Mi Vida Loca

Shameless Self-Promotion

2011-03-30T22:13:00.000-05:00

Okay internets (so sorry, Brandi, it just slipped out - I swear!! It won't happen again, I think... ) - what I am about to say may shock you, and maybe terrify some - well mostly those who remember the alfredo fiasco of the 90's.

After I came back from my "vacation," I had tons of energy, so I used it to do all the domestic stuff I didn't usually do - I cleaned like crazy and I cooked. And I learned something - I like to cook - no, I love to cook. There, I said it - I love to cook. And, I found out that I am pretty darn good at it. So, this post will be all about me and the yummy stuff I have made recently.

That said, you will never find me facebooking about my food - seriously, that is one of my biggest pet peeves - I'm all for pride in what one does well (to a point) - obviously - but facebook is just not the place. *steps off soapbox*

My favorite - and I don't have pics of this, but it's a wrap, do you really need to see it? - is originally called a veggie chicken wrap. Since I changed the recipe I just called it a veggie meat wrap. And then I tasted it. It's official name is now Party in My Mouth! Seriously, it is so yummy! The first day I made it, I had several unsuspecting guests (my visiting teachers, my bestie) so I made them try it and they all thought it was great. I'm going to go ahead and share the recipe here since I've already had so much positive feedback.

Party in My Mouth Wraps

1 carton (8 ozs) spreadable garden vegetable cream cheese
4 (8in) flour tortillas
2c shredded romaine lettuce (I used baby spinach)
2 small tomatoes, thinly sliced
8 slices provolone cheese
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
2c diced cooked chicken (I used sliced deli turkey)

Spread cream cheese evenly over each tortilla. Layer with romaine, tomatoes, cheese, onion, and chicken. Roll up tightly. Cut wraps in half to serve. Yield: 4 servings.

In my opinion, the garden vegetable cream cheese is what makes the flavors pop on this, so don't substitute on this ingredient!

Here are a few of my other creations - well, that I stole from food magazines...

This is one of our family's favorites. I found it in a Kraft food & family magazine. It is a Crustless Bacon and Cheese Quiche and it is delicious! It is gluten free (we have a daughter with Celiac) and very low-carb (as she also has Type 1 Diabetes.) As best as I could calculate it only has about 178 calories per serving, which surprised me, but I'm sure it's the fat that will kill you!

I have to say, I was very proud of myself with this one. This is probably the most involved recipe I've tried so far (which was probably the hypomania talking.) It is a chicken tandoori recipe that I found in a Food Network magazine (I love that magazine!!) It is well worth the time and effort, and much easier than it sounds!

And for dessert:

This is another recipe from Kraft food & family (I really need to find out why they haven't been sending me magazines for the past year!) I made it for a FHE snack - the same night I made the chicken tandoori. I was a little stressed, (damn Bipolar) but they were worth it! Two of my girls hate peanuts, but other than that, they scarfed them down! Oh, they are called Chocolate-Peanut Butter Mallow Bars.

I hope you drool :) If anyone wants recipes, let me know. I will be more than happy to share.

Toddler Bed

2011-03-30T21:40:00.000-05:00

Yes, my friends, it has finally happened. Carlo made me let go and put my two year old "baby" in a toddler bed. Luckily, one of my good friends had a beautiful cherry wood toddler bed she wasn't using anymore, so we picked that up from her and are using that instead of the usual cheapo white plastic bed we had for the other girls. The first week was a little rough - Nadia cried every time I put her down for a nap or put her to bed, but she is okay now. And for you naysayers who thought I was leaving her in her crib for 3-4 hours instead of her actually sleeping - well, you can suck it. :) This child naps - we actually have to wake her up after 3 or 4 hours! She is just a sleeper - what can I say? She must take after me. Here are the obligatory pics:

Out of the Mouths...

2011-03-22T19:30:00.000-05:00

Sometimes kids say the funniest things. Take for instance this conversation between my husband and Olivia:

Olivia: So, what video game are you going to buy next?

Carlo: Gears of War 3

Olivia: That game is lame.

Carlo: Well, I didn't ask for your opinion, did I?

Olivia: Well, you didn't not ask for my opinion. :)

And then there was this between me and Nina today.

Nina: Why does so-and-so (name has been removed) think her kids are so perfect?

Me: Well, wouldn't you want me to call you perfect?

Nina: Well we are perfect!

I love my kids.

Long Live the King

2011-03-19T15:34:00.000-05:00

While eating breakfast this morning, Emma says, "Look! It's an Elvis Presley apple." I glance up and see this:

My child is brilliant. :)

Back in the Game

2011-03-18T16:49:00.000-05:00

Most of you know that I love trying new hairstyles on my girls, that is, when I am feeling good. I started again the other day, but with the girls in school, didn't have much time. I am also out of practice, so I had to start out small. Nina didn't eat her food, so she didn't get anything and Emma got braided pigtails (too bad you can't see the adorable zig-zag part in the back!) Olivia, who hates it when I do anything to her hair, asked to have it straightened. It looked fabulous, but resulted in them missing the bus and me driving them to school - oops!

Nadia loves getting her hair done, so when she woke up, I fixed hers too. Let me clarify, she loves getting her hair done unless it takes longer than 2 minutes...She was a trooper though, and it turned out really cute.

Train up a child in the way she should go...

2011-03-17T16:51:00.000-05:00

One of the things I try to do every day is to look for the positive in everything. I also love finding "self-esteem moments" - times I can recognize that I do well that help me build my self-esteem.
I was trying to think of one for today, when I thought of Nadia and some things that had happened this morning. I realized that I have been teaching my children well, even in the fog of depression. Nadia is very polite (except when she is pushing her sisters and telling them to go away [!]) She always says "please," "thank you," and "you're welcome." She loves to help with chores like picking up toys and unloading the dishwasher - and she is only 2! Whenever it is time for family prayer she always says, "I'll do it!" and she loves to read the scriptures, with help of course. What a wonderful thing as a mother to realize that my efforts are paying off.

*I would be in big trouble with Mom if I didn't include pics of my other girls, so here they are! :) Love you, Mom!

