What did you do over Christmas Vacation...?

So my parents have been visiting for the past week.  The kids loved having their grandparents around for X-mas.  My brother also was able to drive down for a few days and spent time down here with us.

The most memorable moment though happened the night that my parents arrived.  Their plane landed around 11:00pm, so i drove out to pick them up with the little girl.  We came back and unloaded the car and started putting things away that needed to be refrigerated.  That's when my mom noticed that her medicine bag was nowhere in sight.  Apparently she had taken it out of her carry on bag in Charlotte and forgot to put it away again.  By this time it was past midnight and all the calls to Charlotte and US Air were useless since everybody was closed.

We kept calling US Air Lost and Found in Charlotte for the next few days, but it kept saying "Leave a message, Voice Mail is Full" and hanging up on us.  My dad then decided to go to the drug store at that time and getting all new prescriptions.  By the time we got back from the 24 hour pharmacy it was close to 2 in the morning.

I went to bed, dead tired.  Sometime around 3:30 i hear my husband saying "What are you doing?  Getting into bed." He smacked my bottom and asked me why my brother was in bed with us.  I jumped out of be and turned on the light.  Apparently he sleepwalks and he walked right into our bed.  It took about 15 minutes to get him to move.  He finally got up from bed, grabbed to pillows and said "Fine i'm leaving but i'm taking the pillows with me."

It was the longest night of my life.

Fri, 29 Dec 2006 13:59:00 -0800

Now Hiring Award Winning Drivers

Took a road trip to the zoo today.  It's about a 75 mile drive down a double lane highway road with Semi Trucks zooming by.  One of the trucks had a big sticker that said "Now hiring Award Winning Drivers".  So that got me thinking....what kind of awards do they get.  For tailgaiting, Flashing Bright lights at cars driving the speed limit, most cars passed in under 100 miles??

Sat, 25 Nov 2006 17:25:00 -0800

Please don't attempt to operate Heavy Machinery

I am a TV junkie, i think i've mentioned it before, but just in case i'm admitting it again.  However i am sooooooo tired of all the sleep aid commercials.

First of all, how many people actually operate Heavy Machinery??  I don't know about you, but in mind heavy machinery is like Bulldozers or Dumptrucks.

Second of all, if you need a Sleeping Pill it's because you want to sleep.

I can't imagine who in their right mind is going to wake up in the morning, take a sleeping pill and then say to themselves "I should really try to find a Bulldozer to operate for no reason".

Come on people, what is this world coming to...

Tue, 21 Nov 2006 16:36:00 -0800

They'll suck the energy right out of you

Worked today.  It was draining.  They suck all the energy out of you.  However it makes you appreciate what you have.

 

Thu, 09 Nov 2006 13:37:00 -0800

So Weird Current

I was flipping channels yesterday afternoon (around 4 pm) and turned on CNN.  I saw the news about the earthquake in Hawaii.  I couldn't believe that happened.  Anyway i turned to my husband and asked him why he hadn't told me that it had been that serious.  He looked at me like i had horns growing out of the top of my head.   I told him that when he had told me that morning that Hawaii had an earthquake he hadn't said it was serious.  He looked at me and then pointed out that the earthquake hadn't happened until 1pm Eastern time, so there was no way that he could have told me in the morning.  I think i may have dreamed it.

How weird is that??

Mon, 16 Oct 2006 13:06:00 -0700

What a sucky day!!!

Today was one of the worst days i've had in a long time.

First let me start off by saying that i have been without a voice since Saturday.  It seems that once i turned 30, whenever i get a cold, i automatically lose my voice.

Today I had a vet appointment at 8:30 in the morning.  I shower and have breakfast and get the dogs out to the car.  It's crazy because the two of them together are stronger than me and they are literally dragging me along.  I'm leaning back to counter them.  We get in the car and get to the vet.  When we walk in the girl says that there is no one there that morning so i cannot have an appointment.  I know that i'm not crazy and i made this appointment weeks ago and wrote it down on the calendar so i wouldn't forget.  I ask her to verify then when my appointment is and i didn't have an appointment at all this month.  So i am dragged back to the car and home, pissed off already.

Later in the afternoon i pick up my son and a friends son to drop him off at home because her car broke down.  I figure since i have to pick up my daughter at Chorus less than an hour later that i'd sit and chat awhile.  I go back to the school and apparently the other mom thought it was her week to carpool so i'm trying to get home and catch up to her.  I make it home as they're about to leave my house, because i'm not there.

I must have rolled off the wrong side of the bed or something, cause i've got some seriously bad ju-ju going on with me.

Tue, 03 Oct 2006 14:08:00 -0700

My heart is breaking

My daughter is 7 years old, due to some circumstances she is in 3rd grade.  Third graders are generally turning 9 during this school year.  I didn't realize how difficult this would be for my little girl until just recently.

When she started school this year, several of the girls from her class last year are in her class this year.  Of course she was excited that her 'friends' were in her class.  It wasn't too bad until i noticed that they stopped walking out with her at the end of school, and my husband noticed that in the mornings these 'friends' would walk by without saying hello.

K. was invited to a birthday party for a girl who lives in our neighborhood, only a few girls were invited, and it's the same girls who are ignoring my daughter.  I talked to her to see if they played with her during school, and she said that sometimes they did.  I had told the mom that K. would go to the party, but now i'm not so sure.  I told her last week that if the girls weren't nice to her this week, that i didn't want her to go.  Today she said that they didn't talk to her at all during the day.

Why are girls so mean?  I don't remember being like this when i was little, but i was probably also the one being ignored.  How do you help someone who is so innocent realize that people are not always nice?  Do I let her go to this birthday party and pray that the are nice to her.  It's a sleepover, and i would hate to have her come home crying.  I just don't know what to do or how to deal with it.

My son who is 5 was discussing it this afternoon in the car and very plainly said it.  "These girls where nice to you last year, now that a new girl is here, they're not nice to you.  You have to ignore them in school and maybe then they'll want to be your friend."

