This Mexi-CAN!

My Life (since my last post) in 10 Points

2011-02-09T10:31:00.001-08:00

1. I just registered for a 5k. I will be running it (at an amazingly slow pace) this Saturday with friends. Luckily, a couple of my friends are CPR certified.

2. My kids are currently obsessed with Angry Birds--but not the game...the Youtube videos. Great fun. While exploring these videos they linked onto this one which my kids now incessantly sing over and over again:

3. Noah decided to moon his Nursery teacher this past Sunday during the lesson. I had just walked in to take him to the potty, but was waiting for the lesson to end. Noah proceeded to pull down his pants, and say out loud: "Hey! Look at this!"

4. I told Lola that I was thinking of making an appointment to get my eyes checked and that I might need a stronger prescription. She responds with: "Okay...Just don't come back looking like a nerd."

5. I really, REALLY dislike people who don't shovel their sidewalks. I felt like a stinkin' pioneer walking to the bus stop yesterday afternoon to get Lola. Nevermind that I was wearing a sweatshirt and loafers cause I don't own a winter coat or snow boots.

6. They updated Curran's Dish Network package which means we now get the Game Show Network. I believe my butt is one step closer to fusing itself to my couch. I mean seriously, I can't be expected to do anything productive when there are Match Game and $25,000 Pyramid episodes to watch!

7. While watching an episode of "Lingo" with Lola on the aforementioned GSN Lola mentioned to me that one of the contestants, Lisa, was a way better mom than me because she "enjoys playing with her children." I spent the rest of the day threatening to ship Lola of to Lisa when things weren't going smoothly. She, in turn, spent the rest of the day showering me with praises as to what a wonderful mother I indeed was.

8. I shoveled my whole sidewalk and my extremely long driveway. Conclusion: Snow blowers are SO not overrated.

9. Got a message (and pic) of one of my YW from back in CA and who is now in her 20's. Turns out she met David Archuleta and got to hang out with him for a couple of hours. I'm more than a little jealous. If loving David Archuleta is wrong, then gosh-darn it, I don't want to be right.

10. Tacos make me gassy. This may be considered TMI, but I'm not ashamed.

Running on Empty

2011-01-20T20:14:00.000-08:00

I'm still "running." I officially finished week 5 of the "Couch-to-5k" program. That means I am more than half-way done. Today was not a good day, though. For the most part I have finished my running for the day feeling invigorated and energized and all those other positive words running fanatics use to describe why they run. Today I felt like I was hit by a freakin' truck. I was dreading this day for a while. On the schedule was a 5 minute brisk warm-up walk followed by 20 minutes of continuous running. I did it--however slowly--but I did it, and I hated every flippin' minute of it. In fact, it's been over 12 hours since said run was complete and I feel pain everywhere. It took a few hours for the nausea to subside, and my arms don't feel like jell-o as much as they did this morning.

The funny thing about this program is that it assumes you're running a 10 minute mile!!!! So it states: "Run 20 minutes (2 miles) without walking." Guess how far I got in 20 minutes? 1.25 miles!!!! Yeah I know I run slow--My friend Danni walks faster than I run--I'm not ashamed to admit it. I'm a fatty, and although I'm not okay with that I am okay with my slower-than-tar-on-a-winters-day pace because at least I am doing something active. So anyway, I have decided that since the point of my doing this program is to actually complete a 5k (preferably in jogging mode) I am going to watch my distance rather than time...So all you mathmaticians tell me how long I had to "run" to get to my 2 mile goal...No! Nevermind! You don't need to tell me! I lived it. It was a LONG time!

Who runs a 10 minute mile, by the way? I mean, the whole program is all about taking a sedentary person (hence the "couch" part) and work them up to a 5k! How in the Hades am I supposed to be running a 10 minute mile? Let's be honest, even in the best of times the quickest I ever ran a mile was 11:42 and I was in the 7th grade. I've had quite a few Big Macs and Double-doubles since then, so it shouldn't surprise me that I am significantly slower, but truth be told, it can be a little disheartening.

Onward and upward, though. I may be one of the last people to cross that finish line in 3 weeks, and I may have to puke a time or two, but I will finish and I will "run" it. Cause the skinny girl inside of me in screaming to get out...luckily I've managed to shut her up by stuffing donuts down my throat, but that's a story for another day...

Chariots of Fire

2010-12-13T16:17:00.000-08:00

So with every season of Biggest Loser I feel this little fire ignite deep within my gut. There's a little voice that says: "You can do it!" With the season finale on the horizon I find myself here once again. That show inspires me with a slight sprinkling of ticking me off. I would like to have a Jillian or Bob in my life. I want to leave kids and "real life" behind to have nothing but "me" time for months at a time--though truth be told I would be one of those blubbering moms who just wants to go home. And I know what they do on that show is like hard-core--some would say unhealthy. I know I ain't got a chance in Hades to lose 100 pounds in a couple of months--that's totally unrealistic, but it does motivate me to do a little more--to realize that sometimes the hardest part is just getting started.

So what did we get for Christmas? A treadmill. No more lame excuses about it being too cold to go outside. And for a few days after setting it up I would just sit and stare at it. We were sizing each other up, I think and I can't decide who is more scared of who (or is it whom?). I mean, I am a sizeable contender (no pun intended)but I know this machine can sometimes be likened to an instrument of torture--lots of pain, merciless. But after the encouragement I received online I finally set foot (or feet) on that puppy today. This helped too:

Couch potato to 5k in 9 weeks?! Can it be true? We shall see! For now, I have done day 1 and I am alive to tell the tale...I don't hate the treadmill yet. My children stood by and watched me--probably stunned to see their mother exercising. But they also cheered me on and Lola even said I looked better already. Sure I felt a little light-headed, but at least for now I am on my way to being a runner...

Oh the Good ol' Days...

2010-12-06T08:14:00.001-08:00

Obsession

2010-11-15T05:12:00.000-08:00

I've had a lot of obsessions in my lifetime: New Kids on the block, HGTV, reality TV, In-n-Out burgers, Elvis Presley. The list goes on and on. And when I moved to Colorado I had some pretty high hopes for new obsessions--top of the list was "the outdoors." Sadly, I'm still waiting for that one to kick in...

For the last year + that we've been here though, I have learned to dislike snow and anything that comes from McDonald's. In its place I have discovered a new love for all things chicken--especially if it comes from this place:

In the words of my friend's husband: "Find me someone who doesn't like Chick-Fil-A--That person doesn't exist." I concur, Josh. I totally concur. And what's not to love? Yummy salads, sandwiches, free balloons, an indoor play area that is closed off so you don't have to feel like you are eating lunch in a zoo, they refill your drinks, and no crappy kids meal toys (They give books! Books, I say!). I kid you not when I tell you that my typical trip there is never shorter than 1 hour.

But my real love is this:

The spicy chicken sandwich--it's plump and has a spicy kick that makes you say "Ooh! Mama mia!" (kinda like me). And just a couple days ago my love surged to new heights with this:
That's right, Chick-Fil-A sauce!! The little packet is honey roasted b-b-q sauce--which is a topic for anothe time, But here's my beef with this Chick-Fil-A sauce: Every time I go, the friendly cashier asks me if I want any sauce with my order. I always have a moment of panic and promptly say "No, thank you." even though I really want to say "Sure! What do you have to offer?" This place is always super busy and I don't want to be that lady that holds up the line to listen to the list of possible dipping sauces...And once I sit to eat I kick myself for not taking them up on their offer. But, dear Chick-Fil-A, how in the the world am I supposed to know what to ask for?! There is no "sauce menu" anywhere. I have peeked over to other fellow Chick-Fil-A lover's tables and have seen a myriad of sauces. How?! How do they know what this place has to offer? Is it a secret club? Do I have to reach a certain number visits before I am privy to this information? If so, I seriously think I have more than surpassed that number! Who do I see about this? The only reason I discovered this little bit of heaven was because my (real) friend, Leigh Anna let me take one of hers.

It's life-changing. You know how people have these near-death experiences--dark tunnel, bright light and the whole shebang? And when they come back out of it cause it wasn't their time they are changed for the better? They go on to do amazing things with their lives like all Mother Theresa-like? Yeah, that's totally where I'm at. If someone would have come up to me after my first taste of Chick-Fil-A sauce and asked for a kidney or my first-born I'm pretty sure I would've said "Sure! Do you need a lung to go with that?" or "Take her! And I have a 2-year-old I'll throw in for free!" It's just that good.

Problem is, now that I have discovered this little piece of magic, how do I know they're not still holding out on me? What else has Chick-Fil-A been keeping from me? And more importantly, why have they not bottled this sauce?! I'm a girl with a mission now!

2010-10-27T22:00:00.000-07:00

It's 11:00pm. I got back about 45 minutes ago from the Temple and I am wide awake. My kids are wide awake, and my heart is full. I was able to go to the Temple tonight with my Visiting Teachers. But these girls are not just my vt's--they are two of the closest friends I have made out here in Parker.

I have always had kind of a tough time with Visiting teaching. I am not good at making appointments. Sometimes I find it hard to make friends with the girls I have visited. But these girls have strengthened my testimony of this program of our church. They have been my good friends. They have welcomed me into this new ward with open arms and have loved me for who I am. I don't know how I got so lucky to have them assigned to me, but I am oh-so-grateful because they were exactly what I needed here.

We went to the Temple and then went out to dinner and talked for hours. Nothing about our friendship is forced--it has all come so naturally, and I seriously think that friends like these are heaven-sent. I can count on one hand the number of friends I have felt this connection with--but to me, they are all evidence of the hand of God in my life.

I spent 5 hours with them tonight, and I seriously could have gone another hour or two. Isn't it grand when you find friends like this? Isn't it even grander when you have a husband who will let you take 5 hours out of your night to go spend with these friends and not utter a single complaint about his night? All-in-all, one of my most favorite nights EVER!

And So It Begins

2010-10-26T07:40:00.000-07:00

Lola got off the bus a few weeks ago and the first thing she said to me as we were walking home was: "I've decided I'm going to date Oliver." in a matter-of-fact kinda way. I tried so hard not to react, but to just take this info in and to let her keep talking. So this is kinda the way our conversation went:

Me: So you're dating Oliver?

Lola: Yeah. Jillian said she was going to date him but then she changed her mind. So I think I will.

Me: Does Oliver know you are going to date him?

Lola: I think so. I don't know.

Me: Is Oliver nice?

Lola: Yeah I think he is. Joshua said Oliver was a stink-butt, but I don't think he is. He helped me up when I fell, so that's nice, right?

Me: Yes. That's nice. Are you going to tell dad?

Lola: Nuh-uh.

So a few weeks went by and it wasn't really spoken of again. Mind you, I should've seen this coming cause a week or so before this conversation she had mentioned to me that Oliver had been chasing her on the playground. Turns out, this chasing has happened pretty regularly, and when I asked Lola if Oliver ever caught her she answered "Yes" in a very timid sort of way. Then when I asked her what Oliver did after he caught her she responded that she didn't know...

I often hesistate to let Curran in on all this just cause he seems to overreact to anything that might remotely point to Lola actually being a girl and the fact that she is growing up and will one day notice boys and DATE them. He's been quite vocal about his objection to Lola marrying before he's in the grave and not dating till she's 40, yaddah, yaddah, yaddah. But I tell him because I want him to know what Lola is experiencing. Except for last night...

She got off the bus after a 2 week fall break very happy. And as we were walking down the hill she says: "I need to tell you something but you might say 'eewww' when I tell you." My curiousity was piqued and I encouraged her to tell me anyway. So this is what I heard:

Lola: "I kissed Oliver twice today" (Hides face with her little hands)

Me: You did? Okay...ummm...where...did you...kiss...him?

Lola: (whispers) On the cheek and on the mouth...

At this point I don't know what to say. How do I convey to her how special her kisses are without making this huge deal about it. I know as a kindergartener it was completely innocent and that this is just how she shows affection, but I need to say something right? One of my biggest fears is that she will grow up way too soon. I want her to have an innocent childhood, and as my mind races to the future and I start to imagine her teenage years I begin to break out in a cold sweat, and try to calm myself by taking deep breaths, and making a mental note to check out boarding schools online.

We did have a little talk about it later, and I tried to keep it as casual as possible. She also did tell her dad about it even though she had earlier told me there was "no way" she would. Am I freaking out over nothing? Do I just let it go? I gotta be honest--I woke up in the middle of the night and my mind was just racing with what I should do/say. And then I would tell myself to do/say nothing for fear of making more of this than it really is. This is unchartered territory for me!

Ah...Priesthood Session...

2010-10-03T06:46:00.000-07:00

Last night was Priesthood session and not wanting to waste a couple of good hours with no husband around I got together with two of my good friends, Jessica and Claudia (and their corresponding children). By the way, it's kinda weird to bring together two friends from two different parts of your life, isn't it? Jess is from my former, apartment living life. Claudia lives down the street from my new home. The two had never met, and I didn't know how they would jive. Am I the only one who worries about stuff like that?

The night went splendidly--minus a couple of mishaps and accidents. So here is a recap of our night...in pictures:

The kids had Red Baron. We had Carino's. Unfair? No way! When I picked up the Red Baron at Wal-mart Lola said "Pizza?! This is the best day ever!!"

That's supposed to be Noah. But he didn't take a bite out of a corn dog. He opted for Chewy's arm. And Lola got a monster splinter in her thumb--though by the sounds of her incredibly high-pitched screams you would think her whole hand had been gnawed off by a ravenous wolf. The shrieks ended thanks to Jessica's sweet skills with the tweezers.

Once the kids were fed and catastrophes taken care of we made some killer desserts: pumpkin pie milkshakes and pumpkin roll...mmm...and this is what my kitchen sink looked like at the end of the night:

But THIS is how my heart felt after spending a couple of hours with two of the bestest, strongest, most beautiful girls I know!

