Brandon's Puppy

My little scholar

At Brandon's open house last night, parents were given information on the school's mission, planned projects, field trips and fundraisers, and an overview of the children's daily schedule. I am very happy with the curriculum, which includes math and science, reading, gymnastics, music, and even yoga, Spanish, French, and sign language. And beginning in January, they will have a few weekly homework assignments to get them used to the idea before they start kindergarten.
We were also given a preview of some of the children's work. Every morning, there is an activity called "The Daily News", where the teacher picks a student to stand in front of the class and report the news with a microphone. They can say anything that comes to mind, and the teacher will write out the sentences, and then have that child draw a picture of the news. Today was Brandon's turn, and below the fold is his report, as well as his self portrait and a family portrait drawn earlier in the week.

Sorry about the quality of the following two shots. I left my camera at home, so I took them with my phone during the open house.

This is Brandon's self portrait. He says that in it, he was talking to me while I was at his school watching him write his name.

Brandon says that the reason he is not in the family portrait is because he was at his Tata's house (my dad). He said that Eric, Matty and I were having breakfast when Tata came to pick him up. Also, daddy is mad because he doesn't to go to bed, and Matty and I are happy because we do want to go to bed. Also, notice that I have long, curly hair, and that Matty is true to size as compared to the adults. I love this picture!! I think I may ask him to make another one with him in it to put up in my office.

Fashion Forward

The other day, a friend and I were discussing how easy I have it with Brandon when it comes to clothing. He has to wear a uniform to school Mondays through Thursdays, and on Fridays they are optional. He’s at an age where he likes to pick out his clothes, but ultimately I have final say. This morning, for example, he knew he didn’t have to wear a uniform, and wanted to wear his new Thomas the Train t-shirt. I told him that he could wear a Thomas shirt, but it would have to be his old one because he might have art activities at school, and does he really want to mess up his new shirt so soon? He said no and put on the older shirt without complaint. I know that once he’s a bit older, this could become a bigger issue. He’ll want to establish his own identity, like other kids do. I would prefer he dress in character tees for just a bit longer, but I know it’s inevitable that he’ll grow up and want to develop his own sense of style. I don’t have a problem with it, but I draw the line at clothes that are three sizes too big and pants hanging off his rear end. I hope that trend is long gone by the time he’s picking his own clothes, and that it doesn't resurface when I face this potential dilemma all over again with Matty.

Matty News

I wasn't able to play peek-a-boo with Matty and record it for you all last night, but I did catch him as he stood up in his playpen by himself!!

I know, I know, you'd appreciate it more if I got a few action shots. My mother-in-law and I were in the kitchen talking, and by the time we noticed what he was doing, he was already standing.
People, he just turned 7 months yesterday! I know that they say that babies with older siblings learn faster, since they are trying to catch up to their brothers and/or sisters, but this is out of hand. At this rate, he'll be walking by December, which is really not a bad thing, since my friend/coworker desperately wants him to walk her wedding on the 14th. She's been coaxing him to walk early since I was pregnant. Every morning, when I'd come into work, she'd rub my belly, say good morning to me (yes, she's rub my belly first. I'm not as important), and give him a pep talk. Now she says, "See? I told you!"
Whether he's walking or not, I can't wait to see him all dressed up in the itty bitty penguin suit she got for him! =)

Let there be light

I’m sitting in my kitchen, where the computer desk is located, trying to pay some bills and balance the checkbook, and I am realizing that there's just not enough light in this part of the house. There are plenty of lights and outlets all over the place, but the kitchen was somewhat ignored when our indoor home lights were installed. There are spotlights and/or ceiling fans covering every room in the house, so it quite odd that the kitchen is significantly darker. There's just the big rectangular casing with the two florescent tubes and two spotlights above the sink, which get the area really hot so I rarely turn them on. I usually have to turn on the light over the range when I’m cooking because it just feels so dark in here, and of course it doesn’t help that my countertops are black. I would love to put undercabinet lighting along the bottom of all the cabinets. It would be so great to be able to see what I'm doing when I'm preparing meals, but I guess we can just add this to do the “home improvements that can wait” list. It may take a while, but I will go through that list someday, and have this house just how I want it...

NKOTB Forever!!

I know I'm going to get sooooo much slack for this, but I don't care.

I saw something about Jordan Knight on Perez Hilton's site, and it got me thinking: I would so go to a New Kids on the Block reunion, if there ever was one. I know there wouldn't be, because Jonathan (my favorite!!) would more than likely not participate, and then it just wouldn't be the same for me. He was the shy one, as you may recall, and I've read in a bunch of different places that he had stage fright and would get panic attacks before and after going on stage. I imagine that's why he's not been seen or heard from much since the band broke up. I read somewhere he became a realtor and still lives in Boston. So I was very surprised when I found this picture in Jordan's myspace account. It seems to be from a recent benefit that Joey Fatone (of NSync fame, for those of you not in the know) put on in Orlando recently. Also pictures is none other than Debbie...er, Deborah Gibson, who I think looks awesome. Anyway, I'd like to know, who was your favorite New Kid, and would you join me in a pitiful attempt to regain my carefree youth and also attend a NKOTB reunion concert?

Can't say no to free

Just got back in the office from walking halfway across campus, in 90 degree heat, to get a free t-shirt, provided to increase team spirit at Saturday's game against Marshall U. I'm not going to the game, and I probably won't watch it either since I've got two babies to entertain, but I'll definitely wear the shirt. Go Canes!!

Is it just me...

..or is the day dragging? Thursdays are usually crazy for me at work and as a result go by very quickly, but for some reason today it's quite the opposite. I wish the day would move faster though. I'm eager to get out of here: Matty turns 7 months old today, and tonight is Brandon's Open House at school. My mother-in-law is going to watch them while I'm attending the school thing, and then I get to squeeze and play with them until bedtime!
Ooh, I've forgotten to mention that the baby knows how to play peek a boo! He will hide behind his bib or a blanket, and slowly pull it away from his face, then completely crack up. It's the funniest thing! I'll try to get it with the camera and make a youtube video out of it for your viewing pleasure. But now, I have to get back to work...or at least pretend to! ;-)

Picture this!

