Sunday, December 19, 2010

Praying for a Christmas miracle

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="200" caption="Rebecca and her hubs"][/caption]

Tonight I was deep into my Twitter conversations, when all of a sudden I saw the following tweet:
@bitofmomsense Twas the night before last Treatment...;) http://plixi.com/p/64112528

I stopped completely. It was such a simple and sweet photo of Rebecca and her bald husband looking happy and at peace. I had seen many tweets from her over the past few months about her husband's treatments, and several times I've replied saying something like "hope everything turns out OK!" or "praying for you and hubs!" Do people actually pray when they say that?

But tonight, for some reason, it made me stop. If you look at that photo out of context, all you see is a very happy couple in a very intimate cuddle. And you know what? THAT'S HOW IT SHOULD BE!! It breaks my heart when there's a stupid disease that changes the way you look at everything, including a simple photo. I'm pretty sure that they both look at everything differently now. Maybe not better, maybe not worse. Just different.

You see, I kinda know what Rebecca is going through. My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1993, when I was 19 years old. FREAKING 19!! I didn't know what cancer was, or that it was so dangerous. I wasn't prepared to deal with such a serious situation. All I saw was my mom's courage through it all. Through the surgery, the treatments, the baldness, the throwing up, and eventually, the recovery. It changed her, somehow. Made her stronger, if that's even possible.

So when I saw that tweet from Rebecca, I felt compelled to finish her thought. I looked at the original poem, and looked at the photo, and came up with this:
'Twas the night before last Treatment
and everyone's at peace
not a single sign of sickness
not even a cyst.

I hope that's what's going through their minds right now, the confidence that everything will be OK, and they can put all this behind them. They can say it's simply something that happened. In the past.

Also? It's freaking Christmas, for chrissakes! No one should feel sad this time of year. I know what that's like, because exactly two years ago, I miscarried my second pregnancy, two weeks before Christmas, and had to have the baby surgically removed. ONE week before Christmas! Let's just say I'm a sucker for people who go through tough situations during the holidays.

So to Rebecca and her husband, I know it may not be a literary masterpiece, but I'm glad it made you smile. Here's to a very healthy 2011!!

-----

While on the subject, won't you consider being a part of @Frosting4Cause? If you have a blog, and love to bake, just visit http://frostingforthecause.com/ to see how you can help. It's very easy and fun! You don't have to be a professional baker. You can even use cake mix and canned frosting! The point is to help, get involved, and "bake" a difference!

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Wordless Wednesday 12: Fake Snow

This is what Puertorricans have to settle for: watching fake snow falling at the mall.

The trick? It was soap suds! What a scam!


If you have a Wordless Wednesday post, link it here for others to see!

Here's the fun thumbnail linky:



Thanks to Uisce for creating Wordless Wednesday.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Walt Disney World - Day 5: Hollywood Studios and Departure

*** Join me as I blog my way through Walt Disney World with Hubs and Lil man. Go to my home page to find more posts of my journey. Enjoy!

6:30am - Stupid alarm clock goes off. Worst morning of the trip, packing the bags to go home. Of course, the bags won't close because I'm carrying twice the shit I brought in. I don't need another reminder for hubs that we spent too much.

[caption id="attachment_661" align="alignleft" width="224" caption="Late, sleepy, and all bundled up"][/caption]

8:50am - Ya, so our breakfast reservation is RIGHT NOW and we're just getting off the bus at Hollywood Studios. When we get to the main street, it's packed full and we can't get through to the restaurant! Turns out they're doing the park opening so there's no way through until they "open". Drats!

On a related note, I wasn't able to see but was able to listen to the "ceremony" that they do to open the park and it sounded fun! Will try to make it next time we're here.

[caption id="attachment_662" align="alignright" width="225" caption="He loves Handy Manny"][/caption]

Hollywood & Vine - We're finally at our table. This is my fave character breakfast, mostly because it's the one lil man enjoys the most. The characters don't just go around the tables saying hello and posing for pictures, but they also put on a dancing show every few minutes, and all the kids join in, so fun! This part we haven't been able to participate in yet because lil man is so shy that he doesn't want to go up with the other kids to dance with the characters. All he does is sit in the sidelines and watch. The second time around he took our camera and started taking pictures of everyone. He felt much more at ease. Still, no dancing.

[caption id="attachment_663" align="alignleft" width="224" caption="Waiting in line for Toy Story Mania"][/caption]

Toy Story - So we get to the FastPass distribution kiosk at 10:30am and it's for 6pm... 6 freaking PM?!?! Oh, and the stand-by line is 70 minutes, lovely. Since we have a feeling the line will get worse as the day progresses, we risk it and go in. Spend about 35 minutes in line. Someone should really check those timers more often.

Shops - Hubs wanted to take lil man to the Muppet show, so I decided to do some shopping. Told hubs that I was going to buy one or two things, and ended up with $57 worth of merchandise. Does that count as a big purchase or a small one? Don't ask hubs, I already know his answer to that one.

Pizza Planet - We have been asking lil man all day if he wants to go to the Tower of Terror, seeing as he loved it so much last time, but every time, he says no. Me: "so what do you want to do?" Lil man: "Nothing, I want to go home because the vacation is over." OK then. Well, as we're leaving Pizza Planet with no time to spare, he decides he wants to play more video games at the restaurant. We say no, because we have to leave for the airport, and he loses it. Starts crying and screaming that he doesn't want to go. Dude, you've been saying all morning that you want to go home, what the eff? We strap him to the stroller - against his will - at this moment he's on full meltdown mode. First one of the trip! Safe to say that our ride back to the hotel was not a happy one.

Hotel - We're waiting for the Magical Express bus to take us to the airport, and I'm making some last-minute purchases at the hotel shop. Lil man already had his time-out, but he looked so sad that I decide to buy him a tiny "2010" airplane that he had liked before. I melt every time his mood lifts and he's happy again. What can I say? I'm a Mom.

Magical Express - The bus ride to the airport was much smoother. He's happy again, playing with his airplane.

In Flight - Tried the stupid free Wi-Fi again, and this time it worked! Started tweeting from my phone, and everything's great... until we leave Florida. As soon as we're flying over water, the Wi-Fi drops. Are you freaking kidding me? I say a few choice words under my breath, and turn off my phone.

We had bought a sandwich on the airport for lil man to eat on the plane. He started eating, and halfway through we see him closing his eyes... while chewing! With the sandwich in his hand! It was sooo funny. After a few more bites, hubs took the sandwich from his hand, and he just collapsed. This has been a short, but very intense trip. I'm glad we did it, but we're all exhausted. Now to plan the next one!

Oh, shut up, hubs!

-- Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.

P.S. - This post was originally published remotely from my BlackBerry. Upon returning home, I added pics and links. Hope you enjoy reading!

Check out my other posts here:

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Walt Disney World - Day 4: Animal Kingdom

*** Join me as I blog my way through Walt Disney World with Hubs and Lil man. Go to my home page to find more posts of my journey. Enjoy!

9:30am - Even later for breakfast than yesterday. This is not good.

[caption id="attachment_655" align="alignleft" width="225" caption="Happy to go to the bug show"][/caption]

It's Tough to be a Bug - Here we go again. Lil man doesn't want to put on the glasses because he's scared. we finally convinced him to put them on, but he saw the entire show on his dad's lap. Good thing too, because he would've been super scared of the poking and tingling things that the chairs do.

Kilimanjaro Safari - LIl man loved this one! Every time we saw an animal, he would check the sign on the roof where it has a picture of all the species, and ask us where that animal was on the pictures.

