Counting Our Blessings

The big day is coming!

2011-08-18T14:39:00.000-07:00

Our family will officially grow on September 6th! Carlie Rose Camacho will be ours. We are so blessed to have family and friends who have supported us, and loved us. The kids are so happy that we don't have to "give her back". I must say... I agree.

She is growing up

2011-06-10T15:15:00.000-07:00

I don't want her to grow up. I like her little. She needs me more this way. She is 6 months, has a tooth, said her first word "Da-da" and is crawling all over. Here she is playing in her basket of toys. I love how her little feet are tucked under her bottom, and how she will pull one thing at a time from the basket to see if she wants to play with it. Time sure flies when you are having fun, that is for sure.

Mother's Day

2011-05-10T08:11:00.001-07:00

This is what it is all about.

Evi the CFO

2011-04-28T07:17:00.001-07:00

Today Evi had a field trip at school called Biz Town. All the kids get assigned a job, ranging from fast food, to photographer for the paper, to CEO. Evi was chosen as Chief Financial Officer. So we hit the Goodwill, got her a dress, and off she went. This is a time for the kids to see what having a real job is like, and they have to work in teams like co-workers. We will see how it goes. She was so excited! I mentioned to her that the CFO has to be really good at math, and she said "Mom, they give you a calculator". So she has a little help.

The real Mia

2011-01-27T08:50:00.000-08:00

I got permission to put her picture up, so here is one of the real Mia, and not the back of her head.

"Mia"

2011-01-26T16:51:00.000-08:00

Introducing.... Mia. This isn't her real name, but it is one of the many things we call her. Sebastian calls her "Sweetheart", Evi calls her "Sissy", Juan calls her "Hey girl", and I call her everything in between. She was 5 weeks old when she first arrived in early January. She is petite, doesn't like poopy diapers, loves to snuggle and hang out with however will hold her. We are loving that she looks at us and smiles. Friends have stepped up and donated clothes since she is the first infant girl that we have had. Evi is always saying that she prayed for a sister, and she finally got one. We are blessed. Please keep this little gal in your prayers. God has an amazing plan for her life!

A new year

2011-01-07T06:56:00.000-08:00

On New Year's Day, we went to visit my Grandma Rovenstine. She is a special lady. There have been times when we like to make fun of the way she only orders water when we go out to eat, or how she isn't a very good cook, or how she is always trying to make dolls pretty after spending some time in the Goodwill. But I was thinking about the things she is really good at. She is good at showing love. As Sebastian was rubbing lotion into her hands, I noticed them. Really noticed them. These hands are amazing! The tears she must have wiped, the babies she has held, or the meals she has tried to make. The lives that she has touched with these hands over the 96 years of her life. She talked of being on her Daddy's shoulders, holding on, and these hands that made herself baby dolls to play with since she had no siblings. I am amazed.
I was telling Juan that I would love to be more like her. The eagerness to go meet the Lord, the wanting everyone in her family to "just get along", the simplicity of her life, the loving hands, the ability to love without judging. This year I will strive to be more like my Grandma, just not the part about making dolls, or just ordering water. Hope you have a great New Year!

I am thankful

2010-11-24T11:33:00.000-08:00

What can I say? I am thankful to have 3 amazing kids, a husband who loves me unconditionally, my health, my home, my family and friends. I am thankful that I get to help mommas have babies, and for the ability to stay home and take care of my kids. I am thankful that God has blessed me, and continues to amaze me with His love. I hope all of you have a great Thanksgiving, and don't forget to give thanks!

A hole in the arm

2010-11-03T18:53:00.000-07:00

I got a little bite a week ago Sunday. It was getting worse and worse, so I finally went in to have it checked out. Juan was doing a ride at the time, so I had the three kids with me. The doctor asked if I wanted to lay down while he numbed the spot, and used a scalpel to open and drain the wound. I told him I had my kids at home, and I thought I would be okay. Sebastian made me promise to not scream, and he proceeded to do the nasty deed. After some happy painkillers, and a double dose of antibiotics, I hope this thing clears up.

My Dice

2010-11-03T18:50:00.000-07:00

Our church has a little function every year as an alternative to trick or treating. We roast marshmallows, and hot dogs, have a hay ride and games and such for the kids. Every year Evi and Sebastian end up with a prize for their costumes. This year they came in 3rd. Not too shabby for some boxes painted white with big black dots. I think this was our cheapest costume yet!

Frustrating week

2010-09-29T11:09:00.000-07:00

I am reliving all the times when Evi's 4th grade teacher said "5th grade will be hard". We had a situation that has caused quite a stir in our home. After attending the same school for 7 years, never having detention before, this is what happened.
Evi has a teacher who is new to teaching. At the beginning of the school year, the teachers said that if a child gets a D or F, that the parent must sign and return the test. Also, it was mentioned that for 'Discipline" there would be 1) a verbal warning, 2) e-mail or note sent home, 3) phone call home, 4) meeting with the principal, 5) detention, 6) suspension.
Evi took a science test last week (that apparently she forgot to mention) so she flunked it, along with 16 of her fellow 24 classmates. I never saw the test, needed to sign it, or any of the above mentioned methods of "discipline". So last Friday when Evi gets in the car, she informs me that she has detention, and what she is most upset about, is now she no longer be a part of Select Choir or Safety Patrol. When I asked what had happened, she said she flunked a test, and that for the past 3 days she had been going into class during recess, to correct the answers. When she asked for help, the teacher was not helpful, and that the teacher said they needed to come in for recess to do the work (Evi didn't know she could bring it home, since she kept saying to come in for recess to do it). So when I got home on Friday, I called the school to talk to the teacher, to see what was going on. She had left for the day, so I asked the secretary who I could talk to about this. She passed me to the principal.
The principal said to come in Monday morning to meet with her and the teacher. When I got there, Evi's teacher could not find one positive thing to say about her. She said that it is not her responsibility to let me know of Evi's grades, and that if Evi paid more attention in class she just might "get it". I asked " what about the parent signature that is suppose to be on there, the teacher said that since that didn't work last time, that she didn't think it would work this time. After 1 1/2 hours of talking, the principal called Evi in, asked her to tell her about what happened. Evi explained it, then said the teacher made all the kids that flunked the test stand up in front of the rest of the class while she called parents. That is a low blow in my opinion.
That night the principal called me back, and said that the kids would not lose select choir or safety patrol from this, and that she felt that she needed to back the teacher, but could also see my point, she said that I could have Evi do the detention or not, it was up to me, and that she told the teacher that she needed to clear detentions with her before doing it. I told her how I felt that the teacher was very defensive during our meeting and she agreed. I told her it may be a good idea to give her some pointers before she has another parent meeting.
So Evi has served her detention, and now I am frustrated at the lack of communication that is going on. I still haven't seen the test she took Friday, or know that score. What is a mom to do?? Any advice?

Lost

2010-09-15T17:29:00.001-07:00

While running an errand tonight, we saw a car with a picture of a dog that said "Lost- Reward" and a phone number. Evi asked me if Frankie (our pug) were to get lost, if I would do that to our car. I told her that I would put signs up, but not tint my car windows with that information.
Sebastian asks if the baby were to get lost, if I would put up signs for him. I told him that I didn't think that I would lose the baby, and Evi says "Lost, black baby who is constipated, if found call ...."
My kids always have a way to make me laugh.

Here is what is new with us...

2010-08-23T08:22:00.001-07:00

So much has happened since my last post on Mother's Day. Where to begin? I guess I will start back in May and do a quick re-cap of all the fun things that have happened with our family.
Juan and I celebrated 11 years of marriage, yay for us! We also decided to take some time off of fostering to spend some much needed time as a family. In June, Evi had a birthday and hit the double digits. We also took care of our niece Ava for several weeks, while her parents were bringing home another niece and nephew for us! July was a just a little crazy, as I had 2 births who delivered within 6 hours of each other, at different hospitals, but I was able to make it for both mommas. My parents took Evi and Sebastian to Mexico for some Grandparent time, then Juan and I flew down and met up with them. We were able to visit Juan's family for a week, then headed back for our family reunion.
At the end of July, I told Juan that we needed to make a decision regarding fostering. We were enjoying having some family time, but I still had on my heart to be a foster parent. So on August 4th we got the call that they had a baby placement for us. We picked Trey up on the 5th. He was 6 weeks old, but he was 2 months early, so he is a tiny baby. Evi and Sebastian have enjoyed having him with us. They had a hard time going to school since they knew there was a baby home. Sebastian started all day Kindergarten, and Evi is in the 5th grade. Evi walks him to his class in the mornings, and picks him up after school, to walk him to the car. She has been an amazing big sister. We see that our kids are growing up. Sorry for taking so long in updating, but maybe now that I have 2 less kids in the house I will have more time for updates.

