Bed Hopping

How many times are kids allowed to get up during the night before their parents go crazy??? Austin and Wesley are official "bed hoppers." We start out in our own beds, next thing I know...Wesley is needing water or is too hot and comes into my bed.

So, Wesley takes over my spot and I go to the next available room...until Austins starts making a fuss and wanting to get out of his bed too...

Jared gets sick of Wesley kicking and screaming and so he comes into the guest room with me...which takes me full circle back to our original bed...with Austin now climbing out of his crib and wanting some attention!

In bed by 8pm, but they are ALWAYS up by 6am...enough already!

We are moving now........our house currently does not have a kitchen sink/faucet installed, no showers, one sink in our guest bath, no cooktop or dishwasher...but, we are still moving in!

I am packing up and packing up now...with hopes that this next move will be good for 2 + years!

Christmas thoughts

We had our DirectBuy Work party last night, including Famous Dave's BBQ catering, a "white elephant gift exchange" (MY PERSONAL FAVORITE!) and kaeroke to turn up the heat. My thoughts go to last year and where I was. I was teaching Jr High and doing gift exchanges in my classrooms amidst my students. I miss receiving so many random "teacher" gifts (candles, chocolates or cards). This year I settled for a Circuit City gift card and Jared ended up with some golf balls.

I feel bad that we don't have any decorations up for this year, mostly for my boys. Isn't Christmas about your kids? So, we have to go to Wal Mart or the library for Wesley to light up and say, "look mama, Christmas tree!" I simply have no room or energy to unpack and pack things up, knowing that we will hopefully be moving FOR REAL at the end of this month.

Despite the fact that we have completely BUILT and REMODLED from the ground up TWO CUSTOM HOMES, somehow Jared and I are still somewhat sane and married to one another. There has been so much stress in our lives this last year (our AZ home was finished in May, and this TX home hopefully will be done in Dec/Jan), with our moving, finances, stability and dealing with construction men....remind me never to do this again!

I watch those HGTV home decorating shows and get so antsy to get into my own home. They make things look SO DARN EASY, but in reality, it is hard work~~~~!!!! I think the hardest part could easily be dealing with the sub-contractors and the laborers. They over charge you, sometimes don't do quality work, and usually DO NOT do it in the time frame that you gave them. I try to put on a "hard face" when I go to the house to see what they are doing (actual work and not wasting time talking to one another!), but it is hard to be the boss when your two toddlers are running around, getting their feet muddy with grout or crying to be held b/c the "tile saw" scares them with it's loud vibrations.

So, another day passes and Jared and I are still anxiously awaiting the chance to just live in a house for once~ I am able to do some laundry though, just have to go every hour to swap it out there in the garage and leave my kiddos in the car waiting for me to get done.

The last question I will post, what does Adrienne want for Christmas? Obviously, just want to be in my home. But, my second wish would definitely be to have a digital baby grand piano. Is that too ambitious?

A basic update:

At 26 months old, Austin is officially potty trained! hoo-ray! It took 3 months to get the poopies thing down, but he did it and we are proud of him! NO more toddler diapers!

We are hoping to start to lay down tile in our remodel this next week. This gives me the HOPE that maybe we can move in by December 23rd??? Should I still decorate like my heart desires?

Last night I officially started the "pureed hidden veggies in my kids' food" system! I made homemade mac 'n cheese with butternut squash...the kids gobbled it up and didn't notice at all. This morning I made scrambled eggs with cauliflower...again, another hit. Of course I spent all afternoon up to my elbows in steamed veggies and puree all over my counter. But, it gave me a fun kitchen project to work on, and less time to be discouraged about my life! (Deceptively Delicious cookbook).

I will never take advantage of having a washer and drier AGAIN! I can't wait to have my own and not have to haul it everywhere to load, unload, dry, fold and take back home.

My dad and Olga (his wife) are now back in Mexico. They moved after staying with us for 3 months. I will miss them greatly, especially the company during those late nights. I also enjoyed the loving (and free!) babysitting they provided so I could run to Wal mart at 10pm...

I got all of my Christmas shopping done by November 24th! This is a new record for me, I usually get stressed out mid-December...I got most of it at Marshall's of all places. That place really does have name brand stuff at a great price! I took advantage of my last day that my dad was around to babysit so I could bust out the credit card. Boy was that a fun spree!

I am going to start teaching kickboxing at another gym here in town (EP Fitness). I have wanted to go there since I moved here (4 months ago) b/c their facility is so new and big. I guess I am a fitness snob b/c I just am not happy enough with the older YMCA. So, after I buy my own liability insurance, they will allow me to sub once a week to see how I do. Wish me luck.

I WANT TO DECORATE MY HOUSE FOR CHRISTMAS!!! I am so so so ready to moooooove!

Blue Man Group

Jared and I have been traveling quite a bit this month of November. We hit up San Francisco earlier this month with my parents (Grandpa Lowe and Tia Olga), where we loved the blue skies and city life....

