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Acapulco by Photo: #s 7-12

On the afternoon of my first full day in Acapulco, Mandy took me to the Zocolo, which is like the town square where all the "stuff" is happening...vendors, musicians, lots of shade and benches etc., etc. A few things that really caught my attention: 1) more painted trees, except these were absolutely ancient trees, the kind that you know were there when Fransisco Chico sailed into the bay in 1521. They were absolutely stunning, with park benches built around them and massive shady canopies...and white paint slathered all over the trunk. I honestly do not get it. I can't figure out why all the trees have been defaced, except to say that Mexicans must really hate ants. 2) a men's aerobics class that was going full force in a upstairs studio gym right there on the square. It was nothing remarkable, except that the music was really grinding and those guys were really going for the gold, and we (everyone in the Zocolo) were all watching. 3) The OXXO...again, nothing remarkable, except to point out that there is a convenience store called OXXO in Mexico like every six feet. And we went in one to get a drink, and Mandy only had 200 pesos to pay with (which is like $20), and they were going to get really mad at her for paying with such a large bill. And you know what? They did, a little. I'm trying to imagine someone at a BP getting all up in my face for paying for a Vitamin Water with a $20 and I'm just not picturing it, but change is a big deal in Acapulco. Without it, you're like a leper.

The Zocolo is also where the Catholic cathedral is, which is why Mandy brought me in the first place. Most of the cathedrals I've been in are completely emptied out in the back half so tourists can walk around a look at the side chapels and such, even while a mass is going on. That wasn't the case with San Felipe's...it was a full church and they were busy busy. Try as I might, I couldn't figure out what part of the mass it was, the priest was just going on and on (which could've been the homily, or could've been the announcements if it was the priest at my mom's church). I didn't want to skulk around in the back, so we asked the lady in the gift shop (for sale: prayer cards and those votive candles you find in the grocery store) what time mass would be over and left having no idea what she said, but planning on coming back later.

It was at this point that I realized that something was going on with Michael Jackson. Okay, he had died a few weeks before, but either the news was just reaching Mexico or they were having a hard time letting him go. As we walked out of the Zocolo towards some shops to poke around in, I realized every loudspeaker in the near vicinity was blasting a Jacko song. And once we got to said shops, Thriller, Beat It, and Bad were playing on the TVs on a continuous loop. This happened essentially the entire week. It was very surreal. If you want to sum up Acapulco, you could do it like so: "Machine guns, Michael Jackson, and mangoes on a stick." Need I say more?

Eventually we went back to the church, maybe an hour later, and still no dice. Nothing had changed. Either it was the most long-winded priest in the world who was still giving the homily, or mass had started all over again and nobody had bothered to leave. The only thing different was that some people had started to melt. I was starting to melt myself, so I snapped a few pictures from the back of the church and we said goodbye to the Zocolo.

Acapulco by Photo (#s 5 and 6)

I feel like I am losing all direction in my life, everything feels like it's veering in the wrong direction. Strangely, I feel dangerously unaffected by it all. So far. The lack of reaction has not given me much reason to try and deal with anything, which will probably come back to haunt me later, but for now, I'm just going to a happy place...

These two pictures are on Mandy's street. I'm not even sure they're the same building, I can't remember. Maybe they are. Anyway, it is an awesome street with lots of cool buildings like this one (though not all have matching cars). The road goes straight up (and I mean STRAIGHT UP) a mountain, so there is no walking up the street...it just isn't done. Although my word, it would be a fantastic workout...but would end with you dying of over-exertion and heat exhaustion. So it was a cab up every time--more on that later. But walking down is quick and easy, so it was fun to check things out as we strolled down every day...



Here are some things that I took note of on our daily hikes down the mountain:

1. These trees. Mandy thinks they might be ficus, and I think she might be right. Have you ever seen a ficus that wasn't growing in a living room or a bank lobby? Me neither...until now. Note that the trunk is painted white. EVERY TREE IN THE CITY has a trunk painted white. I have heard that it takes care of the ants on the trees, but now I want to know what's going to take care of the fact that this looks so bizarre?