Mother's Day

2010-05-09T15:43:00.001-07:00

I was thinking today about Mother's Day. About how we take one day of the year to celebrate mothers. I was brought to tears today in church when it was mentioned that this can be a hard day for some. Some have already lost their mothers, and there are some who would love to be mothers, but aren't able to. I thought of the mother of the two little boys we are fostering. Of how she must feel to not have her children with her today. I thought of the 94 times I have witnessed someone become a mother.
I was woken this morning bright and early with a card, a coupon booklet, a hand painted bowl and a hand painted mug. So many things I have that I am grateful for.
Something happened this week that has given me insight into motherhood. We had a nest built into the corner of our roof. Two days ago, Sebastian runs into the house saying "Mom, come quick! It's an emergency". So I go out and I see 4 little birds, right under the nest that we discovered a while back. I didn't know what to do. I called my neighbor and we tried putting them in a little box to keep them away from the neighborhood cat, but they kept fluttering away. They aren't big enough to fly, but not small enough either to be given up on. We have enjoyed observing the momma bird coming and going, and checking on her young. We put bread out and crackers and she makes sure that the other birds don't get too close to her little ones. I wonder if she will be relieved when they become of age and move out. I guess technically they already did move out, they are just being co-dependent. I think this is a great example of being a good mom. We let our momma's baby us when we need it, and when the time comes, we will fly off and start new somewhere else. Let's not be like the baby birds, they will probably never tell their mother how glad they are that she saved them from the little boy wanting to build them a nest, and keeping them from being eaten by the neighborhood cat. Tell your mother how much you love and appreciate her all the time, not just once a year. Momma, I love you and am so blessed that God has given me the best example on being a mother. Happy Mother's Day to all the momma's in my life!

It has been a while

2010-04-12T11:49:00.000-07:00

Yeah, yeah... I know it has been a while and things have been busier than usual. I will try to sum up the last couple of months:
* Shawn left to be with his brother after being with us 10 months.
* We picked up Kenny the same day we dropped Shawn off.
* We ended up taking Kenny's brother Nick and sister Infinity.
* We saw that this was no short term commitment, and realized that a 1,000 sq ft house with one bathroom didn't really work with 7 people in the house.
* We told DHS to find another placement. They did for one child.
* I missed my first birth after attending 93. Momma didn't realize how close to delivering she was before calling in the troops.
* Evi fell out of a chair and broke a bone, had a cast for 3 weeks, and a brace for 4 weeks. We find out this week if she needs surgery.
* Sebastian realized that girls are pretty, and therefore I get dandelions and other weeds on a daily basis with the words "Your pretty Momma"
* Sebastian learned to pick a lock after we locked our bedroom door since he keeps getting in bed with us during the night. When I asked him how he got in his reply was "I just got a knife out of the kitchen, and unlocked it".
* My folks came for a visit.
* My sister is giving me another nephew this Summer. He is five years old.
* My brother came for a visit.
* Evi got baptized on Easter Sunday. And out of all that, all I got pictures of were her being baptized. Notice her right knee in the second picture. I wonder if that happens a lot. We really do like our pastors though.
* I will try to update more after being told by a few that we need to update our blog. So there it is!

Baby it's Cold Outside

2010-01-30T08:14:00.000-08:00

For our family in Mexico, who thinks it would be fun to have snow. The kids are out playing in it right now, wonder how long it will be before they want to come in and warm up with a cup of cocoa. This makes me want to put up my Christmas tree all over again.

Meet Kenny

2010-01-30T08:08:00.000-08:00

This is Kenny, and he will be staying with us for a while. He is the happiest baby, and super easy going.
There have been lots of change going on around here, so I will try to sum it all up. The foster child that we had for 6 months, was adopted to an amazing couple. We feel great about him being with his forever family, and have seemed to have a great relationship with his new parents. The 2 year old that we had for 10 months, went to live with is brother since they will soon move back home with mom. We feel very good about how this has all worked out, and the same day that Shawn went to live with his brother was the day we brought Kenny home. So we have stayed busy. The kids love having another baby in the house.

What we did for Christmas

2009-12-29T07:03:00.000-08:00

Last night we said goodbye to a sweet little man who is embarking on a new journey with one of the greatest couples we know. I told Juan "It will be easier because we like them so much", but it is still hard. Evi said "Why can't God just answer my prayer and give me a baby brother or sister" I told her that we want the child God has for us, not the child who was meant to be someone else's. We will be keeping busy with Shawn since he is now starting to use the potty and has been moved to a big boy bed!

We were able to spend Christmas with the family that is adopting. My sister was sweet to let us crash her house while they were in New Mexico. We were able to have some good laughs as well as some much needed last minute snuggle time. We got some snow, and weren't able to get out. That is the down side of living on a farm, no one shovels your street. Thanks Charissa for letting us make ourselves at home.

Sebastian fed Buddy the calf, and the chickens.

We decided to decorate sugar cookies to have some sweets for after dinner, and of course to leave some out for Santa. When Sebastian saw that we were adding wood to the fire, he told us not to forget to put it out so Santa could come down the chimney without getting burned.

We made bird feeders just in time for the big snow. We cut out bread with cookie cutters, poured some peanut butter into them, and topped them with nuts, coconut, raisins, and anything else we thought the birds might like. We hung them out by the bird house.

Saying goodbye

2009-12-28T07:48:00.000-08:00

This week we will be saying good-bye to one of our family members. We have had the joy of taking care of a little boy since he was 6 weeks old. We are sad to have him go, but joyful that he has found a forever family. We were able to spend Christmas with him, his sister, and new parents, and I must say that we could not have chosen a better family ourselves. We see God's hand all over this situation. We will remember the past 6 months as he has developed his little personality, and gotten teeth, and started sitting up. We hope to stay in touch with the family, as we have felt that we have become good friends.
Thanks to all of our family and friends who have come along for the ride. We have been blessed to have this little man in our lives these past 6 months.

One of my biggest blessings

2009-12-07T06:41:00.000-08:00

Juan and I prayed and prayed for this little guy. We thought that we were supposed to adopt, and as soon as all the paperwork was in place, I found out we were expecting. We decided to have another home birth, but this time we decided on a water birth. I loved it! There is something very relaxing about birthing in water.
Today is my little man turns five. I have this sappy thing about watching my kids' birth video on their birthdays, and I still cry. The miracle of birth is an amazing thing.
Last night we had a little pirate party for the birthday boy, and had fun with friends and family. I think no one else remembers the nights I cried for over 3 years, pleading to God to give me another child. Thank you Lord for answering my prayer. Thank you, thank you.
Happy Birthday Sebastian!

2009-11-15T17:29:00.000-08:00

Does anyone else see a resemblance?

Update

2009-10-28T07:18:00.000-07:00

Some of you know that Malachi had an MRI yesterday. He did so good. I think I cried more than he did. I think what hurt the most was being in the waiting room, seeing families there to support their family members, and me being there alone.
His head has started having it's own growth pattern and the Pediatrician was a little concerned. His MRI showed that his sutures are still open, and the brain has room to grow. She said that operating wasn't the best option, but maybe a little helmet to help re-shape the head.
So we go back in 3 weeks to see if there is any change, and we may be headed (no pun intended) to Oklahoma City for the fitting of a helmet. Please continue to keep this little man in your prayers. I will keep you updated.

2009-10-22T11:49:00.001-07:00

When Juan and I were expecting we never found out what we were having. We think it ruins the fun, like opening your Christmas present before Christmas. I feel that if we were meant to know what we were having, God would have made us with a little window on our belly so we could know what color to paint the walls ;-)
So when we found out we were expecting our second child, we thought of names. If it was a girl she was going to be Lilia Pearl and then we thought and thought and thought of boy names. We couldn't agree on a boy name. I wanted something short, since Evianna had a hard time in Pre-K learning to write her name. Levi, Marco, Max, Bob, Nick.. we could not find a name we could both agree on. Most people don't know that Sebastians first name is Juan, but I didn't want to have 2 Juan's in the house, so we agreed that we would call him by his middle name, since that is kind of a family tradition with the men in my family.
So on a Sunday on our way to church, we agreed that if it were a boy, he would be Juan Sebastian and I went into labor the following day.
So, Sebastian was born the next day. He is now in Pre-K and learning to write his name. I am so proud of him! The thing is.. once he realized how hard his name is to write, he decided he wants to be called "Pete" So here is his name written both ways.