 

Mon, 25 Sep 2006 12:32:00 -0700

Where were you when the towers fell?

I can still remember it like it happened last week.  9/11/2001.  I had a 2 year old and 4 month old baby.  Turning on the TV in the morning was not high on my priority.  It was a Tuesday and at 10:00am we had our monthly MOMS Club meeting.  When i walked in, you could feel the buzz in the air, but my lack of sleep didn't really let me get that.  I was in my own little world.  I was sitting down, nursing my son, somebody said outloud "The second tower just got hit".  I didn't know what they were talking about.  What tower?  I asked someone what was going on, where was this tower, what hit it?  It was sudden mayhem, we were being attacked, the world trade center.  I didn't really know what the world trade center was, but i knew it was in NY.  I called my husband at work.  I could hear the worry in his voice.  I'm going home, they're closing the office.  I left the meeting in a daze,  the radio told me the story that had unfolded that morning.  When i got home i turned on Disney for my daughter and watched the news in my room.  I watched those planes slam into those towers and was awed by the sheer horror those people must have lived and died through.  The tears were streaming down my face, but i could not stop it.  When those towers collapsed i felt like my heart had collapsed also.  How could this be happening?  How can people be so evil in this world?  Why would they do this to innocent people?

I still can't comprehend it.  I cannot watch the replays of it that happen every September 11th.  Someday my kids will learn about it in History class and i'll pull out my old VCR Tapes and watch the real thing, but for now i shield them from the hatred of the world.  All they know is love from us, they don't need to see that.

Sun, 10 Sep 2006 21:00:00 -0700

Disney Cruise!!! Whoooohooooo!!!

We're going on a Disney Cruise tomorrow and i am so excited.  I think i'm going to enjoy it more than my kids.  Could that be possible.  School starts in 3 weeks and i can't wait until both kids are in school all day.

Sometimes i wonder where all the time has gone, i can remember the day they were born like it was yesterday.  Then i look at them and i can't believe how big they are and how independent they've become.

People would tell me that time would go by so fast, and now i see that it really does.  I'm so glad that i've taken millions of pictures so my "mommy brain" can remember everything.

Sat, 22 Jul 2006 14:49:00 -0700

Time is going crazy

Haven't written in awhile.  I guess i got a bit of a life over the summer, but things change.  Some of the things that my son has uttered in the last week, one made me laugh, the other made me say "Awwww".

We're in the car driving.  There's a cd playing and to see how long the song had been going on i pushed the button changing the Clock into the Song Time thingie.  Well he's looking at his watch and he keeps looking at where the clock usually is and all of a sudden he screams "Mommy fix my watch cause time is going crazy!!!", i'd forgotten to change the thingie back to Clock and it was just counting up. LOL

The second thing happened last night.  He was getting ready for bed and i was tucking him in.  He was talking about school and his prayer hands.  He'd been going to a small cristian pre-school and they were used to saying a prayer before snack time.  I explained that they were not going to be praying in school. He thought for a few seconds and said to me "But how are we going to thank God for our meal?"  I smiled and told him that he could say thanks on his own, but the teacher couldn't do it with him.  "Why??"  I tried to explain about not saying prayers because people are different religions and they wouldn't want to be left out or insulted.  So he looks at me and says "Well the teacher should just let everyone say their own prayers that way nobody gets left out."  It's so simple when you look at it the way a child does.

Mon, 14 Aug 2006 09:03:00 -0700

It's a Small World

I just signed up the boy for a 2 week summer camp starting monday.  On the first day i heard a woman talking spanish.  I went over to say hello and asked her where she was from.  She was from Puerto Rico, so i introduced myself and we got to talking.  She just moved here a few weeks ago, and her kids are around the same age as mine.  We got together and the kids played together great, the older is in the same grade as my older child.

She mentioned that her husbands father was a doctor, and when i spoke to my parents and told them his last name, my father wondered if it was the same person he grew up with.  Ends up it is, they went to grade school together.

How weird is that??

Tue, 11 Jul 2006 10:55:00 -0700

Pictures of our Vacation

Here is a Link to the pictures of our time in PR.  Enjoy!!!

 

http://www1.snapfish.com/share/p=75261151349664329/l=106566461/g=15529957/otsc=SYE/otsi=SALB

Fri, 30 Jun 2006 12:16:00 -0700

Day 22 - Pina Coladas

Last day in Puerto Rico and i was going to take my husband on a walking tour, whether he wanted to or not.  I called my mom and told her to come on down to the hotel so she could go swimming with the kids and watch them while we were out.

We left the hotel at 10:00  First we walked down El Paseo de La Princesa to the fountain and up along the wall to La Puerta de San Juan (the original door to the city).  We walked up past La Rogativa, a statue, and through La Casa Rosa to El Morro.  We cut over to El Cuartel de Ballaja and had a Piragua.  The museum was closed cause it was a monday so we walked down la Calle Cristo.  We walked through the hotel El Convento and then into La Catedral de San Juan.  I didn't know that Juan Ponce de Leon is buried there, or at least his remains are.  After leaving la Catedral we walked down to La Capilla de Cristo and El Parque de las Palomas.  Then up to La Fortaleza where we stopped at all the little shops.  Then up to la Calle San Francisco and stopped at La Bombonera for something cold to drink and to take a rest from the heat.  Then back to the Hotel stopping at the rest of the shops along the way.  We got back to the hotel at 2:30, just as the kids were getting out of the pool.

They wanted to go back to my moms house, so we said OK and we showered and took naps until 5:00.  My friend from school was coming into Old San Juan to have dinner with us at Barrachina, the place where they claim the Pina Colada was invented.  After dinner my husband and i walked up to my parents place, gathered the children and said good bye.  It was late and we were leaving the next morning to come back to South Carolina.

