Category: Thrifting

I just finished reading The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer, and although it was a sudden ending (I want MORE, DARNIT!), I really loved the book. Now I can start on Shopaholic and Baby!

I have to run a few errands but I figured it’s a good a time as any to start this post — because I will post it today! Alaethia’s still asleep because she kept me up till 1am last night. She was literally tossing and turning and rubbing her face between the pillows until I was so exhausted that I put her in her crib. Then she fell asleep with no problem. Figures.

Okay, I left off on Saturday, Dec. 15th previously. I forgot to mention, Rolando, Eenan’s best friend, had slept over Friday, the night of my Christmas party, because they had a UIL meet the next morning. Mom babysat all of them for us and said they were very well behaved. I was still very tired since I didn’t get to sleep much, but I got them ready and dropped them off. I picked them, and Angela, up at noon. For some reason, Eenan didn’t get to participate in one of the categories but got 4th place in the other.

As the kids are piling into the car I smell something. Alaethia had poopie. I get to changing her and am horrified to see that she’s got diarrhea. She’d just had a diaper change before we’d left home, yet she’d already developed an awful diaper rash. Her first severe diaper rash, ever.

We rush to drop Rolando off, and of course I get distracted talking to his mom, Maxine, and catching up on things. We all rush to Catherine’s birthday party, which is all the way in Mission. As we’re arriving I notice that Alaethia’s gone to the bathroom again. It was awful. I’d never heard such blood-curdling screams while changing her diaper. It was heartbreaking.

The boys had fun at the party and I ran into Art and his little boy. He’s so big already!

After the party we went home and just chilled out the rest of the day. Poor Alaethia was not up for anything else. She was sick for about 4 days, poor thing.

With a pang of guilt I realize it must have been the queso fresco we’d eaten the night before that might of gotten her sick. Hypchondriac, paranoid mother that I am, I start panicking that she’s got some kind of weird bacterial or viral disease because I fed her bad cheese. But no. A visit to the doctor let’s us know otherwise: she’s got a virus. Although I feel horrible for her I’m glad it wasn’t me that caused her to get sick. Now I know: no more queso freso for her!

On Dec. 20th we drove through the Festival of Lights on Ware Road, at the park. It was nice. We bought some kettle corn and switched the car radio to the station that had accompanying Christmas music.

Friday, Dec. 21st – We picked up Noelia and went to Wal-mart, Long John Silver’s, and the mall. Aly got a Care Bear that she picked out herself at K-B Toys.

Sat, Dec. 22nd – We visited Gramma at the nursing home. Her hair was done in braids. We delivered her Christmas gifts. Of course she says, “Why did you bother?” as always.

Sun, Dec. 23rd – We celebrated Andy’s birthday at Mary’s. Andy and Noelia were leaving early, so the kids, Mom and I visited Pete and Sally and Quentin. We took over some cookies I’d made and the boys had some that Pete and Sally gave to us. The boys behaved a little wildly, which was kind of embarrassing. Alaethia was a good girl. She even let Pete carry her for a few seconds LOL. Sally’s done wonderful things with their house. I loved the color of their kitchen! It was teal.

Mon, Dec. 24th – Aly was shaking her bootie! Like, really shaking it. It was the cutest thing :).

The women did some last minute baking and wrapping, as always. Angela and Eenan were very busy getting everything ready for Santa that night. Angela was in charge of the stockings and Eenan made a sign for Santa so he’d find his cookies.

Tues, Dec. 25th – We woke the kids up early, though not as early as all the other years because everyone else doesn’t get here till around 8:30. So we woke them up at 8. We had to put the monitor on for Alaethia because she was being a lazy bump and wouldn’t get up.

The boys opened up all their gifts, and loved their “main” one, the limited edition Zelda DS.

Jaylen, as you can see, looks very sleepy still LOL.

Alaethia had a great time during her first Christmas. She was more interested in ripping off wrapping paper than her actual toys and clothes, but she had fun.

Wed, Dec. 26th – We stayed home and enjoyed the mess and new stuff. The kids were all so excited with their new gadgets and games. Alaethia especially loved one of her gifts from Mary, which was a Laugh and Learn table. She shook her bootie to the songs like there was no tomorrow!

