hi. who are you?

i just realized this blog has had nearly 10,000 views. and i don't think that's counting pages at all. i probably account for a good chunk of them because i love to come see my sweeties during the day as my mood starts to slip. if they caused the mood, i totally stay away though - just bein' honest!

so, who are you that reads this blog? well...not much to read these days so who are you all looking at my gorgeous kiddo's from your work computer or home laptop?! I know of a few followers but that just seems like a high number of hits considering I just started this blog when I became pregnant with Oliver. I'd have to verify that by checking my first post, but I'm pretty sure of it.

most of you know that my purpose of this blog is to bridge the gap between houston and dallas. it's a pg-13 family blog pretty much. you've figured that out by now, it's just not that exciting. it's undeniably a great way to keep the far-flung family members apprised of everything that's going on in our world. all the loose teeth, attitudes, "best of" kinds of things that happen constantly. hey, at least we've moved away from bowel movements, "we're slightly out of the mullet phase but not quite out of the mullet phase" conversations, and pictures that you look back on and wonder why you really did think they were that cute. because you've REALLY got cute pictures now!

i suppose i rant too. if i look back just a few posts i can smell the stench of discontent in my life and i have no idea why i force you all to take a whiff! i apologize! this isn't facebook! and you won't catch me on facebook with a personal account to make those sorts of comments either so deal with them here for as long as you can please. i'm just not a FB fan, i'm a fan of just being humans again. i see the positive sides and i love the arguments, but i see the ugly side, the ruined relationships, lines being crossed...and i want none of it. read some statistics on just how many divorces end because of inappropriate relations on dumb social networking sites. it's ridiculous that our society, the one that didn't plan to turn into this, turned into this anyways. it's just an opinion of mine that a good chunk of the people that use those sites all day have just assumed a new "Internet personality" and in person they've become so flat and dull. that's what happens when you misrepresent yourself i guess. i'm not dogging all FB users yall so don't go throwing stones at me! this isn't directed at anyone i know so i still love you silly kids! i just can't be with you in your cyberspace world because of what it's uncontrollably cluttered with! muah-ha-ha!! and maybe i'm thanking you for being with me here. Thanks for coming!
But how long will i be able to hide in my ethical little corner anyways, eh?! hahahha. Little Perfect Me. (i hope you find the humor in that because I really am cracking a joke at you). whoever you are.

Pic Post Pic Post Pic Post Pic Post Pic Post

Yeah, I can type it 5 times fast, but.......












Man, aren't my Twinkies getting big?! My sweet "Rupunzel" looks like a missile collided with her mouth, and my little "throw-back", Oliver, is dressing like Mr. Rogers, and we aren't sweatin' it one bit! They're doing well these days. A 4 and half day trip to Dallas and no real melt-downs. Kiran topped it off with a 10-bell victory. (We're still working on our reward system). I think we're going ice skating for her mini-field trip. I've also got tickets to see the Nutcracker Ballet as my beautiful neighbor once again comes through. We'll make sure to coordinate a night to watch her dance the lead in The Nutcracker at the Wortham since it's Kiran's favorite ballet and Melody is her favorite ballerina in the entire world of course! And the hook-up was fabulous so Thanks Mel!

I'll take one more second of your time to brag about Kiran's school! She's doing so well and making pretty much all A's and B's! Maybe it doesn't matter to some people but she's in fact in grade school now and it matters very much to me that she stays well ahead with everything. She's learning everything in spanish pretty much so it's important to see her achieve the highest grades in all of areas they're evaluating her on. Most importantly she loves school this year. Her teacher has made a world of difference and it's rare that she wakes up and complains about having to go to school. At most we get daily objections to the uniform, but I cling to Hope that she'll realize that the dress code will not just go away one day!

Isn't her hair getting SUPER DUPER LONG?! I can't wait to take her to see tangled. Maybe she'll think twice! ;-P

Cell Phone Pics

I haven't whipped out my nice camera in a bit now so to hold you over, and to decorate my blog a bit, and maybe even to cover up that embarrasing rant below, here are some gorgeous kids!

My next move

This was the one time I really deserved a major raise. Scratch that, I stopped looking at it like a raise a long time ago. I have felt my entire salary should be reassessed a long time ago. My work load has not just increased but multiplied. We're probably talking 800% really. I keep these Neurosurgeons in the operating room quite literally. I perform skillfully and I feel like I go beyond proficiency in pretty much most of the areas of my job. The doctors say so, why not take their word?! :-) I'm taking on 2 new components to track for 1800 applicants during 2011. The thought makes me want to cry but I put on my brave face and continue making suggesstions to streamline this. I travel so many times a year, a week at a time often, without overtime unless I go over 40. I have to be away from my family and I put my life on hold and get no recoup time when i'm back. I feel like I should at the very least be compensated for it. I work harder than anyone in the office and I'm not compenstated for that either. Yes, I know you can hear me complaining and you've heard it before. Just wait there's more! On top of it all, the day after raises were decided, we lost a member of our 4 person staff. Were raises re-evaluated? No! Will this persons work get thrown on my desk? Yes.

So, on this note, I need a job to help better take care of my family. These people don't seem to care that I have two children, pay out of my ears for insurance, and make very little for the stress and grief they cause me! It's your job if you're reading this to let me know of a cozy and perfect environment that is just waiting to embrace me.

child speak

WARNING: Use of Potty Mouth, May Not Be Intended For Anyone Under The Age Of 13

Kiran: I think we should get another cat

Oliver: yeah, another cat

Kiran: Ooh, no, we should get a dog! Daddy, don't you think we should get a dog?