Pangani Forest Exploration Trail - I didn't think lil man would be excited about this one, but he was. The most exciting part was the gorillas. One of them was a supermodel wanna-be, posing for pictures, and the other one was busy with a large sheet, like a throw, tossing it over his head to cover himself, or pulling it around. Finally he sat against a wall and covered himself with it. It was hilarious, and all the kids were screaming with excitement.

Expedition Everest - Very dissappointed with the rider swap, or lack thereof. They wouldn't let lil man go inside at all. I had to stand outside while hubs went in, and when he came out, then I went in. I don't get it.

[caption id="attachment_656" align="alignright" width="300" caption="I took this pic of the monitor... shh, don't tell Disney!"][/caption]

Dinosaur - OK, so seeing as lil man has been scared of every single ride after Tower of Terror, I wasn't too excited to come here. Turns out, he loved it! He laughed when the car started going fast, and also when the dinosaurs appeared. It's a very rough ride with a lot of darkness, but he was FINE! Laughing all the time. "Mama, this is very cool!" I give up.

Finding Nemo: The Musical - We had priority seating because we had lunch at Tusker House (which by the way, YUM!) I loved the fact that I was super close and I was able to appreciate the actors more, but missed the entire scope of the show, with all the stuff that happens on the aisles. It was good for one time, but next time, I'll sit in the back.

Downtown Disney - I can't go to Walt Disney World and not go to Downtown Disney. However, we only have a few hours to spare, so we can only go to the Marketplace. Gotta get my shopping on!

Mickey's Days of Christmas - Gotta find a 2010 ornament (I always buy one for each year) but man, they're pricey! Finally find a cute one for $10.95, score!

Mickey's Pantry - I'm in heaven! THIS is why I come here, to get my kitchen fix. But I just noticed that they don't sell a lot of stuff that they used to here, like the Mickey waffle maker. Drats, just when I was convincing myself to get it!

World of Disney - I have a love/hate relationship with this store. It has pretty much everything that's available, but since I'm retail-challenged, I can never get through the entire store without getting tired, overwhelmed, or both!

Pollo Campero - We met hubs' cousin who lives here and she told us about this place that just opened up where the McDonald's used to be. Gotta say, it's pretty darn good! The food is very authentic, tastes just like home.

-- Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.

P.S. - This post was originally published remotely from my BlackBerry. Upon returning home, I added pics and links. Hope you enjoy reading!

Check out my other posts here:

Friday, December 3, 2010

Walt Disney World - Day 3: Magic Kingdom

*** Join me as I blog my way through Walt Disney World with Hubs and Lil man. Go to my home page to find more posts of my journey. Enjoy!

9:00am - Late for breakfast, but recharged and ready for the day. Also? It's about 60 degrees, I love it! Hubs already put on his sweater. Wimp.

Jungle Cruise - I don't get lil man. He absolutely loved Tower of Terror, and right now he's scared of the animals! Dude, they're fake! "Mama, I don't wanna watch anymore." He's weird.

Pirates of the Caribbean - Same thing happened here. There's something wrong with this kid!

[caption id="attachment_649" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="The scene of the crime"][/caption]

Mickey's Toontown Fair - Lil man loves this area! We're at the park, and lil man is inside the small house when all of a sudden he starts screaming and crying. I went up to him as he came out, tears flowing, and still crying extremely loudly. Another small girl came out the same way. Her mom and I start asking them what happened. Lil man: "He won't let me play!" When I peeked inside, I saw a small boy standing against the back wall, furious look in his eyes. Apparently he was screaming at them to get out. His mom got him out and made him apologize. It was all very loud and dramatic, pretty much all the parents at the park noticed. 2 minutes later? Everyone is running around, screaming and laughing again. Ah, to be a kid.

Donald's Boat - It's amazing how cautious lil man is. He's running around in the water squirts by Donald's boat, but he manages to stay dry. All the rest of the kids are soaked! Good thing too, because I'm not in the mood for him to get sick.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad - Lil man can't stop laughing nervously. "This is so fun!"

[caption id="attachment_650" align="alignright" width="225" caption="Marching with Pooh"][/caption]

Crystal Palace - For an extremely shy kid, it was a huge deal when we got lil man to march in the Pooh parade through the restaurant. All the kids look adorable.

Haunted Mansion - Since the moment lil man saw the walls of the library stretch up, he got scared. When we got in line to board the ride, he started to cry and hid his face on hubs' neck the entire time. But apparently he managed to see everything, because as soon as we were out, he started to talk about everything that happened. Me: "so you liked it?" Lil man: "sure." Me: "were you scared?" Lil man: "a little bit, but it was OK, nothing happened." His face was hilarious!

Philharmagic - Same thing here. He spent the entire show on hubs' lap, and wanted to take the glasses off, but we convinced him to keep them on. Shame that I couldn't take a pic of him, he had one hand covering half of one eye the entire time, and the other grabbing on to his dad. Also? He kept laughing nervously the entire time.

Space Mountain - We used the Rider Swap here. Pretty cool because lil man got to go on the stand-by line with us. Once we got to the end, hubs got on the ride, and lil man and I exited through a side door and went back down to meet him. Then I went up again through the same side door, and they let me in.

Astro Orbiter - Are you kidding me? It's like 45 degrees, and you want me to ride in circles up there? Should have put on my scarf and gloves, I'm effing freezing!

*** As soon as I got back down, I put on my scarf and gloves. I don't care if the rest of the people are in shorts and flip flops, it's effing freezing! (Did I mention that already?)

[caption id="attachment_651" align="alignleft" width="225" caption="My two boys watching the fireworks"][/caption]

Wishes - There are no words. In my opinion, Illuminations is far more complex and grand, but what gets you here is the music. I had a lump in my throat the entire time. Also? Watching lil man ooh-ing and aah-ing? Swoon.

Bus stop - Holy crap, there are seriously like 200 people waiting in line for the bus! All of a sudden, a big-ass motorcoach comes by, and parks in our lane. Everyone starts cheering and screaming and whistling at the driver! If I wasn't freezing, I could've sworn we were in Puerto Rico.

[caption id="attachment_652" align="alignright" width="300" caption="The window display, starring his very own friends"][/caption]

Hotel room - I have noticed that when we're walking past the rooms in the hotel, you can see little animals made from towels displayed on the windowsill. They're too cute, these cleaning ladies are super talented. Tonight, when we got to our room, there was a huge display! They had taken one of the chairs in the room, covered it with a white towel, and displayed 2 little towel animals, plus 2 of lil man's stuffed animals! One of them was dressed like Santa, and another had a Christmas tree outfit. It looked like a store window display. Lil man was beyond excited, he couldn't stop screaming! Seriously? This is what the Disney experience is all about.

-- Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.

P.S. - This post was originally published remotely from my BlackBerry. Upon returning home, I added pics and links. Hope you enjoy reading!

Check out my other posts here:

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Walt Disney World - Day 2: Hollywood Studios

*** Join me as I blog my way through Walt Disney World with Hubs and Lil man. Go to my home page to find more posts of my journey. Enjoy!

[caption id="attachment_641" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="The upside-down sleeper"][/caption]

8:30am - My alarm clock went off an hour and a half ago, and I've been hitting the snooze button. Hubs is snoring and lil man did a 180 in bed, with his feet on the pillow. It's a safe bet that we're not getting to the park early today.

10:00am - Went to the Concierge desk and showed them a picture of my "beautiful" balloon bouquet, and they called the Disney Gift Shop, who assured me that lil man will have his balloons tonight. Even the hotel manager sat down with me and told me how shocked he was about what had happened. We'll see.