Over the weekend, I was looking for something in the hall closet and came across a plastic tote containing all my picture negatives. I have no idea what I'm going to do with them, just like I have no idea what I'm going to do with all the boxes of prints that I have. Fortunately, my prints and negatives collection has not grown in the past four years. That's about as long as we've owned a digital camera. Coincidence? I think not!* I am so glad that digital cameras became affordable for the common folk, and aren't just for professionals anymore. I love that you can see an image instantly, rather than waiting to develop a roll of film to realize it was too light, or too dark, or somebody had their eyes closed or was making funny faces. It's not just a time saver, but a money saver as well, since you only print the images you like. And I won't even get into all the fun effects that can be created with the camera itself, or a computer. Can you tell I'm a sucker for digital photography?!
We originally had the Sony Cybershot DSC-P50, with 2.1 megpixels. That camera was such a waste of money, and we didn't take very long to replace it with the Canon Powershot SD300, 4.0 megapixels. So far, we've had it for over three years, and I have absolutely no complaints about it. I love it! The screen is all scratchd up from the contents of my purse, but I don't care. I take it everywhere with me. Of course, I'd be far more careful if I owned something like the Nikon D3, but I'm sure I'd have the same trouble deleting "bad" shots. You know how it is, old habits die hard.

So, answer me this: if a picture is worth a thousand words, and I have thousands of pictures, how many words are they worth? ;-)

(*-did ya get the reference?)

You're in the Big Leagues!

I saw a co-worker chewing gum a little while ago, and I asked her if I could have some. She tells me, "sure, come on over". We walk over to her desk, where she hands me a pack of Big League chewing gum (cherry flavor, of course). I hadn't seen one of these in over a decade, maybe more!!
For those of you that know what I'm talking about, here's a blast from the past:

Hilarious!

Seems like an impartial jury to me! ;-)

I love my DVR

As I mentioned yesterday, I had one of those lovely allergy attacks that ails me every once in a while. It calmed down a bit at work, but it was at its worst when I got home. My eyes were tearing, itchy and swollen, and my head was pounding with a sinus headache. I hardly moved, staying on the couch until Eric got home. Brandon entertained Matty by playing with him on the floor until it was time for his feeding. I don't even know how I managed that one: I was in a half-sitting, half-laying down position on the reclining part of the couch, with Matty leaning against me. Eric got home just before 8pm with a pizza I asked him to pick up. I practically threw the kids at him in order to eat, take a couple of Benadryl, and sleep it off.
I love the fact that we have a hard disc video recorder for these kinds of occasions. Ours is pre-set on Tuesdays for the new FX show Damages, Wednesdays for Rescue Me, Thursdays for Grey's Anatomy and Sundays for Extreme Makeover Home Edition and Desperate Housewives. I usually stay up to watch Damages and Rescue Me, but there was no way that was going to happen last night. Thanks to the DVR, I didn’t have to worry about missing one of my shows. Although we realized this morning that Damages didn’t air last night, and in its place were two back-to-back (?) showings of “The Aviator", it’s nice to know I wouldn’t have missed a thing thanks to our little machine.

Ugh

Got allergies. I took a Sudafed around 10am, but it's just now taking effect. I feel like I could sleep for three days, even though it was supposedly non-drowsy.

I don't get it

Hubby starts his new job today. We both woke up at 6AM this morning. In the time it took him to shower, shave and get dressed, I prepared Matty's diaper bag, got my lunch ready, woke up Brandon and sat him down for breakfast, made coffee, picked out my clothes and ironed them, brushed my teeth, washed my face and girly parts, and got dressed.
Can someone please explain to me why "they" say that women take forever to get ready, and men are always waiting for us?! I'm sure a man thought that one up!

Tag-erific!

I figured out how to add tags to the coding all by myself! YAY ME!
I started going backwards and tagging all posts. I think it will be a while before they are all done though. I've been at it for the last hour and a half, and I just got to June 29th.
But I did it, that's the important thing. Now I'm just slightly less confused by HTML coding.

The Joys of Technology

I don’t know about you, but I hate it when I forget to save a document to my jump drive that I’ll need access to at work the next day. This happened to me more often than I’d like. When I was still going to school, I’d usually revise and finalize papers during my lunch break before turning them in. I can’t tell you how many times I had to call hubby at home in the mornings, hoping he hadn’t left for work yet, to email me whatever I needed. And it’s still happening with log-in links, or pictures and saved links for blog posts, or documents I need access to in order to resolve personal matters during the day…a subscription to remotepc would totally eliminate these frustrations for me. Remotepc grants secure remote access to a home computer from anywhere in just a few seconds, and it’s reasonably priced too, just $4.95 a month. In my eyes, this is an excellent investment for everybody, from the “average joe” to students to small business owners. I think it would be particularly great for the latter; they can work from home, holding remote meetings, taking care of payroll, and all that other good stuff from their comfy couch or in bed. If that’s not THE way to work, I don’t know what is!

Balancing Act

Who told him to grow up so fast? He's not even 7 months old!!

Assistance Please!

Help! I created the tags, and rebuilt the site, but they aren't showing up.
Who can tell me how to do it?

Thanks!!

There it is!!!

(Yes, I know, bad angle. But it's the best I could do.)

Paid posting gets called out

My friend CalTechGirl called me and a few others out on the paid posting thing (I know you love me anyway! MUAH!) and Pam's response to the "controversy" is exactly what I would have said.
Yes, I am aware that there is an excess of paid posts around the blogosphere. I don't like that some of the advertisers request that it not be labeled a sponsored post, but those also happen to be the ones that pay just a bit more than others. And like Pam, I also think that I try to personalize the post with an anecdote or story. To date, all my paid posts have been a reflection of something that really happened to me, or could have affected me in some way (except the rehab one, I admit, that one was a bit lame). And in just 10 days that I've been doing it, I've made a little over $100. If I keep up that average, these paid posts will really help us out with several bills monthly. In other words, I am going to continue writing paid posts, either until my ranking gets high enough that I qualify for big money ones and don't have to write as many, or until hubby and I are in a comfortable place (once he's done with probation at his new job, and once my promotion kicks in).
I don't have tags set up for my posts, but if someone can help me figure that out, I'll gladly take Pam's suggestion and categorize the posts so that my readers know if it is or isn't, even if not stated in the post. I don't want to lose my readers because half the time I'm blogging for money, but at the same time, it is helping us right now, and making sure my bills are paid is just as important.
Thoughts?

