SPF: The Late, Late Edition

Good evening! And welcome to another episode of Stuff Portrait Friday, hosted by the lovely Kristine at Random and Odd. This week our catagories are: Washers and Dryers, Robes and Floral Life. Let's see what our players have for us this week, Johnny...















I love my washer and dryer. They're not fancy, but with two messy, dirty boys this combo does the trick. My last w/d set burned its little self out in a vain attempt to keep my family's laundry clean. May they rest in peace. These younger, stronger versions of their deceased ancestors are doing a fine job!















The Hello Kitty robe was a mother's day gift from my boys a few years ago. It's really cute and I do like to wear it, but Texas is way hot for robes most of the time. The frog robe is nice, but it's too short. If I'm not wearing pants or shorts with my pajamas my arse is hanging out, so then what is the point of a robe?




















Awwww. It's a picture of a flower my son made in his class for me today. The letter of the week was "V" so that there is a vase. Que cute!!

Thanks for playing. I do believe Vanna has some lovely parting gifts for you...

-E

Thirteen Thursday: Shows I'm Watching

Welcome to another edition of Thirteen Thursday. If you've decided to play scoot on over to Krisco's place and let know you're on the bus, Gus.

This Thursday you get to learn all about what makes my DVR move. These are the 13 shows I'm into right now.

1) LOST - I haven't see yesterday's episode yet so HUSH.
2) Medium - sometimes it's good, sometimes not as good. I still have it on my DVR.
3) Boston Legal - I love that William Shatner gets to be known as something other than Captain Kirk. Besides "Denny Crane" sounds so much better.
4) Freddie - If you haven't checked this out yet, you should. It's very funny!
5) CSI - The Las Vegas version. I like the original.
6) Without A Trace - This one is getting a little old and moving a little slow for me. I'd like to know more about the characters, but the show hasn't fleshed them out as much as they could.
7) Cold Case - this is one of my very favorite shows because the music takes you back.
8) Grey's Anatomy - So. Damn. Good.
10) Close To Home - Another Jerry Bruckheimer show. Some twist and turns, but usually good for 40 minutes of entertainment.
11) Oprah - every day on my DVR. I can always delete the shows I don't like, but I have her set to record.
12) Law & Order: SVU - The other shows may make me OD on L&O so I can old have a little bit and I choose SVU.
13) Anything HGTV

Did you play?

-E

Taking A Break

Yeah, it's been awhile. I see by the counter you are all still dutifully checking in so I don't want to disappoint.

First, had a little set back with the floor. While pulling up the tile Papa cut his leg while which required seven stitches. So I have half a tiled hallway which I refuse to mop (save for the occasional spot clean when I simply can't stand it anymore). The stitches come on Wednesday so hopefully we'll be resume our schedule.

I'm back on track with my Walking Away The Pounds DVDs. They say (no, I don't know who "they" are, but they do say) that you must do something 21 times for it to become a habit. I'm on number 5 and struggling to get my keister in front of that DVD player everyday. Still small victories when I can get them. Like today, for example, Papa took the boys camping on the Scout spring camp-out. I had the whole house to myself and I could have blown off exercising in favor of eating ice cream for breakfast. But I didn't. I exercised, took a shower, had dinner with friends and then ate the ice cream. Baby steps.

Papa started his new job this week. He loves it and I love that I don't have to worry about some freak show getting pissed at him for investigating a case and shooting him. Not too far fetched of a worry considering a program director, former investigator, was murdered a few weeks ago in South Texas. If I haven't said it before, I'll say it now, CPS investigators do not make enough money or get enough protection for the job they do.

I'm trying to clean out my craft room while my family is enjoying the great outdoors. I have to confess. My name is E and I'm a crapoholoic. Holy. Shit. I have a LOT of crap. And since the first step is admitting I have a problem, which I have, I am putting myself on a craft diet. I tend to buy thinking something might be useful...someday. Unless someday is today I will not buy it. I can't even enjoy my craft because I can't find anything. It's really very, very sad.