White Realization

2010-09-14T06:58:00.000-07:00

So as I was leaving the library about two weeks ago with a sweet stash of books I glanced over to one of the little display tables and saw this book:

I have lived among White people all my life--I thought I knew what they liked, but also thought it would be interesting to see just how much of an expert I truly am.

As I began reading I found myself nodding my head a lot agreeing with what I was reading, and about half-way through the book I felt like I was hit in the face with a ton of bricks. "Why?" you ask? Cause I came to the stunning realization that according to this book I am a lot more White than I thought I was!!! I know my birth certificate states "Caucasian" as my race/ethnicity--a serious type-o if I ever saw one. But now that I've read this book I am beginning to seriously wonder if maybe I was adopted. According to the book, these are some of the things White people like that I do too:

farmer's markets
diversity
having Black friends
David Sedaris
'80's night
Arrested Development
plays
Whole Foods and other grocery co-ops
vintage
kitchen gadgets
documentaries
expensive sandwiches
study abroad
musical comedy
multilingual children
having gay friends
dinner parties
scarves
self-deprecating humor
integrity
pretending to be a Canadian when traveling abroad
high school English teachers
subtitles
platonic friendships
reusable shopping bags
acoustic covers
The Simpsons
avoiding confrontation
DJs
not having cash
eating outside
books
hardwood floors
bakeries
cheese
modern art museums
public transportation that is not a bus

I just hope my Mexican friends don't shun me and that my White friends will continue to embrace me.

Glimpses of Noah

2010-08-28T06:41:00.001-07:00

Cause he's too cute to keep all to myself...

A Much Needed Pep Talk

2010-08-28T06:04:00.000-07:00

Woke up this morning to find this little gem. Thanks, Heidi.

This is an excerpt from The Invisible Woman by Nicole Johnson. It is something I read and reread often. Hope it touches your heart the way it does mine.

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, "Can't you see I'm on the phone?" Obviously not; no one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this? Some days I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, "What time is it?" I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again.

She's going, she's going, she's gone! One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked down at my out-of-style dress; it was the only thing I could find that was clean. My unwashed hair was pulled up in a hair clip and I was afraid I could actually smell peanut butter in it. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, "I brought you this." It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription:

"To Carol , with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees." In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work:

1-No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names.

2-These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished.

3-They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.

4-The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the Cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, "Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it." And the workman replied, "Because God sees." I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, "I see you, Nicole. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become."

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride. I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder.

When I really think about it, I don't want my daughter to tell the friend she's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, "My mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table." That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want her to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to her friend, to add, "You're gonna love it there." As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

Roll out!

2010-08-03T10:01:00.000-07:00

Didn't every kid in America grow up with a car like this? I know we owned at least two of these--a rusted silver one and a sweet mustard colored one with wood paneling. I know my Tia Estela owned a green one too. But seeing this car just brought back a million memories for me.

We frequented the drive-in in one. The back would be folded down and loaded with blankets and pillows and all sorts of toys and junk.

These puppies could hold like a whole army. My mom would drive us to Catholic school in one and all the kids had some kind of army vehicle name for it.

My brother was sitting the front seat once and he was hanging on to the door handle for safety only to hang on a little too tight, accidently open the door, and go flying out of car.

Once on our way to school the horn got stuck and we drove the entire way with this blaring horn going--as if the car didn't call enough attention to itself.

In my aunt's car I remember we (all the cousins) piled into one--from the rear door cause they all had those sweet doors in the back. As we were getting ready to drive away the driver tried to roll up the back window, not realizing one of my cousins had their head OUT the window and when everyone started to scream cause someone was stuck she panicked and couldn't figure out how to roll the window down.

Oh, the memories...I would drive one of these now over a mini-van ANY day.

Summer's over!

2010-08-03T09:57:00.000-07:00

He's got a lot of this to look forward to now that Lola's starting kindergarten...

Confessions of an Unfit Mother

2010-07-27T09:26:00.000-07:00

I don't grind my own wheat.
I don't bake my own bread.
I don't sew all my clothes--I can't even sew a button on or hem a pair of pants unless fabric glue is involved.
I don't have a home garden.
I don't do my own canning from the bounteous harvest of aforementioned garden.
We sometimes have "t.v. days" cause I just don't have the energy to plan great and exciting things for my kids to do.
I don't keep a journal for myself or for my amazing children.
Sometimes I can't sneak a shower into my crazy day.
I let my kids eat unhealthy snacks.
I don't shop with coupons.
I always seem to forget my reusable grocery bags when I go shopping thus increasing my carbon footprint.
I bribe my kids with candy.
Sometimes my kids go days without a bath.
It takes me days to do laundry cause I'll start a load and get so distracted I wont remember to switch it till days later at which point I have to re-wash the load.
I often forget to read my scriptures/say my prayers.
I screen my calls a lot--even those from dear friends.
I seem to live a lot in the "What if" mode and let my beautiful reality pass me by.

And this is only a partial list. I woke up this morning knowing it was going to be "one of those days." And then for a split second the negative thoughts began to surface--how I should be doing more of the good things and less of the bad things, and berating myself for not living up to these self-imposed expectations I feel I have to live up to. But you know what? I'm a good mother! My children are happy and healthy and thriving. I have the awesome blessing of getting to stay home with them. I am here for them whenever they need me. And although I may not be readily available when they come to me they always know I am close by. I need to quit beating myself up for all the things I don't do and start recognizing all the good I do.

In the words of Stewart Smalley: I'm good enough. I'm smart enough. And gosh darn it, people like me.

Thanks for joining me for this mini therapy session. I feel better.

Study like a scholar, scholar!

2010-07-16T14:37:00.000-07:00

2010-07-16T08:14:00.000-07:00

Thanks Jill for the oh-so-gentle reminder! Sometimes I think "This is why I went to college?!" Sometimes I think what I'm doing is such a waste of time. Sometimes reading my book is so much more interesting that watching my kids try to impress me. Sometimes I get so caught up in the monotony of it all that I forget how fast time is really going and how important my job really is. Sometimes I wish they would hurry up and grow up instead of cherishing their innocence and curiousity. Sometimes I wish I didn't answer to the word "mom." Yet, never, ever have I stopped being grateful for them--for all that they teach me and for how effortlessly they forgive and so willingly love me. It's good to know that although I often-times think my work is unbearable/unnoticed I have not only a good husband by my side, but also the help of a loving Heavely Father.

Life is good.

Home is where...all your time and $$ go!

2010-07-07T09:44:00.000-07:00

Things we've done around the house:

Painted 2 walls in the kitchen a bright yellowy-orange--think orange julius.
Replaced the medicine cabinet in the upstairs bath--unsuccessfully. Apparently, it's slanting to the left a little and it's driving Curran crazy.
Painted upstairs bathroom.
Painted kids play room.
Window treatments for the play room, living room and kids bedroom.
Pulled out a massive juniper bush in the front yard, dug up all the rocks and leveled it.
Put another layer of rocks on the side yard.
Edged 90 ft of side yard to put some kind of retainer in--tried to put retainer in by myself and after wresting with 60 feet of edging and hammering my hand while putting in stake #2 I gave up.
Hung wall art in bathrooms, living room, kids room and kitchen.

And numerous other little projects have taken place--with many more on the "to-do" list still. Funny how when I moved into this house I swore it was move-in ready and there was absolutely nothing I needed to do to it...

All of a sudden I start to think about how all growing up my dad spent almost every free moment doing something around our house--fixing, updating, pruning, cleaning. That man was always busy, and I could never understand it...until now. And now I'm starting to understand why it pays to have multiple children--cheap labor. Even with this new revelation I still have NO plans of adding another "little Curran" to the mix. So don't get your hopes up. This baby factory is CLOSED. And it makes my two children that much more precious and valuable. They're like limited editions. And how did we go from talking about housework to my womb?

I'm a Goner...

2010-07-02T10:27:00.000-07:00

So Curran and his two brothers that also live in Colorado have gone to Utah till July 5th. They said they were going out there to help their parents finish projects around the house that have taken more time than originally expected. I personally think he went on some "boy trip." He claims his finger is still swollen from the wasp sting so his wedding band is sitting on our dresser as we speak. I'm sure there will be a lot of movie watching and eating of fast food, and goodness knows what other mayhem these "wild" guys will cause--maybe some computer games, bowling and if they're feeling really adventurous maybe even miniature golf. Watch out Taylorsville, UT!! The Mitchell brothers on the loose!

But I am writing this post as a warning or S.O.S. of sorts. See, yesterday while edging our side yard by the sidewalk--which by the way is like 100 feet long! I had no idea how long 100 feet actually was until Curran handed me a shovel and told me to start clearing rocks. So we're out there shoveling away--sweating profusely when a guy on a bike comes riding by. I ignored him mostly, until I saw him circle around and stop in front of us to ask what we were doing. Curran proceeded to explain to him what we were doing and bike-guy says our work might be easier if we use a pick-axe first to break everything up. We exclaim what a genius he is and what idiots we are for not thinking of such a thing. He then offers to let us borrow his pick-axe as long as we're careful with it. He rides off and promises to be right back. Sure enough, a few minutes later he is strolling down the hill with a giant tool in one hand and a coffee cup in another. BTW, who drinks coffee in 90 degree weather?! This should have been my first red flag...

He shows Curran how to use the pick-axe and then offers to just finsh off the rest of the pick-axing (about 40 feet) for us so he doesn't have to leave his tool. We reluctantly agree--we're not used to having nice neighbors. Being from L.A. I eye everyone suspiciously. So he keeps digging and starts making small talk with Curran. Curran tells him that he is leaving town for 4 days and that his wife (ME!!) and his kids will be home alone the whole time!!!! I try to ignore his big mistake and find other things to do. So I start weeding the backyard, and about a half hour later Curran has invited bike-guy into our garage and out to the backyard to show him who-knows-what.

So this is the jist of what I'm trying to say:

1. There is a random bike riding guy out in my neighborhood who knows I am sans husband this weekend.

2.Curran has given him a tour of our home so I'm sure he has figured out the best places to hide and/or break in.

3. He owns a PICK-AXE!!

4. He's a red-head--and we all know how crazy those people are. Am I right?

SOOOOO, if you don't hear from me this weekend or anytime thereafter it's cause I AM DEAD!! I'm generally leary of strangers, but a stranger with red hair and a pick-axe? Hello! I am doomed.

P.S. Anyone who wants to come spend the night while Curran is away may inquire within...unless you have red hair.

I Just Want to SLEEP!

2010-07-01T05:04:00.000-07:00

We've been struggling with getting Noah to sleep in his super comfy twin size bed since like...getting rid of the crib a year ago. It's been a battle every night. He is now two and a half and sleeping with him in our queen size bed is impossible (and painful).

We have tried everything short of locking our bedroom door and letting him figure it out at night. Our latest attempt(s) has been a combo of trying to get him to nap in the early afternoon--not at 6 pm as he would like to or eliminating the nap all-together so that he is so absolutely exhausted at night he will zonk out for at least 8 hours. Sometimes it works. Most times it doesn't.

So now I go in there and say a prayer, sing a song and choose our most favorite part of the day. Then I proceed to lay down (in a twin bed) with Noah in the hopes that he will be comforted by having me close and fall asleep--leaving me to sneak out of the room and back to my bed. That has happened probably twice in the 2 months we've been doing this. And I know it's our inconsistency that has made it so stinkin' difficult. It's hard to say "no" to that beautiful little face--especially when its 1 or 2 in the morning and you're half asleep.

But this post isn't about that. It's about last night and how flippin' tired I am today. I went into their room last night and did our nightly ritual. I left them there and Lola quickly fell asleep. Noah wandered in and out of our room multiple times and climbed into Lola's bed to try to wake her up. An hour later I got up and got him back in his bed and cozied up to him. He had me sing songs and then tried to climb over me to "go sleep daddy's bed." At this point I had had enough of being kicked by his pudgy little feet and slapped by his chubby little hands so I grabbed my pillows and laid on the floor...it was hard.

Without realizing it, I fell asleep and when I awoke I was sore and cold. But Noah was asleep--in his own bed! So I went back to my bed thinking the battle was over (it was 1 am). At about 4:30 he came sneaking in and since the sun was rising I let him under the blankets. But once again it's like being stuck in a confined space with a midget cage fighter. I left him there and took over his bed in the other room. 10 minutes later he came in looking for me and climbed in!!

So I have given up! I have come downstairs to find something productive to do (like blogging/complaining). And guess who is lying on the couch next to me?! Yup! Noah!!! It's touching and heart-warming to be so loved and needed, but couldn't it just be between the hours of 8am-8pm?! Please?!

My Eye Ain't Queer--Part Uno

2010-06-13T17:37:00.000-07:00

So in case you've been living in a cave and haven't heard: We bought a house. I love my little house. It grows on me little more every day. Some mornings (most mornings) I wake up still thinking I'm living in my old apartment. Then I look around me and smile.

Here's the problem--okay ONE of the problems, you know, besides a half-dead lawn, not knowing how to work my sprinklers, having a beautiful formal living room with no furniture, etc. I have a cute little kitchen with one big, white wall. I went out to collect paint samples and taped them to the wall while I figured out what the right color was for my most favorite room in the whole house. I had friends come over and after being left speechless for a minute they told me (as nicely as they could) that about 90% of my choices were a little too "Mexican."

So the next day I had my realtor come over (is he still my realtor if our business is done and over?). He had previously admitted during one of our house hunting excursions that he likes to dabble in home staging/design. This little bit of trivia about him did not surprise me in the least. He's always nicely dressed and truth be told, my gaydar goes off a little bit when he's around. I have gaydar. I bought it online at Sharper Image.

