Hello Monday...now leave

The lack of sleep is still taking over my life, however I've decided I will win this fight. Even though last night it was 4am and I was still up, kind of sort of watching a ridiculous movie called "Christmas in Connecticut" and thinking that we really should move to the country, I woke up at 7am, took the Hubs to the train station, came home, made the largest posible cup of coffee and hang with the kiddo in bed watching cartoons for a bit.



I am exhausted but I wont lay down. Alain last test for the semester is today so I have to take him to school early. So what is one to do when you get no sleep and are supper tired and waiting for maintenance to come sand a wall in our bedroom? Clean of course!

Stress have been taking over me, the lack of sleep, the bills to be paid, then the Holidays, I seriously just need a breather. I don't want to complain, specially since driving thru one of those shopping plazas I saw a tent behind an old building, seems like some folks have been living there. I know this happens all the time, all over, but seeing this just showed me how lucky I am indeed, and that no matter what there is always a tomorrow.

I know this post seems so random and all over the place, but with my scatter brain this is all I can muster right now.

Anyone else watching good TV? seems I'm always up I finally caught up with 2 shows that I'm loving right now: " Once Upon a Time" & " Grimm" both based on fairytales, I love it!

OK, off to make lunch to one demanding little guy.

Over & out

Suze Orman is CRAZY

If you don't know Suze Orman is "an internationally acclaimed personal finance expert". Psst.
Whatever.To me the Biatch is crazy.

I'm not hatting on her (which is another post that I have coming up) and I'm sure she has helped some people along the way. Personally every time I see her on TV I just want to throw something at her. But why lovely Nina Patricia? you ask.

I'll explain.

I was browsing the tv while the kiddo napped and as always stop by my local PBS channel (I love the "Masterpiece Mystery"...but I digress...as I was browsing she comes up. She was having some sort off seminar and people where asking questions.

I should have known to just skipped this and look for something else, but of course like a moth to the flame I stayed put and watched.

This is what she was saying (in my own short words)
1. Advise #1 to a kid in college with huge loans: don't care about your friends traveling, partying, or having fun. Right after getting out of college take the first job they offer you, not the one that pays the more. Start your job and hour early, leave 2-3 hours after you are requested to. If you are not required to work weekends, go work on Saturdays. Make yourself indispensable to the company.

BWAHAHAHAHA. SHE IS MENTAL!!!!
First off, I have a kid in college and I want him to be a good student (which he is 3.9 aver) but I also want him to have a life.

Second: Companies DO NOT CARE what you do for them. They will use you and abuse you, they will give you a pat in the back but if it comes the time to let you go they WILL NOT care how many family functions you missed to work Saturdays, how many hours away from the family or how many times you where there @ 6am to get this done. Trust me, this happened to me. Has happened to many friends and family. Working so hard and they JUST.DONT.CARE.

And Third: really? the memories of his younger years are of him missing out on fun, trips, friendships, dating, etc. because he was working? (she suggested he do this well into his 30's)

Advise #2: A man who had great credit was thinking on filing bankruptcy because of financial troubles. Rather than doing this he went back to school to get his Master's. He knows has a 100K student loan and only makes 20k a year. She prompted to ask him on National television if he was a man who cries, because she could tell he was, and what she was gonna say is going to break his heart. She stated it was stupid to go back to school thinking his life would be better, that he was better off with the first loan of 25k and working as a waiter to pay it off than what he did of going back to school.

OH, I soooooo wanted to punch her in the face!
Who the heck are you to tell people that their dream to having a better education was stupid? So he is better off living as a waiter then going back to school? REALLY?
I have never heard that before, that going to further your education is a mistake, that he was stupid and that waitressing is the way to go.

Now, I am no financial expert and I certainly don't have financial security. and guess what?
It's OK. Life is still much better than some that have more than we do. I have kids. I have a family. I'm teaching and loving each moment with them.
I know there is a lot of you guys out there looking to be debt free, trying to have a secure future, etc. and that is ok. I just wonder what the price that people pay for it. How many school functions for your kids have you missed? how many games? how many birthdays? how many days have you come home and the kids are already asleep?
How many people you hear saying: I'll be happier when I get the new car, a house, then another car, another bigger house, when I have 100k saved, when this, when that, and they let life pass by and they never enjoyed it.

I have MANY friends and family that are working really hard at having money. The kids are being raised by someone else, the husbands work so hard they barely see him, yes they have money but no love, no connection, no life and no family.

When my oldest was 7 I moved to the US and he stayed back home (thanks Immigration). I worked really hard and he had a pretty decent life: Private schools, going to the country club, I had nice vacations with him. However I was only able to see him maybe twice a year if I was lucky. I tried really hard not to miss his important events, First Communion, etc. But the day to day life, the time he got Chicken pox, His first dance, etc...I missed all that.

He is 19 now and going to college. To this day he still tells me of how it was growing up without me. Those years are never coming back to us. In 20 yrs your children wont care about how much money you had and how many things you can buy them (would they enjoy it? certainly), they would remember the camping trips, how you set up the Christmas tree, or their favorite meal. I never noticed that my parents had a pretty good financial life until I was older.

Don't get me wrong, I want to provide a decent living to my children, I want to be able to do things with them, and buy them reasonable things, but not a the cost of missing them. Hasn't she seen "Click" with Adam Sandler?


