Category: Friendship

It was a pretty good Friday, considering I crashed out pretty hard last night, stopped my alarm instead of snoozing and waking up at 7:20am instead of 6:30am, heh.

I had my oatmeal at work while catching up with Michelle and simultaneously getting my work done. I accomplished everything, thank goodness. We’re gonna have a busy day next week and I need to mentally prepare myself >_<. Oooosssaaaahhhhh..... My love was working out of town and wouldn't make it back on time for lunch so I made plans with Sally. We met at a fairly new vegan restaurant called the Green Owl Deli. I'd told Jorge about it, but I lost him at 'vegan' LOL. It was such a cute place. I want to decorate ONE of the rooms in my house like that (Jorge would probably allow one of the bathrooms or laundry room only, but I'll take it!). It was just so cozy, whimsical and cute! [caption id="attachment_2359" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Cute decor!![/caption]

I totally wanted to take more pics but I didn’t want to be THAT PERSON, heh. It was impressively full for being a fairly new restaurant. I still wish poor Buttercreams Deli had made it; it reminds me of that place a lot. I miss the crepes!

Anyway, the prices are, well: pricey. But you can’t beat the unique paninis and sandwiches and desserts they have.

Sally and I both had the strawberry salmon panini with swiss cucumber sprouts and hibiscus tea. OMG. SO good!

Sally covered lunch so I got us some desserts. I got myself the Mostachon (which I ate at 4pm, heh) and it was amazing!

The afternoon went by semi-quickly. I was going to donate blood after work but the bus was 40 minutes late and I got lazy after picking up my prescriptions at HEB. So I came home and paid attention to my succulents. (I just realized how, um, elderly those few sentences sounded, buahaha!) Then my love got home and we ordered some Wing Stop. I talked to my babies on the phone (they’re still at their dad’s this weekend). Emily’s getting a cold, which sucks because school is JUST STARTING. Eenan was concentrating on buying some commissioned art from some kid-artist. He’s into all things illustration and pixel right now (his mother’s son??). Jaylen’s being a good boy and reading and doing his last-minute summer homework like he should be. Eenan’s had some…trouble feeling motivated about his >_<. And my Alaethia is all about her LPS (Littlest Pet Shop) right now. It's all she ever talks about. Just like all her mom ever does is talk about plants LOL. Which leads me to the next part of my post: I got the itch to do something creative. I'd seen these cute little cork planters on Pinterest. They were pretty pricey so I decided I wanted to make some myself. Jorge carefully carved out the tops for me and hand-drilled a drainage hole. And then I got to painting :). [caption id="attachment_2361" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Part 1 of my cork planters[/caption]

I finished painting them (it took forever since I didn’t have proper brushes; I used the girls’ very worn-out ones). I sprayed some cactus soil with water and carefully pushed it into each cork top. I snipped the tops of some of my succulents and using the end of a paintbrush, made a litle hole to stick the cutting into and then carefully topped off the soil. And voila!

I want to make more! And I didn’t have to pay $65 for the pair! Although, personally knowing how long the work takes, I can understand why they charge that much! Jorge joked that he’d happily carve more out for me if I sold them for $65 buahaha. Now let’s just hope that the little plants survive!

Ok, bedtime for me. I had a teensy bit of wine when I started this entry and it hit me already. Lightweight ^_^!

So that interview I wrote about yesterday? I survived it once again.

But not before flipping my shit because I was half-abandoned and expected to do the thing myself when I didn’t even want to do it in the first place. I mean, I felt like flipping my desk over (if it didn’t weigh a literal ton). But I got over it, and wonderful Alexis (I’m so sad she’s not my neighbor anymore, waah!) practiced the Spanish part with me and Mrs. Thelma helped me through it, as did the two ladies interviewing us. They really are great at what they do and totally put us at ease and made us laugh.

I wasn’t too thrilled when Carolina, the lady who did the Spanish interview, offered to get in touch with her contacts at the other Spanish stations to interview us and promote the program there, too. I just smiled and gave a thumbs up. She’s just being helpful, of course, but I did stumble all over my words during the Spanish part. You’d think that after 4 years of Spanish being a part of my job that it would sort of just FLOW, but it doesn’t.

I’ve got lots to catch up on tomorrow since I took half the day today to comply with my appointments.

I met my love (and Marco, and then ran into Michelle, EZ and Anabel) at Palenque Chicken. I love meeting him for lunch .

Emily had a follow up at her dentist’s office. Well, not really a follow-up; more like a second opinion. I couldn’t believe it when they told me she had 2 cavities her last visit (after 6 months). During that same visit, when it was time to schedule an appointment for her fillings they tell me they would schedule her fillings for her 6 cavities. I tell them they made a mistake; check the chart. Nope, it was hers.

