You get one bean...you get the whole burrito

This is the phenomenan was explained to me by my cousin. See, her family owns and operated an Alstate Insurance office. When they had one Mexican sign up, the next thing you know...there cousin, grandma, brother, mother are all calling to sign up.

Well, I asked for one bean...I got the WHOLE burrito so to speak.... it all started about a month ago when I was referred to this painter and he came by and gave me a quote. This week I called and said I was ready to get started with the job. He said ok I'll be there at 8:30 Thursday morning. OK I said, Great! I fully expected him and him alone to come do the job, which is a mighty task none the less (painting 2300 sq. ft., half of which is 2-story ceilings).

Anyway at 8:30 Thursday morning there is a knock at the door. I was so surprised at the promptness because working with contractors in the past, if they say 1 p.m. that really means 3:30-6. Anyway, I open the door to see 6 Mexicans standing on my stoop...buckets, brushes, ladders...in they walk one after the other. I smile and nod at each one of them as they shuffle in. Within 1/2 hour I had 6 spiders climbing the wall painting my world beautiful!! YAH!!! Here is one picture, I will show more when I get my furniture so I can do one big reveal...anyway this is the entry way overlooking the dining on the right in green and office on the left in blue. Yes, the entry is painted after my favorite thing in the world...chocolate brown!!!

BTW calling all mexicans "beans" is like what...calling all americans by thier favorite side dish which would be what potatoes? " You call one potatoe, you maybe get one potatoe" te-hee....it's getting late....

Revivals...1) our family & 2) kitchen

1) Ryan's at the top of the stairs putting his pj's on and we are downstairs, whatever... you see Ryan is attending SONSHINE BIBLE SCHOOL. All the sudden we hear him rant out,

RYAN: (yelling) "RAISE JESUS!!!!!!!" "RAISE HIM UP!!!!!"

"ALL CHILDREN HAVE TO RAISE JESUS!!!"

................seth and I flash glances at eachother and I start to giggle........

SETH: (straight-faced) " Ryan, do you mean PRAISE JESUS?"

RYAN: (very aditmantly) " No! R-A-I-S-E RAISE JESUS! I MEAN YES, PRAISE JESUS....ALL CHILDREN NEED TO PRAISE JESUS!!!"

Then he continues the words with a song: (once again with raise)

RA-ISE HIM

RA-ISE HIM

RA-ISE HIM

ALL YOU LITTLE CHILDREN RAISE JE-U-SUS!

IF there was any bad spirit or spirits in our home, they have certainly been "raised!" This was the revival of our family.

2)The second revival is the one of our kitchen!!! Here our the granite counter- tops...YAH!

So once the counter-tops were in, I found the color of out cabinets unsightly, so the next morning it was of to Home Depot for paint...here is one panal painted...
Awwww, deep breath......that's much better! And I feel super crafty and industrious becasue we had planned on paying our painter $1750....GO ME!

..........................stay tuned for the next episode...plumbing the new sink and my painter is coming tomorrow to paint the whole ENTIRE downstairs (huge two-story non-painter friendly walls-YIKES!) I know yall will miss seeing strips in the backround of EVERY picture, but there is somethin to be said for consistency!)

"SECREST OUT"

A Target Miricle

As many of you know I am in the process of re-decorating and renovating my new house. Well, yesterday I hit the deal of the century. I know many of you out there are Target fans and ofcourse know of the global bizarre goods. Well, I know in the past they go 30% off, then 50%, then 70%. Well I saw them go on 30% and waited and watched. Then the sunday adds came. 50% starting monday. I opened them up, filled 3 carts, and ticked of the guy ringing me up....I didn't care!

-3 basket urns - 3 white artichoke pendants

- 2 baskets with handles - 2 decorative glass bowls

- 2 woven bowls - 2 wooden picture frames

- 2 woven lamp - 8 decorative bowls

- 2 rounded lamp shades - 1 small, 1 large white pottery vase

- 2 large glass votives - large shell bowl on display

- large wooden urn - bundle of bamboo sticks- 2 packs of gum

- 3 green vases - leaf porcelain tray-2bags of dove chocolate

***********PLUS: Two LEATHER arm chairs******

So how much do you think I spent on all these lovelies????????

