Lil' Ace

Two entries in one day, amazing, I know... 

Well today is a very exciting day for my son Andrew, AKA: Lil' Ace.  Lil' Ace is going to be preforming with his crew, Gabe & Cyrus (the boy I wrote earlier about) on stage during the 8th grade graduation dance-first time performing live in front of an audience of his peers.  I wish I could be there, but it's only for students, and because I was one of the last people to know about it, they don't need any more champerones for the dance.  Fortunately, Gabe's aunt is going to film the event, so I can see the performance later. 

Last night, Andrew was busy rehearsing his lyrics.  He was a little nervous, and practiced performing for me.  It was a proud mommy moment.  :)  He also rehearsed for Lizzy and her boyfriend.  Nevermind he was blaring the beats from his lap top and singing on the porch past 10:30 at night.  Lizzy was cheering him on.  I hope it didn't scare the neighbors.  I wish I could download the music on here so you could listen to him and his friends.  I am so impressed, and so proud of him..  It is rap, and no, it's not my favorite type of music, but he and his friends really do a great job--the lyrics are clean, no f this or f that..  He checked out a dictionary/rhyming book from the library and his vocabulary and spelling have greatly improved by the way. I hope to download it on here so you can hear it. 

I wish I could be there tonight to encourage him on.  He is practicing on stage at school at brunch and lunch, and then again at his friend's house.  I'm taking him to the dance..  He is worried he is going to forget his lyrics...  If you have time, send some good thoughts his way..  This first performance means a lot to him and his friends.  Thanks!

Tags: 8th grade graduation, Lil Ace, Rap

My OMG Moment

Yesterday afternoon, on my way from picking up Nicholas from his preschool, I get a call on my cell phone.  It's my daughter:

"Mom, I have some exciting news for you."

"Really, what is it Liz?"

"Boy George and George Michael are going to be..."

The phone cuts off.

There I am in the middle of traffic, and the phone cuts off while my daughter is talking in mid sentence.  All I know is that Boy George, my #1 favorite singer in the 80's, and George Michael, another favorite of mine are going to be... something.  What could it be?  Are they getting married?  What?!  What could they possibly be doing together or going to?

I try calling my daughter back, but of course I have to top up on my minutes on my phone (I have pay as you go type of phone for Virgin Mobile that I completely hate with a passion.)  In the mean time, Nicholas is wondering what is going on as well.

"Mom, who were you talking to?  Who is Boy George?"

Well, this is the Boy George I loved in the 80's:

And here is Boy George, at present day:

Yes, he is picking up trash in NY City to fullfill his jail sentence.  Lovely, huh?

I finally get Lizzy on the phone.

"Mom, Boy George and George Michael are going to be performing live in San Francisco in July at the Grand Ballroom!" 

"OMG!"

I have never seen Boy George live before.  It was something I never thought would be possible, but now, I have the opportunity to see him.  Unfortunately, he is performing the day before my husband's birthday, and there is no way, no matter  how much he does love me, is he going to pay to see Boy George on stage.  He doesn't like the Boy.  When ever he hears that song, "Do you really want to hurtme," one of my favorites, Rich replies, "YES!" 

Anyway, I hope to go with Lizzy.  Thank God I have a daughter.  She is more excited to see George Michael. 

(He does have awesome teeth, huh?)

I was thinking though this morning, whether or not I really want to see Boy.  I mean, he has been leading quite a disappointing life as of late.  Should I see him, and be possibly disappointed, or should I not see him, and keep the sweet, and innocent memory of dancing and singing to his music in my room? 

Tags: Boy George, George Michael

Thankful Thursday

Send in the clowns; don't bother their here... Yes, there is such thing as too much makeup!  No, she isn't an Avon customer of mine. 

I heard something in the news that made me sad.  Drinking out of water bottles, or drinking with straws will give you wrinkles!  Can you believe that?  It's as bad as smoking up to three packs of cigarettes a day!  Damn. 

But don't despair..  Scientists have discovered a "youth serum" that can actually make our bodies live longer.  It's been tested on rats, and may be on the market as early as in 10 years.  Gee..  I'll be even older then.  We need this serum, like NOW people!

Oh, but this gets even better.  Airlines may now charge you for extra baggage, and for your weight!  Lovely.  When you place your bags on the scale, they may ask you to step on it too.  Gee..  I'm just glad I went to Portugal last summer!  Airfare has gone through the roof! 

But there is always stuff to be thankful for, right? 

1.  The week is almost over.  It's been dragging.

2.  Oversized beach towels.  They come in handy-especially when your youngest child needs to throw up in the car.  Poor Nicholas had a little too much fruit salad at preschool yesterday.  Yeah, I saw all the fruits...strawberry, banana...

