A fun weekend all the way around.....

Ahhhh, I am sitting here on the couching enjoy a cool morning in SA after a great workout. Its 49 degrees out right now, so nice to be able to have the windows open. Although it will be for a short time as we will reach the upper 70's by noontime....I am just loving the weather down here....of course ask me again in July.....When we will probably be in the 90's all the time....

So we did so much this weekend it makes me tired just thinking about it....Saturday morning we went out to breakfast at Le Peep......after we helped Uncle Joel with a flat tire on the White Squall (Old White Truck)....The tire actually took up a good part of the day, since it was not able to be repaired, we cruised around with Uncle Joel to find one that fit the truck.....Always fun to drive around and explore different parts of SA. After helping Joel get the new tire on the truck it was off to Costco for us......We actually had to come home and get the checkbook because their debit machine was down.....Who still carries their check book these days.....anyway after Costco Joel and Mayday came over and brought the White Squall over, (they are paving at Joel's apt complex and he is going to be out of town part of this week).....I was feeling lazy that Saturday night so we also went out to some Tex-Mex Burritos at Habanero's Grill.......so good and cheap for a family of 5......

Sunday we did some meal planning over coffee......Lila, Mikiah and I went shopping for the groceries.....while Kiara and Dad taped our Master Bedroom....We have decided to paint the ceiling now so we can get our ceiling fan up..since our room is the only bedroom with out a fan.....but I think now that we have the first coat on and the room torn up we might as well paint the whole room.....we are doing 3 walls a light Antique Brown and 1 wall a dark Cargo Brown......I can not wait to see what it will look like......Last night we became guests in our own house staying in the guest bedroom, and I must say totally weird to be sleeping upstairs.....but the room is great and comfortable.....So once our room is all painted I will get pics up....

In between painting and nap time for the girls, I worked out in the yard.....Raking up some leaves, cutting old rose buds and trimming them a little bit and weeding.....We mowed, watered the lawn and tomatoes and Shawn cut down one of the big Cactus plants in our backyard.....and trimmed back the other one.....Oh man it is so nice to have one of those out of here.....they get out of control so fast.....now we are just timing to see how long it will take for it to come back.....here is a sort of before pic....and after pics.....Thanks babe, it makes the yard feel bigger and now safer....

This pic is from December.....you can see both Cactus in the background...

And now...(of course we trimmed our Thorny Citrus Tree too, now we will have to wait to see if it is a Lemon Tree or Sour Orange Tree, but I must tell you the leaves smell so good, like yummy citrus)

Sour Orange or Lemon.....we shall see.....

We finished off the night with a super good fresh pork dish......I will load up on the Breezy sometime today....It was soooo good and simple that Shawn asked for it to be added into the rotation.....then it was bath time for the girls, quick walk around the neighborhood and then bedtime.....And I must say it is so nice that all 3 go down by 8.30ish....I just love it....Lila still wakes up at least once at night, but falls back asleep pretty fast....its all good......

Ok, so now that I typed all this is doesn't seem like we did as much as I was thinking.....oh well, a good weekend had by all!

Always trying to do our part......

Well today Shawn and I signed up to have 60% of our electricity come from Windtricity. I am sure we will up it to 100% after we head in to summer and learn what are electricity bill will be like with the A/C running more to cool us from all the heat San Antonio gets during the summer .....So it costs a little more a month, we are talking a trip to Starbucks or one lunch out, basically for us it was another no brain-er decision to help reduce our Carbon Footprint.....I try to do all I can, knowing that I will not be able to give up our Suburban or those disposable diapers anytime soon.....We have CFL and or LED lights/bulbs for all our lights, majority of the products we buy for cleaning are green, we buy many organic products and local produce, we have a washer & dryer, dishwasher, and refrigerator that are all energy efficient and/or use less water, we have 3 big bins of recycling overflowing every week, and now we have wind powered electricity.....Ahhh, we are so excited to be able to take advantage of this offer......Just wanted to share since Earth Day is coming up in April 22nd.....

And then there was a gate.....

Yes.....we have finally put a permanent gate at the top of the stairs.....We decided to go with one that was easy for guests to operate, it lets them know if the gate is locked correctly by an indicator and this one has the benefit of a motion light for the late night trips up the stairs for me (I have a nightlight on the stairs but another light will be nice).....Melissa, I believe it is the same gate you have at the top of your stairs.....Anyway, I must say it is so nice to not have to worry about Lila playing upstairs in the playroom now that she is so mobile...I am always up there watching them or working while they are playing in the playroom....but it will be nice to not have to worry about her going near the old/temp gate we had........and let me tell you....she just loves the new gate....For now anyway......

Oh, and here are a few pics from breakfast this morning.....I certainly have two great little helpers....for the most part they love helping with Lila....

And a Solution.....

