HAPPY 5th BIRTHDAY NOAH!

Our little Noah turned 5!!!! He is so happy to be turning 5. And he was lucky that Wally was in town from San Antonio for the weekend, as a surprise... We had muffins Monkey Bread (pioneer woman recipe....simply delicious!) and fruit for breakfast, but he couldn't wait so he started with chocolate cheerios and milk.

His loving brother Weston had made him a birthday crown and "crowned" him with it for breakfast!

 After church, we rushed home to make lunch/dinner before Wally had to head back to San Antonio. We had planned bbq for Noah, so Wally went outside and grilled while I baked the cake and finished the sides for the bbq.

We made cards for Noah.

 

We gave Noah his present. He was excited to open it. He actually asked for an iPad!!! But in our "world", we don't give our kids iPads!

 So he got the idea of an iPad...a kid version. An Innotab tablet.

 

And Weston made Noah wait to get the card he made him...He wanted to read it for Noah. Noah loved it!

 

Then we ate....bbq (beef fajita, chicken, sausage, white rice, guacamole, chips, cheese, tortillas, and of course....lemonade!

Then we rushed to the cake...

 I have to add, that Noah specifically picked the cake décor(I already had), and he carefully placed it where he wanted it. (We don't watch Winnie Pooh but he thought it was cute for his cake). I've had them since Weston turned 1!!!

We had such a fun quick birthday for Noah, but especially a great weekend with Wally in town. I know these are a lot of pictures, but they show how much fun we had and enjoyed every minute...literally, as Wally needed to start driving back.

 

Champion

During parent-teacher conference a month or so ago, I expressed to Weston's teachers that I would like for him to be challenged in some subjects.... So we talked about spelling bee. Well, the  week of Thanksgiving, before the break, he brought home the list of words that 3rd and 4th graders would have to study to participate. 50 words for 3rd and 50 words for 4th grade. I decided to not focus on that detail, but help him practice all 100 words.... So everyday, morning or night, eating dinner or brushing teeth or waiting for the bus, we practice the words, with flashcards or reading them off the sheet....
Today, he had his spelling bee....and guess what?! He is the winner of 3rd grade!!!!!! I am sooooooo proud of him and pleased with his courage to do it(since other friends backed out at the last minute) and so pleased with his daily effort!
He expressed that the teachers were very proud of him, and that he thought that if he backed out, that I would be sad and all our practice would go to waste.... Such a good boy!

He called daddy on the phone to tell him and daddy told him he is very proud of him....

Now, 200 words to practice for next spelling bee! Wish us luck!

Away...

So it's been a while since I last posted. But here I am again! This should be the fastest to update everyone in what is going on....
Wally has been laid off for a while now, and he has applied to many companies, and has talked to the union also and nothing had come up. We decided we would attend the temple every Tuesday morning. So we went last Tuesday and had a good morning. After that, we went by the hospital where I needed to have an x-ray done to see the location of my 4 kidney stones(different story!)... Anyway, as we waited, Wally got a call from the Union, where he was offered a job in San Antonio, for about a month.... So of course he said yes, when do I start. At this point, we are taking what comes and can support our family. He was asked to come by the office on Monday (after Thanksgiving). Monday came, he went by the office at 7am, then call me saying he needed to leave that afternoon! We were almost prepared for that, but still....I got sad. I started helping him pack.

So, long story short, he is up in San Antonio, Tx, (with our only car), working 7 days a week, 10 hours a day, for the rest of November and December.... It might slow down to normal 5 days, but not sure when! And when he will get to come back yet.... He is staying at a hotel that the company is paying for, and they will pay for his gas to get to San Antonio and back, and he will get $40 a day per diem. He is also rooming with another guy. There are many guys at that hotel that are working for the company. Har-con Mechanical is the plumbing company and they are working at Randolph Air Force base.
So hopefully we get to spend Christmas together....

Pack meeting

 

Weston had pack meeting for cub scouts and we went to a fire station in Magnolia. They gave us a tour around the station and showed us all about the trucks. Everyone had fun.

 

Love chocolate even at breakfast!

What's for breakfast? Well, I decided to try a recipe I have hesitant on making... Made from scratch at home I think should be a little healthier...but it's like eating brownies for breakfast!

These were good! THey were a hit at home! I did add the strawberry toppings when we were ready to eat... Here is the link for the recipe! (Thanks Mom Parker for the cookbook!) Double-chocolate waffles with-berry sauce

Susannah and I

Here is just a sneak peek of a few pictures from my cousin's kids First Holy Comunion. I thought it would be nice for my sister in law and I to have a picture together.
Here we are at the restaurant for the lunch afterwards.

Moms and muffins anywhere

It was "Moms and Muffins" at Weston's school this day, but we picked up Weston early from school the day before, since he had a fever. So he needed to stay home the next school day, so we missed the activity at the school where the children can eat with their moms, grandma's, etc...

But, I made chocolate chip muffins at the house and we got to still eat breakfast together!!

A happy volunteer

Maybe it's not the greatest picture, but this is me on my way to volunteer at the hospital.

Playing at Abuelo and Abuela's

My brother took Susannah out on a date for the first time, since they had Caroline. Ao we helped babysit at my parents'. Saturday afternoon. And this is what the kids do.... (play on trampoline, sometimes get in the pool, eat, waych a movie, play in the field in the back...)

