My original "baby" Dustin is 17 today!

Dear Dustin,

I say you are my "original" baby because you were our last, my baby, well for the first twelve years of your life that is! Until we started with the second batch! It was quite a surprise when we expanded the family, but as you well know, the littles have brought joy beyond belief to each of us, including you. Especially you. You gave up your spot as the official baby with grace, as you witnessed Donovan's birth, and held him close when he was only minutes old. You jumped right into caretaking like a little Momma Hen. Each of you older boys has a special relationship with the littles, but you have a way with them, and I love watching your special relationship with Donovan! You are the lover, the snuggler, the protector, the safety ranger. Good thing you plan to be a firefighter, as you have the carseat installation down to a science (and occasionally scold me for an improper placement of a child in the seat!) Maybe you'll be the super-cute guy at the firehouse that concerned parents bring their car to for a carseat safety check. Well Dustin, we love you bunches, and what you bring to our family, what more can a momma say? Except for this (I know YOU know where I'm headed with this!), to quote Robert Munsch, " I love you forever, I like you for always, as long as I'm living my baby you'll be"!

Love,

Momma

XXOO

Not Me Monday - Take 7!

I did not skip Not Me Monday for THREE weeks! Nope, not me!

I did not eat Thanksgiving dinner, and then sit around picking at the serving bowls while visiting for three hours afterwards-who would do that?? (most of you I presume!!!)

I absolutely did not chat with Delaney about things I KNEW would provoke conversation in her just so the family could hear the few though very clear and adorable words she could say at Thanksgiving! Well, I didn't want to be the one saying "say this, say that......."!!!

OK, I did not keep track of my naughties, so I have NMM block today, I will be better next week, I promise. But what did you NOT do?

Check out MckMama's blog (orange button on right) to see what her readers did not do too!!!!!

The Elusive Lopez Family Christmas Photo

There was one year I was determined to get Christmas cards out, procrastinated and ended up sending Valentines instead! We did a photo card everyone enjoyed. That was fifteen years ago. Last year I fretted for WEEKS to get everyone together looking decent and it was not happening. So, on the 20th of December, Danny and Emily were over. I was lucky enough to have all my kids under one roof. I threw everyone under the tree, snapped a few-no posing, no changing clothes, no primping, no nothing-photos. The Lopez clan in the raw, well, not naked, but you know, as my kids REALLY are at any given moment! I chose my favorite, ran to Kinkos, printed them off, threw them into my cards, and it was done! I cringe at that thought, but for a person like me (I have issues!) who can't seem to get things done unless they are my way-the way I envision- it was a BIG step!!! I was so excited and proud of myself I almost called my therapist, but I don't have one. hmmmm. I am gonna get out that old memory card and post that photo, you will know what I mean!
And about my recently neglected little blog. Waiting. Waiting for the perfect story to happen- the perfect thing to say. I can't just write about my boring old regular days can I? Well, maybe I should. Maybe I will. Tomorrow. But tomorrow is Thanksgiving. There will surely be nothing boring about that.

For Judy

Donovan and I visited the Belmar Library today in honor of your Mom.

The Envelope Please........

And my guy did not win! "I will support Barack Obama with prayer and respect" (quote snatched from Lisa) But I am disappointed, and fearful about a some things.
Nevertheless, this election has been extra special for our family for a few reasons.
"Rock the Bama" - this is what Donovan our newly four year old calls our new President. Now, he only came up with it a few days ago, or I swear I would have called him myself and suggested it as the awesomest campaign slogan ever! At his young age he managed to grasp the two primary candidates names, and knew who Mommy and Daddy preferred to win. He wanted to watch last night and kept asking who was winning. He said "Next time we're voting for 'Rock the Bama', cuz I want to win!" He also asked me what a "black president" is. We've come a loooong way baby!
Which brings me to my next point of "specialness". I am proud to be an American today. History has been made with the election of Barack Obama as our President as he is an African- American man. I am thrilled to have been able witness this with each of my children.
Moving on......Devin just turned 18 in September, making this his first election! He was so excited! He wanted no part of early voting, choosing instead to brave the polls on election day to get the full experience. His guy did win and he was as thrilled as I was disappointed - and we have continued our debate to this moment!
This quote courtesy of Winston Churchill-via Nancy- struck a chord with me: "A man who is not liberal at 20 has no heart. A man who is not conservative at 30 has no mind."
Dustin spent election night at the Metallica concert, what is more American than Rock 'N Roll music? If he were old enough to vote he would have "Rock'd the Bama" too!
Danny voted but not for Obama or McCain! Clearly, at 25.5 he is somewhere along Winston Churchill's path to being just like his mother right?
So, that was election night at "Chez Lopez" (as always, pronounced "Lopay" for extra added fanciness!).