Retooled

2011-03-17T16:42:00.000-05:00

I'm back!! It's amazing what a diagnosis and a week of therapy and meds can do for a person. A couple of months ago I wanted to give up this blog completely. I didn't think I had the time, and I definitely didn't have the energy. Now I feel like a completely different person and am pursuing my many interests and abilities, which include continuing this blog and starting a blog all about my interest in beauty products and makeup. Shallow? Maybe. Who cares? It's one of my passions - it makes me feel beautiful and if I can help others feel beautiful in the process it will be well worth my time.

I may be back, but considering I've been away for over a year, I am definitely not going to try to make up for lost time! I will be posting some semi-recent photos on facebook, in case anyone is interested.

Thanks for being patient, but thanks most of all for your love and concern during this difficult time. It really means a lot to me and my family.

Growing too Fast...

2009-10-28T19:59:00.000-05:00

Our little Nadia is getting so big! It's hard to believe that in a couple of weeks she will be celebrating her first birthday! Since I haven't posted in so long, here is a progression of her growth, month by month.
23 May - 6 months old
6 June - 7 months old
7 July - 8 months old

7 August - 9 months old
7 September - 10 months old
7 October - 11 months old

Carlo's Graduation

2009-10-28T19:54:00.001-05:00

On 1 October, Carlo graduated from Warrior Leaders Course, or WLC. Basically, it's a school you have to do before you can get promoted to sgt. We didn't get to see him for most of two weeks, but we were able to attend his graduation. It started out as a gray, rainy, cold day - but ended up being sunny and almost warm.

Cuties

2009-10-28T19:48:00.000-05:00

Here are just some random pics of the girls I took a couple of months ago. I love Nina's hair - it's another GirlyDo's creation. It's very cute, and very easy to do.

First Day of School 2009

2009-10-28T19:40:00.000-05:00

Another August, another school year. Emma is in the first grade this year, and Olivia is in the fourth.

Nina is eagerly awaiting her turn to go to school, but she doesn't start kindergarten until next year.

And not to forget the bubby - this was taken right after she started pulling herself up!

Air Show

2009-10-28T19:32:00.000-05:00

A couple of months ago, we attended an air show on post. It was very fun, but exactly the kind of thing I would never take the kids to on my own! Very hot, and very crowded - but it was fun. Nadia wasn't too thrilled about the whole thing, as you can see - but like I said, it was very hot.
I think this is the girls in front of a Kiowa - but I could be wrong. (I don't speak Army!)
I think this is the girls in front of an Apache, and below, the girls in an Apache.

Carlo and the girls in front of a Chinook.

Cinderella at the Ball...Not so Much

2009-10-28T19:14:00.001-05:00

On 9 July, we had our unit ball. I got a new dress, a babysitter for the girls, and was totally excited to be there. At least I was until we realized not only was it a buffet dinner, nobody was dancing! Everyone either left early or stayed to get drunk, so we just left and got dessert at Steak 'n Shake. At least we got a night out, right? We also got our picture taken. I wanted more pictures of us (at the last ball, we took exactly 2 - 0ne of us, and one of our friends.) Carlo didn't want my bulky camera in his pocket, so he took his - which, of course, had no batteries in it! So we had to wait until we got home to take some pictures. All in all, a little disappointing (not your fault, hon,) but, like I said, at least we got a night out...

Slideshow (because I'm so far behind!)

2009-06-04T15:52:00.000-05:00

Yes, it is now June, and I am finally updating my blog. Carlo's back from Afghanistan, we went home for a visit, the girls are out of school, and now we are just enjoying our summer. Since I am so far behind, I decided to take an idea from Kerri's blog and just throw up a slideshow of the pics I've taken since April 14. (Carlo's homecoming) The last twenty or so pics are of Nadia - I was trying to get her to show off her new tooth, but she's still not crazy about the flash on my camera - so, you are lucky she is smiling at all! And, as you can see, there are no pics of our trip home - that may or may not be because I didn't take any. :) So, I will wait and rely on my super-wonderful sisters to send me the ones they took - hint hint, Kerri and Eden!

Easter Beauties

2009-04-12T18:35:00.000-05:00

No ranting today - just pictures of my beautiful girls all dressed up for Easter!
Olivia
Emma - I had never thought about trying to curl her hair, since it is so short, but it turned out super cute!
Karina - It's hard to tell what I was going for with Nina's hair here, so here is the link: http://girlydohairstyles.blogspot.com/2009/03/heads-up-do.html It looks a little different on Nina, for one because I am still a newbie, and for two, because Nina's hair is really thin.
Nadia

My Soapbox and Other Stuff

2009-04-10T11:02:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I don't usually preach from my blog, but I feel a rant coming on today. Everyone who knows me knows I am a political junkie and current events nerd. I usually try to keep my opinions to myself, except from those who like to talk politics with me, but today I just have to say some things - I would apologize, but hey, it's my blog! I am watching the news - umm, actually I'm watching the weather now and we are under a tornado warning, so I guess I will finish this up after I get out of my bathroom!

Okay - it's just raining now, so I guess it's safe! Anyway, I have been watching this situation off the coast of Somalia with the pirates. They captured the captain of the ship a couple of days ago, we sent a Navy ship to keep tabs on the situation, but also sent an FBI negotiator - are you kidding me? Let's just send in the Navy SEALS and get this guy back! That is what they are trained to do. Why are we hesitating on this? Do we really care so much about what the rest of the world thinks that we can't just go in and rescue this captain? It's not as if we are declaring war on a country or anything - they are just pirates! And now, it appears that the pirates are sending reinforcements - what are we thinking?? I just don't understand all this political correctness that is going on now, this fear of offending everyone. We need to do what we need to do to keep our people safe and not worry about what everyone else thinks.

I have tried to give President Obama the benefit of the doubt, but I do not like the direction this country is heading. He is getting ready to rescind the conscience clause and sign the Freedom of Choice Act - which are both frightening if you are someone who wants to protect life.

I think he is headed in the right direction with regard to Afghanistan, but right after North Korea launches a test missile, he announces that we should lead the way in nuclear disarmament. Does he really believe that if we get rid of our nukes, other countries will follow suit?? They will not, and we cannot leave ourselves defenseless!

