Well, not much so far, woke up and dragged my behind to the kitchen to make the coffee (that I forgot to make the night before-when will I learn?) and Isa is standing there all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed chatting away...I still have one eye closed feeling for the coffee pot and working my way along the counter till I hit the refrigerator...filling up the pot with water and head pressed against the freezer-both eyes shut now..."bye mom!"..."love you-have a good day" I manage to get out-and off she goes!  I get my first cup of coffee in my system and then out comes the second crew - all ready for breakfast!  :)  Ok, boring stuff so far..as the kids are packing up to get on the bus Superman witnessed Gabi stuffing play-handcuffs in her school bag this morning..."Gabi, you can't take that to school", said Superman, so she started pulling out all these toys one by one and said "I guess I'll go take these back to my room."  This girl needs something to do at ALL times.  She never stops moving.  She rocks her self to sleep in bed at night and her hair looks like medusa in the mornings. I recently asked her why she rocks, thinking it soothes her, but she said "because it makes me tired with all that rocking!  Then I can go to sleep!"  hmmm.  Maybe if we all just rocked alittle more-none of us would have insomnia..  And then need 3 cups of coffee before opening our eyes...Check!

Baker, Baker, u can't Fake Her! (but I try!)

Ok, the other day I decided to make Home-made Bagels...Good thought..but I can't bake!  But, for some reason, I really thought I could pull it off so in I went-elbow deep in dough!  I couldn't believe how easy it was and how stupid I was for buying the store bagels for sooo long!  I was so excited when they came out decent looking and Superman actually liked 'em!  AND HE'S FROM NEW YORK! lol

Pictures to come because I have to document the day momma faked a baker!

Well, the next day I decided that I was going to make pretzel sticks as good as Auntie Anne's at the mall!...So the work began again...Well, the kids raved over em and said they were as good as the mall but I'm think'n that pretzels might have to be a holiday thing because it sure seemed to take alot more work!  Think it's because I had to have them "perfectly" sugared with cinnamon/sugar and it took a few times.  BUT-the fact that my kids ATE ANYTHING that I made is a HUGE SUCCESS!  Mark that off my bucket list. *

Wayyy Behind!

Well, I'm way behind on my blogging and although it's nothing new, I am frustrated that I can't just zone in on one thing to post.  I have so many things that I want to do and making time to focus on one just about kills me.  Last night, laying in bed, I realize I couldn't remember why my son got to go to the WWW wrestling with his dad this year...was it his birthday?  No, it was after that..did I take a picture?..no..dad suprised him on the way..misd that picture...crud!  No, it was just a day in September I think...hmmm.  Mateo was so excited when he found out that dad and he were on their way-right then!- to the BIG wrestling show at the downtown arena!  I wish I could've seen his face!  That's one day I just have to give to Dad.  After all, I think I got to witness him taking his first step so dad should get one thing huh?...  Anyway, I am in bed thinking of how much I have missed writing on paper.  How many pictures I have still stuck in my camera that I won't even remember what they are!...I always want the perfect memories, perfect pictures, ...yada yada yada...(that darn Martha Stewart and her words "it's just perfect", stick with me from 20 years ago).  hmmm..Gotta let that go someday...

It's now January 2011 and I'm going to be backtracking from Halloween I think, but o'well.  Kids, someday when you read this you'll just be glad you were in the book!

CHRISTMAS DAY:

Santa Pox arrived for Grace!  She really started with some red bumps on Christmas Eve, but we weren't sure...Christmas Day..We WERE SURE!  and so the process began...

We really were glad that this meant that all the kids would finally get the pox and we could just get it over with but we had no idea how tough it was going to be.  Ok, it wasn't as bad as twins up all night every night from birth to 2 years and 4 months...and 6 hrs-give or take, but it was trying to say the least.

