The winds of change are blowing...

Right in my direction. A few weeks ago I decided, with the support of my family that I would quit my job and go to school full time. It was a scary decision, but one that I am proud of myself for. For as long as I can remember I have wanted to be a marine biologist or nurse. Since I live in the driest place in earth marine biology is out of the question so I guess I will just have to try my hand at nursing. I have so much to do before I can even start school, but I am hoping that my school on Guam doesn't put a wrench in my wheel and halt my plans.

I informally turned in my resignation Tuesday and although i could tell my boss wasn't happy, she knew it was the right thing for me. It will be hard saying goodbye to my coworkers that I love, and the 600+ kids that I have watched grow over these last 3 years. I need to fulfill my contract so that I can continue to get paid through July so, next Friday I will turn in my formal resignation. Just the thought of resigning is nauseating. I'm leaving a steady income and benefits and it is scary! I am just praying that everything works out.

Friday my girls school held their Principal's awards and both of my girls received awards. Maia earned Excellence in Reading and AB Honor Roll. She should have received A Honor Roll but she received an 89 last quarter in Science. She was bummed because this is the first time she did not receive an award for A honor roll all year. I assured her Daddy and I were proud of her either way and that helped a lot. Micaylah was awarded Citizenship for the year which was no surprise considering the girl never gets in trouble! Micaylah also found out that she passed all 3 of her TAKS tests. For those of you not in Texas, TAKS is a huge deal. It is the states standardized state assessment test and is a HUGE deal for the kids. Especially those in 5th, 8th and 12th grade. You don't pass, you don't move on to the next grade. Poor Kaylah has horrible test anxiety and since 3rd grade has never passed all of her TAKS administered until this year when it really counted. Now we can breathe a sigh of relief and watch our girl move on to the 6th grade.

We only have 3 official days of school left until summer is finally here. The kids are so ready it isn't funny. I'll be happy that I don't have to get them up at 6:45am Monday - Friday and hear them moan and groan about how tired they are. I'm sure they will be happy to not hear me yell that they will make me late to work. We don't have too many plans this summer. I need to get so much done for school and get my house in order. Eliminating clutter is my number one priority. I need to let go and just start getting rid of useless junk. My house is too small for my packrat genes. Seriously... the cycle has to end somewhere ;)

I hope everyone enjoys their Memorial Day weekend. Remember to thank a Soldier today. They fight for our freedom everyday and I pray that God keeps them safe and brings them all home soon.

Happy Memorial Day y'all!

Where do I begin??

I swear I'm still alive and well! I promised myself that I would do good by this blog and I have failed miserably. To my few readers, I apologize profusely!

Where do I begin?? Life is hectic as usual, and with summer approaching quickly (One more week) I am bogged down. Not only am i neglecting my blog, but the to do list I have for my house is ridiculous. I have so many plans for the house this summer. Cleaning from top to bottom is number one on my list. Followed by getting rid of the clutter! I totally need to re-organize my kids room and rip their carpet out along with their ceiling fan. With bunk beds.. and ceiling fan is not the best fixture in a kids room. I have nightmares where I find Maia dangling from a moving ceiling fan because it looked fun. Yep, that sucker has got to go.

I'm making some big changes in my career. I DO NOT want to spend the rest of my life working for peanuts! So I have decided to go back to school to be a nurse. I have always had a passion for the medical field and although I know it will be hard, I also know I CAN DO IT!! I know in my heart that I will be an awesome nurse, and thankfully my family is really supportive of me going back to school. I'm hoping to start in August, so wish me luck!

Michael as usual is working his tail off. He works late, goes in early and hardly complains. He works so hard, still finds time to pick the kids up from school, spend time with us on the weekends, go to church 3 times a week and play video games. (haha) I fell very lucky to say that he is all mine. I could not have asked God for a better husband.

The girls are very ready for this school year to be over. Micaylah passed both the math and reading TAKS so she will definitely be promoted to 6th grade. I cringe at the thought of having a 6th grader! Maia qualified for the Gifted and Talented program and will begin attending a GT campus once a week for the entire school year in the fall. She is looking forward to the new adventure. She's a smart girl so I'm sure she will fit right in. The kids can't wait to go swimming, stay up late and sleep in!

