The Zeakster and Troublemaker

Christmas Cactus

Trouble and Zeak

Wanting me to let them out into the back yard. Sorry boys, it's a no go.

Mr. Trouble

Zeakie

Here are some of the pictures, Cindie. Sorry I'm the only one who ever gets to enjoy your Christmas Cacti. :)

Our "Angel"...

On Thursday, the boys and I went and picked up a Christmas tree. (Yes, I know, a little late.) Joel was in Key West for the day because of work. He said leave the tree in the back of the truck and he would bring it in when he got home. Today, 2 days later, I broke down and put the tree up. Marsel wanted to help hang ornaments. I told him he had to hang the unbreakable ones at the bottom of the tree, so if- when Adrian touches them they won't break.

This is about half way. I was trying to finish the ribbon around him hanging stuff up.

And here is our "angel". Joel's mom is here for the weekend and she noticed it. (Thank goodness it was just a lizard and not a roach! YUCK!)

December 10, 2003

Six years ago today, Joel and I were in Orlando. We went up to Disney World. I remember waking Joel up around 5am, telling him I didn't feel so good, my throat was hurting me. I thought it was because of the cold weather. (I was hoping anyway.) It was a bit nippy up there. We had had breakfast at Chef Mickey's, and then spent the better part of the afternoon at the Magic Kingdom, until I couldn't take it anymore. It got to the point where everything was sore. Joel was walking and taking pictures and I would find a place to stand. And wait. So he said we would go back to the hotel so I could lay down. Did that, and felt better. We had plans to have dinner at the California Grill in the Contemporary Hotel. (Super nice.) After a nap, Joel wasn't feeling so good. But he said he wanted to go anyway. We had reservations for 7p.m. I think Joel was pushing me out the door around 5:30p.m. He said he didn't want to be late. I told him, I told think we will. We just have to take the bus to catch the monorail and it will drop us off at the Restaurant. But whatever. He was a little keyed up, like do we have everything? Are you ready? On the way there, and then when we arrived, waiting for the table, (because we were an hour early) he couldn't sit still. I asked him WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU? Nothing. So now I'm getting nervous. I'm starting to wonder, is he gonna propose? No, don't get your hopes up. So, we sit down, place our order. We talking, it's a nice evening. And all the while I'm trying to tell myself to not be upset if he doesn't ask. Before they brought dinner, I went to use the bathroom. You know, one of those nervous pees, where it feels like you have to go, but not so much. Yeah, that was me. When I came around the corner, our food had been brought, and mine had one of those silver domes over the top of it. My heart started pounding! And I was trying to keep this huge stupid grin off my face. As I sat down, the waiter came to remove it, and you know what was under it? My food. I can't remember now what I had, but I remember taking small bites thinking maybe Joel hid a ring inside my food. I didn't want to choke on it. (Man, that would have been a story!) We finish our meals and the waiter asks if we would like dessert. Joel asked if I would like dessert. I said sure. But I was thinking HELL YES! Even if I hadn't wanted it, I would have ordered some. While we were waiting, we were talking. And he was telling me how much he loved me and how much I mean to him. And thank you for putting up with all that I had. So now, my heart is pounding. I was for sure he would notice it. Like the pulse in my neck was so obvious. (But now, I think his own heart beat was too loud for him to hear mine.) He asked me like 3 times,"You know I love you, right" I answered him yes every time and said I loved him. By the 3rd time, I asked Joel, are you ok? He said, yes, I'm fine, but I need to make sure you love me if you're going to marry me. And then he slid a small black box across the table to me. Stupid me, I ask him if I can open. (No, Chris, you can't open it. I'm just giving you a box, but you may never open it. Hope you like it. He didn't say this, but he should have.) When I opened it, I didn't know what to say. The fact that this was actually happening, and that he loves me enough to want to spend the rest of his life we me, left me speechless. I'm not really sure how many times he said it, But I remember answering him 3 times. He keep saying "Well?" And I'm answering,"yes." But it wasn't sinking in, and he kept asking. So I got up and hugged him, and I was crying at this point. (Duh. I was probably crying before that and just don't remember.) The table behind us realized what just happened and was congratulating us. Then here comes the waiter, (This guy was good. Kinda reminds me now, of the butler from the movie Mr. Deeds. Very sneaky, appears out of no where.) telling us congratulations. I have the biggest smile on my face as we're leaving. And as we were walking toward the elevator, all the hostesses and servers were at the door, clapping and congratulating us. It was pretty cool.
So we're hugging, and talking, and I'm staring at my ring. I don't know how I didn't walk into a door or wall. Then, a thought came to me. I asked Joel do you ask me to marry you or tell me I was marring you? He said he wasn't real sure, but I knew what he meant. True. We got on the monorail to take us to the bus and then back to the hotel. We riding, and talking, and riding, and riding. Then we notice that we're going right back to we're we started from. Yeah, we got on the wrong one. And since it was late, we had to ride the monorail to Epcot, get off there and catch the bus. Oops. :) Oh well.
I remember when we where laying in bed, and I think Joel was asleep, I was still looking at my ring. And smiling. Then waking up the next morning, not feeling so great, and looking at my ring, thinking, cool, it was real, I didn't dream it. (It was so hard to not talk with my hands. I'm a hand talker as it is. If I sit on them, I can't say crap. But now it was even harder. I felt like I was hand model on QVC or Home Shopping Network.)
The rest of our trip was ok. Joel felt worse and it didn't help that we went to Epcot and rode that space one and Body Wars. First, how old is that?(Body Wars.) And how stupid could we be? That will give you motion sickness even if you aren't already sick. I wasn't sure who was gonna throw up first.
Needless to say, the worst was over for me. I had to drive home, because he would get dizzy after driving for awhile. And I think when we got home, for the first time, Joel said he needed to go to the hospital because his fever wouldn't go down.
Looking back, I wouldn't change any of it. The being sick, nothing.
I love you more today than I loved you yesterday, Joel. Thank you for asking me on this day 6 years ago to marry you. If you asked again, I would say yes again.
XOXO

Tubes are in!