Grace did pretty good.  Not much itching and slept pretty good with alittle help from Benedryl.
Gabi got 'em about a week later...Alittle tougher.  Alot more pox and alot more itching.. Benedryl, Ice, Calamine...grrrr!  Less Sleep..
Mateo came in 3rd about 2 days later with ALOT of pox!  Mainly on his lower trunk and NOT FUN!  No sleep, major itching and screaming pain at times...Benedryl, Ice, Tylenol, Prayers...LESS SLEEP!
Then, Isa got 'em...All over!  12 years old and face was covered...not a good thing.  She would recite the same thing to me every minute-"I look like a freak!- I'm ugly"!....You will note that I didn't get a picture of HER chicken pox...  She was itchy and in pain but after I had a breakdown on the 3rd week, I think she just kept it to herself bless her heart.  But, Isa had them in her MOUTH as well, so we got a perscription for lidocaine that she could swish around.  She never did..  We did, however, find another use!  dabbing on ALL of their pox when they drove 'em crazy!  It would take the pain away for alittle while and sometimes enough to get them to sleep.  zzzzzzzz......Then, Tanner walks in the door and announces that he had the flu the night before!..."Are you alright?"..'Yeah'..."You have to go!...I don't want the kids to get the flu on top of the chicken pox!"...nice, huh?  Well, he was ok, just hungry!  And I was kindof mad at him for not calling me to tell me he was sick anyway!  I mean, how am I supposed to hold the washcloth over his forhead when he's throwing up if I don't know he's sick -for pete's sake!..ok, he IS 19...

Finally!  School starts again!  Woo-Hoo....well, at least Grace got to go back!  She just looked back and laughed.  I think she enjoyed the days by herself wayyy too much!  I wanted to go with her!  Slowly, everyone recovered and one by one they went back to school.  The day the school nurse called and treated me like we were lepers was a BAD day...she wanted to inform me that she was going to have to contact ALL the parents of the kids that aren't vaccinated to let them know.. because, of course, our children weren't vaccinated.... hmmmm.....how come I NEVER got called when anything was going around at school????  I guess those rules weren't in place...A WEEK BEFORE!   grrr! The Nurse just wanted to make sure we were diagnosing it right...She asked me if I had the kids checked out by the Dr. and if I had BLOOD TESTS DONE!   what in the world was this nurse on???  What Dr. wants you to bring in your kids to the office and expose everyone???  I was at the point that I thought, "you know what?  Maybe I should pack my kids up and bring them to the school!  So NURSE could diagnose herself!" ...Then, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT calls me...ok, I am ready to rip some stuff so I call superman and he talks to them so I don't say something that makes them end up on my doorstep with guns drawn!...ok, Superman handled it and everything is ok...except in my mind!  I am left with the 20 questions from the Nurse and Health dept. stinging in my ear.  As a parent, you try and do what is the absolute best for your kids with the information that you have.  19 years of due diligence and in 5 minutes, someone can shake you to the core.  Of course you question yourself.  You question yourself everyday on whether you are doing what's right for your kids.  Especially when the world doesn't bow to your plan for them.  All I know is that even with all the questioning, I know, WITHOUT A DOUBT, that I try and do what I believe is the best for them and  I will not stop looking for the right information to base my decisions on.  Ever.

So, what a crazy 5 weeks it was...Christmas vacation turned into a Dr. Suess book... The Pox got in our sox, sly as a fox, and as the clock tox, we were sealed up in a box like Fort Knox!  Say that 5 times fast!

Happy New Year!

HALLOWEEN WEEKEND! Pooky! Pooky!