*** The line at the Concierge was so long that I kept myself busy trying to decipher if the notes that appear on the bottom part of the front desk were part of an actual song or just random notes. After a while I figured out that even though the tempo and punctuation are off, the notes are actually from "When You Wish Upon A Star". Cool!

[caption id="attachment_642" align="alignright" width="300" caption="His fave channel"][/caption]

Playhouse Disney - We came here last summer when lil man was 2 and a half years old, and he had a good time, but this time? O. M. G. Now that he knows all the songs and the shows, he was singing and dancing along, even though it was in English, and he only understood a word here and there and what I translated for him. Swoon!

Toy Story Mania - Stand-by line said 70 minutes. We risked it and spent only 25 minutes in line. Score!

Stores - Hubs wanted to go to the Tower of Terror but I don't like it, so I decided to go shopping with lil man while hubs went there. I left the stores the same way I went in: empty-handed. Something is seriously wrong with me.

Beauty and the Beast - I feel like I'm watching the movie in fast-forward.

[caption id="attachment_643" align="alignleft" width="224" caption="Apparently his new fave ride, go figure"][/caption]

Tower of Terror - Hubs has been telling lil man all day that this is his favorite ride, giving him all the details of what happens trying to make it look less scary. He even told him that when the elevator falls, you HAVE to scream, because that's part of the ride. Well, when we left Beauty and the Beast, first thing that lil man says is: "Tower of Terror is my favorite ride!" Hubs: "You want to go?" Lil man: "Sure!" Hubs and I looked at each other in shock - this is the guy that doesn't want to go to the Haunted Mansion because he's scared of the ghosts! So we decided to go - he even convinced ME to go too. "Come on, Mama, it's not scary, you just have to scream when you drop!" Holy shit, my husband just created a monster! We could tell he was nervous once inside, because he wouldn't stop talking about how it *wasn't* scary. But he did it! His face was of pure panic, and when it was over, he was still grabbing at my sleeve. Me: "Did you like it?" Lil man: "Yeah!" Me: "Did you scream?" Lil man: "Yeah, it was very cool!" Me: "Wanna go again?" Lil man: "No."

9:00pm - On the bus ride back to the hotel, lil man told me that Pepo (one of his stuffed animals) was crying back in the hotel room, and asked if he could call him. I gave him my cell phone (locked) and he proceeded to have a long conversation with him. I think he was able to calm him. :)

[caption id="attachment_644" align="alignright" width="225" caption="Balloon fiasco resolved!"][/caption]

9:30pm - We get to our hotel room, and sure enough, there's a Mickey balloon bouquet on the table. Lil man's face when he saw them was priceless! He played with them for a long time. My faith in the Disney customer service is restored. Not that it was ever gone,,,ahem.

-- Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.

P.S. - This post was originally published remotely from my BlackBerry. Upon returning home, I added pics and links. Hope you enjoy reading!

Check out my other posts here:

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Walt Disney World - Day 1: Arrival and Epcot

*** Join me as I blog my way through Walt Disney World with Hubs and Lil man. Go to my home page to find more posts of my journey. Enjoy!

5:00am - We're running late, we're supposed to be at the airport at 5:30am and my hair is still wet. Drats!

5:50am - Finally at the airport. Thank goodness the counter is empty to do the check-in. Now to get some breakfast.

[caption id="attachment_634" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Waiting patiently at the gate"][/caption]

7:05am - Waiting patiently at the gate when suddenly they announce that one of the flight attendants is sick and without her or a replacement, the plane can't leave. This doesn't sound good.

7:15am - They found a flight attendant, but since she arrived at midnight and needs mandatory rest, she will arrive at 8:40 and the flight now leaves at 9:20am. Are you kidding me? I was planning on being at Epcot by noon! My vacation has been greatly compromised. (Note the drama - I'm giving myself permission.)

8:40am - They finally call us to board, and as we're heading down the ramp to the airplane, hubs asks me: "where's the suitcase?" I check our belongings: I'm carrying my purse, lil man has his backpack and his 2 bears, hubs has the other backpack and the stroller. Holy shit, the carry-on! He runs back through the line of people as lil man and I reach the plane where the baggage handlers take our stroller. And then we wait, and wait. People are passing through to the plane and we're just standing there. Lil man: "Mama, where's Papa?" Me: "He's coming, sweetie, he just forgot something." At this point, I'm getting nervous and I call him on his cell. He's out of breath. "We left it out at the security checkpoint!" Shit. Shit. SHIT! And then we wait, and wait. Lil man: "Mama, why aren't we going on the plane?" Me: "We're waiting for Papa, sweetie." Lil man: "Where is he?" Me: "Looking for the bag, he'll be here soon." And then we wait, and wait. Finally he calls me. "I'm back, they wouldn't let me go out to the checkpoint to get the bag, I had to plead with them til they did." OMG, can we please stop all this drama even BEFORE our vacation starts?

[caption id="attachment_635" align="alignright" width="225" caption="The boys playing in flight"][/caption]

In Flight - We're supposed to have free Wi-Fi, but after trying on both my cell and laptop, I gave up. I haven't had any sleep, so I'm getting a well-deserved nap. Lil man is playing with both his Vsmile and PSP, so we're good. Oh, BTW, the bathroom? Smallest one ever! I've been in my share of airplane bathrooms, but I think this one takes the cake.

11:00am - At the Orlando airport - Did I just pass a Starbucks and not get coffee? what is wrong with me?

[caption id="attachment_636" align="alignleft" width="225" caption="Hello giant golf ball!"][/caption]

2:00pm - Entering Epcot - Me: "Look, it's the giant ball!" Lil man: "It looks like a big golf ball!"

Spaceship Earth - Freaking ride broke down mid-way! We were stranded at the top in the dark for like 5 minutes. Are you kidding me?

Soarin' - Lil man was laughing nervously the entire ride. when the final fireworks exploded, he jumped so high that he even scared me. While walking out, he was trembling but laughing nervously. Hubs: "Did you like the ride?" Lil man: "Yeah!" Hubs: "Were you scared?" Lil man: "A little bit, but it was very cool!" Hubs: "Wanna go again?" Lil man: "No."

*** BTW, this same exact conversation happened after Test Track. It was hilarious!

Mouse Gear - Getting my feet wet. The only 3 things we bought were actually hubs' idea.

[caption id="attachment_637" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Hubs & lil man with the Three Wise Men"][/caption]

Mexican Pavillion - Disney always says that all their World Showcase cast members come from the country they're representing, but when we tried to talk in Spanish to the Three Wise Men, they replied in English! Major Disney fail!

As a side note, the Margarita was yum! Oh, and on a related note, if you're drinking said Margarita while sitting on the floor, when you get up, hang on!

8:30pm - La Hacienda de San Angel - I was very hesitant to come here because I had read some lukewarm reviews. But we had a great time, and the food was yummers! Hubs and I had the Hacienda Parrillada (for 2) and we were fighting over the refried beans. I even had to ask for more tortillas, they were THAT good. Oh! And watching Illuminations from the comfort of our dining table? Bonus!

[caption id="attachment_638" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Our "beautiful" balloon bouquet."][/caption]

11:00pm - Finally at our hotel room. Complete shock and dissappointment! We had ordered a bouquet of Mickey balloons to be delivered to our room, and instead of displaying them on the bed like they usually do, they were stuffed into a plastic bag in the corner of the room. I almost cried because I wanted to see lil man's face when he saw all the balloons, like he did last time. I call the front desk to file a complaint, but they want me to call back tomorrow after 8:00am. I will definitely be calling back - I demand a refund! But who will refund the surprise I had for him? Another major Disney fail!

-- Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.

