tifi

This is my ninth winter in Texas, and without fail, I am sure the city will be ill prepared for the sleet that’s already fallen a bit today. I didn’t mind so much in the past that the roads were never really cleared or prepared, but that was when I had really little kids who didn’t go to school (and my husband used to most widely traveled road to get to work). This was also before my husband skidded off a road while driving, slid down an incline and ended up in a ditch about 60 feet from the road about this time last year. He had to kick out the back window and crawl out. It was pure luck that someone saw the accident and called 911, b/c the wreck was otherwise not visible from the road. Our truck was totaled, and everyone who has seen the site, including me, think it’s a miracle that he survived. So now when I hear wintry weather in our forecast, I cringe. And I wish I prayed. Because I would certainly be praying for everyone to make it safely to their destination today.

We got these for Christmas.

So DH is a Giants fan and ZB is a Cowboys fan. They exchanged smack talkin’ emails earlier in preparation for this afternoon’s game. Now, DH is dancing around the house taunting our child while ZB tries to smile it off, hehe.

So I dropped a few bags of donations off at the women’s shelter yesterday and decided I would stop by Sally’s on the way home “just to see what they had”. I got there and it wasn’t open yet, so I left. Phew, that was a close one, lol.

Speaking of donations, I am pleased to say that two full bags of stuff belonged to Luis. I had been trying for years to get him to go through his mountains of clothes and get rid of some. I mean, he had brand new tops, pants, things that were gifted to him and never worn. Tons of t-shirts that will never be worn again that he is keeping for sentimental value, etc. So, last fall, I finally just said enough and started doing it myself. Seeing me throwing some of his things away caused him to spring into action and over the past few months, he has cleaned out his closet and his excess in the garage. All that’s left is to wash all the stuff that he wants to keep and put it away. I plan to just take it all to the laundromat and put it in a ginormous washer and then dryer whenever I get a boost of energy…and have nothing to do, lol.

The kids enjoy Luis teasing them in a way they would never tolerate from me.

Oh, is the camera on?

I made Bebe this hat a few weeks ago but he snatched it as soon as it was off the needles. This was the first chance I got to take a picture of it.

Dana Milena’s birthday was a few weeks ago, and we missed it. So, we threw a belated birthday party with cupcakes and all.

“That’s wasn’t the real Santa, I could tell by his face.” That was the reason Girlie gave for not sitting on the big guy’s lap at the library.

Last Day of school for 2007!

Me, DH, and Bebe crashed Girlie’s Christmas party. OK, it wasn’t crashing, we were invited!

And then we headed over to ZB’s Pajama party. I let him wear his new Christmas Eve Pjs from Grandma early. I love the look on his face here, he makes those kinds of faces all the time now.

Happy Solstice!

• Finished up my Christmas cards in photoshop! Now if I can get them in the mail before Christmas, I’ll be doubly happy.
• ZB moved to a new class and is already doing much better. He’s happy with the move and we both like his new teacher. I have mixed feelings about this whole…thing and every time I see Assy P, I get a little nauseous.
• Bebe is talking so much and understands a lot as well. I mean, I know he’s almost three, but wow. Being a third child has its advantages.
• Girlie is begging to go back to ballet class. For a while there, she had some weird aversion to the school. That reminds me, the two of us may be going to see The Nutcracker if I can get the tickets. It’ll be her first live ballet!
• Have you been watching all the holiday shows that come on this time of year? We have. The kids don’t usually get to watch tv in the evenings, so it’s a treat for them.
• Another treat is having DH home this week. Due to some stuff we have going on, he had to change his vacation time to earlier in the month. I’m a little bummed that he won’t be home when the kids are out of school which is what we’d planned, but it’s nice too. We’ve been playing board games, watching said holiday shows, etc.
• I don’t know what’s going on with my library science program. The communication with the school sucks and I fear their distance learning programs are set up more for people who are taking a few classes at the school and need to take a few online for whatever reason. *sigh* I really wanted to get it done so I could apply for a position with the school district next fall. Now I’m not sure that will happen.
• I have a meeting tomorrow to discuss taking over the presidency of a local mom’s group just getting on its feet. It’s a national organization, that’s why groups have a president, vice, etc. Apparently, there are quite a few people who want the group, but no one wants to lead. I just hope this doesn’t go the way of the Girl Scouts…

Happy Birthday to you, Hub! Here are three things about him on his special day:

1. He has a twin whose birthday is tomorrow. Yes, DH was born before midnight, his brother, after.
2. We celebrated with a Spiderman cake today and he is a Spiderman freak. Spiderman being a fellow Queens native and all.
3. He’s a veteran and was in the Army for 9 years. So, Happy Veteran’s Day to him as well. And to everyone else who has served.

