Steve finally got a Golden Retriever

Too bad it was just an ornament from my mom though! I forgot to add it to the Christmas post. My neighbor made me a scarf and she rang the door bell while I was writing the other post and I got sidetracked. It is such a cute scarf!!! Sally is a sweetheart!

Christmas 2008

Ok, first off - someone *please*please*please who is familiar with blogger and reads my blog explain to me (a very ignorant computer person) how to load pictures how I want them to appear or so the post is not the day in reverse. I cannot figure out how to type, add a picture I want, type some more, add the next picture I want - so on and on. So, you get Christmas day in reverse order....I'm an idiot.

Here is Isabella's favorite gift I think - a Colts outfit. Here in Indy they have "Blue Friday" and you are suppose to wear your colts gear but my kids have zero Colts stuff (that's a whole other post as to the reason why - short version: Steve expects Isabella (who is 6 by the way) to be loyal to and only to the Dallas Cowboys because she was born in Dallas. Cheering for or wearing any other team colors or clothes - regardless of where we live - is just about as close to taking the Lords name in vain) and this year Crapaw and Grandma Karen got them some stuff. Isabella *loves* this outfit along with her snowman Webkinz.
My brother busted out laughing as soon as he saw what I dressed the girls in. As soon as they walked in he said "I knew they would be matching". Ok, ok laugh all you want - I bought these sweaters last year on clearance at Gymboree for less than $9 each. LOL I like my kids to match or be color cordinated on Holidays. heehee

My niece got this go-kart for Christmas this year and the girls had a ball riding in it. He makes fun of my kids clothes but I say nothing about a few thousand dollar gift - I think we are even! Ok, well, maybe if my kids would have been kicking and screaming from fear I would tell him it was a waste of money and the worst gift ever. heehee My niece is a really good kid.

Family picture at Grammy's - have I mentioned how much my kids and Steve LOVE family photos?

Again - Christmas in reverse. This is a self portrait using the timer on our camera to snap a family picture before heading out to Grammy's. I'm too lazy to edit red eyes and crop out junk in the pictures for blog purposes. :)

Steve in hell. His gift from the girls - compliments of JD and Ellen. JD took the girls shopping to buy gifts for us from the girls and this is what they (um, I mean - JD picked out for Steve). I'm sure the only reason he put it on for pictures was because he was sporting a Cowboys sweatshirt - ironically bought by JD for Steve earlier this year. JD and Ellen did give Steve just about the best gift he could ever want - it is a framed print of every Cowboy jersey since the history of the Cowboys with the years the jersey was worn. Plus, a cowboys coffee mug and license plate thing.

Ava opening her My Little Pony from Uncle Lucas and Aunt Vicky.

Isabella with her iDog.

The only thing she wanted - her Nintendo DS

realizing what she was opening was her ds.

Oh, I love her so....

I tell you what - Isabella can melt my heart!!! Tonight she was saying the prayer at dinner and she said "Jesus, only one more day until we celebrate your birthday. Thank you for dying on the cross for us. I love you the same and would die on the cross for you".

You know, most days I feel like I am the crappiest, worst mother on the earth and wonder what my kids did to get the short end of the deal to have me as their Mommy - but when small glimpses of greatness comes out of their mouth like this I don't second guess myself as a loser parent near as much!

Great Neighbors & SIL update

First news - My sister-in-law (SIL)was released from the hospital today. Thank you God!! I appreciate everyones prayers more than you know. I love my SIL very much and I was very anxious and worried about her the entire past week. It is a wonderful blessing to have her resting in her own home tonight! She will probably be off work for at least a month so her recovery is going to take a while so please keep her in your prayers if you can.

Second - have I mentioned about what great neighbors I have. LOL JD called around 2:30 actually asking to see if Steve wanted to come over and watch some football tonight. Since Steve had to work I guess the girls and I were 2nd best and he invited us to come over as well. While we were over there I was complaining about our pipes being frozen in the laundry room and not being able to do any laundry (and I had a mound of it!). They offered for me to use their washer and dryer and I took them up on it. JD came over and got the laundry baskets as well as all the wet clothes from the washer and took it over to their house. Obviously when our builder "fixed" the problem we had with the pipes freezing in the laundry room wasn't a good fix! And, an even better reason they are great friends - he gave me a pain pill for my back. I won't go into the entire story as to how I once again hurt my back - first part was rear ending the truck last Wednesday on the way to the hospital and the second part was slipping on some ice and busting my behind Friday evening. LOL But, needless to say, when I bend over at the waist - I cannot stand back up without assistance.

The weather here in Indy is FREEZING. This morning when I woke up - it was one degree! Wind chill was 17 below zero. And, if that wasn't bad enough - due to strong winds yesterday afternoon - the electricity went out for over 8 hours!!! We were headed to another neighbors house for a Christmas party and the electricity went out at 4:00 and finally stayed on around midnight. We enjoyed the Christmas party via candle light and then came home to the house temperature registering 55 degrees. It was cold, cold,cold!!!! And, to make matters worse with the freezing pipes, the washing machine was mid-cycle when the electricty went out and still has water sitting in the basin. Hopefully tomorrow it will warm up enough to allow the water to drain - that or the plumber or whomever is suppose to come and fix it will be able to insulate the pipes properly (which is what they should have done in the first place) - but I digress.....

JD was kind enough to take the clean and folded laundry upstairs and the other basket in the laundry room. I'm going to go and put it all away and get the kids ready for bed. To say they are excited for Christmas would be a major understatement! Steve has to work at noon tomorrow so I'm going to get up and head to Target and finish up shopping for their Christmas stocking, mail out Steve's parents gift that just was delivered Saturday and then we are good to go! Steve is off on Christmas eve - and I am just as giddy as the kids with excitement.

