Blog? What Blog?

I've fallen off the face of the earth but that's what happens when your a school volunteer, helping the PTA, a mom, wife and lets just top that off with being a student. So needless to say free time is well something I have no concept of. Not that I had in the past to be quite honest but if I did have any free time before I sure as heck don't know!

The boys are thriving, not without struggles but thriving. Z had his name mentioned over the intercom for Mathematics! I'm VERY proud! E's becoming more of a fluent reader and Z has recently taken up the hobby of reading...yes READING! I hope this habit doesnt die that's for sure.

So much has gone on in our little household, Pop's has turned a year older, Praise God. The boys and I took our very first road trip alone. Mind you it was only a 4 hour drive from home but none the less we did it, I did it! We drove to Houston to meet up with my family. My nephew is at the Ronald McDonald House. We rented a room but spent most of our days at the RMH. I have to say I am VERY proud of my boys. They played with children who were very sick and NEVER, EVER questioned a thing. They saw a playmate and played away. For me it was rather bitter sweet. My heart and prayers go out to each and every child in that house. While there the boys were invited to all the activities they offered. One was the petting zoo where I caught Z in a almost catatonic state with a little yellow chick. He asked if he could have one. Little does he know I was already planning on getting two little chicks to have my own URBAN COOP...nothing like fresh eggs to make all of ones baking PERFECT! So I told him if he and Little E were good the Easter Bunny would bring them each a little chick. He liked that idea.

Well like always I'm out of time! I am off to help out at the Snack Shack up at the school! A mom's job is just never done! Hope to keep up with more blogging. Til then here are some sweet pics of Z and the chick. Hopefully soon it will be the boys and their own little chicks! :)

He put that little chicky to sleep!

100th day...sort of.

Little E had his 100th day of school celebration. Well it was more like the 104th since they were out for most of last week due to snow and ice, but HEY whose counting. (Me because I can't wait for summer vacation!)

Kids who made a 100th day project got to march in the parade around the school. His project was ummm the patch on his hat. We cut out the word 100 with felt and glued it on a round piece of felt and put 100 dots with fabric paint. OKAY not creative and YES Z did the same thing last year but if it works go with it right?

I have to say I love the patch on the hat and Little E looked so cute!

The whole day was filled with crafts celebrating their 100th day my favorite part was the 100th day Crunch Munch. A trail mix filled with M&M's, white and chocolate chips, popcorn, Chex cereal, pretzels, popcorn and so much more! It was the best sweet and salty thing I've ever had. We will be making this at home!

Hmmmm that would be a fun Snowed in craft to do with the boys wouldn't it? I know they'd eat that..for sure!

How we survived!

 We were stuck inside for 4 days....4 DAYS! Boys were getting restless, mom was getting grouchy, Pop's was in heaven in his recliner! To keep cabin fever down I had to keep these boys occupied. So I popped their tent/house in the living room and they were able to play and if they were good they could sleep in there at night. So this really helped keep my sanity.

Next I came up with backyard Jello! Boys had picked out Jello that they wanted to make about 2 weeks ago. So glad we hadn't gotten to them yet because this became a fun thing for them.

Little E mixing up his Blueberry Jello.

Z mixing up his Lime Jello. I made sure to talk a bit o science while we did this, Solids, Liquids and phase changes. It may have gone in one ear and out the other, who knows!

Jello sitting covered in the backyard! Boys would go to the window every so often to check on their treats.

End result??......

YUMMY!

Iced In!!

Yesterday there was no school for the boys or I and no work for Nick. So instead of suffering indoors we got out yesterday and well we played.
Nick grabbed a nice big laundry basket and the rest was history! No casualties except for me. E came down so fast before I could think I was up in the air and down on my face. My face didn't actually hit the concrete thanks to the fact that I looked like Ralphie from A Christmas Story...we all did.

                                      Nick and I took a turn too..it was fun!

Z disappointed that he didn't knock me down! STINKER!

Today is another iced in day hope tomorrow there's school! We're all getting cabin fever!!



Farewell 2010 Don't let the door hit you in the Bleeeeeep!

