gifts, gifts!

My friend Diana absolutely loves me. How else can you explain these goodies she sent me? She just came back from a trip to Hong Kong and mainland China and I got the most fabulous gifts. Isn't it great when you have friends that like the same things you do? I mean, you can buy something you love and know they'll love it too. I remember years ago when Diana made us the cutest candy cane ornaments for Christmas. That was back when we were both super young and not yet mommies. That same year I gave her a goody basket and she loved it too. Anyway, back to the trip. When I received her package I couldn't wait to hear the scoop on the trip. She was there for two weeks for work! Isn't that neat? I wish I had a job like that. Apparently she's going to be going to China twice a year and maybe to Italy later on. Yeah, I think she needs a personal assistant or at least someone to carry her luggage. Ahem. So, here are the things I got. First of all, she brought me a darling Hello Kitty charm for my cell phone. Yes, I am Hello Kitty crazy and I think I'll be using the phone a whole lot more often.

Then I received my very own name stamp. Even the box is beautiful!


Aren't they gorgeous? I'm stamping everything! I feel like "Cowboy X" and even want to stamp people in the forehead (or their hat). So, when I read that her flight was more than 14 hours all I kept wondering was what she was reading. I want to ask her that but it seems like such a silly question. What I really want to know is about the food! Yum, real Chinese food. I'd be in heaven!

soooooooooo busy

Now that kids are back into the swing of things at school again, they're not wasting any time. I've been busy with Brianna and all her school projects. Although she is barely a 1st grader, they do so many things. Apart from my own job and after-hours meetings that last way longer than expected, I've been doing 1st grade homework. I think she's still at an age that most of the project homework is just homework for the parents. Plus, Brianna's school celebrates EVERYTHING. This week we've been busy working on her "100 day stew" ingredients (because the school is having a "100th day of School" celebration), her science project which is due next week, treats and lots of pictures of dogs for the Chinese New Year Carnival, and looking for an outfit for Rodeo Day. Besides her regular homework and studying for the spelling test, she had to make a wheel with the different animals and the years they represent for the Chinese years and some red decorations for the carnival.
I really don't know what to make for her classmates as a treat for Chinese New Year. I was thinking of making something with red felt, a little felt dog and writing "Happy Bingxu" and putting some candy. Most all the other parents are taking fortune cookies. Any ideas are welcome and appreciated. I heard some moms are taking their daughters dressed in kimono. I wanted to tell them that kimono are Japanese, but I kept my mouth shut. :P
I also don't want to spend too much time on the carnival because I'm more concerned about the Science Fair. Her classroom is required to complete a project and report. It is up to us whether we want it judged or not. I figure she might as well.
I have to look up some more experiments that are easy enough for her to explain and demonstrate on her own.
You know, when I was in 1st grade, my homework was to cut a spider out of construction paper. Ah, memories.

darn that parrot!

This article cracked me up! Why didn't she just get rid of the parrot? Well, she shouldn't be cheating in the first place, but since she was she should've been more careful. Too funny!

mr and mrs mathers

I don't know about you, but if I had an ex-husband who wrote and recorded a song in which he talked about killing me, I probably wouldn't remarry him. That's just me. Still, all the best to the once again Mr. and Mrs. Mathers. I hope for the children's sake that their marriage is better this time around.

dancing with the stars

Ok, I admit it, I like watching Dancing With the Stars. There. Now you know. So far, I'm going for Drew Lachey. I really hope he wins. I like that wrestler Stacey too but I think Drew has learned the dances a whole lot better. Stacey looks really nice. She is very graceful and looks beautiful with those LONG legs but I have yet to see any sort of footwork. I couldn't care less about Gizelle Fernandez or Tatum O'Neal. Tia Carrere and Lisa Rinna are ok. I don't think they'll win, though. I sort of feel bad for George Hamilton. He seems to be trying so hard but his injuries make it difficult for him. Jerry Rice is flat out entertaining. He looks like he's having fun. As for Master P. Ugh. Why are people voting for this guy? Seriously. I have heard comments that he's trying. Really? I thought he looked like he'd rather be anywhere else. I don't even know why he's on the show. I can't imagine going into a competition with no intention of winning. Besides, this is a DANCE competition. He can't dance. If he wins I'm going to be very upset. That said, I'm going to watch the results on DVR now and hope that he was voted out. Good night.

generational soap

I lady I work with has worked there for about a million years. Earlier she was telling me about how it was when she first started there. Apparently, everyone used to date around there. She said "It used to be like Peyton Place around here". At this point I imagine that I just had a blank stare because she went on to explain.

her: You know, that soap
me: uh, not really
her: well, everyone used to get together with each other (notice she didn't say "hook-up")
me: Oh! Like Melrose Place?!
her: sure, I guess
young guy that was listening in: What the hell is Melrose Place?
me: oh, it was like The O.C. or Laguna Beach or whatever you kids are watching these days.
older co-worker and me both just start laughing at this point

brad and angelina . . . . .