3.  School is almost over.  YAY!  No more projects!

4.  Andrew got an "A" on his Howard Hopps report. 

5.  I'm very grateful we don't live back in the 1800's.  I have no desire to go back and live in the past.  It was a hard life, and have you ever seen those dresses and girdles women were expected to wear back then?!  No way!!  I'm no Scarlet O'Hara!  I love my pajama pants, thank you very much! 

6.  My van still works after leaving the keys in the ignition for hours.  (That's for you, Dawn.)

7.  Graduation Day is next Thursday!  YAY!

8.  My family/friends--healthy and happy.

History Is Being Made..

Tonight history is certainly being made!  (Of course, if Hillary was elected as a nominee for President, history would have been made as well--oh well, sorry Clinton supporters!)  It is an exciting time in America-not only for African Americans, but for all people of color and different nationalities.  America is a "rainbow" and all I can say is, it's about time. 

As I wrote in my previous entry, I've been emerged into the 1800's (thanks to my son's history assignment/project), and to see the new president nominee on the T.V. screen is so surreal.  How would Howard Hopps react to today's events?  Sure, Howard Hopp is a ficticious character brought on by my son's imagination, but I can't help but think.  I see this  day in a new prespective, and it gives me a sense of hope. 

Now that the delegate votes have been counted,  it's time to think and compare, and choose the best candidate.  It's not a contest based on color-it is a serious decision that needs to be made based on our values and beliefs.   

License To Drive

Well, she did it..  Lizzy passed her driving test yesterday!  Lizzy now has a license to drive!  I saw her score at home; only 5 errors out of 15-not bad for her 2nd try!  She drove off to work that same afternoon, alone.  And, there I was at the front window watching her drive off alone for the very first time to work.  Kind of sad, huh? 

Of course, now she wants my car. 

Have you checked out the gas price here in California?  The most cheapest place near my home is $4.20.  Driving my other car (the family van) eats up so much gas.  It's cheaper to get Liz a bus pass; although the idea does not suit well with her.  I will buy the bus pass!  May be her father in NJ will buy her that car he has promising her..that would be pretty darn nice right now! 

As soon as Andrew is out of school, I'm working a 4 day, 10 hour work week.  Three day weekends throughout summer..  YAY!  Sure I may come home after a 10 hour day feeling a little haggard, but oh well.  At least I will save money on gas. 

They say that gas is going to be up $5.00 by the end of the year.  How insane is that?  Will someone PLEASE start making electric cars already?!  I don't care if we Americans are "spoiled" and frankly, I don't care that Europe pays so much more for gas.  I heard recently that gas was down to $1.50 a gallon in 2002.  Gee..  I'm going to have to sell a mother load of Avon lipsticks to afford to drive by 2010!  Watch, in the year 2082 someone is going to come across my journal entry and laugh.  HA HA HA..  Hopefully by then they will have hover cars that run on sand or something. 

Anyway, that is my rant for the day. 

This week is been going too slow for me.  I know it's only Tuesday, but it feels that it should be at least Thursday. 

I cannot wait until Andrew is out of school.  He was given an assignment recently where he had to role play a character from the 1800's living in the south on a plantation.  For the last 4 days I've been "helping" his ficticious character, Howard Hopp.  (Yes, he made up the name.)  Andrew originally wanted this guy to be from Iceland, until I finally convinced him that the liklihood of this Hopp character coming from Iceland in the mid 1800's was a bit odd, and unbelievable.  So, Howard Hopp eventually came from England which made a lot more sense.  We have been writing so much on this Hopp guy, that he has almost become real.  He was an overseer of a plantation in Mississippi, and  also a teacher who taught the slavehands English.  Here I go again, almost making this guy's character real.  Funny, thing though, last night I had a dream about him!  I'm not kidding.  I remember waking up laughing to myself, realizing that I was dreaming of  Howard Hopps.  I guess naturally, after writing letters from Howard to his mother in England, and typing up about 4 journal entries for the guy-I'm bound to dream of him!  Very strange, and although I wish I could tell you about this dream, I unfortunately don't remember a thing other than waking up laughing.  Don't you hate not being able to remember a funny dream? 

Apparently, Andrew's school is not the only middle school who is doing this project.  Why just yesterday a fellow co-worker of mine went on and on about her daughter's project. Her daughter's character was a run away slave.  The assignment was also driving her mother crazy.  Sometimes I think the teachers should know that more than half of the time, the real people doing these reports are the parents!  They do encourage student and parent interaction on these assignments, but yesterday I found myself printing wanted signs for one of Howard Hopp's runaway slaves, hoping that my African American co-worker/ friend wouldn't walk on and see the wanted posters on my desk. 

