Jan. 30- Stress!!

Starting my master's program has been huge in the way of time commitment. I took Friday off to kind of relax after a busy week of work. I'm so glad I did. I've been running faster paces and feeling more tired. We got some compression boots that everyone loves. Levi, is one of my favorite students of all times. He's adopted and filled with love and joy and kindness for everyone. I have a good friend who is going through a divorce and she is out of town so I feel kind of helpless. We're also starting to plan for a trip to Spain.

 

Jan. 13- Thrifting, Plunging and AI

We finally have some new bikes we can't wait to ride. Reno bike project has been awesome and we also got a rack for the car and the inside of the garage to hopefully help things last longer. Jody has stopped plunging but I'm still going in, even with huge chunks of ice. We've found joy in creating AI images that make us laugh.

 

Nov. 7- Best Movie of the Year

Predator badlands takes the year's best!!

 

Nov. 1- Shirley

This is quite possibly the very best story that has ever happened. Maria was going to pick up Eli from church. She was going to use Jody's car because it was in the driveway. She hopped in and adjusted the mirror. Now mind you, it's the day after Halloween. She looks in the mirror and.... THERE IS AN OLD WOMAN IN THE BACKSEAT. Maria comes screaming inside the house. I thought that she had possibly hit and killed a person with her car. I asked her to calm down so I could understand her. She told us there was an old woman in daddy's car.

Super creepy.

I went out with Jody and we found Shirley. It was apparent that she had dementia as she was adamant her friend was in our house. We called the fire department. Shirley was the daughter of a famer with 3 brothers from Montana. She repeated this quite a few times. She was so friendly and good natured. When the firefighters came, she even flirted with them! After about 2 hours they were able to locate family, her son- who had lost her. We're lucky she didn't freeze to death.

Good ol' Maria though. Experience of a lifetime and important reminder on why we lock car doors.

 

Organization for the bows... finally....

 

I finally figured out a way to get all our bows organized!!!

Hooray!!!

I just used a wreath form from Wal-Mart. Very easy to get on and off!!

The small things mean everything....

Before I forget, I had to record a few things that have openly made me smile and laugh lately!!

Upon telling Christina that I once read that stroking a baby's head while nursing increased IQ and that I stroked their heads when they were babies and maybe that's why they are so smart she responded, "Are you sure you stroked Eli's head?"

Maria's 2 front teeth are a little loose and she is ecstatic, however upon realizing that she might loose both of them at the same time she said, "Oh no!!! That is terrible!!! I'll look like the devil!!!"

Our first day with Daddy gone was a blessing!! God indeed helps us do anything!! I was worried I might not get everything done, but we did!! The girls got to school on time, practiced piano, I had lunches ready. I spent lots of time reading with Eli, had lunch!! We even got a 1 hour nap!!! There was a warm dinner on the table (eggplant). This is all only possible because my dad takes Christina to swimming though.... it's such a blessing!! Thanks dad!!!

In the car the other day I heard Eli sounding out letters in a book. He is a total starfall addict and could go on doing his ABC's all day. He knows at least 15-20 of the letters and their sounds. It's ridiculously amazing.

Jody had a good trip to Las Vegas... I was giving him a "look" because he was saying quote "I know you think it's easy, but it's pretty tiring..." in regards to staying in a penthouse suite, having a luxury convertible rental car, enjoying pool time with beautiful sunny weather... we both had a good laugh after that one.... but especially me.

Maria came home very disappointed in the school. She spent some of her hard earned talons on a movie... Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2. It was lame she said. But worse!!!! They took her talons and THREW THEM IN THE GARBAGE!!! Granted they are pieces of paper, but to sweet Maria they are so much more... quote, "They could have at least recycled them." I love that to her the talons are more valuable than what you can spend them on. She is so competitive and wants to have the most!!

Weezer songs of late have been really awesome to me lately. I love singing them. Even Eli gets in on the fun singing, "Wrestle with Jimmmmmmmmmae!" (He loves his friends from Nursery)

You gotta shake it off....

Sunday was one of those days.

It started off with me going to the hospital to visit my mother. I saw something disturbing and told the nurse, who brushed me off. 2 minutes later another nurse comes in and confirms what I saw. Hopefully mommers will be on the mend soon. We love her so much and just want her to be healthy.

WC meeting cramped and hot. I feel like I'm going to barf and the door is blocked.

Eli puts too much snack in his mouth during sacrament and barfs on me. Not spit up, full stomach/mouth version.

5 teachers and the piano player are going to be gone. We have 1 substitute and I forgot to mention, 1 counselor gone. No one is in nursery... so somehow teenagers end up in there?