. . . . . because no one else is talking about this. The gossip links that I visit have been talking about Angelina being pregnant for weeks now so the confirmation yesterday came as no surprise. So, the couple that are "just friends" are expecting a baby. Well, that's not the first time that happens.
I feel bad for Jennifer Aniston, though. Now, I've never been a huge fan of hers but I just feel bad. I'd hate to be in her position. I know that people move on and all but her divorce just became final this past October. Plus, Angelina Jolie is HOT. How can anyone even compete with that. Maybe I'm petty but if I were divorced I'd like my ex to start dating some ugly person or someone dumb at least. Or if he started dating a guy I'd be even more relieved. There would be none of the "What does she have that I don't?". I think that as much as you wish for good things for your ex you don't want to think that they've moved on to better. I mean who wants to say "Wow, he really moved on to bigger and better. I was really holding him back". Right? Especially if you want to remain on friendly terms or cordial at least. I mean, the whole point of divorcing is that you think your life will be better without that person, right? I'd hate to think that I was the anchor in the relationship.
Not that I'm saying this about Jennifer Aniston. It just seems that Brad moved on so quickly and suddenly has the family that they seem to have been planning. That must hurt, no? Oh, and I also feel bad for Maddox because now I'm sure they're going to make him walk once in a while.
There. Now you can rest knowing what I think about this.

Remember that it is still De-lurking week, so if you haven't de-lurked, you still have a few days to do so.

de-lurking week

Well, we all probably know by now that Jan. 9-13 is National De-lurking Week. So, go ahead. . . De-lurk. Or be a codfish. Eww....

Just in case you don't know a lurker is someone who lurks around a blog but doesn't leave a comment. I've de-lurked on some blogs today and now it is your turn. If you are reading this, you are REQUIRED to leave a comment. What's worse is that a lot of friends and even relatives are the worst offenders. When I see them in person I start telling them usually something about the kids to which they respond, "Oh yeah, I read that on your blog". That means you. You have to leave a comment too.

book recommendations

I always try to make sure I have a new book to read before I finish whatever I'm reading. Well, it didn't happen this time. I just finished reading Amy Tan's Saving Fish From Drowning and I have nothing new to read. The problem is that I don't have anything that I really want to read right now. For the longest time there was a book I couldn't wait to read before I finished whatever I was reading. Oh, and I'm one of those people that like to read only one book at a time. So, could you please recommend a book? Again? Here's a list of what I've read since we moved here in August.

Right before we moved, I stuck my hand in the box marked "books" and I pulled out White Oleander. I read it for like the sixth time.

Then I bought and read. . .

The Secret Life of Bees
The Mermaid Chair. Since I liked "Secret Life..." I thought I'd like this book by the same author. I didn't care for it too much.
Memoirs of a Geisha. Oh, I couldn't put this down!
The Kite Runner. I loved it.
The Time Traveler's Wife. Very interesting and so different from any other book.
A Million Little Pieces. Yikes this was so raw and descriptive.
Middlesex
The Kitchen God's Wife
The Joy Luck Club. I had never read the book. Can you believe it?
Finally Saving Fish From Drowning. Have any of you read this? Well, let me tell you that it is VERY different from Amy Tan's usual style. It is not a story about a Chinese/American family. It is about some tourists that go missing in Burma. The narrator is a dead woman who was supposed to be the guide and goes along on the trip in spirit. It's not that I didn't like the book, I really did, I just expected different. After I bought it I heard how it was such a different style for her but I didn't know before.
I've been thinking about buying Life of Pi. Has anyone read it? Suggestions?

feeling: sleepy
listening to: Nada Surf (Always Love)
what I should be doing instead of blogging: getting things ready for tomorrow

reason #247 kids make you uncool

One of my resolutions was to post more on this blog, so for now I'm trying to post daily. Let's see how long that lasts. . . . .