My father in law has been in and out of the hospital since January when he was diagnosed with a rare cancer Angiosarcoma. The past few months have been a real trial for him and for our whole family. It has been one jacked up roller coaster ride. Right now he is at the MD Anderson cancer center in Houston and has been there since Easter. The Dr's have tried chemo and so far noting has worked on his grapefruit sized tumor. The tumor is growing in his right hip joint so he is in a tremendous amount of pain. The dr's actually have him on methadone for the pain, it's crazy! We are basically in limbo right now not knowing what the Dr's have planned from this point on. Dad goes to the Dr Monday and this appointment is crucial. This is the appointment where he finds out if the Dr's are going to continue chemo, or send him back home to Odessa. Please say a prayer for him. We need a miracle in the worst way right now.

Again, I apologize for the neglect. I will try my best to do better ;)

Say Cheese!

Last Sunday my coworker and dear friend Tracie got married. She had the cutest wedding with lots of fun stuff that I would have never thought to find at a wedding. There was an adorable candy bar loaded with different candy and equipped with individual bags for everyone to fill with their favorite candies.

There was also a super fun photo booth! They had tons of props to play with and each session took 4 photos that printed out in dual strips. One set for the happy couple for their album and another set for the models. As you can see my coworkers and I had way too much fun with this photo booth. I also took some pictures with my Godmother Bobbie who was visiting for spring break. THe pictures above are of me and Bobbie.
My coworker Michelle and her cutie pie Eli. He's the star of these pics for sure!
My crazy coworkers Annalisa and Debbie.
Me and Bobbie again getting our GaGa on.
Joe Dirt and Foxy Brown. I love my coworker Susan! She's so much fun!

The good die young.

I don't know who came up with that saying, but it sucks that it has proven true too many times in my life. At 4;30pm Guam time, the body of Steven Alcantra was recovered in Umatac Bay, he was 31 years old.

Sigh, I am so sad thinking about my friend Steve, and disappointed in myself for losing touch after I left Guam in 2000. Steve was a kind spirit and the type of person that always had a smile on their face. I attended Jr high and High school with him and for those 7 years, whenever he's see me in the halls, he would always stop and give me a hug. I remember the chili bowl haircut he had in 9th grade that ended up growing into a bob. On rival day he wore the uniform of a rival all girl catholic school. I teased at how "pretty" he looked in the uniform and he just smiled and flashed me some leg.

Steve was a Baseball star on Guam and my cousins and friends loved cheering him on at Paseo Stadium. In fact the last time I saw Steve we were celebrating a championship victory on the beach. I was very pregnant at the time and when we left the party he gave me a hug and wished me luck. I'll never forget you Steve. Rest in peace my brother, may the Angels guide you to your eternal home in heaven. Give my dad a hug for me.

Lord, thank you for bringing Steve home so that his family may lay him to rest and find some peace in this terrible tragedy.

Rude Awakening

This morning I checked my Facebook like I always do, and saw several posts from friends back home on Guam regarding a old friend Steve Alcantra. Most of the posts said, "Praying for Steve's safe return" or "Our prayers are with Steve and his family, God bring him home safely". I felt a huge pit form in my stomach, what could have happened to Steve? I immediately checked Guam's local news website and my heart sunk into my stomach as I read the breaking news.

Popular sports star Steve Alcantra missing at sea

Posted: Feb 26, 2011 4:58 AM CST

by Sabrina Salas Matanane

Guam - Family and friends have confirmed the man that rescue officials are searching for after he fell from a jetski in Umatac Bay is Steve Alcantra. Several people are waiting on the shoreline at the southern tip of the island, praying he'll be found. Guam Fire Department Spokesperson Captain Andy Arceo says because of poor visibility rescue divers will continue their search Sunday morning, however, GFD personnel are still conducting a sea and shoreline search.

Alcantra, who works at the Bank of Guam, is a popular baseball player, pitching for the Bank of Guam Athletics. Alcantra also plays for the Pepsi Warriors in the Miller Football League as a wide receiver.

I hope and pray that they find Steve and that he is ok. Growing up on an island, I know how dangerous this type of situation can be. 7 years ago one of my best friends and 4 of his coworkers tried to rescue another coworker swept out to sea during a tropical storm. The rescue teams searched for weeks with no luck. A few months later some of his remains were found. It was an incredibly hard event to get over. Mike was a brother to me and I love and miss him very much. Tonight I will hug my kids a little tighter and tell those I love just how much they mean to me. In an instant, everything can change.

Dear Lord, Please guide my friend Steve home safely. Amen

Pass the tissues please...

