End of the Year!

This past Friday I was able to go and join in on the fun of the end of school year activities. I have never really been able to do these things in the past due to work or things of the such. The kids are finishing up 2nd grade and this year they had a day packed of all kinds of fun.

First was a book signing! All of the children in the 2nd grade became published writers. They were able to write a story on how they have shown a random act of kindness to someone (or on about half the stories how someone has shown a random of act of kindness to them). The kids were able to sit with their classmates as the parents went around and had the kids sign next to their story. We were encouraged to get all the kids from our child's class and then if we wanted, linger on to the other children. Well as expected, I had 3 classes to go to so I seriously got about 60% of the 2nd grade class' signatures. :)


May I have your autograph?

Then right after they had an awards ceremony. Now in the kids' previous school they had an awards ceremony every 9 weeks. It included awards in all sorts of different categories. A couple of weeks ago, I got an email from 2 out of 3 teachers stating the kids won an award and they would have a ceremony. I went and all they were awarding was for fairness.



I found it odd, but just shrugged it off. Apparently they saved the big award ceremony for the end of the school year. They had all the kids sit on the stage and as they called on which kid won, they would stand and once the category ended we'd all clap and they'd sit. It was interesting, and I was glad all three got an award! It would have been heartbreaking had someone missed out. One of the awards was for perfect attendance!! I was shocked because I was for certain everyone had missed a day. I guess my girl beat out the boys and was healthy all year round!



The day just kept going. After all of that it was time for a picnic!! Hot dogs, chips & cookies. What a way to end the school year, and kick start the holiday weekend.



The kids were stoked about it all, had I brought Baby J, that would have been icing on the cake for them. But I couldn't pass up the fact that he was sound asleep and that would have left me hands free for the couple of hours I was there.

So the end of the school year is here and I now have three third graders! ... WOW!

Our Home

I can't believe in one month, it'll be a year that we moved into our place. Our OWN place.

I tell you though, it was some work. Many weeks of cleaning up and getting things ready to move in. Signing contracts and watching our money fly out the window with things like home refinance rates, homeowners insurance, deposits .. WOW! Never even thought of all of that when it came down to it all. But I did like buying the many MANY things that went along with the house. ;) Who doesn't like shopping? But the biggest down fall? Try doing this with three 6 year olds and a newborn. *sigh* It was a stressful time for us all especially in this Texas heat.


Little J stretching his legs. | Crashing after a long day of cleaning.

But in the end, it was all worth it! We now have a place to do as we please. The biggest pro of it all, and my husband loves this part, is the fact we have a yard. A YARD! And cookouts are our most favorite thing. What? Some friends are coming over and we're going to crank up the grill and just hang out? Why yes we are! Of course you cannot forget the birthday parties!

I could go on about all the good, even throw in some bad, but the most wonderful part about OUR home is that everyone finally got the space that was needed. No more being cramped in an itty bitty apartment. So lucky to have a place where the kids can grow up and we can finally sleep easy.

Happy Earth Day!

I'm not real big into nature and all that jazz. I only say this because when you're from Houston it goes from "winter" straight to summer and so we don't get the chance to experience spring. Going outside to enjoy ANYTHING is impossible without having a heat stroke or getting bit by mosquitoes.

Well today, I decided to do a little something special for Earth Day. My kids have been counting down the days and constantly reminding me the day will be approaching. So I figured, why not? If I could have found my keys in a timely manner, the day would have been awesome. I was ready to leave about 9:30/10:00 and the weather outside was GREAT! About 65 degrees and a breeze, buuut we didn't head out 'til noon.

So everyday I pass by this place with a sign that says "Nature Center". I never think anything of it, but knew it'd be a great place to take the kids today. Basically all it is is a pathway, that probably equals out to a mile, where you can walk and enjoy the trees, some flowers and such. I personally would have liked it more had the trail been more manicured and maybe even a garden or something, but the kids loved it.



After walking for a bit, we came up to this sign that said "Bird Blind". Blind? What?

"Viewing blinds provide the chance to observe different species of birds without disturbing them."

So we go off the path into a more beaten up walkway and then come up to a board with holes. I have never seen such a thing. It was just a way to hide yourself and see everything. Had there been birds, I think that would have been a sight!



