Author Archives: Amanda

Fear Running RAPIDLY Through My Veins

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The phone rings, caller ID say my son’s school.

“Hello?”

“Hi we have Jayden marked as absent today.”

“UM NO! I dropped him off at school.”

“Okay, Mrs. Garibay, hold please.”

2 minutes go by and I’m getting Ella strapped into her car seat and ready to go searching for my baby – yes, he’s MY BABY!

“Ma’am, they’re not in their classroom can I call you back.”

Lots and lots of profanities coming out of my mouth – I’m LIVID! She gets the hint and goes to find where his class is…. and where’s Jayden? WITH HIS F*&%$&^&* CLASS!

My heart is still pounding.

Picture Scavenger Hunt

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This is a GREAT, GREAT, GREAT edition of Works for Me Wednesday over at Shannon’s blog. It’s a “Mom, I’m bored!” Edition ~ which means, there’s going to be HUNDREDS of great ideas of things to do with your kids this summer. I highly suggest checking this one out!!

I have a really strange kid, because I’ve NEVER heard the words “I am bored” come out of my kids mouth. In fact, as I’m sitting here I’m a little in shock with you all. HOWEVER! If he does come up with these words I have just this trick up my sleeve 😉

I actually am going to do this with him and his cousin (she’s coming to visit for a week) and it’s going to be SO MUCH FUN for them!!! We’re going to have a picture scavenger hunt. I’m going to make a list of things that they will have to take a picture of. Jayden has a cool Vitek camera and I believe Irie has one too (if not she can use my digital camera). The plan is to go up to my Grandparent’s property ~ they have many acres with lots of things I can throw into the list. They’ll have to go and find the things on their lists. They’ll have their own lists too!! I think they’ll love it ~ Jayden especially, because he LOVES to take pictures.

Baby Fat, Baby Fat – GO AWAY!

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For the first 24 years of my life I never had to worry about my weight. I ate what I wanted, when I wanted and I didn’t gain a pound. Everybody hated me and now that I look back I even hate me. Ever since I had Ella I have struggled with losing the baby weight.

I’m coming to the realization that I can’t eat what I want, when I want anymore. I have to stop drinking soda everyday and replace it with water, and I WANT TO GET RID OF THIS BABY WEIGHT!

I didn’t know where to start and now I’ve found a pretty good place called Naked Nutrition Network. I’ve been browsing around on their website, and honestly I’m loving it! They have awesome tips on Fat Loss Nutrition and that is EXACTLY what I’m looking for.

They have a section called Mike’s Blog and I have spent the majority of my night looking through it and I’m pretty darn pleased with how easy it is to find things on this website, and the amount of information that they have is great! They have some cool info on the Carb Diet that I found interesting, since I was always a little hesitant about this.

You really HAVE to go and check out this site if you’re looking for a great site, that has great credibility. Come get rid of those pounds with me!!
Sponsored by Naked Nutrition Network

What I did and what I need to do!

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In my last post I talked about how it just dawned on me that it’s Tuesday. Not good. So, I’m a little late here, but it’s Tackle It Tuesday.

1. My main tackle of the week was keeping up with my laundry that I finally accomplished.

2. I went through all of Ella’s clothes and bagged up anything that didn’t fit her anymore and took it to my cousin for her to use on her baby.

It was such a busy week that’s the only major accomplishments I did.

I’m going to write out some goals that I hope to have done for next week:

1. Organize spice/medicine cupboard

2. File away all of my work that has consumed my kitchen table

3. Go through my closet and bag up clothes to take to goodwill

Those are simple and very easily be accomplished. I will have before and after pictures next Tuesday 🙂 ~ In the meantime have a very happy week!!

Refreshing Scent

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It’s just dawning on me that today is indeed Tuesday. I can’t believe it! I’ve been going around all day thinking it was Monday. I actually even forgot to do FHE last night. I had a GREAT FHE planned and I’m just so backwards on my days…. oh well.

Tuesday means Kitchen Tip Tuesday. This is something that probably the whole world knows about, but it was news to me. Since it was news to me I’m hoping that it will be news to someone else. Whenever you peel an orange dropped the peelings in your garbage disposal and they will make a pretty orangey smell. You can also do this with lemon, but I prefer orange peelings.

For other great Kitchen Tips head over to Tammy’s Blog ~ And have a beautiful week.

Exhaustion

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I really am done. I have been going going going and going since 6am. We got Norm moved into his home, my grandma moved into her home and I haven’t felt this tired in a REALLY long time. I know I’ve been full of rants lately, but I have to go at it again.

Why is it that men HAVE to have 1 up on you? Why can’t they just for once shut their mouths and sympathize with you with whatever problem you’re having? Why can’t they just for once at least pretend like they sympathize with you?