(wait for it, wait for it!)
Oliver: yeah, lets get a dog!!!

(wait for it, wait for it.....)
Kiran: Lets get a Poodle

Oliver: EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

Oliver's interpretation? He heard [Pooh-duhl]. Oh the things going through a boys mind. if it's not a truck, then it's likely a motorcycle. If neither of those made the cut you better believe it's pooh they're thinking about. Folks, listen up. I raise my boy with hugs and kisses. I raise him without a gender role as best as I can. I am enjoying the car thing, but I also like to introduce the arts, the music, heck even the dolls! But, when they say boys will be boys it's just as true as water is wet. It's obviously attributed to societal influences, ones I'll never be able to stop, and some are just instinctual.

Anyways, if you could just hear it. i'm sure i butchered it, but all that matters is his response to poodles! hahahahahah.

- - - just a reminder - - -

just a reminder of why i don't need to have another bun in the oven. simply because my oven is one of those double wides for mom's who have expansive kitchen's because they entertain for parties of 20 or more all the time. i mean, LOOK at that oven! you could bake caseroles, brownies, pies, cookies, and breakfast rolls all at the same time. I don't need my oven to get that big again. oh, and i don't even think that's hot, so i'm sorry but what comes out of a oven that can no longer sizzle like it used to will just be no good. to anyone.

this turned into a pity party because i feel old i think. or do i want a baby? or NOT want a baby?! ha.

Hmmm, SOMEone sounds a little bipolar this morning.....

Still Spinning

I don't think I have had a breather in about 4 or 5 days. It's like that last 4 weeks in your 3rd trimester of pregnancy where your baby is positioned just so, putting more pressure on your lungs, making it impossible. Well, my kids are on the outside with this very wearing pressure right on my nerves (somehow) and I just can't breathe! I don't know, I guess I just had so much to do! I stress very easily and I'm sure it has something to do with working for Neurosurgeons. You think?!

I am Secretary and Treasurer of the PTA at Oliver's School. I'm very honored for this role and want to help in every way. I am unable to assist as much for the PTA at Kiran's school though. I was planning on supporting their fall festival but ended up focusing on Oliver's. Friday I had to attend his and it actually was very successful! I rushed from there to band practice, then home to dinner. Daddy had the best vegetarian meatloaf and I think even bathed kids. Godsend! We tucked them in and I may have passed out due to exhaustion. He'll probably agree.

Saturday we awoke early to continue running errands to get our costumes in order. It was one store, to another, to another. Don't forget nap time! Wait, lunch and THEN nap time. Erica, don't forget to stress out because you forgot the kids DEFINITELY need to eat before napping and that you probably won't make it to that last store before getting them to bed on time.

I had a concert Saturday night and before then I was taking two friends to a Haunted House..Nightmare on the Bayou for those who live here and know of it. $30 a head plus a lousy t-shirt. We all thoroughly enjoyed it though. I still love that haunted house and get scared every time I go in. I'm not the "scaredy-cat" type at all, but there is something about the actors they hire there. The haunted hospital building we all went into was the creepiest. So, after my 30 minute long scream fest I had to go sing. la-la-la-la-la. Ok, TRY to sing is more like it, I totally wore my voice out. On a high note, if you'll enjoy my pun, we played with some great touring bands: Colour Revolt, The Eastman Si, and Mimicking Birds. There was one more I really loved and I can't remember their name. The singer was dressed up as Joaquin Phoenix (suit, sunglasses, super-scruffy beard). Excellent idea!

Yesterday, Finally, Halloween. Sam, had a very happy birthday party combined with the Halloween celebration. The party was just awesome. His parents always go all out for him. They built the best home-made haunted house I've ever seen in my entire life. Tied apples to tries, hid skeleton parts in their yard for the kids to hunt and piece together, set-up pumpkin ball bowling, had a pinata, goody bags, and for me....about 8 mopeds that they're working on and I have my eye on about 3 trying to figure out which I will buy when I'm done paying back daddy the money I owe him. It'll be years but I'll get there! :-)

Alas, costumes! I'll first thank Raygan and Jaxson for letting us borrow the Pirate Costume. Oliver just fell in love and I don't think he understood how cute he looked. He won best costume at The party last night and we got to school this morning to find out he also won best costume at his entire school as well! He doesn't understand it yet so much, but it will be neat to keep these awards and show him when he's older. He was really a sight to behold!



Kiran looked radiant as well! We ended up getting some cute boots and tights to go with her bee costume. We didn't punk it out as much as she wanted and didn't find time to braid her hair with black ribbon, but she was pleased with the costume anyways!

Sam was dressed as Harry Potter, the perfect I've ever seen! At school, Jaxson dressed as Oliver's little hero, Iron Man! Adorable! I have to put a pic of Mr. Chris the teach in Pre-K 3! He was dressed in an Avatar costume that made a few kids cry. I think that was really funny! (i just re-read my sentence, I sound like a really bad person!). So, this has gone on far too long. I'd actually keep typing but i need to get work done. We have doctors flying in for Oral exams next week and we have plenty to prepare for them. And just know that I brought not even ONE piece of candy into the office today. i knew better!