The Rivera's

Yet another year...

2010-09-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

So much for my vow to remember to blog! LOL A full year has passed. Yikes. But a busy year it has been... I was able to vacation with my family in Westcliffe, CO for Thanksgiving. We spent the week on the mountain, loving every minute of it! Also had the chance to use the timeshare in Breckenridge for a couple nights and took Tristan and Audrey skiing for the 1st time. They had so much fun. Tris even got a ride down on the snow mobile after a little crash. He was fine, just shaken up but ready to go again as soon as we got to the base. He thought the snow mobile ride was pretty cool. Audrey went to ski school and was ready to go down the big hill before the day was over! Mom had the turkey ready when we returned and it was a great holiday! :)

Christmas was spent in Oklahoma with the whole family and though Andy didn't get to come along, Tigger DID! He loved all of the attention, of course. We also got lots of snow for the 1st time in ages!! Had so much fun playing with the kids and building snowmen...

We got my sister and her family packed up and moved to Colorado in the Spring! They are staying in a relative's unused house and love it there... so does the whole family. We're still dreaming up ways to make a living in the mountains so we can all be there together!
We did lots of house hunting and found a beautiful and HUGE house in foreclosure and a steal... that will soon be new residence of my sister and fam as well as my parents once dad retires in a couple years! The closing is near and we are all very excited!! It is The Neverending Footprint Trail Ranch!

In June, I flew to Colorado to make the drive to Oklahoma with Linds and the kids. We visited mom, dad, grandma, Peter... I came back to Houston then Andy and I were able to use the timeshare in Puerto Rico for 3 nights!!!
We had a really nice time. Puerto Rico has beautiful beaches and Old San Juan is great fun to explore. We spent most of our time at the resort, though, on it's private beach.
It was very relaxing and much needed!

Andy went back to work and I headed back to Colorado to hang out there for 2 weeks!! Spent lots of time with the kiddos and hated to have to leave again... but back to work for me at the end of July. Football season is in full swing now! Andy and I are staying busy, busy but have still found some time to foster for SAFE House Rescue, which we really enjoy. We're looking forward to getting some more house projects done as well. I hope this note finds you all happy and healthy! :) We're anxiously awaiting the holidays and plan on spending Christmas in the mountains in the new house this year! And I'll try, once again, to get better about this darn blog! LOL

It's AUGUST already??

2009-08-02T19:02:00.000-07:00

LOL - Every time I sit down to update this thing, I find myself shocked that so much time has gone by! We had a busy summer around here. I decided to take the summer off. Ok, so it was not entirely by choice... they cut my summer rec swim program due to energy savings or something. SO, I got to go home for 3 whole weeks and spent 10 of those days in beautiful Colorado with my family! It was wonderful! More pics are posted on Facebook. I WILL live there someday.

Mom and my niece, Audrey, drove me back to Houston after July 4th and spent a week. We gutted and renovated the 2nd bathroom. I couldn't have done it without Mom's ideas. Long story short, we decided to replace the tub and surround and it turned out to NOT be easier using the pre-fab surround and we should've just done tile. All in all with just a bit of very real frustration, we did it! And nothing has fallen apart yet. :) Again, more pics of both bathrooms on Facebook.

We also took Audrey on her 1st trip to the beach. Went to see my friends, Terri and Michael in Galveston and had a great time! She LOVED it!! It was so much fun having her here.

Where has Andy been?? He's been doing great with his new, or not so new anymore, job with Mass Mutual... really getting into the swing of things and working hard!

So now it's back to the salt mines 'til May for me. I'll be spending my free time dreaming up ways to make a living in the mountains of Colorado. :)

It's JUNE already!?

2009-06-01T06:40:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I am really, really awful at remembering to blog. Most of the time I guess I don't feel like anything is interesting enough to send into cyberspace. Let's see, since Christmas... Well, after Hurricane Ike we discovered a leak around our chimney, water in the house, ended up with a new roof. Several months later we discovered that the new roof did not solve the problem! Water in the house again! Finally got things straightened out with the insurance company and got some money to fix our floor. Since we're doing the job ourselves, we have enough extra to finish a number of other projects that have been slow and ongoing. So my parents came down for a week and we tackled the master bathroom. We haven't used that tub for 3 1/2 years because of a hole in the tile from a previous project (don't get me started). Anyway, I finally got the tile done and decided to go ahead and revamp the whole room. Currently, the toilet, sink and old linoleum tile has been removed and I'm making some serious progress. Both tubs are getting refinished next week! Yay! Pics are on my Facebook! A sense of accomplishment just makes my day. :) I'll be making my way through the house this summer, getting all the little ends tied up. The problem is, it seems like I keep adding to the list as I go. The leaky faucet in Kaylan's bathtub has to be fixed before the refinishing job. Tried to do that last night only to find that whoever tiled in there did not leave enough space around the faucet stems to get them off... I am seriously dreading another retiling job! Ugh. Doing my best to figure out how to manage without another hole in the wall and 3 year delay. LOL