REALLY!?!?

I am seriously going on week 4 and my second round of antibiotics with a sinus infection and sore throat. I'm so tired of being sick it's exhausting. Thankfully I have a Dr that actually listens to me and she has decided that after having 6 sinus infections in the last 12 months and 4 bouts of strep throat, that it would be a good idea to have my tonsils and adenoids removed. Of course she will have to refer me to an ENT and then whatever they decide is what will probably happen. I told her I couldn't even fathom the thought of having surgery until this summer. If having my tonsils and adenoids taken out alleviates my problems, than I'm all for it.

Sadly I really don't have much else to report. Well maybe a few things..

Mike went to OKC last week for a business trip, we missed him, he's home.

The kids continue to drive me batty, calgon take me away.

My mom is doing 100% better. She's been such a help to me lately with the house work and kids. I am so grateful especially since I have been feeling like poo for the last month.

My father in law is doing ok. We are continuing prayers for his healing and for his giant tumor to shrink so the dr can remove it. We are planning a huge fundraiser for him on the 26th. Also praying that the fundraiser is a success, the funds will help so much with all of the traveling expenses.

So yeah, we're blessed and still boring :P

Why am I up on my day off??

Really??!! I should be in bed enjoying my holiday, but waking up to kiss my husband goodbye was well worth the early bird status!

This weekend was fantastic! Friday night some friends from church had a kids only fellowship at their house. We dropped the kids off at 7pm and headed to Red Lobster with mom in tow to have a nice dinner. We haven't had Red Lobster in ages so it was a treat. It was also good to get mom out of the house. She hadn't been anywhere since last year ;)

Saturday I woke up early and headed to Target to get a birthday present and a movie Mike has been wanting. It was nice to get out by myself even if it was only for an hour. Around 2 we headed to Midland to attend a 2 yr old birthday party. THe kids played, ate cake and watched Elizabeth open tons of presents. HEr parents are good friends of ours so it was nice visiting with them after not seeing them for 4 months. Afterwards we headed to Ghengis Grill for an early dinner. We absolutely LOVE Ghengis Grill. It is the best Mongolian BBQ I have had in years! Nothing beats Top o' the Mar on Guam, but this comes in Second. No contest.

Sundays are always amazing! We went to church at 10 because Mike and I love Sunday school. The kids do too and we feel it's important that they attend their Sunday school because they don't always understand the sermon during Sunday service. After church we had fellowship with our Pastor and his wife, chuck and Nicole and their 3 daughters, and our friends Ninfa and Ray at Tequila Tony's. The food was great, but the company was even better! Afterwords I took the girls to a birthday party at the bowling alley where they bowled, ate cake, played games and just had fun! Then it was back to church for evening service. After praise and worship Pastor showed us a video showing all of the awesome works God is doing all over the world. It is such a blessing to be a part of The Potter's House, knowing that souls are being saved all over the world. Since Michael and I have been saved, it has been the most wonderful experience living for Jesus. He has blessed my family abundantly and my only regret is that I didn't do it sooner.

The busy weekend was great for the kids. Right now their grandpa is hospitalized in Dallas and is VERY missed by his grandkids. He has been diagnosed with a very rare cancer of the bone called Angiosarcoma. It's a nasty disease, but we have faith that with prayers and the help of the Doctors that he will be healed and have more time on this Earth with us. He's a wonderful man and an outstanding father and grandpa. Please say a prayer for his healing, it would mean a lot to my family.

I hope that all of you enjoy you MLK holiday. I am going to grab a cup of coffee and watch a movie while my kids are still asleep :)

Don't let the door hit you on the way out!

I don't know about anyone else, but I am happy to say goodbye and good riddance to 2010! We have had too many ups and downs this year and I'm praying, hoping, and wishing that 2011 will be a better year for my family.

2010 began with my mom being diagnosed with a second occurrence of Hodgkins Lymphoma. not exactly how you want to begin a new year. We took things as they came and at times found it hard to keep our heads above water. On top of her cancer diagnosis she was also diagnosed with COPD ( Chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder) and Congenitive heart failure. All of which are no fun! Thank God she is now 4 months into remission, she has had an internal defibrillator installed to keep her from dropping dead on us, and her COPD is controlled with the use of oxygen. Mom is still not out of the woods, but she's slowly getting there. If we could just get her bone marrow to recover from the damaging effects of chemo, she'd be right as rain.