I cooked at home every night this week. I find I do much better when I have a plan for meals. I like the idea that we're eating at the table as a family. I need to be a little more adventuresome in our meals. I've gotten some ideas from people who post their menus on their blogs (thanks, Lisa!) and I've added things to the mix, but in general, I tend to make what I've always made. I want to branch out, but I'm just worried I'll mess it up. For example, I'd like to start making fish. I don't grill so I need a good baked fish recipe. One of my playground bitches gave me some amazing marinades that I want to try soon. I'll let you know how it goes.

Okay, I'm falling asleep and I have to put my hallway back together before the men-folk get home. I can't believe I tried to take on a project a big as cleaning my craft room. I might as well have added a room to the house!

-E

Finally A Floor!

I am so excited that we are starting our floor project! Yes, you all have been listening to me bitch and moan, piss and whine about how much I hate my floors and finally your endurance will be rewarded.

We went and picked out laminate flooring and Papa has started pulling up the crappy tile. He also tested the even crappier carpet and that should come up quite easily. We have a 30-day project goal.

Wish us luck!!

-E

SPF: C is for Cookie and Other Stuff

SPF is brought to you this week by the letter C and Kristine. This week's assignment is:
Your Couch
Your Coat
Your Candles




My Couch - One of our grown up purchases. I love leather! These couches clean up so easily gets softer with age.















My Coat - This is just one of my coats. I bought it on clearance because it was fun, funky and most importantly PINK. I'd love to have some fun pink, orange and yellow striped rainboots too. Hey, I'm Mexican. I heart color!
















My Candles - Keeping in mind I used to pimp Gold Canyon Candles, you'll understand why I have an unnatural amount of wicks & wax in my possession. I still love the candles, but I'm just not meant to be a MLM entrepreneur.






















Smell ya later!

-E

Thirteen Thursday: Cribs

Today Krisco has us talking about the types of places we've lived. I can do that!

1) When I was born we lived in a 400 sqft garage apartment that my grandparents owned. It was old and swayed when the wind blew. It was on the East side of town, which is considered to be the bad part of town, but it was home to us.

2) Eventually my parents bought a "starter" home waaaaay down South (this according to my Grandmother who thought anything out of East Austin was waaaaay anywhere). Shortly thereafter my parents got divorced and my mom and I went to ...

3) ...some creepy apartments. Even to this day those apartments send my oog-o-meter off the charts. I was about three years old and I knew a kid had drowned in the pool (which was to me then forever haunted) and that a snake was caught at the bottom of the stairs of our apartment.

4) At some point we moved to a duplex in Central Austin, which is now the swanky part of town, but back then it was mostly college students. Read cheap rent.

5) From a duplex in one progressive city to another. My mom, stepdad and I lived in a duplex that eventually was converted to the Wilsonville, Oregon city hall. I loved that place because there were blueberry, sunflower, blackberry and pine tree orchards surrounding our little fourplex. It was so quiet and a great place to be kid! After the conversion we moved to this OLD house right next to the railroad tracks. I remember my mom being totally freaked about being so close to the tracks. Now that I'm a mom I feel her fear.

6) Moved to house in West Linn, Oregon. Also a great place way back when. I look at the real estate there now and I'm flabbergasted to see how much property costs. The house we lived in literally increased in price sevenfold. Damn Californians!

7) Back with my grandmother on the East Side of Austin, but this time in the front house as opposed to the garage apartment is place number 1.

8) Waaaaay out in Southwest Austin with mom. She bought a house in a good neighborhood only to find out I was supposed to be bussed to outer BFE. No thank you. Mom got me a transfer and I went to a school that was "out of district", but 5 miles up the road.

9) To an apartment with my husband.

10) To a duplex with my husband.

11) To the same garage apartment as in number 1, but on the other side, and now owed by my father in law (long story for another time, my friends).

12) To our "starter" home in South Austin. Such a cute house! It was the best experience.

13) To the home I lived in with my mom (#8). I was pregnant with my first kiddo and we needed more room. My mom was single at the time and didn't need all the room. We got this house and she moved to a smaller house down the road where she now lives with her husband.

What kinds of places did you live??

-E

A Mom Can Dream

Z-boy in scrubs - it's the cutest thing EVER.

