Me-Stuff

Roma

2009-11-03T13:22:00.000-08:00

A few pictures of when I was in Italy:

Spanish steps

Some ancient building

Fontana di Trevi

Throwing money in the Fontana di Trevi and making a wish

Me and some really silver dude

My love...there's only you in my life...

Y'all know what that is...

The twin churches for all you Dan Brown fans

Happy B-day, Ang

2009-10-03T12:55:00.001-07:00

I would like to wish a very special person a very happy birthday.

Angie has been my little sister since almost 13 years now and although I'v spent a lot of time with her, it's only been off-and-on and I hope that someday we will be able to spend more time together.
Our libra is a gifted artist, a genius writer and a caring person with a soft core. Don't let her tattoos scare you, she's a softie at heart which is why even little kids are crazy about her. Angie can light up a room with her presence when she is happy and can make the skies cry if she is sad. Her laugh is more contagious than measles and she will leave you in stitches telling you a funny anectdote of what happened to her.
I love Angie because she is who she is, she does what she does and won't take sh*t from anyone when it comes to what she is aiming for.
Angie: I know things aren't peaches and cream for you, but that's gonna change sooner than you think.

Loving you from afar and wishing you a wonderful birthday, dear sweet Ang!!!

Some amazing stuff

2009-09-17T13:21:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine sent me this and I find it very uplifting:

Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio

To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written. My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick.. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch..
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present..
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business..
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does..
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come.
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift

Old Lady

2009-09-11T03:45:00.000-07:00

Yeah, so now I am all old and happy. Not like I care much for that, I still get carded, haha!
Here are some pix from my actual birthday, the kids made me cakes. (I bought them cake-mixes and they did everything by themselves!)
My grandma brought me lilies, my siblings all brought booze, Tom got me the "Friends" collection box with the extended episodes, but it won't be here until September 28th so I need to wait a little. I am rather surprised that no one thought to give me reading glasses, old folks diapers, a cane or anti-wrinkle cream.

From left to right: Katrina (sister), me, my Grandma, my Mom Erika, Maria (sister)

My brother Matthias and me.

Matthias

Philipp

2 of my sisters

Emanuel (aka Mele)

Shaking our heads: nooo!!! We don't want our picture taken!

Rasberries!!!

FYI

2009-08-23T04:04:00.000-07:00

I posted some new recipes:

http://hannasrecipes.blogspot.com/

Happy Birthday Sam!

2009-08-08T13:04:00.001-07:00

Yeah, it's a crappy pic but the only recent one!

Wishing you a wonderful new year, Sam. Good luck with college/family/child raising, etc. You're a great guy, a sweet Dad and you deserve only the best in life!
Hugs and kisses from across the globe!
Muah!

When

2009-07-21T02:02:00.000-07:00

when will I stop missing you?
when will I realize that you are actually gone, and not just across the ocean?
when will I forget the sound of your voice? (will I ever?)
when will I quit thinking that this was all a dream, that I will wake up to find a letter from you in my mailbox?
when will I stop cursing myself for ever having left your side?
when will I give up feeling guilty for not having found a way to have been with you?
when will I be sure that you knew just how much you meant to me? (the world?)
when will I be able to look at a picture of your smile and not feel my heart ripping anew?
when will I wake up in the morning without your absence weighing on my mind?
when will I not be reminded of your incredible cheer and joy of life anymore when I read your letters to me? (a life too short)
when will I stop believing that if only I prayed hard enough, a God would bring you back to me?
when will that urge to tell you something, followed by the realization of its impossibility finally go away?
when will my heart be able to mend, now that you can't heal it anymore like you used to?
when will I feel like I can go on without you?

when will I realize that however much I want you back, all you can be now is my most beautiful memory?

One of my favourite poems

2009-07-18T03:32:00.000-07:00

By E.E. Cummings

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go,my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

Matzi Schatzi

2009-07-02T04:41:00.000-07:00

For all of you who aren't on facebook, I need to brag about my little brother who just graduated from the Technical Grammar School (College-level degree) as one of the top OF THE YEAR! He also received honorary mention and did this genius little short film. So now he is off to study along with our other brother, I'm so proud of them and all that they have achieved!

Bulgaria

2009-06-21T05:11:00.000-07:00

As you all know, I had to go to Bulgaria for week on business to attend a philatelic fair/show there. A rather interesting country with great food, good wine, delicious cheeses and friendly people. It was sad to see how run-down a lot of it was, ruined by the change from communism to capitalism and the current state of the EU. The price for milk for example, was the same as here in Germany but an average worker makes about a quarter of what we do. The philatelic fair was rather quiet since they hadn't advertised it very well so there were only few visitors. My few czech phrases came in handy since Russian, Czech and Bulgarian are pretty similar in some things such as numbers. (The most essential words when making sales!) By the time the week was up I could read a few important words in cyrillic and say little phrases like "I don't understand" or "Do you speak German/English?". Of course I also got to eat out there often and was forced (yes, forced) to partake in some folk dancing whilst the heads of the Bulgarian Post, Transportation and the Minister of Defense sat watching. Real funny for everyone else, ha! The next day the people from the Hungarian and German Post were like, "Great show last night!" or "Gee, Hanna, you dance real well!" Not to mention my department and boss teasing me about it when I got back.
...the things you do for your company!

Changes

2009-06-16T13:09:00.000-07:00

Sorry for being so absent, so many things are happening and so much is new. I barely get around to posting on facebook much less answering e-mails.
For those who haven't heard yet: I will be working fulltime come July 1st
Theoretically I should not be working fulltime right now, but my colleague is on holiday and someone needs to "hold the fort". The opportunity arose and I grabbed it, life ends up taking a toll on you either way.
I asked the kids what they think about it, Mandy said "I think it's shitty" and Jason said he thinks it's good. When asked why, he said "so I can be alone"!
Fridays I would still work parttime and with the kids school schedules it actually means they would only be alone in the afternoons 2 days of the week. Not that bad if you think about it. Considering the fact that we might be able to buy a house earlier than expected...I think it's a good move!

Berlin

2009-05-07T05:21:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday T-Bone

2009-04-24T10:40:00.000-07:00

You have already past the 30 mark and I haven't landed there yet. Ha! This year is the 13th time I am celebrating your birthday with you, the 13th time I make your cake! (Believe it or not!)
I still love you and all your ways, I still get excited at seeing you if I have been gone for a while. You are the most genius person I know, the only person in the world on whom I would bet that he can do just anything.
You are talented in so many ways, a jack of all trades and master of all as well.
No one could be a better Dad or husband than you, nobody would even come close to being the great person you are! I love the fact that we still blab with each other as though we had just met. It would be easy for you to become bored of being considerate, caring and so thoughtful--yet you don't. Whenever I am with you, I feel like I am the most special person on earth because you are spending time with me.
More than once I've told the kids that I am envious that they have a Dad like you are. You're gentle but firm, lenient yet consistent and so slow to anger that it never even emerges. No wonder Jason says he wants to work with you when he is grown up, no wonder Mandy says she will live alone with you in a house when she is big.
We love you because you're simply the best!

Robert Munsch

2009-04-07T07:47:00.000-07:00

We were watching "FRIENDS" again, they always put me in good moods. There was the one with Emma's birthday, where Joey forgot to get a present so he does an impromptu reading of Robert Munsch's "I'll love you forever".
I don't have the book, but I looked up the writings and it actually hurt a little to read it.

by Robert Munsch

A mother held her new baby and very slowly rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And while she held him, she sang:

I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.

The baby grew. He grew and he grew and he grew. He grew until he was two years old, and he ran all around the house. He pulled all the books off the shelves. He pulled all the food out of the refrigerator and he took his mother's watch and flushed it down the toilet. Sometimes his mother would say, "this kid is driving me CRAZY!"

But at night time, when that two-year-old was quiet, she opened the door to his room, crawled across the floor, looked up over the side of his bed; and if he was really asleep she picked him up and rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. While she rocked him she sang:

I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.

The little boy grew. He grew and he grew and he grew. He grew until he was nine years old. And he never wanted to come in for dinner, he never wanted to take a bath, and when grandma visited he always said bad words. Sometimes his mother wanted to sell him to the zoo!

But at night time, when he was asleep, the mother quietly opened the door to his room, crawled across the floor and looked up over the side of the bed. If he was really asleep, she picked up that nine-year-old boy and rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And while she rocked him she sang:

I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.

The boy grew. He grew and he grew and he grew. He grew until he was a teenager. He had strange friends and he wore strange clothes and he listened to strange music. Sometimes the mother felt like she was in a zoo!

But at night time, when that teenager was asleep, the mother opened the door to his room, crawled across the floor and looked up over the side of the bed. If he was really asleep she picked up that great big boy and rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. While she rocked him she sang:

I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.

That teenager grew. He grew and he grew and he grew. He grew until he was a grown-up man. He left home and got a house across town. But sometimes on dark nights the mother got into her car and drove across town. If all the lights in her son's house were out, she opened his bedroom window, crawled across the floor, and looked up over the side of his bed. If that great big man was really asleep she picked him up and rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And while she rocked him she sang:

I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.

Well, that mother, she got older. She got older and older and older. One day she called up her son and said, "You'd better come see me because I'm very old and sick." So her son came to see her. When he came in the door she tried to sing the song. She sang:

I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always...

