New Baby Boy for Yoko

Yoko (a close friend) had a baby boy on Saturday. His name is Arthur and he was born at 5:16 am on Saturday. He weighed in at 7 lbs, 4.9 oz, and streched out 21 inches. What a cutie!

Nothing Special

The weekend was full of nothing special. Steve re-coated the driveway, while I cleaned the house. I also worked on putting the tape of my dad's funeral on DVD. Of course, it was just all too fun for Nanny McPaige (who started another new blog), but we'll be making it up to her the next 2 weekends. Since there isn't much to write about for now, I'm posting pictures.

Vacation Envy

I always become insanely envious of people planning a great vacation. Domestic spots don't bother me so much, but tell me you have a long flight to somewhere exotic & I turn a dark shade of green especially when it is somewhere I have never been. Next month, my sister, mom & step-father are going to Singapore. What, a trip to the Far East? I look like an avocado. I also have a friend going to Doha, Qatar. Because I have been there before, she is asking me a lot of questions. My suggestions bring up many fond memories and now I want to go back. Plus, I have heard it has really changed in the last 10 years, so this trip makes me crazy too.

Add on to that, the fact that our big vacation is a road trip to Tallahassee, which is a very non-exotic place that I have been to many times. It even involves driving across the most boring parts of Florida. Plus, we'll be in the car about as long as we will be there (2 days for driving & 2 days to vist family members). The green is really overtaking my skin color. I just have to come to terms with the fact that our vacation time was used for funerals this year and we don't get to have any overly interesting experiences.

I admit a long flight with a baby isn't that appealing. Oh and my passport expired a few months ago. So, blah...Happy Friday from the green girl!

P.S. Please feel free to leave comments about your vacations (even exotic ones). That way, I can try to get over my envy issues and live vicariously through you.

Tags: travel, vacation envy, Doha, Qatar, Singapore

Black Magic Ignorance

One of my friends in Miami shared some gossip with me that blew my mind. A guy I have met once and heard numerous stories about has been a source of much confusion over the last few years. Everyone who knows him does not like him at all. He is extremely mean, disgustingly obese (belly hanging over the pants & his shirt doesn't cover it), sloppy, obsessed with porn (even at work), and is an all around loser. The strange thing is that his wife is the most beautiful, smart, and kind woman ever. There are some couples that just don't match, but this was beyond anyone's comprehension.

Ok - now for the gossip. The couple was finally getting a divorce because a mutual friend discovered invoices for voodoo dolls and other black magic paraphernalia that he had ordered with her name embroidered on it. For my friend, that completely explained the situation. For me, it was just extremely creepy. I don't think anyone should mess with black magic and that there are unexplainable things about it, but I hate to think that it caused this poor woman to marry a jerk. I have no idea how it works, but I assume that she was fairly susceptible.

Until I moved to Miami, I had heard stories about black magic being practiced in New Orleans or Mississippi, but no stories about people I even vaguely know. Once I got here, some of my friends have mentioned people they know that are into Santaria. Basically, all I know about that is that they wear white and sacrifice chickens. That might not even be black magic for all I know.

Since I am ignorant about the topic, I would like to know, can a form of devil worshiping really hex another person? If so, what would this woman's options be? Just curious....

Tags: black magic, voodoo dolls, Santaria

Daycare Decision

Insomnia attacked me last night. When something needs to be dealt with, I can usually get to sleep, but it always slaps me awake around 3am. Last night, it was the daycare issue that got to me. Mainly, I am bothered because I feel it is like picking a nursing home for a family member. There are no amazingly fabulous choices. I would rather not have to do it at all, but that isn't an option.

I narrowed my list down to two and was heavily leaning toward one. At 3am, I decided that I needed to compare the positive things about the 2 left.

Daycare #1: closer to work, only 4 babies (less sickness & less confusion), more flexible with time frame, could go there for lunch everyday without too much interruption, staff members working there for at least 5 years some 20, cheaper (although I don't want to consider that)

Daycare #2: webcam, large windows, take babies outside everyday

In the end, it came down to being able to picture myself going to Daycare #1. I am going to take the application in today. Now, let me pause to shed a tear.

Tags: daycare decision, tears

Haircut Heaven

I am absolutely horrible when it comes to making appointments including appointments with the doctor, dentist, and even hairstylist. Sometimes, I go 7 months without getting my haircut because I am lazy that way. It has been 5 and a half months since I had my last one (days before Lexi was born). I have even gotten lazy about styling it. Everyday, I would wash it & stick it up in a clip because blow drying the long mange seemed like it would take forever.

Today, I have vowed to halt that horrible trend. I visited my favorite flamboyant man in Florida. With a flip of his wrist, he summoned me to let me know it was my turn. I told him to cut off about 5 inches and that I just wanted something easier. I sat in his revolving chair & he started snipping away. He kept saying, "Ju need de long layers." Then, he got out his magic blow dryer and finished it up. Once the experience was over, he proclaimed, "Ju look fabulous!"

