Brandon's Puppy

The goal gets closer

Just got my grades for this past semester:

Advanced Organizational Management: A

Organization and Operation of the Small Business : B

WOO HOO!!

I am officially one class and one paper away from graduation.

This is quite an awesome feeling! =)

I'll be back later, I owe someone a Meme.

Holiday Meme

I've been tagged by Chantel, so here we go:

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Cuban Egg Nog: Crema de Vie, but I can't have any this year. =(

2. Does Santa wrap presents or put them under the tree unwrapped?
Wrap! Wrap! Wrap! None of this unwrapped business!

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
well....I like white lights because they resemble twinkly stars. But I do enjoy a bit of coloredl lights too. Brandon requested colored lights for the outside of our house, which we will purchase during all the post-Xmas sales to put up next year. (YAY! More shopping!)

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
No, but I do have a kissing ball from Crate and Barrel. Very cute, and serves the same purpose.

5. When do you put your decorations up?
I like to put them up Thanksgiving weekend, which I successfully did this year. But some years I get delayed, so I end up putting them up the weekend before/around my birthday.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?
hmmm...this is a toughy. Since I know that the pig roaster reads this, I want to say the lechon, but I love all the side items too. Yuca, Arroz, Frijoles...yummy!

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child.
waking up and running to the tree to open up all my presents, then going to my grandparents' house for more presents!

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
I don't remember exactly, but I think about 10. I remember my little sister, who was 6 at the time, still didn't know, and my brother was a baby, so I was truly "Santa's little helper"!

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
yes, because I'm usually at my aunt's house and I don't usually see her on Christmas. Brandon opens whatever "Santa" left for him during an early visit, and if I get gifts at her house, we open them there as well.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree?
It's very "country", with wood and metal ornaments. Here's a picture:

11. Snow. Love it or dread it?
Because we live in South Florida, I like the idea of snow. But I'm sure if I had to live with it, shovel it, scrape it, and all that, I wouldn't like it.

12. Can you ice skate?
Nope. Never tried.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
Not really, as I'm sure I had a favorite every year. ;-)

14. What's the most important thing about the holidays for you?
Family.

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert?
Any dessert. I'm a sweets person. Oh, except Turrones. I don't like them.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Shopping for gifts. Visiting family. House-hopping. Gift-giving. Decorating. All of it. I LOVE XMAS!

17. What tops your tree?
A metal star

18. Which do you prefer - giving or receiving?
Giving.

19. What is your favorite Christmas song?
"Parade of the Wooden Soldiers" by Harry Connick Jr.

20. What is your favorite Christmas movie?
"Home Alone", "Miracle on 34th Street" (the 1994 remake...I think the little girl in that movie is so cute!)

I've seen this meme quite a few times, so I won't be tagging anyone. Whoever wants to play along, leave your answers in the comments.

Merry Christmas!!

Ramblings because I have no time to post an actual blog entry

-I'm quite tired today, and it's not just the pregnancy. I was up till almost midnight last night addressing and stuffing envelopes. Our Xmas cards were put in the mail this morning. So if I have your address, you'll be getting it within the next few days. =)

-Baby update: I had a doctor's appointment last Friday (the 8th). Total weight gain: 9 pounds. Took the glucose test, and I expect the results at my next appointment on the 27th. Everything is fine.

-I'm due in 10 weeks. I think the anxiety is starting.

-We will be painting the kids' room tomorrow. I hope the mess can be contained to one area of the house rather than affect every little inch. I am NOT in the mood to clean up the whole house.

-Classes finished this past Tuesday....WOOHOO! I've got one more to go in the Spring, and then: GRADUATION!

-I've had my Xmas shopping done for the last two weeks, but I'm sure I will not finish wrapping gifts until the last possible minute. As usual.

-I'm dreading the credit card bills that will arrive in January after all that shopping.

-There's an epidemic. I know seven people that are currently pregnant. Don't drink the water if you're near me and don't want kids, people!

-My nephews are going to be in a Christmas show on Monday. Mikey's going to be play and angel, and 3-month-old Maxx is going to play Baby Jesus. How cute is that?!

-My baby shower is in less than a month, as is Brandon's 4th birthday party. I have to actually get on the ball with these two things.

That's it for now. Toodles!

Surreal

I just applied for graduation, scheduled for May 11, 2007.
I can't believe it.

(p.s. sorry for the lack of posting. It's been a bit busy with finals and birthday celebrations and such. Back to normal soon. then again, this is normal for me, isn't it?!)

Question

If 40 is over the hill, what's 30?

Some Good News

YAY! Tia Lilli has a baby in her belly!

Mommy says: Our good friends Lilli and Adrian are expecting their first kiddo. She's about 6 weeks pregnant. They were the only couple in our circle of friends without children. Now the circle is complete! WOO HOO! Congratulations, you two!!

PSA

Sorry for the lack of blogging. It's been quite the week of ups and downs. The ups I shall share later, but I wish to share the major down first.
We found out on Tuesday that a very close family friend was killed in a car accident Monday morning. She was with her husband and daughter driving home from spending Thanksgiving weekend in North Carolina, and were approximately an hour from home when she lost control of the car. She was not wearing her seatbelt and she was ejected from the car. The car began to flip, ended up on the opposite side of the road, and eventually landed on her. She died instantly. Her daughter was also not wearing her seatbelt, but was luckier. She was in the back seat sleeping; she tossed around a bit in the back of the car, and somehow ended up with a cut two inches wide along her face, from her forehead to her left cheek. Luckily, it went around her eye, so she had no major issues outside of stitches to close up the gash. Her husband suffered some injuries, but was the only one wearing his seatbelt: four broken ribs, fractured collarbone, trauma to a kidney and lung, a bump on his head requiring a few stitches, and a bruise on his jaw. They were released from the hospital yesterday.
I don't want to sound like a PSA, but I cannot stress enough how important it is to wear a seatbelt. The police, rescue workers and my friend's family all concur that if she had been wearing her seatbelt, she would be with us today.
I am at times cursing the seatbelt, especially now with my big belly and it tightening around me every so often, but I'd rather be a bit uncomfortable during my ride than put myself and my baby in danger. It's the law for a reason, people, and yes, injuries may occur if you're wearing it, but it can be much worse if you don't.

Rest in peace Maritza. We miss you. I know that I speak for the rest of my family when I say that you will live in our hearts forever, and we will cherish our memories always.