A trip to the dentist... on new year's eve...

I had a tooth pulled today.

The dentist was a big, robust, tall lady, with red hair and freckles. I couldn't help seeing her as a viking... as in The big lebowski, one of my favourite movies...

Meet my dentist... and her nurses.

Hey, I almost forget!! Happy New Year!!

Children See ... Children Do

I liked this ad...

God?

Alicia (my 6 year old) and I were having a conversation yesterday about God (the one who lives in the sky, as she says).
She doesn't know much about religion, so I told her many people in the world actually believe God is the creator of all things.
She looked at me in disbelief and stated:
"that's not true!"
"How can you know?" I asked her.
"It was the Romans who made everything!", she said.

Dr. Seuss' Green Eggs and Ham

Storytelling

I have to choose a story to tell in class. A children's story, but my audience will be adults (university). I'm finding it hard, because I'm used to reading stories to my daughters, but they're 3 and 6 years old and are far from being an intimidating audience. I can be silly with them, but will I feel confident telling a story to a group of adults, knowing that it actually is a test??? AAAAHHHH!!! I initially thought of telling the story of the Cow that went oink as an example of the good thing about learning languages, but I'm not sure it will be good enough. Any suggestions? Any stories that you think might work?... HELP!

What a week!

Tough, interesting week.
I've been assigned a second grade class (seven year olds). I'm just to watch and help when I'm told... May I introduce you to my class?
14 children. All of them have brothers or sisters. Lots of them. Many of them come to class with dirty, stained clothes. Sometimes they don't wear a jacket and it's november, and no, this is not a tropical country. It's cold. It's not just the clothes that are dirty: sticky fingers, long dirty fingernails... At first that's what most caught my eye: their unkempt appearance. Their family history is, in too many cases, quite sad. L's stepfather beats him up regularly. Thankfully, social services know now, and they're working on it. M's mother is known for her shoplifting: she usually takes a bag lined with aluminium paper so that she can steal clothes without the metal alarm going off. That's her role model. And now F. She didn't come to class for a few days, and showed up wednesday. Now we know that her father beat her mom, so they left and stayed in a shelter home until mom decided to "forgive" her partner and they are both together again. It's sad because you know the cycle is not going to be broken. J is funny but sad also. He's attending school, but in a few weeks he will probably be gone to some Carnival along with his parents. There's a couple of children who just show up from time to time, because they don't like going to school and their parents don't seem to think it's important either. Not that they're homeschooled! At home they just do whatever they want, or play on the streets. S's father is a drug addict. D is always yawning. If he goes to bed at midnight, it's a huge success. All of them stay up too late, watching programs that were never meant for their age...
They crave attention. If you're just a bit kind to them they'll be hugging you all the time. But some of them have huge behavioral problems, and they are behind in development (no books or computers at home). The problem is, all these gipsies live in the same neighbourhood. They have a school, a civic center, a sports facility and a health facility (primary care). No need to go downtown.... Or is it that the neighbourhood was set especifically distant so that we don't have to see them? I think the school should be closed and the children should attend schools in the downtown district. Otherwise, they don't know another reality other than their own...


I'm sorry I haven't visited blogs and have not posted much, but believe me, I've been too busy. In december I'll quit my job so I can focus on studying and my children. Hopefully, I can return to my workplace in december 2009....

James, in answer to your question, I do enjoy what I'm doing now. Some classes are really interesting and we're debating over education, attending conferences... it's fun, stimulating and stressing if you alredy have a job and a family, but it's worth it!

Practice

Today I started a week of "observation" in a school. Students could choose the school, and I chose the one in the most deprived area of town. Remember when I told you about the nursery school my youngest daughter attended? In a gipsy neighbourhood? Well, I chose that district's elementary school (kids from 6 to 12 years old). All children are gipsies. Some are Spanish gipsies, some come from portuguese gipsy families. All families have low income, they make a living out of Carnivals, fairs and such, and have very little education. I was appointed to a second grade class (7 year olds). There were just 13 children. They are supposed to have more children, but some are away "working" with their parents or just helping them in one Carnival or another. the parents of these children make a living out of selling chestnuts, balloons or running a ferriswheel or another type of amusement thing. But that's the good side. Some of the people in this neighbourhood make a living selling drugs. And their kids see a good portion of grown-ups making lots of money with drugs. so why bother studying and trying to have a good job? It's hard. Some parents decide to move to another part of town when they see their kids might be in danger of falling in that ugly cycle.
Aside from that, the children I saw today were mostly gentle and loving. Some of them would even hug me spontaneously even though it was my first day there! I'd like to think they can continue studying and break the family cycle, but that's not easy. Anyway... should education just prepare for what society expects from you or what children really need?.