But she couldn't finish because she was too old and sick. The son went to his mother. He picked her up and rocked her back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And he sang this song:

I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my Mommy you'll be.

When the son came home that night, he stood for a long time at the top of the stairs. Then he went into the room where his very new baby daughter was sleeping. He picked her up in his arms and very slowly rocked her back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And while he rocked her he sang:

I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.

Just do it!

2009-04-03T11:46:00.000-07:00

With my 30th birthday just around the corner, and with my current booze-fast I had decided to do more sports. Instead of suffering alone, I opted for dragging Tom into the whole thing. (You know, competition and all that.) So now we go jogging/running 3 times a week and it's been great. Admitted, in the beginning you feel all whiney and complain about sore muscles, but it passes. Tom was like: "Now we will be all hot and buff when summer comes!"
...yeah, we'll see!

We bought ourselves some good running shoes, and although we are slower and look more dorky than some 50-60 year-olds we see, I believe that we are making progress!
Am loving those endorphines and that feeling of stupid glee that kicks in when you get back from a run.
Hopefully, if we keep it up we can be un-fat and non-mushy for swim season.

Looking forward to my new body--courtesy of midlife crisis!

Ze Germans are coming!

2009-03-31T12:38:00.001-07:00

So often I feel embarrassed for being German, I guess because I always lived abroad and people would stereotype Germans as strict, tall, blond, blue-eyed and very serious. Well, when some (idiot) once asked me if Germans have fridges I asked him in turn if he ever heard of Bosch or Siemens. He had, and I asked him if those companies made refridgerators and if he knew that they were German.
Little did I know that a German actually INVENTED the fridge. Well, the first practical and patented fridge was made by Carl von Linde around 1890.

Then I looked up a few things and found out that the following are all German inventions:

printing press--Johannes Gutenberg in 1440

the first engine-powered car--Daimler Benz

first Diesel engine--Rudolf Diesel

X-Rays--Wilhelm Röntgen (Nice little anecdote: my great-aunt was his assistant but she developed radiation sickness from it. Still lived to be 92 years old!)

Aspirin--Felix Hoffmann

Blimps--Ferdinand Zeppelin

Decaffeination process--Ludwig Roselius

Sports shoes (adidas) --Adolf (adi) Dassler (HENCE the name, it's not all-day-I-dream-about-S*x as I was told as a kid!!!)

first scientific pregnancy test--Selmar Aschheim

MP3--Karlheinz Brandenburg and Bernhard Gill

Coffee filters--a woman named Melitta Benz whose husband complained about grains in the coffee. She would pour it through very fine linen to filter it and came up with coffee filters.

chip card--Helmut Gröttrup

the first functional computer EVER, called the Z3 was built by Konrad Zuse (German) in 1941!

So now, I don't feel so bad about my heritage-ha! What I do find ironic, is that the Germanic folk used to be these pagan woodspeople and the romans "civilized" them and taught them discipline.
Odd how nowadays the Italians are the lax ones and the Germans considered disciplined these days...

For my little Lulu

2009-03-10T13:00:00.000-07:00

I love sweet lil Mandy!

Kids

2009-03-07T16:51:00.000-08:00

I already posted a bunch of the silly things the kids say on facebook, meanwhile back at the ranch:

Tom (to Jason): You know, a man spends nine months of his life trying to get out of a woman, and the rest of his life trying to get back in.
Jason: *laughs*
Amanda: (with a disgusted face) Daddy, that's perverted!

The kids convinced me to not have alcohol for lent, which I agreed to. Since they are utterly convinced that their parents are alcoholics, seeing how they drink up to 2 glasses of wine on weekends, I wanted to prove them wrong.
I yawned and my eyes welled up (it happens), and Jason pats me and says "Aw, are you crying because you can't drink?"
Brat!

"In Loving Memory" Alter Bridge

2009-03-03T09:47:00.000-08:00

Don't want to make anyone sad, but he wrote this when he lost his Mom and I just though it's such a pretty song...though sad!

Wiggle, wiggle, snap

2009-02-27T11:02:00.000-08:00

I saw a double rainbow while driving to work once, snapped a pictures. (Yes, I know you shouldn't do that, but it was so pretty...)

hehe

2009-02-25T12:28:00.000-08:00

So, Anne and I were drawing on our champagne bottle...

Yawn!

2009-02-02T23:17:00.001-08:00

I'm tired, and I'm tired and I am just so tired. The week hasn't even started yet and I just long for the effing weekend.
Work is gay, the house is gay, my hair is gay, my bank account is gay...all gay!
TYJ!

I liked this:

2009-01-26T12:59:00.000-08:00

...by Kobi Yamada

She must be something special. She is. Celebrate her.
She loved life and it loved her back. Celebrate her passion.
She listened to her heart above all other voices. Celebrate her wisdom.
She pursued big dreams instead of small realities. Celebrate her priorities.
She saw every ending as a new beginning. Celebrate her resiliency.
She discovered her real measurements had nothing to do with numbers or statistics. Celebrate her self-esteem.
She was kind, loving and patient…with herself. Celebrate her tenderness.
She woke up one day and threw away all her excuses. Celebrate her accountability.
She realized that she was missing a great deal by being sensible. Celebrate her spirit.
She turned her can’ts into cans, and her dreams into plans. Celebrate her goals.
She ignored people who said it couldn’t be done. Celebrate her independence.
She had a way of turning obstacles into opportunities. Celebrate her magic.
She went out on a limb, had it break off behind her, and discovered she could fly. Celebrate her faith.
She discovered she was the one she’d been waiting for. Celebrate her self-reliance.
She added so much beauty to being human. Celebrate her presence.
She walked in when everyone else walked out. Celebrate her friendship.
She just has this way of brightening the day. Celebrate her radiance.
She made the whole world feel like home. Celebrate her warmth.
She decided to enjoy more and endure less. Celebrate her choices.
She decided to start living the life she’d imagined. Celebrate her freedom.
She colored her thoughts with only the brightest hues. Celebrate her optimism.
She was an artist and her life was her canvas. Celebrate her brilliance.
She ran ahead where there were no paths. Celebrate her bravery.
She held her head high and looked the world straight in the eye. Celebrate her strength.
She designed a life she loved. Celebrate her joy.
She took the leap and built her wings on the way down. Celebrate her daring.
She said goodbye to unhealthy relationships. Celebrate her happiness.
She remained true to herself. Celebrate her authenticity.
She made the world a better place.
Celebrate her.

2008

2009-01-25T03:34:00.000-08:00

My year 2008:

I visited 5 counties and was in 2 continents. (Large cities including: Madrid, Barcelona, Zürich, Bern, Geneva, Verona, Innsbruck, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Cincinnatti and Stuttgart, har har.)
I spruced up my Italian. (Am pretty confused in my languages right now!)
I chopped off my hair.
I bought 7 pairs of shoes, 3 pairs of boots. (adding to my collection!)
I finally went to the Mercedes Benz museum.
I learned that you should seize the day: Tom and I had been wanting to go to this Korean place in like, forever...and when we finally decide to go--they closed down!
I have the apartment at 60% of how I want it.
I took the car to the garage 6 times!
I spent Boxing Day at the airport/flying/travelling
I spent New Year's without my kids for the first time

Coming up in 2009:

Either buying a new car or fixing up this one! (Car shopping sux!)
Visiting Switzerland, Berlin and going to Croatia in the summer.
Letting my hair grow out and/or doing something new with it.
Deciding on my "career's" future (details will be disclosed soon)
Turning thirty: you are all invited to my "Thirty n Dirty" party!!!Possibly getting a tattoo
Possibly doing a few insane and spur-of-the-moment things (Poor Tom)
A perfect Christmas Eve, Christmas Dinner, Christmas Day
A perfect New Year's with my kids

...these are just a few things, there so much more I want to do in life, in the year 2009. The freakiest part is that now that I have realized that it's the new year, it's almost February!!!

Umm

2009-01-22T06:44:00.000-08:00

I wrote something for Mom... click here if you want to read it.

Siblings on Christmas Eve

2009-01-22T05:05:00.001-08:00

Trying to copy Philipp's goofy smile...

Trying to copy Matzi's idiot smile...

Emanuel, aka "Mele" or "Grantlebart"

These were the people that showed up at my doorstep on Christmas Eve and announced they were somehow related to me. I had to feed them and give 'em booze. (In return I received gifts, so it was a fair trade!)

Ha, they gave Matzi a blow-up doll (The Perfect Woman) for Christmas as a joke. He lovingly named her "Jaqueline". Mandy was horrified at the poor doll being naked, so she dressed her, even put panties on her. Ha ha!
*sigh*
Good times, good times...

