Thursday, October 30, 2008

Thankful Thursday

Okay, I am catching on to this blog a day thing...each day has a theme.
Friday is "flashback friday" --Those are gonna be fun! :)

Anyway...
Today I am thankful for Ugly Betty!!!
Every Thursday, besides the fact that it is my favorite day, I look forward to watching this show.
It is so campy, but I LOVE it!!
Go Betty! (And Salma Hayek--who is the producer or something--as if I need to wish her luck ...huh)

Good excercise--today I ran TWO MILES! This is big...sad to say, but true. At the end I did not feel like I was about to die, I felt...exuberant! Now, on to my pilates work out, so I won't walk around with terrible posture, --pigeon toes I mostly can't help--a hump back at 30 is a definite no-no ;).

Great Music!!
Ay..if only I could go to see it...
alas, I have a full time job, a husband and two children...so it looks like my probably once in a lifetime chance to go and see Cafe Tacuba will have to pass me by.
Andy told me that no, we cannot drive to Atlanta over Thanksgiving to go to see these guys..."I would like to see Bethany, but I don't want to go and see some Mexican rock crap." That is actually what he said.
I don't even like concerts etc...but when I want to see someone---I really want to see them!!
They are going to be in Charlotte--HELLO AMY!! and MORGAN!!--on NOvember 4th. That is five hours away, might as well wait til a SAt. and drive to Atlanta...
But I can't anyway.
actually, I'm not giving up, it aint' over til the fat lady sings, or I hear that Mexican play his fiddle! ;).

Off to read a magazine...

Enjoy la musica!

Monday, October 27, 2008

leaves y pumpkins




Yesterday we stayed outside all afternoon carving our pumpkins and raking leaves.
It was so fun.
:)

Maryellen, I am back onto the P!kn!k thing again...gawww...

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Promised Pictures




One of these pictures is of the heart of a cabbage. Last weekend my mama came over to cook a pot of soup with (for) me. ;)
Whenever she cuts up a cabbage and I am around I always eat the heart of it.
When I was little this was the treat she gave me while she cooked.
It has its own taste...different and yummy. Not good like a piece of cake, or something you want to stuff your mouth with, but good. I am going to do that same thing with my kids and see if they end up liking cabbage hearts...maybe I should take data. Victor did take a bite.

The other one is of me snuggling with Victor. He has always slept in his own bed, so he has not been much of a snuggler. Lately when we wake up he wants to snuggle in our bed with a hot milk bottle--he is 18 months old, and LOVES his bottle. ;) Yup I'm terrible.
I love this b/c I don't get to be around to hang out as much as I would like to, so this little bit of time in the AM is soooooo sweet to me.

Off to unpack groceries...

Friday, October 24, 2008

Goodbye N.C., I am going to Raleigh!

This is something that someone in my family said a veerrryryyyy long time ago. It was a great grand parent, on my Mama's side, and since her parents were born in 1904 or something, this is bound to have been said, ...oh, I don't know, when people were still riding horses and carts to travel to Raleigh.
It is a hoot to me.
I don't even know what the person meant. (Did she not know that Raleigh was in NC?)
Today, to me, it would mean that most people in the triangle are not even from NC so when one travels there it is not exactly like being in NC.
It is a great place, but ...oh Sh**, I don't know.
whatever.

Today, I went to Chapel Hill--not Raleigh anyway.
There was a class at the Friday Center.
It was GREAT! Fun to see two SLPs from Alamance County.
Fun to listen to a professor from Texas go over and over all these studies she has done. I love super-nerdy stuff sometimes. It makes me wish that I would have been gathering data from all of the work I have done over the past seven years, and that I would have been doing my work in a more systematic way b/c then I could draw some conclusions from analyzing all my great data!
NERD.
After the class I went to get Victor some shoes, then I went to see my friend Sara
and her family.
They have a new baby!!--new babies are super fun to hold, like a little bag of potatoes or something. (I know ya'll hold bags of potatoes for fun, don't try to deny this ;) )
I got to hold him. YAY!
SWEET.
Then on the drive home I fought off the panic attack that I almost have everytime I drive in the rain by listening to good music and singing to myself.
Without the Pre-K DJ in the backseat, I got through the whole CD sin comments.
Bueno, good night...my bed is a callin...
There is another entry coming that will have PICTURES!!

