100 Solid!

WOW! I have done 100 posts. Sounds solid! I have enjoyed this forum because it appeals to many facets of myself.

I can "perform" for an "audience". Most people who know me well, know I like my limelight. I enjoy being social, and entertaining (probably a good reason why I was a teacher for a while--instant captive audience....hee hee). If you are a stranger to me and are getting to know me through the blog, then I can imagine you are understanding this about me by now.

I can collect my thoughts on things that are quasi taboo for conversation. Topics like venting about my current stage of life, the self pity, the frusteration, the fears and worries. Pretty heavy themes for the average chit chat. So my blog allows this to occur, thus keeping me light of heart and mind.

I can brag! This is my venue, and I have some cute babies to blab all about! Of course, my babies are nothing short of the best! And everything that they do is nothing short of extraordinary....feel free to agree!

I can feel like an adult. In writing on a regular basis (I am aware of my lapses....) I feel like I am exercising my brain again. It gets mushy awful quickly without daily workouts.

As a finish to my post, I will do my promised READER AWARDS!

1.) Most Comments! This award goes to Andi of The Coslett Commotion. Andi you are the best at cheerleading and supporting. Thanks for taking the time to read and report your thoughts! Also, thanks for figuring out the tricks to commenting period.

2.) Biggest Stalker! (Totally love that someone is so interested in me and mine...). Some person in Modesto (come forward please...announce yourself and make my acquaintance!) This unknown person has hit my site more often than anyone.....COOL!

3.) My most supportive Blog Hopper (as is one who checks me out from other blogs) is M Yeager of No Cheese, Please! Talk about jumping right in...she read my blog posts, and commented....and then, get this has been back and did it all again!

Thanks Everyone, I love the support. I hope in my ditherings there are smiles on your faces, along with nods in agreement and even disagreement. If I can do at least this, and hopefully more...then I am connecting with folks. That makes me happy to know....

13 Down, at least 3 more to go

I have lost 13 pounds in my quest for losing the post baby fat. I walk with my girls and my fellow mamas, and I watch what I eat. Plain and simple. I know I could have lost more, and quicker...but I don't live that way. I LIKE food. So I have come up with a way to balance that and my personal expectations for my weight. Slow and steady wins the race they say.

I figure I allow myself quite a few splurges-probably more so than I should. But I am seeing results. I also am doing MUCH better in how much I can handle in my exercise. My usual routine is to run the 1/2 mile to our meet point, then we walk 4 miles, and I run the last 1/2 mile home. The walking is almost too easy. I can feel myself WANT to run, in my off times. Starting to crave it. That is good. I love that my body feels more like a machine as I run, and less like a junk yard jalopy.

Next goal, 3 more lbs and then a re-evalutation. At that point I will also need new pants. I am getting by currently with shorts and capris that are borrowed (I really don't want to buy new shorts NOW, at the end of the season...). I am holding out for the weather to shift and hoping it coordinates with my next 3 lbs.

Just thought I would update....

(Next post is 100...READER AWARDS!)

Can I pull this off?

Ok so I am desperately in need of a LOOK. Not just a new look, but plain and simply a LOOK. I have a simple hair cut, shoulder length-that gets put in a pony 9 times oit of 10. It used tohave cute highlights. Then I had kids and ran out of money and time. Now I am realizing that I would like to have a LOOK so that I can have a nice picture of me for my various social websites. (yes I succomb to myspace and facebook......).

So I ask this: Could I pull of the following hair color/style? I really love the color....and the style, well I had it short ways back, and with my curl, it wouldn't be this straight. But I think I could hack it...any thoughts?

A Little Bogged Down

No not backed up...BOGGED DOWN.

I am currently embroiled in several time consuming projects.

1.) My hubby is entered to compete for the best Salsa recipe this weekend. He has been formulating his recipes since we were in High School. This will be his 1st competition. (If you are local, come root him on!) My part in this is the booth decor, the paperwork, gathering last minute tools/necesary items.

2.)On the organizing team for our town's fundraising drive for the Pajama Program. Culmination is October 2.

3.) Creating crafts and baked goods for a booth at the Weaverville Quilt Show-Autumn in the Alps. Jose will be doing a food booth as well. I am in charge of making sure he has the non-food inventory. He does all the food stuff. I am planning a Costco run soon enough. This takes place Oct 4. (yup, only 2 days past our PJ event...I will be nusto I am sure.)

4.) Normal day to day Mommy jobs and Wifey Jobs.

Needless to say, my blog is suffering. Don't give up on me...I am working on a new one-so my ever lovin' readers can easily leave love notes for me on my comments section....please stand by...

Creative Arts for the Young Child

(I will start with excusing my absence with the old LIFE HAPPENS excuse...Just got caught up in all my various projects....)