Skipping classes...

Just like when I was a teenager... ;-)

It's been a long time, but I really have been very very busy managing University, work and kids. But I'm so glad I decided to study! I'm more interested in studying than when I was 18. There's a big difference... Some teachers (actually two) are really motivating, and make classes so interesting that you just don't want to skip a lesson. And I have an assingment due for the 7th (next friday) so I have some work ahead. English is not hard so far. They say it gets tougher on the second year. We'll see. A part from studying, it's a big holiday in our hometown, so we've been doing a lot of fun stuff with the girls, like visiting the fair, going to a really nice circus and attending an opera for children, based on the story of Cinderella. Both hubby and I loved it, Alicia liked it even though it was hard for her to understand the actors through their singing and Cristina... well, I think she's too little. She thought it was fun for about 10 minutes, and then we had trouble keeping her seated. But believe me, it was worth it!

Flunked

Not yet
But I really NEED to go over math. The math they teach in elementary and middle school because... well... I have not made a single division in ages without using a calculator. And all my math concepts are dusty and forgotten in some remote corner of my brain...
My plate is full right now: kids to school, university, work, sometimes back to university and home to kids or school to pick them up. I'm so lucky that everything is within walking distance!
So I don't know if I'll be blogging much. I still want to post every other day at least but I don't know if I will manage.
Anyway, the truth is I'm so happy I decided to study. Most of my teachers make really interesting classes and I'm meeting new people, which is also nice...

I can ride a bike!

Today, Alicia learnt how to ride a bike... you know, without those small wheels attached... (How do you call them?)

Juggling

As I continue with my classes, I've come to face an old fear: speaking in public. I have always been rather shy, or had been, at least, until my job forced me to be bolder. But, speaking in public is still something that terrifies me. A group of nine year olds is one thing, but university students? With a teacher?? I think I'll need to practice and even videotape my "lectures" before speaking in front of the class!! Today we had psychology applied to education and social studies (if my translation is correct). Tomorrow it's pedagogy and English. We'll see... And it doesn't leave me much time for anything else! In the morning it's all about getting the girls ready for school, going to school myself, then to work, lunch, pick up the girls from school...

I'm making new friends, which is also interesting. Two women my age and a younger woman (I think she's in her late 20s) from Mexico.

Please, feel free to correct any mistakes, ok?

First day of school

Typical introduction, no classes. Mrs X explained to a group of 200 students what this career is like, its different majors and things like that. Most of the students were in their late teens or twenties except some moms, like me. We scanned the crowd and found each other as if we were trying to find aliens from outer space. A teacher (I'll call her Mrs X because I can't really remember her name) explained many details about our new career and then faced the questions from the students. One of the questions was particularly interesting. It came from a girl. I couldn't see her face from where I was sitting but I could see her feet: sneakers and socks with skeletons. "Is it really necessary to attend all classes?". Believe it or not, that's what Ms Skeleton Socks asked. Maybe she expected Mrs X to say "No dear, of course not, if that's too taxing for you, just don't ok? We just write down some subjects because they look good on your schedule, but you don't have to attend, dear..." That's not what she said, of course... Then the big group was divided, and I found that only 35 students plan to teach English in elementary schools. Among them were my "mom" friends. Good! Our first assingment was to write an essay about our stay in another country just to test our knowledge of English. The hardest part for me was handwriting. I'm so used to typing I feel I'm no longer "readable" when I have to use a pen...
Tomorrow, first day of real class...

Pictures of pictures

This is hubby as a baby/toddler


I think this was taken when I was 4 years old (like Cristina now...) I loved that horse.

That's me as a baby...
My father was taking pictures all the time. I started to hate it when I was 10 or 11. But it was no use, he liked taking pictures of me even if I was angry!