Have you ever seen a cool picture on STATIC ON HAIR???? Check these kids out!

Rebakah

 Levi

Wally and I with baby Caroline. She is so cute!

 

Here are the kids eating while watching a movie.

Front yard

This is an italian tree that I've been wanting to have in our yard. I finally bought it and Wally and I planted it. We first extended our flower bed and reshaped it, and now we are adding to it. The small green

plant to the left, is some seeds that Noah and I planted, that will give orange flowers when it gets really hot.

A morning at the park

While Wally has been home during the day this month, after a project at work ended, we came to the park this morning and met with my friend Shelley. Weston was at school. It was a very nice day (weather).

 Noah didn't want to play when we first got to the park....

 Wally loves to swing...

 THis is Patton, a little friend, that my friend Shelley babysits. We got together at the park today.

 Mommy and Noah

Hospital - 3rd day.

9am-1pm shift. Today I was at the Welcome desk with Mishelle. We talked and decided I was going to go do the complimentary snacks cart. I was somewhat nervous since I had to do it on my own. I don't know the whole hospital so I took a map with me, but didn't even use it. I started in the Emergency department, then went to the 2nd floor to Labor and Delivery. There I saw newborn twins, and new parents. Then I went by ICU for family members to grab something. I proceeded to the 3rd floor, which is the busiest, and then I ended in the 4th floor.
I saw the same elderly lady as last week and she was happy she was getting out the next day, after 2 1/2 weeks of being there. I was able to speak spanish to 2 other patients. I saw the same respiratory care doctor I met last week and she recognized me, and the radiologist expressed his gratitude to me for the time the volunteers give. I also met a lady in the kitchen, Marlene, and 2 of the chefs.
After I did the cart, I went back to the Welcome desk with Mishelle and learned some more hospital procedures. It was a good day.

Hospital - 2nd day, "the cart"

I started my shift at the welcome desk at 8am, with Morgan, then at 9am Pete came and stayed there with us. Morgan went out in the golf cart and I stayed with Pete. Later, Pete and I went to do the complimentary snacks cart. We went to the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floor, to the patients' rooms, to offer a complimentary snack and drinks, and to the patients' family members. We went to the nurses' station at each wing on each floor to ask for the dietary restrictions print out, so we could offer the snacks and drinks according to the patient's diet. I learned about that. In One of the rooms was a man that clearly was in pain pills....upset because we ran out of ginger ale. In another room, after we knocked and walked in and introduce ourselves, the elderly lady yelled: "what do you want now?".... We guessed she thought we were a nurse....again. I then explained again that we were there just to offer her free cookies and a drink...she then said "OK" and smiled. In another room, we offered the snacks to a new father, to where the mom was in the bathroom. I asked "boy or girl?", and he replied "boy!", and after a few seconds.... "wait, no, GIRL!"
There were a lot of grateful patients and family members for that small snack and drink. I had fun. It took us almost 2 hours. Then we went back to the welcome desk.
When my shift was done, I went to grab my free lunch, and a dessert. While waiting for my lunch, I met and talked to a respiratory care doctor, and about what she does and why I am volunteering. She thought I was smart for volunteering and being there to find out what I would like to study.
So, fun day!

Hospital - 1st day

First day. I was assigned to the welcome desk. I used my badges for the first time to go through 3 doors, to get to the room where I needed to sign in. Then I went to the welcome desk and met Pete. We worked together today. But wait, on the first few minutes of my first day, we had an incident.... Morgan, another volunteer, wanted to show Pete and I, where the census of people that would like to be visited by a minister is located every morning. I asked if I should stay at the desk, but Morgan said I should come. It took us a minute to do that and when we came around the corner, there was an upset lady, yelling at us, why there was no one at the desk, and that a visitor, a child, fell on the stairs, and we needed to call the E.D., emergency department, and have someone come look at him. I stood there....and said "this is my first day!" then we proceeded to call the E.D. And security went there and everything was taken care of.
About an hour later, the lady, the one that yelled at us, came and apologized to me and said "You know I was not upset at you right? It was with the other two because they should know better." I accepted the apology.
Anyway, I learned how to welcome the visitors, new patients, delivery guys, people wanting to take tours, give out job applications, the process for when people request medical records, how NOT TO EVER LEAVE the welcome desk, and to be on Trudy's good side!!
On another note, Pete is funny. I also get a free lunch on the days I volunteer. I had fun!

Spring break with friends

On our 2nd day of Spring Break, I had planned to meet with my good friend Claudia and her kids. So we went to Bouncing Bears, where there are a lot of inflatables and the kids can play for a while. So we did that, then went to get some food and headed to a park. It was a nice day and the kids and us had fun!

Sorry about this blurry picture, but it is the only proof I have, and Noah absolutely did not want to be in the picture... and of course I did not take it...

First day of Spring Break 2012

Before Spring Break started, I had planned what days I was going to do what and with who. So the first day was with the Ortiz cousin's, my brother's kids. So they came over and we just hung out. We ate, they played, watched "Puss in Boots" (and that's why they are all calmed in this picture), they played outtside some, we ate more, me and Susannah chatted, etc... We had a very good time!!

Here is Rebekah...

Here is Levi... (does he look like my brother or what?!)

And here is Caroline!

The picture doesn't do the justice, but her eyes as as beautiful as Rebekah's!