Where have I been???

OMG... I just realized that my last post was AUGUST 24th!!!!  I seriously thought I had posted after that, but maybe it was just that I had all the INTENTIONS of posting and never got around to it!

Well... I'm going to try to sum up the ongoings in my happy home over the last nine months and get us all up to speed! 

First of all, my cake business has taken off!!!  I am soooooo happy and BUSY!  I absolutely love it!!  It started off slow... such that I was worried that it was just going to stay a hobby.  But lo and behold, I have had cake orders every weekend for the last two months!  And not just one, I'm talking a minimum of two orders per weekend, up to four that I had to make for last weekend! 

I love it... my skills have improved so much over these months, and I am so much more confident with what I can do, and if I can't or haven't done it... I have no doubts I can do it!!! 

Chao Baby!!!  :O)

This is my first ever wedding cake....

Sorry to bombard you with pics... but this is a collage of my work over the last five months!!

I bet  you thought that this whole post was going to be pictures of cakes!!!  ;oP

So as you can see, I've been busy!!!  I'm not going to complain, I love that I can make some money at what I REALLY enjoy doing!

Now the other reason I have been MIA....  Isabel has been trying my patience!  This girl, I love her to pieces... but DEAR LORD she's gonna kill me!  This school year has been the absolute worst ever!!!  Not only has she had awful grades, but she is failing Math. I have met more times with her teachers this year than I have in her entire educational career !  I have lost all confidence in the public school system here.  I finally have a meeting with her teachers and the SPED tomorrow to see if MAYBE there is something that they can do to help her not fall behind.... Ummmmmm yeah... there is a month of school left and she has a D average in everything.  I think you're a bit late on the helping her not fall behind!!!!  But at least it's a start and we can get her started on the right path for next year.  At least that is my goal! 

Tyler has started cubscouts this year and he ABSOLUTELY loves it!  Tyler is one very social boy... and he likes to excel at all he does, so this has been an really great learning experience for him.  He did great in his first ever Raingutter Regatta in the fall... He placed 2nd in his den (they are only 3!!)  but he was really proud of himself, which to me is the best reward.  He has a great team player attitude and didn't get too upset when he didn't win.  What more can a mother ask for!

Isn't he handsome???

Tyler also did AWESOME in his first ever Pinewood Derby... placing 4th amongst all the participants in his pack!  He went to the council finals, but didn't do as great, yet he enjoyed it and never said a bad word about not winning.    I would love to post pics but his dad took him and I forgot to send Isabel with my camera... so no pics. 

Isabel has been doing EXCELLENT in dance this year, with a full schedule of Ballet, Jazz, Tap and HipHop... it's a full week for us.  Not to mention that she also partook in Girl Scouts all year too!

I can't snap pics of her in dance, mostly because Sebastian won't sit still when I go to watch her...   BUT I will habe pics in a few weeks as her end of the year recital will be on June 17-18!!!  I am so excited and can't wait to see her perform.  Every year she brings tears to my eyes when I see her on stage, it's absolutely amazing to see how much she has learned and how graceful she has become on stage.

Sebastian is now 22 months old... I have no idea where the time has gone!  He is such a smart boy... he now speaks a handful of words in both spanish and english!  He is a clown, he loves to make faces and run around and jump and dance.  Although he is a tv tyrant!  He loves to take control of the living room tv and watch "Oh Toodles" which is Mickey Mouse Clubhouse all day... or Monsters Inc., Finding Nemo, The Amazing Mr. Fox, and Alice In Wonderland (the Johnny Depp version)!  I bought the kids all 3 Toy Story movies for Easter this year, and those are now all their favorite!!!

Oh, did I mention that I am also going to school too?  Yup, since I have been unemployed for just shy of two years, I went back to school a year ago and have been working on a Paralegal degree with a Business Administration degree.  Good thing I'm not busy!!! 

The hubs and I are both working hard on his car sales... which has been going well.  We aren't getting rich, but we atleast have enough to pay our bills!

So there you go....  a rather loooooong summary of where I have been and why I've been missing!  Now that I posted, I'm sure you will hear more from me on a regular basis!