Just as mom is in the clear from cancer my father in law is diagnosed with a grapefruit sized mass growing on his hip. It's compressing his sciatic nerve as well as all of the other nerves in his hip joint causing excruciating pain in his back and leg. He and my mother in law left the day after Christmas to see a orthopedic surgeon to see about having the mass removed for biopsy so the oncologist here could plan his next move. Instead he decided to do an open core biopsy and remove a good chunk to be taken to the lab for pathology. The orthopedic surgeon said it doesn't look like a tumor at all but a large blood clot. This is very good news for my father in law. We are still waiting on lab results, but if it is a blood clot, it can be shrunk and reabsorbed by his own body with a few injections given by a radiologist here in Odessa. We are praying for more good news as it is very hard to see dad suffer.

2010 did yield us some highs, even if they were overshadowed by lows. Maia started cheerleading and fell in love with something that she wants to continue doing for a long time. She has dreams and aspirations that she can achieve as long as she keeps her eyes on the prize. I m so very proud of my Mini Peppette and look forward to the 2011 football season.

Micaylah is growing into quite the young lady, and although teenage years are right around the corner she is a wonderful young woman right now and I'm hoping she stays that way ;) She has started tking guitar lessons, and has become more outgoing at school and at church. She even joined the New Years Eve talent show at church. I'll try to post videos but Bloggers video uploading system sucks!

October 10, 2010 Michael, Micaylah and I were all baptized and our lives were forever changed. We gave testimony for the first time and shared our Baptism with our close friends and church family. It was a powerful evening for us and we continue to live for God and praise him for his Mercy, Grace and Blessings he has given to my and my family. He truly is an awesome God, and him pulling us out of the fires of 2010 has proven that to me tenfold.

Michael and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary and continue to love eachother more and more every day. I am so thankful to have this wonderful man in my life that I can call my own. He is so faithful and honest, a wonderful father and my best friend. I look forward to 40 more years with him!

I wish all of my 6 readers a very happy New Year! May 2011 be a year full of blessings, joy, laughter and love.

Adios 2010, don't let the door hit you on your way out!

Our team is WHAT? DYNAMITE!!!

This year I put Maia in the boys and girls club tackle football league as a Mini Peppette Cheerleader. I was hesitant at first but my friends insisted it would be great fun for my kiddo and the whole family and it definitely was. Maia had so much fun and was so focused on learning her cheers and dance routines, I was impressed! She cheered her little heart out for the 4th grade Gonzales Steelers and I couldn't be more proud. This is the first activity that I have put her in that she gave 100% and really loved.

In October all of the Mini Peps and cheerleaders were invited to Dance with the Odessa High School Showgirls at one of the OHS football games at Ratliffe Stadium. WE were all excited becasue we had never been to a Texas high school football game. It was so much fun. The girls danced their little hearts out and OHS beat Midland Lee High 38 to 21!
Me and my little Showgirl during the game.
These crazy kids in white overalls and red knee high socks ran these flags up and down the track after every touchdown. So cool!
Don't mind my kitchen, just look at my little star :)
Our boys made it to the Championship game at Ratliffe, and although they didn't win we are all so proud of our Steelers! Here's me and another cheer mom Jo cheering our kids on!
My girl cheering on the stands at Ratliffe.
And here she is cheering on the field. Go Steelers!

Our boys getting ready to enter the field through the run through sign.
Maia at her very first football game. I love this kid!

I haven't uploaded pics from the awards ceremony or the girls end of the season party, but they did win a trophy for Best Sportsmanship Overall. They beat out 20 other squads for that title!

Long overdue.

It's alive...

I can't believe how long it has been since I blogged! Life grabs you by the horns sometimes and all you can do is go with the flow. Between family, work, and our crazy schedule, you'd be surprised at what a hectic summer/fall season we've had.

The girls are both doing good in school. Maia continues to get effortless straight A's and wow her teacher. She's at a high 4th grade reading level and brings home 2 to 3 library books a day. Micaylah is really loving the 5th grade. She has 3 different teachers in an attempt to ready the kids for Jr. High (Already???) and I think having different teachers breaks up the monotony of her day helping her to focus better. HEr grades have been awesome and we really are so proud of her.

Michael is Michael. He's so simple and easy to please. Give that man some Call of Duty and keep the soda coming, and he's A-OK. I love him so much. I may be a video game widow, but I'm thankful he's home with us.

