Too Much Going On

It seems like forever and a day since I have had the time to blog. There has been so much going on and unfortunately I didn't have my camera on me for the more interesting things so I apologize in advance. One of the things I regret most is that I have no pictures of our trip to visit a couple of Michael's patients in RPV. They have a beautiful estate and wanted to meet the boys. The boys got to see a huge fish pond, a small pumpkin patch and the best part for them were the horses. They were able to feed the horses carrots which Seb loved. Ben wanted to keep his carrot and munched on the tip....he doesn't like carrots and so he would periodically spit out the bits he took off. Then the dog came along and stole the carrot once and for all....that brought on quite a cry. Our hostess fixed that with some animal crackers and juice.....seventh heaven again. We all had a great time.


As every one knows there are like a million fires here in So. Cal. The last couple of days were smoky and the air was icky, but we weren't too close fear wise. My uncle's house in Lake Arrowhead has luckily been spared so far and we continue to pray that the wind doesn't shift. It has been scorching hot here and so we filled up the pool and let the boys run around naked in the backyard to cool off. They love running around with my cooking spoons and banging on everything and splashing violently in the pool. The dogs stay inside as they are afraid of a much needed bath.
Look at that devilish grin. They enjoy the freedom of a naked backyard jaunt. We are also happy because daddy can find his way home to us at night again. The crazy fires being so bad and so spread out had pretty much closed down multiple freeways. Of course, two routes Mike could use to get home were both closed. He had to stay in Victorville. This was horrible because there are a lot of displaced and evacuated people. It took until 9:30 pm to locate a hotel for him after hours of frequent dialing. He had to buy a change of clothes and toiletries for the next day and we finally got him booked at a Ho Jo. Unfortunately, when he got there, they knew all too well the desperation everyone faced. They decided to more than double, okay almost triple for the dramatic, the price from 66 to 150+ dollars. When Mike asked, thinking maybe they just ran out of the cheaper rooms, they smirked and said that it was supply and demand and they could raise the price because they were so busy....most hotels had no vacancies in the area and they new they would be busy regardless. Some people! Of course he took it....didn't want to stay in the car or at the office with no shower. I told him to take a bag to the free breakfast and steal all the bagels.....of course, he had to leave before breakfast to get to the office before 7am. Oh darn. The important thing is that he is safe and got a good nights sleep....but we did miss him.
Here is Sebastian looking perplexed by the mess the twin tornados have created in the house. After we had pretty much resigned ourselves to the fact that our house probably wouldn't sell until next year....we got a call. A message for Michael at work really, when he was with a patient and couldn't answer. We had gotten a very low, horrible offer...but in it there was some hope. Hope that our counter offer, which is 100,000 dollars less than what our house is appraised at, will be accepted so that we can move. Who knows if they were just testing our limits, if they were vultures trying to get a bargain or if they really can't afford more than what was offered, but only time will tell. We hope, hope and pray, pray that this is it. Although, just yesterday 4 of the properties we were closely following for ourselves were sold, maybe bad luck, who knows, there are still plenty of options. There are about 4 in the area which still spark my interest and one with a pool and spa which would be lucky. I guess we will see what is left when our house actually sells. I just hope this isn't false hope. I hope that these people are serious and take the more than generous offer that we are willing to give.
This picture I like to call, "A boy and His Dog and....some French's Spicy Brown Mustard." Ben and Jagr have such the smirks/smiles on their faces. I don't know what is going on there. Now, when Ben is in the kitchen, not only does he empty the pantry, he also has learned to turn on the dishwasher. He points at the garbage and diaper genie and wags his finger no and says, "Ca-ca!" Probably because when there is something I don't want them to touch I say, "No, no. Dirty, Dirty, ca-ca." And, I think for the most part that they get my point.
I had to include this picture because I think it is almost commercial quality. Who wouldn't buy mustard from this kid. I would send it in to the company if only the photographer had gotten a better picture of the label in this view. If all else fails, maybe I have got a multimillion dollar child model. Next stop, My Bologna has a first name, it's OSCAR.......hehe

Take care and God willing, I will have good news next time (pray, pray, pray),
C

Boooooo! Tagged......

So, after my warning.....that I hate these insipid taggings and chain letters........I have been tagged. Heather B, if you wake up sore this morning....as I hope you do.......it is my foot planted in your buttocks! I can't believe you did this to me!

