We've Moved!

To all my loyal readers,

My Fam Bam Blog has moved....to WordPress!

I really want you all to move with me as I have revamped and reorganized the plans I have for my blog...Check it out!

Click here:

ISLA FAM BAM

or here:

http://islafamilia.wordpress.com/

See you on the other side :o)

Love ya,

Lucky Eleven

The New Year has officially turned over and 2011 is looking promising!! 2010 was a little rough around the edges. Changes galore...in things and people, new found friends and enhanced relationships with old ones, travel, reality checks...in things and in people, the list goes on. As most know, I always try to remain optimistic. What I do know about 2010 is that just as every other year....I continue to learn something new about myself. My life is spectacular as it is...I cannot complain! My kids are healthy, my marriage is strong, I am self satisfied, I save money, I am surrounded by a family of friends that I adore, the relationship with my FL family is stronger than ever, and I am nice. What I have learned is what makes that better. Experiences in life allow us to grow and change, and again...learn.

Like for example, in 2010

I learned that staples in your head are not easily removed by a suture removal kit.

I learned that German landlords will shower you with wine and baked goods until their old house becomes a hazardous cesspool of mildew, and then they just want to sue us all.

I learned that Italy has the biggest mosquitoes on Earth.

I learned that a real friend can appreciate (without getting butt hurt) my honesty and opinions as I do theirs.

I learned that chorizo can also be tasty with my tomato/onion/bell pepper saute (thanks Ma).

I learned that being nice doesn't mean I should be used.

I learned that softball really is my fourth child.

I learned that my career goals are starting to steer me down another path that I wasn't expecting.

I learned that friends can sometimes really treat you better than Family...because the ones I bring into my life are Family, too.

I learned that Plantar's Faschitis is some low rent, old age creeper symptom.

I learned that sibling rivalry is normal....even for my crazy kids, no matter the age gap.

I learned that a vasectomy requires a lot more post op work than I had imagined ;o)

I also learned that Ipads ROCK!

Of course there are other things I learned...some more important than others. So as everyone is making their resolutions and tapping into the changes they want to make for 2011...remember that changes like this happen everyday, not just in January. I resolve to keep the flow! To be open to life's experiences and to learn from them. This is what continues to make me a better person.

With that said...I still need to lay off the fried hot wings and boiled peanuts in 2011.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Christmas Fun!!!

The Holidays are a time where people feel a lot of emotions and those emotions stem from a lot of different reasons....there's anything from joy, love, faith, warmth, remembrance, generosity, enlightenment, to ...worry, anxiety, sorrow, anger, desperation, misery, and even crazed. I've never met a person who hasn't experienced those feelings during the Holidays at some point. My Family alone has covered most of these in just one season, I think. The question is...when do we move past all that and simply ENJOY the Holiday?? Does it just continue in normal/abnormal cycles throughout generations? This post is dedicated to that of which we strive for...being happy during the Holidays. I have a lot to be thankful for...most of which is a direct result from be being old on it now and realizing that if I were to leave Earth tomorrow...all the petty stuff would be insignificant. To all my loved ones who know how dysfunctional their Families can be (Holidays or not)...can I get an AMEN??!! Here is my gift to all my readers...a little Christmas Fun!!

I hope this makes you smile...and paints the picture of what joy should look like!

Christmas Eve...and cookies

Reindeer Food time

Christmas morning...

Stockings...

While we were loading up for the in-laws' house, a bird tried to move into our garage...what's a Holiday without an Animal Kingdom takeover?

Gifts & Cheers!!

Even these two get it right during the Holidays :o)

You should always do a finishing dance move if you are wearing a tutu...

He melts my heart...

Lookout Project Runway...

Go G-Pa!

Cubano Mafia...ahem

Every mom needs to be organized...

WOOT! Momma's got a brand new bag :o)

P.S. My kids ROCK...if this doesn't make you fall out, you have issues!








Hope everyone had a most fabulous Holiday...and remember, keep smiling through the New Year!!

Love ya,

Happy Holidays!

It's Sunday and I am in one of the best moods I have been in in a long time. I'm usually pretty happy go lucky anyway, but today I am just oozing with Holiday spirit and excitement.

Reason #1: I'm sure it has a lot to do with Big George coming to visit and Alex making his way back to D-land this coming week. Oh, and my birthday on Wednesday...I keep forgetting, a usual occurrence every year. It's gonna be bittersweet for all of us to be back together again...and I am going to try my best to make it a "fun" time for everyone :o)

Reason #2: Last night was JD's #1 fan night at Beauty and the Beast. He had so many people there to cheer him on, thanks to all that came out! I have a separate post with video that I am gonna write after I splice the movie. He did FANTASTIC!! And I cried like a baby...his entrance and the first song always gets me.

Reason #3: I am thisclose to being done with my shopping...which is always a nice feeling. I have a few loose ends to tie up, but overall...I am done!

Soooo, the point of this post is to say HAPPY HOLIDAYS! If you're not in the mood, or feeling mad about the long lines and crazy traffic, or if you are buried under 8 feet of snow...remember, it's the most wonderful time of the year!!!

Now, tell me that doesn't make you smile :o)

and well, if that doesn't maybe this will....

Be Merry!!!

Two Teenagers and a Microphone

Well, as Run DMC and JMJ put it...

My kids are creeping up the growth chart quick-like! I am now in between two teenagers and a preschooler (ya'll got to pray for me).

JD is 13!!!

