Missing in action

Once again, where have I been?! I come and go, but more go then come here. My time is precious and this blog just hasn't made it onto my priority list ( even though I think about blogging all the time ). I keep telling myself things are going to change and I will become a faithful Sassy Shoe blogger once again and just simply a faithful blogger. Period, and then reality laughs at me and says, " Ha-ha-ha-ha, that's what you think". Oh well, the intention is there, even though time isn't. I will just have to visit my blog when I get the chance and hope that at least one other person still visits me every once in a while to see if there has been any new blog update. OH! Like right now = ) ( but, then again, it's 6:30 in the morning! Ha. )!

I do hope to return soon though, because I have exciting stories I would love to share with my friends including some personal items I would like to just simply document for myself. For instance, Alexis started 1st grade this year, she's a full on, full fledged school age kid!! Then there is my sweet Sophia who just celebrated her 4th birthday and just started Junior Theater and then there is is ME who just returned from Hawaii! Wow, what an amazing experience! Oh, so many more things I would like to talk about it, like Sassy Shoe Thursdays! Do you guys remember that? Gosh, I miss blogging about my shoes, I remember a time when SST WAS a priority and would faithfully snap the picture of a shoe I gave the honor to and hit publish every Thursday back in the Myspace days. Good times I still have to give credit to my pal Angela for that idea ( Sorry, Angela I still don't know how to put a link other wise I would put a link on your name that would take friends to your amazing blog page) .

I would also like to talk about my quite times that I have been having with God because they have been amazing. He is working over time on me and my heart is so filled with His grace and blessings! I am bursting inside with joy at what He is and has done in me over this Summer break. You see, sooooo much to share! Well, we'll see how it goes, I just wanted to quickly type out this one blog just in case there was still one of you out there who hasn't given up on my blog completely, if you are reading this, then this was for you, I wanted to give you something to read on my page so you come back again, and thanks for stopping by = ) .

Okay, gotta go and wake up Alexis for school. God bless.

Man in the Mirror

I was 7-years old when Elvis died, but I was to young to know who he was and much less mourn his death. But now that Michael Jackson is gone I know what loosing Elvis must of felt like to the generation before mine. I didn’t know the Jackson Five, but I knew Thriller very well.

I was in the third grade when I was first introduced to the king of pop. I remember my teacher wheeling in the 27-inch TV into the classroom and once the Thriller video premier played, 24 little mouths fell agape. At that moment little did I know this artist I was watching for the first time was going to raise a major landmark on my road from childhood to adolescent. Michael’s music inspired me and made me dream of becoming a super star myself: obviously it never happened, but it sure was a fun dream to dream. But, it was his unique and athletic never seem before dance moves that moon walked him into my heart.

His music and his presence is laced through out my early years, and that is why it feel as though my childhood has come to some kind of an official end now that he is gone. I am still in shock, and find it hard to believe that he is gone (Michael Jackson is dead. Michael. Jackson!) I keep turning on the news in hopes to hear that he was revived on the way to the hospital and his death is just an out of control rumor. Maybe it was all a publicity stunt for his upcoming tour! But. I still haven’t heard that part of the news. Must be true then.

When Elvis died Michael picked up that torch which leaves me wondering what upcoming artist will pick up Michael’s torch and become the next generation’s music legend.

Michael I truly hope you are resting in peace because you came to your Savior.



1958-2009

"The balloon book made mommy cry"

For the last few weeks I have been reading my girls their first chapter book! "UP" was an obvious book choice for me since it's a book where a million balloons come shouting out of your HOUSE and you get to FLY AWAY to a distant land! There's a grumpy old man who uses a mechanical chair to come down the stairs of his house, and a sweet boy scout boy who is persistent to earn his patch for "helping the elderly". This book was the perfect pick and I couldn't wait to get started on it!