It's been a while

2009-10-19T08:07:00.001-07:00

I don't even know if people read this blog, but I guess it is a way for me to get things off my chest. I haven't been blogging in a while just because going from 2 kids to 4 is a big change... for me anyway.
I have days that I am excited, and some days I am sad. I have feelings that confuse me, and other days I have no clue how to react or respond.
Today is one of those days. Today is Shawns birthday. He is two and he has been with us 7 months. Last night we celebrated with my sister and her family. It makes me sad to know that a mother is broken today because she can't snuggle the child she gave birth to two years ago. It makes me sad to know that Malachi has two new teeth, and his mother has no idea. It makes me sad that I am only good enough to take care of Malachi short term, but I am not good enough to love him as a son. It makes me sad that Native Americans are the only ones who can adopt a Native American child.
I know it sounds that I favor one foster child over the next, but the truth is, Shawn has a mother who is trying her hardest to get her children back. I have never seen myself as his mom. He sees his mother and interacts with her, he hugs her and loves her. I am holding her place till she gets better.
The other situation breaks me. I can only hope that Malachi feels our love, and whatever family is fortunate to have him in their lives, lets him know how much we love him. In the meantime, I will journal my feelings, and his growth, and all the cute things he does like grabbing his feet during a diaper change, and smiling at a shelf.
As for our own kids, they are doing great. Sebastian is loving school, and Evi is growing up so fast. She helps me with the boys. Having foster kids makes me want to be a better mom. To hold and hug and kiss my kids, and tell them how important they are to me. To show them, that just because we are taking care of kids whose parents aren't able to care for them, doesn't make them less important. Hopefully they will see it as that we are showing love to someone who needs to be loved, right now in this moment.
I hope today you can look past the little things that are standing in the way of the big things. Let someone know that they are loved. A little snuggle time can go a long way.

Laughter is the best medicine

2009-09-21T05:55:00.000-07:00

Click here to see Evi's blog and a video of a sweet little man.

This boy has some moves!

2009-09-07T10:42:00.000-07:00

A great opportunity

2009-08-20T07:02:00.000-07:00

As some of you know, we lost a baby. It will be 3 years this September 9th. M.E.N.D. is a support group for ladies and their families who are going through a loss. It has been a blessing to me to have a place where I can go, and talk about our son, and cry with others who are experiencing the same pain.
This is a non-profit organization, so it runs on fundraising and contributions. That means that next month, the month of our anniversary loss, we will be having our first fundraising event. BUNKO!!!

For anyone who loves games, and wants a time to hang out and play Bunko, and have the chance to win some awesome prizes, you have got to come to this event. It is for an incredible ministry. The cost is not too much, and I guarantee you will have a blast. I hate asking people for money, but asking people to come play Bunko is a totally different matter.
In case the info is too small, here it is:

Thursday, September 17th, 2009 at 6:30pm
First Baptist Church Tulsa
Dinner and snacks will be provided (baked potatoes and all the fixin's)
Suggested minimum donation $10
To register for Bunko Bash 2009 contact Erica Huff at 633-0668 erica@mendtulsaevents.com
or Michele Wilson at 694-4325 michele@mendtulsaevents.com or michele@mend.org

All pre-registered participants will be entered into a special prize drawing. Non-registered participants are welcome!

I hope to see lot's of familiar faces there. Most women either have experienced a loss or know of someone who has, and what better way to remember our babies, than helping out a ministry that helps women who are grieving. Thanks, and hope to see you there!

First day of school

2009-08-12T11:36:00.001-07:00

School is here! Evi is in 4th grade this year, and has 2 teachers. She took a summer math course to help prepare her for the fourth grade. She has several friends in her class from last year, but the most she was happy about was Cowboy Colby. Oh my... Sebastian is in the 4 year old program at the same school. It so happens that when Evi was 4 she was in Miss Hammons class, and when Sebastian was born on a Tuesday we gave Evi the option of either staying home with the new baby, or going to school. She asked if she could take her baby brother to show and tell, and Miss Hammons met Sebastian when he was 10 hours old. Now he is in her class.
Evi has always been Miss Independent, but I was a little worried about Sebastian being such a momma's boy. Well, as I pulled into the school parking lot, I asked if he was excited, and he said "Mom, even my brain is excited!". Once I parked he grabbed his backpack and said that he was fine walking to class alone, since he already knew where Miss Hammons class was. We explained that we wanted to take him all the way, but he was so ready to start school.

Introducing....

2009-07-24T06:15:00.000-07:00

the newest member of our household. I am now the proud Momma to 4 kids, two being on loan only. Malachi will be staying with us for a while, I don't know how long. All the kids seem to be taking to him well, especially Evi and Sebastian. He doesn't seem to phase Shawn one bit, and he likes touching his hair and says "baby". We are getting into a little routine and enjoy having a new baby in the house. Evi is a huge help! So now I have a nine year old, a 4 year old, an almost 2 year old, and a 6 week old. I felt like a woman who had just had a baby when my friend Melanie brought me a meal on his first night here. We are spoiled to have friends and family who look out for us. Thanks guys!

Could use some input

2009-07-19T17:14:00.000-07:00

At this point I have no idea who reads this blog. But I have been discouraged and could use some input. I don't know where to go or who to talk to so... I am coming to my blog readers ( that is if I have any).

We are foster parents. We enjoy it so much. I think when people think of foster care they get a bitter taste in their mouth and say "Oh, that's great... just not for me". And that is fine. It is not meant for everyone. But what I am frustrated about isn't about the foster kids themselves, it is the people involved in their world. Here is my problem:

We became the foster parents of Shawn on March 31, 2009. Before he came to live with us, our case worker called twice to tell us they found a child for us. Both of those didn't work out. Not because we didn't want them, but because our case worker said (several hours after telling us when we could pick him/her up) that she had found another home for said child. Then we got Shawn, and after a couple of months told our case worker that we would be willing to provide a home for another foster child. Again, she called and said that she had a child for us. Several hours later we got the call they had already found a home for that child. Then again last week, we got a call saying they had a child for us. I know.... I should have learned my lesson by now.
But all I can think of is that there a little babies in the shelter, who are wanting so bad to be held.. and rocked... and someone to sing a little song ( as bad as they may sing) and someone to tickle them while putting baby lotion on them after a bath.. and someone to watch and learn from... and someone to say "I love you and you are special".
So back to the call... we agreed when and where to meet. I went and picked up our newest little foster child, went to Wal-Mart and got him diapers, formula, bottles, and clothes. Then 9 hours later, I get another call. "His grandpa wants him". That is great! But why didn't he want him last week when he was put in the shelter? Why did you call me when he has a grandpa that obviously wants him in his life? Why make me tell my kids that this little guy can't live with us?
So I call our case worker... twice. She hasn't called me back yet. It's been 4 business days. My question is... do I have the right to ask for a different case worker, or are all of them going to be like this? I kinda feel like in 4 months that we have been fostering we have had 4 failed placements. Something is wrong with the system, when there are families waiting for kids, and they can't get on top of things. It makes fostering have a really bad rap, and this is something that is a huge blessing to these kids. But why should people want to open their lives to these kids when DHS is so messed up. Did I mention they wanted me to take this 8 month old to speech therapy? It is not these kids' fault that DHS is not the best organization, but it saddens me to know that people won't consider fostering while DHS is so messed up. Anyway... that is how I feel. Thanks for reading if you have gotten this far.

2009-06-29T08:44:00.000-07:00

Here is Evi learning to ride her horse. Red Rain just got back from the trainer, so now it is time for both Evi and Red to learn how to handle each other.
The Jones' have been great letting us come out and spend some time with her. So far, Marley has been the one riding Red ( in the pictures Marley is riding Red, Evi is riding Boomer) till she gets used to being handled, then Evi will take over. It seems Red senses that Evi is still getting the hang of things, and acts up a little when Evi is on her.
Evi has loved having a horse. Now we just need to get some land to have her closer to us.

Birthday Girl

2009-06-17T12:24:00.001-07:00

Nine years ago I gave birth to this beautiful girl. She amazes me. For her birthday she didn't want cake and ice cream, she wanted banana splits. Leave it to her to think outside the box. She is a joy to have in our lives, and we are so grateful that God has allowed us to be her parents. Happy Birthday Chata!