Continued prayers please

Pathology results finally came in today for my sister in law and the infection is infact MRSA. The antibiotic she had been on for the last few days is not the proper meds and MRSA is resistant to it. The infection has spread further down her leg. She is now an new medicine that is making her very sick. She will be in the hospital until at least Monday if the new meds are actually working. Please continue to pray for her she is not out of the woods yet.

Todays update

Pathology still not in to determine MRSA or Cellulitis. Wound was re-packed today. Oh.My.Gosh. not for the weak stomach. Fever is gone, she looks much better but will be in the hospital for atleast 3 more days.

The latest on my sister in law

She is out of surgery and high on morphine. heehee The initial fear was MRSA on the fascia (this will mean something to the medical folk - but only made a little sense once my sister in laws mother explained it to me better). She is on some heavy antibiotics and at this time believe it is cellulitis that was under her muscle. Her leg looked unbelievable and the infection was literally spreading by the hour.

They will know more tomorrow and know if they are using the proper antibiotic to treat it.

And a side note - I was so scattered in thoughts and rushing to make it to the hospital that I hit a patch of black ice and rear ended a truck. Thank God, no damage to his truck but his trailer hitch left a nice hole in Steve's bumper. I was also super thankful to be driving Steves car instead of my BMW. Trivial I know. The most important thing right now is we believe my sister in law will be fine.

Thanks for the prayers.

Prayer request!!!!!!!!!!! ***UPDATED****

***Please pray. Heading out the door right now to drive down to my moms. My sister in law is having surgery tonight at 8:00 pm.. I'm scared.****

My sister in law is in the hospital (my brothers wife). At this point in time they do not know what is wrong with her. She has a huge, inflamed red area on her leg (my mom said it is the size of a dinner plate), running a high fever and couldn't walk because of the pain in her leg. We are waiting on test results. Please pray.

Christmas Vacation

I'm sure most have saw the movie Christmas Vacation - well Clark Griswald lives next door to us - his name is JD! JD goes all out for Christmas - he has so many things plugged in we are always scared he's going to blow the power for the entire neighborhood. The girls LOVE his house decorated and beg and plead with us to do more than garland around the front door and lights on the shrubs. This year he had to use part of Pams yard to put out all of his display. He has the lights set to a music so they are continually flashing at all different speeds - hence the reason our drapes are always pulled closed during the month of December - it reminds me of the Seinfeld episode with Kramer and the Kenny Rogers Chicken sign. LOL - I watch too much TV.

The next pictures are of Ava this morning before school. She was so excited to take her presents for her teachers so she sat for about 30 minutes watching cartoons with her backpack on and the presents in front of her. She's such a sweetheart (sometimes - LOL).

Christmas PJ's

I started doing this for Ava's first Christmas. My kids LOVE it (insert deep sarcasm here). Well, they love torturing me. Everytime I want to get a *decent* photo of a planned event (Thanksgiving, easter, Christmas, etc) I have to remind the kids (and Steve) - every.single.time. - that they enjoy looking at these pictures once I have them in the albums so STOP FUSSING and cooperate with me. LOL Can you tell, we've had these discussions often?

So, here is a trip down memory lane. I have the photo I chose to frame first, then the best outtake second - oh and I could post all night long on their outtakes.

2008
Trying to be all "gangster" with the peace signs. Don't sign up for a gang anytime soon girls - don't think you have the hand signals down just yet.

2007

Common theme from 2007, 2006 and 2005 = Ava's unwillingness to cooperate.

2006 - you cannot even begin to imagine how many trys of bribing the kids it took to get a smile.

Repeat theme - Ava crying. Her nickname her first 18 months of life was affectionly a/k/a - The Screamer.

2005 - Ava's 1st Christmas

Isabella - oh sweet baby girl, what a foreshadowing this image is. Ava was born to torture you.

She cracks me up!

Isabella is more and more like me each day. The other day I was at the gym and Steve calls me and starts laughing and saying she is such a young version of me it's not funny (poor kid!). You see, I have a minor little flaw - I make up words - often. Sometimes, on purpose - and sometimes I have to admit - because I'm a little dingy. Well, Isabella was talking to Steve the other day and saying how she wished Daisy was less shy and she wished Molly was less atackitive - I guess she was combining being too active and being too aggressive (attacking).

The weather here has been wacky. Freezing cold one minute, cold and snowy another, rainy and in the 40's the next day and now we are back to cold. I don't know when the last time I saw the sun.

Sunday some of my friends in the neighborhood are meeting up and having a "wrapping" party. It worked out to be perfect timing because I still have the girls gifts from santa that need wrapped but I haven't been looking forward to locking myself in the closet to wrap them. Now, I'll drag them over to Pams and wrap and then I'm storing them at JD and Ellens until Christmas Eve. So, win, win, win!

Men - Do me a favor, please!

Please, do NOT tuck your shirts into your gym shorts at the gym. Especially if you are wearing short shorts or biker shorts. You look ridiculous and it's a health hazard for me because I giggle on the stairmaster as I watch you and I'm afraid I'm going to fall off.

First off - NO ONE, especially men should be wearing biker shorts. If you are Lance Armstrong or riding the Tour de France, ok - I'll give you a pass. But, other than that- it's just plain gross and nobody wants to see it. Second - short shorts??? Leave that to the college girls please. And thirdly - tucking??? It doesn't look good.

