Daytona Beach

We spent the Memorial Day weekend in Daytona Beach with the Gutierrez family. Here are some pics from the trip. And don't worry I plan to get some sun this summer. Yikes! Can I be any whiter???

Sudu- what !?

So I guess I am pulling an Anne. By that, I mean, I've gone offline for almost a month and now I am going to catch up. Let's start out with a picture of Grandpa and Tino. My dad came down for a visit a couple of weeks ago. Mean mom has made a rule that there are no electronic devices (gameboy, gamecube, etc) allowed when Grandpa comes to visit. Who needs electronic devices when all you need is a Suduko book and a PEN? I don't think it shows this when I post the picture, but let me just add the little detail that this photo was taken on April 20 at 11:46 p.m. Yes, that was P.M., not A.M. You have to give and take right? No electronic devices when Grandpa comes, but Tino can go to bed at whatever hour he wants to because he is having bonding time with Grandpa.

New neighbors

So we have some new neighbors. These neighbors are VERY TERRITORIAL. In fact, yesterday, I heard a VERY LOUD, high pitched screeching noise which scientists say can be heard from at least 1 mile away. Actually, the screeching noise serves two purposes: #1 a mating call #2 it warns the significant other of impending danger. I want to know who was actually in danger. "Baseball bat flinging Mateo" and "Don't Mess with me Sarah" OR, our new neighbors. If you read my sister Heather's blog, she talks about the mean girls that live in her neighborhood and terrorize Abbie.

Back to the original question, who was terrorizing who and who is really meaner? I would think that COMMON SENSE would let the 'melos (a.k.a. Mateo and Sarah) know that if you're messing with someone that is at least 3 feet taller than you and can EAT you or at least bite your hand off that maybe they should go elsewhere and play with somebody else. I have thoroughly enjoyed the last couple weeks knowing that Mateo and Sarah can go outside and play in the backyard WITHOUT escaping to the front yard. Now they can't even play in their own backyard. Our new neighbors have NO limits. I will not be able to call a neighborhood meeting OR meet with the neighbors mothers . . . since their mothers are NOWHERE to be found. What am I to do?

Empty Plate

So . . . I bet you didn't think I could do it. But I did. Or at least, I am in the process of it. Yes, I am emptying my plate. My very inspired Branch President released me from my Primary calling (1st counselor) last Sunday. I resigned from my postion as Cubmaster with Pack 15 on Monday. This Tuesday, I will turn in my Procedures manuals for my two committee chair positions with the Vista Lakes PTA. As far as my teaching Kindermusik classes, Lake Nona YMCA doesn't have space for me to teach this summer. That decision was made for me by default. So for now . . . everything is off my plate. Now I will have more time to: Be a better wife. Be a better mother. Be a better friend.

Whew . . . my branch president tells me I am like a recovering alcoholic. NO, I AM NOT an alcoholic . . . just a WORKAHOLIC and a community service-aholic. . . in the recovering phases. He could tell by my body language and facial expressions last week that it physically and mentally pains me to let things go. It's o.k. Right? Somebody else can do it all. I don't have to.

Reason #2 I love having boys

So I was going to post only one reason a week in dedication to my sis. Heather. But, I figured I better post them as they came up. Otherwise, I might forget.

Boys are direct and to the point. No messing around, no drama, no trying to get around the point without hurting feelings, etc. They just tell it like it is . . . . and act accordingly.

Scene: Booth at Denny's Saturday morning 11:00 a.m.

Mateo turns to Tino and does a raspberry in his face and sticks his tongue out at him.

Cristian: Mateo, what did you do that for?

Mateo: It was Tino.

Heidi: What did Tino do?

Mateo: Tino was aggrabating me.

Cristian: What!?!

Mateo: Tino was AGGRABATING me. Tell him to stop.

Heidi: Why was Tino aggravating you? What did he do?

Mateo: Look! (pointing to Tino)

Translation: Mateo asked the server for chocolate milk. Tino asked the server for hot chocolate. Mateo decided once the hot chocolate was served to Cristian and Tino that he also wanted hot chocolate. Tino decided to mix things up a bit and make faces to Mateo to show him how yummy and delicious his hot chocolate was.

Now if this would have been an interaction among sisters, the drama still would have been going down.

