Loopy Thursday

I posted this earlier, but I ended up deleted it because it copied on so terribly...  I am just having a perfectly loopy day---drained and overwhelmed!  Driving in circles, toddler tantrums, and errands can do that to me.  I feel like that lady with the leash tied around her neck, being led down the street by the 12 foot tall 4 year old... 

I need a holiday---we BOTH NEED a holiday...  Hubby's business is doing FANTASTIC, but poor guy is so over worked...  We both look like two drained, zoned out zombies. Our kids have more of a social life than we do!!  Well, I booked a hotel for hubby and I for our anniversary in April.  We both need time away from the zoo.  HA HA HA...  It's still a few months away, but hey--something to look forward to, right?!   I feel better already just thinking about it. 

Okay, here is the meme...(AGAIN)

A meme to peel away the layers of you.  (From Goddess of the Meme's, DAWN)

LAYER ONE:
-- Name: Julie
-- Birth date: April 4
-- Birthplace: Santa Cruz, CA
-- Current Location: the study
-- Eye Color: brown

-- Hair Color: brownish red
-- Height: 5'6"
-- Righty or Lefty: righty
-- Zodiac Sign: Aries

LAYER TWO:
-- Your heritage: 100% Portuguese/American--as much as I know! 
-- The shoes you wore today: Black Ballet flats
-- Your weakness: Chocolate
-- Your fears: Natural disasters, War, Illness...I could go on and on...ya' know

-- Your perfect pizza: Vegetarian--with lots of artichokes please!

-- Goal you'd like to achieve: I'd like to start walking 5 miles a week atleast--need to walk off those chocolate truffles!!

LAYER THREE:
-- Your most overused phrase: "No means no, and I don't have to make sense, because I'm the mom!"

-- Your first waking thoughts: "Is it 6 a.m. already?"
-- Your best physical feature: hair

-- Your most missed memory: Driving the car with my Dad.

LAYER FOUR:
-- Pepsi or Coke: I'll drink them both--just has to be diet.  I prefer Dr. Pepper though..
-- McDonald's or Burger King: McD's
-- Single or group dates: Doesn't matter..just as long as I'm with hubby man. 
-- Adidas or Nike: ...I have them both--doesn't make a difference to me.

-- Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea: Lipton Tea--I grew up seeing the old man holding the tea bag on those red and yellow boxes.  There is a Lipton Plant near my mom's house.  I learned to drive around it's parking lot!

-- Chocolate or vanilla: Chocolate--duh..  Although, vanilla is one of my most favorite scents! 

-- Cappuccino or coffee: Cappuccino.

LAYER FIVE:

-- Smoke: Nope

-- Cuss:Occasionally.
-- Sing: Daily, in the car.  It keeps me sane, and makes the passerbys think I'm crazy.  They leave me alone and give me lots of room.

-- Take a shower everyday: Yes--but I was the hair every other day..
-- Do you think you've been in love: I know it.
-- Want to go to college: Might like to go back one day..
-- Liked high school: It was alright.
-- Want to get married: Only to re-do our vows again--that would be nice.
-- Believe in yourself: yes
-- Get motion sickness: Sometimes in the car.
-- Think you're attractive: Depends on how my mood is.

-- Think you're a health freak: Wish I was more of one.
-- Get along with your parent(s): For the most part..
-- Like thunderstorms: When I'm home with the family--not when I'm driving though. 
-- Play an instrument: Used to play the clarinet.  Wanted to play the flute, but couldn't do it!  I can still read music though..

LAYER SIX: In the past month...
-- Drank alcohol: Yes--always during the holidays.
-- Smoked: I don't smoke.
-- Done a drug: Nope, not a druggie either

-- Made Out: Yeah, with husband.
-- Gone on a date: Yes..with husband again.

-- Gone to the mall: Yes, far too many times.

-- Eaten an entire box of Oreos: No.  Do people actually do that?!
-- Eaten sushi: No--don't like raw fish--or really any fish for that matter. 
-- Been on stage: Yes, but didn't perform. 

-- Been dumped: Thankfully no. 
-- Gone skating: Only in my dreams. 
-- Made homemade cookies: Lots of Christmas cookies! 
-- Gone skinny dipping: No--too shy.

-- Dyed your hair: Yes, and I'm due for another box of color!
-- Stolen anything: If I did, it was totally unintentionally! 