So he comes over, and like my friends the night before, his initial reaction was silence. I tell him what the girls had said about my paint colors. He chuckles and admits that he thought the same thing. Anywho, we discuss colors. We throw around ideas for the landscaping, and the covered patio. I make him (in his fancy clothes) try to figure out why my sprinklers aren't functioning. He's crawling around in my crawl space, touching cobwebby valves --nothing! He's stumped! Aaaand this has nothing to do with my original story. So we will re-visit the sprinklers another day.

I have a hard time making decisions. I don't trust my style--I still have an old school denim jacket and lots of clunky shoes. I can't possibly be expected to choose a paint color for my accent wall. For now, my idea is to leave the wall completely white , but it does need something. So I've searched online for prints that I think may compliment my kitchen decor. These are my top choices--you tell me what you think.

Here's what may help you decide:
The cabinets, island, and nook table are dark.
The appliances are white.
I've decorated with polka-dots and stripes.
The main colors are black, white, red, yellow and green.

And because I'm not an expert at blogging, the pics are in the following post.
Be honest!

My eye ain't queer! Part Dos

2010-06-13T16:54:00.000-07:00

Random Thoughts

2010-05-27T09:18:00.000-07:00

Things that have run through my mind lately:

I hate packing
I hate cleaning
I hate unpacking
Caring for a lawn is like caring another child
How can a two-year-old's feet smell so bad?
Wascally wabbits!!
A place for everything and everything in its place
Sometimes one-hour church is 45 minutes too long
I'm glad Curran is around to help me. I couldn't do this without him.
How long is too long for my kids to go without a bath?
I wonder how Lost ended?! (Don't you DARE tell me! It's on my Hulu list of things to watch)
Thank you CBS reporter for ruining the Celebrity Apprentice finale for me!!
I'm only letting Noah's ducktail grow out to go with the white trash lawn we currently have...
I have to take a toll road to get to the closest Sams Club?! I'm going back to Costco.

2010-04-24T16:40:00.000-07:00

I just got back from a birthday party at Chuck E Cheese's. The moment the kids were invited I cringed. That place is every parent's nightmare, and yet somehow, it seems to be the "it" place for birthday parties (still). I thought these went out of fashion when the Pump it Ups and Houses of Bounce came into existence. Today I learned that I TOTALLY stand corrected.

I knew we were in trouble when we had to circle the parking lot multiple times to find a spot. Once we found a spot we were greeted by a line that went out the door--just to get in! Are you serious?! Once again, my spidey senses were telling me to RUN the heck out of there--to fake some kind of injury or ailment and drag my screaming children back to the car and to the safety of my cave-like apartment. But no, we waited, and waited, and waited. BTW, love how the red ropes and the teenage, pimple-ridden bouncer at the front of the line are meant to make you feel like you're getting into some posh Hollywood night club. They even have a clip board with a VIP list! I noticed how they sneered when I told them that the party we were attending was not "Chuck E. sanctioned," and was merely being held at a few booths in the outer limits of their exclusive VIP birthday lounge.

After they gave us our hand stamps to make us parents feel safe that no one will be able to walk out with our children--though there were a few times today I would have turned the other way had someone volunteered to take my sugar-laden children home with them--we proceeded to look for our party. We found it and both of my adorable children took off running in opposite directions. Good thing we had hand stamps! Never mind the pervs that could be lurking around eyeing my children, and pretending to be another frazzled parent. I panic in places like this! There is so much stinkin' sensory overload, and way too many funky smells around.

Lola would only resurface when she needed more tokens--and I only gave her one at a time--my way of keeping tabs on her. Noah was a different story all together. He wandered from game to game--asking for tokens at each one. He would insert the token, push a couple of buttons and then walk away while the game was still going. He also would sneak up behind kids while they were completely engrossed in their games and swipe their tickets, or join them in tossing balls or sit on their little ride--total free-loader and thief--made me proud.

Back to my ranting: there were lines for ALL the games--ALL. What is this place? Disneyland? There were also quite a few of these games that ate our tokens! Seriously lost quite a few, and I just felt like a fool looking for an employee in the sea of people to fetch me my lost token. I'm a grown woman for crying out loud! Not to mention that the minute you stepped away from a game there was someone right behind you waiting to take a turn. And speaking of being a grown woman--You would not believe the number of adults that were walking around flashing their wads of tickets, or playing these games--like with an intense, serious look on their face and all. I noticed this the last time I went to Chuck E Cheese's out in L.A. too. Some people take their ticket winning way too seriously and will beat you down if you even eye their monstrous pile of tickets funny. Really? This is how they choose to spend their time/money?It's the same feeling I get when I go to an amusement park and see grown men walking around flaunting their massive stuffed animals (that probably came from some sweat shop in China). News flash: There is no pride in you spending some ridiculous amount of money to win some cheap toy that is probably full of lead (cause you know how those Chinese are) and will most likely end up in a thrift store someday.

And don't even get me started on their pizza...If I ever run into that mouse in a dark alley he better run! I'm just saying...

Casa de Mitchell

2010-04-19T20:31:00.000-07:00

So, we haven't officially gotten word back from the bank, but I'm just too excited to wait any longer! Besides, word from our lender is that the whole process is "looking phenomenal." We are getting close to closing this deal, and I'm gonna take a chance and trust God that things will turn out as they should (a.k.a. I get my house). A couple of things to keep in mind: 1) the house is not officially ours, but with a "phenomenal" outlook, how can it not be? and 2) The stuff in the pics belongs to the family currently living in the home. So, without further ado, I present, our little Ranchito de Mitchell I ain't too blog savvy, so let me fill you in on what you've seen above:

1. The outside of the house (obviously). It's on a corner lot, and I dare you to tell me it's not a cute lil' house!

2. Then there was the front room, or what some people refer to as the "formal living room." Ya'll better not expect to hang out here unless you're the president (well, maybe not even him) or some foreign dignitary.

3. Next is the family room. Cozy and comfy. Me likey.

4. Then you see the kitchen. Somewhat small--and the biggest reason we rejected this house the first time we saw it, but we've been able to figure out how to add counter space and make the seating less of a space-eater. Just wait till we show you!

This is the eating area. I'm not a big fan of eat-in kitchens, but there is definite room for expansion, and if we turn out to fall in love with the place and refuse to move ever, we will add on to this here cute lil' area.

The master bedroom, in all it's glory

One of the small bedrooms

The third bedroom--this will be the toy room until the kids get old enough to start hating each others guts.

Then you have the a-mazing backyard. This is my most favorite part, hands down. The covered patio is great and the amount of space the kids will have to run and play in is unbelievable! There is also a raised garden, a sand pit, and a giant throne hidden among the trees.

So, there it is. It grows on me a little bit more every time I glance at these pics. We can't wait to start packing and make this little house our own!

Jackpot!

2010-04-10T20:56:00.000-07:00

So, you may have heard that we found a house we really liked--well, let me back up...we have found a lot of houses we really liked. We viewed 62 houses (some of them more than once) and placed offers on 5. We had a lot of rejections/outbidding-ness, and I was starting to get a little down--okay a WHOLE LOTTA down. Don't believe me? Ask my husband, my realtor, and my close friends who (on more than one occasion) have seen me break down and cry like a baby.

After my latest meltdown I came home and did a lot of pondering and praying, and kept getting the feeling that we should go back to see a house we had dismissed as being too small the first time around. It has the coolest backyard with tons of trees and a covered patio, but at 1300 square feet I just felt it wasn't big enough. The square footage of the lot is insane. The house itself, is little, but sufficient for our needs. So we made our poor realtor take us back for another look and Curran and I both felt that this was our home. The offer was accepted and we have had the paperwork submitted for the loan and have already taken care of the inspection.

I learned a lot through this whole house hunting process. I wont go into all the lessons learned, but I realized that I started to get a little caught up in the excitement and was looking for more house than was necessary. Then I thought back to those days, that seem so long ago now, before the idea of buying our first home even crossed our minds, and how insistent I was on having a big backyard and a little home. Little home = less for Carol to clean. I wanted something cozy and cute, and by golly I think we have found it!

I was postponing the posting of pictures because my biggest fear is that I will get ahead of myself and then find out that the financing fell through, aaaand since I waited so long, the pictures on all the real estate sites have been taken down since the house is officially under contract...sorry, or as Noah says: "wowwy." Guess this just means you'll have to come visit or be one of the lucky few to get an invite to the sweet house warming party I'm already planning in this giant noggin of mine!!

P.S. the pic is of an actual mailbox we saw at one of the many homes we viewed. The fish box was by far the coolest part of the whole house, or hole of a house, better stated.

Addendum

2010-03-21T07:35:00.000-07:00

Dude, seriously? I hate to ask, cause I know I'm asking for it, but really, how much worse can it get? Yesterday I was pulling back into my covered parking spot after Pinewood Derby and hit a freakin' pole and bent my rearview mirror back! Curran tried to direct me on how to fix my horrible parking job, and I just got frazzled, slammed the car into park and got out to let him figure it out on his own.

I thought for sure my bad luck would come to an end, but then as I was about to leave to house to go watch "Twilight" for the first time I decided to make a potty run--just like I make my kids do before leaving the house. Well, my precious cell phone (which really was a piece of junk, but it was precious to me) decided to go for a swim in the toilet! I fished it out, but it was no use. After switching my sim card to a new phone I discovered that all my Colorado numbers were deleted. Why all my Colorado numbers and not the others? You'll have to take that up with my phone. I personally think someone (or something) is still bitter about leaving California. I think it was feeling a little inadequate in a place filled with iPhones and Droids. I wish it had talked to me first, though. I might've been able to talk it out of ending his dear, sweet life. I needed it. I don't think it understood just how much I relied on it. May I show my new phone just how much I appreciate it before it's too late! Let this be a lesson to us all! Don't hold your feelings in! Tell your phones how much they mean to you before they're no longer around to hear you. And don't carry your cell phone in your pants pocket.

In all the mayhem and chaos afterwards--trying to rescucitate my phone, wondering if calling 9-1-1 would help--I completely forgot I had to pee!!

Highlights (and lowlights) of the Week

2010-03-20T06:21:00.000-07:00

Judge 'em as you wish:

1. Went to look at houses in Centennial and Littleton where I found a house decorated in the "Party Centerpiece" motif--ceramic babies and gaudy flower arrangements ga-lore--including a tiny shrine to the Virgen de Guadalupe. Bonus points if you can tell me whose house this reminded me of (and I say that with the utmost love and respect)!

2. While looking at other houses, witnessed my realtor knock over a picture frame (of the favorite child cause there were pictures of the same girl--in the exact same pose--all over the house) and send shards of glass flying all over the carpet. I almost wet my pants seeing the panic on his face...

3. Went to the park TWICE this week where we got a little sun, threw wood chips around enjoyed the weather before being hit with the yuckiest snowstorm I've driven in.

4. Once again, managed to break my vacuum--why doesn't this ever happen when Curran's vacuuming?

5. Went for a 2-mile walk and spent the rest of the day (and the next) with shin splints, feeling nauseous and so stinkin' sore--even my hair hurt. Working out is overrated...just saying...

6. Skidded into a curb (at pretty good speed) and was then thrown back into oncoming traffic where I sat stunned for like 5 minutes before reacting. Thank you to Pie and my sweet husband for dealing with a pretty shocked (and at times hysterical) me. Oh and to Jessica and Elise for their session of exposure therapy--nothing like confronting your fears just a few hours after seeing your life flash before your eyes!

Panic

2010-03-17T03:31:00.000-07:00

I am awake at 4:30 in the freakin' a.m. Why, you ask? cause I came to the startling realization that I am getting fatter. I put my jeans on last night--the ones that not that long ago required me to wear a belt to hold them up. Aforementioned belt was not even needed--far from it. These "fat day" jeans were a tad bit snug on my surprisingly-expanding gut. And that's the funny part: It came as a total surprise! How did I not realize this would happen after the continuous party I've been having with my new-found amigos? How is it that at 4 am my eyes popped open with the stark realization that I was fatter? It came as such a shock that my little eyes (which may be the only thing little on me at the moment--besides my willpower, of course)would not shut. My mind started to race and I think I felt some heart palpitations--though that just may be due to the cake and cookies and ice cream I've been chowing down.

So what is my course of action now that the shock has subsided some? To sit my rotund self on the couch and blog about it, of course...and check my farm on FarmVille...cause that's what all healthy, active people do, right? I'm trying to figure out a plan. And now that the weather is getting warmer I will be left with minimal excuses--but trust me, I'll still find some. Usually episodes like this in my life begin with me being in total denial--walking by the scale a million times a day but refusing to weigh myself to avoid the harsh reality of my fatness. But I'm making progress! I gave myself a little pep-talk as I was lying there awake instead of telling myself what a failure I am, and I walked to the scale to confront that number and know exactly what I'm up against. Good news: It's not as bad as I thought. Bad news: I may lose my friends over this cause I learned last night they only like me for my food...

How's the House Hunt?

2010-03-16T08:24:00.000-07:00

Well, LET ME TELL YOU!! You might want to get comfortable, cause I have a feeling this one may take a while. I wont be offended if you choose to not read the whole thing. I promise...well, maybe a little bit, but I don't hold grudges...for long.

We got bit by the house hunting bug at the beginning of the year. We got a nice tax refund. We were reminded of the wonderful tax credit for first-time home buyers, and a friend in the ward was selling her house. So we started searching for a realtor. I asked for recommendations from a community yahoo group and within an hour had received over 30 emails with realtor recs. We were a little overwhelmed, but chose a couple and met them in person at different times--although now that I think about it, having them meet each other and holding some kind of Roman gladiator-esque competition might've been a better way to go...hindsight, I tell you.

