Category: Decorating

I’m so bad at updating everything. Well, except of course Twitter/Tweetdeck, which automatically sends everything to Myspace and Facebook. I’d started the whole 365 thing on Flickr–not joining the groups or anything, just for myself really–and I think I got to day 7 or 8 and that was it! I was hoping at least keeping up with that since I do a crappy job of keeping up with this blog. Oh well!

Mario and I were supposed to be working on the plans for our hopeful, future kitchen/dining room remodel, but he says he was waiting for me all day to talk about it and I was busy. Of course I was busy! I was getting the rest of the stuff I needed for Alaethia’s birthday this weekend (and I still forgot the helium tank, 2 bags of tortilla chips and mayo) and then I got home and cleaned and then I took the boys to Taekwondo. Luis, the instructor, gave them kind of like a pop quiz. The boys almost ended up having to go back to the white belt class for extra practice! They’ve gotta perfect their form by Thursday or else!

Anyway, so yeah. After I made dinner and fed all the kids (Rolando included; he came to visit after TKD) I came over to the living room where Mario was on his laptop so we could start jotting down plans for the remodel. We’ve been sitting here for at least 2 hours on our respective laptops and I keep bringing it up but he says now he’s not in the mood. Makes me so mad!

Well, since he won’t hear me out, I’ll jot down my ideas here. We’re both thinking of completely flipping the dining room and kitchen, kind of like what Sally and Pete did at their house. So when you’re walking in the from the living room, it would be living room, dining room and then kitchen. The only problem is the darn bathroom! It’s right next to the dining room right now, which I HATE! We’re thinking of completely flipping the bathroom around making a tiny hallway for it. I was thinking of making a partition wall next to the hallway, so that it’s not RIGHT THERE next to the kitchen when we remodel. But I don’t know. Mario doesn’t like the idea because he says it’ll take away from the cabinet space. We’re going to have so much more room anyway if we do flip it!

And in the dining room, I want to make that awkward angled wall a mostly chalkboard wall with a cork board on one side, with a nice moulding around them/separating them. I also want a credenza or hutch or something with shelves and doors to hide the kids’ game boards, crayons, notebooks and anything else they usually leave lying around in the dining room. BUT, Mario doesn’t like the idea of cabinets in there. Poo.

(…1 1/2 hrs. later…) Well we finally went in there, measured and taped things off. We’re going to have to do some major changes in there to get the counter space we want. Like moving the hallway entrance (to the bedrooms) from the dining room to the kitchen (were the awkward wall is) and then the rest of the space on that wall will be chalkboard for the kids! The bathroom doorway will be moved completely to the opposite side with a partition wall so the door way’s not THAT close to the kitchen. We’ll have a top-to-bottom pantry where the bathroom door used to be and we’re going to hopefully have enough space for an island with cabinets for the bigger appliances and pots/pans and a space for my cookbooks. I’m so excited, you have no idea. Unfortunately, though, we’re going to have to do it all little by little since we’re on a tight budget. But we can do it. Just gotta have a little patience with our situation…and each other LOL.

Mon., Apr. 6th – It was Mario’s 1st Monday off since his boss had decided the week before that they’d be working on Saturdays from 10-5. We woke up late–correction, he woke up late. I’d already woken up a couple of times with Emmy. We needed to exchange the cement Mario had gotten (it was he wrong texture or something) and exchange the ceiling fan we’d bought. It was black and pewter and the more I looked at it, the more I didn’t like it.

Mom watched the girls while we went. We did the returns and went straight to the ceiling fan section. I wanted the blades to be a nice shade to match the floors when they’re eventually installed and varnished and to have a dome light instead of 4 separate lights. Everything was so expensive. The one I really liked was almost $200!

We decided to try Walmart before we made a decision on a fan. I liked one a lot, but it looked really similar to one back at Home Depot so we were going to get it there since we were going back for the cement anyway. We were both starving since we hadn’t had breakfast or lunch, so we stopped by Quiznos first for lunch. I hadn’t been there in forever (since I’d had my short bout of diabetes last May, I believe).