Families can be complicated

I once wrote about my MIL. She's changing, I don't know if it's because she retired or what, but she's softer. Easier to deal with, more relaxed. She's been taking care of my girls and some of my nieces and nephews during august and I've caught her sometimes just sitting outside, watching the kids play, which was unthinkable, say two months ago. "Oh, I couldn't do much today, I had to watch over the children" she says, as if she needs to apologize or something. Of course, the rest of the family thinks it's great that she can actually sit down and do nothing, but to her, it must have been a struggle! And she smiles now (no kidding, it was hard to see her smile when I first met her). And more than that. I told her about my plans to study and she was so supportive. She has offered to help me with the girls during the school year. I guess it's like hubby told me: to his mother, anything that means working or studying is good.

But things are not so good on the other side of the family, mainly because I just find it increasingly difficult to get along with my brother and his wife, J. There have been two “incidents” which are way too silly to post, but I will anyway. Because my brother chooses to think they're important. Last sunday my brother had a difficult time making Pau eat his lunch when Alicia showed up eating an ice cream. Seeing that she had alredy finished luch, my mother gave her the ice cream, but Pau refused to eat when he saw it and demanded an ice cream too. Sensing trouble, I told Alicia to put it back in the fridge and wait for Pau to finish so he wouldn't see the precious ice cream but according to my brother, she just took too long to hide it. And it was her fault that Pau wouldn't eat another bite. And, after lunch, when the kids were playing Alicia had a balloon and Pau started crying because he's afraid of balloons. My brother told Alicia to hide it, but she just stared at Pau and my brother. Until I told her to hide it (sensing trouble, again), she didn't do it. Too late, again, to my brother's standards. She just didn't behave properly, she lacked empathy. I just can't relax when I'm around them anymore. J has changed, she's distant, she barely speaks to us, and I know she feels we're just not a good influence for her son. She's trying to raise the perfect kid and I find it so annoying sometimes.

Strange words

Newfangled

I had heard it just in a song (can't remember which). Never knew what it meant. I guess it means, modern, but being English my third language, I wouldn't be sure how or when to use it.

I'm going to post words that are new to me, once in a while.

Just because.

Oh, I start classes at the School of Education on the 22nd. Adventures of a middle aged student coming soon...

Some portraits

The crash...

Maybe you heard about this tragic jet accident in Madrid. More than 150 people died on the crash. It's been several days, but we get full coverage on the news everyday. Too much, in my opinion. There's an investigation going on, which will probably take weeks. But in the meantime, some tv programs just seem to dwell on the tragedy, and I hate that. We must hear about every single person who is somehow linked to the accident. And by linked I don't mean interviewing the mechanic who fixed something on the plane before take off. I mean a taxi driver who had relatives of a victim in his car, someone who happened to "miss" the plane in the last minute and is so happy he never made it on time... And then some programs choose the music carefully. How can they possibly interview a man who lost his brother on the plane with Beethoven's Moonlight sonata as background music?? Some programs are just sentimental pornography. Leave people to mourn alone, the only reason they're showing it is to have a morbid look into somebody's pain. Kind of like the way many people would just stop by a car acccident and watch with fascination...

Paris Hilton replies to McCain Campaign AD

Birthday cake??

Alicia chose this cake for her birthday. It looked so good on paper, and we tried so very hard to copy the design... But instead of this nice house-cake we came up with this:


An abandoned hansel&Gretel version of the house. A rather decadent and shabby home... snif... witches can't bake.

My witch's shoes

Complete with feet and moles (inherited from my mother)... what do you think? Should I get a broom?

Conversations with a 6 year old

F is a friend of my daughter Alicia, she'll turn 6 next week. I picked her up and we both headed to the cinema, where my husband was waiting with our girls. I had an interesting conversation with F while we were walking.

F -"You know, commercials on tv sometimes are not true."
Me -"Yeah, most of the time they lie..."
F -"But sometimes they tell the truth, my mom uses a shampoo that's on tv and it's good."
Me -"Which one is it?"
F -"It's that shampoo that's so good you can't keep your hands off your head.. (she says in all seriousness) It's only for grown-ups. I can't use it because my skin is too sensitive. My mom doesn't have sensitive skin."

And then adds:
-"I like your shoes..."
-"Thanks!"
-"They're witches' shoes"
(thanks??)

