Category: Alaethia

I have a more detailed post in the works, but since my laptop seems to be on it’s last breaths and keeps shutting down on me, I’ll have to leave it for some other time. Oh yeah, I have to get up early for work, too, heh.

Speaking of, my last 2 large events are over, Hallelujah! I’ll update on those, too.

I feel a weight off my shoulders and even though I’m pretty busy with other activities at work, it’s nice to go through the day not feeling rushed, or worried. I had a perpetual heaviness in my chest I attribute to stress, and it seems to be completely gone from one day to the next! Don’t get me wrong: I really, truly enjoy my job, but the urgency I feel 24/7 comes with the territory. It’s expected. But it’s nice when something you worked so hard to accomplish comes to a fruitful end :).

It was a cold, drizzly, gloomy day. I even packed a soup and sandwich for lunch at work because I refused to go out in the cold.

I researched what to make with what I already had at home and figured Hasselback zucchini and potatoes would hit the spot. So, as soon as the girls’ homework was done and they were off playing Minecraft, and after talking to the boys, I got to work. And the Hasselbacks were a hit! Even the girls liked them :).

I wouldn’t consider them “healthy” (the butter, oh Lord, the butter!), but it sure was comfort food at it’s best! You could make these all sorts of ways. I’d like to try a sweet potato recipe soon! And although the slicing and waiting and filling are tedious, it’s pretty simple. I followed the recipe from Cupcake Project for a guide on the potatoes, only I substituted her ingredients for onion, tomato, turkey and American cheese–all stuff I already had on-hand.

For the zucchini, I followed Yummily Yours’ recipe, only I set the oven to 400 degrees to bake both dishes together and I reduced the amount of thyme to 2 pinches instead of 2 tablespoons.

Ok. My laptop died again and won’t come back up, wahh. Finishing this up on my Note. I need to make sure I backup all my photos and just everything on it. Ugh. Why now, laptop???

I’ve been dreading/excited about this event simultaneously. It’s one of my favorites, but the work it takes to get everyone on the same page and the fear that some won’t even arrive drives me to a headache, neck pain and is enough to make my chin break out.

Something I’m working on this year is not stressing about work (as much) and not working from home.

So I didn’t work on my lists or correspondence to my vendors or layouts or anything during the Christmas or New Year’s breaks. Usually, I’d stay up the night before set-up till almost midnight making sure the layout was perfect, just to change the whole thing the next morning when people cancelled or when my boss looked it over.

Today, I worked on my emails and layout at work, got it done as best as possible and printed everything else I’d need. Then my boss and I had a quick lunch at Johnny Rockets.

I was sad to find out they got rid of my favorite grilled cheese bacon sandwich, but this BLT sufficed :).

We went straight to the exhibit hall afterwards and the parking/unloading was exhausting on it’s own.  (A vendor had a friend drop off a “few things” to us yesterday but they ended up being a literal truckload!)

We had a line of people waiting to register when we got inside and it was about an hour of hustle and bustle. I still remember my first time during this event 4 years ago–the adrenaline and nerves are still exactly the same!

Things changed even more than I thought they would regarding the layout, but if all goes well and everyone pending shows up tomorrow, then we’re right at the number we were hoping for.
My boss and Alexis and I took turns going out to the floor to see what the vendors brought. Most of my favorite people are here, thank goodness. The lady who does those awesome miniatures from pasta de maiz has so many cute Catrinas!

When she told me to pick mine last year I kept telling her I’d “be right back” at her booth but I was always busy! By the time I did go back she sold out of all the ones I liked. (Didn’t stop me from picking a few others hehe.) She called me over tonight as soon as she set up and I chose these ^_^.

We closed up shop at 7pm and were out a little before 7:30pm. I called the boys to check how their 1st day back at school  went and Jaylen gave me a rundown of his day. We were on Facebook messenger last night working on one of his projects since he didn’t work on it during the break and they were back at Mario’s. He told me about how his PS4 seemed to have just died, too.

Speaking of dying, our poor old (Va)cuum fishy died yesterday. RIP, buddy :(.

The girls enjoyed their last day of freedom with Jenny and the girls, so they were thrilled :). They got to go to Bounce, watched “Annie” and played and ate pizza at Jenny’s. Gotta plan something for them when I’m not so darn busy :(.

I got home, got updates on everyone’s day, changed and then made dinner (Emily helped. And John washed the lettuce lol) while I spoke to Eenan.

I forgot he was supposed to continue his “grounding” for failing a class once school started again but he reminded me, ha.

Got the girls ready for bed since tomorrow is their first day back. I’m now relaxing with Jorge and trying my hardest to leave that layout and vendor list in my work bag, heh. Wish us all luck tomorrow!

I managed to successfully complete my to-do list at work from yesterday and today.

I’d started this to-do list last Tuesday, because I knew I wouldn’t be in the office till Monday. I was still at work, but we had a Delegation coming in and I’d be away from my desk. Which made me nervous as heck because I have several events I’m working on and deadlines!!

I was nervous about the visit itself since we weren’t 100% in charge of the activities, but we went along for everything anyway and the things that didn’t work out were really only behind-the-scenes stuff and the back-up plans worked out really well. It was a stress-free visit, for the most part.

My treat during these visits is usually the food itself, heh. Don’t get me wrong: I really do love to learn about all the inner workings of our city and I always love visiting all our “landmarks” and the people! I love meeting all these different people. But my absolute favorite part is the FOOD!

I was so sad I couldn’t finish that cheesecake! *sigh* I love food, what can I say, heh.

One of my favorite parts of the trip was the low-key visit to Quinta Mazatlan.