Why do you think so many rich kids get into drugs, get in trouble? because they have everything and they are bored. The same happens with the other side of the spectrum if the parents are working 3 or 4 jobs and the kids basically have to raised themselves. If you don't have or want kids, and your ideal is to have a vast amount of me, then go for it.

There has to be a balance in between. I highly recommend reading this post from "Like Mother, Like Daughter" that I have mention, oh I don't know...20 times by now? Click on it I have it linked. It's called "Five things that are worse than being in debt." and whenever I feel discourage I read it again.

As far as I know Mrs. Orman does not have kids. I know is her job to give you "financial" advise. I know people judge us and think "oh they should not have more kids, they should get another job, I know people think being SAHM is a lazy job, and easy job. Life is so much more than what you have on the bank. It is so much more than going to work even when you are sick, or worst, when your kiddos are sick and you still leave them with someone else...that, is just not me.

Sorry Suze, you are crazy if you thinks having money is more important than anything else in life. And for that, I feel sorry for you.

Over & out

Today is your day

Wake up this morning by feeling 40lbs of pure energy jumping on my stomach and yelling "wake up mommy, wake up" then he proceeded to tickle me.
I smile because no matter how much I hate mornings this makes it worth getting up.

Drink coffee and the smells makes me smile again.

Open the windows and see is sunny out today. A while later the Hubs comes back from the market and shows Aiden he got him grapes. I laugh because his reaction would be that of a teenage boy that has just been gives a PS3, he loves fruit that much.

I hear thump, thump, thump and I see that they are placing new carpet on the hallways and stairs.

I decided to take it easy today so I just take everything out of the kitchen and clean it. The smell of clorox and soap makes me happy. Aiden slides in to help out with the broom.

I have to drive the big kid to college in the PM, then pick him up...I think how lucky I am that he is a dreamer, that has so many plans for the future.

I come home to do my exercise and Aiden, who decided that a nap was contra productive runs out of the room and joins me and encourages me by yelling :"kick mommy, kick" followed by an amazing laugh.

These days he gets into everything, has broken a few Christmas Ornaments (yeah, I'm all ready for the Holidays, whooa, whoooa), gets the gallon of milk from the fridge and tips over chairs. I'm thinking Quarterback right now.

The Hubs is home sick and he is driving me insane because men are such babies.

Today was ordinary and so extraordinary at the same time. They are challenges that I cannot predict and have to roll with the punches...like my money not being in my account and not able to go food shopping like I had plan until I get this resolve...but is ok.

I have a choice to make the best of it, to be in the moment, to be grateful of what we have, a loving needy Hubs, healthy and active boys, a roof still over our heads. My kid can eat grapes and has milk in the fridge for him. How many do not have as much today?

You got to stop worrying for what you don't have and LOVE what you do, you will be happier.
Choose to be there in the moment, choose to enjoy the moment when the kid is still a kid.

No...this is not all my doing..I've been watching some of Oprah's life class (if you can believe I've never been a fan of hers, but the timing of this series has been fantastic for me) and watching Randy Pausch Last lecture...if you can, please go see it on Youtube.

Life is beautiful if we choose it to be.

Happy Monday and Happy thoughts today...

Over & out.

Finding cheese on the floor

Rambling warning

It's 2:50am and I still can sleep. At first I said let me just catch up on "Weeds" {the show people!} because gawd knows I need motivation after the show went to the crapper for me. Seriously, doesn't this woman ever learn? I heard from a friend that does recreation drugs-something I'm complete against-that this happens to a lot of drug people when they come out of jail, they don't know what to do and go back to the same life, to me is just plain dumb, but hey is a TV show so I will indulge my curiosity since is the last season.

Now I'm fully alert and not in the mood to watch the rest of the episodes...so I'm on the computer checking the Postsecrets of the day. They make me sad, and make me laugh, and some of them touch my heart because there is so much hurt out there...

Oh, I forgot to warn you this was going to be a rambling post...kinda one of those in which people just write for 5 minutes what ever comes to mind.

so, where was I? oh yes, hurt...I always said I hate technology because of the things it does to us and it seems growing an extra set of balls usually happens when someone is behind a computer screen or a phone...gosh people can be mean.

um, what else? I went thrift shopping but didn't get anything although next to one Goodwill there is a Pier1 and I was tempted to get an Owl. Lovely creatures...which made me think of a boy I use to know back home who had one as a pet, who dies of eating too many bananas...the owl, not the boy.

I also decided to create a list of things I want to get for the house now the old CD collection resides in pretty white IKEA boxes. So the list goes like this:

1. Paint walls of living/dinning room

2. get curtains for livingroon

3.get the shelves for the kitchen so I can display my pretty collection of Anthro bowls.

uhmmm, thats it, not too much to ask...although I saw this mirror @ Michael's that must be mine.

In other news I found out that since is the second year of the Learning Center they are only going to allow kids that are going to attend that specific adjacent school, so Aiden won't be going to play there again...MAJOR bummer since he loved it there, lets see if the rest of the schools around here jump on the plan too so he can go back. This means I'm gonna have to do a lot more of trips with him to the library, museums, etc.

And before I go let me show you what he got into today, which got me in to the tittle of the post. The little rascall got in the fridge, took out some of the baby bell cheese and proceeded to peal it and eat it...at least I know he would never starve. I love that kid. I don't even want to know what he ate before that made his poop come out green...

Over & out

P.S.

I got some new candles that I'm in love and nail polishes...I will show you soon!

Life is so much funnier when you have a dirty mind.

