Merry *uc*ing Christmas - love the Furnace

I hope you all had a great holiday week and are gearing up for the New Year.

I'm sorry I haven't posted for a few days but check out my Blogger account for a picture of what we came home to on Tuesday. The end result is that we've put out 5 grand for a new furnace. I spent all day Wednesday working with several sales people and finally got a decision made around 4 that afternoon.



It was going to be Thursday before we'd get a new furnace so the company brought over some floor space heaters and we had been running our electric fireplace in our bedroom and we were able to get the bedrooms up to about 70. Not too shabby. The rest of the house was about 55 but it was completely bearable.

Except for the price tag and headache of dealing with the salespeople.

I was hoping for a new oven and maybe a new dishwasher this year, but I think that's going to have to wait.
They said our heat pump (basically an AC but a little more advanced) should last another 4 or 5 years so I'm looking forward to maybe getting something a little newer next year.

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Chomp!

I think I now have permanent teeth marks in a very sensitive place. I'll post the picture I have of the little one's chompers. I don't have a good shot of all 4 of the sharp knives in her mouth, but, I've got the top blades in clear sight.

I'll just tell you - its enough some mornings to make me want to put her permanently on the bottle. It is better during the day but when she gets tired it leads to some major bite marks.

We've begun introducing her to some solid foods (Ok, they're mashed up, but it's not milk). She's had a few carrots and some pear, bread and apple. Its rare we give it to her so it's more of a treat, but, she's done well with it. I may introduce some more veggies as I don't want her to be overly excited about fruits (nothing wrong with fruits but veggies are higher on the nutrient factor).

I'm still going to keep nursing her through the first year and maybe a little longer. I was reading where sometimes a young child gets sick and the only thing you can get them to consume sometimes is breastmilk so keeping up the habit seems to have its benefits, but I'm thinking not completely exclusive.

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Monkeys, giraffes and Sesame Street

Elena cleaned up this year at Christmas. Mom and dad got her this great monkey that when you touch it starts wheeling around and is to encourage babies to start crawling. I have a feeling she's not too far away from it, but, if the monkey diesn't encourage it too much then I bet Nolan will make her jealous in February and she'll perk up and start chasing him.

My husband is appearantly not reading these posts as he didn't grab anything for me on the list I had posted. He did get me some nice stuff but maybe next time he'll listen to my friends. I love the stuff he got me, but I just wish he'd get me something that showed he knew me a bit better than I think he does.

Oh well. Maybe that's the 'benefit' of marriage.

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Burnout

I need a nice vacation. Part of me thinks I just want to get away by myself. Just a couple of days away to recharge. Definately leave the berry far far away. I'll get that in March when we go to Paraguay, but, I'll still have the baby and the craziness that is involved with transcontinental travel.

I'd like to have some time with my husband, too, but anymore that ends up frustrating me more than not being around him so I think a couple of days at the spa rejuvenating would be puuuuurrrrrfect. But I might not come back to work. I was just trying to revamp some of our trainings today and it just was soo painful. I couldn't think straight and I'm not liking anything I came up with. It's ok, but not my best work. I'll look over it again next week, but man, it was a brutal day.

I love my job. But maybe it's the lack of sleep I've had this week or just the fact I had two days off this week, but, I sooooooo don't want to go back to work. I'm just seemingly completely burned out. It's been a while since I had a vacation (maternity leave was great but didn't count, sorry) and the trip to Chicago for Bon Jovi was more bad than good.

Maybe its better to be burned out than have bad vacations. My cousin is getting married tomorrow and no one from Indiana will be able to go. I wanted to, but with the furnace kinda killed that idea when it committed suicide.

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Revenge of the 80s

So I had the TV on in the background yesterday afternoon and flipping through channels I saw Sci Fi was showing Airwolf.

OK - completely cheesy to say - but I LOVED with all my heart this show. I at that time was sooooo completely into air power and it was the coolest thing in the sky. I even at one point got the plastic model of The Lady and had it in my room.

