"Silver and Gold"

Above: 26 stars of remembrance for those who lost their lives in Newtown, CT. Thanks to my beautiful daughter Isabella for helping me with some of the graphics! I love you!

Children. 

Isn't that what Christmas is all about? To try to give them the same joy on Christmas morning that they give to us all year round? A magical time to return the smiles that they give to us and to see their shining faces as they open each present one by one? 

And it all started with the very first gift of Christmas...

A child more precious then silver or gold! 

Our children, the greatest treasure that God can bestow.

Who love us unconditionally both day and night.

   A reward unto itself when We hold Them tight.

That glimmer of innocence in their eyes.

The pain we feel when we hear them cry.

So hold them close and teach them well.

For the value of a child is a gift,

not one can tell.
~Mrs. Jennifer Estrada 

  Have a Blessed and Very Merry Christmas!

"Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf"

The Big Bad Wolf & Little Red Riding Hood featuring The Three Blind Mice. (created by Mrs. Jennifer Estrada)

Many times we go about our daily lives with good intentions, attempting to help out our fellow man. But our day to day benevolence doesn't always come with a warning label! In fact, we on occasion can become blinded by our conscience and moral cultivation. Sometimes situations, or people for that matter, aren't always as they seem.  Einstein was once quoted saying, "If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be even more intelligent, read them more fairy tales." I have never found this to be more true as I do now that I am an adult. You can learn a lot from a little old fairy tale and a big dose of good old fashion common sense. Although it is wise to look for the beauty in every situation it is also a necessity for us to take off our rose colored glasses so that we may take heed to the wolves in sheep's clothing!  "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing,  but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. ~Matthew 7:15 Did you know the origin of the 'tale' of the Three Blind Mice? The origin of the words to the Three Blind Mice   rhyme are based in English history.  The 'farmer's wife' refers to the daughter  of King Henry VIII, Queen Mary I.  Mary was a staunch Catholic and her  violent persecution of Protestants led to the  nickname of 'Bloody Mary'. The reference to  'farmer's wife' in Three blind mice refers to the  massive estates which she, and her husband  King Philip of Spain, possessed.   The 'three blind mice' were three noblemen  who adhered to the Protestant faith and  who were convicted of plotting against  the Queen - she did not have them dismembered  and blinded as inferred in Three Blind Mice,  but she did have them burnt at the stake. FYI

"The Simplicity of a Flower"

Don't Give Up!

 Many times people give up too soon surrendering to the pain
completely unaware of how close that they really were to accomplishing their goal.

While waiting for my Chinese take-out with the girls, I challenged them to an arm-wrestling
competition. With the girls both being lefties I chose to use my (weaker) left arm as well.
 The match ensued and my arm was killing me. And just when I thought that they were going to win...they quit!  So my lesson here is to never give up, push through the pain, and take the victory!

"The greatest oak 
was once a little nut who held its ground." 

~Author Unknown

"My Story"

I know that it has been awhile since my last entry, but for some hounding reason 
I felt that on this one I would take my time and attempt to inject a bit more honesty
 into my drawings. With the understanding of how vulnerable 
this might make me, I decided to go along with my instincts, and I must say that 
I am quite pleased with the result. So take it or leave it, here it goes......

You know how in most comics the hero usually has this one defining moment
 in their life that changes everything? That one event that sets them on the path 
to their inevitable destiny?

For example...

(Artist Unknown)

Well, this is a brief narration of that moment, or 
moments, in my life. This is my story.

"When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me 
that happiness was the key to life. 
When I went to school, 
they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. 
I wrote down ‘happy.’ 
They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, 
and I told them they didn’t understand life."
- John Lennon 

"Garden Philosophy"

Just when I think that I am about to have a meaningful conversation with my son...well you know what happened. What I was going to say is that life is a lot like a garden because one must invest an effort into making it beautiful. And if the garden just so happens to be neglected, with the right tools and some extra work, it can be made beautiful again

"Kiss of the sun for pardon. 

Song of the birds for mirth. 

You're closer to God's heart in a garden

 than any place else on earth."