So other than that... wrapping up another year at work and ready for the summer! My 7-year lifeguarding gig has come to an end with new energy saving measures in the district. All buildings are being closed at 5pm. Since swimming lessons go until 3, no point in going up there for 2 hours. Sucks to lose the extra money but I think I'll thoroughly enjoy just having some time OFF! Looking forward to a trip to CO with my fam in a few weeks!!

Andy is busy with his new job. Constantly on the move finding new clients, learning, meetings, etc. He loves it and can't wait to get really settled in with it.

Well, I really can't think of anything else worthy of news. I vow to do better at blogging from now on. :) Let me know what you think of my new background. I made it myself but can't seem to get it quite right. Does it show up right for you???

Facelift...

2009-04-29T04:33:00.000-07:00

Well, I've been playing around with digital scrapbooking and found a site that explains how to edit your blog. I gave it a try! It's not perfect but still in progress... :)

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

2008-12-26T21:50:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas from Houston... and Oklahoma! We made the drive North the weekend before Christmas. Peanut came with us! Andy and Kaylan had to head back to Houston on Christmas Eve but I'm staying to spend time with my family for another week or so. Just thought I'd share the little slideshow I did with pics taken so far of Peanut. He's loving all of the attention and showing off plenty! Hope you all are well and enjoying the holidays!

Our new family addition...

2008-10-16T16:01:00.000-07:00

It's been 3 months since I posted anything???? Wow, time flies. Well, we added a member to our little family. He's an Eclectus parrot and my friend from work found him in the tree in her yard! He is getting settled in nicely and I'm trying to find food that he likes... here's a pic of him chowing down on some birdie bread I made today.That and pomagranates are the only 2 things he really likes so far. Normally, they like a variety of fresh fruits and veggies but he doesn't seem like he knows what they are yet. We don't think his previous home fed him right. Anyway, his name is Peanut and he's a hoot! Chatters at us a lot, say's "what?", "hello", "Milo" (our dog's name), "meow", and he'll mimic us when we laugh. So much fun! :)

Cucumbers, anyone?

2008-07-07T09:14:00.000-07:00

So our little vegetable garden is doing pretty well! I love it! Andy, however, is probably getting sick of anything with basil in it but I just can't let it go to waste. :) I've picked no less than 7 cucumbers... awaiting pickling spices to come in the mail so I can try my hand at that. I can't say that my tomatoes have been as productive, though, unfortunately. Anyway, we've had a pretty laid back summer so far. I DID get a new athletic trainer hired before school ended so that was a big relief. Not sure how much I'm looking forward to school starting again, though. The summers are always way too short!Kaylan just recently finished swimming lessons and is becoming quite the little fish. We're so proud of her! It really took some "doing" to get over her fear of water but she's been loving every minute of it since.

Andy and I took a little vacation to Cozumel for a friend's wedding. Had a nice time but came back with a sunburn. Our 3rd anniversary is coming up! Hard to believe...

Not much else to report from the Rivera house. Hope you're all having a fabulous summer!! :)

Our time... or His?

2008-05-05T12:18:00.000-07:00

I was 10 minutes late leaving for work this morning. Frustrated and in a hurry, I headed down the road only to find out that if I'd left on time I may have ended up in the middle of a car accident. It had happened only minutes before I drove by. Unnerving? Yes. Then as I got closer to work, I found the highway interchange closed due to an overturned 18-wheeler in my path. After that, I was more than happy to give my day up to God. Those "eye-opening" moments make us thankful that there is a power so far beyond our comprehension... that we can just hand it over to Him. It makes those little nagging problems you face every day seem so much less significant. Rest assured that God's timing is most definitely going to be better than ours!

On another note, please be praying for me as I interview athletic trainers to replace my current co-worker. It's hard to face the unknown but I'm trusting that God will send the right person for the job! Hope you're all having a great Monday!!

