My 7 (actually 5) guilty pleasures

I got this idea from Michele's blog. Five are true and two are false. This is Nikki here-so see how well you know me....

1. I love to download music off the Internet-80's new wave, salsa, old school R&B...
2. Celebrity gossip magazines, particularly People and Us. They are more credible than Star or Ok magazines.
3. Reality TV-Top Model, Bachelor, Dancing with the Stars, Survivor, you name it, I love it!
4. Ross Dress for Less-if I go in there, don't expect me to come out empty handed! Bargains! I love them!
5. Jamba Juice-I feel guilty because I could easily make one at home and they're soooo expensive.
6. Taco Bell-love those bean burritos, nachos, chicken soft tacos-YUM but FATTENING
7. Taking afternoon naps with Marco while Lucia watches a movie-is that bad?

Julio's Mock Trial

Ok-so Julio now only has one final left and he is done with law school!!!! I can't believe 4 years of this has passed already. I guess this year has gone by the fastest. The 3rd year was the longest because that's when Marco was born and it was hard. Anyway, I got to be a witness for his Mock Trial last night. I was the fingerprint expert, "Officer Bogomil". I had a script, I had the police report. I must admit I didn't feel prepared, but thought everything was covered. So, when Julio examined me, I was fine. But when the defense guy came up to cross examine me, I got all confused and flubbed up! They sure know how to question things in a confusing way and put words in your mouth! So much of being a so called "expert"! Oh well, it was cool to see Julio in action.

An Interesting 24 hours-The Circle of Life

I know I just posted yesterday, but it's been an eventful 24 hours-to say the least.

Last night, as I was putting the kids to bed, the doorbell rang. Julio answered it and it was a neighbor lady. She was very distraught because she had found our nextdoor neighbor dead in her kitchen. She was only 69 years old. Her daughter and son-in-law are our landlords. She had a stroke a few months ago and had been really weak lately. I hardly ever see her or talk to her, but she called me on Tuesday evening to ask for a phone number. I was probably the last person she talked to. Her neighbor had talked to her in the afternoon. She tried calling her all day yesterday and finally decided to go over there to check on her and found her. They don't know the cause or time of death, but Julio was over there to make sure she called 911 and gave her moral support. It shook him up though to witness it. When our landlord arrived, he said congratulations to Julio and then said, "One goes out and another one comes in."

Then this morning we had our ultrasound. I was hoping for a girl, but thought it was a boy. I predicted correctly on Lucia and Marco, but this time-I was wrong! We are having another girl! We are excited to have another daughter. Hopefully Marco won't get picked on by his sisters.

So, we are due September 10th. We'll just have to decide on a name. Between Lucia and Noelle, we have a lot of girls clothes.

Catching up on last week...

Well, I know it's already Wed., but I still wanted to post on some events of last week, just to remember.

On Tuesday, we decided to skip school (oh no!) and go to the Folsom Zoo with Tami, Noelle and some of their friends. It was a little bit chilly, but the kids had fun seeing the rescued animals and riding the train. We then went to the park and had a little picnic. It was a fun day.

Last Wed, Marco had a little accident outside on the patio. He was pushing a big ball and face planted on the cement. His poor face was all scraped up! (See above) That didn't stop him from wanting to play in the sprinkler with Noelle and Lucia later in the day. It was nice and warm. Since then, it has cooled down a bit. But having summer for a day was nice!

Sat. we were invited to Tami and Dan's for a BBQ. I don't know how they do it! They're so busy and tired and still are brave enough to host a party! The kids had a blast with water balloons and Dan spraying them with the hose.

A Shining Moment

A couple of Saturdays ago, we had a Primary activity about the Sabbath Day. The little mini-lesson I did was on appropriate Sunday music. We listened to different kinds of music and discussed what makes us feel reverent and calm and what makes us feel excited and active. Well, tonight I learned that Lucia actually listened and took in what I was saying and applied it to her own life. She and Marco like to listen to music when they go to bed. Usually, Marco has to lisen to "Totoro" (a soundtrack from a Japanese anime movie). He loves it and sings all the lyrics in Japanese-it's pretty funny to hear. Anyway, tonight Lucia wanted to hear the Primary Songs cd. So, I put it on and Marco started to throw a tantrum. So I told her I was going to get Marco's juice and then I would switch the cd to Totoro. She came into the kitchen and said;
"Mom, it's ok, Marco will calm down and be reverent listening to "I am a Child of God". Totoro makes him excited and wild-don't worry, he'll calm down."
I was so touched by her comment and realized she did learn something at that activity! She is such a sweet, smart little girl and she teaches me important things everyday. Mom loves ya Lucia!

Chocolate Souffle

I was reading a Bon Appetite magazine we got in the mail today and saw an article on souffles. It reminded me of when I lived in LA and my friends and I would go to the Mustache Cafe and get chocolate souffles. They were delicious! So, I got a major craving. I have never attempted to make one of these before, but I am going to do it this afternoon. Anyone out there ever made a souffle? What was your experience? I got this recipe on recipetsar.com

Chocolate Souffle
Ingredients
6 ounces best-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup butter, softened
4 large egg yolks
10 large egg whites
1/4 cup sugar
icing sugar
whipped cream
Directions
1Butter a soufflé dish and dust with sugar, tapping out excess.
2Preheat oven to 430F.
3Melt chocolate and stir until smooth.
4Whisk butter into hot chocolate; add yolks and combine well.
5Beat egg whites until frothy.
6Beat in sugar gradually, and beat until whites hold stiff peaks.
7Lighten chocolate mixture with ¼ of the whites, and then gently fold in remaining whites (a few white streaks may show, and this is not a problem).
8Pour into prepared dish.
9Put dish in slightly larger baking pan and add enough hot water in second pan to reach 1/3 up the side of the soufflé dish.
10Bake for 40 minutes (center will be very soft).
11Give a light dusting of icing sugar over top, bring to table immediately.
12Serve with Whipped Cream.

A day in the life of....me!

Yesterday-
7:30 am-Get up, get kids and myself breakfast, get kids ready, clean up kitchen, make beds, shower and get myself ready.
9:30 am-Out the door to take Lucia to Joy School. Then took Marco with me to get the van smogged, then took Marco to a cute kids hair salon for a haircut, then to Mom's house to clean him up. (He loved sitting in the little ride-on car and watching Baby Einstein while they cut his hair-he looks so handsome too)
Noon-pick up Lucia, go home for lunch, vacuum the house and fold a load of laundry.
1:45 pm-I leave to go to a Doctor appointment which is scheduled for 2:20. Many waits and blood work later, I go home.
3:30 pm-get home to relieve my mom of her babysitting duty. Relax for 1/2 hour then start on dinner-meatloaf, baked potatoes and peas.
5:00 pm-Eat dinner, clean up dishes.
6:00 pm-bathe kids and get them ready for bed.
6:30 pm-throw in another load of laundry, clean up the broken glass from the lamp Marco broke, pick up toys.
7:30 pm-Read stories, prayers and put kids to bed by 8:00.
8:00 pm-I exhale and lie down to watch American Idol and then Dancing With the Stars-the results.
9:00 pm-Julio gets home so we chat about our day and what needs to be done (trash night)
10:30 pm-I get ready and go to bed.