Mommy of Angels

Loft Beds

2012-01-07T11:26:00.000-08:00

My husband built these beds and they are great...they give our girls so much more floor space... We totally redid their rooms, new floor, new paint, new decor and new BEDS!!!! Here are photos from my oldest daughter's room.

Growing Up

2010-11-29T07:13:00.000-08:00

After talking with my friend about raising teenage girls, I think back to my own teenage years. I see how God used my mom in protecting me. Moving us from our hometown clear across the state, was his way of protecting me. Cause living in a small town kids get bored easily. I had a friend that had a baby at 15. God didn't even give me a chance to even think about messing up. He gave me a mom that cared more about protecting me, instead of trusting me. She never let me do anything that hinted the word trouble. Thank You Mom for loving me eventhough at the time I thought it was "unfair".... You did a great job of raising me, cause I think I turned out pretty wonderful, if I do say so myself... he he he....

Tootsie

2010-11-28T16:39:00.000-08:00

She's a maniac. We have a huge backyard, yet she has to remain on a 30ft lease, because she tries to escape under the fence. I'm still convinced that it was good that I got her. I think I would have mourned Loba until I got another dog. Of course getting a new dog 1 day after Loba died was probably a little pre-mature. But I was so heartbroken. 11 years with a dog is a long time, she was awesome. Of course I forgot about all stuff she tore up. She tore up 3 swings, a wooden chair, countless bowls, pull out newly planted shrubs, the list goes on... Tootsie is of course doing the same... So where will this adventure take us... I hope that she becomes magically well trained, because her life depends on it... :) Just kidding, I love Tootsie, now if only the kids will learn to love her.

My Boy

2010-11-27T18:17:00.000-08:00

November 30th will be Isaac's 2nd birthday.. Two years ago I woke up Thanksgiving morning realizing that my water broke... not what I was expecting since he wasn't due until Jan 17. I found myself in the hospital a couple of hours later trying to keep Isaac in a little bit longer. The journey up until now has been non-stop... Things we've encountered were the NICU for 3 weeks, home heart monitor for 3 weeks, yellow stuff coming out of his eyes for 5 months, an umbilical hernia, hospitalized with croup for 12 hours, at least 10 occasions of pallid breath holding spells, the first time I called 911, he's lactose intolerant, and now doing speech therapy.....
He loves climbing into the playhouse outside, his favorite hiding place is a small empty cabinet next to the sink, he's into watching dvd's in his room before naptime and nighttime, he loves to cuddle, will stick his hand in my shirt for the heck of it, loves taking baths and showers, loves to read books, has written all over my newly painted walls, which as lead to time-outs. He has four different vehicles, a fire truck, dump truck, radio flyer scooter, and a Lightning McQueen Car. He has 3 different train sets. He's already letting me know when he pees in his diaper. He will play in the dirt, and put Tootsie's food in the water bowl. He's my boy. I can't wait to see what this year brings..

Things I love...

2010-11-24T19:01:00.000-08:00

10. Afternoon naps
9. Massages
8. Giving meaningful gifts
7. Singing
6. Going out on dates with my husband
5. Tickeling my kids and hearing them laugh.
4. Realizing my kids have learned something new
3. Cuddleing
2. Going on mission trips
1. Seeing God work his miracles

Joshua 1

2010-03-25T19:45:00.000-07:00

1. What employer-employee, teacher-pupil relationship has affected you the most?

I remember my second grade teacher, Ms Bedford, had to paddle me because I got mad for missing recess (I never did my math) and bit another teacher. Ms. Bedford also was the one who went to the library to check out nursing books for me and put them on my very own special table so that I could read when I was done with my work. She was a great teacher.

Moses has just died and now Joshua is the leader. God has promised him the land across the Jordan. God promised Joshua that He would give him every place Joshua sets his foot, and no one would be able to stand against him. God reminds him to obey all the law that he gave Moses, and promises that He will be with Joshua wherever he goes. In order to be prosperous and succeed, I must meditate on God's word night and day and do everything written in it. Success here means that I will succeed in being in God's will.

I love these verses... "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified, do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

Coping Mechanism

2009-08-14T16:21:00.001-07:00

When Emma needs to go potty, and is having to hold it she'll start chatting. "Don't pee, don't pee, don't pee..)

Summer is almost over

2009-08-14T16:10:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful summer. Went swimming a bunch. My girls performed in a dance recital. We to the best beach in the U.S. (Destin, FL), and we played alot. Starting August 24, I will no longer be able to sleep in... Yuk. I'll have to wake up each day at 6:00 am. Then I need to get Isabel to school by 8:00 am. I so don't like waking up early. But I'm sure it's going to be a great school year. This will be Emma's last year at home. (boo hoo). At least I have 5 more years with Isaac. I can't believe he will be turning 1 at the end of Novemeber. Time sure does fly. I can't wait until our Disney World Trip at the end of September. I'm so ready to go again. This year we'll be creating our own Mickey Mouse ears.... We'll get to have breakfast with Lilo and Stitch, lunch with the princesses and even get to see a luau. It's going to be great. Well blog friends, here's my update. Talk to ya soon.

Quiet Time - God our Refuge, focus on Him

2009-07-20T05:20:00.000-07:00

Isaiah 24-27

Ch. 25 v 1
O LORD, you are my God;
I will exalt you and praise your name,
for in perfect faithfulness
you have done marvelous things,
things planned long ago

God completes his plans as promised. God answers my prayers.
- Eddie fixed his truck, now he has AC.
- Wuela came home from the hospital.

v4
You have been a refuge for the poor,
a refuge for the needy in his distress,
a shelter from the storm
and a shade from the heat.
For the breath of the ruthless
is like a storm driving against a wall

God is concered for the poor. When we are disadvantaged or oppressed we can turn to God for comfort and help.

Leadership Point:
Leaders manage stress by managing perspective. 26:3-4

3 You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You.
4 Trust in the LORD forever,
For in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength.

Those who fix their eyes on the past risk a severe collision with the future. Those who see only the future hit much too hard the speed bumps of today. Only those who fix their eyes on God can effectively negotiate the right pace of life.

Is it ever ok to lie?????

2009-06-04T09:45:00.000-07:00

Read a story to my girls about a big-wide mouth frog who goes around asking other animals "Who are you and what do you eat?"""
Well at the end he meets an alligator.. The alligator replies that she eats big-wide mouth frogs... she then asks "Who are you and what do you eat?" He replies "I'm a little narrow mouth frog... and I'm off" and jumps away...

My 6 year old say "Ahhhh he lied!!!" What could I say???

So I thought and thought and asked my husband and finally came up with....

It's ok to lie to bad people especially if you are in danger... This teaching moment came about again as we were watching Blart, mall cop....

Now the next hurdle... On "Beverly Hills Chihuahua", the song "I'm too sexy" plays.. Of course the 6 year-old asks... "What does sexy mean?" My reply.. "Let me get back to you on that one."

Any suggestions out there???