Ok, fashion advice is finished.

Just finished watching The Amazing Race - the team I liked from the start won - the brother/sister team. I have loved this show from the first season and have wanted to do it more than anything. The problem is - what type of job is going to allow you 45 days off to run the race? When I first looked into signing up it was going to be filmed during Isabellas 1st birthday. 2nd time I was pregnant. Now, the people I want to do it with - my brother or Steve would never be able to get a month -45 days off. Oh, well!

Off to put Isabella to bed. Ava is already crashed.

Like Mommy Like Daughter

Isabella has inherited a love of reading from me. She bought a book at the book fair on Wednesday night - it was a pretty decent size book - I think around 200 pages. She has finished it already. She would go to sleep reading, wake up in the morning and turn her light on and read - any free minute she had, she would read this book. Last night she finished and said "good, I'm finished. Now, I can re-read it like you re-read Twilight". heehee

It has been cold, cold cold here. Too cold! The last couple of days it's been in the teens for most of the day. There are snow flurries right now and it's suppose to snow tomorrow some as well - so I can take the cold as long as their is snow.

Tonight the Grinch is on TV so after dinner and baths the girls and I will settle in and watch it. Steve is working tonight so it's just us girls.

Getting ready!

Day by day we are getting ready for Christmas. We are pretty close to being finished shopping, Christmas cards are 90% addressed and ready to go, a lot of presents have already been wrapped - so it seems we are on top of things this year. I'll probably mail out the presents for the out of town family early next week to allow plenty of time for delivery. Hopefully, there isn't a big kink thrown into the remaining planning.

The girls and I headed down south to visit family last weekend. We spent most of our time over at my brothers and sis-in-laws house. We had a great time and the girls were happy to play with their cousin.

Steve and I have been hitting the gym pretty hard. I have achieved one small goal of mine - to do the dreaded torture machine - the moving stairmaster for 45 minutes. I did 40 minutes Monday and 45 Tuesday and I survived. The total exhaustion from doing it has subsided so I guess my body is over the shock of hard core cardio. LOL

Today has been spent washing bedspreads, sheets and clothes. Also, filling bags for goodwill while Isabella was at school and Ava was napping. They have way too much stuff - well, JUNK! Tonight is Family night for the school bookfair so the girls will go and pick out some new books.

I'm in the process of re-reading the Twilight series. The first go around I was in such a rush to find out what was happening I wanted to re-read at a slower pace - I actually picked up on several things missed the first time. And, it is even better the 2nd time around! Saw the movie and UGH, horrible and yuck was all I can say. I knew who was cast for the characters before I read the books so I already had the "Hollywood" image of the characters in my head. I know books made into movies are never the same but this was such a huge disappointment. So low budget and cheesey and horrible character development. I watched it with low, low expectations but it was just horrid to me. Such a let down. I still love me some Edward Cullen though! It helps that I do feel like Steve loves me like this character loves Bella in the book and I, in return, love the same way. Corny - I know!

My kids

I love my kids to pieces, but they are going to send me to an early grave.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Here is a family picture of us after lunch today at Maggiano's. The girls and I invited JD, Ellen, Jenni and her boyfriend Drew to eat with us. We had a fabulous lunch and enjoyed each others company.


The girls during lunch.

In front of our tree before leaving this morning.

Tottally side note here - but I found Ava's little hiding place for her snacks the other day. I've found cherrios, goldfish, crackers, candy corn, m&m's and numerous other items before but this day I got her to fess up she was the one hiding the food. I told her this had to stop! Oh, you can't really tell where it is, but its our lamp in the family room.

She didn't tell on me.....

haha!!! When she got home from school today I asked Ava is she told her teacher on me and she said no, she told her a joke instead!

This girl keeps us on our toes minute by minute!

I'm Telling My Teacher!

That is what Ava is threatening me with. LOL She and Isabella have been arguing constantly since Isabella came home from school. Actually, Ava has been a grouch all day long.

Anyway, they were arguing when I hear - Ava SPITTING at Isabella. We've had issues with this in the past - almost a year ago she got mad at me and spit at ME. So, I washed her mouth out with soap. Really, all I did was touch the toothbrush to the bar of soap and put it on her tongue - then I let her wash her mouth out with water. Send the hate mail and nasty comments about how horrible I am - I don't care! Knock yourselves out!

So, I tell Ava to head to the bathroom because she knew what she had in store for her. She wasn't happy but she did it. Again, I literally just touch the toothbrush to the soap and put it on her tongue. Well, of course she was mad at me but I just kept reminding her we do not spit in this house. That's when she told me she was telling her teacher on me!

Fast forward 30 minutes. I'm reading email and she wants to sit on my lap so I let her. She asks if I will tickle her back. I said I thought you were mad and me and going to tell your teacher on me. She said, I am tomorrow morning at school. LOL Then, a light when off in her brain and she said I'm just going to tell her I love you and you tickle my back!

Chocolate Cherries

That's what color my hair is! I haven't had it colored for way too long and there are far, far too many gray hairs streaking my head so something had to be done! An $80 color job just isn't in the budget right now (more on that later) so Steve said he'd help me out. I spent forever at Target deciding the "right" color and decided on this - Chocolate Cherries. It's more chocolate than anything but maybe there are some cherries on the inside. LOL I really like it and if I must say - Steve is quite the colorist! He had a nice methodical method to covering all those gray hairs - so I think I'll be back for a visit to Salon Steve in 6 weeks.

