Back in February 2009 I got "tagged" to do this (a Facebook thing). Someone just commented on it that I haven't seen in almost 20 years and they said they were not at all surprised by it. So I re-read it and it made me laugh because I guess I really am more or less the same as when I was 11. Thought you all might enjoy:
1. I have a fear of seaweed. So much that I hate swimming in lakes. Yuck.
2. I could eat the same thing every day for at least six months. If I like something, I don’t really get sick of it. I think this bodes well for Ray. :)
3. Our house and our car both totally smell like dog and we have accepted that this will always be the case. Other people hate it, but I think it is well worth it.
4. I have an obsession with Excel spreadsheets. I even do pro-forma financials and run what-if scenarios.
5. I am a lot shyer than people think. If I don’t know someone well, I will pretty much just sit there silently wondering what I should say. Once I cross that barrier though I can and will talk a LOT.
6. I HATE talking on the phone. I don’t know why really, but I hate it. I try to get over it though because all of my family and most of my good friends live far away and I don’t want to lose touch.
7. When I first met Ray I thought his name was Brian. I was trying to figure out who he was without being obvious and (clearly) wasn’t doing a very good job.
8. If money and time was not an object, I would probably have tattoos all over my body. I feel like they are little pieces of artwork that illustrate your journey.
9. A (large) part of me wants to sell everything we own, quit our jobs and get a Sportsmobile Expedition Van and travel indefinitely.
10. I am fairly conflict averse, but some things make me really angry. Like drinking and driving. And the lady around the corner that screams at her children and makes them cry.
11. I think I might be borderline OCD about some things. For example, I hate it when my arm hairs don’t all go in the right direction and I compulsively “fix” them. Ray likes to mess them up without me noticing and it REALLY annoys me.
12. I don’t like watching movies. I get very emotionally involved and so it is really draining for me. Plus, I have an overactive imagination so I will wake up in the middle of the night for weeks and replay the whole movie in my head. Very annoying.
13. It makes me happy to take showers so hot that it scalds my skin. Maybe because I am usually cold… but I love it.
14. When I first moved to SF I did not have a TV, internet, computer, microwave, car, friends… and I am so glad I didn’t.
15. I love my in-laws.
16. I love the fact that I know most of the people on my block and my UPS guy Jose and Francisco that owns the taqueria around the corner and the guys that work at the corner market. It makes this feel like home.
17. It fills me with love when my dogs make strange gurgly noises, scratch their bellies, try to sleep on my head or sit on my lap (or laptop) while I am working. I love those beasts to pieces.
18. I hate name brand things – especially clothes. I would prefer nothing had a name on it.
19. I miss my family and my girlfriends so much.
20. Sometimes I feel more Filipina than Dutch.
21. I could spend hundreds of dollars a month on books. I get all warm and fuzzy walking through bookstores.
22. The 2 things in my diet I would most hate to give up are coffee and wine – the bookends to my day. :)
23. I always hoped and never quite believed that I would meet someone so perfect for me as Ray. I still think everyday how grateful I am and almost cannot believe it is real.
24. I wish I could spend more time drawing/painting, but I am too overly responsible and I cannot turn off the to-do list in my mind.
25. I get a lot of pleasure out of good food. Not good-expensive, but good-yummy.
The End.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Scoe in the CO
Happy baby + family time *heart* = successful trip to Colorado!
I am actually in a bit of shock still at what a champ Roscoe was on our trip. He fussed a bit on the flight there, but he was overall pretty easygoing about the thing, working his charm, smiling at random people. We got lucky and they upgraded us to roomy seats and we got to sit together so yay for that. (Not so lucky on the way back - they seated us across the plane from each other, each in a middle seat. Yeah right, like someone wants to sit in a window seat smashed in by a wiggly, slobbery baby. Thankfully, a very kind woman swapped with Ray and we got to sit together. Double team is key). Speaking of the way home, we waited at the airport for ages for Ray's dad. Turns out the door of our borrowed car (ours is getting a bumper) doesn't shut very easily and wasn't shut after Big Ray dropped us off at the airport, so the battery was dead when he got back in to pick us up. His dad finally rolls up in his Wrangler. Um... Maybe you all haven't ridden in a Wrangler, but I can tell you it is a rough ride (and I am used to offroading so you know I know). And has NO trunk. And we were coming from almost a week away with a baby and lots of luggage. It was an interesting (and thankfully short) trip back to the In-Laws'.
So, back to Colorado...we flew into Denver and on our way to Colorado Springs the skies were blue and the clouds were fluffy. Even while it sprinkled rain! I was thinking, man, CO never really has total crap weather. Bwahaha. Joke's on me because the rest of the weekend it pissed down rain and gave SF gray skies a run for their money. Meanwhile, it was sunny and 75* in SF. What are the chances?!
