Chronic Ama

Here I last minute planning; something I have never done. But, my 10 year wedding anniversary is tomorrow and we set the date for January 19th. I'm working on my guest list and my shopping lust. We are going simple. Just a few decorations and everything in our original wedding colours: black, red and ivory. I'm getting excited, although I need to order invitations soon!! Ack!! Wish me luck!

Honestly, ill be happy when Aiden goes back with Santa. I'm tired of hiding him. My conclusion is that he really hasn't helped keep my 5 year old on track too much. He's a nice reminder, but that's about it. He still serves as a new, fun tradition. I hope Logan will enjoy him when he gets bigger. Anywhoo, I get to go to work tomorrow. Yay! I'm ready for this. I'm also ready to admit I'm ready for Christmas. I'm still finishing one last project and making a mess in the kitchen. I'm also ready to start planning our anniversary party. I'm behind!!! Haha!! I'm out. I need a snack....

So excited that I can see the end if my 6 month project! There's never an end to my family history, but I've got an end to my final project. It's going to be great!!!

Elf on the Shelf, why have you failed me? It's been a tough weekend here! I think my babies have been overly tired and maybe a little stressed too. Maybe they're looking forward to Christmas so much that they could care less about Santa's Elf watching them. Anyway, behavior got so bad that Aiden the Elf didn't even go see Santa on Sunday night. His ass stayed snuggled up next to Frankie Stein. I'm hoping that was a one time deal. Aiden wasn't too keen on listening to Bella's tantrum we figured. So, he just didn't bother telling Santa anything that night. Ah well.. let's see how the rest of the week goes for us,  As for me, I'm trying desperately to finish my family history book as a gift for my grandparents. I think I am finally at a half way point. I think I had so much stuff in so many places, it was hard to organize. I also am being selective about what I include. We have such a huge family on paper, I'm sticking to immediate f

Man, I love the Pintrest ideas for Elf! He's fond of drinking syrup and using my lip gloss. Bella thinks it's awesome! Still doing pretty good behaviour wise. Had a slip up last night with a tantrum before bed. I think she really misses her dad while he's at work during the week. He works long hours and I think it takes its toll on all of us. But, I always tell Bella to be thankful that she has a hardworking daddy because she has everything she could possibly need or want even. Yes, we spoil our kids. That's the whole point of having them, right? But, I digress. I really am digging our little elf. Just wait 'til you see what the sneaky thing is doing tonight!  As for my side of things, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here. We got our tree up today and I made reindeer munchies, marshmallow pops and Twix fudge. I think tomorrow will be tamales at mom's and probably some rum balls with coffee liquor instead of rum this year. I can

Oh little elf, you are so awesome. I could sing your praises all day. Yesterday, Bella was in awe that the elf could get up to the ceiling. She was super aware that she was being watched, so she cleaned her room without anyone asking again! She even made her bed and set out her PJ's for night time! Her room looked like I had just gotten done in there! Bella also did her homework without a complaint. Although, she was a bit bratty in the evening, playing with the car door locks during a trip to Target. But, when she had lost bedtime story privileges, she was OK with it since the elf was watching! No scream fest without a story last night! Wheee!!! As for me, I'm getting ready to celebrate 5 weeks post hysterectomy tomorrow! I'm feeling great! I still have icky feeling days, but those don't bother me too much. I can wear jeans now and it feels like a lot of swelling in my belly is gone! I can't wait to get back to running and back to work in another week! I s

Apparently Aiden the Elf has a sweet tooth. He really is a big help around here. Bed times have gone much much more smoothly! Too bad Logan is too little to understand that he's being watched! Maybe he wouln't pull hair so much...  I also had a break through with Bella eating breakfat this morning! I've been trying to get her to beat the timer so she could have a treat after she eats breakfast and gets ready. (This kid needs incentive to eat, so a Hershey's Kiss is what she gets. We did discuss this with the pediatrician and she agreed that it's OK. Long story... ) Well, she cannot beat the kitchen timer no matter what. She can easily drag a bowl of cereal out over 30 minutes. And I don't let her watch TV or do anything else in the morning. So, today, I found her hour glass in her bedroom. I decided to use it as a visual timer to finish breakfast and it worked! She ate quickly and got ready for school! Holy Cow! I'll have to blog about our mealtime

So, last Friday, we got an Elf on the Shelf after a week of hellacious bed time battles. At first, Bella hated it. She wanted to know why Santa just couldn't watch her and she had to take an elf home. Then, she finally came around and picked up her room and helped around the house because she wanted a good report. We had a really good weekend with the elf around. Now, I need some ideas on what to do with Aiden the Elf. The little stinker ate my marshmallows already! I need to start taking pictures of him. I'm also "pinteresting" some elf ideas for the week. I will try to update on how we're doing behavior wise. I think it's going to work! I sure hope so! I need to keep my little angels little angels. Stay tuned for more elf updates!