Mom as you know has had such a crappy year! Poor thing. First she's diagnosed with cancer, then COPD (chronic obstructed pulmonary disorder) and congenitive heart failure. None of which are good but her endless trips to the Dr are making the light at the end of the tunnel a little more visible. Praise God that her cancer is in complete remission! She finished treatment in the beginning of October after 4 long weeks of radiation. She had to go every day and it was hard! The radiation has left her with some long term effects, but being alive outweighs them. The cancer center even presented her with a diploma that said "This is to certify that Tammie Guerrero has finished cancer treatment with perfect determination and bravery." It was sweet, i love the West Texas Cancer Center.

After the cancer was kicked in the behind, mom started seeing a new cardiologist. He confirmed her congenitive heart failure and told her she would need an internal defibrillator. He also told her that 9 out of 10 patients with this disease can drop dead without warning due to irregular heart beat. So of course she agreed to have the surgery. She was scheduled for the 8th of November, but ended up in the hospital on the 2nd with pneumonia and severe anemia. After 6 days, tons of antibiotics and 3 units of blood she was well enough to come home, but not to have surgery. It was postponed until the 22nd which was yesterday and I'm happy to report that the surgery went very well! She's still in the hospital, but I'll be bringing her home today. Her Dr said the surgery went beautifully, and that the device tested PERFECT. I was so relieved because to test the device, they had to STOP HER HEART (OMG) and see if the defibrillator would shock it back in gear..... thank God it did.

Work as usual is super hectic and busy. I'm finding myself hating my job more and more every day. I have this coworker that seems determined to set me up to fail. She is constantly on my case for every little thing I do. I even have to ask her permission to use the freaking bathroom! My theory is that she wants me to quit, so that she can hire a lazy spanish speaking 20 yr old who thinks she knows everything. Sorry hun, I'm not going anywhere and I am not going to fail! Get over it.

My after work schedule has been nuts! I often ask myself "What were you thinking Melissa?"! I'll break it down for you:

Monday : Micaylah's youth music team/guitar lessons.
Tuesday: Maia's Cheer Practice.
Wednesday: Church
Thursday: Maia's Cheer Practice followed by Christmas Play Practice for both girls.
Friday: Fixed date night for Mike and I... No Exceptions we need time together!
Saturday: Grocery shopping, cleaning, family time
Sunday: Church twice.

Typing it out, it doesn't seem so hectic. But add cooking dinner, running moms errands, a load of laundry here and there, and cleaning house in the mix and it's no wonder I'm exhausted!

Thankfully Football season has ended. Our 4th grade Steelers made it all the way to championships at Ratliffe Stadium and my girl got to cheer on hallowed ground... where football is concerned anyways. But I'll do a separate post just for cheer leading :)

I have so much to be thankful for right now. My family is amazing, my mom is on the right path to full recovery and we are continuously blessed. I wish all of you a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday, God Bless you and yours!

Fair thee well my summer vacay!

Today is the day I dread all summer. The end of my summer vacation. Just typing it depresses me. Now don't get me wrong, I love my job. I couldn't ask for a better schedule. I work when my kids are at school, I have all the vacation time my kids do, and get paid for 12 months when I only work for 10. It's awesome, but having all of these weeks off from work to spend time with my kids, enjoy family visits, and get my house in order have been a bittersweet reminiscence of my stay at home mom days. I would LOVE to go back to those days, but sadly I can't. I don't ever think we will be a one income family ever again. I like bringing home bacon, but I miss volunteering at my kids school, having lunch with friends, and taking mom to dr appointments without having to take the day off work.

Ok, I'll stop before I get any more melancholy. My summer is over and I just have to deal with it. I'll go to bed soon and get up at the crack of dawn to gt dressed, fix hair and make up, and go to work. I'll start living for weekends again, and sleeping in on Saturdays. *sigh*

On another note, my kids will also be bidding their summer farewell in less than 2 weeks. I'm so ready for them to go back to school. They have been so bored and at each others throats for the past month. WE still have to get school supplies and a few school clothes, but we'll do that this weekend. Their lists are insane, but when are they ever reasonable?

I hope everyone has a great WEdnesday. I'll be spending mine sorting millions of papers, registering students and answering the phones on the first ring. "Good Morning Milam"! Better practice my chipper voice, I don't want people to think I wish I was still on summer vacation.

