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!

Off to the rodeo!

Here is Weston and Noah ready to go to the annual Houston rodeo with Grandma and Grandpa Parker. It will be Noah's 1st year to go, since he doesn't wear pull-ups anymore. That's the rule...you go when you are potty trained! Also, we added another "rule"... That you have to sleep in your own bed and not come to mommy and dady's bed anymore. So 2 weeks before the rodeo, we started that with Noah. We knew it would be a lot of little-sleep nights. And it was, but Noah got used to staying in his bed or at least their room all night! Yey!!!

Anyway, here they are all excited. They counted the days until today! And Noah was very excited to have cowboy boots and wear them with his jeans.

They had a lot of fun at the rodeo! Thanks Grandma and Grandpa.



Volunteer at hospital

Some of you already know and some of you might not. I have been continuing my education, and last semester I took an English class online. Now, I am to the point in my classes where I need to decide what field of study I would like to follow.
I made a commitment that if I didn't register another class this semester, then I would follow an idea I had. I thought I could volunteer at a hospital, so I could be involved with different aspects of the medical field and see what I like, since that's what interests me so far.
So this March I started the process. And finally, out of 3 hospitals, St. Luke's Hospital Vintage Park emailed me and they accepted my application. I interviewed, did my health screening and I was ready to go.
So, today Apr. 3rd, I went for the orientation. We received a manual, some training, a tour of the hospital, and I bought my jacket. I was excited, and Wally is probably more excited than me! :). I start tomorrow. I offered I could go once a week and do a 4-hour shift.