Home Sweet Home

The girls with my parents

Rylee ready for the 4th of July

Rylee & cousin Danika



Rayven ready for July 4th




The art of Tree Climbing
(thanks, Uncle Kenny!)

Well...it's been awhile since I've blogged! My goal of once per week isn't panning out so well...but I really HAVE been busy!

This week, I've been in TN with my mom & dad, and then tomorrow morning, we're off to the beach. I've had a great time catching up with friends and family, but the week has gone by so fast!! I have been missing Gonzalo & home, but there are a few things I want to remember about this trip "home" to TN:

1. My parents don't have internet. But my kids think it's the most fun place in the WORLD.

2. My mom's kitchen is TINY. I mean, TINY. But - wow - she is the best cook ever.

3. My parents don't have central heat/AC. But the sound of the window air conditioner in our room upstairs will make Rylee sleep through ANYTHING - even a 1 AM game of Mexican dominoes with me, mom, my niece, & nephews.

4. My parents only have 1 bathroom...yes, ONE. We've learned a lot about SHARING this week. ;) After all, they did raise 4 kids in this house!

5. Some members of my family are some of my very best friends. :)

6. Dogs + my girls = PURE BLISS.

7. Mayfield ice cream really is 10 times better than BlueBell (sorry Texans) will ever be. Moose Tracks it is!!

8. I really miss Starbucks..... More than I should! LOL.

9. The mountains here are more beautiful than I remember...

10. When my parents are no longer here, I'm going to miss home - and them - like crazy.

Hope you're all having a great July, and I'll catch up sooner than later. Cheers, friends!

A New Chapter

So, it's finally hit me: Rayven graduated from preschool. Yes, we missed her actual graduation day, since we were in AZ with my parents. And we also missed the last official week of preschool. But on her last day, we took cupcakes for the kiddos to share, our gifts for lovely Ms. Karla, and I even got some pics of the rehearsal!! It was a great day, and of course, I CRIED!! We have loved her Tuesday/Thursday school (which is at our church) and her little class. The highlight of the year for Rylee was carrying sister's lunch box to school everyday!! She took it in each day like a big girl, and a few times she tried to stay at school with sister!

Her class and Ms. Julie's class during rehearsal

Her buddies at their table

Her preschool diploma and beautiful shadow plate
(How could I NOT cry???)



Rayven with her buddy Alexi & teacher Ms. Karla


The girls goofing off during rehearsal

Rayven & the other 3 girls in her class - Ella, Rayven, Alexi, & Bryn

Rayven getting her diploma from Ms. Karla

The basket we made for Ms. Karla with all the kids' handprints

My little preschool graduate!

Well, it was a great day, even if I cried. And I didn't cry for the reasons you think I did....it's not because I'm sending her off to school and I'm going to miss her so much!! LOL. Actually, Gonzalo & I have decided to homeschool the girls (for LOTS of reasons), so she won't be getting sent off in the fall. We will be learning at the kitchen table, the living room, the backyard, or wherever the mood strikes us. Actually, the more I think about keeping her home with me, the more I am sold on homeschooling. I love that I'll get to see her learn everyday and her growth, in physical, spiritual, and intellectual ways. So I'm not sad about that. But I cried because these 5 years have flown by so fast...like a blink. And if the next 5 go that quickly...I don't even want to think about it.

My mom says that life comes in chapters, and that we shouldn't be sad when one chapter is over but we should be happy for the new chapter we're in. I can't help but be a little sad that Rayven's baby, toddler, and now preschool chapters are over. But I'm also looking forward to the Kindergarten chapter where she & I will learn together what it means to homeschool. :) We got her curriculum in the other day, and it looks like so much fun! I think teaching her to read will be the toughest for me, but I'm ready for the challenge.

Congratulations, Rayven! We're so proud of you!!!

Heading West!

Well friends, it's been a very fun week so far! The Grand Canyon, I have to say, was GRAND. No one can prepare you for that first glimpse...it is, indeed, incredible. I am so glad we made this journey!