JOBS I'VE HELD

Substitute Elementary School Yard Supervisor
Blockbuster Video CSR, CRC....4 yrs ouch!
H.S. Science Teacher - JFK- Integrated Sciences, Conceptual Physics (Gen and Sheltered)
H.S. Alternative School Instructor - Ombudsman- All Subjects
Substitute teacher- All Grades- Longterm- K-2

PLACES I'VE LIVED

Huntington Beach, CA
Richmond, CA
Pinole, CA
KC, MO
So. Cal

FOODS I LOVE
----Most Foods, here are a few
Nachos
Spaghetti
Sushi/Tempura
CHINESE - for you Heather B. baby, all for you
Adobo, Lumpia, filipino Beefsteak
fast food

PLACES I WOULD RATHER BE
Moving to Apple Valley
With all my family and friends in one place (but not my funeral)

MOVIES I LOVE
---Too many to count! From the girl with a movie collection over 1000
Cocktail
Dirty Dancing
Nightmare on Elm St. (1,3 and 4)
Halloween (1,2, H2O and remake)
Scream
St. Elmo's Fire
Pretty in Pink/16 Candles etc.
Imitation of Life
Pretty Woman
So I Married an Axe Murderer
---I am all over the place with this.....too hard to choose less than 100

TV SHOWS I WATCH
Brothers & Sisters
How I Met Your Mother
HEROES
Kitchen Nightmares
Survivor
Supernatural
ER
...missing Life With Brian, Gilmore Girls, Dead Like Me, Sex & the City, Friends and on and on

TAG YOU ARE IT
Now, it would make me a hypocrite to pick just a few people if I was upset about this little exercise. Haha. So....
All those voting Democrat in the next election....j/k
Faithful readers (something very much deniable if you do not comment, hehe)
Anyone reading this and wearing black underwear or none at all...hmmmm
If you enjoy Chinese on Friday nights....
Anyone who I was miffed at last night.......Michael, do you have a blog yet....

Okay, I am done amusing myself and I am sure boring you all. Sigh of relief for all of you who thought I would tag you and didn't. If you have time to waste and want to be tagged, go ahead and let me know and I will certainly help you out.

Love ya all (even if or especially if you fit in my list 'o the tagged!)
C

A Weekend with Nonny and Papa J

We had a grand time. We had Nonny and Papa J over and visited with GGNON and Uncle Steve too.

It was a fun weekend in the Cruz household. Nonny and Papa J came down Thursday night for a three day weekend visit. Not only is it nice to have some adult company, the babies love their grandparents. It is hard to imagine the kids being spoiled anymore than Mike and I already spoil them, but when you throw grandparents in the mix, it is a whole other level of crazy. We met Mike for lunch at his office and got the grand tour. The staff was very much in love at first sight. The boys once inside the office, walked the premises as if they owned the place and were hard at work going in and out of open patient rooms. Future chiros I suspect! Mama, don't let your sons grow up to be chiros......


Here is my wonderful mommy holding Benny. She will always have a strong connection with my boys after all she went through. We are thankful for her full recovery and it is so nice to see what a bond the boys have developed with their Nonny and Papa. I think it is all the love and attention that they get, but the Halloween gifts didn't hurt either.
Here is another one of Nonny and the boys. Sure, they still don't say Mama much or Nonny for that matter, but Seb added another word that he could repeat over and over again. "Papa" is one of his new favorites. So now, the day goes with Dada, car (driving the steering wheel motion), car (car noise), hands in the air as if to ask a question. Next, it shifts to Jagr and then to Papa. Dada, Jagr, Papa, over and over. Where is that Mama boys?

Here is my little Benny eating a Protein Bar.....yes, you heard right, a protein bar. In one of his rearranging the cupboard sessions, he spied a protein bar. Don't know how long we've had it as it wasn't our brand and wasn't very appealing to either of us adult peoples. Well, you turn away for a second and the smarty pants has it open and is engulfing it. I thought there would be no way that he'd like it whatsoever. I was wrong. This episode ended in me having to take it away....he had just finished a big lunch and then wanted to eat a huge calorie rich block of protein......sorry dude. What a cry that evoked. Like I had done the most mean thing in the world. So, now we know a good alternative to donuts in the treat category.....who would have guessed it?
And here is Sebby dancing away and giving a little shake and point in his Nonny's direction. This kid is all about the dancing lately. Any music will do. I can sing; it can be music on a show; it can even be music on a commercial. What a happy little boy!
And, I will end with a picture of me and Sebby. Okay, no make up and the angle makes my face look almost fiendishly pointy, but hey, at least we are both smiling in this one. Don't you just want to pinch those cheeks....his anyway. I told Mike to take pics from this angle more often, I didn't know gaining five pounds could make my face look so thin! Now, if only I could find a favorable angle for the rest of me.

Keep it fun everyone!
C

Back to the Stone Age

It has been awhile. Friday night my internet eloped with my phone service leaving us crazy this weekend and me unable to blog.....woe is me, what ever could I do. It is crazy how attached I have become to the internet. Yes, I hated being without phone service, but with a cell phone...we survived. Now, without internet I was lost! No forums, no fantasy football stat tracking... Luckily, the cable co. sent someone today and fixed the problem. But, it was a weekend of true deprivation...okay we had the TV (yeah, satellite) and we did get to spend lots of time together as a family which was a plus. Oh yes, and Sunday we had our last post placement visit. Don't get me wrong, we love our social worker, but it is nice to know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Here are about a zillion pics to celebrate the happy, fun loving week we had even without modern convenience, haha.




