Perfect

For some strange reason, as I was heading off to bed tonight, this overwhelming feeling came over me. Total contentment. Instead of telling myself "tomorrow is going to be a better day", or "urgh, I have so much to do!" or any of the other things that usually enter into my head at the end of the day...I felt completely satisfied. With life.
I am really happy with where my life is. I am happy with who I married and with the little kids that we brought into this world. And as much as I sometimes dwell on the fact that I never wanted to be a stay-at-home mom, I feel that I am where I need to be at this moment in my life.
I try hard at everything I do, even though I am not always successful. I know now that I need to accept that I am not perfect and that makes me "me." My personal growth, while it may seem insignificant to most, is something that I strive for. And at the end of the day, as I look around, my husband and my kids love me unconditionally. And it is because of them that I continue to strive. And it is because of them that my heart swells up. And that is about as perfect as it gets.

Viva Las Vegas!

WoW! What a trip! Tony and I went on a much needed vacation without the kiddos to Las Vegas this week with his brother Dominick and his girlfriend (Ms. Vegas herself!) Phyllis. And since I forgot my camera I will have to improvise. So to give you a visual....here they are!


After traveling with Dom and Phyllis there is no way we can ever go to Vegas again without them. Everything was 1st class all the way. So in a nutshell here was our trip....

After picking us up in a limo we headed to dinner at Maggiano's where we enjoyed Italian food and champagne. We then were shown our suite at the MGM Grand hotel. And let me tell you, it was spectacular!


After changing into our Vegas clothes (can you believe that I even own "Vegas" clothes?) we went straight to the front of the line at Tabu nightclub. There we danced and drank the night away until the wee ours of the morning!


The next morning I actually felt pretty decent. Considering my alcohol tolerance isn't the best since I started having kids I was surprised that when I got up I was still pretty perky. Maybe it was the fact that I woke up on my own and not to the sounds of little ones asking me for breakfast. Maybe it was the 100% Colombian coffee. I felt invincible! That is until the afternoon. I must have still been drunk in the morning because as the day worn on I wasn't feeling so hot. But I rebounded nicely after doing a little window shopping and lounging by the pool for a bit.

That evening we joined some of Dom & Phyllis's business associates at The Palm for drinks and appetizers and then went to see Celine Dion at the opening night of her new show. All I know is that after 15 years together, it wasn't until that night, March 15th, 2011, that I really knew how much Tony loves me. It was sheer torture for him. All of the ballads, the French accent and the wardrobe changes were enough to put him over the edge. About every 20 minutes he headed back to the bar. He looked like he was having as much fun as I envision a vasectomy to be. But he sat through it like a champ. Took one for the team so to speak. And I love him for it. The highlight of the concert was a surprise appearance by Stevie Wonder. All in all it was very fun (for me.)


WAY too many drinks that night. Let's skip to the next day.

We went to the outlet mall and did some SHOPPING! For as many bags as we had you would have thought we spent thousands. But we actually did pretty well. Tony of course bought more than I did. Which I always find funny considering he is either wearing his uniform or Carhartt gear. But I made up for it that evening when I indulged on the most expensive handbag that I have ever bought. It makes me smile. And I love it. So it was worth every penny!



Our only celebrity citing was Rosie O'Donnel who Tony called Rosanne Barr. Close enough T. So that was the trip. It was fabulous. A big thank you to Dom & Phyllis for going with us and treating us to such a special time. We had a blast!

BFF

Last weekend my BFF from high school came to visit from Denver. I have known Jen since we met freshman year in Mr. Boerner's English class in 1993. I had known of her prior to that when rumor had it that she had stabbed my boyfriend in the arm during a fight in middle school. That's right...we were destined to be best friends!

She arrived late Friday night which also happened to be Tony's 32nd birthday. Fortunately we had a babysitter booked, dinner reservations planned and lots of great friends to join us for the festivities! After a fabulous meal at Yanni's, we headed to Imbibe for a quick drink and then off to Q Bar for some more drinks and dancing. We ran into another firefighter there and after a playful wrestling match between he and Tony OUR party was asked to leave. I am sure that it didn't help that everyone in his party was 5'5" or shorter and everyone in our party was 5'7" or taller. I swear, big people can't catch a break. Even though we were asked to leave, everyone from both sides came back to our house for a little after party of burgers on the grill and pinball playing. It was a blast!

