Is This Thing On?

It's 6:00 in the morning.  I've already been up for an hour and half, awakened by a poor sick boy with a climbing fever.  I returned to bed convinced I would fall asleep almost immediately and then it happened.  That thing that always happens when I awake prematurely.  My brain turns on.  I spent the next 45 minutes contemplating life, creating an agenda for the day, arguing politics, defending my faith...all in my head.  At 5:15, I conceded and got out of bed.  I will openly admit I was tempted to pick up my Kindle Fire and continue a losing game of Words With Friends.  However, convicted by a statement my husband made last night, I decided to resurrect my blog instead.  Man, it's been a long time since I've been on here!

I'm not sure why I go through periods of blogging silence when writing is so cathartic for me.  One would assume, at this crazy stage of life, I would be blogging incessantly.  But alas, I find myself smack dab in the middle of a blogging drought. 

What has been going on thus far in 2012?  I wish I knew.  I could easily swear the holidays just ended and yet here we are on the brink of Spring Break.   We had a January. I know this because my calendar had the cutest winter scene on it for 31 whole days.  I know there was a bout with step throat in our house for a few of those days, but other than that, I'm at a loss.  February was a little more eventful.  We celebrated our 9th anniversary by cancelling a much needed tropical beach vacation.  (Truth be told, we traded in one beach vacation for another that will come later in the year)  But we did enjoy a lovely evening out.   Our extended family has been through a myriad of medical and surgical procedures from dogs to dads. And I kissed my early 30s goodbye and jumped on the fast train to 40.

So there you have it.  The Oronas in  2012.  Clearly this post is not about quality content.  But doesn't my blog look pretty?

Christmas In the Air

Okay...it's not. The air is currently still flooded with pollen and each day becomes increasingly warmer as desert temperatures continue to rise and summer officially approaches. Tomorrow June begins- the hottest month of the year in Arizona when temperatures can reach in excess of 115 degrees during the day. Dreading. Dreading. Dreading.


In our household, we are still in the midst of our family "birthday extravaganza" that commences each year in April and lasts through the end of July. It sounds better than it is. That's just my way of saying we have a birthday every month in our home. I like to throw the word "extravaganza" out there periodically just because I can.


My husbands birthday was a success, as was Sofia's princess party. Next up, Zay's 2nd birthday which I am currently in a conundrum over. More on that later. But the lapse in time and the lack of preparation, based on the aforementioned conundrum, has got my mind wandering ahead several months to the holiday season.


It happens every year. The temperatures rise and I long for shorter days with cooler temperatures, for things like stew, oven-baked meats and creamy casseroles, for spiced candles and cozy sweaters.


In my traditional obsessive compulsive way, I begin planning for the holidays in August. Which despite criticism from skeptics has proved VERY successful and, may I add, is extremely beneficial to our budget. Faithfully, on July 25 each year, my mom and I take leftover Christmas cookies out of the freezer, light a deliciously scented candle, pour ourselves a cup of tea, and settle in on the sofa for Christmas in July on QVC. We buy very little, but it has become a beloved tradition and I don't intend on giving it up very...er...uh...okay...EVER!


Yet I cannot keep my mind from wandering there even now, almost two entire months early. There's so much to do and plan in the meantime, so I guess Christmas is going on the back burner...for now. It will arrive in due time. But don't judge me if I sneak a whiff of my Christmas wreath candle periodically or you catch me humming Carol of the Bells.

Best. Purchase. Ever

As mentioned in our Year in Review post, at the beginning of December, my sister and I took our mom to New York City for her birthday. It was something we had been dreaming about our whole lives and planning for over a year and half.

My mom grew up and worked in and around the city. As a child, her parents would take the family out to dinner and to Radio City to see the Rockettes as part of her birthday celebration. This was our goal and it was FANTASTIC!

In addition to our show at Radio City Music Hall, we had several other "must dos" on our list which included afternoon tea at The Plaza, Christmas shopping at F.A.O Schwarz, pizza in Little Italy, and of course Bloomingdales!

I wanted so badly to come home with a "Brown Bag" even if it was only a little one.  But, we did better than that.  Not only did I come home with a "Little Brown Bag", I came home with what is now one of my favorite purchases of all time...

My Bloomingdale's mug!

Now, as I sip my coffee each morning, I am reminded of our wonderful trip and the special time spent in an amazing city with my even more amazing family!

Best.Purchase.Ever.

Thursday Clothes

It has come again. Thursday. It's never been my favorite day of the week. Let's face it. Is there a day that we wake up feeling worse than Thursday...4 days into our work/school week?