P.S. - This post was originally published remotely from my BlackBerry. Upon returning home, I added pics and links. Hope you enjoy reading!

Check out my other posts here:

My Journey through Walt Disney World

This week hubs, lil man and I are taking a vacation at Walt Disney World. It's a special vacation for hubs and I because exactly 10 years ago when we got married, this is where we went on our honeymoon. So this is kinda like a second honeymoon for us, except now we're traveling with the fruit of our love, lil man.

So I decided to document my trip, journal-style. I brought a notebook and pen (very retro, I know) and will be writing down random thoughts and stuff that happens throughout the day.

My plan is to compile it all into a daily post here. Let's see if I can do it, because I just found out that the hotel charges $9.95 per day for internet use, and hubs already said no way.

Wish me luck!

-- Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.

P.S. - This post was originally published remotely from my BlackBerry. Upon returning home, I added pics and links. Hope you enjoy reading!

Check out all my posts here:

Sunday, November 28, 2010

What I'm thankful for this year

I meant to post this on Thanksgiving day, but it's been a hectic weekend, what with planning our trip, decorating for the holidays, and my recovery (still) from my back spasm.

The year 2010 has been very good to me. Not like 2009 when I spent most of the year battling depression and PPD after my miscarriage during the holidays of 2008. No, this year I vowed to change things up, and am so grateful for everything that's happened to me, and everyone around me. Am I depression-free? Heck, no! Did I lose all the weight I gained during the depression and hypothyroidism? Not even close! But I feel a LOT better, and can honestly say that I'm prepared for whatever 2011 has in store for me.

These are the things I'm most thankful for right now:

My husband. Last week we celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary, and last Sunday we renewed our vows in church before God and our family. It was a short but very special act that proved that we're ready for our next 10 years. He has definitely been my rock, my best friend, and my soul mate. I can't imagine my life without him. Well, I can imagine it, but it's not pretty. If you want to know more about how I feel towards him, read my last post, 10 years of wedded... bliss? I just read it before starting to write this, and I'm still crying like a little girl. Please don't tell hubs, I need to keep my cool front!


My son. The people who know me pre-child will NEVER believe this, but Daniel is the light of my life. Everyone always told me "your life will change completely once you become a mother", and I would always say "only if you want it to". Well guess what, turns out I wanted to! Everything that was important to me before seems so stupid and trivial now, and I have a whole new set of priorities that I would've never thought of before. I even used to criticize other moms about their obsessions with their children, and now I'm one of those moms, yikes! But loving every second of it. If you want an example of how motherhood has changed me, read this post, The Mommy in me.


My family. This is a complicated one, because I've had so many negative situations with my family, that one would think that I would not include it here. But I am thankful. Friends come and go, and when friendships fail, there's usually nothing keeping you together. But with family it's different. You may have your downfalls, but come the next holiday or family gathering, and they're all there, and like it or not, you have to face them. I kinda like that, because it forces you to face the situation and move on. Besides, who else can you count on to tell you the truth to your face, not even caring if they hurt your feelings or not? Oh ya, feelings get hurt (A LOT!), but the truth is always told.


My friends. As you can imagine, I don't have a lot of friends. If you don't know what I'm talking about, you probably don't know me in real life. What I mean is, friendships, like all relationships, take time and effort, and I usually forget to keep up with my friends. The few friends that I have probably don't even know this, but I treasure them deeply. I guess I'm more of a quality, not quantity kind of gal. Also? Twitter friends. Yes, I mean the ones where I only know their @ names, and live in a different country than I do (cue my family groaning in disgust and looking at me unapprovingly). Lately, I have gained a lot of friends who have a lot in common with me. Fellow mompreneurs who juggle motherhood, home businesses and/or corporate life, and home and family. They've been my sounding board to all my struggles, doubts, questions, and moral support. Most of my newfound clarity and outlook on life, I owe to them.


This is not a comprehensive list by any means, but I think these are the most important aspects of my life at this moment. I'm a firm believer that there is no such thing as a negative experience if you use it to learn and grow. The person you are now is the sum of ALL your experiences - the good, the bad, and the ugly. I love the saying "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger".

And by now I might as well be freaking HULK!!

Thursday, November 18, 2010

10 years of wedded... bliss?

... I would say so.

Ten years ago today I walked down the aisle to meet my soul mate. I vowed to take him as my husband, to have and to hold, from that day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.

We definitely have had our ups and downs, but we have been able to talk through anything. We are as different as night and day. I'm a strong-willed loudmouth who doesn't let ANYTHING slide. I'm way too proud and self-centered. He is the complete opposite. He's a sweetheart and soft-spoken most of the time. He hates confrontation, and will let anything go if it means avoiding conflict. Do we fight? All. The. Time. OK, so it's mostly me fighting with him about something that he did or didn't do. Or didn't do the right way... OK, my way.

Honestly, I don't know how he puts up with me. But somehow he gets me. He knows exactly what to say and how to say it so that we can resolve all our issues. He is definitely my best friend. There's nothing that I can't talk to him about. If you ask him, he'll probably tell you that I talk too much, but he still listens to me, even when I go on and on...

So today I sit here, ten years later, completely prepared to say those vows again before God and my family, when we renew our vows this Sunday at church. I'm ready for the next ten years, and couldn't have asked for a better partner to share them with.

Now what to get that special person in such a special occasion? I was searching the Internet for the anniversary gift lists; there are 2 lists: traditional and modern. For 10 years, the traditional gift is tin/aluminum, and the modern gift is diamond jewlery. So if I'm a modern gal, which I believe I am, he can get me diamond jewlery - I'm not picky, any kind of jewlery will do. And if hubs is a traditional man, which he definitely is, I can give him a six-pack of beer? Ya, that seems fair...

Here's to 10 more years!

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Scared & in pain

Tonight marks 1 week since my back pain started. I have been sleeping in the recliner for 6 nights. I miss my bed. I miss my husband. But mostly, I miss my bed (sorry hubs!)

I have been on meds. I have been doing physical therapy. And yet? I'm still in pain. OK, so the pain is not as strong as it was 1 week ago, but it's still there. It still hurts when I'm sitting. It still hurts when I'm standing. It still hurts when I'm walking. And I don't know how to make it stop.

I am scared. I don't know when I will get better, and I HAVE to get better, and soon. You see, in 2 weeks I am leaving for Disney World with hubs and lil man. This is not a normal vacation, it is my 10th wedding anniversary. It is a very special trip for me, plus everyone who has gone to Disney World knows that there's A. LOT. OF. WALKING! I have a very bad feeling that I'm not going to enjoy this trip as much as I should.

Since there's apparently nothing I can do about this, I will just say 3 little letters:

F. M. L.

-- Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

The day I took Twitter to the ER

Last Sunday I had a very eventful day. I woke up with a horrible back pain, and ended up in the ER until 3am. Normally this would be a horrible experience, but I had someone to keep me company: Twitter.

The day started with a look back at a #wineparty the night before, and ended up with many people keeping me company and making me feel better throughout the day and night. Seriously, I couldn't ask for better friends.

I hope you enjoy some of my fave tweets from that day. The tweets in black are mine and blue are my friends.

zelmarl: Help! I need @carolinamom24 or anyone else who can help. Woke up w/ a lower back spasm & I'm passing out from the pain. Hubs even says it looks swollen. Can I treat it w/ OTC? Would hate to go to the hospital on a Sunday! :((

  • carolinamom24: @zelmarl Oh no Zelma! Does it radiate down your leg?

  • zelmarl: @carolinamom24 No, just the back waistline. Hubs says it's swollen. He found 2 old Fioricets that hadn't expired & said that migraines are pretty much swelling but don't know if they will work.