Like mine, but since is almost 2am and I'm listening to Alanis Morissette something bad could come out , so I will abstain my self....This has been a quiet week and I say I like it like that, next week oldest is going to college and I would be going insane with things to do, plus I have to become creative with the little guy since we have 2 weeks off from his learning center/play time. Here is the low down so far (where the hell did I get my wording, must be from hanging with certain teenager) This week my new love arrived, yay!

We got a Bissell quick steamer and I'm in love. Seriously, the Hubs asked what I wanted for mothers day and this is what I wanted. Having carpet and a two year old that loves making prints in it with his grape juice drives this OCD Mother bonkers. I could not live like that and renting a machine is actually more expensive so here she is (her name is Catalina btw). She is a smaller machine and you do have to change/refill the water more often but that's ok for me. I've already tried it and it made a HUGE difference. Now there are some spots that are still there but I'm planning on getting Shaklee products to clean them so no worries there. (darn I get way to enthusiastic about cleaning devices).

Also as I mentioned before we had a summer BBQ with the little guy's @ the center...

My bubba smirks like his daddy

dont you love his friend with the red shades? so cute. And below is us, me with no makeup and all sweaty from playing outside

Oh, and this is my new lover: titiritups, as bubba calls him

He is part of the home decor- as seen on side table below- as our beautiful, smart, hyper two year old thinks every single item in the house is for him to play....see that small bird cage on the table got already a metal leave taken off {yes, I said a metal leave, and yes he ripped it off}

But that's ok, this is the time for him to explore and get messy, and I'm just gonna deal with it. And my hubs is so good to me. He told me he was going to Target with the little guy and disappeared for two hours (that would be normal for me, not for him). When he came back he surprise me with this watch (btw NOT from Target):

LOVE! he is so sweet and seriously I was already happy with my carpet cleaner but he said that was not an appropriate mothers day gift, and who am I to argue, eh? {btw Mother's day for us is the last Sunday in May}

Now please ignore my nails, since this is the aftermath of that horrible service I had, and no, I didn't loose a finger. I'm wearing OPI "Lincoln Park after Dark"

So that was it for me, now I'm on the hunt for a new nail place and looking forward (yeah, OK) to one hectic week.

Over & out

Ins and Outs

This week has been, as always, challenging. Seriously you would think I have so much going on but in reality little things drive me bonkers. Dear old Josephine aka old PC finally passed away leaving us all using Alain's Laptop (and I despised them) but beggers can be choosers. We will be purchasing a new one...eventually. Sooner rather than later but I am a stubborn pigheaded woman and told the hubs that if we are going to invest in one is going to be one I absolutely love.


Dear Josephine lasted 10 yrs people! so I'm hoping to make a good investment so this next one will last as well. I'm not a whore for new devices so I do not plan to change it every year. I say I because is mainly for my personal use. So here are this week's In's and Out's:


IN

• new nail polishes. I've gotten three in the last few weeks and very happy with them.

Essie- Tart Deco, Hard Candy- Beetle, which is a dupe for one of the MAC Venomous Villains, Sally Hansen-Mint Sorbet, which I already tried on my toes and loved.

• getting my nails done. My salon changed owners and got remodel which made it even nicer.
• going out to eat Mexican, even the little guy enjoy a tasty quesadilla (which I can make at home but I needed to have a break from cooking)
• Getting a Triceratops for my little guy that made him so Ubber HAPPY! Dinosaurs are really important to him :)
  

• buying and making amazing NY Strip steaks
• Getting crabcakes (wanna ask how my diet is going?)
• getting a compliment on my blouse by a hip girl while @ the college. I felt so young!
• Finally getting so in to the book I'm reading ("Mina")
• getting motivate to dress up more which means wearing my lovely heels
  

OUT

• Obviously Dear Josephine passing
  
• The insanely ridiculous amount of paperwork we are still doing for college. seriously, how many copies of my taxes do these people need?
• The bathroom tub getting clogged as I tried to take a midnight shower...UGH!
• trying to find a decent bodywash that doesn't smell like a field of flowers. Not all women want to smell flowery. I spent about an hour at WM trying to get something that didn't make me want to gag. Not to be a snob but I was using Philosophy's Silent Night and The Body Shop coconut and now I don't like anything out there. Finally decided on J&J baby bath.
• having my manicure damage by the time I got home. I don't get it. I have gel on and it looks like it shrinked, so off I go tomorrow to get them fix.

So that's it for now, I'm looking forward to a smooth weekend, lots of cleaning and of course redoing my mani. Hope you enjoy yours...or the last day since the world is supposed to end.

Over & Out

The good life backwards

You know how you never know what you have until is gone? How the old times where the good times? How blah, blah, blah, blabiddity, these young kids have it easy, blah, blah, blah, when I was young we, blah, blah, blah, and then we blah, blah. Remember that?

Ok so I was driving and rocking to Black Eye Peas "Dirty Bit" and looking like a dude from "Night at the Roxberry" (what? I rock!)



Anyways, for some odd reason of nature and because my mind works in mysterious ways I was reminiscing of old times back in the homeland. Seems to me that those by gone days are what most of us are looking for these days. If only I would have known! Lets review a few fun facts.

1. We had a maid- actually my Mom, siblings, Aunts, etc, back home still do. Don't think we didn't do any chores, we have to help out and clean our rooms, help with additional duties. I never realize that coming here it was so seldom you would find that on medium class families.