So, now to the reason for the home job. When we bought the house we were told the first year here we only pay taxes on the land, then by the 2nd year all exemptions are filed and you are good to go. Well, we never had the first year of land tax only and we were told by the county tax office that the homestead exemption and mortgage exemptions were filed in time for this year so all would be fine. Well, low and behold a new "law" was enacted that your closing on your house needed to happen before March 1. Guess when we closed??? 7 days later - March 8. So.....we were expecting a tax bill of around $1200-$1500 for the year but we get a close to $5K tax bill. We are now having to pay for the next 4-5 months (we've already paid one) a $700 more a MONTH mortgage payment. Not, a hundred dollars or even two hundred dollars more - nope, $700.

Thank the Lord, we have the money for it. Thank the Lord, we even have a house to have a mortgage on. We know we are blessed. But, gosh darn! That's a lot of money for a single income family. Needless to say, Christmas will be scaled back huge this year. Steve and I won't buy for each other and we've already told the kids they won't be getting as many presents this year. At first Isabella took it hard, but she's been so sweet and understanding ever since.

Luckily, Steve called the tax office and the mortgage office to figure something out. So, once we get the escrow back to a positive and have the cushion they require then it will be adjusted based on a tax estimate for next year. In the end, it will all work out fine. And thank goodness gas has gone down $2 a gallon - that's a nice pay raise right there!

Ok, whining session over.

Over Involved Parents

Is that what we are?

Here is a story from earlier today.

Driving to the gym and listening to radio Disney - (we try to say its' for the kids, but truthfully, I kinda like the songs they play) they mentioned the Jonas Brothers. I started talking to Steve about Taylor Swift (I'm really digging her music - pathetic, I know) and the fact she was dumped by one of the Jonas Brothers. The original point of my discussing it was to say that just because she's a celebrity - she's still a 19 year old girl who got her heart broke. I said I can remember heart break at 18-19 but I sure as heck didn't have to go through it in the public eye.

Well, after getting Steve up to date on Taylor Swift and her ex Jonas Brother Boyfriend, Isabella said one of them had broke up with Miley Cyrus before (um, another sad fact - I knew that already). LOL I tried to remember who was dating one of the boys and asked if it was Demi Lavato or Selena "somebody" - I couldn't come up with her last name. Well, low and behold Steve chimes in and says "Gomez". Her last name is Gomez. Then....for the good part....he went on to say, "I was watching OPRAH and saw her and her mom on there". I just looked at him and said - that is just wrong. You knew the girls last name and you learned it on Oprah! LOL

I still get that little Lavato and Gomez girl confused - I guess I should just ask Steve!

My crazy kids

The girls have been playing together so nicely all day today. They were upstairs in the loft and I was downstairs on the couch reading. They started arguing and it was so funny I couldn't do anything but laugh - and then quickly grab a piece of paper to write it all down.

Here is a play by play...

Small bickering starting between the two of them.

Ava: Isabella - you making me angy (instead of angry).

Isabella: I don't want to play with you anymore.

***toys being shuffled around***

Ava: Stop laughing at me!

SMACK! (I already know who was on the receiving end).

Isabella : Mom! Ava hit me.

Ava: You were laughing at me.

Me: Isabella, you were antagonizing your sister.

Isabella: Ava, you are a meanie.

Ava: Mom, Isabella said I'm a meanie.

Me: Well, you did smack her.

They proceed to go back and forth with each other - you did this, you said this. More laughing, teasing coming from Isabella. I even think Ava might have slapped her again during all of this but Isabella didn't tell on her for the 2nd one.

Ava: Be quiet. It's my turn to talk.

Isabella: I'm done with you Ava. BOOM - Isabella bedroom door shuts.

Ava: FINE! Go take a bath you stinky butt. BOOM -Ava's bedroom door shuts.

Me: Laughing so hard I'm shaking and have tears streaming down my face and realize yet again, why I will never win Mother of the Year.

Flu Shots

The girls got their flu shots today. Steve and I got ours a couple weeks ago and I had put off taking the girls until today. They both did great. Isabella didn't even cry! That is a shocker. She's a sweetie but she's a wimp. LOL I figured Isabella would be kicking and screaming and it would be horrible but she got up on the table and didn't say a word. She was so proud of herself. You could see it in her eyes and on her face! Ava did awesome as well. She was on the table and silent and then her eyes got big and she said to me "ouch! That hurts". She let a few tears out but was fine in a few seconds.

Now, fingers crossed they don't get the flu. Isabella got the flu the 2nd week we lived here. It was super scary seeing her that sick and for so long.

Getting healthy

I'm feeling much better today - thanks to some meds I got yesterday. Sleep still isn't coming easy when not feeling well. Hopefully, tonight will be better. Steve took Nyquil to knock him out but I am always sooooo tired and groggy if I take that I decided to suffer without it.

Operation: Get Steve healthy is in full force. Some meals have been good - others, well, I can just say they were less memorable. The other night he made chicken "hamburgers". Those were hard to get down. Isabella and I split one and chewed quickly. It's just going to take time to retrain our palette. He is only allowed 5 oz of lean meat ALL DAY long -so essentially, he eats like a vegetarian. But, man - you can only eat so many beans and lentils and whole wheat pasta. We never were poor snackers or had junk food around the house. The kids snacks have always been fresh fruit, yogurt or string cheese - it's the meals we are having a hard time with. Well, I guess because he wants to try different things out vs just having a small portion of turkey or grilled/baked chicken nightly. I LOVE Paula Deen and all her recipes. When I would use a Paula Deen recipe I would substitute whenever possible to *try* and make it healthier. Well, even a healthy version of Paula Deen is deadly to Steve's diet.