  • zelmarl: @carolinamom24 BTW did I mention I can either sit still or move AT ALL? Getting nauseous from the pain, and I can handle pain pretty well!


zelmarl: How are my drinking buddies from last night? I woke up w/ no hangover but w/ back spasm. #fail @ahbashbah @rachspan @Babe_Chilla @g_bugg

  • ahbashbah: @zelmarl Ouch! Hope you feel better. @rachspan has been helping me w memory loss this morning, but feeling chipper! @Babe_Chilla @g_bugg

  • zelmarl: @ahbashbah Ya my back is killing me! Did @rachspan tell u that we tried to harrass @phxguy88 but he didn't bite? @Babe_Chilla @g_bugg

  • ahbashbah: @zelmarl Nope. Apparently any memory of @phxguy88 has been wiped. @rachspan @Babe_Chilla @g_bugg

  • phxguy88: @zelmarl @ahbashbah @rachspan @Babe_Chilla @g_bugg What? I was there for a bit. Was too worn out by kid bday party to be fun tho.

  • zelmarl: @phxguy88 @ahbashbah @rachspan @Babe_Chilla @g_bugg Thanks! I know you tried, but were overwhelmed by the Barbie attack! Lol

  • rachspan: @phxguy88 @zelmarl @ahbashbah @Babe_Chilla @g_bugg we all know you were just too busy playing Barbies to hang out w/ us. Its ok.

  • ahbashbah: @rachspan Ooh...Barbies. Now THAT I remember. Don't let that bug you, @phxguy88, Rach has barbie envy. @zelmarl @Babe_Chilla @g_bugg

  • rachspan: This might or might not be true. RT @ahbashbah Don't let that bug you, @phxguy88, Rach has barbie envy. @zelmarl @Babe_Chilla @g_bugg

  • zelmarl: @rachspan I'm going with "might", ha! @ahbashbah @phxguy88 @Babe_Chilla @g_bugg


zelmarl: Anytime! RT @ahbashbah: Thank you Twitter, for making my life seem normal.

  • ahbashbah: @zelmarl Funny, isn't it, how I don't give a shit what anyone on here thinks, and yet, I like you all better than the FB peeps!

  • zelmarl: @ahbashbah As long as Twitter was involved & not FB, you're good! We can console each other :)


zelmarl: Ha! RT @bitofmomsense: Rofl RT @traylove19: Lmfao RT @poopette I put my phone in airplane mode. Worst. Transformer. Ever.

zelmarl: Ha! RT @vintageeye good morn! its either really 7:15 or 9:15 even tho clock says 8:15...this time space continuum stuff really confuses me

zelmarl: THIS is why I love Twitter! RT @ahbashbah: @rachspan I'm pretty fucking thankful I still have half a bottle of vodka left. Wonder if god's responsible for that?

zelmarl: Fuck. Hubs took lil man to church & now I'm hungry & can't move! So you chose NOW to be the responsible parent?

zelmarl: OK, let's see if I can get myself off of this recliner w/o passing out from the pain. Must. Eat. Something.

zelmarl: Fuck. I forgot I live in a 2-story house. Fuck fuck fuck!

zelmarl: Ha! RT @Babe_Chilla The day after a time change is like living in some alternate universe where my kitchen is a 1hr walk from my family room

zelmarl: I'm in pain from my back spasm & yet laughing at all the tweets this morning & cringing every time I do. There's something wrong w/ this pic

  • mommafo: @zelmarl what's wrong?!?

  • zelmarl: @mommafo Have a back spasm. Fioricet & ben gay. Parked in my recliner & hubs left to church w/ lil man. #toomuchpain

  • mommafo: @zelmarl wow. Poor thing! Hope it feels better soon.


zelmarl: Seriously? 1st I had to get up to eat & now I have to pee? Come on! The meds haven't kicked in yet. #toomuchpain

zelmarl: I feel the same way about English :) RT @rachspan: my kids are watching movies in spanish. that's probably good for their brains, right?

zelmarl: So when I went down to get food, I forgot to bring water. Now I'm thirsty. Being inmobilized w/ no one around sucks. #fail

zelmarl: OK tweeps, Fioricet is finally starting to kick in. Not on the pain but on the staying awake part. Tweet ya later! Zelma out.

zelmarl: Slept a whopping 15 mins before lil man came over to wake me up. #napfail

zelmarl: After wasting the entire day stuck in my recliner in pain, I've decided to waste the rest of the night in the ER. Wish me luck! #godhelpme

  • VanillaBeanBake: @zelmarl Hope the ER can help you and quickly.

  • zelmarl: @VanillaBeanBake Thanks!


zelmarl: At the ER, wish me luck! (@ HIMA San Pablo)

  • Mom4Less: @zelmarl OMG are you ok?

  • zelmarl: @Mom4Less Not really. My back pain hasn't gotten any better all day & instead of not sleeping at home I decided to not sleep at the ER :)

  • Mom4Less: @zelmarl I hope they give you some good drugs!

  • zelmarl: @Mom4Less That's what I'm hoping for! *keeping fingers crossed* :)


zelmarl: At the ER. Let the countdown begin. Thanks 2 @rachspan @ahbashbah @Babe_Chilla @g_bugg @phxguy88 4 supporting & distracting me from the pain

  • ahbashbah: @zelmarl Oh my...hope they get you fixed up! Do you know how you hurt it? @rachspan @g_bugg @phxguy88 @babe_chilla

  • zelmarl: @ahbashbah I think I was sitting funny last night but it got worse overnight. @rachspan @g_bugg @phxguy88 @babe_chilla

  • g_bugg: @zelmarl how are you feeling now :( @ahbashbah @rachspan @phxguy88 @babe_chilla

  • zelmarl: @g_bugg Still the same. They haven't called me yet except to ask for my insurance papers. @ahbashbah @rachspan @phxguy88 @babe_chilla

  • Babe_Chilla: @zelmarl @ahbashbah @rachspan @phxguy88 @g_bugg did you hurt it laughing at us?

  • zelmarl: @Babe_Chilla @ahbashbah @rachspan @phxguy88 @g_bugg Quite possibly. If that's the case, it was totally worth it!

  • rachspan: @zelmarl I hope they fix it! Or at least give you some rad drugs! @Babe_Chilla @ahbashbah @phxguy88 @g_bugg

  • zelmarl: @rachspan That's what I'm hoping for! @Babe_Chilla @ahbashbah @phxguy88 @g_bugg


zelmarl: Going on 2hrs at the ER & they still haven't called me. Also, just realized that I haven't eaten anything since this morning. Smart move..

  • MomNom: @zelmarl wait? What? Why are you at the ER?

  • zelmarl: @MomNom My lower back has been killing me all day. Spent the entire day laying still in my recliner but couldn't take it anymore!

  • mommafo: @zelmarl Is your back still hurting?! :( :( :(

  • zelmarl: @mommafo Ya! Trying to not think about it reading tweets!


zelmarl: Funny how quickly they asked me 4 my insurance papers, then forgot about me in the waiting room. My goal is 2 see the doctor before sunrise.

  • mommafo: @zelmarl Sucky sucky. You're not dying so they're going to put you at the bottom of their list. BOO! Hopefully you get a bed soon!

  • zelmarl: @mommafo Right! Worse part? I can handle pain pretty well so you can't see it in my face. Bet if I start screaming they'd let me in :)


zelmarl: Can someone please bring me some food? Why the HELL didn't I eat something before coming here?

  • VanillaBeanBake: @zelmarl Still in the ER? How long before someone can take a look at you?

