And we are off...

We made it. Here is to another New Year and hopefully a better more hopeful one.

Chirstmas was a little off, it all started with my Sister's family getting sick. Christmas eve she didn't feel well and my niece was throwing up. I had to go there and set up her table for her.

Then from then it got worse, her in-laws where arguing (MIL calling the kiddos "Shit") it was bad. Then they had to take my niece to the ER. We actually where the normal ones, took some time to hunt down some Christmas lights,




but then the Next day was my little guys turn, from 1am on he trowed up all over the bed, comforters, my Hubs, etc. Then my Hubs got sick too.

The piles of laundry where both huge and disgusting!



Thankfully we all got better by midweek, I had tons to do, errands to run, things to pay, problems with our oldest on's bank account, just CRAZY.

Finally we made it Friday night to NYC to see the Hubs family. That was a real blast. We took the kiddos to see the Tree and the Rockefeller Center, I found a Anthropology store and got 4 more of my obsession: latte bowls. That Night the party was on, we danced a lot and ate some more. Sadly I forgot the camera so there just a few shots we took with my SIL camera.

The next day was a Birthday party with ridiculous amount of tripe soup YUK! I don' t eat that even if you paid me but the Hubs loves it. Thankfully there was also Roasted pork for those of us picky eaters.

We did some Karaoke, laugh so much that I almost peed my pants and of course sickness followed us around because our nephew that had been sick with a terrible cough got worse, having to nebulized him and we ended up in the ER at the end of the night. I stayed there till 2am, then went home to take care of her 8 wk old so that her Hubs could join her. I stayed up till 4am. I tell you, never a boring moment. Even yesterday we where supposed to just pack, order empanadas and get ready to come home, people started stopping by so we didn't leave until 5pm.

Oh, but we did enjoy ourselves and had a blast, and I cannot wait to go back.
I hope you all had a blast in a glass and that this year brings you many more fantastic things!

Over & out

Stomach Virus + Vomit = Christmas

Yeap. We have been sick around these parts. Finally recuperating and doing the aftermath cleaning (so far 4 loads of laundry and not even close to being done).

I'll be back...

Over & out

Adios Halloween

ACK, is gone already. I didn't get to spent my night watching "Scream 4" because my little guy fell asleep in the car from all the fun...then proceeded to wake up at 10pm and he decided to have a party and only his dearest parents where invited. It was like he took a power nap and was full of energy!

Here we are, doesn't he seems so happy to take a picture?







My little Franky, he even got down the walk with the arms up. He gave me a chocolate and told me proudly " I wuv you mommy, yer cute" (meaning he thinks I'm the diggidybomb).

So here are the Status so far this week:

1.) Mood:
Happy! One: I've been doing my exercises and feeling so much better already, and two: I love holidays and cannot wait to decorate for the Holidays (we do Thanksgiving in NYC so no Turkey decor for us)

2.) When was the last time you carved a pumpkin?
Last year, with my oldest. I think it was an owl, or a cat...or owlcat...who knows.

3.) What is your favorite Halloween candy?
Gosh, all of them...except things with mint in it. And BTW, we use Candy Corn as a Christmas candy back in the homeland. I know, weird, huh?

4.) What is your favorite Halloween memory?
Going to the NJ Devil Haunted Hayride, spending time in Los Poconos, PA at a party with the family then hitting a haunted house, where one of the Hubs cousin almost broke my hand from being so scared.

5.) Do you believe in ghosts/spirits?
uhm, yes. And I respect them too.

6.) Were you allowed to dress up at school for Halloween as a kid?
No, we dressed up for Carnival back home, ours is in February...here is proof of the cruelty of my mother. My Sister all so pretty and me...as a clown....thanks ma'.




7.) Did you trick-or-treat as a kid? At what age did you stop?
Nope, we mostly don't celebrate Halloween back home so I started here as an adult by having parties or me giving the candy.

8.) What is your favorite Halloween movie?
All Halloween (as in Michael Myers Halloween movies), Hocus Pocus, and technically a Christmas one "The Nightmare before Christmas"

9.) Did you dress up for Halloween this year? If so, as what?
Nope, I wanted too though but the mall didn't want adults dressed up -because of the weather we didn't go house to house, plus we missed the Family party due to getting hit with a snow storm.

10.) Weekly goals:
Keep up my exercises, take the Halloween down and fix what ever the kiddo destroyed,
make a traditional dish over the weekend.

Hope you all have a great day and week! See you in November!

Over & out

Friend Making Monday's by All the Weigh

The lovely Kenz @ All the Weigh has another Friend Making Monday question: What are you excited about this month of December?
For me this is quite easy, last year at this time we where homeless...and not the we are going to loose our home and have to sell, but more like we-are-gonna-have-to-sleep-in-the-car kind of deal. It was hard and awful. Probably one of our lowest points. I wanted so bad to have a place again, to decorate and have a tree for the kids.

So this year I was so happy that we where blessed with a place to call home. My number one was:
Putting out the Christmas tree and decorations


N0.2 seeing everyone in NYC for Christmas. They are a fun bunch and usually they have a way of lifting my spirits...it does help I have a great Sister in law.

What where/are you looking forward to?

Over & out

Loving the pretty things

This post was going to have a very different tittle...something to the effect that people anger me. No, I'm not a hater of any sorts but lately unappreciated people make me really angry...or maybe is sad...sad that they do not see what they have an do not appreciate it.

A very popular blogger posted about being minimalist and how Christmas decor was annoying her. She has every right to feel that way, but I saw so many people agreeing with her. Does EVERYONE out there feels is no longer needed to decorate for Christmas? if that's the case, that is very sad to me. It kind of makes me feel like when I watch HGTV House Hunters: the house is perfect but they don't like it because it has a pink bedroom...really? ever heard of a paint brush?

