Clean Slate

You know what this week is?!

It's the start of a very important week...

I still have one kid in school until Wednesday... so we don't officially start our barefoot & fancy-free summer until then.

Why not take advantage of that?! I know I am going to.

I know we just wrapped up Spring Cleaning. But with three kids, two adults and a dog - we are a messy bunch! I'd like to start the summer off right - with a clean slate!

We have a ton of fun things planned for the kids this summer, but they will be so much more fun if we start fresh!

Today is day one... here's what we have on deck!

I'll check in tomorrow and let you know how we did. The goal is to get the entire house done by Thursday. So that on Friday, we can party like it's... well..., summer!

I can tell you that the idea of a clean slate isn't just about cleaning...

take a look at what I have planned for the kitchen alone:

Did you see that last item?! Right up there?!

Part of the clutter in our house over the past few months has been a stack of curtain rods and packages of valances. I'm so tired of moving them around (to fake remove clutter) - that I am putting my foot down.

They will get hung TODAY!

Of course, Marcos may have to come home from work and rehang everything - straight!

But at least us peons are putting in the effort!

See ya on the other side!

Off to post To-Do lists for the kiddos!

Oh ya, HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!



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P.S. I just realized I spelled "steel" incorrectly.

As in "stainless steel."

Don't judge.

:P

How is it possible?

My dear friends... I am going to ask you a question.

How is it possible that we've lived in our beautiful new house for just under eight months and we've already cleaned out the garage at least three times.

Four times if you include the garage in the apartment we lived in before we bought the house.

Is our junk procreating?! Seriously.

This time I got to go through my craft supplies and our holiday decorations.

I got this bright idea to take the smaller things and put them in expandable envelopes. I've had a large box of these things lying around for almost a year. Who knew?!

Getting organized.

Exciting!!

Now all of this below has to fit in my office closet. I think the husband is ready to move out and find a new place to house his computer and laptop.

I am taking it over!

Look at all that stuff!

The sad thing?! We are so not done. Our Memorial Day weekend is going to be dedicated to some more spring cleaning - in the summer. Did I mention we got our sweat on yesterday? The one time I bothered checking, it was 102*.  Which is the WHOLE point of cleaning out the garage - I want to be able to park my van in it!!

=)

P.S. When I said that I think my husband is ready to move out {up there}, I meant out of the OFFICE; not out of our home or our lives.

P.S.S. At least I hope not.

2/3

I am here to tell you that someone at Isabel's school must like me.
Scratch that... they LOVE me.

¿Porque? - you ask...

Because today is Alex's first day of summer.
I have 2/3 of my kids home for another few days.

On June 2, I will have 3/3 (or 100%) of all of my kids home.

Have a few days to get used to have more than just Nic home is a blessing.
Soon I will not only be Bank of America worker by day, I will also be maid, chef, referee, concierge, AND INSANE!

So thank you, Isabel's school, for a little lead time! =)

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P.S. Just wanted to give you a random warning. The domain I currently use is just about up for renewal. I've been toying with the idea of changing it to just my name, so that I can then change the header whenever I want and it has no affect on how one gets to me. That means you will need to save the new URL and go there (I don't think I could get it to forward automatically). Does that scare you?!
Still a work in progress, we will see!

What is with me and ___________?

As promised... a blog post about me scoring... at Goodwill, of course!

We woke up BRIGHT & EARLY on Saturday morning (aka 50% off at Goodwill day).

We decided a breakfast of champions was in order... Cracker Barrel would do just fine,

And I, of course, needed some Sweet Tea to get my energy up!

Love me some sweet tea!!

Below are some of our Goodwill finds...

I see a lot of refinishing in our future!!

A table/sewing machine thingy. The sewing machine is from Sears and it STILL works!

Look at the peddle thingy!

I have NO idea where this is going to go. We may refinish it and then sell it.

We will see!

A not so old, but definitely functional side table.

We are using it in the main living room for now.

I think it will get refinished a darker brown, chocolate really.

And then kept where it currently resides.

I think.

A cool mirror.

[look at my boys trying to get in the pic. i warned them i was taking it!]

And finally... I love this next thing.

It's huge - so I haven't had a chance to get a really good pic of it.

It's a 6ft long RADIO CABINET!

She's a BEAUTY!

The speakers are still in it - but that's about it.

We have plans to refinish it - using a much darker stain.

And using a darker mesh-stuff (to cover the speakers).

What we haven't decided on is where it will rest it's sweet head.

Either the entry way...

or in my bedroom.

How exciting.... a mystery!

Seriously though...

What is with me and radio cabinets?!?!?

Rise & Shine

I don't usually time stamp these babies... but let me tell you, it's early!
As in 6am.