:O) 

 

I'm soooo behind

I just realized that I didn't post at all last week!  Wow... and I had a bunch of stuff that I kept saying to myself "I gotta post this on my blog"... oh well... thus is the story of my life.  So I will cram all my interesting happenings into this one post.  Grab your coffee and a snack, and get ready!

First of all  I FINALLY FINISHED TYLER'S SWEATER!!!!  Yeaaaaaaaa meeeee!!!!!

This is my first time making such a complicated cable pattern... I like it...

Here is a little closer look at the cables...

Yes, I know it took me something like 4 months, but seriously its hard to find time to knit when I have a baby yanking at my yarn, stealing my needles, crying for my attention, Tyler and Isabel needing my attention, and oh yeah, homework to do as well.  Now that I think of it, I'm proud of myself for actually finishing it!  So I presented the boy with his sweater and can I say he has got to be one of the sweetest people on this earth... he couldn't thank me enough and he proceeded to put it on and try it right away, even though it was like 85 degrees out!

Can you see his sweaty head?!  He is too funny.

BUT the important thing is he loved it and it fit!  He also told me that he was intending to wear it to school the next day... um sorry bud, it's gonna be like 90 degrees, no sweater!

So on Tuesday, Isabel had a Mother Daughter tea party at her school... the first in the 3 years she has been attending Johnny Appleseed Elementary.  It sound interesting, even though it was 90 degrees out and I was sweating like a pig!  I love all those events though, I feel that they create memories that last a lifetime, and if I have to sweat a little so that we creat wonderful memories, then so be it!

So I freshened up as best I could so I wouldn't smell like a smelly, sweaty mess... and off to the school I headed.  I arrived and was told to find a seat in the jam packed cafeteria... but at least I was lucky enough to get a spot near the back where they had the doors open.  Then the principal started his speech, thanking us mothers and thanking the kids... most of all the 5th graders that would be leaving the school this year.  Then out came my baby....

The theme of the tea party was "Fairy Wishes and Dreams"... all the girls had princess crowns and wands, very cute!

Can you believe how big she is!!!

Yes, I am a hamm and YES I had to wear the crown, because I can...

We had a great time, apparently the tea had a dual purpose which was to bring awareness to some syndrome that I had never heard of before of which one of the school's students suffers from.  They had a donation basket for those that wished to donate to the finding of a cure... I wish I remembered the name of the syndrome, but it was week ago!!!

I love taking Bel's pic in profile... I think she has a beautiful profile...

Wednesday it was rainy and crappy... typical New England weather... and off to Isabel's softball game we went...  they did not do good at all!  Poor things lost 16-3!!!!  It was awful!!!  The other team's pitcher looked like she should be in highschool and pitched with blinding speed!!!  At one point I heard one of Isabel's team mates say "how do they expect us to hit that???"  It was sad.

So no pics of the game nor the players, but I did get a pic of Sebastian eating cheetos...

this boy likes his cheetos!!!

On saturday the coach had a 2 hour practice to work on the girls' catching skills, play skills and hitting skills.  Apparentlly it worked because on saturday the girls one against the best team in the league, 10-7!!!  Go Tigers!!!!

I lied apparently I did take a pic of Isabel on base... she got this run in, the one that put them on top!!!

So on Friday I felt like some chowda... yummm... so I went to the store early and picked up the needed ingredients and made a big pot o'chowda...

Can  tell you, this was some damn good chowder!  I wish you could taste and smell it... but no wonkavision here!

Oh and lastly I discovered, after 25 years of living in this same town, that there is a few dairy farms in the area and one of which sells its milk, as well as products from other local farms!!!

So I wandered in, but since there wasn't a lot of veggies available yet, I picked up some milk, cheese and strawberries

Yes, I took a drink of milk before   took the picture... but I couldn't wait!!!  1% milk, but it was so delicious and creamy!  I can't wait to go back.