The United States of America is a great country - it was established with great sacrifice. Our founding fathers drafted a Constitution that was divinely inspired. We are to be a light to the rest of the world - instead, our leaders are apologizing for our greatness. True, our country has made mistakes, but who hasn't? This is still the greatest nation in the world - a nation that my husband loves and fights for every day of his life. We should not be apologetic for who we are, and the political correctness has got to stop. Truly we are living in the days where good shall be called evil, and evil good.

Sorry for the rant - I just wanted to get that off my chest today.

The "other stuff" mentioned in the title is this: I got the phone call two days ago that we are to be at division parade field at 1:30 am on Tues, April14 to welcome home our soldier! Their plane is expected to land at 3:55 am - but of course, this is the army and plans are always changing, so we will see when he actually comes in. I am still in shock that Carlo will be home so soon! We are in the process of getting everything cleaned up (I had Nadia's dresses in his closet, among other things!) It's a terrible thing to say, but it's true - sometimes you just get used to being alone. In the last year I have become more independent than I ever thought I could be and I have gotten used to doing things on my own. So it will be a big adjustment, but one that I am looking wholeheartedly to making! It is hard to believe that the time has come, but with all the emails and phone calls from the FRG, it is definitely starting to feel real, and the girls and I could not be more excited to have our soldier home!

So Cute!!!

2009-04-09T14:15:00.000-05:00

This "do" has moved to the top of my favorites list! (thanks, Jasmine!) It is so, so easy to do! We had a playdate at the park today, and Nina's hair is so long, that when she plays hard it goes everywhere - this style is perfect because all the hair is pretty pinned down, so you don't get a lot of flyaways. Because Nina's hair is so long and fine, I decided to curl the piggies - it turned out really cute, and she loves it!

5 Months!

2009-04-07T11:19:00.000-05:00

Nadia is 5 months old today! And of course, just as pretty as she ever was - if not prettier! She's sitting up a lot better now, though she fell over every time I tried to get her to smile! She's now eating rice cereal like a pro, but I haven't tried her on anything else yet. Her hair is much thinner - a lot of it has fallen out. It's still blondish/light brown with a hint of red, but who knows if it will stay that color once it starts growing back in. Her eyes are still very blue, but of course, that may change in the next few years. I am so glad that Carlo is coming home in about a week, as Nadia has not hit that clingy stage yet, so I don't think it will be hard for her to adjust to having him around.

Pretty Nadia

2009-04-07T11:13:00.000-05:00

I know there are so many pictures of Nadia on here, but she looked so cute after her bath, I just had to post pictures!

Sweet Nina

2009-04-07T10:56:00.000-05:00

Yes, this one is all about Karina - she has looked so adorable the past few Sundays, that I couldn't help but show her off!

First Tastes

2009-04-07T10:51:00.000-05:00

I know, I haven't blogged in awhile - things are starting to get a little crazy here, in a good way! We found out for sure that Carlo is leaving Afghanistan on Saturday - as in April 11! (Karina's birthday) We aren't sure, though, how long it will take them to make it back here - hopefully just a few days! It is so hard to believe that it is finally almost over! It has been a long year for us. Anyway, about a month ago I decided to try Nadia on some rice cereal - she wasn't too crazy about it, and not really ready for it. In fact, it has just been the last couple of days that she hasn't pushed it out with her tongue. But the pics are cute, so I'm sharing them anyway!

4 Months Old!!

2009-03-07T22:14:00.001-06:00

Another month has come and gone. :( Not much to say tonight - just some cute pictures of the bubby! Of course I have to brag about how cute she is - though I'm sure you can see that for yourself - but yes, she is one pretty baby!

Just Have to Brag...

2009-02-22T14:46:00.000-06:00

I know there are a million pictures of Nadia on here, but is she not just the cutest little thing ever?? She is so cute I just want to squeeze her! I won't, of course - but she is just that cute!

Cute little Nina - she wanted to show off her hair again today - nothing fancy, just a cute headband, and a low, messy bun on the side. But she's cute, as always!

Always Something New...

2009-02-21T21:43:00.000-06:00

Let's see - just when you think you are done blogging for the day, your baby does something new! Emma loves holding her baby sister, and Nadia started touching her face - she is so interested in touching everything. Then, I decided to put her down for some tummy time - as you can see, she wasn't crazy about that. I was surprised by what happened next...
Before and
After

Yes, she rolled over for the first time! I put her on her tummy several times to make sure it wasn't a fluke, and she rolled over every time - once in the opposite direction! I got that one on video, but maybe I am retarded or something, because it took forever to try and upload - so you just get the before and after pics!

31

2009-02-21T21:05:00.001-06:00

So, today is my 31st birthday, and it was a very good day despite the fact that Carlo was gone. It rained all day (and in fact changed over to snow right as we pulled into the driveway) so there wasn't much I felt like doing. We did go to our favorite restaurant here, Longhorn Steakhouse, and had a great time! This isn't a great pic of me, but it's hard to take pictures of yourself that aren't really close up!
Look at those big baby blues!
Okay, this is probably cheesy to post this - but yes, this is my birthday dinner - a NY Strip, loaded mashed potatoes, sauteed mushrooms and onions, and of course, blackberry lemonade - which just happens to be my new favorite drink - too bad this is the only place I can find it!

Nadia

2009-02-21T20:55:00.000-06:00

Not to be outdone, Nadia looked super cute in her little headband! And, I actually got some smiles for the camera! Usually she just looks at it like it's some foreign object.

And here are all my girls together - amazingly they are all looking at the camera at the same time!

Olivia

2009-02-21T20:07:00.001-06:00

Here is Olivia's hair - it looked pretty intimidating on the blog, but was actually fairly easy to do. I did mess up a little by putting both rows of ponies a little too far up on the head - but it still turned out really cute.

Emma

2009-02-21T19:49:00.000-06:00

Poor Emma - her hair is so short now that there's not a lot we can do with it. She saw this style, though, and fell in love with it! It was super simple and super fast to do.

If you can't tell, those are hearts in her hair. We started with a knotted ponytail, with the knot going upside down, and shaped the hearts with clips.

Nina

2009-02-21T19:43:00.001-06:00

Well, these are all from today, but I had so many pictures that I will have to make a post for each girl! This is what I did with Nina's hair today. And for those of you who don't know what that is - yes, her part is supposed to be crooked - it is a zigzag part. I think this one is my favorite!