No wonder

2009-01-21T01:47:00.001-08:00

It's no wonder I cry every day driving back from work if they play songs like this:

"Because You Loved Me"

For all those times you stood by me
For all the truth that you made me see
For all the joy you brought to my life
For all the wrong that you made right
For every dream you made come true
For all the love I found in you
I'll be forever thankful baby
You're the one who held me up
Never let me fall
You're the one who saw me through through it all

You were my strength when I was weak
You were my voice when I couldn't speak
You were my eyes when I couldn't see
You saw the best there was in me
Lifted me up when I couldn't reach
You gave me faith 'coz you believed
I'm everything I am
Because you loved me

You gave me wings and made me fly
You touched my hand I could touch the sky
I lost my faith, you gave it back to me
You said no star was out of reach
You stood by me and I stood tall
I had your love I had it all
I'm grateful for each day you gave me
Maybe I don't know that much
But I know this much is true
I was blessed because I was loved by you

You were always there for me
The tender wind that carried me
A light in the dark shining your love into my life
You've been my inspiration
Through the lies you were the truth
My world is a better place because of you

You were my strength when I was weak
You were my voice when I couldn't speak
You were my eyes when I couldn't see
You saw the best there was in me
Lifted me up when I couldn't reach
You gave me faith 'coz you believed
I'm everything I am
Because you loved me

I'm everything I am
Because you loved me

Stupid bacteria

2009-01-20T13:17:00.000-08:00

I hate being sick. Get this: I have sinusitis in my forehead and cheekbones, my nose doesn't stop running, tonsils are swollen, glands are swollen and I have a cough. (Did I mention that my head is exploding in pain?) Took 2 days off work and am just lying in bed looking at pictures of myself when I was young and pretty, ha!

The kids try to comfort me, they make me teas and are being good. Tom had to make dinner. I just want to be healthy so that I can clean, do my tax report, take down my effing c-mas tree and decorations, set up a commode I got for Mandy at IKEA and clean and reorganize the kids' rooms. (Not to mention washing my hair.)
I overplucked my eyebrows, now I am all annoyed at my idiocy...

The only thing I am currently looking forward to is Anne's visit: watching movies and having drinks at home and blabbing. (Poor Tom)

Babies

2009-01-14T13:23:00.001-08:00

...I all think I'm a Mom...

mom

2009-01-07T01:51:00.000-08:00

I was thinking about everything Mom has given me over the years and have come to a striking conclusion: she gave me my life.
She didn't carry me in her womb for nine months but she carried Tom. If I didnt have Tom or the kids, I would have no life. She showed me how to be a better mother, a better wife and better person. She took me in and treated me like her daughter, always there for me when I needed her. She would read my poems, listen to my rants and comfort me even when my issues were banal. I could have spent my entire life thanking her--it would never have done her kindness justice. My only goal in life now is to be like her.

Thoughts

2009-01-04T09:53:00.000-08:00

As expected, I can't help pondering everything in life. Been asking myself if everything would be in order if something happened to me. Would my kids know how much I loved them? Would my husband and family? When I heard the news about Mom, the first thing I did was rush to the computer to make sure that in my last e-mail to her I had said that I loved her. Of course I had, in each of my e-mails I had written her that I loved her and missed her so much and was wishing I could be with her. I tell my kids a hundred times a day that I love them, I tell Tom that I love him...
Being in California, it was good to hug all my sisters (which is what they are to me) and tell them I love them.
Someone told me it's better to live with remorse than regrets, meaning it's better to feel bad about HAVING done something than NOT having done something.
I agree.
Before christmas and its sad news came along, my New Years resolutions were entirely different. Pondering things now, there are other things I want to do.
I want to fix up Mandy's hair more often, I just leave it at times.
I want to cook with my kids more.
I want to visit my sisters, brothers and family more, keep in touch a little more.
I want to write poems for my kids, haven't done that yet in all these years.
I want to spend my thoughts and worries in life on those who matter, and want to give up fussing over those who don't.
I want to take advantage of time I have with my kids, because no matter how old I get, one day they will be grown up and have their own lives.

When I get back to Germany I want to look through all of Mom's letters and e-mails that she ever wrote me, and glean all the advice she gave.
She was a wonderful woman who taught me so much in life, am sure she can still teach me more. I know that from now on, when it comes to decisions I will find myself thinking "what would Mom do?".

In loving memory

2008-12-25T23:08:00.000-08:00

I wrote this a while back, I knew the day would come.
Mom, you will be greatly missed in this life. We know you are still around, even if only in our hearts and memories.
Rest in peace.

Tonite

Tonite
We try to show we’re tough
We try to show we’re bold
We hold each other close
We give each other hold

Tonite
Everyone’s a eulogist
Everyone’s a speaker
Everyone’s an idolist
Everyone is weaker

Tonite
We’re living in the memories
We’re reminiscing past
We’re dwelling in our stories
We’re keeping what has passed

Tonite
Our hearts are filled with smiles
Our hearts are filled with pain
Our hearts are filled with trials
Our hearts are filled with gain

Tonite
It’s time to say farewell
It’s time to bid goodbyes
It’s time to wish us well
It’s time to dry our eyes

Tonite
We know we have each other
We know who holds us dear
We miss our cherished mother
Although we know she’s near

Folly

2008-12-09T11:43:00.000-08:00

Lets101 - Free Online Dating

Randomness

2008-12-09T11:32:00.000-08:00

I used to like Christmas but Tom has unwillingly turned me into a Grinch. He said if you take away the tree, take away the presents, take away the food--then people will ALL hate Christmas. I think he is right...
I am getting myself and the kids a nintendo wii for Christmas and am going to start my xmas baking on the weekend.
The weather sucks cuz snow is still around but it only rains now.
Some idiot almost drove into me today, I think he had puffed the magic dragon cuz he didn't react in the least bit and just blankly stared over his steering wheel.
I may have the perfect recipe for a Christmas goose.
We are probably getting a new car, possibly a VW Touran.

Only 10 more days of work (excluding weekends) and I will have 2 whole weeks of holidays in which I will file my tax returns. YEAY...NOT!

O sole mio

2008-12-03T06:17:00.000-08:00

I am back from Verona: 5 days in a 4-star hotel smack in the middle of Verona. What sounds like fun wasn't all games and laughter, believe me.
The trip home was freaky because the pass over the austrian mountains was all icy and snowy. Since we had to bring goods to the fair, we didn't drive over Switzerland since it isn't EU and needs a buttload of paperwork if you want to cross the borders with a full truck.
Luckily, we did not have any accidents and arrived home (obviously) safe and sounds. Italian food is one of my favourites, so I didn't really have a hard time adjusting to it. I found my way back into the language pretty fast, though I am far from fluent I was able to communicate and make jokes and sell things. Hey, very important are phrases such as "Avete di vino?" or "Io voglio una pizza grande e una birra piccola!". Ha ha. Originally, I had wanted to take along my oh-so-cool laptop but I couldn't find a decent bag. (Excuse me for being so vain and not wanting a fugly thing strapped onto my shoulder!)
So I only lugged along my new cell phone, which also has WLAN and all those doo-dads so I was able to check my mails and (most importantly) go onto facebook once in a while. Weird: I had the new phone for almost a week and had never even made a call with it, haha, only chatted and surfed or listened to music. Not like I even know how to use the camera or focus, Geez!

Here are some partly very crooked pictures:

This is on the way there, in Austria soon after the Ötzital where they found that mummy. *freaky*

For those who may have forgotten, Romeo and Juliet supposedly lived in Verona (remember?) and so the city is full of Shakespearian sayings and stuff. There is actually a house of Capulet and there is also Juliet's balcony which I didn't get to see. (It was built for a tourist attraction) Here is the arena:

...and this is a tangerine on a chair

It's been a while

2008-11-08T06:32:00.000-08:00

So yesterday Tom and I had our 12th anniversary!
I told him that each time he celebrates an anniversary with me, our marriage gets extended for the amount of years we celebrate. (Like, if you celebrate an 8th anniversary, you will stay together 8 more years, etc., etc.)
The kids spend the night at my sister's (lord luv her) and Tom and I had the whole evening to ourselves. It was nice to have a conversation without being interrupted or eat breakfast in quiet.
Sigh!
Some day the kids will have moved out and we will long for the noise again...

Stiltskin live

2008-11-06T04:25:00.000-08:00

Tom's department got free tickets for a Stiltskin concert in Stuttgart, since a colleague of his cancelled, I got to go along. (Yeay for me!)
Although it was a wednesday evening (?) and everyone had to work the next day, it was fun nonetheless.
The singer of the band, Ray Wilson, had a really neat voice. Something like a cross between Bono and Bryan Adams. Their music had a really nice sound, although I think Ray's voice didn't really match the more grungy stuff which I think he only added to be more modern. Apparently he played with Genesis at some point and liked their music, also played a David Bowie song. The funny thing was that the lead singer would all "get in there" on the slower, more ballad songs, yet the musicians only came to life at the more grungy music.
Of course, Tom and I had to play music critics like we always do. "Did you hear that, the note was off!" or "Didn't like that lyric in there!"
They played for about 2 hours total with a small break inbetween. Since we were some of the first ones there, I got to be right in front of the stage and got some good shots. The kids have my SD micro card for their nintendo ds, so I can't put them (from my cellphone) on the laptop right now. Working on it, though!
To get an idea of the music, just search for Stiltskin or Ray Wilson on You Tube or click here to get to their homepage.

Happy B-day, Ang

2008-10-05T05:07:00.000-07:00

Hey sweet Ang,

want to wish you a wonderful birthday, miss you lots and wish we could be there with you. You're such a great sister in law and a wonderful aunt to all you nieces and nephews.
Stay just the way you are--you're perfect!!!

