mrsmomdragon

We drink out of fancy glasses for no reason. We gather gifts from around our house and have family present Day. We drink milk from the carton. We smell each others stinky feet before we decide it’s time to wash them. We have the name Emaleigh written in random places throughout the house. We step in ALOT of dog poop. We love having our quarterly movie nights with junk food. We never have napkins at the table so we all use the same hand towel. We have peanut butter and jelly stains on our couch. We like to let Eydan say our prayer at dinner time. We have spent every New Years Eve as a family, nothing beats that. We always have toothpaste spit in the bathroom sink. We file papers on our countertop. We burn our pizzas on Valentine’s Day. We go in and out of the bathroom while someone is using it. We are unsure of what privacy means. We have bubble gum mashed in our carpet. We still have tickle fights. We know that Mommy is Switzerland. We love walking to Diamond Shamrock for Icee’s. We have laundry always crawling up the stairs. We have always wanted a laundry chute. We like to practice moonwalking in the kitchen. We like to say “ooooo buuuuurned”. We eat frozen grapes in the summer. We like to hold our breath under the bathtub water. We always have Crisco in the cupboard. We aren’t afraid to be silly. We drink water out if the hose. We smell bottoms to check for dirty diapers. We wear our jammies all day on most Mondays. We love to sing along to Hakuna Matata. We all fall asleep during the second movie at the drive in. We blame our farts on the dog. We have a dog who likes to blame his farts on us. We make each other cry every time we attempt a snowball fight. We go crazy for Crazy Bread. We roast s’mores at the kitchen table over tea light candles. We make each other laugh…some more than others. We love to take road trips (even with three kids). We make soap boats. We love Chocolate Cherry Bordeaux Ice cream. We always try to make the best of every situation. We love each other…and that’s the best thing about us.

Please take a moment to read my blog for the Tribune today. Breath, and let go of your worries. Have a wonderful day!

http://www.greeleytribune.com/news/5494797-113/worry-nothing-caiti-mondragon

Today was a BIG day in the Mondragon household.  Ray finally decided to write his first blog.  You see, he decided to start a blog a long time before I even did. He is the one that encouraged me to start. He could just never find the courage himself to begin his own! So, I’m so excited that today was finally “the day”! 

I sat and thought today (I know, crazy right?). I thought about how I was a wife before I became a mother. (Yes, my thoughts can get pretty deep throughout the day) Anyway, I strive everyday to be the best mom that I know to be…but first, I must be the best wife that I know to be.  Being supportive of Ray even when I think his ideas are crazy. Going to watch an old-timers tournament, not because I love “bleacher butt”, but because I love being his #1 fan. Supporting him in the good times and even more in the bad. Being his leaning post and sounding board, as he has been mine throughout the years. And now, sharing in his excitement as he makes himself vulnerable to the world…through his blog. 

Please, take a few minutes and go check out Ray’s blog at http://www.theprodragonist.com. Enjoy and, as always, thanks for reading!!

Hi everyone-some of you may or may not have read my blog in the Tribune today. It has been on my heart all day, so I thought I would share it on here as well! Be a light…
http://www.greeleytribune.com/news/feature3/4264673-113/dark-elijah-hide-team

I received a “review” this morning, and just thought I would share. Thanks to all who have read!

Here’s an excerpt:

600 people reached the top of Mt. Everest in 2012. This blog got about 3,800 views in 2012. If every person who reached the top of Mt. Everest viewed this blog, it would have taken 6 years to get that many views.

Click here to see the complete report.

When I was younger, I remember only having one or two best friends. I’m not talking about the friends that were around at school, I am talking about friends that I spent hours on the phone with, that had sleepovers and that would whisper in the halls about the boy they thought was cute. Because when you’re in elementary school, those are the kinds of friends that you need.

 Now, being 30 years of age, I realize that I don’t have any best friends. Now, before you start feeling sorry for me, let me explain. I have family. Not just my relatives by blood, but the family that God has delegated in my life. Friendships from church, from PTO, from work (I can include 3 year olds), even from Greeley Moms.

I am a true believer that God places people in your life at just the right time. Sometimes these people stay, and sometimes these people are called to leave. Whether it’s leaving to another town, state, or even leaving this earth, saying goodbye is never easy.

This week, Ray and I say goodbye (well, we’ll call it “see you later” because we are definitely visiting) to some of our closest friends as they start a new chapter in Hawaii.  We owe a lot to our friends, Zach and Dennisa. These friends are the reason that we are so involved with our church(www.greeleymosaic.com), and through this we have been blessed beyond measure. This is where we have met most of our now cherished friendships.  I’m not even sure if I have ever told them Thank You. Thank you for being friends when we needed them most. Thank you for making us laugh when we wanted to cry. Thanks for crying with us when we needed a shoulder. Thank you for being you.

