Happy Summer! 1st DAY YAY!

Enjoying our new shade!

The first day of Summer kicked off officially today at the Berios Home :) 

We spent it at home recuperating from an extra, especially long week of end of school celebrating and birthday festivities. It was so pleasant to have a worry free Saturday to fall into. 

I cleaned out the laundry room which was stuffed with unsightly objects that were hidden away for the Pirate Party on Thursday, and felt so refreshed afterwards! Ava and Leo played with their new Rocket Avia sent to Leo for Maximus and Ava's birthday--Maximus gave rides on his new cruising mobile from Papa David and Avia in honor of turning 2, Daddy rested upstairs, and came down after an entire house napped peacefully and played until he had to return to work for a night shift post bedtime. 

I made homemade french bread loaves in the oven! And they turned out PERFECT! I remember nostalgically these seemingly empty days at our house growing up. Dad and mom working on "Saturday" projects around the house, inside and out, and my brothers and I enjoying countless hours of free play and exploration--the world was ours and I hope I soaked it in more times than not. 

I wish for Ava, Leo, Maximus and Kalliope, imaginative exploring, lots of laughter and new ideas and success with fabulous memories that our bound to follow. 

I love you each :)

Our Octopus turns 2!

Our 2 year old--what a handful of complete joy!

My day was great. The end of a very long year here as official San Antonian's!

Today was fantastically refreshing! What a long awaited week that finally comes to a halt today! Coming down from a huge day of party prep and celebration, to heading to school this AM to greet the final day of the school year--our first and last year at Child Montessori, what an incredible feeling :) I have really not liked as much as I should have, or loved as much as I have past schools, this school. For various reasons. #1 being the commute to and from each day--it's 10 miles away, but a good 20-30 minutes one way depending on traffic, which changes from day to day. And that's about the consistency I received as a parent. There, to me, was not a consistent role as a figure head or person in charge at any moment on any given day. That frustrated me. Ava and Leo thrived there though and were cared for, so I suppose that was a great since of relief. I was ready for the end though and to begin a fresh new chapter of school in July and this Fall. Settling into our now home for a year in Alamo Heights. 

Making Alamo Heights our city within San Antonio. I can't wait :) And I'm really excited about this summer, glad it kicks off tomorrow! I have hired Meara and Tiara to help out throughout the entire month of June and really plan on making the most of this summer now that we're officially all moved in and settled, unlike this time last year, when we had just moved--this weekend in fact, and settling and unpacking seemed Monumentous!! I was newly pregnant with Kalliope as well, which made my energy non existent. and It was summer in South Texas: Hot. 

This year we have great friends, neighbors, a lived in back yard, no packed boxes in sight, and a membership to a beautiful pool and GYM! John loves his job and the schedule is fantastic! We are so lucky to be able to live out this life we have created and been so blessed with, together. 

I love us :) Happy Summer kids! 

And Happy Birthday Maximus, our never a dull moment, joyfully energized 2 year old! We are so blessed by you each day!!

Let the clean up begin! Arrrrghh!!

And we're done!  

We made it through the week :)  No major melt downs or fits had, and the kids did great too ;)  One thing that was soon realized this week is that it definitely takes a team spirit to get through such a whirlwind of a week of celebrations--So thankful for my Johns, he's a perfect daddy and wonderful husband:)  He not only put on such a fabulous Treasure Hunt and transformed our entire yard into a Pirate wonderland, but he made birthday pancakes for each morning of birthdays too!  

The kids are so lucky to have him:)

This week was filled to the brim with last week of school activities for all three, Snack Day Host for all three as well, 9 teacher gifts total and 2 birthday celebrations that we turned into one GIANT Pirate Fiesta!  

I LOVE planning parties, doing the decorating, baking the cake, coordinating the food and our outfits, but I was so thankful for John this week helping put our master game plan into action!  It's tough to event plan when someone is always needing you, whether it was my 4 month old, my toddler, my still growing into being a big boy, 3 year old, or my now 5 year old--

who was such a superstar this week and shined!!  

