Progress

Even though we have a 90% chance of rain today -
My new paver guys have been hard at work.

The weather peeps are saying we may get snow flurries in our neck of the woods; unheard of!
I will let you know how that goes.

Stop. Go. Stop. Go. Stop.

I am still crying - a little bit.
After my fit yesterday, we saw some dust move and some action happenin' in the front yard.
But then all that stopped when my landscaper dude couldn't get our pavers.

My paver guys said they would be here bright and early this morning, ready to work.
They were.

But, they had no pavers to lay. They called the landscaper dude who claimed his truck was stolen and that he couldn't go pick up the pavers. I am so sorry that happened [if it did]... but all I've been getting is excuses from him.

So I called the Dude in Charge and laid down the LAW. I told him I was moments away from calling the Registrar of Contractors and filing a complaint against his company.

I explained the situation - even told him how the paver guys said they wouldn't be continuing with the job because the landscaper dude owes them $1000. They told me if I wanted the job done, I could pay them [paver guys] and they would get it done - even gave me their business card.

The Dude in Charge said he's working on another project right now and can't be here until Thursday, but that the pavers ARE waiting to be picked up and that the landscaper dude should be here in a few hours to get the ball rolling again.

Stop. Go. Stop. Go. Stop.

All this stop and go is making me a dizzy [and cranky] woman.

I believe I may just cry...

Not a very adult thing to do, huh?

My landscapers have 2 thousand of my very hard earned dollars.
I have 8 of their sprinklers.
Kinda seems unfair, right?

I can't get them to show back up.
It's one excuse after another.
One I will be there in an hour after another.
And one Let me check on that delivery for you after another.

When I do I call it quits and file a complaint?
Or... how can I get them to show up?!

Landscaping is sooo overrated. Maybe I will stick with dirt and sprinklers.

Finally...

The husband finally had time to step up my personal desktop!
I am so grateful for him.

Now I have access to all my budget, tax information, and other important data - just in time for the end of one year and the start of another! Yay!

I am so sad that it took us so long to get organized though, because for Nic's birthday (which passed on Dec. 2), I created a loverly invitation to send out. But since I couldn't access the computer, we ended up going with a boring e-vite.  Here's what I came up with for Nic for his pirate themed party. Of course, some of it was borrowed from the Lego site. They have so many cool printables you can use.

Thankfully, I won't have to wait all year to create new invites... Isabel's birthday is coming up in April. She wants to have a sleep over with a few of her friends. I am going to have a ball with that one! ;)

Merry Christmas

We're weird like that...

Christmas Eve a week early, Christmas Day a week late.

This year will be a weird one for sure.

But, to be honest, we normally do celebrate Christmas Eve a week early; on the Saturday before Christmas my whole family gathers to open presents and eat [of course].

This year, my Aunt Anita hosted.

[alex & isa hating to have their picture taken - especially right off the bat]

[isa & my nephew evan ♥]

[my niece - charlee girl ♥♥]

[nic opening one of his presents from grandma - err, Santa]

We will be hosting Christmas Day at our house, but on New Year's Day.
But don't tell the kids, we are going to let them  each open up a small present tomorrow morning.
It wouldn't feel right otherwise.

From me to you - and my family to yours - Merry Christmas!

Under the influence

As I type this - I am under the influence of antibiotics and Tylenol with Codeine.
I, my friends, have strep throat.
Probably the worst case I have ever had.
I was in bed all day yesterday - I couldn't move.
At one point, my fever reached 108.
For real.

That was when I knew I had to get to the doctor. I obviously couldn't drive myself.
Alex is not quite there yet. We've moved 30-40 minutes away from all family members.
I had to call Marcos and ask him to come home from work.

I've had strep throat PLENTY of times in the past, but my throat didn't hurt the same way as it previously did. So I assumed it was the flu.

I was wrong.

I cannot believe I actually survived yesterday. I thought I was a goner.
I felt that bad.

After three doses of Tylenol #3, my fever finally broke sometime in the middle of the night.
Now I just need to figure out how to get my throat from hurting; it feels like I am swallowing glass.
I am afraid I should have asked for the Z-pack. I think maybe the Augmentin is not strong enough.

The bad news is, since strep is so contagious, we will have to postpone Christmas.
Who does that?

Us. So, we have rescheduled Christmas to happen on New Years Day.
If nothing else, I get a whole extra week to finish up the shopping and wrapping.

Eh. Who am I kidding? I am going back to bed.

P.S. Landscapers were here yesterday! My sprinklers are IN! Today is supposed to be pavers (walkway and border for where the grass is going); however, we are expecting almost two inches of rain today. So it probably won't happen.  =(
Thanks a lot, California. You can just keep your silly winter storm.

sickies

i got the sickies.
it happened sometime on friday night.
i sneezed six times and next thing i know, i have a cold.
i dislike the sickies very much. especially since i missed a sunny, 80 degree day yesterday.
i was locked up in my room, tied to my bed, watching smut like the housewives of beverly hills.
i only watched one episode and it was horrible.
those are humans?!?!
i prefer the more seasoned housewives of atlanta.
actually, i prefer the ID channel; Dateline, 48 Hours... all those mystery, who dunnit? shows. did the husband really kill the wife, or was it the mail man?
but then i get skurred.
i guess i better finally make those cookies i've been promising the husband...
or else.

here's hoping you all are feeling healthy & well.
and here's hoping i get over this cold soon.
it's christmas time and i am on vacation after all.

I bribed them with ice cream

I wanted to try and get some pics for our Christmas card this year (never mind the 3 boxes of generic cards I already bought from Wal-Mart). I think photo cards are the best.  Too bad I can't get my entire family together at one time to get a family photo card made.  Anyway, I took the three kids out to a field close by and got snap happy.