We make no apologies for the fact we want our boys to be Longhorns. While the medical field would be great anything Longhorn-ish will do nicely.

Hook 'Em.

-E

Aye Fiesta!

We took the boys to Fiesta Texas in San Antonio. We hadn't planned to get the season passes since we thought our old passes were still good, but you know what they say about best laid plans. So we are set for 2006 with entertainment and amusement. Actually it's not a bad thing since the boys are old enough to ride more rides this year and the water park is bad ass! We went enough to justify the passes last year and I'm sure they will be worth it this year too.















J-boy and Papa had a blast on the Gully Washer. So did Z-boy and I, but I ended up being the one to get the most wet on this ride. Of course the one person who didn't want to get wet gets soaked. Murphy's law and all that hooey.














The best part of the day, for the kids anyway, was the Whitewater Rapids ride which is a log ride. Again with the me not wanting to get wet and getting SOAKED. Seriously people were laughing and pointing at me I was SO incredibly wet. I couldn't wear my shoes and my socks had to be wrung out.

(Z-boy is next to Papa, behind the large man in green)

















Yeah, we're suckers and we bought the extremely overpriced picture. However, I was too busy screaming to catch the shot so, following that logic, it was a worthwhile investment.















Th-th-th-that's all, Folks!

-E

Mexican Swimming Pool

It's good to know some things just get passed on from generation to generation.

























































Papa can remember playing in buckets, you know the kind that the economy laundry detergent comes in. I can recall my two cousins and I using a wheelbarrow as a swimming pool in front of my Gammy's house. To this day it's one of the memories that we reminisce about when we get together.

Memmer You Memmer.

Good times, my friends. It's the time in your life when it's just about having fun in that moment. All the other stuff doesn't matter.

-E

A Whole New World

I know I talk about boobs entirely too much.

I think the reason is I've had boob envy after nursing two kids for two years. The girls just aren't where there should be anymore. I wasn't so far gone that I was willing to entertain the idea of surgery, but I was pretty open to some non-invasive pick 'em uppers.

So yesterday two of my playground bitches, C and I, took me to shopping for my girls. We all got fitted at Nordies first and then after some serious sticker shock made the move over to Vickie's to see what we could find. Armed with our true numbers we set out to find some over the shoulder boulder holders.

I am so in love with these new bras! I got the Angels in black and a Very Sexy in pink. Oh, and by the way, I look *exactly* like those girls in the picture. WHATEVER! You know I would have been more likely to give VS a chance a lot earlier if it weren't for those stupid ass names they give the bras and the even stupider commercials. Still now that I've tried them I am pleased I will admit. I feel like I paid a small fortune for these two bras, but I feel really good so it's worth it, right? Papa had to get his jab in here about the packaging. He says the bag looks like a gift. "It's not a purchase, it's a present! That's how they reel you women in on shopping." We'll just let him talk, talk, talk. We all know if mama ain't happy...

















I want to get the ivory or nude colors, but they were out at the store I shopped at much to my chagrin. So how do I know when these bras go on sale? Is it wise to purchase online for bras? I want to add to my brassiere collection, but would rather not go into the poorhouse to do so, ya know?

-E

SPF: Junk In My Trunk and A Whole Lot Of Other Places

This weeks Stuff Portrait Friday is once again brought to you by Kristine over at Random and Odd. SPF is that little exercise that brings all of us together in pictures to realize we are not alone.

This week's assignment:

1. Your Garbage Can
2 Your "Junk" Drawer
3. Your Trunk

Let's put on our dancin' shoes and boogie, shall we?

My Garbage Can: Papa had just emptied the kitchen one so I thought I'd give you something a little more interesting than a while can with a white bag.




















I "made" this trash can from the tin popcorn came in over the holidays. The popcorn was done and J-boy couldn't bear to toss it so we reused it. How ecofriendly of us!


My "junk" drawer: I have several, but these are the drawers where I'm trying to consolidate the junk. I use a kitchen island to put my TV on in the livingroom. The island has two drawers that make dandy junk drawers.













