Can we contain the excitement?!

Girls--lend a listening ear!

There is a new outlet mall opening here in Houston off 290! It will be open for business on March 27th!! How exciting!! They have a Coach outlet!

Check out the link to see if you like any of the stores...now maybe I won't have to make the long trip to San Marcos--even though I do love that shopping center!

Time to start digging those coins out of the couch(and the junk drawer)! Don't act like you don't have one too! =0)

http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/outlet.asp?id=77

Home Improvements..

Well, Victor and I painted our living room today--it looks so much better. The room feels warm and more inviting. They layout of the living room is a little odd so placing furniture the correct way is a little hard. Our couches are just bulky and weird so whichever way we position them they look odd.

I'm just glad we got to paint! I am going to make this house feel like a house! I just don't have many things to fill it up--but in time, I can make it look nice.

We also took the same paint color and painted the entire hallway--it looks wonderful. Cozy and nice.

I spent an hour with my mom pushing couches around and moving the seriously heavy entertainment center--my back is aching. Victor had left to run a few errands so I was left to figure things out on my own--which I can totally handle!

I was a backslider and stayed home from church because I was really really tired today--so I guess I thought it would be smart to move furnitre around. Not a good idea. Sorry Lord, I should have been in Your House tonight..

I will share with you guys a GREAT product that you just have to try! Those furniture sliders--from Bed Bath and Beyond---are awesome! And--they work!! After an hour of pushing around heavy furniture I ran up there, spent $14.99, and we were ever-so-lightly pushing our couches around with ease! The best $14.99 I've spent in a while!! It even works on carpet! I suggest you try them ladies when you need some furniture moved and your husband isn't available!!

Okay well I'm off to bed--my kids are both finally down asleep (praise Jesus!) and the comfy bed is calling my name. Night!

Update on quitting coke...

Well, I must say that I have totally failed thus far in quitting my favorite drink. I've had 2 today already. Is Diet Pepsi okay? I'm sure it still has all the same ingredients in it. I just love coke...I seriously have a problem. I honestly regret that first try---to settle my stomach--now look at me? I'm dependent on the darn thing! Geez...

What's worse--Bryce has heard me say, "coke" so now he has started asking for coke too! I cannot give in to this one... The last thing I want is my 2 year old having a coke! Nope! I am trying to get him off of juice now. My pediatrician has told me that juice is no good for him--even the Organic kind that I buy (see, I was trying to get the healthy kind--those labels are so deceiving!). Bryce is in the 78% on his weight and I suppose that means he needs to lose some of that? So the doc suggested no more juices. Bummer for Bryce.

Anyhow, I'm praying (don't laugh) for strength to let go of cokes. I know it sounds silly but the Lord can help me let go of this habit..

Off to conquer the world!!

Boys love their Mommas!!

Whoever said boys don't like to snuggle must not have a boy. Boys are so sweet and so cuddly.

Today I picked Bryce up from school and just ran into my arms and gave me what he calls a "big squeeze!" I love those..

All day today he's been so cuddly. I could hardly fold clothes because he wanted to sit in my lap and hug on me. At first I was thinking of ways to distract him so I could get my laundry done but then I thought, "Wait a minute, that's crazy...I'll let him sit here all night and not get one thing done if he wants to sit in my lap!" He's only momma's baby once... soon he'll be out the door to the movies with his friends, and on dates with a girlfriend and cuddling with mom will be a thing of the past.

My hope and prayer is that even though they'll be grown and independent, they'll always remember mom had time to love on them, and that she cared.

What a privilege it is to be called, Mom. A word that is only 3 letters long but has the responsibility greater than any other title. Lord, help me to always remember what an honor not a burden this title is.

Better late than never right?

Hi all!
Oh how I have missed you! Sorry I've been silent lately in the "blog world." There have been many things going on---but just not much time to sit at the computer (all moms out there understand what I just said). Life sometimes just gets hairy....

We had another poop episode the other night. I went into Bryce's room to say goodnight and turn off his movie and I smelled poop. I turned the light on and yep, there it was in all it's glory! He had taken of his pj pants, removed his diaper and continued to play with his poop. It was stuck all between his fingers, there was a (excuse me for this term) "patti" in the bed that he kept stepping on, so it was smashed between his toes. He then drew the cutest little "poop art" on the wall....disgusting, but cute.

