A Daughter's Wisdom

Here is the scene: We are in the car Tuesday evening on our way back from our Visit to the San Diego Zoo ( pictures coming) and Sydney in all her 7 year old wisdom says this:

Mom, You have anger issues.

What? What 7 year old says that.

So I follow up with:

Do even know what Anger issues are?

Syd: Sure, it's when you get crazy.

How sad is that, my own daughter knows I can get crazy. So that was my wake up call. No longer do I want to be the mother with anger issues. But the mother who is calm and level headed. Something I admit I haven't been lately. So I am taking this day by day. Maybe even minute by minute. I wish I could say I had more control to look at this week by week. But I don't. So right now I'm doing great. Nico had a meltdown over tv, and I didn't raise my voice, I stayed calm, cool, and collected. I am doing my kids and myself a great disservice by showing them I can't stay sane. And who wants to do that to their kids, the ones they love the most. So the next time Sophie throws herself on the floor for the next tantrum, I will calmly walk away, take a deep breath and come back with my craziness under control. My goal is to hear Sydney say.

Mom, you don't have anger issues anymore, thanks.

President Hinckley

I have been contemplating what I wanted to say about this man since last night when I heard the news of his passing. And the words I want to convey still aren't coming to me like I feel them. As I was chating with my mom last night to tell her the news we both comented on how sad we felt. And we think it's because he was just a sweet, little old man. He had that look about him. The kind of man that if he were my grandfather, I would never want to leave his side I would just want to sit and bask in all of his sweet sincerity.

When I was in college, Vicki and I had a weekend in Utah. (remember Vicki) It was for general conference and boys. Well when the boy thing didn't work out we were a little bummed, thought our trip was wasted. Well we ended our trip by attending conference. My dad had got us tickets for Sunday afternoon. This was before the conference center, so we were in the tabernacle. And when the Prophet walked into that room and we all rose out of our seats, this feeling came over me that I have never had since. Well maybe in the Temple when Nick and I were sealed. This total and complete peace that in fact he WAS the chosen of our Father In Heaven called to lead His people. A feeling I can't even explain. A feeling that left me in tears. Just a knowledge that indeed he was The True Prophet.

His 6 Be's hang in my kitchen as a constent reminder of how this man has influenced my life. I will deeply miss him.

Random thoughts

So Vicki asked for random thoughts and here they are (in no specific order)



I hate it when it rains, then it's sunny, then it rains, then its sunny. Pick one way to be weather and stay that course. Yesterday when I woke up it was sunny, but by the time we got to Sydney's school on the other side of Chino it was cloudy. Then I headed to the gym from there and it was sunny again. I guess it rained while in the gym because my car was soaked, but the sun was out, went to Target from there and when we came out it was pouring, so we had to sprint to the car at the back of the parking lot. The kids loved that. Then at two different times yesterday it was hailing here. Just choose rain or shine, you can't have both.




I have two dogs, and I am not a dog person. I would be happy with no pets at all. We have a yellow lab that we got as a puppy and we recently added ( well Nick recently added) an Enligsh Bulldog to the mix. Most of the time they get along unless they're eating. Macy(the lab) will try to eat Diesel's(bullbog) food after she eats her's. So Nick or I have to stand guard around Diesel so he can eat in peace. Since when did I become bulldog protector. Ridiculous. Did I mention I don't like dogs?

(this is Macy, our lab and this is how I found her resting the other day)
(this is how I found Diesel, the bulldog, sleeping at the same time. I had to check his stomach to make sure he was breathing)

(this is how ugly he is on a normal day. I don't even call him Diesel, i call him ugly dog. But Nick loves him. Go figure.)

I have discovered that since Nick is home for dinner now and I am trying to cook healthy meals that I hate cooking. I can cook pretty good. But it's something I really don't like doing. I make a mess in the kitchen while Sophie hangs on me crying because she is in melt down mode, we all sit down for literally 10 minutes and devour what I made then I am stuck cleaning it all up alone while my kids are already bugging me for dessert. Since when do kids get dessert every night? so we end up fighting about it till somene gets sent to their room for not letting it go. Wow, let's do this again tomorrow.



Last, I think my trainer is trying to kill me. I believe he sits at home and thinks of ways to make me miserable at the gym. Problem #1 is that I sweat like a man. I get sweat dripping in places I didn't know you can sweat in. So i really stink there. And he always makes fun of me. Every time we finish a session on Tues and Thurs I can't move the next day. And I work out on my own mon - wed- and fri. So I hurt all week long. I think he finds joy watching me make really ugly faces while attempting to do pull ups, lunges and lifting weights I have no business going near. Then top it off with an ab session. And he just upped the anti with me. Making everything harder, heavier and more reps. I know my goal is a hot body, but seriously, isn't there and easier way to get there? No, well then I'm doomed. (as Nico would say)



I guess my random thoughts should be little bit more upbeat next time. It's just been that kind of week I guess.