So there you have it... that was my week... oh wat on Thursday I went to the auto auction with Carlos annd we picked up two cars. A 1994 Infiniti I30  and a 1995 Acura Legend L...yes the are old BUT they are in great condition and NICE.  I don't have pcs but I'll post soon... oh yeah and I rode a mechanical bull at the auction!!!  yeeeehaaaw!!!!

That's all, I'm sure you've had enough, so I'll be back later!!!

Chao baby....  :o)

Weekend update

So, lots happened this weekend even though I really didn't plan much.  First off, the weather forecast was sucky!!!  Three days of crappy, cold, rainy AND possibly snowy weather.  I decided that I was going to hide in my apartment until the sun came back and the rain as gone.   Isabel and Ty were heading off to their dad's house all weekend.   Friday was the annual father-daughter dance at Johnny Appleseed, this year's theme was 50's sock hop.  I'm kinda sad I couldn't see Isabel all dressed up, but thems are the breaks.  Hopefully 'll see a pic of her sometime soon.  From what she told me it sounds like she had a great time.


So, I holed up all day friday, god I absolutely hate the cold and rain!!!  But saturday I had signed up to participate in a speed knitting contest.  I found a local knitting/crocheting circle called Warmer Winters, they makes all kinds of items for local charities.  This was there second annual speed knitting contest, and I was in!!!  I'm not really all that quick, but what the heck I was making for charity.  We knitted scarves with one skein and their own hand made knitting needles.  Well... let me tell you, I need to practice more!! The first place winner finished her scarf in 1 hour 22 minutes!!! She was knitting an average of one row of 12 stitches every 21 seconds.   I sooo need to practice.  But I finished in 2 hours 33 minutes, not bad but not great.  I now havce a bench mark that I can work on. 


Let me note that the speed knitting contest was at 9:30am until 12pm, I actually hauled my lazy butt up and out into crappy 38 degree rainy weather. I am very proud of myself since #1- I am not a morning person... and #2 I am not a "get and go in the cold" person.  But it was for charity and I figured it would be a great way to meet more fellow knitters/crocheters.   I also liked the fact they donate all items to local charities, and there is also a lot of local business that support them and donate to them.

So after all that fun, I went home and snuggled in bed with Carlos.... who doesn't love to snuggle with their sweetie on a cold rainy morning?  So we vegged until about 3pm.  At which point we both decided we needed to do something.  So we got up, showered, ate something, then we got a surprise visit from my dad and his wife.  So with nothing better to do, we decided to go bowling- GALACTIC BOWLING!   So cool!!!  if you hav never done this, you should!!!  Its all black lights, flourescent colors and great music.  We had a blast, we bowled for about two hours, then headed home.

At home, Carlos, Sebas and I cuddled under some blankets and watched some movies... then off to sleep.

Sunday, another crappy day... at least the morning was.  I made breakfast for us and kinda dragged my butt around a bit.  I'm trying to remember what I did, but I'm drawing a blank!!!

Oh... the big highlight of the day.... Sebastian has become mobile, well army man crawl mobile!!!  He;s been rollong from place to place for the last month, but on sunday he made his first forward motions!

I recall having knit a lot because it was crappy out, but that's about it.

hmmm. maybe I should have posted this on sunday night to have remembered what  did! hee, hee, hee!!!

:o)

Wordless Wednesday- Shave and a Haircut.... well haircut at least!

Happy Wednesday!  Hopefully some of you are not getting buried by the wonderful nor'easter that is bombarding the east coast this morning... and most the midwest yesterday!

If you are playing along this week, link up with here check out some fellow wendesdayer's blogs!

BEFORE

The work in progress.....

and Finally......

awwww!  Here is the finished masterpiece!!!  My boy has the cutest round head EVER!!!!

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

:0)

Wordless Wednesday

Are you playing?  Link up here if you are!!! 

Happy Wednesday!!!!

:o) 

Carlos Sebastian Castano

So for obvious reasons I have not been online until today. I completely forgot how little sleep I would be getting with a newborn! This past week has been one continuous day... although last night he slept for 3 hours without waking up!! WOO HOO! Its amazing how 3 continuous hours of sleep can rejuvinate a mother.