We noticed the boys would be out of school soon and would have to be picked up, so we went back to Home Depot and tried hurrying. The fan I liked that was similar to the one at Walmart ended up being one that was on sale that week, so it came out to $65. We got the cement and some more joint compound and paid. We got home and Mario parked the truck and I got in the Equinox and rushed to the school to get the boys.

We got home with the boys and Mario’s dad sent us back to Home Depot to get the supplies they’d need for the central air in the new rooms. That was the first day I spent almost all day away from Emily :(. I don’t know what it is about Mom–it’s like she can feel that Mom panics with newborns–but every time Emily’s with her, she just cries and cries. Mom had thankfully calmed her down by the time we took off again. Thank God too, since we took forever trying to locate the register boxes and ducts since everything was all over the place. We finally found some that seemed like they were the right ones.

Mario asked me to text Jorge to come over to help him with a project. Something about flush-mounting the speakers we already have for the surround sound, but using the register covers we’d just bought. Maggie didn’t come over :(. It was just Adan, Mario and Jorge outside, and his dad, of course. For the first time I ever, Mario politely kicked me (and Mom) out of the party porch. I guess they had “man things” to discuss *rolls eyes*.

I took the opportunity to order my Hugamonkey sling. Kristen let me know about Hugamonkey on Twitter and it seemed like the perfect sling! I love that you can use it as baby grows :).

Tues., Apr. 7th – I woke up feeling like shizz. I still had leftover congestion from the last cold I had 3 weeks ago and now I felt like I had Strep and an ear infection. I was really hoping I didn’t catch it from Mary. I clearly remember using her cell to make a call for her the day she’d gone to the doctor and was diagnosed with Strep and Laryngitis.

I’d only slept 6 broken hours during the night and I tried going back to sleep after Mario’d left to work but everyone kept calling. I hate the house phone, especially because Mom doesn’t have one and gives out my number and everyone decides to call before 9am. I only keep it for when someone’s watching my kids at home and I have to call to check up on everyone. It’s not like the boys don’t know to call my cell if there’s an emergency, so I’m taking Mario’s advice from now on and disconnecting it while I’m asleep.

The house got really loud and noisy after I picked the boys up from school. Every little noise made my ears and head rattle.

I decided to be brave and connect my external hard drive and download music again. I really, really hope I don’t catch that stupid media virus again. John got it too recently.

I watched Girl, Interrupted with Mario at night. I hadn’t watched it in forever. We really need to get it. Alaethia and Emily were up with us but I kept Alaethia from watching the bad parts. She’d fallen asleep early but woke up and saw the familiar lime green popcorn bowl and refused to go back to sleep.

Wed., Apr. 8th – I really want my sling to come in. Emily doesn’t let me do anything around the house. As soon as I pass her on to Mom, she starts screaming. I really don’t know why she doesn’t like her!

Anyway, I went to JC Penny to shop for bras with John after I picked the boys up. I took Emily with me, of course, and left Alaethia with Mom. I actually, finally found some bras in my actual size! Not an alternate size because they never have mine–the RIGHT SIZE. I was so happy! Of course, I only found 2 and 1 on clearance, but that’s 3 bras in the right size I didn’t have before.

I got some news from John as we were walking around. He was really worried, I’d never seen him like that before. I’m glad he can count on me and tell me everything, though.

I got us some Caramel Avalanches from Gloria Jean’s since he was feeling down. I’d been trying not to spend anymore than I should since I was trying to be on a budget, but I figured it was okay to splurge $9 for 2 drinks for us.

We got home a few minutes after Mario got home from work. My dad-in-law and his friend Ricky were working on our new living room putting up the rest of the drywall and installing the duct-work for the central air. Mario helped until Jorge, Maggie, their boys, Jose and Adan came over for another impromptu bar-b-q. All the boys played together (Halo Wars, mine being the loudest of all 4) until it was time for Eenan and Jaylen to go to bed and later we had Maggie’s boys fall asleep on the sofas. Alaethia was still up and running about, but calmed down when she saw that Wubzy and Ni-Hao Kai-Lan were on Noggin LOL.

When we were sitting outside under the porch and I had Emily in my arms and the boys had gone to bed, I remembered that they needed 2 dozen Easter eggs and a basket each! Mario kept telling me he’d buy some from Chris, who was selling some but he apparently never told him we needed them Wednesday night. When he called him up that night Chris told him he’d just sold out!

