Sunday, August 30, 2009

Tired of Crazy

Goodness - there are some crazy - and I mean seriously mentally crazy people around me and it is somewhat tiring having to deal with them. I am just at max capacity for crazy and can't handle much more.

Can I get an Amen!?!

Girls Weekend

Friday afternoon Brandy, Stephaney and Cindi came up to hang out and spend the night. I haven't laughed so hard like I did this weekend in a long time.

Here we are celebrating Brandy's 37th birthday at Maggiano's.

And a picture of our dessert platter Steve's Sous Chef Rachel made for us.

Everything was so wonderful Friday evening. I don't know if it was the good company, being dressed up or what - but it was a grand time. I did get a kick out of these 2 tables that were sitting next to our booth after the Sous Chef brought out the dessert platter. I heard one of the guys ask the waiter who was sitting at the table and if it was somebody famous! lol Rachel made us individual root bear floats and a spruced up banana split. It was sooo good.
After dinner we headed over to Bella Vita - the restaurant on the Geist Resevoir Marina. We sat on the deck overlooking the marina and had a couple drinks and many laughs. Our waiter - Eric was so fun and we had a blast and even more laughs with him.
Stephaney made Brandy the most awesome birthday gift ever. She is so creative. Must be all the 4-H training. lol She saves and remembers EVERYTHING. Usually this is not a good thing. She made this 20 page booklet spoofing America's Next Top Model. On the front it had a picture of Brandy, Steph, Cindi and Jamie and I from a dance our Junior Year in highschool (were we cool or what?). She then had pictures of people from school and little descriptions of them and their "background" and what their qualifications were to be judges or coaches on America's Next Top Model. Then, for each one of us she had one of our senior pictures and titled it our "Best Shot" and then a brief description of why we were disqualfied from the competition. It would take me too many paragraphs to continue explaining the rest but lets just say, I had to redo my make up after reading it because I was crying so hard laughing.
Last night the girls and I went down to my friend and neighbor Kris's house. Kris and I drank a glass of wine and caught up and the girls played with the dog. Today we have a tailgate party at the church for the Life Groups and a rib cookoff. It's going to be a good time!
Friday the girls and I are heading over to no mans land in Ohio to visit with my Aunt and Uncles, my mom and other great friends. We are taking the girls fishing at my moms best friends sisters house (that's a mouthful!). The girls can't wait to go fishing and are driving me insane talking about it. I may just embrace my surroundings and join in on the action.
I've had to take time off from running which makes me have to do the dreaded stair machine because I think I was running too long to quick and I strained a ligament in my knee. Can't say that I'm looking forward to running again this week because it still sucks big time to run. But, it's good for my heart and health right? That's what I keep telling myself.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

24 Hours with Ava - Revisited

I was going through my old blog and reading older posts - boy - I sure loved to talk on that blog. I had diarreah of the mouth most days. lol I came across a post I titled 24 Hours of My Life with Ava...it was written around her 2nd birthday 2 years ago in July-oh my, did it bring back memories. I'm copying it so those who know Ava well can get a good laugh. She hasn't changed in 2 years. :)

6:30 am - I'm playing in my room and Mommy comes in. She doesn't look happy this morning....I don't know why. My hand was a little tired this morning and to let her know I was up I thought kicking the door would let her know. She does notice my arm has come out of my nightgown though.

6:45 am: I ask for my pacifier and I'm told no. Mommy put the paci's in the closet because I wouldn't keep them in bed where she says they belong. She gets me a sippy cup of milk instead. Is she crazy? Why would I want milk over my pacifier? I tell her I want water and she says something to me about drinking my milk and something about Isabella drinking milk and look how big she is. I'm not buying it though and just hold onto the cup.

7:10 am: Fight with Isabella over who gets the good spot on the couch to watch Sponge Bob. I win, as usual.

7:30 am: Fight with Isabella over who gets to brush their teeth first. I win, as usual.

7:40 am: Fight with Isabella over who gets the best spot on the couch again. I win, as usual.

8:30 am: Head to the gym for Mommy to go to yoga. I love playing here as long as my sister is with me. I've learned if I cry just a couple of times when Bella's not there, they will call Mommy over a loud speaker and she comes and gets me early. I like it when that happens.

10:30 am: Mommy picks us up at the child center. We walk past the womens locker room and I tell her I want to go to the pool. She says no and I voice my displeasure.

10:32 am: Walk past cafe in the gym and ask for a snack. Mom says we'll eat at home. I voice my displeasure.