Learning how to do hair - 8 years later...

2009-02-21T19:13:00.000-06:00

So, I have been criticized in the past for not making my kids hair look cute often enough, and for the fact that ponytails, headbands, and clips are a staple in our house. My friend, Julie, posted a website that she used to do her daughter's hair, I took a look, and now I am totally addicted! Granted, some of the styles are fairly time-consuming, so I am sure that on school days, only one will get "tricked-out" hair, but I had some extra time yesterday, so this is what we did! Of course none of these are my ideas - I am not that creative! I "borrowed" these all from other moms' blogs - these are my favorite: Girly Do's by Jenn and She Does Hair

Scooter

2009-02-21T18:55:00.000-06:00

So, she is only 3 months old, but is already quite the mover, and here is her technique: she digs her heels into the floor, arches her back, and scoots! She also loves being mostly naked, as you can obviously see.

And of course, she wouldn't be our baby if she didn't suck her thumb! Carlo really wanted me to nip that in the bud before it even started, but as it is attached to her body, that's a little hard to do. I guess we will have 4 in braces instead of 3.

Valentine's Day weekend

2009-02-21T18:36:00.000-06:00

Well, my honey wasn't home for Valentine's Day, but we still had a wonderful weekend - Mike and Yolanda, aka Abuelito and Abuelita, came to visit! It was a short visit, but Mike really wanted to meet Nadia because he wasn't able to come in November. I'm sure he is still recuperating from being used as a jungle gym by my older three, but they had so much fun, and we were so glad they were able to come and visit!

3 months old

2009-02-21T17:51:00.001-06:00

This is one of my favorite pictures of Nadia! It was right after her bath, and she was so calm for a minute until she realized that she was very tired and ready to go to sleep. As the title says, she is 3 months old now - and already doing a lot. She just started playing with her hands, rubbing her eyes, and sitting up on her own for a few minutes! She has even laughed a couple of times! It doesn't happen very often yet, but it is so precious when it does. I can't believe she is already three months old. I think sometimes I wish that time would just freeze so I can remember her like this. And with that longing comes the sadness that I didn't cherish my other babies this much - I was always looking for them to hit that next milestone, and I really missed so much. There is a song in Mamma Mia (I know, kind of cheesy) called "Slipping Through my Fingers" - I get teary-eyed every time I hear it, as I'm sure most moms with daughters do.

I guess the good thing about time going by quickly is that my honey will be home in about three months! We don't have any idea when yet, we just know it will be sometime in May! We are all looking forward to him being home - and I can't wait for him to be able to spend some time with Nadia!

My girls

2009-02-21T17:39:00.000-06:00

Here are some random pics of my girls that I took last month. Yes, Olivia's hair is so gorgeous here, but we chopped it off the next day to make it healthier and add layers. She wasn't thrilled with it at first, but she is okay with it now.
I think Emma looks so beautiful here! I wish I was that photogenic...
Nina felt like a little princess in this outfit - she looks darling, as always.
And last, but certainly not least, is the little lovebug, Nadia. I swear she gets prettier every day! (Of course I am not biased or anything!)
Emma is so motherly and loves holding her baby sister!

2 Months Old

2009-02-21T17:35:00.001-06:00

So here is Nadia at 2 months old - she is really starting to smile a lot, but they are hard to catch on camera still! She is sleeping through the night now, in her own room, and loves her big sisters!
I love the way they are looking at each other in this one!

1 Month Old

2009-02-21T17:30:00.000-06:00

Okay, so I am a little behind in posting - alright, really far behind, considering Nadia is almost 4 months old! But since she is still very little, I assume you will all forgive me - well, except maybe my mom! Enjoy the pics - I will be doing a lot of posting today!

More pictures

2008-11-26T18:55:00.000-06:00

Here are some more pictures from R&R. Carlo and Nadia after her blessing.
Nadia and Grandpa
Nadia before her blessing.
Olivia and Nadia on their special day.

Me and Carlo with Nadia and Olivia.

18 Days

2008-11-26T18:38:00.001-06:00

It's taken awhile to get this post up, for one, because I have had a hard time deciding which pictures to post, and two, oh yeah - because I have a 2 week old who doesn't let me get a lot done these days! She is sleeping now, which takes care of that, and as for the pictures, this will probably end up being 2 or 3 separate posts just to get them all on! As most of you know, 18 days is a reference to Carlo's R&R - he is deployed for 15 months, but about halfway through gets a short break to be home - 18 days, to be exact. As the wife of a soldier, I can say honestly that it was not nearly long enough, but we were glad to have the time while it lasted. We had a very busy, but wonderful time. Of course, Nadia was born during that time, then some of our family came to visit. We had an early Thanksgiving dinner, along with celebrating Carlo's birthday (which is actually today) Then on 16 November, our oldest daughter, Olivia, was baptized, and Nadia was given her name and blessing. It was a very special time, and we are glad that our family was there to share it with us. Karina helping Carlo with his cake.
Our family
me and Carlo
our girls
Nadia - 3 days old

Nadia Elise is here!

2008-11-11T17:40:00.001-06:00

I know everyone has been waiting for this post, but I am rather proud of myself, considering it was only 4 days ago! Anyway, our daughter, Nadia Elise, was born Friday night, 7 Nov, at 9:02 p.m! We were so blessed that Carlo was able to be here - he came home on Mon, the 4th of Nov. I had a doctor appointment on Thursday, and because my blood pressure was high they kept me overnight for observation. We thought that I was going to be induced, but apparently my doctor had a different opinion than the on-call doctor down in L&D. When we found out there would be no baby that day, we convinced them to let me go home Friday morning. I spent the whole day doing laundry, and having some contractions here and there, but nothing really regular. Around 6pm I noticed some leaking, but considering my last experience with L&D wasn't really crazy about going back there, so I waited it out - probably not my smartest move ever. The contractions started coming on really strong around 7:45 pm, but again, because of my stubbornness, we just kept an eye on it for the next 30 minutes. I finally realized that this was not good and told Carlo we needed to get to the hospital right away. We got to the hospital a little after 8:30pm, and I found out that I was dilated 7 cm. We were holding out the hope of an epidural, but about five minutes later I felt the urge to push, they checked me, and I was 10 cm, so I was on my own with no drugs. Our daughter was born about 10 minutes later. In hindsight, I guess it's nice to say that I was superwoman for a day, having a baby with no epidural in this day and age, but if I had to do it over again, I definitely would have trusted my instincts and gone to the hospital sooner!