The highlight for me was to take the Alcatraz Tour of the island where convicts used to live. Did you all know that Native Americans lived on that island for 3 years shortly after it was deserted? They wanted to be able to claim a bit of land from the government...in the end, they had to leave b/c their supplies were so limited (they had to bring water in from the mainland by boat only!

I also didn't know that families, with school aged children lived on that island and there were little communities formed during the 30 year prison. The tour was amazing b/c they gave you your own personal headset for the audio tour and took you around from room to room. We saw the actual cells where prisoners escaped (the three were never found, but perhaps sailed away to South America or drowned), where their cafeteria was, where the rifles were stored on the second floor, and watched the cell doors slam shut. It was very enlightening.

We then spent a week from the other part of the country in Orlando, FL for an annual DirectBuy Conference for all employees. Despite lots of meetings and a TON of travel, it was a lovely convention where we stayed at the Gaylord Hotel. It had a gorgeous attrium inside, real alligators (small ones), beautiful Christmas decor everywhere, and of course gigantic conference rooms for all the 2,500 DirectBuy people.

My favorite part of the Orlando experience was the Blue Man Group show that DirectBuy provided for their "elite" group. (We barely qualified by having an excellent month of October that showed our progress in El Paso).

We were pretty excited to attend. They were amazingly funny. By far the best entertainment I have seen in person. Such random acts, such funny performanes of marshmallows, paints, tubes, tissue paper, music and twinkies. I would totally recommend the show to anyone...hilarious and worth every penny!!!

We are now spending time here in AZ....we are traveling from sea to shining sea (or desert!). The Wilsons have provided a lovely Thanksgiving meal and visit. It is fun to cram 15 people in a house and see what happens!

No news about our remodel yet. I PRAY that we can move in BEFORE Christmas!! If we can't get in to hang up any holiday decor, that will really put a sad spot in my heart. This is the best time of year and I want to participate! I can't even remember what decorations I have anymore...

Did anyone go shopping on Black Friday? I picked up a few items, especially this MoonSand for Wesley. It looks like a great and somewhat clean craft project.

Eat your vegetables now!

This blog is dedicated to us mama's out there of kiddos that refuse to eat "healthy veggies" and find ourselves fighting at the dinner table over it! I found the solution...

Many of you know that I love Oprah (went and saw her last year with Arianne Pearce in person!).She did a show on this new book by Jessica Seinfield (Jerry's wife). She found an idea to secretly put in the veggies into normal toddler foods without the kids knowing about it. It is called, "Deliciously Deceptive."

I picked up my own copy at Barnes 'N Nobles (they were sold out, but I was persistent)...She makes everything very simple in terms of what things you need in your kitchen (wisks, pans, etc) as well as the "how to" puree the veggies in liquid form and hide them in your Mac 'n Cheese...

I love this book! I am excited to use it...of course I need a kitchen that I actually WANT to be in first though...hopefully by Christmas we will be in our house...

Tonight I made Beef Stroganoff (not a recipe from the book, but I added pureed carrots and onions and the first thing both my boys said were, "yummy!"). Miracles do happen.

As an update...Austin goes to the Neurologist later on this year to check out his cyst. His ears look good, lots of dry blood, but he is acting his normal and emotional self. Wesley roars like a lion and he cries like a baby. Good mix of personalities.

We are leaving this weekend for Florida for a business conference for DirectBuy...a few days without the kids is always refreshing, even if it is business related. We will try our best to enjoy a few yummy restaurants and hit up some tourist sites for sure.

PS....I also took my kids Visiting Teaching today. I haven't been teaching with them for like 6 + months and boy could I tell that they are not old enough for it! They were roaming around, fighting with each other, Wesley was his typical "lion" self (which we are still working on making him stop!), Austin was spilling all of the treats all over the floor that I had brought, and both of them were just begging for attention. NOT an ideal visit for me or the ladies in my church!

What's a girl got to do to share a spiritual thought without having to discipline in the middle of my testimony!

"I know that we should always work hard on not procrastinating the important...wait boys! Stop fighting...Wesley, go to time out. Austin, pick up your pretzels....No, you may not get down, and stop hitting!....And that Heavenly Father wants us to be happy...etc"

Next time I will opt to find a babysitter...

If any of you get the book, let me know your thoughts!

$1000 blown away in 4 days

Austin had a nasty fall on Halloween ...turns out that blood has begun to sickle out of his ear as a result....scary! We got him seen by a doctor today, only for him to tell me that I had to go immediately to the Hospital to get him a CT scan for a possible fractured skull. The doctor's visit was $95 dollars for the "sick visit." I was thinking to myself, what kind of co-payment is that??? Hefty bill if you ask me!

I had just come from my YMCA class, so you can imagine how lovely I was looking in my workout clothing and matted hair. I was not anticipating a day FULL of doctor's and hospitals, at least I would've liked to have had on a bit of make up!