After a few more bird blinds, we decided to take the "Loop Path". Bad.Idea. This was a path OUTSIDE the wooded area. Another beaten up walk way that seemed to last forever. Friday, we got a full day of rain, so along this path there were still some puddles and such. You can add the mosquitoes now. Outside of the shade and with the tall grass and puddles it was just so muggy. See this is why I don't like nature. But we did see a bee on a flower and the kids gushed how that the bee was gathering its nectar. And then they saw random berry like things and the middle of the three had to let everyone know that it was "poisonous".



All in all, besides my Debbie Downer "It's too hot, why am I walking?" the kids had a great time .. ENJOYING NATURE!

Even this little one. :)

Writer's Workshop

THE PROMPT
Start with the phrase "Ten years ago on this day, I was..."

Believe it or not, ten years ago today, I was a senior in high school. Back when things seemed so much easier. This was the only year I took choir, I was a P.A.L (peer assistance & leadership - at least I think that's what it stood for), very active in my church youth group and had a slight obsession with a group called the Backstreet Boys. Perhaps you've heard of them? Back when there were 5 members!

This was a busy time for me. I remember something happening all the time. Church outings, PAL trips, senior pictures, scholarship applications, studying for pre-cal..things that seniors always worry about. Oh and I cannot forget my several websites I had up and running. The usual: livejournal, personal websites and fansites. I was a real big teeny bopper back then!

I can definitely say things have changed in the last 10 years. Although there would be a few things I wish I could go back and turn around the outcome, I'm happy with things and can't wait to see what the next 10 years will be like.

2012 is EVIL!

Everyone gets excited when we turn over yet another year. So I guess, because I had "it's just another day" mentality thing going on, 2012 decided to just bite me in the butt for not getting all hyped up for its arrival. But then it seems to feel bad for what it has done and return it with some good! So far 2012 has been a roller coaster! Let's take a look, shall we?

THE BAD: My PC decides to bite the dust. The same day, so does my laptop!
THE GOOD: I take both computers to my dads, he turns on the laptop and it's all of a sudden working fine!

THE BAD: In an attempt to run to the bathroom and be quick, I set my phone on a roll of toilet paper on the counter. The roll tips over and the phone goes straight into the toilet!!
THE GOOD: I was able to get a new and better phone (the same day) charged to my bill, no money out of my pocket for a month!

THE BAD: I was put on financial probation at school due to something that happened almost 10 years ago. Had to drop some classes and pay out of pocket.
THE GOOD: Turned in an appeal, it was approved, will be getting my money back and was able to re-register for my classes once again.

If this is what my year is going to be like then I think I can handle it. As long as there is good that comes with the bad. Although I still think 2012 is out to get me!! Grr.

Grocery Shopping

So the beginning of the month I go out and buy my months worth of food. Although I would looove to be one of those people who can use coupons to get $1000 worth of food for like $100, I sadly am not. I do know that the price of food had to have gone up because my monthly "allowance" of food of 450 has gotten me NOTHING! I usually get the store brand/off brand vs the Nabisco, Pillsbury, etc. name brand only because a lot of the time I can get a whole lot more. But still, some days I can maximize my savings that way and I guess this month was just not my lucky month. I blame it on the holidays.

While surfing Pinterest, I found a pin talking about a "family's guide to $250/month to groceries" and HAD to check it out. Come to find out it was an E-Book that you can get for free if you post it in your blog.

I am willing to try anything at this point. Anything that can get my monthly budget to stretch the entire month.

You should too! The opportunity to spend LESS in the grocery store cannot pass ANYONE by!

Spring Classes & Pinterest

So, on the school calendar it shows that the 14th of November is early online registration for Spring semester. I have been gearing up these past couple of weeks for this day. Sounds silly, but I was scared I would oversleep or forget and I seriously had in my mind registering for classes was like buying concert tickets. I didn't want to get that "SOLD OUT" message within the first five minutes of registering. No joke.