Then began the frantic phone calls to every store in the Valley. Everyone was sold out. I once again found myself cursing the new Walmart for not being open yet. I finally called to H-E-B, where I didn’t even think they were selling eggs, and they had some. Chris was already there and got us some (including 4 dozen for Maggie ’cause her boys needed them, too!) and Mario paid him back when he picked them up.

I don’t know what or why I decided at some point that Mario, Jorge, Maggie and I had to have a talk about something that had been bothering us girls, but we did. The guys joke around A LOT and sometimes they–especially my husband–can go a little overboard. It was stupid discussing this after all the guys had been drinking because Mario was being hardheaded, Jorge wasn’t giving much input (which was really smart of him LOL) and Adan was trying to diffuse the situation when it got a little heated by making jokes. I kept trying to get through to Mario, who insisted that he wasn’t going to stop joking around like that and it made me upset. Everyone who knows me well knows that once I start getting really angry and frustrated, I can’t help but cry. I tried my hardest to hold it in, but when Adan made a certain comment I got even more pissed off and cried in front of everyone. I felt like a damn fool. I managed to calm myself down but he repeated it a while later and I started all over again. I just decided to come inside after that. Maggie followed me in a while later and gave me a hug and told me they were all stupid LOL. In a fit of childish anger I decided I was never going to forgive Adan, or even hang out outside when the guys were drinking. I kept trying to stop but would just start bawling when I’d remember later. I felt even worse when Mario snapped at me when he’d come in to get the 5 gallon jug to buy water. I don’t know why I was so sentimental that night. I tried my hardest to go to sleep, but it took a while. I’d locked the door to the bedroom because Alaethia doesn’t like when it’s open because the hallway looks “scary”, but I really mainly locked it to keep Mario out. He got the point when he turned the door and found it locked. He was asleep on the couch when I woke up the next morning LOL.

Thurs., Apr. 9th – I woke up having coughing fits, which in turn woke Emily up earlier than she should have been for her bottle. My epidural site was aching, and I was starting to wonder if it was because I’d been coughing so much or if it was almost that time of the month, hence the crazy hormones?

It was so hot outside and it made me feel worse; feverish even. I had a headache from crying all darn night to boot. I just felt awful. It was the boys last day of school before Easter holidays. Eenan called around 10am, which I found odd, but all he wanted was for me to drop off a toy. What? Why in the world would I do that?

Remember when I mentioned John was worried about something and had bad news? Well, everything’s fine now. I’m so glad!

I can’t remember much from that night, but I know for a fact we just chilled out at home after the incident the night before.

Fri., Apr. 10th – I woke up feeling a bit better from my nasty cold. My throat wasn’t aching as much anymore but I still had a headache.

The day was a usual one, except that I had the boys at home all day. They were surprisingly well behaved, and by that I mean there was minimal beating up on each other.

I helped Noelia file some of her student’s work with Elda that evening while Mom watched Emily and the boys kept Alaethia busy. When Mario got home and I finished helping we went over to Jorge and Maggie’s. We left Alaethia with Mom since she was already falling asleep, the boys didn’t want to go and stayed with Mary so we only took Emily this time.

Mario and I’d had a little tiff before we’d left the house but tried getting over it when we got to Jorge and Maggie’s. Apparently they’d had a little squabble as well so that made the night interesting for all of us, heh. Does that only happen to us, or to everyone: don’t you just love when you’ve had a squabble and your partner does every little thing to make you happy to make up for it? LOL

Anyway, the guys left to get dinner and us girls stayed behind with the kids (who were asleep). We all realized we’d forgotten our blender and Margarita stuff, so the guys came back to our house to get everything. Jorge and Maggie had bought tons of cocktail mixes so we spent the night laughing and making messes of some of the cocktails LOL.

Sat., Apr. 11th – Mario had to work again so I slept in after he left to work. When I got up I got myself and the girls ready and we went over to Mary’s to chill. We watched everyone assembling the Easter baskets. We still weren’t able to find Easter eggs for the kids on Easter day, so we were thrilled to find out Yazmin’s friend’s mom was still selling eggs.