Autumn

2008-10-03T07:16:00.000-07:00

Cheers

2008-10-03T04:37:00.000-07:00

"Every woman should know when to try harder and when to walk away"
I had to walk away, from my stupid job at the gym. Looking at it from an entirely logical side there were very few benefits for me. I have a much better chance at staying sane if I find something I can do at home. The kids were thrilled that I quit and Jason says "Now you have more time for us!" (Kinda made me feel like the world's most rotten mother.)
I feel so much better already, almost to the point of elation and I know that this was the wisest choice to make. There will be other opportunities and I will find something where I can do something I like and enjoy.
There is still the occasional graphic work I do on the side, I really like that and I can do it at home while the kids do their homework. That might be enough until I find something else. For now, I will enjoy the feeling of less stress and more sanity.
It's full-fledged autumn here and the countryside looks gorgeous, so I will be taking pictures and posting them.

For Mom

2008-09-24T05:08:00.000-07:00

I wrote this the other day.

Guide to Having a Nervous Breakdown

2008-09-23T05:18:00.000-07:00

1) Be a Mother
2) Be a working mother
3) Be a Mom with at least 2 part-time jobs and one extra job from home
4) Do all the cleaning, cooking, shopping and driving
5) Never ask for help
6) Have a really bad memory, forget all doctor’s appointments, etc.
7) Go on a diet, then beat yourself up daily for not following it.
8) Sign up at the gym, then do not go but have a bad conscience
9) Have a birthday too close to 30 coming up
10) Drop several glasses and/or plates a day, until you don’t have enough dishes for the guests that come on your birthday.
11) Work late the evening before your birthday, prepare things for the party until after midnight
12) Make sure your birthday falls on the same date that both of your kids start a new school and the day you return to work after holidays. Ideal day: Monday
13) Often show up late for work with bad complexion and/or stains on your clothes until colleagues approach you carefully and ask if you are alright.
14) Have family issues and quarrels
15) Forget that you used your credit card and be shocked at the bill
16) Realize you are broke
17) Quit coffee—it’s for sissies, drink liters of red bull instead.
18) Forget to take your pill—repeatedly
19) Drive like a moron, park like a idiot and have people honk at you as much as possible.
20) To ensure a true nervous breakdown, repeat all points if you feel you have recovered from stress at any given time.

What Every Woman...

2008-09-22T05:14:00.000-07:00

To all my female friends:

What Women Should
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…
a youth she’s content to leave behind.
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…
a past juicy enough that she’s looking forward to retelling it in her old age.
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…
a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra.
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…
one friend who always makes her laugh… and one who lets her cry.
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…
a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family.
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…
eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems, and a recipe for a meal that will make her guests feel honored.
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…
a feeling of control over her destiny.

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
how to fall in love without losing herself.
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
how to quit a job, break up with a lover, and confront a friend without ruining the friendship.
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
when to try harder and when to walk away.
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
that she can’t change the length of her calves, the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents.
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
that her childhood may not have been perfect, but it's over.
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
what she would and wouldn’t do for love or more.
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
whom she can trust, whom she can’t, and why she shouldn’t take it personally.
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
what she can and can’t accomplish in a day, a month, and a year.
-- Pamela Redmond Satran.

Birthday Thoughts

2008-09-09T03:41:00.000-07:00

It makes me smile when I think...

that I have a kewl job where I get to travel

that my kids are in good schools

that my health is terrific since we moved

that I don't have to pay gym fees anymore since I work there

that I haven't had a car accident (yet)

that I will never have to go busking or ballooning again

that I am always asked "if my mother is home" or if I am old enough to buy wine

that our place is finally looking good with new furniture

that people love my muffins

that Tom likes my sushi

that a friend said she wants to be like me when she is a mother (poor deluded girl)

that people always tell me how cool and genius my kids are

that people tell me how cool and genius my husband is

that my brothers hug me when they see me and say "I haven't seen u in so long", even though it was only a few days.

that you find any recipe online

that Tom gave me a laptop (repeat endlessly)

Coolest Birthday gift EVER

2008-09-09T03:32:00.000-07:00

Tom gave me a laptop for my birthday!!!
An Asus AMD Dual Core with each 1.9 GHz, 2 GB RAM, 250 GB HDD, HDMI, Firewire, DVD burner, SD card slot and a 17" monitor so I can work on my graphics.
It's sooo kewl, I can put all my junk programs on it and chat whenever I want (time permitting). I am also going to by myself a headset so I can skype.
I told Tom that the present is so cool, he doesn't need to get me anything for christmas for a really long time.

Signing off from my very own personal computer,

yours truly

new Haircut

2008-09-07T02:52:00.000-07:00

Switz

2008-08-24T02:22:00.000-07:00

Weekend at Anne's was fun. We went out for indian, went to a chilly party at one of her friends and then out in a club in Geneva the next night.
(For further reference see the facebook photos.)
Someone told me I looked like Julia Stiles, someone else nicknamed me "babyface" and yet another proposed to me. Hehe.
Nothing like an ego boost shortly before your birthday!

Gone, baby, gone

2008-08-14T04:58:00.001-07:00

I will be spending the weekend in Switzerland at my friends place near lake Geneva.
aaaah
no cleaning, no laundry, good food, good gossip and plenty of movies.
now
what shall I wear?

haha

2008-07-24T23:47:00.001-07:00

A question we ALL ask ourselves from time to time...

Munchkin and I

2008-07-24T12:39:00.001-07:00

Melancholy

2008-07-23T04:05:00.000-07:00

The other day I was asked to write a letter of condolence to a colleague. His girlfriend of 24 died in her sleep for no given reason. I was surprised when I heard the news, not because I knew her, but because I had forgotten how fragile life is.
If you aren't confronted with death, you forget that you are mortal. At least I did.
Of course this colleague was shocked, they never found the reason for her death. He had been in Germany for 2 weeks and returned to the states on a Friday. She died on Sunday. He did tell me though that they had the most wonderful weekend, making plans for the future and talking about everything. She went home after that weekend and died in the night.
In this case there were no big issues to be resolved, you can say that the last moments were beautiful.
As for me, I realized how important it is to always be at peace with yourself and those close to you. What if they pass away unexpectedly and your last words were something you regret? I would never forgive myself.
I just hope that I can keep all my slates clean so that I never have to say "if only..."

What I always will love is that poem by Mary Elizabeth Frye:

Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am in a thousand winds that blow,
I am the softly falling snow.
I am the gentle showers of rain,
I am the fields of ripening grain.
I am in the morning hush,
I am in the graceful rush
Of beautiful birds in circling flight,
I am the starshine of the night.
I am in the flowers that bloom,
I am in a quiet room.
I am in the birds that sing,
I am in each lovely thing.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there. I do not die.

Happy Birthday, Julia!

2008-07-12T15:23:00.001-07:00

Sweet Julie:

Happy Birthday and a wonderful new year. Wishing you the best from far, far away and hoping to be able to visit you soon.
Have a blast!

Euro Cup

2008-06-30T04:35:00.001-07:00

So ze germans did not vin! The spanish totally deserved it--their first title in 24 years. The spanish players were not only good, their middle field was tight and they seemed very in sync. (Not to mention good looking.) Did I already talk about how I think the German soccer players look like either students or IT personnel? I mean, just look at Metzelder, he looks like he should be fixing my network and not kicking a ball, lol. Oh well, better luck next time, Germany! At least they made it to the finals.

Yay!

2008-06-25T13:57:00.001-07:00

Germany is in the finals!!!

Movie Rewiews

2008-06-16T00:15:00.000-07:00

The other day they were showing all these movies I had seen as a child, and it was a bit weird watching them as an adult again.

"Dances With Wolves"

(The scene where K. Costner realizes there are dead deer in the pond and then proceeds to drag them out.)
11 year old me: *sob* Those poor animals...how disgusting...what if he gets sick now from touching the dead animals?
28-year-old me: Were those real carcasses or did they use dummies? And wow, K. Costner used to NOT be an old fogey!

(The scene where "Wind in his hair" gives him the heart/liver/whatever of a buffalo to eat raw)
11-year-old-me: *gag* That is disgusting, how can the boys be watching this and not puke?
28-year-old me: "I read on imdb.com that that was actually cranberry liver" *munch, munch on chips*

(The scene where K. Costner gets beat up by the yankees for being a traitor and indian-lover.)
11-year-old me: *sniff* Oh God, I can't watch this, how can anyone survive that?
28-year-old me: Geez, this is nothing compared to "The Passion" *munch, munch on chips*

Of course things seem more real or get to you more as a child. That's why you notice other things as an adult. Like how the heck did he get his shirts ironed? And how come only the lower half of his hair grew? How come Kevin's blood never dries?
How come the first flag we see at the fort has 50 stars, when we are in the civil war and that hasn't happened yet? (Tsk tsk)
I recommend to watch this movie again, the scenery is lovely, Costner isn't as full of himself as he is now and there are plenty of half naked guys with great hair. For guys: watch it again, there is lots of shooting, chasing, hunting, beating and if you look closely you can yell "movie mistake" when you see electric power lines during the buffalo stampede.