2. ok, don't hate. we also had a laundress. She used to come in and do all the Laundry, boiling in huge pails all the whites and the sheets. (FYI- We where not filthy rich, we did not live out in the country, as a matter of fact we lived right smack downtown). She was with us for ages, even after getting machines my Mom didn't have the heart to let her go, plus the woman wanted to fell useful. I cans till smell that fresh laundry scent...washed with an organic soap...which I didn't realize until I came here and saw that our natural soaps where indeed organic.

3. This one almost killed me. I used clothe diapers with my oldest. Dear GAWD that was a pain in the a$$, seriously. I had to hand wash them because my mom did not want me to put them in the machine. a few times a day I had to go to take the poop and pee out of them so it wouldn't stain. And when you carried him and the pee actually leaked all over you, or the sheets, or the floors...ugh...nightmares. Healthy but UFF, so not doing it again.




4. I also made 90% of the food he ate. I made soups, and chicken, and peas...blend it, froze it, unfroze it. That part I liked. I didn't make as much meals with Aiden, but I still try to give him more of my meals than anything else. Oh, and I boiled and wash his bottles every night, no microwave sterilizer.




5. We grow up on homemade natural juices. If we wanted Juice we took the fruit, squeeze the lemons, the oranges, blended the guava,the pineapples, etc. and had juice. We even had real fresh coconut water from the actual coconut not a can. My mom still does juice this way. I was considering doing the same but do you know how much a Juicer cost!?




6. My father had our house built from scratch, with his own money, no loans. Also all six of us went to private schools and private Colleges. It amazes me how many people are trying to paid Credit cards and be debt free and my Dad was; he never had a credit card until he retired at 75 and only because they wanted to accumulate points ( how they did it, I still have no freaking clue).

7. Even though we where a large family we had vacations at resorts, on the beach. We also members of this country club.

8. We also used seamstress and have most of our going out outfits, party attires costume made. Anything you could find a picture of, we would go buy the fabric and had them made for us, It was a luxury I would love to have now because, surprisingly it was cheaper than go to a boutique. After falling in love with a $190 dress a Talbots I learned my lesson (no, I didn't buy it).

I was thinking how I was blessed with a beautiful and comfortable life growing up. This post was not to brag, my father worked really hard and he did not retired until after he was well over 70. They budgeted well and knew when to splurge. I was just thinking that all the things I want to do or achieve they did it and with more kids. Even though the Mom-ster drove me insane she does gets props for being a great home maker.

This was mainly me, with rambling thoughts that how come, yet again technology is not always better, more efficient yes, but not always better. How now we try to go backwards and do all those old fashion things: organic food, healthier choices, get out of debt; while still providing a better life for our kids/families. I think before, we got the good life backwards.

Over & out

P.S all photos taken from google images and totally not mine

Some friends are better left in the past

This post was going to be written at a later time, with a clearer head. Sadly I was on the phone with a "friend" and I got so angry I needed to vent, so here I am: sad and broken hearted.

I am going to start with my first issue, my dear best friend of over 15 years and I may be broking up {if there is such a thing}. We became friends back in college, when we where both 20. We clicked immediately, she was my soul-mate, my best friend, and more like a sister to me. We went thru dating jerks, getting dumped, being single, the dating, the ugly, the finally getting married, and having kids.

When she was having issues with her husband, she even contemplated moving here with me. That's how close we where. But then things changed, her calls and emails where not as often. She would claim not to get my messages (even when her voice was the one on the machine). She always claim she loves me the same, she is just a little busy. Then a few years back it started that when I went back home she didn't have time to see me, and it made me feel awful. She didn't go to my wedding claiming low funds (we had a beach wedding-which was only 1 hr away from her) but then went to a resort about a month later, and yet I let it go.

I can understand than having 4 kids takes a lot, but each time I called her she was out with her new friends, kids where at the daycare or with the sitter...so I didn't understand she had time to go shopping but not to stop by and see me. Last year even when I called and asked her when would she be home so I could come by, she always had something to do...so I got the hint and stopped asking her to meet.

This year I tried to keep the calls (because we did talk more when she had surgery) but then again she didnt make an effort, even her FB messages where short...but again always telling me she love me and missed me. I told her that I didn't feel that since I tried making a effort leaving her messages and she never responded. She just replied with a joke.

After all this I've decided not to invest my feelings on our former friendship anymore. i would go back home and will not tell her I'm there. I will no longer call or email her, or even send her a FB message. I'm tired of feeling hurt and rejected by my former best friend. It hurts so much because she was so meaningful in my life for so long. I know she has new friends around (mostly friends of the Husband) a lot of people that drink and smoke and gamble, which are things she now does with her husband...things I don't do or enjoy. I guess we have grown apart and these things happen, but I never thought it would happen to us...

I wont make a fuss about it, I don't think she sees this is done or maybe she doesn't even care. I will just let this fade slowly and no longer try to perform CPR to a relationship that is already on cardiac arrest.

Then tonight, another old friend asked me to call her- she is also back home. I called her even though it was late because she was so depressed in our last few calls, having issues in her business and with her boyfriend. As it happens my son's Godmother is also back home getting several plastic surgeries done -back, lipo, stomach, breast, arms. I talk to her for a while, asking her how she was doing, etc. Then she put my friend that requested I called her on the phone. She was making fun of the one that had the surgery calling her a cow. I replied that she did not look like a cow, plus she had a baby 8 months ago.