About being uncool. I am now a total dork. Why? Because I have kids. Today we were eating Subway sandwiches. Alec was just playing with his food and wouldn't eat any of it. We were asking him to please eat and nothing was working. I finally grabbed the sandwich, opened it and in my best sandwich voice, made the sandwich talk asking Alec to please eat it. Alec was so entertained by the sandwich that he would take one bite and talk to the sandwich. The sandwich (me) was talking back. So there, I'm a dork. If on one of the first few times that I ever went out to dinner with Rodrigo, I would've made my food start talking, he would've thought I was crazy. Now, he just sees it as a way to get our son to eat. I also see a lot of things that he does and think nothing of it. Like calling from the cell phone claiming to be Santa and telling Alec to behave. Oh, the things we have to do. . . . .
Santa was a good deal for a while there. We'd tell the kids they better behave since Santa was watching. It's too bad I can't use that anymore. I found out Santa is still watching my little nephew and will come to take away the gifts he left if my nephew misbehaves. That's a good one. Also, I don't think the whole Santa thing will work with Brianna much longer.

feeling: stuffed up
listening to: Alec Empire (I don't know the name of the song)
what I should be doing instead of blogging: making tea

picture surprise

It was such a nice surprise when I checked my email this morning and found that one of my oldest friends Sophia had send me some pictures. I don't remember having ever seen these pictures that were taken back when we were in eighth grade. Now, I think everyone has had some moments of "What was I thinking?" about their clothes or their hair. My entire 7th and 8th grade years are like that to me. Not so much in high school because I was at least wearing whatever was in style. Not the case in middle school. It was just two years of ug. Oh, and the hair (-shudder-). I think this picture has to have been taken in 1990, so we were still into the big hair. I would curl and tease my hair most days and I'm grateful that these pics were taken on days when I decided to wear it flat (as we would call it). Anyway, I'm going to share one of these pics with you so you can know what I'm talking about. Don't be too embarrassed for me. I didn't know any better. Besides, I'm sure ALL of us have some dorky pictures.

From left to right are JoAnn, me (no, it's not Lilo), Trudy, and Annette. I remained friends with JoAnn throughout high school but we haven't talked since. Wow, we were all so close back then. I wonder how they're all doing. . .

feeling: in a hurry!
watching: Little Einsteins
what I should be doing instead of blogging: getting ready for work

after Christmas blahs

I took down all the Christmas decorations and I think the house looks really "blah". I have the decorations that I had before Christmas but it just looks so plain without all the little lights and garland. I really do love Christmas decor.
I was telling Rodrigo that I was going to start selling "holiday trees" and accesories. It would be a Christmas tree but in all sorts of different colors. Also, the lights, ornaments and decorations would change with each holiday. Hearts, shamrocks, eggs, bunnies, rockets, flags, beach balls, pencils, school busses, pumpkins, skeletons, turkeys and finally all the Christmas ones. He laughes about my "holiday tree" idea. I think if I really did have a tree up all year, it would get boring and not be special anymore. Although I do wonder how many people would actually buy into this. Probably the same people that buy those upside-down trees. I figure I'd lose more money that I'd make.
Isn't it funny though when you see some product and think "I could've TOTALLY invented that. Why didn't I think of that?" That has happened quite often to me.

Well, after some fabulous days off, I go back to work today. Ugh. Oh well. . . .

feeling: dragging
listening to: That stupid Kevin Federline rap song. Oh my, is he serious with this?
what I should be doing instead of blogging: ironing my clothes.

new look, new links

Don't you just LOVE this new template. I'd loved it soooo much! I just wish that it had actually gotten cold enough here to be able to wear something like in that illo. Well, winter is not over, so I still have hope.
The other thing I also wanted to do is update my blog links. I've had a document for the longest time where I keep a list of links I like. I finally added some to this page. The way I find other links is pretty much through the blogs I read. It just takes forever to go through someone's list of links, read through those blogs, remember which ones I liked, etc. etc. It's always so pleasant to find a good blog, though.
Oh, that reminds me, the The Bloggies 2006 page is up, so if you have nominations you want to make, go there.
So, back to what I was saying, go check out some of the new links I have. I have to admit that one of the funniest pages I've come across is Ask The Pope. It's so silly.
Do you have any blogs that you'd like to recommend? It's always fun to find new reads.