Stafford College Loan

When it comes to higher education, I’ve been lucky. I was able to pay my way through the local community college for my Associate degree, and my employer provided full tuition remission as I pursued my Bachelors. I know that others aren’t as fortunate as I was, and while some qualify for scholarships and grants, most have to apply for some sort of loan to fund their education. Good thing that the Stafford loan program is out there to ease the financial burden. If the applicant qualifies, a subsidized loan makes it even easier to finance an education, since payments are deferred until after he or she graduates.
Again, I was lucky when I continued my studies, and even though we will be enrolling the boys in our statewide college pre-paid program next year, it’s good to know we have this option if we need it.

Week One of Pre-K

Today marks the end of Brandon's first week in Pre-K. His school sends home a weekly newsletter in which the teachers tell the parents what the children did during the week, and any messages from the director. Today's newletter reads:
"We had a great first week in Orange Door. Already the children seem happy and comfortable in their new classroom. Our theme was "Back to School". Some of our activities were painting at the easel, decorating our names, making an apple collage, and painting our handprints. Last but not least, our cooking activity on Friday was called "Shared Pudding". Ask your child how we made it. I would love to hear some of their answers".
So I asked him, "how do you make shared pudding?" This is what he said:

First you you stir it. You eat it in a cup. And, you roll the round thing. You put two cups of milk. You put three packets of sugar. Put it all in a bowl and you can serve it in a cup if you want."

I think he mixed up some of those steps, and that explains why he's been so wired today! ;-)

Oh, and here are scans of his artwork:

Apple Collage, Rainbow, and Purple Splat. This one's my favorite, even though it's just a big mass of paint. He's been telling me all week, "mommy, blue and red make purple!" Now I know why he kept talking about it, he was so proud of his discovery!

15 years ago today...

...my current neighborhood looked like this. (photo: NOAA Photo Library)

I remember that my mom, stepfather, sister, brother and I waited out the storm in the hall bathroom. Afterwards, we were without power for about three weeks. As friends and family had power restored, we'd venture over to their homes for warm meals and hot showers. While there was some damage to our home, it was structurally sound. If I recall correctly, there was damage to the roof, water came in through the garage, and the fence in the backyard needed to be replaced, along with the usual debris. We had a huge ficus tree in our front yard, and the storm winds shifted at the precise moment that the tree came down. Had the wind not changed, the tree would have landed right through the middle of our house. We were lucky, but just under 10 miles away, others weren't.
Fast forward 15 years, and hubby and I bought our home in that same area of devastation. But, we're prepared: we have shutters that cover the entire house, and as soon as we hear that a hurricane is headed this way, we get our gas tanks filled and our other supplies ready. We're even considering buying a diesel generator. Our friends Viv and Martin, who live in our community as well, have had a generator for a while, but last season they invested in Jinma tractors to clear the rubbish from their huge backyard. It's a hassle, but better some tree debris to clean up, than what used to be a house.
It's amazing to think back to that destruction, and compare it to the present. The only remnant of the storm is the lack of vegitation near the Miami Metrozoo. That's just how it is: you rebuild or relocate and life goes on. But you don't forget.

Happy Friday Everybody!

I'm so glad it's Friday. It seems like it took forever to get here.
I just hope I get to rest a bit over the weekend, but with everything I need to do, it's not likely.

Drug Rehab Resources

I have never had a problem with drugs, and neither have my family or friends. I’m one of the fortunate ones, but I’m not blind to the fact that others aren’t so lucky. Admitting there is a problem is the first step. The second should be to seek treatment, and find a reputable establishment is essential. Good thing that there are resources like 4rehabilitation.com that offer guidance on how to find the right drug rehab center for you or your loved one. It's never easy to overcome an addiction, but seeking help is a step in the right direction.

Read a book lately?

My dear, sweet CalTechGirl tagged me for this book meme, and I can't do her justice with my answers. As you will see, I've just not read much of anything lately. I guess two kids (well, three, if you count the hubby) will do that.

What are you reading right now?
The book meme to see what I'm going to answer (Yeah, I know, I'm HEE-larious!)

Do you have any idea what you'll read when you're done with that?
Probably a few blogs and websites

What magazines do you have in your bathroom right now?
Last Sunday's Parade from the paper, and I think a circular from Target (of course!)

What's the worst thing you were ever forced to read?
The book I read for the last paper I had to write before graduation. While the paper turned out great, it took me forever to read the book. The writing was very antiquated, and it had these long, dramatic, drawn-out, run-on sentences (get my drift?)

What's the one book you always recommend to just about everyone?
Well, I really loved Pregnancy for Dummies, I've loaned that one out a bunch of times.
I also own Jenny McCarthy's Belly Laughs, which is hilarious; Ellen Degeneres's My Point, and I Do Have One, and Paul Reiser's Couplehood. Do you see the pattern? I'm not much into "heavy" reading.

Admit it, the librarians at your library know you on a first name basis, don't they?
Nope, I buy the few books (as compared to other's vast collections) I have.

Is there a book you absolutely love, but for some reason, people never think it sounds interesting, or maybe they read it and don't like it at all?
Not sure, but the reverse is true with me and Harry Potter. I just don't see it. (Gasp, I know! you may all disown me as your friend now)

Do you read books while you eat? While you bathe? While you watch movies or TV? While you listen to music? While you're on the computer? While you're having sex? While you're driving?
While I eat: sometimes
While I bathe: sometimes
While I watch movies or TV: when I was still attending classes, yes. I'd read parts of my textbooks during commercials, or while hubby watched a show I wasn't interested in, but we wanted to in the same room.
While I listen to music: No. When I was in high school, I could do any other homework task with the radio blasting, except reading. I could type up papers, do mathwork, etc. but not reading assignments.
While I'm on the computer: Depends. If I am working on a paper, then yes, because I'll re-read excerpts necessary for the paper. Otherwise, no.
While I'm having sex: Uh, NO! That's just not right.
While I'm driving: I will admit, I have done this before. I would have a text open to a certain page on the passenger seat, and I'd cram for exams during red lights.

When you were little, did other children tease you about your reading habits?
No, I don't think so.