~Dorothy Frances Gurney 
__________________________________________

"Life is like a garden...dig it!"
 ~Joe Dirt 
____________________

"Happy Memorial Day"

Patriotism, as defined by our Webster's Dictionary, is the

devoted love, support, and defense of one's country; an absolute loyalty. When I was young this was taught to us not only in school, but also at home. I can still remember my father taking us outside to hang up the flag and with my mother, coming to the United States as a little girl and later on becoming a citizen,  saying that no matter what we were without we were always blessed just to have been born here. With that being said I feel that it is our responsibility as parents to do the same. 

And may God Bless America and our troops!

I pledge allegiance to the flag,
of the United States of America,
And to the republic for which it stands,
One nation, under God, indivisible, with
liberty and justice for all.

Character 101

Instead of a lesson for the children, this week I felt that it twas I who needed a refresher course in character. Even we parents need a reminder from time to time to help keep us on track and I just so happened to stumble upon the book of Luke, chapter 6:27-38, and what perfect timing.

Her eyes are homes of silent
prayers.
~Alfred Tennyson.

______________________________________

This is the precious present
 regardless of what yesterday was like
regardless of what tomorrow may bring.
When your inner eyes open
you can find immense beauty hidden within the
inconsequential details of daily life.
When your inner ears open
you can hear the subtle, lovely
music of the universe everywhere you go.
When the heart of your heart opens
you can take deep pleasure in the company
of the people around you...
family, friends, acquaintances, or strangers
including those whose characters are less than perfect
just as your character is less than perfect.
When you are open to the beauty, mystery, and grandeur
of ordinary existence, you "get it"
that it always has been beautiful, mysterious,
and grand and always will be.
This is the precious present.

~Timothy Ray Miller

"A Mother's Love"

(Dad, Mom, & myself, 1978)

I lost you 25 years ago to cancer, 

  and I will never forget

your kindness,

 your struggle,

 your strength

But the greatest lesson that you had ever taught me in life,
was to love.

  I love you Mom ♥

 RIP

 5/31/87

 

"Keep Your Eye On The Ball"

Isabella has the passion to become many things and it has recently come to my attention that one of her countless conquests is to become "the President of the United States". "That's a pretty big goal", I said. "But if you focus, you can do anything that you put your mind to. Just don't do too many things at once!" Someone once said, "If you chase two rabbits they will both get away!"

"All men dream:  but not equally.  

Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds 

wake in the day to find that it was vanity:  

but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, 

for they may act their dream with open eyes, 

to make it possible."

 ~T.E. Lawrence,  

Seven Pillars of Wisdom, 1926


Push Play!

"Uphill"

"Sometimes the path you're on is not as important as the direction you're heading."
 ~Kevin Smith

"Income-ing Breaking News!"

The past few weeks have been quite interesting to say the least. Do you have a moment? Sit down and I'll tell you about it. As some of you may know my husband and I share the responsibilities of both working, paying the bills, and parenting our four growing children. My husband has recently returned to his old profession, roofing, and with all of the rain here in Michigan of late, he has not been working as much as we had hoped. This led to some cuts in the budget putting our cable and internet services onto the chopping board.  Like I told the kids, "You can't eat television!"

"Oh why don't you save all the money you earn?
Well if I didn't eat, I'd have money to burn."

~ Harry Mac McClintock

Hallejuah I'm A Bum! 

PUSH PLAY! 

"Stage Left, Right, and Center"

My Husband's Day Off...

 

 Literally.

And Then There's My Day Off!!!

 

 Did I forget to mention nurse, coordinator, counselor, chauffeur, and tutor? Well, I couldn't fit all of that into one picture not to mention my schedule. But I must say that out of all of these, being a mom is by far my favorite role. Enjoy!

 "All the world's a stage

 And all the men and women merely players 

They have their exits and their entrances 

 And one man [or woman] in his time plays many parts"

~William Shakespeare

"Mother Goose"

Once Upon a Time...

As a working mother of four I have a lot of things to remember in one day and well, let's just say that names are not a priority!  Enjoy!

OH! I've been told that my dress was a little too high up here! So, I adjusted the amount of leg shown with some editing! Just having fun with this one!  :)

“The most important thing in life

 is knowing the most important things in life.”
~David F. Jakielo

Have Fun!

"Detour Ahead"

Sometimes the most valuable lessons learned are formed out of chaos. My advice...........learn how to multi-task!!!