I'm back

2009-06-04T09:10:00.000-07:00

Ever since I stopped working, I have completely abandoned the blogging world. I have been stuck over at facebook.

My grandma is doing much better, she is stil in a rehab hospital but yesterday she took 20 steps on a walker... Praise God!

My boy is getting so big, is 6 months now and is trying to eat sweet potatoes. Belle just lost another tooth and today is her last day of kindergarden, she's so excited. I am sure going to miss her teacher, because she was such a great teacher. I hope Emma gets her when she goes in 1 year.

My life is so good right now, I have an amazing family. My husband is just the best, my kids are my life's little lessons, they teach me so much each day. My mom and sister, well let's just say that they are a great blessing to me.

For my birtday present, me and my mom are going to go see George Strait at the new Dallas Cowboys stadium, that is going to be so neat, I'll be sure to takes some pics...

Summer is here and I have a variety of daily activities lined up.. It's going to be fun and fantastic.. I hope all of you moms and dads enjoy a fantastic summer with your youngins...

March, in like a lion and still roaring

2009-03-31T19:07:00.000-07:00

This month has been a roller coaster..

March 1st - I celebrated my Wuelo's birthday. Our entire family was at my grandparents house, I had a bad stomach ache. My last words to my grandpa were Happy Birthday Wuelo, he said "Go home and rest"... He's now home with Jesus resting.

March 3rd - I ignored my grandma's call for help at 2:00 pm, I had just gotten home and needed to feed Isaac. I was supposed to go to my grandparents house but decided to go home first to feed the baby. At 5:00 pm while I was trying to get out the door to take Emma to ballet, we see the news....no way it can't be my grandparents house...I jump in the truck and rush over making 2 phone calls along the way to see if anyone has heard anything...I'm met by the police and then the bad news comes...fire in the shed, my grandpa died, grandma got careflighted to Parkland....

March 13th - I'm on my 2nd day at the hospital at 7:00 pm, Eddie, me, and my grandma have our own memorial service in the hospital room, we pray, read some poems, share some stories, watch the celebration of life dvd that I made, and cry.

March 14th - My grandma has to go to "the tank", hell on earth. This will continue daily. I don't hear anything as I stand next to the door, she's a strong women, not like the screams that I hear from the kids that go into "the tank" I could never do that job.

March ? - ? - Isaac is sick for half the month, coughing, throwing up, and diarrhea.

March 30th - Isaac turns 4 months. He gets shots and he's 12lbs 11oz. Still getting over the crud... good news is that he sleeps 8 - 10 hours at night.

Date Night

2009-02-28T20:24:00.000-08:00

We had a date night. What's cool is that the YMCA watched our 3 kids for the low price of $34 for 4 hours and they even fed them pizza. I love the teachers at the Y. They are the same teachers that have been there since we joined. The kids had a blast, making crowns, and also watching Monster's Inc. Just like last time, Ms. Donna said that Isaac was the best behaved child of everyone there. She asked if he was a good baby at home too. Of course he is... he is great, but all my kids were great babies and they still are. I am so pround of them every day. Isabel is reading great, and she loves to read her Early Readers Bible. Emma imagination is out of this world. She loves to draw and write notes, and she metioned to me that she loves holidays. She's already planning for Easter. Just like her mother, plans way ahead for things. Eddis is in denial that he is sleepy, yet I stare at him now sleeping on the couch. I must rest now, Isaac will be waking up hopefully not until 4 am to eat. Good Night.

Finally but will it last?

2009-02-26T05:49:00.000-08:00

Isaac skitpha a meal last night. The midnight meal. That was good for me because I got to go to bed at 10 and not wake up again until 3. I hope he does it again tonight. Anyways today I'm going to go shopping for a baby dedication outfit for Isaac. I haven't yet confirmed the date with the Pastor yet, but we are shooting for March 15th. Eddie got a $25 gift card from JC Penny's so hopefully I can find one there. Keep your fingers crossed. Everything else is going well, I'm enjoying my time here at home. Oh yeah, pray that I get the summer gig at the YMCA. The director liked my resume, so I'm just waiting for her to post the position so that I can offically apply. I would be working with the preschoolers 1/2 day summer camps. This is cool, because I would get a 50% discount on my membership and on anything that I sign my kids up for, plus Isaac will stay in the kids zone for those couple of hours a day. I really like the teachers, and they really like him. They see him everyday for about 30 minutes when I work out. I'll keep you posted. Also Eddie and I get to go out on a date on Saturday. The kids are going to the Y for Parents Night Out. We are going to go see Madea Goes to Jail, which should be hilarious. I just love Tyler Perry's movies and plays. Well I guess I gotta run... Later Dudes..

I'm addicted

2009-02-20T06:41:00.000-08:00

Chocolate candy, my addiction. And since we got a bunch for Valentines day, I eat one every day... Ahhhh.

When I go to the movies I have to get a box of Milk Duds... They are my favorite.
I went to my grandparents house and they had a big box of Millionaires, which are just plain sinful.

Of course, none of this is helping me loose my 10 lbs baby weight. I want to throw it all out, but that would be just plain dumb.

Where did I leave off????

2009-02-08T19:45:00.001-08:00

So, I quit my job, it's been a week, and I like staying home. I spend time on facebook, that's why I haven't blogged in a long time. I went to a marriage class yesterday at OCBF called Sexplosion. It was an awesome class. I was going to buy the book, but the bookstore was all out of it. It's been almost 2.5 months since I've had a full nights sleep. I can't wait until next month, when I start Isaac on cereal, hopefully he'll sleep more at night. Tomorrow is a busy day, Eddie will be at the fire dept, so I've got to get the girls up and dressed, fed and make their lunches for school. Hopefully it won't rain tomorrow. Gotta run now, Isaac has to eat...

3 more days

2009-01-27T16:21:00.001-08:00

Friday will be my last day, I can't say that enough... of course we'll see how I feel about it 3 months from now when I can't go out to eat just for the heck of it, because we'll be living on a budget... he he... Just kidding, I'm going to love it. I just need to get into the groove of things.Right now we are watching Wall-E, I love hearing Isabel laugh at the movie, I've got to remember to ask her what her favorite part is....Well gotta run, Eddie just got home from work...

Chaning Times

2009-01-25T19:26:00.001-08:00

Well it's been awhile since I've posted anything.... I've been hanging out on Facebook.

We brought Isaac home on Dec 22, just in time for Christmas.
On Jan 13, he weighted 7 lbs 10 oz. He goes to the doctor on Friday to get his 2 month shots, and a checkup. And when he goes the doctor will see that he has a hernia in his belly button.

Friday will also be my last day of work. I've been at my job for 8 years. I've wanted to quit for awhile, I just needed a little push. My husband is so supportive, and I've been enjoying staying at home with my family. Now I'll have more time to blog, and do other projects that I've been putting off. I pray that God will just guide me each day.

Well gotta run for now, gotta read my bible, finish watching Desperate Housewives, and then read a little of Breaking Dawn.... those 3 things don't quit go together huh... oh well that's me.