First off thanks to Molly for her recommendation on Klean Kanteen. I seriously think she should start a Mommy Recommendation Column or something!!!.....So, I hopped on the Internet last night and did a little research on Stainless Steel Bottles, Aluminum bottles and plastic bottle alternatives.....I went with Molly's recommendation and purchased 2 27 oz bottles for Shawn and me and 2 12oz bottles for the twins....and if they like them then I will get one with a sippy cap for Lila (which are on back order right now)......I found they are no more expensive then the #7 plastic bottles.......So just to let all you Nalgene bottle users and Camelbak bottles users there are other options......Which is great because I really didn't want to buy bottled water for the gym!.....We should have them by mid next week and I will let you know what we think!

Water Bottles, Water Bottles, Water Bottles.....

Well, I don't know about you, but I have been watching all the reports on water bottles and safety....I caught both Today Show pieces (yesterday and today)....Man talk about crazy. So some scientists are saying that we should not use water bottles with the Recycling Numbers 3,6,7.....Can I tell you that pretty much every water bottle I use (to help save the environment), is a number 7......Both my Camelbak and my Nalgene bottles and not to mention the kids Nalgene bottles....SO we are purging them from the house....bye bye bottles......off to the recycling bin you go (So glad SA Recycling Program will take them, I don't feel as bad about getting rid of them).....I figure better to be safe then sorry, we are switching back to GLASS glasses for drinking water at the house and switching back to SINGLE use bottled water for the gym and outings......and we will just be diligent on recycling those after 1 use.........For the kids, who do not want to purge their water bottles, they are quite attached and actually take them to bed.....we will have to do some sort of project with them......maybe plant some seed in them or something........Some sort of science/growing experiment......I haven't figured it out yet.....but will soon......We may just be crazy and throwing away money, since there are no long term studies on the affects of some of these chemicals that could be leaching out.....the short term ones are enough for me and I am done taking chances with my family......There is nothing like a good old glass (made of glass)......Hey and it keeps the water colder longer!

Here is a Facts Sheet from the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (http://www.iatp.org/)

http://www.iatp.org/iatp/publications.cfm?accountID=421&refID=102202

*if the link doesn't work due to lots of people trying to access, I have the doc and can email it

We love our new Library.....

The girls and I headed to storytime today at the library this morning, funny its the same day and same time as our old library. The John Igo Library opened in December and is super close, maybe 1.5- 2 miles. The girls and I got a library card and of course the picked out 20 or so books.....they had fun doing self check out......and then off to storytime we went. They were so excited all the way there and the whole time we were checking out books...."Mom can we go in the room now".....and then when we got in they both got "SHY".....So funny. They would even say their name or their ages.....but as soon as all the kids were in there and they started to sing their welcome song they were back in it.....They opened up and were attentive......They ended up having a really good time....and they loved doing the craft project at the end of Storytime....The theme today was rain (it sprinkled this morning) and so the girls made rain drops.....they were pretty cool.......here are a few pics outside the library after storytime.....I didn't realize how bright it was.....love the squinting...and don't you just love their outfits.....YES, they picked them out......MJ LOVES dresses and skirts.....as soon as she picked out this dress to wear today, Kiara had to wear hers too......they are so funny..........

They are in Bloom....

Ok, I am not a green thumb and I do not know much about flowers and plants.....I do know how to grow tomatoes and a few other veggies and that is about it.....When we moved into our house these rose bushes were overgrown and in horrible condition...We did some non-professional pruning and now look.....they are pretty cool.....who knew that I would love to look at my rose bushes.....and get excited when in bloom.....

THE RED ROSE BUSH

THE PINK ROSE BUSH (It needs some work)

And all was Silent.....

So last night was the first night in a super long time.....since Lila was sleeping in her cradle in our room in Issaquah that I did not have to get up in the middle of the night.....I did check on her around 5.00am to make sure she was ok because I am so use to her being up a few times a night, but she did not get up until the twins were up at 7.30am.....not even a peep.....Lila seems to love her new bedtime routine and especially bedtime story in her room with just Mommy and Daddy.....So happy that she has become such a happy good sleeper and that we were able to get her to adapt to her new routine so quickly and with virtually little/no crying......only that first night for brief amount of time......she now falls asleep pretty much right when we lay her down.......it just feels good for Shawn and I to have our nights and early mornings back again.....All the kids down by 8.45pm.....and up at 7.30am....I still can not imagine getting the girls up earlier to get on their school bus when the time comes.....If we stay living here they will have to catch the bus at 7.00am, good thing is the bus stop is right at our corner....Yes, we get to see all the school buses every morning.....the girls LOVE school buses....and can not wait to go to school.....

Final 4 Saturday.....