Normally I don't do product reviews, but I decided to share something I love. I have a lot going through my head right now, so sometimes concentrating on me is just what I need to do. So, let me tell you a little about 3 Day Straight and why I love it... I hate my hair. Really, I do. Maybe that’s why I have kept it short for so long. I decided to grow it out for a bit and see where it gets me this time. My last hair cut was in January of 2012. Now I have shoulder length hair that gets put in a ponytail day in and day out. It’s just easier that way. I have wavy/curly hair that I hate to blow dry. It takes too much time and in the summer, I don’t want hair on my neck anyway. But, since it’s officially fall, it’s time to try something new. I kept seeing commercials for 3 Day Straight. Looks interesting. After my surgery last month, I dyed my hair a darker brown and picked up a bottle of 3 Day Straight from Walgreens. The first use, I sucked it. I put way too much in. Appa

I have something to say. Without playing sides of the political party spectrum (I don't really give a shit who you vote for, as long as you vote and I expect you to hold the same sentiment to me), there’s a lot to be said of the “haves” and “have-nots.” I’m a little tired of people picking on Romney because he has money and we all wish we could be wealthy and provide the best for our families. Obama wasn’t exactly working poor before he took office, though. Can you correct me if I’m wrong about that, please? Money doesn’t make life easier, hard work does. You can get through life with a little hard work. I was able to work through college and still focus on my school work and graduate with a BA. (I've done it, so stop bitching about how hard it is.) I started my first full time job in high school. I even took an ear full of crap from one of my high school teachers saying that I wouldn’t be able to graduate college if I had to work and study at the same time. Lady, who

I made it through my post-op appointment yesterday. I was looking forward to getting it out of the way. It looks like I will be having my hysterectomy sooner rather than later. I told the doctor about the pain I was still having she was on the same page as I was as far as wanting to get it taken care of. She acknowledged that the pain was probably worse after the surgery since everything was “stirred up” inside. I’ve gone through one day where the pain was so bad I couldn’t walk and that was more than enough to endure. Hell, I couldn’t even walk around at the zoo for more than an hour and a half without limping. And I still can’t wear jeans. A few hours in jeans last weekend was all I could take. If it’s not stretchy, it ain’t getting on. Yuck. I also had work to think about. I was supposed to be going back to work tomorrow. One part of me was excited to be getting back to work. The other part of me was worried sick about how I was going to manage my pain if I was at work. I

Hopefully you have your invitations all made out already and you’re ready to start shopping! Wait; don’t go grab your keys and wallet just yet. You need to stop and make another list. You’ve got your budget in mind, right? And your theme? OK! Now, you need to make a list of what you need and what you plan to spend on those things. Do you need a cake? How much are you going to spend on it? Decorations? Are you going to rent a cotton candy machine? Once you have made your list, look at your calendar again. If you’re planning a party around a “party season” (May is wedding season, September is birthday season, and July is peak BBQ season), you may need to start on getting your rentals and ordering food or cake first. Peak seasons often fill up with reservations fast, so get yours done before you’re left to start from square one again. Even if it’s not really a peak party season, it’s best to call around and see if there’s a list for the date you planned your event and put a depo

Another round of surgery, another disappointment. Well, sort of. Wednesday morning I went in to have my Implanon removed and have my tubes tied. I was also supposed to have more scar tissue removed and possibly have my left ovary removed, since after my last surgery, it was most likely non-functional. I had explained to my doctor that I was starting to have bad pain again. The pain started out as cramps about a month and a half ago and in the last two weeks has been more like sharp stabbing pain. My tubes were tied, but other than that, the surgery turned out to be more exploratory. My left ovary had attached itself to my uterus, making it really difficult and risky to remove. My surgery was done at an outpatient surgery center, not at a hospital, which is probably where some of the risk came from. I probably also have another band of scar tissue that needs to be removed. My doctor explained to my grandma, who was with me for the surgery, that I will probably still be pain. N

You just looked at your calendar and you just did a double take remembering you only have two months to plan a party for [insert special occasion here]. Where to start?! What to do?! Well, I’m here to help you have a spectacular party that your guests will actually enjoy! As long as you have your date set, it’s time to start planning. First, plan a guest list. It’s important to know if you’re going to have a big party or a small party. A kid’s party, an adult party, a ladies only party, any kind of party must start with a guest list. I’ll use my most recent large event as an example for this 101 tutorial. Both my kids had birthdays this month. My son turned 1 and my daughter turned 5. We decided to just do a double birthday party here at home about 6 months before the actual event. I started making a list of family first, then added my daughter’s pre-school friends, then other family and friends. I believe we had a guest list with a total of about 100 people. It sounds like a lo

Happy Birthday to my son, Mark Logan! It's been an awesome year for us! From late nights to reflux and now to Happy Meals and learning to walk! I think today deserves a few tears. It's still a little bittersweet knowing that my baby will soon be my toddler and there won't ever be anymore late night feedings or bottles to wash. Who knows, maybe it'll just hit me out of no where, or it won't hit me at all since I'm busy preparing for the party this weekend. 

