Wordless Wednesday

Date Night: Groovin Addition

Saturday was our Date Night, couples addition. Nothing too snazzy, just a little Karaoke at our neighborhood Native New Yorker. We were joined by Kristina/Jason, MaryJane/Jay, Dana/Ed and we all had a blast.

This is a picture of Eric bringing down the house... again! He had complete strangers approaching him, shaking his hand, and actually friend request. There was a really nice couple who both also have an 18month old boy. They live in the neighborhood behind us and gave us an open invitation to their home for Football Sunday's. I am not sure why but we always seem to get such random friendliness by strangers. My mother says we have friendly faces and our easy going attitudes along with a little comedic flair makes people feel like they've known us for years.

Eric has such a nice voice, I really hope Deric inherits his talents.

MaryJane & Jay

Kristina & Jason

After reviewing the photos, I realized that I did not get a photo w/Eric & I, nor of Ed & Dana =(

Photo Contes: Vote 4 my Baby please

Please vote for my little guy! Voting is open from now until July 27th to vote for your favorite entry (The Arizona Parkmans). The entry with the most votes will win $25 to Marshalls & $25 to TJ Maxx! Voting is super fast, easy, and u don't even have 2b a Blogger to vote, just click below. Thank you!

CLICK HERE

Like Father, Like Daughter

My brother-in-law is a real outdoors man and is teaching my niece LiAnna to be a real outdoors-wo-man. Surprisingly she is really taking a liking to it but don't get me wrong, she is no tomboy. In fact she is so girly all her outdoor gear is in her favorite color pink. She is not fearful or squeamish of creepy crawlies (like her Mother & me lol). He has taught her how to fish, bait her own line, and now they have moved onto Archery. When she grows older, she is going to give meaning to the song, "What ever you can do, I can do better."

Leopard Lollipop

I just received a ca-ute Baby-T from Leopard Lollipop Boutique's which was featured on Kristen's blog. It was even packaged with the cutest leopard print tissue paper! Great presintation. You have to go visit the Leopard Lollipop's Myspace page for the complete line of new, trendy chic products which also including closeouts.

Thank you soo much ladies for the Giveaway, it is much appreciated!

Frustrated w/the Medical Assistant

At 1 1/2 Deric is 3feet tall already. Apparently this can happen when a brain tumor is pushing down on the growth hormone so the Pediatrician phoned a Specialist at Children's Hospital. He said if Mom and Dad are tall, more than likely, baby is going 2b tall. You see, I am 5'10 and Dad is 6'4.

The Pediatrician still would like to lean on the side of precaution and sent us to get blood work just to make sure there was not an over active Thyroid gland.

This ____ bleep of an MA had no idea what she was doing. I knew something was up when she read the referral and said, "Hmmm... what's this? I never seen this one before." Ugh!
She poked the left arm and couldn't get a vein, then poked again in the vein and couldn't get blood. While the tube was in his little vein she was maneuvering it around trying to extract blood w/no luck. I was pretty strong until this point... when her efforts were unsuccessful she had to start on the other arm. My poor baby was screaming, looking at me, as to say "Mommy help!" Ugh, I tear up just to think of it. His cry was so much that ALL the nurses came into the room and the head Nurse actually took over. Ugh, what-a-day!

Can Terrible 2's start at 1_1/2?

This is the scene of a wild child at the bank, running a muck b4 heading off 2 get his blood drawn. He ran in and out of cubicles and gave me quite a work out. I thought "Terrible 2's" start @ 2. Is it possible they can start @ 18months? He is a very sweet boy but, the energy, the curiosity is outrageous. At 3feet, he is so tall and strong, he can get into places that most kids his age can't. He can reach, turn on and off the light switches. He can get on top of the chairs in the eat in kitchen and use them to get on top of the table. He has even tried to use the chair as a stepping stool to get on top of the kitchen island. A couple of weeks ago, he jumped out of his crib but, I'll blog about that later.