******************$526.29*********************

This is what my kitchen looks like WITH-OUT counter-tops. They came last night and ripped them out and said, "See ya tomorrow!" What? I have no sink, no counters, and 2 hungry children! They are 10 minutes late....I'm sure that number will get much larger. Such is life when your working with contractors.

STAY TUNED FOR THE AFTER SHOT! (Now I feel like Ryan Seacrest!)

What the huck-abee?! VS. Ohhh-Bomba!!

VS.

So I had NOT chosen a candidate until today.... there was a pretty little chart in the Sunday paper. It was the kind of chart that your literature arts teacher would be proud of.
- In one column the issues: gay marriage, health insurance, gun rights, abortion.
- The top row was all the candidates
- The filler was how the candidate felt about the issue or their action plan.

So I should not be surprised but Clinton (whom I've liked talking about all this try more and lets change America) and Obama are BOTH pro gay marriage and abortion.

-UH-OH-

I simply CAN NOT support a candidate that supports gay marriage. It is fundamentally against what I believe as a member of the church and what I believe in my heart. Let me be clear. As Gordon B. Hinckley so well put in his interview on CNN with Larry King "We are not anti-gay, we are PRO-FAMILY."

Although, I do NOT like McCain because I think he is a "mini-me" of Bush. I will have to say the the candidate that I can get behind MOST of what he supports is Huckabee.

This is the decision that Americans need to make. No candidate can be perfect. But who most reflects our desires and hopes for America.

But the deal maker for me was supporting gay marriage. I simply can not get behind our democrats because of that one issue. I really thought I would this election because I really do not like the Republican administration we've had, but I just can't....

Sunday Conversation

Ryan has a certain affinity for Spagegetti O's. He was raving about them and I had to document the affair!

G'pa Boyz in da hood!

Don't send a lame eCard. Try JibJab Sendables!

All clueless husbands go to heaven....???

I wish this were a picture of what I got today. So what did yall get for V-day? I got a blue-tooth ear- peice.

.....................................Can you even fake a smile for that? ..........................I never even use my cell-phone anymore. Oh well, atleast I got a present. When asked if I like it, I said, "honey, this is not my b-day, or christmas...this is valentines day, you know as in flowers, candy, cards, spa gc's, cocoalate covered strawberries, sparkly thingys" After seven years of marriage, I am CERTAIN that all clueless husbands need a manual that include exact specifications on what to get your wife for Valentines Day.

Ok so now that I've vented....anybody wanna talk?

Ethan's First Camera Session

So I taught him how to use the camera...that is which button to push that makes noise. Here is what followed accompianed with lots of giggling!

I'm proud to say that Ethan, mommy, AND the camera survived the experiance.

Camera Lesson 2: How to turn the camera around to take pictures of things other than what's under your nose today!

....more dumping DNA

OK so you know I worte earlier about the 2 year old dumping DNA program....I REALLY need a broom!!!

Where a kid can be a kid and parents can go broke!

Ethan spent all his coins riding these little cars and that move about 2 mm back and forth, nonetheless thrilling for a almost 2 year old!

Ryan (and Seth) spent all there coins on b-ball and ski-ball. I gotta say Ski-ball rocks! 100 tickets later, we were able to buy 2 suckers, 2 plastics rings and a mini "4 in a row" game

Baby Mozart

Look what I found my cutie pie doing this morning!

All while I prepared my breakfast....

MM mmm YUM YUM CPK BBQ Chicken Pizza and CF Diet DP! You gotta get you some!

Attack of the Nerds!