On Tuesday we had a classically creative day. Started out with Elly's 2nd dance class. This was a good one for all. Elly did fine and dandy, for the most part followed her teacher's lead and while is not spot on with the fine arts of Ballet or Tap (3 1/2 years old and 2nd lesson, it is to be expected...) she is enjoying herself and is getting exposure. I left the class for a short bit to go around the corner to the post office. Apparently, they would rather NOT have an audience for distraction. I was able to get a few errands done, and Bri behaved for the time that we were inside watching (last week she kept trying to go and dance.....).

Then, after naps, we painted. Elly is an old hand at this. She knows the routine-protective smocks, scrap paper on the table, paint+paper+paintbrush combo (no walls or other non-standard media), the masterpiece itself, and the clean-up (she evens washes the brushes herself). This time, we added an unknown component. BRIANA. Turns out she did just fine.

100 looming large!

Just thought I would share that I am reaching my centennial mark. This of course is a fluff post to add a notch on my count. Who knows, maybe on #100, there will be some more reader acknowledgements?!?!

On a side note, I am getting my 1st real cold in a long while. Reminds me of when I was teaching. Scratchy throat and sneezing so far. Hopefully it will be mild, and super hopefully my kids won't be infected.

Dancin' Toes

Elly had her 1st dance class today. So freakin' cute to see these little girls in dance clothes and fancy shoes. She is in a preschool combo class and will be taught ballet and tap. So far, she is so excited to just be part of the class. She was totally amped and bounced around, sharing stories whenever she could get a convo in. Lucky for her teacher, that wasn't often. (Me thinks the girl will be hearing much of what I was told as a young student. "Too much talking"....).

Enjoy the picture slideshow of her first class....

Weekend Update

Had a get-together last night to attend. The girls and I headed out to the Bay Area for dinner, fun, and playtime with some friends (the same as the beach trip). It was very nice. J didn't come because he had a prior commitment with DOVES. Opening season....he and the dog went off for an overnight and early morning hunt.





Anyway....some cute pics from the night....

Tic-Tac-Toe, Three in a Row!

Not to jinx myself (we all know it will now that I am writing about it...), but I have had 3 nights straight without a certain someone interrupting my dreams. Perhaps she heard me talking about the Cry It Out Campaign. Maybe she figured out I meant business? Probably, the teeth have stopped bothering her enough to disrupt her sleep....Which means since we are only seeing 8 of 12 for this age, there will be more sleepless nights....."sigh".....and that means, I haven't written the last on this topic.....

Of Course.....

We are embarking on Code Red Level Sleep Training on the Stubborn One. Bri is still having problems sleeping through the night, which means we ALL are having sleep problems. Up until Thursday, I was getting up with her, sitting by her crib and trying my damndest to hush and calm her back to sleep. This is all part of the theory from our Sleep Training Bible- Good Night, Sleep Tight.

However this little girl is resistant to the charms of this model. So we are stepping up our forces.

Our newest plan is to use the brutal (on all of us) Cry It Out. So we did. Friday morning I was 2 hours into my sleeptime. 2:30 am, the beast awakens. I get up and sat with her for an hour. She is teething, but had enough medicine to cover that. She was just simply awake. Wanting me to get her out of the crib, wanting me to rock her, wanting me to take her to our bed. Nuh-uh. Not gonna happen.

SO...after an hour of no results, I kissed her head and said " It's night time, you need to go to sleep. Since you won't lay down, Iam leaving the room. I love you. Go to sleep."

Harsh...and did she? Not for another hour. Instead, she cried. In fact she screeched. Her mantra of choice? Mama Mama Mommmeeeeeee. Then I heard her 1 paci hit the ground. Uh oh....Insert Pac-eeeeee to her monologue. 45 minutes in, I went in got the paci from the floor stuck it in her mouth, kissed her, and said good night. I walked out. Boy that pissed her off to now end. But it did end. Soon after she settled, and we all went back to sleep.

Our plan, to be continued last night was to be me going in, saying lay down go to sleep kissing her and walking out. Hmmm but it changed.

She slept all freaking night. Woke up at 6:30 (Daddy did kid duty this morning so I could replace some missing zzz's).

I am jaded enough to know that it CAN'T be this easy. We are armed with the same plan for tonight. Here's to hoping though.....

Rah Rah Sis Boom Bah!

I am in a Girls League for Fantasy Football. Last night was our draft night. I love football, I watch as faithfully as I can when my beloved Niners are on. I have followed them since I was wee one, through the Golden Years, the Suckin' Years, and now the Rebuild Years. Because I am watching so often I get a glimpse of other players and their accomplishments. However, none stick in my mind long after the fact.

So back to my draft....