Here are some highlights from our trip:
- Meeting his cousins! Roscoe got to meet Connor and Ramon (and his Uncle Joel and Aunt Karen). It was great seeing them all interacting and I really can't wait for Christmas for all the Top cousins to hang out together!
- He also met many, many second cousins, great aunts and uncles and his great grandma. I really enjoyed reconnecting with family I rarely see and hope we do it again sometime.
- And let's not forget his favorite avian friend, Grandma Bird! It was hard to tell which of them was enjoying their conversations and cuddles more. I think my mom almost burst with happiness seeing all of her grandkids in one day (too bad the Chi ones were only in the morning on the way to the airport). We may need to rescusitate her at Christmas when they are all in one room.
- Friday morning I was snuggling Roscoe I bed when I felt something especially warm... Yes, folks, he had explosively pooped all over himself, me and Joel & Karen's sheets (sorry, guys, I owe you).
- Another morning cuddle found Roscoe flopping back and forth between us, rubbing our faces and sticking his fingers in our mouths and noses (his new trick) and then trying to suck on Ray's back. This is one entertaining kid is all I have to say.
- Roo had his first swimming experience in the hotel pool. We just sat on the stairs and let him kick his little legs around, but he sure dug it. I actually remembered to bring the video camera (gasp) but the battery was dead (boohoo).
- It was a big water weekend for him as he also had his first shower with his Tatay. I didn't even ruin it with my hovering, terrified he would flop around like a slippery bar of soap.
- One of the family reunion adventures was going this extreme sport gladiator place (v. fun). One of the "games" found me standing on this little pedestal holding a yoga ball type thing and Ray in a giant swing being underdogged and pushed full force towards me. Of course I went flying into this massive pit of yoga balls with only minor shaken brain syndrome. You know Ray has been waiting for that game since we stopped sparring together where roughing each other up a bit (in the most loving way, of course) is not only acceptable but encouraged.
- We got to see Joel and Karen's new house (so cute) and walk around their neighborhood and see their parks and Connor's many playgrounds (the main playground, the tunnel playground, the brown playground, etc.)
- Oh yeah, and I chopped the hair (again). I was about due for the chop and re-grow cycle.
We were spoiled, as always, with J & K's hospitality and it was a great trip. I can't believe we didn't take more pics, but here are some:
There are more here.
I am actually in a bit of shock still at what a champ Roscoe was on our trip. He fussed a bit on the flight there, but he was overall pretty easygoing about the thing, working his charm, smiling at random people. We got lucky and they upgraded us to roomy seats and we got to sit together so yay for that. (Not so lucky on the way back - they seated us across the plane from each other, each in a middle seat. Yeah right, like someone wants to sit in a window seat smashed in by a wiggly, slobbery baby. Thankfully, a very kind woman swapped with Ray and we got to sit together. Double team is key). Speaking of the way home, we waited at the airport for ages for Ray's dad. Turns out the door of our borrowed car (ours is getting a bumper) doesn't shut very easily and wasn't shut after Big Ray dropped us off at the airport, so the battery was dead when he got back in to pick us up. His dad finally rolls up in his Wrangler. Um... Maybe you all haven't ridden in a Wrangler, but I can tell you it is a rough ride (and I am used to offroading so you know I know). And has NO trunk. And we were coming from almost a week away with a baby and lots of luggage. It was an interesting (and thankfully short) trip back to the In-Laws'.
So, back to Colorado...we flew into Denver and on our way to Colorado Springs the skies were blue and the clouds were fluffy. Even while it sprinkled rain! I was thinking, man, CO never really has total crap weather. Bwahaha. Joke's on me because the rest of the weekend it pissed down rain and gave SF gray skies a run for their money. Meanwhile, it was sunny and 75* in SF. What are the chances?!
Here are some highlights from our trip:
- Meeting his cousins! Roscoe got to meet Connor and Ramon (and his Uncle Joel and Aunt Karen). It was great seeing them all interacting and I really can't wait for Christmas for all the Top cousins to hang out together!
- He also met many, many second cousins, great aunts and uncles and his great grandma. I really enjoyed reconnecting with family I rarely see and hope we do it again sometime.
- And let's not forget his favorite avian friend, Grandma Bird! It was hard to tell which of them was enjoying their conversations and cuddles more. I think my mom almost burst with happiness seeing all of her grandkids in one day (too bad the Chi ones were only in the morning on the way to the airport). We may need to rescusitate her at Christmas when they are all in one room.