The girls and I have really been enjoying it every night, but, I sometime think I have been enjoying it a little bit more then they have. Lately, I have been loosing their attention because they rather put pony tails in my hair as I read. They have even left the room to find hair clips for my hair! BUT. I. just. keep. on. reading. No way Jose, I am not going to stop, I want to know what is going to happen to that crazy bird! And, what's this? A dog that talks?! How can I stop, I need to know what is going to happen next! Well, tonight the book didn't make me laugh, it made me. Cry! Alexis and Sophia were in the middle of brushing my hair and yanking out a few thousands of strands of hair with each stroke of the brush when my crackling voice stopped the torture to my head. I was barely able to make it through this one paragraph.....sniff, sniff, sniff. Aaaaah, why am I crying? This is a KIDS BOOK?! Since, I don't want to ruin the movie for anyone I won't mention what happened today during my reading.

Anyways, we have two more chapters to go and we are done reading the book "UP", and then we will watch the movie!! If you get that chance read the book, to your children, it's a very sweet story.

Pages from my bedroom: Quarantine (kind of) day 5

Eyes are shut and I think about what my body is feeling. Headache? No. Achiness? NO. Fever? No. Coughing & sneezing? NO. Runny nose? NO. I'm ALIVE! YES, HEALTHY AND ALIVE! Woot-woot, and I thank God. After my happy wiggle- laying-in-bed-dance I think about my children and I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE! I NEED to touch them. I get up and share the good news with Damon (*Damon has been sleeping down stairs all week, poor guy) and we decide that today is the day I kinda of come out of quarantine day! The girls are ecstatic and our reunion is so sweet. When we hugged I felt myself melt into each hug and didn't want to let go. it was the best feeling EVER! Nothing can compare to the hug of one's own child after so many days apart from them. BUT. I am still being cautions and I'm not kissing all over them or tackling them quit yet. As soon as I get to day 7, THEN, I will be all over them!!

I may have taken an extreme measure this week by isolating myself for so many days but, when the emotion connected to the subject is greater then the logic in your head then it's emotion that will tip the scales AND. You get someone like me who usually takes things just one step further in order to keep my family and kids safe ( just in case). Today was a happy day!!

After hugging on the girls and celebrating my almost out of quarantine day my thoughts then went to the downstairs of the house! The beautiful mess! And of course I feverishly CLEEEEANED!! And it felt good. I guess this now means that my days of being alone in my room and reading for hours and my room service is over. Boo ; ).


ISN'T IT IRONIC:

Want to know what is so ironic ( other then reading a book about an isolated Jew living in a basement and wondering what the sky looks like everyday. ) ? While in Mexico City, on Sunday the day before I left I went to the market (dumb idea now that I look back) because I wanted to bring back something home for my girls. Mom and I both put on our face masked and walked around the corner of my aunts house where every Sunday a market is set up. These are one of the many things I love about Mexico City: Culture. All the colors on the fruit stands were beautiful, they stood out like a bed of flowers in Spring. People coming and going trying to pass by on the narrow streets filled the market place. Tacos being sold on the right of you and fresh squeezed guava juice on the left. Yuuuum, any other day I would told my mom to sit down and let's eat, but not today. I just wanted to be in and out as quickly as possible because of the Swine flu. I was looking for candy ( that is what I promised the girls) and for a typical Mexican toys. I wander up and down and quickly found the candy I was looking for, but no toys. Most toys being sold were from China (phooey)! I wanted something typical and traditional. Just when I was about to give up I found these to PIGGY banks which I found adorable, there the traditional kind that have to be broken open! So whenever I come out of quarantine and hand the piggy banks over to my Alexis and Sophia I am going tell them......

"Here girls, it's a souvenir of the swine flu!"





Be safe and wash your hands!!

Pages from my bedroom: Quarantine day 4

8:30 am: I didn't wake as early today as I did yesterday, I think I'm liking this no-obligations-period in my life this week and reading till 1:30 am is finally catching up to me. But, before I talk about my book (*hey, what do you expect, I have a lot of time on my hands I need to talk about something right?) let me go over my swine flu check list.