Well, I have lost 3 pounds in the last two months. So, I guess maybe it does burn a few. Ah, well, I've had an eventful day and week. It started with my doctor appointment on Tuesday. I was going to get this damn Implanon thing taken out and instead, we decided to do it when I go in for surgery again. Great! I'm having my tubes tied and possibly, my left ovary removed if it is really as fucked up as we think it is. No problem there. I was hoping to have it done in the next two weeks as the doctor implied, but when they called, they gave me the date of September 5th. Oh hell no. Not that week. I told the lady I wanted it done next week or ASAP. She hasn't called back. So, well.... waiting anxiously for all that crap to happen. I've had this kind of surgery twice already, but I'm nervous as fuck about it. Maybe it's also that having my tubes tied is pretty permanent. I really know I don't want any more kids, but a little part of me is sad that I won't

It officially feels like 4th of July was months ago. School starts for Bella tomorrow and I am a mess. Well, that and other things. It feels like my baby is growing up too fast. I never cried when she started Preschool, but I think this may be different. I guess I won't truly know until tomorrow morning. I think I'm still in a fog from practicing waking up and getting the kids ready to leave the house by 5 after 8 this morning. Bed time is going to be extra early tonight. I gotta get ready to take pictures tomorrow morning too. Yeah, I'm that mom. I gotta cherish the moment. Plus, I need as many goofy faced pictures as I can get for when she decides to start dating.  I'm keeping this short. I got some chicken on the new grill outside. I don't want a burnt ass dinner. No one does. I'll tell you about my adventures in doctor's appointments later... tomorrow... maybe. One thing at a time... And one drink at a time. Gotta pace myself.

If you're a normal human being, the subject of saving money has crossed your mind at least once recently. If you watch the news and hear about the grim economy, you've thought about money. If you have kids that will be starting school soon, you most certainly have thought about money. I have been thinking about it day and night it seems. Since I have demoted to being a very part time employee and devoted my time to my kids, money has been at the forefront of my mind. I've thought about saving more, spending less and keeping a tight budget and I have recently put some idea into action. First off, we all have bills. Rent, mortgage, car insurance, electricity, cable, gas, cel phone, car payments.... the list just goes on and one. But, how many of us really look at each bill before we pay it every month? I mean, when was the last time you looked at your car insurance bill before sending the check or signing up for auto pay? I admit, I don't dig deep into my car insur

Yeah, a matchstick that makes your life hell. Well, actually, not for the first 5 months at least. And I guess I need to put some of my blame on the surgery I had in May.... But, since June I've been feeling like crap. I got a period after not having one for 7 months and the day before that came on, I had a migraine that kept me in bed all day. Then, after 7 days of a heavy period, I got a few days of rest, more headaches and then another period!! OK, my hormones are out of whack! I am also so anxious and angry and tired all the time. Today seemed like a good day to cry to me and also a good day to pick up the phone and call my OBGYN. I thought about going back to my endocrinologist since he said I may need surgery again and he could tie my tubes, but I'd have to go to my OBGYN to get the implant removed. So, I figured I'd just try to see one doctor. I figure she could take the damn thing out, tie my tubes, remove scar tissue and assess my ovaries in one swift move. Ho

Thanks to a friend I made on Facebook, I've started researching my family history. I think I'll be starting this project as a Christmas gift for my grandparents. Since last night I found out that my great grandfather on my Nana's side was named Zeferino. Pretty intersting name. And my Nana's grandmother was a midwife named Amada Canales. I'm actually going to try this on Ancestry.com. Wish me luck. I'm already hooked.

Almost two weeks since my surgery and I still hurt. I guess that's expected, but I sucks. I was only able to do about 20 minutes of yoga  before I had to pop some ibuprofen and relax. Sucks sucks sucks. So, last Friday I had my follow up with the doctor. Apparently I didn't have any cysts this time, but I had scar tissue that was so bad, it was pulling my uterus to the left and it completely covered my ovary and fallopian tube on the left side. Yuck. I also had fibroids on my ovary that were biopsied, but are believed to be nothing of concern. The doctor said that if I wanted to get pregnant again (which I don't), I probably only have the use of my right ovary. And, if the pain doesn't go away, I may need another surgery to "clean me out" again. I also inquired about getting my tubes tied. If I don't need another surgery, they can do this new thing called Essure  that is supposed to be easy and non invasive. Fine, but I have this gut feeling that I

