VACATION!!!!! WHOO HOO!!!

We headed to San Diego Thursday morning for our mini vacation. We arrived at our hotel around noon and headed straight for the beach. The weather wasn't all that great, but I promised Malachi that he would get to see the ocean and build a sand castle.

Malachi's beautiful sand castle:
On Friday, we got up and headed to Sea World. Our first stop was the Shamu show of course.




W3 won a enormous Shamu for Chi. Now of course he had to do this at the beginning of the day. We were stuck carrying this thing around for the remainder of the day, which was not an easy task. We definitely got a lot of attention and even got cash offers for the Shamu.
After Shamu, we found ourselves at the sea lions and seals. I found this to be the most entertaining of the whole day. You were allowed to buy fish and hand feed them. They would bark and beg to you for the fish.
This little guy was smart. He perched himself up on this rock and screamed at you as he waved his flipper to get your attention. I think he figured out that the most loud and annoying one would get the most fish. He was definitely well fed.

We caught a glimpse of a few sea turtles. It would have been nice if we could have got a little closer though.
Then we made our way to the dolphins. Chi was trying really hard to get them to swim close enough so that he could touch them. Unfortunately, he was unsuccessful.
But he did get pretty close as they swam by the tank. He loved it.
Then we saw the flamingos. There were hundreds of them. They had a jar you could buy flamingo food from for 50cents. I think it was dog food, it sure smelt like it.

After a wonderful fun day at Sea World, we headed about a hour north to my father's house. Chi got some good quality time in with his uncle Alex.
Saturday morning was the oldest of my three brothers, Jack's graduation from High School. His next journey... UC Davis.
This morning we packed up and got ready for our drive home. My father took us out to breakfast before we took off. Chi and he enjoyed making silly faces and playing with each other in their last minutes until next time.

We all had an absolute wonderful time. I was great to get away for a few days. Although, I am happy to be back home and I can't wait to sleep in my bed tonight.

Clarice's Birthday

Speaking of Birthdays....

Clarice's birthday was May 10th, also mother's day this year, so a few of us decided to take her out the Friday before. She wanted to go dancing so we went to Stoney's. I think I speak on behalf of everyone present that night when I say... we had a phenomenal night!!!

My Mama's Birthday

May 20th was my mom's anniversary to the day she was born. And boy am I happy that day occurred. Not only because I wouldn't be of existence but mostly I am thankful and blessed to have such a wonderful woman as a mother and as a friend. ~I LOVE YOU MAMA!~

So I talked her in to coming to Vegas and took her out to dinner. I decided to take her to Texas de Brazil. For those who do not know, it's an all you can eat Brazilian steak house. They offer every cut of steak you could think of as well as chicken, veal, pork, and enormous salad bar that coincide with fresh meats, cheeses, and soups. Sounds heavenly right??

My mother had an absolute blast and she stuffed her little tummy full. She loved the place and I was sooooooo happy that she did. My mother works so hard and gets very little time to spoil herself and I like to wine and dine her at every chance I get. She after all deserves it. She did raise me in all...

Friends of mine as well as close daughter/son like friends to my mom joined us, Sandra and Brandon.
Malachi loved the steak house as well. He tried just about everything and liked just about everything. This picture is him chowing down on a lamb chop.
Green means bring more meat! Red means, no thank you, I'm stuffed. Chi was finally done.
"Mommy, take a silly face picture now..."
My mother and sister, both very beautiful.
The yummy cake I asked Sandra to pick up from the Mexican bakery. It's a tres leches cake and if you have never had this kind of cake you need to put it on your bucket list!
A very happy birthday to you mama!! I love you!!

GREAT NEWS!!!

My camera is going to make it after all!!! Yes, you heard me right, it's a miricle!!! Amazingly enough, after I let if dry all the way out and after recharging the battery, it works. I do need to get a can of air to blow out the remaining sand in it though.

But..... YAY!!!!!!!!!

A Bad Thing... A Bad Thing indeed...

A very unfortunate thing happened to me yesterday. We were at the beach and I was cruising the shallow part of the water. Well a big wave came in and I ran up so I wouldn't get soaked. Next I know Justin is scooping my camera out of the ocean!!!! It fell out of my pocket when I ran. I'm pretty sure it's agoner. I'm so depressed. 

First of all I definitely don't have the money to replace it right now and secondly it my camera!!! My memory taker! My witness to my life! Luckily I have a decent camera on my phone and have been able to capture memories on it.
Anyone want to start a camera fund for me??

The World's Best BBQ Sauce

SHHHHH!!!!! It's a secret!!!

My grandfather put together a recipe for BBQ sauce years and years ago. Hands down it is the BEST I have EVER tasted. It's very unique and doesn't taste like any other.

Since my grandfather has pasted, my mother has been in possession of the recipe and would make it every now and then or when requested.

