Jose and I just got back from our very first adults only mini vacation. We spent 2 nights sleeping in and going to restaurants and eating in the bar to avoid the wait. We went skiing yesterday. Well actually I fell and Jose snow boarded. I used to be so fearless and now the speed just scares the bejeebers out of me! For a Mexican Jose does very well in the snow. He finally is good enough he is ready to take on teaching Eric how to board. It is so funny how excited we were to get away alone but the whole time we were gone we missed the kids so much! So we have made plans to take the kids to he mountians in three weeks. Jose will take Eric down the slopes and Maya and I will go tubing. We figure they won't last longer than a couple of hours. It was nice but I was glad to be missed back home too.
It was so strange trying to figure out where to go eat,,we did no have anything to consider but ourselves....so we just said where do we love to go that the kids like to act out...and when we got there and were told seating would take 45 minutes we didn't have to consider if a child might have a melt down in the foyer of the restaurant.
All in all great fun and we have decided to go for atleast 1 night every 3 monthes.
If nothing else, we can enjoy dinner without someone on our laps and I can take a bath without someone banging on the door yelling that they need me..and we can watch a adult action movie to gorry for their precious eyes......then we can come home and enjoy dinners with someone snuggling up on our laps...I can take a bath and smile as my heart swells when someone is begging me to get out because they need me, and we can all curl up and giggle over some totally appropriate for all movie together!

Seeing santa

Yesterday was Eric's garage and pinata party. Today was Santa at the cannery.

Long lines and lots of Whining we found Eric had no desire to talk to Santa because he had already sent a letter and Maya was scared of him.

Wonderful!

Thanksgiving was nuts. At the last minute 7 additional people decided they wanted to join the fun.. You would think after being married 9 yrs I would be used to the unexpected company...but it still puts me thru a loop. I had a mini panic attack but once I decided just to let it go I actually had a pretty good time with these 7 stangers....funny (that is usually what happens). Elvia, Rosey and I woke up at 3 am to do black Friday. We had it mapped out totally OCD style. Yeah,,,,not very smart. After waiting in line for 2.25 hours just to pay for Elvia's two sweatshirts at Kohls we headed to walmart where they were sold out of almost everything I wanted but the kids pj's was the real bummer. Every year they have kids pj's for 4 dollars. So we went to Freddies, target, jc penney's and Toysrus. After all the crazy lines ets. and no stopping for food or potty breaks (as any real shopper knows food slows you down and drink increases the chances of needing potty breaks) I thought both girls might die or kill me (this was thier first yr tagging alog....and probably their last). We got starbucks and headed home where our kids and boys let us all take naps! What a blessing!

So now I have the wrapping and cookie itch.

Then we went to church and I was reading that the next sermon series is called real simple and it is about the holidays and christmas. And for a moment I froze and really thought about why I do all of this...3 am shopping 9 pm cookies and closet wrapping...and I wonder if in my effort to make the holidays a wonderful and memorable time, do my kids really get what it is about...yeah, I tell them, but does it sink in?

I know, I know, it has been a while. We have been keeping busy running through leaves and other fun fall stuff. Sarah and I made apple sauce to last 2 years a couple weeks ago...then there was halloween. Lots of fun with the ages we have now. Eric is doing great in math but hates sounding out words. Lisette is the teachers pet...because she adores the teachers more than any other child. Maya has been having a blast at home playing with Evan most days. Jose is loving Annie Wright and Panera is the same ole same ole....I really love being the boss more than anything. Oh yeah and Jorge moved in (Jose's younger brother)

Pumpkin Patch

So much fun at Spooners....we got pumpkins, hot chocolate, taffy, and carmel corn. Thekids thought it was a blast. They had a good time picking a pumpkin they could carry by themselves...they tried many before picking one. Jose's brother Jorge (HoreHey) came here Friday and has been staying with us. Today I madesure they taught him how to use the vacuum, and washer and dryer. Tomorrow we will learn, dust rags and wndow cleaner :)

Okay, one month into school and now I know what my mom was always griping about. I feel like a taxi driver. From dropping off to picking up and taking somewhere else. The kids (all3) went to awana for the first time and everybody but Eric thought is was sooo fun but Eric was okay with it. He was super tired because I woke him up early to attend teacher parent conferences 9which are really next week any how..my life story. I don't know how I can run a store like a shio but my life is so very different. If all goes well today we will be at the pumkim patch around 4 or so....(if all goes well)

our most recent pictures ofour little angels...................

Holy Cow when itrains it pours ad so on and so forth. So last week Saturday I went to the ER because I really thought something was wrong with me and having had surgery only 12 days prior I thought it would be prudent to check it out. After many hours of tests I was admitted for 5 days. It was almost the longest 55 days of my life. After the first 24 hours and alot of my brother Josh being very direct with the doctors and nurses about my worsening condition they discovered that I should not be on Morphine because I had a bad reaction. At somepoint in the first 48 hours and after emergeny back surgery to clean my recent incision, they found staph.
NOT FUN! Then there was the 24 hour I was there where I did not recieve any antibiotics and when the doc came and I asked him about it he and the nurses read the order differently so I had to restart teh regimine again. You cannot leave the hospital unitl a full 72 hour cycle.