A new member who has been a team teacher for the past year comes up to the piano, where I'm subbing. We have a new teacher for her class, because the other one was called to be the Relief Society President. I haven't had a chance to tell her that there will be a new teacher and honestly, I wasn't sure if she was going to stay in primary. So I tell her that she can team teach like before, take our CTR 5 class which we didn't have a teacher for, or just double check with the Bishop because he had mentioned she was a ward missionary and I didn't know if they needed her in the Gospel Essentials class. I sit down to play and 2 minutes later she is in tears in the back talking to the first counselor who was there to give a small talk to the kids. I go up to him after and he assumed that I said that she was going to be released. Fun times. Like I would ever do that.

Have to go to nursery to tell the teenagers to leave. Joe helps and stays in nursery.

Lessons go great in Primary.

Come home, very smokey, feel sick. Did I mention the night before I was at a baptism and filled in as chorister, pianist and gave a short talk?

Eli is tired because he went to bed super late with Joe the night before, ends up having a "fit" and is put to bed by 6. But I must say, if I give him a big hug he'll always calm right down within seconds. He's my sweetie.

I decide to break the Sabbath, which I rarely do, to watch a movie. The movie is about a tsunami in Thailand. It's intense, emotional and leaves me even rawer than I already am. Lesson learned. Plus there was this gross scene where she gets sick, and I don't think I'll ever be the same.

9:30 I'm in bed reading the Ensign. The first message I read is Elder Uchtdorf talking about seasons. How we have to have those bad times, to really appreciate the good. As I reflected on the message, I was just so grateful that I would be reading those words after a rough day. The day had actually started out with me turning on the radio, which I don't do on Sundays, and Mariah Carey's Brush it Off came on. My beginning and ending made me smile. God does watch over and will help. I do appreciate these days that suck because it means I can survive. I can go on. And my appreciation for everyday life that is so smooth and wonderful is tenfold.

I have the best children in the world. At one point, I was getting ready to start dinner and I just started crying. Christina lovingly hugged me and told me that it's OK.

12AM Maria barfs... but she makes it to the toilet. She got 10 points on her helper chart for that one! She ends up getting the flu and is sick again in the morning.

Did I mention Yaya Sofia is sick with a bad cold, she can barely talk?

Monday is movie day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We will rest and just veg out and relax!!!!!!!!! And I'm going to check out prices for Hawaii... seriously. !!!!!!!!!!!! :)

Happy 73rd Birthday Chuck Norris.

 

Well mom. I haven't updated the blog in awhile, so this one is for you. And Stiners.

 

Today, Chuck Norris aka Carlos Ray turns a whopping 73 years old today.

Wow. Right?

 

Did you know...

 

Chuck Norris' tears can cure cancer... but he's never cried.

 

Chuck Norris counted to infinity... twice.

 

Chuck Norris does not hunt because the word hunting infers the probability of failure. Chuck Norris goes killing.

 

There is no chin behind Chuck Norris' beard. There is only another fist.

Chuck Norris is currently suing NBC, claiming Law and Order are trademarked names for his left and right legs.

 

The Great Wall of China was originally created to keep Chuck Norris out. It failed miserably.

 

Chuck Norris once broke the land speed record on a bicycle that was missing its chain and the back tire.

 

A Handicap parking sign does not signify that this spot is for handicapped people. It is actually in fact a warning, that the spot belongs to Chuck Norris and that you will be handicapped if you park there.

 

If paper beats rock, rock beats scissors, and scissors beats paper, what beats all 3 at the same time? Answer: Chuck Norris.

 

Ironically, Chuck Norris’ hidden talent is invisibility.

Helen Keller’s favorite color is Chuck Norris.

Tobi

One day the girls were playing outside when a dog came bounding through a crack in the fence. They were terrified and were screaming. They ran into the house as fast as they could. The dog wasn't barking and was actually pretty cute. However, if it's a dog you don't know we tend to be cautious.

The dog stayed in our yard for a few hours. We fed it a cookie. It peed on an umbrella. I wanted to call animal control. Animal control said they would hold the animal until the neighbors fixed the fence. However, I didn't end up calling animal control. The dog left. The fence is still not fixed.

We do know the dog's name now. Tobi.

Randomness...

8 months.

And then one day, (specifically 3 days ago) Eli grabs latchy, sucks on it and looks at it really carefully.

Then he looks at me.

Then he looks at my tenders.

And randomly, he decides to breastfeed without latchy.

So. 8 months later. My child can breastfeed.

Except I get a little sore, so I'm stilling using it a little until I toughen up I guess?

But he's on whether or not we use it... sooooooooooo

Hooray!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Downton Abbey.

I heart you.