2. Dogs. They are everywhere in Acapulco and most have some sort of severe physical deformity but are still smarter than you or I will ever be. I can tell you one thing, they certainly beat me in navigating the streets without getting run over by a taxicab whose driver may or may not be in the front seat or even the car. My favorite dog was one that had a giant tumor-like thing hanging from its belly in a sack, held on by a long stretch of skin, and it would drag the ground when the dog walked. The poor thing did not appear to care in the least. And when it lay down in the shade, it would just curl it's body around the basket-ball sized growth and snuggle up. I am not even kidding. It gives me great joy to know that Mandy crosses paths with this dog often, unless perhaps the giant growth has hatched and eaten the dog alive. Let's hope not.

3. Dentists. There was a "practice" about halfway down the mountain, and the waiting room was an open-air room on the sidewalk. Okay, this is not all that unusual, but the next time you go to the dentist and you're sitting in the waiting room, think about how you could be squatting on the sidewalk next to a stray dog with a gigantic growth hanging from its belly. I bet then you won't complain that all there is to read is Highlights for Kids.

4. Internet Cafes...lots and lots of internet cafes, where the programming and internet is OMG IN SPANISH! Talk about grossly unhelpful. I was lost the moment we went in. And I may be dreaming this, but I think we had to be let in because the door was locked...I assume to keep the riff-raff out. Except I just kept thinking if the riff-raff can just hide who they are long enough to get in, well, then there's trouble because you are also locked in until they let you out. It's a flawed system but we survived...barely.

5. No trash. And no trash cans either... because of the dogs. But they have thought up a very innovative solution on how to dispose of the trash! This is problem-solving at its finest. Every night around 10 pm, the garbage truck comes rumbling up the mountain, and ahead of it runs a man with a cowbell, ringing it with all his might--not unlike Wee Willy Winkie--to let you know that it's time to take your trash out. And you stop what you're doing, grab your trash, and plop it in the street. Voila! Trash problem solved. Brilliant.

Not-So-Picky Eater

Me: Patrick, what did you guys eat for lunch today?

Patrick: We were out at Uncle Tom's house.

Me: Okay, but what did you eat?

Patrick: Oh, um....rattlesnake.

Picky Eater

Ben: Hey, I love burgers!

Me: No you don't...you never eat your burger.

Ben: Well, I like gummi burgers...

You get all kinds...

This weekend Luke and Patrick went camping/snorkeling with the boy scouts and Ben was feeling bad to be left out of that, so I brought him down to Gigi and Grandpa's for a few days of fun...which happened to be the same few days that my parents were having their much-talked-about garage sale. I'm not sure why this garage sale came to be, all I know is that I've been hearing about it for years and this weekend it finally happened.

I am not a fan of garage sales per se (Here's all our junk! Want to buy it?), but the cash from this one is going to the school down the road that's been underwater for a week, so I suppose that's reason enough to do it. But now I realize that not only do I have disdain for garage sales themselves, but also for the people that hit them up. Here's a sampling of what we got this morning:

35-year-old Loser: Do you have any video games for sale?

Us: No.

35-year-old Loser: My mom needs an outdoor patio table. Do you have one of those?

Us: (looking around, not expecting one to materialize) Nope.

35-year-old Loser: Can I buy this packing material?

Us: No, those are to keep the plates from breaking.

35-year-old Loser: What kind of flowers are those in your garden?

Us: Those aren't for sale.


Or there were the very nicely dressed middle-aged men who came looking for God knows what:

Them: You don't have a whole lot of stuff, do you?

Us: Buddy, you're at a garage sale. This isn't Wal-mart.


Or the people who thought they were actually at Rooms-to-Go:

Them: I like this couch. Do you have another one too?

Us: ???????


But in the end, the sale was a success because they got rid of all the big stuff and made a few hundred for the school. And I'm really glad I was here for it because I am now 100% certain that I will never ever hold a yard sale of my own.