Everyone says we vacation a lot, and it's true. If you know how we love to travel - very CHEAP - you know that's why it's possible to take a lot of trips. But this trip was special, even more than some others we've taken. We came to Arizona to take my dad to the Grand Canyon. Sure, we want to see it too, but my dad REALLY has been wanting to come here.

I'm always optimistic, and it's something I never dare say out loud....but my parents are getting older. My dad is turning 72, and with his breathing the way it is, I can't help but wonder how many more trips like this he will be able to take. I hope for many, many more, but I'm also realistic. I wanted so much to bring him here, and his face was worth the trip. My girls may not remember it, but I WILL! I know it means so much to him, and that makes me so happy!

Here are some pics we took on the big day...I have so many to post, but these will get you started. It was so incredible!

Me & Gonzalo at the south rim

Me, Gonzalo, & the girls

Wow is all I can say!


I love this pic!

Mom & Dad

So beautiful!

Tomorrow we're heading to the Navajo Nation. My dad's other passion is Native Americans. We are of Cherokee descent, so he loves learning about Native American tribes. This will be another fun day!

I'm so thankful to God that I still have my parents around to enjoy them...and this beautiful Earth He created. Good night, friends!

Rayven's Prayer

I'm not sure if I'll stay awake long enough tonight to upload more photos from the journey, but I have to say that we're loving Arizona! Beautiful scenery, pretty blue skies - what's not to love? :)

I'll post pics tomorrow, but tonight I wanted to share the prayer Rayven prayed today...before I forget everything she said! LOL.

Last night before bed, I showed her a picture of Cayden from his mom's FB page. Cayden is her boyfriend from Tennessee that now lives in South Carolina. He has just turned 7, and the picture showed that he's lost his 2 front teeth (this will be important later, lol). We're driving back to the condo from eating our dinner tonight, and Rayven saw the moon. And she said, I'm making a wish on the moon!! Then here was her "prayer":

Dear God,

Thank you for these beautiful trees. And for everything you made.
And thank you for US. (lol)
Please keep us safe and don't let us get killed or anything.
And God, please help Cayden. Don't let him get sick.
And PLEASE make his teeth come back soon.
Thank you God. And I love Jesus.

Amen.

I just almost cracked up out loud right in the car! It was so sweet that she prayed for Cayden's teeth, and it just shows how thoughtful my little girl can be (when she wants to be!). She sounded so cute and so grown-up all at the same time. I loved it!! Hope you enjoyed it too....

Blast from the Past!

So....I've been a little busy, as you can see from my blog. And someday I'm really going to catch you up with all that I've been doing! But today was a GREAT day. You only have a few days a year like today.

Awhile back, I reconnected with a friend from long ago on Facebook. Her name is Annie, and we went to grade school together, up to the sixth grade. We were great friends, Girl Scout buddies, and always in the same room at school. After she moved, we lost touch - but I never forgot her! She was just a girl who is unforgettable, and that is the truth. We had so much fun!

My parents are visiting now, and we're on a little road trip. We'll eventually end up in Arizona, but we're making a few stops along the way. Last night we stayed in Carlsbad, NM which is such a small town! Reminds me of old westerns and cowboy days. Too cute! Today we toured Carlsbad Caverns National Park which was amazing. I am constantly amazed at the scenery God made for us to look at. Lovely in every way, and so many different things to see! Here are a few pics from that:

Big sis helping little sis through the big cave

The whole gang outside

Notice our windblown hair and Rayven's new bat!

This amazing cavern...can't even describe it!

Tonight was the best part! We came through Las Cruces, and I was able to have dinner with Annie! We haven't seen each other in 20 years, and we could have visited and talked all night I'm sure. I'm so excited to see her, and I'm glad we found each other again after so long.

Here is our picture, with Rayven of course! Can't even believe that we were her age when we met.

As you can see, it was a GREAT day. A day that began with new sites I had never seen and ended with an old friend that I hadn't seen in too many years. We won't let that happen again, right Annie? :) More to come from the Torres Travels tomorrow...if I'm not too tired!