2009-06-03T17:04:00.000-07:00

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Home Sweet Home

2009-06-01T05:15:00.001-07:00

Here we are in front of St Peters square in the Vatican. I am working on uploading a little video of all of the pictures. We had a great time and are glad to be back in the routine of things.

Boys.... you gotta love 'em

2009-05-17T20:22:00.000-07:00

Someone laughed at me today

2009-05-15T13:17:00.000-07:00

Why is it that us mom's never can do anything for ourselves? I was talking to a certain someone today, and I mentioned that I bought myself 3 shirts. All of my shirts have stains or holes in them, and I thought since we are about to go on a great trip, I could splurge and get myself a couple of new shirts.

So I was mentioning to this person ( who shall remain anonymous since you laughed at me), that I felt guilty for spending money on 3 shirts. This person told me that it was okay to treat yourself once in a while to a little treat. For some it is a new purse, or shoes, or even a manicure or pedicure. So when I mentioned that I spent $15 on three shirts, this person started laughing. Why is it that whenever we need to buy diapers, or socks for the kids, or a new school backpack, we have no problem spending the $15. But if it is 3 shirts for mom, forget it! We get a guilt trip for spending the money on ourselves.

So this whole situation made me realize something. I have spent my whole life looking for a bargain. I love bartering, and seeing what kind of deals I find. So the fact that I bought 3 shirts on clearance, that cost me a whopping $15, shouldn't make me feel guilty, it should make me proud. So to all those Momma's who are always buying things for your kids, do something nice for yourself, look on the clearance rack, and see if there is something there that would make your life a little brighter. Ross has some great deals! And love the people that laugh at you and say "Are you serious? Good for you for buying yourself something!"

Where to begin...

2009-05-04T16:13:00.000-07:00

I married the perfect man for me. Notice I did not say "a perfect man", but he is perfect for me. He gets me. He understands me on the days that I don't want to talk, or when I wake him up at 4 am to talk. He has laughed with me, and made me laugh. He has cried with me and made me cry too. But the simple fact is, I am still madly in love with him, and can't believe how blessed I am to have him as my companion in life.

When we got married, we had only known each other one year. We got engaged after 4 months of dating, and I'm sure that family and friends were questioning why we were so anxious to get our lives started. Evi arrived 13 months later for those trying to do some math :-)

One of our issues has been children. I would love a house full, but I guess God has something else planned. When we decided to become foster parents, we had no idea the work that goes into it. No more date nights, early mornings, more laundry, dirty diapers, spending quality time with other kids, and making everyone in the home feel loved and important.

But will all that also comes the love we are investing into the life of a little boy. My sister put it very well on her blog titled "Little Man". Juan has really stepped up to be a Daddy to this little guy. I can see that he really cares for Shawn, and I am so glad that Shawn has Juan as a role model.

When I left for 6 days to go to Mexico, Juan was left to take care of 3 kids(with some help from my sister), 2 dogs and he worked. That right there is an amazing man! And when I got back home, he got sick and was apologizing that I had to make him tea, and take his temperature. He realized how busy a mom can be I guess.

He will be 33 this weekend, and I realize that I have been so blessed to have had him in my life 11 years. This month he is taking me on a special trip to celebrate 10 years of marriage, and according to him, go on a honeymoon that we never had. I have an amazing husband, and thank God every day for bringing us together.

It's been a while

2009-05-04T15:51:00.001-07:00

A day at the zoo. The place was empty and we enjoyed finally getting out of

the house because of all the nasty weather.
The strongest kids I know.
Shawn loves Evi, and she loves him. Whenever she leaves for school

always tells the boys goodbye, and that she loves them. She has been

an incredible help.

Yesterday I took the kids to the zoo. It has been a challenge to adjust to a third child, but Shawn is a great kid. He is extremely jealous of Sebastian, but does fine with Evi. We are learning to communicate with him and we love seeing him smile and hearing his sweet laugh. We have notice him act out after he visits with his family. I am sure he is just trying to figure things out, and can't comprehend things. He is doing well, and we look forward to see what God has in store for this little man's life. During my trip to Mexico, Juan said that Sebastian asked for me more than Shawn did. My sister Charissa who was watching the boys during the day said that he started calling her Mom too! It seems any woman in his life is "Mom" at the time. We appreciate our friends and family who have accepted this little boy into their lives as well, and shown an interest in him. You are a blessing!

Meet Shawn

2009-04-16T12:39:00.000-07:00

This is Shawn. He is 18 months old and we are having fun adjusting to a third child. Most parents have 9 months to prepare, but we are adjusting. We have seen a positive change in him since he arrived. We got him his first haircut and we are learning his likes and dislikes, as well as trying to get a schedule down. It looks like Shawn will be with us for at least a year. Thanks to all who have helped us become foster parents.

2009-04-02T07:01:00.000-07:00

Here he is! Well, the back side at least. What I can't figure out if he is up half the night, how does his hair get so messy? His case worker is trying to figure out if it would be okay to post pictures of him here, but in the meantime, here is the back of Shawn's head.

Ruby vs. Big Bird

2009-04-02T06:59:00.000-07:00

He is here!

2009-03-31T17:21:00.000-07:00

This kid... where to begin. He is the most snuggly affectionate little guy. He hates baths, loves bananas and loves the dogs. His way of showing affection is he opens his mouth and rubs his mouth on whatever he is loving on. At first I thought we had a biter, but then after he did it several times and was really happy while doing it, I realize it's his way of communicating. He doesn't say much. Actually the only word I understood was "mama". He looked at me and ran to me and said "mama". He hasn't cried once, except he fussed a little during bath time. He is a great eater, and likes to see how much of the banana he can shove into his mouth. He observes the kids quite a bit and laughs when they do. He also seems to like looking at Juan. I think he will do good here.

Here we go again

2009-03-30T14:57:00.000-07:00

Maybe by tomorrow afternoon we will have a little boy in our home. Third time's the charm right?? He is 1 1/2 and I will post as soon as know more.

Warning.. read at your own risk

2009-03-28T08:03:00.000-07:00

This is a venting session, so if you don't want to hear complaining quit reading.

I am frustrated! I just got done reading a book about a little girl who is abused and then her stepfather ends up killing her. Yeah I know... it started out really good, but then the ending threw me. I guess being that we are waiting foster parents it doesn't help. There is no reason why we should have had two failed placements, and the case worker won't return phone calls, along with others who don't return phone calls. It's frustrating. We have done our homework. It has taken us since August to get everything done we were suppose to, and now we just wait. Frustrating.

It's funny that there are "so many" children in abusive homes, and in shelters... but we are here with a crib, clothes, a car seat, and we wait.

I'm frustrated that money doesn't grow on trees. I wish my husband didn't have to work so hard. I wish I could be debt free. I wish I didn't owe people money.

I'm frustrated that my kids don't get it that if they go out to play in the slushy snow, I'm the one who gets to clean up and make hot cocoa for them to be able to get warm again.

I know it's no fun to hear people complain, but I have had a heavy heart, and I figure instead of taking it out on my friends and family, I would get it out in cyberspace. I already feel better.

Now that I got that over with... I am grateful for a great family, all my nephews and nieces ( all 13 of them). I'm grateful for health, for 2 kids that keep me busy and make me laugh every single day. I'm grateful that I have a good marriage, a home and a car. I'm grateful that my husband has a job and that I am able to be a stay at home mom ( and clean up slushy snow and make hot cocoa, and wipe bottoms), and I am grateful for friends who love and accept me for who I am. I am glad I am a part of a church that I love. I'm grateful that even though my parents live in another country, I still have them in my life. I am blessed, but surely I'm allowed to have days where I'm frustrated. So today I will look out at the snow and think of all the good things and positive things in my life. Philippians 4:8.

2009-03-25T09:57:00.000-07:00

I thought this was funny and thought I would share.

This morning Sebastian got dressed all by himself. He picked his own clothes out and when he emerged from his room he was fully dressed. I told him he did a great job getting ready for the day.

Today I was running some errands, and Sebastian and I had a little talk. He wanted to go to the mall where there is an indoor play area, and I really wasn't in the mood to go to the mall. So as we're driving down the road, I'm trying to think of something really fun that we could do at home. Like going on a bike ride down to our neighborhood park, or taking the dogs for a walk.

So here is our conversation:

Me: "Let's go home and do something fun"

Him: " But I really want to go see the pig in the Herbie"

Me: "We can go some other time.. let's go do something just you and me, maybe we could paint or go for a walk."