Then she say to me: "You should come here and do Plastic Surgery too, I don't even recognize you. You need to keep it up for your husband, You and Jessie let yourselves go"
First I laugh and replied " are you paying for it" to which she reply I had a husband. I said yes, a husband who is the only one that works, with two kids of which one is going to college.

She continue her belligerence on me by saying that she KNOWS my husband loves me but I need to have this for him.

I wanted to say that yes I was fat but happily married, and she was thin and still haven't found one guy that wants to marry her...I wanted to, but that would make me be like her- mean and shallow, This is not the first time she makes these kind of commentsand she knows I don't appreciated them, and honestly, I felt sorry because I knew how misserable she was in her own life, so I let it go. I really hate confrontations (unbelievable- I know) so my take is just to be away from people like that, move on and be happy and healthy for ME...after all, some "friends" are better left in the past.

Over & out

It's a Beautiful day

I finally got a break. Aiden decided he wanted to sit in his high chair while watching cartoons so, is now or never for me. Lately he wants me to sit with him to watch the cartoons, play dinosaurs, etc. hence my lack for much of a domestic life, or a life at all outside of "To infinity, and beyoooooond"

See? Bunny face here can make me do anything he wants.

Is a beautiful day, finally warm, and a perfect day to share these thoughts that have been wondering my mind.


I've been meaning to talk about this for a while but I don't even know where to start. I try really hard to teach my kids that being mean is not ok at all, but them I have to admit I allow for this behavior around me more than I should. I think Kathy Griffin is hilarious but in reality, she is mean to others and makes fun of them. Am I wrong for laughing with her? because I don't know these people? does it make it ok?



I saw the other day that two girls proceeded to beat up another girl in a McDonalds and NO ONE did anything to stop them. I'm sorry, I digress: ONE ELDERLY WOMAN was the only one who actually try to intervene, every other person just watch or tape the incident. This is disgusting.


When did we become so immune to cruelty that we no longer care? I remember last summer we where driving out of our complex and we saw two kids fighting and a circle had formed around it. I promptly told the hubs to stop the car and I yelled from the top of my lungs, with my most heavy accent: "STOP THEM RIGHT NOW, I'M CALLING THE POLICE"

One girl replied "is just them two fighting" , like that was supposed to make it ok. I replied by saying that they cannot, and should not, just stand there and just watch. The fight stopped and they went home. Leave it to me, an immigrant woman, to become the neighbor watch.

I see this happening all the time. People don't want to get involve. Is like when I watch "what would you do?" and see that some people will do nothing in front on injustice; but thankfully a few would stand up for it, no matter what.



How about the growing hate mail, post, messages on the net? is appalling the things I read all the time. From telling a pregnant mother that they hope she and the baby die in labor, to how ugly is someone's face, to religious insults. When would this stop? are we really telling our kids is ok to make fun of others? I think in a way, subconsciously, we are.


I'm not perfect {shhhh, don't tell anyone} and I admit to laugh at those jokes too. But I first realize that something was off when I was reading one of my favorite bloggers dish out on Celebrities during the whole award month. Now, not liking someone's dress is perfectly ok, but some of her comments where so mean, she bashed out of kids, pregnancy, moral issues and it was so shocking I had to say something.



Her next review post said something like this "If you don't have anything nice to say, come sit next to me" and so many people agreed with her. I only responded by saying "I believe that was directed to me" which she said she was just giving a warning. I guess now is ok and acceptable to be mean. We don't think for a second "this is someone's daughter, mother, Sister, wife, brother, father, etc". I didn't say much after that but I wanted to say how would you feel about someone making those remarks about your daughter, a daughter that has overcome so many disabilities. But then I realized THAT would be mean too, and I don't think it would change anything.


I don't try to say that I'm better, just that sometimes we have to really look at the situation and think, is this really going to be funny or cruel? am I just as bad as the others or could I do something different?



My oldest say that I want to believe in the good all the time, trying to help people and I say I do. If I can help someone, I will. I want to believe that people are generally good. I'm not prefect, but I'm trying to be better. To show by example that even though it may not always seem so, doing good and kind is always the better choice. If you have a moment, please watch this video. http://youtu.be/BhywSsvowW4



How about it? Let's do better today. Off from my soap box-again =)



Over & out

I'm alive...I think

YES, I'm back. I wish I could tell you something extraordinary happened in my live that prevent me from posting, or that I went on a fabulous vacation and didn't want to announce it just in case psycho-white-van driver that followed me the other day reads this blog. But no, it was something more mundane: the net was temporarily disconnected and our phone is also VOIP, and it's connected to that. Fun couple of days, huh?

See these things happen sometimes and is all well with me as long as the house, the car, food and the college get paid. So we are back in business, with a minor glitch. Josephine (our pc) is tired and dying. We knew this was coming and she got a good life (10 yrs) so you see, it will happen soon that Josephine will get replaced. I wish I can say that I'm sad since I usually get extremely attached to inanimate objects (remember the IKEA commercial with the little lamp that got replaced and left at the curve? yeah, I fell awful about it) but it needs to happen.

Hubs turned 37 and he took it very well, I made his favorite meal and dessert (Lasagna and Flan-which we call quesillo). I suggested we go out to dinner but due to the Easter week we don't eat meat so he said he rather go when is over. And on that topic I have to say it AMAZES me how different people in the US celebrate Easter. I'm not going to talk about religion because it drives me bunkers, but just a bit about what we do.