I felt weird and frankly, I didn’t believe it. So I scheduled an appointment with the pediatric dental specialist for today. He checks her and says he sees 4 cavities. Still not the original 2, but OK. And then he says he recommends she gets caps instead of fillings. I’m squinting at the X-ray; the cavity is miniscule!! I don’t understand how something that small needs CAPS!!!

Emily and Alaethia leave with Mary to have lunch, while I go to my dentist appointment. I text Jorge and tell him about my concerns, then I text Mario and tell him the same. They both agree they need to see a different dentist altogether. I get to my dentist’s and tell Jennifer and Elda about it. Jennifer says she used to work for them and they were kind of shady. I freaking new it. I’m moving the girls to my dentist ASAP.

I get my check up done and for the first time in a long time, everything is A-OK!! Woo!

I came home to change really quickly, then went to the girls school to meet Mario and the girls for Meet the Teacher night. I updated Mario; the girls weren’t going to be in the same class as their BFF’s, Audrey and Maddie (both sisters, both the same exact age as my girls). It kind of worked out when Audrey and Alaethia saw each other from across the hall and ran and embraced. As did Emily and Maddie. It was the sweetest thing :). Jenny and I found the opportunity to tell them that Audrey’s class was at the end of the hall and that Alaethia’s was a few doors down. They got it right away, but they didn’t get upset. We did promise weekend play-dates at Ben & Jerry’s though, heh. You gotta bribe them SOMETIMES!!

Jenny complimented me and said that I’m “looking good”. I joked that I jog once a week to keep my figure LOL. I told her we should go together and she replied, “I run, to the fridge!” Buaha. I love her, she’s hilarious. And the compliment was much appreciated as I’m feeling quite gelatinous lately since I’m not working out OR running. Waah.

I took the girls to Ben & Jerry’s for a treat after Meet the Teacher:

We got home and I sent them to the bathroom to brush their teeth!

Mary picked the girls. She’d taken the boys to get haircuts. I think it’s amazing how they both tower over me (it was bound to happen, heh). I love those lil’ guys. I need to mention just how wonderful they are. They’re so loving and great. Eenan sent me this last night when I whined about how much I hate being in front of the screen:

Such a great boy :*)! I just wish he’d see what a handsome boy he is!! I’m afraid I passed on my low self-esteem to my eldest child. How do I fix that :(?

Lots of hugs and kisses were passed around and then my kiddos left :(. It sucks that this is the last week of summer.

Jorge got home as the kids were leaving and before I started making dinner, I checked on my succulents. They’re doing pretty good since I separated them all on Saturday evening with the girls’ help ^_^.

The succulents in the large pot were having trouble, as is the Haworthia Zebra in the smaller “garden” so I had gone with Emily to Home Depot to purchase some small terra cotta pots. (Then we had gone to Kohl’s to finish their school shopping :).)

(I’m not too fond of that photo; it was dark and the flash made the succulents turn weird colors >_<.) Unfortunately, I lost my large hen & chicks and my Echeveria "Lola". They were never the same after we got back from vacation. I'll never understand if it was underwatering, overwatering, sunburn or WHAT that did them in =\. It's frustrating. [caption id="attachment_2344" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Leaflets, propagating.[/caption]

I put all the leaflets I was propagating in this pot. Well, the ones that made it, anyway. The wonderfully budding Jellybean leaves all shriveled up, except one. And even that one doesn’t look like it’s doing too good =\. I just hope the rest make it!

[edited on Friday, August 22, 2014]

I just realized the photo above is from August 15th!! The tiny, new buds have grown significantly in a week!

I threw in the other 3 that I’d been propagating separately, as you can see. Sadly, I’ve forgotten which they are! The little “beads” are Sting of Pearl leaflets and I know there’s a Donkey Tail Burrito. I thought there was a Golden Sedum, but I’m not entirely sure now, since it looks different O_o. Anywho, I can’t wait till they grow more!! The waiting game drives me crazy!!

And here is my windowsill at present:

*swoon* I could stare at them alllll dayyyyy!!

So, even if today started out pretty darn crappy, I have to say my family, friends and hobbies turned it around completely <3!

We had a great week with the kids. It started on Sunday evening when we picked them up from the other parents’ homes and took them to the drive-in to watch Maleficent and Transformers: Age of Extinction. We bought tons of snacks and got the cooler, blankets and lawn chairs ready, went on the drive and found a pretty good spot.

They were into the movies, thank goodness, and although the girls and I spent a lot of time in line at the bathrooms (OMG, the lines!!), we had a pretty good time :).

We got out super late, though, and Jorge and I worked the next morning so we got them home and put them all into bed.