Thurs, Dec. 28th – We celebrated Grandpa D’s birthday here at Mary’s.

Fri, Dec. 30th – We went to the movies…though at this point, many months later, I can’t remember what we watched.

Sat, Dec. 31st – New Year’s Eve! Always fun. I think we went to the movies. We bought fireworks. It was cold outside, but we popped fireworks anyway. Just covered Alaethia up really well so she’d be warm. The boys had fun. Mario was letting them pop fireworks on their own, which made me really uneasy, but he was watching them. Alaethia looked so cute. Yadira, Noelia and I put 4 pig tails on Alaethia and she looked too cute!

1-4 – We visited Gramma. Aly was hugging and snuggling with her. Gramma couldn’t stop laughing, because Alaethia was doing her burrowing thing when she was snuggling up with her. Gramma had a nice, soft blanket, which drives Alaethia crazy. She loves soft blankets!

1-5 – We went to Mexico to get candies for Alaethia’s party. We were wary because of the frequent recalls of Mexican candies due to lead poisoning. It’s mostly tamarindo/chile candies that have lead though, so we steered clear of most of them.

We got almost everything we needed. We got some centerpiece plushes, Strawberry Shortcake, of course. And some Strawberry Shortcake tin boxes for the candies. We got a bottle of Buchanans and a case of cigs for Mario. And when we were back here we went downtown to see everything for Natalie’s 15th. Got home, unloaded and went back to town with mom and the kids. I bought some lilac paint from Walmart that was on sale. I’d get to painting the bathroom sometime.

1-6 – I spent the last day of my vacation painting the bathroom the lovely shade of lilac I’d bought at Wal-Mart. I went with Mario to the hardware store to get supplies (his dad needed some for a project, too) and Dollar General. I did the texture first and after it dried I painted. It actually dried a few shades darker than than the paint chip, but oh well. I finished by the end of the day. I was exhausted and SO not looking forward to waking up at 5:20am for work the next morning.

1-7 – Tired. Arrived to work…to an empty parking lot! Grr. Then it dawns on me–it’s a Workday which means no students. Which means we go in at 8am!! I could have been sleeping! As I’m frantically searching the website on my Centro a counselor arrives. At least I wasn’t the only one! We discussed what we should do. She said the custodian had just arrived, so she was going to stay. Like hell I was going to stay all alone doing nothing. I hadn’t even brought my book with me! I thought of the gas I was going to waste, but I went home and slept…for about 10 minutes. Blah.

I left the house at 7:40 and got to work just in time. My boss got there late and I’d already started working on a few things. She reminded me about a meeting and breakfast being served at the cafeteria, so I went along. Mrs. V., a few other teachers and myself chilled out till around 9:30.

1-10 Alaethia is obsessed with deer jerky. So am I.

1-11 – I got my Christmas bonus! Well, it’s not exactly a bonus since we “save” $58 from our paycheck every month. I’d been wondering when we’d get it.

We started getting the final things ready for our students to start circulating again. I came home and we bar-b-q’d. I played outside with the kids. Mario took our bedroom TV outside and we watched movies out there. When we go in to eat at Mary’s a Lack’s business card floated to the floor when I opened the door. Hmm.

1-12 – I dropped Mario off at work, late, and he was pissy. He knows he’s going to leave the house late when I drop him off. I don’t know why he expects any different.

We went to Goodwill. I only had Jaylen and Aly and Mom went, too of course. We got lots of bargains!

We picked up Taco Bell and visited Gramma. She caught me completely off guard and asked when she was going home :(. I felt so horrible. I didn’t know what to say. I told her we didn’t have the resources to care for her the way they can at the nursing home. She was teary-eyed and everything. It was heart breaking :(.

I’m still alive, but just barely. Kidding…Sort of…

I’m still trying to get used to waking up at 5:30am. That’s really the only thing I dislike about working: the exhaustion from lack of sleep thing.

I totally thought Alaethia was sleeping through the night since she’d done so well Sunday and Monday night. Sunday night we went to sleep at 10pm and she didn’t wake up for a bottle till after I left at 6:20am, mom said. That was the most restful night of sleep I’ve had in a year!