Nadia was 7 pounds 13 ounces, and 21 inches long. She is absolutely gorgeous - I know I'm a bit biased! - and actually looks a lot like Karina when she was a baby. Her hair is a little lighter brown, and her eyes look bluish-gray at this point, so it will be interesting to see what she looks like in a few months. She is a good baby, though she is already starting to fight sleep - but she is wonderful, and I could swear that she actually smiled at Carlo yesterday when he was holding and kissing her. I know what the doctors would say about that, but I know what I saw! :) Anyway, we are so relieved that she is finally here, and are very happy that she is a part of our family.

Update at 36 weeks

2008-10-23T16:47:00.000-05:00

I will be 36 weeks tomorrow, so we are officially counting down the days, not just to the baby, but also to when Carlo will be home. Unfortunately it is turning into a race to see who will be here first. My sister, Amanda, has been visiting for the past couple of weeks (she didn't want me to go out of my mind while the girls were home for Fall Break!) and was set to go home on Saturday, until I started having contractions. She offered to stay another week, just in case, and I told her I would just wait and see what the doctor had to say today. I found out today that I am 1-2 cm. dilated, 50% effaced, and the baby is head-down. Now that doesn't usually mean too much, but considering Karina was born at 37.5 weeks, I am not taking any chances, so Amanda is going to stay with us an extra week. I am just hoping that little Nadia waits until her daddy is here before she decides to make her appearance.

30 Weeks

2008-09-12T11:37:00.001-05:00

Seriously, I hate posting pics of myself, and these aren't great since I had to take them myself, but I couldn't keep ignoring everyone's request for "belly pictures," so here they are. I am officially 30 weeks pregnant today - I can't believe how quickly this has passed. Too bad I can't say the same for the deployment - Carlo has been gone 6 months today, and it has been way too long. I guess it would seem longer if I didn't have the pregnancy to count down the weeks until we see him again, so thank goodness for that! Everything has gone pretty well, some leg cramps, hypoglycemia, sciatica pain, but luckily, nothing major so far! This little girl is already pretty big, and likes to sit under my ribs, usually on the left side, and sometimes so far on the side that it feels really strange! I am hoping she will not wait the whole forty weeks to make her appearance! Carlo will be home in 7-8 weeks, so we are looking forward to that and hoping that he will be here for her birth! He only gets 18 days, so hopefully we will make the most of that time - although there is a lot to do to get ready for the baby.

First Day of School

2008-09-12T11:28:00.001-05:00

Right, so Emma and Olivia started school (over a month ago!) and of course, I am just now getting pics up. These were technically taken on Emma's first day - Olivia had started a few days earlier. Obviously, I can't say what school they attend or who their teachers are, but Olivia is now in the 3rd grade, and Emma is in kindergarten. They are both doing very well so far and they love their teachers! The school is a very good one, and both the nurse and cafeteria have been very helpful as far as Emma's health concerns go. Karina is having fun at home, though she misses her sisters when they are gone. The one-on-one time is good for both of us, though that won't last long with the baby coming soon! But it is good while it lasts!

It's a Girl!

2008-07-25T16:46:00.001-05:00

So, I know I have put this off, and it's silly, but I put it off because I was very disappointed in how bad the pictures turned out. They pretty much all look the same, and don't really show much. But, the good news is that we found out we are having another girl! We are going to name her Nadia, though we are still negotiating on her middle name. I am 23 weeks now, and feel her moving all the time - she is going to be a very active child! Anyway, that's it - I'll post more later - maybe I can talk my doctor into getting me some better pictures!

widget

2008-07-18T17:27:00.001-05:00

Just thought I would add a little humor to this (actually quite serious) political season!

Send a JibJab Sendables® eCard Today!

Before and After

2008-06-24T13:12:00.001-05:00

It's hard to see in this picture, but when we moved in, all the shrubs in the front were pretty much dead. By last month, there was all kinds of overgrowth, and I didn't know the first thing about trimming shrubs or anything! Luckily, the owner of the home told us he would have landscaping done for the summer. Yesterday he came with his family and in-laws, tore everything out in less than an hour, and had all the new things put in by the end of the day. The big piece of driftwood and rocks came from his in-laws' farm. I think it looks so much better now, and will be a lot easier to take care of. Hopefully I won't kill everything with my famous black thumb...

Baby at 12 weeks, me at 16.

2008-06-24T13:04:00.000-05:00

I'm not one for putting up pics of myself, but Carlo likes to see the progress, so here I am at 16 wks. I know, big as a house already, and yes, there is just one in there!
Here are a couple of ultrasound pictures of our baby at 12 weeks! Dr. Wakefield couldn't get the little munchkin to sit still long enough to tell the heart rate, so he decided to do an ultrasound. We got a couple of great pics, but still couldn't get a heart rate - I guess the fact that he/she was moving around so much was good enough for the doctor! Here, the doctor tried to get a shot of baby's hands. It took me a few times to really see them, but it's cute anyway!

Silver Dollar City, Part 2

2008-06-24T12:56:00.001-05:00

We rode the Lost River, and poor Nina got the wettest seat! She, however, thought it was hilarious, and didn't stop talking about it the rest of the day!Emma and Evelyn rode one of the new rides together.

Nina wasn't quite big enough to ride by herself on this ride, so Olivia rode with her. We ran out of time to ride any more rides in this area. Like I said, there is definitely enough there to do now to make it a 2-day trip!