Well at 8:30 this morning, I got a text from a friend of mine. We had planned that we were going to take Anatomy & Physiology together but we both only had Tuesday & Thursdays available, and I only had mornings of those days. She text me telling me there was only one morning class available. When I got this, the first thing that ran through my mind was "OH! The spring schedule is up!!" So I went and looked through everything and then got a bright idea. I should go through and try to see if it will let me register. AND what do you know it did!! I was the first one in the classes I registered for. It takes a load off and am so glad that it's done with.

So for the spring I will be taking College Algebra (Online), US History (Online), Child Growth & Development (Online) and Anatomy & Physiology (Campus). I do not like the fact that I'm going to campus for one class but it's a 3 hour class, so might as well just do it.

About a couple of weeks ago, I figured I'd venture over to Pinterest to see what the fuss was about. I had heard a great big deal of people talking about it, but was just clueless. I do have to say, once you get sucked into Pinterest it is VERY hard to get out! That place is addicting!!! My goodness. I love it though. Most of my pins are of recipes and DIY crafts I hope to accomplish for Christmas gifts. If you have yet to take a look at the page, DO SO!

And I have set a goal for myself, for the month I'll be out of school. My goal is to make, if not all, the majority of the recipes I have found on there. So it should be fun and I can't wait to see the outcome. Of course I'll be posting them on here! I've already started, and will be posting that recipe soon. It's exciting! :)

Tooth Fairy

Think of all the milestones kids go through, multiply those by three. Now usually it wouldn't be that big of deal: first steps, first words, etc. But what about teeth?! I don't know how many teeth we have *starts counting* like 20 something? But now multiply THAT by three! And think, a dollar a tooth! Now in our house the tooth fairy occasionally forgets. But I once told one of the boys (who lost 3 teeth within a week), when the fairy forgot, was to write a note asking for more money. He was a six year old kid already doubting the reality of the tooth fairy!! So that day she left two dollars.

Well now, since January, my daughter finally loses her third tooth. I told her to leave it on her dresser because the tooth fairy couldn't get up that high in her loft bed. Well looks like she forgot again! Well her brother came up to her and said, "if you write a note, the tooth fairy gives you more money."

So this is her letter:
Dear Tooth Fairy,
I think that you missed me, or I think you was giving the dollars to other kids and you ran out of dollars.

Oh my! If the fairy keeps getting letters like that, I'm sure she'll go broke REAL quick!

Men ...

Today marks our seven year wedding anniversary. I knew he wouldn't remember but I didn't want to call him up at work and try to explain what today was, so I just sent him a text message.

"feliz aniversario!"
happy anniversary

That was at 6p .. I hear nothing back. :( As it got time for him to be home, a good 20 minutes had passed and he still hadn't made it. I remember making up my bed (yeah I wait til the end of the day for that .. I'm bad I know) and thinking "I don't want to call ... maybe he's out buying me something!!" haha one can wish, right?

Before going on you should know .. a) Aunt Flow b) extreme exhaustion & c) tooth pain that only vicodin can handle, roll this into one and you've got a ticking time bomb. Just keep this in mind.

Well after changing the baby's diaper that the smell had filled up the whole room out into the hall, and dealing with two seven year olds fighting with each other, that whole thought went out the window and I got impatient. I called him asking where he was and I guess I had a tone to my voice and he wanted to know why I was freaking out on him. Why couldn't I be all "Hi honey how was your day? Are you on your way?" I bring up that why hadn't he called me back, that how did he not know what today was. I'm already starting to cry here - remember that time bomb? While on the phone he had mentioned that he hadn't ate anything all day, that it was really busy at work and was hoping maybe I had made him something. I didn't even think about this earlier while cleaning up and dealing with the kids, so as soon as I hung up I made something simple as tortillas with ham and cheese. It's one of his fave "dishes" and it was fast.

He comes home, strolls into the kitchen and looks over my shoulder and just makes a face. "I'm not hungry" Apparently, on his way home, he decided to treat himself to his own anniversary dinner - I guess I lost my invitation in the mail? Tacos from Taco Cabana, which so happens to be one of my favorite places .. Wait! You didn't hear that explosion? You had done forgot about the ticking time bomb already?!