"The road of life twists and turns

 and no two directions are ever the same. 

Yet our lessons come from the journey, 

not the destination.”

~Don Williams Jr.

"Play Ball"

For weeks I had been wondering why Angel , my oldest teenage daughter who plays on her high school tennis team, was having me pick her up from her practices in the parking lot next to the locker rooms when all of the other girls were being picked up 100 ft away at the tennis courts. And then, watching her strut by the ball field with a very intent glare, I had realized........the baseball team! Oh dear! It's going to be a bumpy ride!

Every daughter must have an adventure;

 she needs to create her own story to become her own person.

 No matter how much mothers, anxious for their daughters' safety or success, 

insist that they "go straight" to their destination, 

daughters must always take their own circuitous route.

 Mothers can only watch and suffer, or watch and rejoice.

~Josephine Evetts- Secker

(Mother and Daughter Tales)

"Happy Easter"

Let's not forget what Easter is really about!
✞Happy Easter Everyone!✞

Grande-Osity

In case you didn't know, I spend my days in the company of a gentleman by the name of Mr. Russ Gibb, world renowned for burying Paul McCartney of the Beatles on the radio years ago. You see, I help him out throughout the day and little does he know just how much he helps me. What he doesn't realize is how nice it is to get out and talk to another adult from time to time, aside from the usual discourse of my children's conversations like, "Can I get a ride" or "What are you making for supper" and "Can't we have something else". It's nice to talk about more sophisticated things even if I do get carried away sometimes. So Thank you Mr. Gibb for all that you do for me and for listening, I think???? You are a cherished friend.

"Coming Unplugged"

In this day and age it seems as though our children have become part of the "Technological Era". The complaint is no longer "Can I stay outside just a little while longer?" but has now become "I'll go out after I finish this game." They seem to be losing important social skills. Too much is too much and I feel that it is time to pull the plug on our kid's "cyber-displacement"  and push them back into reality.

"Disregarded Beauty"

“For every beauty there is an eye somewhere to see it.
For every truth there is an ear somewhere to hear it.
For every love there is a heart somewhere to receive it”
~ Ivan Panin

"Tennis Anyone ?"

As a mother I always try to lead by example and set the pace in my household. Whether or not anyone is paying attention is a whole other affair and with Angel starting Tennis this week at school, I guess that I have had love on my mind. Enjoy :)

A loving heart

 is the beginning of all knowledge.

~Thomas Carlyle

"The Luck of the Irish"

The Blarney Stone :  As Irish Legend has it, if one kisses the blue-stone built into the battlements at Blarney Castle, they will receive the gift of gab or eloquence as the story is told. It is said to impart "the ability to deceive without offending." I found this to be an interesting story and I thought that it went right a long with my Saint Patrick's Day entry. Now of course there are a few lessons here. First, never talk to strangers who appear suddenly at your window. Second, don't believe everything your told. And third, there are no such things as Leprechauns. . . .maybe! 

♣ Happy St. Patrick's Day! ♣

 Wishing you a rainbow
For sunlight after showers—
Miles and miles of Irish smiles
For golden happy hours—
Shamrocks at your doorway
For luck and laughter too,
And a host of friends that never ends
Each day your whole life through!

Push Play

"Attention Please"

In our home it seems as though my management of time, or lack there of, has been an issue of late. The constant battle of who can grab the other's attention in whatever way possible has really been making a lot of noise around here. Among all of my many tasks during the day, the one that is sure to go to the top of the list is to always make sure that the people in my life are my main focus. Everything else will just have to fall into second, or third (or forth and fifth for that matter).

I would also like to share a message that I received from a Ms. Maria Santiago.
 It was very encouraging, at a time when I needed it, and it made my heart sing. Thank you for your kind words Maria!

 Hi Jennifer!
I am a good friend of Rachel Villanueve-Trejo and went to school with your husband Jesus.
 She has been keeping me posted on your exciting story and just yesterday she shared a link 
to your wonderful accomplishment. I would just like to extend my congratulations to you...it 
is always great to hear of such a wonderful story. I am very excited and happy for you guys.
 I have read your blog and I love it...very creative and the humor is right up my alley. I will 
be sure to purchase your book.
Please send my best to your family!
God Bless & Congratulations! 