I arrived at what is the "block" of hospitals here in Centro El Paso. There are 4-5 different hospitals, doctor offices, ENT's, plastic surgeons, etc all within the same radius of 4 blocks...no exaggeration. So, trying to find where the doctor was, was quite the challenge. Did I mention that the day earlier our transmission went out on our new Tahoe? What the heck? So, instead of being able to use my familiar GPS system (which I rely on so much being new to this state and city), I was an official Mormon Mama in a Minivan and lost as could be.

Eventually I found the spot, of course parking in the wrong lot and having to haul Austin around across parking lots to get to the right location. I arrived at the CT scan place after following the signs, only for them to ask me, "do you have your paperwork?" My what? Oh yes, you have to register as an outpatient before doing any of this. This is obviously all very new to me.

Not only did we get to register, but that included waiting for about an hour in the waiting room amidst a billion other patients...and this was all on an empty stomach for Austin since they told me they would be sedating him...he was begging for food and water this entire time (pobrecito, it was already 1pm and you can imagine how he was feeling!).

To make a long story short, we eventually got him back to the CT scan room on an empty belly, where they DID not sedate him, but just wrapped him up in what looked like a little coffin and straight jacket to keep him still. I held down his face as he bawled through all of this and begged to get out. We sang songs (more like I sang them to him as tears streamed), and what seemed like an eternity passed before he was able to get down. This cost me $700 out of pocket.

The next day we went to the ENT to determine that his fall had NOTHING to do with his blood coming out of his ear!!!! I could've saved myself that $700 bill (although we did find a cist in the x-ray, more to come about that later as find out). The doctor was too quick with all she was doing, didn't explain anything about his infections and seemd anxious to just go to lunch. Slow down sister! She took out his bloody tube out of his right ear, keeping the left ear tube. I can only imagine that he will be getting tubes put back in before long since the blood came from an infection. This trip cost me $150 out of pocket.

Later on that day I was able to spend ONE HOUR at Wal-greens picking up his ear drop perscription. Lucky for me, they lost the order and I had to wait the hour there as they re-qualified it all and made it up, unfortunately Jared and the boys were waiting for me in the car. i couldn't have been more frustrated at the lack of service there. The drops cost me $90.

Overall, grateful that Austin is doing better. What's a $1000 when it is someone that you love?

Octopus Arms

There is one main thing I am SO ANXIOUS to have again in my new/remodeled home...A GARAGE! One can't appreciate it until it is snatched away from you...take today for example.

In order to get to my apartment, we have to park in a parking area a good 150 feet away, hop over a wall to make it only 50 feet away, and then climb the second story to get to my house.

This is not easy for grocery carrying, nor days like today when I needed 8 arms instead of 2.

Austin was crying and took off his shoes, did I mention he also peed all over himself in the process? So, carrying him would've been ideal, but I had no extra arms. I was already carrying: 6 small pumpkins from a craft project that went bad, including the pots that they had fallen out of, Wesley's preschool backpack, two jackets, a binder with pens, Austin's leftover shoe and sock, my purse, and let's see....oh yes, Austin was screaming for my hand to hold...

Wesley usually helps me, but this time he had put his "nasty" gum into his fingers and was trying to figure out how to get it off....he was concerned only about how to get clean...

Needless to say, garages are the best for mama's to load up toddlers, sippies, bags and other essential items ONE THING AT A TIME...and not all at once like I am having to do these days...

Halloween Madness

I drove to AZ from TX this week for my best friend Arianne Pearce's birthday (which happens to be ON Halloween)...leaving Sunday, with plans to leave again today (Thursday). It has been a delightful visit...her life is non stop with preschool carpooling, dinners to fix, an ulcer to attend to (while being pregnant), pumpkins and costumes to create and the list goes on. Of course we made her favorite homemade pancakes and syrup for her b-day breakfast (she is known as the Pancake Queen to all who know her....willingly will prepare a huge batch made from scratch at any moment...including 1 or 2 in the morning). I enjoyed a lovely visit with my other good friends as well, and it felt as though I had never even left this state~ Good friends are hard to find, especially ones that are this unique. Why can't they all move to El Paso?

The Halloween night was evolving just fine, we had finished dinner and were about to head out the door with our costumes prepared (Austin being a Harley Davidson Street Biker and Wesley being a MotorCross Dirt Biker) and bags in hand when disaster struck....we heard a crash, a scream and our poor Austin face down on the kitchen tile floor. Evidently his high chair tray table came off on accident and so did poor Austin. We rushed over to pick him up, only to find a HUGE GOLF SIZE BUMP had formed in 1.2 seconds on his little forehead. He was screaming in pain and I was scared stiff with this huge formation!

Luckily Dr. Bret (Arianne's medical student hubby) was right there I trust Austin into his hands asking him what was going on...I was very nervous that he might be having internal bleeding, it might affect his brain, that he was going to have some serious issues. I was already thinking about my insurance back in TX, where to go for the ER, how we would get this figured out, etc. Bret said that it was a "hematoma," where the blood vessel expands HUGE until the swelling finally stops in the body. If he started to vomit, seemed disoriented or couldnt' talk, then we needed to start to worry. Other than that, it was just going to turn into a huge black eye/forehead and we would need to of course give him lots of TLC.

