Could it Be???

Really? Have i not updated since May??? Does it matter? I feel like i am talking to myself sometimes. Like i am in a cave and just listening to my own echo.....Hellooooo?? Helllooooooo!!!!
Well for all you who aren't reading this, here is how things have been since May.
School ended. We had a bit of summer. I had surgery in July. Recovered. And Now it is September. Nice and quick. Not painless however!
Really though, the summer was a bit slow and maybe boring for the kids. Let me just add that to my list of mommy guilt. (not really. i try to keep that list to a minimum!)
At the top of my head, i really don't know what to report about that, so i will continue on to school! Emilio started 5th grade and Cruz 2nd. And Francesca started kindergarten, and yes, Liliana, preschool! Everyone seems happy and adjusted to their teachers. I expected Frankie and Lili to need me a bit more but they didn't. I expected to cry and get all emotional when i left them in their class cuz they need me so......but nothing. Just a happy wave goodbye!! My response? "hmmmm, uh, ok. Bye" So i realized i have a little hang up about being needed. I think it is time to let them go a bit. And i am a firm beleiver that it is my job to empower my kids to be independant and strong. I need to stop doing so much for them and let them discover a little responsibility and accountability. So i guess i will start and stop talking about it. right?
Because if i am so needed then i don't have to move on and start something new for myself. That is the truth behind all this! Cat's out of the bag! My fear! I have been a mommy for ten years! I'm so good at it now (questionable at times, i know) How could i possibly do something else?????
Which brings me to my new endeavor of substitute teaching! Although close to being the mom and babysitting i know..........but i will get paid real money for it!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!
To Be Continued!!!!!!

Feeling Lucky!

Today i was doing the laundry (when am i not???)
and as usual picking the little things out of the washer......and out of the dryer.
You know, those things that are left behind in the pockets of the kids? (total Beaver Cleaver)
Those kid treasures! I pick them out and put them in a can on the shelf above the washer. Today i couldn't help myself from laughing! Check out allllll these fun things that come out of my kids pockets! Things that are important enough to save in the pockets.........but then forgotten.......only to become my little treasured memories. The little things that make me smile.
Sooooo, here we have it: some change, of course. A marble, a seashell, a ladybug clip, a ring, a bracelet, a paperclip, a dice, a rock,
a spring (???) a fingernail file (you never know when you may need to bust someone out!) a doll shoe, a sticker, a rubber ball, and some little cow guys we got from the machine at the grocery, etc.
These "pocket treasures" make me feel lucky to be a mommy!!!!
And they make laundry a little more enjoyable too!
But as a sidenote......i have also encountered a Crayon or two in the dryer.
That doesn't go over very well, especially when they are in the 'whites'!!!!!
C`e la Vie!

Did you know.........

my husband is a giant?? LOL!!!!!!!!

That Liliana!!!

I had a light bulb moment tonight. I remembered how when i was pregnant with Liliana people would stop me, all the time. (really. this is no joke!) They would tell me how blessed i was, or tell me "God Bless you", or just drawn to touch my belly.........alllll the time! It was bizzarre. This is the baby we didn't plan to have remember? BUT......we know and even then we knew she was a blessing in disguise! We just couldn't imagine life without this child!
My lightbulb was tonight at Emilio's baseball game........people are still drawn to her!
She attracts attention everywhere we go!
She is witty, and cute, and silly, and loud, and bossy, and a copy cat, talks too much, climbs out of the shopping carts to freak people out (except me. she never falls) she won't hold my hand in a parking lot, she wants to eat out of a "glass bowl" or she won't eat, she argues with me over what clothes she is going to wear, and don't get me started on the shoes! She has to buckle her own seatbelt and close the car door, CRAZY basically. And of course the list goes on........and on..........
But people still love her! They talk to her all the time! She has great energy about her......shear independance! She amazes me. She makes me laugh. She makes me shake my head in disbelief (Javi too.!) And some days this strong willed little human can make me cry!
This child is a piece of work! She is ONLY 2 people!!!!!!

ThIrTeeN YeArS

Is it possible??? I am waaaay to young to have been married 13 years! And add those 4 kids! Holy Cow, time flies!!! (when you're having fun...???)
Yes, i'd say it's been a pretty fun ride! And the best part....our baby days are slowly winding down, (not that i don't love almost every second of it), and Javi and I still have LOTS of years to play........and have fun....and enjoy eachother, and our kids who are not babies........and watch them grow!
Yay for US!!!!!
Life is GOOD!!!!!! 

The Girl "Right of Passage"

{{{{{sigh}}}}}. I knew it was bound to happen someday. I just didn't think at 2 years old Lili would inflict this on herself......alllll by herself. In the bathroom. Yes. Today Liliana gave herself a haircut. You know. Just a little off the top. She told me she was going to wash her hands. I was so proud of her. She is so independant. THEN.....I realized what she had done. I saw a little hair on the floor and i wasn't so sad. Then i looked in the trash and there it was. (isn't that sweet. she tried to clean it up!) A pile of curls. She's lucky she is a curly top cuz you really can't tell. But she did quite a number on her hair. It is VERY short on top! Dang! And it was almost long enough for two little "Cindy Lu Who" ponytails!!!! She is very satisfied with herself and her cutting abilities. I have to give her credit i suppose. No blood. And those scissors are pretty sharp. I'm kidding people. RELAX!!!!!
Note to self.....scissors belong up high.....right????? 

Look what I did!!!

Finally, after having several different paint color samples on the kitchen walls, i settled on Red! Here are some pics of the kitchen. I finally finished painting today! It looks so pretty and i am so happy with the way it turned out! It took LOTS of coats but the hard work paid off! I love it!
FYI.....red is one of the worst colors to paint. If you do it....use a gray primer first! It will make your life so much happier!
What do you think?