I told my boss and just around everyone around me how happy I was that she was sleeping through. I spoke way too soon. We went to sleep at around 9:30 last night (EARLIEST I’ve slept since I was pregnant with her!). She was up for a bottle at 2:20am — and stayed awake, playing and cooing happily, till 3:43! I joked with Mario about calling in (he actually stayed up with us!) and set the alarm for 5:50 instead of 5:30.

I wake up at 5:28 and sigh with relief because I still have a few more minutes. I wake up again and look at the clock: 6:47!!! I had just woken up and I was ALREADY late to work! Stupid alarm didn’t go off! I’d never gotten ready so fast. Thank God I’d already packed my lunch the night before and just grabbed everything and ran out of the house. Mom was already waiting outside to watch Alaethia and for the first time ever I wish she’d knocked, loudly, on my window or something! As I’m fumbling with my junk, I’m getting my cell out to call my boss and tell her I’m super late and the phone rings in my hands. I’m panicking, because I think, ‘She’s going to scold me!’

I answer, it’s her and I start babbling 100 miles a minute about how sorry and late I am and she says, “Well, that makes two of us.” LOL I was SO RELIEVED.

I joked with everyone about it all day. I’m so glad they bring me breakfast along with our two student aids. I don’t know how I would have survived till lunch at 12:30! I’m even going to get to make up the 39 (!) minutes I was late tomorrow, so that’s cool. I thought Veronica, the girl in charge of punch-ins, punch-outs was going to yell at me, because just yesterday she was praising me for what a good job I was doing about being prompt. We laughed that she’d jinxed me and all was good. I’m so glad!

It was an overall good day, although I’ve been doing the same thing for about 5 days straight: inputting students into the Reading Renaissance system and the library system. 700+ kids, every-single-one. It’s cool though, I don’t mind being on the computer and it makes time pass quickly.

As for the weekend, it was the usual cramming everything into two days thing. I finally went to Goodwill on Saturday and scored two awesome brand-new frames from Target and 2 sets of glass tumblers, which we needed! All for $12! We visited Gramma and then went to Target.

Sunday was Mary’s 50th birthday so we got together at Yadira’s to celebrate. We all pitched in to give her a surprise party and it actually worked out! We had a really nice time. I hope she did, too :).

I spoke to Sally after almost a month because her phone messed up. We’ll hopefully meet up this Saturday with Carmen and Karina. I’ve also got to cram in getting the boys’ tuxes, mom’s and my dresses, and Yazmin’s necklace sometime this weekend too!

Alaethia started standing all on her own on Monday (9-10-07), right when I got here from work. She just stood up in her playpen to greet me :). She’d been trying since she was 6 months old and finally got it. We already lowered her crib down, just to be on the safe side.

I took Eenan to the doctor that day after school to get his Varicella vaccine, finally. He didn’t even cry! He was so proud of himself, and so was I of course :).

I had to pick up Jaylen’s Singulair since he’d run out and was already starting to get a runny nose and had that funny cough he does. I wonder what exactly he’s allergic to? I wouldn’t want to put him through the test though–I hear it’s brutal on them :(.

Eenan had UIL practice today so I picked Jaylen and Brandon up from school. I spoke to his teacher and she said he’s incredibly smart *beams*. I’m so darn proud of all my kiddos :).

Okay, it’s 10. Time for bed! Gotta make sure that alarm’s working first!

Meet the Teacher Night was Thursday night, and it went really well. Eenan has a male teacher this year and he seems nice. He’s an older man and he’s big on reading like his teacher last year. Eenan’s taking the TAKS test this year so they’re going to be practicing for that all year.

Jaylen’s teacher is one John observed when he was taking the Substitute Teacher training a few years ago. He said she was mean to the kids LOL. I’m hoping she’s not; she seemed pretty nice when I met her. When she saw Jaylen and Eenan playing with the blocks and stuff she asked me, “He’s quiet, isn’t he?” I tell her, “At school, yes, very. At home, no so much.” She laughs and says, “Yes, I can tell right away which ones I won’t have trouble with.” Aww :).