I was bawling, Austin was bawling and so was tia Mon Mon (who came to visit). After getting over the initial shock of it all, I realized that Austin was also upset b/c everyone was leaving to go trick or treating. I just assumed that he wanted to stay back and cuddle with me (that is what I wanted to do!) Nope, he wanted to be part of the group too! Off we went, at a slow pace, with me being very cautious of his behavior and actions.

A scary experience for mama Adrienne! I hope that Austin has a fast recovery. I am also including some pics of Austin's potty training days, his 2nd b-day, UTEP game...and I updated my SLIDE show...

Oxymoron

So....do any of you watch "Biggest Loser???" I have found that when I watch it, I just feel so thrilled to see the weight loss, despite all of the drama and issues that may happen amongst the contestants. Because I myself was a huge mama at one point (on the mission, my comps can testify to this!!!), I have known what it was like to finally lose the weight that was bearing me down....

As I was watching the show last night, thinking about all their calories burned and watching them sweat away on the treadmills, I was stuffing my mouth of sour cream 'n onion potato chips, Chex Truffle Mix and a huge tangy taffy to top it off. This was of course after a big dinner. What the heck! Why do I watch this program if I am going to indulge myself with such junk! ha! Oh well, I was enjoying the calories going into my body while everyone on tv was exposing of calories. I figured in my own way, by putting my hand into the bag and up to my mouth, that could count as a form of exercise, right?

Next week I will have to munch on some of my favorite pringles....good thing I am teaching my kickboxing class tomorrow morning and will have to do a few extra sit ups to make it up!

Juarez Temple

We made it the Juarez Mexico Temple last week....yup, crossed the border and headed on over. Ironically, it was much easier to attend this special event than it was for me living in AZ....where the commute to Mesa was 1.5 hours one way...looking at an easy 5-6 hours (if you shove a quick bit to eat inbetween freeways) of a trip.

We went with some friends who have been numerous times and knew the side roads to take to get to the temple quickly. We crossed the border in about 25 minutes and the temple was minutes away from there....We will be going again tomorrow (go figure, we don't go for 4 months and then we got twice in one!) and hopefully we can find it again as easily.

I especially enjoyed it b/c we were able to do the session in Spanish. I hadn't attended a session in Spanish since my mission days, 5 years ago...so everything had so much more meaning for me. I actually paid more attention as I translated things in my head and looked at all the sweet Mexicans around me. Forget the end part, I was a mess and couldn't say anything correctly! Whichever is the dominant language for that session, by members attending, is the one that will be given. The Lord saw it fit to put a temple in Mexico b/c He knew that members could more easily cross the border to Mexico, than to ask the Mexicans to cross over to the USA.

We finished off our lovely evening with a VIP Movie Pass to a cinema in Juarez where they have recliner chairs, waiters to deliver your food and sushi if wanted inside the movie theatre. Talk about service! Of course for the same price, if not less, than a ticket here in TX.

I am loving El Paso...the simple and non-congested streets and the common everyday things to do (visit the parks, story times, shopping, etc)...I can't wait to finally move into my home too!

New Obsession

Well, let me just say that I miss having internet around! It seems like forever since I have posted and I appreciate all of the warm thoughts and special messages sent about my last blog. The boys are well and the Parks and Recreation are going to be controlling the situation now.

I have 10 minutes until I am going to a bookclub event (only once a month but for sure a reason to get out and socialize a bit! I just brought Jared some dinner here at work, thus I am using his computer and I can hear my boys SCREAMING in the children's room here...not very professional! I better make this quick...)

Just needed to say that I joined the band wagon of obsessors over the new book, "Twighlight" by Stephanie Meyers. I am not a science fiction guru by any means, but the style and fluency with which she writes was truly amazing. I devoured the book in three days...did I mention that it was 500 pages long? I neglected my housework and children, going to bed by midnight and could only focus my energies on the book! I love reading those kinds of books! I couldn't sleep thinking about handsome Edward and even thought about if vampires really do exist? I can't wait to sit down and read more about the author and her upcoming movie and new books!
hoo-ray!

For those of you who want a good book..check it out...I am on hold at the library for the sequel. I will need something to read while Jared continues to work 6 days a week, usually from 9am-10pm....so, please let me know some of your favorite books out there and if any of you are fellow Edward groupie fans!

Wesley is a hero

I shared the following story today at our LDS Church Testimony meeting today...

As I was away for a few days this last week, my dad was taking care of my two little boys. They had decided to go to a nearby park to play and get some fresh air. My dad was watching the boys from a distance as they were playing by some shrubs and a chain linked fence.