This is my last belly pic, taken the day before Carlos was born....

I will do a quick recap of last wednesday... only because I know you are dying to hear all about it!

After my appointment with the midwife on wednesday morning, she confirmed that indeed my water had broken and today was the day.... we would be having a baby! I was given to the choice of going straight to the hospital or laboring at home. Anyone that has had a baby will agree that laboring at home is much more calming than in a hospital, especially if your contractions are far apart. So I came home and woke up Carlos to inform him that today he would be a daddy... (yes, I had NOT made him aware of the fact that my water had broken nor that I had been having contractions all morning)

Since anyone that knows me, knows that I am an unfailing procrastonist, off to Walmart we went to pick up diapers, wipes, and other necessaties that I had been putting off buying because I still had two more weeks to go. No, I will never change... sorry!

Around 3 pm I went up to the hospital as my contractions were coming every 5-8 minutes, yet still very irregular, due to the walking around WallyWorld. So I went up, got hooked up to the monitors and as soon as I laid down, my contractions slowed down again. So as I walked and laid down, sat on the ball, walked some more.. and nothing happened, my midwife suggested trying pitocin to make the contractions regular and more effective.

Since I wanted to go natural I labored until 6pm at which time I told my midwife that I would try the pitocin and see what would happen. So she suggested to try just a "sniff" of pitocin to proceed with my birthing plan of going natural, and no lie... as soon as they put the IV needle in my arm, my contractions started coming every 2 minutes and as strong as all hell!

Needless to say, it worked... I was ready to deliver and gave the midwife just enough time to get her gown on, when two pushes later... we welcomed Carlos Sebastian Castano to our family!

He was born at 7:17 pm weighing 6 lbs 3.3 ozs, measuring 19" long.

Oh, and with a FULL head of hair! No lie... just look.....

The kids are besides themselves, my sister brought them up to the hospital right after the delivery and they just gushed over their new baby brother. Tyler said to us... and I quote "Mom, he is sooo tiny, just like a little meatloaf!" I don't know where he got that from but OK.

Isabel was all about holding him and kissing his little head.... Needless to say we love him.

By the time I was transferred to my room, the cafeteria was closed and there was nothing really to eat. So my loving husband suggested hamburgers from LongHorns... woa baby... nothing better for a woman that just gave birth and hadn't eaten since lunch the day before!

AND that pretty much covers Wednesday.... we love him, and we're keeping him! Its unanimous. So, I have a ton of pictures that we have taken since wednesday... keep checking in and I promise to keep posting.

:o)

HE'S HERE!!!!

Just to catch you all up to speed... Carlos Sebastian Castano was born tonight at 7:19pm at Leominster Hospital! Weighing in at 6 lbs 3.3 ozs... he is the most beautiful baby ever (besides my daughter and son!

I will post more specifics, details and pics tomorrow... right now, I'm hungry and exhausted!

:o)

baby watch... maybe?!

Ok, I don't normally post this early (7am) but.... I think today might be the day!!!



I've been up since about 5am with "contractions" (I will apologize now if anything I say will be gross)- tightening of my uterus with menstrual like cramps every 20 minutes or so since a little before 5am; and now with every "contraction" I get a small "gush" of "urine" that is slightly blood tinged... I'm thinking my water may be broken.

Now before I get all excited and run to the hospital... I haven't called my midwife yet for two reasons. First I know that anything longer than 5-8 minutes apart will not get me admitted to the hospital it will just make me drive to and from the hospital. and secondly I have an appointment with the midwife in a little under 2 hours... so I'll give her a pleasant surprise if I am in labor and I will allow her the pleasure of confirming if baby Castano will make his grand appearance today!!!!

Cross your fingers for me and I will let you know shortly after 9am if it was a false alarm or if its the real deal!

Sooooo as of right now.... I'm gonna post my Wordless Wednesday just in case I can't do it later!

;0)

so close... yet so far away...

I have a lot of catching up to do, so I'm gonna start with the belly update.

I am 37 weeks as of tomorrow! I can't beleive I am done to 3 weeks left and my baby will here! Ths pregnancy has flown.... seriously.