Constant Craving.

For years I went to church with the girls, minus my unwilling husband because I wanted a better relationship with God aside from the Catholic raising I had few fond memories of. I wanted my girls to soak in all they could learn, I wanted us to learn together. But I grew tired of the church we went to, rather I grew tired of the Pastor and his wife. I just didn't feel like we belonged there so we left. I never did find another church after that, my feelings of walking into another church with my kids sans my husband scared me. I hated to think of what others were thinking seeing me alone. In my heart I hoped that we would go as a family and Mike just wasn't ready.

For the past few months now he has shown more interest, when mine has been faded for quite a while. He studies his bible, and he has the girls summarizing one chapter a day. I read my bible when I hear it calling to me. I'm still learning, so baby steps are what's best for me. My husband enjoys reading his bible ( as do I), and I believe he craves it. That makes me happy that he is finding his own happiness in the Lord. Something i found on my own a few years ago, and let fade from my life for fear of judgement. I wanted the spark he was feeling again.

Awhile ago I suggested a new church to him and the time just wasn't right for one reason or another. So a month ago he suggests we try it out, and we did. We like this new church and feel it is where we belong for now. We feel that we have been brought to this church family at a time when we are both needing it the most. Every sermon and Sunday school lesson speaks directly to my heart and I feel that spark slowly burning hotter and hotter. I'm learning and understanding more than I have in along time. I am craving my relationship with God more and more and it's causing emotions in me that are unexplainable, and hard to handle. But I will continue to pray, and feed my soul. We will continue our journey as a family and that makes me happier than I have truly been in a long time.

Monopoly "Money Makes It Real" and a GIVEAWAY!!

I was so excited when Hasbro contacted me to do a giveaway celebrating the 75th anniversary of one of their most popular games Monopoly! We love Monopoly in our home and with Family Game Night catching on in homes all over the country Hasbro is will be giving away Classic Monopoly to 2 lucky Much Ado About Nothing Readers! To enter simply leave a comment about what Family Game Night means to you or what games your family enjoys playing together. For another entry simply "Like" Family Game night on Facebook by clicking here. Be sure to come back and let me know if you "Like" Family Game Night on Facebook for your extra entry.



Love to splash the cash? Indulge in a property shopping spree with the classic version of MONOPOLY! Buy streets, houses and hotels and become a respected real-estate mogul. Negotiate and haggle your way to the top. You’ll own this town in no time! Go for the hottest, priciest, most exclusive addresses on the board and watch yourself profits rocket. Wanna be a MONOPOLY millionaire? READY, SET… OWN!

Includes gameboard, 8 tokens, 28 Title Deed cards, 16 Chance cards, 16 Community Chest cards, 1 pack of MONOPOLY money, 32 houses, 12 hotels, 2 dice, 1 speed die and instructions.

For 2 to 8 players. Ages 8 and up.



MONOPOLY "Money Makes It Real"

Have you ever wished the MONOPOLY money that you collected in during the
game could be real? If so, you're not alone! A recent survey conducted by
Hasbro, showed that 60 percent of United States residents who have played
the game have imagined the cash in the game becoming real money. If the
money became a reality, more people would use this cash to pay off debt (70
percent) or buy something for their family (54 percent), before they
purchased something for themselves (40 percent). Can you imagine?

Now is your chance to tell us and you could win some cash! That's right, we
are giving away $20,580 (the total money in the game "bank") as part of the
MONOPOLY "Money Makes It Real" contest to commemorate the 75th anniversary
of the game. Visit here for more details!

So what are you waiting for? Enter the giveaway, and enter the Monopoly "Money Makes It Real" contest. Simply go to the website here, sign up ( it takes less than a minute), and say what you would do with the Monopoly Bank. Would you travel, pay debts, save for your kids education, or improve your home? The possibilities are endless.

This Giveaway will end at midnight on Friday, August 13th, 2010.

We love our pets!

I cannot say how much we love our pets! They love us too, I think ;) We have 2 chihuahuas named Penn and Teller. They are brothers and we have had them for a little over 2 years. These fur babies have completed our family and although they shed, bark and hog the bed, we can't imagine life without them. There really is nothing like a pet to teach your kids responsibility and gentleness. Our girls are responsible for feeding and putting the boys outside. They also walk, play with, and cuddle with them. Just look at them, do they not look content and comfy being our babies?



