Fall Traditions

In case I haven't mentioned it before, I HEART FALL.

I heart the smell.
I heart the sound.
I heart the feel.
I heart the taste.

Fall is a sensory overload and I seriously can't get enough of it.

I believe my affinity for this specific season can be attributed to Mama Dirt and her sense of tradition. I was raised in a family that went apple picking every year the leaves began to change. We would watch football every Friday night, cook hot dogs over an open fire in the backyard, and engage in the sport of competitive pumpkin carving. I thank you, Mama Dirt, for making the time to let us breathe in the brisk fall air for I now get to share those experiences with new generations.

Unfortunately, I was unable to attend this year's apple picking trip with Huracan and his little bean burrito offspring, but the pictures I received via text message let me be a part of the action. It was reported that Beans was quite the determined little picker as she huffed and puffed and tugged at each apple within reach. Mama Dirt was forced to purchase more than a couple bushels as the stubborn Beans would just not quit. She will make a faithful employee someday. I love that girl to pieces.

This past weekend, CareBear, Titty Baby, Pebbles, Officer Bob, and I loaded up in the trusty blaze and made the trip to the orchard. The King and Niepoetter families completed our happy little caravan. We ventured out early Sunday morning. It would have been early Sunday morning had church not forced yours truly to hold up the trip. My tardiness was forgiven as there is obviously no competing with the Big Guy upstairs. In my absence from Pebbles lately, I have earned a new name. Her father has convinced Pebbles that I am "Brown Bear". Cute, huh? Yeah.....I didn't think so either. I guess there are worse things to which I could be compared. You know the saying - "Better to be a Brown Bear than a Titty Baby!"

Highlights from the trip include the following:

• Even at 8 months pregnant, CareBear is a fearless full of energy Mama.
• I love other people's kids (most of the time). The cuteness is overwhelming.
• Other people's kids are even cuter when they call me Mrs. Febuh.
• Pebbles is an independent woman who can not and will not be contained to being carried in single file lines. She needs to be given the freedom to fly on her own terms. Even if these terms mean riding on the footrest of a stroller in a very crowded orchard market.
• Officer Bob's friends are quietly funny. Just like him. It makes me happy.
• I don't like llamas. (Sorry Tina.) I just don't see the draw in these spitting smelly animals nor do I want to pay 25 cents to feed them tiny green pellets. Gross.
• I need to kick the habit of forgetting my camera when engaging in family traditions. These memories need to be captured.  
• Pumpkin picking is the perfect activity for an independent two year old ready to make grown up decisions like big pumpkin vs. wittle pumpkin. In case you were wondering, wittle pumpkin won.
• Titty Baby and I have the same sense of humor and we will always be funny. Always.

Officer Bob and I finished the weekend by watching football and drinking hot chocolate. Love.

"Autumn - the year's last, loveliest smile." - William Cullen Bryant

P.S. I am contemplating enrolling in PSLAA (Pumpkin Spice Latte Addicts Anonymous) Who's with me?

Feliz Navidad

From mi familia a tu familia..........

 

THE DIVA AND SUPER ADORABLE ONE

 

 

THE PRETTY AND EMOTIONAL ONE

 

 

THE SMART AND ATHLETIC ONE

"The Golden Child"

 

 

 THE BROWN AND PEPPY ONE

 

 

THE WHITE AND FUNNY ONE

 

 

 THE TALL AND UNPREDICTABLE ONE

 

 

AND ONE HECKUVA GOOD LOOKING BUNCH

OF MISFITS!

 

Merry Christmas from my family to yours.

 

 

 

A Belated Birthday for Beans

Keep in mind the party was only 6 days belated, but my poor excuse for blogging is what caused the 12 day delay. :)

Due to geographical location, the Casa de Bob family was unable to party with Beans on the 1 year anniversary of her birth. However, the Belated Beans Birthday was well worth the wait, and my little burrito of a niece was quite the firecracker. This would be no surprise if you have met either one of the poor girl's grandmothers. :)

In order to make the mess slightly more manageable, it was decided that Beans would receive ONE chocolate cupcake for surviving ONE year of direct care by her father. This child could just not contain her excitement at the site of the deliciousness in front of her.

However, the excitement quickly turned to fear/confusion when a room full of Mexicans started singing to the scared child. She better get used to it as I'm sure our family Mariachi band has already booked gigs for future birthday celebrations. 

The confusion soon subsided and attention was again focused on the task at hand. Eat. Chocolate. I never knew so many emotions could be involved in eating a cupcake, but Beans has proven that the art of Cupcake Consumption is quite an emotional journey.

And of course, you could not turn away from the magic. Beans made sure to reiterate that she was indeed the center of attention.

 

Cupcakes were followed with clean-up and the Belated Beans Birthday was concluded by the annual tradition of the presents. Her favorite was obviously her Uncle Officer Bob and Aunt Big Boca Bob's gift - if you define favorite as the gift we forced her to put on and parade around the house. Raise your hand if you are going to be the cutest flower girl in the history of flower girls?! (tied with Pebbles of course)

 

FELIZ CUMPLEANOS, BEANS!

The past year flew by, and you are no longer Daddy's little baby. You are a diva full of attitude who has mastered the art of the "don't mess with this chicana" glare. This makes me proud - but could you do me a favor? Hold off on growing up TOO fast? I want to make these moments last.

 

P.S. Beans was also kind enough to share her fiesta with her second favorite Mexican aunt. (Sorry Dancing Queen but the truth hurts.) TWENTY cupcakes for the TWENTY year old.

 

 

And all de-flamed in one breath. She. Is. Good.