 

Frankie and Cruz

I was so happy to capture these moments of Frankie and Cruz playing. They have the most interesting dynamic between them. They can be the worst of enemies....bickering, shouting, fussing with eachother.......down right mean and i can't stand it! (truthfully) BUT, on the other hand........they are the best playmates! I have caught them playing so sweetly with "My Pretty Ponies" or with the beanie babies, making up all kinds of scenarios. It is so cute and i truly cherish those times! This night they were playing with play doh right before bedtime. I was a little cranky and telling them over and over to "PUT IT AWAY!" Which they didn't. But i realized they were laughing so hard! In MY fussiness, i didn't hear the laughter. But then i stopped to look at them and listen they were being soooo funny! And litterally cracking eachother up! These are the times i hope they remember. These are the times that i hope I remember...........ALWAYS!  

Happy Birthday Liliana!

OK........so it really wasn't very happy, poor baby!
Liliana spent her 2nd birthday sick as a dog! She had 102 degree fever and was miserable! Thank goodness we didn't plan a big birthday party for the little lady!
But not to worry, Lili will get to celebrate her birthday with Frankie and blow out her 2 candles! 

Portrait

Merry Christmas from Gabes and Gabes!!! I actually have 5 kids. The yellow Gabes is Emilio's and the pink Gabes is Valeries. Yes. they are real. They have birthday parties and everthing. Got Christmas gifts. The whole nine yards......... 

another

This pic shows just about how short i cut my hair. I like it besides the fact that i have some Joan Jett bangs that drive me nuts! It is much shorter in back than front. 

Christmas Eve

Apparently neither Rosie or I took many pics at my moms on Christmas Eve. BUT as promised i did get several with Rosie in them! So this is 'us'.........or here we are or whatever! I love this of us. I put it on my fridge. 

card pics

more pics
 

Christmas card shoot

Some pics that didn't make it to the card. But cute nonetheless! I got the girls these sweaters and tights, i thought they were dresses but seems they were a little short.......so we had to find some skirts at the last minute to go with them.
 

Yule Log

This is Javi warming up by the Yule Log on Channel 45!!! This is so hilarious! They play Christmas music and just have a burning log allllll day! Notice Lili looking at her dad wondering what the heck he is doing by the TV. Or maybe she is wondering what a fire is doing inside our TV.
 

Dance Class

We had family day at dance class last week. Frankie insisted on wearing this leotard with no skirt. Fine. Then she wanted to leave this strand of hair out of her ponytail. Fine. You know, i don't have time for these little details! But when we went to dance and all the other little girls had on their pretty little tutu's.......Frankie sure learned her lesson! She kept playing with this ribbon tie from her tap shoe, and trying to tie it around her ankle and the teacher kept asking her for it and of course she would say "no, i'm tying it on my ankle!" I was sitting in my seat video taping just willing the teacher to "JUST GRAB IT!" But she never did. Oh, well. It was a cute little performance anyway! LOL!
I love thse pics though. She really looks like she is concentrating on the dance (but she was really in a daze the whole time!) and check out those abs!!! 

Weather

We really do have weather around here. It's not often but lately it's been pretty cold! OK.......for us it has been. I wore a scarf the other day. Those things really keep you toasty! LOL! Anyway, this was last weekend. A view down our street and a view of the front of our house. I haven't seen fog in so long! I went to the kids room and said, "YOU have got to come outside and see this!" They bolted up like lightening! I know they think i had some kind of Christmas surprise outside, or had seen Santa or something. But no. Just some boring old fog!
 

Christmas pics!

We finally got a tree! Here are some pics at the tree lot. I can't beleive i actually got a decent photo of everyone!!! Yay! Except for Lili. She is as Javi calls her "a little speed demon"....she does not stay still! So her pic is a little blurry. But i'll take what i can get!
What????? Is that Lisa in a photo???? It's almost as bad as poor Rosie! That girl is never in photos! OK....note to self..........take lot's of pics on Christmas of Rosie........."got that rosie??? I gothcher back!"
LOVE These pics!!!!
ONLY IN ARIZONA!!! Looks like Javi is making Christmas tree soup! We heard that if you leave the tree in the pool overnight it will "stay fresher longer". What the Heck! We'll try anything to keep it fresh, we don't want a crispy tree! (fire hazard) yikes!
I'll keep you posted on it's freshness! To bad they don't make a big jumbo baggy......we could keep it all year!!!

And so, we brought it in the next day and I let the kids decorate it. It took everything in my power to let them "just do it"!!! I tend to be a little of a control freak when it comes to this sort of thing! But i did it and they put ornaments 'wherever'......and in clusters, and heavy ornaments on weak branches......BUT, it looks great! 

School Pics

Here are the kids school pics. Unfortunately i didn't oreder enough of the right sizes, and extras for sending out. I don't know what i was thinking. But i had a friend scan them so i could post. I am still going to try to take the to walmart or something to see if they will print them. You know, those dumb 'ol copyright laws.
I love the girls pics in their Mexican vestidos! These are Emilio's retakes, cuz the picture people told him to smile with his teeth or they would send him to the office!!! Can you beleive it?? I wrote a note on the retake form to let him smile how he wants to!
As for Cruzie....he has since had a haircut!!!! Isn't he a dolly though??????
I 

Snowfalkes

This is our winterwonderland in the kitchen. I guess you could say we got a little carried away cutting snowflakes! We were amazed that they all truly came out different!!! We tried to duplicate some that were extra pretty and it was impossible!!!!
But........it does look very pretty in our kitchen! Javi also strung up some christmas lights in there so it looks great at night!!!!