What's the last thing you stayed up half the night reading because it was so good you couldn't put it down?
Love and Ghost Letters by my amiguita Chantel. I seriously could not put the book down. I had a couple of late nights trying to finish it.

This is where the original meme ends, but CTG thought up a few more questions to answer.

What book have you stayed up all night NOT reading (because it disturbed you in some way)? Has a book ever entered your dreams?
Can't think of any. Maybe Stephen King's IT when I read it in high school? Not sure...

What book/ series would you like to write an ending to? Or rewrite? I'm not strictly talking about fanfic, just this: given the opportunity, which stories would you like to work on?
Not sure.

Best book to movie transition? And as a corollary, what books should NEVER be a movie?
Can't think of any, but I'm sure there's some. I'll get back to this one later.

Do you prefer one-off novels or character-driven series books? What's your favorite book series?
Either, if it strikes my fancy. Anne of Green Gables is my favorite childhood series.

Which book character do you see yourself as most like? How about when you were a kid?
As an adult, I'm not sure. But as a kid, I was probably like Anne, with her vivid imagination, freckles and red hair.

Ever NOT want to finish a book because you were desperately afraid that the author was going to take it somewhere you didn't like? Ever fling a book at the wall because that happened?
Nope, can't say that I have.

That's it! I'm a little late in getting to the meme, and most everyone I'd tag with it has done it already. If you haven't, and you're interested, go for it!

Ouch!

Just went to lunch with my sister, where I spent $8.42 on a salad and a drink.
But it was pretty good, almost worth it.
Almost.

Seeking a Siding Solution

Since late last year, we’ve received various letters from our home owner’s association about decaying siding on the rear of our home. About five years ago, there was a settlement with the siding company contracted by our community at the time of construction, and we thought we’d be able to solve the problem through them. Our efforts were futile; it seems that the previous owner filed a claim and got paid enough to replace all the siding in our home, not just the damaged area. She was sent a check by the siding company a few months before we bought the home in March 2006. All signs lead to her having pocketed the money since the damage is still there. So now we’re on the search for a reputable local company that will replace our siding without putting a huge dent in our bank account. If we lived in Houston, we’d definitely go with All-Tex Home Improvement Experts. Their siding has a 50-year warranty, which would definitely relieve our worries about it rotting out again, and get the HOA off our backs. We've also been thinking of tinting our windows, and they've got that too. And having studied Small Business Operations, I love the fact that this was a small start-up, and their dedication and hard work turned them into a multi-million dollar company specializing in Houston windows and siding.
I guess the search continues though...any one know of any companies in South Florida comparable to All-Tex?

EOAS, week 9

Wow, looks like I'm almost back on track with this thing!

I'm definitely going to set aside some time this weekend to get a start on Matty's book. I've gotten inspired by looking at some of these pages. Oh, and this week's batch also reminds me: I have to set up Matty's Baptism! We were waiting for Felipe to arrive, since his daddy is the Godfather, but now that he's just under a month old, the planning can begin.

The small picture on the right was taken when Brandon was just under six months old. He was such a good baby whenever I took him for portraits. Still is, most of the time.
And look, Matty's got the same big grin!

Brandon's Godparents: my older sister and my hubby's best friend.

Our little guy was just learning to sit up by himself when he turned six months old. He was the tiniest bit delayed with some milestones since was born a preemie, but he quickly caught up to the "norm" in the coming months.

Last week featured Brandon's first time in a pool. This week, it's his first time at the beach.

Brandon was a week shy of 7 months when hubby and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary. We had saved a piece of cake from the wedding, and each had a slice a year later, marking our first 365 days as a married couple. Brandon had a taste too!

Brandon and Mikey were born exactly 7 months apart. Nowadays, they are exactly the same size, but when they were babies? What a difference!

See ya next week!

It's begun!

Shopping Season. First, it's Back-to-School, and all the new notebooks, gleaming backpacks, and sharpened pencils. Then it's Halloween and choosing just the right costume with the perfect complimentary accessories. And then, THEN, it's my favorite time of the year: Holiday shopping! Every year I get a kick out of seeing stores stocking holiday favorites, even in the middle of October. It's starts in a tiny corner of the store, or one link on a website. Then, as the days go by, that one corner or one link multiplies, and before you know it, you're surrounded by wreaths, and toys, and decorations, and gift wrapping. I love it! Of course, it doesn't hurt that my birthday is 18 days before Christmas (...cough, cough...), so it's also birthday present time! ;-)
The internet has made shopping so much easier: no more waiting in long lines, lugging things to the car, then taking them out of the car, then putting them away in some secret hiding place so the kids don't see them, and finally, wrapping everything up for a few minutes of joy and excitement. Shopping online is the way to go: you just browse, click, pay, and move on to the next shopping site. And you can find great savings, too. Online coupons are just as good, if not better, than physical ones. A great place to spot some of these fabulous deals is CouponChief.com. Just a quick glance and I found a bunch of my favorites: The Gap, Old Navy, Pottery Barn, and of course Target. Since I do most of my shopping at Target anyway, I'm sure to save a bundle on the boys' gifts, and they'll have no idea that all those boxes arriving in the mail contain their Christmas presents. As for the hubby, his wardrobe needs an overhaul, so discounts at The Gap and Old Navy will get him quite a few new outfits. Can you tell I love a good deal?!

Disclosure Policy

(I should have done this last week, but it slipped my mind...)

This policy is valid from 22 August 2007

This is a personal blog. I write and edit the contents within. This blog receives compensation for providing an opinion on products and services, and for link insertions. The reviews and opinions are my own, and I will not provide a positive review of a product, service or website unless it is an honest one.
If you need more information, you may contact me at dufau1-at-bellsouth-dot-com.
Thank you.

It's not just an inconvenience...

The road closures and construction around my job could end up costing people's lives. My half-hour delay is nothing compared to the critical moments lost by rescue workers.

Read it here.