April showers...

2008-05-02T17:34:00.000-07:00

Hi! Spring has definitely arrived and I've been enjoying it to the fullest! I've spent a lot of time playing in the dirt and I've finally been able to get my garden photos on a slideshow... that worked! :) I had lots of fun fooling with our new camera and actually got some neat shots. Or so I think. :) Either way, hope you enjoy and have a fabulous weekend!! ~L.

View Photo Slideshow
Make a Free Flash Slideshow

Life brings changes...

2008-04-26T20:28:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's been forever since I posted anything! Life has been going by fast and the end of another school year is upon us. Along with school ending comes the end to part of my life as I know it. My co-worker, the athletic trainer I've worked with for 7 years, is moving on to another school. It's kind of unnerving to find myself facing the unknown! We've worked together long enough to finish each other sentences and I'm about to be the veteran in my little corner of the school. Andy is also facing some long awaited changes in his career. He is taking his life insurance license exam on Wednesday, April 30, so please keep him in your prayers. He's been studying hard and is ready to pass it and venture toward the world of financial advising. Those are really the only big updates from here. I've just been planting flowers, enjoying the great Spring weather! We hope you're all doing well. If we haven't heard from you in a while, leave us a note! :)

Memories of Mexico...

2008-02-18T18:26:00.000-08:00

Our Sunday school teacher, Cindy, spoke this past weekend about the meaning of or importance of money and how it relates to our lives... or in some cases, rules our lives. The lesson brought up many thought-provoking points but for me it conjured up dozens of memories from high school youth group mission trips. I went on 2 trips to Tampico, Mexico, my Sophomore and Junior years of high school. We also ventured out to a couple small villages. Burranco is the only name I can remember. As Cindy asked several of us what we'd do if money and time were no object, I couldn't get one distinct picture out of my mind... the "toilet" at one of the churches we visited. It was literally a hole in the ground with a bench, of sorts, built over it and a hole cut for you to aim for. I don't say "to sit on" because if you'd been there, you'd definitely NOT want to sit on it, if for no other reason than fear of a splinter in your hind-parts! This "bathroom" was a good 30-40 yards behind the building at the edge of a bunch of trees and all that protected a person from being seen was an old tattered blue tarp hung precariously from the shack built around "facility". I wish I could find the pictures we took in front of it, holding our own roll of toilet paper that we basically kept in our back pockets. I laugh to remember driving back into the U.S. and flushing the 1st toilet I came to! I imagine you're laughing, too, just picturing it. Anyway, the point of my reminiscing is this... we so often take for granted even the most basic of living "necessities". We yearn for more and wish that we could have a bigger house or newer car or the latest fashions. What we don't often do is remember how fortunate we are and how thankful we should be to have the things we do. Even the "poor" in the U.S. have so much more than a lot of people around the world. It's easy to forget that. When you really look around you, God has provided everything you could possibly need! I often miss Mexico and the kids who were thrilled to sit and color with me rather than whine about not having the latest video game; the outdoor kitchens that worked just fine; the well we drew water from to wash dishes; the buckets hauled down the street just to wash our hair on the sidewalk because there was no shower; having much nicer clothes than the people there, even though we went thrift store shopping for our trip; eating oranges right off the trees and bread baked in a real adobe oven; the luxury of a cold Coke served in a glass bottle that you had to leave at the store for recycling. Most of all, though, I remember the people we were there to serve and how genuinely happy they were. I know the experiences I had there were a huge eye-opener! It pays to remember... to be thankful for what I have and not worry so much about what I don't.

Andy's family...

2007-12-19T18:13:00.000-08:00

Here's a picture of Andy's family and our early Christmas:

'Tis the Season...

2007-12-11T15:30:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas everybody!!! :) I'm ashamed that it's been a whole month since I posted anything on here. Time flies so easily. We're busy getting ready for the holidays... shopping and more shopping. I love it! We'll be having a special night with Andy's mom, brother, neice and nephew this weekend before we all head in different directions for the Christmas break. We'll be in Oklahoma for a while then back in Houston. Time definitely flies when you wish it would slow down for at least a little while. Nothing new here, though... Hope you're all looking forward to a relaxing and blessed holiday season! 2008 is almost here!!!

Passion...