Over the course of the weekend Jen and I had many, many great talks about life, love, friendship and about what it means to be a woman in today's society. We are very similar but have chosen different paths in life (at least up to this point.) She joined the Army right out of high school, saw different countries and started a career as a RN. I went to college, started a career and then became a stay-at-home mom. She is getting ready to be married in June and by then I will have been married 7 years. She is conflicted between wanting to have kids and wanting to travel the world...which I am as well. OK, just kidding. No matter where life takes us I know that we will always be BFFs. Our friendship is just that easy.

We also managed to fit in a quick trip to Santa Fe. She had never been and I had never been without Tony so it was fun. And the kids were AMAZING! It was like they knew that I was going to lock them in the closet if they acted up or something. A perfect day!

The only downfall of the weekend was that I didn't take a single picture! So instead I will add a few "old school" pics of Jen and I.


Our High School Yearbook Photo When We Were Voted "Thelma & Louise"


Prom 1997 (Look How Young T Looks!)


My 21st Birthday


My 30th Birthday

Oh man, the stories that we could tell. I need to write them down so that I don't forget...then bury it somewhere where no one will find it! XOXOXOXO Jenny!

Field Tripping

Another Valentine's Day has come and gone...this one spent mourning our beloved Zeus. In case anyone is wondering I have finally stopped crying and have gotten to a place where I can talk (and think)about him without becoming a total basket case. Cienna celebrated with a fun filled day at school, including a special note from mom & dad.



The weekend after Valentine's Day we had a house guest. Tony and I both met Danny in the 6th grade. He tells a very funny story how when he came half way through the 6th grade year from Texas, he had a crush on me. Another classmate of ours asked him if he was looking at me in class and he said yes...only to then be told that I was "bad news" because I was Tony Mazotti's girlfriend. I think what he meant to say was that Tony Mazotti was bad news! Funny that we can all talk and laugh about things like that now. We played Ghettopoly (yes that is a real game!) and dominoes for much of the weekend and talked about the good ol' days. It was a lot of fun!

Danny and "Bad News"

Today I escorted Cienna's class on their 1st field trip of the school year. We went to none other than Albuquerque Fire Station #3! After a quick tour of the station and then an adorable talk about fire safety, Tony showed the kids his bunker gear and they all got to sit on the fire truck. It was so much fun and I think that everyone had a great time!

Question & Answer Period


Firefighter Tony Showing His Fire Outfit


Learning "Stop, Drop & Roll"


Giving Tony a Big Thank You Hug

With another field trip planned for next week, it sure does make me happy that I am able to stay at home with my kids. Each and every year, life gets a little more interesting (and crazy!)

Zeus

Dear Zeus,

I remember the day that we picked you up from the Denver airport. It was September 25, 2002 and your dad and I drove 7 hours in a rented van, spent the night in the shabbiest hotel that money could buy and waited countless hours the next day for your little crate to arrive from South Africa. After freeing you from customs, we loaded you up and started the drive back to ABQ. We were in love. You were perfect in every way, although we thought that you were a little too skinny so we nicknamed you "Ribsy."

September 25, 2002

On the drive home, we stopped at a gas station so that you could use the "facilities." After making it abundantly clear that you were not the type of dog to pee or poop in a concrete parking lot you jumped back in the van, onto the passengers seat and proceeded to take a dump right there. All I can say is thank God it was a rental car!
Throughout the years you have given us so much joy and companionship. Our motto was if we couldn't do it with you we wouldn't do it at all! You were the absolute light of our life and we wanted to share it with the world!