Our Future American Idol

Saturday, we attended Cyndi and Emilio's Karaoke Party. Deric sat on my lap, (oddly) very still and quite, just observing. After an hour, he jumped off my lap and ran streight to his Daddy, stole the mic, and was a-singing and a-dancin... all night long. There was no seperating him from the mic. Oh and there is no decieving him. I turned off the volume to his mic and he knew there was no volume so he took over the 2nd mic. Emilio went upstairs and got the mic to his Rock Band and did the ol switch-a-roo but he rejected it. Dad was so proud that we're going next weekend to the Karaoke store to purchase our own unit =)

Spicy Orange Chicken

Have u ever had those days that u have NO IDEA what to make for dinner?! That was me yesterday and this is what I came up with.

Its funny that 9months ago, I had no idea how to cook. We've been fortunate to have dined in the finest restaurant across the states so, we know what we like, just didn't know how to execute. Little did I know, its as easy as spices! Once I learned how to use spices in relation to different types of cuisine, it was as easy as 1-2-3.

Serves: 4

3 - Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast

1 - Egg

1/2 c - Orange Juice

1/2 c - Soy Sauce (Low Sodium)

1/5 c - Sriracha HOT Chili Sauce (aka Asian Rooster Sauce)

1/2 c - Butter, melted (I can't Believe Its Not Butter)

1 c - Flour

2 - Storage Bags, Large

1/2 c - Chicken Bouillon

1 c - Water

pinch- Salt

pinch- Pepper

pinch- Garlic

pinch - Chili Flakes, Red

pinch - Parsley Flakes, Dried

pinch - Sesame Seed

2c - Rice, white long grain

1- Rice Cooker

1- Pan, Large/Wide

1- Sauce Pan

1- Mixing Bowl

Step 1: Place chicken breast to a large-wide pan, fill w/water.

Add EVOO, Salt, Pepper, Galic, Parsley, 1/5 c Chicken Bouillon then boil at high heat.

Step 2: In a mixing bowl add 1 egg, orange juice, soy sauce, "rooser" chili sauce, melted butter, and get to mixing. Pour mix into a large storage bag and place in the fridge. Get your 2nd storage bag and add flour, then put aside.

Step 3: Once chicken is poached/cooked, drain water, cut chicken into cubes, then grab the storage bag mix from the regridgerator and dump chicken in. Shake the bas so that it mixes well, and all the flavors marry with the chicken.... Then, pour the chicken mix into the storage bag w/flour. This dust a light coat of flower onto the marinated chicken.

Step 4: Re-use the same pan in which you poached the chicken and heat EVOO on high heat. Once pan is hot, add chicken & sear. *Remember chicken is already cooked* so we just want to brown the flower and marinade. Once chicken is browned, it'll need to rest, long enough to make your sauce and start the rice.

Step 5: Add rice to rice cooker along with 2 cups of water - and that's it 4 the rice! Now, get a small sauce pan heat EVOO, melt 1 spoon of butter (ICBINB), wisk in 1/2 cup of flower, 1 cup of water, chicken boullion, orange juice, soy sauce, 1 "squirt" of "Rooster" chili sauce, 3 shakes of red chili flakes, salt, pepper, parsley. Once you have gotten all the lumps out, your sauce is ready.

Plating: Presintation is everything, so make it pretty!

1st layer will be your rice.

2nd layer is the chicken

3rd layer is the spicy orange sauce

4th layer is seasame seed & parsley and your done!

Tip: If your sauce is too spicy, just add more orange juice, and/or water, and/or soy sauce.

Rice- If you don't have a rice cooker, you must run out and purchase one, like now =). Its the greatest invention, next to sliced bread.

Teething???... Again???...

Tuesday (the closet day) Deric was scratching his gums and kind of fussy (and here I am, snapping photos lol). He has had 16-teeth since his 1st BDay, 8 top and 8 bottom.

I went on line and pulled this developmental growth chart for children. Pretty interesting that from 8-13 months, the average is 6 baby teeth. Deric doubled that at that age. No wonder why he loves water... he may be turning into a little shark (he he).

Play Date w/Jesse & Jenelle

Yesterday my parents picked up my neice and nephew and brought them over for a play date w/Deric. The were sooo happy 2c one another. This is the boys gave each other a (manly) hello hug then immediately went to the toy bins and dumped everything out. Their 1st choice has always been the big retractable Fire Truck or School Bus (2day was the Fire Truck).

