A New Look

As you can see, I have a new look and blog name. Nan over at Life is Like a Lunchbox made me this great new banner. Thanks, Nan!! You Rock!!

The reason I chose Enjoying Life One Juice Box at a time.. is simply because I am trying to slow down and enjoy my children and life more. The way my kids love juice bags will not last forever so I need to grab it while I can. The banner has a picture of each of my kiddos doing one of the things they like most, inhaling a Juice Box (or bag whatever the case may be). Even Baby A gets in on the action with the bags that get set down somewhere she can reach. So hopefully you will see a bit more of my personality in this banner and a lot of Nan's hard work.

Let me know what you think...just don't say my kiddos are ugly are anything like that because I won't believe you.

Two cart experience

My shopping habits are definitely different during the summer than they are during the school year. Besides the obvious fact that I will take my four children with me to the store instead of my youngest two there are other differences as well.

The most noticeable one is the fact that I buy a lot more "junk". And by that I mean all those pre-packaged snack items. I do have to admit that it's not just my children eating them though. We seem to have one of those houses where children meet up and the snacks are brought out. So essentially I am feeding the entire neighborhood "junk". I also buy a ton more Popsicles and ice cream for obvious reasons. They play outside so much it's a quick cool down for them and if I buy the right kind I can limit the sugar. We do buy more fruit in the summer since it's in season and my kids do actually eat it and enjoy it so at least there is one healthy thing tossed in there. But the thing I notice the most that we go through literally by the gallons is juice bags. I can buy a big package of forty drinks at Sam's and they will maybe last a week. Again thanks to my children's hospitality to any breathing soul within a five mile radius at our house.

I went to the store this morning and had all my children with me. We bought our usual items and then some, since each kid (except Baby A) begged for one item. Our cart was overflowing. So at the checkout line I realize there is no way that all those items in my cart will be able to fit in my cart once they have been bagged. So I had to ask my son, Z to go and get another cart just so I wouldn't have to fight with the bags to make them all fit without falling off.

So it's official, I have had to use two carts at the grocery store. I wonder if I am going to need more carts as the children get older. You know kind of like those people you see on TV that go shopping with two vehicles just so they can fit all the family and their groceries in at the same time. I mean let me be honest, I really don't want to be the lady that everyone stares at in the grocery store because of the obscene amount of food I am needing to buy. Hopefully it won't actually progress to that though. But if you should ever happen across a lady with four kids in a grocery store with two full carts...it's not me..no really, it isn't.

I scare Mr. Greg

Mr. Greg is our next door neighbor. He's a big guy and a policeman to boot. He has a great heart and his boys are about as tight with our sons as they can be. Apparently I scare Mr. Greg and he is afraid of me.

This is nothing new to me. He has always said this to me and about me so it's really no secret. But why would a big guy with a gun who is trained on how to use it be afraid of me. I guess it's in my genes. You see I have a bit of Greek and Mexican blood in me from my mom, along with all the whiteness that my poor dad could give me. So when he first met me he thought I was just another white girl moving into the block.

That was until he first heard my oldest son, Big Z,who was four at the time, sass me with a bit of back talk. I just handled it the way I always did by taking him inside to talk to him and put him in time out. But for whatever reason he decided that from that day on he would be afraid of me.

So yes, the policeman next door is afraid of me, in a general sort of way. Although he always tells me it's really not fear he has it's just a healthy respect for me and from where I come from. I'm not really sure how to take that one, since really I'm not a ghetto child or anything. I come from El Paso and a nice middle class neighborhood. I always got good grades and was in the drill team. I never got into any trouble, well except for the one time the cops brought me home in the middle of the night. But that's another story.

But even though he claims to be afraid of me I know that deep down he really like me. He is a great friend to me and to my husband. And maybe one day, just to get a reaction from him, I'll even tell him how yep, I do know how to shoot a gun.

Something to Ponder

No one is to be called an enemy, all are your benefactors, and no one does you harm. You have no enemy except yourselves.

~Saint Francis of Assisi

It's an Apronpalooza contest

Nan over at Like a Lunchbox is hosting a cute contests for aprons. Go check it out if your interested. I know my kids always get excited when my apron comes out since it usually means I am baking something yummy.

Sweeping in the Rain

Hoss is just like his dad. He must be outside regardless of the weather. If he stays inside for extended periods of time without being able to go outdoors he becomes a bit challenging. Yes, that's what we will call it challenging. Normally it's not a big deal since he can go out in the backyard to play whenever he wants. But this spring has been very wet for us here in our part of Texas. We have had so much rain and then more rain and then just a bit more rain to top it all off. Well when dad is out in the garage working I send Hoss out to him. After all they are carbon copies of each other, so it's only fair. It was raining yesterday, and Hoss being a boy, couldn't resist being in the rain. So when I went out to check on Hoss this is what I found.




A soaking wet little boy who was having the time of his life. He and his friend E, (who is just like Hoss when it comes to being outside) were trying to help the water down the drain. So they grabbed their dad's brooms and set to work. I think that they literally spent two hours out playing in the rain. And being the mom that I am, I just let him. After all, he wasn't hurting anything and he was happy and safe since dad was watching.

It turned what for him would have been another boring day cooped up inside the house into an adventure. And I for one say let him have his fun while he can. He'll grow up soon enough and then he won't want to be out playing or in his case sweeping in the rain.

Gigi..my dumb dog

Gigi is our dumb dog. She is a boxer and really like any other boxer has way to much energy and enthusiasm. I don't know what on earth my husband (because I blame him completely) was thinking when he decided that a boxer would be a good fit for our family. He wanted a dog, I didn't. He wanted a big dog, if I had to have a dog it would have to be small. I didn't want any dog hair shedding any where in the house and never can a dog be allowed on my furniture. Well, this dumb dog does both. Above all we both agreed that if we had a dog it would have to be great with kids, which is true in our case.




Gigi is great with the kids. She is always willing to play rough with the boys but is very gentle with the girls, especially Baby A. But if you aren't a member of her pack, then she is very protective and has a very big bark to go along with her. So when I got my new camera I thought what better subject to practice on then my dumb dog Gigi. After all she wouldn't pose like a goof ball and beg to instantly see the image on the camera like my children would. And she cooperated initially. She just lied there on the couch she wasn't supposed to be on and let me take her picture.

But when we went outside, it really became to much for my dumb dog. The fact that I was kneeling down was much to appealing for her and she came running towards me thinking she was going to get to play. And ding bat that I am, thinks to myself, cool I can try out the action feature of the camera and see how the action feature works on the camera. Only that dumb dog didn't stop, she kept on running at full speed and knocked me and by brand new camera right over. Then she has the gall to actually look like she is having fun. The dumb dog.



Tell me again why we have you here. Oh yeah I remember now, it's because I'm a ninny and can't say no to my husband and kids when they begged and pleaded for a dog. And then upon agreeing on a dog, I get one that is completely opposite of everything I envisioned. Your huge and you shed a lot, you snore and you drool real bad on top of it all. Yet still I can't get rid of you, because as the kids say, Gigi is family. Dumb Dog.