Mother's Day is upon us and I could not have gotten past the last three days without my mom and my grandma. I had my surgery on Thursday afternoon. Mom watched the kiddos while Nanie took me to the hospital and waited for me all afternoon. I wasn't even nervous going into surgery 'cos my Nanie and I just passed the time talking and talking and laughing too. As for the actual surgery, I'm still not sure what all they did or found. I know there was an excessive amount of scar tissue again. I am also as sore as sore can be. First, I was just sore around the incision in my tummy, but today, it seems almost worse. Sitting her typing is killing me a bit. It's my goal to not need pain meds after today, but I guess we'll see about that. I can't wait to find out what all was done to me. I have my follow up appointment on Friday morning, so I have to wait all week. Blah. Anywhoo... the sofa is calling my name. Happy Mother's Day to all you hot mommas out the

Let me rewind myself a few weeks back to March. I went to my annual exam with my OBGYN and decided it was best to make an appointment for a surgery consultation in September. I was thinking ahead a little. I knew I was bound to have problems with my ovaries and with scar tissue from my C section and I also wanted to get my tubes tied and be done with it. I discussed all this with the wonderful nurse practitioner, who thought it was great that I was thinking ahead. She also warned me that if I started having pain again from cysts that I would need to bump up the appointment. No problem, I thought. I also had committed to exercising and trying my best to keep a high protein diet and eat my vegetables. I figured that this time around I was gonna be on top of my ovaries. Bah! Fast forward to midnight last night. I turned over in my sleep and was very rudely awakened by a terribly sharp pain in my left side. I thought I could wait it out and tried to fall back asleep. But, 15 minut

Alright, I'll be honest, I never thought I'd be the kind of mom to make my own baby food. But, after receiving an immersion blender for Christmas and thinking of ways to save a buck, I started my days as a baby gourmet. It's really easy. No really, it is. You don't need that $100 plus Baby Breeza or the Baby Bullet system. Just take your butt down to Walmart or Target and invest in one of these (look at picture) immersion blenders that comes with a cup. I believe you can get one for about $20. I'm pretty sure Target has one for like $19.97 or something close. And then you may wanna take a short trip to the dollar store for a few packages of small, reusable/disposable plastic containers with lids. The, you need to go through your cupboards and find an old, small cake pan, some cheap bandaids (also available at the dollar store) and a sharpie or other permanent black marker. I use the bandaids and sharpie to label what I make so it's not confusing in the freez

So, lately I've had a couple of bad experiences at restaurants. I figured I'd share them. And maybe some of my good experiences as well. I might save your meal one night. First off, I'll tell you a little about On The Border . I'd rather be shot at on the border by drug lords then have to eat here again. The second to last time we were there, it wasn't that bad. It wasn't good enough to go again any time soon, either. The vinyl booth seats were rather torn. It was so funny, we ended up taking pictures of the huge tears that scratched our behinds as we scooted in and out. The forks were all misshapen like the kids were playing slingshot with them at a school cafeteria. We took pictures of them too. Both should have been indicators that the place was going downhill fast, but I still returned a while later to dine at such an establishment. Which leads me to my last and final experience at the pseudo-mexican joint that we used to enjoy in years long gone. It was a S

There's something that's been on my mind for a long time and gets pushed to the forefront by a lot of people around me. It's what I believe in. I don't really believe there's a god with a plan for me. I do believe in being spiritual I guess, but I don't fall into a religious category. I choose not to. For years, I have followed a way of thinking, as I have categorized it. Satanism. I am a Satanist. I believe in myself. I believe in being intelligent, educated and being myself. No, I don't worship the devil (nor do I sacrifice small animals). I worship myself. In a nutshell, I feel that if I can't pick myself up and dust myself off when shit goes wrong, I don't expect anyone to help me. I expect to make informed decisions about my life and be smart about it. I also expect that of other people. Unless you have put forth the effort to be your best, don't come crawling to me for help. That follows my political views to an extent. I don't have th

I really have been trying to think about everything that 2011 brought me, but I went to therapy for that. It's time to look forward! Logan just hit 4 months yesterday. I'm looking forward to his reflux getting under control. Thankfully, he got tons of bibs and new clothes for christmas, so it's cutting down my laundry need a little. He's still on two different formulas and medicine and he's also started solids. We started early since one of his formulas has rice cereal in it already, we figured, might as well. We have noticed a big change in him since. He's spitting up a little less. He's sleeping through the night. He's on a set schedule. And he's not constipated anymore. I also have been doing something I NEVER dreamed I would do... I've been making my own baby food. I started with some pureed pumpkin when I cooked my last pumpkin last month. He loved it! Then, for Christmas I got an immersion blender and have made him applesauce, bananas, and