Ahhh, what a day we have had......and the weather today was gorgeous....a nice 85-87 degrees....with no humidity.....So we headed out the door around 10.30am......Off to downtown we went.....We had a great time down at River Center, The Riverwalk and at the Big Dance/Pontiac Garage Fan Fair.....Talk about electric......River Center Mall and the Riverwalk were full of fans and News Crew, we actually sat and watched part of ESPN's College Gameday......Just packed but awesome.....We saw tons of fans for Memphis and Kansas.....after getting some shirts and enjoying some people watching we headed over to the Convention Center for the Pontiac Garage at the Final Four , it was actually on a blocked off street next the the convention center (Hoop-City was in the Convention Center)....It was pretty cool.....they had a big stage, we caught most of Puddle of Mudd's performance.....which was good, they played a few new songs and few old favorites.....you know the kind you know the words to and then reality hits you and your like, Yeah I guess that was Puddle of Mudd that sang that song....any way.....Here is a video of when we rolled in.....Mikiah was dancing until we turned the camera on her....


And here we moved a little bit away from the stage, lets just say it was LOUD....the girls are enjoying some Kettle Corn and of course I am eating guess what.....a $3 Gordita.....I know addicted.....I now think mine are equally good if not better.....Love the end of this video....I really do not think the kids thought they were being recorded....



And lastly here are some pics from Joel/Shawn's night at the Final Four Salute and from today.....


We were not downtown for too long today.....We actually made it home in time to mow the lawn (yes we dropped serious coin at Home Depot last night).....I must say our lawn looks tons better.....we still have more work to do tomorrow but that will be fun.......The girls love being outside.....we finished the night with some Homemade BBQ Burgers and Ritas on the Rocks......Sooooo Good.....On one final sleeping note......I must say, Miss Lila is turning into a good sleeper.....She now falls right asleep in her crib with a little hand holding....I think I sit in there for about 5 min after I lay her down hold her hand for a little bit while she finally drifts off the sleepy land......She still wakes up 2-3 times a night and I run up and stay with her until she is back asleep...its usually only a few mins...and she still joins us around 5.00am every morning....I am just so happy to have her finally getting some good sleep.....Like I said yesterday I do miss sleeping with her but it is nice to cuddle with the hubby all night........

We are getting there.....

The Final Four is here.......So last night Shawn and Joel headed downtown for an event at the Final Four 2008 Men's Final Four Salute Presentation.

Description of event:
The Men's Salute Presentation is the first official event of the Final Four. This special evening is hosted by Jim Nantz, CBS Sports, and includes an introduction of the Final Four teams, conversations with the Final Four coaches and video highlights of the tournament to date as well as each team's journey to San Antonio. Immediately following the presentation is a VIP reception (heavy hors d'oeuvres and cocktails).

He got the tickets from his boss who got them from the VP of Sales at his work......Anyway I guess none of them could go....So convenient for Shawn who I told to take his brother Joel knowing that those two would get the most out of it plus in the move I donated most of my business attire clothing (which was the dress code for the event)....So much easier for a guy to put on a suit and tie then me have to figure out some outfit on such short notice.....Sounds like they had a good time....

While they were out having a good time I was home with the girls having a good time in.....we walked the neighborhood and met some more neighbors, we watered the tomatoes and other plants, can I just say one of my rose bushes looks amazing....and we continued with our bedtime routine.....and let me tell you Lila is hilarious......we did the usual read a story to the twins, put them in bed and then Lila and I headed to her room....Where she let out a brief cry while I was getting her ready for bed....then we sat down to read her new favorite book, Good Night Seattle. Once I turned the last page she gave me a death grip hug around my neck.....I am assuming she knew she as going to bed.....so I clicked on the sound machine, turned on her fish music and gave her a big squeeze and a kiss and laid her down in her crib.....she reached for my hand, so I sat down next to her crib and she put her head down fast, grabbed my hand and I swear she scared herself to sleep....I think she was afraid that she would still be awake when I got up to leave.....she was out in 2 min.......I moved my hand got up and left.....she did not make a peep until 11.30pm or so.....and again at 3.30am....for those I just went in and turned on her fish music and she was fast asleep.....She was finally up at 5.00am this morning....which is fine.....I figure I either need to nurse her before I work out or when I get home....so 5.00am works (I leave around 5.10 am to hit the gym) or 6.30am works.....I must say I do miss sleeping with the little sweet heart but its so nice to not have to worry about her in our bed.....Now if we could just get nap times to be a little better......she still doesn't like going down for her naps.....but we will continue to try.....

Hope all has a great weekend.....I think we are planning on hitting the Final Four activities tomorrow.....they have a big free festival downtown, with Music and Food.....I think Puddle of Mud and Kidd Rock play tomorrow....with All American Rejects and Taylor Swift playing on Sunday and I think Fall Out Boy plays tonight before the big fireworks show.....Shawn and I were talking this morning he really should have taken today off so we could go to the free practices, oh well.....We still may try to go down for the All-Star College game tonight....its free too......Dora is also coming to Sea World this weekend so we may try to fit that in on Sunday.....Since we already have our seasons passes and parking pass it would be another *Free* thing for us to do...I LOVE FREE FUN......and somewhere in there we will have to hit Home Depot to finally get a lawn mower and all the stuff we need to maintain the yard....our yard is in need of some serious mowing.....I hear dollar signs......"Cha-Ching Cha-Ching"......

There just comes a time.....

So as many of you know Lila is a different sleeper then the twins were......partly because she was/is nursing and partly because Shawn and I never brought the twins to bed with us because we didn't have room and we could never justify bringing only 1........Now that Lila is down to nursing first thing in the AM, around lunch time and right after dinner, I finally decided that it was high time she learn to fall asleep on her own.....We have always laid her down in her crib at night but she usually is up between 12am-2am......and me not being patient usually picked her up and brought her to bed.....Well lately she hasn't been sleeping well in our bed, tossing and turning....So yesterday I made the commitment to get her to take her naps in her crib (she usually naps on the couch in the bobby) as well as put her down awake at night with a set bedtime and routine.....I have taken off from my morning work outs for the rest of the week to make sure we get her to stay in her crib at night......

I must say I hate the whole crying it out thing.....I think about the twins....they had and have such good sleep habits and I want to make sure Lila has those same ones....and it would be nice to have all the girls down at once for nap......So I changed Lila's batteries in her fish on her crib, put a few of her favorite stuffed animals in her crib and created a new nap time routine and bed time routine.....So nap time went ok, after I read to the twins and put them down, Lila and I went in her room and read a book and then I laid her down.....I must say she was not happy about being in her crib, but once she saw her fish moving and listened to the song she relaxed a bit, I also had her sound machine set to Brooke (sound of a stream) and she finally fell asleep......I think she cried off and on for about 5-8 min......which was not to bad, I actually was expecting worse......when it finally was silent I went in and checked on her and she was sleeping on top of her teddy bear right under her fish......it was pretty cute......but didnt look very comfortable.....oh well......She napped for about and hour and 1/2.....which was ok for her first day......

Bedtime went pretty well too.....Similar routine.....Dad and Mom read to all 3 girls in the twins room and laid them down for bed......Then we head to Lila's room, changed her and read a story just for her.....and then we turned on her sound machine and her fish (set to Cannon in D, that song always makes me think of weddings) and laid her down....so her bedtime is about 8.30-8.45pm......Last night she did not like the fact that she was going to bed, but yet she was super tired.....I sat on her floor while she cried for the first 3-4 min and assured her all was ok and that I was there for her......then I gave her a kiss and rubber her head and said "I love you and good night" and left the room.....she of course began screaming.....but it didn't last long...probably 3-4 min.....and then she let out cries off and on for another 5 min and then 'Poof'......Silence......after about 20 min I went and checked on her......she had moved her teddy bear to the other side of her crib and was sleeping sitting up under her fish......So cute, he head was bobbing around....so I went in and laid her down and put her super soft Pottery Barn doggie next to her......she didn't wake up.....I checked on her again before I went to bed.....sound asleep......Shawn and I were/are so proud of her.....she woke up around 2.30am.......so I went in and turned her fish on to music and held her hand for about 2 min and then she rolled over cuddled up to her soft doggie and went back to sleep.....until 6.15am!!!!! So she was in her crib from 8.3oish until 6.15ish.....She of course wanted to nurse which was why she woke up.....which was fine with me....but I would usually still be working out at this time.....So I am hoping to get her to sleep until 6.30am....So that she can get up after I get home from the gym........So far so good.....Don't get me wrong I love sleeping with Lila but this is best for all of us........especially her.......Hopefully today will go just as well....

Yeah for walking....

So the girls and I have been going on walks with daddy every night.....Well we now started walking during the day....today being the 2nd mid day walk.....and what a good walk it was....the girls say "Hi" to everyone who is out in the neighborhood....its pretty cute.....Anyway, today on our walk we met some more Mommies.....Yeah! One mom stands out in particular.....Her name is Rachael....and her husband is actually the Head of our HOA.....anyway she invited me to come hang out with her, her kids and other moms anytime....She mentioned that they usually all get together around 3.30pm.....in someones driveway...... She also has 3 girls 4, 3, and 5 weeks.....I look forward to joining her and the other moms in the neighborhood....She also mentioned they do Halloween Parties every year....and Kid's night out at our neighborhood meeting area....She is very nice and seems to be about my age.....So Yeah! Between that and the library I think the girls and I have some friends to meet and hang out with!.....Now if I could just find a good preschool.....

My Chatty Cathy......

Getting stuff done.....

So we have had a wonderful weekend....and of course now it is Monday....I think I will forever dislike Mondays.....I finally made it back to the gym this morning after being sick.....and man did it kick my butt.....ahhh but I must say it felt good to get back in the groove.....and great to get up early.....since I have been slacking and not getting up until 8am.....

We had a very productive rest of the weekend....Saturday morning we all headed to Home Depot to get a Rotary Spreader.....and I must admit like usual we bought more then we intended too....but it was all good as I had already budgeted for the expense.....and the expense was my tomato plants, soil and food.....I decided to get organic soil and food.....it actually wasn't much more....and I picked out an Early Girl Tomato plant, a Cherry Tomato plant and two Roma Tomato plants.....The girls picked out a Garden Pepper plant so we could make some salsa....too cute.....I must admit the girls were a little disappointed to learn that we would not be planting the tomatoes until Sunday.....and the reason why.......We purchased some top of the line Fire Ant Granules a week or so ago and it was delivered on Friday......anyway we decided that we needed to spread on the lawn first, before planting anything else.......Yes it is Fire Ant Season down here.....I HATE them....the stuff we got is pretty cool it works slow but keeps them away for a whole year and it is not harmful to pets (the active ingredient is the same as what is in Frontline Treatment for pets).....anyway so Shawn spent part of the afternoon on Saturday spreading the stuff.....We kept the kids inside and off the yard so the stuff could seep in.....We ended our Saturday night with a walk around the 'hood and a movie (after the kids were down).....oh and I made Gorditas again.......we just love them.....

Sunday morning we sipped our coffee and had a wonderful morning reading the paper.....then MJ, Lila and I went to Costco and Grocery Shopping.....we didn't have too much to get which was nice....Kiara stayed with Daddy and did some housework and helped him play a video game.....after shopping, I spent most of the early afternoon working......getting all the budgets caught up......Shawn watched a movie....(I sorta watched).....and then after nap time for the kiddos it was out to the yard to build two tomato beds......didn't take long after about and hour we had 4 tomato plants in the ground and 1 pepper plant......the girls love planting and watering.....so fun for them.......Now I just need to keep Mayday (Shawn's brother's dog that we are watching, he is not fixed and likes to pee on everything) from lifting his leg on the tomato plants......so far so good.......the only other thing I might need is some organic bug spray to keep the creepy crawlers away, we shall see......We ended our night with our nightly walk around the 'hood......after the girls were down we watched John Adams on HBO, its a pretty good series.....Shawn and I both love history..........

Found my new favorites.....

So its been awhile since I have sat down to blog.....we have been busy doing a whole lotta not much....I have continued my love affair with Tex Mex and Mexican food....Yesterday for the Coug Game (sucks we lost, I am actually glad they switched our game feed at half time)...anyway....I did my first attempt at making Gorditas.....homemade from scratch.....can we say holy goodness.....and so easy and fun to make....they are like a Mexican pita pocket.....only ten times better.....I just love the flavor of Masa (corn dough).....For the filling I make some shredded chicken in the crock pot all day with some spices, tomatoes, jalapenos,onions and a few other things.....a new recipe that I made up....it was pretty good chicken and I will post both recipes soon on the Breezy.....along with the chicken, I had the usual filling of cheese, homemade guac, greens and hot sauce......I just love food.......I think I will make more "little fat ones" (Gorditas) tomorrow.....I LOVE THEM.....

So my dad's family has been in town sans my dad......Tonight they stopped by to see the house.....so fun having guests from home....and then took us out to dinner....our choice and since they hadn't had Mexican food this week we decided that would be the choice for dinner tonight.......and can I say that we ate at my new favorite San Antonio restaurant.....Thank you to our awesome neighbor Carlos #1 (we have two neighbors named Carlos and I have picked their names in the order I met them) for recommending it....anyway the place was called La Fogata and talk about awesome atmosphere, great drinks, good salsa (Can we say a little bite & some smoke, so yum) and my dinner was awesome...and every ones food was awesome....and not to mention good service.....It was a little cold and misty tonight so we ate inside but next time I would love to sit outside with all their beautifully decorated patio space, with bonfires and fountains......this place has the best Mexican Food I have ever had (OK, So I have to tell you I have not been to Mexico)....Just know if you visit us down here and you like Mexican food we will be taking you to eat here....and if you don't like Mexican we will take you here anyway for some awesome top shelf margaritas.......SO freaking good, I mean can you be IN LOVE with a restaurant after only 1 visit?????? I just can not say enough good things about this place......it has everything.....So glad we were able to find it and take Susan, Gerry, Rob, Kathy and Diane there.....hope they enjoyed it as much as we did......One thing I didn't bring to the restaurant was my camera.....oh well, I will hit Aunt Susan up for some pics to and post later.....

So the girls are doing great......Lila is down to nursing 3 times a day.....weaning is a bit more challenging then I thought it would be.....but we are doing it.....she has also started to teach herself to fall asleep on her own and stay in her crib most nights....she has also started to eat more food......but not really walking yet.....she can stand and take a few steps, but she would rather crawl.....all good by me......Kiara and Mikiah are really into their books right now, they got a bunch of new Dr Seuss ones (including Horton hears a Who pop up book) for Easter and they love to sit and have story time.....I have got to get them to the library.....I miss it and they miss it.....funny thing, I think it is Wednesdays here too....I am actually waiting for my Texas Drivers license to get here (I have a paper one with no pic) and then the girls and I will get our library cards.....fun fun....they are also into a new show on Nick Jr Ni Hao, Kai-lan and I must say I like this show, the songs are so catchy and I find myself singing them all day.....and the messages are usually pretty good......

So like I said not much new here.....just my continued love affair with Tex Mex and Mexican Food.....here is to good eats and margaritas on the rocks.....

They really are growing up......

Just wanted to tell you a little story about Kiara yesterday......It was just after dinner and Shawn and I were enjoying some relaxing time outside with some adult conversation and a beer.....it was such a nice night....I must say I really enjoy the time between dusk and dark outside....anyway......I could hear Kiara yelling...."Mom come here".....and I yelled back "I am outside".....I thought she was in Mom and Dad's room.....well she never yelled again so I knew everything was fine.....and continued relaxing with dad......So about 10 min later she comes outside and quietly says....."Mom, I went poop on the potty all by myself and didn't need any help, and I even wiped my butt"......and then she leans in and whispers "and it was a big poop, and there is none in my underwear"......She was so proud of herself.......so then I said "I am sorry for not coming in, I thought you were in my room watching TV".......her reply "Its OK Mommy, I didn't need your help"........after she went back inside......Shawn and I looked at each other.....and did one of those........"Wow, she is growing up, she just talked to us like she is older then 3"...............There was just something about the way she said it, the words she used and her mannerisms.....It is so rewarding to be a parent and watch your children evolve.........

Happy Easter Everybody.....

What's in a name?????

So MJ has started to name all hers, Kiara and Lila's dolls and stuffed animals.......All of the names she has picked are totally original and very imaginative.....For instance, she named her new stuffed penguin "What-a-Bee-toe" (I spelled it the way she says it) and she has named Kiara's dolls Chita and Rito (Rito is a boy doll now)......and she named Lila's little penguin Baby Macaroni Penguin (this I know is from Diego).....anyway, I just wonder where she picks all this up....Kiara and her are so different on this level.....Kiara's new stuffed penguin is called "Penguin" named by Kiara.....and her baby's are "Baby".....I just find their differences fascinating......just wanted to share some of the things I am amazed by each day.....

So lets see.....Shawn came home from work yesterday totally sick.....he was freezing and had a really bad headache....pretty much exactly what I have/had.....so he spent the night in bed.....I put the girls down right at 8pm and went to bed as well......I must say I feel so much better today....now just coughing, sneezing and runny nose.....I will take that over the head pounding body aching I was feeling.....Shawn is on the mend.....he spent most of the morning in bed relaxing......but did get up to dye eggs with us.....here are some pics of our egg dying.....

I still can not believe it is already Easter time.....Tonight we may go for a walk around the 'hood to get some fresh air after the Coug game....We all could use it after being stuck at home sick....

Should have known.....

Well I was up at 2.00am with a sick child......Yes, Kiara screamed for mommy and a throw up bucket.....she did end up getting sick around 3.00am.......but was able to go back to sleep......and so I let her and MJ sleep in today till about 8.30ish or so......I too had a rough night of tossing, turning, coughing, cold sweats.....sucks being sick.....I have been coughing so much that I can barely talk.....Shawn will probably love this....no nagging wife chirping in his ear all day........So I am telling myself that I am fine and not sick.....we shall see how mind over matter works for me today.....

Kiara seems to be on the mend and has not gotten sick this morning....I am actually glad she got sick during the night.....hopefully that means she can just rest today and break her fever.....So it looks like a laying low kind of day filled with Dora after Dora.....(Yes, they are back on Dora. I like Diego better but they like what they like)......maybe I will put in a movie.....

I would just like to say the Cougs played awesome in the second half of their tourney game last night.....Can not wait to watch them play again on Saturday.......Here are some pics of the girls with the flowers that they planted for me with Daddy last night.......and I almost forgot like mother like daughter Lila loves spaghetti!!! She is still not a fan of whole milk warm or cold making the weaning a bit challenging....I guess I will follow her lead....

I am off to rest with my kiddos.....

We miss Grandma & Carol.....

Ahhh well our last few days with Grandma and Carol were great.....We took the twins to their first movie at a movie theater..."Horton Hears a Who"......while Shawn watched Lila....The girls were great....we did the full treatment with the Kiddie Meal (Popcorn, Soda, & Candy)....they could not get enough....MJ was really into the movie but asked lots of questions and pointed out tons of stuff....she just needs to work on her whispering....Kiara was totally serious and focused on the movie......she gets that way sometimes....So funny......of course she had to go potty towards the very end, I guess we need to work on going before she sits down......but we did make it back to see the end....so all was good....I am getting use to her having to go potty wherever we go.....it seems she always does....no matter if she goes before we leave the house...