Of course it is fabulous, he has the touch. Too bad, it won't look this good when I do it. Fortunately, it should be a lot easier to style, but I probably better burn the clip to remove my lazy temptation.

Visiting Vizcaya

There are a few attractions in Miami that are still on our list of things to see. Yesterday, we knocked one of them off by visiting Vizcaya. This museum was an old villa built in the early 1900s in the style of the Italian Renaissance and adapted to the climate of South Florida. The first time I really heard about the place was when I was planning my wedding. We held our wedding at the Venetian Pool, and many people mentioned that it reminded them of a scaled down version of Vizcaya. That peeked our interest, but we didn't get around to going until yesterday.

I have to say that it is an amazing place. In fact, after we had gone through the villa and were out by the pool, I teased Steve that he could build me a house exactly like this in Texas. I told him that he should start practicing his hand carving skills. I wouldn't mind having the layout of the house, but I would keep the decor simple and forget about all that gold. Actually, I'll just stick with a modern day comfy home. It is hard enough to maintain.

By the way, Steve & I are doing very well. I guess he just needed a smack back to reality. He is acting like himself again. Hopefully, it sticks for a long time.

Tags: Vizcaya, Venetian Pool, Miami

Miami Gringa Spanish

I have been in Miami about seven and a half years and I have yet to learn Spanish, which is kind of embarrassing and is a problem in many situations. However, I have learned some key phrases/words that they probably don't teach in high school Spanish or on Learn Spanish in Your Car CDs. Most people probably visit Miami at least once in their lifetime, so I am going to share this wealth of knowledge on the internet (lucky you).

Rubio: blondie

Timbiriche: hole in the wall, dive, small out of the way eating establishment

Mucho trabajo poco dinero: lots of work, no money

Como estas: how are you? (ok, that one you probably learned in high school)

Muy cansada: very tired (my response to how are you?)

Chonga: low class/trashy girl

Chusma: low class/trashy girl (obviously there must be a few down here)

Balsero: person who just got off a boat from Cuba

Abuela: grandma (the person everyone here has to care for their baby, except me)

Maricon: gay guy (Actually, I think this is a harsher way to say it. I learned the word from a chant about Clinton during the protests of Elian Gonzalez.)

Cono: Oh crap!

Papo: hey man

Do you feel smarter already? I am sure these will help anyone make their way through the streets of Hialeah. Good LUCK!

**All accents on the words are not included because blogspot turns them into garbage.

**Disclaimer** Sorry for any offending words. We'll blame the people around me b/c I only know what they have taught me & the translations they provided.

Tags: Miami Gringa, Spanish Lesson

Fun on the 4th

As you can see, we went to South Beach to celebrate Independence Day. Although we have taken Lexi to the beach before, this was the first time I felt like the water was warm enough to take her in. She loved it. As for me, talk about freckles. HOLY MOLY! The sun has a way of making my skin go freaking crazy.

The best part about our little excursion was the memories it invoked. Today, I chose to dream about the perfect get-away. I am remembering trips to the Caribbean. There is nothing like laying in a hammock with the shade of palm fronds and a cool breeze. All of my troubles seem to float away with the waves. That is complete relaxation.

Tagged by E-mail

Since being tagged is one of the easiest posts, I decided to use an e-mail I received & put it on my blog. Thanks Alison! ...so, here are things you may not have known about me:

Four jobs I had had in my life (I'll add since college):
1. US Army Corps of Engineers in Doha, Qatar
2. Mall Management at Cherry Creek Mall in Denver, Colorado
3. PGS Tensor in Houston, Texas
4. A Coastal Engineering company in Miami, Florida no name b/c it was pure HELL

Four movies I would watch over and over:
1. The English Patient
2. Star Wars (oldest 3)
3. Some Kind of Wonderful
4. Legends of the Fall

Four places I have lived (I'll list childhood places):
1. Salem, Utah
2. Georgia
3. Melbourne, Florida
4. Katy, Texas

Four TV shows I love to watch:
1. BIG LOVE (HBO)
2. What Not To Wear (TLC)
3. Monk (USA)
4. Any documentary (HBO)

Four places I would return on vacation:
1. Bahamas
2. London
3. Manhattan
4. Estes Park, CO

Four places I visit on the internet:
1. Blogs listed on the right
2. Bank of America
3. E-mail
4. Hundreds for work

Four types of food I love to eat:
1. Salads with ranch dressing (anything with ranch really)
2. Turkey sandwiches
3. Frosty - from Wendy's
4. Homemade bread

Four places I would rather be right now:
1. Living in Texas
2. Sleeping in my bed
3. On a European vacation
4. Camping in the Rocky Mountains

Four people that I think will respond to the e-mail or the tag:
1. Emily
2. Paige
3. Amy (e-mail)
4. Nicole (e-mail)

P.S. I don't know if some of the bloggers listed on the right like these. If so, leave & comment & I'll tag you from now on.