 

"Lookie Lookie"

If you go back a few entries you will see a comic titled, "Secret Ingredient: Love", Angel receiving a cookie from a boy. Let's just say that this is the sequel to that, I'm sure it will reoccur, prologue. Well, it happened,  just as we all had assumed, he broke up with her. The attention span of a fifteen year old boy is like that of a monkey in a produce store, grabbing the sweetest ripest fruit in the place and then moving on to the next one! Nevertheless, I think that she handled the whole situation rather well and learned a thing or two about the opposite sex and their disposition in life. As the old saying goes...."That's the way the cookie crumbles!" (I know... it's cheesy)

Push Play!

"House on a Hill"

“You are the light of the world.

 A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 

Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.

Instead they put it on its stand, 

and it gives light to everyone in the house. 

In the same way, let your light shine before others,

that they may see your good deeds

and glorify your Father in heaven."

 ~Matthew 5: 14-16 

"Food For Thought"

Wednesday night dinner with the kids in control........Success!!! To my surprise, with a little help from my "nurturing supervision", the girls did a knock-out job with the evening's spread. They made a Cesar salad followed up with a Shepherds Pie and Oreo cookie ice-cream for dessert. There were a few entertaining moments throughout the evening, like watching Bella try to chop the onion. She went at it like a killer in a horror film leaving behind mangled fragments of the pungent bulb  in her path. And Isaiah, hoping to make us Oreo cookie milk shakes, was unable to find the blender in our still newly moved in to unpacked house. But after all of that I would definitely have to say how much JOY that it brought me to hear them giggling and laughing through it all. Normally bickering with one another, they found a way to come together, pull it off, and have fun in the process. Now.... seeing how they did such a great job, I am going to make this a weekly routine.  :)

"Through all the smiles and trials.....

A family that cooks together....

 (along with prayer of course)

Stays together"

"Well Done"

This week I am trying something new in our household. I am passing on the responsibility of making dinner once a week to the kids. I feel that this will teach them accomplishment and how to contribute more to a group, in this case Family. Let's just hope that they don't burn the house down in the process!  We'll see ;)

"A Fool For Love"

❤ Happy Valentine's Day! ❤

"I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all." 

~Alfred Lord Tennyson

"A Rock And A Hard Place"

It's always nice when the ones we love notice all of the little things that we do "because we love them"! Sometimes it is a little too easy to take the people in our life for granted. A simple thank you or I'm sorry may not seem like a lot, but to the people who care, it means the world. This is a little lesson that I tried sharing with my kids recently. I hope that you enjoy :) ....Oh! And thank you for reading.

"The Greatest of all gifts
is to estimate things
at their true worth."
~François de la Rouchefoucauld

"Violets Are Blue"

Even when we are aspiring to do some good and maybe even make the world a little better, there may be someone lurking in the shadows waiting for us to fail with their discouragement and doubt. Sometimes it is unintentional and sometimes it is not, but regardless, I believe that is important to never give up on your dreams and to always continue to live life by your standard, not by someone else's.    :)

"People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered; Forgive them anyway. 

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; Be kind anyway. 

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies; Succeed anyway. 

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you; Be honest and frank anyway. 

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight; Build anyway. 

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous; Be happy anyway. 

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow; 

Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God;
It was never between you and them anyway."

~ Mother Theresa

"Ready For Take Off"

According to the Webster's dictionary, Yo Yo means :  a condition or situation marked by regular fluctuations from one extreme to another. This would sum up my Good friend Yolanda to a tee. She is an airline stewardess and while she is traveling the world she picks up interesting facts about the places that she has been and seen. Now only if she would leave some of it in the baggage claim everything would be perfect! :)

"Illusions"

Sometimes what we see doesn't always reflect what is truly there. Take my daughters for example...one is at the stage where looks seem to be all that matter, while the other one is trying to grasp the complexity of the day to day thing that we call life. How do you teach your children that physical beauty is fleeting, but what you make of yourself on the inside ( inner beauty), that is enduring?  :)

"The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mode

but the true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul.

It is the caring that she lovingly gives the passion that she shows. 

The beauty of a woman grows with the passing years"

  - Audrey Hepburn