Him "Well fine! I'm not wearing any underwear!"

So... I guess to get me REALLY mad and get back at me for not taking him to the park, he was going to admit to me that he didn't put underwear on this morning.

Home Again

2009-03-21T17:51:00.000-07:00

There is so much to cover.. where to begin. We made it home safe from a very long trip. We enjoyed seeing family and getting to know the newest member of the clan, six month old Angel. He is the first child of Juan's brother Arturo and his wife Monica. He is adorable! Silvia and Oscar ( Monica's folks) make wonderful grandparents to not only their own grandchild, but to ours as well. Oscar played bowling with them in the house.. how fun is that! They were able to set up a kiddie pool in the back for the kids, and with the heat the kids had fun with that too, not to mention all the movies they had to choose from.

They were gracious enough to let us stay with them, and we also were able to go see Mama Zenaida. She is the grandma he ran away to several times when he was six or seven.

Evi lost a tooth while we were there, caught a soccer game with dad and spent most of her time in Tio Juan's store helping sell candy, pencils, notebooks stickers book covers and anything else related to school supplies. She tried oysters in the market ( I know... scary) and she is wanting to learn Spanish so she can communicate with her Mexican side of the family.

Sebastian fell for Mama Tere's cat Vainillo and in Guadalajara had fun painting with water, washing windows, and learning to play marbles with dad. He also frequented the shop for candy with Tio Juan, especially after being bribed for a photo op. He found a new favorite movie which has us all humming the tune to Pete's Dragon.

We also found out that the foster family that has the little girl we thought would be placed with us will be staying at her current home. We were a little sad to hear this ( especially Evi who said.." But I've been praying for a sister for so long") but we also know that God is in control and we trust His plan for this little one's life.

We enjoyed our time and enjoyed watching the kids interact with their cousins, Uncles, Aunts and Grandparents. I'm trying to figure out how to upload a slideshow of some of our pictures.

Great News

2009-03-12T09:12:00.000-07:00

Today we are getting ready for our trip to Mexico. Along with making sure the trash is out, dogs are taken care of, everything packed, along with passports and car papers, entertainment for the kids on the road, snacks and water and most important.. toilet paper, we got a call we have been waiting for.

When we return from Mexico, a certain little miss will be temporarily joining our family. She is 2 years old. Our case worker called this morning and told us about her. Now we will be counting the days till we get back so we can meet her. The kids are so excited, and so are we!

And Evi prayed

2009-03-06T12:48:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time, a sweet little girl wanted a baby sister, so she prayed and prayed. She prayed some more and when she saw that her prayers weren't being answered, she said " Lord.. I guess I'll take a brother"

And lo and behold the Lord heard a little girls voice, and sent a little brother. When there is an argument, or hurt feelings she has heard " Well.. you prayed for him".

I am truly blessed to have two amazing kids. A daughter that will read to her brother, and snuggle with him when he is scared of the dark. I love that he is holding her arm, making sure she won't return to her bed. I am blessed.

Hidden Blessings

2009-02-28T09:56:00.000-08:00

As most know we are very excited about becoming foster parents. We are getting rooms ready, and cribs set up, and we are praying for the children that will be coming into our home.

Juan and I gave away Evi's bed to someone who is also awaiting a foster child. We felt like we should bless them with Evi's bed. Last night I was on craigslist trying to find random baby items. I was thinking it would be good to have a couple of bottles on hand to be on the safe side. I found a lady that was selling 5 baby bottles, and thought I would get them. When I went to pick them up, not only did she not charge me, but she blessed us with all of these other baby items! Thank you Lord! He has got our back.

Sebastian was helping and he said " We're getting a boy baby?" ( Most of the items are for a boy) and then I pulled out of the bag a pink leopard print baby blankie and he said " We're getting a girl baby too?" We will soon find out! We sure are excited!!

Yummy Recipe

2009-02-27T10:21:00.000-08:00

I thought I would blog about a new recipe I tried last night that was a big hit. I got this recipe from a lady in our foster care training.

Stir Fry Noodles

1/4 c. soy sauce

1/4 c. vegetable oil

4 cloves garlic

1 whole onion

2 pounds boneless chicken

1/2 c. celery (chopped)

1/2 c. carrots ( shredded)

1/2 cabbage (chopped)

16 oz. rice noodles ( I couldn't find these so I used angel hair pasta, and it worked fine)

2 cans chicken broth

green onions to garnish

I started cooking the pasta before hand. If you use the rice noodles you just have to soak in warm water.

Heat oil, add onions, garlic and saute a little, then add chicken and soy sauce till chicken is done. Add carrots, celery & cabbage ( I added more that the 1/2 cup of veggies) fry for about 2 minutes. Add broth and let it boil about 5 minutes. Pour mixture over your noodles and garnish with green onions. The great thing about this is it makes a lot, and even the kids liked it. Juan put crushed red pepper flakes on his for a kick.

I am always looking for quick, easy recipes to try. If anyone has one, I would love to try it!

Please pray

2009-02-24T06:00:00.000-08:00

This is my nephew Von who has his 4th birthday this week. I mentioned a while back that he has been diagnosed with leukemia and is undergoing treatment. You can read more on my brothers blog here. This little guy could really use our prayers.

I sure do loves these girls

2009-02-21T05:56:00.000-08:00

Olivia is my good friends little girl. She is the cutest little thing around. Yesterday we got to pick her up from her daycare and I loved seeing my kids interact with her. I know they will make great foster siblings.

Sebastian was sitting next to her and he asked her "Olivia, did you miss me today?" and Olivia said "yes" in her little sweet voice. Then we went to the library where Evi never let go of her hand. When we got her home and she heard her Mommies voice she said "Mommy! Hold Ju"

We sure do love you Olivia, and your curls are too cute to resist!

Best Friends

2009-02-21T05:51:00.000-08:00

How will I ever be able to give a foster child back to their parents when I'm having so much trouble getting rid of Ruby? She has become part of the family. She adores Frankie and has started letting him be himself again. Not so much the rowdy puppy anymore.

And yes those are big girl panties. Let's just say Ruby is capable of having puggy's now.

Best Daddy Award

2009-02-18T14:26:00.000-08:00

I have the best husband. I know all women think that, but I really do. I know that Evi is being taught great worth ethic whenever they go out together. I know that whatever she does when she grows up, she will work hard at it because she has had the best teacher.

Do I have an artist?

2009-02-18T14:20:00.001-08:00

The other day in the car Sebastian asked me for paper because he wanted to draw. I handed him a piece and he drew while I drove. When we got home he told me that he drew something for me. When I asked him who it was he said "It's you Mom".

If you are wondering what those things hanging are, they are my legs and I'm wearing my hospital shoes. This is one piece of art I think I'll keep.

A little help...

2009-02-14T06:30:00.000-08:00

A little over a year ago this sweet girl was added to our family. Ava has been such a blessing and we have enjoyed watching her grow and interact with her forever family. Her life was saved when my sister stumbled across her picture, and decided that she needed to be in all of our lives. Please take a second to check out Charissa's blog and if you feel led please consider helping Yulia find a family. Every little bit counts.

We Did It!

2009-02-08T15:13:00.000-08:00

We are now Foster Parents (no child yet) we should have a baby placed with us by mid March. Thanks to all of our friends and family who have supported us by watching our kids and being exited with us as we start a new chapter in our lives. Our kids are very exited and we will post more as we get news. Thanks again!

Layla

2009-02-08T14:50:00.000-08:00

My parents have a new dog, Layla that is a Great Dane. She is 8 weeks old and is having fun with Ruby ( 7 months old). Notice the difference in paw size on these two pups.

Napoleon Dynamite

2009-02-06T13:03:00.000-08:00

Here are the kids watching Napoleon Dynamite. It's funny to me that these kids can quote the movie. Afterwards we went to watch Evi get her award and it was sweet to see Sebastian trying to put his bike in the bike rack at school.

An award for my girl

2009-02-06T12:51:00.000-08:00

Evi was given an award at school along with a couple of classmates. It was a character assembly and she got an award for compassion. If anyone knows Evi this totally fits her personality. I am so proud to have a daughter that is compassionate to others.

It could be worse

2009-01-29T08:47:00.000-08:00

Once again we have been hit with an ice storm. I am grateful that at least this time we have electricity. Evi has been home from school most of the week, and we are trying not to get stir crazy. We did go out and play for a little bit, and then came in for some hot cocoa. On Charissa's blog she mentioned mismatched gloves. We had that same problem. You can see more pictures on Evi's blog.