Here is a little video of the boys doing the only trick they know... cha cha! Enjoy!

Much ado reviews Spinbrush My Way!

Each package comes with more than 140 (water-safe!) stickers, including:

• Letters (pink and purple: for spelling out their name or nickname!)
• Adorable animals (puppies, bunnies, ladybugs and birds)
• Fun phrases (Girls rule, XOXOXO, Glam Girl)
• Cute rainbows, flowers, peace signs and hearts (who doesn't love those?)
• And for your little princess-- or rock star-- there are themed stickers as well!

It's been proven that kids brush 38 percent longer with a battery-operated Arm & Hammer Spinbrush for Kids toothbrush. Plus, with a $6.99 price tag and a jeweled purple on and off switch, you can't lose!


Several weeks ago I received a Spinbrush My way in the mail. I decided to give it to Maia for her birthday so Micaylah wouldn't feel left out that she didn't get one. She LOVED it. It was the first present that she "played" with. She immediately used the entire sheet of animal stickers, added her name, and rushed to the bathroom to brush her teeth! I love that she was able to personalize it her way. The spelling of her name is uncommon and we will probably never find pencils, note pads, etc. with her name on them, so she loved that we all knew that this was Maia's toothbrush.

My only complaint about this toothbrush was the battery was dying right out of the box and replacing it was a chore. The screw head is so tiny I had to use a eye glass repair screwdriver to change the battery. But once it was changed my girl was happy as a clam brushing her teeth.

Unfortunately, the Spinbrush My Way is only available for girls right now. However, if you have a little girl, she would love this toothbrush. If you cannot find the Spinbrush My Way at any of your local retailers, never fear! It is available for purchase online at their website www.spinbrush.com for $9.99. There is also a downloadable $2.00 off coupon. I was able to download and print the coupon to purchase one for Micaylah with no problems.

* The Arm & Hammer Spinbrush My Way was sent to me free for review. I was not paid to review this product.

Extra! Extra! Read all about it...

My Aunts and nephews arrived July 7th and left July 14th. After 10 long years, it was great spending time with them again. Maia immediately took to Auntie Rosine and didn't leave her side the whole week.
July 7th was Russell's 8th birthday so I had the cake waiting for him even before he arrived :)
Russell enjoying his first smore, ever. He loved them, ate 2 and still wanted more.
Jojo really, really enjoying his smore.
On Saturday the 10th I threw both of my July babies a joint bday party. Here's my birthday girl spending that money in her head. We went to Target later that day and she spent that money like it was burning a hole in her pocket.
Russell enjoyed his first birthday party.( It was his first party ever)
The kids, Kaylah 10, Jojo 9, Russell 8 and Maia 7.
Keep away boys vs. girls
The birthday cakes!
Another day we had a water balloon fight. I filled 100 water balloons and just let the kids go crazy!

These pictures are from the day they left. I took them before we all started crying. Auntie Rosine with my girls
Me and Auntie Rosine.
Me and Auntie Leo
Me, Auntie Rosine, Auntie Leo and Mom
The kids enjoying my fried chicken, mashed potatoes and corn. ( I asked Russ if he liked mashed potatoes and he said " Oh yes, I had them at a restaurant before".)
These kids are definitely related!
Russ and Maia enjoying some watermelon. That poor watermelon didn't stand a chance. It was gone in 2 hours!
And finally me with the boys, Jojo and Russ. I love these kids to death, they were so sweet and helpful while they were here. We miss them all so much!


I feel like a terrible blogger! It's been weeks but I'm here now so that's got to count for something right?? My family really enjoyed my family's visit. It was a short week, but we are so grateful for the time we were able to spend together. My Aunties have not changed one bit. Can you believe they are both in their 60's? They cooked and we ate, I cooked and we ate. A lot of their visit included the kids playing and the grown ups sitting around the dining room table eating, talking and laughing. We were all sad to say good bye, but we have plans to meet up in California summer 2015 to take the kids to Disneyland. 5 years seems like a long time, but we are hoping it goes by swiftly.

It's been a whirlwind of a week!

I'm going to make this short because I'll do a more thorough update after the Aunties leave and post pics from the entire visit then. They arrived last Wednesday, which was also Russell's birthday. We of course had cake and ice cream and I cooked at home thinking they were probably tired of fast food by now. We have just been enjoying their company. I seriously have the cutest nephews. Jojo is my kind of kid. He's funny, loves to be helpful, and gets along with the girls very well. Russell is shy but loves attention. He's very sweet and can't get enough of the dogs and the girls' XBOX.