It was all I could do to hold my composure. I was so tired and now I would have to go into disinfect mode. Victor being the germ-a-phobe that he is (all you who know my husband know how weirdo he is about germs--WAY above normal), gagged all the way down the hall. Luckily my mom and I (funny how women can handle just about anything) took him into the bathroom and scrubbed him down; and I do mean SCRUBBED. I bleached everything in sight, Lysoled the entire room, washed down the mattress, got a new cover and new bedding out, changed him into his new pj's, got a new "paci" and sippy cup and he was off to bed for the second time.

Whew...what an ending to a day huh? But, we survived it. It's happened before, so I'm sure it will happen again.

I hope everyone is doing well. Today was a great day. Sunday's are always great for me because I love to go to church. It's so refreshing for me...it's a break from this cruel and mean world in which we live.

I'm off to bed...much housework to be done tomorrow. If I opened the doors to my laundry room right now, I would be attacked by an avalanche of laundry....and since I don't envision myself dying that way, I'll have to get it done!

Blessings!

Just when you thought you'd seen it all...

On my way home from the grocery store tonight I saw the most um...let's just say interesting thing. I'm driving and minding my own business when an outrageous vehicle catches my attention. It was dark outside so this was obviously a pretty crazily colored vehicle to say the least.. Anyhow, as I drive closer I see something... no way, it CAN'T be..surely not...oh yes! IT IS! A truck with a vinyl sticker THE ENTIRE SIZE OF THE TRUCK of dog poop! Yep, you heard me.... DOG POOP! My mind is going nuts trying to figure out if this is some type of joke. Sure enough--it wasn't. It's an actual company...endorsed by the Better Business Bureau no less. A few things that I see on the truck are, "Scoopin' poop since 1988," "Too pooped to scoop? call us!" Wow, our society has reached a new form of weird. Someone actually made a business of scooping dog poop out of people's yards? And I sit here struggling with a business idea that would actually be successful?? Who would have ever believed that business would survive?

Want to hear the best part? Go to their website and you can actually buy merchandise to "sport" your support for the poop gatherers... shirts that say such things as, "God Poop?" Wow, pretty sure that statement tee will end up on What Not To Wear.

Well, kudos to them for having found a business that thrives--on the feces of an animal.

People, please humor me and go to this website--I laughed so hard I thought I might tinkle my panties (TMI I know--just being honest).

http://www.petbutler.com/pbx/

Interesting info...

Here is a website I found with some interesting natural fixes to illnesses kids have.

http://www.cookiemag.com/brain/kidhealth/2008/01/remedies

I thought it was pretty helpful.

New design!

Hi everyone, yes it's the second post of the day.. obviously I am bored. I am excited because tomorrow I will have a new template on our blog! I can't wait to see how it turns out! Let me know if you like it! Night!

Coke-A-Cola Addict...

Well, I never thought I'd say it, but I'm addicted to cokes. It's pretty sad. I was NEVER a coke drinker before I got pregnant with Bryce. I drank sprite--that was the only soda I would drink; and even then it was rare. But one day, while being pregnant and very sick, someone suggested that I try a coke to "settle my stomach." I was very hesitant to try this because #1-cokes are bad for your teeth and I was trying to maintain somewhat of a Miss America smile, and 2-don't you clean batteries of cars with Coke?! Imagine what it does to my intestines?!?!

Anyhow, it not only settled my stomach, it also gave me a new found craving that I have never quite gotten over. It's so bad now that I have at least one a day if not more, and if I don't drink one by noon, I have a major headache. Awesome. So, in an attempt to be healthy, I am going to try to quit the cokes. A friend of mine has lost 40 pounds on quitting cokes alone! Not even changing her food intake!!

Pray for me all of you, as I try to go "cold turkey" on my favorite drink!

My bittersweet moments of motherhood..