The time was 5:30. Smack dab in the middle of prepping dinner time. Smack dab in the middle of feed the babies time. Thankfully I have my laptop. I sat at the dinner table with the kiddlets and monitored their simple dinner of pasta noodles, broccoli, turkey meat, string cheese, yogurt and cherry tomatoes. And I sweated.

Nerves hit me because I didn't really understand the draft process. I had no idea how many players I was drafting. I barely knew some of the players, and damn, there's a lot of players to scroll through! My pick was 10th, of 12. That was good because I had time to figure out my next move. but THEN, it snaked back. So immediately after my pick I had to be ready with a 2nd.

Oh the pressure! Add that to a whiny 1 year old, a barking dog, and a curious 3 year old. My brain hurt!

Anyway, after about halfway, I figured out the queue system (DOH!) and began using the down time to line up choices. I figured out the amount of players by looking at my lineup. It showed my filled positions and left over ones. COOL. I came out of the draft with an ok team.

There is money to be won if my players cooperate!

Retratos del paseo a la casa de me mami

(Did I mention that I am fully bilingual in Spanish? You might find some if it popping out on Blogger.)

Here are a few fun pics from our trip.

sooo tired

it was a horrible night last night-teething monkey wouldn't sleep, mommy and daddy were desperate....no dice. a whole total of 3 hours for me. early rising, wouldn't you know it....that girl is brutal. consequently, no pictures from our trip ready to share. guess it will be tomorrow's post. just thought i'd pop on to update my status.

100 Thoughts...

6 am wakeup*coffee*breakfast on the road*TRAFFIC*5.5 hours driving*rest stop*on the road again*fast food lunch*midday arrival*beautiful crisp blue sky*towering mountains*NO WILDFIRE SMOKE (!)*Hugs and kisses*Stretch legs*unload various travel junk*settling in at grandma's*start cooking grapes down for jelly*pile back into the truck*head to the lake*blackberry picking time*collect about 8 lbs of sweet purple jewels*wildlife*yummy eggplant Parmesan dinner*blackberry crisp*bedtime*whole family in 1 room*many nighttime wakings*early wakeup*daddy fishing*mommy girls and grandma relax*jam/jelly process begins*finish grape jelly*yields 5 jars*blackberry jam yields 8 jars*all stocked up*us girls head to town*check out CAL FIRE helicopters at the airport*ice cream*park*head back to "Dam-ma's"*BBQ Chicken dinner*bath/bed for babies*quiet time for adults*more nighttime wakings*another early wake up*daddy goes fishing*fussy babies*scaredy 3 year old freaking out about 3 kitties*frustrated mommy*adventurous 1 year old*No, No and more No*make lunch*get ready for the swimming hole*head out for a day of play*arrive at the swimming hole*no one else is there*awesome*HOT weather*ice cold snow melt water*soft sand beach*crisp blue sky*beach picnic*baby girls enjoying it oh so much more*end of season last visit to the HOLE*head out midday for car nap/explore the area*1.5 hour nap*1.5 hour peace and quiet for the momma*nice convo for me and my momma*saw cool helicopter picking up supplies for the fire fighters*got it on video*arrive back at the house*clean up and change from wet clothes*begin packing up*fresh trout tacos dinner*final clean ups*final packing*pjs on girls*final hugs and kisses*load up*7pm drivin' away*fussy teething baby*motrin*highlands tablets*soothing radio*drivin' through the mountain roads*sleepy babies*gas up*coffee up*McD's Caramel Iced Coffees*YUM!*Snoring Babies*5 hours driving home*dark ass country interstate*checking voicemail*crink in neck from snoozing in front seat*interesting night time talk radio on AM*pull up to house*unload sleeping babies*unload important junk*shower travel off*settle in*

ROAD TRIP

Heading back up to my mom's early tomorrow morning. We were supposed to hang out and play at the county fair and swim at the swimmin' hole. The fair is canceled since CAL FIRE is camping at the fairgrounds while they fight remaining California Wildfires.

In it's place will be making jam (I just picked 18 qts of fresh grapes..stems still on...to bring up), the park, the swimmin' hole, some hiking....it should be a nice visit.

Check y'all in a few days!

No more naps....

I see a trend. Elly, now 3 and 5 months, is not taking naps. Last week, she remained awake during 3 of them, and today too. She is perfectly happy playing in her room with the lights out, curtains drawn, and music on. She plays with her stuffed animals or her babies on her bed. I peek in every so often, and no sign of drowsiness. Luckily, she isn't toast by bedtime. She maintains more or less, her same ol' self. No tantrums, no wipe outs. I guess I need to resign myself to a new era. One that I will be doing less internet surf time, less nap on the couch time, less eat my junky treats so the kids can't see them and ask for them time. Poop! Ah well, I guess as long as lil crazy Bri continues to nap I can deal. (Cross your fingers for that one to remain in place....)

How do you make....