She wins

I hate yelling. I never yell. One of our household rules is NEVER to yell at someone. Yesterday I broke the rule, as I was making dinner and at the same time being asked for the 586th time to fix the wings on some "Butterfly Barbie" (they keep falling off) and having my three year old spill a glass of milk on my feet. So I yelled I CAN'T DO MORE THAN ONE THING AT THE SAME TIME; I'M COOKING, AND I'VE FIXED THOSE WINGS TOO MANY TIMES AND LOOK WHAT YOUR SISTER DID AND BLA BLA BLA BLA BLA

Alicia stared at me and asked quietly:
-Mom, would you like me to yell at you?
-That's not the point, you....
-No, really, would you like it?
-Alicia, don't ask me to do something when...
-Answer me, would you like me to yell at you?
-No, but...
-See?
I think I lost this battle, don't you?

Flying with children

We tend to avoid going through security instructions when flying. we see the leaflet, we kind of hide it someplace. We're not going to need it, right? Bad things only happen to other people, everybody knows that. But, on our trip to Austria, security instructions on the plane were posted literally on the back of the seat right in front of us. No hiding, no avoiding. And, we had two curious kids sitting with us.

-Mom, why is this man crawling like a baby?
-mmm... He probably lost something on the floor, he's trying to find it...

-Why does he have a mask?
-mmm... in case he feels sick
-Why would he feel sick? I never wear a mask when I feel sick



-What's this slide? Are we going to use it?
-No, it's just in case the plane has to land on water
-Oh, planes can land on water?
-Yes... (bullshit)
-Will we land on water?
I hope NOT.
-Mom, the woman on the slide has no shoes on.
-Really?
-Yes, why?
-Because shoe heels could pierce the slide



-But... why not glasses?
-mmm.... she'll hurt herself if she uses the slide with glasses on.
-But the earrings??
.....
-And what's the man doing?
-Just resting sweety.



-Why are the clouds beneath us?
Don't remind me, please, humans are not meant to fly, otherwise we'd have developed feathers by now. It's like having a fish learn how to drive!!!

When she's tired of security instructions she walks to the front part of the plane and comes back with a look of surprise:
-Mom!
-What happened?
-Nobody is driving this plane!!

Much better than expected

Whatever I expected from this holidays has been surpassed, by far... the first two days in Viena were fantastic: great sigthseeing, superb parks for children and adults and good food. Just an hour ago we arrived at the next destination, a quiet little town in the mountains, with so many things to do. I don´t think we´ll need to get out at all, the house and surroundings are so good!

Nervous, restless, excited...

One thing is to plan something and another to actually go ahead with it. the more I come close to my goal of studying for the next three years (because I plan a career change in the future) the less sleep I get! It's almost done now, just formalities ahead. My boss wasn't so thrilled. He suggested I work less hours. I'll do that, but it's going to be rough on our pockets too (we can't have everything can we? ;-)
My co-workers weren't so supportive. They made all sorts of questions, but mostly just looked at me like I've lost my mind. Not that I really blame them. I have two small children, a job and a husband with an epileptic disorder. It's easy to get used to good times, he's been free of seizures for eight months and we're hoping it will stay that way but I'm also hoping our new situation doesn't take a toll on him... but we've talked about it and he says I should at least try. Through all this I've realised once more that my husband is also my best friend. It may sound corny, but it's just the way it is.
By the way, we're going on a trip to Austria this afternoon, if you don't hear from me for the next days it's just that I don't have the time to blog from our destination! I'll try, though...

Take care, all of you!

I don't like parties

Well, most parties. It's my nephew's birthday. There are about 20 people, most of them adults, friends of my brother and SIL's relatives. It's been more than three hours since it started, more than enough for me...

btw, I've been accepted at our university! I'm so excited. I'll talk to my boss tomorrow to tell him about my studying plans. Hope he doesn't object. Most of my classes will be in the morning, which is when I'm working, but I can make up for lost time at home.

Dear brother

Pau (3 years old) comes to play with my daughters (3 and 5) because his mom (J) and dad (my brother) are busy working. They play all afternoon, hubby is watching the Tour de France on tv, I'm reading. Sometimes we check on the kids, they just run around the house playing games, dressing up, stuff like that. We hear Pau crying. His nose is bleeding, which is not unusual for him. The bleeding stops, the kid just forgets... we agree to tell his mom but not make a fuss, we know both his mom and my brother tend to worry too much. However, when Pau's mom (J) comes to pick him up, Alicia blurts out "J, Pau's nose was bleeding soooo much, the blood was running down his lips, on his chin!! Soo much blood" She's exagerating, we know it, J knows it, when they see so much as a drop of blood my children get all excited.
The day after the "incident" I go see my brother.