12:00 pm: LUNCH TIME!!! I ask for a string cheese and mommy gives me one. But, that's not what I really wanted. I wanted a pudding cup. So, I voice my displeasure and she eats the cheese and I get pudding while she's making my sandwich. I lick the side that has jelly on it and eat that side of the bread. I do this everyday and I don't know why Mommy still bothers to put Peanut Butter on it...I never lick it or eat it.

12:30 pm: Dessert!!! I want some dry cereal AND a cookie but I'm told I can only have one. I pick the cookie and eat it.

12:32 pm: I ask for the dry cereal now and Mommy tells me I can't have it since I already had a cookie for dessert. I voice my displeasure and get no where. Mommy just takes me out of the booster seat and cleans me up. I am not happy about this.

12:45 pm: Isabella is playing with the Princess and the Pauper singing Barbie and I want it, so I try to take it. She doesn't give it up too easily so I pinch her. She's loud when she screams!

12:46 pm: Mommy brings me another Barbie but I want the Princess and Pauper doll - because well, Isabella has it.

12:55 pm: I'm playing with my Dora's Talking House.

1:00 pm: My sister wants to play with Dora too, but she keeps moving things around in the house. I tell her very nicely to move, she's persistant and doesn't. I pinch her. She's loud again.

1:15 pm: Mommy comes and tells me it's time for my nap. I don't really want to nap and I tell Mommy nicely that I don't want to but she puts me in bed anyway. I guess I can suck on my paci and close my eyes for a little while.

3:15 pm: I wake up and WANT TO COME OUT NOW!!! Where in the world is my Mommy? Bella? Daisy? Mommy? Bella? Daisy?? Anyone?? Isabella comes and opens the door for me. It's about time.

3:30 pm: Go outside to play. Isabella drives me around in the Barbie jeep. I want to drive also but she won't move. I keep asking her nicely to please let me drive, but she won't give in. This time I hit her and try to bite. She tells Mommy on me. Tattle Tale.

3:35 pm: We are back inside. Apparently I don't play nicely.

5:00 pm: Mommy has dinner made despite her telling me constantly that I'm at her feet and following her around. Daddy comes home and we eat dinner.

6:30 pm: Bath Time!!! I DON'T like to have my hair washed and I want out. But Daddy tells me he has to rinse my hair. Personally, I think he just likes getting water in my eyes. I don't buy the logic I should look up to the ceiling so the water stays off my face.

7:45 pm: PJ's and book time. I go and get the Elmo book. Daddy asks me why I bring this book - we just read it last night. I try and tell him its my favorite but I don't think he understands. He reads it to me anyway.

8:10 pm: Bedtime. Mommy gives me a hug and a kiss and tells me she loves me and asks me how she got so lucky to have the 2 best girls in the world. She asks me this every.single.night. I thought Mommy's were suppose to know everything. If so, why does she ask the same question every night? I just smile and give her a kiss back.

8:11 pm: Mommy walks out and leaves me in my bed.

8:12 pm: I call out to Mommy I need a drink.

8:13 pm: I call out to Mommy I can't find my paci.

8:14 pm: I call out to Mommy I can't find my blankie.

8:15 pm: I call out to Mommy I need another drink. Mommy doesn't look too happy this time.

8:20 pm: I call out to Mommy I need a kiss. I try for a couple more minutes and she doesn't come. I think she has forgot about me.

6:15 am: I knock on the door and call out to Mommy and tell her I'm awake.

6:20 am: I knock on the door a little harder this time and tell Mommy I'm awake.

6:33 am: I knock again and this time call for Mommy AND Isabella. I think they have forgot about me again.

6:45 am: I pull all of my doll babies onto my bed. I think I have 14 at my last count. While I'm up I go ahead and pull the books off of my bookshelf and dump all of the puzzles over. Mommy LOVES picking up these. I start singing Wheels on the Bus.

6:50 am: I try kicking the door again since it worked yesterday. Mommy comes and she looks tired. But then she looks at the bed and the books and the puzzles and I think she looks mad. I wonder why?

6:52 am: I say "Hi Mama" and give her a big smile, hug and kisses on the cheek (these are her favorite) and she looks happy again!.

***the parts about Ava knocking on the doors was because she was too small to be able to open them on her own. Ava doesn't pinch and bite anymore - she prefers hitting.***

Saturday, August 22, 2009

The Finer Things

Isabella has learned from me quite well about liking nice things. She was taking a shower the other night in our bathroom and didn't want to use Steve's "manly smelling" shower gel so she asked me to get her something different. I pulled out of the linen closet some Oil of Olay almond butter/lavender oil bath wash. The stuff really is great - I love Oil of Olay bath products.

Fast forward a couple of days. I hear Isabella telling Steve that Ava's bath soap was in the white bottle (the oil of olay is in a purple bottle). When I investigated further - she was making sure Steve didn't use the good stuff on her and was making Ava use the CVS brand body wash.