Adan and Aide came over with Belle. I felt awkward but carried on with Aide like nothing happened although she probably knew what did happen. Adan came in and patted me on the shoulder. I kind of jumped, not expecting it. I’d mostly gotten over the whole thing since the incident, so I accepted his apology when he said he was sorry. Supposedly I’d promised myself I was going to stand my ground and continue being mad, but it would be completely immature and pathetic of me. We’re family anyway. I’m glad we were on good terms again since it would have been awkward during Easter for everyone if we weren’t.

I gathered all the kids (as if they were cows LOL) and got in the truck to visit Gramma and then the groceries. The boys were already fighting before we even left so Mary said watch them when she got back from her trip to Walmart. I decided going all the way to Gramma’s wouldn’t be a good thing to do since Alaethia was already moody. I didn’t want to feel overwhelmed like I did the week before.

The girls behaved amazingly well…until we got to the registers. Alaethia started throwing a fit because she wanted all the junk food in sight and Emily woke up–starving–just when I was putting everything on the conveyor. I’m not sure if it was because I felt stressed and overwhelmed but the store became ridiculously quiet and everyone was staring at us. I fumbled with my wallet and the formula dispenser simultaneously until I popped the bottle in her mouth and she stopped crying, as if nothing ever happened. A woman had the audacity to walk up to me and make a comment, asking WHAT I was doing to the poor child because she couldn’t believe she was the same baby who’d been screaming her lungs out seconds before. I wanted to shout at her, but kept my mouth shut and walked away.

Add to my stress the fact that I’d gone over my grocery budget. We’d been doing so well and I had no idea what happened. I felt awful. I immediately started feeling like I usually do when I feel like we might not make the bills and cried my eyes out. I put everything away while I discussed my worries with Mario. I bawled even more when I told Mario I was just going to have to go back to work. See, the job he was currently at was supposed to only be temporary, till he was called in to Border Patrol. We never expected him to work there till I quit, much less till April. Mario told me to calm down; he’d go back to his old workplace, where he made much more cash and never had to worry about money. The only bad thing was the amount of time he spent at work, which sometimes caused arguments between us, and the time he lacked at home with the kids. But we realized it was only while I was working that we were stressed from not seeing each other and not going out with the kids. We were fine before when I was a SAHM and he was working there. So he made the appropriate calls and they welcomed him back with open arms.

Mary’d come in while I was having my nervous breakdown and she told us not to worry; they’d help us get through everything. I don’t know what I’d do, literally, without our wonderful family. I’m so blessed.

Noelia came over again that night and everyone (Yadira, Aide, Elda and myself, while Yazmin, Mom and Angela watched all the babies) chipped in to help her file like we’d done the night before. I really can’t remember what else we did that night. I know we did a few boxes of filing and then the rest of the night’s a blur LOL.

Yes, I realize I’m posting this 3 weeks later. I give up on trying to be on top of my blogs. I never have time to blog, understandably!

Fri., Apr. 4th – I woke up around noonish, as I usually do and fed the girls, put Emily to sleep and had my breakfast. Mario sent me a text about going to Cheddar’s that night. I had completely forgotten about our double-date of sorts with Jorge and Maggie that we’d planned since the week before. I was excited. Cheddar’s is a fairly new restaurant and I hadn’t been there yet.

I got on Yahoo and chatted with Maggie almost the whole day. She asked me who was staying with the kids and I told her the boys would stay with Mary and the girls with Mom. She told me Mario said there was no way we’d go anywhere if Mom was staying with Emily, because Mom’s not really good with small babies. She panics and I guess the baby can sense it so Emily starts screaming her head off. Then Mom can’t get her to stop. So he calls me and confirms that we’re not going if we haven’t found someone else to babysit. Grr.

So there I am, searching, calling everyone I know that I thought was available and nothing. So I tell Maggie, “I guess we’re not going anywhere after all.” I spent the rest of the day moping.

I picked Eenan up from school only. Jaylen had gone home with Aaron since they had a playdate set for that afternoon. I’d told him I’d pick him up around 6, since I wasn’t going anywhere anyway.

Mario texts me around 5:50, that he’s on his way to get his hair cut and to pick out some nice clothes, but nothing too fancy for our outing that night. I was completely confused. I thought he’d decided for us that we weren’t going ’cause we didn’t have a more “suitable” sitter for Emily?