2007-11-10T20:46:00.000-08:00

Last week in our Sunday school class we talked about the different soils upon which seeds are cast and how that soil affects how that seed grows and matures and how strong it becomes. I started thinking about the seeds that we cast through our influences on others - friends, our students, our kids - and the soil upon which they land... On a daily basis, it seems, I think about the kids at my school - my student trainers, the athletes I see and the general population there. And I wonder a lot of the time about what kind of home they're growing up in, what kind of parents they have, what kind of struggles they go through to make them the way they are. I usually start wondering about these things because I've had a typically unpleasant encounter with one of them and find it easier to blame their upbringing than anything else. The attitudes and personalities that seem so selfish and disrespectful really make a person wonder what kind of "soil" they are and how the seeds planted in their lives will survive. A lot of them are particularly rocky and as a teacher I struggle to do two things. One, I strive to prepare my students for their future. I do my best to teach them habits and skills that will benefit them in college and their lives beyond, to "cultivate" a better "soil" because I want to see them be successful and happy. This is an everyday challenge! They are very resistant to new ideas. For instance, my class had to write a paper last year and my encouragement to them was this - that they don't necessarily have to be interested in the subject but that it's important to learn the process of writing a research paper. They didn't get it. None of their other teachers make them write papers, apparently. I just told them that when the day comes in college that they have to write one, they'll thank me. :) Two, I try to sow a seed in them. I do my best, though many times I fail due to pure frustration, to be a positive influence and to challenge them to do better. This all gets me to thinking about passion. As a teacher I believe you have to have a passion for what you teach. It's the best feeling in the world when that light bulb goes off over their heads and they "get it"! At the same time it's so discouraging to have your efforts be shut down by the inevitable few that just don't care. I tell my kids all the time that I surely didn't care for calculus but I had to pass the class all the same so why not try to find something about it you like? They don't really get that either. I know I think back on some of my teachers throughout my life and truly appreciate them. I hope someday at least a few of my students feel the same way. :)

Long weeks...

2007-10-29T17:11:00.000-07:00

It's unbelievable how long a week can seem, yet how short at the same time. When I think about how much I've packed into a mere 7 days, well, it makes me tired all over again!! Work has been especially challenging for me lately, with whiny, beligerent teenagers, issues with insurance companies, getting our injured kids to the doctor, figuring out what on Earth I'll cook for dinner and when I might find 30 minutes to do it, dishes, laundry, play time with the pooches and Andy, of course... the list goes on. Then when I finally get into my old comfy sweatpants and fall onto the couch I usually remember something else that I didn't get done. I know without a doubt that I'm the only one around with these feelings of fatigue. Yeah right. :) When, in all the craziness of the week, do we really find time to have some peace and quiet and read our Bible or pray on these stresses? I'll be the 1st to admit that I don't often make it a priority. A lot of times it feels like more of an obligation than a pleasure. But when I do make the time it is a true blessing on my day. I am always inevitably pointed in the right direction and find some comfort and reassurance. So, my challenge to myself this week is to find the time.

Busy, busy, busy.....

2007-10-09T17:37:00.000-07:00

Well, I felt obligated since it's been over a week since I posted anything. Obligated to who? No idea. :) Seems like the days fly by faster and faster. Our football season is halfway over already and basketball is about to start up, which means it's almost Turkey Day!!! Yeah! My favorite food holiday. AND this year my family is coming to Houston! I can't wait to have them all here. Knowing they're coming also gives me a good excuse to poke at Andy until he gets moving on all of our unfinished house projects. And, yes, I've got work to do as well. The serious chasing of dust bunnies and scrubbing floors will be up to me. Men just can't be trusted with such jobs. ;)

I wish I could say there was anything remotely interesting to write about. Andy is playing flag football with our Sunday school class and I headed up the wives' t-shirt project. That's about it! Hope all is well with everyone out there... leave me a comment! I'm feeling neglected! :)

New Baby Girl on the Way!

2007-09-30T18:36:00.000-07:00

My sister, Lindsay, is the proud mom of 3 wonderful kids - Tristan (6), Audrey (4) & Leslie "Meridith" (1 1/2) - with another one on the way, also known as "My Babies". :) I got to go see them last weekend and surprise my sis for her birthday. No matter what's going on in my life, getting to spend even a short weekend with them makes it all better. Anyway, we just found out Wednesday that the bun in the oven is another girl!! We're all a little shocked since, #1 getting over the surprise that another pregnancy was and #2 Lindsay and Jason have the only girls in his family in generations! Jason is already having panics about 3 weddings to pay for. But we couldn't be happier. She is due on Valentine's Day (also their wedding anniversary) but will most likely have an earlier C-section. Can't wait!! Linds has tons of pictures on her site... link under My Favorites.

