Have a Nice Weekend

We had a mellow weekend at home. We tried to stay home and around the house as much as possible. 

Jaina wanted to do her rock tumbler she got for Christmas. They were very excited. I helped her put it together.

Once we got the machine going we realized the rocks have to tumble for 21 days before they are even ready!  But they are excited what the end result will look like.

The weather was really pretty, in the high 60's so the girls played outside almost all of Sunday. They chased each other in the back yard, played in the pile of leaves, played on their swing set, jumped on their little trampoline 

Blew bubbles

And played in their police car.

And to end our weekend Jaina and I looked for Waldo in her Where's Waldo book.

Fun times! Making fun memories!

Jiffy Pop Play Date

Saturday evening Jaina got invited for a sleepover at our neighbor Gracie's house. Gracie is a year younger then Jaina. They are in school together, ride the bus together and play well together. Gracie had a great week at school this past week so she got to have a friend spend the night so she chose Jaina. 

Jaina was a little timid about sleeping over at Gracie's so I told her to just go over there, have fun and if she wants to call me to come pick her up then that's fine, were only a couple of houses down.

After a couple of hours of her being down there I called Gracie's mom Alicia to see how she was doing and they were enjoying a paint session, dance party and were eating cookies.

Jolee was NOT a happy camper that Jaina got to go spend the night without her being invited. She cried hard for about 10 minutes and then she was over it. We watched cartoons, I tickled her and played Critters with her

Once Daddy got home from his lighting job it was time for some Jiffy Pop on the stove. Can you see the excitement in her face!

Watching it about to explode

Then it was daddy's turn to eat popcorn and play Critters with Jolee.

Then I got a phone call about 9pm. It was Jaina crying on the phone saying she wanted to come home because she was scared to sleep at Gracie's house. So off I went to get her. Alicia said it was no biggie and Jaina gave her no problems until she started crying saying she wanted to go home. I told Jaina it was okay and we could try it again another time.

I'm sure it's just her age because here in about 2 years she's gonna want to be going to sleepovers all the time! I will cherish her NOT wanting to go and wanting to stay home now :) 

This Home is Full of Endless Love and Laundry

Today Jaina asked me if I could teach her how to do laundry. Sure! She's old enough and responsible enough to work a washer and dryer. 

Once we started she said "wait mom, I need to take notes". I let her load a pile of clothes in the washer and then proceeded to tell her how to separate the white, colors, towels and dedicates. I also taught her what how to use the laundry soap, fabric softener and what bleach is for. 

Her notes!

She hung them behind the washing machine

She then learned the cycles and how to work the machine. Once the washer was on she then said "ok, teach me how to use the dryer". From there I gave her all the rules of drying clothes and how to work the dryer. 

She was so proud of herself. She did her first two loads all by herself. Right before she went to bed she said to me, "Mom, do you think we could have a girls night and stay up all night and do laundry" HaHa, NO!

But it was sweet :)

Hanging out with Jolee

Thursday and Friday I was off and kept Jolee here to play while I cleaned house. She said to me "mommy will you play with me". Sure! The house can wait! She's only little for so long and then she won't be asking to play with me anymore. 

I watched her play baby dolls, tuck her baby in the bed

rock her baby and even give it a kiss

Then she read a story to me and "the class"

we ran a few errands and she kept busy watching her cartoons on the new tv in my new car

She helped me make cupcakes for the birthday ladies at work 

and even arrested me! Several times :) 

Strep it is

Monday after school Jaina seemed just fine, ate well and then yesterday morning she woke up sick! She said her stomach, head and throat hurt. At first I thought she was playing and was just tired because she seemed to be just fine the night before. But she was not herself, dragging around and then she was wanting to just go back to bed. So I decided I would make her an appointment.

Good thing I did. She had a low grade fever and tested positive for strep.

I usually can tell right away but this time there wasn't a whole lot of signs that she was even sick but you know how kids are, one minute their fine and then the next she is down and out.