Me -hi
B -hi. Did you see where Pau hit his nose yesterday?
Me -No, I was reading, maybe he didn't even hit his nose...
B -We'll check with the pediatrician, because he had some breathing difficulty...
Me -Really? It didn't seem like a big deal...
B -Yes, and he has a bruise too.
Me -A bruise? (I'm beginning to sound alarmed)
B -Yes... well, not much, just a little...
Me -Are you sure it's worth a visit to the pedi?
B -Yes. So you didn't see?
Me -No, you know I'm not constantly over them...
B -I know, I don't like people who are all the time on their back, but I don't like it when people never check up on kids when they're playing...
Me -Oh, that would be me? (why do I ask, I know the answer??)
B -Yes. You're so relaxed. Your husband keeps a better eye on children, doesn't he?
Me -You mean he's a better father. (I'm beginning to sound irritated)
B -No, I didn't say that. But you could check on the kids
Me -I did. Just not every two minutes.

Needless to say, the conversation didn't end so well. Maybe I should have watched over them more. They say there are no perfect parents, but maybe some are more perfect than others. I feel hurt. Even if there's some truth in my brothers words. It's a silly argument, I know... but this is not the first time he does that to me... In his eyes, I neglect my daughters. And it hurts.

School again...?

I've been thinking a lot lately about my going back to University... I will know on the 16th if I'm admitted. And then... I'll have to talk to my boss, because all classes are in the morning which is when I'm working, but since all I do can be done from home, I'm hoping he'll agree to let me work in the afternoon/evening/night from home to make up for lost time in the morning. The good thing about my workplace right now is flexibility. So I don't think he'll say no. But, once he says yes I'll have a hard year ahead: classes in the morning, work, pick up the girls from school, take them to swimming, home, dinner and work from home. Study. And exams from time to time. I applied for a degree to teach Englisn in primary school (kids from 6 to 12 years old). It will certainly be a change... but we only live once, and I don't want to see myself working in the same place all my life... If I don't do this now, I feel I'll always regret it. That I never had the guts to try... What do you think?

If you're reading this (or any other post) and see grammatical/spelling mistakes, don't hesitate to tell me!

Toy soldiers

We went to see an exhibit of toy soldiers and other modeling stuff, such as submarines, warcraft and fantasy figures.
Do you have any idea what the german and the American soldier are talking about on this scene? Looks like the German soldier is complaining about the time because the American one is about to glance at his watch?? Caption ideas, anyone?

Alicia

We went to the swimming pool with family. I caught Alicia in this picture eyeing one of her uncles suspiciously... the one she doesn't like at all. Whenever he's around she feels this need to control where he is. He hardly ever says a word, keeps quiet... not a good pair.

More beach days

"I'd rather go back to the beach"

You've seen this photograph before, but my father made me reshape it. Says it looks much better like this... I agree

Castles in the sand

At my parents...

We started our holidays, and have "moved" to my parents home for a couple weeks. They live by the sea, and luckily have a house big enough for all of us and, more important, they want us here...

How it feels to have a stroke

I just thought it was very interesting...

Gardening (nothing wrong, Buffalo, just busy)

A few months ago I planted tomato seeds, strawberries and herbs... The tomatoes are just starting to grow but they're still quite tiny. I had no idea tomato plants made lovely yellow flowers...

I also had the brilliant idea of tipping my daughters when they pick up their toys and tidy the room before going to bed. 50 cents was my top payment and it worked great for a while... until Alicia figured she had enough money to buy a tiny russian hamster. I offered to buy the cage. Yes. And now much of the motivation to clean and help pick things up is at a minimum. (I was so smart) Why couldn't she think of something more expensive to buy, like an apartment??
She loves the hamster (I like it too, I must confess) and at first insisted on letting him/her wander through a bigger cage, like her princess castle: (click to enlarge if you don't see our mouse)



Apparently, life at the castle was too bourgeois for our royal hamster, and he/she decided to flee from the oppression of palace life, knocking the princess down in the process, and headed for the bus stop.



He/she now resides in her tiny cage with a wheel to exercise when the stress of daily life becomes unbearable!

Pst: I might start another career in september, a degree in teaching. I wonder if I'll find the time to study. I've alredy filled the online application. All I need now is to take some papers to the university and... hope I'll be accepted...
School is over now, we plan to stay next month with my parents, at the beach, and late in july we'll travel to Austria...