Acapulco by Photo (#s 3 and 4)

After the harrowing adventure that was the Acapulco market, Mandy took me to get tacos al pastor (shepherd's tacos? I want to say yes) at an afuera restaurant on the Costera. Very nice, very relaxing, very yum. I love the way the Mexicans serve you meals. They bring you all the ingredients and you can throw it together however you want. For tacos al pastor, you get homemade corn tortillas (they alone are worth the airfare), heavily seasoned spicy shredded meat (I think it was pork, I can't be sure...in any case, I didn't eat any gristle-y pieces, so it could have been hyena meat and I wouldn't have cared), tomatillo sauce, rice and black beans. Speaking of beans, I did not see a refried bean the entire time I was in Mexico. I'm not sure what to think about that, except to be glad for my own sake because I prefer black beans. The tacos had a major kick, so Mandy ordered jamaica (huh-MY-ka), which was a very sweet cold syrupy juice that tasted very familiar but I haven't been able to place the similarity yet. Maybe pomegranate.

As you can see, I'm still not handling the heat well. I never really did. We kept trying to set up the camera on the napkin dispenser and take a timed photo, but in nearly every shot my disastrous look nearly shattered the lens. In one picture I actually resembled a filthy pirate...quite closely. Yeah, the close-up shots were not working for me (Mandy was just fine, as you can see), so a kindly mesero (waiter) offered to take our picture for us. It went something like this:

Mesero: I take picture?

Us: Oh, okay...gracias!

Mesero: You're beautiful.

Us: Oh...gracias? Just press this button right here.

Mesero: Okay?

Us: (smiling) Si!

Mesero: click

Us: Gracias!

Mesero: You're beautiful.


Yes, he was quite taken with the little white girls, and the picture is not so great, but it was too awkward to ask him to take one more. We didn't talk to him again until we paid and left, and then it went something like this:

Mesero: Adios!

Us: Adios. Gracias!

Mesaro: You're beautiful.

Acapulco by Photo (#2)

This is the market in Acapulco. I think the word market has such great connotations; in the movies they're always set in idyllic surroundings and very well-dressed people walk around with wicker baskets and buy wonderful things. Or there's the farmers market, outside with tables and stands of perfect, delicious produce just picked that morning by a farmer who's wife also just happened to make you a blackberry pie...just because. This is not often the reality, and the same goes for the Acapulco market. It had good points and bad points, but mainly it was quite the cultural experience...and well, that's always a good point.

Thankfully it was covered, because that was my first day in Acapulco and I was not yet used to the 900 degree heat (as evidenced by my face). Not all the vendors were open, but from what I could tell, each of the 60+ stands were selling the exact same things, for the exact same price. Except for one guy, who had a sign hanging over his door saying "We don't screw you too much." Unfortunately, he wasn't there, so I didn't have the chance to find out. We did stop by a stand owned by a lady that belongs to Mandy's church group, and she had some nice things, including ceramic crosses that I bought a few of for a special price just for us. That was nice of her, I have to wonder if all her other patrons get screwed, though...

I actually should have bought a big stick from her, I could have used it the rest of the time we were at the market to beat off the other vendors. It was like feeding pigeons in Trafalgar Square, except that they weren't pigeons and I wasn't giving them anything except dirty looks. They've got the pushy salesman thing down pat, and it doesn't help when you have no clue what they're saying. We emerged back out into the blazing heat unscathed, though, and I finished my shopping a few days later at the Wal-mart. Which deserves a whole post of its own.

Acapulco by Photo (#1)

So Mandy says I should blog about said summer vacation. And I don't say no to Mandy. So here goes.

This is Mandy's apartment in Acapulco. It's very hip and relatively cool. By cool I mean that with all the lights off and shades drawn and fans running and bare feet on the tile floor, it's only 97 degrees with one million percent humidity. All you southerners who are reading this (and I know most of you are), you are not allowed to say "it's not the heat, it's the humidity" anymore, okay? That's a new rule, make a note of it.