Well, it's 3:30 AM and Bryce is sick again. My poor baby. We went to church and he was fine. Came home and he played...I put him to bed and an hour later he was crying. It wasn't just any cry mind you, it was that poor, helpless I'm sick cry. Any mother can tell the different cries of her "cub." I knew instantly.

He has been up and down all night crying. It seems as though he is in pain and cannot rest. It may be his ear. I wanted to take him to the ER but Daddy says it will be okay and to just go in the morning. It's hard to explain to those you do not have children, but the pitiful cry of your child in pain is so heartbreaking..

I will say that it's bittersweet when a child is sick. For a moment, they stop, and want Mommy's touch. They want to cuddle, love and just be held....how precious. It's wonderful to be needed but at the same time so hard when your little one isn't feeling well. It's those moments when Bryce is clinging to me in the rocking chair that I feel guilt come over me. Guilt because of all the times I am so frustrated I just want to scream. Guilty because I know at times, I take my role of a mother for granted.

Lord, thank you for the wonderful blessing of children...I love my boys and wouldn't trade them for anything in the world. I ask that you put your hand upon them both..heal Bryce. Thank you God for entrusting me with these two little ones. Please give me the patience and knowledge I need to raise them to be like you. Amen.

A crazy few days...

Well, sorry I've been silent lately. I had a trip to the ER Sunday morning with a few issues. I am seeing my nerologist this week for an MRI. I was supposed to have one a few months back but chickened out..yep that's me...I'm a chicken. Anyhow, please pray that there is nothing major going on inside this head of mine.

Anyhow, for those of you who read my devotions, I'm back. I missed doing them. Love to all!

For such a time as this...

Hello all. I am asking for those of you who do read this..which at this point I think is like 3 people, please pray for me. I have an unspoken prayer request. I am just dealing with a tough issue right now.

Thanks and love,
Rachel

Advice anyone??

Help me! Can someone give me some advice on getting your toddler to bed around the same time every night???!! Bryce the past few nights has been going to bed at midnight or LATER! I try putting him to bed several times and he cries and cries and cires.. I've heard that letting him cry himself to sleep is okay but he doesn't go to sleep. He stands there and cries for Mommy and Daddy over and over again. It's getting really miserable because we can't go to bed. He's still awake. Victor is in there trying to rock him to sleep.

Advice please!!

So Blessed..

Tonight as I was studying the bible, a feeling of emotion came over. Maybe it was the Holy Spirit, maybe it was just me being emotional. But I just felt so blessed. Why does God love me so much? Is there truly one good thing in my soul that He could possibly love? Why does God care about the smallest details of my life? Who knows... what I do know is that God saw that man was vile and without hope... so he sent his one and only Son Jesus Christ to give his life so that I, Rachel Little Marquez could sit here in the corner of my bedroom on Monday night and feel truly blessed. Thank you Lord, for loving me and caring about the details of my life. I feel so blessed.

Arrgh...

It's 12:45 am and ask me if my son is still awake...the answer would be yes. Ask me if I am tired and about to throw a fit...the answer would be yes! Oh my goodness I will be a routine freak after this night (or morning I should say) is over.

I hope you all are enjoying your wonderful slumber.

Routine?? What routine??

Okay.. so I did have my oldest son Bryce on a routine. It was the best thing ever. His naps and eating were scheduled down to the minute almost and I could plan my day and activities around that. Well... I made a BIG mistake. The other night he was very hyper; so in trying to be the "fun mom", I let him stay up WAY past his bedtime (midnight). I know, I know...all you moms out there in bloggerland are shaking your head and thinking, "Duh! What did you think was going to happen?!"

Well I have learned my lesson. I tried to put him to bed two different times only to hear wailing and screaming and toys hitting the wall. Whoa is me. I mean whoa is US.. My husband and I were trying to do some "sprucing" of our house and now we have to sit up and watch Mickey Mouse. Oh well, there are worse things in life.

I will not make the "fun mom" mistake again. Scouts honor!

Resolutions anyone??

So, I made resolutions this year and ask me if I have done even ONE of them so far for 2008? The answer would shamefully be--- no. I feel like there aren't enough minutes in the day to take care of all my kids needs AND have time for myself... sigh.

Have a great 2008 (can you hear my sarcasm??)