What are your random thoughts?

Yummy Banana Muffins

I saw this recipe on my friend Danielle's blog the other day and had to try it. And I completely agree with her, it is delish. It was the perfect afternoon treat as it was starting to rain. I definately recomend it. My kids loved them too. I can't wait till Nick gets home to try them. Happy Baking!

Thanks, Danielle.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Banana-Crumb-Muffins/Detail.aspx

The Makings of a Great Day

So what makes for a good day at my house.

1. No School, so I got to sleep in a little bit.

2. Nick didn't have to work, so a day with daddy home.

3. My new light for my front porch was purchased and installed by Nick. Thanks Baby!

4. A fun game of peek a boo with Sophie. 5. A yummy family dinner, comprising of lasagna, salad and the most delicious bread.

6. For desert: look below. Brownies, yum, yum.
7. And after brownies, a monster workout session at the gym to work them off.
So that's my idea of a great day. What's yours?

The Day Finally Came... It's About Time

So after months of wanting and waiting, the day arrived. Sophie sat and watched t.v. by herself for 30 minutes. Yippppeeeee!!!

I was making dinner the other night and Nick, Sydney and Nico were outside playing and so Sophie was crying while hanging onto my legs. Typical dinner time behavior. So in a last ditch effort I put on the t.v., sat her down and went back into the kitchen. About 10 minutes later in a state of panic I bagan searching for Sophie, she was being so quiet and that is never a good thing. The last place I looked? The family room. And there she was gazing at Wow! Wow! Wubzy! and not moving.

What could this be true. I wanted to snap some pics of this momentious occasion but didn't want to disturb her for fear she might lose her concentration. So I was sneaky. And here it was.

The object of Sophie's affection. Wow, Wow Wubzy!

As to not disturb her

At last she looked my way told me cheese and went back to her show.

I hope this phase lasts a while.

Midnight post

A quick post before I turn in later than I should be. Help! I need cheap date night ideas. Nick's sweet mother offered to take our kids Saturday night so we could go out but $ is in short supply right now and we need ideas that cost little to no dinero. Any ideas? Christmas has cleared our extra funds for a while but we need the time away. What to do? Help!!!

Love Tag

I saw this tag on another blog and I thought it would be fun to do.




Where did you meet your husband?
Well back in the day Vicki and I spent our weekends hitting all the stake young adult dances all over the Southland. And one June Friday night in 1997 we hit the Huntington Beach dance and lo and behold who should I meet there? But the one and only Nick Garces.




What was the first thing he said to you?
Ok so a few months before this night we had been at another dance and met Brian Votaw. Now Brian in Nick's best friend and was with him this night in June. He recognized us and the both of them came over and chatted. And the first thing said to me was "If I tell you you have a hot body, would you hold against me?" We were all feeding each other our cheesiest pick up lines. Well it appartenly worked because here I am writing about it ten years later.




When was your first date?
Well the night we met we spent the entire night together with Vicki and Brian at Vicki's house. She and I were house sitting. We made gross quesadillas and mac & cheese and we made the boys watch our choir show. I'm shocked they didn't walk out right then, looking back. I saw him again the next night but our first official date was a few days later when he took me to a Dodger game. It's funny because at first I didn't really even like him. Up until the Dodger game I thought he was annoying and besides I had a missionary. But when he walked in the night of the game I think I had to have Vicki close my mouth for me. Hottttttttttttie!




When was your first kiss?
Ok so I'm easy. 3 hours after we met. What can I say, cute guy, cute lips, nice but. But who can blame me really. Looks how it ended up.

(one of the pictures from our engagement session)

Long/short courtship/engagement?

We dated for 18 months when Nick proposed and he only proposed because I was throwing giant hissy fits about it. I felt like I had done my time and it was time for that ring. Looking back would I have waited longer? Yes I would. We were engaged for 7 months. Totaling a little over 2 years. I was just barely 21 when we got married and so not ready. Neither of us were. So I would have stuck out the engagement a lot longer.