So here is a pic from last friday, at 36 weeks..... with each family member that loves to hug and rub my belly every chance they get!

I love it when Tyler hugs my belly, he always give it a kiss and says hi to his little brother!

I love how proud Carlos looks... he is definitely excited about meeting his lil'man!

Is it just me or is Isabel looking older by the minute!!!

Tomorrow I will post a pic of my 37 week belly... humor me, I've only got a few more weeks of showing off my belly before I do everything I can to hide it until it shrinks back to pre-pregnancy size.

I do have to say that I have enjoyed every moment of this pregnancy, I have been blessed with no morning sickness (other than a few days in the beginning) and the baby has been growing strong and healthy so far with out complications. My biggest complaints have to be I am sooo tired/sans energy most of the time, a lot of heart burn the last month or two (which is finally subsiding!) and now my stupid ankles are fat and swollen. But all in all, it could be worse so I won't complain too much.

;0)

8 months and counting....

So I just realized that I never posted my 8 month belly picture! I am such a slacker lately... oh well.



BUT better late than never I suppose, so here it is... the picture you have aaaaaalllllll been waiting for...

My belly is growing at an incredible rate! I seriously don't know how much further it is going to stretch.

;o)

7 months

OMG I look like I swallowed a beach ball!

BUT on the up side... I only have 10 weeks left!

:o)

nothing much going on...

So that's pretty much the gist of things right now.

I get up, go to work, come home, crash on the beanbag and go to bed. Yup... exciting. I know!

I've been super tired lately, I guess carrying an extra 20 pounds is not what its cracked up to be! So I am determined to hit the gym this weekend. Yes, I realize I have promised this for the last six months, but I'm serious!!!

I've also not slept like I should be, seeing as I have to pee every five minutes... seriously no lie! I feel like I have to pee EVERY 5 MINUTES! Even when I don't drink anything! Then of course there is that little baby that LOVES to make sure he is not crowded when I try to sleep by reminding me that I am intruding on his space by constantly kicking me until I move... granted I love it, but its annoying when you can't get comfortable. Oh, and my poor husband is battling bronchitis AND conjunctivitis, both allergy induced! SOOOOO needless to say it has been a very fun yet not restful week.

I do suppose it could be worse, but I NEEED my sleep man!!!

I don't have much by way of pics this week... a few cuties of the kids which you know I'll post because I just love to brag about my children..

Just look at that face... how could you NOT love it!

Mother's day was nice, nothing too exciting. We got up, I made breakfast and we took off to Tyler's soccer game. My baby is doing so good! He scored 3 goals!!! I have video, but of course not on the computer!




Then after soccer we all went to the batting cages so Isabel could practice her swing. I am soo proud of her, she is doing so well at softball and her coaches are always telling me how good of a batter she is, and how well she throws! She is one of the most consistent hitters on her team, she almost always gets on base when she's up at bat.



Go Big Mami!!!!

This pic of Tyler is one of my favorites, he is trying to "slam dunk" the ball and hang onto the rim... he must have tried about 100 times! It was soo cute, he finally figure out how to toss the ball into the rim and hang on at the same time.

Oh yeah, I can't remember if I mentioned about having a 3D ultrasound done on May 1st? But anyhow, we went, we were all excited,especially since my husband hasn't been able to go to any of my ultrasound appointments yet. Well, baby decided he wanted no part of the ultrasound that evening. The tech tried for almost 30 minutes, baby was sleeping comfortably, with both arms behind his head, and snuggled up close to my waist so that she couldn't even get a good look at his face. So in an effort to coax him to wake up and move a bit, I sat up. I felt him move so we checked.... AND...... he had rolled over showing us his back!!! He curled into a ball and tucked his head under his arms and that was it! Bugger! So we are trying again tomorrow morning. I'm hoping he will be a little more cooperative at 9am and we won't be intruding on his busy schedule. ;0)

Soooooo, that's about it for now. Hopefully tomorrow I can post a 3D pic of Baby Castaño! I can't wait!

:0)