 

Mon, 19 Jun 2006 12:04:00 -0700

Day 18 - 21 : Gilligan's and the Southern Coast

On Thursday we checked out from our hotel in Isla Verde and headed down towards Guanica.  We met up with my parents after the first toll booth in Caguas.  We figured that we'd drive down the center of the island, through the mountains and stop at Ponce to have lunch and see some of the Ponce things.  We drove by the house that we used to live when my sister and I were little, then we drove to the plaza where El Parque de Bombas is.  It's like the only famous thing that Ponce is known for, an Old Fire Station.  Of course it started raining so we jumped on a tourist trolley for a fast speed tour through historic Ponce.  The guy was literally speeding trough town telling us about the things that we had already passed.  At least we weren't getting wet.

Eventually we got to Guanica and the place we were going to be staying in for the Fathers Day Weekend, Mary Lee's by the Sea.  It's a Fantabulous (yes i made it up, it's my word) place with a view of the blue sea and the little island we would be going to the next day for the beach. 

It was a really nice time.  There was a town fair one night, and we drove over to the Bioluminescent Bay in La Parguera.  Definitely worth the trip.

On Sunday we left Mary Lee's and drove to Yauco to have Chuletas Can-Can.  It's huge Pork Chops, and sooooooo good.  We said good bye to my parents around 1:30 and drove back to San Juan the long way around.  Up the coast through Mayaguez, Aguadilla and through Arecibo.

We checked into our final hotel room, the Sheraton in Old San Juan, and headed straight to the pool, on the roof.

Sun, 18 Jun 2006 11:54:00 -0700

Day 17 - Bacardi Rum Factory

Need i say more??

All right so we dropped the kids off at my moms and drove over to the Bacardi Rum Factory.  I had always wanted to go, but never got around to it.  We parked the car and walked over to the ticket booth.  She told us that the next English Tour would be leaving in 20 minutes, took our names and handed us 4 tickets to use at the bar.  Cool, free and they let you drink for free.  We learned the history of Bacardi, how it started in Cuba and eventually they settled into Puerto Rico.  We had a nice time.

Afterwards we drove back to Old San Juan, picked up the kids and went back to the hotel for some swimming.  For dinner we walked over to El Metropol, which is an old style cuban restaurant.  They have the biggest servings i have ever seen, for a good price.  The boy had a kids burger which was bigger than 2 McD burgers.  We had so much food and then walked back to the hotel.  It was a perfect end to a nice time in Isla Verde.

Wed, 14 Jun 2006 10:45:00 -0700

Day 16 - San Cristobal and dinner with the Parents

This morning we woke up early went to breakfast and went to the beach and the pool for about an hour.  It started to drizzle so we went inside and got ready to go into Old San Juan to go to San Cristobal.

We found a spot to park on my parents street and visite the fort for about 2 hours.  We walked up every ramp, stairs and turrets, down every dungeon, looked out every window, and climbed up on every cannon.  The sun was beating down on us miserable.  Afterwards we figured we'd take a stroll around Old San Juan streets before dinner. 

We made it out to Plaza de Armas before it started pouring down on us.  The winds were gusting and the water was practically flying sideways.  We killed time in shops until it was safe to walk back to my parents place.  By the time we arrived we were soaked like dogs, first from sweat, then from rain.  The four of us smelled like heck.

My dad called and said that the borrowed car, which he was still using, stalled on him and he needed to wait for a tow truck.  When it finally came i went to pick him up and came back home for dinner.  After dinner we walked down to Ben & Jerry's for some ice cream before going back to the hotel.

Tue, 13 Jun 2006 20:40:00 -0700

Day 15 - El Yunque Rainforest

We drove out to El Yunque Rainforest for a hike.  It was the one thing i knew the kids would complain about the entire time, and be thrilled once we got there.  It was a bit of a drive, and when we finally pulled into the parking area the kids were so excited to finally get there.  Little did they know that it was just the beginning of the adventure.  We took our backpacks filled with water, snacks and towels and set off walking.  We took the Big Tree Trail which went up and down, but was never too steep for the kids to walk on.  It rained for most of our walk, which they kept complaining about saying things like "I can't believe it's raining in the rain forest" and then cracking up at their little jokes.

After about 45 minutes we could hear the waterfall rushing down into the rocks and the kids were speechless.  We found a spot on the rocks and we swam for awhile.  Luckily the sun came out during the entire time we were in the water.  It was so refreshing, definitely worth the trip.

We started walking back as soon as the sun went away and it rained the whole walk back.  Thanks to the dense canopy though, we didn't really get wet, it was just refreshing.  The Coquis were singing the entire time, we saw birds, lizards and snails.  Very nice trip.

Back at the hotel we all just went straight to sleep.  Then just went across the street and had Pizza.

Mon, 12 Jun 2006 20:32:00 -0700

Finally!!!! Day 14

Hubby flew in.!!!  I spent the night before packing our bags and making sure all our clothes were clean.  We woke up and went to church and breakfast.  Then we drove out to the airport.  My parents dropped me off since we were not going to all fit in their car and they took the kids to Mickey D's.  It just happened to be right next to the place where we were renting a car.

Finally my hubby came out of the airport terminal and we shuttled over to Thrifty.  The kids went crazy talking to their daddy and hugging.  We drove up to Guavate to have some yummy Lechon (pork).  It was a nice drive up into the mountains of Cayey.  After lunch we drove straight to the hotel and spent the afternoon swimming in the pool and the beach.

What a nice day. Finally A/C during the night!!!

Sun, 11 Jun 2006 20:28:00 -0700

Day 13 - Flying Kites and visiting friends

We spent the morning flying kites at El Morro.  One of the kites we had bought sucked.  Try as we did, it would not stay up in the air.  Of course it was the one the boy had picked out and he was not happy at all.  So i ran up to the hot dog vendor and bought a 3$ kite and he flew that all morning and was happy as a clam.

After lunch a friend of mine came to pick us up and we went over to his parents house.  The kids swam in the backyard and we had a chance to talk and catch up.  It was a nice afternoon.

Sat, 10 Jun 2006 20:25:00 -0700

Day 12 - Museums but no fountain

This morning we went to an Art Museum where there is a room full of interactive activities for the kids.  They had computers, places to draw self portraits, chalboards, blocks, and lots of other stuff.  They had a blast.