"Children of a Lesser God"

Granted, I only watched portions of this as a child, some things were fast forwarded because it was "not for us". I found the movie entirely uninteresting as a kid, the love story was dull and people were always waving around with their hands.
As an adult, the story fascinated me. The acting was surprisingly good as was the storyline. There were so many sides to everything, the whole issue on relationships and her saying "only then can you enter my silence" was fascinating. If you can overlook the hideous clothes and disgusting interior decorating of the dingy apartments, the movie is pretty worthwhile.

"Forbidden Planet"

OMG! It's a take on Shakespeare's "The Tempest"! How could I not have seen that? Umm, maybe because back then all I knew about Shakespeare is that he was a dead guy?
Putting aside the fact that most of the movie is very badly chrome-keyed, the story is actually neat. It's not about landing on a planet and finding aliens or fighting them, it's more of a psycho-sci-fi movie. Reminded me a litte bit of "The Sphere" to be honest. I literally burst into laughter when the Robot says "Excuse me miss, I was giving myself an oil-job!"
I liked the old-fashioned way of talking, enunciating the words instead of slurring everything. Men actually would have had manners enough to turn their back on a naked woman instead of whipping out their handycam to take a snapshot. Oh, for the days when people cursed with "murder" instead of "sh*t". Or when you insulted another by calling him a fool instead of the modern overused "a-hole". Those were the days...

Sum thoughts

2008-05-24T06:29:00.001-07:00

Recently I was watching a very short report about modern marriages, how (here in Germany) 33.3% of marriages end in divorce.
How come we have such a high divorce rate these days as compared to the 50's or
60's?
Psychologists say that because in these days people marry for love and no other reason, the chance of a divorce is high.
Granted, it's a bit of a scary idea but if you think about it, it makes sense.
First we have infatuation, which can last 1-2 years, this may or may not be mixed with a hefty amount of passion. This is all often mistaken for love, and seen as the only reason for staying together.
What happens when the passion ends, when the infatuation ends?
They showed the reasons for divorce were usually petty, hardly ever being because of infidelity or domestic abuse. One couple filed divorce because they always fought over the bathroom in the morning and one of them was always late for work.
Sounds idiotic, and it is.
Now, an arranged marriage would look different. You just accept the other person, you see that you probably can't change very much and divorce is not an option. So, what do you do? You learn to live with things. Ignore the socks on the floor and the hair in the drain.
I am not saying I came to the conclusion that arranged marriages are better, I just realized that on a practical level, love isn't enough in a marriage.
Sure, it's a vital part, but you need so much more: tolerance, committment, empathy, patience, the willingness to compromise and yes, being able to submit every once in a while.
Maybe love really is blind. In the beginning of a relationship we are blind to the faults and idiosyncrasies of the other one. When the passion wears off and the every-day feeling sets in, the blindness falls of our eyes like scabs and we realize our other half isn't so perfect after all.
But maybe if we wouldn't let ourselves be blinded in the first place, reality wouldn't bite us in the ass.
My conclusion: deep inside we want a perfect love. If we find someone we think we love, we want them to be perfect so that our love is perfect. Somewhere along the way, we think we ourselves are perfect too, completing the circle of a perfect, eternal love. If you stay on ground level, realize your own faults and the faults of the other person, you have a more realistic view. You won't be prone to be hurt out of the blue, simply because you never saw the flaws due to cupid's blindfold.
I also think that's why friends and family are important in a relationship because they help you come back down to earth.
Summing it up: I think that if you keep a cool head, you are less likely to wake up to some sort of shock as to how unperfect things in your relationship seem. Because in the end, all relationships are imperfect. You just have to know when to enjoy the moments and when you have to overlook the unimportant faults.

Latest News Flashes

2008-05-22T23:49:00.001-07:00

So I finally found a second job, will be working at a gym starting next week. (On the side, mind you, am keeping my other cool job!) In October I will probably begin getting my trainer's license and that's gonna be cool.
Then I will start giving classes and force other people to work out, hehe.
It's always been my dream to get paid to work out...

I spent most of last week sleeping.
I started reading the "Golden Compass" series. (It's actually the first of 3 books.)
I realized I hardly ever watch TV and never watch the news.
I started up yoga and pilates again.
I STILL have no pictures of my short hair.
I am planning on getting a laptop because the kids hog my computer and Tom hogs his.

For Moms:

2008-05-14T07:38:00.000-07:00

One afternoon, a father went home from work, looking forward to a relaxing evening. As he pulled into the driveway, he noticed overturned and overflowing garbage cans as well as bicycles strewn all over the lawn and walkway. Surprised, he parked his car and headed over to the house. The inside looked worse than the outside: the dishes had not been washed all day, the tables had not been cleared, no floors had been swept and there were hand prints all over the windows. Peering into the bathroom, he saw towels all over the floor, hair in the drain and an unflushed toilet. The dirty laundry hamper was piled to the overflowing and none of his shirts had been ironed. Still in a state of shock, he carefully ventured upstairs to where the bedrooms were. His kids were dressed in what could be best described as "dress-up" clothes. Their faces were smeared with chocolate and other edibles and their hands were more than filthy. No beds had been made, the carpets were littered with toys and clothes as well as papers and pencils. Finally, our hero walked into his bedroom to find his wife in bed with chocolates and a magazine.
Now he could no longer hide his dismay and cried out, "What in God's name are you doing?"
Calmly, his wife put down her magazine and looked at him. "Remember when you asked me what exactly it is that I do all day? ...well, today I didn't do it!"

Happy Mother's day!

2008-05-12T03:24:00.000-07:00

Happy Mom's day to all sweet Moms I know, hope you enjoyed you day and received lots of homemade gifts from your kids.
Amanda recited a mother's day poem for me, and the kids made some crafts for me at school as well. (First pic is Jason's, other 2 are from Mandy)
We spent Mother's day at the amusement park for Jason's birthday and I got a box of chocolates too.

For the heck of it

2008-05-07T05:26:00.000-07:00

Someone sent me this, so am posting:

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Don't think so
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Last week while I was shopping, I couldn't find a blouse that my boobs fit into!
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? I get complimented on it...
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? I dont like lunchmeats.
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? You mean those little creatures that wake me early on weekends?
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM ALOT? No (that was sarcastic)
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yeah.
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? I would be scared my heart would freak, i dunno.
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? I hate cereals.
11. DO YOU UN TIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Never, and then I bitch if I have to untie them putting them on again.
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Sometimes
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? That's unfair, I can only eat sorbets cuz of my milk intolerance!
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? If their hair is clean
15. RED OR PINK? Pink
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? I hate my thumbs!
17. WHAT DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My sisters in law.
19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? cream corderoys, tan shoes
20.WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? a spare rib
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? the wind, the birds, the silence of my kids doing homework.
22. IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Probably yellow.
23. FAVORITE SMELLS? I love how limoncello smells, and watermelon.
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Tom, the bum
26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? Soccer, but only UEFA or World Cups.
27. HAIR COLOR? doo-doo blonde
28. EYE COLOR? doo-doo brown
29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? No, I have perfect vision.
30. FAVORITE FOOD? I could eat myself to death on fribourg cheese fondue.
31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy endings suck!!!
32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? I watched "Mio, my Mio" with my kids.
33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Brown polo t-shirt with gold lines.
34. SUMMER OR WINTER? A super hot summer, thank you.
35. HUGS OR KISSES? Hugs, kisses are so strenuous, but a hug can go on forever...
36. FAVORITE DESSERT? I dont like desserts.
39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? Re-reading "It"
40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? No mousepad.
41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T.V. LAST NIGHT? "Monk"
42. FAVORITE SOUND? the sound of silence.
43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Neither, both suck.
44. WHAT IS THE FURTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? India?
45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? I can imitate people real well...

Horsie pictures

2008-05-06T06:04:00.000-07:00

There are stables behind our house where you can take riding lessons. Driving home, I saw that there was a little foal out with his mother. I dragged Mandy out with me and took a few pictures:

Growing up

2008-05-02T06:19:00.000-07:00

I am all melancholic these days about Jason turning 10. He just grows a mile a minute and can outsmart me since a few years now anyhow.

I remember how I used to be able to carry him with one arm, now I can't even lift him cuz he is just too heavy!
I used to bathe him, dry him, dress him. These days I don't even have a say so in what kind of clothes he wears.
He used to nurse and eat everything I gave him. Nowadays he has a points system for my cooking and I get graded!
I taught him to read the clock, and now the little bugger will be on my case if I am like 3 minutes late!
I remember when he couldn't read yet...now he can set up e-mail accounts and blogs!

No matter how old he gets, I will always jump up in the night if I hear him call me.
No matter how tall he gets, I will always know what it felt like to hold him as a baby.
I know that it's only the beginning, that the teenage years are yet to come when us parents will be accused of "not understanding" or being "old-fashioned".

Still...he will always be my little baby boy. That's why my heart feels all warm if he comes up to me and holds my hand and says he loves me. I've memorized the smell of his hair cuz he hops onto my bed every evening to cuddle. Maybe one day it will smell like cologne or gel, but I won't ever forget what he smelled like as a boy.

Baby boy!