I would love to own a home like Quinta. Or to at least have a garden like the front yard at Quinta. And that succulent fountain they have. And this swing hanging from a gorgeous old oak tree:

The ladies and I had fun taking turns and taking photos. They were such a great group! I was so sad that I couldn’t properly say goodbye to everyone since they were let loose at the mall for some shopping during their last hours of the visit and I needed to leave to pick up the kids.

I picked up the kiddos and Emmos was tired and was throwing a tantrum. I can’t even remember over what. The other kids and I spoke about her, and the reason why she’s spoiled sometimes. We picked up pizza, got home and Emily was still sobbing and went to her room, but she’d calmed down. I’m walking down the hallway and she opens the door to her room and says, “Mama? Can I speak to you in private please?” My mouth drops at how mature she sounded. I said sure, and opened the door and we sat together on my bed. She very maturely let me know what was on her mind, and I told her what was on mine and that I would work on being better, on being more patient. I pulled her near me and embraced her and said, “I’m convinced you’re a 20-year-old in that little 5-year-old body.” She has her moments (such as tonight; she was tired and mopey and didn’t want to do her homework), but she’s just such a great little lady .

My heart feels like it’ll explode from the love sometimes. I passed by the boys’ room and saw them all in there, peaceful, happy, without a care in the world and I’m just so grateful I had to capture the moment.

(Pay no attention to their messy, unmade beds .)

The girls and I passed out on the sofa and Jorge moved us to our beds. We had to get up early for Jaylen’s game on Saturday.

We all woke up super early (except Eenan, of course!) and Jorge, Justin and Jorgie went to Justin’s game and the girls and I went to Jaylen’s. We dropped him off at school, and since we had an hour-and-a-half to waste before the game started I took the girls for breakfast at McDonald’s.

Jaylen did so well at his game! He’s progressively getting better.

It still made me cringe every time I saw one of the kids get hurt, though, ever since Jorgie broke his leg (I’m still pending that post!). Several boys on the White Team got hurt. Jaylen told me one of them dislocated his shoulder *shudder*.

I waited for Jaylen, picked the girls up (they’d left with Mary to Sonia’s) and then we got stuck in traffic. There was a 5-car accident on the Expressway thanks to non other than a drunk driver. When we finally got through, I picked up Justin, who was with Jorge at a job site. Took the kiddos home, then made them lunch.

Sunset Sessions was that evening so I got the kids all pumped up to go. Well, all of them except the 2 teenagers. Eventually Jorgie was convinced so only Eenan would be the one to stay home with Mom. Emily and I went to HEB to get picnic stuff. We were finally going to break-in the picnic basket Aunt Sylvia gave us and the girls were super excited.

AND THEN IT STARTS RAINING. And the lights go out at HEB. While we’re still inside. And didn’t even have my phone.

Dammit.

Jorge wasn’t going to be out of work on time and there was no way I could move Jorgie along in his wheelchair in wet grass/mud. So we scratched the idea. There was an audible, “Ahhhhhhh!!!” from all the kids. Even Justin said, “We don’t get to plan things often and then this happens!” No kidding!

So, what else do you do when you have a blanket and a picnic basket packed and it’s raining? You have a picnic on the porch, of course!

It was Michelle’s birthday that day, but we didn’t get to hang out. She called that she was on her way to Sunset Sessions but she understood that the rain+kids wasn’t a good idea. I promised her we’d celebrate later.

About 30 minutes later, the rain stopped and a rainbow popped out. FML LOL.

Jorge got home and debated for about an hour whether he was going to take up his boss’ invite to go to the ranch. He eventually decided “yes” and took Justin with him. I hung out with the kids for a while, watching TV and put them all in bed. The girls were happy to snuggle with mama :).

Woke up the next morning and made the kids wheat pancakes. Relaxed, did laundry, then Jorge got home and I made shrimp Alfredo. More tidying up and then I decided that I would relax. But not before making banana bread.

And then playing 4-square with the girls. And THEN I got to be lazy for a few minutes before I started on dinner. I hadn’t made tuna casserole in a while. The girls helped me with the ingredients and then Eenan started joking around, like always. We get into a conversation about why we’re not very huggy with Mom and both John and I tell him, “Well, we weren’t really brought up that way. She’d hug and hold us when we were little, but as we got older well, she just wasn’t like that.” Justin’s standing next to me and pats my shoulder and says, “I know the feeling.” So I say, “Get over here!” and grab him into a hug. I say, “I think it had the opposite effect on me; I think that’s why I love hugs and hugging the kids.” Emily, then Jaylen and Alaethia run into the group. Julien hears the commotion and goes into his famous running hugs. Then Eenan comes in for a hug. We’re all giggling and in a huge, wonderful group hug and poor Jorgie rolls in from their bedroom and says, “Hey, what’s going on?” We all laugh and then I realize that I hadn’t preheated the oven. John says, “Well if you weren’t over there getting group hugs…” Buahaha!

We ate dinner quickly and gathered around in the living room to watch “The Walking Dead”. It was 2 minutes in before we sent the girls to their room. It was much more gorey this time!! But such a good episode!

Put all the kids to bed and then a new week began. And I kicked Monday (and Tuesday) in the ass!! I even went on an interview. As much as I dislike those, because I’m always afraid I’ll screw up, I just went with the flow. And it worked out :).

We picked up a cake to celebrate Michelle’s birthday at work:

I got home from work and took Eenan to get a haircut with Emily in tow, of course. Mario waited for the kids while we got home and he took the boys =\. I’ll never get used to that.

EZ, Michelle and I went to Wing Stop today to celebrate her birthday. And I finally got one of my projects completed this afternoon and finished today’s to-do list. I have so much to do still, but I hope I can keep the same momentum going! I feel good about everything I got to accomplish. We sent all the kids to bed and we’re catching up on “The Voice” before I have to shower. Have lots going on tomorrow. I’m sure I’ll feel like this at the end of the day: