Warning: Lots of updating and pictures...

I have no good excuse for my long absence from the blogging world except that I have been busy with life. Home, work (subbing), volunteering (almost done with school newsletter duties for the year... YEAH!!), family (baby sitting my lovely nieces), my girls, my husband. It feels like there just isn't enough time in the day to get it all done, and at the end of the day... I'm exhausted. I feel guilty because I have let things fall by the waist side, but I just couldn't catch up.

So first of all... I am so excited to announce that my sister had her baby last month. Beautiful Lyla Grace is the newest addition to our family and she is just precious.



I love that I can go and love on her for a while and enjoy and relive the "baby stage" again, and then I can go home and miss all the 2AM feedings that come with that stage. (Love ya sister!!) So I have been making the trip to my sister's house, which thank goodness is much faster now that the new tollway is open, at least once a week. Lots of bonding going on.

Then April brought along First Holy Communion time. Family, food, worship. It was a good time. My mother in law made menudo (you have to be hispanic to truly appreciate it, but I won't be telling you what's in it cause I wouldn't want any funny looks coming my way) and a beautiful cake. Belle looked beautiful in her dress. Her only prerequisites... the dress couldn't be puffy and no veil. Luckily I was able to find a "not too puffy" dress for her and created a really pretty pearl headband that worked. Then the morning of the mass, she tells me,"Mom I think I changed my mind. I do want a veil." (I roll my eyes) Too late now!!




We've been getting ready for the end of the year(YEAH!!! 9 days left), which means field trips, teacher gifts, etc. Luckily it's been beautiful here. Really unseasonable temperatures (high 60's to mid 80's), and lots of rain has made everything green and beautiful. This, unfortunately has been the reason for lots of asthma in our family. So Belle wasn't able to enjoy her last field trip of the year. Not to worry, Mommy took her on a little field trip of our own, which was even better. I did get to go with Tori on her's though which was super fun. I did feel like I had just climbed a mountain at the end. Wrangling kindergarteners is exhausting.





Inventive idea!!!... wanna make some big cash, develop a vacuum cleaner in the shape of a plow and you will make lots of money. If I could get my girls to push that vacuum the way Tori pushed this plow, I would totally buy it. Why is it that I can't get her to pick up her clothes or toys, much less vacuum, YET... pushing around a plow in a garden is just the best thing ever??? WHY is that??

We also had talent show this month. The girls and their friends practiced and practiced. Tori was especially excited when we told her she would get to perform with the big girls. Can you say HAM?? Seriously people, she will be winning some kind of performance award someday. I tend to think, daily I might add, that that award will be in the form of an Academy with the amount of drama she displays. Anyway, here are my girls, the 2nd and 3rd from the left during the performance...







At the end of the performance, during the two and a half hours they were sitting there... no I am not kidding, Tori comes up and says,"Mama, next year, I think I want to sing... by myself... and I want to choose the song. Or maaayyybbee, I'll make up a song to sing." Oh no, she's gotten a taste of success and is now hooked.

And this month, we splurged big time!! First we got this... FINALLY!!



I love it. It makes the backyard look so pretty. We are still trying to decide if we are going to paint it to look like wood. Alex originally wanted the door to be wood, but I found a much better way to spend the LOTS of money that would have cost.

Don't you think this...




and this...



is a much better way to use that money? We finally got some new cars. Yes cars. With the crazy good deals out there right now, we just had to take advantage. Unfortunately, many people are losing their jobs because so many dealerships are shutting down. If you are being affected by that, I am so, so sorry. It truly just sucks. Anyway, we figured after 11 years with my car and 16 years with Alex's, it was a good time to get some new vehicles. So now you will find me parking way out at the end of the parking lot where no one else parks, and driving much slower than I normally do. Very strange for me.

As for my house projects... well there haven't been any. Well, as far as I'm concerned anyway. Alex is, as I type, making cabinets for the garage. Can't wait for that to be done. It's going to look fabulous. I have been toying with doing some things in the house, but have just been too busy. Maybe once school lets out. Plus, I am helping my friend Alexa decorate her new house. I love blank slates. Super fun!! I will soon be doing some sewing for her as well, which may inspire me to get to work once again on my house. For now, I am focusing on trying to catch up on some of my garage sale redos. I'll post them as I get them done.

I've missed this. I must do this more often. Okay, people, I'm off to watch some Twilight with my girls. Have a great Memorial Day evening, and thank you to all of you who have sacrificed to defend our wonderful country.

*ciao*
deb