Pictures I take

2008-04-29T04:31:00.000-07:00

Rummaging

2008-04-17T09:30:00.001-07:00

I went looking through some files on the computer and found some unposted poems.
Sort of weird if you forget you wrote something and read it for the second time with perfect clarity. As a perfecionist, I must say I write quite a lot of immature crap to call it poetry.
It's all garbage anyhow, so for those who are on a trash diet, enjoy:

Crappy Poems gone unpublished

Funny

2008-04-03T07:20:00.000-07:00

"Behind every great man there is a woman rolling her eyes." --Jim Carrey

Another Blast from the Past!

2008-03-31T05:20:00.000-07:00

Recently some of us siblings got together and looked at/laughed at old pictures of us. Jason and Mandy were horrified at a lot of the clothes I wore as a child. (Hey, we only HAD forsake-all!) Looking at the fotos it's pretty obvious from whom Mandy got her foolishness and Jason his antics. BTW, you can ALWAYS recognize me on pictures, I have not changed at all and I am friggin 28!!! Honestly, people who met me as a toddler will recognize me as an adult. (Whatever happened to good ol hormones?)
Anyhow, enjoy and have a laugh:

That's us 4 "big guys" in a trailer somewhere in Europe. (Turkey? Greece?)

I used to be sooo embarrassed about this picutre cuz u can see my panties. Of course my siblings would show this one first to any visitors.

This is my brother and me in Turkey, notice how my shirt is spotless but there is dirt in my face...

So...

2008-03-20T00:53:00.000-07:00

So yesterday was my grammas birthday, it's always really hard to find gifts for her cuz a) she has everything b) she doesn't want you spending money on her, and c) she likes useful gifts.
Then I figured since she always gives me a bottle of wine and coffee for my birthday, I would get her the same. I had a food basket done for her at the supermarket, with dallmayr coffee, those little bottles of wine and champagne, some cookies and jams and fruits. When I picked up the basket it was huuuge, and my sister hadnt found anything so she offered to chip in and say it was from both of us. (Ain't I a sweet big sis?)
My gramma was toooootally perked about the gift, she was all "well, that's something you can always use!"
And when my OTHER sister called her up (had to work that day) to congratulate her, my gramma thanked her for the basket too. My sister calls me back and asks "what basket?". So I told her about it and she said she would ALSO chip in and we could just leave her to know it was from all of us 3 granddaughters.

Think we might do that next year again, saves time and is a good gift.

Yeehaw!!!

2008-03-16T12:08:00.000-07:00

So Tom and I are on holidays this week and the kids have 2 weeks of school holidays. So we are all bumming and staying up late and sleeping in. (At least so far, the week hasn't started yet!) I finally got around to sorting some boxes from the move, yes, there are still boxes everywhere. We (as in Tom and I and NOT the kids!) are planning on going to IKEA for a few book shelves and iddo-iddos.
Other plans this week are:

going swimming
going to Burger King again (we have coupons)
signing the kids up at the library
sorting out our basement
going out with the kids as much as possible
visit my gramma for her birthday on wednesday

As for me, I plan to hit the gym if I can or at least do some pilates at home. Then I also want to deep-clean my kitchen and pantry as well as catch up on my ironing.
Tom SAYS he wants to work on stuff, but so far he has just been playing shoot-em games on the computer.

Some infos

2008-03-06T00:10:00.001-08:00

- I am sick with stomach flu (whatever)
- I cant find the charger for the camera batteries
- It snowed, everything is white and freezing
- I hate my hair

Now, I have been skimming people's blogs, and grammar nazi that I am, I have to (no, I really HAVE to) point out a few things because they physically hurt me!

1. If you change a noun into a plural, DO NOT put an apostrophe. Apostrophes are only used for showing posession.
Example: One kid, two kids. If you write "kid's", you are referring to something that belongs to the kid. Like "kid's room".
Similar thing with its and it's. It's (it is) a nice day. The hamster is in ITS (posessive) cage. And for the love of God, never write its'...thank you!!!

2. It never has and never will be "I could of, would of, should of", who ever came up with that? It's could HAVE, people, I could HAVE, would HAVE, should HAVE.

3. The word "alot" does NOT exist, look it up. It's "a lot". A little, a lot. Mkay?

4. About breathing--when it's a verb (as in a doing-thing), it's breathe. With an "e" at the end: I breathe, you breathe, etc.
When it's a noun, there is NO "e" at the end: with my last breath!!!! (No e!!!)

Ah, now I feel better.

Guess who's back...?

2008-03-02T05:54:00.000-08:00

So, I survived all my plane flights and public toilets. Har har. It was a good trip, although often tiring because we were getting up German time, but hitting the sack and eating Spanish time. I got the kids some souvenirs and brought turrón as well. I was sort of dumb, my suitcase only weighed 11 kilos and if it had been bigger, I could have brought plenty more goodies. Then again, I didn't want to be lugging around all this stuff and things aren't exactly cheap at airports, nor are they always authentic. We flew from Zürich and over the alps, if they had allowed cell phones on board I would have taken some pictures. The sun was rising over snow covered mountains and above the clouds--it was gorgeous!
Now it's back to normal (if you can call us normal) and I think what I will miss the most is room service...
I took a few snapshots, of the plaza mayor in Madrid and the La Pedrera in Barcelona. As soon as I find my USB cable I can put them up.

Bye-Bye

2008-02-24T06:20:00.000-08:00

So, I am off to Spain tomorrow, have to leave at 3:45 in the morning. (Whatever!)
All packed n happy and hope that there will be an iron in the hotel, dont want my blouses getting wrinkled. Hopefully I will have some time to take pix or buy some souvenirs for Tom n the kids.
Will post more when I get back!

Valentines?

2008-02-19T05:01:00.000-08:00

I think I am ultra-unromantic.
Take Valentines: we were debating wether we should go out for dinner or go out for drinks, or should we rent some DVDs and get some champagne.
Turns out that Thursday was a bad day cuz I couldnt find a babysitter, so we postponed for Friday.
Morning of Feb. 15th, Jason throws up all over the bathroom. So I told Tom that if he has the flu, I might not be able to get a babysitter since no one will want to get sick. We were like, "Ok, if he is fine in the afternoon we can get one of my siblings to watch him and still go out." Then, of course, I felt horrid for leaving a sick boy at home to go out and frolic, so we stayed home.

In the end we didn't go out for anything, and the worst part is that I don't really care. We stayed up half the night watching re-runs of stupid old movies while we drank champagne and laughed like 10 year-olds.
According to the dictionary, romance is: Ardent emotional attachment or involvement between people; love

I guess romance to me is:
When someone notices you're in a hurry to leave to work and makes your coffee for you.
When someone stops by the store to buy you a new bottle of perfume because he noticed yours had run out.
When someone brings you some chocolates they passed out at work and wanted you to also get some.
When someone puts the kids to bed because he noticed you're not feeling well.
When someone is happy a colleague can't use the concert tickets a client gave the department at work, cuz he can take you along instead.
When someone schemes with the kids and plans what presents to get you and where to buy the cake.
When someone tells you he thinks you look slimmer, although you both know you didn't lose weight but you were trying real hard.
When someone comes home from work and proudly tells how a co-worker told him he thought his wife was pretty. (And even more proudly answered, "I know!")

IMO the most romantic thing is a simple "I love you". Although this is only romantic when unaccompanied by "Can you get me the nailclippers", "How do you drive/park/steer?" or "What were you doing all day?".
A boyish "...but I love you" might save your ass for now, but it's just not the same!

4 weeks

2008-02-13T04:55:00.000-08:00

Yeay! In 4 weeks I get a week of holidays and so does Tom.
The kids will be on school holidays, so we will be able to do fun stuff. (Like sleeping in!)
Next week we are getting a temporary DSL so I will be able to upload pix again. I took lots of fireworks pictures, pix of the kids being corny at c-mas, Mandy's guinea pig, the torch parade and other random stuff. Tom took a picture of me with my zipper open, but I won't be posting that. :-P
Our place still looks like a refugee camp, we are waiting on some shelves, etc. and so there are boxes stacked everywhere.

I need holidays...

Back to bedlam

2008-02-03T10:23:00.000-08:00

We can't have the internet connection we want until May earliest (whatever), so we have to use dial-up for now. That means pictures might take a while since I won't be able to upload them from here. I broke my washing machine, hehe, hoping Tom gets around to fixing that soon. After 2 non-sick years, I finally got an infection: tonsilitis, bronchial infection, sinusitis and scraped esophagus. (Codein works wonders, I tell u!) But I was only sick for 2 days, then back to work where things are pretty hectic at the moment. Will be going to Spain on a business trip soon, sort of excited about that since I haven't been to Spain since Mandy was a baby. Too bad I can't take the kids!
I feel all posh with my pant suits, high heels and business trip, hehe.
Now all I need is to lose 15 lbs and get my teeth capped.

People keep asking if I am 18 or something, so I am debating on writing in to one of those makeover shows, asking them to make me look older, haha.
I had to show my ID to get some wine the other day, you are allowed alcohol at 18!!! Meaning they thought I was younger than 18.
Such a pain.
I bet once I turn thirty I will magically look 40, hahaha.

Random Snapshots of my Living Room

2007-12-16T09:37:00.001-08:00

Pant, pant

2007-12-12T05:14:00.000-08:00

Don't ask me why I did't imagine things this hard. People were like, "Well, you only work full-time, so household, kids and moving shouldn't be such a big deal!"
Yeah, right!