But by the time she got her first dose of medicine and had lunch in her tummy she bounced back to life.

It was so cute. While we were waiting on her prescription I heard Jaina say, "Mom, look does Logan's mom know he's in a magazine!" :)

Jaina's old babysitter Taylor's brother Logan is representing the Texas Children's Miracle Network this year for the PMD foundation. He got to be on the front cover of Health magazine and he and his family had a big article written up. 

Too cute!

Then 5 minutes later she was out!

Poor baby. 

Today she is back to normal and even went to school. Hopefully she didn't pass it to me or her sister.

Fingers crossed

This evening we are just chillin and taking it easy

I'm ready for spring!

Looking Back

Today I had to do two audits in two towns close to where I use to work in Taylor. As I was driving through town I made a quick stop by the catholic church to run in and sign the book for my old co-workers husband who had passed away over the weekend. When I was at the church I got to see my old boss and two of my old co-workers. They were excited to see me and I was excited to see them. We have kept in touch over the past 7 years when I pass through town. I always try to stop. It was good to catch up on everyone and what they are doing these days. I didn't stay long before I had to leave and go do my audits.

As I was approaching Taylor I had such mixed emotions. I can't help but get emotional when I pass through town only because that's where I became a Funeral Director. They gave me a chance and hired me as an apprentice 9 years ago. Its hard to believe it's been that long. When I pass through Taylor I think about my old days at the funeral home and it makes me sad only because I so miss everyone I use to work with. My co-workers were fun and I miss them very much and think about them from time to time. It makes me sad that its not like it once was and that I've been gone from there for so long. 

So much has changed in 9 years. When I was first hired I was single and 24. I was young, immature, and didn't take my job seriously.  I often stuck my foot in my mouth and trusted people who I shouldn't have.  I got married and had a baby. It was difficult working SO much and having a new born. I remember how desperately bad I wanted to be a stay at home mom. I wanted it more then anything. I prayed everyday God would change my path.  

And one day God changed my path. I was laid off from my job. I remember having mixed feelings of hurt and happiness. I knew my time there was over and I would never get to work with my co-workers again. I think everyone I worked with was sad. But then again I was happy and on cloud 9 because that was my chance to get to stay home with my baby.
 Looking back at the situation that happened, it could have been prevented if I knew now what I didnt know then. But getting laid off made me learn, made me grow, made me a better person, made me struggle, and made me mature all the way around. 

It's funny how God works. You may be mad at the moment but then realize it was all for the better. 

Today I'm content, I take my job seriously, and am a more mature person as I walk through my job and life. 

I think about the what if's a lot. What if I stayed, what if I quit, what if, what if. And could what if all day. I'm glad they were and still are apart of my life. I love those memories and cherish the fun I had with them. And I'm glad God works the way he does. Taylor will always hold a special place in my heart :) 

Big Fish & Small Ants

Yesterday Jolee went fishing with Justin at the pond behind our house. Justin took a video of Jolee casting and reeling in her own rod. It was so cute! He said she casted out and bam she got her first fish to bite all by herself! Justin helped her reel it in and then showed it to her. He said she was SO excited!

Haha! So cute! 

She came running home and told me all about it!

For Christmas my sister, Aunt Jenny gave Jaina an ant farm. When I got home she had to show me the ants! She was all excited. But I was a little confused because there was a coupon in the box to send off for free ants. So I asked her about it and she said her daddy said nah let's get our own ants. They went outside and got fire ants! Really, fire ants, lol. He said "why pay for ants when you can get them free in your own back yard".

 But she was excited and that's all that matters. 

We will probably send off for the ants anyways because my mom reminded me that the ants won't live without a queen ant, or water or proper food. I asked Justin what he used for food and he said "oh I crushed up a graham cracker". Really? A graham cracker....because I didn't know graham crackers grew in the wild, bahahahaha!  

Out with the old & in with the new

Well I guess its true what they say, things like your washer and dryer only last about 10-15 years. 