One Step Closer

2008-12-14T19:54:00.001-08:00

Isaac is eating by bottle every other feeding. Today at 6:00 he drank him whole bottle in 15 minutes. Tomorrow, we'll meet with the OT to see when I can start nurseing him. Three other babies get to go home tomorrow. I can't wait until I get the phone call that we get to go home. My hope is that he'll be home before Christmas.

Picture of Isaac Joel

2008-12-06T11:23:00.000-08:00

How He Arrived

2008-12-02T20:01:00.000-08:00

Friday

On Thanksgiving Morning my water broke around 4:30 am. I went to the hospital around 7:30 am. I was put on meds to stop the contractions, and also some antibiotics to prevent infection. I have also been given steroid shots to help Isaac's lungs grow faster. They are hoping he stays put until 34.4 - 35 weeks, as long as there is no infection or anything else. Either way the longer he stays in the better for him. So I'm stuck here in room 2320 at Arlington Memorial Hospital until he is born. Today was great the meds that they gave me have pretty much stopped the contractions. I've been taken off the monitors. Baby is doing awesome. I will keep you guys updated if anything changes.

Monday

Isaac Joel Valenzuela was born at 2:31 am on Sunday November 30, 2008
He weighs 4 lbs 9 oz 17 inches long
Currently he is in NICU.
He was taken off of his ventilator just around 11 am on Sunday, so he's breathing without help. All we are waiting on now is that he learns how to feed off of a bottle. I am at home and am doing well. Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers.

Tuesday

We got to hold Isaac yesterday and today. They took off his arterial line, so that's good. He ate some yesterday from a bottle, but not much so they began tube feeding.
Today he ate better. So we'll se how he does tomorrow with the OT. As the nurse was feeding him, he heard me talk and immediately opened his eyes, so I got to hold him and spend some time with him while he was awake. I can't wait to see him tomorrow.

Emma's note to me

2008-11-24T17:32:00.001-08:00

Emma's note to me, let me translate. $ Emma which says,
Emma wants lots of money.

Thank You

2008-11-24T10:24:00.002-08:00

1. Thank you God for my salvation.
2. Thank you Mom for giving me life and always being there for me.
3. Thank you Eddie for being a great husband and father.
4. Thank you Felicia for being the best sister of all time
5. Thank you Isabel for keeping it real, and loving me in spite of my flaws.
6. Thank you Emma for just making me laugh when I am feeling down.
6.5 Thank you Jacob for cleaning the playroom over and over again.
7. Thank you Wuela and Wuelo for being the best grandparents in the universe.
8. Thank you Matilde and Javier for giving life to Eddie.
9. Thank you Faby and Lily for treating me like a sister.
10. Thank you Irma and John for your guidance in different areas of life.
11. Thank you Pastor for being a good Pastor.
12 Thank you Noemi for calling several times a week just to see how I'm doing.
13. Thank you Mona for helping me in mission friends. You rock.
14. Thank you Steve for helping me in children's church. You rock too.
15. Thank you Lydia for teaching my kids about racaroni and other fun things. :)
16. Thank you David for being someone that I can talk about old times with.
17. And anyone else out there that I forgot to mention... Thank you for being in my life.

Thankful

2008-11-24T10:24:00.001-08:00

You Are 86% Thankful

You're an incredibly thankful person, and everyone around you feels very appreciated.

You inspire people to be more optimistic, forgiving, and grateful.

How Thankful Are You?

Leadership

2008-11-24T09:28:00.000-08:00

How to be a good leader. This is a tough one. I struggle with it everyday, as I try to lead my children in becoming godly women and responsible adults. As I try to lead at my workplace and at my church.
"You can't lead someone where you've never been before yourself"
I have had some great leaders in the past, I was blessed to have great bosses. I have also served under bad leadership as well. And that is no fun at all.

I gave my husband the Maxwell Leadership Bible over a year ago, and I can see how he has grown in this area. I also see where I fall short.

Just wanted to share what I read today

Relationships: If You Get Along, They Will Go Along. Romans 12:9-21

Many leaders commit the error of separating leadership from relationships. This happens when a person steps into a position of leadership and assumes that everyone will follow his or her ideas because of his or her positon. Some leaders wrongly believer that their knowledge alone qualifies them to lead others.
People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. We cannot separate leadership from relationships. Leaders help themselves by developing good relational skills. Paul instructs us how to lead through relationships.

1. Avoid hypocrisy - be sincere and genuine (v.9)
2. Be loyal to colleagues - treat others like brothers and sisters (v10)
3. Give preference to others - honor the desires of others above your own. (v10)
4. Be hospitable - look for ways to meet the needs of others. (v13)
5. Return good for evil - act, don't react, when others hurt you. (v14)
6. Identify with others - treat others' needs or victories as your own. (v15)
7. Be open-minded toward others - seek to connect with anyone you speak to. (v16)
8. Treat everyone with respect - this is a compliment to any person. (v17)
9. Do everything possible to keep peace. - choose wisely which hill to die on. (v18)
10. Remove revenge from your life. - let God judge others; you love them. (vv 19-21)

My comments:
1. I hope I have this one down. I don't like two-faced people, I strive to be transparent and be myself everywhere I go and to everyone I meet. If I like you, you know it. If I don't like you, you know it as well.
2. I am loyal to my colleagues, and would never throw someone under the bus for my mistakes.
3. I struggle with this one a bit.. sometimes I just want it my way.
4. I love helping people when I can (emphasis on WHEN I CAN), sometimes I just have to say "NO", I've tried to learn what my limitations are. So when I feel like there is too much on my plate I say "NO" to the next request comes along. I feel bad but not that bad. My sanity is important to me.
5. This one is hard, because in my heart when someone hurts me, I so want them to just hurt them back and make them feel just as bad as I do.
6. I love it when people are blessed. I think it's awesome to see God work in others lives. Also it sucks when others are going through bad times, I try to put myself in there postion to see how I can help. This has gotten me in trouble in the past because then some people take advantage of my willingness to help.
7. I try to do this, like this weekend at the movies, we were sitting next to a girl that was by herself and we tried to includ her in our coversations and stuff.
8. I struggle at this as well. It's hard to treat someone with respect when you have lost respect for that person. Did I mention this is HARD.
9. I try to keep the peace, when I've been mean or rude to someone, even if it takes me a day or so I will try to remember to apologize and see what I did wrong in the situation, sometimes I need someone to point it out to me... I call these my knucklehead momements.
10. This too is hard.. see number 5.

So from my comments above, I've got alot of work to do. ALOT! Just wanted to say thanks to my husband for always listening to me and teaching me and lovingly showing me the errors of my ways, and for being a great leader.

Out of town

2008-11-11T11:03:00.000-08:00

Isabel's friend was in Amarillo, TX this weekend.

Isabel: Where did Victoria go?
Me: Out of Town
Emma: Where's out of town?
Isabel: Disney World.