Not Me Monday - TAKE 6!

I did not do a "safety check" on my kids candy, which included removing all Almond Joy, Snickers and Kit Kats. I mean its for the children right?

I did not forget to feed the littles anything (but a few snacks) between breakfast and dinner one day because we were too busy messing around (them included). I mean, they didn't act hungry, crabby or ask for anything!

I absolutely DID NOT obsess about MckMama a TON while I should have been working early last week! Wait, thats not a confession, that was OK right? I mean how often does one witness a story like that? And I KNOW I wasn't alone!

OK peeps - spill it!! What did you NOT do last week? Check out MckMamas blog to see what her followers did not do. Though, I am not sure she did "NMM" this week since she just gave birth!

An International Coincidence Of Monumental Proportions - PART 2!

This is a self-contained story, but you may want to read PART 1 first ( a post or so ago)!

This is Emilie! She is a very good friend of Devins (see next photo). They met in this past summer in Japan. (Devin spent two weeks there with his cousin and a tour group). Emilie was there visiting her dad who works in Japan.

When Devin jumped in the van at the airport when he got back from said trip to Japan he was jet-lagged and not really in the mood to play "twenty questions" with his mother, but he did give me the camera so I could flip through the photos at least. "Oh"-he says "I met this girl from Fort Collins there." He showed me her picture, she's a cutie for sure, "Yeah" he mumbled. They met at "USJ" (cool Japanese lingo for Universal Studios-Japan!!), hung out for a bit, that was that. How crazy is it that a week later they happened to met up again waaaaaaaaay on the other end of town? This time at a shopping place where they spent more time together, before promising to "keep in touch" when they got home.

On this same ride home from the airport I told Devin about my old school buddy (Judy) who had lived in Japan for years because of her husbands career, but had moved back here just last year, to Fort Collins. She has two kids, one being a teenage daughter. I grilled Devin for more scoop on Emilie, but got a TON of, "MOM!-there are tons of Americans that travel to Japan........besides, Emilie didn't live there very long. OK, OK.

A week or so later I e-mailed Judy, reminding her that we had promised to keep in touch back in February (after meeting up on classmates.com) We'd exchanged a few e-mails at the time, and were headed for "lost touch". I had been thinking about her because she'd lived in Japan and Devin had just been there. I mentioned that Dev had met a girl from Fort Collins.

Fast from forward a day-I get an e-mail from Judy asking if Devin is my son?!!! Her daughter met a boy from Lakewood in Japan this summer! WHAT?????!! Are you kidding me?? Um, yes, I answered, is Emilie your daughter? I try to double confirm by giving Judy the cell phone number Devin collected from Emilie and her friend. Yes, Emilie is my friend Judy's daughter who totally randomly met my son in Japan, not once, but TWICE!!! Thats what gives this story "ICMP" status! Is that nuts or what? This could have been settled in Japan had Judy been super nosy like me! Turns out she met Devin too, and knew he went to Lakewood High, Heeeelllooooooo-you went there too!!! Had she mentioned that, he would have said "Yeah, so did my mom" and we'd have known this crazy news in Japan! Ahhh, but this way was MUCH more exciting!