Out of the blue, Wesley started screaming with urgency, "Abuelo Abuelo!" My dad ran over to see what was going on. The boys had somehow slipped through a gap of the chain linked fence. While they could stand there, they were also immediately next to a 10 foot drop...somehow little Austin has fallen over the edge! Wesley by some miracle grabbed him as he was falling and was literally holding him by one arm. Austin was being fully supported by my sweet three year old. He was holding on as tightly as he could, crouched to the ground and little Austin was just swinging by a limb.

Of course my dad was shocked to see what was happening, but because the area was so small and narrow, he could not reach the boys and where they had placed themselves against this wall. So, he ran around the fence, hopped it and reached them to safety.

The most emotional part for me was not only that my boys lives were at risk, but that Wesley was so alert and quick thinking to reach down and help Austin. Surely a three year old cannot sustain a two year old and so we knew that outside help had come in.

As they were walking home, my dad was very emotional about this mini crisis. Wesley then started to explain more about what had happened to him. He said (this is of course in Spanish but I will translate it, so it may sound funny)...that Jesus had come into his throat and helped him call out for Abuelo. (Me entro el cuello Jesus). He then said that Jesus is his friend, He is his brother, He is strong and that He helped Austin when he fell down. (Jesus es mi amigo, mi hermano y es muy fuerte. Me ayudo).

How else could my toddler completely hold onto the life of my baby Austin without some divine help? Not only that, but Wesley knew who was helping him the entire time and he told Abuelo that he could feel him there with him. I am so so so grateful for an intuitive child who knows that he is loved and watched over by Jesus. More than that, I am so grateful that God allowed me to be a parent to both of my children for a longer period of time. I could have easily lost both of their lives had they fallen and broken their necks.

This story of course came at an opportune time since yesterday was my meltdown. My perspective has been lightened and their lives are ever so fragile to me. All day long Jared and I were praising Wesley for his valient job and how grateful we are for an innocent and caring son who was watching out for his hermanito.

He is our Superman.

Mama has a meltdown

After taking a lovely 5 day gettaway to Palm Springs for DirectBuy, and leaving my kids with abuelo and abuela, you think that I would have extra motivation to a super mom and have so much patience that the slightest thing would not bother me...not the case!

I have only broken down in tears today twice now. Jared always thinks it is [that time of the month], when really cannot a girl just need to cry once in a while? Not sure what got to me today, was it the screaming of Austin as Wesley took away his birthday toys and held them up above his head so he could not reach them? Perhaps it was the three pee spot on our nasty apartment carpet that got under my skin. When I had left for Cali 5 days ago, Austin was telling me when he had to go pee and we were working on the poop thing....he might as well be in a diaper all over again. How frustrating is that one! Maybe my dirty and cluttered apartment is finally caving in on me. I find now motivation to really get down and clean it, and the fact that our vaccum busted b-c of the cheapness and quality of carpet does not help.

I find myself looking forward to nap time and more importantly, bedtime these days! When will the days come when I can wash my clothing whenever I want and not have to sneak away to a laundry facility to do so? When will I own more than 1 towel per person in my family and can spoil myself by using an extra towel to dry my hair (every other towel has been packed away for 7 months now), when will I go out and buy a new set of pots and pans and not continue to use the same 2 pots for everything I cook around here (that is a lot of re washing if you can imagine). When will I actually be able to put my clothing away and not stack it up in piles on the foor?

I think what makes this transition emotional for me, is that I am still trying to find myself and find a good quality of life....since when did a cozy and clean home mean so much to me? Or how about those friends that I continue to pray for? When will I see Jared for more than 1 hour day or be able to speak to him before 10pm? When will Austin be potty trained and not drive me crazy anymore with his accidents! When will Wesley stop acting like a lion around the house and provoke his brother!

It is thoughts like these that remind me that I am not ready for baby #3

Demolition Days

The time is slowly coming when we can celebrate!

We officially bought and closed on our 1983 Ranch style home...pics will come soon...as soon as I can figure out how to download pics with Jared's cell phone.... We are demolishing anything you can think of...entire kitchen, three bathrooms, floorplans, knocking down walls, taking out rose bushes and pine trees (that are overgrown, dead or nasty), replacing all the light fixtures (some might call them antique, I just call them ugly!), putting in new french doors, and the list goes on and on...but, thanks to DirectBuy...things are reasonably cheaper. We are living in our 3 bedroom apt until it is completed (what a sigh of relief to anyone who has ever built or remodeled anything b/c the job site is not reasonable to any standard of living).


My dad (Abuelo Lowe) and his wife Olga (Abuela) now live with us too. They moved here for the winter months to pretty much be with the nietitos (grandbabies). Since I represent all the grandkids that they have, we are more than happy to welcome them. It is nice for me b/c I actually have someone to talk to throughout the day and can hand them off once in a while for a sanity walk or a quick shower!