Here is Benny kissing the blinds. Kissing is again the En Vogue thing. Biting is just so five minutes ago, like totally, kissing is the new red, or whatever color is in (I wouldn't know, I didn't have internet this weekend).
Apparently though, making a mess never goes out of style. As long as we don't go all Jerry Springer with the chair, we will continue the love fest. And nothing is safe....we won't stop until everything in this house is strewn across the floor!
Okay, let's take a break to harass/love the Jagr. We love Jagr. At the doctor's today (routine appt. and vaccination schedule) there were two things that Sebby kept talking about. One was Jagr and the other was Dada. The doctor was happy with Sebby's talking. She said he was doing very well and then asked if he ever says Mama. Ha, very rarely, I have to admit. I guess I am always there. The doc said not to worry about it....deep down they appreciate me....haha. Good news is that both boys are 25 percentile in both height and weight. Yes, they both weigh 24 pounds and are 31 inches tall. They arrived in our care at 5th percentile weight and 10th percentile height so, we are moving in the right direction. We don't have to go back until the 24 month checkup, yes, no more co-pays for awhile.

Now, Jagr loves the boys, always is around the boys and tries to sneak wherever the boys are located. This is partially because of all the food they give her, but also because she has accepted them into the fam. She endures so much poking and prodding and patting and pulling. She just lowers her head and lets the boys scream in delight and have their way with her. Now, Roenick is a whole separate banana. When the boys are on the loose, he pretty much stears clear and hides in his cage. You can almost see him rolling his eyes as Sebby plays in the water. Is nothing off limits? Is nothing sacred anymore? Sorry Roenick! Mommy rather the boys run toward the doggy water instead of the toilet bowl.
Another thing that is no longer sacred. The doggy door has been compromised....abort, abort the mission! Mommy wondered how long it would take for her smart guys to figure it out.
The new favorite pasttime- going to the snack cupboard and taking everything out. Then when everything is out and scattered all over the house, mommy puts it back, just to have it taken out again. At least it keeps them busy. A little down time for mommy until clean up time. Hope noone minds broken crackers and cookies. Shaken, not stirred.
Yeah....Daddy and Sebby waiting for the social worker and having a little fun on the couch. Tickle, tickle Sebby. And of course, Sebby responds with a very loud cackle. Nothing to worry about. Unfortunately, both boys were so tired out, they slept through the whole 1.5 hr visit. All dressed up and ready to show off and poof, nap time. They definitely looked like the little angels that they are!
More fun and take a look at those sandals. Yes, I know, I keep saying it, but it really amazes me. And they are getting the whole walking in shoes thing really well. Actually, it is hard to see here with the context of the picture, but he is dancing. Bouncing up and down. His newest move is where he moves one leg and foot back and forth. I am not quite sure where it came from, but it made me laugh and so he loves it now.....my little hams. You know, it kinda reminds me of Muriel's Wedding Abba tribute dance. I swear, I haven't made him watch it.....but that is what it reminds me of. Neither dance right now is the most graceful.....and no, he doesn't get that from me!!!!!!
Here is my Benny, cool as a cucumber as always!! I'm cool, I know it, I'm cool, You love me! Look at this dude! Can't get enough of that smile. I love him so much.....I love them both so much.
Here is Sebby in the car seat. He loves it. The best way to get the guys to take a nap.
The only exception is when we go through a drive thru. Then they can't even wait until we get home before demanding a bite and another bite and another bite.....The twisting and turning alone gives me enough of a workout so that I can actually enjoy my lunch. Okay, I can kid myself, right?


I hope you all enjoyed the pictures. I, many times, look at these pictures and reflect on how lucky we are to have been blessed with our sons. I can't even put to words how much these guys mean to me. I have nothing witty to say. I have nothing sweet or especially interesting. I just look back on these last almost to be 6 months and it feels like it is how it has always been. I can't remember a time I was without my guys. I can't remember a time that I didn't think or worry about or love them. It sounds, coo coo - out there, but it is as if they were always with me. As we struggled through the challenges of life, something stuck with us and made it okay. Something got us through the yucky and sad. I think it was these guys, even though they weren't born yet. They were meant to be with us. They were meant to be a piece of us. They were and are a part of us. I say this with much respect to their Ethiopian parents as I know they are a part of them too. I won't get into these mixed up, crazy emotions and the conflicting notion of what I can't explain eloquently enough nor will I try here. These six months have had ups and downs and nothing is all sunshine and roses, but I have everything that is important to me in this world. The three men in my life are what it is all about. I have it all.....okay, I wouldn't turn away a winning lottery ticket, but I can be happy without one. I feel like I have won. We have won. Now, I just have to focus on doing all that I can so that my boys have a chance at attaining all that they want in life. I hope that I can make them as happy as they have made me. I hope that they can grow up getting all that they want out of this life. I know, sappy, silly stuff that this 6 month visit brought on. I am kinda hoping no one is reading....that is why there are no pictures down here...haha.

Take care all,
C