I remember the blog "Rue's Peanutbutter & Jelly" and how she no longer blogs publicly. It felt there was a competition, all the houses looking almost the same. It didn't feel like anyone was putting any though but rather following along the "big" bloggers. How she felt out of place because her dinning room was red and not the trendy all white. I do love the inspiration but we are not all going to be the same.

I was fortunate to grow up in a upper middle class, all 6 kids going to private schools and universities, having maids, building a new home out of pocket (by my Father) but life has thrown me a few curves; big ones actually. I DO know the most important thing is to have my family with me and their love and health, but believe me...being homeless gives you a new perspective on things.

Last year I wanted so bad to have my Christmas tree up, have my own kitchen, my own towels, my own bed. I though of all my little nick nacks and how I wanted them. We did give and throw away a bunch of stuff, and every season I donate the things we no longer use...I get that.
What I don't get is being bother by the pretty Christmas lights, the ornaments, the feeling of the Holiday these things brings.

Is not all, but it helps...because if you see yourself without them one day, trust me, you will dream of having them again. Getting off my soapbox again, I better switch gears. Lets talk about lovely things, shall we?

Right now I'm loving my new Christmas CD by Trans-Siberian Orchestra.I want one of these too. 32 shadows, blush and bronzer, 8 lip colors and 5 eyeliners. Come to mama. (Tarte Jewelry Box)and tomorrow after my lovely encounter with the unemployment office I will be on the hunt for this: (Pic from Short & Chic)


because I want to change the one I'm currently wearing...China Glaze Wagon Trail (dark greenish)


so that is it. Let me go watch Family guy :)

Over & Out

You don't know what you had until it's gone...

GW Bridge...leaving NYC

...and then you realize how lucky you are that that's out of your life. I don't want to sound ungrateful but my previous job SUCK A$$ big time. I don't mean to say that it was all bad but in retrospective it was not that great.

Only after spending Thanksgiving with my family, not worrying about Monday and the work load that I was going to have for missing 2 days of work (they only close on the actual Holiday) that I was so relieve and happy and joyful. I don't want my kids to remember me for missing out on Holidays just because of work; they mean to me so much more than a paycheck.

We spent our Thanksgiving in NYC with the Hubs family, I don't have many pictures since I allowed myself to just BE in the moment and had someone else worry about the photos. I enjoy the most delicious Turkey EVER. My MIL rocks! and I don't even like turkey, that's how good it was. We did have a chance to stop by Times Square, but again no pictures. This was the first time we took the little guy with us, so I asked the big guy to take pics if he wanted to, he choose to drink his Caramel Machiatto in peace. Good choice.


After our walk looking at the pretty lights, some folks decided to go to the toy store, we choose to head home. While riding the train I remember my parents going on Christmas eve to the toy store to get our gifts. When we where old enough and found the deal with Santa we got to go with them and pick our own gifts. Believe me, it was so much fun for us.

That brought me to think what I want my kids to remember about these times. I want Alain to remember me on the floor trying to remove my boots after our NYC walk, him trying to help pulling them off and instead dragging me thru the floor...while I'm hysterically laughing and screaming I'm gonna pee my pants -and I did.

Aiden and his cousin Gabriel

I want them to remember the smell of baked cookies in the afternoon, on a rainy day like today. I want them to see a mother that takes pride and joy on taking care of her home and her family. Last night I was putting up a Christmas plate on the wall above my sink, my oldest said how pretty and festive the house looked. This is why we do what we do...so they can look back and remember these moments. It feels so good to have a place to decorate this year...so, so good.

Hope you had a terrific time with your families. Remember that THEY are the most important part of the Holidays.

Over & out

I want the world...

My song of the day (playing over, and over in my pretty little head):

Veruca Salt:Gooses! Geeses!I want my geese to lay gold eggs for Easter

Mr. Salt:It will, sweetheart

Veruca:At least a hundred a day

Mr.Salt:Anything you say

Veruca:And by the way

Mr. Salt:What?

Veruca:I want a feast.

Mr. Salt:You ate before you came to the factory

Veruca:I want a bean feast!

Mr. Salt:Oh, one of those

Veruca:Cream buns and doughnuts and fruitcake with no nuts So good you could go nuts

Mr. Salt:You can have all those things when you get home

Veruca:No, now!!

I want a ball

I want a party

Pink macaroons and a million balloons

And performing baboons and ...Give it to me

Rrhh rhhhNow!

I want the world

I want the whole world

I want to lock it all up in my pocket

It's my bar of chocolate

Give it to me

Now!

I want today

I want tomorrow

I want to wear 'em like braids in my hair

And I don't want to share 'em

I want a party with room fulls of laughter

Ten thousand tons of ice cream

And if I don't get the things I am after I'm going to scream!

I want the works

I want the whole works

Presents and prizes

and sweets and surprises

Of all shapes and sizes

And now

Don't care how

I want it now

Don't care how

I want it now

(above is the New Veruca Salt)

hehehehehe- got to love that. I love, love this Character from the Original "Willy Wonka"

Anyhewwwwwwwww.

I'm in a supper dupper mood because after waiting forEVER an a day, Big Guy (aka oldest child) is coming in 2 weeks!!!

We are spending Christmas in NYC, and it's going to be oh-so-great!

We are meeting with tons of friends and family, eating a ton of delicious food from the motherland and enjoying to our hearts content.

We may also be away for New years going to "Los Poconos" PA, which in Winter is the place to be! yaaaaayyyyyy. I needed to feel so happy. I can't wait for you to see my big guy. I think we should spent our first night together pulling an allnighter, talking, watching old movies and eating tons of junk.

What do you think?

Over & Out