Merry Christmas 2003

You taught us what having kids would be like before we ever had them. I realized pretty quickly that when Tony and I did have kids he would not be the one to wake up with them. In fact, not only did you ALWAYS come to my side of the bed at night to let you out, but after a while you would even trick me into getting up, start sleep walking to the back door, only to realize that you were not behind me and instead had jumped into my side of the bed!
You also taught us that kids can have a mischievous side (but you still love them anyway.) Like the time that you flooded the house after playing tug-o-war with the garden hose. And when the workers came to repair the damage they were terrified of you after you stuck your head through the hole in the wall for the pellet stove pipe and growled at them. Or maybe it was the fact that you were running around the yard swinging the propane tank from your mouth that scared them?
Speaking of scared, don't think that just because they were strangers that that's why they were scared of you! I remember the time that dad was on a hunting trip and you sat and growled at me for like 20 minutes. So what if you were only 12 weeks old and weighed all of 35lbs? I was scared to move! When I put you in your crate you started whimpering and wining so of course I let you out and do you remember what you did? You started eating staples that dad left on the garage floor and growled at me more, only this time with staples hanging out of your mouth! I was terrified of you and crying and calling Tony and do you know what he told me? "He is a puppy! Put him on his back and pin his arms back and tell him who is boss!" And that is exactly what I did. I was never scared of you again from that day forward.


How Could Anyone Be Scared Of This Guy?

Remember our hunting trip? When we put you in our friend's camper and I guess you got scared or must have heard something and decided to shred the entire camper and jump 8ft to the ground? Of course our friend thought a bear had attacked his truck and demanded to know who was going to pay for the damage...and all I cared about was that you were safe. In fact, you hadn't even left the camp site. You were cowarding in front of the truck hoping not to be in trouble. Having you safe was well worth the $700 bill.

And how could I forget the 1st time that you got out of the yard? We actually didn't have a clue, and stayed out until 1am having a grand ol' time. When we pulled up to the house it was storming like crazy and the gate was flapping in the wind. We were shocked and thought "oh my God! You got out!" But as we pulled into the driveway there you were...sitting on the front porch, in the pouring rain, just waiting for us to get home. Apparently the neighbors had seen you out for hours, just roaming the front yard but you were a little too intimidating to approach. Little did they know that all they had to do was put you in the backyard with their dog and you would have been happy as a clam.


Strutting Your Stuff

In 2005 you became a brother. Tonka Maria was introduced into your life and from that day forward we could never be sure if you were happy about this or just plain pissed. Either way, you took it in stride and you were a great big brother. You played with her, wrestled, allowed her to chew on your ears and tug at the loose skin on your neck. Your patience was truly impressive.


But every once in a while you let her know who was boss. That was what was great about you Zeus. You were always the biggest dog on the block but you were a gentle giant. And you never had to prove a thing.


I guess that I could go on and on and on about all of the great memories that you have left us with. They will continue to play on in my head like a highlight reel...one after another after another. We could not have asked for a better, kinder, more loyal, handsome or loving dog in the entire world. Thank you for being part of our family for the last 8 1/2 years. Thank you for still loving us even when life and kids and jobs and responsibilities got in the way at times. Thank you for teaching us what true love truly is. Even though it hurts for us to say goodbye to you we know that you are in a better place and that we will see you again...and daddy will say "What's up the Moosers, up, up!" and pat his chest and I will say "Zeuser Moose, give me a kiss!"







R.I.P. 7.7.02 - 2.10.11

In-Laws, Icicles and Other Odds and Ends

A little over a week ago the unspeakable happened...my in-laws made the move from gorgeous and sunny Walnut Creek, CA to dusty and rustic Bernalillo, NM. It is still hard to believe that they are really here! Just 10 years ago we were all sitting in Walnut Creek sending out game film to potential recruiters and we made the comment that we could never move to Albuquerque...none of us knew how to spell it! And now here we all are, residing in the Land of Enchantment. What a difference a decade makes!
Tony drove back to CA to help the folks pack up all of their worldly possessions and then a caravan ensued...with his mom and dad, grandmother and middle brother. After two days and lots of bathroom breaks they crossed into NM and then the real fun began! We had lots of dinners at our house and celebrated both Cienna's and Mimi's b-days. Finally my dreams have (almost)come true. Now if we could just convince my mom to move here too!