Afterwards we stopped for lunch and came back to Old San Juan to go to the Taino Exhibit.  We made it at 3:15 and it closed at 4:00 so we just made it.  We went in and walked around.  It was really interesting and had all the information in both Spanish and English.  We went out and crossed the street so the kids could play in the fountain, but it ends up that it's turned off at 4:00 so they were not too happy about that.  We walked down to Plaza de Armas and they fed the pigeons.  Afterwards we walked around a little and made it back home.

It was a fun day overall.  Tomorrow we're planning on Flying Kites in El Morro and maybe they'll be able to play in the fountain.  Sunday hubby comes!! So excited to see him, 2 weeks is a long time and the kids are dying to see their daddy.  I'm just looking forward to having A/C. 

Fri, 09 Jun 2006 16:41:00 -0700

Day 11 - The Fountain

Today we waited around for my dad to come home.  We ended up taking a walk down to Ballaja, a museum, i wanted to see their Taino Exhibition but we rain into a fountain that kids run through so the kids ended up getting wet and we didn't make it to the museum.  We had hotdogs from a cart and Piraguas. 

I'm planning on making it inside the museum tomorrow then the kids can play in the fountain. 

3 more days till Sunday!!!  Whoohoooo.

Thu, 08 Jun 2006 06:18:00 -0700

Day 9 & 10 - The Malls

We hit the malls these last few days.  First day we went to Plaza las Americas, a huge mall.  I bought some clothes and let the kids go to KB Toys.  Then we hit the food court for lunch.

The next day we went to San Patricio Mall.  Then came home.

It is still so hot.  What i wouldn't give for a sudden temperature drop.

Wed, 07 Jun 2006 06:15:00 -0700

Day 8 - The Beach

Another visit to the beach.  The girl loves to snorkel and is obsessed with catching a fish with her bare hands.  We were there for a few hours.

The morning was spent doing errands and we had lunch at Pizzeria Uno. Love that place.  The kids got to make their own pizzas at the table and then they took them back and cooked them up for them.

It's so hot here!!!  Can't wait till sunday.

Mon, 05 Jun 2006 06:06:00 -0700

Day 7 - Arecibo Lighthouse and Pollo Tropical

This morning we went to church.  After church we went to breakfast to La Bombonera.  We walked over to the Plaza de Armas and ran into some relatives of my mom's.  We talked for awhile and fed the pigeons.

Afterwards we left for Arecibo Lighthouse and Park.  The had some Taino things, and Christopher Columbus' Ships.  There was a Pirate Ship, the Lighthouse, and a Play Area with swings and slides.  The kids had a great time and it was nice to be able to let them run around without worrying too much.

On the way back we stopped at Pollo Tropical and had dinner.  I love Pollo Tropical and have missed eating there since we moved from Miami.  Afterwards we stopped by some friends house.  The daughter, Vanessa, is moving to Los Angeles with her daughter to try the whole acting thing.  She has a good chance since she's already been in an all girls singing group that's toured the world.

Tomorrow we might hit the Beach again.

Sun, 04 Jun 2006 17:48:00 -0700

Day 6 - Wonder Park & the cousins house

Today my mom and I went off to Wonderpark with the kids.  It's an indoor play area with video games and rides.  They spent a few hours playing games and riding roller coasters, pirate ships, and bumper cars.  It was nice to be inside in Air Conditioning.

After that we left to visit my grandmothers cousins, on the way there the Check Engine Light came on in the car so we turned around and changed cars.  After the visit we came back to Old San Juan and were lucky to find parking spaces.

Tomorrow the plan is to go to El Yunque.  I can't wait for the hubby to get down here so we can get out of the parents place, i need air conditioning.

Sat, 03 Jun 2006 17:34:00 -0700

Day 5 - Old San Juan

This morning i got to go to La Bombonera for breakfast.  It's this old little restaurant that my grandfather used to go to all the time.  Afterwards we walked down to El Parque de Las Palomas, Pigeon Park.  We took a bag of rice and fed the pigeons.  There are hundreds of them and they are so used to being fed that they will sit on your arms, shoulders and heads so that you'll feed them.

When the bag of rice was done we walked up the El Museo del Niño, the childrens museum.  It was a nice little museum with lots of interactive things for kids to play with. We stayed there for about an hour, then headed across the street to the San Juan Cathedral.  We walked around and saw the statues and Stained glass windows.  On the way back to the grandparents place it started raining on us, we got soaked.

We spent the afternoon in the apartment, and around 6 went to the car shop and picked up the borrowed car.  When i got back walked down to the Ben & Jerry's and had some ice cream.

Not a bad day overall.

Fri, 02 Jun 2006 05:33:00 -0700

Day 4 - Camuy Caves and Caguana, and oh yeah a Tow Truck

We left early and went to The Camuy Caves, the third largest underground river and cave system in the world.  We took a trolley down some 500 feet into a sinkhole seeing all the plants and trees that flourish in the moist damp air.  At the bottom of the sinkhole our tour guide took us into the cave.  It was dark and deliciously cool compared to the outside temperature.  He pointed out different structures inside, and explained that an inch of a stalactite would take hundreds of years to be created.  The water trickled down the sides and sometimes dropped on us.  We saw bats flying around, plus the river almost 200 feet below.  It was very cool.  We went to a different area that is open to the outside at the top, the light shines down and there are waterfalls on the sides.  After visiting that cave we got back into the trolley to go to another sinkhole.  It was big enought to fit the El Morro Fort inside of it.

After leaving the caves we took the scenic rout to Utuado by way of Lares.  The road was curvy the entire way.  Almost like a roller coaster with blind curves going up and down.  The lane barely big enough to fit 2 cars and people are passing you.  It was a bit scary.  We made it to El Parque Ceremonial Indigeno de Caguana, and i was a bit dissapointed.  There was no one available to give the tour in English.  The kids had no interest in listening to someone that they didn't understand so it was us listening then translating quickly before he moved up to the next thing.  The rocks with the petroglyphs were worn down and barely visible.  The guide then kept reiterating that none of the Bohios were original, they were just what the archeologists thought might have been and it was just a dissapointing visit.

