Graduates

On Saturday, we were privileged to see our two boys and many of their friends walk the line and receive their high school diplomas. Here is a dark picture of their class:

The boys and I right after Commencement. Very proud moma:

Here is a very proud Papa:

After graduation, we were able to get some nice shots of the boys at our home:

Above is Reggie, relieved that the diploma is signed and proud to show it off!

Troy is doing his "Ummff" move. He did not want to open the diploma in fear of something happening to the little white protector paper that was in it!

The boys - being boys.

All our kids

Senior-itis

Senioritis - inflamation (itis) of the senior. I believe this stems from the brain being so full from twelve years of schooling that it swells and just can't take anymore. Unless they go on to college but then they at least have the summer and a two week jump into summer on their lower classmen.

And we have two suffering from senioritis. And they're bad cases, I tell you.

Tonight we are off to their LAST track banquet. I have brownies in the oven. Tomorrow is their last day of school and it's a half day! And a picnic. And yearbook signing. And tears. Tears? Are you kidding me? They can't wait to hit the road, be on their own, pay rent, buy gas, insurance, phone bills and milk. Milk. I gave them $3.00 to go buy a gallon of milk and it wasn't enough money. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?! I buy 4-6 gallons at a time from Costco and had not a clue that to buy one gallon at say Albertsons would cost MORE than $3.00. Ridiculous, I say. And maddening.

I regress. And I'm sorry. It's just I think I may have senioritis, too! Is that possible? Can Mommy get it and have it worse than the seniors? I can't think. I'm unmotivated. I am tired of all the year end activities. I'm worn out. Wrung Out. Beat up. Fried. Overwhelmed. Sad that this is it for them.

Who knows. I can't even form a post and I have hundreds of pictures for you to see of the boys in track. Of the girls in track. Of Paco playing on the track. Of Javi eating pizza while in the backpack while his Daddy worked at the track... you get the picture? You don't? Well, that's because I would have to edit them, adjust them, make them pretty for you since sun is a daunting creature to photo with. And the plain strait out of the camera shots are just not pretty. So, you don't get the pictures. Pretend you did. And I'll think I did the work and we'll all be happy.

What? You aren't happy? You want the pictures?

Well, you know what they say.... "There's men 'down below' who want ice water, too."

We Have a Winner!

I won't boo hoo about my commenting section...today.

Because we have a winner from My First Ever Giveaway!!!

I went to random.org and told it to spit out a number between 1 and 2 (think of it as great odds and not totally pathetic that only two people commented, one of whom was my mother!!!)

It told me that commenter number 1 is the lucky gal! Congratulations, Heather! I now have even more reason to come see you and pay you a visit!

Now, I'm off to cry in my pillow over how to get more people to comment - not just lurk around. Until then, sorry Mom, you should have been first if you wanted to win. But Heather is a great friend and will surely enjoy the goods.

A Few of My Favorite Things: Giveaways

For as much as I love gifts, I can't believe this is my first giveaway! I had a hard time choosing what it should be... so many ideas... so few dollars. The specialness of this giveaway is we're coming up on my second anniversary of blogging here! Wow, TWO years! So, I thought of what my heartstrings have been here.



My first blog post ever was on Mother's Day 2006. I celebrated my 5th sobriety birthday with you and am honored to celebrate my 7th birthday yesterday, still May 11th. I've brought you different hot topics of mine from time to time... from nursing to being green you've listened to me rant and rave over matters that you might care less about. (But you SHOULD!!! :) ) Good lands, I even brought you the birth of Javier here! And descirbed my no-meds birth with him. That's real, folks - real and honest. And I cried here. And you supported me. I won't forget that. We even moved and became homeowner's! And we traveled the emotional rollercoaster together!!! And that's when Roy and I launched Our House of Dreams. And have not done a good job of keeping that blog up to date... one can only do so much, right?!



And, you've been here for my cooking experiences... starting my own Pampered Chef business, experimenting on my children, family and friends and sharing yummy recipees with you.



You've learned about some of my favorite things and as I've scrolled back through two years, my giveaway is a cornucopia of my blog:

All the Goods!

A mug and little plate just for you!
with Burt's Bees Travel Foot Pack and a pamplet on a health issue close to our hearts. And a pin to wear from me to you.

and dark chocolate covered espresso beans to keep you hoppin', candles to remind you to relax and remember Who lights our path, Sustain Energy Drink in single serving on-the-go packs in Berry, Lemon and Orange flavors, a DREAM reminder...
A little book in Spanish on mama and papa, little spatula and bamboo spreader, Tough & Tender wipes just in time for summer..., gDiaper pamplet with coupons.. either try 'em or give 'em away, and to top it all off, a coffee hand towel. Because I like coffee and one can't have enough hand towels!

So, take a break, stroll back through time with me and read the rules:

One entry per person. You must leave a comment. If you choose anonymous, you MUST leave your name or else I won't know who wins!

The winner will be choosen using random.org on Friday May 16th, the exact date of my first post. The cut off time will be when I draw on the 16th. Who knows what time... I have six kids, remember?!?!

Have fun and remember: you have to comment to win.

Disclaimer - Not an advertisement!

Feliz dia de las madres

My Mom, Nana, and Javier Don

Roses are Red, Violet's are Blue

There are lots of Nana's in the world

But none as good as you!!!