  • carolinamom24: @zelmarl did u see the doctor??

  • Mom4Less: @zelmarl How are you feeling?

  • zelmarl: @carolinamom24 @VanillaBeanBake @Mom4Less Not yet. Worse part? I can handle pain pretty well so you can't see it in my face. Bet if I start screaming they'd let me in :)

  • Mom4Less: @zelmarl As long as you've been there, I'm surprised you're not screaming out of frustration!

  • zelmarl: @Mom4Less Nah, don't want to be *that* person.

  • Mom4Less: @zelmarl LOL I know what you mean. But sometimes it's tempting...

  • zelmarl: @Mom4Less Oh, believe me, it is! :)


zelmarl: You guys have no idea how humbled I am that so many ppl care about me. Keep those tweets coming! I need 2 b entertained. Love you all!

zelmarl: I brought my charger & am now tied to the wall in the waiting room. If I had only remembered food... RT @rachspan: Dammit! Battery is dying.

Marialexandra: @zelmarl been off Twitter all day, what happened? Are you ok?!

  • zelmarl: @Marialexandra Not really. My lower back has been killing me all day & couldn't take it any more so am spending my Sun night at the ER. Fun!

  • Marialexandra: @zelmarl oh my...that sucks! Have you been seen by a Dr yet?

  • zelmarl: @Marialexandra Nope! Been sitting at the waiting room for 3+hrs & still nothing! Keeping myself entertained w/ Twitter :)

  • Marialexandra: @zelmarl  oh no!!! Well, we'll all keep you company! 

  • zelmarl: @Marialexandra Thanks!


zelmarl: Success! After almost 4hrs the doc finally saw me. Prolly muscle spasm. Need to see a physical therapist. But gettin some rad drugs!

  • rachspan: @zelmarl I'm glad you're getting something to make it feel better!


zelmarl: Asshole doctor said I was the next one for the shots so I didn't go 2 get food. Now they've called about 10ppl. #hungry

zelmarl: OMG a fully armed & vested cop & army-dressed guy w/ a big-ass rifle just entered the ER! Almost crapped my pants. Am I living in Cuba?

  • rachspan: @zelmarl Yikes! Is there someone in the ER that is psychotic or something?

  • zelmarl: @rachspan I have no idea but am afraid to find out!

  • Marialexandra: @zelmarl what were they doing there? Sounds like you're being entertained quite a bit in that ER

  • zelmarl: @Marialexandra I have no idea, but am afraid to find out! It's definitely entertaining, in an action-thriller, scary-movie way!

  • Marialexandra: @zelmarl Hope you get out of there soon! Go get something to eat specially

  • zelmarl: @Marialexandra I know, I'm freaking starving!


mommafo: @zelmarl how's the er doing?

  • zelmarl: @mommafo Check out my last 3 tweets. I went from happy to angry to crapping my pants... In less than 20mins! I think that's a record.

  • mommafo: @zelmarl I saw your brush with SWAT! lol! What's the shot thing? Getting injected?

  • zelmarl: @mommafo Oh ya! Getting some rad drugs. Better be soon cause I just got scared straight!

  • mommafo: @zelmarl good. I'm off to bed, hope you get there asap. :) night

  • zelmarl: @mommafo Night! Thanks for keeping me company!


zelmarl: Bahaha! Thx 4 that! RT @Mom4Less: @zelmarl You still alive? The big men with guns haven't taken you away, have they?

zelmarl: Success again! Just received 2 effing painful shots in the ass! Now to wait for them to kick in. Cue the 70s psychedelic music.

  • zelmarl: Groovy! RT @Mom4Less: @zelmarl You need a lava lamp!

  • carolinamom24: @zelmarl shots of what? Vodka?? Lmao

  • zelmarl: @carolinamom24 Ha! I wish! Norflex & Toradol.. Both right in the ass! Also got Rx

  • carolinamom24: @zelmarl what did they say it was???

  • zelmarl: @carolinamom24 They couldn't actually examine me cause there was no physical therapist on shift. But the doc thinks it's muscular.

  • zelmarl: @carolinamom24 Gave me the shots & Rx & have to go see my physical therapist tomorrow. Meh. At least I got the drugs! Still in pain tho.

  • carolinamom24: @zelmarl awwww! I'm sorry!! Hope it gets to feeling better soon!

  • zelmarl: @carolinamom24 Thanks! And thanks for putting up w/ me all day & all night! Really appreciate it.


zelmarl: Finally home! The final count was: 6hrs! Got 2 shots in the ass & Rx. The best part? Sharing it all w/ y'all! You guys are the best, thanks!

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Wordless Wednesday 11: Mailed

Apparently, the box is more fun than the package itself.


 


If you have a Wordless Wednesday post, link it here for others to see!

Here's the fun thumbnail linky:



Thanks to Uisce for creating Wordless Wednesday.

Monday, November 8, 2010

A day in tweets

Those of you who know me from Twitter know that I'm not a chronic tweeter. I'm mostly a casual tweeter (wow, this makes me sound like an addict in denial...) Anyway, lately I've been having a lot of fun with my Twitter friends, and decided to go back and relive those moments. Here are some of my favorite tweets from Thursday and Friday of last week. My tweets are in black & my friends are in blue. I hope you enjoy the randomness!

Good morning! Gym kicked my ass today :( Now to wake up lil man & off to school

Up at 5, gym, get kid ready 4 school, then work. No wonder it's not even noon and I'm ready for my nap!

My fave tweet today! I've been the bug for days now :( RT @CocktailDeeva: Some days your the bug.....and somedays your the windshield.....

Is a Taco Salad considered diet food? LOL (@ Taco Maker Los Prados)

Well, since everyone is posting Halloween pics, I thought I'd add mine as well. http://zelmasworkshop.com

MomNom: @simplerika Bubbette is actually the result of crotchless footed camo pj's. @yaheesplace

@MomNom I'm reading old tweets... Bubbette was the result of WHAT??? You, my friend, are weird. @yaheesplace @simplerika


yaheesplace: @zelmarl You missed so much... it's was scary... I'm going to have nightmares. @simplerika @MomNom


simplerika: @yaheesplace @zelmarl @MomNom yea it was pretty epic tho. But definitely scarred for life.


yaheesplace: @zelmarl at one point... @simplerika threatened to cut us. @MomNom


simplerika: @yaheesplace hahaha in fact. I think that's what we all started our day with! @momnom @zelmarl


mommafo: @zelmarl @momnom @yaheesplace @simplerika I lmAo at the crotchless camo footie pjs!


@simplerika @yaheesplace @momnom Hilarious! I gotta start checking Twitter more often! Been out way too much this week :(


MomNom: I had a dream that involved my boss... @yaheesplace and @simplerika. Best. Time. Ever. I laughed outloud and woke myself up.

@MomNom And now I'm jealous :) Must share that dream! @yaheesplace @simplerika


MomNom: @zelmarl it may have involved karaoke (sp) and my boss dressed up as tina turner. @yaheesplace @simplerika


@MomNom Oh fun! @yaheesplace @simplerika


yaheesplace: @MomNom OMG... I love - Best. Times. Ever! and Karaoke for that matter! @simplerika @zelmarl


Good morning tweeps! I'm a happy aunt today cause my brother & SIL just gave birth to a beautiful baby girl!

Thanks! RT @carolinamom24: @zelmarl good morning! Congrats Auntie Zelma!!!!


