be lazy. Lord knows I have tried and failed. Nothing stops me dead in my tracks like when I am sick. I was diagnosed with Pharyngitis which is a fancy word for a sore throat. I was given Amoxycillin and that did not help a whole lot. This throbbing head ache and swollen head will not go away. I have even attempted pinching my scalp and pulling my hair but it won't stop hurting. Pill after pill and more pills I called the doctor again this morning and now I have a double sinus infection and have new drugs. Somehow my head still hurts. The pill literally knocked me out and I had to nap on the couch while the kids played. I am now stuck in hunched over slow motion and first gear. Not how I planned to slow down but it is my body's way of saying enough is enough. This congestion is stubborn and if it does not go away then I need to go back in on Friday and then get a scan done on my head. What a way to end the year and ring in the new one. I hope I feel better soon. Will not be posting until I feel better. I want to wish you and you family a HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!!! Free Spirit !

This damn packages frustrate me

2008-12-25T15:32:00.000-08:00

This is me feeling frustrated and mad at all the packaging. My golly they add so many twisty ties and plastic and rubber bands so they can have a perfect display. I wonder how much time is spent doing this and not to mention all the money and waste and now we have to pollute poor mother earth with all this garbage. It makes me mad. Also as I try to pry these toys off I feel as though my kids are being vultures impatiently waiting to snatch the damn doll or rip the transformer right out of my fingers leaving me with plastic cuts. I can hardly blame them as they can barley contain their excitement. There should be a better way to take toys apart.So here's to all the mom's and dad's out there ripping and putting toy parts together on the most joyous day of the year or is it ????? Merry Christmas to you.

Thanks for stopping by.

Free Spirit !!!!

White Christmas in Reno

2008-12-25T15:23:00.000-08:00

This is the first white Christmas that Reno has seen in twenty years and it is so pretty. Well I was up first today as I wanted to capture the kids on camera as they ran in to see Santa's presents. I am feeling much better today and hopeful that my pictures from my fried hard drive will be recovered Christmas is truly magical and watching the joy on the kids faces made all my troubles, anger and disappointment take a vacation for now. I look at all these pictures and I feel so happy that we have made new memories. My resolution is to back up all my pictures to dvd's. I may even pay the store to back up all 70 000 + pics I have. Well this has been an overwhelming day so I will just share some shots and wish you a Very Merry Christmas.

Thanks for stopping by. Free Spirit !

Christmas letter for you

2008-12-25T15:06:00.001-08:00

Dear Friends and Family: We hope that 2008 has continued to keep you in high spirits and good health! This has been a very busy year. Pravan is now 6 years old and has started first grade. He enjoys riding the school bus, loves going to school and has a great teacher “Mrs. Ferguson”. Pravan’s independence has grown right along with him as he has joined the Cub Scouts and recently learned to ride his bicycle without training wheels. He is a pro at math and can do math problems on a third grade level and has taken the best speller award in his class. He has exceptional handwriting and we are proud of his achievements. He also has a larger Transformer & Bakugan collection than Toys-R-Us. Priyasha is now 2 years and 9 months old. She will tell you that she is two going on twenty. She is completely independent and does everything by her”t”elf. She can even have a political conversation with you and tell you more about Barack Obama than some grown ups such as what his daughters’ names are and what number president he will be. She is fascinated by the presidents and can recite the first 15 in order and working on more. She can also spell most of her colors and can read simple words. She has moved on from Dora to Strawberry Shortcake and even is getting into Bratz Girls and Hannah Montana. She is growing up too fast if you ask us. We kicked off the New Year with a major snow storm and a sad goodbye to my mother. My mother returned to South Africa after a 6 month visit and I was lucky enough to escort her to New York City and bid farewell to her. She is doing okay now, but recently experienced hypothermia, pneumonia and a heart attack. We are glad she is tough and is still alive. In April, Grandma and Grandpa braved the skies and came from Vermont to Reno to visit with us. We had a wonderful time and went to the Sacramento Zoo and to Lake Tahoe with them. The kids certainly enjoyed them at our house. Reno was shook by a series of earthquakes in May, including a 4.9 magnitude quake. There was no significant damage to the house, but we had several frames fall of the wall and some of them had their glass broken. Over the July 4th Holiday we went to

San Francisco as Pravan wanted to walk on the Golden Gate Bridge and mommy wanted to go to Chinatown. The kids loved that trip although we didn’t have time for a cable car ride…next time. In late July we went on a volcanic themed trip to Oregon via Crater Lake which was breathtaking! Along the way we explored Lava Beds National Monument, Mount Shasta, and Lassen Volcanic Park. We also spent a day shopping and exploring in beautiful Ashland, Oregon. This fall we visited pumpkin farms and did all the usual fall traditions. On Thanksgiving we drove to Anaheim to visit Disneyland. We all had a magical time. Priyasha was in absolute awe when she saw the princesses, the Disney characters and especially Tinkerbell. Pravan was so brave and he went on many scary rides including Space Mountain. Mommy was the biggest kid of all since it was my first time too…if only I could get a job there. I continue to enjoy staying home with the kids and volunteering at Pravan’s school. I baby sit a couple days a week and hope to someday nurture my love of photography into a fulltime job. I have created my own family website http://www.twoworldsunite.blogspot.com/ so please check it out. Todd has now been at the Town of Truckee for over 5 years as a civil engineer managing capital improvement projects. We are also awaiting the arrival of another niece from Todd’s sister and the kids are thrilled about having another cousin. We can’t wait to see what the New Year has in store!

We hope you have a Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year! Love,

The Landry Family

Merry Christmas

2008-12-25T09:02:00.000-08:00

Today I am up early and will be pretty busy opening up kids toys. I over did it this year and bought way more than I should have.The way they package up the kids toys drives me insane and I will be ripping them apart and watching the joy on the kids faces. Todd and I are not exchanging gifts so we were able to get the kids more stuff. Todd you are a wonderful husband and I appreciate and love you more than you will ever know. Well hope you all are having a great day and spending time with your family. I will be back to post more pics. Merry Christmas !!! Free Spirit !