Sweet Moments

2009-01-23T07:07:00.000-08:00

This morning after taking Evi to school, Sebastian and I spend some time coloring. He picked out some pictures from a Sesame Street coloring book and we started coloring. It is amazing the things kids say. These are the moments I cherish.

Sebastian kept referring to Elmo as a 'she' and I kept telling him that Elmo is a boy. He said "Elmo is a girl, like you and Evi, and she is a princess like you".

I said " I'm a princess?" He said "Only when you wear makeup, all princesses wear makeup". And he said four different times that he loved me (melt my heart!)

I think it is serious time to start thinking about taking him to the monster truck races and signing him up for karate.

Why the Name?

2009-01-23T06:15:00.000-08:00

I was asked why the name 'We Speak Spanglish' is the name of our blog. My husband was born and raised in Mexico and now he is an American citizen, and I grew up in Mexico. Both of us speak fluent English and Spanish, she we speak both at home. My sister helped me come up with that name.

On a completely different note.....

Am I crazy? Yesterday I went to the Goodwill store ( one of my favorite stores) to get Evi some long sleeve shirts and I found a pair of blue booties and a bib. Why I got a bib and booties for 50 cents is beyond me. When I told my sister what I had done her reply was "You are nesting". That is freaking me out. I am trying so hard to be patient with this foster thing, but I have to tell you all.. if we end up adopting don't be surprised! I am anxious to minister to children in need, but this is feeling really good! Who knows.. maybe the Lord is preparing us for something. We have 2 1/2 Saturdays left and we will be done, and could get a call anytime after that. I think I am crazy!

Messenger of God

2009-01-19T07:21:00.000-08:00

I mentioned in my last post about this upcoming birth that I was to be a part of. Honestly I was dreading it because I felt emotional about it. This little man's momma is 11 years old. It was difficult for me because I have an 8 1/2 year old daughter and I saw her through a mothers eyes. Why was this baby having a baby? She is my youngest client and it burdened me to think of her having to go through childbirth. Fortunately there is a family now that this little boy can grow up with, who will love him as their own and his birth mom can continue to be a child. I was touched to see that this little boy's name means "Messenger of God". I am grateful that even though no one knew of his arrival ( she found out in November) God has had a plan all along.

And a huge thanks to my friend Yvonne who was willing to watch the kids for us that day! What a relief to have friends that can not only deal with their own kids but yours as well. Crosby, thanks for being willing to watch them too! I have the greatest friends!

Prayers Please

2009-01-16T13:06:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow morning I will be attending the hardest birth yet (the youngest birth mother I've assisted). I would like to ask for your prayers that I might be a vessel, and that God would use me to show His love. This will be birth # 70 for me, and I know it will be an emotional one.

Tonight I will kiss my daughter good-night and thank the Lord that she is safe. Please do the same for your children.

Name Ideas

2009-01-12T07:44:00.001-08:00

This is my Mom's new dog. She is a Great Dane. Does anyone have some good name ideas??

Friends

2009-01-10T16:41:00.000-08:00

Today my high school friend Rachel and her husband braved taking two kids to Incredible Pizza. They entertained our kids while we were at our first session for our foster care training, and did a great job at it! The kids had so much fun. Rachel said that her favorite part of taking them to Incredible Pizza was when Sebastian looked at the trash can trying to figure out how to play it. Evi had fun playing Wii with Aaron and Rachel. I know that whenever they decide to have their own kids, they will be amazing parents! We were at ease in our class knowing that the kids were being taken care of. Thanks guys!

Pay it Forward

2009-01-09T11:09:00.000-08:00

I received a very unique gift in the mail today from my brother Jason. I was one of the winners on the 'pay it forward' experiment. (You can see his blog here.)

He sent:

A monkey nail file-something to make you smile while your filing your nails.

A box of memo notes-very handy next to the phone or in the kitchen.

A corn-dog with mustard air freshener- anyone have suggestions where I should put it?

Leave it to someone like Jason to find a gift like that!

Here are the official "rules": The exchange focuses on doing an act of kindness without expecting anything in return other than that the recipient will, in their turn, pass the kindness along and pay it forward. This is how it works... I am going to agree to send something fun, cute, & nice to the first 3 blog owners who post a comment on this entry. In turn, those three will post will post this information and pick 3 people they want to send something to and so on.

Unfortunately, due to postage costs, I can only pay it forward within the United States.

If you are interested in participating, be one of the first 3 blog owners to leave a comment! The little something you send can be something you made, bought, given or found. Just a gift that will make the person smile. There are no cost restraints, but don't go crazy! If you'd like to join in, be one of the first 3 people to leave a comment. You have to promise that you will then post about it (once you receive your gift) on your blog, link to me, and then send something to the first three people who sign up to play along through your blog. I hope people like this idea. It's a small way to bring a smile to someone's face!

Thanks Jason for the incredibly unique gifts!

New Look

2009-01-06T12:26:00.000-08:00

For Christmas I got a trip to the salon. My friend Lori cuts hair and I asked her to do something different. I feel like I've had the same look for years, so she got to work. I thing it's so funny that if I want a picture of myself I have to take it. There are so few pictures of women, since they are the ones usually taking the pictures. Here's a challenge! Start taking pictures of yourself. Who knows, maybe whoever sees you might offer to take one for you! I better be seeing some pictures on blogs of self portraits!

My Boy and Me

2009-01-03T17:24:00.000-08:00

Evi and Sebastian have very different personalities. Evi was never a snuggler and seems to want to get out into the world on her own and experience life. For those that know her she has a hard time keeping quiet and she never has met a stranger. Sebastian on the other hand doesn't seem to mind always being close, and never wants to talk to anyone. He is the one who gets into bed with us every morning for snuggles and I am trying to enjoy all of it. I know he won't always be that way.

So today as we were fishing and hanging out, he said a couple of things that I had to post about. As we were fishing, he was telling me that he had a bad dream last night. I asked him about it.

Sebastian: I had a bad dream in the night.

Me: Really? What was it about?

Sebastian: I was eating a hamburger and it had pickles and mustard.

(He doesn't like pickles)

Then as we were fishing I caught a fish, and he came over to "help" me. Later on I told him I think I got something. There was a lot of moss on the floor of the pond and I guess my hook got caught. When I reeled it I saw that it was just moss. He said "Momma, you got some weed!"

I was glad it was just the two of us at that point.

Anyway, I hope he remembers me fishing with him and letting him drive.

Best Friend Cousins

2009-01-03T17:13:00.000-08:00

Liesel had a sleep-over last night. The girls get along great and enjoy being with each other. Even though we had to quiet some giggles at bed-time the girls always seem to just click.

Today we went to the ranch to see Red Rain and to fish. Liesel and Evi had fun brushing her and then they were off to fish, even though they didn't catch anything.

My Little Fisherman

2008-12-29T09:34:00.001-08:00

My little guy got a fishing pole for Christmas, so when we went to see Evi's horse yesterday he was so excited to get to use his fishing pole. We caught nothing though, but he had so much fun. It is so fun to see Red Rain grow and now she has winter fur and she looks fluffy. Juan, Sebastian and I were all fishing but I guess it was too cold. Maybe next time.

The craziness comes to an end

2008-12-29T07:14:00.000-08:00

Most years people get crazy once the holidays come into sight. Traveling, cooking, spending money, kids and presents, and family.

We had a great time with my sister and her family for Christmas. Since no one wanted to dog sit we decided to not go to Mexico... Just kidding, we didn't go because of other reasons too, but we finally decided to stick around this year. It was a fun time, the kids get along with each other, the girls played Scrabble and the guys were doing who knows what.

This past weekend we went to Bartlesville to see family. We had lunch with one of my many Uncles and Aunts, the kids had so much fun playing with cousins and we had fun visiting with family. Evi spent the night with her second cousins and had a blast! She said she roller skated in the house, and wanted to know if we could get some skates. Afterwards we went to see Nanny and spent some time with her. I told Juan on our way home that I feel she is getting old. I want her to know that we love her. To me the holidays are not about presents or food, but it is about the memories you make with family.

This coming year I will try to make more of an effort to love my family unconditionally, because they are who God has placed in my life. I am glad that I can sleep at night knowing that I am at peace, I'm not in debt, my children love me, my husband is faithful, I have a roof over my head and food on the table and I am blessed! Hope everyone this year can see the family they have in a new light, and can love unconditionally.