Courtesy of Lisa Jo--thank you sweetie!  :)

Hello Friday - Hello Tomorrow

Last night I was looking for something to watch on T.V., and there is absolutely NOTHING on lately.  Living Lohan?  I found myself watching that for 10 minutes-what a waste of time.  I even found myself in a chatroom of all places on AOL, something I rarely do nowadays.  Kind of scary crowd of people in there, but that is whole other story and entry I can write about later.  Anyway, I noticed last night that Avon have quite a few commercials out.  Between Living Lohan, there was an Avon commercial on the new stretch mark creme.  YAY!!  Contact your Avon representative plugs--hey, that's ME!  I was also surprised to see that this morning  AOL has a few Avon products featured at the Market Place.  Check it out, under the Body Shapers story!  (Under the smiling lady in the black bikini top.)

http://shopping.aol.com/clothing-accessories?ncid=AOLCOMMshopDYNLprim0001&icid=100214839x1203013525x1200127617

You can purchase the items at my website, http://julielangley.avonrepresentative.com/ or I can personally deliver it to you-through the mail of course. 

Okay, that was my shameless plug for the day. 

It's Friday, and I am glad. 

Can you believe that Sunday is the 1st of June?  Half of the year 2008 is over and done with?  School will be out in a few weeks, and it won't be long until summer is here?  Weird.  The months are flying by, and I don't like this.  I long for those long summer days, when I would find myself waking up at noon, to the smell of eggs and bacon downstairs in my mom's kitchen.  Those days, are gone forever.  I can only relive those days through my children.  I'm just thrilled that tomorrow, if hubby doesn't wake me (wink) that I can sleep in until 7 or possibly, 8 a.m.!  Whoohooo!!

Anyway, I'm deciding that this summer I'm going to be a little more walking.  I have a high school at the corner at my disposal, and I have a walk o meter, and I'm going to walk laps around the track field.  I'm also going to ask for a new schedule.  10 hour days, 4 days a week.  It isn't that bad really; it will be worth it all--not only will I be able to save on gas money (it's $4.29 a gallon here, by the way which is completely insane.) but I can have 3 day weekends.  NO ONE is here at 7 a.m. anyway.  It's nice coming to work to an empty building; it really is. 

I got some news today that "someone" I know has a  boyfriend!  Whooohooo!!  Yay Becky!

Some pictures of the Old Country, Terceira, Azores...

Courtesy, of Tania

Tania, I won't be going there anytime soon..  But, I'm saving up my money for the wedding!  :)

Tags: Avon, Avon Rep, Summer, Azores

Thursday.. Already?

 

This is my son Andrew.  13, going on 14 next month.  I found a whole bunch of pictures from his flag football web site, and I was thrilled.  I'm finally getting my photos in order and downloading them all on Snapfish---and hurray, I found some more!

 

 

Anyway, it is Thursday, and this week is just zooming by.  Last week the week took forever to end, and this week..it's just flying by.  I guess that is a good thing.  We have been busy. 

 

Yesterday I took my mom with Nicholas in tow to the Portuguese Consulate in San Francisco.  Finally the documents my mother has been working on to get done for the past three years have been completed.  A few years ago I submitted documents, only to be told that they were "lost."  After a few more phone calls, and letters, (and years)  the documents have been miraculously "found."  I have my own personal opinion of what happened, but I'm not going to be negative about it now--it has been found and resolved finally, and that is all that matters.

 

  Even the woman at the office wasn't as bitchy as I thought she would be.  Surprisingly, she was quite pleasant. 

 

 Ever talk to someone on the phone, and get an impression of  how this person really is, even what they look like, only to realize in person they are completely different?  Let's just say that mother and I were surprised.  The bitter, angry person we seemed to be dealing with over the past 3 years came across as a very meek, and sweet person.  Strange how that happens sometimes. 

 

Thankful Thursday:

 

1.  This week has been better than last week.

 

2.  Thankful my car is working again-a new battery makes all the difference.

 

3.  Our kids..  Growing up strong and well, and healthy. 

 

4.  My high heels.  For a moment in time I can pretend I'm not shrinking as I stand alongside the kids.  Well, at least Nicholas is still shorter--at least for a few more years anyway.   

 

5.  My job, my home, my family, and my husband who accidently hit his head on the cabinet while helping me pick up all the spaghetti that spilled out of the kitchen cabinet on to the floor.  Ouch..  Sorry honey! 

 

 

 

 

Oh my God..  Who is this handsome young man??!  He looks so grown up here.  Where is my little boy?  The years are just flying by...  It makes you think.