three day blog

So here are a few (read: enough to kill with boredom) pictures from our camping trip. Since it is almost labor day I will be back to our regularly scheduled program on Tuesday. While I was away, I was tagged for a meme (my first official tag) and nominated for an award(my second, no less appreciated---in fact I'm giddy---award) so I will fill you in on the details on the aforesaid mentioned Tuesday. Multnomah Falls A close proximity to our campground. Isn't it fun to play in the dirt when you are camping? Our, second in command, clown. My beautiful family. Irene just has to do everything herself. Anthony unsuccessfully avoiding the camera. Irene at the bridge of the gods. I didn't make that name up folks. It is really the name of the bridge that connects Oregon to Washington over the Columbia river. A rock quarry we found next to the river. We had fun exploring everything. Now this is Edgard's idea of a camping trip!

We are going camping . It should be really fun . I have this image of what camping should be . I also have a nagging feeling of what it will be . I will let you know how it went, when we return. I now leave you with some camping tips I found online in case you decide, in my absence, to go insane camping, as well. Some Camping Tips When using a public campground, a tuba placed on your picnic table will keep the campsites on either side vacant. Get even with a bear who raided your food bag by kicking his favorite stump apart and eating all the ants. Old socks can be made into high fiber beef jerky by smoking them over an open fire. When smoking a fish, never inhale. A hot rock placed in your sleeping bag will keep your feet warm. A hot enchilada works almost as well, but the cheese sticks between your toes. The best b...

I am smart. Simply brilliant. This was the optimistic thought bouncing around my head one day after my son brought me a picture that he drew for me. I admired it, oohed and awed over it, and generally made quite the to-do about it. And then I attempted to hand it back. "oh no Mommy, its yours. I made it for you." I felt my smile falter for an instant but caught myself immediately. I was imagining all those precious drawings I already have. The ones that need their own room... or house... or paper storage facility. Don't misunderstand me...I love these creative endeavors of my children. It is just the age old question of; "what do I do with all this crap artwork" that gives me pause. So I thought that I must have been channeling Einstein, when I coolly replied "oh I love it, what a gorgeous picture. Will you keep it for me, so it stays safe?" He agreed readily and ran to put it in an undisclosed location. Here is the succ...

Today is our eighth wedding anniversary. In honor of that, I would like to transcribe a card written by my husband that I received on our fifth anniversary. It is the collected and random thoughts of my husband written in every available space of the card. Amor: Today is a wonderful day. I have been counting the days, but without a doubt, it does not seem to be five years. Everything is as nice as before but with a lot more satisfaction and pride in our marriage. I am happy to have you by my side all the time. To know that you are a great mother keeps me calm and that every time I make a mistake, you talk to me and teach me something new. You are my angel (I love you). I don't know what it is, but to talk about our marriage is a great thing. It makes me feel a huge happiness (never ends). Anthony adds beauty to our relationship and it is because you are his mam á. (side note: I was pregnant with Irene at this time) I love to come back (from work) and see you after fi...

last week: 187.5 today: 190 gained: 2.5 lbs I have nobody to blame but myself. And McDonald's. But they didn't force me. So no one but myself. But they have those fetching golden arches . Not to mention Ronnie McDonnie . But no...I still chose to waddle my overlarge tail in there and order a happy meal. Yes. I said happy meal. My dieter's compromise. So I guess I have nobody to blame but myself.

My husband, the drummer, decided one day that he would like to take up the guitar. This is a sampling of what he can do after a short time of teaching himself how to play. This isn't any particular song---just something that he is making up as he goes along. He has also decided to teach himself bass and keyboard. Just a side note: This description was written by a very proud wife. No bragging was intended on the part of the husband. In fact, he was asleep when I uploaded the video. Surprise!!

I just have to say, the biggest blessing that I have with my two children is the love they have for each other. From the moment that I let Anthony know that he would be having a new sister, he was completely on board. On the other hand, Irene, once she realized that she was born to a brother that would wait on her hand and foot, she quickly got on board . It is very sweet to see how Anthony patiently explains something to Irene that she doesn't know. I have to add, he has more patience with her than he does with me. He has informed my best friend Susie, and I suspect any one who would listen, that his mother " just doesn't understand"! Irene equally worships her brother. She watches everything that he does and toddles after him wherever he goes...that would incl ude the bathroom. Anthony put a stop to that one right away. I mean, the man needs his privacy! That certa inly doesn't stop Irene from patiently waiting outside the door, pa...

So Irene is now in a big girl bed. No more crib. We officially have no babies at our house. Sniff, sniff.