That reminds me, did @Mom4Less have her baby? She was like 60wks preggers! LOL

Mom4Less: @zelmarl Yes, I finally had him! He's HUGE! But healthy :)


Congrats to @Mom4Less who finally had her baby!! So happy for ya! Hope you're getting some rest :)


What she said--> RT @mommylisa: Dear @TLC I am not sure if I love you anymore. Sisterwives? And now Sarah Palin's Alaska? #pukedinmymouth

She's a free spirit! You shouldve named her "Flower" or "Sunshine" LOL! RT @moeturner: I think my daughter is a nudist at heart

mabelhood: Morning! Coffee is scarce around Mabel HQ these days. Who wants to do a coffee run & come for a visit?

@mabelhood *raises hand* Me, me!! Oh wait,,, it will take me about 8hrs by plane & I don't have the $$ for the ticket. #fail


Yay! That would be AWESOME! RT @mabelhood: @zelmarl It's ok - I'll just send the pink Mabel jet ; ) Happy Thursday!


Is it extra windy today or did the ground below me just start moving? I'm parked & my car started shaking! Like whoa.

I just tried to back out of the driveway w/ the car turned off. #funny but still #fail

Oh shut up, I'm 10yrs older than you! You're a baby :) RT @g_bugg: Ugh... I feel old today.

RT @Chris_Eh_Young You are enough just as u are. Stop worrying what other people think. It's never going to change. #tweetyour16yearoldself

Me either! RT @carolinamom24 #icantlivewithout my blackberry

Lil man gets a hands/arms/legs/feet massage twice a week during physical therapy. Is it wrong that I'm so jealous? #ineedamassage

I can't believe I'm still working. Worst part? TweetDeck doesn't work on my work PC, so I'm using stupid old twitter.com #hateit

I'm trying to work while lil man does a jigsaw puzzle right beside my computer. He's desperately trying to get me to do it with him :(

I can't believe I spent 10hrs working on ONE f**ing task for my full-time job. So exhausted! I missed Twitter! @yaheesplace @MomNom

Ahh, I feel your pain :( RT @MomNom: My MIL is coming in town and spending the weekend with us. Pray for me.

MomNom: #FF @yaheesplace @zelmarl @simplerika - honest to goodness friends...that I have yet to hug (aka: boob squash)

@MomNom Now it's a 4-way boob squash? Awesome! Like whoa. @yaheesplace @simplerika


Yes! What she said--> RT @yaheesplace: Best 4-way boob squashes EVER! #FF @MomNom @zelmarl @simplerika


This is why I don't mind lil man eating candy: he just gave his lollipop about 3 licks & said "OK I'm done" & threw it in the trash.

yaheesplace: Frikkin hilarious! RT @saucygurl915 Wanna see something funny? Get Google directions from Japan to China. Check step #43

I found another one! Go to Google Maps & get directions from China to Taiwan. Check step 55. @cglopezpe @yaheesplace @saucygurl915


Mom4Less: @zelmarl LOL Just did the China to Taiwan thing. I love Google.


@Mom4Less Check out the original: Japan to China. I think it's step 43. I died laughing!!


Mom4Less: @zelmarl Now I am google mapping all kinds of countries trying to find more! LOL I need a life.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Family vs. Facebook?

I have a love-hate relationship with Facebook. When I first found out about it in early 2007, I thought this was a great platform to share my baby pictures with everyone, but what I was most excited about was finally getting in touch with my classmates and friends that I hadn't spoken to in years. Between people from school, college, sorority, the different jobs and the different choirs I've belonged to, my list quickly added up to 300+. I was so happy to chat with everyone and find out what they've been up to, and of course, show off my baby as well. :)

Then my family started joining.

At first I didn't see the harm in it. After all, I see them all the time, so it wasn't a big deal. We would even joke about whatever we saw on Facebook every time we had a family party.

Then the gossip issues started.

Slowly I noticed that they were taking things way too seriously and getting angry or criticizing everything that they read or saw. Things started turning south pretty quickly. Now I can put my family members into 3 categories:

1. Not on Facebook or very little interaction. These people take everything WAY too personal and get offended easily. They don't like it when people overshare, and feel like Facebook is a bad place where people are either mean or lying.


2. Gossips Investigators. These people may overshare or not share at all, but they're constantly checking everyone else's status and posts. They may comment or simply observe, but either way, they report back to the rest of the family what you said or shared.


3. Intruders. These people are not my friends, but have managed to either get into, or sit beside mutual friends while they were checking out my profile. I'm not lying, there are actual people in my family who have done this.


Now I'm left with two choices regarding Facebook:

1. I can watch what I say and share. This will undoubtedly cause me less trouble with my family. However, it goes against everything I stand for. You know, freedom of speech and all that bullshit.


2. I can block everyone who falls into the 3 categories above. The good thing about Facebook is I can control who sees my status, pics, and other posts. The problem? Explaining to the members of my family why they suddenly can't see my pics or wall. I think the reason why family conversations are awkward is because they usually don't know how to take a comment with an open mind, and tend to say things they wouldn't normally say to non-family members. Oh, and that sometimes includes me too.


So after debating the pros and cons of each, I have decided to implement the second one. My selling point was when I realized I was wasting too much time and energy thinking about all this. Also, I was going to have to think about this EVERY single time I posted a status to make sure it was filtered correctly.

I realized it wasn't worth it. I want to have a good experience on Facebook, and be able to interact freely with my friends, and be able to write what I want, when I want, without having to think about how people will interpret what I'm writing.

Now all I need is a volunteer to talk to my family for me...

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Zelma has gone mobile! Trying out Wordpress for Blackberry

I don't know if my friends have noticed, but I'm rarely in front of my computer. My work laptop has a controlled operating system and for some reason I can't use Facebook and Twitter easily, so I'm always on my Blackberry.

Sometimes I'd be in my car or somewhere else and I'd get inspired to write a post, but would have no computer or notebook close by. By the time I got home and had time to sit in front of my computer (which is very rare and very late at night), my muse would be gone, and I'd forgotten what I was going to write. This was very frustrating for me.

So last night I was browsing through Blackberry AppWorld and came across "Wordpress for Blackberry". Genius! I can write my posts from my phone without having to use the browser, which for some reason is not mobile enhanced, so it's not easy to use.

Now let's see if this handy new app will inspire me to write more.

Have you used Wordpress for Blackberry? What do you think of it? Please give me your feedback below.

Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Wordless Wednesday 10: My lil race car driver

I'm not really a fan of Trick or Treating in the neighborhood, so we decided to go to the mall. They were handing out candy at every store. We had a great time!

[caption id="attachment_513" align="aligncenter" width="461" caption="Showing off his furry friends"]Showing off his furry friends[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_511" align="aligncenter" width="461" caption="Happy with the loot he got at the store"]Happy with the loot he got at the store[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_512" align="aligncenter" width="461" caption="Final ride in the carrousel before heading home"]Final ride in the carrousel before heading home[/caption]

If you have a Wordless Wednesday post, link it here for others to see!

Here's the fun thumbnail linky:



Thanks to Resourceful Mommy and 5 Minutes for Mom for introducing me to Wordless Wednesday.
Thanks to Uisce for creating Wordless Wednesday.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Wordless Wednesday 9: Birthday Bear

Lil man's grandma, or "Abu", surprised him with a brand-new bear for his 4th birthday. Since it was a Star Wars bear, he appropriately named him "Han Solo". But the store was out of the Han Solo outfit, so we dressed him in a birthday party outfit, just in time for his birthday party. The Han Solo outfit will arrive in the mail soon, we hope!

[caption id="attachment_501" align="aligncenter" width="461" caption="Lil man and Han Solo"]Lil man and Han Solo[/caption]

If you have a Wordless Wednesday post, link it here for others to see!