So the house has slowed down since Tuesday afternoon. The girls and I took Grandma Paula and Carol to the airport on Tuesday and soon after we got home Mikiah started to run a high fever.....and sure enough not long after that she starting throwing up......poor girl.....Mom and Carol left at a good time although I would have loved the help since I too started to run a fever....and Little Miss Lila as well.....I have had a headache and chest congestion the last two days....and Lila just had a fever which leads me to believe it was because of her molars coming in.....So that left healthy Kiara and Daddy to take care of us.....and what a good job they did......and I am happy to report that MJ woke up this morning feeling great and back to her old self....and so far so good for Kiara who has not gotten this little bug.....and it looks like Lila's bottom molars have broken through.....

So we are trying to get back to normal here.....but the girls really miss Grandma.....Mikiah kept saying it all day today....we had to video call grandma this afternoon....it was so cute.....anyway tomorrow we will be watching March Madness and the Cougs......"Its the most wonderful time of the year!".....

Happy 1st Birthday Cole Gecas!!!!

Just wanted to wish Cole a very special Happy 1st Birthday! We miss you very much and wish we could be there in person!!!

Cole & Lila

Love Historic Market Square.....

So after a lazy morning of drinking coffee, chatting and watching Shawn do some yard work (Monday is brush pick up day, love that you can but a huge pile of stuff that you would normally take to the dump on the side of the street and the city comes and gets it 2 times a year, you can even put out big appliances, so crazy)......anyway we decided on a spur of the moment trip downtown to hit Historic Market Square.....it is more and more becoming one of my favorite places to go visit.....love to check out all the shops in El Mercado......so many unique ones....and just love the entertainment....there is always some great Mariachi musicians playing....besides the couple restaurants that are there....there are a ton of food stands.....I must say I had some good cheap street food today......Yummy Chicken Gordita for $3.....so freaking good.....so we did some more shopping......spend, spend, spend.......Grandma and Carol had a good time shopping loved all the culture and shops.....of course Mikiah loved the music!


Here is a video that sort of gives you the feel of Market Square....you can kind of hear the music....at the end I am trying to get Shawn's attention to get me some food....

Go...Go....Go, on the go!

Phew.....I have a moment to sit in front of my computer and not work!.....With all the running around we have been doing I have been working every time I sit down.....What a great couple of days we have had.....Lets see Thursday we went to a German Town called Boerne......so fun we went through a few antique shops and checked out the little town......pretty cool town with lots of character....Thursday night Shawn and I went on a date.....finally got out to a movie....Yeah!....then we came home and forgot to pick up diapers....so off to Wal-Mart we went and came home with diapers and Easter (nice to shop with Shawn with out all the kids)....

Yesterday we went to Sea World.....Shawn and I bought Season Passes for us and the twins and Uncle Joel got one too....(Lila is free until she is 3)........Boy what fun.....and I am so glad we got all year passes......we get our money's worth by going 2 times.....and boy there is a place called Shamu Harbor....totally interactive fun for the kids......lots of water for the kids to keep cool....and there is a water park inside Sea World which opens in April can not wait.....I see the girls and I headed there during hot days to have fun and keep cool......they loved Sea World....as did all of us.......here are some pics....and a pretty cool video of Shamu.....and the other killer whales.....

March 08 SeaWorld-GMA Paula

The Bed frame is here....finally....

First off, I would like to say congrats to one my best friends Melissa, her husband Todd, and daughter Natalie on the birth of their new bundle of joy, Brodie....rumor has it he is a blondie....we can not wait to meet, hug and squeeze him! Miss you guys!

Secondly, the bed frame for the guest bed finally arrived today.....they came in and set it up too.....I guess that is what the delivery charge is for.....at least I didn't have to do it....Here are some pics....and yes I need to clean the lens of my camera.....love those water spots....




We have been staying busy around here....yesterday we went and got the girls pics done at JC Penny's.....it was interesting, they looked pretty in their spring dresses.....and the girls listened pretty well......but then party way through they got all serious and wouldn't really smile or listen....oh well they still took some great pics......the photographer was probably the best we have had at JC Penny's......lets see what else did we do.....we went out to lunch at the Alamo Cafe, their homemade warm tortillas are freaking amazing....the girls enjoyed watching them get made (they have a viewing room).......I think that is about it.....today was a down day with not much going on......time to finish up some work.....

Busy...Busy Downtown Day......

Ahhh so Friday was another great day down here in SA......I took the girls, Carol and my mom shopping at The Shops at La Cantera......I just love outdoor malls.....we had such a good time.....I spent some birthday money on some Jeans (Thanks Daddy!) and also picked up the twins Easter/Spring Dresses......we are getting their pics done on Tuesday so now all 3 of them have pretty spring dresses (Lila got hers for her birthday)......We pretty much shopped till we dropped.....and then it was home to freshen up and then out to dinner.......To celebrate Carol's Birthday.....We went to Saltgrass Steak House it was pretty good and we had a wonderful time.....and always and added bounus when you have a gift card to use up.....Kiara was hilarious.....she had to have a steak......so we let her order a steak.....it was a small one the kids menu......so funny.....then it was home for cake.....yes I made another cake for Carol.....a chocolate one for her.....So freaking good.....