I forgot to pay my phone bill
I forgot to pay a dentist bill
I have a hard time sleeping because I am so wired
I have to re-check things I do at work, for fear that I am doing something idiotic
I couldn't add 29 + 3 the other day (You should have seen the look on my boss' face!)
I feel like I am forgetting something for hours, and it dawns on me that I have to pee!
I almost fell asleep on the toilet (again)
People ask if I am on drugs
Other people suggest I should TAKE drugs
I constantly trip, spill things, break dishes, drop my keys and cell phone
I lose my train of thought--constantly

I have utterly forgotten the meaning of weekend, relaxation and a sleep-in

Feel free to visit AFTER things are set up and when my brain functions are at least partly restored again. Do not be surprised if my e-mails make little or no sense, or if I forget that I am on the phone when you call.
I also constantly misplace my cell phone and keys, so don't be surprised that I am not home (cuz I am trying to climb up the balcony) and can't hear the phone which I left in one of my hundred jackets.

Whoever said "life is a song" must have been deaf!

Coo-coo

2007-11-26T03:57:00.000-08:00

I think I am going nuts will all this stuff, the moving, work, kids, aaargh!
It's like I start on one end and by the time I realize what I am doing, 3 more tasks have emerged and I can start all over again.
I guess yeah, Christmas is the ideal time to move...NOT!

To add to the fun, there is a bad stomach flu going around and that would be like the LAST thing on earth we need. So we are eating lots of chicken soup now, just in case!

I also realized why I am a bit bummed: normally I start decorating the place on Dec. 6th (Take everything down January 7th!), but with the move and all, I don't know if it's worth it to decorate anything. It's hardly worth it to decorate here because we will be stacking boxes in corners, and the new place isn't set up so decorations will be in the way! Sob, this throws off my groove!

click

2007-11-18T06:46:00.001-08:00

Aarrrgh!!!

2007-11-15T11:44:00.000-08:00

In case ya didn't know, it's all wintery here and full of snow. I would call it winter wonderland if it weren't such a damn pain! Tom and I get in the car to drive to work, and graaate, the car decides it doesn't want to move. Tom revved it a couple times and says it looks like the handbrake is frozen!
Yeay! (NOT!)
I drove to work anyhow, like a 15 minute drive with the handbrake basically on and that lovely smell of burnt brakes. At work I admit I was freaking a bit but some of my (of course male) colleagues helped me check the car, made some calls and said if a wheel wasn't blocking then I could drive to the garage. Thank God I have the sweetest neighbour in the world who took the kids and made them lunch, helped them with their homework and took a load off my shoulder.
Anyhow, meanwhile at the ranch I had to wait for almost 2 hours in a chilly waiting room with a gross brew of a coffee (of course I hadn't had lunch) while they took something apart and put it together again on the car. (Handbrake? Strings? I don't know how that stuff works.)
At least the car drove fine and I was so happy to be home that day!

What did throw me off is that NOW, after this happened, everyone is like, "But didn't you know that you shouldn't leave the handbrake on overnight in the winter?"
Huh?
Never heard that in my life, but you can bet your booty I am only leaving the car in gear now overnight, handbrake off.
:-D

Hmm

2007-11-13T05:12:00.000-08:00

So I realized I have like zero recent pictures of myself, mainly because I just can't photograph my own self when I go out with the kids or whatever.
I should work on that...

Tsk tsk

2007-11-09T08:02:00.000-08:00

Guys are liars.

Once, in a park I saw this cute guy walking his dog. I wanted to strike up a conversation and said, "Hey, nice dog. Does he bite?"
"No!"
"Oh yeah? THEN HOW DOES HE EAT???"

...liars.

(A Dimitri Martin adaption)

11

2007-11-07T10:50:00.000-08:00

11 years!!!
It's been so long and yet it seems so short. Funny how we have come such a long way and yet it still seems like there is so much ahead.
Back then everything was different, although somehow we ourselves haven't changed all that much.
I guess you could say we did sort of grow up together, comparing us now to then is like watching children play "Mommy and Daddy".
Remember how we would stay up until 5 in the morning, talking?
Remember how we would discuss our next move in life, always together?

We used to laugh at movies we cringe at today, but hey, at least we cringe together.

Remember how we would imagine how sweet it would be when our kids would be big enough to crawl into our beds early in the morning? And how later we realized that it meant no more sleep-ins?
Or how we would anticipate our child's first words, and then when they were big we would sometimes wish they couldn't talk yet...like in the good ol' days?

Funny, I think we never told each other sappy things like that we would be together forever, or that nothing could ever tear us apart.
But I remember talking and joking about growing old together, old and pruny. We point at random old people and say "Look, honey, it's you in 40 years!"
We never had the big white wedding I still sometimes wish for, but I know that we are going to have a big fat honeymoon someday to make up for it.
More important than a wedding is the marriage, and ours has outlasted those of many of the people we know.
We've always stayed close, always grown closer.

Of course we still argue and fight, that's why I don't like to cut your hair or have you riding shotgun. You still get annoyed that I sometimes (hardly ever, mind you) hoard things under my pillow and read my book until I fall asleep with the light on.
Just like I wish you could put your dirty socks in the laundry yourself sometimes instead of waiting for me to pick them up. In the end, that's half a marriage: ignoring the little things that bug the sh** out of you but aren't really that important.
We accept each other for who we are and don't try to change things on the other person. (Although we do murmur about faults here and there! )

What it boils down to is that you are my best friend and confidant, my lover and my rival all in one.
Your friendship builds me up when I am down and sees the part of me that sometimes just needs a hug or needs to be left alone.
As a lover...well, I will tell you that in person.
My rival you are too, in some ways, enough to keep me on my toes at least.
If I see the kids obeying you and not me, I try to compete and it makes me analyze my actions as a mother. Or if I see that you have most of your paycheck left at the end of the month and I frittered it on clothes and cinema, well then I try to be more saving the next time round.

I learned so much if I look back, although I know that at some point in the future I will laugh at how little it was back then.

We have experienced so much together, I have shared 39% of my life with you so far.
You know that I would do it again if I had a choice, although there were so many things I would have done better. But since going back and re-doing things is not an option, I can only try to do things better in the future. (Hey, I said try, don't pin me on that!)

In conclusion: I love you more than yesterday and less than tomorrow.

Meano!

2007-11-03T11:00:00.000-07:00

So, Tom and I are lying in bed on a Saturday morning, talking about how smart our kids are. Tom looks at me and says, "You know, I think they got their intelligence from you!"
Me, all touched, ask why he comes to that conclusion.
His answer: "Well, I still have mine...!"

Moving sucks!

2007-10-23T04:11:00.000-07:00

I am going crazy with the moving, am having to "deep clean" the apartment because the renting company is going to be having a look at it tomorrow and tell us what we still have to fix before we leave. Then I need to find a good deal on a nice kitchen, looking for a new couch, etc. (How nice that my husband works for the area's biggest furniture company...!)

The other day I started sorting through all the kids's clothes which they dont't need anymore, and I ended up with 8 huge garbage bags!!! Add 3 bags of toy-trash, 2 bags of paper garbage and another couple bags of shoes which are too small/broken.

Work used to be something I managed to do in the 4 hours that I was there, but since we are issuing a new catalogue I have been having to do translations...and you can imagine how stressy it is to fit a normal work day into half a work day!

What I need is a wife (slave) who cleans, makes the dinners and does the laundry, takes care of the kids homework and takes out the garbage while I sort and pack.
Wanna marry me???

Sightseeing

2007-10-19T11:48:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer: all pictures taken with cell phone camera!
So...
I knew that there was an "atomic basement" in Haigerloch, where my Mom's from, but had never gone there. It was the place where Otto Hahn discovered how to split the atom in 1938. They had a reconstruction of how his actual workplace looked, taken from pictures and there were real uranium pieces and the tub where they used to sink it in. (Don't ask me how it works!)In other words, the modern nuclear reactors in their baby shoes. The whole lab was in what used to be a beer cellar, hewn into the rock on which a little castle stands.

It was just fascinating to see such a simple table, and realize how much harder it must have been to do certain things back then. No computers, no internet, etc. Tom was all stumped, lol.

Then we climbed up to the little castle and took a few snapshots of the church which was built in 1500something, very baroque (yech!). The kids were all interested in the confessionals and went in there, making up stuff as they "confessed"! (The church was empty, don't worry!)

That first picture is the view of part of my Mom's town from the little castle, which is now more of a tourist thing with restaurants, wine-tasting, conference rooms, etc. To see pics of the castle, click here!

Happy Birthday, Ang!

2007-10-04T04:15:00.001-07:00

Dear Angie,

wishing you a great and fantastic birthday party!
You've always been a great little sister-in-law and lots of fun to be with. I miss your odd spoutings of random thoughts that pop into your head.
I am still upset about the time when I was all happy and pg, when you came into my room with your hands behind your back. "Oh, Hans, I have a surpise for you...close your eyes!"
Stupid me, closed my eyes when told to open:*FLASH*, Angie takes a nice picture of me without make-up, curlers in my hair and a really dumb look on my face.

tsk tsk

To get back at you I want to remind you of how in Italy you said you were the Backstreet Boys biggest fan and always would be. Remember how I said that it would pass and you said, "I will ALWAYS be their biggest fan!"...?

