That's Chacho's

We LOVE Chacho's! It's greasy, affordable, and just plain good (did I mention that it's greasy?). Not to mention that ordering food from Chacho's is always an experience (especially when we order through the drive-thru).

For instance, every time we order our meals we're never really sure what we're going to get. Opening our to-go containers is almost like opening a box of cereal and searching for the 1 out of 4 prize identified on the outside of the box. Remember how you felt as a kid? You always hoped for that one specific item, which sometimes you got and other times you didn't, but in the end you were happy because you always got a prize. That's our Chacho's experience.

I almost always order the 2 Beef Taco Plate. The plate always comes with 2 crispy beef tacos, rice, and some type of bean (I always order borracho but sometimes I receive refried). Then comes the mystery portion of my plate. Sometimes I receive guacamole, lettuce, and/or tomatoes, but I'm never certain which combination of the 3 I will receive until I open my container. Heck, I don't even know what's supposed to come in my plate because the items are so inconsistent, but fortunately the food is always spectacular! That's Chacho's for you!

Our Chacho's meals from Thursday. We both ordered 2 beef taco plates. My plate had lettuce, tomatoes, and guacamole; Jacob's was missing the tomatoes. Despite the variations, we both loved our meals. (I shared my tomatoes.)

Low performer...

Casper's job is simple.

1) Keep intruders away from the house.
2) Love us unconditionally.
3) Greet us when we come home.

As you can see, he's not fulfilling duty #3 of his job description.

Should we fire him?

Pizzaria Tijerina!

My sister gave us 4 personal deep dish pizza pans for Christmas this year and we finally tried them out 2 weekends ago...and then tested them again this weekend. Hmmm...should we quit our day jobs and go into the pizza business?

Catchin up...

We're slowly but surely catching up on all of the movies we've wanted to see over the last few years but didn't have/make time for.


This past weekend we watched "The Notebook." It was such a great movie! We can't believe we waited so long to see it.


Next on our list...


..."Wall-E." Hopefully it lives up to our expectations. :-)

2 Saturdays & 2 Breakfasts

Breakfast foods are my favorite types of food; I could eat them morning, noon, or night.

So, for Valentine's Day, Jacob took me to Nicavid's for breakfast. Nicavid's is a cozy cafe/bakery off Fredricksburg Rd. For breakfast on Saturdays, they offer an all-you-can-eat, made-to-order breakfast that includes, pancakes, french toast, omelettes, biscuits, gravy, sausage, bacon, and fresh fruit. We both had omelettes, pancakes, biscuits-n-gravy, bacon, and fruit. Plus, for Valentine's Day they even gave us 2 chocolate covered strawberries. Everything was delicious and I can't wait to go back to try some of they fresh baked pastries!

Then this past Satuday, Jacob took me to I-Hop to spend the I-Hop gift card I received from the DEO team as a going away gift (thank you DEO team!). Breakfast at I-Hop was as spectacular as usual! We each had a pancake combo. Jacob ordered his with the Harvest Nut-n-Grain pancakes and I ordered mine with the traditional buttermilk pancakes! The pancakes, eggs, bacon, and hashbrowns were declicious! Did I mention that I LOVE breakfast foods?

3 hours!!!!!

That's how long it took me to get home today! Yep, that's what happens when 1604 is shut down. It took me 20 min. to get to the traffic jam and then another 2 hrs and 40 mins to get out of it. Gotta love those "large objects" that hit the underside of overpasses. Did the driver really think that the bridge got taller?

Taking it too far...

A few pictures in a suit was all we needed...

before I knew it, it turned into an all-out photo shoot...

Giddyup!

As he walked into the building, the adults and 10 year olds knew that there was a "new sheriff in town." Armed with blue jeans, a borrowed cowboy hat, a huge aluminum foil belt buckle, and a package of pencils, Jacob walked down the dusty path that led to his school. Ok--seriously, it was just Western Day at the local elementary school.

Saturday Highlights

This afternoon Kelly and Charlotte stopped by for a grilled cheese and veggie soup lunch. It was nice to see them again because I hadn't seen them for a few months. Casper was very excited to see them too; fortunately, Charlotte likes dogs and didn't mind all of his barking and slobbery kisses.

Kelly & Charlotte

For dinner, Jacob and I enjoyed Double Dave's pizza buffet with salad, pizza, pepperoni rolls and chocolate chip dessert pizza (d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s!).

After dinner we headed to Border's to spend our gift cards from Christmas. New books, yay! I even started list of books I want to look for the next time we go to Half-Price books.

