I AM WOMAN, HEAR ME ROAR.....

Ok, you don't have to listen to me roar, but I did it!!! I completed a half marathon! It was a pretty cool feeling aside from my left calf cramping up at the 13 mile mark and my right calf cramping up right before the finish line, and the 50 yr. old fat lady running next to me that Miguel told me to beat, the unbearable pain in my feet, the complete feeling of exhaustion, the pain that sets in when the adreneline quits. But let me tell you, it was totally worth the medal that I got. Ok, I guess it's really hard to detect my sarcasm in words, so in all actuality, it was a lot of pain, but I perservered and I FINISHED!!! Not that it's a world record or anything, but I did it in under 3 hrs. So the moral of this story is, what you put your mind to, you can accomplish. Now, it's on to the next thing!! (originally written 10/2013).

Kentucky!

So I had the pleasure to reconnect with an old and dear friend this past weekend and it was AMAZING to say the least! She was my college roommate at BYU our freshman year. I have been trying to see her for a few years now and finally, after 12 years, my dreams came true. Katie asked me to help her work a trade show. I thought it would be a fun experience and a chance to catch up! 

What I didn't realize was the awesome time I was going to have and how lucky I was to be able to spend it with her. We were able to get in some good shoe shopping and dinner to catch up between all the crazy hours of the trade show.  It was worth the trip just to do that! I learned a lot while I was there and feel very grateful I was asked to come! She is an amazing woman and has an amazing company! Check it out: pujbaby.com





Another Summer has come and gone...

I can't believe summer has come and gone! This was a very exciting and fun summer! We did a few things this summer that we've never done before; take a vacation! Summer started out slowly but the kids and I fell right into the swing of things (i.e. sleeping late, going to bed late, going swimming a lot). Our normal summer routine includes going to the library, swimming almost everyday and enjoying free movies!

This summer Miguel and I got to go to Jamaica for our anniversary. We spent a whole week together and enjoyed each other! I would recommend this to anyone---spending one on one time with your spouse. We get so caught up in raising our children and all the day-to-day living, that sometimes we don't nourish our relationships with our spouses. Miguel and I truely enjoyed our relaxation, fun in the sun, and tropical adventures! We went ziplining, dune buggy riding in the mud, on a jamaican bobsled, on a catamaran and climbed a waterfall! All while we were doing that, the kids were spending quality time with Miguel's mom and having lots of fun!

(Miguel and I getting ready to zipline!)

Shortly after we got home from Jamaica, it was onto vacationing again! (it's a tough life but someone's got to do it!) We took a road trip! This was a lot of fun! My mom drove with us and we went to Utah. We stopped in New Mexico and went to Carlsbad Caverns and then headed up to Utah for a family reunion and also a fun time with the cousins!

(Alivia, Sterling, Owen, Maddie, Elijah, Brighton, and Ethan)

The kids had such a blast and were so good! Since they're all old enough to play with their cousins, there were times I wouldn't see them for hours at a time. Livi would play barbie's with her girl cousins for hours. She had so much fun playing with girls! She also got her ear's pierced along with her cousin, Josie! Eli would play with his cousins for hours on any type of video game until I made him get off so he wouldn't turn into a zombie! Ethan would jump and run around with his cousins (pretty much get them into trouble) all day long! We went to temple square one day, Lagoon another day (Miguel was there for that), Bridal Veil Falls and also the pool!

(Eli and Ethan at Bridal Veil Falls in Provo, UT)

Miguel was only able to join us for a short time and my mom had to fly back, so I got to drive back by myself with the kids! They were absolutely fantastic and we got to see some of the most gorgeous parts of our country.

(Driving through gorgeous mountains in Ouray, CO on our way to Durango! It was breath taking!)

All good things must come to an end, and so it is with that, that I say 'good-bye summer, see you next year!'

{Some family pictures from our Utah trip!}

(Amy, Lisa, Mom, David, and Me)

(One proud Grandma with all her 16 grandchildren; one more on the way! I only have 3 of them!)

UPDATES!! Third Annual Sisters Weekend!