Friday, October 17, 2008

RIP

Sr. Levi Stubbs

Levi Stubbs is the man behind the following song:



Now, this might not mean much to many blogger buddies of mine...
But I bet it does.
This is the music of my childhood.
The music my mama and daddy danced to with Mr. Bubba and Ms. Dorothy in our beach cottage when we were supposed to be sleeping ;).
It is the music I still listen to loud in my car.

Thanks for the great music!
We should enjoy it while we can.
Go out and dance to the chairmen of the board the next chance you get folks...

This version is not my favorite.
But ya'll know the four tops and Bernadette for sure.

Salud! y Tierra...

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

a new ride!


This past weekend, in addition to having a major sinus infection and a party at my house, I went to Raleigh to buy a new car!
I had to go to Raleigh b/c the car I picked out was a Saab (a car I have always wanted) and I found it at Carm@X.
YAY!
The old car was the one my Daddy bought me when Andy and I got married.
It had tons of miles, chipped paint on the front bumper, an oil leak....the list goes on.
So, Andy and I decided it was time for another car.

Here is a pic. of the new Mami car:


The one at the top is of Luna in the old car :(.
Yes. I was emotionally attached to this car. So, yesterday when Andy and I had to drive back to Raleigh to take the title and get a check for it, I had to pause to say goodbye and thank-you to the car.
I was TERRIFIED to show the new ride to my parents esp. my Daddy who is anti-buy stuff especially when the Great Dep. #2 is coming!! YIKES!
He was actually excited for me though. I HAD to show them b/c I had to go over there to get the car title, which my Mama has had in the lock box (a safe at the bank in a room) since I got married!

If my Daddy thought more like ole GW he would have been excited b/c I am saving the US economy by buying stuff...;)

At any rate, the new car does not hop, leak oil, etc.
We are all excited!

Off to watch another debate....

Monday, October 13, 2008

CAb!

On Saturday I had a fun selling stuff party.
Normally, I would never hava a selling stuff party.
I really don't mind going to these, but having one...
no thanks.
"come to my house and buy stuff so I can get free stuff"... just ..not my thing
BUT ;)
When we lived in Graham my friend Lisa (co-worker) would have these.
I LOVED them.
The lady comes and sets up CLOTHES.
Then, all the friends at the party get to have
fun trying on cool clothes with you.

The party was GREAT!
Wine, yummy food (Morgan, you would have been proud)
My only problem with people coming over to party is how clean
I have to have my house.
It seems like I live like Ros@nne Barr, and then when I want to have a party
my standards are like Bree Vandecamp (De$per@te h-wives).
(Both probably an exagerration, but don't try telling me that when you are helping
me clean the house for the party)

Here are the pics:



Now, I will not be having another one of these parties.
It was a one-time deal
My sister-in-law is going to have one! She wanted more clothes and she wanted to get them half off (smart girl)--

Oh, and I took all the food out of the celophane etc. ;)
That picture was for my aunt, to show her that I use all my depression glass stuff
that she and my family got Andy and me for our wedding. ;)

Today was a sick day for me.
My sinuses got so bad that my face hurt so I had to go to the Dr. to get antibiotics.
(My trick did not work after all Melissa! )

Off to get Victor...

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Yum!