The drawers are small so I need more than one. Papa says I should just decrease my junk rather than increase my drawer, but so far that just hasn't worked.


My trunk: When you have an SUV you don't get a trunk per se, you get a big open space that collects craporamma.














The box on the left is for all the returns I have to make. The box on the right is for stuff I have for my class. Two blankets for park trips. A thermal bag for trips to the grocery store. You can't see them, but there are park toys behind the piles of blankets.

Tell me that you played!

-E

Thirteen Thursday: My Pet Peeves

While Krisco is out of service this week I have taken liberty of designing my own Thirteen Thursday. Today you will get to hear me piss and moan about all the things that make me piss and moan.

My pet peeves:

1) When several packages (same kind of chips, mustard, laundry detergent) are open at one time. Use one up and then open the other.

2) Flyers, postings, CRAP left on the door of my house or the windshild of my car.

3) When Papa unplugs my cell phone from the charger to plug in his phone. Leave my phone alone!!

4) When someone excludes another person from a conversation while that person is standing right there! Good night, if it's a conversation that needs to happen on the down low, save it for later.

5) Dirty little socks left all over the house and the car. Keep them on your darn feet or put them in the laundry basket.

6) Spam. 'Nuff said.

7) People who come to a complete stop to make a right hand turn when their light is green. Keep the flow of traffic moving!

8) Sneaky people or at least people who think they're sneaky. Manipulative people, if you will.

9) When a store advertises a special and then doesn't have it in stock. For that matter when the store is out of stock period.

10) Gas prices.

11) People who have prolonged conversations or talk about highly personal stuff on their cell phone in stores, in lines, in restaurants. You are not the only person in the room and I don't care to hear about your last gynecological experience or the fact that you are in a fight with your significant other. It's distracting and you're not in a phone booth, I can hear what you're saying.

11) Long lines.

13) When I'm out of Diet Coke or I don't have time to stop by a Starbucks for beverage.

Did you play??

-E

He IS His Mother's Son

I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Look at that boy! What is he trying to tell us? He's just like his mama. She ain't got no class neither!




















Take heart though, there's probably hope for Critter yet. Instead of flipping everyone the one-fingered salute, he is in fact showing you his new acquisition.














Look, his brand new special Hello Kitty Band-aid. When he's really got a boo-boo no Batman or Clifford bandage will do. We must pull out Mommy's special HK Band-aids.

I don't know, he might very well be giving me the finger for making him have to look at the camera instead of Zoo Pets or whatever the hell that show is called.

-E

I Hate To Be A Downer...

...but I'm so sad!

I totally did not see this coming. Dana Reeve died! I knew she had lung cancer, but I went about my life thinking she'd be fine, all the best medical treatment, blah, blah, blah.

And then she dies!

As a mommy I am so worried about her son. Oh, I know he'll be just fine financially, but he lost both his dad and his mom in less that two years. That's enough to send anybody right over the edge. I know he's surrounded by friends and extended family, but it still makes me sad to think of his loss.

-E

The First Step Is Admitting You Have A Problem

I have a problem.

Seriously.

I've been shopping for my new spring wardrobe or at least updating what I have currently. My playground bitches tell me I need to get rid of the shorts that are waaaay too big on me and to add some bling to wardrobe. Okay, at least I have some direction now. It's sort of like the Mother's Day Out version of "What Not To Wear".

I go out armed with this advice and get a kick-ass outfit for my next mom's night out. Behold...




















A blingy, boobie shirt and boot cut jeans. When I showed the gals they were pleased and impressed. I even got two new pairs of shorts that fit in my shopping expedition. So far we're all giddy.

Then I see them...beckoning to me...calling me to take them home to their other friends...


















I just can't seem to turn away a good pair of flip-flops. I got the duck ones in the Dollar Spot so I felt perfectly justified in getting both pink and orange. Besides you can never have too many duck flip-flops. Am I wrong??