What a wonderful Sunday. I awoke to the table being set, coffee brewed and pancakes grillin'.... all while I lay in slumber in my bed! Could it get much better than that? Oh yeah.... breakfast with my children and nephew and a nice treat of having Ann, my mother-in-law dine with us! While I was still in my robe, we ate, visited and had a nice morning.

Off to church we went where we mother's were honored more! With poems, hand made presents from Paco and words of affirmation, could it get any better? Yes, I had all but one of my kiddos with me for the first time - ever. Little Sky was the only one missing from me but not from my heart.

And it gets better - lunch out at Tacos Michoacan's where we dined on tacos, rice and beans! Home - James Home for a nap and boy was that nice!

Finished the spicy noodle salad for our family dinner and made my 12 minute Pampered Chef fluted stone cake in the microwave and we were off for more good food and family!

It was a great day. I got love, love and more love. What more could a mom ask for? Nuttin'. But I got more. A brand new microwave to go over my stove since our old one quit and I've been without for a week. And all the belly achin' paid off I guess because I was FLOORED! And felt like a heel for my temper tantrum earlier when I needed a microwave to melt butter and make my dessert.... I was pouty and ungrateful. Truly a recipe for disaster. Ugh.

Oh, yeah, I'm a heel, but I don't know it yet!

And now? What more could I ask for? Nuttin'! But here I sit, bloggin' while Roy deals with the kids, cleaning up and who knows what else. "Mommy time," he said. And I ran. Before he changed his mind! And as soon as I am done here, I am heading to my bedroom to sip my tea, eat bon-bons and watch "nothing" on t.v. Well, maybe not the bon-bons but they sound good.

To all you mom's - HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Mandy and Karris' 1st Mother's Day

(None of the above photos were edited in any way, shape or form. Otherwise, I'd have fixed my red face!)

Coming Soon.... 1st Ever CONTEST! Yee Haw!

A Few of My Favorite Things: Beautify!

I am not a dress-up, hair done, make-up on girl. I'm a jeans, sandals, pony-tail, get up and go in 10 minutes girl. Which has served me well being a mom to many...




I do have a few favorites, though, that I wear regularly. Maybe not daily, okay for sure not daily, but when I do "do something to myself" here's what IT is.

Lip Shimmer from Burt's Bees. Not gloss, not lipstick but shimmer. It's glorious. I have it in a few different shades. And, it's good for these lips of mine. (Yours too!!) Made with things good for us which somehow means something to me since it is going on my lips and thus into my mouth, I'm sure. So, I feel good about wearing it, eating it and smiling with all its shimmer.

Nicole Miller's Lash Primer! Made for weak or thin lashes, I love how this conditions my lashes without adding gloppy color that runs, fades or won't wash off at night!!! It's a natural pretty. And that my friends, is what I am all about.

Then, I have bronze beads to add a little color. I use this on my cheeks and eyes.

Perfume is Be Delicious by Dkny. It's the green apple fresh crisp scent and I just love it!

Last but not least... my glamour shades. Sometimes feeling pretty is being pretty and that's what these do to me. I can put them on and instantly don't feel like I am wearing sweats and yesterday's shirt - even if I am.

Through The Window

Here's what playing in Photoshop can do to what was a cute picture. This here is our ghost. He is there one second and gone the next. You never know where he will pop up or peer through the window at you. It's kinda freaky, really. I'll think I'm alone and SUDDENLY he appears in a flash and just as fast - he's gone. If you stop by, don't be alarmed by him - he's perfectly harmless. Most the time.

The Beginning of the End?

My sweet baby boy. Here you seem him in all his glory: snot, drool and LONG hair. You can see the slight effect of the curls in back if you look right behind his left ear. That's if you can get past the hair in his eyes. This was last week.
Here he is posing. He was even making noises while doing this. Kind of a, "umghumghumgh" humming, growling noise. And the hair. The hair I love and have refused to cut as I am madly in love with his curls in back. But, the poor BOY has been called a "cute girl" more times than I count. That's with me dressing the little darlin' in BLUE and sports and cars and bugs and all things BOY!!! When we made it one day with someone at each stop refering to him as a "cute little girl who looks just like his Moma," I knew something had to happen.
And so, last Saturday on our way to El Fiesta, we made a stop.

A heart-wrenching stop for me, his Moma.

We stopped to see "JOE."

Hmm, I'm not sure about this.

Maybe if I flap my arms like a bird something will happen.

Maybe if I flap my arms really really hard something will happen.

Ahhh, it worked. My first sucker. Maybe the flapping was the magic trick.

Mommy says, "Bye-Bye Babylocks." Sniff sniff.

You lookin' at me?

P.S. Head on over to Way Out West and check out my friend's giveaway!

P.P.S. My first giveaway is coming in the next week so stay tuned!!!!

New post on Our House of Dreams! Check out our nifty Canon Rebel XT at work - I didn't do a thing but crop!

Feliz cinco de mayo!

On Saturday, we went to the annual cinco de mayo fiesta at the park. It's a free event put on by the Chamber and others and it really a class act. With live mariachi music, fresh tacos and horcheta, what's not to like. Oh, and helado (icecream). It's all about the icecream. See for yourself:

Paco enjoying a lime helado.

Melynda enjoying her coconut helado.

Daddy stealing her coconut helado.

Bubba sharing his horcheta with Javier.

Javi liking Bubba sharing his horcheta. And then wanted it for himself!!!

It's all about food and fun for me. Here's aguas de frutas.

Finally, a picture of the parents.