We've switched up our exercising as well. Tons and tons and tons of cardio. We've been doing the stair machine. It's not like the old fashioned stair master where your legs just went up and down - this is literally about 5 stairs that continually goes kinda like you are walking up an escalator. Well, it looks easy. But, how deceiving that is. It is horribly hard! We had to start out with 10 minutes and then build up and up and up. I'm up to 35 minutes now and hope within a week to be up to 45 minutes. When the 30-35 minutes is up - it looks like I just walked through a sprinkler - hair wet, shirt wet - a sweaty mess. But, I LOVE it. It's addicting. I'm also lifting weights with Steve. I love yoga still but am just changing things up for a little while.

Ava just woke up from a nap so off to read a book to her.

Hit by a train

That's what it feels like has happened to us. We are all suffering from allergies/sinus problems. Isabella is doing the best because she is on meds year round for her asthma so she doesn't usually get the runny noses and congestion like the rest of us. Today Ava and I have layed around all day long. Then, to top it off, yesterday while cleaning - I hurt my knee pretty bad. So, it's all nice and cut and banged up and swollen.

Sunday we had our first snowflakes fall of the season! They were pretty random and of course didn't accumulate - pretty much melted the instant they hit the ground - but it was still nice. I'll be sick of it come January - but for now it gets you in the mood for the holiday season.

Yesterday while I was cleaning (and gouging my knee cap) - Steve asked Ava what she wanted to do. They went to the gym and then afterwords she wanted to go to Meijer - kinda a small Wal-Mart like store. Well, he took the girls with him on Sunday to get groceries and the carts there had TV screens to watch TV while grocery shopping. For some reason, he wouldn't let them pay the $1 it cost to watch the TV but he ended up buying them $6 worth of stuffed animals (like we need more stuffed animals in this house). Anyway, I'm getting sidetracked. So, Ava's wish for the day was to go back to Meijer and ride in the cart and watch TV. Being a great Daddy - he took her, paid the $1 and she watched Dora and Bob the Builder. He walked around the store for an hour for her to watch the same TV she could at home. LOL

Steve, Steve, Steve...........

What does it appear Ava is wearing in the next two pictures??????

Could it be, oh - let's see PAJAMA'S???????????? Yes, it would! This is what he had Ava wear to the gym today.

I was at the school all morning - I came home and they were gone. A bit later in walks Steve in his gym clothes carrying a sleeping Ava. When he came back downstairs I asked him if he realized she was wearing pajama's. He said he only realized it after he picked Ava up from childwatch and she asked him why she was still in her pajama's.

I need to add - she even slept in them last night. In his defense, he did close at work last night so, he didn't see what she was wearing - and I guess the 3 times she got up during the middle of the night he didn't notice - but - to me, they are clearly PJ's. LOL

Men!!!!!!

Politicians Lie

I was reading Isabellas journal when she got home from school today (she brings home a daily journal from school with info in it) and she had written that she voted. I asked her who she voted for and she said Barack Obama. I asked who won and she said they'd find out on Wednesday.

A bit later she said someone in class said Barack Obama was a liar. I told her, all politicians lie. To which she replied "so, John McCain lies, too". Yes, I told her. "Take that Rylea!" was her response. LOL

I honestly was impressed she knew both candidates names, although she hears us talk about them both almost daily. I'm excited for the election tomorrow and wish I was throwing an election night party! The last election night party was back in 2000 - we stayed at that party until around 2:00 in the morning. Little did we know it would be weeks before a winner was declared! Hoping that isn't the case tomorrow night.

Halloween 2008

Here are a couple of pictures from Halloween 2008. Isabella was a spiderwick vampire or something like that and Ava was a Butterfly/Fairy. We had a great time trick or treating - my mom, sister in law and niece all came up to go trick or treating with us. Amy and Jack, Chris and her girls and mom, Dee, Dialycia and my girls all went door to door. It was a fun time. Steve and Mark stayed back at the house with the fire pit going and drank a couple of beers. After ToTing everyone just sat around the campfire and a few other neighbors came over and hung out. Steve dug through my make up cases and did Isabella's make up - 2 days later she still has some remnants of it around her eyes. We've used eye make up remover, vaseline, cleansing cream and lots of scrubbing with a wash cloth and some still lingers. Another indication kids don't need to wear make up when they are young. LOL

And are heat stroked pumpkins. The kids crack me up - they only wanted to carve the ones they got on their field trips instead of buying a bigger one to carve. Next year I'll remember to take pictures the first day they are carved before they start withering away.

Musings of a 6 1/2 Year Old

Isabella arrived home from school today while I was watching Oprah. Out of the blue she asked me "Do you know police officers help even bad people". Yes, I do I told her. Seconds later, "Do they help them even if they don't believe in God?". Of course, I replied. "Wow" was all she said in return.

I love these random conversations with the girls - thank goodness for the blog so I have a record of it. If I waited to write them in their baby books - well, that would require me to remember where I put their baby books. Bad, bad Mommy.

Reality Check

Steve went for a physical a week or so ago. The other day they called - high cholestoral as well as borderline high sugar levels. The Dr gave him strict instructions regarding his diet - he'll follow for 3 months and retest. If still no good - meds start. He's too young to start that mess.

Catching Up

Ok, first - a funny Ava comment. I'm sitting in the office and Ava walks in and says "when I get big I'm going to be a cheerleader. And then, the tall boys can lift me up".

It's been a while since I've posted. The girls and I took a road trip and headed to Memphis, Tennessee and met up with my sister and her girlfriend/partner (what's the proper term?) LOL Deb.