I'm still in love with air power and if there's a show on about fighter jets and their history I will probably watch that over the other choices. I'd still love to learn how to fly a plane but I'd rather have the new dishwasher and oven.

I have been watching the previews for BSG and I'm wishing I had gotten into the show at a much earlier stage. Unfortunately I have parents and a husband who's not too keen on sci-fi things but after knowing enough people who are into the whole genre there are some very actual benefits of being into it. I'm not going to have a problem with Elena getting into it, I actually hope she does as there are some interesting philosophical and mathematical/physics lessons to be learned from it. I think only those with barriers around their mind really have a problem with the genre.

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Juan just got home so I better get ready to go play tennis again tonight. I haven't seen Elena all day and I won't till after we get done so I don't know when I'll get to say hello again, but, Happy New Year if I don't pop in before!!!!!

Chao!

La. Sra.

Abuela's arms

There's nothing more secure that Grandma's arms

Need a caption

Someone tell me what this little chica is thinking here:

My own submission to Domi's world

The many moods of Domi - feel free to add a caption, even thought I know they're not quite formatted right.



I've got this abuela around my finger




MMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm




Whatcha looking at?






I said, I didn't want to go outside!




I don't want to be anywhere but here




I think I may, I think I might . . . . .

Complete randomness

I am in such a need of a vacation!!!!!!!!!!!!

After playing 3 sets of tennis last night I'm completely worn out today. It's not a bad worn out, but I so totally want to hop into the jacuzzi tub with bubbles up to my neck and have the world go far far away - or at least the achiness.

I was quite rusty last night, but I won a service game toward the end of the night so it wasn't all for nothing. Although I didn't win any of my 3 sets. But, I think I'm going to be playing more regularly with the good doctor and maybe my husband if he can get home in time (we start around 7:30 so I'm pretty sure that would work for him). Plus, in the summer we'll all be able to play more at the in-laws court so we don't have to pay court fees.

I am in desperate need of new dedicated tennis shoes. Mine are pretty shot and my feet were happy to let me know this about half way through the second set. So between my shoes and the extra 30 pounds I'm carrying it was a long night.

But I did get to see the Jacked Up hits of the week while I was at the tennis club. I have agree with the number one hit of the week. I saw it on tv live and it was just as amazing last night as it was then. Purely impressive show of destruction. And it wasn't even a defensive player who made it - which is even more impressive.

So my gifts are wrapped and most of them are in their proper places. I took a bunch over last night to the in-laws so we wouldn't have to haul them Sunday. But the trick will be getting the big one home to mom and dads. If it all goes well and I like what they do with the gift (I'll tell you what it is later, once they have opened it) I may get myself one of these. I'm excited to see what they do with it.

I've been spoiled the past few years with Christmas and New Years on a weekend. This year I'm not so lucky. The weekend will be kinda long, but I'm used to getting the 2nd of January off but we don't this year - I'm acutally driving back to Indy that day due to a meeting on that Wednesday.

But one good thing of the new year is that my MIL will have two days off from the hospital so we won't have to take Elena to the sitters quite so often. She might be a little healthier, but I'm going to enjoy knowing she's getting time with abuela.

I was looking today online at ipods as I think that's something I really really want at somepoint soon especially with getting the treadmill this weekend. If I'm up early and want to have music I can't turn the tv onto a music channel without waking everyone so I'd be able to have music that doesn't skip. But, the impressive thing is that the (Product) RED (I think I got it right) Nano is the same price as all the other Nanos and they are giving $10 from each sale to Bono's charity. I appreciated that Apple didn't jack the price up the extra $10.

******Applause******** Way to be socially conscious and not money hungry over $10. *****Applause*******

Elena has discovered her ears. It's quite cute when she gets a hold of them. I'll see if I can't get a picture of her up on my blogger post.