In the meantime, I am posting some pics of the best B-day surprise ever last month. My best friends flew me out from El Paso back to AZ as a SURPRISE GIFT! I spent two lovely days basking in the sun and also in the warmth of their homes....ah...so cheesy and so sincere! I love you girls so much and miss you like you wouldn't believe (actually they do know how much I miss them b/c I call them and talk their ears off just needy for a listening ear!). Happy 28th b-day Adrienne! (Kudos to Jared as well for setting up the babysitting back here in EP and for making me believe that he was too busy with the DirectBuy opening to do anything big!)

I am also including some pics for our move #12 where we BORROWED Leslie's furniture for a night to "stage" our house as being occupied...needless to say, the loan DID NOT turn out and so we did that move for NOTHING! An exhausting lesson in life to learn.

I have been tagged....

5 things I was doing 10 years ago (Sept 1997):
1. Starting my first year of college at Southern Utah University
2. Ballroom dancing on the SUU tour team (I was so excited!)
3. Dating lots of RM's (which at the time was so "mature" for any new freshman)
4. Wearing huge skater jeans
5. Eating yogurt and Grape nuts for breakfast every morning (oh the days before kids!)


5 things on my to do list today:
1. Work out at the ghetto YMCA
2. Organize my kitchen so I can make room for my dad and Tia Olga (his wife) who just moved in with us for the winter time...they eat organic and vegetarian foods only!
3. Visit Jared at DirectBuy (thus this blog b/c it's my only internet access!)
4. Go to Golden Corral with grandpa and tia Olga (the rolls are the best part)
5. Pick out a couch here at DirectBuy in the catalogs


5 snacks I enjoy:
1. Philipine brand Mangos (thanks to April Ashton)
2. Pringles (loaded baked potato flava)
3. Grapes
4. Almonds
5. Smoothies (love the magic bullet....the blender that is..)


5 songs I know the lyrics to:
1. The Greatest Love of All (Whitni Houston...the good ol' days)
2. Lady in Red (my favorite high school dance song for sure!)
3. Soy un hijo de Dios
4. Live like you were dyin' (don't we all?)
5. Hero (Enrique sexy Iglesias)


5 things i would do if i were a millionaire:
1. Remodel our house with cash
2. Sign up for monthly massages, pedicures, waxes and anything else I can think of
3. Buy my parents (Jared's too) a new car or two...or a house...their pick
4. Send lots of money to Oprah's Angel network
5. Invest some of it!


5 bad habits
1. Picking at ingrown hairs (drives Jared crazy...but I am furry!)
2. Slurp my soup/yogurt/smoothies
3. Daily NEED to curl my eyelashes
4. Does eating after 10 pm count?
5. Secretly reading trashy magazines


5 things I would never wear again:
1. tappered pants
2. banana clips
3. ratted bangs
4. leg warmers
5. Keds


5 things I enjoy doing:
1. blogging (obviously)
2. talking to good friends (a huge realization of how much I miss them here in TX)
3. exercising and sweating it all out
4. playing the piano
5. writing in my journal

5 favorite toys:
1. computer
2. Ipod
3. Tivo (wish I had it!!!)
4. cell phone
5. Austin's blankie...b/c that means nap time


6 people I tag:
1. Suzette
2. Jana
3. Amberly
4. Diana
5. Michelle
6. Abby

MOPS

I decided that my own efforts of making friends was going absolutely nowhere. I had attended the local storytime at the library (thus the homeless man blog), several church meetings, the ghetto YMCA aerobic classes, and even an LDS institute class at UTEP> where has it gotten me? Still friendless! Imagine that~

So, I took my efforts elsewhere, to the Coronado Baptist church to be exact "with signs everywhere that say, 'Go Jesus!' or 'Let His light shine, etc." MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) is a national organization for mamas like myself that need to meet other mamas out there...in a Christian setting (just a bonus), who have activities, workshops and NURSERY provided! Austin was well taken care of at the first meeting, complete with a sticker on his back to announce to every child taker that he was potty training and would need extra help.

I was nervous to go alone, joining a room full of 20-25 women, but I just had to have confidence in myself and just take things easy as everyone was bustling around and socializing. Needless to say, we had a great visit...complete with a yummy breakfast, ice breaker games, an into to the program and upcoming events. ALL WHAT I WAS HOPING FOR! Count me in! I may check out another group Mothers and more.

So, for any of you that may ever be in my same situation (heaven forbid you move 12 times in 5 years, from state to state and leave your best friends behind in AZ with your husband working 6 days a week and no family around!!), for sure check out these organizations....I am excited! Hoepfully I can find a friend now...

Homeless Man

I need some advice...It was another day for our storytime at the local library. I was just getting the boys out so we could run in and make it on time. I put Austin down and was letting him go pee on the pavement (thus the potty training continues, and that was something I vowed I would never let my children do, pee on the street...but, that was way before I had kids and know about the emergency peeing!). As he was finishing, I was very surprised to see this blue eyed husky dog sniffing at our feet...he came out of nowhere. Even more surprising was his owner, right behind me, who was coming to retrieve his pet. I didn't hear them at all!