Today I got home earlier than usual. :) Big smile. I went to get Victor--from my mama's house. Andy went to get Elena--from his mama's house. My mama sent spaghetti to eat. Andy's mama sent crab meat and angel hair pasta. Yay again. :) Here is a picture of the yummy crab meat (from the crab pot off the pier at Pat and Ned's) Here is a picture of my children eating the crab meat: Here is a picture of the yummy pasta we made with the tomatoes and the basil and chives that are still hanging on in our garden: I would like to post a video, here is an attempt:
Now, after my attempt to post a video all of this stuff put itself out of order. So, this blog might not be reader-friendly. My conversation with Elena tonight when she was using the bathroom (she likes company). **mama, those are storm clouds..i think if you eat them your stomach would get upset **you think? What about if you eat the white puffy ones?
**they would make your stomach all better.
So cute it was!!! I know lots of kids talk about eating clouds..it does not diminish the sweetness when it comes from your own child, though. ;)

Alright, here goes nothing! Oh, it told me that the video is still uploading itself, so I get to ramble on.

The video is of Elena explaining that she wants a puppy. She saw one today at her nana's house, (a neighbor's?) We have been explaining all evening how a puppy is just as much work as a baby, but they cannot wear diapers, so it might make the house stink. Of course, she does not care! :)

This video thing is seeming a bit sketchy. The other child is a neighbor. She is six, and she comes to play all the time. A dream, by the way. She has demonstrated the importance to Elena of
1. putting on one's own clothes y shoes (you get the swing first)
2. riding a tricycle, fast
3. doing cart wheels and flips
4. reading--E does not read, of course, but she loves to pretend
5. swing tricks..jumping out etc.
Kids love to see the big kids doing stuff, and since Elena is the oldest, she does not have that example, well until now.

On to politics... The debate last night was hilarious, otra vez.
Mc's suit coat was ill-fitting, which got on my nerves.
The button looked like it was going to pop off at any minute!
I loved it when O said to Mc "i think one of the wheels just fell off the straight talk express" super funny!
That was about all I got out of it. I am sick of hearing them. If people can't pick the smart guy right now...god help us all!
Okay, it just messed up all of my spacing...

Attn Betsy: As I wait Andy is talking up your man--the other Mc!
Yikes I say, and he says I need to come and listen to the debate..
Now, I have to go and explain how if that guy wins I will not have a job
b/c he thinks we should all just send our kids to private school! ;)
JK Betsy.

Saturday, October 4, 2008

Hey

This morning Victor and I woke up at 4 AM! Andy and I have had a cold.
Victor got the cold and a fever (his body trying to kill germs).
So, when we got up he informed me that he wanted to sit, and watch, "hey"
This is what he calls Arthur! :)
I LOVE IT!
He says it like this, "I wan see hey."
He points to the dvd the whole time.
Of course the Arthur song is great, so I don't blame him.

Then Elena joined us at 4:20--don't even think it!
Then after we watched "hey" for two go rounds, we went back to bed.
At six, I got up to get ready to go to the big city (Durham) ;)
to go to the mall with Elena to buy shoes.
No one here sizes childrens' feet, and I am not good at it.

Elena was still asleep as I dressed her for our journey.
When I left, Victor was asleep with Andy in our bed. (sweet)
Andy left to go see a Carolina Panthers game with friends.
So we did not see eachother :(. (My Daddy kept Victor all day! :)!)
YUCK b/c I miss him.

In Durham, My favorite shoe girl was there at the shoe store! sweet! She always gives the best shoe advice, i.e. how to make one pair last all winter.
I am missing Andy and since we have no cell phones I cannot call him.
I called Linda, Jared's wife. She said she has not heard a word, and is fine with that, she is watching movies....we talked a long time (She is pregnant).

Now, I am just missing Andy. Supper time is always the missing time, ever since I was a little girl.

Okay, enough ramblin..
Good night!

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Haircuts

Today was also haircut day!!
Haircuts are hard for me. I have not had
my haircut since we moved. Going to my
favorite, Kate, in Durham--would be silly.
My hair is big, puffy, and curly.