Things about Cristina that try my patience...

1- Finishing a meal takes ages for her. And the food just tumbles in her mouth like in some washing machine. And you know, washing machines have that circular window (whatever that's called), so I get to see the food in her mouth whirpooling... again, and again, and again, until she decides to pull the plug out and let the food go down.

2- She usually demands a very clear answer. If she makes a question and I say "maybe" or "I think so", she gets quite upset and insists on getting a real answer. Which to her is usually YES.

3- She only uses diapers at night, but she feels she's too big for that, and doesn't want them, even though in the morning they're always soiled. So before going to bed I have to be very careful not to use the word "diaper", because that would make her furious. Instead, I say "now let's put this on". This is a diaper. But it mollifies her somewhat if I don't use the ugly word....

But she's cute when she's asleep, isn't she?

I can almost hear her soft breathing...

I love to watch them sleep. She was so tired this morning she didn't even stir when I was taking pictures. Even the noise I made opening the window so I had more light didn't wake her...

Update: Hubby and his team lost their second game 19-0. But they're having a great time which was also one of their goals, so it's ok. Their second goal was to come back home in one piece (so far so good) and the third one was winning a game but this seems unatainable given the level of the other teams...

I told you...

Just as I predicted...
First game. Catalans 1, Danish 15

Apparently, the Catalan is, by far, the most amateur of the teams. It was supposed to be a championship for non-professionals, but word got out that Catalans would have one of the best teams. It's a gossip story, in one country they're saying that this team will have such and such, in the next the same happens and everyone starts building a more professional team.... except.... us! Well. at least they're having a good time!

Stairs going nowhere

Maybe they didn't want me to hear their secrets...

H will be on a soccer tournament for eight days... he'll be leaving tomorrow night on a bus, along with the members of the Catalan team. This tournament is called Europeada. It's a European soccer championship for national minorities. He's with the "Katalans from Spain". I've seen them play, and I don't think they'll get too far, unless, of course, the other teams are even more amateur... That tournament will leave me to handle the Gremlins alone for eight days... shouldn't be too bad. My parents and sister will be off too, on a trip to Italy...

Here's a map of the regions/languages involved in the championship. Click to enlarge, if you're interested in our European ethnic/linguistic chaos...


UPDATE:
They will be playing today (sunday) at 5pm. I do hope they win, ok??? Gosh I felt so mean when I reread this post through Buff and James' eyes :-(

Here's the link http://www.europeada2008.net/

My poor neglected blog

I took these pictures last month, on Saint George, which is a big holiday here. According to the legend, a knight (Saint George) saved a princess and an entire town from a fierce dragon. Where the dragon's blood fell, roses flourished so each year women get roses from their husbands/boyfriends/fathers, and women are supposed to buy a book for the men... Roses come in almost all colors. Our roses were classical red.


It's a very special day so even if you're working, most people can have a break from their job and stroll down our rambla...




There are groups of amateurs like these people representing the legend and playing music on the street... The woman in the picture above is actually the princess, and the guy in green next to her, the dragon.



This is what we call the "tarlà". According to another legend, he was some sort of acrobat who entertained the neighbours of Argenteria street during a quarantine for an epidemic. Now we have this acrobat toy hanging on Argenteria on special occasions. It rotates from time to time...



And this is Alicia, holding the rose her father gave her...
So what do you say, James, Buffalo, Jessica ... would you come over for a visit? ;-)

Have a nice day

On the whole, I'm happy being a mom and I love my kids almost everyday ....
But it's hard to be around them when they're having a bad day, which happened today. Especially with the three year old. I think she was alternatively crying/whining at least 70% of the time. Which is a lot. For my nerves. I ended up wanting to scream and cry myself. To give you an idea, they looked like this today (this pics were actually taken half a year ago)...





At the supermarket, C threw a tantrum. One of those that make other customers look discreetly towards you and your kids, but wishing you and your brats just disappeared. The woman at the counter had the audacity to say "have a nice day". I'm sure she, along with the other customers in line, burst out laughing when I was out of sight!



And at the end of the day, I looked exactly like the "portrait of mom" Cristina drew just a few days ago. YES, THIS IS EXACTLY HOW I FELT AND LOOKED TODAY!!!! My hair, my mouth, I'm surprised my three year old could be so precise!!!



PD: Just for the record, the previous days were pretty good. Maybe I'm whining too??