Our Weekend with a Scare

This weekend started with Friday being a wonderful smooth day! Thank goodness! It's been a long time coming!!
Saturday we met Mom and went to the park for a walk. The weather was/is supposed/is turning cold and wet so we wanted to catch up on some of the walking we've missed out on since Christmas. My Lena looked so pretty and I wanted to try to snap a couple of pictures of her in her last days as a 9 year old.

My CC was just as beautiful as always. It's hard to snap any pictures of her because she and Luigi are always so far ahead of us. sigh...it must be nice to be skinny!

Mom wanted us to go over to her house and visit a bit but I had been planning to make homemade flautas all week and we were all hungry. It took a while and CC helped me but my goodness it was worth it! They were the BEST flautas ever!! Seriously...the best!

Today I had a pretty big scare. Mom texted me to see if I was going to church. I replied right back that I was just about to ask her the same thing. I got no response. Nothing. For hours! She didn't answer her cell phone, home phone or texts. I called my sister and she hadn't talked to Mom all day today either. I called her neighbor and he said her car was gone and she wasn't answering the door. I was freaking out! Mom calls me if she just goes to Wal-Greens to pick up medicine and she didn't call me to tell me she was going anywhere! I was so nervous. I loaded up the car and was driving over to her house when she called and told me she didn't hear back from me after her text this morning and she went to church with out me. I felt soooo much better!

Lisa invited me and the girls to go see Little Fockers. It. Was. Hilarious!!! We laughed so hard!! It was so funny... Papa Bear wants to go see it now and I definitely wouldn't mind seeing it again! Papa Bear called as we were walking out and reminded me that he wanted some movie nachos. So while I ran in to get them Lisa snapped these pictures of the kids....

Not great quality but it's all we had!! After the movie we went over and visited Mom for a while. I rubbed some of the knots in her leg and showed her some stretches to help loosen her muscles. Then we girls came home and I made rice with tortilla encrusted tilapia. Sooo good!! The weather is getting colder and I love it!!

Right now the girls are in bed, Papa Bear is finished working for the night and I just want to go snuggle up with him and watch TV.

Yuri's 60th @ Meson European Restaurant

Saturday Emil and I were invited to celebrate Yuri's 60th birthday at Meson European Restaurant. Emil and Yuri are very close...since Emil's father is not here, Yuri took Emil under his wing since he first came to America in 1993.
CC gave me a "poof" in my hair. I tried to get a picture but I cut off half of my face in the process!! Haha! For some reason the camera on my phone was not working well that night!
The restaurant was beautiful...and such elegant music was playing....

Everyone was having a great time...

(Arkadiy, Rita and Nella)

I ordered the New York Strip. It was honestly the best steak I have ever had in my life!
Lisa and I sat next to each other so we could talk....

And talk we did.... and take pictures....

We were drinking this. I've never had it before but it sure was good!!! Sweet and not dry!!

The table was set so nice and pretty. I loved the glow of these candles...

And here is the man of the hour giving his toast....thanking everyone for coming and being a part of this special occasion.

The boys, Papa Bear, Serg, Yuri, Arkadiy and Stas

My Papa Bear giving his toast to Yuri.... he was teary eyed and so was Stas

Stas...Lisa's husband...He is also very close to Yuri.

This was some of the art on one wall. The whole restaurant was covered in beautiful contemporary art! I wish I would have taken more pictures of them!

It was only AFTER I took this photo that I saw exactly which painting was "behind" me...

Me again... still talking to CC.

Our first course was salami's, deli meats, smoked salmon and a variety of delicious cheese. Next we had salad, then ravioli with this delicious creamy sauce. Our main entree was next. Then it was time for desert.

Our coffee was served with these cute silver creamers....

I ordered cream brulee. Papa Bear ordered tiramisu. The brulee was outstanding!!!

We had a great time! Originally Papa Bear and I were supposed to spend the rest of the evening together. However....his friends wanted to continue the party at the swimming pool. So he went that way and I went to my Mom to spend the night. I can't stand sleeping alone at home. It freaks me out!

Sunday we pretty much stayed in and relaxed. I didn't go home til the afternoon. Lately I have been having a hard time sleeping. I fall asleep around 4 in the morning and wake up every 20 or 30 minutes. I have a hard time falling back asleep. Finally I get frustrated and wake up for good around 7 or 8. Not fun...and it makes for a stressful next day.

I always hope that I will be so tired I will fall asleep at a decent hour and sleep through the night. It usually doesn't happen! However, Sunday night I did sleep well. Papa Bear woke me up early though. And last night again... it was around 3 before I fell asleep. I just don't know what's going on. I HATE it! I just want to sleep...

Girls Day Out with Lena

Saturday Lena and I had a small girls day out. Lisa was MOD at the Gunter. She called me and told me LaTricia was coming over and since Lena hadn't seen the hotel I should meet her over there, she would treat us to lunch. (Sorry Mom, I know I lied to you but I didn't want you to be mad I stayed so long there...I just needed that distraction after the horrible week we had!)