I text back and ask, “I thought you said we weren’t going? I didn’t find any one else!” He says we have no choice. I was so annoyed. I spent the whole day feeling crappy for nothing.

I go pick Jaylen up and start flat-ironing my hair. It’s already 6:30, since I spent some time talking to Aaron’s grandma. We’re supposed to be meeting at 7:30 or 8. Good thing I’d already taken a shower earlier.

I knew Mario was on the verge of asking me to hurry up a number of times, but he knew better. Had he let me know earlier I could have spent all day getting ready. Plus, Jorge and Maggie were running errands and had barely gotten home at 7, so I wasn’t rushing. He busied himself outside while I finished getting ready. He comes in a while later and tells me Elda offered to watch Emily for us while we’re out. Oh, thank goodness.

I went over to Elda’s next door to check if Mario was there since Jorge G., Adan, Aide and Belle were over there for a bar-b-q. I look down the driveway and become even more annoyed when I see that Mario’s checking the system in some guy’s truck. Perfect timing!

Aide says she’s going to help mom babysit Emily till Elda’s ready to watch her, so we come over here. Mario’s done with the guy’s truck around 9:20, so we take off.

Maggie and Jorge had arrived at Cheddar’s 10 minutes before we did and found a great table. We ordered our drinks: a Michelob Ultra for Mario and a Maui Margarita for me. OMG. That had to be THE BEST Margarita I’ve ever had in my LIFE! Jorge had recommended it, saying I only needed 2 or 3 and that was it. Mario cleared his throat and ran his hand under his neck to gesture, “Shut up, dude!” It’s hilarious that after 10 years of marriage, he’s still trying to get me drunk to get frisky LOL.

It was a full house at Cheddar’s so everything was taking really long to get to the table. Jorge had invited the bosses, so they arrived about an hour or so later. I was told I looked beautiful, which creeped me out and brought up my deficient self-esteem simultaneously.

Our food arrived about half an hour after that and even though it took forever I have to admit the food was delicious and really cheap!

We toasted and then it hit me that after all these years of knowing Jorge and Maggie (about 11 for me), it was the first time we’d ever gone out in public as group! We’ve always hung out–even moreso now than in years past–but we’ve never gone out to have drinks or eat together or anything. I’m glad we’re still friends after all these years :).

The bosses left and we chilled out a bit more until it was getting close to closing. We moved the party to Fanatics, a bar. I had a Piña Colada and we sat around chatting with Maggie’s friends till Mario and I both started getting sleepy around 1am. We’re elderly already, at the ages of 26 and 27.

I drove home, of course, and we collected our children. Emily had been asleep since 12am with Elda and Alaethia was asleep as well with Mom. We managed to sneak into bed and get some sleep before Emily woke up at 4am. That was one of the best nights, ever.

Sat., Apr. 5th – I didn’t feel like doing anything that day, but I had to get Eenan’s eyes checked at the optometrist’s office and I was going to have my appointment too, since I was already there. I was taking Eenan with me only. Mario was supposed to stay with the other three kiddos.

I get a text from Mario when I’m barely getting to the signal light at the corner saying, “I can’t watch this little girl,” meaning Emily. I deposited at the bank and went back to get her. So much for a quick trip.

I dropped Mom off at Gramma’s nursing home (we really need to move her to a closer one!). We get to the optometrist and…they didn’t take Eenan’s insurance. LOVELY. I got my exam done anyway because I didn’t drive all the way over there for nothing. My left eye is “significantly worse” and the doctor said it may have something to do with either my sugar levels or that I was recently pregnant. Great.

We visited with Gramma for a bit when we went to pick Mom up. While I was looking at the photos on her wall she patted me on the butt and said I was chubby. I sighed and said, “I know, Gramma. That’s what happens when I have my babies.” And she started laughing.

We went to Walmart after that. OMG, it was the longest shopping trip, ever! We had to keep stopping at almost every aisle because Emily needed something. She’s never like that when we’re shopping, so it surprised me. Halfway through the trip she spit-up all over my blouse, and she never spits up!!