Wednesday night before we left, the girls and I were at my moms when I decided to have "the talk". Not the birds and bees talk per sey but still a delicate talk. But, I felt like I needed to give thema heads up regarding my sisters relationship. My sister just about gave birth to a cow when she heard what I told them. ROFLMBO!!!!!!!!!!!! I asked Isabella if she knew what it meant to be gay and she said "you marry another girl" and "you kiss other girls". Ok, it was easier than I thought (thanks to my almost 11 year old niece giving Isabella the simplified lesson beforehand). hahaha!!!! Ava - would more than likely not notice anything so I kinda glossed over it with her. A couple hours later Isabella came to me and said "mom, we all are gay then". What??? She said, yeah - I kiss you, you kiss Ava so are we gay also? OMG - just gave her another abbreviated lesson and crossed my fingers she didn't ask me anything further. (she didn't).

Get up and head out on Thursday morning around 8:30 - stop 1/2 way and eat at a Cracker Barrel. I need to back up a minute. After being on the road for about 50 miles, Michelle calls me and asks if she should take 30 or 35. (Mapquest said 35, GPS said 30). Ok, I haven't lived in Dallas for about 5 years and she must have forgot I SUCK big time in Geography - she called the wrong sibling. Trent is the smart one. I told her to go one way but decided to call Steve to double check. He pulled up the map and informed me I told her wrong and what she should do. Fine, called her back - she was headed the right direction. No harm, no foul......until.......

At least an hour passes and she calls again - "how do I get to 30?". Again, Geography guru I am - I say, let me give you Steve's number and you give him a call. I quickly call Steve and give him the heads up. About 10 minutes later I get a call from him - his first words were "OH. MY. GOD." They were headed to Oklahoma!!!!!!!! (They drove an hour longer going north than needed so they then had to backtrack the same hour to get on the correct course). I did later ask her if her mapquest directions were going via I-35, why didn't she follow them? (she uttered some not so nice words for that question). Fast forward a couple hours later Michelle calls me and says "I Give Up". What the heck? I thought Steve set you straight. Well, they left their debit card at the gas station - THIRTY MILES back. ROFLMBO!!!!!!!! My mom and I were crying we were laughing so hard.

Eventually - they made it. I think it took them close to 11 hours to make the 7-8 hour trip. I still am shaking from laughing just thinking about it. Luckily, they were good sports about it.

I have to go fix supper, so the update is getting cut short - but we went to Graceland - and I LOVED it. I want to go back with Steve. My step dad worked with Elvis for many years when he was in the music industry and visited Graceland many times while Elvis lived there. The girls had a blast even though they didn't know who he was. They enjoyed the planes the most.

The next day we went to The Peabody Hotel in downtown Memphis to watch the ducks parade from the elevator (from their rooftop penthouse) to the indoor water fountain. Google it for info - it was pretty neat and the girls loved this as well.

Those were our only outings really. It's been about 4 years since we last saw Michelle so we just played games/cards, talked and caught up.

Here are some pictures from the trip:

Deb, Michelle and my Mom in front of the Lisa Marie plane...



Ava hanging out
Isabella

The girls and I in front of the plane - don't ya love Ava's Graceland Camo hat? heehee

Mom and Isabella on the shuttle bus (they shuttle you over to Graceland).

The girls and i after we toured the meditation garden where Elvis is buried.

My sister and the girls on Friday.

A few pictures

Here are a few pictures from last week.


Isabella on her field trip (they had to wear their walk-a-thon tee's).

Friday night - my niece Dialycia, Isabella and Ava. Ava was pretending she was a patient with a broken leg and the baby stroller was her wheel chair. Ava 99% of the time REFUSES to look at the camera. Makes for great pics. :(

The girls before we headed out to the IMAX theater.

Isabella and Ava standing on a rock (of course) in front of the Indiana State Museum.

Tomorrow I'll post some pictures from Boo at the Zoo - we went yesterday afternoon (after the Cowboys defeat and while the Colts were being defeated. I took the Colts loss MUCH better than Steve took the Cowboys loss).

Finished!

So, I got hooked a month or so ago on Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series books. I just finished the 4th and final book tonight - Breaking Dawn. Let me just say, she made vampires very attractive to me! Edward Cullen can bite my neck anytime he'd like. LOL I am super excited for 11/21/08 when Twilight hits the movie theaters!

Steve has been videoing his cooking classes the past couple of months and then editing the footage to send a DVD to corporate for training purposes I guess. Well, last month - our recording was somehow dropped into a bucket of sanitizer. So, every ounce of footage we've ever recorded since we bought it last Christmas is GONE. We had not transferred ANY of it to the computer. Oh - and the recorder is fried. The only good news is my mom records more than we do so we'll get footage from her so we'll have something from last year AND - we forgot we purchased the warranty when we bought the camera so we got a brand spanking new one (better than our previous one) today!!!

Steve had actually taken the camera to Best Buy to see what could be done or if it could be repaired when they reminded him we had bought the extended coverage. The salesperson had recommended doing it and then getting a new battery after a year (that would be covered under the plan). The warranty was only $50 or so but it saved us almost $600 with getting the new camera! But, lesson learned and we will be transferring the footage to the computer/DVD often.

The girls and I along with my SIL and my niece went to the Indiana State Museum today and saw an IMAX Lion film. We took pictures last night and today but I'm heading for bed and will update and load some pictures in the next couple of days. We had a great time! The girls, me and my mom are headed to Memphis on Thursday to visit with my sister. It will be a good time. We're going to tour Graceland! Yeah.