Tonight, Isabella gave Ava a shower for me (do I have a great kid or what) and I saw Ava heading to the shower carrying her white bottle of CVS body wash. LOL

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Ava the Make Up Artist

Yesterday Ava got her shots at her Dr. appointment and I mentioned I bought her some make up. Today she was experimenting with it and was very happy with the outcome. She told me when she grows up she wants to be a "Make Up Person". I think there is potential there. At least she matched the eyeshadow to her clothes.

Here she is doing her "peace" signs like Dialycia and Isabella do in every.single.picture. You can also see her bandaids that she refuses to take off from the shots yesterday. She wants to keep them on for sympathy but I told her they came off tonight because she was getting a bath. She wasn't happy to hear that.


And here she is the other day proud of herself for learning to blow bubbles with her gum.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

God Bless Her

I was brushing Isabellas hair a few minutes ago (sidenote - it is so, so nice she is able to shower, wash and condition her hair, rinse it, wash her body, dry off, put pj's on and brush part of her hair - I finish the brushing). While brushing I told her Ava had to go to a special Doctor because of her speech. She acted so concerned and asked "Why"? "She talks just fine".

I know this doesn't come across as sweet as it was, but I wanted to get it down in writing for my memory bank.

Speech, Shots and a Lost Cat

How's that for a title?



Lost Cat: We have lost one of our cats. Daisy - she is about 4 years old and the first cat we got. Last week sometime the cats were outside (they are inside cats but will sometimes go outside for a bit) and we didn't realize they were out. The next morning, Steve said Molly was sitting at the back door wanting to come inside. He didn't even think about Daisy being outside at the time. Two nights later - out of the blue - Isabella starts to panic and asks where Daisy was. Daisy is super shy and doesn't really let anyone pet her or come close to her. We searched all over the neighborhood for her, put up some signs but we still have not heard anything or witnessed any sign of her. I just hope she is safe. Isabella is having a really hard time with it. Molly - on the otherhand is rejoicing she is the only cat in the house!



Shots - poor Ava had her 4 year well check visit today. I didn't think she was getting any shots but I was wrong. She ended up getting 3 and it just broke my heart. She also is going to have to start speech therapy again. She substitutes letters often and the Dr. could only understand about 50% of what Ava was saying. I'm glad she's going to get the help she needs because she does get frustrated when we can't understand her. Isabella usually can understand and translate for us but sometimes even she can't understand it. After her shots I took her and let her get a little make up kit. She still had money from her birthday so we got it and it's made her feel better. Although - she is limping and saying "ouch, ouch, ouch" each time she takes a step. lol



We are getting in the swing of things with school being back in session. Isabella will play for an hour or so after she gets home and then comes inside for dinner, then practices piano, does homework and showers and gets ready for bed. She's been doing great with going to bed earlier - I think 2nd grade is just wearing her out.

Saturday, August 15, 2009

It is on!!!!

Like Donkey Kong! How 80's is that saying? lol But...it is on!

My neighbor Amy is a big runner - like a minimum of running 25 miles a week. I don't walk 25 miles in a month probably. Well, she's really been encouraging me to run with her and she is a great motivator and a great friend so I've started running again. I use to run all the time....like 12 years ago. I'm on day 4 of my "training" and each day it is getting easier. Today, I can honestly say I kinda enjoyed it. But, part of it was I drank 16 oz of this Black Powder stuff that gives you major energy (not jittery energy but just really motivates you and gets you moving faster) and I had downloaded from iTunes some Black Eyed Peas and Flo Rida - am I hip or what?? lol And i hit the treadmill at the gym.

Now - we have sweet Amy and then we have J.D. and Drew. Drew is JD's daughter (Jenny) boyfriend. He probably smokes a pack of cigarettes a day and he is taunting me. So - it is on. They leave on Sunday for Louisville to set up the IronMan triatholon down there and they will be back in a week or so. JD, Drew and I are going to hit the treadmills at Anytime Fitness (where JD works out) and we are going to go at it. Drew says he'll even run with a lit cigarette to prove his manhood. Now - if anyone thinks I'm stubborn - well, you haven't met JD and Drew. I predict I will be removed from Anytime Fitness in an ambulance but I won't get off before Drew. JD will be able to outrun me blindfolded, backwards and with 50 pounds of weights on him - he's going for moral support I think - hopefully for me. LOL Maybe I'll talk Amy into going with me and coaching me.

I save Drew and Jenny's dog (Sheba) the other day and this is the thanks I get...taunting. Bring it Drew - you are going down! LOL

Thursday, August 13, 2009

I have a 2nd grader!!