Rambling on a Wednesday

I'm very proud of myself. Rather than getting on the computer as soon as I got home yesterday afternoon, I decided to finally organize and file stacks of documents we had laying about the bookshelf and desk. That was one of my goals during maternity leave, which I obviously did not get to. I made 12 different files (there would have been more, but I ran out of file folders) and filed every document I could find. Now I just need to re-organize the old files, shred papers we don't need anymore, and get a new filing cabinet for this plethora of files. Maybe I'll be done before Christmas...
Also on the "to do" list: Scrapbook! I haven't cropped since April. I have to make a bunch of pages for Brandon (from his birthday in January to now) and basically work on Matty's entire book. It seems overwhelming. Do any other scrappers get that too? If you let it linger for too long, it just seems like work rather than a fun hobby? I know that once I get rolling, I'll be okay, but for now, I'm almost dreading it.

Radio Flyer by Party Pail

Where was this when I was planning my baby shower a little over nine months ago? This is one of the cutest boy shower decorations I’ve seen!

Party Pail has various bridal shower themes, baby shower themes and birthday themes. Their kits include tons of stuff for a very reasonable price. The Red Wagon kit is priced at $69.99 and includes invitations, plastic ware, and everything in between. Those of us with party planning experience know that buying these things individually can put a big hole in your pocket.
Their site also features several worksheet to help you plan your party in the most time and cost efficient way possible. I know first-hand how stressful party planning can be, so these worksheets are a great idea from Party Pail.
Keep them in mind for your next celebration!

The Fish and The Bird

On Saturday night, we attended the Marlins vs. Giants game I mentioned here. When we went to my dad's to drop off the baby, Brandon decided he didn't want to go, telling his grandfather "No quiere baseball". So we called up my mom, who had mentioned earlier in the week that she wanted to go too. It started out great, the Marlins got two runs in the first inning. But slowly, and surely, the Giants went on to tie, and then win the game. In spite of that we had an excellent time. The fireworks were spectacular, rivaling an Independence Day celebration. We were all pretty tired, though, and didn't stay for the Blues Traveler concert. As we were walking to the car we could hear them starting their set, and they sounded awesome. I was almost regretful that we didn't stay and watch, but exhaustion beat regret. We went to pick up the boys, and were home by midnight. It was nice to have a break from the kids for a bit, and just hang out with my mom and sister for a while.
In other Fish and Bird related news, the 'Canes will cease playing at the Orange Bowl in 2008, their home for the last 70 years. This saddens me greatly, I have many memories of going to the Orange Bowl for Hurricanes games with my Uncle Val, and later with my husband and our friends. I can't picture the 'Canes anywhere else. But maybe, just maybe, this will result in the Marlins FINALLY getting their own playing turf. We shall see...

The Baby Welcome Wagon

Jay and Deb's newest addition was born yesterday morning at 7:57AM.
Welcome, little Henry. We're so glad you're finally here!

Pay Per Post

I kept hearing about bloggers making extra money blogging, and thought that it was too good to be true. Then I saw Kate’s results, and that stirred my curiosity a bit. Later, when SarahK, Serenity, Pam, and wRitErsbLock joined too, I figured it was something worth looking into. I had my doubts about it: Would I have time to do it? Would the blog get approved? Do I have enough traffic for this kind of thing? But you know what? I had nothing to lose, and a little over a week ago, wRitErsbLock convinced me to join PayPerPost. I’m so glad she did. The prospect of making money while blogging is quite appealing, as a little extra cash would definitely come in handy, and it’s not as complicated as I thought it would be. The minimum an opportunity pays is $5, and there are plenty of opportunities that pay more. And, as long as there is a non-advertising post in between, you can take two opportunities a day. Imagine the possibilities if I write two advertising posts every day for a month!
I have completed two Marketplace posts, and one PPP Direct post. The two Marketplace posts are still pending approval, but, Direct posts are reviewed directly by the advertiser, and that resulted in immediate approval and payment through PayPal.
I may not make as much money as other bloggers, but that’s partially determined by how much time I put into it. As you can see, in the last few days I’ve been blogging way more than usual. I’m trying to get into the habit so that I can take more opportunities. I figure, if we can cover at least the monthly cell phone bill with this blog advertising thing, that would be great. The rest would just be icing on the cake.
I'll keep you all updated on my results as my posts get approved. If any of you are interested, go ahead and sign up using the badge on the sidebar, I make money from referrals too! =)

Soy La Unica/I'm The Only One

That's what Celia Cruz says about herself in a short film shown at the end of the exhibit Azúcar: The Life and Music of Celia Cruz. A statement like that, from anyone else, would seem self-righteous and arrogant, but our humble Celia explains in Spanish, "my parents Simon and Catalina are both dead. There is no way another Celia Cruz can be made". She is right of course, but there really will never be any one like her. This intriguing woman's career spanned six decades, from the Tropicana in Havana to Madison Square Garden in New York City. The exhibit showcases several of her unique stage dresses (some of which I was able to photograph, and you can see in the extended entry), and some of her awards, including two Grammy's and her National Medal of Arts, given to her in 1994 by President Clinton. On the walls were many pictures of Celia during different eras of her life, with a few paragraphs explaining the scenes, such as an early promotional picture with La Sonora Matencera from the early 1950's, at the Tropicana, and several with Johnny Pacheco and Tito Puente in 70's.
Around us were visitors both old and young. Some of the older ones would sit and watch the various little films throughout, and you could see a twinkle in their eye, or a tap of a finger. These videos took them back to their youth, if only for a moment. One older woman was sitting next to me during a film showing Celia's contribution to Fania Records (the record label founded by Johnny Pacheco). She glanced over to me as I was holding Matty, looked down at him, and smiled. I'm sure it pleased her to no end that I, old enough to be her granddaughter, was there surrounded by all things Celia, and exposing my children to the beauty of her voice and her life. And that is what Celia is: Timeless. And Unforgettable.

The exhibit is no longer here in Miami, but I strongly encourage you to visit if it comes to a city near you.

Cuando salí de Cuba,
Dejé mi vida,
Dejé mi amor.
Cuando Salí de Cuba,
Dejé enterrado mi corazón."

Espero que recuperes tu corazón pronto, Celia.
Que en Paz descanses.