Oh how I dream of a real better camera. Maybe next Christmas.

I had to bribe the kids with Baskin Robbins. I said if they behave, do as I say, and pose like mad men, I would take them for a scoop of the sweet stuff.

I got what I needed, loaded the kiddos back in to the van and made our way towards BR. Even though, I love their Mint Chocolate Chip ice-cream, I wasn't in the mood for unloading and reloading my brood. I had an errand list a mile long. But I didn't want to go back on my offer. So, I did what any selfish mom would do.

Oh man, I am parched.

Perhaps they couldn't hear me over Bruno Mars blasting on the radio?!

I could use a cold one.

Still nothing.

They weren't getting my pointed hint. I had to come straight out with it.

Kids?! We should go to Chick-Fil-A instead of Baskin Robbins. I hear they have great shakes. And Nic, I can buy you an ice cream cone!

Moans and groans, really?!

I will throw in a sweet tea!

Cheer and applause!

Score for me! Who doesn't love sweet tea and a drive-thru?  Maybe Baskin Robbins should reconsider their strategy...

Without further lame stories about my thirst for delicious sweet tea adieu...

This is the photo I used for our Christmas card... In the background you can see (barely) Red Mountain and Usery Pass. Pretty.

And here are a few more I captured.

All in all, it was a quick and easy photo shoot.  I can't wait to get the kids out again, though! ;) We have some cool, old buildings out here that would serve as killer backdrops!

P.S. I really have to figure out this lighting thing... Do I really need to take pics when the sun is rising or setting?! I am in a constant fight with shadows. Maybe it's a mixture of the light, shadows, and my just okay camera?! /sigh. I see some photography classes in my future.

Over half of my life

Today is my 16th wedding anniversary...

Happy Anniversary to: my partner in crime, the man I adore [mi amore], my bacon bringer-home-er, my cuddle buddy, my true BFF, the dude who puts a smile on my face every single day, my massage therapist, the guy who makes sure I have oil and window cleaner fluid in my van, my own personal deejay, the sweetheart who loves me despite my flaws, the REAL DEAL.

Now, I just have to find a way to tell Marcos about us.

Of course, I am kidding. The only us is Marcos and me. =)
It's crazy to think... the husband and I have been together for more than half of my life. It's hard to remember a time before "us."

I was sitting across from him at dinner the other night - just watching him interact with the kids. And I SAW him. There are days, more often than not, that we co-exist. But, that other night, I stopped and really acknowledged him. He makes my gut tingle.

I am one blessed woman.

We will be going out for dinner tonight sans ninos... not sure where yet. Originally, we wanted to take a small trip somewhere... We never did get a honeymoon.  Because of all things December and our landscaper demanding money for services rendered, we have to put that off for a while. So, besides Googling and daydreaming about our impending tropical vacation somewhere in the next few months, I am going to enjoy all that today brings - starting with breakfast.

I did mention that the husband was my bacon bringer-home-er, right?

Have a marvelous day. I know I will!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  <3

EDITED TO ADD pics of what the husband surprised me with...

My heart is pitter-pattering.

Isa's Concert de Navidad & Nic's First Dance Class

Okay, they didn't really call it a concert de Navidad...I was just trying to impress you with my Spanglish skills.
Impressed?

This was my view for the first hour - I was stuck WAY in the back of the gym.

Seriously? Not just the antlers, but the book!?

lol.

There's Isa.

Do you see her?

Middle row, red flower in her hair.

The entire 6th grade.

This poor guy looked like he was crying the whole time.

Had to zoom lots to get this pic.

Ha! That's about the only kind of snowman we get here in Phoenix.

Isa after the concert.

They did a wonderful job singing Christmas Carols!

------

Here are two random pictures of Nic on his way to his first dance class from last Friday.

He's taking Hip Hop... and he was so very excited to go!

I got to watch from the lobby - we could see them on large TV monitors. I couldn't get any pictures. But they will have a recital in June, which I am sure I will be able to get some pictures then.

In the meantime, trust when I say he his absolutely adorable on the dance floor.

He must take after me.

Oh my aching sides...

They are working on the two houses on either side of our house... and making a HUGE mess on the sides of our house. [can i add any other sides or house's in that sentence?!?] First it was Styrofoam, and now it's stucco.

I am so tired of the construction - hurry up little construction peeps, hurry up!

- this post is brought to you by someone who is too lazy to get the camera out and share pictures of my aching sides.

        but - stay tuned, pictures of Isabel's Christmas concert will be posted soon!

WAIT - don't leave. I found a picture I can post - already on my BBerry...

I told you about our new puppy... but I haven't shared that we have her in house now.
Here she is - showing off all of her bits and pieces... (silly dog)...

She actually sleeps like this... and she SNORES. Who does that?!
We decided to definitely change her name... and after going round and round for days (okay, hours)... We decided to name her Ellis. The husband suggested it - and I loved it.  Unfortunately, Nic thinks we are saying Alice and keeps calling her Ellis and Wonderland. Oh that sweetie.

Anyway, world - meet Ellis.... Ellis meet the world.

=)

Party Animals

Yeah, that's right... We are a bunch of party animals...

And we had a lot to celebrate! Nic turned 4 and my sweet-as-pie nephew, Ben (aka Ben-G-Boy), is turning 6 on the 18th. So, my cousin Bri and I threw them a joint Pirate Party - complete with a Pirate Ship Pinata.

Here's our party in pictures:

Yep, that about sums it up!

Whew... 3 gatherings in a row; I am tired! Thankfully, I don't have much going on until Christmas Eve.

Until then, we have a ton of odds and ends to do around the house. Which is a good thing, as I have 3 weeks of vacation starting on the the 13th. What the heck would I do with myself for three looooonnnnggg weeks, if I didn't have chores?!