I want it to be short and sleek.
Just your basic mama bob--but not triangle hair.
Or, at least not feel big and out
of control--that just feels nasty to me.
It looks great on people
who want it that way...but to me
--it is awful.

So, the guy is new to me.
Ramos.
He is a native lil Wash. guy.
Been cutting hair forever..(Do
you know him, Bethany?)
He was recommended to me by a
friend at work.

I think I scared him.
I brought pictures of my dream haircut.
The one Kate gave me two years ago.
(He informed me during the haircut that
he hates this situation.)
He touched my hair and proceeded
to tell me that I have two times
as much hair on my head as a lot of people
do, and that it was going to take him a long time
to get my hair to do what was in the picture.
Elena was with me in the salon--being patient.
:)

After an hour he had produced something like
what was in the picture.
I came home and cut the side pieces myself.
No one ever gets those the right way...
only Kate...
I had to explain my problem with side pieces and
she told me to always tell her and she would
fix them especially.

Here is what I listened to on the way there.
I tried to, actually, but the CD was way scratched.

Elena said, "Mama, I don't wike dis" I said, "oh, that's too bad, one day when you drive your car, you can pick the music."
--We listen to Disney and 80's music sometimes too..I am not that mean.

Neurotic!!
Next time I wish I could go
for either the Britney or the Ellen.
But, I am cursed with wanting to look
at least a little bit feminine.
Now I know some girls look perfectly cute with
very short hair...hmm hmm Bethany!!
But not me.

At one point I looked over at Elena and she was
digging in her pants--in her butt crack.
So, I said in Spanish, "Elena, que no hagas esto, que cochina!"
Which means, "don't do that, that is gross"
Only if I say it in Spanish people don't know that I am pointing out
her grossness--only her.
Nice Trick. ;)

When we got home --after stopping at Food Lion for treat ice cream--Andy said, "where were ya'll?"
...What followed was really mean.
I won't type it here.

Victor, who also inherited curly hair, also got his haircut today.
I did not like his either.
I want my daddy to take him to the BARBER shop for a good
man/boy haircut.
The barber shop here is always busy with a wait.
So, his haircut is..sh*tty.

Now, I am having wine.
Not relaxing.
Wondering why it is so hard to get a
haircut I like. ???

Salud!

Thinking Maps

I am in a training today.
Going to this training has put me in the worst of moods!

We are learning about thinking maps.
Visual Organizers that are supposed to mimic what our brain does for
any given thinking task.
For example:
Defining--use the bubble map
Expressive parts of a whole--use a bracket map

This all really tears up my nerves.

I constantly sit and think of all the of the rules of the maps.
The bubble map is supposed to have a noun in the middle circle.
The noun is described using adjectives in bubbles all around it.
So is the task to define? or teach grammar?
We did group excercises and almost all the other groups used
nouns and all other parts of grammar as describing words.
Now, I don't care either way.
I have no agenda here--except maybe following rules (which I did not make
up)--that say..the bubbles have to have adjectives.
So, my group thought up adjectives...
So, in this class I get caught up in stuff like that..
It bugs the hell out of me.

I don't want to map my thinking--it would look like the city center of sevilla a lo mejor...I don't want to have someone tell me how to map my thinking. I do not want to tell others how to map their thinking.

So, my question: do the students get graded on the ability to make these maps...when they are supposed to be used as tools for thinking??

On the way home I was thinking...I am going to make a tree map of all of my job responsibilities. Serving kids--just one of about 10.

I just sit there...stare... and get ill--

Now I better go.
We were informed that we would be given a "treat" today.
1 hour and 10 minutes for lunch...oooooohhhhh...don't make me go home and eat a sandwich!!
But if we are not back in time--we are going to have the gate locked on us. :)
So, I guess I had better run.

.6 CEUs
Map that!

Spot on!

Spot is our family's chihuahua.  He is what we call, "an evil dictator/stuffed animal come to life".  Sometimes, after he has ...