Maggie Smith... you are fabulous. I hang on every word you say so perfectly in your snobbish English accent.

"You'll probably never see me again." "Do you promise?"

Matthew. Mary.

PBS masterpiece theater.

You can't be beat.

However, I'm dying!!! Season 3 won't start until January 2013!!

Quite possibly the funniest thing EVER... Thank you Sergio for making the world a better place



It Makes Me Smile

1. Mom: It's all good homie.
Christina: Did you just say sock red pony?

2. Quiet... eerily quiet. I walk downstairs.
Maria: Noooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!! Just hold on.
I realize they are wrapping Christmas gifts for me. Which I absolutely love. I find random things missing and know that I will find them Christmas morning. All my tape disappears within seconds. It's fabulous.
Mom: Oh Maria, please please please can I open it early. I'm so excited.
Maria: Yes Mommy. You can.
Christina: NO!!!!!! You have to wait till Christmas.
Maria: But Christina, she's our mommy. We want her to be comfortable.

3. After 5 minutes of trying to explain to Joe that I want him to talk to me rather than listen, he looks at me and after 30 seconds says... I'm listening.  :)

4. We're at tithing settlement at church. An older couple walks out and starts talking to the girls.
Maria says to the man: We didn't go to primary today because our mommy has an infection in her boob called Mastitis. :)

5. Maria: I don't like pepperoni because it has chile-nero in it.

Burn the Mother Down

Ah...

nothing like waking up in the morning to your beloved Reno burning down.

Now, why was I so concerned about today's fire?

Because it literally happened 10 houses down from my Yaya Sofia. She evacuated, grabbed her loot and was out at 3 AM. My cousins who live across the street chose to wait it out at home until it was mandatory, but that never happened.

The fire burned all around her home and at one point she decided to go back for.... wait... wait...

6 gallons of ice cream she had just bought.

The power was out and she didn't want it to melt and have to clean it up.

Never mind precious heirlooms or family pictures.

Ice Cream.

She even forgot the real reason she was going, her robe.

But, in all fairness... it was pretty chaotic. Every single fireman and civic worker was on call for this one.

School was cancelled for the day. A state of emergency was declared and I got some clothes together just in case. We have a large supply box with water and food in our car, but I do need to be better about clothes. All our important documents are in a folder easily accessible, so I felt really prepared.

My poor Christina said, "Man. That was close. I woke up and I thought it might be the 2nd coming or something."

So, thank you Heavenly Father. Yaya's home didn't burn down. John, Chris, Thea Popi and George also were OK and their homes weren't harmed. Just kind of nuts and random.

Documentation of Broken Things

It was a week to break things I guess... we're just blessed no bones were involved... especially with Joe's anorexia.

Broken also, not pictured: Playroom Door and Vacuum.

Point: Ain't nothing broken Jesus can't fix.

Headlines that Amuse Me

I don't watch TV news so my only real information I get is from AOL news. For some odd reason, yesterday was quite the day for entertaining/disturbing news. I was able to laugh out loud on 2 of the 3 stories.

1. Rep. Weiner got caught in scandal with lewd internet pictures. His "heartfelt" apology is really funny. Such a moron.

2. More morons alert. The KKK did a counter protest at a Westboro Baptist Church's protest of a soldier's death. A hate group protesting a hate group. Really?? And at a funeral of course.

3. Newsweek has a cover of Mitt Romney in mock fashion of the Book of Mormon musical. Really, you're going to represent the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints with a poster from a musical that doesn't do anything but blatantly blaspheme?

It's winter? Finally?

We've had a mild winter to say the least. And I'm 100% OK with that. We had our big "storm" yesterday and after 3" school was cancelled for the day. Totally bogus. The superintendent just wanted a 4 day weekend. I'm not complaining. I just find him annoying. He said teachers in our district make $50,000. Ummm, where did he get that figure? Any teacher that doesn't have a masters and is under 10 year makes $28,000.

And that has to do with winter how?

It's cold. That's how.

We had to go to the doctor today because, drumroll..... we're sick again!!

Ah, flu bugs. How persistent.

Viral. Nothing we can do.

But I'd rather be safe than sorry, so $40 later at least I know they are infected or pneumonia-ish.

Which leads to the fact I had to cancel Maria's birthday party for tomorrow. Am I overly sad? Not so much. More time is always good. I just hope everyone got the message.

The girls are playing in the playroom. Singing. Dancing. Did they get the memo their sick? And I'm ready for bed, at 1 in the afternoon.

Oh, I used a couple coupons and got 3 packs of gum today for 25 cents total. Woot Woot.