Bedroom furniture for my boys

When I was pregnant, and we were told that it was another boy, the decision to have them share a room was a no-brainer. Not only would sharing strengthen their bond, but I figured it would help me out by restricting the “toys/books/other” mess to one room. So far it’s worked out fine, we’ve encouraged Brandon to do nothing but sleep in his bedroom. There are no toys in there, and he only watches TV in that room at bedtime, and we expect Matty will follow suit. In order to maximize their space, we intend on purchasing bunk beds for them in a couple of years. We expect to keep this arrangement till Brandon hits his teens and Matty is in his ‘tweens, and new bedroom furniture will be a must! I absolutely love this model from Gallery Furniture:

I’ve always liked bunks like these, as opposed to those with the beds parallel to each other. I know that Brandon will get a kick out of climbing up to his bed every night, and the desk on the side is perfect for doing his homework. And I’m all about storage, and those drawers on the side, as well as those bookcases in the rear will be essential in keeping the room neat and organized. Plus, this tone of wood is one of my favorites, not too light and not too dark: the perfect bedroom furniture for our two little boys. I’m definitely going to keep this Houston furniture company in mind when we re-vamp the boys' room.

Azúcar!

We're off to the Celia Cruz exhibit. See ya later!

EOAS, week 8

Here we are again, it's EOAS time!
This week's pages bring us to Brandon's first summer. As you will see below, he had lots of great adventures, discovering new place and things.
It's interesting to look back on these and be experiencing just about the same things with Matt right now, and how time passes by so very quickly. You can't blink, or you'll miss something wonderful.

At five months old, Brandon went to his first movie, "Finding Nemo". Wow, has it really been four years since that came out?! He loved it, and surprisingly, was awake through most of the movie. It remains one of his favorites to this day.

In June, we also attended Nicole's first birthday. This wasn't the first party he went to, I think it was the third, but he was bigger for this one than the other two, and therefore more active and observant. He was fascinated with the decorations and balloons, and even tried his first cupcake!

My dad and stepmom stayed in Islamorada the weekend before Fourth of July that year, and we went to visit them at the hotel for a day. Brandon went in the pool for the first time, and loved the water (not as much as Matty though).

Independence Day, four years ago. His first time seeing fireworks. He was not quite sure what to make of those explosive streams of colorful lights, and he still doesn't! ;-)

Till next time!

Someday Soon

I've never spoken ill or wished death upon anyone except one man: fidel castro ruz. (No, he does NOT deserve proper punctuation)
Two things come to mind when I read this over at Babalu:

-From your keyboard, to God's ears.
-Al Fín!

When will the suffering end for the beautiful island of Cuba?!

On a semi-related note, my mom, sister, grandmother and I expect to go to the Celia Cruz exhibit on Sunday. These are the last few days it's in town, so if you're interested, head on over to the Bass Museum on the Beach tomorrow or Sunday and check out the homage to the Queen of Salsa! If museum staff allows, I will take tons of pictures, so stay tuned...

My First PayPerPost Direct Post, aka A peek at the life of a bus driver

A very sweet woman named Jennifer sent me my very first PPP Direct opportunity. She started her blog The Life of a School Bus Driver almost two years ago, on New Year's Eve 2005. Her goal is to write every day, or at least a few days a week, about the daily things that make life special. She has an absolutely beautiful two-year-old daughter named Kyra, and I can attest that, when one has a young child, you get to experience the world through their eyes and with their innocence. An ordinary day can become extraordinary.
Browsing through her blog, I found a post relaying her daughter’s fascination with cell phones, and what happens when said phone somehow gets lodged inside a toilet bowl. What happens, you may ask? You gotta get a new toilet bowl, of course! I thought this was hilarious, mostly because I have a fear of dropping my cell phone down the toilet when it’s in my back pocket. Fortunately that has never happened, but we all know my cell phone did end up going swimming not too long ago).
Jennifer also recently posted about the 15 Good Blog Posting Tips she saw over at Build a Better Blog, and I pretty much arrived at the same conclusion she did: I don't follow these tips very well either.

Here's a quick run-down of the 15 tips, with my commentary in bold:

1. Be really clear about why you’re blogging, who your ideal reader is, and what your core message and/or theme is. I think I partially cover this one. I blog to keep friends and family updated on stuff the stuff that's happening to and around us. I don't really have an ideal reader, anyone and everyone is welcome. Unless they are some psychotic pedophile or homocidal maniac or something like that. Then it's thanks, but no thanks.

2. Write with the reader in mind: what’s in it for them? To learn all about MOI! ;-)

3. Write declarative sentences: short and to the point, right off the bat. No starting with: “I was thinking the other day about…” or “Summer’s almost over and…” Um, how 'bout, no. I write how I speak, as if this were a conversation with a dear friend. Otherwise, I think you lose the personability of blogging.

4. Write less. Omit all unnecessary words. (Hint: this requires you actually read your post before you publish!) See number 3. I do edit and re-read my posts, but that's because I type fast, so I need to check for typos, and usually I will also change certain words to make the most more flow-y.

5. Write good headlines, using your strategic keywords (the ones you’ve researched and
know will pull in the readers you’re looking for). Put keywords first if you can. Nope, can't say I do this.

6. Write a good first paragraph using your keywords. Tell readers what your point is right away.
That just kills the art of storytelling, doesn't it?!

7. Keep paragraphs short, only one or two sentences at most, then break. White space is your friend. See number 3 again.

8. Use subtitles to make your posts easily scannable. Nope, don't do this either.

9. Break your post up after 2-3 paragraphs using the Extended Post feature, so that readers are asked to click here to continue reading. I do this sometimes, especially when I include lots of embedded pictures in my posts. I just makes the overall blog look neater, IMO.

10. Don’t take yourself too seriously; keep a sense of humor but be cautious about trying to be funny; people read things the wrong way. You don't know me, do you?! I am the Queen of Facetiousness!

11. Write like readers were paying you and their subscription is about to expire. Again, see number 3. That takes away from the whole "friendly" thing. I don't talk to my friends as if it's the last conversation we'll ever have!

12. Avoid business jargon, empty phrases, and clichés that are too cliché. I was trying to think of something cliché-y to say, but it's late, and my brain is tired.
13. Use bulleted points and lists as often as possible. Nope, not on this blog. Well, lists once in a while, but not bullet points.

14. Don’t be afraid to voice your opinions. Check!

15. Always ask readers for their opinions, their experiences, their input. For sure! Commenters are awesome, especially mine! ;-)

Okay, it seems like I went off on a tangent there with those 15 tips. Anyway, I just wanted to tell Jennifer that if my boys ever end up riding the bus to school, I hope they have as thoughtful and as sweet a driver as you.
Go on, people, check her out.