Since CC was with my mom, Lena and I headed over. My stomach still wasn't the best and I was afraid of eating but I grabbed my Sprite, which became my breakfast, lunch and dinner last week, and we took off. We went up to the third floor. Lisa told us to take the middle or third elevator because the first elevator is the one the security guards see a white mist coming out of at night. Yeah.... I won't be taking that one. So we went up to the third floor and waited in Lisa's office til LaTricia got there. Lisa was texting me that morning and telling me that office beside her, with the white blinds, is where ALOT of activity happens. Just that morning there was lots of banging around and noise. Lisa was the only person on the third floor...she told it to quite down and it did.
Once LaTricia came we headed down to the restaurant to have lunch. Usually there is a pasta and salad bar but on the weekend you just order from the menu. Lena had the Mediterranean salad. She loved it!

I had the tuna croissant. It was the BEST tuna I have ever had in my life!! (See my Sprite?)

Lisa had an Asian salad... it looked soooo good!!

And LaTricia had the Chicken Ceasar Salad....

LaTricia and Lisa

This is not a very good picture of me with Lena. We both look tired...we probably were but I wanted to put at least ONE picture of us on here.

LaTricia, Lisa and Lena. "The Stairs" behind them. Lena wanted to see the stairs but since it was the weekend no one was there to open it. All the meeting rooms were closed too so I promised Lena we would go back during the week so she can see that.

After a short tour (we wanted to get back to Mom and CC and I wasn't feeling to great) we grabbed desert at the hotel bakery and sat outside to eat it. The patio is just across from the Majestic Theatre. I look forward to going again when the weather gets cooler and just sitting out there and people watching!

And me... I don't know if I should have even put this on there. I look terrible!! But I'm keeping it real!! HAHA!

I had fun with Lena and I'm looking forward to spending more time with my precious little angel.
Believe me when I say she is such a fun little girl! I love her more and more each day. She has more energy that I've ever seen someone have in my life...but it makes her who she is. And I love that!!! I never got to see this side of her before when I worked so much. It's like I'm learning who she is all over again...and it is amazing!!!

Busy, Busy Weekend!!

This past weekend was non-stop busy!!
Friday during the day we cleaned house like mad women. I helped Lena in her room which was long overdue for a good cleaning. We were in there at least two hours and threw away two large trash bags full of junk! I found bags stuffed with clean folded clothes. They all were put on hangers. I also found tons of dirty clothes stuffed in corners, box, behind her door..you name it. You could really tell there was no mommy around for quite some time while I was working. I am slowly but surely getting things in order!

My friend Georgina invited me to her mothers house Friday afternoon to celebrate her mother getting her citizenship. She told me about it a couple of weeks ago but I forgot that it was this Friday. So after deliveries we rushed home, picked up some appetizers and roses and headed over to Dolores' house.
They hired a DJ with all Spanish karaoke. Needless to say I wasn't singing. But I had a great time watching everyone else sing and dance!

Gina, Dolores and Dolores' friend

Me and Gina

Alba (Gina's sister) and Nani singing...

My CC posing...

And there she is again....

Lena and my CC

My beautiful babies... they had so much fun!!

I really wasn't expecting to stay too long but we ended up having such a great time we didn't leave til midnight. Oh, and Dolores made my favorite..chicharonnes...they were exceptional!!!

Saturday we stayed in most of the day. The girls and I went to Sonic and then to a new model home. We had to come home early because it was Lisa's party that night. She had it at the Bean Sprout Chinese restaurant. Everything was sooooo good!

Here is Lisa, me and Christine.... I think you can tell by the picture that I was the only one not drinking...hahahaha!

We had Chinese buffet and some Russian salads and appetizers.

My beautiful Lena....

Papa Bear came and sat next to Lena. I siezed the opportunity to photograph them together.

Pictures of Papa Bear are rare...even more rare is him posing for a pic!!

CC and Jenny... they were running off all night giggling and gossiping. They both had great fun and now Jenny wants CC to go see Justin Bieber with her. GREAT!! I hope I don't have to chauffer...I will NOT enjoy that!!!

This was my fortune. I couldn't help but wonder if that has anything to do with my losing my job and maybe where I should go from here.....

Me outside...again...all these pictures were taken with my cell phone.

I need to break out my camera. Here is Lena and me!

Me again....

And me with CC

Papa Bear singing. I brought my karaoke machine but no one really sang except for the kids and Emil! Ha!!

Nick, Lena and Sergey acting silly!

LaTricia and me. I met LaTricia at one of Lisa's girls night in. She used to work with Lisa and she is just such a good person with a beautiful, good heart. I love her! I enjoy spending time with her just talking and catching up. I wish we could get together more often!

Lisa and LaTricia....

We left the party around 11:30. Came home and went to bed. The girls and I woke up early to go to the meeting Sunday morning and then we all had Mexican for lunch. I laid down and took nap. We did a quick cleaning of the house when I woke up, went to the library, came home and cooked tortilla encrusted talapia with steamed white rice and pickled asparagus. I had the girls in bed by ten.

After cleaning the kitchen yet again I laid down and went to bed.

I stayed up late preparing their homework.
Staying home has been very busy and non-stop. But I love it and wouldn't change it for the world!!!