A few years ago, I made the comment about taking the sauce to a distributor and marketing it. (It's seriously that good!!) My mother damn near died and then she reconsidered and damn near killed me!!! 'How dare I even think to do such a thing! This is a family recipe and that's where it will stay!'

Seriously Mom??? I tried to tell her that Papa would have wanted us to. That if he knew people would enjoy it and that it would set her, me and the rest of the immediate family up, he would be for it.

ABSOLUTELY NOT!!

My mother then vowed to not only never give me the recipe but to never make it in my presence either!

I remembered some of the ingredients but there was no way I knew the quantities. And besides I would never defy my mother like that.

Oh well...

So last mother's day I got a gift from my mom. It was a cook book that you write your own recipes in and then pass down to your daughter. I loved it! It had all the family classics in it. A little breakfast, a little dinner, and even some yummy desserts. And low and behold... in the back... listed under other.... it was there! the recipe for "Papa's Secret Sauce"!!!

When I saw it, I just looked up at my mom, like, really???

She immediately spoke and asked me as nicely yet very stern, to NOT ever give out that recipe. It is for our family only. It is the little bit of papa we still have that is special and unique just like him. And for a marketing company to commercialize that was obscured.

I now understood and agreed. ~ At least until she decides to join my dear Papa ;o)

So, a couple of weeks ago I decided it was time to break out the recipe and make it for Chi, my sister, her dad, and her gf. Kaylie had commented about how she wouldn't remember it if it hit her in her face. I told her, yes you will, it's something you can never forget. Just wait until you taste it.

Some of the ingredients call for 'to taste', so of course we had to taste it several times. Once Kaylie had her first taste test, it was like stepping back in time. What a warm and happy experience. It was it Papa was there in the kitchen with us.

Malachi tore the BBQ chicken up! He even requested extra sauce.

While in D.C.....

We made time to visit a few museums. We made it to the National Air and Space Museum and the National Museum of Natural History. At the Natural History Museum, they had a scene set up from the new movie featuring the Smithsonian's. It appeared to be just a big pile of junk, but it was neat to see.



The one museum that left the biggest impression was the Museum of American Art. They had Louise Bourgeois' collection and it was a little strange. Here are a few of her pieces.

(I dare you to google her name and look at her other disturbing yet intriguing art!)

She had many other strange pieces, however we were not allowed to take photos. I'm pretty sure this woman had a pretty demented childhood.

At the Air and Space museum they had a display of WWII service men and women in their uniforms. Of course I had to take a picture of the woman, she gave me goose bumps.

The last night we were in DC, a friend of mine that lives in the area offered to cook dinner for us. Unfortunately Kristina and I were the only ones that could make it. Fortunately, there was more food for us!

Perry is an outstanding cook. He is the spitting image of a Italian New Yorker and boy can he cook like one too!! I told him he needs to open his own restaurant up and leave the law enforcement career behind.

Kristina and I just relaxed and had a glass of wine while he did all the work. Although, I did make sure to take mental notes, I had plans of recreating this master piece.

This is Chicken Marsala in the making. It was so moist and so good!! And surprisingly very easy!

This was the Gorgonzola cheese sauce he made. He had to keep his eye on it because Kristina and I were going to steal it and eat it all with the bread!!

The almost finished product of the chicken marsala. Ummmmm..... now I'm hungry....

And this is the finished product of the gnocchi with gorgonzola cheese sauce. Absolutely delicious!!!

Is it lunch time yet???

Locked Up

I do believe this is Malachi's ultimate moment since his existence thus far.

Sunday morning Justin, Chi and I made our way down stairs to get some breakfast and watch some TV.

As most of you know by now, Chi has expressed very strongly that he wants to become a police officer. He tells Justin just about every chance he gets of how he wants to go to work with him and get the bad guys.

So just before Justin made his way to work that morning, he gave Malachi a set of his very own real handcuffs. My thoughts were immediately bad ones. Great, he's going to handcuff Diesel to a chair or something.

Justin said that he needed to get an additional key to give to him and would do it that day. So, YES!, I had NO key!! I of course told Justin this was not a good idea and he replied with, well he can't handcuff himself, his wrists are too small and don't let him handcuff you and you guys should be alright.

Alright?!?! Alright we were absolutely NOT.

Not even 2 hours later, Chi came around the corner from the kitchen, "Mommy, I need help." As he proceeded towards me I saw him taking itty bitty steps. When I looked even further I saw shinny metal cuffs hobbling my son's feet together. "Oh, No! What did you do???!!"

I didn't know whether to laugh or kill Justin. Since Justin wasn't present, I decided to laugh and placed Chi on the couch and asked him not to move to avoid banging his ankles up.