Preference

2008-11-06T12:41:00.000-08:00

Eddie: Do you want brocolli or brocolli and cheese?
Isabel: I just want brocolli.
Emma: I just want the cheese.

Walt Disney World 2008

2008-10-28T06:59:00.000-07:00

So we recently made a trip to Walt Disney World. It was so much fun, we are already planning for next year. First of all, October was a perfect time to go, a tip I got from a friend who lived in Florida for 9 years. Second, I love MISD, which allows time for you to take your kid out of school for family vacations. Third, buying the book "Hassle Free Disney World Vacation 2008", was the smart thing to do, also another tip from a nurse at Eddie's hospital. Durning the next couple of days if I have time, I'll post some of our adventures.

Baby Update: 2 more months to go.... Crib is partially put together, my sanity is still in tact, so far, I feel great.

Drum Roll please

2008-09-25T07:29:00.000-07:00

We decided to name our little boy.

Isaac Joël Valenzuela

Joël pronounced Jo-L

My new favorite lipstick

2008-09-15T19:06:00.000-07:00

NEW Mineral Power™ Lipcolor
Pure color, weightless feel in 400 Ruby

Wny I love it...

light, perfect hint of color, I don't have to use a mirror to put it on, I don't have to worry if I put too much on... it's just perfect for me.

I'm influencing my daughter

2008-09-11T07:54:00.000-07:00

Eddie to Emma: Where were you?
Emma: In my playroom.
Eddie: What were you doing?
Emma: Working on my laptop.

It's a Boy

2008-09-11T07:38:00.000-07:00

We found out Monday that we will be having a Baby Boy.
My husband is so excited.

So now the name game. We think we narrowed down the first name.

Ready? It means "God's Gift" .... Jesse
Now all we need is a middle name, so your help is needed.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks

Michelle

the obvious

2008-09-02T09:10:00.000-07:00

Isabel: Mommy did you know I can hear when I'm sleeping?
Me: Wow, how can you do that?
Isabel: I have ears.

First Day of School

2008-08-29T15:24:00.000-07:00

August 25th was Isabel's first day of school. She's been doing great.

Vote For Michelle!

2008-08-21T11:25:00.001-07:00

Click here for my news slot.

The Birds and the Bees

2008-08-20T10:40:00.000-07:00

Seeing that I'm pregnant and all, the first question out of Isabel's mouth was "How did that baby get in there?". So we explained that the baby was in mommy's uterus, which is by mommy's tummy. "But, how did that baby get in there?". Oh oh... what do we say???? So we search and search and came up with this. "When a husband and wife love each other, they hold each other in a special way, and make a baby." She seemed to be satisfied with that answer.

Fast forward 4 months....
Isabel is about to start school (public school). A good quality that Isabel has is her stubborness. You ask good??? Yes, because once she gets an idea in her mind she will not back down. She is fully convinced that what she knows to be true is. So our job as her parents is to fill her little mind with truth. Truth about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, what the bible says, what's right and what's wrong, etc....

So back to the birds and the bees... Since we are having a baby it is the perfect opportunity to open the discussion back up so that she doesn't get the wrong information from someone else....

I went and bought 2 books. "Why boys and girls are different" By Carol Greene (ages 3-5) and "Where do babies come from?" By Ruth Hummel ages (6-8). I got both of these at Mardel's... I read them both and I like them. The are part of Learning about Sex: a series for the Christian Family.

Can't wait until my husband reads them and then we'll read the age appropriate book to Emma and Isabel.

Digital Whiteboard

2008-08-19T08:40:00.000-07:00

I came across a problem yesterday. I had a list of things on my whiteboard at work and needed to see then today when I worked from home.. I couldn't bring the whiteboard with me so what do I do?

I posted it on www.skrbl.com.. Click here you can see where I published my skrbl online so I can see it anywhere... Also I can login and make changes as often as I want.

Mission Trip 2008 - Tijuana

2008-08-12T05:26:00.000-07:00

Here is one of the videos from our mission trip. This video highlights the VBS (Vacation Bible School). We also built a house that week, but that is highlighted in another video. The location for VBS that we chose was a vacant lot behind a vacant yellow store. On the first day we had 35 kids, on the last day we had 117.
It was an amazing trip. This video was produced by Ryan Strong one of the missionaries that on our team that we had the privledge to lead. Enjoy.

Little White Box

2008-08-06T08:44:00.000-07:00

Little White Box

(Use fingers to make a box)
I wish I had a little white box
To put my Jesus in
I'd take him out and kiss, kiss, kiss (put hand to mouth and act like you are giving Jesus a kiss)
And put Him back again.

I wish I had a little black box
To put the devil in
I'd take him out and smash his face(clap hands together, and yell smash his face)
And put him back again.

These arms of mine

2008-07-18T11:25:00.000-07:00

These arms of mine are burning from wanting you...

Been along time since I've heard this song. This was played on the movie Road House (w/ Patrick Swayze). I heard it again this week on the show "So you think you can dance"

Open Arms-

2008-07-16T06:39:00.001-07:00

So now I turn to you with open arms,nothing to hide, believe what I say....
This song was playing at the end of an 80's movie, that at the time considering my age I shouldn't have been watching... This is one of my favorite love songs...

I couldn't embed this video so here's the link.

Open Arms Video

Please don't go girl

2008-07-15T07:20:00.000-07:00

Ok, yes I was a New Kids on the Block fan. We lived in Odessa, and when my mom had an interview here in Dallas, it just happen to fall on the weekend that NKOTB were going to be in concert. So we got to come to the concert and eat at the Hard Rock Cafe. I thought I was so cool going back home with my concert t-shirt and wearning it the following Monday.

Summer Girls

2008-07-14T05:49:00.000-07:00

Ok.. stole this idea from Chasing Amy... I'm not going to do 60 days in a row... but thought it would be fun to remember some of the cheesy songs I used to love as a kid...

What would you do?

2008-07-14T05:31:00.000-07:00

I was at Sports Authority looking for some running shoes that were on sale. As I'm trying to decided which ones to get I hear this over the loud speaker.
"CODE 1 AT THE GUN COUNTER"

My cue to get the heck out of there.

What's cooler than a lion?

2008-07-14T05:24:00.000-07:00

So at home we have teams. Eddie and Emma against Me and Isabel. In the beginning they were butterflies and we were dragonflies (I think). Anyways, they soon became lions. We have yet to find an animal to stick with. On Friday, we chose bumble bee, but then I didn't think that was furioucious enough so I said we were killer bees. Then I heard Isabel saying.. We're gonna kill you, cause we're killer bees. Yeah... probably not the best thing to say. I've got to come up with something better. The lions have their signature roar, and high-five with their paws, and even Emma will try to scratch. So we need suggestions on a team animal.

Speaking of lions...
Saturday, Isabel comes in my room whining that Emma scratched her, and I told her that she needed to be careful around baby lions... fast forward to 15 minutes later, after I got out of my shower Isabel saw my chest where I had been scratching. "Ooooh mama, you got scratched too.. was it a lion?"