Intense Headache: NO
Fever: NO
Achy body: NO
Nausea: NO
Soar throat: I still have a little scratchiness that comes and goes. Hmmm.

Thank you Lord for another morning of health!

BOOK REVIEW:

Okay, now where were we? Ah yes, my book.



I just finished reading "The Book Thief" last night by Markus Zusak (just in case your interested) and it made me cry. I think it was an excellent book and it deserves to sit right next to Anne Franks Diary. It's 1939 and it's in Nazi Germany! There's a strange little man who lives with out a heart and likes to part his hair down the middle and has a funny mustache. He wants to rule the world but first he wants to exterminate the Jews. After many events and circumstances a young girl and her family come to hide a jewish man in their basement. The book is cleverly written and narrated by the grim reaper which makes for more of intersting point of view. The author takes a gloomy subject and makes it bearable to read with it's quirky humor and a girls child adventures with her best friend Rudy on the streets of Munich. When you read this books you get that sense that some one is telling you a story rather then reading a book. This book has made it into my favorite reads.

So there you have it. Betca ya weren't expecting a book review. Ha.


DAMON:

Here is Damon visiting me yesterday. Actually, I take that back he wasn't visiting me he was looking for some clean underwear.




Now that we are on the subject of Damon just let me tell you just how incredibly amazing he is! He has been a full-time dad and at the same time having to work from his home office and he is somehow managing to juggle that with the help or his parents. kudos to Damon who is my hero!!

A BEAUTIFUL MESS:

As house wives have you ever wondered what your house would look like if you were not to clean up after your family for one whole day? Or let's say a week? I use to wonder this to but not anymore because now I KNOW! Last night I took a peek downstairs (wearing my mask of course and I didn't touch anything) and let me tell you it don't look pretty. BUT. No complaints here ladies because my girls have been bonding with their daddy like never before and they are both loving it. All I care is that my girls are eating healthy meals, taking showers, and are being loved and taken care of, and so they are. Everything else will be cleaned up when mama comes out of isolation ( Does anybody have a cleaning service's phone number ; ) ?!).

Damon has also been really good to me. I feel like I'm at nice hotel ( WelcoM do di Cook Otel ) ! When I am hungry I call down stairs, my order is taken and with in a few minutes my breakfast/lunch/ dinner is at my door! First there is a knock and a very shexshy voice says, "breakfast" ( the voice always seems to run away when I open the door, he must be shy) and when I open my bedroom door it's like MAGIC a tray of food suddenly appears! I have tried to tip the hot bus boy but he seems to be frighten of me right now. I admit I am enjoying the quarantined life minus that I'm not touching my kids. Reading all day, watching movies on my computer, sleeping in, it's actually been nice. So don't feel sorry for me. But, man how I can't wait to hold my kids and husband.

GROSER THEN GROSS
Oh, want to know what is grosser then gross? It's this stuff! My mother-in-law has been brining it over and Damon makes me take one everyday! It's like a vitamin C nuclear bomb! Any bugs you might have in your system will definately be exterminated after taking a shot of this stuff! Damon says it's funny watching me take it because I can't down it with out psyching myself out. I first jump in place, shake out my hands, rotate my neck side to side and then hold a tall glass of sweet OJ in one hand pick up the shot in the other. Then once I take a few deep breathes and deeply concentrate and on the words "I CAN DO THIS" then, I take my shot. Even so I am still left jumping in place and moaning as I chug my OJ. Here are some of the ingredients.....

habanero
garlic
onions
horseadish
coltsfoot
licorice
ginger

There's a lot more but that is just some. Wooooooooooo-wooooooooo, this stuff can wake up the dead!!



2:00 pm: I just took the shot. Okay, NOW you can feel sorry for me.


Be safe and wash your hands!!