I called Justin in hopes to catch him before briefing. His response was, Oh NO! and then he couldn't stop laughing. He instructed me to try and call a couple of our friends to see if they were in the neighborhood.

No luck.

So I decided to take Chi down to the Enterprise Area Command. I knew that swing shift was getting ready to go on, so someone had to be there. I walked in, showed the girls my badge and then asked if they could check to see if any of the guys were there. I also explained what happened so they didn't make assumptions of bad parenting.

Out walked 2 cops, I'm assuming they both just had to see this, and one of them kindly freed my kiddo. He asked me what happened and I explained. They asked for Justin's call sign, I didn't know it. I'm sure they found another way to give him hell that night.

So Malachi is free, Justin has been given lots of Hell, and the cuffs have been temporarily removed from the situation until further notice.

NO....WHY...& BUT!

Lately Malachi has 3 NEW favorite words.
I hear them WAY more than I'd like to.
I will ask him to do something (usually sooo simple) and then I will get the following typical responses:

• "NO"... proceeded by "I don't want to".


• "WHY?"... usually followed by a strung out "mmoommmmyy"

and then there's my new favorite...

• "BUT"... also usually followed by a strung out "mmoommmmyy"

These responses are KILLING me!!! I have told him, "Mommy doesn't like nos, whys, and butts, they give her headaches."

He has started to back away here and there when he thinks about what he is going to say. But when there is no thinking envolved, it's "no, why, and but" all day long.

All I can think of is.... my poor mother! She must have wanted to just pull out all of her hair at times with my sister and I. So... to my mom... 'I know I've said it before and I'm sure I'll say it several more times, I'm soooooooo sooooorrrrrryyyyyy!!'

I love you mama!!!

A New Addiction

Chi has been in a learn how to skate class now for 3 weeks. Tonight after class, I asked what Chi would like for dinner. He turned with a big grin and replied, Joe's Crab Shack! I had to laugh. He had mentioned it on Saturday but we had other plans and couldn't go, so he must have been fiening it. I took him after skate class his first week (I was gone during his second, or we might have ended up there then too) since it's right down the street from the ice center. I figured, why not and away we went. 

Wow this boy can chow down on some crab. It's amazing! There's not much Chi won't eat and I'm so blessed for that.

I Finally Won!!!

This was the second year I was able to attend the i2 conference in Washington DC. (i2 is a program we use at work) First of all, I LOVE DC and will jump at any opertunity to go there!!! Secondly, i2 puts on a hell of a conference and even hosts a casino night the second night of the conference. They give you $300 in fake money and then for every $100 you have left at the end of the night, you get a raffle ticket. They raffle off some really cool prizes. Last year a friend taught me how to play craps and we did very well but unfortunately we won nothing.

This year was a different story. I just needed a quick refresher course at the craps table and then it was all down hill from there. The table was HOT! and we were raking in the doe!! After 3 hours, a friend and I managed to turn $300 into about $8,000! (Now if only I could do that with real money here in Vegas!) So needless to say, I had a lot of raffle tickets!!! The prizes they were giving away this year were: 3 apple ipods, 3 apple itouches and 1 Wii (the grand prize). Now I have been thinking about getting a Wii for a while now. I was considering just caving and getting it for Chi's big Christmas present. However, this would be just too good. I honestly began to pray. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let me win the Wii!!!

Well the ipods and itouches came and went and it was down to the grand prize. They pulled the ticket out of the bucket and called the number. Four of us frantically searched through all of my tickets to see if I had that number. One of the girls looks at me with complete disappointment and said, 'Nope Dallas, your tickets don't go that high.' Being the sore loser I am, I threw the remaining ones down. Then Perry says to me, 'No Dallas you have it!' and before I knew it I was being tossed on stage.

Now please keep in mind that the last paragraph happened in a matter of about 45 seconds. At this point all that was running through my mind was, 'Perry, you better not be making a complete ass of me by throwing me on stage and not having the ticket.' and then he gave me a ticket and I thought for sure it wasn't the one.

BUT BY GOLLY! IT WAS! I WON THE WII!!!!!

I was soooooo excited. I jumped up and down and even screamed! I looked like one of those annoying game show contestants that just won a new car on the price is right!! I was and still am sooooo HAPPY!!! Whoooo Hoooooo!!!!

Learning to Ice Skate

Malachi has taken on a rather difficult task as far as I am concerned. He wants to play hockey so I enrolled him in skate class. I think he thought it was going to be a piece of cake. Knowing that he would probably end up a little more challenged then before, I gave him a big pep talk before he got on the ice.

At first he went right out and was all for it. But after he fell on his bum pretty hard twice, he was a little discouraged. But my talk helped, and he kept on trying and was doing it by himself by the end of his first lesson.
I am sooo proud of him! Is there anything this child can't do??? I'm starting to wonder....