Isabella started the second grade today. It really seemed like just a regular day. She was a little excited (mainly because of her new messenger book bag) and woke up on her own this morning. She is in what is called the S.E.E.K. room at her school. It is a combined 1st and 2nd grade so she already knows where the room is from last year as well as her teacher who co-taughter with the 1st grade teacher last year. Here she is sporting her Smart Girls ROCK tee we had made for her 1st day of school.
And a picture of little sis hugging her before school.

It's been quiet with only one kid in the house. I'm not complaining that is for sure. :) It's nice to have that one on one time with Ava while Isabella is at school. I'm homeschooling Ava this year for preschool but we aren't starting until the Tuesday after Labor Day.
Isabella started piano lessons on Tuesday. She did great and practices often throughout the day. It will be different now that she is in school and won't have the freedom of all the time during the day to practice.
Monday evening we had several of our neighbors over for dinner. Steve smoked some ribs, chicken and a brisket and then had a pitch in for side dishes. It was so darn good. I was full to the point of being majorly uncomfortable. I couldn't even go to the gym the day after though because my legs were still sore from the 100 squats I did on Sunday. Yes, you read that correctly - over 100 squats. I would do a set of 10 after each rep of exercises. Won't be doing that anytime soon.
I've also started back with running. Let me tell you one thing - running sure isn't fun. I told my neighbor Amy I would run with her so I'm trying to get in shape to begin that torture. Today was my second day of running some at the gym - it was a bit easier (only because I drank some Black Powder beforehand) but it still pretty much sucked the entire time. But, the sweat I worked up felt awesome.
That's the latest happenings in the Garza household. Have a great weekend!

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Pitching Hollywood Style

I don't know why the first picture is so small - if you want to see a close up of it, just click on it and it will enlarge.

Here are a few pictures of Dialycia pitching this past week. Obviously, I'm super proud of her. I can't imagine doing this and having the pressure that was put on her during these games at the ripe old age of 11. (She was on a 10 an under team because at the start of the season she was 10). But, let me tell you - this past week I witnessed with my own eyes the TALLEST and BIGGEST ten year old girls in the States.









Hollywood and a Rant

Thursday morning on the way to the gym I found out my 11 year old niece was going to be pitching at the 10 & under Fastpitch Nationals. I did a quick workout and headed home, threw clothes in a suitcase and headed out to watch her. It was awesome. She is such an athlete! She won the first game (also scored the runs to go ahead and then struck out the last batter to win the game). It was fabulous!!! Then they had to play an hour later and she had to pitch against the reigning National 10 & under Fastpitch Champions. They didn't win this game but she did awesome - also, once again was the one who scored the runs for the team.

Her teammates call her Hollywood. I have to say she got the nickname honestly. Her dad and I are pretty materialistic in the fact we like nice things and namebrand things. Dialycia always has her hair done super cute, designer shades on, Under Armour sweatbands on (I think they may be more for show than actual use), $300 bats and the list goes on and on. Oh, and she drinks Figi water. My sister in law said they originally were poking fun at her with the name but it stuck and it was adorable hearing her teammates cheer her on while she pitched. "Go Hollywood, finish her off. Let's go two six (26 is her number but apparently now a days you say the numbers seperately lol)". I was a nervous wreck!!!!!!!!!

Here is a picture of me, Isabella and Dialycia after her first game she won.

We've hung at my brothers and sister in laws for the last few days. We went to Ohio for a day and half to visit with my aunt and uncle. It was a great visit even if it was short. It really is an eye opener that you need to make time for family and not wait until someone gets really sick to start playing catch up and visiting. I have the greatest aunts and uncles around that is for sure.

And now on to my rant. LOL I am always amused by people who fill out polls and leave cryptic messages on facebook and emails. The comments about hating people who are materialistic, self absorbed, brag, shallow and so on....I know the people who write these things and I know their intentions - that is what makes it all the funnier for me. People - I KNOW I am these things. I fully and completely admit them. I like who I am. I think there isn't a thing wrong with bragging about successes you or your family members have worked hard for. I see nothing wrong with working your tail off at the gym and eating healthy because you want to stay in shape and look good. I see nothing wrong with buying name brand or expensive things if you can afford them. I also believe you usually get what you pay for - hence the reason for buying some more expensive things. I like quality. I fully believe in the motto if you look good you feel good. Who doesn't want to look their best, be healthy and feel good about themselves? I completely admit to all of the above and make no qualms about it. I am who I am and I wouldn't change a thing!

Ok, rant over. The girls and I are heading back to Indy in a couple hours and my niece is coming with us for a few days. Yeah!!! Off to pack up and get ready to go.