Today's to-do list...

...has hardly been touched. I had big plans for having the morning off: get some laundry done, fold laundry from a few days ago, pick up a bit around the house, balance my check book, do the dishes, make a pile of things to sell on ebay. Unfortunately, I've only been able to wash and dry one load of laundry, put the dishes in the dishwasher to be washed later this evening, and balanced my check book. The sleeping-in I had big hopes for yesterday did not happen, Matty woke up around 7, and hubby had to get ready for his interview so it was up to me to tend to him. And, he's been quite grouchy with this sprouting teeth thing. He is comforted only if I'm in the room with him. I can't step into the kitchen and leave him in the living room with his brother, for example, without him bawling hysterically. Poor thing. I wish there was something I could do to ease his pain. I did put a little bit of Baby Orajel on him last night, but since it numbs his mouth, he won't drink his milk, and then he ends up crying because he's hungry. He was overly comforted by the spoon while he had his cereal about an hour ago. The feeding took no more than five minutes. I'm writing this now as he stirs from a little nap.
On another note, it seems that hubby got the job, he's on his way now to do the drug test and once the results are in, he can start. There's another, very big opportunity in the future, but this will help us pay the bills while all the ducks get in a row for that bigger opportunity. I am confident that we'll be back to normal by Christmas.
I wasn't quite done with everything I wanted to say, but the little guy is screaming, so I have to go. I'll be back in a while with this week's EOAS.
Bye!

The Queen de-clutters, or How to put your attic to good use

If you’ve known me long enough, or you’ve helped me moved, or both, you know that I am the queen of clutter. I love keeping all sorts of things. I have two boxes full of high school stuff, most of the clothes Brandon has worn in the last three years, seven years worth of receipts and statements “just in case”, and boxes and boxes of photo prints from the stone ages, i.e. before I owned a digital camera.
We have this huge attic that I wish I could take full advantage of, but the only things up there right now are our luggage set, and two large totes of Brandon’s clothes. The receipts are inside my bedroom closet, the pictures (and my scrapbooking materials) take up half my kitchen cabinetry, and all the other things are in the outside storage room, where I am in constant fear that water will somehow penetrate the totes and ruin everything. I know that installing this attic lift would be a huge asset to my household, and well worth the money. I would be able to store the plethora of totes that reside in random areas of my house in one place, and clear up some much needed space in hall closets and cabinets. Not only that, I wouldn’t have to worry about my husband breaking his back carrying things up and down those attic stairs, and since it comes with a key lock, I won’t have to worry about the boys playing with attic lift either. I’m definitely adding this one to the “Future Home Improvement Projects” list!

Good news Thursday

The day is almost over, but I wanted to share a few of the "little things" that brightened my day today:

-hubby has an interview tomorrow for a new employment opportunity. Brandon's school is having a teacher work day since the fall semester starts next week, and as a result of hubby's interview, I get to take half a day off from work tomorrow, and consequently sleep in. YAY!

-Tomorrow is Friday. =)

-there was minimal chaos during my drive home today, an astonishing fact given the closing of the bridge, and repairs on another bridge used as the detour, which delayed me an additional half hour every day this week.

-Payperpost approved this quaint little blog for marketplace opportunities this evening. HOORAY! (First post, coming right up!)

-Tomorrow is Friday. Did I mention that already?

How was your day?

Gummy grin no more...

Any guesses as to who's bottom gum tore yesterday, exposing his very first little tooth? ;-)

Marathon Maura (updated)

That is the name of my sister's new blog, where she will be documenting her training progress as she prepares for the Nike Women's Marathon. As part of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training, she is doing her part to find an end to the suffering caused by blood cancers, and you can help.
I know I've mentioned this before, and I know we all have other financial matters at hand that need tending to, but if you can throw just $5 my sister's way to help her reach her goal, we would be forever grateful, and so would all those people who will benefit from the funding for additional research and eventual cure for blood cancers. Every little bit helps, and the donations are tax deductible. So come on, skip that Frappucino today, or bring a sandwich from home for lunch tomorrow instead of stopping at Burger King, and donate towards this great cause!

Thank you!

Update: What better way to spread the word than Venomous Kate's link fest. So, Kate, BITE ME!

Frog tolerance is the lesson I have to learn in this lifetime, isn't it?

Can someone please tell me how the %&$# another frog got into my house???
Last night at about 11:30PM, I heard some sporadic banging. I had fallen asleep not too long before, so I turn over, and hubby's not in bed, and the bedroom door is almost closed (we sleep with the door open to be able to hear the boys). I holler at him, "what's going on?" and he says, "stay in there". Of course, at this point, I have no idea what's going on and all sorts of things are going through my mind. I ask, "but what is going on?". He tells me there's a frog in the dining room, just slightly smaller than the previous uninvited visitor. Yeah, THAT did not run through my mind.
Hubby got the garbage bin from the computer area, which is a white plastic, almost clear tone, and traps the frog in there. He found something heavy to put on top so that it can't escape, and we went to sleep. Well, I laid down and closed my eyes, but I don't think I slept, and least not restfully. I could hear it thumping against the sides of the bin throughout the night, trying to get out. This morning, when I left for work, it was still in there (THANK GOD!!) and I called hubby about 10 minutes ago to check on the houseguest. He put some cardboard under the bin and walked the makeshift cage over to the easement by our house and set it free.
My friend has a theory that it must have come in through the pipes, but we don't have a septic system. Any ideas? If this is going to be a frequent occurence, then that's it, I'm moving!!

Jumpin' on the money-making bandwagon

I was a bit hesitant to do this, since this is a blog about a little kid and his baby brother. But wRitErsbLock convinced me that I don't really have anything to lose, that I should give it a shot. After all, this "get paid for blogging" is going great for The Venomous One, Serenity's been doing it for a while, SarahK joined in recently, and now wRitErsbLock, so why can't I do it too?
Today I signed up for PayPerPost. It seems easy enough: get approved, pick an opportunity, write about the subject, get the write-up approved, get paid. If I can cover at least the cell phone bill every month, I'll be happy. So stick around, I'll have much to say in the coming weeks.