Mom had gone off shopping on her own, because she usually takes long, so Eenan was helping me shop. He did such a great job. It’s much easier when only one of the boys helps me grocery shop. If both of them go, they fight the entire time or fight about what food to take or who’s going to help me.

We were already frustrated, tired and hungry so he wasn’t too happy when we were already at the front of the store–so close to the registers–when I realized I’d gotten the wrong diapers. We went all the way to the back of the store where the diapers are, and as we’re walking I smell something. I (stupidly) run my hand along the edge of Emily’s diaper…and smear a lovely shade of yellow poop all over my hand. She’d filled her diaper up to the brim.

I yelled, “OH MY GOD!!” And Eenan runs to my side. He’s as horrified as I am. Suddenly I remember thinking “Oh, I won’t need the wipees,” and leaving the travel case on the center console of the truck. I tell him, “Eenan! I forgot the wipes!” as a nice employee overhears me. Her jaw drops open as she sees my yellow hand and says, “Well, you’re gonna have to use some! There’s some over here, c’mon on!”

She points me in the direction of the wipees and I locate the travel sized ones, tear the wrapping open and tell Eenan to hold the piece with the barcode so I can pay for it, and proceed to get all of Emily’s things out to change her. Thank God I’d brought the changing pad and a change of clothes with me!

I wrapped up all her dirty clothes in her blanket and found a trash bin to dispose of the diaper and pile of wipees, which I wrapped in a whole bunch of paper towels I found above the trash bin. I was too happy to pay for everything and get home.

I put everything away when I got home. Mario was already home and the men were bar-b-q’ing again. I went outside with everyone and tried to fix the new carrying pouch I’d bought for Emily at Walmart. I’m going to have to return it. The “easy release” clips are huge and hurt her little thighs. It would be a good sling if she were larger.

Mario brought me some Bacardi Silvers in strawberry but I didn’t like them too much since they kept making me burp and I eventually became bloated. I don’t know if it had anything to do with that or if I really did look chubby like Gramma said but when Jorge (Mario’s Nino) saw me he said, “Are you pregnant again? Because it looks like it.”

I didn’t know what to say!! He didn’t say it to be mean, and tried to take it back immediately after, but I felt awful! That’s what I get for squeezing myself into my old jeans. When I was wearing my during/post-maternity pants, everyone kept saying how “good” I looked!!

When everyone left the bar-b-q, we went to Jorge and Maggie’s with the girls. Maggie and I chilled out with her nieces and the babies and had some drinks. I shouldn’t have eaten, but Maggie had made food so I served myself a little tiny bit of everything. I really wanted more of the guacamole, but I resisted.

Mario started falling asleep around 2pm and the guys found it to be the perfect opportunity to “tea bag” him LOL. I tried to warn him–Maggie and her nieces are my witnesses! He says I didn’t. Jorge got him. We all took pictures LOL.

Since everyone started calling him an old man for falling asleep he made us stay till 5am! Before we left, though, he was flipping through pictures in Jorge and Maggie’s camera and said something to piss me off. We will be having a “talk” later.

Sun., Mar. 5th – We woke up super late, of course. Mario actually got up earlier than I did and he and his dad worked on the new living room. My Dad-in-law had already done a lot of the insulation and then Mario did the rest of it and helped with the drywall.

It was so nice seeing that drywall go up! It gives me a sense of completion, like it’s the light at the end of the tunnel. Mind you, we still need to get the cement to level out the floors. And that darn stump is still there…

Anyway, Mario and I went to get a few more things at Home Depot that he and his dad needed, not before stopping for some frappuccinos. I collected as many paint samples and (free) idea booklets as I could. I can’t WAIT to get this room painted! I also got some cute ideas for the girls’ color scheme.

I made Enchiladas Swisas for dinner and after that we went to Jorge and Maggie’s again. They’d invited us to go over but at first he didn’t want to go over. He said he didn’t want to get in trouble again (he was referring to what he’d said/done to piss me off). We eventually went but Mario didn’t drink. It was a little hard to joke around there was even a little altercation between Maggie and Javi. Like Jorge said, I believe, the atmosphere was a little “hostile” LOL. We eventually went inside to watch videos on YouTube. We (only LOL) stayed till 1am that night.