More Big Ideas and Questions from the 3 year old girl:

She is all about the idea of making things. So her newest prompt is "How do you make _______________?" This includes--

• pasta noodles
• tomatos
• watermelon
• other garden delights
• tortillas
• bread
• and tonights newest--PEOPLE (lol I am so not ready for the BIRDS and the BEES! My answer was "they grow in a mommy's tummy and then they are born!" It's plenty for now.)

Pinkalicious Fun!

This book rocks! It is so cute and fun....totally recommended for little girls to read and enjoy!

I decided to have a party-playdate based on the story. There are lots of ideas out in the virtual world for anyone to peruse and pick from (FYI...)

Remember (read my other post from today explaining my absence online) we had no power so I was trying to keep us unsweaty in all our pink finery. The Pretty Pink Peanuts all arrived in Pinkalicious Outfits. There were some coloring sheets to start with. Then they spread out and began playing with various toys. Once we were all accountecd for, I set the craft out. We had painted some crown picture frames pink and the girls were adding jewels to decorate.

Then it was time for munchies...the whole basis to the book is Pink Cupcakes. So of course, we had those, pink lemonade, plus some rasberry jam sandwiches shaped like hearts, home grown watermelon, and circus animal cookies. This was a 4pm event since the original date was rescheduled due to illnesses (Elly's) and now we are working around preschool and other commitments. Food was hard to plan because of this.

After the goodies, I read the story. Then we passed out goodies bags (a pink bag, a pink feather boa, a plastic beaded bracelet, pink beaded necklace and pink heart stickers. I have 44 pictures, so I thought I would make a slide show to share our fun with our readers.

Technical Difficulties.....

Whew! You know you're addicted to technology when your power goes out, then your phone line goes down and the last straw, your modem draws a blank...and you are all twitchy and snarky on withdrawals. (No I am not delinquent on paying my bills.) Here's the scoop...

THURSDAY: Setting up for a Pinkalicious Party (will explain later) to be hosted at our house with 8 little girls. The power goes down. Oddly enough we had some things working-like the cable box turned off, and the tv stayed on with no signal. Go Figure....Trouble being, it was 100 degrees HOT and no AC...and guests coming over to melt....hmmm. Luckily about 45 mins into the event, we were up and running. In the 2.5 hours of no power the house went from a standard 77 to high 84. It wasn't until about 7pm that the AC caught up.

THURSDAY NIGHT: Setting down to peruse email and other internet fun after the girls went to bed, and no signal for th laptop. The PC is in my room, where lil miss B sleeps and so that wasn't an option. I tuned into Spider Solitare for my electronic wind down. I assumed that the modem took a hit with all the power surging (even with my surge protector). The plan was to hit up BestBuy in the morning.

FRIDAY: Tried to call a friend and no dial tone. Hmm guess that explains the lack of internet. Called the phone company from my cell. Established that my line had a short in it and would need a tech experience. Made the appt for Saturday morning. Nothing else I could do but wait....oh and pick the brains of the BestBuyGuys. We did, learned that I can't just buy a modem without the router. Went home to ponder. Was held to more Spider Solitare...

SATURDAY: Surprise phone call! Yay for service restored! Not so for the internet....We went to the Farmer's Market and got a call saying the tech would be by to verify all was good. He came and tested and all reported to be in fine working order....no internet. I finally decided to get the new modem/router while the girls slept. Came home and installed. No internet. WHY does it have to be so difficult. Nowhere does it talk about changing passwords and using my ip address to match the modem. I hate calling tech support for SBC/ATT. Seems like I always get someone offshore, as in out of the US that has a thick ass accent and a long distance cnnection which makes me feel like I am talking and listening through cotton and tries my very lats frusterated nerve. Well that is pretty much what happened. Fortunately for me (and the support person "Brian") it went much smoother (perhaps because I have done it before and it is familiar?).

Result: All systems go! Oh and if anywone needs a router....I have a perfectly good Lynksys router....just talk to me! It will be going to ebay soon enough.

Night Terrors

My nights have been horrible. Most of the time I am dealing with my teeny one's teething pains. She is still getting most of her teeth. Now we are working on her lower teeth. The past 2 weeks have me averaging about 4 hours max of sleep.

Last night was different. She actually slept. Go figure that the big girl would have some issues in place of the little one. She hd NIGHTMARES. I could hear her rolling around on her bed (she hits the wall). Twice, she called out for me. The time she woke up, she was in tears with a racing heart. Poor thing. I am curious to see if she can express what she was dreaming about. She said monsters last night. Crazy because I am not sure exactly how much exposure to MONSTERS she has had. I limit her viewing pleasure to the mundane. She herself is super sensitive. Most Disney movies have her freaked out in minutes. Think Lucifer the cat in the opening scenes of Cinderella.

I think last night I actually slept for 5 hours (broken up of course....)