Holy week (which is what we called it) is basically an entire week off from work and school. Most businesses are closed after Wednesday; on Friday we had to visit 7 churches. Good Friday we where supposed to be in mourning, so no horse play, no loud music or TV. Sunday of course we had to go to church. It seems to me here Earth day is seriously more important. Shocking to me, even though I care for the earth I think we are loosing a tad bit of focus.


Crossing over to mother Earth, I've noticed we use a ridiculous amount of paper towels {and by "we" I mean my 18 yr old...don't get me started with soap and toilet paper...the boy has issues}, so I purchased cloth towels to do some of the clean up around the house (white or course, so I can toss them in the laundry with clorox). Hope that helps out a bit. Also I've been researching the Brita filters and is clear to me we should get one (the ones that go in the faucet drive me loco).



Uhm, what else? oh yeah, Hubs got me a present -even though it was his birthday, 'cause that's the kind of guy he is- and I was so shocked.




I's the book by Sting, with all his lyrics and the meaning behind the songs!!!! I love STING and seeing him in concert was a fantastic. I've been a HUGE fan since I was about 10 and my Sister introduce me to the "tape" Dream of the Blue Turtles.

Also this little guy is turning TWO next month:


The photo above is from when he was almost 3 months...time does fly. Now he tell us "hey guys" when we get home, or say things like "I'm OK", "whatchadoing mommy", helluuu gatuuuu- Hello cat- with an English accent mind you. We are planning on a small family gathering in NYC with a Monkey theme. I'm so excited to go, my SIL is pregnant and we haven't seen her since the holidays.

On the job hunting front, nothing has happen. I decided to keep looking an in the meantime trying to find places where I can take the little guy to interact with more kiddos, so will see how that goes. OK, I think that's enough for now. I will be back...I promise. Unless Josephine goes into cardiac arrest.

Over & Out
P.S- have you seen the show "What would you do?"....is fascinating!

Because already there is so much...

I have a list of things I want to blog about, is just that there is already so much going on in the world. I've always felt that being Debby downer and always complaining is a sure way to have people walk away from you. Venting one day, ok. Having a sad, negative post all the time...uh, no.

I have received my darn polishes from Zoya and I like them, I just hate that freaking company. I look forward to a much needed relaxed afternoon of manicures.

Above: Tamsen source

The Hubs is having one of his final test on Monday- a sleep study, so hopefully we can start working on getting him better. I've also mentioned that I went on Interviews *sigh* let's see what happens.

In all Honesty I am NOT looking forward to going back to work. I know most people will think I should, from the financial aspects and benefits. Is just that I feel like this is where I should be, helping one kid go to college and raising my little guy. Now that spring is here and I'm looking forward to enjoying my time with them outside. Not all is money...sadly the cable, electricity and car loan don't seem to have the same mindset :)

Right now I can't help to have my mind wrapped up in the Government...the USA Government- that may be shutting down for a bit. That's scary, even for me coming from a 3rd World Country. And sad.

Ok enough of that, I will come back with a better blog...soon. And I got to tell y'all that after 13 yrs of NOT watching Soap Operas one has me HOOKED! (is a Spanish one though)



Over & out

I don't wanna, and you can't make me!

Sigh.
Let's just say the last couple of days have been a little stressful. I'm going to start with a question for you: Is there something you hate to do but know you.have.to? Now we know we all have those little things and before I go into a rant about what's been happening I'm going to be mature about it and tell you about me: I hate brushing my teeth.






Seriously. I hate it. This has not always been the case since I have Six (yeah 6!!!) Dentists in my family, and not distant relatives...I'm talking about my sister, another sister's husband, 3 cousins, and aunt...etc. Oh, and next year my Hubs brother will graduate a DDS as well. I even remember when my sister was in college (she is 13 yrs older) and had to do free clinics and some of them was in our church, my mother will send us alone to go get our teeth cleaned (it was 2 blocks away). So I always done it gladly, heck I rather go to the dentist than the bank. I hate banks. OK, I'm going off again.

Anyways, while pregnant with my little guy I was sick all the time, all 40 weeks. Morning, afternoon, evening, middle of the night. On top of it brushing my teeth meant guarantee puking. From then on I associate brushing my teeth with getting sick so I don't enjoy it. I do it, I do the whole shebang of flossing, brushing, teeth whitening, and I'm one of those freaks with 2 types of gum and Altoids in her purse. Don't you go there thinking I have a dragon mouth. I do it because I know I must. My point is that we all do things we don't want to.

But my husband is a little boy having a tantrum when it comes to the Doctor. Wanna see a picture of him?






That's my hubs. I have been so streessed because I'm trying to get him to get checked again. When I was pregnant with the little guy, one night while I was laying in bed watching TV, I heard rumbling, like when things are moving in an earthquake. I got up to find the hubs sitting at the computer desk, shaking, like he was having an epileptic attack. That was a scary scene. I kept calling him and trying to hold him. A few seconds later he stopped shaking and kept saying he was ok. He refused to go to the ER but I manage to convince him to see a Dr.

He had a non-epileptic seizure. He was listening to a podcast online and was laughing. Apparently as he was laughing so hard, he stop sending enough oxygen to his brain causing the seizure. I didn't even know that could happen. He was given a cat scan, an EKG (that came irregular), a hearing test- which prove that hes getting deaf, and was diagnose with Thyroid problems. He was also supposed to loose weight.