LAYER SEVEN: Ever...
-- Played a game that required removal of clothing: Nope--too shy, remember?
-- Been trashed or extremely intoxicated: Never drink more than two cups of Port Wine--note to self.. 
-- Been caught "doing something": yes
-- Been called a tease: Does "temptress" count?

-- Gotten beaten up: Emotionally--yes.

-- Shoplifted: Nah

-- Changed who you were to fit in: I honestly don't ever remember doing that as a child. 

LAYER EIGHT:
-- Age you hope to be married: For as long as I live.

-- Numbers and names of children: Liz 19, Matthew 17, Andrew 13, Nicholas 4-yes--he was the "surprise." 

-- Describe your dream wedding: A blue sky, and a sandy white beach.

-- How do you want to die: old, in bed having a beautiful dream that I never want to wake up from.

-- Where you want to go to college: Close to home.
-- What do you want to be when you grow up: I haven't figured that one yet.

-- What country would you most like to visit: What country do I NOT want to visit?!  Let's start in Europe!  All of it! 

LAYER NINE:
-- Number of drugs taken illegally: I'm not a druggie, remember?

-- Number of people I could trust with my life: 10

-- Number of CDs that I own: maybe 50?

-- Number of piercings: one on each ear--the other two grew in. 
-- Number of tattoos: I don't do needles.

-- Number of times my name has appeared in the newspaper: Oh gosh, not very often..may be 3, or 4 times? 

-- Number of scars on my body: 1---if you don't count stretch marks! 
-- Number of things in my past that I regret: I'm a product of my past...  I wouldn't change a thing.  I'm a much happier person than I was 20 years ago--that is all that matters. 

Windy Wednesday

It's a very windy day over here...  And the wind is cold!  Brrrr.... 

Gee, thanks for the comments for my last entry..  I had a better day on Tuesday, and today has just been a whirlwind of being extremely busy at work, errands, driving in circles...the usual stuff.  I appreciate your comments and concern.  I am feeling better.  I don't think I'm eating very well, lots of work at work, and work is a little depressing at the moment...  I'm looking forward to the weekend!  Yeah...  It's a 3 day weekend for us county employees!!!  Celebrate, celebrate, dance in the streets incoido! 

I had to make an emergency stop at Kinkos this morning at 6:30 a.m. to get more ink for the printer.  Andrew was up all night (guess who else was) finishing his science project-a science dictionary with pictures...and of course our color ink ran out..  Sigh.  We tried to send the project to another printer in the house that had ink, but it just wouldn't print.  Don't you love it when that happens---projects due the following day and you are out of printer paper, ink and folders?!  Well, miraculously it got done, and he wasn't even late to school this morning. 

I was surprised to get a comment in my last entry from Nanette Estrada.  (Erik's wife!)Thanks, Nanette!  I'm looking forward to the autographed picture!  My daughter and I will be anxiously awaiting!!  Can you believe it?!  I'm not quite sure if she read about my story.  I sent it to her again, just in case.  I was blown away that she actually left a comment. 

Nicholas was better today.  It only took a few moments for him to get out of the car, of course I had to tell him that if he didn't get out, I would have to tell his teacher, Beranice that he didn't want to go to school.  He is a little afraid of this particular teacher for some reason.  I wish I didn't have to persuade him to get out of the car.  I know he is testing his boundaries..teenagers do that too. 

There is tons and tons of work here this week!  I've been such the worker bee, that filing tabs are getting stuck to my clothes.  A client sitting in the lobby was more than eager to point this out to me. 

"Miss, you have a sticker stuck to your pants."

I immediately look down, and I must admit to you that I'm a little embarrassed considering that the client sitting in the lobby is an older gentleman who smells like beer and Old Spice.  Lovely.  This guy is looking at my pants, and of course I don't see it right away.

"Its inside your leg."

Great.. Inside my leg.  Now why in the world is this guy looking so intently on my legs?  I am wearing pants--thank God.  Oh well, at least it wasn't stuck to my butt.  That would have been worse.

"Thank you!" I say this as I quickly walk away.  What am I supposed to say to that?

 

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My Way Or No Way!

For the past week, my youngest has been testing my nerves each afternoon. 