(Lisa, me and Amy eating sushi in Austin)

My two favorite sisters and I (ok, so I only have 2 sister--they're still my favorite ones!) decided we needed to get together and more often, without children or spouses, so we started "Sisters Weekend!" Before I knew it, we were on to our 3rd annual one. Let me tell you about our weekend. First of all, this helps mantain my sanity for a long time. I look forward to sisters weekend for months, literally months, before it happens. I keep reminding myself to hang in there (meaning all the chaos that goes along with life) because I'll get to take a break from it during sisters weekend. Our first ever weekend that we got together we went to San Marcos and stayed in a bed and breakfast. This is where our traditions started. We go out to eat, sometimes dressing up a bit, and we exchange gifts that we've made/bought for each other, and we shop and relax.

Sisters Weekend at a Glance:

First sisters weekend--oldest sister flew down from Utah and we went to a bed and breakfast for a night.


Second sisters weekend--me and older sister flew to Utah, stayed in a cabin 2 nights and a hotel one night, went to Conference at the Conference Center, went to the Salt Lake Temple (my first time there!), shopped, got a massage (that was my favorite!)



Third sisters weekend--oldest sister flew down from Utah, we stayed at my house two nights and a hotel one night, SHOPPED almost the whole time, went to a museum, tried to see the bats fly out from under the Congress bridge!

(this is all our bags from two nights--we got some good sales!)



All I can say is that I'm so glad that my sisters and I have so much fun together! We talk about our kids, husbands, and how we are glad they aren't there (seriously--there's nothing wrong with that!!) We always have such a great time and I always look forward to that wonderful weekend to have a fun time and not have to do anything for anyone else! Love you sisters!!

(this is proof that we went to a museum and didn't shop the WHOLE time! Who's oldest??? Can you guess? Who has 6 kids? Which one is still in her 20's???)

SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!!

Good Things Come to Those Who Wait....I Think!

So after a month of having things all out of their place, they are finally back where they belong. I didn't get a 'before picture,' but you can picture it in your head while I paint it for you. There was a toilet in our shower, the door frame into the toilet room (straight ahead in the picture) was cutout half way, flooring ripped out, no trim on the bottom and big fans blowing in there with a dehumidifier.

Let me take you back to what started it all.

I noticed the carpet in our closet (just on the other side of the wall from our sinks) was wet. I didn't think anything of it because some people (I'll let my husband remain nameless) throw wet towels in the dirty clothes pile in our closet. The next day I picked up some other clothes and they seemed more wet than a wet towel could get them, so I asked Livi if she'd spilled water in my closet (she's known to take water in weird places). She volunteered that she had. I asked her again later and her story changed. Later that evening, I walked into my closet and my foot was wet. I knew there's no amount of water Livi could spill that could create this totally soaked wet carpet. I ended up pulling the carpet back and the padding was all wet. I pulled it back and put some fans on it to let it dry out. The next day, I noticed the foundation was wet on the outside of the house (on the other side of our shower and tub). I didn't think much about it until it happened the next day and no other part of the foundation was wet. So, I called up the supervisor and said to him "Keith, you told me to call you if I ever had a problem." I explained the situation and he said that the builder would cover the repairs (even though we've been in our house for over 2 years and out of warantee for 1 yr. ) if it was something that we didn't do. He said someone would be by to check it out in the next couple of days. I called him back the next day because now half my closet was wet and even though I'd put two big fans on it, it still didn't dry out. To make this long story not longer than it has to be.....after cutting about 8 holes they found out what was wrong. The pipe that goes to our shower was leaking in the wall between the closet and bathroom. After mold remediation, dry wallers, painters, plumbers, and tilers, we now have a new bathroom. We originally had laminate and after talking with the supervisor, I offered to pay for the tile if they'd install it. So, $60 for a new bathroom isn't too shabby! The long moral of this story is....good things can come, even a month later!

Making the Opportunities!

So, I did something this weekend that I've never done! I spent money without telling Miguel about it. He knew we were supposed to go out for a date night, but he didn't know what was happening after that. I called up a friend of ours and asked if he and his wife (they don't have kids, just a dog) would mind watching our kids over night. They were sweet and said "Yes! (I don't think they really knew what they were getting themselves into.) So, after our date, Miguel and I shopped around the mall for awhile and then when he realized we were supposed to pick up the kids in 10 minutes, he got kind of mad at me. I had to tell him we didn't have to go. He got really confused so I told him it was ok, someone was picking up our kids and we were going to a hotel for the night. Then he got frustrated and said he was helping someone move the next day. I told him I already took care of it and I let that person know he couldn't make it! I think he really just didn't believe me! He called the friend that was going to watch our kids and was trying to find out if I was telling the truth!