We got this pair of GE washer and dryer as a wedding gift from my uncle almost 10 years ago. They were very good to us and have lasted a long time. I am also very thankful for such a great gift as a wedding present. But this last year our dryer drum went out so we got it replaced and then twice we smelled our dryer burning like fire so it was time to make the change and upgrade.

It so happened that this month my office manager is moving and she so happened to ask me if I wanted to buy her practically new (1 year old)  LG washer and dryer from her for 600$ for both. Um yeah that's a steal! So I showed Justin. He wasn't too impressed with the style of them but they were such a good price so we headed over to her house and picked them up. 

They look kinda small in the pictures she sent me but actually they are a tad bit bigger then my old pair.

 And guess what, Justin and I both LOVE them! They are both all electric. They have different cycles and times on them. I LOVE that you can start a cycle and know exactly what time they will be done. So awesome. My old ones were so old that I would have to guess what time they would be done and probably wasted alot of energy. I think a load of towels took me around 2 hours to wash and dry. Now it takes less then an hour to do both. The girls also love them because they can watch the clothes being washed. So glad we finally upgraded even though I loved my old pair.

And the best part was that we sold our old pair for 200$ So we only paid 400$ for our new pair after it was all said and done. 

Score!!!!

Things here and there

Here are a couple random pictures from this month and last month.

Here are the girls with Grandma DoDo at Luby's on New Years Day

While the grandparents were down they went and had lunch with Jaina at school.

I was really hoping Richard was gonna go for that old school lunch...

Over Christmas break I got a call that Otis was in doggie jail. Animal control was out doing a check and his little butt was down at our neighbors house running loose. I'm sure when animal control went to pick him up, he rolled onto his back thinking he was playing with him and ended up being thrown in the back of a cage. His 3 hour stay cost me 25$

He hasn't escaped since.

Jaina reading her book to daddy one night after her bath

The only Christmas present I asked for Christmas was the Younique skin care line. I wanted it for this charcoal mask. I LOVE the mask and LOVE all the products that came with it!

About a week or so ago the girls were playing in Jaina's room. Jolee had socks on and was running around and bam! She hit the floor and busted her lip!

I couldn't even look. Justin had to do it for me. I thought her lip was dangling at first and we were gonna have to rush her to the ER but luckily it was just a big blood blister. No open cut. so no stitches thank goodness. We put ice on it and let her hold it on there for the night and the next morning it looked alot better.

Jaina was so funny, after Jolee calmed down Jaina said "Mom, Dad, come here, I found the crime scene". Bahahahaha. Justin and I laughed our butts off.

And a few days later she was back to normal :)

January Weekend Off

I had a long week off from work and enjoyed every bit of my time off too. We stayed home this weekend. It was perfect. I felt like I actually had time off to get this house back into shape and relax a bit. It was just what I needed. The girls kept busy playing in the house together. 

Last night I helped Jaina make her rock crystal

She LOVES science! Anything to do with science. One of the gifts in her stocking was this grow a pink crystal. So we sat down and did it together. She loved doing it. We are awaiting the transformation of the rock as I type this

Jolee on the other hand was not too impressed, hehe! She wanted to help but it was a little grown up for her to help. Plus it was Jaina's gift but Jaina was nice enough to let Jolee help stir the mix

The rock consists of this powder poured in a mason jar, heated and mixed. Then you wait 24 to 48 hours until a crystal grows. Currently nothing has happened in the last 24 hours so I'm hoping we did it right

Jolee could careless, bahahaha

Tonight Jaina asked me to blow dry her hair. I said I would and then thought to myself, why don't I just teach her to do it herself. she's old enough, she's 8!

As she was blowing drying her own hair it made me want to stop and take a picture of my baby growing up.....she's not a baby anymore :( 

Then she told me that I didn't have to pick out her clothes either because she already laid it out for school. I said okay

Then I went in her room to find that she had done it all without my help :(

Moments like this make you realize how fast they really do grow up!