I quickly turned around to see this nice, dirty and polite young man with not one, but two beautiful husky dogs staring at us. I tried not to look too shocked by this surprise, but said hello to them and let my boys be licked by their warm tongues. The boys loved the "puppieees!" and were very excited to say hello.

We trotted off to storytime, but even the books and craft on Curious George couldn't take my mind away from this homeless man I had just met. Afterwards, we went back over to where we had first met. He now was under a mesquite tree, with a cardboard box and his two dogs tied up by a tattered rope. If it hadn't been for my boys' screaming to see the puppies, I might have just driven off. Instead, we headed over and made some small talk while I evaluated the situation a little bit better.

I wanted to use caution with this man, there was no one else around and I felt a little vulnerable with my two small children and all alone. His name is Ryan, he is originally from Ohio and likes El Paso. That is about the only info I could get from him b/c I didn't know what else to say. I couldn't say, "are you homeless? Do you want a shower? Do you need food? Are you sad and lonely?"

We talked mostly about the dogs and about my boys, but my heart was just full off sadness for this young man and where his life has thus turned out...he had a beautiful smile, bright blue eyes and was younger than 30. His clothing was so dirty and black, he wore a white cowboy hat and I could see his ratted hair in a small ponytail behind his ears.

I couldn't get him off of my mind, and my heart was so sad for him when I went back home. I loaded up some random food items from our boxes (of course our pantry items are still boxed up and in different closets throughout the apartment), and some juices that wouldn't spoil. I didn't know if he'd feel comfortable by my small offering, but I wanted to do something!

The next day, Friday, we drove by several times where Ryan had been before and he was still there, parked underneath the Mesquite tree and all alone with his dogs. We went by in the afternoon and I was a little unsure of how I would approach it all. I took the opportunity to share with Wesley what we were doing and why it is so good to share with those who don't have anything.

We got out of the car, and before I could tactfully tell Ryan what we were doing, Wesley blurted out, "We got food for you!" That'll about do it! I tried not to blush as I approached him and told him that we thought he could use some food, and of course it was followed by a very polite, "Thanks ma'am." I once again tried to make small talk, but found nothing to say! He was very nice, once again asking our names and associating them with different things so he could remember us. I could tell that he was just absorbing the adult conversation, of which he obviously doesn't receive very often. I told him we'd like to help out in anyway possible, and that we would look forward to seeing him again. That was about it.

I have not been able to get Ryan out of my head. Poor guy is there day and night and probably feels so lonely, sad and scared with life. My question to all of you, is what can I do or what should I do to help him out? Jared thinks that if he wanted to, he could easily stay in a halfway house, or make a change. But, my thinking is that maybe he doesn't know what to do? I want to offer him a ride somewhere, my own personal shower, a chance to go and eat some food or even a job! But, I definitely don't know how to approach it, or if any of this is out of my league.

What would you do???

Move #1,237

In our 5 years of marriage (officially last week, August 30th thank you very much!), we have moved now a total of 12 times...across three states...am I going insane yet? Well, this last weekend was another doosey...

What am I talking about you wonder? Well, in order to get our AZ custom home appraised at top value, we had to have an appraiser come in and look at it as if someone were LIVING inside the house. What does that mean to me and Jared? Yep, we RE-PACKED up our junk in El Paso, and moved it BACK to AZ for ONE DAY!!!! One word: EXHAUSTING

It might have been a little bit better if we hadn't left at 8:30pm (Jared worked until 6pm and then it took us a few hours to load up our stuff AGAIN)...arriving in AZ at a lovely 4am. The next day (Sunday) was spent setting up house AGAIN and actually BORROWING furniture from my good friend Leslie Boley (thank goodness she has wonderful taste in furniture and made our house look beautiful....we not only invited ourselves over for her amazing roast dinner, but we then left with her kitchen table, lamps, decorative pots, baby pictures...that was a little extreme but heaven knows where my own children's pictures are...packed away back in February and haven't seen light since!), her rugs, and even her placemat and shovel! She is such a good sport, letting us have her stuff for a night.

The appraisal went smoothly, snapped a few pictures of the house and then he left. We were so prepared, we even put food in the fridge and towels on the racks...it looked better than it ever had when we lived there last month!

The rest of the day was spent RE-LOADING up the stuff for Leslie, and then another full trailer load back to El Paso...arriving this morning at 4am....not healthy for anyone!

Although this move was only for 2 days, it still was as much work as any other of our 11 moves...so, I definitely consider this to be another move chalked on my list. Are we crazy, insane, wacky or out of our minds to be doing this to ourselves? Perhaps, but we can see the light at the end of the tunnel (November ish...when we move into our house here in El Paso), and so I am trying to be flexible and in good spirits....

Now if only I could take a nap, and find our towels and toilet paper that was packed up!