I had to peel myself away from the bed yesterday; it felt so nice and fresh in the bedroom and I was so cozy cuddled up next to Mario. I got up, set the coffee pot, got washed up and dressed, ate my cereal and looked at the time: 8:30am. I picked up the phone and called the HR office, again, to set up an appointment to get my paperwork finally done. I finally speak to the lady who “takes care of” paperwork and guess what? She sets an appointment for Monday at 10am. Grr. I tell her my boss would have liked for me to go in that day, Friday, and that she definitely wanted me in by Monday. So simple things are for that woman; she tells me, “Oh, yes. You can come in, get everything done at 10, and go into work right after that if you’d like.” Um. Duh. Yes, I would like that.

I called my boss and gave her the news. She was cheerful, thank God, and bid me a good weekend.

I was fuming and boiling with rage for a few minutes, just thinking of how long everything’s been taking, but then I realized that I’d be able to drop the boys off on the first day of school! Mario and I will both be accompanying them that morning and I feel so much better about being there. I need to know about their bus schedule and all that and I need to turn in their enrollment papers. My babies will be going on the bus after school now! I’m so nervous! The last thing I want is to feel that helplessness in the pit of my stomach when I call home and Mom tells me they haven’t — or worse, ONE of them hasn’t — arrived yet *gulp*. But…they’ll be alright I hope. All the neighborhood children come in the bus and they’ve all been fine.

So after a bit of debate, John and I went to Target to pick up some photos I’d left for developing. Only because I had two $1 off coupons, if not, FORGET IT. Target is my world, but I don’t much care for their photo department’s ridiculous processing prices!

I found two blouses, one of which is a little thin, so it needed a tank or something under. We scanned the whole store and couldn’t find the perfect raspberry-colored tank anywhere. I look down at the blouse I’m wearing and pull from under it the raspberry tank I was wearing. Duh. John was really mad I’d taken so long for nothing LOL. We got some diapers for Aly and some scrapbooking stickers I wanted, stopped at H-E-B for milk (it’s too expensive at Dollar General! We ran into Chris and Nancy and they invited us over for dinner) and came home.

Alaethia turned 7 months old yesterday ^_^! Time’s just flashing by too quickly :(. Even John said, “I’ve been working too much. She’s already 7 months and I hardly ever see her.” It’s going to feel even faster once I’m working, but at least I get the afternoons with her. She’s already talking and babbling and crawling and trying to hold herself up…it’s crazy! She started saying “Deh-deh” the night Mario was setting up the mini fridge and held herself up in her crib for a good while. She’s so confident she tried walking off and immediately fell on her bootie LOL. She hasn’t started pulling herself up yet, but I’m sure she’ll do it any minute. She’s been goofy, sticking her tongue out at anyone who does it to her and has completely gotten the hang of holding her bottle and sippy cups on her own. She’s such a big girl :*).

I played with Alaethia awhile and Mario slept for about 2 hours before we left to Chris and Nancy’s. Their house is looking so cute with all the repairs Chris has done and the decorating Nancy’s done. They make me want to go out and buy a new living room set (which we’re going to have to do in the next year or so anyway).

Gloria and Jorge were there and it was nice catching up with her. We gossiped about husbands, family, decorating and played with Alaethia. She was such a good girl. The boys were alright for a while, got bored and Mario dropped them off at home since they wanted to sleep over at Mary’s. We stayed till 11pm, Mario and I searched for people on Myspace, then went to bed.

I didn’t want to get up again this morning, but at least I had an extra hour of sleep. It’s going to be so hard getting used to waking up at 5-5:30am! Ugh. That’s probably the only thing I won’t like about working LOL.

Mom and I (and Aly) borrowed John’s car and went to the thrift shop (shh! He doesn’t know, buahaha!) but found nothing. I mainly go for scrapbooking stuff and they didn’t have zip, except for some chipboard letters I found. We went to see Gramma after that and dropped some stuff off to her she needed, chatted a bit about my new job and everything else, and came home. She looked so tired today :(. She has a cough, again, and it just drains her of her energy. I asked her what her current favorite color is and she sort of just shrugged, like it wasn’t a big deal, when usually she’d think about it and happily tell me. I hope she feels better soon :(.

And now I’m here. I’m waiting for 5 o’clock to roll around so I could go to a party with Mary. I was supposed to go to another party with Chris and Nancy, but I’d forgotten about this other one so I’ll have to call and let them know. I’m going to try and scrapbook a bit and then get the boys’ school papers done. Or maybe I should do it the other way around LOL?