We left Caguana and noticed that the battery light in the car we had borrowed, for me to use, was on.  The entire 30 minute trip was downhill and even more steep,blind curves.  The air conditioner died halfway down, and when we finally got to the bottom of the road into the intersection to get back to civilization, the car died.  So there we are hot, sweaty, and stuck in and intersection in the middle of nowhere.

One and a half hour later the tow truck arrives to tow the car and us back to San Juan, 80 miles away.  The five of us squeezed into the back seat of a tow truck cabin.  The kids fell asleep and after 2 hours we finally got dropped off in Old San Juan.  It was the end of another fantabulous adventure.

Can't wait to see what's in store today.

Thu, 01 Jun 2006 04:44:00 -0700

Day 3 - Puerto Rico

Yesterday afternoon we went to the beach at El Escambron.  The water was nice, the sun was bright and we loved swimming in the ocean.  The kids were exhausted by the end of the day.

Today we went on an adventure to Las Cabezas de San Juan.  It's a nature preserve that has 7 different ecosystems.  We traveled to the Lighthouse in Fajardo and were able to go to the Observation Tower.  It was raining in the distance, but we were able to see Vieques, and the other Keys just off Fajardo.  The next stop on the tour was a Rocky Shore.  It was filled with black rocks and corals.  The last stop was a tour through a Mangrove.  The guide pointed out the 4 different trees that grow in the mangroves in Puerto Rico.  We saw crabs, millipides (esp?), and spiders.  We also saw Anemones, Sea Cucumbers, Hermit Crabs and Giant Lizards.  It was so much fun, except that it started raining, but that just made the adventure even more 'au natural'.  Definitely a good trip. 

On the way back we stopped in Luquillo and had some dinner.

Tomorrow it's off the Caguana and the Camuy Caves.

Wed, 31 May 2006 15:52:00 -0700

Day 2 - Puerto Rico

We flew into San Juan yesterday.  The day started with us flying out of Myrtle Beach at 7:00 AM to go to Charlotte.  From there we flew direct to San Juan.  We arrived in San Juan around noon and found my parents.  We drove from the airport to Piñones, this little beach type area with lots of local eateries.  I was dying to eat an Alcapurria de Jueyes (crab filled cake, deep fried). After eating myself silly we went to the Supermarket and bought the things for us to eat during our visit here. 

We finally made it into Old San Juan and got to my parents place.  A nice little apartment in the old town.  We took a walk down to La Plaza de Armas, one of the plazas surrounded by stores and little food shops.  The kids had fun chasing the Palomas, pigeons, and shooting them with water guns.  After that it was back to the apartment to shower and go to bed.

Today they woke up early and had had enough after 2 hours of watching TV.  I offered to go on an adventure so we ventured up to El Morro, on of the original forts built by the spanish to protect the city back in the 1500's.  We walked all up and down exploring the light house, Garitas, cannons, and dungeons.  We walked down scary stairs, and climbed on every imaginable wall that we could climb on to take pictures.  After about an hour we were overheated and dying for something cool to drink.  We left El Morro and found a Piraguero, a snow cone cart.  We each had a Piragua and sat on a shaded bench while watching a ballet class.  Finally we walked back to the apartment.  What a great adventure we had.

The kids did complain awhile so i changed the subject by getting the to come up with their own explorer names.  I was christened Captain Cool (obviously), the boy chose Captain Hold, and the girl chose Hot Hottie (cause she was so hot).

More to do later today.  I'll update on another occasion.

Tue, 30 May 2006 08:01:00 -0700

Well waddaya know!!!

I got a refund check from the Y.   It arrived on Friday May 19th, envelope postmarked May 18th.  So much for "it's already been mailed out".

 

Sun, 21 May 2006 08:39:00 -0700

Just venting and ranting

Being a responsible mom, and considering we're spending 3 weeks in Puerto Rico, I signed my kids up for swimming lessons.  This was back in February.  I visited the Y and saw the place, and i was offered private lessons for just a little more than a group class would have cost.  I was supposed to start the next month.  March rolls on by and i get a call the last week in March to start classes.  By this time, baseball was in full swing, but since i had already paid, i figured i could squeeze it in.  I was willing to make the effort and drive to the Y, which by the way was a 35 minute drive each way.  Classes were the same day as Baseball Practices, which meant i left my house at 2:20 to get to 3:00 swim lessons, left at 3:40 to come back and have dinner before 5:30 baseball practice.  It was a heck of a day.

The second class the teacher is not really teaching my son, more just waiting for him to swim to her.  What he's really doing is going underwater and taking in water.   The third class i ask the teacher about the way that my daughter had learned 2 years before and she put a life jacket on him, then took it off and he took in more water.  By this time i'm thinking my son will probably just drown, because she's not really teaching him or telling him what to do. I talk to the director of the swimming program and she says that she'll watch the next class to see if there is anything the girl is not doing.  The fourth class comes around and the teacher shows up 30 minutes late.  I'm pissed.  I find the director and ask her what is going on, and what is up with the style of teaching swimming.  She tells me that swimming is now taught by discovery.  They let the children "discover" how to swim.  They don't tell him what to do, but let them figure out what they need to do.  Forget pissed, by this time i'm ready to yell.  I laugh in her face, mainly because if i didn't i would have shouted, and tell her that i paid to have someone teach my son to swim.  You don't give a 16 year old the keys to the car and let him discover how to drive, you don't put a child in the water and let him discover.  Plus the teacher was late.  The director sees that i'm not a happy camper and offers to let me start over with a new teacher.  I say fine and wait for her call.  I wait, and wait and wait some more.  By this time it's May and i'm leaving in 3 weeks.  She gives me some story about how the new teacher is going to call me that evening.  Surprise!!! she doesn't.  I'm beyond pissed now.  I call and leave the director a message saying i just want my money back, no one has called me and i'm not interested any more.  The new teacher surprisingly calls me a few hours later and tells me that she called the night before and it was busy.  HELLOOO its a cellphone.  If i'm on the other line it goes straight to voice mail, get a new excuse.  So i'm supposed to get a refund, but they need to see my receipt to see how much i paid and blah blah blah.

