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Pink

Posted by on March 13, 2012 4 Comments

Elle Decor


Please say it ain’t so! Time is questioning whether or not the color pink exists?!? “Pink, the color, is just the wishful thinking of our brain blending the red and violet wavelengths together to create the color of many little girls’ birthday parties.” Bummer. Well, in a house full of boys and definitely no let’s-see-if-we-can-have-a-girl baby #4, all the rooms in the house are neutral with a splash of bold accents. Let’s see, I threw some pink Japanese pillows in the sun room and I have a pink table runner in my dining room. The boy’s bathroom is an unfortunate 70’s pink design (pink bathtub, pink toilet…!) that I decorated in a monkey theme with browns and greens… One day, I hope to have a room just for myself; no soccer balls, no cars, no blues! Maybe a pink walk-in closet? A pink sitting room? Ooooh, a pink office!!! I found these beautiful pictures for inspiration today.

Elle Decor


Babble


I’m a girly-girl, feminine and I love pink! I also embrace the masculinity around here but I will get more creative. Whether pink exists or not, even in a house full of boys, I will make it work for us. Have you decorated a room other than a girl’s bedroom in pink? Please share!
Your Friend,
Betty

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I Don’t Expect You to be Perfect…

Posted by on March 9, 2012 Leave a Comment


Every time I watch my boys sleep, I get a huge knot in my throat. A wave of guilt comes over me. In those few minutes I reflect on what kind of mom I was for the day and I ask myself the same questions: Why did I lose my patience? Was I a good listener? Did I engage them enough? Was I mentally present today? Almost always I think I wasn’t good enough. I sigh and whisper a promise in their ear that tomorrow I will be better. Lately, after reprimanding Diego for bad behavior, I say to him, “I don’t expect you to be perfect but I do expect you to be respectful and polite to others.” I must think about that every time I engage with my boys…just be respectful to them.
Have a great weekend everyone!
Your friend,
Betty

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Let’s Send Him to Chicago!

Posted by on March 7, 2012 Leave a Comment


Ten minutes before this picture was taken Diego was in tears. Santi, our 15 month-old, made him cry. This happens a lot in our home. Santi is demanding, a screamer and even scares me…often. So Diego ran up from the playroom in hysterics to tell me that Santi was all over his space, taking his toys and “bothering” him. He said he didn’t want Santi near him and that he couldn’t wait for his new baby brother to arrive because he was going to love him more than he loves Santi. Oh brother. Literally. I told him to relax and like past conversations we have had, I explained all the benefits and joys of having a little brother…he didn’t buy it. So I said, “Let’s just send Santi to Chicago”. Why do I say things like that? I don’t know. Yes I do. But I’m afraid to say out loud. Santi is a handful. Can’t Tita Che (my mother) deal with him for a week? I kid. Santi isn’t that bad. Anyway, Diego looked up with wide, teary eyes and whispered, “No! Don’t send him away.” Proof! Thank goodness! He does love his brother!
As we approached the playroom, I caught Santi with a look of surprise on his face. Did I just catch him listening to our conversation? He ran back to the little track Diego was working on and just started handing things to Diego as if to say, “Mommy, Diego is lying. I didn’t do anything! Look at what a great helper I am! Please don’t send me away!!” Diego continued to build his track, Santi handed over the pieces and then…miracle…they played together. Was this really happening? I ran to get my iPhone so I could take a picture and it was pure bliss…for ten minutes. No one is going to Chicago. Hmmm…what if Diego would have said, yes, send him? Oops. Even mothers say the darnest things.
xoxo

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Hello! Please, Why Don’t You Stay for a Bit?

Posted by on March 2, 2012 Leave a Comment


I did it! I just went to my Facebook page and notified everyone that I am launching my new blog by updating my status. “What’s on your mind?” Well Facebook, I am hoping that at least half of my friends will click on my link and love my blog and keep coming back because they can’t get enough! I am also scared dear Facebook. Terrified! My stomach is in knots and I’ll drive myself crazy as I continue to refresh this page and check for new comments!! But it was time.
In the past five years, we will call it a.c. (after children), I have acquired a bit of knowledge on a lot of things. I’m not an expert on one thing, but I know a little about a lot of things. Friends who are teaching (from my b.c. life) still ask me for recommendations for their classrooms, old students now in college ask me for advice, people send me private emails on Facebook wanting to know “as a parent, what would you do”? It is all so flattering. Especially on days that I feel completely lost in New Jersey, without family, homesick, and desperate to get back to work outside our home. Your questions and conversations with me are truly inspiring. Helping others helps me become a better mom, a better wife, a better student and a better teacher. I hope you enjoy my views, my advice and remember, I don’t think I know everything…it’s just what your friend Betty says.
Please click on my Subscribe button and comment, comment, comment!!!
xoxo

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