For now we're happy living vicariously... not ready to start baking, ourselves. :) But like Andy has been informed, we're definitely not getting any younger! Praying to get Andy back in, then finished with flight school so we can move on to bigger and better things.

Hope you all have a great week!! :)

WooHoo!!!

2007-09-22T17:56:00.000-07:00

Just have to say... GO POKES!!! What a great game against Texas Tech today. So glad to be home in Stillwater to enjoy it. :)

Ralph

2007-09-13T16:41:00.000-07:00

Well, our newest foster dog, Ralph went to the vet today to be neutered and checked for heartworms. Unfortunately, he tested positive for heartworms. He will begin treatment for that soon. He is also having a lot of swelling from his surgery today. Please say a prayer that he recovers quickly and that his treatment goes smoothly and without further complications!! Hope you're all having a great week!

Recipes as promised...

2007-09-05T18:49:00.001-07:00

I created a new blog just for recipes. Find it at http://lesliesrecipebox.blogspot.com or at the link under "My Favorite Links"! :)

Our hobby (if you can call it that)...

2007-09-04T15:39:00.000-07:00

We've been involved in the fostering business - the doggie sort - for almost a year now! It all started when my friend and fellow dog-lover picked up a black lab mix in the Starbucks parking lot one day and called me begging, "Leslie, please, I can't bear to leave her out here! Can you keep her until we find a home??" And being the big marshmallow that I am when it comes to 4-legged, fur-bearing barkers, said "Ok, bring her over." After searching for days for a new home I started calling rescue groups, trying to find one that would take her or at least have her spayed and adopt her out if we would keep her in the meantime. I finally found SAFE House Rescue. Of course they said "we don't usually do this" - as in take dogs from the public. They routinely rescue them from shelters that euthanize. I begged and promised to foster for them. Well, Lucy Lou got adopted a few weeks later (in October of 2006) and thus began the parade of little ones that have come through our home. Dixie was one of them and we ended up keeping her after her long battle with Distemper. We fell in love with her and just couldn't let her go! It's been great fun, though. Ally Kat is our 11th. All of our fosters pics are on our photo album site (see link under "Our Life in Pictures") if you're interested. And we're always looking for foster homes so if you're a dog-lover and would like to volunteer, contact the SAFE House director, Joyce, through their website! There's a link under "My Favorite Links".

Had to move...

2007-09-03T13:41:00.000-07:00

Alright, so somehow I messed up our other blog page so had to do a new one that consequently I'd started before I did the one that I was using... now that everyone is thoroughly confused...

Hopefully we can stick with this one and not goof it up. Just wish I could figure out how to put a custom layout on it and get it to save! I'm normally pretty computer savvy but it's not working for me. If any of you know how to do that, let me know. Hope you're having a great week!! :)

What I've learned.....

2007-08-27T18:34:00.000-07:00

When you love someone, don't let them go. Hold them close and tell them how you feel!

When someone lets you down, there's probably a good reason so don't hold it against them.

New experiences aren't always scary.

Getting married is a lot of work, no matter what people tell you!

You don't realize how special your loved ones are until they're no longer around the corner.

God has a plan for your life regardless of what you may think!!

Don't overlook someone because they're not what you expected.

Always go the extra mile.

Cliche, but it's true... what goes around, comes around!!

Cherish your friends. They will love you no matter what.

Take the time to listen.

TRUST IN GOD!!!

Well, I've learned so much more in life, but those things were on my heart. I've taken a big step in the last couple of months. I've stepped past my comfort zone and made an effort to meet new people. It's been such a rewarding experience! God has definintely prepared a way for me and led me to such a great group of young couples. It has been an answer to prayer for myself and my marriage. So to any of you in our Sunday school class who may read this, thank you for accepting us so unconditionally and with so much open-heartedness. You are all such an incredible blessing!!

Nice to meet you!!

2007-07-22T12:50:00.000-07:00

Thank you all for making us feel so welcome and comfortable in your class! We really enjoyed it and plan to see you all again next week. Thanks again and God bless your upcoming week! Oh, and seriously, if any of you are the camping type, check out the Rio Grande Reservoir area... River Hill Campground is our regular spot. It's beautiful! Ask us about it sometime. Here's a picture from one of the hikes we went on...