We had a little bit of a tough time deciding. We liked them both--but for very different reasons. If only we could mesh the two into one super-uber realtor we would feel like we struck real estate oil. We broke up with one and committed ourselves to the other, and have felt on multiple occasions that we made a horrible mistake--just kidding. Time and time again Curran and I have felt that we went with the best one for us. We've also learned that the relationship you have with your realtor is just like a dating relationship. On more than one occasion I have referred to us "going steady" with him, and how sneaky realtors have tried (on more than one occasion) to get us to "break up" with him. But communication is so important, and honesty, and rapport (which might be the same as communication), and values--check, check and check, my friend.

There are a few things you should know about me: I'm a girl, and as such I am entitled to be stubborn, and fickle, and indecisive (which might be the same as fickle), and I exude these traits to the max. It started out with my firm rule of not wanting to move out of the ward boundaries--yes, that same ward I was so hesitant about 9 months ago; the ward I thought I would never be able to feel part of. I didn't want to move to a new ward, and be "the new girl" again--or worse yet--be called to the nursery again since that seems to be my "hazing" upon moving into a new ward.

After exhausting those options I compromised and said I would look out of the ward boundaries...but NOT out of the stake boundaries. We had more to choose from and actually found a few we really liked. Some of our possibilities did not come to fruition (love that word) but we have one that is hanging in there. We have hit a bit of a massive road block thanks to a lender who shall remain nameless. Let's just say their name rhymes with "mytech." Said lender is made up of a bunch of CHUMPS. That's right, I said it--chumps. I will spare you all the details, but let's just say the words "loan fraud" have been thrown around to refer to what they're trying to do. Chances are this lender has tried this tactic before and been successful, otherwise, why would they attempt such a risky deal? Isn't that sad? The most frustrating part is that our hands are basically tied. There is nothing we can do (that is legal) to please them.

We went as far as to look in another city completely only to learn that it just didn't feel right--see? I can be flexible. So now, we wait. We wait to see if those jokers have a streak of integrity and take the deal before the bank forecloses on the house. We wait to see if any new listings in our price range come up. We wait to see if we get a $20,000 check in the mail. We wait to see if we win the lottery. Problem is, I STINK at waiting.

Hee hee, and woo-wooo!

2010-03-12T13:52:00.000-08:00

This skit from Jimmy Kimmel is not only hillarious, it also has some sweet eye candy. Ladies, enjoy. Gentlemen, I beleive even you can admit that these men are indeed handsome. Go on, admit it. We won't think you're less of a man, or a little too in touch with your feminine side for doing so.

Randomness

2010-02-15T19:39:00.001-08:00

It's been a while since my last post and a lot has been happening--the biggest of all--well, there are three big things (and none of them involve a "bun in the oven" so just get that out of your head right now--are: Noah turned 2, Lola turned 5, and we are officially house hunting.

Noah's birthday was totally low key. He's two, and we took advantage of the fact that he wouldn't know any better and took him out for Mexican food where a bunch of loud Mexicans (present company included, and one with a COW BELL) sang happy birthday to him and scared the be-jee-bees out of him. We then took him to Target and let him pick out his gift. I was going to try to lean him towards the bigger toys, but then thought better of it and let him take home a $5 DVD and a $3 bouncy ball. He was ecstatic (and so were we)!

Lola's birthday was more of a weekend celebration. Much like her mom, she firmly believes birthdays were meant to be "birth weeks" or in this case a "birth weekend." Friday was her preschool Valentines/birthday celebration. She scored tons of sweets and plenty of valentines. Saturday I took Lola and Grace (her bestie) to Build-a-Bear where they each picked out an adorable (and overpriced) plush animal and stuffed, bathed, dressed and named it. Lola came home with "Queen Bear" and Grace came home with "Kiwi." We then went to lunch at Red Robin and stuffed ourselves with yummy food. Sunday after Church we had neighbors and family over for cake and ice cream (p.s. Thank you Pioneer Woman for the "best chocolate sheet cake" recipe). She scored yet more gifts and went to bed a happy girl. This morning she woke up to a room full of balloons and yet more gifts--oh to be five again!

The house hunt, though, is what has consumed the majority of our time since the beginning of the year. It went from being just a thought in the back of our minds to the forefront in a matter of weeks. We found a KILLER agent--and by "killer" I mean super great, not a crime committing felon. We've never house hunted before, and he has been way patient and we've learned a ton from him, and his name is PIE--and since we're being honest, I picked him cause he's named after one of my favorite foods--the fact that he's great at what he does is just a bonus. So we talk/email/see Pie on a pretty regular basis, and I've learned that being a Realtor is a lot tougher than I ever imagined. I just really hope all the time and work we're all putting into this "finding a house" thing pays off for all of us (and soon).

The only other thing I have to report on is the fact that we have found a group of friends to hang out with, and though this may sound cheesey and lame, I am SO stinkin' happy! Moving to a new state is tough, and though we have loved being in Colorado there is something to be said for having good friends close by that can make any new place suddenly feel like home. I feel like we finally have that, and I am blessed because of it. It's just nice and comforting to have that assurance that you can pick up the phone and find someone to do the most menial, mundane things with you just so you don't have to do them alone. It's nice to know that come Friday night, even if no plans were made, we'll always find people to eat/chat/ laugh with while our children destroy the house. It's nice to sit and chat with a friend for twenty minutes only to discover it was actually more like 2 hours. It's nice to know someone who wont laugh at you just cause you want to drive out to Sams Club just for an icee. Life seems a little fuller, a little brighter, and it's moments like the ones we have had a lot of in the last few weeks that I realize how well Heavenly Father knows me and places people in my path who will help me and teach me and make me feel like not such a bad person cause man, are they gonna burn in hell for some of the stuff they have done!!

Reasons I have LOLed this week:

2010-01-12T10:32:00.000-08:00

1. Mark McGuire (finally) admits he used steroids--as if the whole world hadn't figured that one out.

2. The State of the Union address may be rescheduled so as not to interfere with the final season of Lost season premiere--smart move Mr. President. Smart move.

3. Lola telling me that IF we have another baby and said baby is a boy she plans on selling him cause girls are better.

4. Watching the crazies on The Bachelor (will this ever get old? Hmmm...I think NOT!)

5. Having the blender explode protein shake all over my kitchen thus ruining my ONE feeble attempt to live a healthier life in 2010. (The laughter only came after a few choice words that would make a sailor blush)

6. The mental pictures Lola's comments from the previous post have caused to appear in my childish mind.

7. Trying to fit into a cub scout shirt that was like 3 sizes too small after being told the shirts run "super extra grande."

Back off! I have the Holy Spirit!!

2010-01-11T20:27:00.000-08:00

I was in the car with Lola and we started talking about the Holy Spirit. She explained to me that there were three reasons why she liked the Holy Spirit:

1. It is invisible.

2. It lives in her heart.

3. It punches mean people in the face!

So I suggest if you are mean you don't go messing with Lola cause she knows who has her back!

That's so Funny I Forgot to Laugh!

2009-12-30T20:55:00.000-08:00

My (soon-to-be) 2 year old has decided he's quite the funny guy and will tell knock-knock jokes all day long. Problem is he tells the same joke over and over. Let me illustrate:

Noah: Cock-cock (This is probably the funniest part)

Me: Who's there?

Noah: Bana (meaning banana)

Me: Bana who?

Noah: HAHAHAHA!!! Funny!

It was hilarious the first couple of times. Now it just drives me insane.

Lola's jokes are a whole different story. She will make up her own knock-knock jokes and they ALL go something like this:

Lola: Knock-knock

Me: ...

Lola: Mom!! I said Knock-knock!

Me: ... (trying to ignore her--trust me, you get her started and it NEVER ends, and she gets offended if you don't laugh)

Lola: Argh! KNOCK-KNOCK!!

Me: Who is it? (Once again, trying to avoid the pain)

Lola: You're supposed to say "Who's there?"

Me: Quien es?

Lola: MOM!

Me: Who's there?!

Lola: Orange

Me: Orange who?

Lola: Orange-borange-lorange! HAHAHA!!!

And the others are pretty much the same. All she does is look around, find something that catches her eye and then make up words that rhyme. And honestly, she has stomped out of the room if her one-person audience (moi) does not pee her pants and fall to the floor in hysterics. Whoever said mothering was a piece of cake never had aspiring 2 and 4 year old comedians at home.

Year End Letter

2009-12-20T00:31:00.000-08:00

The year-end letters have been coming in for a couple of weeks at the Mitchell abode. They are always fun to read, and I honestly feel touched that my friends have me on their Christmas card lists cause let's be honest, I am not the best at the whole "K.I.T" thing. I have infinitely good intentions on that front, but rarely do they amount to much--I guess that's why they're called "intentions" and not "deeds."

I caught this clip one night while the TV was on and it made me kinda chuckle. This by no means reflects my personal feelings, but in the sea of letters that come in every year (I said "sea" like I'm oh-so-popular, riiiiiight...maybe it's more of a river...or a stream.) I must admit that the general feelings portrayed here may have surfaced for a minute or two. I think mostly it must just be my envy of my friend's abilities to have their lives together enough to manage to not only write a year-end letter, but to print and mail out numerous copies of it to their loved ones. I think the idea is great, but then my laziness kicks in and I rationalize that it requires WAY more effort than I can justify. I guess I just figure that for those people who are genuinely interested in the affairs of the Mitchells I have a trusty blog (which fails to get updated regularly, but that's a story for another day). I also have a VERY active (maybe too active) Facebook profile that will pretty much even tell my friends and family what I had for breakfast today (2 cookies--hey it's Christmas time--totally acceptable to have cookies for breakfast), and how I felt about the last episode of Glee (awesome!!). I understand that there are people out there who may not have access to the internet and may not be able to keep up with us through all these technological tools. My parents would be "Blog? Que es eso?! Libro de Cara? De que diablos hablas?!" In such cases year-end letters are fantastic, but I find it much easier to call my mom every couple of days and fill her in on the wondrous adventure that is our life.

So, to summarize, I really do love the year-end letters. I think it's a great way to reflect back on the year as a whole. I think we sometimes fail to see our lives in terms of the "big picture" and thus ofttimes fail to see just how much we've accomplished and how much we've grown. The year-end letter remedies that--not to mention that it's a great way to sum up a whole year's worth of missed emails/phone calls without pointing out what a terrible friend I am for ignoring the people I love. So, please keep those letters coming. They will not be mocked in our household, but rather cherished for reminding me that despite my flaws my friends continue to remember me and love me. But if the number of cards/letters drops next year and I'm inexplicably "un-friended" on Facebook I guess I have only to come back to this post to realize why...

Admit it!

2009-12-11T13:43:00.000-08:00

We've all pretended to know the words to a song on the radio and have sounded just like my little friend here!

P.S. He's got sweet ukulele skills!

That Mitchell Boy

2009-11-04T08:44:00.003-08:00

Look at this face! Just look at it! What words come to mind? Cute? Adorable? Darling? Precious? All of the above? Yeah. I know! He's the cutest toddler you have ever laid eyes on. I believe it.

Well, this adorable, little package of sweetness has an evil, sinister, and ravenous side. He has picked up the awful habit of biting, and I am all out of ideas as to how to put an end to it! We have tried everything short of reaching for the tabasco sauce. His teeth may be few in numbers, but they are sharp and when he gets them on you he has an amazing sort of death grip.

Lately he's taken to sharing this talent with the kids in the Nursery at church, and as a Nursery worker and mother I'm a little embarrassed. I know, all kids go through this stage. Yaddah, yaddah. yaddah. In the last two weeks he has bitten 3 kids. Two of those within 30 minutes of each other. The last incident was with this adorable little girl, and boy did those little chompers leave a mark. I don't even know how to react anymore! I tried comforting the little girl, and then I tried to deal with Noah, but nothing works! I finally just took him to dad, and banned him from Nursery for the rest of church.

Well, I meant to talk to that little girl's mom, but somehow I just missed her (honestly, I wasn't avoiding her). I ran into her this morning at preschool, and she asked if I had found someone to babysit my kids during my doctor's appointment this week--which is a whole other story, but here is the short version:

I've had trouble finding anyone to watch my kids--for this appointment and a previous one. Like I was seriously freakin' out cause I just couldn't fathom the thought of lugging my (precious, well-behaved) children to the doctor's office. I got to the point that I posted it on a website--kinda like Craigslist, but for my city only and where the majority of the members are Mormon. I felt like I was auctioning my kids--and felt a little embarrassed that I had to resort to this just to find someone to watch my (sweet, and loving) children. I instantly got lots of offers (all from people who do not have kids in our nursery or do not know my Noah, by the way. Coincidence?) and I felt like my embarrassment was for naught.

Back to the biting incident and my conversation with this little girl's mom: So she asked if I had found someone to watch my kids. I told her "yes" rather quickly and proceeded to inquire about her daughter's arm. And she joked with me and said she couldn't watch my kids until the wound healed. Then she said something about how someone after church had told her that it was "that Mitchell boy" that bit her daughter. I laughed, and joked about how he had a bad rap in our nursery (totally deserved). And she wished me luck in the future with him.

I walked away with a smile on my face and then I was like "That Mitchell boy?" Really? Is he that bad? How many other people are calling him that? And then like getting hit in the face with a bucket of cold water it hit me! This boy--this adorable, innocent, little boy has a reputation in our ward! The word is out on that Mitchell boy! And NO ONE will sacrifice the well-being of their children by offering to babysit him! My emails for help have mostly been ignored. Some brave souls have responded and said they were busy and couldn't, but mostly ignored. I was beginning to think my Facebook emails were never delivered or there was some kind of error. BUT NO! Those emails WERE delivered! My friends have just been avoiding me--hoping that they could spare themselves (and their offspring) the punishment of babysitting my (precious) Noah.