I have to say I love the Blogger platform for blogs. It's much easier to post photos and it looks more sophisticated than some of the others I'm using. So, for your entertainment, check there every now and then to see what pics I have up. Any quizzes I take, though, will most likely be posted on Blurty or MySpace. I'm going to keep you on your toes!!!!

I hate my oven. I think I've said it before, but I really really hate my oven. It's the next thing (except maybe the furnace) to get replaced in this house. It takes forever and a day to heat and cook and I'm pretty sure all the elements are working correctly. I've been waiting almost an hour for it to hit 450 degrees and I think it's still not there. I'd like to get the chicken in there before the hubby calls to say he's coming home so it's ready at a decent time as I'd like to get out shopping for a few things tonight but I doubt that will happen.

Luckily the range works just fine, but it's hard to cook pre-frozen chicken breasts on a skillet. It just doesn't work well, although now that I think of it, it'd probably take just as long.

Elena's trying to crash. Her eyes are huge right now and she's rubbing them pretty hard, but she just won't crash. She was so happy when I got to Martha's today. She was in the swing watching her make some food. She was not being held and content. Something I don't get at home.

It must be a Mommy thing. If Mommy's around then she's got to be with me since her time during the week is so scarce.

I was thinking yesterday about what my husband could get me for Christmas and I remembered there are some coolass concerts headed this way next year. Why not 2 tickets and nice accomodations for us? That would be great. But, then again, I'm not sure he really knows music I like past Korn, LP and Bon Jovi, seeing those are the only concerts he's ever gone to with me. I was going to go with him and his office to Motley Crue/Aerosmith, but I was at mom and dads for meetings in Indy so I missed out.

I'm hoping he can come up with something other than a VS gift card. He's got to be more creative than that.

Well, the wee one went wee wee and I need to go change a diaper.

Sorry for the randomness, I'm in a rare mood today. Must be the tennis from last night.

Chao!!!

La. Sra.

Countdown begins

So, we've got one week left before Christmas.

Now, some of you may be saying, but it's on a Monday, but, the South American tradition is to celebrate on Christmas Eve, so, we do have only a week left before the celebrating begins.

Right now we've got most of everyone bought for and trying to finish it up is a lttle strenous. I know my husband hasn't bought anything for me yet. We went shopping yesterday and separated for a while and he came back with nothing.

See I made it hard for his this year. I told him he couldn't give me jewelry, but he could buy it while it was on sale and give it to me during other times of the year, but I didn't want it at Christmas. So now he's struggling to get me something. It'll be interesting to see what he gets me.

Now, to test him - T, no help directing him here. Honey, if you're reading this, good job. Welcome to my insanity that is my blog. I love you, I really do, regardless of the shit on here you read on my feelings of the moment.

For Christmas try not to opt out for the easy way and get me a sweater. I know you asked my my sweater size (you couldn't even hide it and say shirt size) and I do love the cashmere one you got me when you were in Indy, but, come up with something heartfelt and non-clothing (Ok sexy lingerie doesn't count as clothing), but get me something practical and emotionally sensitive.

I've been eyeing a green iPod Nano becuase I feel like the only person in the world without an iPod, but, they're a tad expensive and my parents are looking for something for me and I was thinking about telling them to get that for me.

I could use a nice jewelry box to hold all the nice sparkly things you've gotten me in the past. Nothing lavish, but something a little nicer than the one I have from my grandmother's old stash which is plastic with foam behind the plastic that looks like wood.

A good book of Calvin and Hobbes comics is always a good gift.

I just want to see what you come up with to see if you really know me and what I like.

I've now dropped some hints and if you're reading this, do something with it :)

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Baby Urlacher

I'm going to get some photos up, but, Elena's out in her Urlacher gear today and is tres cute.

But, even right now the Bears are struggling. Sexy Rexy couldn't win a game if he had to. Thank God they have some kind of defense, which is why, we've got baby Urlacher power.