After the bookstore we headed to our favorite "healthy" dessert stop...Orange Cup! The Acai, with strawberries, chocolate chips, and almonds was just as good and refreshing as I had remembered! Jacob enjoyed his Acai with blueberries, strawberries, and kiwi.

Shoes

What are my favorite type of shoes?

Free shoes!

The other day, my friend Carol from work was giving away a pair of gently used tennis shoes. They weren't necessarily the style of shoe I would buy for myself but they fit, were functional, and were free so I gladly accepted them. I now have a new-to-me pair of work out shoes. :)

I married a younger man!

A few weeks ago Jacob and I took the real age test. Considering that we both eat healthy foods, we exercise, and we don't experience too much stress in our lives, we expected our real ages to be younger than our calendar ages.

Jacob took the test first and sure enough he was younger (by 5.3 years).

Then I took the test and I turned out to be older (by 1.5 years)!

I was shocked! Sure, I complain about the disgusting double fiber bread that Jacob buys, I sometimes choose to eat the easy to open candy bar over the pain in the rear to peel orange, and I usually stay home when it's too cold to walk but I had no idea that these few decisions would impact my age by so much. As result, I started drinking more water, choking down more double fiber bread, stocking our house with more convenient fruits (it helped that cherries were on sale last week), and exercising more by incorporating weight training and more rigorous cardio back into my workout.

Today, I modified the responses to my real age test and based on my improved healthy lifestyle, my age went down (a little). My real age is now 28.1. Yep, I'm still married to a younger man.

Norman

We've been adopted.

Sometime last Spring, we started noticing that a lonely bird would hide in the corner of our back patio. He tends to arrive around dusk, depart around dawn, and is always alone. We think it is quite sad that a bird would sleep in our patio corner all by himself. Something that made him look even more pathetic was the way he would tuck himself into the corner with his back and tail facing our back window. Yes, it's a very pitiful sight (see for yourself in the picture below). As a result, we've welcomed him to our home and done our best to keep curious cats, an oblivious dog, and our noisy selves out of his way. We named him Norman because, well, he looks like a Norman.We've come to accept that Norman's schedule is unpredictable; sometimes we'll look out the window and he won't be there and other times he'll surprise us and appear again. We look forward to seeing him because when we see him we know he's okay, but it also saddens us a little because it means he hasn't found a long-term nest mate, yet.

Norman

Scott told me so...

Every year I get the flu shot and almost every year my friend Scott responds with, "you mean you got the 'Give me the flu shot?'" This year was no different. As usual, I got the flu shot and as usual Scott gave me a hard time about it. In fact, when I got sick with flu like symptoms about a month after receiving the flu shot Scott proudly announced that, "[he] told me so." I quickly disputed his claim and explained that it was probably sinuses but if it was the flu, then at least the flu shot mimimized severity of it.

So, this brings me to why I am posting this blog. On Sunday, my doctor (from Texas Medclinic) officially diagnosed me with type A influenza.

On Friday (12/26), my sinuses started bothering me and I also had a weird cough. Since Jacob was at the recovery stage of whatever he had (which we thought was also sinus related) I was convinced that it my turn to be hit with allergies. It isn't unusual for our allergies to hit us at different times because both of us seem to react to allergens in a staggered time frame (thank goodness we're usually not affected simultaneously).

However, by Saturday (12/27) I started feeling really tired and weak (I felt as though I had been working out all day long because my legs and arms felt like jell-o and were sore). My cough had worsed, my sinuses were killing me, I had a headache, and later that evening I started running a fever. I called my mom to let her know that I didn't think I'd make it to my aunt Rosemarie and uncle Jimmy's luncheon. She said I sounded really bad and that if I didn't get any better then I should go to the doctor because it sounded like the flu. She also explained that the flu was very dangerous which I had heard before but wasn't too concerned about.