Mumble Me a Serial Killer

It's 6:00 PM, pitch black and the Wild Orchid is flashing lights while the girls are ooo-ing and ahhh-ing. Thank goodness Christina didn't read about the snow bunnies.

Back up. Why are we out cruisin' the ghetto?

Because I won a free photo session and portrait with a serial killer man who works downtown.

At Jiffy lube there was a little box. I was bored.

And Voila. We won.

And now our lives may possibly be over.

We did the session, located next to (I KID YOU NOT) Nightmare Images Tattoo shop. They liked to blast their music so we felt the vibrations through the wall.

Then the serial killer photographer did the session where he very roughly jerked our heads and had us pose in super awkward and uncomfortable positions.

There's the liquor store. Such a great neighborhood.

 I mean really... this was his office. I was NOT going to go back... but I had to get pictures to prove that places like this really do exist. And it's CRAZY! I MEAN LOOK!!!! THERE ARE CLOWNS FROM THE 70's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sigh. I wasn't able to get the family mullet shot with everyone wearing Raider's gear and the family pitbull in the middle. Or the tinfoil contraption that I assume was used to reflect light.....I was scared. He was utterly creepy in every sense. In fact, when I told him I didn't want to purchase anything he starting getting upset and telling me no one had ever come to his office and not ordered photos. I told him we couldn't afford it... I didn't want to hurt feelings even though I could take better pictures blindfolded tied upside down to a horse. I said "sheets" and he corrected me "Sheets go on a bed".... ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
YOU CREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP. I asked him what he does with the pictures we dont buy, does he recycle? He wouldn't answer me. I'm totally tempted to call the cops, it was seriously that bad.

And there you have it. That is why you NEVER enter contests at Jiffy Lube. He even told me I didn't really win, it's just a way he can get more business, I mean, how dishonest is that? Don't tell me I can get something free and then get upset when I don't want to buy your sheets... and I'm fully using that word in a double sense.

Random Tid Bits October

I love the month of October because I always find awesome dress up for halloween. It's actually ridiculous. I think we have every single disney princess and barbie costume possible. Also, we found this little jewel, literally... the diamond castle. The girls have been in 7th heaven!

 I discovered the art of flower bow making. Very easy and enjoyable. Bless the dollar store.

I Had to Know

Yes. I write this blog strickly for my posterity. And I find this information important.

Quote Wikipedia: "Technotronic is a studio-based Belgian music project formed by Jo Boageart (born Thomas De Quincey, 1954, Aalst, Belgium) in 1988, who had already made his musical mark in the beginning of the 1980s as a part of a cover band and as a solo artist under various new beat projects, including The Acts of Madmen and Nux Nemo. Together with Ya Kid K (born Manuela Barbara Kamosi Moaso Djogi, 1972, Kinshasa, DR Congo), he produced the hit single "Pump Up the Jam" which was originally an instrumental. An image for the act was later put together utilizing Zairian-born fashion model Felly Kilingi as its album/single cover art and "singer" in the music video."

And I did not add " " to singer. It was just there. Please Enjoy.


Also, at one point in my life, I seem to remember my father playing this song repeatedly... at least 20 times a day. And I think this was in the past 5 years. I feel bad the video is blurry, but if you happen to be on meth and reading my blog, then perhaps it can be of benefit to your addicted self.

When A Woman's Fed Up

R. Kelly's Mugshot

I could blog about Christmas, but instead I choose to grin over a moment in my life. A moment that can never be erased except possibly through memory related mental illnesses that you get when you're older or perhaps traumatic brain injuries stemming from a car accident or rabid squirrel mauling.

I don't remember the year. Probably 2000 or 2001. Road trip from Tempe, AZ to Reno, NV. Returning Ram from ASU after shopping for our latina pride shirts. Really, how do shirts like that not last a lifetime. And then 11 hours later, the last leg of the trip we "decide" to spend the remainder of the trip listening to 1 song.... when a woman's fed up. Possibly 2 hours of this song, 4 minutes long so 50 times repeated?? I don't really know how we remained friends after that, but we did.

Question: How. What. Why. Did we ever "decide" to do that? And isn't it weird. If you had continued at ASU you never would have married lateedo. Probably Furby....mmm... furby... oh wait... not... and cracked out Shayla would have been your maid of honor. And you'd be living in China.

So really, I'm grateful that we had that 2 hour period of time where we listened to "R".I'm adding a playlist.

I was searching for edited versions of made men "no limit soldier" and kanye west "late bonus track"... alas. None found. I'm curious as to what yours would include Ramya. I tried listening to the robert pattison song from the twilight soundtrack "let me sign".... but I just can't like it. It reminds me of your brother singing to you. Or one of your pitt bulls.