Another reason I LOVE having boys

My sister Heather is having her first son. She is slightly freaking out. Just wanted to dedicate this post to her. I promised her I would jot down reasons that boys are fun as they came to mind. Here's one . . . fresh from the bathroom, I mean toilet. Let's take a simple task of giving brother (Mateo) and sister (Sarah) the same set of instructions. They were eatting creamsicles and it got to the very end where it starts to drip down your hand, arm, etc. Both Mateo and Sarah don't do well with sticky, gooey messes. It freaks them out. So, in order to circumvent a meltdown times two, I told them both to go throw their creamsicles in the trash can and then to wash their hands. Sarah marched to the kitchen, threw her creamsicle in the trash, and proceeded to sign the word "help". (She needed to be lifted up to the kitchen sink and get help washing her hands). Mateo was missing in action. But, never fear, I could hear him. He was in his bathroom. I could hear the toilet flushing, and flushing, and flushing, and you guessed it . . . flushing. (Is it any wonder why the toilets are always out of commission around here?) He had his entire hand submerged in the toilet water, holding on to the creamsicle for dear life. When I asked him what on earth he thought he was doing, he simply responded: "But, mami you told me to throw it away. I can't let go of the stick and the popsicle is still getting stuck on it." Yes, it was supposed to be such an easy thing to do, but boys always have a way of making a major project and/or physics/scientific experiment out of the very simplest of tasks. Now that I threw away Mateo's creamsicle and washed his hands for him, whose job is it to mop up the toilet water mess on his bathroom floor? Heather, I AM SO EXCITED for you to have a son. Let me just tell you it is a character building experience. Love ya!

Two Strikes

So I struck out big time today. First of all, Mateo has been so excited to play soccer at the YMCA. This afternoon he fell asleep on the couch as per usual. Well, it took forever to wake him up. We got over to practice and he burst out crying. In fact, he wouldn't stop crying. "I don't want to play soccer. I want to go home". Sarah quickly ran out onto the field, grabbed a pink soccer ball, and started dribbling. Too bad her lack of speech skills gives her away. Otherwise I'd try to pass her off as 3 year old MateA. Oh well. We'll try organized sports again in the fall. Mateo's 5:00 p.m. practice ended, so it was off to Tino's 6:00 p.m. baseball practice. WHAT A JOKE! The only thing I kept thinking about during practice, was that my son (the future professional baseball player) was going to absolutely LOSE IT!

Let's just say that YMCA is not about the sports. It's about building character. That's all well and good, and I support their mission 100%, except when it gets in the way of a little 8 year old's dreams. I don't think these kids on his team had ever even picked up a ball before, who knows, maybe they have never even seen a baseball before. Next time Little League and/or Pony League sign-ups roll around and I don't have the cash to pay for it, I am PUTTING IT ON A CREDIT CARD. Future note to all out there, YMCA is not the place for competitive sports. Thank goodness for being able to put Mateo and Sarah in Child Watch during practice and games. Also, yippie for my 25% employee discount. (I'm trying to look at the positive in my big blunder).

Chicken Pox Boy

There have been many requests for chicken pox pictures. For some reason, I am having issues with my digital camera. So, here's a picture of Tino's red ant bites when he got attacked and was transported by ambulance to the E.R. back in November. Big marks on the skin . . . close enough. By the way, Tino has WAY more scars on his legs from the ant bites than he will have from the chicken pox. Even though the chicken pox vaccine didn't prevent the chicken pox, it was certainly a very mild case. He's going back to school tomorrow. YIPPIE!

What Not to Wear

So for those of you who don't know, I have the best personal trainer in the planet. She goes far beyond the call of duty. In fact, today she offered to go shopping with me. I have been stuck in the blah, blah, blah stages for quite some time now. I would definitely be a contender for one of Oprah's shows for who has let themself go. For the last month, I have been taking time each day for ME. Yes, ME. Should I say that one more time? O.K. I've been carving out time each hectic and busy day for ME. I've been training three times a week, working out six times a week, TRYING to put makeup on every day, working on some diet and lifestyle changes, and today it was "let's go to the mall and get some new clothes day".


Since I still haven't been a contender in my favorite show What Not to Wear, and who's to know when I will ever get on the show, Gisselle hooked me up today at the mall. We got some pieces for church, date night with Cristian, working out, and just casual/ hanging out stuff. She even introduced me to her favorite accessories store to get some bling.

Gisselle was Mrs. Florida 2005 and 1st runner-up to Mrs. USA 2006. She was trying to teach me how to do one of the beauty pageant poses, but I am just TOO BORING. Kudos to Gisselle for an awesome day. And can't forget to thank Cristian for watching Tino, Mateo, and Sarah while I went for my 6:15 a.m. walk around the lake, shopping at the mall, and then again when I went to the Relief Society activity tonight.

P.S. Do you just love my farmer's tan? That was from last week's Elder's Quorum picnic. Gotta love those overcast 75 degree days.

Mateo's "I Don't Want to In Bed" Song

I remember the day when all three kiddos were in bed by 8:00 p.m. Mateo is in this phase where he naps in the car while we're doing errands in the afternoon or he will fall asleep on the couch while I am cooking dinner. Now he's the last one to go to bed every night. 11:00 p.m., 11:30 p.m. He came into the office last night around 9:45 p.m. and started singing me this song. Too bad I didn't have the camera handy for the entire song. This was during the tail end of his musical rendition. Now that's my Kindermusik Kid. :0)