Our first December birthday has come and gone and my J-dle Deedle has officially crossed into teen mode. I was super excited to see him embrace this age and he has done so without a hitch. I can't kiss on him anymore, or talk to him about when he used to watch teletubbies, or even ask him if he's growing hair in certain places...hmmm, I guess being a teenager is super standard across the board. We celebrated on Friday (his actual day) by making his favorite food next to cheeseburgers...pizza. Then we followed him to Beauty and the Beast rehearsals (I was kinda bummed he had to "work" on his b-day, but he didn't seem to mind and besides, opening night was a week away, YIKES). The whole cast and crew sang to him at the end though, so it was nice for him :o) He also opened up his presents from us and from G-Pa. You can never go wrong with a DVD, books, and Legos...G-Pa amped it up with a nice young man's watch.

I also did my new ritual of birthday wishes in lights by posting a shout-out on the base marquee! He was shocked and it stayed up all weekend long!! (and NO, I did not purposely make my name all caps...just sayin')

The next day, George took him and a couple friends to go see the new Harry Potter movie as his birthday outing. I don't really DO Harry Potter, so I stayed back and got everything ready for the cake and Singstar after party.

There were two cakes and one said Happy Birthday and the other said 13 JD, hee hee! A party just isn't a party unless JD whoops some a$$ in Singstar...which his father graciously accepted in defeat.




Once that was out of the way, the presents and cake made their way into the party and things started to get interesting :o)







He got money and a gift card from our friends Amee & Theresa and their fams which was awesome because he loves to buy his own stuff. Thanks so much guys...





And then Aunt Rhea gave him something I'm sure he had been wanting for a long time...

OH WAIT...YOU JUST RICK ROLL'D ON YOUR BIRTHDAY!!!!

OMG....so if you had any idea how hilarious this was, you would be totally crying. A few weeks ago, Rhea and I had been at the thrift store and stumbled upon some classic pop cassette tapes that I swear I owned all of at one point in my life...to include Rick Astley. Little did I know that she was planning on rick-rolling JD on his birthday!! The look on his face was priceless...the look on everyone else's face was exactly the same!! Rhea and I were cracking up...practically on the floor...and meanwhile, JD says "Why do I need this tape recorder?" (insert the tears) It was like me 25 years ago with 8-track tapes...TOO MUCH!







But, he sat there and semi-smiled with his Rick Astley cassette and said thank you for his gift...(insert proud mommy). Right after the pic, Rhea handed him his real gift (Megamind on Wii) and he just giggled. What a trooper!



Thanks so much to everyone that helped make JD's birthday a success and sent their wishes across the miles...we love ya!!




I think he had a great time this year and it blows my mind that I now have TWO teenagers...where do all those years go?? Before I know it, Teage will be in kindergarten next year and Saige will be visiting college campuses. Gosh, I feel so old! Speaking of...I better go and rest my ailing foot and joints.

Thanks for looking...

Closing out November...with the Quickness!

Is it me or did November just slip me a roofie?

The last thing I remember is buying a bunch of candy and then ripping down my Halloween decor. Next thing I know it's three days ago and I'm waking up to a pile of recipes and turkey feathers flying out of my mouth...AND that frickin' holiday music blaring on every store speaker ever made. Nobody appreciates being date raped by November...just sayin'.

Needless to say, Thanksgiving came and shook me up by reminding me that I have pretty much ZERO time until Christmas! Insert snow!!! Our first snow came on Thanksgiving day....and I am pretty sure we are going to have a crazy winter. Pretty early to be snowing here...but the first snow is absolutely beautiful in its own right. Check out my snowy commentating...

The holiday was nice this year...all the fixins, Family, guests, shopping, and a game night. As everyone knows, I had the major feat of cooking a full on meal. George doesn't cook anything except fried eggs and spaghetti (both of which I commend and eagerly pass on to him any chance I get)...Saige will help with some cooking, if it fits in to her social schedule....so that pretty much leaves it up to me, which I have gotten used to after 15 years I guess :o) Geo invited some single Soldiers over, but only one ended up showing up. The only thing is he showed up 15 minutes early. Normally I would be ok with that...had I not had 15 large rollers in my hair and no make-up on...sigh. Not to mention George left him downstairs for me and the boys to entertain while he showered...double sigh. Real is what you get with this familia...love it or leave it, LOL. Teage, however, was dressed to the nines and really got into it this year. What a STUD!!!

The food was phenomenal....the best being the homemade rolls and homemade gravy, of course. Check out the spread...

The next day (Black Friday), I had to work my subcontracting job while G took the kids "shopping". All I know is I got a call about 2pm FYI-ing me that he was doing some serious spending...hmmmm. All of which I wasn't allowed any intel on. *GRIN*

We spent the rest of the weekend with the Jefferson's, who came up for some nestor time. We always have so much fun and this weekend was no exception. It was TJ's birthday so we did some wine/Park bonding before heading out to the club on base for a bit. The next day we headed out to the Exchange and then the Frohes Fest (Christmas market) downtown for the first time this season. Besides the frost bitten toes and ears, it was just what I needed to cap off the Holiday. The hot chocolate and gluhwein (warm spiced wine) flowed and the smell of roasted candied nuts filled the air. I am now fully armed to tackle December and all its wrath. Can't wait to venture to the neighboring markets during the next month...

Mini Chocolate Cameras?? Oprah needs to put this on her favorite things...

We hope everyone had a great Holiday weekend like we did! Missing all my Family and peeps across the miles...but I am THANKFUL our love extends all around the globe to so many people.

Thank you for being a part of our lives...and as always, thanks for looking :o)

Love ya,