However, over the past few months, Thursdays around our house have evolved into a respite of sorts, following what is generally a fairly busy beginning to the week. Thursday is my day to play catch up on laundry, cleaning,organizing, and do I dare say blogging? I don't like to make plans on Thursdays unless they involve staying home. On Thursdays hair usually doesn't get brushed, make-up is seldom applied, meals consist largely of leftovers, and our apparel is something I now lovingly refer to as "Thursday clothes".

Thursday clothes are a lot of things. Thursday clothes are comfortable. Thursday clothes are roomy. Thursday clothes can get dirty. Thursday clothes occasionally coordinate. Thursday clothes are things I would not be caught dead wearing out in public.

Thursday clothes are NOT stylish. Thursday clothes are not always the right size. Thursday clothes don't always come out of our own closet (some of my favorite Thursday clothes are baggy t-shirts I pull from my hubby's dresser). Thursday clothes are not flattering.

But, oh how I love my Thursday clothes! We all have them. Thursday clothes are the t-shirts you have had since college that are so soft and comfy that you don't care about the holes you've worn in the front. Thursday clothes are the baggy bottomed sweat pants that are so roomy and comfortable, but that your husband does not find sexy.

We all have, love, and need our Thursday clothes. They are an outward expression of the comfort, warmth, and simplicity that we crave so much during a busy week. Yours may be Monday or Friday clothes. Whatever day is yours to slow down, throw on your clothes and enjoy your day!

Ummm...yeah

Let the self-loathing begin. Shocked even at myself for letting so many months go without blogging. In the tradition of "passing the buck", I'd like to blame A) my three children who poop round the clock and are incessantly needy. B) Twitter which forces me to narrate my life in phrases of less than 140 characters each. C) President Obama...just because. After all, presidents are always responsible for our personal problems and lack of self-discipline, aren't they?

Working on our 2010 Year In Review...just as soon as I change a diaper. Hoping to get it published prior to 2012.

Who Needs to Shower?

It is 7:45 and for the first time, in a LONG time, the house is still quiet. Summer has interrupted our schedule enough that the kids are going to bed later and sleeping in (as much as can be expected when the sunlight begins pouring in to the room at 5:30 am). But this morning is special and uncharacteristically so. In my estimation, I have about 15 minutes before the morning inevitably interrupts the quiet and so, instead of rushing to take a shower before the kids wake up, I'm choosing to write.

Oh how I wish I could spend the day in quiet- especially in light of all that's happened over the last few months. What a priceless gift it would be to be alone with my thoughts- to read, to write, to pray...

I suppose that's unrealistic with three small children in the house, but a girl can dream, can't she? :-)

Top Ten

This is what I like to call the "Top Ten List of Things I Suck At Since I Had a Third Child".
1. Answering the phone
2. Keeping up with laundry
3. Showering daily
4. Making meals that do not include bologna
5. Finishing a book in less than 6 months
6. Remembering to R.S.V.P to an event
7. Providing nurishment for myself in a timely manner
8. Making it through the day without an assortment of goo on my shirt sleeves
9. Getting out of the house during daylight hours
10. Maintaining my blog........

Sad, But True

I find it very sad that I can now only find time to blog once every month...I'm going to make a meager attempt to do some catch up today. Wish me luck!

Show And Tell

Today is Daniel's last day of show and tell at school and, as a result, he had his choice of anything he'd like to bring. Here is the conversation that occured this morning while getting ready to head out the door.

"Buddy, it's show and tell day. Do you know what you want to bring? You can bring anything you want."

"I want to bring my shoe"

"Honey, you're going to be wearing your shoes."

"I want to bring my breakfast"

"No, dear, you need to finish your breakfast."

"I want to bring a chair."

...I give up...

Blah, Blah, Blog

So sad that it's been three weeks since I've felt that anything was significant enough in life to share. What can I say? It is what it is. The Oronas are plugging along, taking one day at a time...working, trying to keep up with two VERY active kids, and counting down the days 'til the next one arrives.

Baby and I are 31 1/2 weeks along and looking forward to getting closer and closer to 40! Although I could swear that my body looks as if I'm 41 weeks along, my doctor assures me that I am right on target, measuring 31 inches. Let's just say 31 inches looked a lot smaller the second time around than it does the third. If' I'm being perfectly honest, it FEELS a lot different too. Each subsequent pregnancy seems to exacerbate the discomfort. Everything aches more and tires much more quickly. Eight and a half weeks to go- I think I can...I think I can...

Other than that, we are gearing up for our baby girl's first birthday, finishing preparations for baby Orona#3, and bracing ourselves for 100+ temperatures. Somewhere in there...I'd really like to get some sleep...