I don't know what is up with his behavior lately, but for the past week it has been a chore to get him to preschool.  He will insist that I'm not going "the wrong way" when driving to his preschool, and demand that I turn around and go "the right way."  Of course, I do not turn around, and continue to drive to his school my way.  Then the screaming and crying begins until I get to his school.  Once we get to his school, he stops crying, but then refuses to get out of the car.  I either have to coax him out with the usual, "Bob the Gnome is watching you."  Or I have to tell him that a teacher is at the window.  It usually takes a good 5 minutes or more just to get him out of the car.  Normally, once he is in the classroom, he goes directly to his mat and lies down and takes a nap.  Today he would not let go of my hand...  Urrr...  Eventually one of his teachers got him to calm down.  Usually though, I never have trouble.  He just lies on his matt hugs and kisses me goodbye, and closes his eyes and sleeps.  He has been totally draining my nerves-and I don't know why he is suddenly acting this way.  After leaving his school, I felt exhausted.  I had to drive back to Burger Kingto get a BK Mocha; yes it was that bad!  I am sure when I get him later this afternoon, I will hear that he was a "total angel" again.

I've been in a real bitchy mood lately.  I don't know really why..  I think it's a combination of teenager and preschooler anxiety.  I like to leave the house fairly clean and organized.  There is nothing that aggravates me more than coming home to a sink full of dishes that wasn't there in the morning, or a pile of towels from the dryer sitting on my wooden coffee table that aren't even fully dry yet.  I was too tired to deal with it yesterday-but I did.  It took me a good hour to put things away after I got home to even change out of my work clothes.  I felt like Cinderella---before she met the prince..  The step-sisters were disguised as teenagers.  No cute mice to help me though.  I miss my cat. 

At work everyone is a little blue.  A past co-worker who retired a few years ago past away suddenly last week.  The funeral is this week.  I dislike going to funerals--last one I went to was for a mother of a friend from high school.  I left the service literally shaking all over.  It was a very weird experience, and it made me feel quite ill for the rest of the day.  I don't think I'll be going.  I mentioned something about the sensor lights blinking on in the next office near me when no one was there, and the department manager laughed and said that it might be some dead probation officer visiting the office.  Well, he said that last week, and if the light in the next office turns on right now while I'm writing this, I will be freaking screaming right now...  So far, nothing.  This is good. 

Damn..  And it's only Tuesday! 

I've got loads and loads of work to do today.  Yesterday was spent moving boxes upon boxes of old files down the hall to another file cabinet.  It took me about an hour to do it all-perhaps that is why I have been feeling so drained this week.  I just wanted it to get done--I hate clutter, and I don't like not finishing what I set to do once I get it in my mind. 

No word from Erik Estrada yet.  Isn't that disappointing?  LOL...  I'll be surprised if I actually get a response.  I asked him to send me a picture with an autograph so we could frame and put in my daughter's room.  (This was my daughter's idea by the way.)  We shall see; I'll let you know. 

I got an invite by a friend to meet up with a bunch of other women for Girlfriend Day.  Yes there is such a day---apparently it's Girlfriend Day in Portugal on Friday, and a friend of mine is celebrating it Saturday.  We meet up for dinner and then we go to a a strip club. 

Just kidding. 

 After dinner they plan on going to a club to see a folkloric dance.  Purely innocent, I assure you. It's where people dress up in traditional Portuguese clothing and dance around to old world style music.  Kind of like the American square dancing.  A group from the Azores will beperforming that day.  Iam thinking of going--perhaps a night out with the girls, is just what I need; that and a strong drink and an uninterrupted bubble bath.  If I go, I'll bring my camera to show you what I'm talking about. 

You know, I did a search of the blogs and wrote down the word "Portuguese."  All I really got was a list of MY entries.  Damn.  I think I am the ONLY Portuguese woman who writes about it on AOL.  I feel like I have an obligation now or something to continue.  Oh the pressure of it all--it's killing me.  (Not really.) 

Eu sou mesmo o unica pessoa Portuguesa no AOL?  Nao acredite!! 

Feed The Hungry-Learn A New Word

Hello!

My friend, Maria sent me this cool link, please visit it!  http://freerice.com/index.php 

Brush up on your vocabulary, and learn a new word!!  Each correct answer the site will donate rice to the hungry! 

Speaking of hungry, I have a full house waiting for a really late breakfast...eggs, linguica & hash browns...  Very small entry today..