What really makes my little arm hairs stand on end is the thought that Judy and I had JUST re-connected in February! We graduated 25 years ago, add a couple years to that since the last time we had a real conversation. I mean what if we hadn't? I suppose our kids still would have met and we'd have figured this out later. But really, 300+ months with no contact, and we get in touch within 4 months of our kids meeting? On the other side of the globe? They stumble upon eachother TWICE, in a very big busy populated place, where Judy said its not always easy to meet someone you are intending to meet! And, they have become friends-real true bonafide close friends. I mean how many of those does a person even get in their lifetime, muchless for one of them to be the daughter of your moms junior high best friend, that you met-in Japan! As for Judy and I - we have not really gotten to know eachother again, we just sort, of are still friends, with a 300+ plus month gap to fill in! How many people were you friends with at age fourteen that you actually could be friends with today? Well, we are lucky, Judy and I, and I don't think we'll be losing touch anytime soon! It's just nuts, I love her and we keep in touch often! So- to sum up my novella-Devin went to Japan, and "bumped in" to my old school buddy and her daughter, and they are now friends-I don't know for certain, but I AM pretty sure that this....is an International Coincidence of Monumental Proportions! I wanna call the today show. Or maybe the Enquirer, that lady that gave birth to an alligator, pffft, she got nothin' on me!

PS: Actually-I think I DO know for certain, this IS the ICMP!

An International Coincidence of Monumental Proportions! PART 1

Hang with me here peeps, its been awhile since I've been inspired to share a looong story, but you'll LOVE it! And when you think you know where it's headed, think again!

OK, see this cute little high school cheerleader? Yup, that was my BFF, Judy, in high school. She was my BFF back in middle school, when "middle school" was "junior high" and "BFF's" were just "best friends". There we actually four of us. We drifted apart in HS, no bad blood, just that damn cheerleading skirt took her in directions that my lack of one could, well, not take me. **disclaimer for my sweet Judy- she did not ditch non-cheerleaders-we just did not do the same things, so we no longer shared the same group of buddies!** But I'm over it - the not getting picked thing-really. Over the fact that my younger sister got one(cheerleading skirt) too, despite the fact that I also tried out. Despite the fact that I made up the very routine my sister used for her try out. That alone made me a good cheerleader -right? But the skirt eluded me and I am really OK with that. I am.
Well, at least I think I got OK about 6 years ago when my niece let Devin borrow her teensy cheerleader outfit for Halloween anyway. I tried it on and fit into it, without squeezing, I just zipped it right, up, kinda like it was made for me, spooky actually! It wasn't orange and black in true Lakewood Tiger spirit or anything, but it was Halloween (which is orange and black and spooky)!! Yeaaa, that felt good. Not sayin' I looked like all that, but after 3 kids I fit into it, and dear sis, and Miss Judy, I am pretty sure would not have, just sayin'. **another disclaimer-that was 6 years ago, and definitely would NOT fly today!**

So there, I am all better, and Judy is now a Licensed School Social Worker ( and the sweetest thing ever!) living in Fort Collins - Yeeeaaa, social work that little ditty(story up there) missy!
On the subject of Social Workers-We used to spend TONS of time in Ms. Gilmores office crying about random stuff. We all felt so important and validated when we'd get called out of class to her office to share our innermost "issues", back when "issues", were just part of growing up. I know Judy, I know, it's real, it's serious, don't slap me, but we didn't have that many problems, did we?!
OK, so I got a tiny bit carried away with my mini-self therapy session, so I will have to have a part two to my international coincidence. Stay tuned for tomorrow's fascinating conclusion when we go inter-continental, bi-coastal, multi-generational, whatever, you get my point! Oh, did I mention Judy and I had not been in contact since high school, (and that was very little) until last February, (and that was very little) until June for the ICMP?

Welcome MckMuffin!!!

Doesn't get better than this!
http://www.mycharmingkids.net/2008/10/we-have-another-brother.html

One MckMuffin-Comin Right up!