Why so early you ask? Or maybe you didn't. But I am going to share with you anyway.

Yes, even though today might just be the last day ever - you know, the end of the world?! (not!)...
I decided Isabel and I need new flip flops. Today is Old Navy's $1 sale!

So, I've got my peeps getting ready now... We are headed to Cracker Barrel for breakfast (Marcos made it clear he wanted biscuits and gravy for breakfast this morning, he just didn't say I had to make them!). After breakfast, we should be first in line at Old Navy. And then we are hitting up a brand new Goodwill!!  I think I will have a Goodwill post for you tomorrow; we went to a HUGE one in Scottsdale last night and walked away with a few treasures! We would have walked away with a ton more, if we hadn't just done a non-food Costco shop; our van was FULL!

So... I hope you have a fabulous Saturday! Regardless...
=)

Winding Down

It's the last Thursday night left of the school year; summer is upon us.
I get to spend the next two and a half months with these guys:

This picture is old - from last year. The kids look soooo young!!
I could point out the flaws (on me, of course... the kids are perfect) - but why?! I remember the day so clearly... one of my favorites!

As Alex is working to finish up a few missing assignments (erg!!), Isabel is outside working on her softball pitch and Nic is watching Curious George on Netflex. I was finishing up a few reports for work (now blogging)... and the love of my life is in the kitchen making BBQ wings and steak fries. He just got back from Wal-Mart... had to pick up the fries. He brought me a package of Oreo cookies [to share, of course]. He loves me!

There has been so much going on lately... with work, landscaping, the kids & school - I've been overwhelmed. Some might think I've been distant. Not on purpose... Just trying to figure out how to deal with things that are quite new to me. I have to put my Fab Five first, right?! I have to put the effort in... that's the fine print on the marriage license and birth certificates.

Hopefully things will continue to wind down and we can get back to life as we know it.
I am ready for a slow and sweet summer.

Black Dog

This post is over a week late, but I couldn't bring myself to "talk" about it.

We had to put Milo [the dog] to sleep on Friday, May 6.

I know it's not the best picture of our beloved friend; it doesn't do him justice.

But Milo was camera shy and we could never really find his "good side."

And his eyes were always a freaky neon green color when captured by the flash.

We loved him, regardless.

<3

We miss him terribly but know that he's no longer in pain.

Just in doggy heaven...

rollin' in the grass and snacking on doggie treats.

RIP Milo James Ayala

[is it weird that we gave him a middle name?!]

<3

A little too close for comfort.

Or should I say: A little too close for pruning?!

I love neighbors.
I love trees.
I do not love where my neighbor put their tree.

I think living in a cardboard box behind Costco would be much easier right about now.
See that large EMPTY spot - bottom right of the pic?!
Yep, my sod is gone.

After today - with quite a few dudes working out there - I hope to have better news!

Happy Friday!

Keep your friends close and your trees even closer [evidently]!

For Suz ♥

Don't say that I didn't warn you....
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This was crawling on my wall near my sofa.
Alex had to save the day again.

If you remember, a while back, there was an email going around about some soldiers in Iraq who were holding a huge spider that was said to be super fast. This is exactly what that was... just a smaller version (this guy was about 2" in length). I guess we don't get them as large as they do in the middle east.

But really, who the HECK cares... this thing gives me the willies.

4 days until the bug guy comes back.

Hurry bug guy, hurry!

Almost Done

It's been a very crazy & rough few days (more on that later)...

But, I did want to mention that today is Isabel's last softball practice and tomorrow is her last game.
That is, unless she makes the All-Star team (which she tried out for on Saturday night). We won't know about that until late May. And the cost is going to be fun (not!) - as it's basically club ball. She REALLY wanted to tryout though - and she's done such a great job this season, how could we say no?

Besides... we figure if we invest now, it will come back to us when she earns scholarships for her awesomeness. Right?!

A Small Change

I went to WalMart the other day.

I couldn't pass up some green.

So I've moved my twigs & sticks into the entry way.

For now.

And decided I was going to go with a palm.

Well... two, to be exact.

I still need to "plant" them in the planters...

I have to fix the fact that they are not exactly

the same size.

It's killing me.

But once that's done - I think they are a sweet addition to my lovely front yard.

Wait.

I said "lovely."

What the heck?!

Yep. Landscapers are back and they've made a HUGE mess.

This momma is not very happy right now.

But, I will save that for another day.

Happy Tuesday!

What I don't ♥ about Arizona

Seriously?! This is not how I wanted to start off my Monday morning.
And the fact that I spent a few extra minutes making the picture look "pretty" disgusts me even more.

Scorpions ARE NOT welcome here. Go away. Shoo.