Immersion 2008

2008-07-09T10:23:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from our Immersion. Immersion is the training we go to before our Mission Trip in Tiajuana, Mex. We leave for our trip July 25th.

New blog

2008-07-08T06:54:00.001-07:00

I started one. It's my online journal between me and God. Each morning when I do my devotional I journal about what God is telling me and how I respond. Maybe one of these days I'll share the link with my kids so that they can read about the struggles that I've faced and how God has gotten me through them.

My Grandparents

2008-07-02T10:53:00.000-07:00

My grandparents are moving to Mansfield this weekend and I can't wait. They currently live in Odessa which is 5.5 hours away, so we only get to see them twice a year. I moved away from Odessa when I was 15, that was 18 years ago. They will be living 4 minutes away. Yippeeee!!!!! I'm very close to my grandparents. I would stay at there house every weekend. On Saturday mornings, we'd go to McDonalds and then to the mall. On Sunday, we'd go to church and then go eat at Furr's Cafeteria.
It's because of my grandma that I know the Lord today. I remember her playing volleyball with me in the front yard, and sewing dresses for me. I remember always practicing spelling words with my grandpa (I would adminster the test to him). I remember everyday after school, I would make 2 icecream cones for my grandpa for him to eat when he got home from work. (I would catch the bus at there house).
Now they are in there late 60's early 70's and I finally get to see them everyday now. My grandma is the best cook. My grandpa was is an automobile accident 15 years ago, so now he's in a wheelchair. Thank God that workman's comp has provided income for them all these years. They were able to buy their new house in cash and were blessed to sell their exsisting house, to which they have lived in since 1955.
This house was a liquor store, and over the years with countless remodeling, it turned into a beautiful home and remains like that today. I can't believe I'm never going to go to Odessa again. Ok maybe for a funeral or something. Thanksgiving is going to be so cool here at my house and Christmas too... I so excited I can't wait.

August Rush

2008-07-01T06:46:00.000-07:00

I saw this movie for the first time last night. It was sooooooo good! It keeps you on the edge of your feet. The music is great, and the story is great. I highly recommend this film.

When I grow up....

2008-06-23T19:13:00.000-07:00

I don't know what I want to be... I have a career now, but I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up. A nurse? A teacher? Hmmmm.

Too cute

2008-06-23T19:11:00.000-07:00

Emma calls me Mama and I will call her Honey.

The other day, she had on some glasses and said.
"I'm the mama cause I have on glasses, and your the honey"

Exhaustion

2008-06-22T19:59:00.000-07:00

We I've just been totally exhausted, growing a baby is hard work. All I want to do all day is sleep, so it's a miracle that I'm posting anything. I've been praying for energy. Well I got some tonight. I actually put a load of towels in the washer and I cleaned the kitchen and living room. I hope this surge of energy continues, because my husband and sister have had to pick up the slack. Thank you both so much for understanding.

Recital Pictures

2008-06-10T05:29:00.000-07:00

Guess what...

2008-05-27T16:34:00.000-07:00

We played out in the rain today.... it was fun... ok well I didn't play because I was video taping my kids and nephew.

We went to see Indiana Jones on Friday.... I wasn't impressed.

We got season passes to the new small waterpark in my city... We've gone twice already... We love it.

We're having a baby... our 3rd child will be due in Jan 09'

Going to "Weekend to Remember" this weekend.... The best marriage conference ever.

I know you're still in shock, yes we are having another baby... you heard me right the first time. I'm praying for a healthy baby, Eddie and the girls are praying for a healthly baby boy.

Our Trip

2008-05-24T13:13:00.000-07:00

As we were eating lunch today, I told the girls that we were going on a Trip.

Isabel: Who?
Me: Daddy and Me
Isabel: By yourselves, without us?
Me: Yes
Isabel: We're going to stay here all by ourselves?
Me: No, your Tia Lily is going to come and stay with you.
Isabel: I'll pray about it.
Me: (Wondering what she was going to pray for) - Ok that would be good.
Isabel: I'll pray that ya'll won't get lost.

A TIME TABLE FOR LEARNING

2008-05-21T07:08:00.000-07:00

A TIME TABLE FOR LEARNING

By Jean Warren

Every parent wants his or her child to do well in life. Most parents know that what a child learns before they enter school is just as important to future success as what they learn in school.

The problem as I see it, occurs when parents enthusiasm for helping their child succeed gets mixed up with trying to teach them things before they are developmentally ready.

Reading is a good example. Few children are ready to read before the age of six. Just because your child can recognize his name or points to the golden arches and says "MacDonalds", does not mean he or she has the skills to decode words at this time. In their natural concern to help their child, many parents try to push ahead their child's timetable for learning. This is usually done to prove to themselves and their friends and family just how advanced their offspring is. In rare cases, this may be true but most children need their preschool years for building brain connections.

Learning to problem solve, make connections between things, noticing likes and differences, learning to put things in order are the important things for preschoolers to be learning. These pursuits help children grow the circuits in their brains thus giving them the foundations for future learning. Don't waste your child's precious preschool years trying to jump start his learning. Give him the foundations now that will grow his mind so that he will be able to reach his full potential later on.

When you have the urge to push your child ahead, just remember the story of the little boy and the butterfly.

One day a boy found a challis (a butterfly cocoon) hanging from a tree. He was anxious for the butterfly to come out, so he decided to help him along. He carefully peeled back the layers of the cocoon and encouraged the butterfly to come out. But when the butterfly went to spread his wings, they only opened partially. The butterfly tried to fly off but couldn't because his wings had not been allowed to develop properly - in their own time.

In a young child's life, the first five years should be like a challis, a safe warm place where they are allowed to develop at their own rate, so that when they finally go off to school, they will be ready to fly!

Out smart the little ones

2008-05-15T13:05:00.000-07:00

Emma has been doing fairly well with the potty. Her only issue (now don't get grossed out) is when she has soft poo poo. She always uses makes a mess in her panties. So Eddie has been "throwing away" toys when this happens. Yesterday he told me that he "threw away" another toy. He said she was like "ok". So I got the lowdown of the events. Evendently he was letting her pick the toy she wants to throw away... well that's not going to work. So at dinner I asked her what her favorite toy was.. she mentioned a new dog that her "Lita" gave her. At that moment it registered with Eddie what I was doing, and he called me "mean" and that I was "wrong".. oh well.. So I told Emma, tomorrow if you poo poo in your panties... then it registered with her what I was doing... she immediately shook her head no....

fast foward to today..
durning nap time I made her go potty before she laid down. she did pee pee. As she laid down she mentioned that her tummy hurt. I asked is she needed to go poo poo she said no... I reminded her that if he poo pooed in her pull-up (yes I made her put one on for nap time) that I would throw away that dog... Well 20 minutes later she came out of the room and said that she had to go potty. Guess what! She did soft poo poo in the potty. Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I guess my tactics worked...