Fast forward to now. He is not taking his medication, has not gotten his hearing aid, has gained more weight and his sleep apnea is getting worse. He is also getting sluggish and tired a lot. He seems to think all this is ok, but is not and is got me so scared. I finally had to call reinforcements and together we convinced him to go back to the Dr.

The shocker of it all is that he still thinks I'm making a big deal out of nothing. He is taking it easy. Blood work has been done and has a referral for a Cardiologist and a sleep disorder test. He is finally back on his medication, but may have to be adjusted. Seems to me like I have no choice but to be the annoying motherly wife and keep bugging him about this stuff.

The scary thing was the conversation about his weight. The Dr. sees that he is not making any effort to loose the weight and even though he is tall he is 289lbs. BMI of 41.5; the borderline for normal is under 25. He was told he MUST loose 8lbs a month as soon as the Cardiologist clears him off , if he doesn't would be sent to an Bariatric Surgeon to be consider for Gastric bypass. That was a shock to me that he even qualifies for that. The Dr. said to us "if he doesn't loose the weight and get this under control he could die, we are trying to save his life. This is serious".
SAY WHAT?!!!!

I can't believe this. He keeps telling me " you know I'm gonna be ok" but I tell him I don't know that. He has always refused to do anything about it, he gets mad when I ask him not to eat junk food or drink so much soda. But my heart is breaking at the thought of waiting all my life to find him, my best friend, my soul-mate, the father of my children, only to loose him to junk food.

Let me tell you...no Oreo, brownies or chips taste that good.
I don't want to seem like a drama queen and I sure as hell going to do everything I can to make sure we get pass this, and I know is not a terminal disease (God forbid) but it lighted a fired under my ars and show me how much this can truly affect all of us.

I have been striving to be a good home maker and wife, the type that makes home made food like back home, trying to be attentive to him; but I guess now it would have to be with a grilled chicken and a salad.
{pictures are of a recent Shrimp Gumbo from the homeland that I made for us}



This has been one long dramatic post. Sorry.
Let me go off to bed since I've been doing better at getting my sleep back...although my oldest manage to take this little shoot of me today- I was supposed to be watching HGTV...

ZZZzzzz

Over & out

When free is a high price to pay

It never ceases to amazed me how mean can people be to one another, how much we judge without knowing that person and how quickly, ready and able we are to tell them off.

It is apparent the most BIG blogs get stuff for free, and honestly I don't see much harm in it. I do wonder what happens if you really hate the product would you still give it a fair review?

I have found several AMAZING companies because someone did a review on them {hellu Fortune Cookies soap} and I think is a great form of marketing -after all in another life I was a Marketing Major...and then Interior Design...err...let's continue.

Yesterday a very popular makeup guru made a HUGE mistake when not only did she posted about the beautiful Petunia Pickle Bottom she had gotten for free, thanks to some readers that emailed the company, but then she erased part of the post making it seem like the Co. contacted her and she erased the name of the followers. It was so strange.And then WW Three started. Dear lord, they are WAAAAYYYY too many women out there with nothing better to do than to criticized and hate on others. They called her selfish, greedy, bad mother, and one even made some comment about her maybe being too loose. They sent so many hurtful words because apparently she asked people for stuff {I've never seen these post they claim} but I say to myself: "she can ask but that doesn't mean you are going to give, and if you do why would you REQUEST that she post a public thank you about?"

Isn't giving supposed to be done from the heart without expecting anything? No? Maybe is just me. EVERY popular blogger out there gets free stuff. I've seen MAC send new collections for review...




I mean even ZOYA did the 3 free nail polish as a marketing plot. {I'll show you the one's I got in a bit} .
I personally think that yes, some of your honest reviews are going to get lost because the item was gifted but I don't see the harm on then getting the free stuff. And by Golly, who the hell died and make all these queens entitled to insult this woman for getting this bag? I mean I get it, it's a $300+ bag and people said she should have sold it. OK, I'm on a tiny teeny budget and I WOULD NOT have sold the bag. She should keep it, enjoy it, and delete the haters. By the way NieNie also got this bag and she doesn't have any current babies...just saying.

And for Christmas she also requested items to be sent for review, and not all got posted -and she even said she would not send them back- but people sent her stuff because they knew how many people would see these and was good advertising.

So should I not trust all this gurus because they are being gifted? Should I say you are a bad person because you got a plate hanging disk instead of buying it?
I think not. I think I'm smart enough to see that some post have more enthusiasm than others and that I can always research the product a bit more.

I, like many more out there, got these free polishes from ZOYA:

above is Karina, very sparkly. Had to get it because is my younger Sis name.

Above is moxie...meh...it remind me of another color I have OPI Manicurist of Seville-below.

And the bane of my existence: below is Laney. I didn't order this color but the company refuse to rectify it, so here it is.

I made a comment stating that a) at $7 I rather get the China Glaze for less than $3.
b) even though they where free the customer Service was AWFUL, and that is really important to me, therefore I would not recommend or be buying from them.

I GOT CRUCIFIED stating how ignorant and petty I was, that I should just take them and shut up. Haven't been bullied like that by grown {immature} women since...well...never. I laugh so hard about it but it also made me sad to see how angry people get over tiny things. So honest reviews need not to apply.

I do have to say that even though they are regular nail polishes they do dry super fast.
I'm still one of those that believe that all people are mostly good, and I don't mind if you get something for free, after all these companies are looking for a cheap way of advertising.
Hecks if Lush said :"hello there, amazingly smelling woman; Let us shower you -no pun intended-with free stuff, I'll be doing the Cabbage pack while screaming hells-to-the-yeah!!!!