Pages from my bedroom: Quarantine day 3

6:30 am: I wake up but keep my eyes shut and do what I have been doing every morning since Tuesday. I go over the Swine flu check list in my head before opening my eyes

Intense head ache: NO
Fever: NO
Achy body: NO
Runny nose: NO
Nausea: NO
Soar throat: The scratchiness I have been feeling since Friday seems to have gone away. I wonder if it was the smoggy air in Mexico City that made it worse. But, for now I am swallowing with out feeling the scratchiness.

Woo-hoo!! Thank you Lord for another morning of health!

7:00 am: I could hear Alexis and Sophia from behind my bedroom door, they are waking up and getting ready for school. They are talking and trying to figure out what they will wear today. Alexis is helping Sophia pick out shoes and I love it that they are not arguing but loving each other. So close yet so far. I am dying to touch them and hold them. I want to feel their soft cheeks up against mine, I want to press my lips tightly up against their sweet faces and squeeze them. Victoria is now waking up too, and thanks to the baby monitor next to my bed I could hear her sweet cooing sounds that make me smile big. I wipe one tear away that begins to form at the corner of my eye and reach for the monitor and hold with care as if it were her tiny hand I was holding in my mine. I kiss the monitor and put up to my ear straining to hear every sound she makes. I haven't touched my kids since last Friday, but Lord willing soon, very soon...... but not yet.

11:30 am: Just finished my exercises to keep my muscles from getting to week and I hope I don't get any bed soars on my booty! I feel like the grandpa from Charlie and the Chocolate factory when ever I get up out of sitting in bed (hee-hee). Damon is doing an incredible job playing the a "single" father role while I'm in quarantine. His parents have been over a lot helping with taking kids to school and making dinner and I am so thankful for all the help. My hubby deserves the father of the year award!

WINDOW VISITORS:

Since I'm not planning on leaving my room until after my 7 days of incubation are complete I spend a lot of time by my bedroom window looking at the trees, breathing in the fresh air and saying hello to the occasional passerbyer. When the girls get home from school they run to the front door and shout out up to me, "MOM"! This has become the highlight of my days! I then watch the girls play hop scotch, run around after each other and show off their hula hoop skills to me. I've had great conversations with my girls from up here. We talk about school, what went on on the Hannah Montanah show, and Sophia keeps telling me at least 3 times a day that I shouldn't be hanging out with sick people anymore. My sweet Sophie.

Yesterday was a wonderful window-visitor day for because not only did I get to see my kids and my in-laws but also my dearest friend Bethany! She stopped by with her 3 kids to visit ME!! I was so excited to see her and catch up on all the latest gossip. She even brought me a goodie bag! In it was a Michael Crichton book which I can not wait to get started on, TWILIGHT Candy and a photo book filled with pictures of my children and of friends I love. It's amazing how something so small like that made a big difference in my day! It was the perfect gift for a quarantined friend. Thanks Benny!




I wonder if Hallmark makes cards for such occasions?

View from my window

My visitors: Bethany, Nate, Lucy, Ella and my Victoria in Bethany's arms. Thank you for stopping by.

Say a prayer for me today please that tomorrow I will again wake up symptom free and don't forget to wash your hands! Be careful.

Pages from my bedroom: Quarantine day 2

~Flu? What flu? ~

When I stepped off the airplane and into Mexico City's airport Friday afternoon I had no idea what I was stepping into. When the two large security sliding glass doors opened for travels to exit I excitedly scanned the crowd searching for my family, hoping it would be their eyes that I would first meet, but instead my eyes met blue faced, dark inquisitive eyes of strangers staring back at me. Was it my height? Was it my fairer skin compared to theirs? Or maybe it was my clothes. No, that can’t be because I had dressed down and casual since I don't like to draw attention to myself. Or were they wondering why I wasn't wearing a mask as I was wondering why they were wearing a mask. The curiosity was mutual. Eventually my mom appeared and some of my questions were answered. (*Mysterious mutated flu has hit Mexico City and all the schools had been closed that day.)