Oh how I hope he grows out of this phase soon! But biter or not--that Mitchell boy is MY Mitchell boy!

Snowed In

2009-11-02T11:53:00.000-08:00

We had a huge snow storm move in to Denver last week, and the kids thought Christmas had come early--literally. The first day of the storm Lola ran outside and threw herself into the snow to make a snow angel. It took her a few seconds for the shock to set it, and she lay there motionless--unsure of what to do. You see, this is the first time my kids have been in or around snow. She was not prepared for how cold it would feel.

And mom was not prepared to dress her kids appropriately. My kids went out in jeans and cowboy boots or tennis shoes, and we quickly learned that that was not such a bright idea. Problem was, I was forbidden by Curran to drive that first day--which was not a problem cause there was no way I was gonna even try to maneuver an automobile in weather like that. So the kids would go out for like 10-15 minutes at a time, run back indoors, undress by the fireplace and put dry, warm clothes on and then head back outside a while later when their little California-bred bones were warmed. Here are some shots of the kids in the snow. In this first one Noah does have snow bibs on and snow boots--I' m not that bad of a mother!We got a few feet of snow dumped on us, as is evidenced by my snow-covered midget of a son--yes, he is standing up in that pic, and he was quite content in this spot. He fought me when I tried to remove him.

Lola thought it would be fun to dunk her whole face in the snow to get a snow beard...until it started stinging her face, then she just screamed bloody murder. (Notice the lack of appropriate snow gloves and jacket)

If this is how the rest of the winter is going to be I am about ready to pack my things up and run home to my momma!

I have a new excuse for my laziness!

2009-10-25T20:54:00.000-07:00

It's been entirely too long since I've posted, and rather than go back and try to fill you in on everything that has happened since we last met I will just start from where we are now:

I just found out from my doctor that I am anemic. I was completely surprised, and feel a little lost as to what to do--I actually got a call from the receptionist who helped me set up an appointment with the doc to discuss this "issue." I instantly went online after that phone call and read about anemia and then scared myself half to death cause I'm almost certain I have the deadly anemia. On a side note, my ob/gyn from my second pregnancy prohibited me from going online and googling illnesses cause I would immediately start to feel symptoms of anything new I discovered.

On the plus side, I did discover that fatigue is a major symptom, and that has given me some relief. I thought I was just being lazy. I had noticed a drastic difference in my sleeping routine and my motivation to do just about anything leaves a lot to be desired, but I thought that having 2 kids and a nursery calling (not to mention the elevation) was causing all this tiredness. Funny enough, now that I know that is a symptom I notice myself being MORE tired than usual. And I've tried using it with Curran as an excuse and it's just not flying. So what good is this illness if it's not going to win me some sympathy?!

So, as I sit and wait for Wednesday to arrive I have gone out and bought lots of fresh spinach and lots of beans--any other ideas?

Are You Serious?!!

2009-08-10T06:41:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've posted anything. I think we've just been busy trying to find some kind of routine and normalcy out here. I think we've achieved it cause now I'm starting to find myself with some extra time and realizing how far away from home I really am. The few people I have shared these feelings with have been super supportive, and I know time will help. I've given myself lots of little pep talks, and I've been doing my very best at being at any social gathering and meeting new friends. And then...enter our first counselor in the bishopric...

We were at a ward new member social last night at the Bishop's house and things were lovely. We've had quite the influx of new families in the last few months. It was nice to be in a room with a lot of people that felt somewhat like we did. Towards the end we were approached by the first counselor and moved into a quieter area. Then the bomb was dropped...nursery workers?! What?! My first reaction was to scream and grab Curran by his shirt and say "I told you so!!!" Then the tears came. I was speechless.

I don't hate small children. I have two of my own and love them dearly. Thing is, we have a huge ward in a very small building. We have over 20 children in a nursery suitable for maybe half that number. Throw in a whole lot of toys and about 5-6 full-size adult bodies and you have a clausterphobic's worst nightmare!

We've been in the aforementioned nursery since our first week here cause we're having a tough time getting Noah to stay there--so he must be jumping for joy right about now. And now that I think about it the nursery leader must've ratted us out--figured we were gonna be stuck there anyway with a hysterical Noah, might as well make it official.

I usually last about 5 minutes before I feel like I'm gonna pull my hair out--sometimes even thinking it would be easier to just take Noah to class with me just to escape the confines of this room. These are the thoughts I have had as I have observed the workings in our massive nursery:

Dang, sure glad I don't have a nursery calling!
I don't ever want to work in the nursery!
What is that smell?!
Somebody shoot me now.
I gotta get out of here!
Please don't ever let me be called to nursery!

And now here we are. Nursery workers. I honestly am having a rough time coming to terms with this. Since the moment we were asked my head and heart have been in constant prayer. I'm gonna need serious spiritual guidance with this one. I feel a little betrayed to be honest. I feel like I do nursery at home 7 days a week with my own kids. I feel like sometimes my patience wears so thin with my own kids how in the world am I supposed to handle over 20? I know there are other nursery workers there, but since we're being honest...the guys in there walk in, find a spot to sit their behinds in and NEVER move. They're like bumps on a log! Or maybe they're human jungle gyms and do that sitting still bit for the entertainment of the little ones. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. Besides, didn't Curran and I put in our time as nursery workers when we were first married? We're done! (We must've done an awful job cause here we are again)Side note: Back then we were ecstatic with the calling being newly married without children. Now we know better.

This morning I woke up thinking: "Come on, Carol. It's only 2 hours on Sundays. That's it! How awful can it really be?" And really, 2 hours isn't really a long time. My Sundays are just sacred. Relief Society has always been such an escape for me. I looked forward to Sundays and the ability to re-energize so I could face another week of being a mom and wife. I feel like this calling will just distance me even more from the sisters I'm trying to form friendships with. It's counter-productive. It goes against all my plans...and THAT is why I got this calling! I always get hit over the head (spiritually speaking) when I try to dig in my heels and do things MY way. I know callings are inspired. I know there is a purpose I do not yet understand. I just wish I could scatter some goldfish crackers on the floor, put out some bowls with water and lock the door as I run far, far away...

The Invasion Begins!

2009-07-13T15:11:00.000-07:00

I am no longer a Californian...how does that make me feel? It's bittersweet, really. Our little family moved to Colorado 13 days ago, and I still have to stop and look around and remind myself that this is not California. The significantly less traffic and constant tornado warnings are kind of a giveaway, but it's hard to believe that we have a new place to call home. If things go the way we hope we will be here a long, long time. Maybe by then I'll start to feel like this is really home. Right now I am having a little bit of culture shock. I can count the number of people I have heard speaking Espanol on ONE hand--una mano! We have moved into an area that is rather nice--Highlands Ranch, and I seem to be the most ghetto one here. I constantly feel like people are looking at me funny and that little, old ladies grab hold of their expensive handbags just a little tighter when they see me approaching. It could all just be in my head, but something tells me it's not--and that something is my husband. I voiced my concerns to Curran a few days ago and he said: "No, it's not just you. I noticed it too." So, alls I gotta say to all these Coloradonites or Coloradians is--watch out! The Mexicans are coming!!

Sick Time Reflections

2009-06-02T14:47:00.001-07:00

I wanted to record what has happened the last couple of days before I forget how grateful I am for all that I have. I've had a lot of time to reflect the last few days because I was practically bed-ridden with the nastiest case of the flu I have ever had--this was worse than when I had Pneumonia, or either one of my c-sections. I don't remember feeling so much pain before--ever--well, except for when I had my eyebrows threaded--that flippin' hurts!

I was in pain for 3 full days, and most of the hours of those said days were filled with either whining to my husband or in prayer to my Heavenly Father. It was during one of those moments of prayer that I began to think about all the things I am unhappy with as far as my physical appearance goes. I'm always complaining about one thing or another--my fatness, my eyebrows, plucking hairs from places I've never had to before, my skin--you get the picture, and I began to realize how petty I can be sometimes--how I can let something as insignificant as my hair bother me so much. All I kept thinking was how I had failed in being grateful for the body I do have--a body, that when all things are considered, is in pretty good shape--a body that has the ability to move--to chase after my kids and clean up after them.

Oh how grateful I am now for what Heavenly Father has blessed me with. Being sick is such a humbling experience--especially for someone like me who finds it extremely difficult to ask for help. I did find comfort from the Lord. I knew no one could offer that like He could. I'm thankful that Curran is a worthy priesthood holder, and for the blessing he gave me when I thought I couldn't take the pain anymore. He stepped in, and took over, and I know how tough this must have been having just come home from working in San Diego, but he did it and never complained.

Monday morning I woke up and felt significantly better, but still a bit weak. Curran took the day off to make sure we were okay, and I'm glad he did cause soon after waking the kids began to complain about not feeling well and within minutes we discovered we had two new flu patients to deal with.

Herein lies the other great lesson I learned--having to nurse your children back to health has got to be one of the most heart-wrenching things. In a lot of ways I felt helpless. I was doing all I could to comfort them, but I just knew it wasn't enough. I would see them in pain and wanted nothing more than to take their illness from them and make it mine. Once again I found my time spent in constant prayer. I know the pain that Jesus Christ felt in the garden of Gethsemane was a million times worse than what my kids were feeling, but I've got to imagine that my feelings were like that of Heavenly Father at that moment when his Son was in the most agonizing pain. What parent out there wouldn't trade places with their child when their child is hurting?

This morning they woke up and Noah couldn't hold still long enough for me to take his temperature. Lola came out of her room with her giant bag of art supplies and a clean stack of paper and instantly got to work making masterpieces for me. That was all I needed to know that they were feeling much better. I reflected on the sight before me and thanked God for the mess that was slowly beginning to accumulate around me.

I know I will forget this lesson soon--which is why I wanted to blog about it now. But after the last few days we have had I will gladly take a jam-packed day of activities and errands, messes and laundry, cooking and bath time over any of the sick days we have just lived through. And along those same lines, I would take my loud, messy, crazy, tornado-like children who scream and laugh and run through the house like banshees over the sick ones any day. So next time I'm getting ready to complain about the mess or the noise I will pause and think about just how grateful I am for the life I have. Take THAT stinkin' flu!!!

A Lesson in Coughing...Seriously!

2009-06-02T10:39:00.000-07:00

My new and most excellent friend, Jessica posted this video on FB (that's Facebook for you non-social networking savvy friends of mine). This video was sent out at her work place at the peak of the Swine Flu hysteria--which, by the way, I was sure I had until the doctor assured me it was the boring old flu. And why did I get better treatment as a "cash only" patient than when I had an HMO? Coincidence? I don't think so! But that's a matter for another day. So Jessica assured me that this email was sent out in complete seriousness--making the video that much funnier. Please watch--and do it in your sleeves, people! For crying out loud!

Being a Leader is Overrated!

2009-05-28T14:28:00.000-07:00

Dude, boost my ego a little bit and sign up as a follower of my sweet blog. See the little box just to the right of this post? That's the one! Now sign up! Love you!

Middle of the Night Stuff

2009-05-28T13:55:00.000-07:00

Last night my eyes popped open at 2 am, and then my mind started to think about all kinds of stuff. I spent most of the time from 2-5am thinking about all my old roommates while I was at BYU. I don't know why--but I wanted to see of I could remember them all. Here is my feeble attempt. Please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong (last names will be withheld):

Copan Cabana:

My first roommate experience, and by far my most favorite. We never owned a TV and didn't need one cause we were each other's entertainment.

Trake, Rake, Heidi, Cheryl, Katie, and my next door neighbors mom who came to stay for a summer--made for lots of fun days, let me tell you!

Corner Down:

My first basement experience--and my last. Dumpiest house I ever lived in, but fun roommates. I once made a massive hole in the living room wall...with my BUTT! From then on it was known as Carol's butt hole. We slept on the massive lawn a lot during the summer months which was wonderful --except for when the automatic sprinklers would come on in the morning.

Smash, Sarah, Jodie, Courtney, Karrine, Amy, Janine, Lindsay, Jones, Cynthia, Jessie...

McKonkie:

This was the house where you had to know someone who knows someone who knows the prophet to get in. So glad I did.

Kristen, Laura, Cindy, Ginger, Helen, Mary, Naomi...there's got to be more...Karyn!...

Mexico:

Went to Mexico for Study Abroad during this time--it was the best of times. It was the worst of times.

Jaime, Carolina, Jeff, Seth and his crazy wife and kids.

Love Shack:

Also known as the porch swing house. This was a short stint.

Trake, Tiffany, and a dog...whose name escapes me at the moment.

West-something. I moved to some apartments on 5th West. Tiny space + 6 girls = no fun. I mostly just slept here cause I attended the Spanish ward at this time, but I met the bestest roommate ever!

Lisa, Becca, Megan, and two other girls I can't remember.

Last house:

This last house I lived in before getting hitched had no cool name, but I loved the location. It was like on 1220 West--right by the river.

Genel, Moneymaker, Lauren, Chari, Joni, Gina.

These are people I may have lived with--I can't remember if I did or if I just spent so much time with them that it felt like I did:

Mary S., Kirsten, Liz.

I loved my time at the Y. Overall my roommate experieces were awesome, and I've made the greatest friends. I was also quite the cupid. These are the people I take partial credit for hooking up:

Myriam & Geoff

Doug & Karen

Laura & Andy

Adam & Angelica

Then I started to think about my favorite places to eat while at the Y:

Stans, Malt Shoppe, Cafe Rio, Gandolfo's

Then Curran's alarm went off and I was finally able to fall back asleep with visions of Sweet pork salads, and urban cowboy sandwiches dancing in my head. mmmmmm......zzzzzzzzzzz.......

Wii! It's a party!