Sorry, free stuff, like coupons excited me.
So what about you. does knowing that someone got an item for free change your view of them?
I wonder...
Let me go and cook some dinner while I ponder the meaning of free items.

Over & out

On a Friday...

There hasn't been much going on right now so this is me just rambling about.

Today the Hubs is in NYC with his family, MIL is having her breast surgery today and we all pray it goes well...we know it will. It was weird not having hubs snoring next to me and I had a difficult time getting to sleep so I watch TV for a while.

Have you seen this show "Heavy" on A&E? I was finally able to catch it on Demand, and boy do I feel for them. Even though I am not as heavy as them I know the feeling of being made fun all the time. I hate when people seem to think is OK to tell someone they are fat. The fact is we all know, we have mirrors. It's hard for some people to see the person behind the weight. I like that the woman in the show had such a great attitude but I know some times we have that facade of laughing and being funny to hide how we really feel.

For the last 2 days I didn't exercised because I didn't feel so good, but I did manage to clean the entire house which included cleaning areas of the carpet by hand with a scrub brush...That has to count for some calorie burning, right? Riiiiiight?!

So here is what I got from Anthropologie...aren't they so freaking cool? That little envelope is where the packing slip comes in- how awesome!

Yay, my new Latte bowls! They bring so much color to my white dishes, too bad they ran out of the other colors, but I plan to buy another 6pcs set. They are the perfect size for breakfast cereal. Now I just have to wait for my other stuff to arrive.

Now I leave you with another beautiful shot of my Father's Orchids...these pictures where taken back home...I love these flowers. And yes, his bloom with several flowers at one time :)

Over & Out

Us time

Do you ever want to grab a frying pan and hit your love one with it? No? guess is just me. Today has got me cranky. I'm OCD and anal retentive for a lot of stuff but some I consider common sense: if the garbage bag is closed, get a new one-do not place items on top of it.

If the little guy redecorates the living room, try to at least pick up a few items of the floor. Seems simple enough but it never fails that the men in this house seem to forget to do. Case in point:

After returning home from the GW to donate even more crap (they don't take TV's? did you know that?) I started making dinner...when all the sudden I realize the big kid and the hubs went to get a nap. seriously? at dinner time? they left me with the little kid and just went their Merry way without even saying anything.

I was ready to do a choke hold on them when the little guy started giggling. Then when he saw me move his high chair and he exclaimed so happily "Oh yeah"!. What can I say, the kid love his food. Then as I was trying to cool down his food he saw that it was chicken quesadillas- one of his favorite- so he yelled WAIT, WAIT 'cause he though I was taking the food back to the kitchen.

I enjoyed a nice dinner, just the two of us. He trying to talk to me in his little gibberish way, I responded with oh, yes and wao. We toasted over a sippy cup and a bottle of water... It reminded me that some days I do need the time to be just him and I. He didn't notice the other two gone, so maybe I should let it pass....this time.

Love you little guy, you melt me.

Over & Out

It happened on a Monday

Some days I feel like I live in a sitcome (crazy neighboors and all). These are a few things that happened Monday...

~enjoyed my newly made garland

~ picked up my fixed boots. $13 for new heels, much better than buying new heels. I'm learning...slowly, but I am.

~ Aiden joins the tradition of drinking milk and Orange Juice...on his own may I add. He had his juice and decided to grab his bottle from the fridge.

~ Made another traditional meal, which combined Ketchup and hot sauce...I'm a mess!

~ return to the store with an Ice cream that was 3 months past expiration date. Got a brand new one for free :)

~ keeping with my new goals: I actually measure ½ cup (shows the 1 cup because the other one was dirty, but believe me I measure it!) of ice cream and THAT'S ALL I ATE :)

~ on the hunt for an EOS lip balm...now I can't find them, a few weeks ago they where staring me in the face everywhere.

~ I was bullied on FB. Seriously. Over NAIL POLISH!!!. I had a bad experience with the Customer Service of a Co. that was giving a free product. I believe in great service and no matter how many free items you give me I wont say otherwise. When I posted on their wall (as my last resort since they wouldn't return my calls-emails). Basically I was called ignorant, stupid, low life, etc for complaining about them. I keep replying very politely and sarcastically things like : "thanks, your comment has changed my life" or "yay, agreed" Or even making fun at how entertaining it must be for that Co. to see grown women attacking one another over polish. I ended up making my exit stating that I needed to polish my nails. Technology has strike again making cowards into bullys hiding behind a computer screen.

~ called the Mom-ster to find out how Dad is doing; Dad proceeds to tell me he is calling the police 'cause Mom hide his machete (seriously? Robert Rodriguez I'm blaming you)

~received a call back from Mom-ster crying. Dad (who has a mental illness) proceeds to cut her arm with a sharp tool. I panicked. Thankfully one of my sister's went to their home and Dad calmed down. I'm feeling sorry for her, I really am. My oldest asked me if I think this was karma. With all my heart I hope is not.

~decided after all the drama I was going to belch out a rendition of "Airplanes" all off key...on purposed. "Can we pretend that Aaaaairplanes in the niiiiiight skieeeees like shooting stars, I can really use a wish right noooooow, a wish right nooooooooooooooooooooooowwwwww".

I seriously need to watch more mindless TV tonight. uhm....Brideplasty? I think so.

Over & out