Good night lovely friends!

Top Ten List

My life is crazy. And busy. And crazy busy. But, that is how I love it. I love that we have somewhere we could go everyday...another friend to see, something fun to do. Even though we have pajama days here at the house, it's still lovely to have something to do. Maybe it keeps me sane, or maybe it combats boredom! Either way, I love it!

Here's a poem I came across many moons ago, and I'll share it with you:

Some houses try to hide the fact
That children shelter there
Ours boasts of it quite openly,
The signs are everywhere.

For smears are on the windows,
Little smudges on the door.
I should apologize, I guess,
For toys strewn on the floor.

But I sat down with our children
And we played, and laughed, and read.
And if the doorbell doesn't shine,
Their eyes will shine instead.

For when at times I'm forced to choose
One job or the other
I want to be a housewife,
But I'd rather be their mother.

-Anonymous-

Don't you just love that little poem?? I love it when people say that we're JUST stay-at-home moms or "OH...you don't work." WHEW - I would love to see THOSE people tame a toddler tantrum or convince a 5-year-old to clean her room! My work is never done, but I do love to have fun while I'm doing it!

Today, I'm going to be David Letterman and share with you my "Top Ten List" of things I can't live without (at least, not at the moment)! Of course, leaving out the obvious things, like God, my family, my friends...you know. These are sheer material things, that I could be a tad bit obsessed with. :)

I know you've been waiting for this....

Amanda Torres' Top Ten List
(in NO particular order)

1. DVR - YES, I'm addicted to Y & R, and the only time I can watch it is when the kids are sleeping!!

2. My laptop - oh, I would be such a sad girl without this machine. It is my answer to any question, my adult conversation (on Facebook, lol), my connection to the outside world. I. Love. It.

3. Chai tea - more specifically, an iced chai tea (either from Starbucks or Amandabucks, whichever happens to be more convenient!). There is something about this milky, spicy tea that soothes me and makes me just plain happy. :)

4. My Blackberry - they don't call it a "crack"berry for nothing! I sleep with her by my side. She is my phone, my internet, my alarm clock....

5. My GPS - since I moved to SA, I could not LIVE without this thing. At least once every week, I'm forced to go somewhere I've either never been or couldn't get back to, even to save my life. So, this is the most handy gadget some days of my life!

6. The Disney Channel - NO, not because I watch it. Because I can turn it on for the girls, and buy myself nearly 30 minutes of uninterrupted time, depending on what's on TV! Oh, the little things in life...

7. Twilight - OH MY, I'm in love with Edward. And, yes, Gonzalo knows about it. I've watched Twilight about 4 times, and New Moon 3 times. I could actually stay up and watch them both again right now! My favorite quote: "I love you.....but please, don't make me choose. Cause if I choose, it'll be him. It's always been him."

8. The Duggars - I love this sweet TV family! I watch them every chance I get, and even Rayven says it's her favorite show. We love seeing their 19 kids, and learning how they live with such a big family. Great, clean TV!

9. A hair clip - Stop by my house at almost ANY hour of any day, and you'll find a hair clip in my hair. Sure, I may have fixed it earlier, but if I'm home for the day, the hair's getting pulled up!

10. Pajamas - YES, these make me happy! Right up there with the hair clip, you could find me in my jammies almost any time of day as well! I do get dressed.....most days, lol....but pajamas are my most comfy attire. Don't lie - you'd wear them all the time if you could, right??

So these are a FEW of my favorite things!

Goodnight, sweethearts....gotta get in bed for a fun-filled day tomorrow!

New Pics!

Well, we tried to take Easter pictures this past Monday at a local studio that I have used lots of times. Let's just say, we didn't get a single pic!! Rayven wouldn't smile her "real" smile, and Rylee wouldn't even sit down! It was frustrating, but I knew the day would come....I was just hoping for later and not sooner.

So my photography friend, Jennifer, rescued me in this photo emergency! Check out these pictures...they turned out so great! Thanks Catrina for telling us about the blue bonnet field, and thanks to Jennifer for a job well done!