Silver Dollar City

2008-06-24T12:06:00.001-05:00

I wanted this summer to be special for the girls - do something they would remember, not just that their Daddy was gone this year. So, what could be better than going to Silver Dollar City, especially with the sweet deal they had for military families this year! And, boy was it worth it! Things sure have changed since I was there last, in 2004. They have a whole new area with rides for the children (pics in the next post.) There were even rides small enough that Nina could go and get in line all by herself! It was a great day - we went with my sister and her friend, and met up with Jasmine and her kids. Jasmine introduced me to the wonderful SDC skillets for lunch - and I didn't even get tired until the very end of the day, so I guess we went at the perfect time in my pregnancy. I think we definitely should have taken advantage of the free second day we were offered - there is enough there to see and do now. Oh well, maybe next time! We've decided this is definitely something we should do when Carlo comes home, although with a 7 month old in tow, I probably won't be able to ride all the big roller coasters again. *sighs*
My girls had so much fun playing with their cousins! And, yes, this colored sand did wash out of their clothing - though it was a little harder to get out of their hair!
Olivia actually decided she wanted to ride the American Plunge! I thought she would chicken out or cry, but she wanted to ride it again before we left! If you click on the pic, you can actually see them up close! I love the look on Olivia's face!
Since Nina and I were not allowed to ride Fire in the Hole, we had strawberries and cream! It was actually homemade ice cream with fresh strawberries - it was funny watching Nina try to get the huge strawberries in her mouth! It was good, but I still would have given anything to ride the ride!

Where to begin?

2008-06-24T11:54:00.001-05:00

Alright, so it's been so long since I updated this that I don't know where to begin. Carlo's still gone, I'm still pregnant, and my girls are still as cute as ever. Guess I will just post some random pics.Emma got her hair cut when we went home to visit in April! Daddy wasn't thrilled at first, but decided he really likes it! Emma is actually ready to get it cut again - I think we will wait just a little while.
My girls at Easter.
Me and the girls on Mother's Day. Kerri has a tradition where she and Ansel have a picture taken together every Mother's Day - I am ashamed to admit this is the first one for us!

And Baby Makes 4!

2008-04-02T15:17:00.000-05:00

Well, it's official; baby number 4 is due on the 21st of Nov (close to Daddy's birthday!) I actually found out the day after Carlo left that I was pregnant, (and yes, this was unplanned) but because of my horrendous miscarriage last September, we wanted to make sure before we told. You can't see it in the picture, but yes, our little blob has a heartbeat - 134 bpm, to be exact. We are hoping that Carlo will be able to take his R&R near the due date and hopefully be able to be here for the birth. With Olivia's baptism, it will definitely be a busy and exhausting time!

Class Picture 2008

2008-03-19T17:40:00.001-05:00

Here is Olivia's class this year! Obviously I had to cut out the "sensitive" info - school name, etc. Of course she is on the middle row in the bright pink sweater - just in case you couldn't find her! For those of you who have heard about the infamous Gibby, he is the boy on the end of the middle row with the green and white striped shirt. No, he is a really good kid, and Olivia swears that he's not her boyfriend - we just like to tease her!

More Deployment Pics

2008-03-13T13:04:00.000-05:00

My soldier and my girls - the looks on their faces are more due to the sun being in their eyes than anything else, but it wasn't really a happy time anyway!
Our comforter-in-chief, Emma. She did the best of any of us (me included!) and made sure there were lots of hugs and comfort to go around. She was also pretty excited about getting pictures taken, as you can see that she happens to be in most of them (in fact, she set up most of the shots herself!)

Carlo in formation - luckily this was not the end. We had about an hour with them after that, then we had to leave and they went back alone. It may sound cruel, but was, in fact far from it - at least for me. It was much easier leaving before the buses pulled up and the weapons were drawn.

It will be hard, but we always get by. I have a lot planned to keep me busy. I volunteered to be a POC (point of contact) for my FRG (family readiness group) and I recently completed Care Team Training - ask at your own risk - at least if you are emotional! I will also have my POC training next week, and my AFTB Level II classes, not to mention all the trips to the doctor, and I may start taking some classes online. The girls and I plan to get a lot of books read - The Chronicles of Narnia and Harry Potter, just to name a few. And of course, we will be taking some trips home, though I am not sure when yet!

Gone Again...

2008-03-12T22:26:00.001-05:00

Well, today was the day. Carlo left for a 15 month deployment to Afghanistan. There were a lot of tears shed all around, but the hardest part is saying goodbye. Somehow we always manage to get by, no matter how much we miss him. We are hoping he will be able to come home in Sept. or Oct. to baptize Olivia, but it is not guaranteed yet. We will update the family as the time gets closer, but, of course, we may not know until a few days ahead of time - I know, not real convenient for making travel plans (for those of you wanting to come to the baptism!)

Playing in the Snow

2008-03-12T22:22:00.001-05:00

I know, it was a few days ago, but I've been kind of busy (see new post after this) - the girls had a great time playing in the snow! Karina and Olivia kept throwing snowballs at each other like they were old pros, even though neither has seen real snow for eons!

What We Woke Up To This Morning

2008-03-08T14:42:00.000-06:00

Yesterday we knew there was a chance of snow, but Weatherbug assured me it would be light and would not stick. It continued throughout the day, and they let school out early. I even talked to a woman in Memphis who said they were getting it pretty bad, apparently a big deal. I did not know this, but it does not snow a lot here, so even a little snow cancels school. Anyway, all day it snowed, but barely stuck to the ground. This morning, we woke up to this!

Needless to say, the girls are looking forward to playing in it after their naps. Living in Louisiana for two and a half years, Karina and Emma have never played in the snow!

R-E-S-P-E-C-T, Please

2008-03-06T15:21:00.000-06:00

I understand that war is a horrible thing, and no one wants to go to war. However, no matter which side you are on politically, I hope we can all agree that our troops do not deserve the treatment they have been getting lately. I just received this email today from www.moveamericaforward.org Click on the link to sign up with them if you are just as fed up as I am with Code Pink and others like them.

In case you haven't yet heard, the military recruiting center at Times Square in New York City was bombed early this morning.
It comes in the midst of a campaign against military recruiting centers by anti-military and anti-war activists called "counter-recruitment." We're not kidding - you can see the campaign of "counter-recruitment" being waged by the far-Left group, Code Pink - HERE.
As you know, we at Move America Forward have been leading a national effort against those who are attacking our military recruiters. Here's a collage of images we put together highlighting the most recent attacks against recruiting centers:

Next week, Move America Forward's senior leadership will travel to Washington, D.C. for a news conference unveiling a new national ad campaign that highlights the attacks against military recruitment centers across the nation by those who call themselves "peace activists."
Where our national leaders on this issue? Up until now they've been silent.
Well we won't be silent!
Help us fund this national ad campaign by making the most generous contribution you can afford. Don't delay, we've got to take action NOW!
Contribute to this effort here:

Or donate via PayPal here:

Or use this link to contribute - and pass it along to others and ask them to match your donation:
http://www.moveamericaforward.org/index.php/MAF/Contribute

McCain is as much a democrat as Hillary. Vote Romney!