-E

SPF: March 3 (I couldn't think of a more creative title this early in the morning)

Here we go again. This week's SPF is truly the stuff of Random and Odd. Our assignment:

• your favorite jeans
• birthmark, mole or freckles
• your photo albums & where you store them

My favorite jeans:

I think I've referred them as 505's, but I stand corrected. They are 515's and they are awesome. They're a light material and soft. The only trouble is since I've lost just a smidge of weight, when my jeans get stretched out I can take them off without unbuttoning them. I've purchased another pair of jeans and they may be my new favorite, but the jury's still out on that decision.




















My mole:

Two for the price of one.

You get to see one of my moles (Papa calls them chocolate chips) and my sweet new sunburn. I had lunch with two of my Tiara Bitches at Shady Grove on Wednesday. It was nearly 90 friggin degrees and Shady Grove wasn't quite so shady. Papa says I've got to be the poorest excuse for a Mexican ever since I managed to get a sunburn on March 1, technically still winter.




















My photo albums and where I store them:

These are my scrapbooks. I use a different color for every year. It's a work in progress. I'm currently storing them on a bookshelf in my craft room. I need to prop them up since having the albums slouch is a scrapbooking sin.

















Woo hoo! Another SPF in the books! Did you play?

-E

Thirteen Thursday: Food, Wonderful Food

Welcome once again to Thirteen Thursday brought to you by the good folks over at crib ceiling. This is Krisco's attempt for us to all get to know each other a little better. So sit a spell and find out all about my food consumption habits.

1) I love the tomato basil soup at La Madeleine. I'm not a Frenchy-shee-shee kind of girl, but this soup is soooo good.

2) I love the chicken salad on a croissant from the Central Market Cafe. It has little bits of pineapple in for that sweet & savory taste that is scrumptious!

3) Also from Central Market, I adore the mango-papaya salsa. It has bits of red pepper, kiwi, serranos too. It's all mixed together and fantastic with chips. Yum-O.

4) The salad from Craig O's is so well put together. It's not a lot of ingredients, but the mixture is just right with the pizza. You must try it if you're in Austin.

5) The Bonzi Burger from Red Robin is one of my all time favorites.

6) The food at Casa Garcia's on William Cannon and Manchaca is yummy. This is Tex-Mex at it's finest. The chips and salsa are just right and the margaritas take away all the day's stress. Take note, the Casa G's on South Lamar is affiliated, but I think the one on William Cannon is better.

7) Papa makes the best bean and cheese nachos. He puts garlic, roasted onions, jalapenos and lots of cheese on them. BAM! They are so good!

8) It's a chain, but the best steak and skewer is at Logan's Steak House. Mmmm.

9) The best breakfast taco is at Juan in a Million. Order the Don Juan and be full all day.

10) Casa Maria's has the most awesome panaderia (bakery). They make pan dulce (sweet bread) fresh every day. The also custom make cakes. Casa Maria's is our favorite place to eat on Friday nights since it's great food and not nearly as crowded as some of the more touristy spots.

11) My mother-law makes the best carne guisada and tamales. She has these two meals mastered. She sells tamales during Christmas so let me know if you want to order.

12) Amy's Mexican Vanilla ice cream cannot be beat.

13) My mom makes wonderful cheese enchiladas. She makes them with onions and LOTS of cheese. Not exactly healthy, but oh, so good.

Did you play??

-e

Hola, Amigos!

My name is Chula. That's Spanish for cute. I got me a new boy human over the weekend. My brother, Hurley, whom I believe you all met earlier, is supposed to belong to the other boy human. J-boy belongs to me and Z-boy belongs to Hurley.

The thing is we both kind of like the Mama and the Papa humans too. That mama human is home most of the time and burns these really awesome smelling candles. She plays music and throws warm laundry on the sofa which is soooo cozy. Later in the day the boy humans come to the house and take us outside to roll around in the huge yard. Okay, maybe it's not huge, but when you're only 5 inches tall, let's face it, everything seems ginormous.

Hurley and I get a lot of comments that we don't look anything alike. Well, we are septuplets and our brothers and sisters are somewhere in the 'hood I'm told. Anyway, I look more like my dad, Quiero and Hurley takes after our mom's side of the family. Still he's kin and at least we're together. Hurely needs to brush up on his Spanish, but the humans seem patient.

Con mucho amor,

Chula