Saturday we had a joint birthday party for Maia and Russell, the had a blast and received great gifts and money that immediately started burning a hole in their pocket. Today I took mom, the aunts and all of the kids to the mall for some shopping. The kids enjoyed watching the figure skaters practice, while the aunts enjoyed the 80% off sale at JC Penny. The boys are spending the night tonight so the Aunts can do some packing and get a good nights rest. Tomorrow we will be going to the post office and then to Midland for some Chuck E Cheese. The kids are looking forward to it. We might also do some shopping at the midland mall, it's so much better than the one here in Odessa.

I hope everyone has had a restful weekend. I better go, I hear all 4 kids fighting and I think now is a good time to tuck them in for the night :) Good night.

Shhh it's a surprise.

Look at what came via the UPS guy today? The folks at Arm & Hammer Spinbrush MyWay sent this to me for a review. My plan is it give it to Maia on Thursday for her birthday. I know she'll love it. I can't wait to give it to her and see how her little mind decides to customize it. Be sure to check back!

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to my wonderful husband, Michael. I appreciate everything you are and strive to be. I could not have hand picked a better man to have a family with. We love you so much.

Happy Father's Day to all of the dads out there! This is your special day and I hope you are enjoying it. I cooked all day yesterday and the better part of my morning for the dads in my life. Most importantly my sweet husband. I cooked several Mexican dishes, Menudo, chili verde, and enchiladas. I also made all of the fixings, beans, rice, guacamole, and salsa. I was a cooking machine. Luckily Mike's parents and grandparents come over to indulge with us. My mother in law brought a yummy ice cream cake for desert. We had such a nice day just hanging out with them eating and watching movies.

I hope that everyone has had a wonderful weekend and I wish all of the dads out there a happy Father's day! And though I have been without a dad for 19 years, I still think of and honor him on this special day. I love and miss you everyday Daddy!

Surprise!

Sorry it has taken me so long to post! Things have been hectic with mom and trying to get the house in order before my aunts arrive from Guam for a visit. For starters I promised a surprise and for those of you not on Facebook here you go! Maia and I cut and donated our hair to Locks of Love. I had made a deal with a coworker to cut our hair for LOL as soon as summer vacation began. When i told Maia what I was doing she immediately wanted in. HEre are a few pictures. Above is a picture of Maia holding her two 13 inch braids. I love her haircut, but most importantly I'm very proud of my selfless girl. A woman at the beauty shop nearly cried when she heard we were cutting Maia's hair. She begged me not to do it, and do you kno what my 6 yr old said? Let me break it down for you:

Random Lady: Your hair is beautiful, are you getting a trim?
Maia: No, I'm cutting it all off for Locks of Love.
RL: Oh no, please don't it's so beautiful and shiny. Please don't do it.
Maia: My pretty hair will make a pretty wig for a little girl with no hair at all. My hair will grow again.

What's not to be proud of?

Here's a picture of me with my long hair.
And here I am sans the 11 inches the hair dresser cut off!
And finally our hair all clean, braided and ready to send to LOL. Maia's Braids are the ones at the top of the photo. If you're interested in donating your hair to Locks of Love it really is a worthy cause. Here are a few requirements for donating hair. Hair must be clean and dry before sending it to LOL. Ponytail or braid must be 10 inches or longer. All hair types and colors are acceptable. No over processed hair that has been bleached or damaged by other chemicals. Also If you tell your stylist that you are cutting your hair for LOL, they will usually offer you a discount on your haircut, mine did :)



Besides cutting off all of out hair, things have been pretty quiet around our house. Mom has been ill off and on, in need of blood transfusions and lots of rest. I promise that I am taking awesome care of her.



Maia is so pumped for cheerleading! SHe can't wait to get her uniform so that she can try it on and parade all over the house wearing it. She is going to be the cutest Mini Peppette ever!

I guess that is it, the rest of us have been pretty boring the past few weeks. KB passed 4th grade and was promoted to 5th. Mike is always at wok, and when he's home he is playing Super Street Fighter 4 or Modern Warfare 2. And I, am just trying to enjoy my summer vacation and keep my kids from killing each other. I hope all of you are enjoying the warm weather, cold pools and airconditioning this insanely hot summer. Avoid the heat and I will be back soon.