2008-02-03T17:37:00.001-06:00

The Clear Choice

2008-02-02T23:32:00.001-06:00

Since this is such an important election, I wanted to post something! This is the best comparison chart of the candidates I've seen yet. Think about the things that are most important to you, then vote accordingly.
UPDATE: I just looked at this on my blog, and it is really small! You can click on it to see it full size.

United We Stand

2008-02-01T18:55:00.001-06:00

This is such a great video. I love that we have a candidate who loves this great country as much as I do - the same great country that my husband chooses to defend.

I'm Like George Washington

2008-01-21T13:13:00.001-06:00

Which Great US President Are You Most Like?
created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as George Washington

1st President, in office from 1789-1797
Born: 1732 Died: 1799

George Washington

74%

Abraham Lincoln

64%

Harry Truman

60%

Dwight Eisenhower

55%

Ronald Reagan

52%

John Kennedy

50%

Thomas Jefferson

50%

Lyndon Johnson

50%

Franklin Roosevelt

50%

Woodrow Wilson

38%

Theodore Roosevelt

36%

Home Sweet Home

2008-01-15T15:02:00.000-06:00

So, here is a picture of our new house, I guess when the last people still lived there. We don't have a flag up yet, and we have a new mailbox.
A picture of our eat-in kitchen/dining room. The ceiling fan is black, so it matches the fabric on our chairs!
Our bedroom - the computer desk is in the bay window - perfect for when Carlo is deployed and I can actually hear the messenger tone when he gets online!
The living room - it's kind of a funky mustard color, but it's starting to grow on me - hopefully I can find suitable window treatments (that are complimentary, but not mustard!)
The other side of the living room, with our military table, entry, and picture wall. To the left is the hallway with the girls' bedrooms, and to the right is the master bedroom. I've never had that kind of arrangement before, but I love it because I can't hear the girls when they start playing early on Saturday morning!

New House and Other Stuff...Finally!

2008-01-15T11:57:00.000-06:00

Right, so I wanted to actually put pictures on my blog, (I mean, who wants to just sit here and read what I have to say, right?) but the adding photos thing is not working right now! Anyone one else having problems with this? Anyway, as there are no pictures, this blog is going to be really annoying, because half of what I want to say I can't because of security reasons! Here goes anyway...So, we moved at the beginning of December to our new post, Fort ______, and are currently living off-post in the city of ___________, in a nice 3 bedroom house in a great neighborhood! We are about 20 minutes from post, but only about 5-10 minutes from the mall, Target, Books-A-Million, (no B&N :( ) and lots of other stuff to do. We found out Emma's doctors will be about 45 minutes away, but in that city there is so much to do! They have a huge mall, and even a pizzeria that makes gluten-free pizzas! (Did I mention this is totally frustrating that I can't give details!) So we are right in the middle of things here! Our house, like I said, is a 3 bedroom, (hopefully pictures to follow!) so it is a little smaller than what we had before, but it is bigger in the essentials: bigger bathrooms and kitchen, bigger master bedroom (because of the awesome bay window!) The living room is a little smaller, but there is still plenty of space. There are faux french doors leading out to the deck and a huge fenced-in backyard! We also have a garage with a big attic for storage. Olivia and Emma are sharing a room, but Karina's room is big enough for the toys, so I guess we aren't missing our playroom as much as we thought we would!
Olivia started her new school last week, and is already loving it! They are a little ahead in math here, so she's had to catch up, but she's a smart girl and has caught on fairly quickly. There is no preschool program at this school, so Emma will have to wait until the fall to start kindergarten, but we've been working on some things at home to get her ready.
Carlo had to start work ten days early because his former unit messed up the paperwork for his permissive TDY, but it actually worked out alright, because when he got his assignment, it was definitely worth the hassle! Again, I can't give details because of security reasons, but most of the family knows anyway, and if you don't, just email me and I will be glad to fill you in! When he finishes in-processing he can apply for his permissive TDY at his new unit. We are hoping he gets it, because they have already put him in to get his ear operated on (from his injury in Iraq) before he leaves for Afghanistan in March.
As for me, I am enjoying our new house, and especially being able to actually do things and go places here! I was just called to be a CTR 8 teacher in our new ward. I was pretty disappointed at first, to be honest, because every time we have moved to a new ward I have been called to the primary right away, so I was kind of hoping for a change this time! I feel, though, that it is a pretty big responsibility because these children (including Olivia!) will be getting baptized this year and I need to do what I can to help them prepare for that important step in their lives. It is a much bigger ward here, but everyone is really nice, and the ratio of military to civilians is a little more balanced so there is more stability than there was in our last ward.
Anyway, I guess that is about it for us. Like I said before, if you want the actual details don't hesitate to email me - I would love to hear from you! Hopefully I will be able to get pictures on soon, and I will update more about the upcoming deployment.

Pumpkin Patch

2007-10-20T18:25:00.001-05:00

On Thursday Emma's class took a field trip to the Anderson Farms Pumpkin Patch, and because of Emma's diabetes they asked me to go along. Luckily, Carlo is on block leave, so he was able to stay with Karina and I could go - I'm glad I did! It was really neat. The pumpkin patch is new to Leesville - this is its second year. They had such a good response last year that they added alot more to it, and the kids had a great time. They had a short class on how to grow pumpkins, then every child was able to plant a pumpkin seed in a small pot. They also got to go through a hay maze, feed chickens, go on a hay ride, and pick their very own pumpkin! I wish I could have put more pictures in, there were so many cute ones! Here Emma and her classmate, Stella, are putting dirt in their pots, and below Emma is getting help adding her pumpkin seed.
The kids got to take turns feeding the chickens - they also had goats, and super-cute baby pigs in nearby pens!
Here is Emma, waiting in line to get her name put on her pumpkin. She picked a couple before she found the perfect one! Except, now that she's found the perfect one, she thinks of it as a baby, and will not even let us suggest turning it into a pie or carving it up!
This is Emma's class sitting for their picture, right before it was time to go home! Her teacher, Miss Heather, is in the middle pumpkin, and her aide, Miss Sybill, is on the right side.