 

I must admit that I'm really loving all the family time I have been getting lately. I feel so spoiled getting to watch my little nieces grow, and it makes my heart happy knowing my time in doing so has just started. This is Officer Bob and I's 8th Christmas together, and the FIRST time we will get to spend it with BOTH sides of the family TOGETHER.  I am extremely grateful for the oppotunity to be surrounded by loved ones during this holiday season. It's a dysfunctional group to say the least, but it's our family.

 

 



Livin' La Vida Loca

WARNING:

The following post is long. Very long.

It should be about 5 separate posts.

BUT

this is proof that I haven't just been sitting around on my lazy bum waiting for something fabulous or funny or completely ridiculous to happen in my life so I could write about it. My life over the past month has been fabulous, funny, and completely ridiculous, and I am just now recovering from it all.

Life Event #1

Small yet Eventful Bachelorette Party in Arizona

We were cute.

(in all the pictures early in the evening)

 But after a few pitchers of adult beverages,

all photogenic qualities went right out the window.

And apparently so did all proper decision-making skills

and abilities to differentiate between appropriate and non-appropriate

ways to act in public areas.

Exhibit A:

Big Boca Bob's extremely unneccessary

"Baby Got Back" choreography.

(although you have to admit, the piano is an exceptional prop)

Exhibit B:

Big Boca Bob's poor decision to remove her bra

and place said bra on the piano player's head.

(Sorry Mama Dirt)

Exhibit C:

Big Boca Bob's constant proclamation

that she "shared a moment" with the piano player.

(he was practically seducing me with his eyes - I swear!)

Exhibit D:

Best Friend/Bridesmaid unable to stand

straight up in elevators.

BUT still able to pull of rockstar poses

in all pictures

And concluding with Exhibit E:

Finding a rock hard kitchen floor as the

most comfortable sleeping quarters for the evening.

(even the dogs couldn't handle it)

So.......what's the best cure for an overwhelming bachelorette hangover?

A little Bailey's in your morning coffee of course!

 And a trip to Margartitaville early in the morning when the sun is shining VERY bright into your squinting eyes amplifying the pounding in your head and instigating nausea.

Followed by mimosas by the pool

(obviously)

And capped off with Bailey's milkshakes in the hot tub.

(DUH!)

Phew!

A whirlwind of a weekend

with some pretty great friends

making some pretty sweet memories.

The end.

Life Event #2

A 6.5 mile tortorous hilly race with two of my three favorite siblings.

(And one pretty cute cheerleader)

Aaron Rodgers? - check!

State Farm Agent? - check!

Discount Double Check Guy? - discount double check!

Trying running for an hour wearing a wedge of cheese on your head.

I had to have burned at least 300 extra calories just trying to keep that thing on.

Remember that cute cheerleader I mentioned?

I honestly was just about as happy to cross the finish line of this race

as I was to cross the finish line after my marathon.

Springdale Cemetary = 2.Many.Hills

 Life Event #4

Halloween.

Beans.

Oompa Loompa.

Adorbs.

The end.

Life Event #5

A fun-filled weekend sleepover with my favorite little Mexican niece.

And just like Pebbles,

Beans likes her Uncle Officer Bob better.

Heart is crushed.

Until I look at pictures like this.

 How can you not smile at that face?

Now.......

you may be asking yourself,

Where was Officer Bob while I was off enjoying life?

Two words.

Video Games.

Beans Be Goin' For da Gold!

The athleticism of  her parents has been inherited.

which is evident by the video I received last night via text message from her beaming father.

(who also seems to think Beans calls him by name.....
Tia Big Boca Bob isn't convinced)

The journey to the gold medal podium at the 2022 Olympic Games has started.
The sport of choice, however, is still up for debate.

Unfortunately for her parents,
I'm afraid all of this attention may be going to her head.....

"Oops! Did I just pull myself up?"

"Whatchoo know 'bout bein' a rockstar?"

"Now get me some mo' juice, Pops!"



Diva status has escalated.

Good luck with this one Mama B and Huracan!

Beans Finds Her Voice

Let's take a look at the women that proceed this talkative little chicana:

1. Mama B
2. Naked Nana
3. Mama Dirt
4. Big Boca Bob
5. Dancing Queen

Is it really any surprise that Baby Beans can hold a full conversation at the age of 10 weeks?

I think not.

Sorry, Huracan, but for your little offspring, blabbering is somewhat second nature.

Don't act like you didn't know what you were getting yourself into.

P.S. Is Beans not like the cutest baby you've ever seen? I mean really.......

Heart = Melting!

I Think I'm In Love

MEMORABLE MOMENTS FROM MY

SLEEPOVER WITH BEANS

• Observing a new father devote his time to caring for a precious baby girl.

• Watching that same father bond with his daughter over yet ANOTHER Bears loss!

• Snuggling with possibly the smallest human being I have ever held in my arms.

• Listening to the story telling talents of the Naked Nana

(Proven by an e-mail I received today explaining the events that led to this blog moniker. Quite possibly one of the FUNNIEST e-mails ever written by a one-armed woman under the influence of several mind-altering drugs)

• Performing a Christmas photo session with one of Santa's littlest elves.

• Watching a new father kinda sorta successfully accomplish his daughter's nighttime bath.

•  Laughing hysterically at the sight of a squeaky clean Beans with a sad case of what we like to call "CareBear Hair"

• Giving my undivided attention to my niece 

•  While making sure to spend quality time with her jealous older brother.

• BUT OBVIOUSLY  SOAKING UP EVERY POSSIBLE MINUTE WITH 6 POUNDS OF GENUINE INNOCENCE.

This little family will never be the same.

Thank you, Beans, for bringing magic to our lives.