Thank You

2008-05-12T13:25:00.000-07:00

I had a wonderful weekend for my birthday...
On Friday night went to the mall and met my sister and mom.. They watched the girls as I got my hair cut with the gift cards that I got for my birthday... Then my sister surprised me with the Crocs that I wanted.
When my husband got home from work that morning, we took us out to breakfast at Estella's (the best breakfast tacos)... Then we went to the local Crossfit gym for a tour and mini lesson..Then we went to Mardel's to buy the Marriage Devotional Bible, I got a One-Year Women on the Go devotional book instead.. Also picked up "The Screwtape Letters" by C.S. Lewis. Then for a snack we went to the Palletera and got some yummy fruit cups... mine had granola and honey in it.. Then went to Target and bought some rocks for Emma and Isabel... Then for lunch all my close friends and family surprised me at Texas Roadhouse.. My mom gave me a visa gift card, an Itunes gift card and "Cover Up" by Michelle Martinez. After that my mom and sister watched the girls while we used a gift card to Cinemark that my friends gave me to go see Iron Man.. That was excellent. Then we went to eat at Danelitta's and watch my sister-in-law play guitar in her high school Mariachi Band. I got everything on my list. Thank You family and friends for making this such a memorable day. Love Ya

1. iTunes gift card
2. Crocs gift card
3. Gift card to get my hair cut and colored... I have 2 gray hairs.
4. "Cover-Up" by Michelle Martinez avaliable in Paperback
5. Gift card to Cinemark, with dinner for 2 at Texas Roadhouse, with 4 hours of babysitting.
6. 1 year Marriage Devotional Bible

A Lesson in Counting

2008-05-12T13:22:00.000-07:00

The other day Emma was using the potty, she yelled out.

"Mommy I'm finished. I did 1 pee-pee and 10 poo-poos"

Right.... I didn't count them to confirm.

A Song for Me

2008-05-10T04:39:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to Me
Happy Birthday to Me
Happy Birthday to Meeeee
Happy Birthday to Me

A many more..

When curiosity gets you remember...

2008-05-06T10:58:00.000-07:00

If you are not part of the problem or part of the solution, then you don't need to know.

It's that time of year again

2008-05-01T12:40:00.000-07:00

May 10th is just around the corner. What is May 10th you ask? Duh, my birthday....
Here is my annual wish list...

1. iTunes gift card
2. Crocs gift card
3. Gift card to get my hair cut and colored... I have 2 gray hairs.
4. "Cover-Up" by Michelle Martinez avaliable in Paperback
5. Gift card to Cinemark, with dinner for 2 at Texas Roadhouse, with 4 hours of babysitting.
6. 1 year Marriage Devotional Bible

Tijauna - Here we come!!!!

2008-04-28T08:44:00.000-07:00

Guess What!!! Eddie and I have been chosen to lead a bunch of teenagers on a mission trip through Global Expeditions (part of Teen Mania). We will be going to Tijuana to build homes and conduct Vacation Bible School. To learn about the houses that we are going to build, you can click on this link Tijuana Blowout. Our trip is in July 25 - Aug 2, so we only have a few months to raise all of the funds for the trip. Your help is greatly needed. If you would like to contribute to the wonderful cause you can donate online at Global Expeditions. Search by our names or id's. My id is 2518929. Eddie's id is 2510277.

Thanks a bunch.

Installing Love

2008-04-23T06:06:00.000-07:00

Tech Support: Yes, how can I help you?

Customer: Well, after much consideration, I've decided to install Love.
Can you guide me through the process?

Tech Support: Yes. I can help you. Are you ready to proceed?

Customer: Well, I'm not very technical, but I think I'm ready. What do I do first?

Tech Support: The first step is to open your Heart. Have you located your Heart?

Customer: Yes, but there are several other programs running now. Is it okay to install Love while they are Running?

Tech Support: What programs are running?

Customer: Let's see, I have Past Hurt, Low Self-Esteem, Grudge and Resentment running right now.

Tech Support: No problem, Love will gradually erase Past Hurt from your current operating system. It may remain in your permanent memory but it will no longer disrupt other programs. Love will eventually override Low Self-Esteem with a module of its own called High Self-Esteem. However, you have to completely turn off Grudge and Resentment. Those programs prevent Love from being properly installed. Can you turn those off?

Customer: I don't know how to turn them off. Can you tell me how?

Tech Support: With pleasure. Go to your start menu and invoke Forgiveness. Do this as many times as necessary until Grudge and Resentment have been completely erased.

Customer: Okay, done! Love has started installing itself. Is that normal?

Tech Support: Yes, but remember that you have only the base program. You need to begin connecting to other Hearts in order to get the upgrades.

Customer: Oops! I have an error message already. It says, "Error - Program not run on external components." What should I do?

Tech Support: Don't worry. It means that the Love program is set up to run on Internal Hearts, but has not yet been run on your Heart. In non-technical terms, it simply means you have to Love yourself before you can Love others.

Customer: So, what should I do?

Tech Support: Pull down Self-Acceptance; then click on the following files: Forgive-Self; Realize Your Worth; and Acknowledge Your Limitations.

Customer: Okay, done.

Tech Support: Now, copy them to the "My Heart" directory. The system will overwrite any conflicting files and begin patching faulty programming Also, you need to delete Verbose Self-Criticism from all directories and empty your Recycle Bin to make sure it is completely gone and never comes back.

Customer: Got it. Hey! My heart is filling up with new files. Smile is playing on my monitor and Peace and Contentment are copying themselves all over My Heart. Is this normal?

Tech Support: Sometimes. For others it takes awhile, but eventually everything gets it at the proper time. So Love is installed and running. One more thing before we hang up. Love is Freeware. Be sure to give it and its various modules to everyone you meet. They will in turn share it with others and return some cool modules back to you.

Customer: Thank you, God.

Conflict Resolution

2008-04-20T19:30:00.000-07:00

This morning, on the way to church, the girls were arguing about who was older. Isabel ended the conversation with "Let's not fight anymore, because I don't want mom to say 'you're not going to get donuts'"..... smart girl.

This too shall pass

2008-04-20T19:25:00.000-07:00

I pray for all who are going to some difficulty in their life. I pray that a year from now, whatever you are going through will be a distant memory. This too shall pass.

Tabata

2008-04-16T21:36:00.000-07:00

Is the reason I'm still up, and can't sleep.
Is the best 16 minute workout ever.
Is why my husband is now fit as a fiddle
Is why I'm feel like my heart is about to explode.
Is why I'll probably be dead in the morning.

Tabata... google it.

Lessons learned from Vlad

2008-04-16T21:28:00.000-07:00

So last week we went to the drive-in theater on a Monday night. We watched "Nims Island" and "Horton Heard a Who". I don't know if ya'll have seen the latter, but there are 2 characters named Vlad. The mean one (a vulture) and the bunny with cookies. So, the next night as we pull up to the driveway Eddie shots "Look Vlad". There was a bunny in our yard. So we park and get out to go and look for it. Well it was dark, and we could see it. My girls had their pen light out trying to find it. Then Eddie spots it in the street, it had gotten ran over by a car (that quick can you believe it) Anyways the girls were saying: Ohhh, poor bunny. I had to explain our rules about not running into the steet, because you can get smushed by a car and die, just like Vlad.
Well the next day, Vlad #2 was eating Vlad #1. so then I had to explain that vultures eat dead animals..... again (Ohhh poor bunny).