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10 Bucks says I'm right

We ordered a treadmill yesterday. My MIL gave it to us as a gift for my husband. Now, it's going to be set up on Saturday and it'll be in the living room right in front of the TV.

Now, my husband says he's going to use it and that's why he's getting it. But . . . . I think I'll be using it more as I see my husband using it maybe once a week, which, granted, is better than nothing, it's still not enough to justify spending 2400 on it (yes, it was that much). But, if I can use it every day (which is my plan), then I can use my time at the Y wisely focusing more on weights and swimming rather than cardio past a little bit of a warmup.

My weight really hasn't changed in almost 6 months and I don't know why. Either I'm eating the wrong things (which could be b/c I can't take my meds) or I'm not eating enough. I'm allowed 38 points per DAY for my weight watchers and I know I'm not eating anywhere near that, but I'm eating more than the 24 I'm allowed if I'm not nurisng so I'm thinking it's more of I'm not eating enough.

So, once I get done nursing I'm going to give myself about 6 months (if that) to at least get back to my pre-preggers weight and if I can drop about 10 or 20 pounds less than that depending on the time of the year as I think we're going to try for another baby next year.

And, after looking at my face today, I'm in need of some weight loss as I'm looking fat, but I'm also a little flush so I don't know if I'm a little bloated.

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Global warming

You know, it might be a reality considering it's supossed to be in the 40s through the week and I haven't even seen what Christmas looks like. We had snow in the first week of Oct. and we've got tennis weather on Christmas.

Somebody's got some wires crossed somewhere and I'm not complaining too much, although a little snow on Christmas would be nice.

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Immigration and murders

I'm so sick of Lou Dobbs. That man needs to go away. He's got no idea how immigration works and he's as much of an instigator as O'Riley. I'm sorry, but, please stop instigating on things you know nothing about or take the time to learn its ins and outs so you can at least sound intelligent to those of us who enough to be dangerous.

If I were an illegal in a town where they were rounding us up, I'd be suing the town in a Federal Court if they hold me more than 48 hours and for wrongful arrest (if I was arrested solely on illegal resident charges locally) because it is a Federal issue, not a local issue, and I'm pretty sure the Feds would tell the Locals to F*ck off and stop the practice (unless they were arrested for a major crime in addition to their illegal status). Those communities are just asking for it. You can pass laws that prohibit the hiring and house of them, but you can't arrest them for the hell of it.

Speaking of arrests, you might be seeing my husband on TV (God I hope not on Dobbs or he will tell Lou to F*uck off right there on CNN) or in the papers in the coming year as he's one of the attorneys representing the woman in Elkhart, Angelica Alvarez, who murdered her four children about a month or so ago. It's going to be a long drawn out case which has already attracted international media interest so I'm sure as the trial nears and hearings progress he'll be the one chatting with the media unless his public defender boss says not to.

It'll be interesting. I just hope we don't get death threats at the house or we get stalked like people such as Dobbs or you might not hear from me for a while. We've had issues in the past about some people calling the office and making threats so we're going to unlist our number and address in the phone books for that reason, this will just give more of a reason to do so.

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The Barcelona game is about to come on so I'm going to get. My headache is getting a little worse, too. I'm hoping I don't need 3 percosets like I did on Thursday to get rid of it. It was bad bad bad. Luckily, my husband was able to come home at a decent time to help me with the baby, unlike last time.

I just want to know why every time I have a craving for Hacienda I end up with a migrane that causes me to puke. Hacienda the second time isn't worth eating it the first time.

Baby Urlacher is about to crash with Abuela. She didn't sleep well last night so she's catching up a little today with Abuela and myself.

If you don't hear from me before, Merry Christmas (it's a national holiday whether or not you're religious and if you don't want any benefit from it, don't shop for 4 months or pay full price whether or not it's on sale and work on the 25th for straight pay and no additional day off you stupid asses here in America, parapluie, that's not aimed at you, dear) and happy holidays and New Year.

La. Sra.