My post today is to ask for thoughts and prayers for Mckmama and her family-Stellan will be here tomorrow! To see her wonderful story of family and faith, please click here. That is the story that insipred me to get off my butt and finally start my blog (see here)

Not Me Monday- Take 5

• I did NOT drive around waaaaaaaaay too long with the gas light on with the littles in my car out of sheer laziness. Really, what kind of irresponsible mother would do that? Only one with a stroller in the back of her van with way too much experience running out of gas. In her very VERY distant past of course.
• And if per chance one of my teenagers left the computer on and I happened to catch a little myspace action, which I did NOT, well, need I say more, no, because, there really is nothing more to say-right? right. Thats what I'm' sayin'. Or not.
• I did NOT let Donovan prepare his very own lunch for pre-school one day last week, AND fail to check if even one food group other than the cookie group was in there. Good thing I am pretty mean in the junk food department. Whatever he made, his cute little bento box lunch thingy was empty when I picked him up!

Your Turn!!! What did you NOT do last week? Leave me a comment and check out MckMamas Blog-the orange button on the right to see what her followers did not do!!!!

Not Me Monday - Take 4

I did NOT lose my daughter in my favorite chinese restaurant while dining on Sesame Chicken, Scallion Pancakes and Kung Pao Beef with my old buddies-the Paolicelli's. What the heck kind of of Mommy would do that? In my defense, hubby and the four big brothers were there too!

Oh, and that was certainly not ME picking up Donovan at pre-school in a baseball cap and workout clothes to appear to have been to the gym because I had not showered. What kind of dirty mommy would do THAT??? I mean, in the time it took me to dig out those rarely used pants, I could have actually have taken a shower, but I would have had to dry my hair, and ugh, the whole routine. I am lazy.

I did not actually feel my shoulders get all perky-like when Donovan already knew how to count in spanish at his first spanish class last week. I tried to contain them, my shoulders that is, but I was proud of the little guy. The big boys have been counting to him in spanish for ages, but I didn't realize he'd know to belt it out, very loudly right there in class, at just the right moment! They're doing.it.again.those.shoulders!!!!!

OK your turn, what did you NOT do last week? Spill the beans by leaving me a comment, also post it on your blog and favorite forums for all the world to see!!!!! If you'd like you can click on the orange button to the right to see what MckMama's followers have NOT done!

This week I am going to be posting about:
Homecoming
A great Sunday with ALL my kids
and
The 3 P's
I say this to commit myself to posting, see, I have issues - if I don't commit in some fashion, stuff doesn't get done!! And I love my little blog, why should it not make the "A" list?

Not Me Monday-Take 3!

When I called the pediatrician's office to see if they are having kids come in for these lingering fall colds, I did NOT hope (just a teensy bit!) that they'd say yes, so I could the the SUPER cute doc! What kind of mother would do that anyway?

I did not eavesdrop on a conversation between two other mommies at pre-school pick-up the other day, while they gossiped about another mommy. That would be rude. right? right? right.

I did not just notice that I have not posted a picture of Dustin on my blog, only a horrifc mother would NOT do that. He has not had anything much going on accept homecoming (which by the way his girlfriend is sending me pics so I can write a post on it!). My plan was to introduce them as they have something fun, or on their birthdays as my new blog evolves. I love you buggy-I do!


Please post a comment sharing what you did NOT do last week! And if you care to see, check out the orange link to see what MckMama's followers did not to either!!!!

Senior Pictures-Devin-Already!What Can I Say?

There are no words (so for the moment I am reflecting, and a bit weepy!) for now I will direct you to Courtney's Blog "The Lamb Photo", there is a link as it is one I follow - down below over there, to the right, see it? She has a few of Devin up there! She has added some others since Devin, so you have to scroll down a ways to where it says "for Susan"! Courtney, you are the best-thanks for sharing your gift!