I’ll be the first to admit that we took their friendship, and time with them for granted. I think we can all be guilty of saying, “let’s plan to get together for dinner”, or “hey, I need to reschedule”…and it just doesn’t happen as frequently as it should. We got together when we could, but now that those opportunities won’t be as frequent, I feel like I should have made more of an effort. Now, that we know they’re moving, we have made sure to spend as much time with them as possible. Laughing, crying, and just making the best of our time together.

I know Christmas can be a time of happiness for many, but also a time of sadness for many others. Whether it’s because of a loved one who is no longer here, or family that doesn’t spend the Holidays together anymore, Christmas time can be mournful. But, that’s not what it should be.

So, can I encourage you this Christmas …don’t take your family, friends or anyone that you love for granted. Quit making excuses for not getting together. Pick up the phone. Even if it’s sending a text, tell those that you love what they mean to you.  Don’t live in a life of regret. Life a life satisfied because you made the most of your relationships. For you never know what tomorrow might bring. Spend quality time with them making memories that will travel across the seas. For hopefully next year, Ray and I will be saying “Maliki Liki Maka” right alongside Zach and Dennisa. 

I’m sorry…just needed to vent.

My heart is broken hearing of the tragedy at Sandy Brook Elementary School. Yes, an elementary school.  I am sitting on my couch, inconsolable…and I know none of these kids, teachers, parents, brothers or sisters. My heart literally hurts.

This week, I have been surrounded by events that have happened. Events that make people question, why? These events have opened my eyes to a world of pain, hate, sadness and loss. I’m no longer worried about the tiles falling off in our bathroom or our sprinklers not being blown out. It just doesn’t matter anymore…there are SO many people out there right now that are hurting much, much more.

Yesterday, I attended the funeral of one very special woman. She left behind a husband, 3 young boys and a family who loved her very much. They are hurting.

Looking at the pile of canned goods that our school has collected for families in need…wondering how they’re going to feed their family. They are hurting.

Imagining these  kids at Sandy Brook…18 of them who lost their innocent lives. Even the kids and teachers who survived will forever be haunted by this act of terror. Seeing photo upon photo pop up of kids who are in complete panic. Kids should never be a witness to anything like this.  They are hurting.

Watching the President hold a news conference, crying. We are ALL hurting.

Yeah, my problems are pretty small.

Tonight, when your kids aren’t eating their dinner…be thankful they’re home safe. Or, tomorrow when they’re throwing a fit because they want ice cream for breakfast…be thankful they still have their voice. Hug and kiss your kids a little bit extra, not only tonight…but everyday.

May God bless everyone who is hurting.

Today, Ray came home for lunch. This is nothing out of the ordinary…although I was a little embarrassed that he came home for lunch and witnessed me laying on the couch watching Toddlers and Tiaras. In my defense, I took advantage of “nap time” today by trying to take one myself…and hey, it’s quite easy to fall asleep during that show. 

Anyway, he stood behind me and said, “Ok, so I wanted to save this for Christmas, but…”

Sigh…I’ve heard this many times before. Typically Ray and I try not to spend a whole lot of money on each other for Christmas. I would much rather spend it on the kids because we have a very tight budget. Anyway, there has been many years (I should have learned by now) that we decide not to get gifts for one another. One year, I had nothing for Ray. I didn’t even put anything in his stocking (I’ll blame Santa for that one)…and he got me a phone. But, my favorite  is the year when we were still just dating and Ray was on the UNC cycling team. Again, that year we said we weren’t going to spend any money on each other! But I thought to myself, I’m going to surprise him this year and get him a gift! So I did. I got him socks and arm warmers (for cycling…I know). I was so excited to finally surprise him with a gift…when what did my wandering eyes did appear…AN ENGAGEMENT RING! Yeah, arm warmers were my gift to him. Arm warmers. That Christmas my heart was so warm, and well…Ray’s arms were warm.

So, as you can see, today when I found out Ray got me a gift I was a little nervous. I know that there is still 2 weeks before Christmas, but again, we weren’t doing gifts this year. He held a box out in front of me and said, “This is to symbolize all of the Charlie Brown Christmases that we have spent together, yet you still love me. Because…it just needs a little love”. He did it again. This could be one of the most meaningful gifts that I have ever received.

That’s what I love about Christmas. For us, it has never been about wanting or even expecting a gift from each other. What it has always been about is love. Spending time together as a family, and reflecting on all that we do have…not on what we don’t.  

So, if you’re stressed out this Christmas season…just remember “It just needs a little love”.