~Alexis and Sophia sell lollipops ~

I love people, culture, and the life one would find in a busy metropolitan city and of course all of that wouldn’t be complete without a little adventure. So I opted to take the subway instead of a taxi to my parent’s home. Along the way I saw more blue faced- dark eyes, some met my gaze while others didn’t. I boarded the subway and held tightly to my carry-on and tighter to my backpack. The subway was not full that day so it was easy to find a seat right away. My carry-on was squeezed tightly between my knees when I sat down and my backpack was now on my lap and next to me my sweet mother. I was comfortable so now it was time to people watch!

The subway's doors were still open when I saw two very young little girls quickly slipped in between the doors right before the doors shut! They were holding hands, I think they were sisters and If I could guess their ages I would say the younger one was 4 and the older one 6. The girls didn't appear to be frightened in spite of traveling alone. On the contrary, they looked confident and at ease as if they have been doing this their whole lives (*perhaps they have)! Right away they went to work. That’s right….they were working. They walked up to all the passengers and tried to entice them to buy their lollipops. Instantly I pictured Alexis and Sophia on this subway trying to make a living. I pictured Sophia singing, dancing and twirling as she handed every passenger a lollipop as she made her way down to the end of the train. And a few feet behind her would come Alexis collecting money from the passengers and becoming angry when a passenger would hand her back the lollipop and refuse to buy it! Alexis’ perfected art of a little bit of manipulation, charm and debate would come in handy right about now and frighten the non lollipop eating passenger. He then would hand over the money and Alexis then would graciously thank him and walk away to the next passenger. This perfect dual of a team would then get off at the next stop and re-board the next train and do it all again.


~I know what lies over the rainbow~

Dorothy said it best when she said, "There is no place like home" because when I woke up in Mexico City Monday morning I wanted to click my heals three times and be home. The 5.7 earthquake sealed it for me, watching swinging chandeliers through the mirror where I stood curling my hair and feeling my parent’s apartment building sway side to side was the icing on the cake and it was time to go home.

When the plan flew over downtown San Diego never has the other side of the rainbow looked this beautiful before, I could practically taste the tangy rainbow flavor of coming home in my mouth! Upon landing my first thoughts were of thanksgiving because I had survived a nasty flu epidemic (*Well, this is what I am praying for and that is why I sit here quarantined to bedroom for the next 6 days) 1 family reunion, 2 subway rides in a city of 20 million habitants and 1 earthquake! Phew. My mission to Mexico City was completed and my reward was to come home with a full heart (*Mission: Share gospel with family and 1 passenger on the way to Mexico. Mission accomplished!).

~Quarantine~

I took my shoes off at the door, left my luggage in the car and adjusted my facemask before entering my house. I was anxious to see my children in spite of knowing I was not going to be able to hold them nor touch them. All I wanted was to see their sweet faces and take in their scent. Alexis and Sophia wear laying in their beds when I stepped into their room, they both starred at me and I could see both excitement and uncertainly in their eyes. I instantly began to cry because they were so beautiful and I couldn’t look away. I told them I loved them and have missed them and soon we will be able to snuggle and play tackle again, but not right now. I said goodnight and walked out wiping my tears. Next I got to peek into Victoria’s room. Both her arms were straight up over her head and she must of grown over the weekend because her pajamas look tight. I held my arms across my chest, each one tucked under an armpit to remind me to resist the urge to reach out and touch her. I was then ushered to my room by Damon and have not been out since then.

I don’t feel sick nor have any symptoms but I don’t want to take any chances with my family. The news yesterday said it could take up to 6 to 7 days to incubate, which is why I am going on day two of quarantine.

I’ve kept busy by reading, watching the news, writing in my journal and today I got my laptop back! Something else I got today was window visitors! Whenever I want to see my children I ask Damon to send the girls to the front door of the house where I could see them play and I could talk to them. Well, today a friend stopped by. BETHANY!! I really enjoyed visiting with her from my second story bedroom window and watching her chase after Ella. It was a great distraction and helped make the day go by quicker. Thank you Benny!