The Church of Oprah Exposed

2008-04-09T12:13:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JW4LLwkgmqA

Eddie Built these too...

2008-04-02T20:31:00.001-07:00

Here are the bookselves that are in the girls playroom. My future guest room.. The 6 boxes in the middle are from Target and the 4 boxes on the bottom are from Ikea.

I finally took some pictures

2008-04-02T20:22:00.000-07:00

Ok, here are some pictures of the bookselves that Eddie built. Behind the bookshelves is my office.

Easter Sunday

2008-04-02T20:09:00.001-07:00

Pizza Hut is now Pasta Hut

2008-04-01T06:59:00.000-07:00

How dumb is this.... How does a company with a known name change it... You don't fix what's not broken.

Here's the link to their website Pizza Hut now Pasta Hut

Other Praise

2008-04-01T06:09:00.000-07:00

Eddie fixed his truck, by doing a chemical flush on the radiator... So do we sell it or keep it... By selling it we can pay off some debt. By keeping it we can use it to haul, stuff from home depot.
Hmmmm... since it is paid for, I think we're keeping it.

E. Valenzuela: Hard at Work

2008-03-24T09:37:00.000-07:00

To God be the Glory

2008-03-21T20:02:00.000-07:00

Guess what, with the Lord's help I found Isabel's DS-Lite, you know the pink video game that I was looking for on March 13th. So just like 10 minutes ago,
I was like: "God, why can't I find that game, I looked everywhere for it"
He was like: "You know what you've got to do."
I was like: "Ok, if it's not meant for me to find it, that's cool (as I'm thinking about how much money it cost). I'll just put it in your hands and be done with it. Watch I'll find it like in two years when we are doing spring cleaning for something"

So I started thinking about it again, and then it hit me, what if she took it to ballet and left it there, man that means it's gone forever. Then the thought occured to me that I never checked her ballet bag. The reason I never checked is because we hadn't taken it to ballet in a really long time. So I looked in the front pocket, and there it was. The video console with the extra game and the car charger. I couldn't believe my eyes.

Thank you Father, you are the best.

Clicking my heels isn't working

2008-03-18T18:44:00.000-07:00

Well right now I'm in a hotel room watching "The Biggest Looser". Where I should be is landing at DFW airport. Unfortunately DFW airport is shut down because of weather. That means the earliest flight out of Madison is not until Thursday at 6:35 am. So I'm here another 2 days.

Well this gives me time to get some stuff that I need to get done for work done. And at night I've been putting together power point slides together for "Ressurection Day" our church service this Sunday.

I miss my kids, my husband, and working out. I can't workout here at the hotel because I didn't bring my tennis shoes. Oh well, I just have to workout Thurs, Friday, and double on Saturday.

I've got to run up to Target and buy "Enchanted" for Isabel and Emma.

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

2008-03-17T06:53:00.000-07:00

I'm in Madison, WI today... it's like going to be a high of 39 degrees... In Dallas it's going to be a high of 78 degrees.....

I want to be in Dallas.

Swingers

2008-03-13T18:24:00.000-07:00

Lost and Found

2008-03-13T10:34:00.000-07:00

Has anyone seen this anywhere? I can't find it at my house. I've searched high and low, and in just about every box or drawer there is. It belongs to Isabel, we miss it. Pray that I find it.

Growing better all the time

2008-03-06T18:06:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again. Isabel will be 5 in May. What does that mean? P-A-R-T-Y.

Here is a history of parties.

1st - Big cookout with all our friends at our old clubhouse.
2nd - Gymboree (the kids had a blast)
3rd - Cinderalla party at our church's fellowship hall. Cinderalla showed up and hosted all the fun activities.
4th - Ballerina dress-up party at our house

And the 5th one will be... Drum roll please.....

STRAWBERRRY SHORTCAKE

Our house will become Strawberry Land
Characters that will be there will be

Strawberry Shortcake (of course). She will have chocolate covered strawberries, peanut butter and strawberry jelly sandwiches, strawberry lemonade. She believes things are growing better all the time.

Lemon Meringune: She will have her beauty salon in Lemon Lane. Face painting, lots of glitter, and makeup.

Angle Cake: She will be set up in Cake Walk. She loves to decorate cakes. Each guest will be able to decorate their own mini cupcake.

Orange Blossom: She will provide the Orange Sherbert icecream punch.

Ginger Snap: She loves cookies. Guest will be able to decorate their own sugar cookie.

Rasberry Torte: She loves to workout. She will be in charge of all the outdoor activites, which will include an obstacle course, and of course a pinata.

Huckaberry Pie: He loves to skateboard, and play in his tree fort...... guess what we have a fort.

Blueberry Muffin: She loves to read, and will be reading a story to all the guests.

So we should have tons of fun.... Can't wait to show you the pictures...

One Big Party

2008-03-02T16:39:00.000-08:00

This weekend was full of parties.

Thursday - Girls night out. Within the group of my friends we always have a girls night out for our birthdays. Tonight we went to see the movie "Definately, Maybe" and then we went to eat at a restaurant in downtown Ft. Worth called Cabo Grande. I didn't get home until 11:3o.

Friday - Party at my friends house, it was her birthday, she turned 11. Ok, she's really 44, but with the whole leap year thing she's only had 11 real birthdays. We ate and played games. It was great. Her theme was "Priceless", so all the gifts she received had to be made from the heart.

Saturday - Surprise party at an italian restaurant for my aunt who is turning 50. They are close friends with the owners, it was catered with Penna Pasta, pizza, cheese sticks, wings, salad. It was good. My mom made a delicious chocate moose cake. We made her an arrangement of chocolate covered strawberries.

Sunday - Right now our Sunday school class is here, we just did our bible study, right now Eddie went to go get pizzas and we are watching a movie.

Did I mentioned that I got and have had a headache all day, and not a little headache, but the one where it feels like a drum is beating in my head....... I'm tired, but it was a fun weekend.

I wish all days were like this....

2008-03-01T10:23:00.000-08:00

Right now, I'm cooking lunch... tuna sandwiches. Eddie is working, I'm listening to the radio, the birds are chirping, and the girls are outside playing house. Ah to be a kid again. They have a playground set that I think is cool. We set the upstairs part of it like a living room and bedroom. 2 chairs, a blanket and 2 pillows. Below is a plastic kitchen with a table. They have been using the glider as their car, and the 2 swings as airplanes. Emma made a salad for Isabel.... They just finished picking flowers for their aunt and grandma. It's such a beautiful day. I made an arrangement of chocolate covered strawberries for my Aunt's 50th Birthday. Eddie dipped all the strawberries yesterday... Right now it's a beautiful day.