I just got home, sat at the table to feed Ella and said, “I am so exhausted!” That was not an open invitation for HIM to start comparing with me. He looks at me and says, “YOUR tired?” In that tone – you know the tone, the tone of I’m more tired than you. The most annoying aspect of my husband is the comparing game ~ he works harder, he’s more tired, blah blah blah UGH!

I know he’s tired! I wasn’t saying he wasn’t – but was there really a need for the comparing game?

MARRIAGE IS HARD!

Vroom Vroom Vroom

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During the day I sometimes find myself getting a little caught up with online games. When you’ve been working all and your brain needs a break from the endless data entry, or customers blabbing PLAY SLOB’S RACING!!!!! It is the coolest racing game that I’ve found online ~ and I LOVE racing games. It definitely will get you hooked and speeding throughout your day. These little SLOBS are awesome.

A Slice of Family Dysfunction

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I thought I’d elaborate a little on an ingredient in my soup life that makes my family dysfunctional. As has been stated before, I have a dad that has 4 daughters with 4 different women. My father has been married 4 times. My current step mom is 2 years older than me. She’s different and I find it kinda funny that out of all the women in my dad’s life she’s stayed with him the longest. From my calculations, they got together when she was 17 ~ yes, that would mean I was 15. I told you ~ DYSFUNCTIONAL!

It’s situations like that, that make me happy I wasn’t a big part of his world ~ or should I say that he wasn’t a big part of mine. I’m working on things here, and she’s a big issue with me. I don’t really care for her, because she lies. She doesn’t even seem like a girl to me. She acts just like my dad, and she’s a drunk. She’s drama and she loves to gossip, and those 2 things are definitely things that I try to stay away from.

However, she called last night. My phone rang and when I saw who it was I just stared at my phone for a minute contemplating what exactly I should do. I decided that if she was calling ME then if must be some emergency, because ever since I’ve moved here it’s been a little obvious that she didn’t care for me much. So, I answered it.

This is how our conversation goes….

“OMG, Amanda! You are not going to believe what Alyssa (my 15yo sister) did.”

I sat there thinking – OMGosh is she seriously calling ME to gossip. Is she seriously that immature? It’s been baffling me today and what Alyssa did is really what all 15 year old girls do – she went to the movies and had a boy meet her there.

I promise I really am going somewhere with this. I brought this odd conversation up with my husband and he told me something that I didn’t want to hear. He actually told me to appreciate that she’s trying to make an effort with me. Hmmmm….. Well, I really don’t think that calling me to gossip is a great way to make an effort with me. Why is that he just can’t feel how I feel and agree when HE’S SUPPOSED TO AGREE? I guess that’s why I love him.

I never thought I had issues with my dad and his whole dysfunctional family situation, but I’m learning that I really do. I want to put up a brick wall and pretend like they don’t exist, but is that really the right thing to do?

My friend Sam left a comment earlier that I’ve been thinking about all day. She made a point with my sisters that I don’t have to replace Jessica with these girls, but form different bonds with them. Why is that so hard for me to do? Why is so hard for me to accept that I actually have other sisters out there and they actually would love to be a part of my life? It’s not their fault that our dad is a loser. Yet, I’m still feeling reserved with this.

It all goes down today

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The big change is happening today. Yesterday I felt like I was shopping for my first house and it was SO MUCH FUN! We’re getting Norm’s room homey for him. We bought plants and flowers and picture frames and everything you’d need for your first apartment minus the furniture. They’re supposed to be here tonight, so we have a lot of decorating ahead of us. I’m hoping he walks into his new apartment after living in his beautiful home for 45 years and can put a smile on his face.

I do feel extremely honored that Norm has chosen to spend his final days with me. I’ve been thinking about all of the things we can do with him. In Ely all he did was sit in his house and just hope that people would come to visit him. Not very fun. Here’s a few things that I have planned for him.

1) I want to start reading to him ~ more than likely articles out of the Ensign

2) I want to take him to Lithia Park so he can bask in the beauty ~ this will probably be an every other day experience for him ~ I love Lithia Park!

3) I’m going to see if the missionaries can come to visit him weekly

4) We’re going to take him to church with us

5) I’m going to go over and have him tell me stories of his life and write them down ~ his life is an amazing one.

6) We’re going to go for walks around his community ~ they have a beautiful duck pond that his room overlooks.

7) I’m going to go play bingo with him w/the rest of the people in his community ~ he wouldn’t just go and do this on his own and I really want him to get social with people.

I just want him to enjoy his life. Norm has never lived his life in an enjoyable way. It’s always been about work, work, work, work! Even on Christmas ~ that man was working.