This was the 1st year that we’ve gotten to have all 7 kids together for 4th of July, so we were excited :).

Our boss let us out early on Thursday, by noon, so I went straight to HEB to buy all the stuff for the BBQ and s’mores during the fireworks. I wasn’t sure about what type of patties to buy for the burgers, so I called Jorge and asked, even sending him a photo of the beef patties I figured we should take (and that weren’t part of a recent recall). He approved, and I took them.

Got home, made dinner for the kids, Mom, John and Jorge. I got ready and met Alexis at the gym. We didn’t want to miss it since we knew we’d be “bad” the next day. I had all intentions of eating many s’mores hehe.

She didn’t have plans since her hubby would be working, so I invited her and her nephew over for the festivities :).

Jorge and I started the next morning off on the wrong foot; we just argued about who knows what (the sky being blue? Something ridiculous like that, heh). So I was huffing and puffing by the time the kids and I got in the car with Mom to go to Walmart and to visit Gramma. 4th of July is her birthday. Mom wanted to stop by Walmart since she wanted to do some last-minute shopping for her and so I waited in the car with the kids while she and Jaylen got down. Emily wanted to get down too, but I could already imagine the trouble she’d give Mom, so I told her to stay with me. Thus began the Meltdown of the Century. The other 2 kids and I had to endure the wails; she needed a nap BIGTIME. It seemed like Mom and Jaylen were never getting back! When they did, we took off to Gramma’s.

The smart thing would have been to take her home and go back later, but I had a long list of things to get done so I figured she’d calm down. WRONG.

She wailed while we visited with Gramma, until a nurse came in to tell us to keep it down. She said the “family” of a dying patient a few rooms down wanted us to be quiet. I’ve already gotten into it with her before; she was the nurse who so kindly quit sitting Gramma up in her wheelchair because Gramma “didn’t want to”. Grrr. Gramma NEEDS to sit every day or else her pneumonia will relapse. Just seeing her pissed me off, so I gave Gramma a kiss on the head, and grabbed Emmo’s hand and we stomped off. I turned back to the nurse and told her I wanted to make a complaint. There’s been plenty of times that I’ve had to visit Gramma with people howling for water, for their relatives, food, going to the bathroom and they’ve scared my kids but I’ve been understanding. I got that Emily was loud and perhaps there really was a family who asked (I didn’t believe her, though), but the way she told me was rude and condescending. Of course, the one person I had to make the complaint with never became unoccupied (figures) so Emily and I just left. We sat in the car and I was so frustrated I just bawled with her :(.

Low and behold, we get home and Emily falls asleep. Poor thing. I couldn’t even be upset with her, it wasn’t her fault. But I tried making the best of the day and I cleaned, and then we picked up fireworks with all the kids and got back home to start the fire. Alexis got here with her nephew and we prepped the corn on the cobs, chopped veggies and got everything ready. I realized, in horror, that I hadn’t defrosted the darn hamburger patties!! So I start thawing them in water. Jorge walks in and says, “Nooo! Use the microwave!” But it’s too late. They’re all mushy and weird. He stands over my shoulder as I’m pulling them apart (’cause the centers are still super frozen) and patting them back together once they do fall apart. He says, “Are you trying to feed me turkey burgers? ‘Cause they look like turkey burgers. The hot dogs are turkey. (insert suspicious scowl here, heh)” I tell him, “No! They’re beef, hello, I sent you the pic yesterday, remember?” I even walk to the trash to find the packaging, ’cause now I’m wondering if they’re beef, but the package is under way too much junk.

I finally get the patties to look decent and take them out to Jorge. Jorgie walks in and says, “I think those patties are turkey…they keep falling apart. Dad says regular patties don’t do that.”

I go outside and sure enough, they’re falling apart. There were some casualties, but the ones that do make it looked pretty good, and tasted great!

We got all the kiddos lined up and fed and Alexis and I were pretty proud of the “healthy” burger version we made. It was amazing!

We got all the kiddos in the car and Alexis followed us to the same parking lot we went to last year to watch the fireworks. All the kids were well-behaved and patient. It was a nice show :).

We had a pretty “easy” time getting out of the parking lot, considering how crowded it was. It took us about an hour to get home last year!

We got home and we all helped getting the table and chairs out for the fireworks and s’mores. It was such an awesome time with all the kids and family and Alexis :). And nobody caught fire or anything so that’s a plus!

A few days later I’m cleaning up the counter and find an HEB receipt. I crumple it up to throw it, but something tells me I should read it so I do. The first thing on it: “soy patties”!!!

I couldn’t stop laughing. It wasn’t EVEN turkey, it was SOY!! I texted the photo to Jorge and he posted it on Facebook for all to see, buahaha. I guess we ate pretty healthy after all!