A few things that made this move extra challenging:

No food to arrive to (or make meals with!) in the custom home...
Wesley's constant confusion with where we are moving...why we have some toys in one place, where are his friends, why are we sleeping here, etc
Having to load up the trailers in 111 degree heat
Driving super late (I had the 11:30-1:30am shift)
No washer/drier to clean up our traveling messes (sheets, towels, potty training undies, etc)
Having to do it back to back...in one day, out the next!!!

Potty Training Madness

Am I crazy to be potty training Austin already? He is not quite 2-years-old, but he is fully capable of going pee in the potty whenever I take him over. The major problem, is that he doesn't tell me beforehand, and so we have had our numerous accidents on the floor and in his undies....I don't know if potty training has ever been a good experience for anyone! I am watching him like a hawk all day long so I can avoid any more accidents, which really gives me a workout!

I figured I have nothing else to do for now (again, no friends, no activities, no hubby, no house to decorate, etc...you get the idea), so I might as well give this potty training thing a shot! I really have nowhere to go these days, and so I can dedicate myself to it. It has to be done, either now or in a few months, why not???

This is day #4 and I have yet to really feel like we are getting anywhere! I am giving it a full week before I go crazy and just go out and buy more diapers. His little butt is so small though, he doesn't even fill out his new big boy undies...although I love looking at his cheeks run freely from side to side!

I put up a "Hello Kitty" sticker on the back of the lid with step stool, and he is to reach for "el gato" to help make his aim a little bit better...

I better go and make sure he is not hiding in some corner to do his thing! Any sugesstions? Between blogging and potty training, I think this will be an "indoor day" for all of us...aka we will be going insane by noon!

Social Butterfly

Who knew that going to my 10 year Hillcrest High School Reunion would be so rewarding and fulfilling? I have always considered myself to be "outgoing," but sometimes I feel like I am more of a mellow mama these days (due to the fact that I have yet to make any friends in El Paso!). So, for me to go out and actually socialize, communicate, relate, understand, and BLAB away at old strangers and acquaintances for hours was very enjoyable! I told Jared to stay home for this trip simply b/c I knew that he would not enjoy the fake and cheesy conversations that happen between strangers' spouses. I felt sorry for the spouses that were there b/c I didn't want to talk to them either! Michelle Clark (my friend since 8th grade) and I hooked up so that we could make our appearance together. We were a bit nervous to be honest, not knowing what to expect or even what to wear! We were sure to put on dabs of perfume and pretty make up to hide any insecurities that might arise during this "back to the future" adventure. We walked in, we put on our name tags, and then I told myself, "let the games begin!"


From 6:30pm until 12:00am I did not stop talking and socializing like a little busy butterfly! We were the last ones to leave, and only b/c they were putting up the tables and giving us mean looks at the restaurant. I was amazed and relieved at how 10 years of maturity really does affect a high school teenage population. A lot of the "popular" (or so I thought during 1997) people were there, but this time around (in 2007), it didn't matter one dang bit! I talked to those people, realized their own experiences were normal and enjoyed learning about what kind of people they had become as well.

There were no boundaries or lines between popularity and losers this time around. You were who you were and that was it! Another thing I learned was just how much the guys DID NOT MAINTAIN ANY SORT OF HIGH STANDARD! They were either fat or bald! No joke! There are a few exceptions to this rule (and if you are one of those guys reading this now, know that I probably mean YOU), but I was amazed at how the guys just seemed to let themselves go. Perhaps their wives are to blame, b/c they need to take on that role of preparation if their hubby is not intuitive to fashion trends.

When Jared goes to his reunion next year, I know that special efforts will be made into making him continue to look like a hottie! The gals on the other hand, DID look beautiful and fit! What is wrong with that picture? There were a few gals who had some baby weight to lose, but that is a great excuse. What about those guys with the double chins or lame tapered pants? No excuses! (There were two good looking guys, but they happened to be single and perhaps even gay or metrosexual for sure).

I secretly wanted those "popular" girls that I knew back then to all of a sudden be ugly ducklings, just for my own sense of security. Did not happen. But, that's okay b/c I know that in my own way, I also wanted to look my best and let others know that I am doing my best to still be "posh" if you will! Utah girls still are beauties.

I felt the need to tell all the people I talked to just what good memories I had of them back in the day. Some people I admitted to having innocent crushes on, others I related funny classroom stories, and others I just wanted to thank for being good friends to a peon like me. It felt so good to just gab away for hours with no restrictions or limitations. I think being out of state has given me an appreciation for those that I no longer see.

I really was interested in what people were doing with their lives and how they got to where they were now. I don't see people at the grocery store, on the streets or at parties now. So, this was my one opportunity (for at least another 10 years) to really just fill my bucket with good ol' Hillcrest memories.


I am off to bed, I didn't get to bed until 3:30am! My kids were up and ready to go at 7:00am...Yikes! That was obviously another "no no" for a mama b/c today I felt like I had a hang over (obviously I don't drink) and I was a walking and irritable zombie for my kids. Do read on to learn about our plane ride and enjoy the pics of Abuela Guzman and the grandbabies enjoying their visit together in SLC....