Anyways...I have yet to hear from Mr. Estrada.  I found his website, and it does state that he answers "each and every piece of mail."  We shall see!  http://www.erikestrada.com/contact.htm

Have a great weekend--the following tag was given to me by Miss Lisa Jo.  Ain't it cool?  Thank you Lisa Jo--Luv 'ya!

Erik Estrada: My Birth Coach

It was a late night in September, 1988. I was having back pain since early that afternoon, and it was impossible to sleep. I was 22 years old, and pregnant with my first child. I really didn't know whether I was in the beginning stages of labor, but I definitely knew that I had never experienced this sort of back pain in my life. I had kept all my pre-natal visits, and I had another one scheduled that week, but I had not taken any of the pre-natal birth coaching classes that was suggested by my doctor months ago. I was going to "wing it," but I was a little frightened of the unknown to tell you the truth. My husband at the time however had no trouble sleeping that night. I was up, feeling restless and alone with only Erik Estrada there to ease some of my fears. 

 

My due date was the next day. I had gotten calls all that morning and afternoon from my mom and relatives that assured me that I would not give birth on the day the doctor said I was due. I was told: "It just never happens!" Even my doctor had told me that it rarely did. My doctor had just had a baby herself and was on maternity leave. The last two weeks I was seen by different doctors taking her place while she was gone. They all told me the same thing, to not worry, and that my regular doctor would be starting work again right on my due date—but again, I probably wouldn't give birth on that day any way. Yeah, that is what you think.. 

 

 

I knew better. I just "knew" Lizzy was going to be born on Sept. 2. I proceeded to pack her baby bag, and my hospital bag was all ready by that early evening. I took shower after shower, and tried to sleep, but I couldn't. Back then we had just moved into our place from my parent's home that July, and we didn't have cable T.V.  I had three choices of television programs to choose from that night. It was either watching an old western, some talk show, or an episode of CHiPS. I chose the CHiPS show. 

 

I'll never forget that episode-it was the Halloween one. 10 minutes into the show, I knew I could not change the channel! The sitcom was about this pregnant woman—it caught by attention so I stayed glued to the T.V.  I don't remember much about the plot to tell you the truth, but somehow this pregnant woman is stranded somewhere, and "Pooch" (Erik Estrada) was coaching her on her breathing technique for child birth. Suddenly a light when on in my head: "Gee, I should really be paying attention to this!" So, as Erik coached this woman---little did he know he coaching me too, as I sat in my living room couch. "Ponch" taught me how to breathe and push. And I will tell you that later at the hospital, I even impressed my nurses and doctor. They thought I had taken classes! I just closed my eyes and pictured Ponch's breathing instructions. Oh, it might seem funny now, but it's true! 

 

Thank you Ponch! I swear, if I hadn't already chosen "Elizabeth" as my daughter's name, I would have named her Erika. I'm not kidding. 

 

Yes, my daughter was born ON her due date. My son, Andrew was also born on his due date. But, my 3rd child couldn't wait that long—he popped out 2 days early. His due date fell on his Godmother's' birthday. She was a delivery nurse and wasn't scheduled to work on her birthday. Nicholas somehow knew this and decided to be born right when his Godmother started her shift at the hospital—yes she delivered him! Erik was there too….still in the back of my head I could still hear his voice coaching me on…   

 

Thankful Thursday/Feeling pretty crappy today..

(Yeah, that's me with the knife..)

Years and years ago, I was called "a psycho chick" by someone that used to "like" me.  Of course, he said it wasn't him who called me that--someone "told" him that I was.  Of course this "someone" wasn't somebody who actually knew me--but this guy wanted to make sure I knew that "somebody" called me that.  Who knows who that someone was; and who really cares why the loser chose a fictional character to explain his own phobic committment issues, but, whenever I see this graphic of the blue bunny holding a knife with a grin, it reminds me of the idiot who told me this, and I can't help but smiling.  I'm so glad he "dumped" me. 

FOR THIS, I AM VERY THANKFUL!!!  Thanks, loser! 

Any ways... 

I don't know what I did to my right knee, but it feels twisted...ouch..  It started last Saturday when we were going to the airport to pick up the kids.  I either sat wrong with my knee or something..  May be it's the weather--it's rainy.  I must be getting old--my joints hurt with the rain.  Damn..after 40 it's all down hill..huh?  HA HA HA.. 