Tot Couture

Well this is Delaney in her new little dress with her cute little shoes! I took this out back by the gazebo. OK, so I am also offering up close-ups of the shoes, sleeve detail, fabric, and the ensemble without her in it. Because it is SO darn cute, and I am an awful photographer and I really want you guys to be be able to see the cuteness! Isn't she a honey? Can't wait for her to have enough hair to at least stick a bow in it! My sister has invented some kind of gadget that will supposedly allow her to wear bows without them falling out of her 3/4" long "baby" fine hair, hope to try that soon-hint hint Aunt Diane!!!

This sweet little girl is such a girl (when she's not acting like a boy!)! She LOVE's her clothes, her shoes, her closet, anything with a handle goes RIGHT over her shoulder like a purse, even a bucket of sand! She fluffs her dresses, sifts through her socks, she is the sweetest stinkin' thing!

"Not-Me Monday"-Take 2!

I did not hide a 2-liter bottle of coke in my closet (leftover from Devins 18th birthday party Sat. night). Partly because I don't want to share, partly because I want to sip off it right out of the bottle when I get up to pee in the night. Darnit-I've been sooo good about the pop lately as I've been losing weight!! Warm, stale pop, yuck, I would never drink that!!!!

I did NOT buy my Delaney more shoes, why would I even need to do that? That was on my list last week you say? Hmmm, typo maybe? hmmm.

I did not let Delaney nap in her high chair because she zonked in there- covered in lunch- and I didn't want to risk her waking up to get cleaned up and all. (I did recline her, and snuggle her up though!) Nope, not me-I would never be so lazy.

Your turn! Please post a comment about what you did NOT do! Have a blog? Post it there! Also, if you want to read a whole lotta fun "not-me's" click the orange button on the right to see what MckMama's followers did NOT do last week! Have fun!

Controlling people with food.

A family that cooks together, well, gets a little chunky together. I also know that I can manipulate the busy pre-occupied masses (teenagers) to hangin' out with me while waiting for something gooey to come out of the oven or off the stove! So-Friday night we made a yummy peach cobbler! I missed peach season as far as freezing some to have over the winter. This cobbler was made with fresh peaches though-well they were fresh before they got trapped in that big 'ol can and shipped to the store-for me to buy and make THIS yummy treat! I don't know when my family got hooked on this dessert, but it is definitely our favorite non-chocolate treat!

.............The Dry Stuff..................................... TheWet Stuff .........

........Before the Oven .......................................After the Oven!!! ....

TASTE THE YUMMY GOODNESS!!!!!

I don't eat mine with ice cream, just pour on a little milk or cream and sprinkle some sugar on there-mmmmmmmm tasty!!!!

Not Me Monday! Take 1

I have been following MckMama's blog for sometime now. Read up on her amazing journey-be careful-its addiciting! Anyway, she began sharing her "not-me's" and has decided to make a weekly event of it. She has challenged her followers to do the same! But what is a "not-me" you ask? Well, here a some examples, (I say examples, because I would not do these things, not me!!):
"I did NOT buy my daughter another pair of shoes (which of course I did not!) then realize she needed an outfit to match, which I did NOT seek out and purchase".
And
"I did not hide the pants my son wanted to wear to the homecoming dance so he would have to wear the ones I like better", nope, never, not me.
And
"When my husband said he was taking the kids to the rec. center, then grocery shopping, then to get a new tire on my car tomorrow so I could get caught up on work, I did not time how long it would take and think of what fun thing I could do during that time. I would not do that. Ever."
Yep-things like that, that's what I'll be posting about on "Not Me Monday", but its Sunday, so those don't count-nope-they don't!
So, if you're so inclined, join in the "Not Me Monday" carnival by clicking the orange button to the right to read everyones "not-me's", maybe you'll even decide to join in the fun and play by leaving your own "not-me's" here in my comment section! Unless you don't have any "not me-s", nope, never, not YOU!!!