Off to the right is Mandy's kitchen and behind that is a fun little room with no windows, which lowers the temperature to 96.5 degrees, except at night, when she is permitted by her neighbor to turn on the a/c. They have an agreement...at 9:00, when the hottest part of the day has already come and gone 5 hours ago, she can finally cool off because that's when he doesn't care if the condensation drips into his alleyway. So you may be wondering how this seems fair, and the answer is: it isn't. A drip-free alley is apparently more important than the very real possibility of heat stroke in Acapulco. But if I were Mandy and living in a large-ish city 9,000 miles from home where I didn't really speak the language and a strange man who is probably smaller than me but somewhat threatening nonetheless approached me and told me to turn off my a/c, I would do it. No questions asked. So we can't fault Mandy for going with it. Plus she's just nice and considerate like that.

But until 9:00, you have to figure out how to keep cool in that room, and I took care of that by laying spread-eagle (so as to increase the surface area of skin to tile) on the floor and watching season 1 Chuck episodes, and it was all good. No complaints here.

The last thing you'll note in the picture is the gigantic, delicious, back-stabbing avocado in the table. While in Mexico, I essentially became addicted to avocados because they were SO DARN GOOD. No matter that they're not quite as good here, they're still good enough and I am eating them like a fiend, even though they carry a whopping 29 grams of "supposedly-good-for-you-as-if-there-is-such-a-thing" fat. Avocados...friend or foe? That's for you to decide. I have to go eat one now.

Trying

So...I suppose I haven't kept this blog for four years to give up on it now. But truthfully, in the A.D.D. world we live in, facebook is a heck of a lot easier to keep up with. But here's to trying to stick with something you started. A few thoughts:

I am doomed to catch lizards in the spare room for eternity. I don't know why they're so drawn to that room, all I know is I'm getting really good at catching them.

Who would've thought the "terrible threes" would actually turn out to be...well, terrific?

For the first time since I quit teaching to work part time, summer was actually a break for me. I'm not sure how to analyze that yet.

If my dad would join facebook I wouldn't have to do this blog anymore.

Kidding...I really wouldn't want to abandon it at this point anyway. And since every post should have a picture, here's a good one.

4th of July

Ben Swims

Ben Sings at his Preschool Program

Whenever I watch this, I fluctuate between thinking it's the cutest thing ever and thinking these kids look like the spawn of Jason singing nursery rhymes. Try to focus on the cute.

Patrick Graduates from Kindergarten (a month and a half ago)

Jennifer sent me this.

So you've probably noticed my lack of enthusiasm for blogging lately. It's cool, Jennifer is picking up the slack for me. From now on, she'll be providing all my material for me. Enjoy.

Throwing Patrick from Jennifer Starr on Vimeo.

Mission Failed Accomplished!

Well, my attempt to sacrifice my dignity to achieve good graces with the internet gods has failed miserably. Surely all of you who know me know that I'm too jaded to get excited enough about a website to actually write about it on my blog...so my last post must've raised some eyebrows.

The deal was, in order to access the ringtones, you have to advertise the site and then send them the URL and then they'll give you the code for 10 free ringtones. But it's either (1) the most poorly run operation EVER or (2) a kid running a website out of his parents' rec room who recently got a life or (3) just a scam with no real negative effects except that you don't get your ringtone. I'm betting on #2.

Anyway, never heard back from them and never got my Chuck ringtone. Bummer. Had to settle for a different song--Drift Away. Great song, but not the same. Boo.

Nevermind, I don't need the stupid internet, I have Jennifer! And a new Chuck ringtone!!! Woohoo!!!

Mama needs a new ringtone...