Okay so 2010 wasn't all horrific. My boys turned a year older and are healthy Praise God.
Nick and I have a strong and loving marriage what else could one ask for?
But December was an exceptionally rough month for us. One I could or would love to just forget, but alas it won't be that easy.
Now I march into 2011 with a few choices to make and get ready to register for school once again. I'm closer to my goal every semester and soon will find myself with my hard earned degree and our family will be that much closer to having strong financial stability.
Through all this month I felt a lot of anger, confusion and fear.
But having the fantastic husband that I have made me see that with God things get better.
He's the warmth I feel in my body when I feel myself going down a sad path.
He lights a gleam in my boys' eyes that make me melt uncontrollably.
So with all this said I pray for a better year.
To 2011!
May your December month just bring me a little holiday stress and no more.
I can't take another December 2010 ever again.

But..But...But...

Well I forgot my beloved camera in South Texas :(, therefore I have no fun country photos to share as of yet. Mom and Dad are sending the camera my way, they know it's one of my life lines!

On our trip down (10 hours) the boys watched Star Wars movies. They really love the Clone Wars cartoons so Pop's popped in all six movies! So we stopped for a bite when the boys came upon the scene were Anakin goes to the dark side. We replayed the scene it went like this.....

Emperor: Hence forth you will be known as Darth..Vader.
Zenon: What? Go Get Darth Vader?
REWIND!
Emperor: Hence forth you will be known as Darth...Vader.
Zenon: What?? Kill Darth Vader??
Rewind!
Emperor: Hence forth you will be known as Darth..Vader.
Zenon: What? Darth Vader?
Pops: NO Mijo, Anakin IS Darth Vader!
Zenon: WHAT?!!! But But But...Why? I, I, I, I, But he's a good guy! Not a bad guy!
(all this with tears welling up in his eyes)
Pop's explained all about the Dark side blah blah blah.
Well needless to say he's still distraught.
Poor Z.
Who knew he'd get so sentimental?

Lessons, never to early to learn.

There are a few lessons we are going to teach the boys after our holiday break. Lesson's we've slowly started to mention already. It started with "I'm starving!" This was one of the things that irked my mother. Her response was always "Liza, you don't know what it's like to starve!" "I'll show you starve!" And she did. The next time we crossed the border to Mexico so daddy could cut his hair and she could buy some vanilla. She pointed to the children begging for tacos and coins I was young but I got the message. Did I quit saying that I was starving? No but I caught myself a bit more during the process, until finally I quit saying it. We'll the boys have started with their mom's ol' nasty habit of "I'm STARVING!" Of course I don't live near Mexico to prove a point so I just stop and repeat what mom said to me and hope it sinks in!

Well we want to teach the boys the importance of giving and the importance of earning a honest buck!

How are we doing this?

Well Z's class adopted a Salvation Army Angel. His teacher is going to have the class shop for the Angels gifts on line as a group then she will purchase what the child needs and wants. All he asked for was a warm coat and a toy car.  Fortunately the boys have a Remote controlled car we bought a while back and well since they all ran on the same frequency it was hard for them to play together. So it's been up in their closet, unopened, brand new and waiting for someone.

I thought of just pulling it out and taking it to the school knowing they'd never miss it. But then I thought NO! I will sit them down explain about giving and have them give the teacher the car themselves. So they can know that gift of giving.

Now comes the honest buck part! It's more on working for what they broke! For days they've been playing with the dogs pooper scooper...yes the pooper scooper. They take the handle end (clean end) and open and close it chasing Nina around the yard, of course she acts silly, barking and running. They giggle til the cows come home and we scold them telling them they are going to break it! Well, Well, Well. Guess what I found broken while hanging sheets outside???Yup a broken scooper AND they broke my 4 year old giant stick that I found and use to hold up my clothes line when the clothes are too heavy! Stinkers!

So they will work to earn money and march their bottoms to Target and buy a new scooper! Yup! They are going to work in the yard filling holes. Nina has done quite a job digging up the yard and the boys are going to fill them all up with soil. When they are done I will pay them for their work. Then later take them to the store with cash in hand and have them buy a scooper. Maybe next time they'll think twice before disobeying us. Or maybe they'll want to work in the yard more for money?? HEY! It could happen!