On Sunday (12/28) Jacob and I were concerned because I still had a fever and I was extremely tired. We both headed to TexasMedClinic: Jacob to be seen for his congestion that wouldn't go away and me for my cough, aches, pains, congestion, etc. When we arrived, I decided to take one of their complimentary face masks because of my fever and cough. I was so tired that I had no problem taking a nap while we were waiting to be called (this was unusual for me so Jacob and I were both begining to be convinced that I might have the flu). The doctor evaluated both of us. He prescribed Jacob an antibiotic for his congestion that wouldn't go away and then did a throat and flu test for me, he explained that even though I had received the flu shot, he had already seen 2 cases where 2 other people contracted the flu even though they received the shot also. 10 min. later the results were in and I did have the flu. Now, what was scary was that the doctor sat down and said he wanted to explain a few things to me. It's never good when a doctor sits down to talk so at that point I began thinking, "I am so glad that I get the flu shot every year," because I suddenly realized how serious the flu really is. The doctor explained my options, what to expect, how to take care of myself and what to watch for with regard to serious complications. He also suggested that it is possible that my flu shot may minimize the severity of my flu symptoms. Jacob took me home and started taking care of me. Between teas, soups, tylenol, temperature taking, and tissue refilling he's been wonderful. Sadly, he's also been sleeping on the couch and has officially become Crystal and Chloe's midnight trampoline/wrestling platform. I owe him big! But hey, he did buy himself a PS3 to pass the time!

So far, although I've been super sleepy, congested, and weak, based on what the doctor told me to expect I truly believe that my flu shot is helping to minimize the severity of my symptoms. My fever has gone down, my legs and arms aren't sore anymore, and I had enough energy tonight to make it to the living room for dinner, t.v., and computer time. So, although, "[Scott] told me so," I am still very thankful that I got the flu shot!

Pitiful Cats

On Nov. 18th, after arriving home from work, I let Crystal and Casper play in the backyard while I stayed inside taking care of Chloe (she scratched the sides of her face so hard that she cut herself with her nails). After about 30-45 min., I went outside to check on Crystal and Casper and discovered that Crystal was no where in sight. After checking the backyard 3 times (just to be sure she wasn't hiding anywhere) I called Jacob and explained the situation and asked him to come home from work as soon as possible. Both of our neighbors checked their yards and still no sign of her. Jacob checked with the neighbors behind our house as soon as he came home. Meanwhile, I evventually checked the backyard again and discovered that she had returned. She was frantically running around the backyard while Casper barked at her and chased her around. Apparently he also was upset that she had escaped (and worse for him, had returned).

After we recovered her, we decided that she would never be allowed outside again without one of us with her. Ever since the incident, Chloe and Crystal both walk around the breakfast area, crying at the back door, begging to be let out. It's a very pitiful sight.

Halloween

This was the first Halloween in 4 years that I didn't have any school work to worry about and I was so excited about spending it with Jacob by sitting on our front porch to hand out candy together.

Our Skull Strobe light

In preparation, we bought several bags of candy: Twix, Snickers, a Wonka mix, a DoubleBubble mix, and a Twizzlers/Jolly Rancher mix. Jacob decorated the house (I helped a little), we played spooky holiday music and we strategically planned our seating arrangement so that the trick-or-treaters could easily reach us.

Our dangling spider

Sadly, after all of our preparation, we had much fewer trick-or-treaters than we expected and we were left with tons of candy. On the bright side, we did get to see some of our neighbors and we were able to spend 2 hours on our front porch relaxing together and listening to our music and the sounds of the high school football game in the distance.

View of our house from the front while I waited for the trick-or-treaters

Great Friday!

After a rough week at work I really needed a "great day" and today was great!


My day started out with me going to work (this was not the "great" part, don't get me wrong, it was not horrible but it was work).


Then, around 10:45 a.m. my day started becoming great! First, before leaving work, someone asked me to help them troubleshoot a problem with one of our systems. Although I was not able to assist them that exact moment, I did give them a tip and said that I'd be more than willing to assist them on Monday morning. This definitely gives me something to look forward to when I go in to work on Monday because troubleshooting system problems is the part of my job I absolutely love the most. I think I love this part because I get to analyze a problem and try to solve it; it reminds me of when we used to be given challenge problem in math or science. I just love the sense of accomplishment I achieve when I solve one of these issues. Unfortunately, my everyday routine work usually falls short of challenging me in this sort of way, which might be why I often wonder if I'm doing what I'm meant to do.


So back to my great day...after leaving work I met up with my friends Aurora, Lynn, Amanda, and Annabelle for lunch at Pompeii's. It was so nice to catch up with them and hear everything that's going on in their lives. Unfortunately, due to all of our busy schedules, we don't get to meet up often but it's wonderful when we do because they are such great people all of whom I admire (yep, Annabelle, even as young as you are I even admire you).


After our lunch I headed home for a quick nap before my tire appointment. Naps are one of the great, relaxing pleasures of life that I look forward to when I have afternoons off.