Remember that bad dream I wrote about where my youngest got out of his stroller and we couldn't find him?  Well, Nicholas told me about HIS bad dream.  Apparently my little guy has similar dreams:

"I heard you leave the house, and you left me all alone!"

Poor baby.  We are working on him to remember our phone numbers if he in fact every gets lost.  I hope this never happens, but he does know his full name, and the city he lives in.  I'm going to have to write phone numbers down so he can call me at work, and he needs to know his home phone number.  I sometimes get really bad dreams where I need a phone to contact someone, but I can't find a phone-or if I find a phone, it doesn't work, or I forget the number..etc..etc..  I hate those dreams--there are right up there with black bulls chasing me.  Fortunately, I haven't had any of those dreams for a long time. 

Everyday, during my lunch time I pick up my youngest and take him to preschool for the remainder of the day.  I pretty much drive in circles a lot during the day--I'm either driving someone to school, picking them up, going back to work, going back to my mom's going to preschool....going back to work..etc..etc..  Anyway, when I take Nick to school we have this route that we usually take.  Sometimes we take a different route.  We call this route "our secret short cut."  Well, I was a "bad Mommy" today and I forgot to take the "secret short cut", and this made Nick quite an unhappy backseat driver.  He wanted me to go back from where I started, and then take the short cut.  There was no way I was going to do that, so he balled the whole, entire trip to preschool.  Once we got to preschool, he refused to get out of the car.  He threw his shoes down, and insisted that we go back and take that missed turn to the secret short cut. 

SIGH...

After what seemed like eternity, and after a few stares from a few people, I got him finally out of the car, but..he would not budge away from the car.  He is a very stubborn and determined little boy.  Then I got him to walk halfway to the door of the preschool, and then he decided to just stand there.  In the meantime I'm trying to coax him to go to school telling him that "Bob the Gnome" is in the parking lot in that blue car...etc..  My knee is killing me as I try to move him on...and I'm wearing boots--not helping the situation any.  Finally I tell him his teacher is at the window, and immediately he walks into the preschool.  He gets on his mat, and suddenly the angry 4 year old who wants nothing to do with his mother who took the wrong turn, only wants to give her hugs and kisses. 

As I head to the car, I feel so damn exhausted...all I want is an iced coffee mocha.  It's not raining right now, but it's cold.  I am so glad the weekend is almost here... 

My daughter has a new boyfriend.  He seems nice, and he is cute, but he reminds me of ErikEstrada for some reason--he has that smile.  One day I will have write about how Erik Estrada helped me go through childbirth.  I'm not kidding. 

I'll have to save that story for another day..  HA HA 

Yeah, you've guessed it---I've been feeling kind of loopy, and crampy, and craving chocolate  There is still a box half full of chocolate truffles.  God help me stay away from them this week!! 

Happy Birthday, Elvis

Elvis Presley--born 1/8/35... 

It's a busy, busy day here...  Not much to write about, but it's a very cold day here in California.  Another rain storm is due to arrive by this afternoon.  I am not looking forward to be driving home in the rain again tonight, but husband has checked the car, and it is running nicely now.  It needed a new belt--don't ask me which or what kind....I'm oblivious when it comes to car repair.

The toilets here in the ghetto building were backed up, and flooded the hallway yesterday and inoperable, and now the bathroom door to the women's bathroom is open while a fan is running.  I don't feel comfortable using the toilet when the door is open.  There are just too many strange people that visit the building.  I'm not talking about the IRS people, I'm talking about the mentally disturbed, and the drug users, and sex offenders that walk in and out of this building everyday.  The jail is just a few buildings away.  Eeew..  I've been avoiding consuming large quantities of fluids; it's that bad.  If I worked in a county owned building conditions would have improved--but the county rents this building, and we have to rely on the building managers.  They aren't much on the ball on things.  How I wish we could move out of this building!!! 

I will post some pictures from the kid's trip to NJ later.  I will not post the ones with the Ex and his wife for obvious reasons--those are his pictures of his time with the kids--by posting it, it's almost taking that away from him--you know what I mean?  So out of respect for him and his wife I will NOT post the pictures of him and her sucking on lobster legs during their New Years Eve dinner.  See how nice I am?  

I shouldn't have drank that cup of vanilla coffee from the gas station machine next door!!  I have another hour to go until I can get to my mom's house to use her toilet.  I hope I can hold it in for a hour!! 

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