When he realized I pulled it off, he relaxed and we continued our childless night! It was off for dessert and then a movie! Too bad we both fell asleep during it. Man, we're lame. Then we checked into our hotel--the downtown Hilton. It was awesome! We put the "zzzzz" sign on the door and didn't wake up until after 11am. I told him I had another surprise and we had to come back by the hotel about 1:30pm. So we walked to good old P.F. Chang's and then killed some time sitting in the lobby of the hotel. Miguel was convinced we were going on a segway tour of downtown (hadn't thought of that, but maybe next time)! As we walked towards the elevator, and I pushed the button for the gym, he starts in on me. "I'm not working out with you." I just played it off and asked him why not! Then when we got there and started walking to the glass doors, he figured it out. A massage! Yes, we had a couple's massage. Can I just say that I think this should happen every month! It was heavenly. And the best part is that I feel loose and not so much stress for weeks afterwards! So we finished up our massages, got some ice cream and came home to our kids! It was a great getaway! Although it was short, it was much needed and worth every cent! I would highly recommend it to anyone. I used Priceline and negotiated a price and got a great rate on the hotel!!

(ok, ours wasn't on the beach, but you get the point! one day, it will happen, one day!)

After a nap (you know, from my stressful day) I took Livi and Ethan to my 8 week boot camp celebration! I got a shirt, won a bottle of Mona-Vie (juice that has like 20 fruits in it) and my measurements. I've lost 13 inches and 10 lbs! That's only just the beginning! My goal is to lose more than that the next 8 weeks! Thanks to John and C.J. (they're the instructors) for pushing me so hard!!

When it rains, it POURS!

I'm not sure why it seems like so many things are going on at once, but I'm going to try and take a new approach and look at the good side of things. I feel like I've been really negative on my blog lately, so I'm doing a 180.

Some people might think after they took their last final, there would be this great sigh of relief, but for others, it's not. It's not a sign of relief, because, then life would be too easy. So what better day to find out that your washing machine is leaking water all over, then the day that you got up at 5:05 am to go to boot camp and then was literally falling asleep at your 11am final? So, I got really uptight and stressed out like I normally do and then tried to have a better attitude. Afterall, we've been in our house for just a little over 2 years and I've never cleaned behind my washer and dryer. I took the time to be grateful for the chance to clean up all the water and dust and then started taking things apart on the back of my washer and dryer and learned how they work a little bit. To make a long story short, take the opportunity to make a bad situation, good. Afterall, we'd never have lemonade if we didn't make it when we had lemons!

Just when you think things can't get any worse.....that's when the bugs come in!

I don't know anyone who has had a better week than this past week! Just when I think my life can't get anything more into it, that's when the bugs come! This past week was a very hectic one, including a test in modern physics, homework due in fourier series class, miguel leaving to go out of town and having a babysitter come relieve my other babysitter, having to drive to Houston by myself (after just taking Ethan to the Dr. to get shots), helping my sister move in, trying to get my kids to nap, trying to get my kids to go to bed, and then finding out that Livi has lice. Yes, the parasite that lives in your hair. Ethan had it too. They both only had nits (which are the eggs and can't be spread). After disinfecting my mom's house, learning that I had lice too, my sister went to my other sister's house to pick up Eli. His head was pretty nasty with the lice. So, my sister brought him over to my mom's, I shaved his head and then put lice shampoo on him. I did this only after my sister put the shampoo on me, my brother shaved Ethan's hair, I cut livi's hair and put shampoo on them. Then, I had to comb thru literally each strand of her hair and pull out the nits with my fingernails (they are really hard to get off). As if that wasn't enough, then my mom and I got into a really big argument and I had only slept 3 hours the night before! After sleeping Saturday night and dreaming all about parasites and what I was going to have to do when I got home, we headed home. That's when the real fun began! I had to wash everyone's bedding, vacuum the house, the furniture, disinfect brushes and combs (did I mention Miguel was in Reno this whole time?), unpack the car, call Eli's teacher, look for nits in the kids' head and somehow get some sleep? I think that Eli brought it home to everyone from school (which is usually what happens). Miguel didn't get it--probably b/c he's at work most of the time and out of town when all hell breaks loose!
And that's it for my horrible,terrible,no good, very bad week!
Hope yours was better!

(by the way, if anyone needs some knowledge about lice, I have a lot I could share with you!)