My Favorite Owen

Last weekend, my bff and her family came to visit Mike, me, and my big belly.

I got a picture of Owen posing with Gary the Gnome.



It's hard to believe he's almost two!

Heather's Wedding

Back from South Florida and already missing the sunshine and warm weather. We returned late this morning to more snow, slush, and ice. Somehow the humidity we experienced this weekend wasn't *that* bad.

More on the weekend in a future post. For now, I leave you with pictures from Heather's wedding...

Leaving... on a jet plane

My long-awaited trip to Miami is finally here! And while I really don't like Miami, I am looking forward to getting out of the freezing temperatures and gusty winds.

As far as I'm concerned, the stress of traveling began last night. It was nearly midnight when we finished packing, something I blame on myself due to a long week at work. But anyhow, as I was saying, the stress began last night.

Me: Have you taken out all the things you need for the weekend?

Mike: Like what? I have jeans and t-shirts out already.

Me: How about your suit, a shirt, and a tie that doesn't make you look like the biggest Republican in the place? And your square-toed shoes and dress socks?

Mike: Oh yeah, a suit.

Me: I can't wait to see Little Owen. I'm so excited.

Mike: We're going to see Owen and family? I didn't know that.

Me: Duh? Didn't I mention that we were going to a wedding? The wedding of a former college roommate? A roommate that I had when I was a student at the University of Florida and was a bleeding orange and blue gator? A roommate that was also roommates with my bff?

Mike: Oh, I must have not been listening.

Ugh.

The stress continued when I mentioned that we would be bringing my parents presents. Two carry on suitcases! That I got for free! Because if I actually went to Miami and bought my parents two suitcases, they wouldn't like them. But, since I told them I got them for nothing (FREE! GRATIS!), they are excited to receive them. Actually, I told them I had one, but with my excellent packing and organizational skills I was able to pack one into our regular suitcase and use the other one as a carry on for us.

Let me explain this: the thrill of getting a good quality anything is a success to Cubans, namely my parents. It helps even more if the good quality anything was free (FREE! GRATIS! NO TAX!). The other thing is that both my mother and I feel that the gifts we bring eachother are the greatest, most ingenius gifts ever known to man. We never stop to think that the pajamas my mom brought me could easily have been bought in my neighborhood mall or that the shampoo gift basket that I brought her could have been bought in Miami. We've been doing this for years, including the time I regifted my father a Waterford crystal eagle that I received at some charity dinner (I carried that baby on the plane with me, folks!).

But I digress... what was I talking about? Yes, stress. I am sure it will continue through the weekend. I have already heard word of my father cooking for us and packing his home cooking up in containers for us to bring back to Jersey (we can't get food up here, apparently). And there's no arguing with him, so we'll be eating his specialty dish for a few days after we get back.

I suppose I should just enjoy the attention from the family. Afterall, I'm their baby. And Mike, well, he's the greatest gringo they've ever met. I can't wait for my aunt to hug him and kiss him all over.

More on our adventures next week. And photos of us sweating in the hot south Florida sun and doing the white man's overbite to the Electric Slide!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Tired

I'm tired. Tired of the same ole boring stuff.

I'm tired of waking up in the morning and going to work. Tired of cleaning up the messes of two adults. Tired of grocery shopping, cooking, and doing dishes. Everyday resembles the previous one: shower, shave, pay bills, go to work, get gas, get stuff in traffic, eat, don't eat, shop for things you don't need.

I need some excitement in my life. The winter can be long and dreary with nothing to look forward to.

Luckily, we have a trip planned for next month. Miami - here we come! It's just a long weekend - a visit with my parents, an old college friend's wedding, some warm weather (hopefully!) - but it might be exactly what I need to get me back to my cheery old self.

Attitude

Sent to me earlier today by my BFF, acb.

Enjoy and have a great weekend!

Attitude

There once was a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror, and noticed she had only three hairs on her head.

Well," she said, "I think I'll braid my hair today?" So she did and she had a wonderful day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror, and saw that she had only two hairs on her head.

"H-M-M," she said, "I think I'll part my hair down the middle today?" So she did and she had a grand day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror, and noticed that she had only one hair on her head.

"Well," she said, "today I'm going to wear my hair in a pony tail." So she did and she had a fun day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror, and noticed that there wasn't a single hair on her head.

"YEA!" she exclaimed, "I don't have to fix my hair today!"

Attitude is everything.

Sick. Again?

Yep, I have a cold. This time, it's taken over the upper portion of my body. My throat is sore - I have been eating Halls cherry flavored mentho-lytus lozenges like they were M&Ms. I'm not complaining - it could be worse, like the flu that I caught last month.

Send good thoughts my way, people. Aside from this cold, there is so much going on with some of my best friends - they need all the prayers you can offer.