2009-05-15T13:33:00.001-07:00

Wii (get it?!) had a little get-together at our house last month with a bunch of young married friends of ours. I've quickly learned that in the church there is the YSA, and when you get married you then get grouped in with the "young marrieds." This isn't a bad place to be. Once you have your first kid you're still a young married, but on the brink of being ousted--mostly cause young marrieds without kids think all married people with kids do is talk about their kids--which is true. Once you give birth to a second child you are OUT! You're not quite so cool anymore, and who really cares that much? Cause at this point, your idea of a fun night is being in bed by 9 pm.

Anyway, Curran and I decided to invite some "young marrieds" to our house for food and a Wii tournament. Maybe it was in an attempt to regain our "cool" status after having 2 kids, or maybe cause we wanted to show off our mad skills on the Wii. Whatever the reason, we had a blast!

This is Raul. His wife whooped him in boxing, and although he went home empty-handed he took home all my love for bringing the yummiest cheesecake dessert ever!

Jacob and Noah--two kids who are half Mexican, but couldn't look any more like gringos

Jessica and Andy--two of my favorite people. I had not seen Andy since 1997, so I had an absolute blast getting caught up and meeting his wife. They have since purchased their own Wii and have been training for a re-match.

Raul and Virginia--taking out their marital frustrations in the Wii boxing ring. Very therapeutic.

This is Jessica and Karla--two awesome girls I met not too long ago. This pic is of the the final two left standing in our boxing portion of the tournament. Jessica was our boxing champ and won a sweet puzzle of a monkey in a tutu.

This is Daniel--an accountant who moonlights as quite the gifted photographer. We learned this night that he is also quite the twinkle toes. He won our DDR battle and took home a do-it-yourself bedazzled water bottle.

This is Jesse. His wife, Karla is pictured above. His mad Spanish skills have nothing on his hula hooping! I thought all white guys were incapable of moving their hips. I now stand corrected.

Stacia and Layne showed up later in the evening and not even being "with child" stopped her from showing us her moves.

Baby Butt Crack!

2009-05-15T08:29:00.000-07:00

Noah may be thinking of being a plumber when he grows up.

Mmmm...tasty!

2009-05-15T08:06:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day was a rough day for me. I had just driven back from Vegas and got home with a fever and horrible body aches. My emotions were all over the place and I think the whole family could sense it. It was a pretty uneventful day--probably because everyone was tryingto steer clear of me. The next day, however, Lola presented me with a very nice lunch she prepared herself. I heard her hard at work in the kitchen, and since I wasn't hearing any screaming or smelling any smoke I let her be. When she told me lunch was served this is what I found:

My post-Mother's Day lunch included water in Lola's favorite cup, cheez-its, a banana and an apple she peeled herself.

Here is a closer look at the apple. This is the exact way it was presented to me. When I heard her with the potato peeler I was a little worried she might hurt her fingers, but I decided to leave her alone, and after about 10 arduous minutes she let out a huge sigh and proudly placed the apple alongside my other treats.

The banana had seen better days

Lola made me feel really loved. Now that she is growing up and is a lot more independent I constantly find myself wanting to hold her a little longer. Moments like this make every bead of sweat and tear of frustration and sadness so worth it. I don't need expensive gifts to make me happy. Over-ripe bananas, badly peeled apples, cheez-its and water is all it took to make my Mother's Day the best one yet.

A Day in the Life of Noah

2009-05-14T19:57:00.000-07:00

Always start the day off with a little Wii--those are Curran's legs, not mine. I know I usually go a long time without shaving (especially in the winter) but I'm not that bad.

Then he takes some time to make cute faces--this is the fish face.

I made the mistake of leaving an opened container of chocolate pudding on the table. It didn't take long for Noah to climb up and enjoy.

Playing dress up

Usually I let the kids run around outside every day knowing full well that this is what I will encounter once I call them in for baths. Noah always suspiciously looks like he's been eating dirt.

Always room for ice cream

Another hard day at work in the backyard

Sweet ride

Noah's sense of adventure never ceases to amaze me. That boy is a bundle of energy all day long. He explores everything, and climbs anything that can be climbed. As a baby Curran and I were sure Noah would be the quiet, peaceful type--something we were grateful for after trying to keep up with Lola. Now we know he was simply revving up for what is now a fun-filled life. From the moment his eyes pop open in the morning till he falls over exhausted at night he is a wonder to behold. His head is a medley of bumps and bruises--evidence of how hard he plays, and we are so blessed (and exhausted) to be able to watch the world through his eyes every day!

Thanks Easter Bunny!!

2009-05-14T19:11:00.000-07:00

Easter Sunday was absolutely beautiful in CA. We went to church and came home for an awesome egg hunt, and sweet baskets. I was afraid Lola would dominate the egg hunt so we got princess eggs for her and my sister found Noah's Ark eggs at Walmart for Noah. So each had their own respective eggs to find. It's not in the pics, but Noah wore a sweet, plaid sport coar over his polo shirt. He looked a little like a game show host. I'm sure he'll wear it again and we'll be sure to photograph it for posterity.

Our lawn was a little overdue for a mow, but that made hiding the eggs a little easier.

This is the "after" picture, but I couldn't get blogger to cooperate. See below to see the "before."

By far, his favorite treat in his basket was the Cheetos. He wasted no time getting into those.

Lazy, good-for-nothing...

2009-05-14T09:05:00.000-07:00

So...I know I stink at this blog updating business. I just came upon a stash of pics from the last couple of months of stuff we've been doing. So bear with me as I slowly try to get to all of them for your viewing pleasure.

These are just of everyday stuff we do around the house. A day in the life of Lola and Noah, if you will.

OR NOT! My computer seems to have reverted back to dial-up mode, so my uploading was unsuccessful. I also had plenty of time to think of my reasons for not updating my blog more frequently, and I've come to the conclusion that Facebook is to blame. It's SO much easier to upload to whole group of pictures at once and then finish it off by putting little captions under them in a Facebook album than to group them by activity and date and tell you all about our adventures. So if you really want to know what we've been doing then just browse my Facebook albums.

For now, I give up on this post. I hate technology.

We're not all short, stubby wrestlers...wait, yes we are!

2009-04-15T10:01:00.000-07:00

Have you heard/seen all the controversy behind the BK ads for this new "Texican Whopper"? It's pretty funny...or not. Apparently, there are a lot of Mexicans out there who are outraged at BK's portrayal of a Mexican. If you look closely at the ad you'll see a cowboy standing next to a stubby little man with a wrestler's mask on and wearing a poncho with the Mexican flag printed on it. Personally, I'm honored to be stereotyped as such. Lucha libre, or WWF (or WWE, depending on how old you are) is serious business, and an honored profession . Mexican wrestlers are tough little suckers, and we are super patriotic (thus the poncho). And if you ask any Mexican who grew up in the US they'll probably admit to having played WWF with his hermanos or primos in their youth. Wrestling wasn't just a pastime--it was a way of life. People who are offended by this ad need to find a new hobby. There are worse things we've been portrayed as. And if you disagree, I'll go Nacho Libre on you!

Sweet Moves!

2009-04-15T09:49:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Smash for posting this on her blog!

Teapots, dogs and more busts!

2009-02-20T16:04:00.000-08:00

Once again, being tagged in Facebook has given me some great ideas for updating the ol' blogaroo--enjoy!

1. Carol needs to be grounded in some very basic things.
2. Carol needs to be developed for future advancement and should seek mentoring.
3. Carol needs to be a serious teapot collector.(see also #8)
4. Carol needs our help cause she will be killing her dogs! (Thank goodness I don't have any)
5. Carol needs prayers. (and money)
6. Carol needs a big opening night. (and money, so be sure to buy tickets!)
7. Carol needs more busts.(I like the one I have--thank you very much)
8. Carol needs a 1995 retired Tony Carter teapot of a chaise lounge with the gramaphone on a small table-hmmm. (They weren't kidding about the teapots)
9.Carol needs to learn POP3 and SMTP.(What are those? Dance moves? Cause if they are then I'm all for it!)
10. Carol needs YOU!! (that's how it was written, and of course I do!)

Ketchup is the Best!

2009-02-19T15:40:00.001-08:00

Lola and Noah had a combined birthday party a few weeks ago, and we had a jumper on the front lawn. Well, the kids got a little crazy and my cousin's little girl (Abby) was knocked in the face. She lost a tooth, and by "lost" I mean it fell off and have no idea where it ended up. We think she swallowed it.

So a couple of days ago I was talking to Lola about the Tooth Fairy--how you leave your tooth and you get money..yaddah, yaddah, yaddah. And I asked her how much money she thought she would get for her first tooth, whenever it falls out. She told me she wanted "Four monies." Four bucks isn't bad. I got $2 for my first tooth and that was a VERY long time ago. I also asked her what she was going to buy with her four monies and this is what she listed (I'm assuming in order of importance):

1. Ketchup!

2. A toy

3. A jar

4. A pillow

That girl must really like ketchup...

Take THAT Peer Pressure

2009-02-04T12:04:00.000-08:00

So, anyone on Facebook knows there's this "25 Random things about me" tag-thing floating around and I've lost count as to how many people have tagged me.

I wasn't going to do it--I'm not caving under the peer pressure! I did that during high school and now I'm a Mormon with a Mormon husband and Mormon kids!!

And then I decided--okay fine, I'll do it--but I'll post it on my blog and then I'll quit feeling guilty for not updating in such a long time. So there--I win! (sort of...)

I'm not tagging anyone, so relax--and if you don't care to know 25 random things about me I wont hold it against you--and quit reading now cause here it comes:

1. As a kid I would sneek into the fridge, open up the tub of butter and grab a handful and eat it like candy...it grosses me out just to think about it now.

2. I've had grey hair since I was 15--a lot of it!

3. I can't stand the sight, and smell of mayo--never have--miracle whip is included in this category no matter what my mother-in-law says!

4. Both of my kids weighed over 10 pounds at birth.

5. I almost drowned in a lake when I was 8 yrs old--it was a 15 yr old boy that jumped in to save me.

6. I was immediately put into swim lessons after #5 and got all the way to sinchronized swimming and quit.

7. I got a really bad hair cut in the 7th grade from my cosmotologist student cousin and when I started school at West everyone thought I was a BOY! Hence my promise to never have short hair again.

8. I've been inside the BYU bell tower--upstairs where all the magic happens--wait, that sounds dirty--where they play the giant bells.

9. I've met Vlade Divac, and Anthony Edwards (Goose in Top Gun) at LAX.

10. My most pirzed possession while at BYU was my autographed poster of Michael McLean.

11. I've never broken a bone.

12. I didn't get my driver's license until I was 25.

13. I won the Homemaking award in middle school for my excellent skills in sewing and cooking.

14. My first time flying we went from Tijuana, Mexico to Los Angeles (45 minute flight) and I swear to this day that I saw the Hawaiian Islands.

15. I am constantly losing a) my keys b) my phone c) my ATM card d) my driver's license--I've come to believe that I need to lo-jack everything in my life--including my head.

16. I LOVE watching Golden Girls and I Love Lucy--can watch them all day without complaint.

17. I dislike one-syllable names--Chad, Sue, Steve, Fred--so one dimensional and blah (no offense to my one-syllable named friends)

18. I met my husband online and got engaged 2 weeks after our first date.

19. My first wedding band had to be sawed off in the ER after I got it stuck on my finger and it started turning blue--my supervisor at NuSkin had to drive me to the hospital and everyone in the ER came to see who fat girl with the wedding band stuck on her finger was--luckily that first band was purchased on eBay for minimal money...phew!

20. I once split my pants while at work (NuSkin, again) and had to have someone drive me home to change.

21. My dream job would be working in a library surrounded by books.

22. I love the smell of new books and often snuck into the stock room at Barnes and Noble (while employed there, of course) and I would just smell the pages of the new books waiting to be shelved.

23. I played the trombone for about 2 weeks before I realized I couldn't read music and hated the marching.

24. I NEVER snooze my alarm, and am bothered by people who do--just set the alarm for the time you want to get up and then GET UP!!

25. Although I don't drink coffee I love the smell of it and almost always sniff those dispensers in the supermarket aisles with the fresh beans--YUMMY!!!

Pookie Lives

2009-01-11T16:45:00.001-08:00

So, I'm on this facebook thing. It all started out as some mistake, but one day I decided to get on there and see what it was all about. I was hooked, and then I kinda lost interest again, but recently I have found a friend of mine that is very near and dear to my heart. We've been friends for about 15 years now--that statement makes me feel really old. I first met him at Bellflower High where he was wearing tights and entirely too much stage make-up--we went on to have a lot of laughs and a lot of fun.

There are people that we sometimes think were meant to be in our lives but for a small moment. And sometimes we wish that were not the case--that they would remain in our lives a little longer because the thought of not having them in our lives seems ludicrous. Scott was one of these friends. I don't know how or when but we lost touch. Life just happened to both of us. He has, however, resurfaced and I cannot begin to tell you the joy I feel. He has always been a wonderful friend, despite our lack of communication. I am elated to be in touch with him, and thought I would share a couple of pics so you get a sense of the wonder that is Pookie!

On a ski trip we made to Salt Lake City

I don't know how this one ended up in my hands, but it's a gem!

This had to have been when he had been recently hired at the cookie shop--still wearing braces, and the beginning of that crazy mane of his.

Halloween

Picking up on the ladies at Knotts

Scott gazing longingly at the Woolworths girl

Scott and my little brother having fun--Scott, may you never run for office, and if you do may this picture never resurface.

I had questioned whether or not I should post these pics. I showed them to my husband and he said they were pretty innocent. "If anything they will just really embarrass him." Those were his words. And then he said--"Just call it retribution for not inviting you to his wedding." He said, and I thought--"YEAH!" Love you!