English Vocabulary

2008-02-21T13:52:00.000-08:00

Food and Weather...

Me: Isabel it's chilly outside.
Isabel: It's hot outside?
Me: No, chilly as in cold..., not chili as in what I eat.

Roads...
As we were driving, we were on the service road.
Emma: Why are all those cars up there?
Me: They are on the highway.
Emma: Are we on the lowway?

SAHWAHM*

2008-02-20T11:32:00.000-08:00

... well at least for 2 days of the week. It was easy when I could do all my work the night before or they took 2 hour naps everyday. Now I have conference calls, sometimes in 3 hour blocks, so I got a cordless phone with a headset with a mute button. I love SuperWhy! and BlockBuster. Also both girls have pc's in my office so they can have computer time as well. I can't wait unitl it gets hot, so that I can work out on the patio while they play or swim.. I also take my laptop to Chicken Red's which has free wi-fi and they love to go to chicken red's. Also this summer my nephew will be staying with us, so eventhough he will only be 8 years old, I have already designated him the "nanny". Isabel will be in school in August, which only leave Emma at home for 2 more years. A 2 day a week preschool is probably in her future.

*Stay-at-home-work-at-home-mom

The 3rd time in my life

2008-02-20T05:53:00.000-08:00

I locked my keys in my car with the car running. The first 2 times, my kids were in the car. Now my husband has to get the girls up, throw them in the van, and fight rush hour, so that I can unlock my car. And on top of that I don't think there is enough gas in the car, so hopefully it will last long enough for him to follow me to a gas station. I hope to accomplish this all before my 9:00 am meeting.

"Skinny B*tch"

2008-02-16T19:02:00.000-08:00

Ok, I can already hear all the gasps. Yes I bought a book entitled "Skinny B*tch", and let me tell you this was a very informative book about the food that we eat. I was laughing at the way the authors presented the information, not only informative, but funny as well. Our family had already started incorporating more fruits and vegetables into our diet last year. As well as eating more natural food choices, like natural peanut butter, organic foods, more green veges, and ground turkey and chicken. After reading this book, my thinking on other foods that we eat has changed. I won't go into detail, but the information in this book is shocking. So I have the book if anyone wants to read it.

Side note: I've lost about 13 pounds and I'm on my way to becoming a "Skinny B*tch".

Corporate America

2008-02-09T19:25:00.000-08:00

I don't like it. I hate having goals and being measured, politics.. I hate it all.
I want to quit my job. Why? The money is great, I get to work from home 2 days a week so that my kids don't have to be in daycare, I like the people that I work with. But there is still something missing. I don't fill fullfilled, I don't feel like I'm making a difference. I have no idea what I want to be when I grow up.

Eat This Not That

2008-02-01T15:49:00.000-08:00

How smart do you eat?
Eat This Not That

A Different Drug Problem

2008-01-16T10:37:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Kristy for sharing this.

I give up

2008-01-09T07:13:00.000-08:00

So after raving about Emma the other night, she did a 180 the following morning. After running around naked she decided to poop in the playroom. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. I was very upset. So I give up. I've read so many things, and we've tried everying. So yesterday I put her potty in her playroom. I read somewhere that if you put it in the place they play at, it will be a constant reminder. Well when I got home my husband asked it I had put the potty in the playroom, I said "yes", he said because he had gone in there and noticed it had pee in it. So he asked Emma if she had pee pee'd in the potty and she said yes. So now that's my new strategy, I'm not going to bring it up anymore, if she needs to go hopefully she'll go on her own. My husbands concern was that she wouldn't wipe herself. At this point I don't care, it would be better than her running around in a wet pullup. But I just might leave the wipes next to the potty in case she wants to use those as well.

Polar F4

2008-01-09T07:04:00.000-08:00

For Christmas I bought my husband the Polar F11 Heart Rate Monitor watch. He loves it, so I decided to get me one. I bought the F4 for women, mine doesn't do all that Eddie's does, but it does what I want it to do.

It keeps track of my heart rate and calculates how many calories I have burned. After a workout I can see what my min and max heart rate was and how many minutes I was in the target zone.

I used for the first time last night in my Zumba class. In 59 minutes I had burned 594 calories, my max rate was 182 and I was in target zone for 32 minutes.

I can't wait unitl my Total Toning class on Saturday, it will be interesting to see how many calories I burn there.

Chocolate milk for ransom

2008-01-04T17:39:00.001-08:00

I've been holding out on giving Emma chocolate milk. I decided to hold in for ransome. See the first words out of her mouth each morning are "I want chocolate milk". Well she is over 3 years old and in May she was completely potty trained. Well there was a major change in her life, so she completely regressed. We've kept her in pull-ups because she would not poo poo in the potty. So I kept telling her all week that if she would poo poo in the potty, she would get chocolate milk.
Well guess what! Just 10 minutes ago she told me that she had to go potty and she went specifically to do poo poo. I was so happy for her. Way to go Emma. Hope you enjoy your chocolate milk tonight.

Christmas Eve

2007-12-24T16:08:00.000-08:00

We are sitting here watching the Nativity Story. Our tree is surrounded in tons on gifts. Earlier we ate some Asado de Puerco and tonight we are going to eat some Pozole

(Pozole is a traditional pre-Columbian soup or stew made from hominy, with pork (or other meat), chile, and other seasonings and garnish, such as cabbage, lettuce, oregano, cilantro, avocado, radish, lime juice, etc.

)

Our families are going to be here. My mom made cookie and hot chocolate and Eddie's mom made the Pozole. I can't wait until everyone arrives.

Merry Christmas everyone.

New Again

2007-12-19T08:15:00.000-08:00

Here's the link to the new country music video performed by Brad Paisley

and Sara Evans of their song 'New Again' depicting the crucifixion and

resurrection of Christ. It's very powerful and I thought you may want to

see it. The words are beautiful and the message is priceless.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NaSROohLzs

How'd they do that

2007-12-13T09:01:00.001-08:00

Quiz Game

A baby

2007-12-10T11:40:00.000-08:00

Isabel told me the other day that she wanted a baby. I told her that she would have to ask God for one. Then she replied. "Can you have a baby by Christmas?"

Noooo I don't think that's possible. Maybe next Christmas.

Learning to Spell

2007-12-10T11:37:00.000-08:00

Isabel is learning to spell and read the cvc words.
Last night she cat, then I asked her to spell rat.

Isabel: What's a rat?
Me: A big mouse
Isabel: rat. rrrr "R" aaaaa "A" tttt "T" RAT!
Me: Good Job, that was great.
Isabel: Oh man.
Me: What?
Isabel: I don't know how to spell mouse.

We both just died laughing.

My Dancing Elves

2007-12-05T10:32:00.000-08:00

Check out my kids and nephew as dancing elves... This is too cute.
Dancing Elves

Gotta Van Again

2007-12-03T13:51:00.000-08:00

2006 Dodge Caravan 27k miles $10k

Yeah!!!! I still have the car...we are getting rid of the truck.