I find my canceled check, and i call and talk to the person in charge of accounts and tell her the date it was posted, the amount and all the info she needed.  She says that once the director signs off on it i'll get my money.  10 days have gone by and i still don't have any money from them.  Not even a phone call.  So i called today spoke to someone who was not the director, she couldn't come to the phone.  The nice lady i talked to took my name, and verified my address.  I asked her when the check would come out and she said "The director says that the check has been written and mailed out"  so i ask her why she's asking for this info if it's already been mailed out.  Did it really get mailed, or is it going out tomorrow??  she didn't know the answer to that one, so i'm expecting that on friday i'll get a refund check from the Y, with a letter postmarked tomorrow.

We'll see.

Wed, 17 May 2006 14:42:00 -0700

Smoking is bad for you, you know....

We went out to lunch for Mother's Day and to celebrate the girls First Communion.  We were at this really nice restaurant and ate some great food.  When we're outside, waiting for my husband to get the car we're waiting outside trying to stay away from the rain.  My son, in all his 5 years, finds a covered spot right in a corner.  On a bench next to him is a woman, probably 80 years old, smoking.  He looks at her square in the face and says " Smoking is bad for you you know."  She smiles at him, probably didn't hear him, and i laugh and call him over.  No need to have him standing next to her sucking up her second hand smoke.

You go Boy!!!

Sun, 14 May 2006 18:23:00 -0700

Da Day Da Cockroach Camea Flying

Since i've had nothing really funny, or even mildly amusing happen lately, i will share something that happened last year. 

While we were still living in Hawaii, some friends came to visit from the Mainland.  We invited them over for a cookout.  The children were playing outside, the men were sitting together talking and me and my friend were chatting on the couch.  I hadn't seen her since we'd moved to hawaii and she was catching me up on all the things and people that i knew.

All of a sudden I see something black.  I know what it is.  Having lived in Hawaii, you learn to recognize the quick movement of the Ginormous B-52 (i.e. the Flying Cockroach.)  It took an instant, but before i knew it I was leaping off my seat across the couch and on top of my friend, all the while screaming like a little girl being chased by a ghost. 

Nobody else had seen the cockroach, so i must have seemed like some crazy, deranged lunatic.  My friend just looked at me like if i had lost my mind, and our husbands were probably trying to figure out if they needed to separate us or cheer on the brawl.  Needless to say the cockroach alluded me that day, but my friend never forgot the day that she came to visit her and i jumped on top of her.

I was so embarassed, but i can't say that it was the most embarassing thing to happen to me.

Tue, 02 May 2006 07:13:00 -0700

Congratulations, it's 2 girls!!

My hubby and I adopted 2 kids on Sunday.  OK, they're really dogs, but when they're puppies they might as just be kids.  They have been surprisingly good so far.  We keep them in their crates whenever we're not home, or when it's time to sleep and they have been really good about going 'potty' outside.  It's definitely easier house breaking a puppy than teaching either one of my kids to go on the potty.

They dogs are collie mixes, and the shelter said they were sister.  That's why we got them both, how horrible to break them up.  They spend most of their time playing together and sleeping.

The kids are getting used to their new sisters.  The boy is still intimidated by them, they scratched him and he just freaks out when they jump on him to kiss him.  I'm afraid that the dogs will definitely get bigger before he does.

I remember always having dogs in the house growing up, and i hope that the kids are able to enjoy the experience, once they stop being afraid of the dogs.

 

Thu, 27 Apr 2006 14:38:00 -0700

Nothing much

It's been Spring Break here in the Creek.  The kiddies finally go back to school tomorrow.  Surprisingly it has not been too terrible having them home for an entire week.

The weather has been HOT!!  Most afternoons have been in the High 80's and even into the 90's.  We went to the Sprinkler Park and they ran around getting wet. I had one of my good friends visiting from Puerto Rico and it was nice to catch up with him.  We did some tourist things with him, which is nice, because you never do the tourist things when you live somewhere and then you end up missing alot of really cool information.

Easter was quite.  The kids hunted for eggs and ate lots of chocolate.  Tonight is back to normal, double header in the baseball thing.  We'll be getting home around 9, so they can shower and get to bed.

Still can't believe school is almost over.  Where did this school year go??

Mon, 17 Apr 2006 10:51:00 -0700

Game 2 Devil Rays and other such stuff

Game 2 was quite exciting.  The boys on the team had quite a few good plays and several runs were scored.  The girl did not do as well as the rest, but she did fine.

Kids are in Spring Break, so things are kind of mushed together.

The only funny thing i have to add is relevant to a song by Natasha Bedingfield.  There is a line that says my foot was in my mouth the day that i met you.  Kaylah tells Jonah, my foot was in my mouth the day that i met you, but it's because i was a baby.

That's it for now.

Tue, 11 Apr 2006 07:02:00 -0700

Game 1 - Rockies

I know that you all anxiously await the news of the baseball games now.  Today was game one of the boy's T-Ball team (Rockies). I must say that i have never laughed so hard at a game in my life.  The team did not start practicing until last week, so they didn't know what they were doing other than swinging at the ball on the T.

My son hits the ball and everyone is shouting RUN RUN.  Well he does, right for the dugout.  So then everyone is yelling NO FIRST BASE, he stops, looks around, says OH OK and trots over.  He wasn't so bad.  One kid hit the ball and ran straight for the pitchers mound, another decided that he didn't want to run all the way to first and sat down halfway there.  It was too funny.

T-Ball rules, there are no Outs.  So you hit the ball, get tagged out at first, it's all right you can stay on base and keep on running. No Big.  Everyone bats once every inning.  So the last batter has the best time cause he bats and runs all the way around. Grand Slam, Home Run whooo hoooo.  You see them rounding those bases and they're so proud.