After my nap I headed to Discount Tire to have my tires rotated and valve stems replaced due to the recent recall. When I first arrived at Discount Tire, it was crowded and based on other customers' grumblings, it sounded as though there was a long wait. I asked the service rep how long the wait was and he explained that since I had made an appointment I should be out of there within 45 min - 1hr. Then after only waiting about 30 min my car was done and I was out of there--yay for appointments that are actually taken seriously!

To wind down the evening, Jacob made a delicious dinner with butterflied pork chops, seasoned potatoes, and brussel sprouts. We caught up on CSI (Las Vegas) and by 7:30 pm I fell asleep on the couch. I think I was exhausted from the stressful work week and my allergy/sinus problems that had gotten worse over the week.

All-in-all Friday was a wonderfully relaxing and rejuvenating day and feel completely refreshed and ready to begin the weekend!

Love the litter and your cat!

Let's be frank. Crystal, our youngest cat, has litter box issues. We've tried almost everything.

We took her to the vet for an exam.



We put her on Prozac to ease her anxiety, but realized we're the type of parents who don't want our "kids" to be on drugs their entire lives.

We changed the litter to something more natural with no dust (which we loved but she hated).

We tried using a different style litter box.

We moved the box to different locations around the house.

We tried spending more time with her, but there's only so much you can do to spend quality time with a cat.

And recently we scheduled yet another appointment with the vet.



We're still waiting for our vet appointment but in the meantime we've found what we like to call a "miracle cat litter."


This weekend while we were at PetSmart examining a few more litter options, a lady approached us and said that the litter we were looking at (Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract) was wonderful. We asked her if she encountered some of the same problems we encountered and she said, "yes!" Like us, she had made numerous attempts to "fix" the problem but nothing seemed to work. Then her vet had recommended the Cat Attract litter and it worked! Based on her recommendation, we went home with the Cat Attract litter and a new litter box (one with a "sun roof"). The litter even came with a booklet that included some very good tips and coupons.


When we arrived home, we let the girls (Chloe and Crystal) explore their new litter box and sniff their new litter in the bag. After they seemed comfortable with the new box and interested in the new litter, we set the box in an appropriate location that did not make them feel "trapped in a corner" and before we knew it, both cats were fighting to use the box! Based on our cats' positive reactions to the litter, we purchased more several bags of the Cat Attract litter and another new box.

Testimonials:


Chloe: "It's so unnatural for a cat to not use the litter box. I just didn't understand it. We're supposed to be cleaner than the dog but Crystal was really making us look bad as a species. I'm so glad mom and dad finally found a litter Crystal will use."

Crystal: "I love the new litter, it doesn't smell funny and it feels great between my paws!"

Casper: "Yeah, the litter's okay, but I had more fun watching mom and dad yell at Crystal when she wouldn't use the box."

Bobbi pens?

Today was the day we've been waiting for since we discovered that our washing machine was broken. It was the day we would meet the "Maytag Repair Man" or more precisely, the contacted out, but certified to work on Maytag, service repair man from A & E Factory Service.

I found it quite ironic that a commercial with a supposed "Maytag Repair Man" was playing while our washer was being serviced. Go figure!

Regardless, the service technician was friendly, thorough, and professional. The diagnosis? 2 Bobbi Pens had become lodged inside the pump. $155 later, I realized that I need to pay much more attention to emptying out all of our pockets before starting a load of laundry.

Additionally, Jacob has made it quite clear that I am no longer allowed to complain about the occasional paper he forgets to remove from his pockets. I suppose a messy washer and paper lined clothes doesn't come close to the expense of 2 bobbi pens.

It came to a screeching halt...

Around 11pm Friday night, while doing a load of laundry, Jacob noticed that our washer didn't sound quite right. He called me into the pantry to listen to the screeching sound our washer was making.

We agreed to stop the washer then called Jen's mom to seek advice regarding appliance repairs before we made any hasty decisions.

After speaking with my mom we called the "Maytag Repairman" only to discover that we would need to wait until the morning to speak with someone contracted out, yet certified to work on Maytag appliances.

We had been given 3 phone numbers to try and after trying all 3 numbers, we settled for the appliance repair company that would actually schedule an appointment for us.

Note to appliance repair companies: Even if your service hours are only M-F, you are losing customers if you can't even make appointments for people who call during the weekend!

Needless to say, we're not sure that we chose the best company but we chose a company we could bank on providing us with a service visit early in the week.

Then, we called my mom to set up a "we're home to do our laundry" visit. Now, seeing as both of us lived at home during college, this was a neat experience for us. We can finally say, yeah, we know what it's like to stop at mom's house to do laundry. And yes, we brought Scrabble to kill time.