I was released butam on iv antibiotics for the next 6 weeks which I administer to myself every 8 hours. It is amazing what they trust me to do.
Rosely (my 14 yr od neice) who had been living with us decided she wanted to go home at the end of the 6 month probationary period set up for her parents so Jose and I decided to let her go now instead of having her transfer schools in the begining of October (your first day of high chool is hard enough without doing it 2 times) So we are family of 6 :) and no teen agers :):)

been busy,
had back surgery on tuesday and it seems like i am doing well, going crazy but healthy.
Jose has court Wednesday, our big day at 9th circuit court (and Jose will be 30).
Elvia celebrated 20 years of life Lisette 5, and Maya 3.
Will post when life slows down or kids go to bed before 9 (10 days till schol starts)
Wa hoo!!!!!!

Majic is our newest family member...

Crazzzzy summer fun

Its been a wild ride so far with 4 kids hame all day....Eric starts summer camp today, so that will help him burn energy and the two little ones are a little less wild than he is. We ahave created a schedule for Rosely to keep her off f the sofa this summer and it seems to be working...she thinks it is a load of fun. Jose and I catered a wedding rehersal this week, it went very well...who would have known we hadit in us....

We have been outside almost every night, riding bikes and running through sprinklers takes up most of our free time. We seem to be the coolhouse (in other words all the neighborhood comes over for otter pops).

So far it looks like we will have Rosely and Lisette for the rest of the summer and next school year. Their parents can'tfigure out what they want but they are seperated again and trying to reconcile. Justino (their father) is doing really well on his bi polar meds and for the first time in 10 year I enjoy his company. It is amazing to me just how different he is.

We adopted a dog for the kids, her name is Majic, she is a 10 year old Austrailian Shepard. She is very well mannered and very calm. We can walk her without a leash and just let her wander outdoors with us while the kids play outside. She is the perfect dog for us because of her behavior and our small yard. This week we are also dogsitting Nala, a apeakanese puppy who is not so well mannered but hopefully will take a clue from Majic.

Until next time....

May Day

So Rosely has been to youth group 2 times and I think I have he convinced it is a good thing...Eric is still acting out with Lisette (she did steal the show with Maya) and Lisette is starting to undersand the idea of a routine...Things are becoming easier to manage. Work is okay, I still have a manager out on workmans comp and my Assistant is demoting herself later this month which means I have more admin to do but times like these always remind what it is I have been asking of others.......

my lil racoons...

and I thought march was mad....

So its been a while, where to begin, 3 weeks ago my 2 neices can to live with us (gulp) and life has been hectic to say the least. All things considered we are fairing well. We have gotten through what I hoped would be the worst with the enrolling the 4 almost 5 yr old in kindergarten and changing jr highs for the 14 yr old...but having 4 chilren has certainly brought a whole new set of challenges. Like keeping enough food in the house or just driving anywhere with everyone. Getting 3 young children in the car ready to go has proven to be 10 times easier than getting the 14 year old in the car and ready to go. Then there is the fantastic opportunity to meet her 18 year old guy friend (wow, is he serious....reality check buddy she's in jr high). And that brings to mind...how exactly do you punish a fourteen yr old. You cant very well spank them or wash their mouths our with soap. But on the flip side, Maya (mine 2 1/2)and Lisette (minish 4 1/2) are the best of friends and Elvia (my live in 19 yr old sister in law) and Rosely (minish 14 year old) have paired up quite nicely as well. Poor Jose and Eric (6) have to live in this home with 5 women..so they get to escape more frequently than in the past to places where guyslike to go. Oh yeah,I havn't thrown out left overs since they move in either...in fact I don't know if I've even had left overs. At the end of the day, there is much more for me to do but the reward is there are these kids who all say, You're the best mom in the world..and you smile and say, please remember you once felt that way because one day soon you might not feel that

The madness continues.....

Eric is better but Maya has an ear infection. So we get to try new antibiotics since we have had 3 in the last 6months and these have wonderful side affects. We have had a busier than normal week complicated by the fact that both kids havn't been sick. There are a group of girls visiting Annie Wright from China so Jose has been working late all week feeding them. Two of my four managers had class all week and one is on vacation so I have had to jobs I usually delegate but over all its been good for all involved they get to see that I really do know what I am talking about and I get to remember what it is I put them through.

March Madness

I know its been a while, but both of my cameras are on the fritz and I hate posting without pictures. Eric missed his very first day of school today, he is fighting off the awful flu going around. Maya is her normal self (up to no good). I bought them oh so cute outfits for easter sunday, maybe I can get Sarah to take pics on that day so I can update their photos. We dog sat my friends 6 week old puppy for 2 weeks last month, we all had such a good time she almost did not go home but in the end sanity and hair free bedding and carpet over powered her charm (well maybe not completly, common sense played into it as well). Eric has told me he will ask for a dog for Christmas. He was such a big boy with her, he walked her, bqathed her, fed her and even cleaned up after all of her accidents. Maya loved to play with her and have someone smaller than her to boss around.
Sopray that Eric will kick the fever, Maya's eye is swollen so pray the swelling goes dawn and that she can make it withour catching Eric's bug. Oh yeah, ans Elvia had a date Sunday night and all went very well, pray that she will continue to make friends of her own and build some indepenence (but not too much, I was very much of a worry wart during her date). Jose and I both worked the auction at his work on Saturday, we worked 12 hours each and had such a blast. until later......