Just got an awesome new phone, the LG EnV2, and I'm loving it, but it comes with the WORST RINGTONES EVER. Embarrassing ringtones. It's a bit of a problem. So I went on the hunt for a new one and decided halfway through that I want the theme song from "Chuck" to be my new one, and I'll settle for nothing else at this point. Only problem is, it doesn't exist...you have to create it. That's a problem for me, as I am technically challenged at least to this degree. But I have found the solution in the form of ventones.com, where I can create my own ringtone...or better yet, just download the awesome Chuck theme that someone else already did--for free. You can go here to check it out:

Free Ringtones - Ventones

Okay, going to get my Chuck fix...call me so I can hear it!

Celebrity Collage by MyHeritage

Yeah, I'm not seeing it...

http://www.myheritage.com/collage

MyHeritage: Celebrity Collage - Free family tree - Genealogy sites

To All the Moms

YOU GO GIRLS!

Happy Mothers Day to all of you from me and my boys. :)

Political Math

The Devil

+ one soul

+ another soul

=

two "great" colleges that I don't have to worry about my kids ever being accepted to.

They're dropping like flies...

Patrick lost another tooth yesterday. He pulled it out himself at school, thank God. It seems I am very squeamish when it comes to teeth. I don't mind them in and I don't mind them out, it's the transitioning from one location to the other that gets to me.

Incidentally, you'll all be very interested to know about this little science experiment concerning the tooth fairy. We learned it from one of my co-workers yesterday as we were leaving school. I went my whole life without knowing it, but it's too late for me now. Figures. Anyway, if you leave a glass if water on your nightstand, when the tooth fairy comes hunting for treasure, she'll dip her wings in the water and you can find out what color your fairy is. Who knew??? Turns out Patrick's fairy is green. And so is a little bit of the carpet now.

Milestones

Big boy's getting bigger...

...and just because he's so darn cute.

My Kind of Survey

1. How do you like your eggs?
All ways. A treat is fried over easy but usually I just scramble (no cheese) or hard-boil for the sake of convenience.

2. How do you take your coffee/tea?
Just starting in on coffee, only when I'm really cold. I like it like dessert--with lots of milk and sugar added...caramel-colored. For tea, it's with a squeeze of lemon and a teaspoon of honey.

3. Favorite breakfast food:
Nothing beats pancakes except more pancakes. With real butter and maple syrup.

4. Peanut butter: Smooth or crunchy?
Either.

5. What kind of dressing on your salad?
Traditional mustard vinaigrette or a close variation.

6. Coke or Pepsi?
Ew. Neither. Water, milk or juice. Sweet tea once in a blue moon.

7. You’re feeling lazy, what do you make?
Skippy's natural peanut butter and all-fruit spread on whole wheat.

8. You’re feeling really lazy. What kind of pizza do you order?
Gondoliers--loaded with veggies and feta.

9. You feel like cooking. What do you make?
Chicken Marsala is my favorite.

10. Do any foods bring back good memories?
Unfrosted marble cake--sitting on Grammy's porch in the summer evening
McDonald's fudge sundae w/ nuts--trips to McDonald's with Grandpa M.
Dunkin Donuts jelly-filled donuts--trips to Dunkin Donuts with Grandpa M. (he really liked to go get his coffee)
In-season peaches and blueberries (fresh or baked into something)--summers in Old Saybrook
Lemon Italian ice--Chalker beach
Toasted marshmallows--summer nights in Madison with Gram
Crackers and soft cheeses with Merlot--appetizers with Grandpa H.
Iced coffee--summer days at Grammy and Grandpa's house

11. Do any foods bring back bad memories?
Well, I was in England once and someone served me potatoes and peas that were doused in rock salt and some kind of mint glaze. Not a bad memory but definitely a bad dinner. Ditto for all the rutabagas my mom made me eat as a child.

12. Do any foods remind you of someone?
Grammy's noodle soup
Mom's breads (specifically zucchini, cranberry orange and pineapple nut)
Mom's lime jello salad (actually lots of Mom's recipes, but she has kindly passed them all to me and I make them so frequently that they're mine now too)
Bread and butter: Grammy and Grandpa
Gram's "invisible" salad dressing
Bloody Marys: Gram and Grandpa
I have a new appreciation for stuffing and gravy during the holidays, but it's a taste I aquired only after Gram, the champ, passed away.