I had long ago forgave him about forgetting our anniversary. There's really no use in trying to make him remember. He can call me and I barely miss his call, I return it within two minutes and he can't even remember why he had originally called me. But to stop and get something to eat ... and not bring me any?! Of course I'm sitting there like a blubbering idiot and he's got this look on his face like "what the heck is going on!?!" MEN!!!! When will they ever understand!?

Drawing a Blank

I hate when I sit at the computer and stare at that flashing cursor. It's like those pesky little kids sticking out their tongues yelling "neh neh neh neh boo boo", who came up with that anyway?

Ever since school started for the kids, I have been utterly - to the highest extreme - exhausted. Really. THAT bad. At the school they went to last year, I was able to sleep til at least 7:15 and then it was just getting them dressed and dropping them off. But now, it's getting up at 6:30 and getting them to the bus stop by, at least, 7:15. My little one has been kind to me and when he wakes up at 7:30-8:00, takes a bottle and goes right back to sleep. We sleep til about 11, and we're up from there.

But I've started back to school this semester, and I go to two classes on Tuesdays & Thursdays. I don't really find it that stressful, but I think the little stress I do have (when a paper is due, a speech is to be given, test days) is driving me crazy. I think just the fact of a small infant, three kids, a full-time job as a housewife just drains me. I have yet to fall into any kind of schedule .. I have a routine, only just what falls into place day to day. Since the baby has been born, and when we moved at the end of May, I cannot - for the life of me - find a routine! Cannot. And you would think I would just to relieve the everyday tension and hectic-ness. Who wants to be running around crazy everyday. I sure don't! But guess what! I DO!!

I read blogs all the time and the housewives seem so happy and peachy keen with everything. I'm not saying I'm not happy .. I'm just so tired!!!!

006. Bleh

Well I don't know what is in the air, but since the 4th a few people in my family have been battling some sinus/allergy issues. Well I guess with that, that tells you what's in the air. haha And it has not been fun. My dad was supposed to come over to do some things on our house, the week before the 4th and couldn't because he was sick. He ended up coming ON the 4th and I was able to take him to Lowes and help him out, while he in turn did some things for me.

When we got home from fireworks that night, it kind of scared me because the baby was sounding congested and was coughing. To me, for a barely 3 month old to be coughing, doesn't settle right. I tried to suck up the nasty-ness in his nose, and noticed that his coughing was less when I did that. And as the days went on he seemed to be getting better and I was relieved. I called one of the nurses at the doctor's office and she suggest "Little Noses" (a saline solution) and suck it up with that. But that babies his age is normal for congestion. BUT then I started getting sick. I got that scratchy feeling at the back of my throat, my eyes were itchy & watery, and was sneezing to no end. Even my ears were itchy! So for the last of the week I spent it with my bff Benadryl. I can say I'm not 100% but I'm way better than I was.

While battling the allergies, I've had to deal with the agony that is "renting-to-own". As I've mentioned before, we moved not to long ago. We put down a good chunk for a down payment, and are paying rent up til the place is paid off. Should be about 5 years or less. Upon purchasing the place, we were given a 60-day guarantee on things like plumbing, a/c, roof .. things like that. But anything else was on an "as-is" basis.

WELL, we've had the A/C people come out twice, with word from the owner, and our A/C STILL isn't fixed properly. They come out, we get excited and then hours later something else is wrong. They came out Friday, and when I turned it off after being satisfied with the outcome, the inside fan motor was still going. After calling the owner & the A/C people and getting no answer I had to shut it off by the breaker box. I've been calling the owner since Friday. I've left messages, each with a more irritated tone added to it, and have not heard anything back. I got ahold of Tony, the A/C guy, on Monday and he was able to guide me over the phone about how to turn the fan motor off (he apparently had left the switch by the actual fan motor "on" instead of "auto") But at about 1 or 2 in the morning it starts blowing warm air, instead of cold air. So first thing Tuesday morning I was back calling Tony & the owner. Now it's Wednesday, and Tony says he can't get ahold of the owner. It's really quite irritating. Irritating that no one can get ahold of this guy and the guarantee is closing in. Oh but wait .. we did get ahold of the guy. How you ask? By calling from another number. Yeah! So apparently he's avoiding me. Not cool I tell you. Not cool.