Dialogue with a 3 1/2 Year Old

"Honey, can you get Mommy the mayonnaise out of the fridge?"
"Okay, Mama. Which one's the mayonnaise, Mama?"
"It's white and it's in a jar with a blue lid."
"This one, Mama?"
"Yes, Love, that's the mayonnaise."
"This isn't mayonnaise, this is butter, Mama."
"Well, it looks a little like butter, but it's mayonnaise."
"Oh! My bad, mama."

Bad Chemistry

Science was never my favorite subject in school, nor the one that I excelled at. And when it came time for chemistry my junior year of high school, I worked really hard to keep my grades up. I memorized the elements and learned how to solve all the equations, but I always felt like it was all just a little beyond me. In the chemistry of life, however, there is one thing I am certain of. There are two elements that DO NOT mix... a stubborn 3-year-old and a fresh batch of pregnancy hormones. Every day has been more of a challenge than the one before and I am reluctant to assume it will get any better between now and July. In my previous entry I relayed the story of my failure as a parent in laughing at Daniel's indignation. "This is idiculous" is now his favorite phrase and one that has lost all humor (Not to mention that it has been joined by "Give me a break" and "Did you hear what I said?"). The following is a list of things that Daniel now deems "idiculous".

• Eating
• Having his hair brushed
• Not throwing things at his sister
• Wearing underwear
• Using the toilet
• Washing his hands
• Brushing his teeth
• Cleaning his playroom
• Wearing shoes
• Going to bed

I'm no longer laughing...

Things You Should Not Do When Your Child Wakes You Up at 4:45 am...

• Decide not to bother going back to bed so that you can get a shower in
• Postpone making coffee until "closer to breakfast"
• Sit on the most comfortable chair in your home
• Decide to start reading...anything
• Allow the dog to get up and start barking at the door
• Start cleaning
• Turn on ANY children's programming during the day
• Skip nap time, even if it means your kid will be up until 10:30 tonight
• Attempt to accomplish anything of consequence before bedtime
• Take two kids and a dog to the most socially retarded and moderately rude veterinarian in the greater Little Rock area...in the pouring rain.

I Want my Mommy

Germs of some unknown sort entered our home the other day and are ruthlessly passing from one person to the next. Daniel started with a fever last Wednesday. By Thursday, the fever was almost gone, which gave way to the snuffy, runny nose and the horrible coughing. He managed to muster enough energy to Trick-or-Treat on Friday, but continues to battle the most stubborn cold he's ever had. Saturday morning, Sofia woke up with a fever, which reached it's peak that afternoon at 103 degrees. I had visions of us in the E.R. at Arkansas Children's Hopsital, but thankfully the Tylenol has managed to keep it down. It is still hovering aroun 100 degrees and she remains virtually snot free, at least at the moment. Over the last 5 days, we've gone through more Tylenol, cold medicine, and Kleenex that I ever thought possible, with no sign of relief.

Then, last night, the unthinkable happened. I found myself with a fever. I know what's coming. So here I sit, popping my own Tylenol, nursing back to health two sick kids, with a husband traveling to Florida for an entire week.

I want my mommy!

No matter how old you get, when you're sick, there's only one person who can make you feel any better. I remember countless times of laying on the couch with my pillow, remote control in hand, watching cartoons while mom brought me plenty of liquids and lunch on my metal Strawberry Shortcake tray. It's easy to want your mommy when you're not feeling your best. Who do you go to when you are the mommy?

How We Spent Our Weekend

If this post really lived up to its title, I would have nothing but pictures of the four of us in our pajamas watching television. It really was quite unproductive and lazy. Those are the best kinds of weekends. However, Fernando got a burst of energy and motivation and decided to help Daniel carve our Halloween pumpkin- his first one, ever. Of course, the words "help Daniel carve" means, quite literally, doing the entire job himself while Daniel plays with the pumpkin guts, throws seeds everywhere, and sings the theme song to the Imagination Movers. Alas, here are the fruits of Fernando's labor...(no pun intended) Or is a pumpkin a vegetable?

Things to be Thankful For on Thursday

• a baby girl who sleeps through the night
• a nip in the air that means Fall is officially here
• a chance to get outdoors and enjoy the beautiful weather
• Pumpkin Spice Lattes while shopping at Target
• great deals on Christmas presents
• gas for $2.45 a gallon (sad, but true)
• drives along tree lined streets
• leaves that change
• laughter that comes with being told by your son that you look like Mr. Noodle (or should I be offended?)
• knowing my husband will be home tomorrow
• good friends back home who are praying for us
• lunch and a movie on Saturday with the girls
• Mallowmars- the worlds BEST cookie
• text messages that allow me to talk to my sister-in-law at 11:30 at night- love you, Jule!

Tagged

I got tagged by my wonderful cousin-in-law, Anna. :) Thanks for giving me something else to think about besides what's on the news! I needed that!