Speaking of recommendations, go see this video. I couldn't stop laughing the first time I saw it and have been uh, quoting Whitney since.

feeling: comfortable
watching: Little Einsteins <-- Alec can't get enough of this show
what I should be doing instead of blogging: putting away Christmas decorations

resolutions

Every year I sort of make resolutions but never really go through with anything. They're always the same ones too. . . to get really fit and get organized. I just never seem to do anything about it, though. I really, really want to do the fitness one this year, though. I'll be turning 30 this summer (EEK!) and I'd love to turn 30 looking super hot. Yes, not just fit but super hot. Think Britney Spears in the "Toxic" video. Uh, ok, maybe that's a bit of a stretch, but you get the gist. The problem is that I have no I don't know, no will power or no motivation. I mean, I know I want to do it, I just don't know how to start.
I figure I really have to change my eating habit or lack of, rather. I don't really eat a lot. That is to say that I hardly eat real food at all. Breakfast is coffee (but with creamer) and lunch is usually hot Cheetos and a soda. Yikes. I've eaten this way for as long as I can remember. As a kid, I NEVER wanted to eat. My mom would leave me sitting at the table and I'd eventually crawl over and pour my food back into the pots and pans and tell my mom I'd eaten everything.
I've thought about starting some sort of diet. Honestly, if I just stopped eating chips and soda, I'd have no problem. The food and drink I do have are rice and cranberry juice. I LOVE BOTH. I can eat rice almost everyday. As for the cranberry juice, well, I've always loved it. I can drink a whole gallon by myself in a day. If I started a low carb sort of thing, I'd have to give up both. I'd probably go into withdrawl and get the shakes.
I also know that I should start some sort of exercise program. I was in dance for years and years. From the time I was six years old up until a few months before I got pregnant with Brianna. I took a break from dance while in high school but I had activities in high school and we'd walk to and from school. I never worried about weight until after I had Brianna. It was just never an issue. Even while I was pregnant, I didn't gain to much weight. It was until after I stop breast feeding that I wasn't able to eat anything I wanted and not gain weight.
I have something to confess. . . At this moment, I weigh more than I did when I went into labor with Brianna. ARGH! Can you even believe that? Yes, it's time to do something.
So, the tips I've gotten are to keep a journal and also to have a diet partner. I'm going to recruit Rodrigo. I doubt he'll mind.
Ok, so, have any of you done anything that has worked for you? Please share. I'm looking through all sorts of information and plans so I'd love it if you shared.

feeling: confused
watching: Little Einsteins
what I should be doing instead of blogging: some sort of physical activity

2005 Meme

I just received this email and I've already seen this meme in a couple of blogs, so now it's my turn. I'm not going to forward it this time but post the answers here instead. Play along. . .

1. What did you do in 2005 that you’d never done before?
We bought a house and started making MORTGAGE payments.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Uh, not really. Each year I resolve to get really organized but I never seem to be. I think it's funny how I can be so organized at work but out of work I'm always running around like crazy and can't remember anything.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Bloggy friends Leslie and Jenn. No babies I know in person.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No, thank goodness.

5. What countries did you visit?
None. Well, Mexico but that can't count because I live on the border.

6. What would you like to have in 2006 that you lacked in 2005?
More time, more money. We were very blessed in 2005 and it's not like we were lacking money but we could definately use more.

7. What dates from 2005 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Oh gosh, I hardly remember dates but I remember events. Alec turning two, the day we closed on the house, moving (becaase it sucked) Thanksgiving and Christmas since it was the first time I hosted, Brianna turning seven.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I don't know, I didn't do anything really grand.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Not managing my time wisely.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Flu and the likes but nothing major.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
The house, my iPod although both technically were bought by Rodrigo.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Mine. Yes, mine because I manage to be patient.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Some people that I have to deal with at work and well, the president.

14. Where did most of your money go?
The house, the kids, gasoline.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
The house. House hunting was so exciting and when we finally found this one we were ecstatic!