In the waiting room, listening to Santa sing "Run Run Rudolph". (Like 15 times.)

Adrian with his gown on.
Gown and sockies on. He was trying to push buttons on the machine. The nurse had taken his heart rate with it and he was trying to make it do it again.

This was on the way home. Sitting back, just chillin.

This morning Joel and I took Adrian to have the tubes put in his ears. Had to be there at 6:30. I was a little worried about how he would do with nothing to eat or drink, but it was no problem. Actually he was really good. I was really surprised he didn't pitch a fit when the nurse can to get him. Plus it was a male nurse with his mask on. He looked at this guy and then at us, but then the nurse took him out before he had a chance to loose it. They came to get me, (Joel had to leave for work like 10 mins. before they called.) maybe 20 mins. later. They had warned us that he would be very cranky for 30 mins. after. And he was. They had a heart monitor strapped to his big toe, and this was totally pissing him off. He was trying to roll out of my arms, wiggle any way he could, to get his foot up, then when he did, he was trying to pull the sock off. Which he did manage to get it off once, but the nurse was quicker than him and put it back on. He started to calm down and rest his head on my shoulder, then he would remember the monitor and he was mad again. But he was cool before we left. He sat in the car, relaxing, watching cars and looking for "bups". (Buses.)
Now he's laying down. But he was playing with toys and dancing to music on TV. He'll have to see the doctor in 2 weeks, but other than that- so far, so good. (Hoping we've see the last of ear infections for him.)

An update.

Last week on Friday morning I had to take Adrian to the doctor's for a recheck on his ears. It would be a month after his last ear infection, and they wanted to see if there was still fluid. Well, there was. The doctor said it was time to see the ear, nose and throat doctor. He's had fluid in his ears since Aug. So on Wednesday morning, off to the ENT we went. And yup, he needs tubes. He's having the surgery next Wednesday morning. They said he should be in and out in about 2 hours, that's including recovery. I'm happy that this will help his little ears, but still worried. I keep hearing from other parents that it's no big deal, and I do believe them. But still.
He has to go to his doctor on Tuesday just for a check before to make sure everything is okey dokey.
I'll post how he's doing after we get back.

Turkey Day 2009

Din din.

Getting it all ready.

Adrian and AJ.

Yes, Alan is on Adrian's toy. Oreo's trying to figure out what the hell he's doing.

Marsel is Eunice's shoes. He couldn't walk in them to save his life.(And watching him try, I thought that I never realized they were THAT hard.) He was just sliding his feet along the floor.

Mom and Baby Marcel.

AJ, Marsel and Adrian.

Adrian and AJ.

AJ and Marsel.

Eunice and Marcel.

This is Marsel having a small fit when he realized that he was going to have to eat more than just turkey and bread. I'm such and awful mom, making him SOME of his veggies.

Grandma and Adrian. (Now it's Adrian's turn: He wanted to wear Daylen's shoes.)

Adrian and Marcel loving each other. So sweet. This will totally embarrass them later.

He did a little better than Marcel, but then he had flats.

Alan and Marcel.

Dominick.

Caridad, Daylen, Adrian, me, Dominick, Eunice, Marcel and Mom.

On Saturday waiting for Marsel to come home.

Marsel spent the night with Marcel Sr. and Eunice. So I Adrian and I were waiting outside for them while Joel put in our new washer and dryer. (A much needed washer and dryer.)

He had knocked over Joel's fertilizing cart and was telling me about it.

Baby Marcel showing his skills.

Adrian and his skills.

Such a ham.

Adrian likes to play with the dogs food. He crawled right in with Krypto and closed the door. Joel and I stood there and watched him. Knowing that Krypto was probably taking a crap, probably moving as close to the corner away from Adrian as he could. He's so retarded.

At the Park

Me chasing Adrian. He thinks this is SO funny.

(I don't.)

The slides were making his hair stand up. It straightened his curls right out. The they bounced back.

CJ and I took Adrian to the park, in hopes of wearing him out. It work. His little head would pop off if it wasn't attached. There is so many this in the park for the kids. He really has no idea where to go first. And when he gets to something he wants to go some where else. Which means I end up doing a lot of walking after him. And he thinks he can do things that he really can't just yet. Like climb a ladder to get up the slide. He actually gets mad when I try and help. Guess I should get used to it. It probably won't change. But it's cool seeing him do new things.

Marsel's 8th birthday

So I'm a little behind on this. Marsel's birthday was Nov. 11, and we had his party on Nov. 14. And I'm just now getting around to putting up the pictures. Oops.

It turned out well, considering I had no idea how many people were coming. I only had 2 RSVPs before the party. I had 2 more people call the day of the party and some just showed up. (These were the kids from his school. All of our friends let us know they were coming.) Fortunately I had enough food. And thanks to CJ, we had enough cupcakes. :)

This is CJ and I at the end of the night, along with Krypto and Oreo. The chair is totally not big enough for all us, but that didn't stop us. I actually think I fell asleep shortly after Joel took this picture.

Kasandra after the party, on the way to Rooster's. Ummmm! Chicken wings.
Jose and his bad assedness. (Or so he thinks.) hee hee.

One of Marsel's many presents.

Baby Marcel.

Making a wish.

HOLY CRAP! THE KID IS 8!