Christmas

2008-12-29T06:47:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures of our Christmas. Sebastian asked me why the boy in Polar Express got to see Santa and he didn't, so I had Juan take him to Bass Pro Shop to see Santa but he got cold feet and Evi was the only one who sat on Santa's lap this year.

Two recipes

2008-12-17T07:04:00.000-08:00

Okay. Here is the recipe for the cinnamon rolls and the spicy crackers.

I use a bread machine, and this recipe is for rolls or bread, but I just rolled out the dough and put cinnamon on it for cinnamon rolls.

In your bread machine you put:

7 oz. of milk room temperature

1 tsp salt

1/4 cup butter softened

1 egg

3 1/4 c. flour

2 tbsp sugar (in one corner)

2 tsp yeast in another corner

1/4 c. water

Put your setting on dough, and when its risen once, put dough on floured surface, roll out spread with melted butter and then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar(You can add pecans or raisins if you like). Then roll and use string or dental floss to cut the dough. I placed in a 9x13 pan with melted butter, brown sugar and some corn syrup for a caramel sauce. Then you place in a warm place to rise(to about twice the size) and bake at 350 till golden brown.

To do dinner rolls or loaf, do the same. Except when it is done rising, punch down and either cut pieces off to make into rolls or take dough and roll into a loaf, let rise around 30 min. bake 400 for 10 min, or longer for loaf.

Spicy Crackers

Super easy, fast and a crowd pleaser.

3 pkgs of saltines ( in a gallon size zip-lock bag)

In tupperware mix:

1 cup canola oil

1 pkg ranch dip mix

2 tbsp crushed red peppers

Mix together and pour over crackers. Let set and flip bag over and over till all is coated. Mixture will dry on crackers the longer it sits.

Memories....

2008-12-15T11:03:00.000-08:00

I remember well my mother making cinnamon rolls. I think she is the best cook on the planet! But one thing I hated about those cinnamon rolls were the little cherries and candied fruit she would put on them. I would always pick them off. I'm sure she put them in the cinnamon rolls because they were red and green and after all she was making them for Christmas presents, but I wasn't crazy about them at all. So today I made some cinnamon rolls without the candied red and green fruit. I hope one day my kids don't say "Mom should have put some red and green candied fruit in those rolls to make them more Christmas-like". I asked the kids what we should cut the cinnamon rolls with. Evi suggested a knife, Sebastian scissors, and when I pulled out the string (like my mom did), they were amazed that I would try cutting something with string! I wonder if my mom used string because she didn't have a good knife, or maybe that's the way her mom taught her. Needless to say I will keep the tradition going!

Freezing Toes

2008-12-15T10:57:00.000-08:00

Both of the kids wanted to go out and play in the ice, not snow because there wasn't any, but the ice. So after getting them dressed nice and cozy, they went out to play. About 20 minutes later, Evi knocked on the back door, with boots in hand and in her socks. They had decided to jump on the trampoline and break the ice that had formed on it. I went out to get Sebastian and his shoes were off too. After a change of pants, and warm slippers on we started on our next project... cinnamon rolls.

My Birthday Boy

2008-12-14T19:37:00.000-08:00

My baby just turned four! Last week was his actual birthday, but because I was having back issues we had to postpone it for today. So here is how our day went...

We went to church and had a jolly time. After church Juan asked Sebastian where he wanted to eat. Sebastian said he wanted the sushi train, but this weekend when passing by we noticed it is now a pub. So we suggested Texas Roadhouse, where we can throw peanuts on the floor and then crunch them with our feet, and you can ride on a saddle and have everyone sing you happy birthday. Nope the boy wanted sushi. After sushi we came home and got things ready for the party. He is really into spiderman, so I made him a cake and he opened one present then the camera died. But it was a fun time. Now that the kids are in bed, and the blog is updated, I will go and look at his baby pictures and thank God for the life of my son.

Christmas Program

2008-12-14T18:21:00.000-08:00

Evi was a Sarah, Father Abraham's wife in the Christmas play. She had been practicing for weeks to get her lines down, and today after we left church she said she was glad that it was over. It was cute to see her wave to her cousin Liesel in the audience. I could tell she was glad her cousins were there. She did a fantastic job, and I see that she blossoms with an audience.

Sebastian was another story. I watched as all the little boys (about 25 of them) take the stage as little angels singing " Away in a Manger" and doing hand motions. My boy had his hands shoved in his pockets. I told him that I was sad that he didn't sing and he said " Well, I already sang that song in my class" and he wasn't gonna sing it again.

Sweet Boy

2008-12-11T12:17:00.000-08:00

I was wondering if anyone was wanting to spend some quality time with this sweet boy. We are going to Mexico for Christmas, and are taking Ruby to her new parents, but need a place for this little guy. We may even bring a little treat back for the sitter who would like to watch him while we are gone :)

Another Blog Game

2008-12-10T06:56:00.000-08:00

My friend Terra tagged me to play this game. First, 5 of my favorite things, and a little something about myself. Now I must challenge 5 people to do their favorite 5:

Jessica, Crosby, Yvonne, Charissa, Liesel.

1. I love the things my kids will do for a laugh. They are always saying or doing something to make us laugh.

2. I love my parents. I hope to one day be like my Mom.

3. I love my little boys snuggle first thing in the morning, when he climbs into bed with us.( Evi was never a snuggler)

4. I love assisting Mommas while they are welcoming their new little ones.

5. I love my hubby's kisses.

More blogging fun, a get to know me survey...

Who's Who?

What is your husbands name? Juan

How long have you been married? 9 years & 7 months

How long did you date? From the time we met, to the time we got married it was 13 months.

How old is he? 32

Who is taller? He is, not by much though.

Who can sing best? Neither one of us really, but at least I can sing on key...

Who is smarter? He is, hands down!

Who does the laundry? I do, but he has tried before.

Who pays bills? I write the checks, he tells me what to pay.

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? If your looking at the bed, I do. It is closest to the door, and bathroom. Why is it only women that have to go in the middle of the night?

Who mows the lawn? He does, unless he's been mowing all day, and I feel like helping him out.

Who cooks the meals? I do unless I am in bed with back problems, then he does.

Who is first to admit when they are wrong? I usually do, cause he is usually right.

Who kissed who first? I think that was me.

Who wears the pants? He does, but I am the belt!

Go ahead try it out, it's fun to learn about each other!!

Christmas Pictures

2008-12-09T14:39:00.000-08:00

Im curious as to how many people experience trouble taking family pictures of themselves. We were laughing this day because we were trying to get Sebastian not to make a silly face, Evi to smile naturally, and the dogs to look at the camera all while Juan is pushing the button and running into place. After maybe 15 shots, we finally decide to just pick one. Juan's legs were getting tired of sprinting, the dogs were wiggling, Evi was tired of smiling and we were done. I had to post this picture. As the eye behind the camera you can say "Quit making silly faces" and "Evi, move your hand!", but as we all were smiling for the camera, little did I know. That's why I love my digital camera! By the way, we did not use this for our Christmas cards this year.

On a totally different note, this past week I was in bed (yes.. all week) due to back problems. I think it was caused by that crazy long birth I had. The most frustrating thing is not being able to do anything for your family. I owe many thanks to my sweet hubby, who never complained of having to do dishes, bathe kids, do laundry, dinners & lunches, pick up the house and on top of all that still take care of me. Also, thanks Charissa for cleaning my house, and for the soups and bread, and for being willing to take Ava out of school to take me to Dr.'s visits, and just being willing to help, and to Sunny and Yvonne for all you did for me too. Thanks to all my friends & family for the phone calls to see how I was doing. I am blessed!

Thanksgiving

2008-11-29T13:33:00.000-08:00

We had so much fun at my Uncle Mark's house for Thanksgiving. There were 48 people including kids. My Grandma who is 93, dressed as a pilgrim to celebrate. I believe that is a doily on her head, that she sewed ribbons on, to make a bonnet. We had lots of fun and fellowship, and it was good to be with family.

Longest Birth Ever

2008-11-26T06:06:00.000-08:00

I have been at the hospital the last couple of days. I got a call on Monday night, go got there at around 8pm, she was being induced for high blood pressure, and she finally delivered last night at 8:45pm, and I got home at 10:30. I think this was my longest one yet.
We are looking forward to going to Bartlesville for Thanksgiving, and being with family. Today is my day to recuperate and get ready for tomorrow!