I think there is a downloaded program into the brain of every 2 year old. It's main program objective states," Dump anything and everything OUT everywhere!!!" Today's VICTIM:

Ryan's V-Day Nerds candy... and the picture doesn't show all the candy on the floor...DID I FORGET TO MENTION THE MOVERS STOLE MY BROOM!!!

The new glamorous JOB!

Seth's new job is soooo important. Sooo important that he dressed up everyday in fine linens....NOT! Sits at a regal desk made of the finest wood......NOT!!! Has the upscale address of an office.....NOT!!!

You don't beleive me? Here is the evidence!

1) Custom made desk (kids cloths storage bins, desk top is crib base

2) Fine wool shirt with added air conditioning under the pits

3) space heater b/c it's sooo cold in Texas...NOT!!

We gotta love our hard working daddy who has so far been easy on the budget, but NOT easy on the eyes, but that is a matter of opinion. I'm sure somewhere like Dayton, OH this may look very normal and may even be SEXY? (Yes, that one was for you Larson Girls!)

bROTHERLY lOVE

From the day Ethan was born, Ryan has LOVED his brother. He NEVER showed any jeolosy...only love for this new playmate. There are occasional bashing him over the head with large objects by accident as they rumble around, but this is normal I am told. (I would not know, not growing up with members of the opposite sex). My sisters and I just threw things at eachother. Shoes, circus peanuts (you know who you ARE!) The plot of the movie above is this. I'm downstairs cleaning up the kitchen and Seth does the yell wisper, "Come here!" "Ryan is reading to Ethan!" I run and get my camera and runs up the stairs and this is what we have. Ryan is quite the reader these days and I'm so proud that he shares this skill with his little bro!

Snacky Meal

Every day of my life I have known my father to eat this most picular little feast of a lunch that respectlvely has become known as "The Snacky Meal" It may be how he has kept to slim and trim. The ingrediants:

Raw Veggies: Cauliflower, Broccoli, Carrots

Fresh Fruit: Apple, Plum, Cherries, Peach, Grapes

Cheese: usually chedder, but could be anything

Crackers: Wheat thins

These are the main parts, but can be accompianed with applesauce, yogurt, cottage chesse, e.t.c.

The other reason this meal is interesting:

1) eat it standing up to the counter

2) no plates (You cut and eat, cut and eat until full.)

As I grew up I thought everyone in the world had "snacky meal" for lunch. Little did I know. My husband watched this little ritual and thought it was the funniest thing he ever saw. Anyway, this is a common lunch for my boys. But I put it on a plate and they sit down.

Sick is NOT pretty

So yesterday I came down with the plague. I haven't had a fever since H.S. until yesterday. I guess you could call this the flu...fever,chills,muscle aches, plus the whole gammit of mucous related yuck. So what is worse is being this way while still taking care of the monkey and the monster (Ryan and Ethan). Changing diapers while your eyeballs feel like they are going to pop out. Fixing breakfast and getting nauseas. I guess it is one of those moments where I became eternally in awe of generations of women who have cared for children while being less than themselves. Thanks Mom!

No. 2 fav thing about Austin

This is the view from my front porch. Playscape, tennis, swings, basketball. And with the 60 degree average weather these days we still use it about everyday! The kids are loving it and I am having fun meeting all the moms in the 'hood.

My favorite thing about Texas...so far....

I...

L- Low fat

O- oven fresh

V- very quick

E- easy dinners

...these things... H.E.B. tortillas (short for Harry E. Butts) Yes, you know why the guy shortened that. Anyway, they press them out every day and they are soooo yummy. If you have ever had a fresh homemade tortillas you know what I'm talking about. I eat them constantly. Egg and Cheese Burritos for breakfast, Cheese and Bean for lunch, warm them alone for snacks, and I may add salsa and sour cream to make them "fancy burritos" for dinner. I bought bread when we moved here and now havent touched it! Seth doesn't seem to mind. He's trying to loose his F.U.P.A (see the chubby blog) from all those months of eating on the company and eating good if you know what I mean. Buts Burritos are No. 1 on my list of favorite things!