  

Ava has the added bonus of shining brighter through being a big sister--which can either go really wrong or really well, and she holds that title fabulously:)  She is such a great big sister, and we are each thankful for her and were so excited to give her a day of celebration!                          

  She loved sharing it with another great guy to be a sibling with, our Maximus, who loves any celebration.  

                                                      

Leo embraced the pirate theme and ran with it-remaining dressed and in character well after the party :)  

I realized that it's a necessity to hire a babysitter for a party you are hosting as a mommy/daddy of 4.  One needed our complete attention at all times yesterday, so we will definitely be 

enlisting a helper for the next Berios Bash!  

The nature of being a family of 6, 4 of which are newly 5 and under. 

Here are some highlights!   

The Cakes!  Maximus had the Lost Island, Ava, Buckey the Pirate Ship

The blowing out of the candles was post Cannon Ball soaking, thus why the 2 birthday kids are out of costume--

The Treasure Map!!

The Hunt!

My Ava is 5! May 26th, 2011

5 years ago today--our family began :)

WOW! What a long anticipated, totally full day of celebration and excitement wrapped in fun and the ordinary motions that come from such a packed day! Today is Ava's 5th birthday and we celebrated big time, with a birthday walk at school--her final birthday walk at a Montessori, and then John and I worked frantically, yet as coolly as possible, prepping for the huge Pirate Fiesta to commence immediately following their day at school. We kept the party as small as possible, just the Broadwell's, the Hernandez family, the Davidson's--our next door neighbors, Ana, from across the street and our new friends, Kim, Steve and their daughter Charlsey, yet it was a packed party full of little overly energized, hyper bodies :) By the end, I was pooped. Literally every single part of my body refused to be put to use. I had used every extra ounce of what energy I did produce on putting on a great party with the tremendous help and support of John :) And we did it! 
IT was a great party :)

Happy Birthday my Special, wonderful little 5 year old!!   I love you more than you will ever know and be able to comprehend--well maybe when you're a mommy, you'll relate a bit :) You started our family a little more than 5 years ago and what a joy it's been since you entered our world. I look forward to seeing what you will become, I have treasured all that you are today and before. I am so thankful to be a part of your life long journey and grateful to be your mommy :)
http://gallery.me.com/graceberios/100377
I love you!
Mommy :)

And a happy May Day to ya!

I don't know what it was today--the start of a new month, the end of a long week, the finale of John's weekend of work, 

a great nights rest??  

My day began just like yesterday, way too early, nonscheduled excess chatter well before coffee and the sun, but everything went eerily better.  Moods on all accounts were brighter, no crying/hitting/fighting/shortness of temper took place. 

Breakfast was made-and devoured-happily :)  We arrived to church fully dressed, hair--and teeth brushed, early!  I even surprised the kids with a picnic lunch at the play ground immediately following the service :)  ALL 4 are down without complaint or struggle or even question for a nap, and John will be home immediately following--I made it :)  Another weekend down, 

and on a fantastic note :)  

Thankful.

**I'm writing this to prove to myself 

and all my Little Bird fans what a 

significance a day makes.**  

I was so full of negativity yesterday, almost like a quicksand reaction, everything just kept building and building and building.  Poor John even arrived home from work early, but it was too late, I was done.  Everything made me sad, or mad, or made me feel slighted, even down to John getting a shirt in the mail for a concert we're both going to in June and I got super offended and hurt that he didn't get one for me as well?? That's not me..  Thankfully he knows that, and got over the wrath of emotions and silent anger towards him that followed immediately after, very quickly... 

Today is a great day!  Thank you for enduring my blog and celebrating my life beside me in my great days and not so super, but still, in the grand scheme of things, pretty great days as well. :)  

Sewing happily today--instead of as a therapeutic outlet:/

Wishing you a little cool breeze, happiness, and LOVE today :)

Grace