13. Is there a food you refuse to eat?
Haggis, liver, tongue, etc., turnips and brussel sprouts

14. What was your favorite food as a child?
Fried shrimp, especially from The Fish Tail

15. Is there a food that you hated as a child but now like?
Most veggies, beans, bean sprouts, avacados, watermelon, mushrooms, I would probably LOVE my mom's kale soup if she would ever make it for me again!

16. Is there a food that you liked as a child but now hate?
Kool-aid, Pop-tarts, Keebler soft batch chocolate chip cookies, hot dogs, Kraft macaroni and cheese, sugary cereals, breakfast sausage, all those processed foods aimed at kids

17. Favorite fruit and vegetable:
Berries (any kind) and Asparagus

18. Favorite junk food:
Those store-bought cinnamon rolls smothered in white icing, or anything similar.

19. Favorite between meal snack:
shredded mini wheats (any brand, but especially Kashi)

20. Do you have any weird food habits?
Not really weird, but I MUST finish dinner with something sweet. It kills me during Lent.

21. You’re on a diet. What food(s) do you fill up on?
Kashi breakfast cereals

22. You’re off your diet. Now what would you like?
Chocolate chip cookies or any homemade baked good for that matter, Easter candy, any dish made with heavy cream

23. How spicy do you order Indian/Thai?
Not very. I like the sweet flavors like coconut and golden raisins mixed with the savory spices.

24. Can I get you a drink?
Margarita on the rocks

25. Red or White Wine?
switched to white recently

26. Favorite dessert?
Oh, there's no way...let's see, fudge cake with chocolate ganache, strawberry shortcake (the real kind, on a sweetened biscuit with real whipped cream), caramel cake, brownie sundae, blueberry cobbler with ice cream, any kind of homemade fruit pie but especially apple, pumpkin, peach and cherry, the list could go on and on but I think I touched on the high points!

27. The perfect nightcap?
Don't have one b/c I don't usually indulge. I prefer to drink with a meal.

Sapelo Island

It's Springing...

...and I hope it's sprung by the time I get back...

Snowdrops...the only kind I like.

The early daffodils are gone, here are my late ones.

Phlox...first it sleeps, then it creeps, then it leaps. This year it's creeping.

The first brave dogwood bloom of the year.

Buds at dusk.

Happy Spring!

That's Affirmative

Conversation with Ben has been a little maddening lately...

Ben: Does it have ice in it?

Me: Yes, it does.

Ben: It does?

Me: Yes.

Ben: It has ice in it?

Me: Yes, Ben IT DOES!

Ben: It does have ice in it?

Me: WHY LORD WHY?????

Belated Birthday Wishes

Well, I completely fail at life when it comes to blogging lately. What can I say, I've been *really* busy! Especially busy keeping Patrick happy as he turned SIX YEARS OLD last week. They sure do grow up fast...sigh...

Anyway, Patrick's birthday was a week-long affair, as usual. I don't know how my kids manage this every time, but we usually end up having multiple birthday celebrations...like, even more than normal people do. Luke was working on Wednesday, his actual birthday, so we went out to eat at Olive Garden Tuesday night at Patrick's request. And we can now cross the Olive Garden off the list of places I can eat. Wow. I'm sticking to whole foods right now so I ordered portabello ravioli, which the waitress assured me were made fresh in-house. Yeah. Riiiiiight. If they were freshly made, it was in the lowest-grade fat possible and with a pound or ten of salt added. My stomach was literally screaming at me after five pieces. Anyway, the next day--on his actual birthday--Ben and I took giant colorful frosted with sprinkles doughnuts to school to eat with his class...but not before Ben decided to pull the fire alarm and evacuate the whole school. Except no one could leave the building because there had been a massive hydrochloric acid spill in a nearby plant and officials were afraid that citizens would inhale the fumes and die. Which left everyone in a quandry...burn inside or asphixiate outside? Which would you do? But after all that drama (happy birthday Patrick!), we ate the doughnuts and then the boys went out to eat with Ma and Pa for another birthday celebration.