I got Schmoozed!

A while back, my fellow Floridian wRitErsbLock schmoozed (schmoozeled?) me. I got a bit teary eyed when I read what she wrote about me:

Amanda is very quick to call, text, and email when I’m desperately in need of encouragement. She’s a much better friend to me than I am to her. And I’m so honored to call her my friend.

Thanks, wb!

For those of you that don't know what the Power of the Schmooze is, here's an excellent definition from Chickie:

“And what is the Power of Schmooze? It’s blogging community involvement award for those bloggers who make the effort to connect and develop relationships in the blogosphere. Some leave great comments along the way, while others are faithful readers who’s presence you are aware of.”

So go ahead, schmooze someone you love today!

It's a Monday thing, I'm sure you understand.

I've been feeling quite "blah" today. Not sure if it's exhaustion from spending the day at the zoo wih my sister, stepmom, and four kids on Saturday in approximately 95-degree weather. Or from rushing yesterday to get to my nephew's birthday party at My Gym, and then playing with the kids for almost 3 hours in the gym area.
Or maybe it's because Castro is 81 today, and he's not dead yet. Or maybe it's because the bridge I have to take to get on the highway to and from work is closed for repairs for a few months, creating even more traffic chaos. Whatever it is, I hope tomorrow is a bit better.
More later...

Happy Left-Handers Day...

...to my fellow Southpaws.

I should have taken the day off today. ;-)

Better than expected

We just got home from the photo session, and the pictures are awesome! See for yourself:

Matt 1

Matt 2

Matt 3

The boys

EOAS, week 7

So it looks like I unintentionally changed EOAS days from Tuesdays/Wednesdays to Fridays. Does it really matter though? The point is, after all, to show off my fabulous scrapbook pages. ;-). So here's the next batch of pages, which mark several "Firsts" in the peanut's life: his first trip to the zoo, our first Mother's Day, and his first visit to the beach.
ENJOY!!

At a week shy of 4 months old, we took Brandon to the zoo for the first time. We hadn't been to the zoo in about two years, and the Wings of Asia exhibit had just re-opened. I remember that for being the beginning of May, it was extremely hot. (note: please ignore the quite unattractive balding spot on my head. This happened to me after both my pregnancies.)

Our First Mother's Day was very special, not only because I had my little guy with me, but my older sister was pregnant with my eldest nephew Mikey (aka Brandon's best buddy!). As you can see, we spent the day with all the mommies in our family.

Brandon's first visit to the beach was experienced at Deerfield Beach, where we attended my cousin and his bride-to-be's surprise bridal shower. We dipped his chunky little toes in the water, which shocked him at first, but later he was wiggling in our arms, and it seemed like he wanted to jump in the ocean. I guess he considered it a never-ending bathtub!

More next week!

Soliciting Suggestions

We're taking the little guy to get his 6-months portraits taken on Friday afternoon. I want to do a few shots of him with his brother, as well as some by himself. I would like to do some cute, unusual poses. So far, I've got one idea, something like the top picture here:

Any other ideas?

Proof that pregnancy does kill brain cells!

Stolen from CalTechGirl:

Am-I-Dumb.com - Are you dumb?

At least he's not contagious!

Brandon's school called me yesterday afternoon that he had a fever of 103. Hubby got out of work and picked him up, took him home, and gave him some Tylenol. Fever broke within the hour. I left work at the usual time, picked up Matty at the sitter's and headed home. We decided to head over to my grandparents' house to say goodbye to my aunt and uncle, who headed back to NJ this morning. By the time we arrived, he had a fever again. He laid on the couch with his feet up on my aunt's lap. Poor thing had no energy and was complaining that his forehead and throat hurt. He said he was hungry, so I served him some roasted chicken, white rice, salad and platanos maduros, which he loves. He ate about 2/3 of it, then asked for some ice cream. He had two scoops of vanilla. Wouldn't you know it, following the ice cream he was just about back to normal! He still had a temperature, but he was playful and happy.
We got home and gave him more Tylenol as a precaution. I woke up this morning and took his temperature before heading to work, and it was back: 101.9. So I called the doctor when I got to the office and made an appointment for 10:15 this morning. Fortunately, hubby was off today, so he was able to take him and stay home with him today. Diagnosis: Viral infection. No meds needed, just saline for the congestion. Avoid breaking the fever so that it runs its course.
I hope he feels better soon. Not only do I hate seeing my little boy feel this way, but his cousin's birthday is this weekend, and I know he doesn't want to miss that!
Please think happy thoughts that he's back to normal soon.

Silliness with Titi!

My sister hijacked my camera last weekend when we were at the beach...

EOAS, week 6 -Cuban Time edition

Here is the latest installment of Evolution of a Scrapper. A little late, I know. You can blame this active little boy! ;-)

Brandon turned 3 months old 3 days before I returned to work. It was quite a bittersweet day, we spent most of the day relaxing at home, with a visit to his Nina's house in the afternoon. I was so happy to have a thriving infant who definitely showed no signs of being born a preemie. At the same time, I was sad that this was our last weekend together before the end of my maternity leave. And yes, I know the shoes were just a *tad* big, but they looked so cute on him!

All I can say about these pictures is, isn't he baby modeling material?!

Brandon's First Easter was a busy one. We were out and about all day long so that I could visit my Godparents, and he could visit his.

Here's our little guy building up that upper body strength.

My dad absolutely loved spending time with his first grandchild. They always made each other laugh, and they still do!

Matty's Milestones (Updated video caption)

This week, our baby boy has been a busy little bee. He enjoyed his very first meal yesterday afternoon, a lovely serving of rice cereal mixed with formula. And as of Tuesday, he's at that "not quite crawling, but quite mobile" phase, wiggling his way towards particular items, like a toy. Or a remote control haphazardly left on the floor. Or the couch. Or his brother.

"Urgh…gotta…get…to…that…toy…must…pull…self…almost…there…gotta..get…that….oh what nice texture this carpet has!"

(Thanks to Claudia for the perfect caption!)

Happy Birthdays all around

Happy Birthday to my friend Serenity.
Enjoy your day off, girl!

(image: David McEnery)

Oh yes, and Happy Belated to Mami Hen Carrie, who is 48 hours into being Fabulously Forty!