Better late than...oh, hush!

2007-10-20T18:07:00.001-05:00

So, let's see. What has happened in the past 2 months since I last blogged? Unfortunately too much, and at the same time, not enough. We had Olivia's huge birthday fiesta at the beginning of September - hence the pictures. Mike and Yolanda were kind enough to come down and prepare the party - and boy, did they do alot! It was so much fun, though, so thank you for coming and doing that for Olivia! We are anticipating another visit in November - this time, not so happy. We still have not received word on whether or not we will be getting our compassionate reassignment for Emma, so right now we have to assume that Carlo will be deploying at the end of November - possibly on his birthday. There is still a chance we could get it, but right now we assume the brigade is just sitting on it because we are so close to deployment that they don't want to deal with it. It has been rough to deal with, but in the end we have to accept that maybe it is God's will, for whatever reason. The weekend after Olivia's party Emma ended up in the ICU in Shreveport all weekend. Her pump site had pulled out, we didn't realize it, and she went into ketoacidosis overnight. Luckily we were already in Shreveport. Then at the end of September I had a miscarriage, and ended up needing an emergency D&C because the bleeding would not stop - thankfully I didn't need a blood transfusion, but they had it ready to go, just in case. So, obviously that was a huge disappointment for us. I think that's about it - thank goodness! Right now Carlo is on block leave and we are just trying to enjoy these two weeks of having him home before he leaves. Yolanda is telling the kids about the Mexican tradition (I don't know what it is called) of cracking confetti-filled eggs on the heads of the birthday girl, and each other. They thought it was alot of fun! My friend, Wendy, decided it would be hilarious to crack one on the head of one of our friendly neighborhood police officers! Luckily he was very good-natured about it!
All the kids got a chance to hit the pinata - here Yolanda is helping Karina with her turn.

And, here is the birthday girl blowing out her candles!

My New Addiction

2007-08-22T17:02:00.001-05:00

Last night I was reading my August Ensign, and came across an article about indexing census records for Family Search. Basically, they are trying to get all census records online so that we can access them from our homes instead of having to go to the family history centers for everything. So, they need volunteers to go through census records and death certificate records and just type them in. I was so excited about this because I have been wanting to work on family history, but it was always so overwhelming and with 3 little ones (plus one on the way) I never had much time. This is super simple to do, and you can go at your own pace! If you are interested, just go to www.familysearchindexing.org it is so addicting you may not be able to stop!

Riding the bus

2007-08-22T16:47:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was Emma's first day to ride the bus. She was very excited about this day, and the bus could not come fast enough for her! Here she and Olivia are outside the house for a few quick pics!

Here is a pic of Emma at the curb, watching the bus pull up. She was the first in line, and a little unsure of herself, so I walked her across the street, and that is why there are no pics of her actually getting on the bus!
For those of you upset that I don't include all the girls (Mom - jk!) here is a picture of Karina - sorry there are no pics of the new baby yet - It's a little out of range for my Canon! Haha!

I Survived!

2007-08-17T14:31:00.001-05:00

I just picked Emma up from her first day of school! It was a nervewracking day for me, but she had a great time! Apparently I am not the only parent who has reservations about letting their little one go to school - the children made these "Kissing Hands" just for us!

First Day(s) of School

2007-08-17T09:11:00.000-05:00

Well, today was a little emotional for me. It was Emma's first day of school (she attends a program called LA-4 - it's like preschool, but 5 days a week, and she gets to ride the bus.) She's been really excited about it, so I know that she will have a great time. It's hard for me, though, because for the last year so much of my identity has been wrapped up in being her caregiver, and it's hard to let go of some of that. I guess I just think that if I am not with her I cannot protect her. I guess this will be as good for me as it will be for her - eventually I will learn to let go a little!

Olivia started school on Wednesday! She is in 2nd grade now, and here, that means a different school. She was not happy about that at first, but says now that she likes it and that her teacher is very nice.

I have more pics to post from when Carlo came home. I think I will put those on my myspace instead. You can check them out at www.myspace.com/roya221

Carlo in Iraq

2007-06-19T09:50:00.001-05:00

I just wanted to put some pictures on our blog that Carlo sent me from Iraq. It's just nice to see him sometimes, even though the girls and I get video calls fairly frequently now. Luckily, he will be home very soon and then we will be able to see him in person!

Sunday

2007-06-17T11:10:00.000-05:00

I took a few pictures after church to send to Carlo - Happy Father's Day hon! Emma is wearing the dress she got for her birthday, and Karina was vamping it up for the camera in her new dress!

Emma's Birthday Party

2007-06-17T11:04:00.000-05:00

Here are some pictures from Emma's birthday party. It is hard to believe that she is already 4! The highlight of the day was, of course, her new camera. It is already being put to good use, and as soon as I get home and get the pics on my computer you can see for yourself how much fun she is having with it!

I am Jane Doe

2007-06-15T00:38:00.001-05:00

So, I had to redo my blog, as all of you know - or at least all of you who occasionally looks at our blog knows! It turns out that it was a security risk - so from now on I cannot post things such as our last name, city, state, hometown, etc. Carlo is also asking those of you who might write comments or have links to our blog not give that info out either. Apparently his unit takes these things very seriously. Thanks for your cooperation!

So, we are visiting home right now while Carlo is away, but we got good news that he will be home early, so I won't be here as long as I thought I would be! Emma turned 4 yesterday - it is hard to see how quickly they grow! She will have her tests done on July 10 to get a positive diagnosis of Celiac's disease - she will have to have an endoscopy and colonoscopy. Hopefully we will be back to visit our families for Carlo's leave - if anyone deserves a vacation it is him!

I will be posting more soon - hopefully I can get some pictures on soon! I haven't taken any since I've been here, but Emma's party is on Saturday, so I will get some then!