The Move Yall!

So I LOVE IT! There were a few normal snags once we got here. One of our lenders thought Seth was a independent salesmen and wouldn't fund our loan, we got a new lender and a lower rate to boot! Then we close, grab the keys and walk up to our new glorious front door..."Hallejie...yah" "Carry me over the threshold" I say to Seth. He frowns, but agrees. I jam the key in the front door. No movement. What! Ok calm down, try again. No movement. You've got to be kidding me. We just spent what and can't even get in? A few phone calls later and a long wait, we had keys and walked through the front door. Here we are. It's our home. A place that we will call our own. It looks like this....

Pretty huh? This will be our future office. I can't wait to do the "before and after" blog and hopefully it looks something like the HGTV's before and afters....well, step one. We bought our first washer and dryer. I'll call it my lil HE. We also bought new coach lights for the house, but we have no ladder so they remain in the box. Step Two was buy new appliances in our kitchen. I do have a before and after for that.... Step Three: New granite countertops

Step Four: Paint kitchen cabinets and downstairs walls

Step Five: Frame in office and put iron ballisters in stairs.

Step Six: Buy Furniture

Step Seven: Decorate!!!!

So I spend most my time looking at design ideas and at home depot.

What's you favorite color?

Am I doomed to being chubby the rest of my life?

So I have to admit...I have been chubby my entire life. Before you protest let me explain....as a baby, think rolls, cheeks that I still remember little old ladies coming up to me and squeezing. Must have made an impression since I remember is 25 years later. As I grew I may have gotten taller, but muscles have never pierced through my ever so thick layers. In H.S. there was a girl in my church and school that had guns(arms). Natural beautiful muscle tone. Her name was Michele Weaver. I don't think she even lifted, there was something on her genome GNCA that stood for "BUFF" I admit, that by my Sr. year of HS I was still chubby. My chubby peaked at 20, interestingly enough the peak of my "finding my eternal partner, really need a high self esteem-time of life" No luck with that-dang it. Couldn't put down the Twinkie. Got married-starved myself for 3 days straight before the wedding. Count them 1-2-3. Not even a carrot till the day of the wedding. My disclaimer- don't' try this at home girls. My honeymoon, I ate and ate and ate, plus flying makes me bloated...thus I had a F.U.P.A. (Fat upper pee-pee area) You know what I'm talking about girls. Oh, speaking of girls. That's the ONLY good thing about being chubby. The "girls like it" I liked it. Yes, I once had a nice large rack...but I was chubby. Then the most interesting thing happened. Pregnancy. Gained a fair amount of weight 35-40 poundaroos and then out comes this 7 pound baby. You read in magazines that the baby plus water and placenta equals about 15-20 pounds...they LIE!!! Post delivery I get on the scale and I had lost 10 pounds tops! But don't start to feel too sorry for me. I started nursing and nursing some more. Ryan was 20 pounds at 9 months old. So you can imagine what I looked like. I was now skinny FAT. You know the term. You are a shrunken version of your once flabby self only smaller. It may look like this.....

No real muscle tone, still have the skin and puffiness. I do appreciate that I can cover this up in cloths mostly and I like the skinny fat vs. the chubby fat version of myself. So this leads me to my quest..or question...could I ever be BUFF? Like athletic and muscly. Could muscles exists under my layer or layers of facist tissue and fat?

Could I look like this
No! I'm offended, ok maybe not too much, this is a picture of the reigning Ms. Fitness. So I'm not going to go crazy, but I have started this new class that makes me feel like rubber when I'm done. (That's good right?) And I am going to try to let my muscles shine, well at least SHOW. Am I going to show you a pre & post picture of myself in a bikini holding a newspaper...ummmm what ARE YOU CRAZY??? Just now that if I never talk about it again. I look more like the girl in the above picture and less of Ms. Fitness. Alas, I am grateful to have a healthy body that functions fueled mostly by flour tortillas and ghiradelli brownies, SORRY!!!