- Friday morning I was snuggling Roscoe I bed when I felt something especially warm... Yes, folks, he had explosively pooped all over himself, me and Joel & Karen's sheets (sorry, guys, I owe you).
- Another morning cuddle found Roscoe flopping back and forth between us, rubbing our faces and sticking his fingers in our mouths and noses (his new trick) and then trying to suck on Ray's back. This is one entertaining kid is all I have to say.
- Roo had his first swimming experience in the hotel pool. We just sat on the stairs and let him kick his little legs around, but he sure dug it. I actually remembered to bring the video camera (gasp) but the battery was dead (boohoo).
- It was a big water weekend for him as he also had his first shower with his Tatay. I didn't even ruin it with my hovering, terrified he would flop around like a slippery bar of soap.
- One of the family reunion adventures was going this extreme sport gladiator place (v. fun). One of the "games" found me standing on this little pedestal holding a yoga ball type thing and Ray in a giant swing being underdogged and pushed full force towards me. Of course I went flying into this massive pit of yoga balls with only minor shaken brain syndrome. You know Ray has been waiting for that game since we stopped sparring together where roughing each other up a bit (in the most loving way, of course) is not only acceptable but encouraged.
- We got to see Joel and Karen's new house (so cute) and walk around their neighborhood and see their parks and Connor's many playgrounds (the main playground, the tunnel playground, the brown playground, etc.)
- Oh yeah, and I chopped the hair (again). I was about due for the chop and re-grow cycle.
We were spoiled, as always, with J & K's hospitality and it was a great trip. I can't believe we didn't take more pics, but here are some:
There are more here.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Busy, Busy Bees
Things have been extra busy lately and this might be the worst possible time to write as I am behind on everything and have crazy deadlines I can't imagine how I will meet... but if I don't write now I won't for another week or so. And I think I need the outlet before I lose my mind officially and completely.
So in a nutshell, here is what we have been up to:
- Last-last weekend (Memorial Day weekend) Ray had to pick up some car part from Santa Cruz so we made it a little family road trip. I love the drive down the coast and we took Roscoe to Our Spot (where Ray proposed and then where we went right before Roscoe was born). We got a family photo there as proof of how much has changed in the last few years... engaged, married, pregnant, baby...
- We gave Roscoe an avocado "milkshake" and he did not like it much. He had avocados a few times last week and only finished them once. And it was with Liz. Maybe she tried the TV trick, I have no idea, but he will not eat them with anyone else.
- We found out another one of our friends is pregnant (Jen from the gym). YAY!
- Sunday we took Roscoe to Carnaval, the latin parade/festival in our 'hood. It is quite the spectacle and he seemed thoroughly entertained.
- We got a new dryer that actually dries our clothes (yes, our basement is very much like a dungeon):
- We had some dear friends over for a BBQ yesterday and I made my favorite bread pudding from Tartine (Ray got me the cookbook) and it was yummilicious. I even made homemade caramel to sautee the strawberries and blueberries in for on top of the bread pudding... I was a little in awe that it actually turned out and was very happy to have friends to share it with (even if they teased me for being That Girl that has a cute little place in SF with her amazing husband and baby and just whips together a fab bread pudding for my artsy, hipster friends. It makes me laugh how other people see my life sometimes when I mostly see (smell) spit up and dog hair on everything and dust bunnies and legs that need a good shaving and all of those head-sized holes in the kitchen... It is good to be reminded how truly lucky I am to have the life I always wanted, spit up and all).
- After the BBQ our neighbor, Greg, and his girlfriend, Katrina (yes, ANOTHER one!) came over for some dessert and sangria and chatter.
- Yesterday morning we had fed Roscoe a bit of sweet potato (milkshake, of course) and he did not like it much (picky little thing already!). Good thing he only had a little because it seemed to cause a very bad reaction. Right as the BBQ friends were leaving he started crying and we couldn't quite figure out why and then I changed his diaper... think burnt/almost blistery red covering everything that the diaper covers... poor little monkey-boo. It has gotten better with lots of Calming Diaper Rash Cream and frequent changes, but still looks pretty raw.
- Last night I felt myself teetering on the edge of losing my mind as I started to mentally run through everything I need to get done before Tuesday night and wondering how it would be possible when I got another little nugget of news... wait for it...