Today we headed out around 10.30am or so......and got home around 6.30pm.....we spend all afternoon downtown....hitting the Alamo, the Rivercenter Mall, the River Walk (The twins took a boat ride with Grandma and Carol, while Shawn and I got us on the list to eat at Casa Rio).....Lunch was awesome talk about great Mexican food.....we also did some street shopping and went to the Tower of Americas (similar to the Space Needle in Seattle, only higher)......Busy, Busy day.....

But, I am happy to report that the Kiara and Mikiah did AWESOME with out a nap.......Lila enjoyed her day in the Ergo Carrier....she finally likes to ride on my back....and enjoyed riding along all day.....with some intermittent naps....by the end of the day she was ready to snuggle up in front....She loves her Mama.....I can not tell you how many comments I get on my carrier.....most people have never seen and Ergo Carrier before and think it is pretty cool.....I just can't not imagine not having it.....I LOVE IT (Thanks again Molly!)........and on another note.....her and I are slowly weaning each other from breastfeeding......she didn't want to nurse once while we were out.......she is still not too sure about whole milk........and I am not in a hurry to wean her.....I am letting her lead the way.....but she loves food all of a sudden.....eating pretty much anything you put in front of her.....so I assume she will wean fairly soon....I have loved being able to nurse her this first year......it was so great for both of us.....but I must say I am looking forward to having my body back.....

So we have had a great couple days and on the agenda for tomorrow.....rest, relaxation, and a little be of work for me.....here are a few shots from today.....

Lila's Birthday in Pics.....

Lila had a wonderful birthday and received tons of gifts.....so thank you all! She was not much into cake.....but oh well......one of the best parts was the pinata......the twins and Lila took turns pulling the strings and when the candy came falling they all were laughing.....so funny!......Lila's favorite gift.....hmmm she loves her chair but loves her card from G-Dad that sings....she just loves music....

Lila's 1st BDay

Happy 1st Birthday Miss Lila

Man it is crazy....my little girl is 1 today. I just can not believe how fast the time has flown by.....I still remember getting up around 1 am to drive to the hospital.....she was so big weighing in a little over 9lbs....I remember when the twins came to the hospital to see their baby sis, they were so excited yet so nervous.....So many milestones already passed and many more to come.....So Happy 1st Birthday to my Sweet Little Lila.......

A year ago....

Look how much you've grown....

And some pics in between.....

Little Preview...and Pics.....

So Grandma Paula gets here today.....and we couldn't be more excited...and I thought I would give you a little preview of the guest bedroom sans the new bed frame, which should be here this week.....So when I get it I will take another pic to show you... and for all those of you with kids...we have plenty of pack-n-plays and as soon as we get the girls in big girl beds (very soon) we will also have cribs that can be set up in this room too! (hint! hint!)

Before:

After:

We also turned part of the walk in closet into a vanity since there is only one bath upstairs......just another place to do your hair, make up, etc.....and store your stuff....and still plenty of room for clothes and bags......

And here are some pics from the weekend.......as you can see the girls picked out their own outdoor table set.......they love it.....

et

Yard O Work......

We have had a great weekend so far.....Friday night we went to a bowling alley for Shawn's work, it was a fundraiser....the girls had a great time and even got to bowl a little.....so cute, I wish I had my camera, it was pretty cool they used a metal rack thingy to roll the ball down the lane.....the loved it.....and so did the people from Shawn's work....

Today we spent most of the day outside in the front and side yard....and made huge progress....we still have a ways to go but it will do for now until we start fertilizing and watering and mowing........the girls loved helping and being outside.....weeding was really fun for them, gotta love free labor......we got them some Dora/Diego gloves and little rakes.....today's tasks were moving the palms from the front to the side of the house and tidying up the front....

Here are some before pics.....Uncle Joel and Kiara.....and the girls.....of course Lila not much help....

And a few hours later.....we actually need 1-2 more bags of the white rocks for the bed....but it looks good for now....1st pic is the moved palms....

I am still planning on placing a bright colored pot in the rocks with a shade friendly plant but we have 1 more freeze coming this Monday night and then we can plant away!.......The side yard still has a ton of weeding to do but a little earth friendly herbicide will help with that......

Tomorrow we will be cleaning most of the day and folding the clean laundry that keeps getting done but not folded....and now I have the biggest pile of doom.....I swear its like 4 HUGE loads.....I did finally talk to Potterybarn and our bed frame for the guest bed shipped out Friday night.......so I will take pics of the guest bed all put together after I get it....Woohooo!.....any I am out for now.....