Then on Friday, Patrick had all of his birthday wishes fullfilled and went to spend the night with Uncle Adam in Chattanooga. Adam and Kendall spoiled him rotten, and he of course loved every minute of it. On Sunday we went up there for one last birthday party and spent the day playing around town...pictures below...

Apparently the thing to do in Chattanooga this time of year is slide down the levee by the river on cardboard boxes. Laugh if you want, but it was SO MUCH FUN. Who knew? Loved it. Anyway, Patrick had a great six or seven birthdays, and he looooved the kid-sized turnout gear that we got him, so that was good. And this post is now miles longs, so I'm done. Not even gonna spell-check. Bye!

New post.

Soon. I promise. But the camera battery is dead and I can't upload pictures until I get a charge.

ThisisforyouSandikaythanksbye.

Tellus About It

Yesterday Luke and I took the boys to the new Tellus Science Museum. Not much to say except we really enjoyed ourselves and were fairly impressed and both wondered why in the world they chose to build this museum in White, GA? Patrick and Ben liked the dinosaurs, the air and space exhibit, and the giant dump truck used to mine the rocks and gems inside the museum. I liked the planetarium show, and I think Luke just liked getting out of the house. Anyway, it was a fun day...expensive, but fun. And that's about it on the newsfront around here.

I think she touched on my best points here...

Here's one of those e-mail games that Sandi sent me, only you don't answer the questions yourself, you pass it on and let your friends answer. Mandy's take on me was not only spot-on, but deeply flattering! She knows me so well. Read on...

Where did we meet? Berryland! Ah, the good ole days.

Take a stab at my middle name? Leigh

Do I smoke? The occasional joint (she's kidding, Mom!)

Color of my eyes? brown...or as I have taught my students..."brau-yun"

Do I have any siblings? David, maybe the smartest person I am acquainted with in real life

What's one of my favorite things to do? chat with me on facebook (it is)

What's my favorite type of music? Bree Sharp type music

Am I shy or outgoing? I have never seen you shy.

Am I a rebel or do I follow the rules? oooooo. This is a good question. Major rules and laws? Yes, you follow. But, you can be talked into the occasional break-in of someone's email account. I can, as well. :) (haha...deviant!)

Any special talents? Can give birth without fainting, bake delicious cookies and cakes, and run more than a mile without collapsing.

How many children do I have? 2. Well, 3 if you count Luke. (I do)

If you and I were stranded on a deserted island, what is one thing that
I would bring? A hair straightener. (YES! and also Ryan Lochte...but I wouldn't straighten his hair)

We all have our strengths...

We have been trying to wrap up the whole potty-training thing with Ben (incidentally, I would not count potty-training children as being one of my strengths). A lot of people are trying to help out...he gets lectures more than a few times a day about how big kids and grown-ups poop on the potty. Ben poops on the potty too...it's just a guessing game to figure out which day of the week he's going to bless us by doing it. Needless to say, it's on our minds these days.

So the kids were in the car with Ma and Pa last night and Ben asked the following question:

"Pa? Does Jesus poop on the potty up in heaven?"

Hmmmm...

While Pa was contemplating how to answer this one, Patrick chimed in with his two cents:

"We're going to have to ask Gigi about that. She knows everything about Jesus. Grandpa knows everything about tennis, but Gigi knows everything about Jesus."

So there you go. We all have our strengths...

Tagged again--The Bucket List

UGH. I, like Jennifer, cannot resist. So here's another one. But I bet if you look back a year or so, it's already on my blog...

Subject: The Bucket List--Something Different

Hit forward and place an (x) by all the things you've done and remove
the (x) from the ones you have not. No need to explain...remember--no one really cares.