I thought it was so cute that where ever the boys went, Jenelle was right behind. She may only be 6months but she can keep up.
Jen brought her 4th of July Tutu w/her so I had to snap a few photos. She looked Tutu Sheek!

Deric refused his own bowl of cerial and insisted on sharing w/Baby Jesse. Good thing he didnt mind and actually was feeding him - too cute!

Uh-oh... who's there? Here comes Jenelle ready to break bread w/the boys. After lunch, the boys returned to their toys. This was actually the calmest they were all day. I believe it to be fatigue setting in. Neither of the kiddos could/would relax enough to actually fall asleep for their nap, and believe me they were fighting it.

The kids left at 4:00 pm. I placed Deric in his high chair AKA "Papa Chair" for a light snack before taking him down for a nap but the poor little guy did not make it. He fell asleep in chair after just one bite. What a great day. I feel it is very important that these kids stay close and develope an ever lasting blond filled of childhood memories.

Wordless Wednesday

Just a Closet or a Hidden Fortress?

I purposely avoid Deric's bedroom closet so that he would not get into it and disorganize. Well 2day, he figured it out! Oh yes, there he goes w/the doors: open-close-open-close. Then he got in the closet and closed the door, then starts all over again. This child is not afraid of the dark. I guess his curiosity over powers any fear. I really hope he out grows this stage... quickly =)

Not so, cool cuts

These were the good ol' days... when there were no tears during hair cuts. Now that he is older, he does not like the fact that he to be restraint. The triple digit heat here in AZ does not make wearing an apron any more comfortable. And his curiosity of the noise coming from the clippers make it challenging to all who dare to cut his hair. The worse part is that Deric has inherited both Mom & Dad's hair. It grows thick sooo fast that he is seriously in need of a haircut about every 2 weeks.

After the haircut, we went next door to the dollar store when he decided he did not want to wear his shirt. Apparently all the little hairs manage to work their way through the little holes of his jersey. Note to self- never dress your son in a jersey on hair cut day lol. We went down the snack isle when he decided his was hungry. He refused to wait till we got in home, or in the car for that matter so, there he goes, eating in the store b4 the purchase, shirtless.... Oh what a day =)

Destination: Texas

My parents are driving to their homeland of Texas "ya'll". They made the move to AZ some 40 years ago but they still have siblings, nieces, and nephews who still reside. They will be stopping in Tucson to pick up my Tia Carmen, who thank goodness will be helping my father w/the 12hour drive, since my mother doesnt drive, even though she does carry a drivers license lol. They will be staying with my mother's sister, Tia Landa, and her daughter Yvette.

I hate that they insist on driving every where so I pray for their safe departure and arrival.

I Love Summer Photo Contest entry for Island Life

This is my entry picture for the "I love Summer" photo contest by Island Life. Living in AZ, we don't have beautiful beaches so we love to spend our summer days at Water Parks. I took this photo at Big Surf in the kiddy section. I absolutely LOVE this photo! I just want 2 kiss his fat cheeks 2 pieces.

VOTE HERE!

Wordless Wednesday

GIVEAWAY by Tutu Sheek.................. Hosted by Kid Friendly- Mommy Approves

I have donated one of my Tutu Sheek, hand crafted Chic le Fairy Tutu's as a Giveaway. Plz visit Kid Friendly... Mommy Approves for details and entry to win. Not only is she hosting a Tutu Sheek Giveaway, but she also has excellent reviews on children's related products and services. Good Luck!

This tutu is valued at $20.00
and comes with matching Fairy/Butterfly wings!
It is made of red and Yellow (gold) tulle.
Size is small-fitting waist line of 20-24 inches which generally and approximately converts to size 3T-6 Girls

Zumba Fitness, approved by this Latina

After having my son, its not as easy to pick up and go dancing like before so I ordered Zumba Fitness. These CD's are soo much fun, u don't really realize that your excersizing. It combines aerobic moves w/Latin dance steps such as Salsa, Merengue, and Cumbia- I highly recommend.