It’s getting late and I’m getting sleepy. I pray that tomorrow I will continue to be swine flu symptom free again!!

My mommy epiphany

According to this blog-less blog my life looks pretty boring and non eventful, but because my life is quite eventful this blog is so empty. 1 kindergartner, 1 part-time pre-schooler, 1, four month old baby and 1 traveling husband is enough to keep my schedule filled with excitement, madness, fun, adventure and yes, even some drama mamma meltdown moments, which apparently can win you a cruise ( http://www.parentingsites411.com/win-a-cruise-for-your-mommy-meltdown/)! Ah-yes, it's great!

Sometimes I feel like I'm 37 going on 7.

Damon has a new job now, which has been taking him all over the U.S! He loves the diversity of his days, and I love that he is getting to see so many new places and meeting new people. Oh, and did I mention he is collecting miles?! Oh yes, many-MANY miles which equals exotic vacations on lovely beaches, or riding bicycles on ancient cobble stone roads. The possibilities are endless! But, it comes with a price. With every good-bye comes another day or week home alone. Yup, just exactly what every mom dreams of, being home alone with ALL her kids……aaaah! It's been hard and it's been easy, it's been up and it's been down, it’s been sweet bonding and we’ve had lot’s of “Let’s snuggling in mommy’s beds because daddy’s is gone” moments and nights (my favorite times). But I have grown through it all.

I have learned to accept help, ask for help, say no, step back and manage my entire social life on Face book. Phone calls are out of the question most of the time unless you don’t mind listening to me refereeing a girl fight (ages 3 and 6 which usually is instigated by the 6-yr old) and then playing judge followed by becoming the jailer and eventually giving in to grace and letting the convicted one out. Or. I can just let the girls take full advantage of me (because that is what kids do best when mommy’s are on the phone. There must be a secret convention or something for kids all over the world for that) and feed them all the popsicles and candy they ask for just to keep them quiet so YOU never know I was being pestered and harassed by these little people living in my house that entire time! Whoa, that was a hand full to say. Okay, so it’s not ALWAYS like that but I’m just saying.

During this time I also experienced an AMAZING epiphany! My eye’s were opened when one evening I decided to give my girls an early bath: 5pm. Soon after that I witnessed a domino effect. By 5:30 we were having dinner, at 5:45 we were cleaning up, at 6:00 we started homework and by 6:30pm all was done! We had plenty of time to play because all responsibilities were done and mommy wasn’t stressed out of her mind trying to juggle a lot of sequence of events so close together as I usually do. By 7:45pm lights were out and at 8:00, girls were sleeping! Oh-my-goodness, I heard sweet music that night. By mixing up my usual routine I felt freedom. I had broken the existing state of children's bedtime routines! Bathes don't have to come after dinner when it's dark, and homework doesn't have to come before dinner when kids first get home from school, and story time doesn't have to come right before lights are out. So why have I been so strict in following the status quo?! Who said I had to follow this order? Yes, children need routine I know, but when you’re down 1 daddy and you have 3 kids for one mommy you gotta do what works for you. Ah yes, I’m a rebel ; ).

Last but not least, HERE I AM; trailing right behind everyone else who has made the switch from Myspace blogging to grown up Blog Spot blogging.  But what took me so long? Well honestly, I was waiting for the perfect Blog spot name to fall from the heavens and into my head and DING, the light of genius would go on and fire works would illuminate my path as I run towards my computer and proudly type in my blog name on my sign-up day! Finally all the waiting would be worth it and * I * would have the coveted title that would have all my masses of future blog readers saying, "Oh, how I wish I could of thought of that!".  

But, the heavens never did open up and drop down the "coveted" blog title into my head nor was there fire works, instead I got tired of waiting and looked at myself in the mirror and said, "The blogging world is calling you back, go sign up  NOW!" I looked into my brown eyes. Oh, wait. Wait! Wait! That's IT! I will be know in the blogging world from this day forward as the BROWN-EYED GIRL! Done.  Let the blogging adventures begin!