Not Fun

2009-01-11T16:26:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a beautiful, sunny day in California. I was inspired to wash my car. I figured 6 months was long enough for Angus to go without a bath. So I pulled out this bucket with all kinds of neat car washing things they gave us at the dealers when we bought the car. I soon realized I was in WAY over my head. There was car was concentrate stuff, tire cleaner, upholstery shampoo, vinyl polish. and some kind of car wax thing along with 2 sponges--one with white netting on it, and the other without. What is the difference in said sponges? Beats the heck out of me, but I'm sure there's got to be one.

I first vacuumed my car which was a chore in and of itself. Lola loves to collect twigs and dead leaves. She also loves to carry them into my car and then continues by crushing them into a million pieces and tosses them around like confetti. I think I may have accidently clogged the vaccum with all the stuff it sucked up--pennies, candy wrappers, sticks, and who knows what other things were living in that mess.

I filled up the bucket with water and threw in some super car wash soap, and because of the warm weather the suds were drying faster than I could lather them up on the car. Not to mention that the super soap was not that super. I quickly fizzled out and decided I would rather pay my Mexican cousins to do this for me. And then to think there was also the rinsing, tire polishing, car waxing, vinyl cleaning, upholstery shampooing left to do!! Who are they kidding? This isn't fun! How is it that guys can enjoy cleaning their cars so much that they will spend all day doing it? My neighbor, no joke, spends HOURS on his car. I can leave for church and when I get back 3 hours later he is still out there working on it, and loving it. I've not found the joy in car washing. I've also learned to respect my friends at all the neighborhood car washes who do this for a living. It stinks!

There's No Place Like Home

2009-01-05T12:24:00.000-08:00

I've been racking my brain for something witty or funny to write about the last few days cause I know it's been a while since I've updated. Then I realized that I didn't need to be so dang witty all the time. Frankly, it gets a little tiring trying to be so full of wit and humor all the time. So, this one may not make you chuckle, but will serve as a "where is Carol now" type of entry.

We moved to San Diego June 1st of 2008. Curran had been layed off from his job at eHarmony in April and we (meaning Curran) were fortunate enough to be offered a consultant job in La Jolla for 6 months. So we moved. And we loved it. I would live in San Diego forever if I could. When December came around we had not been notified if his contract would be extended. I was starting to panic, and decided to start packing--you know, expect the best, but prepare for the worst.

Finally, on December 18th we were told that his contract would be extended six more months--not exactly what we were hoping for, but a huge blessing nonetheless. The company he had been working for had recently had major layoffs, and when I found out it's like I felt our dream of permanent San Diego residency was fizzling away. Luckily, they decided to keep him on a while longer. I remember praying fervently for us to stay, and for the faith to accept whatever the decision was. I wanted just 6 more months in San Diego so Lola could finish up her first year at preschool with a teacher she absolutely adores. And yet when I was told it was a 6 month renewal I instantly started thinking "Well, why couldn't it have been permanent? Or longer?" It's like I was failing to see the blessing that was offered to us. I think this is all too common in my life, and I need to work on this a little more. Many times I receive blessings that I overlook because I am always looking for more, or something better. I asked for 6 more months and when I received 6 more months instead of saying "thank you" I said "Dang it." How ungrateful I must seem to Heavenly Father!

That same weekend we found out about the contract extension I also found out my mom was having a hard time with her vision. She is legally blind, and her eyesight has progressively gotten worse. While hanging out at my parents that weekend in preparation for Christmas I realized that she needed a lot of extra help. She was feeling her way around the house and there wasn't much she could do with her limited eyesight. I then felt a pretty strong impression that we needed to come back to live with her. Not just for her benefit, but more for ours. I wanted to save just a little more money and finally be credit card free, and I wanted to my kids to build a stronger relationship with my parents.

Moving back wasn't easy--making the decision alone was tough. But I'm grateful Curran agreed with me, and that we are back. I was able to get Lola enrolled into preschool, and she starts tomorrow. Curran still has a job that he enjoys, and we're back in a ward we love. Now that things are starting to settle down maybe I can get back to this blogging thing!

How not to break a pinata

2008-12-15T15:31:00.001-08:00

So, over our Thanksgiving vacation to Utah we also celebrated my brother-in-law's 30th birthday. They threw a surprise party at their church building, but the surprised ones were the guests when birthday boy Teran walked in through a completely different door than all us party-goers. We were all watching the door we had used to enter the building when all of a sudden someone turned around and there was Teran! Surprise! But I digress...

At this birthday party there was a pinata that was overflowing with candy--and the good kind. Not the cheap, lead-filled Mexican candy I was used to as a kid. Let me start by saying that 99% of the people in attendance were anglos--white people, if you will. Growing up in a Mexican home, with Mexican parents, and Mexican friends we never realized that when it came to breaking a pinata those crazy white folks do it all wrong! They're all civilized and polite about the whole thing. Had this been a Mexican party it would have been complete chaos just to get the kids in line, and to keep them there--not at this party.

So they put all the kids in order of height, and had a plastic bat about 12 inches long to hit the pinata with. Mistake number one. Any Mexican would have known to use a broomstick if no special pinata breaking stick was available. None of the kids were blindfolded and then spinned around a bajillion times before they were set loose on the pinata...boring!

As the kids walked up to politely take their turn they would whack it 3 times and politely hand the bat back to the pinata coordinator and then--get this--get right back in line to have another turn!! This group had "novice" written all over it! Any seasoned pinata breaker knows that once you have your turn you stake out a good spot to enable you to be the first one to dive in when the pinata rained it's sweet goodness on you. And not only that--how many of you have been to a party where the kid willingly gives up the bat, so the next in line can have their turn? It usually turns into a shouting/wrestling match--sometimes the adults went as far as to taser the kid in order to get him to end his turn.

So, when my mother-in-law tried to get Lola to get back in line to wait for her next turn I quickly informed Lola that that was a bad move. Obviously, she saw it my way, and we found a prime spot--of course, this wouldn't have been very difficult cause all the other kids in attendance (the white kids) were all lining up, one behind the other--putting the last kid in line considerably farther away from the pinata than the rest of them.

When at last that pinata was split open guess who the first one was to dive in? That's right...ME! I'm sure all the adults there thought I was insane, after all, wasn't the pinata meant for kids? To this I say "No way, Jose!" Any Mexican will tell you that once that pinata breaks it is a free-for-all--kids getting trampled on and smothered by adults. It's a complete no-holds-barred wrestling match. There are always a handful of kids that end up crying cause some grown-up stole all their candy, and we all would just laugh--cause it was funny! But at this surprise party I was the only one over the age of 10 to jump in, and we scored tons of delicious candy!

The best part was when one of the little kids there dropped his baggie of pinata loot and all these kids went diving for it (including me). His older brother was ENRAGED and yelled at the top of his lungs: "THAT'S MY BROTHER'S CANDY!!!!!" He proceeded to cry uncontrollably. I was tempted to point and laugh, but since the party was being held in a church building I felt a little bad, and had Lola impart of her loot to get this crybaby to shut his trap.

This isn't the first time I've been part of such pinata breakings--so I know this wasn't the exception to the rule. But it still amazes me every time I see it. Maybe it's cause we were poor growing up, and the thought of free food brought out the animal instincts in us, or maybe it's cause we're Mexican, and we all know how those Mexicans are...

Oh the good ol' days!

2008-12-03T19:29:00.000-08:00

Does anyone remember cops giving away baseball cards? Someone has got to remember this. When I lived in East L.A. the cops would come down our street and all us poor neighborhood kids would swarm their patrol car and they would stop and hand out Dodgers baseball cards. We loved it!

I was thinking about this today cause yesterday Lola and I went to El Pollo Loco (as is our weekly ritual) and there were 4 cops sitting there eating lunch. I prompted Lola to say hello and was just about to tell her to ask them for a baseball card when I realized they probably don't do that anymore. I think they should bring that back--us poor kids really enjoyed those cards.

Maybe if the LAPD did "Baseball Cards for Guns" instead of "Cash for Guns" they would get a lot better response. I'm just throwing that out there for consideration.

Go Cougars...or Not.

2008-11-22T15:51:00.000-08:00

I originally recorded Lola singing the BYU fight song before the "big game" started today. After tinkering with stuff and adjusting my angle I completely missed posting it before Max Hall choked on the field today.

But since I am a loyal Cougar, and not some fair weathered fan I will post this anyway. After all, there's always next year. My only consolation is that BYU might get to play in the Poinsettia Bowl which takes place here in San Diego!

I think Lola is an excellent Cougar in training. My husband calls it "brainwashing." I call it "leading her in the right direction."

Deliverance...Revisited

2008-11-19T11:40:00.000-08:00

So you know that movie "Deliverance"? You know, the one with the inbreds that take these canoers hostage and do all sorts of horrible things to them? It has Jon Voight, and Burt Reynolds in it? Well, anyway, I had this horrible dream last night that I was IN that movie and they had taken ME hostage. They were after me, and no matter how hard I tried to get away in my Suburban (which I don't own in real life) those inbreds kept popping up all over the place. They even flattened my car tires by piercing them with a pitch fork!!

I remember someone once talking about "Dueling Banjos" and how anytime they heard that song it reminded them of "Deliverance." Well, now I keep hearing that song in my head over and over and it's kinda creeping me out. Here's the scene from the movie with that song in it. It's kinda entertaining, but it will stick in your heard and you may have dreams of inbreds taking YOU hostage...consider yourself warned!

Pretty Cool

2008-11-18T09:18:00.000-08:00

I saw this on Facebook, and it made me laugh. Reminded me of an Office episode--where Andy Bernard records himself doing 4-part harmony...you know which one I'm talking about?

What the....?!

2008-11-02T20:14:00.000-08:00

I walked into the kids room a couple of days ago, and this is what I found:

I don't know why it shocked me so. It usually looks like this a couple of times a day. I think I was just taken aback by the colors--it's kinda pretty in a way--until I realized I'm gonna be the one cleaning up all that mess. This is usually the way the conversation goes:

Me: Lola, what happened in here?

Lola: I made a mess. Just a little one.

Me: Oh...and who's going to clean it up?

Lola: umm...everyone. Teamwork, mom! We clean it togedder!

Me: I don't think so! I didn't make the mess. You did. You clean it!

Lola: But mom! We're girls! You're my best friend!

That's when she gets me and I give in to the whole teamwork thing--which translates into me cleaning up and her pretending to clean up while still playing with her toys. But!! I have also discovered that Lola is not the only culprit. Noah has become an expert at knocking all the books off the bookshelves. Caught him red-handed!

Sombody's Got the Sickies :(

2008-10-30T20:46:00.000-07:00

So, a few days after I got back from Mexico I started to feel really weird. A little tired, dizzy, yucky. Thought maybe I just needed more sleep. My lentil soup from lunch wasn't sitting to well. I laid down and slept for a couple of hours. When I woke up I had a fever and started to feel the body aches.

As the days progressed my fever continued to rise--upwards of 103 degrees. I had bone-shaking chills and was really nauseous. I finally gave in a couple of days ago and went to the doctor--thinking he would just tell me I had the flu and tell me to go home and sleep it off.

When I got to the doctor's office I was handed a mask. My fever was still high and they had no idea what kind of funky disease I might be carrying so they made me wear it. I am SUPER clausterphobic and started to panic within seconds of putting it on. Somehow I managed to sit there till my name was called. The doc did his doctor thing and when he asked if it hurt when I breathed or if I was short on breath I answered "no," well, I was, but I atributed it to my fatness, like it wasn't some new discovery or anything. He was about to tell me it might just be the flu when I mentioned we had gone to Mexico recently. He quickly changed his plan of attack and sent me to the E.R.--mostly cause I was severely dehydrated and cause my blood pressure was really low--but I think the whole Mexico thing tipped it over the edge.

So they ran labs at the hospital and gave me all sorts of good pain meds and hooked me up to an IV, and this is what they discovered shortly after taking some x-rays:

That's right, I have freakin' PNEUMONIA!! I only use such strong words cause I'm mad at it for making my lungs their home. Who does it think it is? I thought only old people got pneumonia. I bet you some crazy Mexican gave it to me. They're probably sitting under a palm tree drinking some fruity drink with an umbrella in it and laughing hysterically at my demise.

On a happier note--I felt a lot better after leaving the hospital. They gave me some antibiotics and some vicodin--that's like a vacation in a bottle!

8 Things Tag

2008-10-06T20:42:00.000-07:00

You know--I get these emails almost every day, and just like my friend, Joanne, I ignore every single one. I love to read what other people write, but I just don't bother. And yet, when I saw I was tagged I had to oblige--mostly cause I've been feeling guilty about not updating my blog.

So here we go:

8 Things I am Passionate About:

My kids (could technically count as 2--3 if you count my husband)
Reading
My calling in Primary
Family in general
Learning
Having Me Time
Cougar Football
Neil Diamond

8 Words or Phrases I say WAAAY Too Often:

No (or any variation thereof)
Sucka!
Why!!??
Lola! Leave Noah alone!
Psych! ( I still think it's cool to say it)
I'm hungry
I'm freakin' tired
Shut yo mouth!