16. What song will always remind you of 2005?
Greenday's "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" because it was ALWAYS on, NIN's "Only" because I liked it a lot. Also Persephone's Bees' "City of Love" and Travis' "Sing". The lovely Giao send me a mix cd for my birthday and I was listening to it NONSTOP. I remember when we were moving and I was driving back and forth. Whenever I think of that, I get those songs in my head.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?
a. I was happy last year and I'm happy now but since I'm not sadder, I have to say happier
b. also about the same. Oh wait, thinner because on New Year's Eve I wore some pants that weren't fitting me anymore.
c. poorer because of mortgage and taxes

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
organizing and spending time at home

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
driving and working

20. How will you be spending New Year’s Eve?
We were at my mom's house for dinner

21. Did you fall in love in 2005?
nope. I won't say any sappy comment like "more in love. . . "

22. How many one-night stands?
Ha! none.

23. What was your favorite TV program?
The Office

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
No. Hate the same people (heh, heh).

25. What was the best book you read?
So many good books but probably The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
(other books I read and loved this year were Memoirs if a Geisha, The Kitchen God's Wife and The Time Travelers Wife)

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Uh, I can't think of something new that I really love. The last new artist I've loved was Maroon 5 but it wasn't 2005. I like lots of new artist but not like "I have to run out and buy this". Rodrigo liked The Killers. Were 2005 or 2004?

27. What did you want and got?
an iPod. a house (yes, it's almost all my answers)

28. What did you want and not get?
U2 tickets

29. What was your favorite film of this year?
I really liked Crash even though it's now on "Worst movies" lists. Oh, and March of the Penguins, awwww.

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
My birthday was on a Monday. I worked and Rodrigo showed up and surprised me with gifts. I turned 29. Drat!

31.What one thing made your year measurably more satisfying?
My kiddies. They make everything interesting.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2005?
boring banker most days. Lots of black, pearls as much as I could and cute short hair.

33. What kept you sane?
Rodrigo, of course, caffeine and my bathtub.

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Which celeb do I fancy? Cillian Murphy, Gael Garcia Bernal, Ralph Fiennes, Collin Firth and my long time boyfriend, Johnny Depp

35. What political issue stirred you the most?
I'd rather not answer. I tend to get very riled up on political talk.

36. Who did you miss?
My friend Liz after she moved

37. Who was the best new person you met?
A couple of coworkers also a few that I would've rather not met :P
I also made lots of new bloggy friends.

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2005.
Patience is a virtue.

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
All that noise, and all that sound,
All those places I have found.
And birds go flying at the speed of sound,
to show you how it all began.
Birds came flying from the underground,
if you could see it then you'd understand…

-Coldplay (Speep of Sound)

Whew, that was long. Have a good day, all!

feeling: warm
listening to: U2 (Yahweh)
what I should be doing instead of blogging: calling back my mom

package mystery

I think it was last Thursday. Yes, it was Thursday because I left to work before 8:00 a.m. Anyway, I was walking out and I saw a package from Ani. Thank you, Ani, you're the sweetest! Anyway, my address is 808 and the package was written out to 800. Above my name, someone had written "Not At This Address". Yet, I walked out and the package was there at the doorstep. Now, my post usually get here after 1:00 p.m. so it couldn't have been the mailman. Plus, it's stamped from U.S. Post, so it wasn't delivered like from FedEx or something. In front of our house we have a brick pillar and whenever we get packages the delivery guy will lean it against the pillar so that it won't be seen from the street. This one was right at the door on the welcome mat.
Anyway, since then we've been wondering who brought the package. The most logical thing is that whoever lives at 800 and wrote on it is the same person who brought it. The only thing I wonder is, how did they know my name and address. I mean, if someone sent a package to this address with another name, I'd return it to the mailman. I wouldn't know where other people lived. Unless, of course it was the nextdoor neighbor.
I've seen the lady that lives in 800 and we say hi but we don't know each other by name. Maybe she knows my neighbors and they told her. Then why would she come bring it in the night. Or did she do it really early? Why wouldn't they ring the bell and make sure this was the right address. I've been thinking all sorts of things. Even to the point that I wondered if Ani had come into town and placed the package there. Like she would come all the way to El Paso, leave a package, not want to talk to me and just leave. Come on.
Anyway, you can see how I make a huge deal out of things. I should just be grateful that someone brought me the package and didn't keep it to him/herself. Thanks Ani and thanks whoever brought it.

feeling: it's going to be a good year!
listening to: Madonna (Hung Up)
what I should be doing instead of blogging: organizing my planner