BIG NEWS!

Hubs has finally graduated both basic and specialized training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. I am now in the presence of a military police officer! I am so proud of all the work Hubs has gone through and I know he will continue to go far in life from this point forward.

PVT Zach Madrigal - Graduation Feb 17, 2011

PVT Daddy Zach with his little man (MY WORLD!)

PVT Madrigal standing beside PV2 Johnson

Zach bidding fair well to good buddy Jake. 

Zach and buddy, Talon

Grandma Diane, Zach, Mom Kathy, and Grandpa Stu

Homefront Artistry Team - Monday Meet Up 2/14

The 2nd and 4th (sometimes 5th) Monday of every month, we post a few questions on the Homefront Team Blog that you can take, post and answer on your blogs and THEN LINK BACK to the original post so that we all can come around and visit.

 

This adventure is OPEN TO EVERYONE!  You DO NOT have to be a part of the Homefront Team to participate.  So please visit the Homefront Team

 

Here are my answers to the Monday Meetup questions!

1. Do you like to celebrate Valentine's Day or do you cringe at the thought of Cupid?

 I don't think much about the holiday. I think of it as another holiday that I can make some cute craft for, but it isn't high on my list of priorities to find a babysitter and go out just because it is February 14th. This year, the Hubs is away finishing up boot camp. I had a blast making Valentines with my son for his class, but I am not feeling any sort of loneliness or anything. I got my book and a good movie and that is that. :0)

2. Are you a flowers or candy kind of person? Or do you prefer something handmade?

I would MUCH rather have something homemade. Ok, I can't deny that having my Hubs clean the house is my number one favorite gift no matter the occasion. ;0) I didn't get flowers or candy this year since, again, Hubs is at boot camp. He did send me a cute picture that he drew and it actually came in the mail today ON Valentines! What great timing! I love it and I will never forgot it. :0)

 
3. What's your most memorable Valentine's Day story?

Probably this one because there is so much going on. Hubs and I have made such a turn around in our relationship. This seems to be THE year that such great changes are happening and I am arms open just welcoming all of it. Though we are apart, I have never felt closer to my man. :0)

There you have it!  Now you can go to the Homefront Team Blog and post your own response!

Cassandra's Links

Esty

No... No No No.... NO NO NO NO NO...

It can't be. It just can't be. My little baby boy is ELEVEN today! I only have two more years left before the *dun dun dun* TEEN YEARS! 0_0 I gotta hold onto these memories as best that I can while they are still here. That would be easier done with a working camera but alas, mine is on the fritz with battery issues at the moment. I did, however, grab a picture of our birthday cupcakes with my phone's camera. They are from Yummy Cupcakes in Burbank and boy are they YUMMY! ;0)  We got Peanut Butter Cup, Happy Day (white cake), Red Velvet, Vegan Chocolate (super moist), and Sugar Cookie.

Here's to eleven years of wonderful memories with the love of my life, my precious baby boy.... and to a lifetime full of even more!

Seems a little sketchy....

... but the good kinda of sketchy.... the artsy kind of sketchy. ;0) 

In other words.... here are a few new sketches.

Hearts Ahoy....

With Valentines just a bit over a week away, the family is in full force craft mode. I have found a few tutorials that I would like to try out and I am excited to get started. So far, Scott and I have made little personal tissue holders for his teacher and principal. A similar tutorial to how I made mine can be found HERE. I suppose they are pretty universal as the instructions are almost the same where ever I look. :0) SUPER EASY!

Next on our list will be to make some "Love Juice" for Scott's classmates as Valentines. We are not allowed to bring homemade items to his school (Tears me apart *sob sob*) so when I saw this tutorial, I fell in love! You can make some too... just follow THESE instructions. Here's a picture....

Back Blows, Abdominal Thrusts and Making out with Dummies.....

Yea, I've had my fair share of kissing dummies but this weekend takes the cake. This dummy was the worst of all of them. Of course, it's a bit difficult to kiss back when you have no pulse........... 0_o  So, it's a good thing that I now know....





CPR!!!

Woohoo. I did my CPR class at the Azusa Cal National Guard Armory on Saturday and passed with flying colors. I had to sit around and wait 20 minutes for every one else to finish the test. I missed two questions, but they were technical things we never even went over in class (which the teacher admitted to... we were a laid back class of only 10 people). 

Without further ado, please welcome Mr. Dummy himself........

And because you always wanna be a smart girl when kissing your dummies..... 

Leaps and Bounds.....

I have been so amazed with my child's growth this year. I'm not talking height and weight here, but emotional maturity and control. He has done such incredible changes and I couldn't be more excited and proud of him. Today, he did something that truly shocked me. I have been waiting for years since the day he could speak for him to do this. HE SHARD HIS FEELINGS! For those of you who know my child, this is such a big deal for him. He came up to me after school and asked me if I was interested in hearing him share his feelings. HECK YES I AM INTERESTED! We sat on the couch and had a 20 minute conversation and guess what? It was a two way conversation... not a "mom lectures and kid rolls eyes and pretend to listen" type of deal.

My son, you are such a gift from Heaven and I am so grateful that I was chosen to be your mom. You complete me in a way that I never imagined could exist. You are growing so fast and I wish you could be my baby forever. You hold my heart in those hands of yours. You give me life and purpose and I thank you.