Here's the fun thumbnail linky:



Thanks to Resourceful Mommy and 5 Minutes for Mom for introducing me to Wordless Wednesday.
Thanks to Uisce for creating Wordless Wednesday.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Tackle it Tuesday 4: Mega Birthday Weekend!

Last week was lil man's 4th birthday, and we had not one but TWO parties for him. First one was last Thursday at school, where we sang Happy Birthday with his classmates, and the second one was on Sunday at home with the entire family.

I had several tackles related to this mega birthday weekend:

  1. Create TWO birthday cakes (or in this case, cupcake displays) using lil man's selected theme: Hot Wheels.

  2. Assemble the goodie bags for his 23 classmates and 8 cousins.

  3. Make some of the appetizers. Thankfully, my Mom helped by also making some.

  4. Get the house ready for the birthday. This included getting all the crap out of the way, and putting up all the decorations. Thankfully, hubs helped me with this.


It was all worth it, though. Lil man had a great time, and that's all that matters.

[caption id="attachment_484" align="aligncenter" width="576" caption="Cupcake display for lil man's classroom"]Cupcake display for lil man's classroom[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_483" align="aligncenter" width="576" caption="Singing Happy Bday with his classmates"]Singing Happy Bday with his classmates[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_486" align="aligncenter" width="576" caption="Cupcake display for the family party"]Cupcake display for the family party[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_485" align="aligncenter" width="576" caption="Singing Happy Bday with his cousins"]Singing Happy Bday with his cousins[/caption]

Now I'm going to have to tackle the toy situation in the living room/play area!

[caption id="attachment_487" align="aligncenter" width="576" caption="Living room / play area disaster!"]Living room / play area disaster![/caption]

If you have a Tackle it Tuesday post, link it here for others to see!



Thanks to the ladies at 5 Minutes for Mom for creating Tackle it Tuesday!

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Wordless Wednesday 8: Birthday Memories

My lil man turns 4 tomorrow, so I decided to relive his past birthdays. Boy, they grow fast, don't they?

[caption id="attachment_473" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Lil man's 1st Birthday Party"]Lil man's 1st Birthday Party[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_474" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Lil man's 2nd Birthday party"]Lil man's 2nd Birthday party[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_475" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Lil man's 3rd Birthday party"]Lil man's 3rd Birthday party[/caption]

If you have a Wordless Wednesday post, link it here for others to see!

Here's the fun thumbnail linky:



Thanks to Resourceful Mommy and 5 Minutes for Mom for introducing me to Wordless Wednesday.
Thanks to Uisce for creating Wordless Wednesday.

Monday, October 18, 2010

Tackle it Tuesday 3: Homework

Tackle It Tuesday MemeLil man is in Pre-K and already gets daily homework assignments. Most of them are simple enough, color this, trace that, but sometimes he gets more "advanced" tasks, like the one he had last week.

He was supposed to look up in newspapers or magazines the letters that make up his name, then cut them and paste them into the homework sheet.

When doing homework, I always try to help him as little as possible, only sitting beside him to give him instructions and make sure he's grabbing the crayons or scissors correctly. In this case, I decided to have a little fun and dropped several newspapers on the floor for him to dig through. At first, he was a bit hesitant to touch "daddy's paper", but I assured him that daddy had said it was OK - actually he had no idea, but I tried to salvage as much of the current day's paper as possible! :)

We had so much fun going through pages and pages of newspaper, noticing all the pictures, letters, and colors, and he selected the letters he liked the most. He cut them all up himself and used the glue stick to paste them to the sheet. Take a look at the madness fun time, and the final product. Pretty good, huh? Well, I'm biased. :)

[caption id="attachment_456" align="aligncenter" width="314" caption="He even brought 2 of his stuffed animals to help!"]He even brought 2 of his stuffed animals to help![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_457" align="aligncenter" width="419" caption="He was having so much fun!"]He was having so much fun![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_455" align="aligncenter" width="314" caption="It's the little things that we celebrate the most"]It's the little things that we celebrate the most[/caption]

If you have a Tackle it Tuesday post, link it here for others to see!



Thanks to the ladies at 5 Minutes for Mom for creating Tackle it Tuesday!

Sunday, October 17, 2010

How to jazz up your store-bought, allergy-free treats

A few days ago I was tweeting with @MiscarriageMom about our kids' upcoming birthdays - her daughter turns 4 on October 20th, and my lil man also turns 4 on the 21st, just one day apart, awesome! So I was telling her about how I was taking cupcakes to his classroom and singing Happy Birthday with his classmates, and she mentioned that at her school, they're not allowed to bring any homemade treats because of allergy issues. I thought that was ridiculous! Not the allergy part, that seems reasonable, but the part where you can't actually MAKE anything - everything has to be store-bought!


So we tweeted back and forth with ideas, and finally I came up with an alternative that I THINK is allergy-free: Rice Krispies Treats!

OK, so the individual squares that come in a box don't look very appealing, but there's a way you can jazz them up and make them party-ready.

Here's what you will need:

  • Ready-made Rice Krispies Treat squares

  • Can of cake frosting - I like the "whipped" version because it resembles the consistency of homemade frosting

  • Sprinkles - any kind

  • Plastic food bag or piping bag (I used a piping bag)

  • Optional: star tip (any size - I used the giant star tip)



 




[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="What you will need"]What you will need[/caption]

First, open all your individual packets and lay them out on a platter or serving dish, making sure it fits the amount of squares that you will need. Optionally, you can also serve them in individual paper liners.


Using scissors, make a small cut on a bottom corner of the plastic bag or piping bag. If you're using a tip, insert it and make sure it fits snugly through the hole. Fill the bag with the frosting, making sure to press it down so there are no air bubbles.

Using a circular motion starting from the outside in, pipe the frosting on each square.




Finally, to make them look more interesting and festive, add any sprinkles you like!


 Don't they look cute? Much better than the plain-old foil-lined squares in a box, right?

Alternatives:

  • If you can make your own, try molding them into cupcake tins to make them look like cupcakes. Or use cookie cutters to make fun shapes!

  • Use canned whipped cream! Just shake & pipe. I've also seen some frostings that come in the same type of can as whipped cream - I bet those would be fun too!

  • Dip them in chocolate! Melt equal parts chocolate chips and heavy cream in a double boiler (place them in a glass bowl over boiling water) until it's completely smooth, and then dip the treats. Lay them in parchment paper until they're set. You can even dip them in sprinkles or nuts before they set!


Do you have any other ideas for store-bought, allergy-free treats to take to school? Give us your suggestions below!

Friday, October 15, 2010

Mickey's Rockin' Road Show

All who know me know that I'm a huge Disney fan ever since my Cast Member days. Thankfully, it has rubbed off on lil man; still not sure if hubs simply tolerates it because he loves me. :)

Anyway, every time there's a Disney show, whether it's Disney on Ice, or any other, I try my best to be there. This time for Mickey's Rockin' Road Show, I was lucky enough to score Arena tickets on the 11th row, center isle. The seats were awesome, and we had a great view of the show and all the characters. Saying that lil man had a blast is a huge understatement.

[caption id="attachment_373" align="aligncenter" width="224" caption="Lil man with his new Mickey toy"]Lil man with his new Mickey toy[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_374" align="aligncenter" width="224" caption="Hanging around with "Abu""]Hanging around with "Abu"[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_375" align="aligncenter" width="224" caption="Having a great time with my fave lil guy!"]Having a great time with my fave lil guy![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_376" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="The show was great for the kids... oh yeah, me too"]The show was great for the kids... oh yeah, me too[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_372" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Grand finale. Bravo!"]Grand finale. Bravo![/caption]