Our nanny quit. She is moving to Mexico. And since Ray is taking the next couple of weeks off for paternity leave and she is leaving in a couple weeks today is his last day there. And we found out last night as I was getting ready for bed. And today is his last day. Yes, today. UGH. After all of the heartache of trying to find someone we were comfortable with and then leaving him before we had planned because we liked her and didn't want to lose her and doing the background checks and getting our groove down with the picking up and dropping off and Roscoe bonding with her... today is his last day. It lasted a whole whopping 7.5 weeks. So, now we are starting over. But when??? I honestly cannot do it before Colorado or I won't get my work done (big deal). Then we are gone for 6 days. Then I only have exactly 2 weeks to find someone new. Someone who I can trust with the most precious little person in the world to me. Double ugh.
But I can't hate her because I would do the same thing if I were in her place. They were struggling to make it in SF after she quit her job to stay with her daughter (we are basically her only source of income and it's only for 2 days a week). They have no family here to help them out with their baby. And he is a chef and got an offer to partner with an investor to open his own restaurant. Near family. Of course they should go. But I am sad that we have to start over and I am sad because Roscoe really does like her. When I dropped him off this morning he gave her a giant smile and my heart broke a little. Here are a couple photos of Liz and her adorable little girl Elisa... we'll miss them!
So in a nutshell, here is what we have been up to:
- Last-last weekend (Memorial Day weekend) Ray had to pick up some car part from Santa Cruz so we made it a little family road trip. I love the drive down the coast and we took Roscoe to Our Spot (where Ray proposed and then where we went right before Roscoe was born). We got a family photo there as proof of how much has changed in the last few years... engaged, married, pregnant, baby...
- We gave Roscoe an avocado "milkshake" and he did not like it much. He had avocados a few times last week and only finished them once. And it was with Liz. Maybe she tried the TV trick, I have no idea, but he will not eat them with anyone else.
- We found out another one of our friends is pregnant (Jen from the gym). YAY!
- Sunday we took Roscoe to Carnaval, the latin parade/festival in our 'hood. It is quite the spectacle and he seemed thoroughly entertained.
- We got a new dryer that actually dries our clothes (yes, our basement is very much like a dungeon):
- We had some dear friends over for a BBQ yesterday and I made my favorite bread pudding from Tartine (Ray got me the cookbook) and it was yummilicious. I even made homemade caramel to sautee the strawberries and blueberries in for on top of the bread pudding... I was a little in awe that it actually turned out and was very happy to have friends to share it with (even if they teased me for being That Girl that has a cute little place in SF with her amazing husband and baby and just whips together a fab bread pudding for my artsy, hipster friends. It makes me laugh how other people see my life sometimes when I mostly see (smell) spit up and dog hair on everything and dust bunnies and legs that need a good shaving and all of those head-sized holes in the kitchen... It is good to be reminded how truly lucky I am to have the life I always wanted, spit up and all).
- After the BBQ our neighbor, Greg, and his girlfriend, Katrina (yes, ANOTHER one!) came over for some dessert and sangria and chatter.
- Yesterday morning we had fed Roscoe a bit of sweet potato (milkshake, of course) and he did not like it much (picky little thing already!). Good thing he only had a little because it seemed to cause a very bad reaction. Right as the BBQ friends were leaving he started crying and we couldn't quite figure out why and then I changed his diaper... think burnt/almost blistery red covering everything that the diaper covers... poor little monkey-boo. It has gotten better with lots of Calming Diaper Rash Cream and frequent changes, but still looks pretty raw.
- Last night I felt myself teetering on the edge of losing my mind as I started to mentally run through everything I need to get done before Tuesday night and wondering how it would be possible when I got another little nugget of news... wait for it...
Our nanny quit. She is moving to Mexico. And since Ray is taking the next couple of weeks off for paternity leave and she is leaving in a couple weeks today is his last day there. And we found out last night as I was getting ready for bed. And today is his last day. Yes, today. UGH. After all of the heartache of trying to find someone we were comfortable with and then leaving him before we had planned because we liked her and didn't want to lose her and doing the background checks and getting our groove down with the picking up and dropping off and Roscoe bonding with her... today is his last day. It lasted a whole whopping 7.5 weeks. So, now we are starting over. But when??? I honestly cannot do it before Colorado or I won't get my work done (big deal). Then we are gone for 6 days. Then I only have exactly 2 weeks to find someone new. Someone who I can trust with the most precious little person in the world to me. Double ugh.
But I can't hate her because I would do the same thing if I were in her place. They were struggling to make it in SF after she quit her job to stay with her daughter (we are basically her only source of income and it's only for 2 days a week). They have no family here to help them out with their baby. And he is a chef and got an offer to partner with an investor to open his own restaurant. Near family. Of course they should go. But I am sad that we have to start over and I am sad because Roscoe really does like her. When I dropped him off this morning he gave her a giant smile and my heart broke a little. Here are a couple photos of Liz and her adorable little girl Elisa... we'll miss them!
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