When he did propose we were at the Block at Orange with some friends and he took me aside to talk. He went on to explain to me that we probably shouldn't talk about getting married until we were engaged. This sent me into a tail spin, I was so angry at this point I just wanted to turn around and leave. Then he countinued to say "now lets sit down and talk about this" to this I said 'heck' no and turned around. Then he somehow managed to get me to sit down, sat down next to me and said "so like I said, I don't think we should talk about getting married until we're engaged, so what do you say?" as he's holding the ring out. He didn't even get down on one knee. Such a Nick proposal. I couldn't script that more like him. So I made him get down on one knee and said yes.

(This was the night Nick and I got engaged at the Block)

When did you get married?
July 17, 1999 in the Los Angeles Temple! The day was perfect.

(So here is a wedding photo and I can't get it any bigger. I must have scanned it wrong. Sorry)Where did you honeymoon?

We spent a week in Hawaii. Since neither of us had been there before. Had a great time and met some great people.


So 8 1/2 years and three kids later here we are. And loving every minute more than the last. We haven't been without our share of difficulties and I know we'll have more but I wouldn't trade them for anything. Look at what I got.

So, now it's your turn to tell me (and everyone else) your little love story. Come on...just do it. If you read this you are tagged!

Here They Are

For all of you that are Twilight fanatics like me. Here is a glimpse of the casted Edward and Bella. Kristen Stewart is cast as Bella. And Robert Pattinson as Edward. If you are a fan of Harry Potter Robert Pattinson was Cedric Digory in the Goblet of Fire. So what do you think? I am pleasantly surprised. As I looked at some more pics of each I totally got it. And I can't wait to fall in love with him. As I know I will. I just can't wait to see who else is cast. What is your dream Twilight cast? Well here is mine.

Carlisle Cullen

Esme cullen

Mary Alice

Jasper

Rosalie

Emmett

Charlie

Jacob

What The?

If you are logging onto my blog and only seeing a fraction of my kiddies faces in title I'm sorry, when I log on the whole picture comes up. I don't know what's up with that.

Vegas

Last week we took the kids to Vegas for a quick getaway before Nick had to start his new detail at work. We decided that the winter, kids, and Vegas don't mix very well. When we go in the summer we hit the pool for most of the day and relax and then go out at night. In the winter you don't have that option. Too cold. So we shopped, ate, shopped some more and ate some more. And we managed a trip to the little fair place at excalibur.

Sydney and Sophie standing on the desk in our room looking out at Vegas. I tried to take a picture of the view but all you saw was my reflection. We stayed at the Hilton, off the strip. It was such a nice hotel. I would definately stay there again. But my favorite hotel is the Westin. Both hotels are smoke free, which I love.
On morning #2 I found Sophie playing in the closet. She had the doors shut and this is what she flashed me when I opened them.
The kids having a pillow fight with Nick.
We went to one set of outlets the first day and the static electricity was so bad, this is what Sydney's hair looked like in one store just from walking around.
My little model. This is Nico hanging out while Nick shops.

Sydney waiting.

We went to the ESPN Zone for dinner one night and this was out in front while we waited.

More posing while we waited.

This was Sophie while we waited to eat. She was pretty good considering all the stroller time she had to do.

This picture is for my sister Lauren, who loves Barry Manilow. He is the headliner at the Hilton so there was no way I could not take this picture for her. In fact she is seeing him in concert in February when he comes to Washington DC. What 25 year old loves Manilow? I blame my mother for introducing us to him. I can remember dancing around the living room while listening to his records. Namely the Cococabana soundtrack from the made for TV movie he starred in.

All on a Sunday Afternoon.....

Sunday afternoons don't usually warrant any special notice, only because they are nap and relaxation days. So the fact that today was a bit eventful justifies me acknowledging it here. We had our naps watched football and after we woke up I gave Sophie a Sees Chocolate Lollipop. As seen below. Usually I'm that mom that hates mess of anykind on a child. I hesitate to make spaghetti because of the mess it creates with my kids. So these pictures demonstrate my restraint and she did look so darn cute.

So naturally a bath was the next step after the lollipop. Even though it was while I was cooking dinner. And she and Nico had a little fun with the bath soap.

And what wouldn't complete a lovely day better than rough housing with your older sister and being shoved into a piece of furniture and getting a black eye. Thank you Sydney. Nico now gets to go back to school looking like he got in a bar room brawl.

Love that face. So there was my Sunday, how was yours?

Pictures from our little Vegas Vacay coming tomorrow.

See you in a few

Off to Vegas for a couple days before Nick starts his new job. So here is my evidence of the Lord's hand in my life for the next couple days.

1. Modern Medicine (have a uti, and a cold that will not give up)
2. A chance to get away with my family for a great little vacay
3. A daughter old enough who is starting to watch the baby. She feeds her breakfast for me.
4. To be born under the convenant, to active parents.