918 Evening Primrose


Many Mazottis

It was a not-so-perfect week to move as Mimi does not like the cold...and I think that today is one of the coldest days that I have ever spent in ABQ. It reminds me more of the weather at Wolf Creek than NM. Lots of snow and ice and WIND...burrrrrr!


Beautiful Icicles

We have been on round the clock watch with Zeus recently. His breathing is getting more rapid, his appetite is barely there and overall we can tell that he is struggling. We went to get a second opinion regarding his health this week and the news was good but not great. The good news is that a) we did not have to put him down and b) there is a possibility that he has a fungus growing inside of his lungs that he would have contracted 4 years ago when we lived in Texas. The reason that it is good news is because it is treatable...expensive, but treatable. The bad news is that the only other thing that it can be is either heart disease or lymphoma cancer...neither of which would be good. So we had some more blood work done and will know more as of Friday (hopefully.) We are constantly watching his breathing and the color of his gums to make sure that he is getting enough oxygen. And basically I am crying every day at the thought of losing him.


My 1st Born Zeus - 2002

In more upbeat news, AJ got his cast off! He actually giggled as they took an electric saw and removed the cast...the vibration either tickled or he really enjoyed wearing the ear protection. It took him a little over a day to figure out that he could bend his leg again and a week later he still moves a little like Frankenstein. But boy is he enjoying his baths again!
Cienna has been enjoying having her grandparents close, practicing her singing, song writing and guitar playing and overall been a very good girl. And this makes me very happy....


The Future Taylor Swift?

We are (hopefully) heading up to the cabin this weekend if the weather permits. It has been too long and I am really looking forward to a lazy Superbowl Sunday!

Baby Girl

Our baby girl, better known as Cienna Elise, turned 4 years old today and boy was it crazy (fun.) Let me start by saying that I tried many, many times today to transport myself back 4 years to remember what it was like to become a mom for the 1st time. While my heart was bursting with emotion, the one thing that I kept remembering was the fact that 4 years ago I was laying in a hospital bed, having someone wait on me hand and foot and each and every time I wanted to go to sleep I simply pressed my "magic" button better known as liquid pain killers. It was heaven. They would bring Cienna in and we would nuzzle and I would inspect her and take in every bit of this new little person with the most gorgeous lips and then I would take a nap. The best. My life is a little different today. But it is great all the same. Just a little less inspecting and almost no resting!
The birthday celebration really started last night when we let Cienna pick ANY restaurant in Albuquerque that she wanted to go to. Her 1st choice was Mariscos Altamar, our favorite Mexican restaurant. But then doubt set in...She insisted that she must pick a restaurant that they would sing "Happy Birthday" to her. So after careful, careful consideration she stuck with her 1st choice, but only after we told her if they didn't sing to her we would take her out for ice cream too. Not only did she get sung "Happy Birthday" to, but some other VERY LONG song in Spanish. It was practically uncomfortable. The guy with the guitar was at our table for like 5 minutes straight. Cienna loved it (especially the sombrero) and so did AJ. But mom and dad were over it!


Then came the real birthday celebration. Cienna and 13 of her closest tiny friends saw magic tricks, received balloon art and got their faces painted by Huggs the Clown. After dining on chicken nuggets, lil' smokies, cheetos and fruit salad we wrapped up the party with presents and a cupcake cake. I for one am going to change things up a bit next year. I am going to have the cake at the beginning of the party instead of the end. Cienna was bouncing off the walls for the rest of the day and I am pretty sure she would have crashed and burned if I had fueled her with sugar at the start of the party!


The Birthday Girl


The Kiddos Feeling Huggs the Clown Out


It Took Lots of Tries (And I Think A Little Spit) To Get the Candles Out

I used the party as an excuse to get out my hot glue gun and put some of the gems that Tony got from a hauling job to good use. Cienna got a princess party hat and all of the guests received custom headbands. I am no longer responding to Alexis anymore. You can call me Martha Stewart (as long as it only involves using a glue gun.)



So another birthday has come and gone. Today she is 4. Tomorrow, 14. And by next Saturday she is going to be my age. It sure does fly. But we are loving every moment with our growing gal!