The rules are:
~Post the rules on your blog
~Write 6 random things about yourself
~Tag 6 people at the end of your post~If you are tagged, just do it, and pass the tag along!


Okay, random things about me… (this could be more difficult than I thought)

1) I love this time of year, the onset of Fall, because of the cooler temperatures and the changing leaves. It means that change is coming and the holidays are right around the corner. I live for them all year long.

2) I love old music, and I mean OLD, like Ain't She Sweet and Let Me Call You Sweetheart, because it reminds me of my precious grandpa whom I miss so much!

3) My oldest memory is of the nursery at First Baptist Church of Metuchin. I remember the cribs and the Fisher Price activity boards hanging on them. I had to be less than 2 years old.

4) I am a travel junkie and love planning trips for us to take (truth be told, I love planning anything). The trip I'm most looking forward to is going to New York during the holidays. I can't wait to see the tree at Rockafeller Center, the Rockettes at Radio City, shop at Macy's, ice skate in Central Park, and have afternoon tea at the Waldorf Astoria.

5) I'm a sucker for romance. I love Pride and Prejudice, Anne of Green Gables, misty bridges, and kisses in the rain.

6) When I was young, I hated Mexican food. It ranked just under liver and onions in my book. Now, not only did I marry a Mexican :), but I can't get enough of it. I crave things like chorizo, carne asada, mole, green chile, enchiladas, and Julie's chicken tacos!

My turn to tag. Do I have to stick to 6? Hmmmm. I tag-
Mom
Lisa
Allison
Stephanie
Kimbasa
Shannon

Mom and Lis- email me your list and I'll post it here. :) Hugs to you all!

Arkansas...really?

During the summer of 1994, while visiting California with a friend, we stumbled upon a ballpoint pen in the home of her elderly aunt that held the saying, "The South will Rise Again." I remember how odd I felt when I read that, although we laughed about it for days- years actually. I've always held the position that Abraham Lincoln did the right thing by preserving the Union. But, having lived in Arkansas for almost a year now, I'm beginning to think he may have made a huge mistake. I won't be flying a confederate flag outside of my house any time soon. But, I'm of the opinion that there was at least one state he could have let go of...

Now, don't get me wrong. There are some really great people here (most of them transplants- but that's beside the point) and we are blessed to have met them. Having said that, however, I must add, that given the option, they would most likely move as well. Arkansas is deceiving and it takes time to figure out that the entire state is trying to pull one over on you. The state of Arkansas is like a used car. Everybody talks its up and it looks clean and shiny on the outside, but drive it a few miles and inevitably the wheels will fall of, the engine will start smoking, and the radio will break. (and you won't be able to find a decent mechanic to fix it) I take that back. Mechanics are plentiful in Arkansas. The only problem is that they work from 10-2, are closed on weekends, and don't answer their phones (convenience and customer service are concepts that waved "bye bye" to this state years ago).

In the grand scheme of things, is there anything we really NEED from Arkansas that we can't get elsewhere? Maybe that was something President Lincoln should have considered.

One of my favorite quotes is from what I consider to be the funniest show of all time- Friends- and I find it particularly fitting of my opinion of Arkansas.

So, in the immortal words of Monica Geller..."If that fell off the back of the truck, it wouldn't be the worst thing."

Merry Christmas!

Yes, Christmas in July. It takes me this long to recover from the previous year's holiday season. But, it never fails that by July 25th, I'm ready to gear up for the upcomoing festivities. One of my new favorite traditions is celebrating Christmas in July each year, and thanks to QVC, I can do that. Even if I have to do it by myself (which I do). Last year, my mom and I sat at home, each with a cell phone in hand and a plate of Christmas cookies in front of us, watched hours of Christmas programming and shopped. This year I was flying solo and had to watch in between taking care of the kids, but I still had a great time. No Christmas cookies this year, but I lit my favorite holiday candle and that helped me forget the fact that it was 98 degrees outside with 90% humdity. So, once again, I was able to kick of my Christmas shopping season nice and early. Laugh all you want. When my shopping is done by Thanksgiving and we are not penniless the entire month of December, you'll be admiring me!

QVC is my vice. No I have not purchased any holiday sweaters or useless figurines, but I do love finding some unique bargains. Where else can you get a Dooney and Bourke bag on 5 easy payments (with NO interest- thank you very much)? And, with two small kids, there is nothing better than shopping from the comfort of your living room. QVC doesn't care if I haven't had time to shower or brush my teeth!

It's Here!

I am wishing at the moment that the title of this blog would have been....She's Here! But, at this point we'll take what we can get. Our laptop has finally arrived and thus ended the need for me to get on and off the floor in order to get online. It feels good to be part of the blogging world again and it's only taken me a few days to catch up on my emails. :)