I just have to say that I love my new-ish coffee cups. They are nice and thick and keep my coffee warm. I know that this seems a little odd to be writing, what amounts to, an ode to my coffee cup but I really think that coffee tastes better if it is in a nice mug. I know---I might be a little crazy.

first week 194.5 last week 188 today 187.5 pounds lost last week 0.5 total pounds lost 7.0 I hope that I can try harder and give you some spectacular results next week. I am going to add some physical exercise in. One step at a time. At this point I am feeling totally uninspired! Tonight I have a ladies night out with a group of stay at home moms and a pedicure with my best friend Susie. If that doesn't inspire me...nothing will!

This couple , who have literally just retired, are on the countdown to what I can only dream of doing. Moving to, and l iving in, México . They are moving from Washington state to Mazatlan . The other amazing thing, is that they are selling---already sold---everything! They are only taking what will fit in their minivan. These people are doing all the things that I want to do. I, too, want to get rid of all my crap priceless treasures and go live in México. You know---they are already going to drive through Oregon---I wonder if they would want to swing by and pick us up? Don't they want to take two cute Mexican kids and their unassuming parents? We'll share driving duties. Probably not. I wouldn't. Well, at any rate it is just an enjoyable privilege to follow along in their journey. Go check it out!

Just Married Chilean Style needs our help (votes). Go check out on her blog what it is all about. She has submitted a story and a picture to jpgmag. I think that you will find yourself voting for her. She does good work! Oh---and if you really want to help her out even more...give her a shout on your own blog to spread the word.

So I would like to introduce you to my diet buddy. I just have to say, right off the bat, that I don't in any way like shrek, or anything to do with shrek---I like my humor clever, not crude---but when my daughter, Irene, got this toy in her happy meal, I took it away intending to toss it out. It was then that I realized that there was something familiar about the pudgy body and round face with red hair. She looks just like my future. If I gain anything else---I will look like this. This can not happen. There still is time---I do not resemble this---yet. I decided right then and there that I would leave this toy on my desk to remind me of what I am working to avoid. Flash forward two weeks later. My daughter wants to play with mommy's toy. She cannot reach it. Mommy realizes her minion Anthony is close by and can fetch it for Irene---thus avoiding the problem of mommy expending any unnecessary energy. Hey...we are all trying to do our part to keep things gr...

I haven't gone down a size (I am a size 14) but I am happy all the same. The reason, is because I finally fit into the size that I have been masquerading as all this time. No more muffin top !! I have not lost too much, but apparently it was all that was making me spill over the top of my jeans. I will take that as a victory! I will let you know when I muffin top my way into size twelve.

---it is 2:11 a.m., Tuesday morning, and I am a little late in getting you my weigh in information. I stood my little big rear on the scale early this morning as scheduled, but the day just ran away with me. I woke up with a headache and am going to bed with a headache. In between that, though, I helped a friend who really needed it. Either that, or she let me think that I was helping, as some master of order and organization, and then laughed herself right into the labor and delivery ward of the hospital after I left. Without further ado: first week 194.5 last week 192 today 188 pounds lost last week 4 total pounds lost 6.5 yee-haw!!!

I will leave you to your happy weekend with a little scene from "I Love Lucy" 1/30/56: "Lucy Meets the Queen" I Love Lucy Episode 142 - Filmed 12/15/55 After Lucy and Ethel ask for directions from a British man and are unable to understand him---Ethel replies "You'll have to excuse us. We're from America. We don't speak English."

Last night, my two friends---I will call them Susie * and Michelle *--- and I went grocery shopping. All in one car. All with optimistic attitudes and silly grins on our faces. The grins were wiped off pretty soon by a super shopper with a bad hip, a pregnant woman , and a fat lady who followed the other two around and just wouldn't shut up . That was us...by the way. We started at 8:00 p.m. and didn't leave the store---two FULL grocery carts later---until 10:00 p.m. We left with a hobbling super shopper , an unbearably whiny pregnant woman and a fat lady who still wouldn't shut up . So you will forgive me if I went to Shari's and had a buttermilk pancake griddle breakfast. I finally got home after 12:00 a.m. and tallied up my calories. I didn't do too stinking bad! I only ate bites of everything (and all the pancakes) and for the entire day I basically ate enough calories to maintain a 120 pound woman. What 120 pound woman? I don't know. I think, thou...

A tidbit from the world of Anthony: My son does not have an imaginary friend. He has an imaginary lawyer. An imaginary lawyer that he fired, day before yesterday, because he was charging too much. Anthony with his Abuelo at the restaurant Las Gemelas (Mexico City)