It was great.  Next game saturday.  Will provide commentary.

Tue, 04 Apr 2006 17:33:00 -0700

Game DevilRays

The daughters first baseball game yesterday.  It was pretty exciting, especially for someone who's not into baseball.  They played 3 full innings, which took close to 1 hour and 30 minutes.  Rules of play are each kid gets 8 pitches before they are out, unless they hit the ball and it's caught or are tagged out on base.  She was first up to bat in the 2nd inning.  She hit the ball and made it to first.  Eventually made it to second.  But there were 3 outs and that's as far as she got.  I was proud though!! Go Girl!! 

She played outfield and 3rd base.  No major plays made, did miss a line drive, but so did the outfielder standing right behind her.  No runs scored, but they don't keep track at this stage.

She had fun, and that's all that matters.

Today is the Boy's first game.

Tue, 04 Apr 2006 04:57:00 -0700

Mommy, mommy --- the shower battery died

It's been awhile since ive written anything, but it's been that kind of a week.  Until last night.  It was just a regular friday, the one day we had nothing to do.  We were going to meet the daddy person for dinner and then come home.  We did, and as soon as we came home the daughter went into the bathroom to take a shower.  The boy was in my bathroom using the toilet, i heard him flush, but it just didn't sound right.  I yelled for him to flush right, but the the noise got really strange.  My immediate thought was that he had broken my toilet.  How on earth was that possible?!?!?!  As i'm walking in to see what's going on my daughter comes out of the bathroom dripping wet, a towel draped around her, crying.  I suddenly felt like i'd jumped into some surreal dimension.  I finally understand her " *sob* *sob* the shower *sob* the battery *sob* it's broken *bwaaaaahhhh* "  HUH?  what do you mean the shower battery is broken?? what da?  so i turn on the faucet an it's just a very thin drip. Ohhhhh!! 

I pick up the phone and call my neighbors. The conversation went something like this  "So is like your water working?   - Who is this?  What? - It's me, my water isn't working, is yours? - Oh, um, let me check.  Nope, not working either.  Whatcha do break it? - Yup, gotta go. "

Endless hours of calling produced nothing, finally found out there was a water main break.  No water for the TriCounty Area.  Fun!!

Sat, 01 Apr 2006 06:54:00 -0800

Forget the Birds, i'm just dealing with the Bees

Nothing exciting or even remotely funny happened today, except spending a long morning at a place called Bee City.  Field Trip.  But it reminded me of some funny things that happened to me about a year ago.

I was in the yard in front of my house watering the plants.  As i'm there holding the water hose i feel a buzzing.  Bees were common in the area so i thought nothing of it, until i realized that i did not hear it, i felt it.  I pulled my shirt away from me and looked down to see a bee inside my shirt.

Unless you've been in this situation, you can't imagine what you would do.  Before the thought was even processed i was tossing the water hose down, splashing water all over me, and ripping my shirt off.

Now remember that i was in my front yard, in plain view of everyone (mainly the yard crew).  I don't know what they saw, or thought, but i do know that they always smiled at me after that day.

Maybe they were expecting a sequel....

Fri, 24 Mar 2006 15:35:00 -0800

Are they twins??

It's hard to remember, and even tougher to realize, but children don't see colors on a person skin and think it means anything.  We were at the park and i ran into a mom i know.  She has 2 children, one biological, one adopted.  She is white, the adopted son is black.  The boys are close in age and where wearing the same T-Shirt and Shorts (yes shorts it was 83 degrees).  My daughter looks at them and asks me, quite innocently, are the white boy and the brown boy twins??

I smiled, and the mom overheard and had quite a chuckle over it.  I said no and she went off to play with them.  No big.

But it reminded us of a situation that i'd read about years ago about a Norweigian couple who had had trouble conceiving and had used InVitro.  When their multiple babies were born, one was african american.  Now that would be shocking!!!!

Fri, 24 Mar 2006 04:09:00 -0800

Telemarketers must Die!!!!

I just had the strangest conversation with, of all people, a telemarketer.  It's very possible that he was more eager to end the conversation than i was.

He starts of the call by telling me  that i was one of the people who have been chosen to become a Gold Customer (or some sh!t like that), then asks me if i have long distance on my phone.  I figure since he's calling me with such great news that he would know this, but i'm feeling fiendish and play along.  "No, i do not have long distance" i tell him.

Well he breaks into this long shpiel about how i can get long distance at a low rate of some sort of amount and i can call anywhere in the US after 9:00 pm and Blah Blah Blah.  When he's done i tell him that i'm not interested, and i don't need it.  Well some more of the .  I explain that i have a cellphone and that i use it to make long distance, i can use it anywhere, not just at home, but he is one eager beaver.  So some more and how you never know when there might be an emergency and if i don't have long distance and try to make a long distance call i'll be charged an arm and a leg.

By now i'm rather bored    of listening to him and explain that i have a cellphone and do not need long distance at home.  There he goes saying about how if there's an emergency. 

Well i stopped him right there, "excuse me, but if there is an emergency, i'm calling 911.  if i have to call long distance in an emergency i might as well just roll over and die".

He didn't seem to have anything else to say and so i sat there, listening to him leafing through what sounded like pages, and then he says "Ok Thank you, Click"

Thu, 23 Mar 2006 17:13:00 -0800

If he's technically right, does he still get in trouble??

It was another night of Baseball practice and the boy wanted to play in the playground.  I understand, after all, i was a child once.  I say it's OK, but - and here is the clincher, he can not play on The Giant Sand Rock Pile next to the playground. 

OK Mommy, he says and runs off to play.  After about 10 minutes i decide to walk over and make sure he's still there, and lo and behold, he's on top of The Giant Sand Rock Pile.  I call him over and ask him if i might have just saw him on top of  T.G.S.R.P., maybe - he says.  I remind him that he was not allowed to play on T.G.S.R.P, "but mommy, i was climbing it, not playing on it."