It’s so crazy to think that it was already 9 years ago, today, that I said “I DO” to my best friend, the man of my dreams. It seems like just yesterday I walked down the isle…I wasn’t nervous at all that day because I knew…I would love him forever.

As a little girl I always dreamed of what my wedding day would be like. Who would I marry? Would he be “tall, dark, and handsome”, like the fairy tales always said? Well, I must say that my dreams are nothing compared to my reality. I mean that in the best way, of course. I consider myself to be one of the luckiest girls in the world. I married the most caring, humorous, handsome man that I know. I mean…look at him. (I skipped right over “tall and dark” and went straight for the handsome!)

Speaking for me, our connection was instant. I had never met anyone like Ray…immediately, I wanted to just be with him all of the time. So finally, I gave in 🙂 and we began “officially dating” in June 2001. If you ever want the real story on how we met, please ask me… don’t ask Ray, because it’s filled with some nonsense. 🙂 I know you’re thinking, “Ray tell a nonsense story?” (I’ll save that for another blog)…Nonetheless, my world has never been the same…and I love him for that.

One of the first things that I noticed about Ray was his outgoing personality. He is always going out of his way to meet new people, or just make someone laugh. He really caught my eye with his rendition of Billy Jean. 😉 My Ray has some sweet Michael Jackson moves, in case you didn’t know. I always look forward to weddings and Christmas parties because there is bound to be some MJ played…and I love him for that.

Some things don’t change, he’s still that same guy. He is the one person that can put a smile on my face after having the worst day ever. He’s the person I love to be silly with, and I could spend an entire night just laughing with him (or at him). He has helped me realize it’s ok to be yourself. To laugh at yourself, even when you don’t want to…and I love him for that.

These past nine years have been amazing. But, they haven’t all been easy. We have gone through some junk…and Ray has loved me through it all. I wouldn’t trade any of it for the world because everything our marriage has endured, has only made it that much stronger.   Ray knows me better than I think I know myself sometimes. He knows when I need a hug, when I need an ear to listen, when I need a drumstick, or when I just need some quiet. He loves me when I’m at my best, and he loves me even more when I’m at my worst….and I love him for that.

These past 9 years have been better than I ever could have hoped. Thanks to Ray, I laugh more, love more, learn more, and cry more (totally kidding!) I look forward to spending many, many more years with my best friend. “I go where you go”…and I love you for that.

Happy 9th Anniversary!

One of my favorite things to do is be silly with my kids.  Last night, we spent 2 hours trying on headbands, talking to our “friends” in the mirror, practicing our “duck faces”, dancing in the kitchen, farting (the kids might tell you different, but I was not included in this part ;)) and best of all; laughing. I LOVE hearing my kids laugh. Emaleigh’s laugh sounds like a chipmunk with a fast forward button. Elijah’s laugh is laughing mixed with trying to talk, and Eydan is still trying to find his laugh…but it sounds very “throaty”, almost maniacal. 

It started out with our bag of hair doodles spilling all over the floor. And, instead of picking them up and putting them away, we decided to put as many as we could on our heads. We all looked pretty silly, but Elijah thought he looked like a “cool boy”. Our medicine cabinet has 3 mirrors, so he turned in the two outer ones so when he put his face in the middle, there were about 15 reflections of him. I wish I could remember the conversation he was having with his “friends”, but all I can recall is him saying, “Dude, nice to see you!” Emaleigh saw how fun it was, so they began taking turns chatting with their “friends”. This shouldn’t concern me right? 🙂

But, the thing that had the kids laughing at the most was a squirt bottle. Pretty simple right? Emaleigh was taking turns spraying water into everyones mouth, and if you pretended like it hurt, Eydan would laugh hysterically…or maniacally. 🙂 Then he accidentally bumped his head on the wall, and it became even more funny! It was no longer the squirt bottle that was making him laugh, it was him bumping his head on the wall. It was one of those laughs where you can’t help but laugh because it’s obviously so funny to everyone else! Seriously, our fun consisted of talking to our “friends” and hitting our heads on the wall. Should I be concerned yet? Absolutely not. I love using my imagination along with my kids. Laughter (accompanied by a few toots) filling our home last night was just what this Mommy needed. It truly is the “best medicine”.

Don’t be afraid to be silly with your kids…before you know it, all of your daily troubles will fade and you’ll be having just as much fun as they are, if not more.

Our best “duck face”…Eydan hasn’t mastered his yet, so he wasn’t included. He was busy getting out the toaster. 

 Yes, please take notice that Eydan is sitting on our toaster. He was pretending it was his dog, or something. Should I be concerned now? 😉