Sweet 18-Dear Devin,

18 years and about 3 hours ago were blessed with YOU!!! It was a warm late-summer day, much like today. I just am so very proud to be your Momma. You make me smile everyday! Your strong moral fiber, your heart of gold, your gentle old soul and your utter desire to embrace every single minute of every single day, these are things I just LOVE about you. Oh and you're pretty stinkin' handsome too! I love being your Momma and just can't wait to see what becomes of you as an adult (I just know it won't be anything any of us will ever guess!). At the same time, I just want you to be my little Devin forever and ever. You have been a joy a of a boy to raise, you are a wondeful son and brother and friend! And seeing you with your little brother and sister, you are gonna be a wonderful Daddy one day! I love you Devin!
Love-Momma
XXOO

My Friend in LA - Ann Taylor

I was sharing this funny little story with a friend today and decided I'd share here too! Anyone woman with a man in her life will appreciate it! A few years back my sister and I were producing an event in LA and I had to go out and book the space and taste the menu with our client. I certainly could not do that in my Denver clothes, right? So, the night before I left, I went shopping, in Denver. Nevermind that at that time I was staying thin and rewarding myself by shopping, errrr.....spending. A lot. I was spending money I really should not have been at that time, but thats another story for another day. I already had plenty of things to wear, but this was special and important. Ah yes, special AND important! And these clients, they were gonna be dressed to the nines!
So there I went to Ann Taylor, found myself a nice black suit, a girl can never have too many right? I hadn't ever tried the shoes there, which was, well, just wrong. Over the years I'd trusted Ann with businesswear, casualwear, outerwear, the occasional accessory, it was only right that I give her a chance to style my feet! And, the gal was so nice to get them for me to see how the suit looked with proper footwear and all, I could hardly NOT get them too.
We ran into a small snafu with the jacket size. They didn't have it! It was too late to get to another store(they offered to track one down)! I told them I had to catch a plane to LA at 8 the next morning. No problem, where are you going, we'll call a store there. So, while I went and plopped down a few more bucks on stuff that was not on my list, they called around and the store at Beverly Center had my stuff! All of it, in my size! They had me pay locally and promised to have my outfit pressed and ready to wear at the store the following morning in Beverly Hills.
I pretended to expect such service, but still said thank you a gazilion times, that was truly above and beyond. Not to mention, I felt pretty darn special, maybe because I was headed to Hollywood. Hmm, I will have to re-think this story with Muskogee as my destination and see how it feels. Um, no been there-loved it- felt pretty special- but that's because our son was playing in nationals for baseball. Hmmm, Timbuktu, nope, definitely not feelin' the love. Yep, it was the Hollywood thing. And that service-it was the golden ticket-think American Idol-I was goin' to Hollywood and I had people there already takin' care of me!
Anyway, I got checked in to my hotel and headed to the mall. I introduced myself to the gal at the counter who told me the fitting room on the right was all ready for me, and did I need hose or anything else? She also neatly bagged the clothes I showed up in. And, she was genuinely happy to have helped. Heres the funny part-she'd called my hotel-and our house and left messages. This is so and so...Ann Taylor, your outfit is ready to go... come on over...... so, my husband calls my cell phone and leaves this message, " Honey, I didn't know you were going to get to see a friend while you're there? That will be nice. She ironed your clothes and everything, did you forget your outfit or something? It's Ann Taylor? Her number is on the caller ID, call me if you need it. Bye."
Is that the cutest husband story ever?
PS-the clients, after all my worry about them being dressed to "the nines" they weren't. At all. I mean, compared to what I'd envisioned. And I am pretty sure they did not even care about my new shoes, or suit, or blouse. Wait, maybe they did, and they just were playing it off like they weren't hangin' with a fancy party planner from Denver-thats it! Well, at the tasting, they did ask for "more fried appetizers on the menu please" (in LA-really??!!). Yea, they didn't care about my new get up. They were very nice genuine people. The kind that would have liked me even in my airplane clothes. But I really wanted to play fancy business lady that day, (or at least fancy for off the rack , I know I wasn't wearing Gucci or Prada!)!! I really liked that outfit, I still have it. And one day, I will get it up over my thighs again!