Report Cards

were sent home today and we have a straight A student!

Yeah Isabella. We are super proud of her.

Don't look

After lunch today Ava came to me asking if she could have a granola bar. I bought a case of these Kashi trail mix granola bars many months ago because I was paying $2 each time I worked out it seemed and it was getting expensive. Anyway, I'm getting sidetracked....So, she asks for a granola bar and I asked if she ate her lunch. She said yes, so we start walking to the cabinet. I asked again - "you ate ALL of your lunch?". She shook her head yes, then no, then yes again. (her back was to me). I said, ok, well, first I want to go and look at your plate to make sure you ate it all - she responded ok quickly. Then hesitated and said - "ok, just don't go and look. ok?". She's such a stinker. Anyway, she finished her sandwich and I gave in to give her a granola bar and we were out. Her reply "we have to go to the store AGAIN". LOL She's a mess!!!!

We've still been working with Isabella about being nice to everyone. She's doing so so with it and making the effort to be nice. In her defense, I will say - Rylea does seem a little needy - but still, no reason to put somoene on the "bad list" or whatever the heck the list was.

Tonight is Project Runways Finale. So, we are having a big neighborhood girls night. Well, the usual - me, Ellen, Jenny, Pam, Amy and Chris will be there but a couple others are joining in on the fun. We are doing champagne, fruit and sweets. It's really not the TV show that drives us to get together. It really is the friendships and the great fellowship we have together. Sunday evening several of us went to JD & Ellens for dinner and we were like - what are we going to do next week when Project Runway is over. We will go thru Wednesday night withdrawals. LOL

Well, it's about time for Isabella to get home so off to meet her.

We have a mean girl

And it's not Ava!

Yesterday Isabellas school had a walk a thon and parents were encouraged to come and walk with their kids. So, Steve and I went. Isabella barely paid any attention to us. Well, all the little girls were walking and holding hands when I noticed this one little girl going up to Isabella trying to hold her hand and Isabella was blatantly refusing to hold her hand. Steve and I looked at each other and were MORTIFIED!!!!!!!!!!! To make matters worse, the little girls mom was walking right in front of us and I'm sure saw Isabella being a little brat. Steve walked up to Isabella and pulled her aside trying to find out what was going on but Isabella wasn't saying much. We were so embarassed to say the least.

A little back history - Isabella talked about this little girl being one of her good friends the first month of school. She called her usually a couple nights a week and talked on the phone to her and everything. Well, I started recalling Isabella not talking much about this little girl after she spent the night over at Emmas. Also, I remember a couple of times at school Rylea telling the teacher Isabella wouldn't sit next to her etc but I didn't think much of it at the time. So, as soon as Isabella gets home from school yesterday I get to the bottom of it. Apparently Emma has informed Isabella and Madison they CANNOT be friends with Rylea and she is apparently on the "bad list" or bad friend list or some insane 1st grade girls list. I went over all the mom things to say and at the end of it, Isabella felt like the worst friend in the world. She called Rylea and apologized and said she wouldn't act like that anymore. On the way to school today (my day to volunteer) I told Isabella that she needed to tell Emma I was going to call Emma's mom and tell on her if she was mean to Rylea further. Isabella said that scared Emma! LOL When I left school today Isabella was sitting next to Rylea and Emma so at least she was being nice.

I can't believe they start this crap in 1st grade. Homeschooling is looking better and better. LOL

Ready for the cold!

Well, not really. I don't want it to arrive, but I know it will. We bought electric blankets for the girls beds and they came in yesterday. Ava has a habit of getting up during the middle of the night because she is cold - and she has good reason - her room and bed really is cold! Then, last week the high was only in the low 60's a couple of days and I realized I didn't have winter coats for the girls yet. So, today, their Gap Hot Pink warmest coats arrived along with hats/gloves, etc - so we are set! I hope it is several weeks before we have to use them. I'm not ready for winter - just yet.

Steve took the girls to the gym to swim when he got home from work. I'm going to watch The Biggest Loser and then settle in for the Presidential Debate.

JD and Ellen are having Mikey their German Shepard (the dog that bit Steve) put to sleep tomorrow morning. I told the girls today (a very abbreviated/kid friendly version) and Isabella took it VERY hard. She immediately broke down crying and you could see JD and Ellen tearing up. He is in severe pain and they have done all they can to alleviate it and help him, but nothing is working. Tomorrow night will be a sad night hanging out without Mikey.

Grandpa

My Grandpa was a trip. He lived with us for the last 10 years of his life. I was going through some old files the other day trying to clear out the office and I found these two letters he had written to one of my ex-boyfriends Tim. Tim was in the Marines and Grandpa wrote him these two letters during boot camp. They gave me a good chuckle. We were talking about them over the weekend at my moms so I decided to scan them and post in case I ever lost them. I thought I would be able to magnify them and you could read them but as many know....I'm computer challenged. So, I'll translate what the letters say under each letter - also Grandpa was full of bull most of the time so..... I should mention - Tim was pretty tall -6'3 and Grandpa nicknamed him High Pockets because he said Tim's pockets were "high in the air" because he was tall. ROFLMBO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dear Hi Pockets, I miss you a lot. So does Alisha. I asked her for news & she said she misses you & for us to plan to go hunting when you come home. I don't know if you can hit a rabbit or not but you might scare him to death if you get started first. I am pretty death on rabbits when I go out. Can skin and dress one but somebody else will have to cook him. I usually carry a pistol with me & I get half of my game that way. They just sit & let me shoot them that way. I don't have license to shoot quail but guess I can get some. Anyhow, I'm a little nervous but guess you can make it all out. Take care & write me in Alisha's letter. I plan to go down home soon. I'll get my share of rabbits when I go out. Behave and will pray for you to keep strait as ever.