Happy Halloween!  Friday night before Halloween, Izzy had a booth set up at Tanganyika but we had to dress up for the booth so I'm calling Stef asking if she has any cape or witches dress I could borrow..lucky for me-she let me borrow her graduation gown!  Worked out "magically" and set the stage that night.  I slopped on green gunk all over my face and big black moles with red lipstick!  Let me tell you this- I was not cut out for black hair and red lipstick!  I looked more like Elvira but o'well..  Izzy decided to be a boxer..I added a black eye and he grabbed Mateo's wrestling belt...(which ended up making him look like a WWF dude instead!)  no prob- it all worked!  So off we go to Tanganyika with the kids and they took off in all directions!  My stupid hat kept flying off and I swear it sailed like a flying saucer!  So Weird!  After chasing that hat about 20 times I decided i would wander around and find my kids.  Once I tracked them down it was time to go and everyone was exhausted!  Funny thing was..we got to do it all over again the next night! LOL..  I think it turned out to be a great weekend and gave me HOPE for next Halloween!  Halloween night was COLD!  I ended up layering Grace with my mammoth coat to the point where she disappeared!  So much candy that night that we ended up with 10 XTRA pounds of candy to give to someone else! (thank goodness cause every 3musketeer had my name on it and every Reeses had superman's)! The kids ended up with a big baggy full-EACH!  awww the dentist loves us!  Time to go get our sealants AGAIN! till next year!

Pumpkin Time! Grandma Jan and Grandpa Larry came with Gifts!

Ok, now when the day comes to carve pumpkins Mom gets alittle psycho and sometimes I just have to leave for awhile so my OCD doesn't go into overdrive!  Thankfully, Grandma & Grandpa Randel come down and help out!  Dad is always "amazing!" when it comes to carving and I get to feeling alittle overwhelmed just because I try to capture so many memories at once & forget to just "CHILL OUT!"  But, this year it was really pretty relaxing...for me! LOL! I just took some pics and let 'em at it!  Dad?...was tired afterward!

Birthday Goodies for Isa!

Grandma Jan & Grandpa Larry!  They always come at carving time because Mom
Gets psycho on this day!

Even Tanner came for goodies!

Happy Carving!

2010 Family Pics

Happy Wife~ Happy Life!

Ok, I'm gonna confess here..My lil idea of a nice little family picture on the dock...looking all lovely...HA!  Until I got home and noticed the TRAILERS in the background!  I was laughing so hard I couldn't stand it!  We all had a good chuckle because I tried so hard to have this all planned, organized at just the right time, running down to the dock at dusk!  Yelling at everyone- "hurry-go-get your shoes off-hurry, the sun's going down-time's a running out! Sit here, sit there, Tanner you sit here-hold Gabi-Grace! Jump in here and just sit! Throw the blanket-hurry! Isa! sit! Mateo! Sit!  Izzy! what are you doing????! (holding down the other side of the bench so Tanner doesn't fall in the lake!)  ..OH!   ok! hurry everyone!  SMILE!  Don't move! push the timer....Run mom!  Sit mom!......tick tick tick tick....CLICK!  whew!  We got it!  Yay!  Perfect! 

Home we go...upload picture...YOU ARE KIDDING ME! lol lol lol!  GOTTA LOVE IT! 

But when you get your Christmas cards this year...don't be doing a "where's Waldo" looking for that trailer, cause it will be GONE! lol!  Ah, the beauty of technology...stay tuned...



The Villegas Family 2010

                                       

FALL IS HERE! YAY!

Well, the kids are well aware of my craziness that happens every Fall!  The picture-taking psycho comes out in me and they have all learned how the plan goes...Don't tell mom "no"... Wear what she wants you to wear...do your hair the way she wants it done...yada yada yada...lol!  Actually, they are all really good about letting me go thru my phase every year.  Even Tanner showed up ready to roll for me!  I have to say the one person that truly gives ALL is my amazing husband!  HE ROCKS!  Whatever I need-He gets it!  Yesterday, he was in the storage unit looking for a bench so we could put it on the dock! LOL!  This man is outstanding when I'm having my photo crisis!  Never complains, just gathers kids, puts them in place and smiles! Woo-Hoo for my Hubby!

Now I know it sounds like I get alittle crazy...and I do...but photo memories are so important for me to give to my children.  I don't have any photos of me from birth to about 6 months and I just don't ever want my kids to wonder..."where was I at this time?"  Believe me!  They will be so sick of look'n at their cute lil mugs, they'll always know! LOL!   So- CHEERS TO FALL! (Ya'll)!