The Craft Show

2008-11-23T17:50:00.000-08:00

This weekend was the craft show that Yvonne & I attended. It was our first one, and we had fun. We had a candle booth next to us that at first smelled nice, but 8 hours later, we were ready to get out of there.
There were a lot of people that took our business cards, and even a pregnant woman in labor, that had gone to just walk to get labor going, who I was able to share some insight as to what would help. The lady in charge of the church nursery came by and asked if we could start making diaper cakes for her to give to the new mom's at church! We really felt like it was a great opportunity to get the word out of our business, and there weren't any other diaper cake booths there. It was a lot of fun!

Friends

2008-11-21T10:40:00.000-08:00

Sebastian has a friend, Mollie. She has spent the week with us, and we have enjoyed having her. Today we made some turkeys for Thanksgiving. Considering I didn't make a trip to the craft store, and three year olds made them, I think they turned out pretty cute! Speaking of cute.. isn't Mollie a doll? Sebastian thinks she is!

A Great Tag!

2008-11-19T08:02:00.000-08:00

Don't you love the 4th picture in the 4th folder of your picture files? I do! I was tagged by Jennifer B. to post & tell about it, then tag 4 more friends to do the same. So here it is:

Here is one of many pictures that the kids take when I'm not looking. It is a turkey butt, I mean turkey feathers. It was given to Evi by my cousin Caleb, and she has it in her room. I think it is kind of gross.
I now tag my brother Jason, my friends Crosby, Yvonne & Cousin Dalene R. Can't wait to see your 4ths!

Where is Spiderman when you need him?

2008-11-18T14:18:00.000-08:00

I can't imagine why I can't find a Spiderman toy to put on top of a cake. Wal-Mart has some for $10.99 but then why try to go cheap if you have to spend that much on a topper. I spent most of the day looking on e-bay, but by the time you wait and wait, the bid is at $11 plus shipping. I have looked online at Target, Toys-R-Us. Has anyone seen a Spiderman that is a reasonable price? I am thinking of going to the Goodwill to search in the toy bin!

I got a new job

2008-11-14T16:14:00.000-08:00

I am now giving childbirth classes. My first official client came by tonight for a class, and I will also be her Doula in a couple weeks. It is nice to know that I will get paid for my time that I put into the classes. Now I need to get my hands on some childbirth class materials.
On the 22nd, my friend Yvonne and I have a Art's & Craft Show, where we will be selling our diaper cakes. If anyone wants to purchase one, or just stop by and see us, we will be at The Church at Battle Creek on 61st and Aspen, on November 22nd from 9am to 5pm or you can visit our blog www.youniquetechnique.blogspot.com

Great Friends

2008-11-12T15:24:00.000-08:00

I have some amazing friends. Crosby, thank you so much for the WONDERFUL vegetable soup! It really hit the spot! There was even enough to have leftovers, mmm.
And Yvonne offered to bring me medicine to make me feel better, my sister offered to babysit for the day and my sweet husband took over the house, made runs to the grocery store for medicine, did dishes and really helped out with the kids.
While I was lying in bed trying to recuperate, Sebastian came in, found some lotion and attempted to give me a foot massage. Then he went to my closet, got some black heels, put them on my feet, then told me I needed to get out of bed, put a princess dress on ( he didn't approve of my sweats), and then wait for my prince to come kiss me and wake me up. I told him I would just pretend I was wearing a princess dress, and my shoes make me look princess enough. Keep in mind I'm still in bed at this point, and I hear him go tell Daddy to go kiss the princess so she'll wake up. Juan came in & kissed my forehead ( guess he doesn't wanna get sick too). I know I don't have vacation time, or maternity leave, or sick days, but who gets to be a princess every day?

Sick Days?? What's that??

2008-11-11T09:02:00.000-08:00

I love being a mom. Pregnancy and birth, and the after part, where they grow up and are smarty pants. But I wonder why stay at home moms don't have sick days, vacation time, paid time off, maternity leave or the ability to call in sick. I think that they should be a " Celebrate a Stay at Home Mom" Day. I wonder if Obama would go for that?
I think I have the flu. My house is a mess, it is almost noon, and Sebastian is still in P.J.'s, none of the beds are made, but I did manage to get Evi off to school. I'm making my son become a couch potato. "What movie you wanna watch next, Sebastian?" is my favorite line when I'm sick. I guess instead of blogging, I need to get off my seat and do housework!

Look who went fishing!

2008-11-09T16:45:00.001-08:00

We went to the ranch again this weekend, and while Evi rode on the trail, Sebastian went fishing. He caught 3 fish, with Mommas help. He wanted to keep the one on the rock, and eat it, but I couldn't get Nemo out of my head, and we ended up throwing him back. We might keep the ones we catch next time.

Out of the mouths of babes..

2008-11-06T11:53:00.000-08:00

Sebastian made a letter for God at church last night. I have always wondered what he thinks about God. It turns out it was a thank you note. The teacher told me that when she heard what Sebastian was thankful for, she told him to think some more and she would be back to help him write it down. After hearing all the other kids say what they were thankful for, the teacher asked him again he said" You heard me". So she wrote part of what he said. He said he liked dressing up like Stephanie, with pink hair, from "Lazy Town". Evi is out of the dress up stage, so I have no clue where he got that. Why couldn't he have said " I like dressing up like Spiderman" We all had a good laugh.

How many times have you heard.....

2008-11-04T08:26:00.000-08:00

"Momma can we keep it? It's a baby??" This morning I did, several times, and with tears after I threw the thing out the back door. "NO WAY!"

Fall Festival

2008-11-04T08:15:00.000-08:00

We went to the Jones' Ranch for our church Fall Festival. The next morning we went to help them pick up trash and clean out the barn from the party the night before.
It was such a nice day, we were able to see Red Rain, and groom her, and then I saw Sebastian down by the pond, and I realized how much I would love to live in the country. This is where Red Rain calls home, and it is so nice that we can go see her whenever and hang out at a beautiful ranch. I spy Sebastian, can you?

It was about time!

2008-10-30T08:43:00.001-07:00

Sebastian was mistaken for a little girl the other night while wearing his Gramps costume. So today I gave him a haircut. At least I didn't use a bowl...

2008-10-30T08:10:00.000-07:00

I walked into the living room to tell Sebastian that it was time to go get Evi, and he was fast asleep with both dogs. I love that Ruby is just letting him lay on her.

Granny & Gramps

2008-10-27T08:43:00.000-07:00

Here they are! Sebastian won a $5 gift card for his costume, and there were 2 other grannies that won a prize, but Evi was a good sport, and even took Gramps to get his prize. They had fun, and Evi kept asking for prunes instead of candy. People got a kick out of that.

2008-10-27T08:29:00.000-07:00

We took the kids to the pumpkin patch. They rode a horse and played a couple gamed and each picked out two small pumpkins. Evi was upset that I let Sebastian put his pumpkins up to his eyes, and I made her take hers down. I explained that she was holding hers against her chest, and it just didn't look right, and so she wanted a do-over, so she got a picture with pumpkin glasses.

Evi officially meeting Mahajuluta AKA Red Rain

2008-10-25T16:27:00.000-07:00

Counting Our Blessings

The big day is coming!

She is growing up

Mother's Day

Evi the CFO

The real Mia

"Mia"

A new year

I am thankful

A hole in the arm

My Dice

Frustrating week

Lost

Here is what is new with us...

Mother's Day

It has been a while

Baby it's Cold Outside

Meet Kenny

What we did for Christmas

Saying goodbye

One of my biggest blessings

Update

It's been a while

Laughter is the best medicine

This boy has some moves!

A great opportunity

First day of school

Introducing....

Could use some input

Birthday Girl

Home Sweet Home

Boys.... you gotta love 'em

Someone laughed at me today

Where to begin...

It's been a while

Meet Shawn

Ruby vs. Big Bird

He is here!

Here we go again

*Warning.. read at your own risk*

Home Again

Great News

And Evi prayed

Hidden Blessings

Yummy Recipe

Please pray

I sure do loves these girls

Best Friends

Best Daddy Award

Do I have an artist?

A little help...

We Did It!

Layla

Napoleon Dynamite

An award for my girl

It could be worse

Sweet Moments

Why the Name?

Messenger of God

Prayers Please

Name Ideas

Friends

Pay it Forward

New Look

My Boy and Me

Best Friend Cousins

My Little Fisherman

The craziness comes to an end

Christmas

Two recipes

Memories....

Freezing Toes

My Birthday Boy

Christmas Program

Sweet Boy

Another Blog Game

Christmas Pictures

Thanksgiving

Longest Birth Ever

The Craft Show

Warning.. read at your own risk