Currently listening : Double Live By Garth Brooks Release date: 17 November, 1998

Tue, 21 Mar 2006 17:52:00 -0800

Just a boring post

Nothing much exciting has happened.  My son was throwing up all of thursday, and stayed home on friday (just in case).  Today my daughter had a Teddy Bear Retreat, she's preparing for First Communion.  With all the running around i've been doing all week, plus all the traveling we've done, it's nice to just sit in the house and veg...

Tomorrow i'll be doing lots of nothing.  Can't wait - maybe i'll even get to sleep in till 7:00.  Now that's a treat!!!!

Currently listening : Seussical: The Musical By Original Broadway Cast Release date: 06 February, 2001

Sat, 18 Mar 2006 15:38:00 -0800

Things that make you say hmm??

I was watching the news late last night, not sure if it was local or what.  Anyway the anchor was talking about a small plane that had crashed. He says something about 'investigators are trying to figure out at what altitude it was before it crashed'.  Well, DUHHH, if it crashed into the ground, it obviously was at about ground level.

Morbid, i know, but i mean, DUHH!!

Thu, 16 Mar 2006 12:50:00 -0800

What do you do when Nature jumps out at you??

I was driving home last night after practice, and it was already dark.  Let me just say that i DO NOT live in the boonies.  The Creek is a rather busy suburbia style town.  As i'm driving on the only road i can to go home i see something in the road.  At first i thought it was a dog, but nooooo, it was a mutate possum.  At least i thought it was mutated cause it look as big as a small horse.  I honked at it, thinking it would move, but it just sat there for a good 2 minutes. Finally it wandered off into the grass and away.  I suppose i could have ran it over, called it roadkill, and had it for dinner, but i gave it up for lent.

This isn't the first time Nature has invaded my driving. A few months ago i was driving my son to school when i noticed some Canadian Geese hanging out in the median.  I slowed down, knowing how those canadians like to cause trouble.  Good thing i slowed down, because as soon as i got near them they decided to fly right into my lane.  One was so low in front of the car that i couldn't even see it from my seat, so i hit the brakes so i wouldn't run it over.  His buddy however did not calculate his path very well and smashed right into my rear side window.  That 30 lb. bird bounced off my car, landed on the street and proceeded to walk around my car and into the pond.

All i could think was "i've just been goosed!!"

Wed, 15 Mar 2006 12:56:00 -0800

80 years and airplane traveling

We just spent the weekend in NYC.  God i hate the city!!  I'm just a small town girl at heart.  We flew up for my father-in-laws 80th birthday.  It was nice, and my husband was able to catch up with friends he doesn't really get to see all that often.  We drove into the city hoping to take the kids to the Empire State Building, but seeing how visibility was crap, we opted for the mother of all stores FAO Schwarz.  LOOVED IT!!  We flew home the next day and had to drive 2 more hours afterwards, just to get home.  It was a long couple of days, but it's good to get the kids to see that it's not all about them.  The are becoming quite the travelers.  My son, on the last plane ride, got in his seat, buckled himself in and took out the Passenger Safety Card.  He's 4!! I have to remind myself sometimes.  It was just so cute to see him act so grown up.  Next plane ride won't be until Memorial Day and it'll be just me and them.  Hubby won't join us for 2 weeks.  That should be fun.

Tue, 14 Mar 2006 07:24:00 -0800

You Mean Wet, mommy??

So a couple of weeks ago we were in Phoenix for a wedding.  We had to rent a car, and they have this 5 story Parking Structure where all the Rental Cars are kept.  As we're loading the car and putting the booster seats in, i'm explaining that this is not our car and that we will need to return it just the way they gave it to us.  My son looks at the car, sees water on the outside and asks me "You mean wet, mommy??"

 

Sat, 11 Mar 2006 07:48:00 -0800

America's Pasttime

So yesterday was my daughters first practice for Baseball.  She was insistant in playing Baseball - Not Softball (which was an option).  Well we get there and out of the 12 kids in the team, she is the only girl.  OMG - how would she react?? what would she do?? will she cry???  Nope, she just got right into it throwing the ball with another boy.  She was fielding balls, getting down on the ground and scooping up balls.  When we got home and i was kissing her goodnight i told her how proud i was of her.  She did great out there, and fished around to see if any of the boys had maybe said anything mean...she tells me:  Some of the boys on my team are cute.    She's only 7, what on earth am i going to do?  Does anyone know of a good nunnery??  i'll need a number soon.

Fri, 10 Mar 2006 13:48:00 -0800

Out of the mouth of Babes - comes out the funniest $h!t

so we're watching the olympics, my kids and i. the commentator is talking about "The Flying Tomato" and they look at me as to say "why on earth is there a tomato flying in the olympics???".  i explain that it's cause he "flies" on his snowboard and he has red hair.  all of my sudden my son (age 4) starts laughing.  that laugh that kids have that shakes up their bellies and they're rolling around on the floor.  so i ask him what's so funny.  he looks at me, laughing still, and says "if his hair was yellow we could call him The Flying Banana" 

Tue, 14 Feb 2006 13:15:00 -0800

Shopping Sucks!!

If there is one thing i hate is to go shopping.  Shopping on-line is not too bad, but actually going to a store is the worst thing in the world.  You can never find everything you need in one place, cause all stores are dedicated.  So i need to go to a women's store to get things for me.  to a shoe store to buy shoes.  to a kids store to get stuff for the kids.  a men's store for my husband.  and god forbid i'm buying presents - then it's going into all the stores to try and figure out what to buy for the person i'm buying for.

 

Wed, 08 Feb 2006 05:29:00 -0800

sucky weather

The sun has yet to come out today.  Sometimes, on day's like this, i miss living in Hawaii.  Over there the sky is the most beautiful, vibrant blue that you can imagine.  Here the sky is gray, with clouds as far as you can see.  It's the kind of day when all you want to do is stay in bed and sleep.

Tue, 07 Feb 2006 08:20:00 -0800