Wordless Wednesday : Celebrating My First Birthday

I figured with my birthday next week, we'd take a look back at my 1st! ;)

I Swore I'd Never ...

So the question was put out there by Mama Kat's Writing Workshop .. "Name something you swore you'd never do when you had kids, but now find yourself doing." Here's a few things.

1. I always swore that two was the max.


Well we all know how THAT one turned out.

2. I would never dress my kids the same.


But they just looked so cute!

3. I would not let my boys play with dolls.


I guess there wasn't enough toys to play with that Christmas morning.

4. I would never cut my daughter's hair short.


She got lucky that was the shortest it ever got. I on the other hand .. was not.

5. I would not let my kids be dragged around and have their picture taken in the wildflowers.


I guess this is a battle I'll never win.

Also! Find me and other mothers of multiples linking up every Monday over at Multiples Monday.

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.

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! :)

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!!!!

15 Years Later...

Ever since moving into our new place, the boys have had their vcr just sitting on top of their tv. I never wanted to go searching for a cord, or messing with the digital converter box. You know, the in & out on the back of the vcr .. which one goes in which?

But one day this past week, I went in there to clean up. It was horrible as stuff was just jammed into the closet, clothes in the toy box .. I knew I'd be in there for a while. So I brought in the exersaucer for the baby and hooked up the vcr in hopes he'd be entertained by Elmo. So far my 5 month old is not intrigued with the tv .. show him an iPod and you got a different story.

When the kids got home and saw the vcr was hooked up they were already making a line up of what movies they'd watch. So far, The Goofy Movie has been on replay for a week now. No joke.

I think it's hilarious though, because this weekend I've been hearing one song in particular being played over and over. I told them, that I had seen the movie a hundred times when I was a little older than they were but they never knew what I used to do to that movie! lol

15 years ago, my sister and I would play that movie over and over as well. We would even take our Astroworld Bugs Bunny ears, which I think were supposed to substitute for Goofy ears haha, and act out the concert (which is the 2nd song on the video)! At the house we grew up in, our closet doors were the ones that opened from both sides (picture 2 doors that would swing open opposite sides) and we'd bust through them and sing and dance. We had it down!



I just can't believe that 15 years later, the kids are acting the same way we were.

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

I was going to post on some things that are coming around with fall that's just got me head over heels but then I saw @ fancy designs an "A-Z of Me" survey so I figured I'd tie it all in. :) I realized with me opening this place I haven't had anything about me! :)

So with Halloween around the corner, and all the candy that comes out .. THIS is my absolute FAVORITE! And it doesn't help these come out on all the other [commercial] holidays. Oh and also that they're buy 2 get 1 free at the moment at Krogers. haha


I can eat these alll day long!

Also, a sign that fall is here are the new shows/seasons. Now I have to tell you I have not watched American Next Top Model in YEARS .. or should I say CYCLES!! (??) It's been a while, but I have to say I am oober excited to have seen that this cycle, is the all-stars.



I love it when I watch reality shows and I recognize faces. Especially shows like Real World/Road Rules Challenge! Something that boggles my mind? How in the world did people not remember Brittany???


Ms. Janice look-a-like!

Now bring on the Grey's Anatomy and I'll be set!

---

A-Z of Me
A. Age: 27
B. Bed size: King
C. Chore that you hate: The bathrooms!
D. Dogs: I love golden retrievers.
E. Essential start to your day: Lately it's been Folgers with Chocolate creamer. It's like hot chocolate but with caffine!
F. Favorite color: Blue
G. Gold or Silver: Silver .. never really liked gold.
H. Height: 5’7"
I. Instruments you play: I've always wanted to learn the piano ..
J. Job title: Student, Mom, Homemaker, Wife.
K. Kids: 4; 7 year old triplets (1 girl, 2 boys : S M & L) and a 5 month old boy (J)
L. Live: Houston, Texas
M. Mother’s name: Clara
N. Nicknames: Jen or Jenny
O. Overnight hospital stays: both times when I had my kids.
P. Pet peeves: I could go on ..
Q. Quote from a movie: "There's no crying in baseball!!!" - A League of Their Own
R. Right or left handed: Righty
S. Siblings: 1 younger sister
U. Underwear: yup ;)
V. Vegetable you hate: canned spinach bleh!!!
W. What makes you run late: my kids! Even when I think I'm early (and I am), somehow SOMETHING happens and now I'm late.
X. X-Rays you’ve had: When I was in a bus accident in 7th or 8th grade. My ankle had hit the metal bar underneath the seat. Went to the ER to get it checked out .. it was fine.
Y. Yummy food that you make: my kids love my chicken & rice my husband loves my chicken soup.
Z. Zoo animal: giraffes!

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.

005. Beginning of the Week

Hope everyone had a great 4th. It was ok for us. Just a normal day of running around, the only thing different was R came home early. After cleaning up and some repairs around the house, the kids and I went down to the boardwalk (area) to watch fireworks. I say "area" because the traffic/people was insane, so we park in the Target parking lot down the street and stood at the edge of the street to watch. And I had doubted their size being somewhat far but they still came out gorgeous and big!



And that day was the last day of my precious camera. Granted I wanted desperately to get another one, I at least had a camera. Yesterday, I went to go put the batteries in and use it to take some pictures for a recipe, and the screen comes on shattered. :( I have no clue as to what happened, considering it was right by my desk the whole time, but it doesn't even take pictures. I was so upset.

Speaking of recipes, I wanted to post a how-to on rainbow cakes. I never knew how easy this was until I briefly skimmed over a recipe over at La Cocina de Leslie. Easy, easy!! Now I'll have to warn you on the quality of the pics. I had to use my BlackBerry (great phone, the camera sucks!) so eh ..


I didn't really want to learn a new cake recipe as well, so I just went ahead and used a box cake mix. I just wanted to grasp the concept of this.


After following the instructions on the box, I separated the batter into 4 bowls and added food coloring and mixed it up.


Spraying the dish, I added each color one by one on top of each other and afterward took the dish to give a little shake to even it all out.

Followed baking instructions and came out with this beauty. Ignore the icing. I went a little too far to try a rainbow topping buuut didn't work.


Isn't that awesome!! :) I plan on doing cupcakes for the kids' birthday. Should be a hit! :)

001. Hello!

I've tried this blog thing many times and I always start it up and just FAIL completely. :( I really want to start again, so let's give it another shot.

My name's Jennifer, but you can call me Jen. Most people do anyway. I'm 27 living in a small town southeast of Houston, Texas. I'm a mother to [almost] seven year old triplets (no you did not read that wrong) and a two and a half month old. I've been married for seven years to R who was born and raised in Mexico and moved here when he was about 17, I'm about 90% fluent in Spanish. I have my diploma in Medical Coding & Billing, and come this fall will be working on my Associates in Health Information .. still haven't decided if I want H.I. Management or Technology (there is a difference right? haha) I have about 3 weeks to decide.

I've been blogging, dealing with web design and things for a looong time, but since becoming a mommy & when I was working it definitely was moved to the back burner. Now that I'm a stay at home mom again, I figured I'd start this up once again. I miss it.

I think that is it for now. Just a glimpse of me, I guess. Hopefully, I'll get to meet some people and we can learn more about each other! :)