The more I have to say, the less I write, heh.

Off to make “football food”* and teach ZB how to talk smack. His team (Cowboys) is playing DH’s team (Giants) today. It’s on.

*This week, Chili. But I made Buffalo Chicken Meatballs two weeks ago and everyone loved them.

celebrating my 9th wedding anniversary.

bribing my kids to clean their rooms with promises of marble cake afterwards.

glad it is not too hot.

feeling guilty because I listened to A Prairie Home Companion while the radio station asked for listener support (money).

wondering if Girlie has allergies.

trying to figure out how to get silver sparkly nail polish off one of her dresses. (Thanks for that, ILs. :-/)

going to make a new tooth pillow for ZB. He lost a tooth two nights ago while he slept, and lost the pillow some time before.

dreaming of vacation.

going to see if I can’t find some more Elizabeth Gaskell in local libraries.

wishing the kids’ friend from down the street would stop freaking me out by running across the grass and peeking in my window before ringing the doorbell.

• October is a busier month than expected this year. To put it plainly, I’ve been off actually living life. Good and bad. And it feels great.
• It’s National Chocolate Cupcake Day.
• I heard that on the new Everyday Food show on Sirius. Ask Reesie, I only ever listen to Martha Stewart or Cosmo radio in the car, heh.
• I wish the weather would make up it’s mind!
• ZB is reading Freckle Juice for homework this week! And coincidentally, I’m reading this book.
• Girlie is better.
• Hub is so-so.
• I was finishing up that doll quilt…but ran out of thread…and apparently I bought it somewhere I don’t go often b/c calling/visiting three local quilt shops hasn’t enabled me to find it. (Mettler quilting cotton)
• My monitor died and so I’m sharing one with DH for the time being, part of the reason I am not blogging much.
• I got my anniversary gift early. Her name is Isabelle (and she needs a haircut..). She’s a year old Lhasa Apso (supposedly) mix. We call her Izzie (It’s the most adorable thing to hear Bebe say “Ishie”). But she isn’t named after that one. We’ve had her two days and she’s a perfect fit for our family. Love her. She’s making me a dog person. We have a 5 y/o golden, but he and I have never been…friends, lol. He’s loving enough, a spaz, but Izzie is different. I picked her out, I am responsible for her care, etc.
• I accomplished or will accomplish everything on my “to do” list this week including having lunch at school with both older kiddos.
• Except laundry. That is never ending.
• The reason I’ve been able to get so much done is b/c I cut down on two bad habits: tv and internet. Now, neither of these are really bad, but I do tend to get distracted or not sleep enough because of one or the other, so buhbye.
• I’ve been buying up books that the school library is discarding here and there for 50 cents each. My favorites so far are first (school) edition This is London, and The Red Fairy Book. Funny, I have wanted this Fairy collection for a long time and this is the second one to fall into my lap super cheap. I’m going to a book sale Saturday, so who knows what else I might find!
• On that note, I have thought of maybe starting a little children’s bookselling business on ebay, but I dunno.
• There’s an antique store not far from me that is going out of business. Boy, oh boy the gems I have picked up. Lots of handmade, hand embroidered linens. And pyrex and glassbake, to aid me in my deplasticization (real word? used correctly? who knows?!) of my kitchen!
• I’m bored with my hair.
• I need an external hard drive. My computer is soooo slow b/c I have about 3 years worth of photos on it. I know, I know. Anyway, any suggestions for an “inexpensive” one?
• The title of this post has nothing to do with anything. It just cracks me up.