Good times, good times.

Have a blast and enjoy your day!

Mommy stuff

2007-09-23T09:45:00.000-07:00

Things I do as a mother to save time:

- I make my shopping lists while on the toilet
- I drink my morning coffee as I do my hair and make-up
- I exercise or iron clothes while I watch my TV shows or movies
- I brush my teeth while showering

Things I do as a mother to save money:

- plan shopping in advance according to sales
- cut/dye my own hair and am the family hairdresser
- buy halloween/christmas decorations when the season is over for the next year.
- combine driving to appointments with shopping or other errands. (Saves on gas!)
- use plastic shopping bags as garbage bags

Things I somehow never seem to have time to do:

- go to the gym
- visit my grandma/sisters/mom/friends
- get rid of all my clothes that are ruined/too small for me/old
- clean up my basement
- learn a new language
- take a nap

Tom-pix

2007-09-20T05:03:00.000-07:00

Notice how he tries to look all sweet and innocent on his pillow?

written for you

2007-09-17T13:26:00.000-07:00

To whom it may apply, a sort of new/weird style...click here!

Happy Birthday to me...

2007-09-11T04:22:00.000-07:00

Had a very luvly birthday, thanks for calling Mom, I really appreciated it. I spent my morning shopping (courtesy of Tom) with my sister, back home the children gave me their gifts, Mandy got me some boots and Jason bought me a perfume. I had bought all the things to make a cake, but they ended up buying me one, which was fine as well. For dinner we had raclette so that nobody had to cook, although the next day Tom took us out for greek food.

On Monday when I went to work, I brought brownies for everyone and it was a hit. (There were a few people on diets who ate them anyhow and then blamed me...lol)

I didn't have the sort of birthday party where everyone and their dog comes over simply because I do not have the energy for it. Last year it was so much work to bake and clean and I had to get up early. So this year I refused!

On Friday it's little Mandy's birthday and then I will HAVE to make cake and invite everyone (and their dog) for coffee/tea/cake. On the 28th Mandy wants a japanese style kids birthday party, whatever that will look like, so I still have some time.

This picture shows the freak in me, the rest need no commenting.

blah

2007-09-05T04:48:00.000-07:00

Me without make-up, except mascara. See my freckles and wrinkles?

Yawn

2007-09-03T05:20:00.000-07:00

I am just so tired these days, a total Grammy.
I can't stay up late anymore, I fall asleep at like 11 on the weekends and wake up at 8.
I just can't help myself. At work this morning I couldn't stop staring, like my eyes were glued to a piece of paper on the desk.
Coffee didn't help and the rotten weather doesn't help either.
Some days (or weeks/months/years) you feel like you are treading water with some things, like keeping the place neat. I often did not have enough time to clean when I was NOT working, now I only work part time and it's like "Where does all the time go?"
Just rushing around, trying to do everything at once...until it's time to do dinner, lol, and then it starts all over again.

I forget the laundry in the machine, then I forget it in the dryer. I will of course, forget to put it away because I was reminded of something entirely different I had forgotten.
I forget to set up coffee, then I forget to drink it. (And you wonder why there are 10+ coffee cups with cold coffee around the place?)
I sit down at the computer because I had to look something up, then I try to remember what that something was...and before I know it: an hour is gone! Just like that!

It's like a little time-monster that nibbles at my clock whenever I am not looking.
Of course, when it's 5 minutes until I can get off work, well, that my friends just takes forever!!!
Right now I am blaming my senility on the weather and season change, but that excuse won't last for very long. During the holidays, mainly in Switzerland, the kids went to bed at 12:30 and woke up at 6:30 so I did not get to sleep in very much. Once I got home, I had one Sunday to sleep in and then i had to work again. It's like I need holidays because I was on vacation!!! LOL

1st Suggested solution: go to bed early.

Yeah, I tried going to bed early, fell asleep at 9 in the evening...then woke up at 4 and could not go back to sleep for almost 2 hours and my alarm rings at 6:20. My body somehow gets used to the schedule of few hours of sleep and my inner alarm clock will ring loudly when time's up.

2nd suggested solution: take naps.

That's a suggestion from a normal, sane person with no clue of what I am like. (har har) A normal person will lie down for a nap and wake up after about an hour. Me, I am kind of like a jumbo jet when it comes to sleep. I need a long time to get up in the air, and another long landing strip when I come down. So after maybe 30 minutes of trying to block out miniature voices saying things like, "Quick, cover it up so that Mommy doesn't get mad!" or "She's sleeping, shall we cook ourselves some food?", I finally begin to fall asleep.
Normally I wake up a good 3-4 hours later, it will be dark and quiet because I slept through dinner (cereal and leftovers) and the worst part is: I am wide awake and will not be able to sleep for several hours.

I wish sleep were like Narnia, I could walk through a closet door, sleep for a few years, come back out and no time has elapsed at all.
Now that would be nice...

Congratulations!

2007-08-28T05:04:00.000-07:00

Dearest Marisa:

congratulations on the birth of your little baby girl, Chanel Gwen. Isabelle must be happy to have a little sister.

Wishing you the best and hoping to see pictures as soon as you can, hope you feel strong, happy and healthy and the baby too.

Hugs and kisses,

Hanna & co.

Odd pix

2007-08-27T05:22:00.001-07:00

Honey, I'm home!

2007-08-25T11:00:00.000-07:00

I'm back! Yeay!
First I was all nervous about driving, with being a sort of beginner driver and all.
But I was fine, I even drove around Geneva with a truckload of kids (ok, 4) in the back and not knowing how to get anywhere. hehe.
Switzerland was nice, the weather was perfect the entire time, despite what the news had forecast. I was able to help my friend do a couple things like pick up and lug her fat-ass new 40" Sony TV around since she has no car. (Steal, steal TV)
At the Geneva lake you can look over to France and Jason is like, "Next time you can drive us to France!" :-)
The kids were good the whole trip, very wild and excited during our stay and very eager to see their Daddy once we got home. Of course I brought swiss chocolate for all those dear folks who will be watching my kids next 2 weeks while I work. (big fat grin)
I stocked up on ovomaltine, learned how to make swiss fondue and chinese fondue and shared a great Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 with my dear friend.
Can't really say it was a vacation for me since I never got to sleep in, and it was a little stressy, but the kids enjoyed it immensely and that's what it was all about.

Vroom!

2007-08-20T23:00:00.000-07:00

I shall be leaving with my kids today for a week of Switzerland, I rented a car that's big enough to fit both me, my kids and my friend and hers in it. I have never driven alone this far (approx. 4 hr drive) although I have been a co-driver on this exact stretch a few times now. The kids are perfectly buzzed about going "on vacation" and I think Tom is a little bummed that we will be gone, although I am telling him to enjoy the peace while it lasts.
I hope to take lots and lots of pictures, although the weather looks everything BUT promising.
Am hoping I don't screw up on the trip, like take the wrong exit or scratch up the rental while parking, ahem.
Hoping to make it back in one piece, with lots of pictures to post.

Peace!

Happy birfday widdle brofer!!!

2007-08-17T02:21:00.000-07:00

My "little" brother is turning 26 today, when he was little he used to think that one day he would be older than me because he was a boy! (So young and so chauvinistic, tsk tsk!)

When he was born and my parents introduced me to him at the hospital, I asked if they could please now send him back to wherever he came from. He he!

I remember how I used to drag him all over the place and get into mischief, where he usually ended up crying and I got a spank. I was super bummed when he went off to Colombia and I didn't get to see him for 4 years or so, but now we are only 15 min away and I can see him whenever I want. Sometimes I bug him by reciting lines from those old drama tapes: "What, you fool! You bungled it! (ow ow)" or sing songs like "In the town of hamlet, a very long time ago. (Chigga chigga, chigga chigga)"

In revenge for me having been such a bossy big sis, he teaches my kids all kinds of retarded things and bullshit which I get upset at him for. Sweet revenge!

Here is a pic of him as a little boy (aka Mele in tights, har har) and don't mind the goony fat child next to him (aka bossy big sis).

Bug Plant Flower

2007-08-12T11:25:00.000-07:00

There was a wasp caught in a little spider's web, it was all struggling to get out and finally did. Tom took this picture cuz I was too scared, lol. It looks as though the wasp is all looking into the camera. The green stuff is cress that the children planted.

Happy Birthday!

2007-08-10T04:41:00.000-07:00

Today is my Mom's birthday and this is the only appropriate picture I could find. (I look like a boy, right? My stupid hair was always pulled back and they forced me to wear that friggin polka dot dress, ugh!)

This picture freaks me a bit cuz I am turning 11 there, and she is exactly 20 years older than me...meaning that on this picture she is 3 years older than I am today.

Spooky!

Since gift shopping is so tedious (said lazy me) I will be taking her out to dinner/lunch when we have time. (working moms as we are)

Happy birthday, Mama!

Happy Birthday Sam!!!

2007-08-08T06:13:00.001-07:00

Hey Sam, happy birthday! Hope you got my e-mail and that you have a fun day with lots of cake, ice-cream and booze. (Mainly booze!)
I remember when I first met you, you were all shy and didn't talk to me, would just look on the floor and try to walk by as quickly as you could. Tom was like "Aw, Sammy is just like that!"

Gee, whatta man you have now become...!