Did you Really Just Say That?

Today I received a compliment I often get multiple times a day when people see Talia: "She is so beautiful." followed by a slew of things about her that qualify that statement. Such things often are her curls, smile, eyes, personality, nose etc. Today's compliment started in a most unwelcome way. A new YMCA worker asked upon my arrival to pick up my kids "Does she look like her father?" After explaining how her father is Hispanic and not delving into my personal hopes that my children would get all of the beautiful skin, hair, eyes, etc that Ethnicity has to offer, she continued to remark "Yeah, she looks nothing like you." Then, without skipping a beat and surely without thinking of the implications to myself she states: "She is so beautiful."

Good thing I'm smart and funny and gosh darn it, people like me :). Even still. . .she is cute and does resemble a certain Father of hers. What can I say. . .I have great taste!


AFTER POST THOUGHTS:

Judging by the two very sweet comments already shared, I feel like I should clarify. I feel fine about myself and I imagine the girl really only meant to give a high compliment. It was just a funny reminder about the implications of semantics and syntax.

In the 70's

While driving to the hospital for what turned out to be a failed screening for a PRK test study (Yzma Eyes), I heard the forecast. I felt like the weatherman was off several 10 degrees for the day's high. Surely, 85 isn't this hot. Then the weatherman pointed out another sad truth. . .the low for tonight will hover just one degree below my set house temperature of 78! Really, if I have to pay $200 in electricity bills than I should at least get to have a thermostat setting of 75.

new favorite

Fernando has a fantastic knack at picking delicious books on cd. Many of these books carried us across the US on our move from Maryland to Texas and during many a long drives since. They accompanied us during workouts and yard work and always leave passerby's with a curiosity on what is make us smile so quirkily.

My new favorite: Stumbling on Happiness. The joy of this book is doubled by the fact that the author is also the reader so emphasis and punchlines are doubly enjoyable. I find myself smiling at his connections and similes. I mean how could you not love a book that says things like: "But as bald men with cheap hairpieces always seem to forget, acting as though you have something and actually having it are not the same thing, and anyone who looks closely can tell the difference."

I would highly suggest this as a listen and not a read. I think that fiction books are fantastic reads where all non-fiction books are more interesting when listened to. Hope you enjoy.

dr. daddy

Fernando was on call on Sunday which meant a lot more responsibility for my kids. I was so grateful for their help in setting and cleaning up 4 nursery rooms and then taking themselves to and from their primary classes. After church we got a special treat of taking dinner to Fernando at the hospital. You would think after how many years of medical school and residency that I would get used to the idea that my husband's career is helping sick people get better, but it still shocks me to think that he is someone's actual caretaker. They literally put their lives into his hands and he helps their surgeries be painless and even forgotten. It was fun to see where he "lives". His home away from home.

Swagger Wagon

I am in love with these videos. . .I shouldn't be so enamored, but I am. The more I watch them, the more I love.

Memorable Day

It's been awhile since we tried to connect the activities of the day to the holiday that we are celebrating. Monday brought the opportunity to try again. We spent most of the morning looking for Power Books and their accompanying tapes (yes tapes). Then we busted out of the internet and house in time to enjoy some splashing at the YMCA pool. Fernando and I tried the slides at the pool only to find out that our bodies aren't youth size anymore.

With the fun aside, we had the chance to let our children experience basic training. After watching a clip from a military training camp, the kids began their training as shown below. Now before anyone gets too worried about the yelling and water spraying, the kids were amply warned and made aware that it was just for fun: (also. . .sorry for the crazy videoing. Fernando was really distracting with all his yelling and frankly I've never been that hot at capturing in cinematographic grandeur.)
(sorry for the repeat, I'm not quite sure what happened there. I really shouldn't blog when kids are awake. . .they are very good at distracting me)

For those of you, ok all of you, who were lost in the jumbled camera effects, the obstacle course started with 5 dips on the stairs, "rope" grid stepping, duck squat walking with a cue stick aka gun on shoulders, army crawling under taped chairs, wall climbing (thanks to our friends for letting us steal their plastic toy from their back yard and walk it a block to our house), and a rope climb. They were supposed to target practice with rubber band guns, but unfortunately the wetness factor eliminated the success of the band and clothes pin situation.

Flambe

With temperatures climbing into the mid 90's, my desire to use any cooking apparatus in my house has dwindled to non-existent. The grill has saved us from a life relegated to cold cereal for dinner. Unfortunately, I haven't figured out as many varieties of dinners and you can only grill up chicken so many ways. Friday's dinner defaulted to hamburgers. While pulling out all the toppings, my hands found some bacon. Bacon burgers are so much better than just plain burgers. To avoid heating up my house, I decided to grill the bacon.

Now many, if not all of you, have already realized what a disaster this bacon grilling idea is going to turn into. In the back of my head I realized there was bacon and open flame conundrum. This should be exhibit A on how undesirable cooking indoors has become to me. Even still, like most crazy ideas I have, I pushed onward with "backup" plans on how to resolve the guaranteed inferno. Just so you know, there really wasn't a definitive backup plan, just more of a "yeah, this isn't going to work" realization that I counted as my backup plan.

Sure enough, my first check in on the grilling resulted in flames lapping a good foot from the grill. So I did what any "smart" person would do, I moved the flaming bacon to the warming racks to prevent bigger flames. (notice the smart is in quotation) When I checked again, the grill was on fire. Bacon was ignited in flaming glory and fire was shooting out every which way. A normal person might have shut the lid and turned off the heat source. I decided to watch in funniest home video style and laugh uncontrollably at the crazy sight. Tiago was further back but equally entranced. I am surprised that I didn't get burned to be honest. I guess plain hamburgers were just going to have to do.