8 Things I Want To Do Before I Die:

Learn to play DDR
Dance at my Children's Weddings
Learn to Quilt
Ride in a big rig and blow the horn
Learn all the words to "Rapper's Delight" (Way to go Smash!)
Learn to iron--my husband must've married me for my looks
Walk or cycle the trail to Santiago de Compostela

8 Things I Have Learned From My Past:

The Lord knows best--don't agrue with Him
Prayer works
My family is always there for me
Whatever doesn't kill me only makes me stronger
Listen to the Spirit
Repentance hurts--but it works!
It's okay to ask for help
I can enjoy the music so much better if I'm not standing in the mosh pit

8 Places I Would Love To See:

Hawaii
Spain
Brazil
Graceland (I've been obsessed with this since Jr High)
Austria (Sound of Music tour)
Prince Edward Island (I love Anne of Green Gables)
Machu Picchu
Disney World

8 Things I Currently Need or Want:

My own house
To be skinny
More sleep
More patience
Financial security
A burger from In-n-Out--animal style, of course (kind of defeats #2)
Courage
A housekeeper/cook (sometimes)

8 More People I Tag:

Heidi E.
Tracie B.
Smash
Karyn T.
Lauren H.
Jessica G.
The Mulcocks

This pretty much exhausts my list of friends with blogs...or maybe my friends don't want me to know they have blogs...hmm...

Stuff

2008-09-16T19:24:00.000-07:00

Do you ever wonder where all your time goes? Like right now I'm trying to figure out what I have been so busy with that I've neglected my blog, and I can't think of a single good answer. I've been playing catch up with some shows I had on DVR--maybe that's it--but when I stop and think about the last few weeks I realize I have nothing to show for it...isn't that sad?

There have been some days I wake up and think: "Here we go again. Another day in paradise." and sigh at the fact that most of my days are almost exact duplicates of each other. There are also days when I fret at the thought of leaving the house with two kids--it's no easy project packing bags and snacks and dressing two wiggly kids--not to mention trying to make yourself look presentable.

I gotta shake things up! Find a new hobby. Join some kind of club. Maybe I need a new hairstyle! Maybe things will start looking up next week when Lola starts school on Thursday (not that she's the source of my rut) but it will be a nice change, and I'll actually get the chance to miss her a few hours a day, and then I wont feel like pulling my hair out so much anymore.

On a happier note...Mexico is only 4 weeks away, and to celebrate Mexican Independence day Noah decided to get his first tooth!! He's been teething for months and it's nice to see all his hard work pay off. We're all very proud at this great achievement, and look forward to all the other teeth with much anticipation.

Congrats Noah!!

What Happened to the Classic Cartoons?

2008-08-30T20:12:00.001-07:00

I don't know how many of you are familiar with "kid-friendly" TV nowadays, but it's nothing like it was when we were kids. There are no more classic cartoons anymore. Instead there are shows like this:

This is Yo Gabba Gabba. Not only has it invaded kid TV, it is now invading toy shelves. This show is so low budget--it's like Teletubbies, but for a slightly older audience. The guy in the orange...well he's just plain scary. He's stuck in the 70's with that orange jumpsuit and white shoes.

Then there's Wonderpets...oh Wonderpets. What catchy tunes you have--I find myself singing along during the show and then it's stuck in my head all day long. Once again--you can find Wonderpets toys at your local Target or Walmart. It's hard to describe why I find this show so annoying--the baby chick talks like a baby--says things like "this is sewious." I think that's what it is.

Aside from these two shows I'm just amazed at how many grown men are on kid shows--is this the pinnacle of their acting careers? Have they dreamed their whole lives of getting to where they are now? Sometimes I watch them and I'm slightly embarrased for them. Don't get me wrong--some of them I really like (Mr. Rogers, that guy from Blues Clues), but there are others like Imagination Movers, The Upside Down Show, and Yo Gabba Gabba that kinda give me the creeps.

How Sweet the Sound

2008-08-25T10:17:00.000-07:00

So, I decided yesterday morning as we climbed into the car to go to Church to try a little experiment. I wanted to see how many times Lola would say "mom" or any variation thereof in a day. I don't know if I'm a bad mom, but I think I need a vacation from my kids. I'm counting down the days till Lola starts preschool--though I'm sure I'll be a big, blubbering mess on her first day. I must've just hada bad weekend. I don't know. I do know that I was tired of hearing "Mom. Mom. Mommy. Mom. Mom. Mommy..." You get the picture.

So we left for Church at 9:15 am yesterday, and I think that by the time we got to Church the tally was at like 30. I continued to count during the first hour--and I lost track around 50. Curran thought this was hilarious--I think this is a very good reason for my lack of sanity. I love my kids--they just need me a little too much--and I know as I type this that I am gonna cry the day they don't need me anymore. But there are days I wish I was someone other than mom.

A Glimpse into the Future?

2008-08-12T20:42:00.000-07:00

I certainly hope it isn't! Lola loves to dance. She took a tap/ballet class a couple of months back when we were still living in L.A. and managed to get in trouble a couple of times for dancing to the beat of her own drum and doing her own form of interpretive dancing. There were days when she would wear her tap shoes all day long.

She was in the mood forSdancing today. She had dad pull out her tap shoes and we discovered that although they fit a couple months back, they are now a little snug. That did not stop her! She just discovered dancing on top of the laundry basket, and the sound is even better with tap shoes on! I just hope she doesn't think she can make a career out of dancing! But she sure is cute!

Dirty Mexicans!

2008-08-07T09:22:00.001-07:00

So, I was walking through Target yesterday with the kids--something we do at least once a week. And it's an unwritten law that we must always visit the toy department and the movie/book section just to browse. We made it out of the toy dept. without any major meltdowns--although Lola now goes crazy for all things "Hannah Bontanum." So we make our way to the book section and there is this older lady (ethnicity will not be disclosed) and a little girl about 3 yrs old. They were sitting on the floor in the middle of the aisle and the little girl hands the lady a Dora the Explorer book. The little girl sat down waiting for her mom/grandma to read it. The lady proceeds to open the book and after the first 2 lines says: "I don't want you to read this book. It has all those Mexican words in it. I don't want you to get all confused. Don't pick books with Mexican words."

Now...I've never heard anyone say the word "Mexican" and make it sound like a cuss word. But she had the uncanny ability to make "Mexican" sound dirty and vulgar. She sounded almost disgusted by those "Mexican words."

I stared at her in disbelief--I was speechless. First of all, she said that out loud with lots of people around. Secondly, we live in San Diego--minutes away from the U.S/Mexican border. Needless to say, there are quite a few Mexicans around. And lastly, Dora is way too funny looking to be Mexican--we don't want to claim her--let Central or South America have her! Us Mexicans will stick to Handy Manny--the Disney channel cartoon character that works as the city's handy man. Disney, however, made the mistake of giving him his own store. They should've just had him standing outside the local Home Depot.

I'm Addicted!

2008-07-30T21:56:00.000-07:00

I am officially addicted to reality TV. I think it gets on Curran's nerves, but I can't help it. I finally realized a few days ago that there is one thing that the reality shows I watch have in common...really dramatic gay men (that's kind of redundant, though, isn't it?). I am in love with Project Runway and Shear Genius! I gotta admit that the only reason I started watching Project Runway is because my friend Smash made such a big deal about it. I just had to see what it was all about. Shear Genius I just caught one day on TV and have never missed an episode since.

Actually, the one other show I watch doesn't have the same common thread as these--I've got two words: Hai! Majide! It's that show "I Survived a Japanese Game Show." I had zero interest in this show when they first announced it. It sounded ridiculous and lame. I told myself I would never be caught watching that show. Well it IS ridiculous and lame, but also highly entertaining. I've decided that if I wasn't born Mexican I would have chosen Japanese. They sure do know how to entertain an audience. Although, if you've ever watched a game show on Spanish TV those can sure give the Japanese ones a run for their money.

Reality TV has had some real winners and some real losers. I personally feel like it has redeemed itself with the above-mentioned shows. If you haven't watched them you are missing out on some quality hissy fits, cat fights and physical challenges.

Crash,Boom, No Splat (thank goodness)!

2008-07-29T17:05:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've posted--things have been a little crazy. Curran is 5 weeks away from finishing his MBA at Cal State L.A. Since we reside in San Diego he has to drive a little over 100 miles on Thursdays to attend class. He's been doing this since June so last Thursday was just like any other for us. I knew I wouldn't see him until about midnight, so I went over to my friend's house to entertain myself and the kids.

I got a call from Curran a little before 6 pm. He was involved in a 5 or 6 car pile up on the 710 freeway on his way to school. He had just left my parent's house (where ironically he had just complained to my sister about how unhappy he was with his car and how much he wanted to buy a new one) when he was rear-ended by some kind of big delivery truck (like a Uhaul) and that sent him smashing into the Jeep in front of him. He stayed in his car, afraid to move, until he was transported by ambulance to the hospital where he laid strapped to a board for a few hours.

The kids and I drove up the next day to figure things out. I was amazed at how well Curran was doing. I was even more amazed when we went to the tow yard and saw the car. Curran calls it a "minor accident." We're very lucky that he is as well as he is--all things considered. He had minor cuts from the back windshield shattering, a bruise on his leg and some whiplash. He also finally got to buy that new car he's been wanting!

How Noah Feels About Mom's Cooking

2008-07-12T15:24:00.000-07:00

It's official--my kids hate my cooking! Why do I even bother? They'll just have to live off of cereal and Hot Pockets.

I knew this was a bad idea

2008-07-08T07:52:00.000-07:00

So, after much thought and quite of bit of convincing I gave in last week and we finally got high speed internet and cable. After the first 24 hours, though, I knew we were in big trouble. First let me start by saying that I never really found the thought of hundreds of channels very alluring. Maybe it's a guy thing...I don't get it. I just find that it takes entirely too long to scroll through the entire guide. By the time you make it all the way through the guide and actually decide on something you want to watch the dang show will be half-way over. Then there's the dilemna that you think you found something interesting, but something inside nags you that there might be something better, so you scroll through the guide and pretty much end up watching nothing cause you're so indecisive.

The other big issue is who gets control of the remote. Curran and I have quickly learned that we don't ever agree on what to watch. He thinks my shows are trash. I think his shows are dumb. For instance I choose to watch and sometimes record: Golden Girls, Splendor in the Grass, How William Shatner Changed the World, Deadliest Catch, Trauma: Life in the ER, and Reno 911. Curran chooses to watch and record: Drumline, Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, Drop Dead Gorgeous, Ultraviolet, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, and My Cousin Vinny. You've heard people say that finances are the biggest cause of contention in a marriage? I personally think it's cable tv. We both make fun of each others choices in television programming, but in the end we always give in--except for My Cousin Vinny. I don't think I could ever bring myself to watch that.

Middle of the night

2008-07-06T15:36:00.000-07:00

So, last night I woke up--don't even know what time it was and I started to think...I don't think I like the new swimsuits the potential olympians are wearing. What happened to the good ol' speedo? I liked those--on guys who actually have the body to wear that kind of thing, but then again...does ANYONE have the body for those things? But seriously, I'm a little disappointed. And not just cause I don't get to see guys in speedos, but the girls are wearing them too. I know there was this controversy about how tons of world records have been broken since the inception of the new swimsuit, but I don't care about that. Aesthetically, the speedos worked for me. Luckily, as my husband pointed out, the divers are still wearing them! Go USA!

It's not all "Bastards" and "Big Dummies"

2008-07-02T19:47:00.001-07:00

I may not be the best example--but moments like this make me feel a little better about the job I'm doing raising my kids.

48 Hours in review

2008-07-01T09:03:00.000-07:00

The last 48 hours of my life have been quite interesting. Here is a brief account of what I have experienced:
I ate an awesome salad and quesadilla at Chevys :)
I dyed my hair! (No more awful roots!) :)
Lola told me my cooking stinks :(
I had a nightmare that I was captured by terrorists :(
Lola told me she had big boobies then proceeded to lift her shirt and pat her ribs :(
My mom told me I looked fatter and then asked me if I was pregnant :(
I was called "stupid" by a 2 year old :(

Logos Lola Recognizes Without Knowing How To Read

2008-06-29T21:43:00.000-07:00

1. McDonald's

2. Pollo Loco

3. Target

4. Jamba Juice

5. Curves (a.k.a. Mommy's work)

6. In-n-Out--we had a little discussion about how In-n-Out is NOT McDonald's--even though they both sell fries--Refering to In-n-Out as McDonald's should be a cardinal sin--I'll consult the Pope about that.

Aren't They Cute When They Repeat Everything They Hear?

2008-06-26T11:00:00.000-07:00

A week or so ago I was driving up with the kids to LA to see my parents and was listening to talk radio (something I rarely do when Curran is in the car with me). I know that the show I listen to isn't very uplifting and sometimes has some pretty crude stuff--but it can be quite entertaining as well. So I was listening in--thinking Lola was asleep in the backseat. The guy on the radio was talking about who-knows-what and made his final point by yelling "Bastards!". Lola perks up and says "Bastards?" and I respond "Huh?" thinking she would forget what the word was. She continues by yelling it out again and then saying "Ohhhh bastards! Bastards, mommy. Bastards! Hurry!" So I go--"Yeah faster! Mommy goes faster!" And thanked heaven I managed to save myself some future embarrassment by adjusting the meaning of the new word she discovered.

Though I also discovered earlier this week that she listens to EVERYTHING I say when I'm in the car with her. I was cut off by some little old lady in the Ralph's parking lot and I honked my horn. Lola then proceeded to yell "You big dummy!" out the window. I guess there are worse things I could teach her by example.

And Baby Makes 4

2008-06-25T15:33:00.001-07:00

Though you may not know it, and the picture on our blog doesn't show--we actually have a baby boy--Noah. He was born 5 months ago. I used to think that life with one child was chaotic--I now stand corrected. Five months have come and gone and still no official pictures with darling poses or family portraits. So here's one I took with my camera just so you all know he really does exist!

Jumping on the bandwagon!

2008-06-25T14:55:00.000-07:00

We did it! We're officially part of the blogging world--mostly inspired by my good friends--Smash in DC, Trake in DC, the Felixes in Tennessee, and The Walkers in Seattle. I just wanted a spot to share my rants and raves. Don't know how good I'll be at posting, but ready or not...here we go!