Bernard

March 7, 1990

Dear High Pockets,

Greetings - I hope you are well and doing good. Alisha is fine and getting prettier every day. She has to carry a club most of the time to keep the men away. She has a fat bank account and the guys have found it out. They are trying to get on the favorable side and cash in on some of it. It ain't working very good but they have to keep trying. I see pretty Reba pretty often and she loves me more every day. Alisha is being true to you & the boys can't touch her with a 20 foot pole. Reba loves me a lot and we get along very well. I love her. May marry her some of these days. Hope you get home soon. Trent has a new haircut and it's not a beauty. See you soon I hope.

Your old friend,

Bernard Peterson

Pap

Mad.Frustrated.Angry

That sums up my feelings last night at 2:00 am towards God. Isabella woke up at 2:00 with an asthma attack. It's not enough the poor girl is just getting over pneumonia, so let's just throw an asthma attack on her tired body during the middle of the night. Sounds like a good plan to me. So, after puffs on the rescue inhaler (which didn't touch it), cough drops, cough syrup, water, propped up pillows and who knows what else was being tried - I prayed, I cried out to God - please take this away from her, stop the attack and let her little body rest. Well, he didn't answer my prayer when I wanted - which was immediatly....now.

So, I laid in bed listening to Isabella cough and cough and then tell her Daddy "it's ok, I'm feeling better" for well over an hour. When He *could* have healed her - immediatly, right then and there. He would have been given the glory - I promise.

When Steve went to get her some more water I told him I was so angry at God right then. He tried explaining to me we don't know how God works, the timing of his plan - we just have to continue to trust him. Um, not what I wanted to hear at 3:oo am. I wanted him to be mad with me.

So, this morning when I woke I just accepted the peace in knowing and believing He *can* heal instantly. Maybe that is enough.

We let Isabella sleep in today and I drove her to school instead of having her ride the bus and Steve took Ava to preschool. She seemed to feel better but I'll spend the day second guessing whether I should have made her stay home another day.

P.S. - spare me the nasty grams in knowing things could be worse than an asthma attack at 2:00 am - I KNOW life could be worse. :(

Heading to normal

Isabella's fever is gone, cough flares up majorly if she talks or is moving around a lot. It's that horrible crackling cough - a couple puffs of the inhaler calms it down though. Steve gets back in town tonight around 9:00 pm. Amy talked me into taking the kids down to her house at 8:00 pm so Mark and Christine could watch them until Steve gets home and then Amy and I will head next door to Ellens for Top Model and Project Runway. Next week is Project Runway finale!!! Yeah!!!

Isabella goes back to school tomorrow but I'm sending her with strict instructions of no running and taking it easy at recess so the coughing doesn't start up.

Prayer request

Isabella has pneumonia and Steve is out of town = translation: one tired Mommy. Please keep her in your prayers. Amy did take Ava for the afternoon so I could take Isabella to the Pediatrician and go to the pharmacy and get her RX's filled. She is on an antibiotic and some heavy duty steriods to calm things down as well as hopefully prevent an asthma flare-up that would be inevitable with the drastic change in temps here this week.

Festival Weekend

GARZAS ON ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Actually, they are the wheel from the corn grinding thing at the mill. (I wasn't paying much attention to the old man giving us the history lesson). LOL But, it is a Garza tradition (back from when Steve was a little boy - to take a picture of the kids on a rock while on vacation - so we continue the tradition!).

I've said it a million times - I suck at posting and loading pictures here on Blogger so - the pictures are being loaded in a screwed up - out of sync order of the weekend.

This is my brother waving to Isabella and Ava while driving the fire truck. He is a full time firefighter at a Naval station here but is on the local volunteer fire department.

The next two pictures are Sunday morning after breakfast. My aunt and uncle were in town for the weekend and they were staying at Spring Mill State Park. We met them for breakfast at the Inn and then wondered around the park and toured the Pioneer Village (where the Garzas on rocks pic was taken). My niece Dialycia is with us.

This is Ava at the festival on Friday night. She was so excited!

Trent (my bro), my mom, Steve, Me, Dialycia, Ava and Isabella at the end of the night Friday at the festival. Ava, Steve and I rode the Scrambler (Ava LOVED it) and Dialycia paid Isabella $5 to ride the Hurricane I think it was called with her. It went high in the air and around fast. You couldn't have paid me $50 to ride it! Isabella (the scaredy cat - LOVED it).
Ava giving Uncle Trent kisses. She *adores* Uncle Trent and Aunt Dialevash.
We only went uptown on Friday night and then went back to my moms and played cards with my aunt and Uncle and Trent and Dee. Actually, Steve stayed uptown with the girls until 11:00 PM!!!!!! Saturday we had breakfast at my moms and then Steve and I went over to one of my high school friends house for lunch before the parade. All of her family come (I grew up with them) as well as Brandy and Cindi - my BFF's from grade school. We watched the parade and then went back to my moms house for another lunch! My SIL's family all came over as well as my brothers dad and his wife. We ate, played corn hole, croquet and lots and lots of cards. I laughed so hard most of the afternoon and evening. This group is a riot together!

Sunday morning we went to Spring Mill and then after that came home and loaded the car and headed home. I was SOOOOO tired. I slept the 2 hours home and then for another 1 1/2 hours after we got home. Stayed up too late while we were there.