(x) Been to Europe
( ) Been on a cruise
( ) Gone on a blind date
(x) Skipped school
( ) Watched someone die
( ) Been to Canada
( ) Been to Mexico
(x) Been to Florida
(x) Been on a plane
(x) Been lost
(x) Been on the opposite side of the country
(x) Gone to Washington , DC
(x) Swam in the ocean
(x) Cried yourself to sleep
(x) Played cops and robbers
( ) Recently colored with crayons
( ) Sang Karaoke
(x) Made prank phone calls
(x) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose
(x) Caught a snowflake on your tongue
(x) Danced in the rain
( ) Written a letter to Santa Claus
( ) Been kissed under the mistletoe
(x) Watched the sunrise alone
(x) Blown bubbles
(x) Gone ice skating
(x) Gone roller skating
(x) Gone to the movies
(x) Own your Favorite Car

1. Any nickname? Becks, Bexter
2. Mother's name? Gloria
3. Favorite drink? water
4. Body Piercing? ears
5. How much do you love your Car? when I bought it, it was my favorite car...now notsomuch
6. Birthplace? Hartford CT
7. Been to Hawaii? no
8. Ever been to Africa? No
9. Ever eaten just cookies for dinner? undoubtedly...probably of the girl scout variety
10. Ever been on TV? yes
11. Ever steal any traffic sign? no
12. Ever been in a car accident? yes
13. Drive a 2-door or 4-door vehicle? 4-door
14. ?Why is this question missing?
15. Favorite number? 9 or 11
16. Favorite movie? see a few posts below
17. Favorite holiday? 4th of July
18. Favorite dessert? chocolate cake
19. Favorite food? all foods
20. Favorite day of the week? who cares
21. Favorite brand of body wash? who cares
22. Toothpaste? who cares
23. Favorite smell? puppy breath
24. How do you relax? Facebook
25. How do you see yourself in 10 years? hopefully not much different than today
26. Furthest Place you will send this message? perhaps someone on the opposite side of the world will read this post.
27. Who will respond to this the fastest? uh, I'll put the pressure on SANDI

Tagged--Fourth

Scintillating stuff here...this is Luke teaching CPR to one of the faculty members at work. What else can I say? When you ask for the fourth picture in my fourth folder, well...this is what you get. Mandy's was much more interesting. No harm done, it's just my turn to pass on the fun. :)


I'm supposed to tag four people. I can't do that because I'm a self-appointed blogging loser and I don't have four blogging friends. Mandy tagged me, Andrea's already done this (and if I recall correctly, she tagged me and I ignored her), Jennifer's all but done blogging, and well...that leaves Sandi. She needs a tag because she's a newbie and has nothing yet. So Sandi...you're it (and Jennifer if she reads this). Hope it's something good. :)

Swim Lessons

Since the Christmas rush is over and it is the dead of winter and the mercury is falling to all of 55 degrees outside, we decided it was time for Patrick to get busy in some kind of extracurricular sport again. We settled on swimming, a good choice if you ask me. Patrick taught himself to swim this summer, driven by the sheer desire to be able to do it. I didn't want him to forget over the school year, and I also wanted him to learn basic strokes, so we signed up at the YMCA. It turned out that no one else signed up for the Monday/Wednesday class, but instead of canceling it, they just offered a private one-on-one lesson for the price we already paid, so that was good. Anyway, long story short: he's enjoying it.

Better late than never...

Here are some Christmas pictures...we have ones from Christmas at Gigi and Grandpa's house, Christmas at Ma and Pa's house and Christmas Eve at our house. We must be in like flynn with Santa. He came to our house while we were at church Christmas Eve and left a note telling us to open everything that night since Daddy had to go to work early the next morning. Anyway, here's pictures from all three Christmases...

A little side note here...I reconsidered opening my comments back up but decided against it for my own personal reasons (and also because no one would comment anyway), but I did add an e-mail widget to my side bar, so if you feel the dire need to say something to me concerning my blog right this very second...well, there you go.

Also, I have started another blog, just for 2009. It's only for this year, so get it while the gettin's good--ha. You can find it in the newly reinstated (but very small) links section in my sidebar.

Happy New Year!