Loopy Laptop...

A quick note to my little handful of loyal readers:

My laptop is in the shop again. I should have it back by the end of the week (so they say.) This explains my lack of entries. I'm using the ramshackle little Mac from school.

So thanks for visiting and come back again soon!

TGIF!

What a difficult 2 weeks! There has been so much stress and negativity! I'm so glad that today is Friday.

Today I was feeling a lot better about my future thanks to a very helpful pep talk I received yesterday. I'm not going to go into detail about it, but suffice to say, I feel better and that's what counts.

We were on rainy day schedule for the 2nd day in a row. That's always tough. The teachers get hardly any breaks and our lunch is shortened by 15 minutes. I worked right through my lunch today.

I guess the discouraging part today was that my kids were writing original stories, which is always hard, and I was appalled by some of their subject matter. Again, I won't go into details, but it saddens me to think of what some of my students have been exposed to.

The good news, in my opinion--I've been listening to NPR all week (National Public Radio) and I'm just amazed at the positive steps our government is already taking in foreign relations, science (stem cell research,) and other issues. Granted, they are all sticky issues that get batted back and forth between the parties, but since I support our new president's ideas, I find them all to be good things.

These little rays of hope are important.

Here in Capistrano...7 hours later...

Back from a few hours of walking around..

It was hot here today. Much hotter than I anticipated. We piled in the car and turned a different direction out of the hotel only to discover that there really isn't that much to see here in San Juan Capistrano!

The hubbub around the mission is the main hubbub, Bub.

Still, we got something cool over at Starbucks and Bailey got plenty of attention as we browed around the Old Barn Antique Mall. Lots of great stuff, but nothing really essential. Still, it is fun to look.

We got some food at Pedro's Tacos. That place has great food, low prices, and a patio where we can take the pooch. 3 good things. My mom and I sat and talked there for quite a while, then browsed at a lovely jewelry store (I think I found my future engagement ring if that day should arrive someday) and then drove back to the hotel.

It's only 6:30pm, but dark. I wouldn't mind going back to Starbucks and taking advantage of their wi-fi there, but we'll see.

Tomorrow I'm determined to get an earlier start out of the hotel because it is our last day here. Back to the grind on Tuesday. The good news is that we get to watch Obama be sworn in on Tuesday. I know the poor man has such pressure to fix the multitude of problems he's inheriting, but he's just got to help our struggling country!

Here in Capistrano...

We're finally here. My mom, me, and Bailey, the dog. Thank goodness for this decently-priced Best Western that accepts dogs.

The plan was to get here around 4pm yesterday, but, like everything else this week, obstacles arose. I started not feeling well around 11am--a combo of nerves, tiredness, and other stuff, and we ended up not even leaving home until around 5pm. We got into San Juan Capistrano at 6:30 and checked into our room. First floor, 2 queen-sized beds and a little private patio. Not bad for $85 a night.

We couldn't do anything but unpack and get some dinner and we were both tired. We drove down Ortega Highway to Pedro's Tacos and got some take-out to bring back to the room. Then we took turns checking email on my computer and watching a replay of the Golden Globes, which I didn't have a chance to see last week because I was at dinner at the neighbors' house. I'm glad Kate Winslet won twice. She's great.

I slept like a rock until Bailey woke me up at 4:30am to go outside. It took me until 5:30 to get back to sleep and then I slept like a rock again until 8:30. My body is desperate for some rest and relaxation. This has been a hard week: the anticipation for those visits, the visits themselves, and then the scary news on Thursday.

I'll be honest. Thursday's news feels like a cloud hanging over me. I'm nervous and touchy and I feel like I can't completely enjoy anything. This morning my mom said something that set me off and the tears came again. I was talking to a colleague on Friday who is in the same position as me and I was amazed at her attitude. She was like, "Well, if it happens, it happens. Maybe it just means that teaching it not the career for me." I was dumbfounded. Granted, she's a lot younger than me, but she also has a house to think about holding onto. I don't know where she gets the strength to be so upbeat because I know I'm struggling right now.

So right now I'm in the hotel room about to take Bailey for a walk. My mom is at Denny's taking her turn with breakfast. I wish I felt better. I wish I wasn't so sensitive right now. I wish I could be more positive. I wish a lot of things.

The one thing I'm holding onto right now is that usually I'm pretty intuitive and my gut tells me that everything will work out OK. Despite all of the near-misses on seniority issues at work, things have always worked out. I'm trying to hold onto that fact. But it is the uncertainty that keeps on creeping back in and messing me up. What I wouldn't give to just fast forward in time and know what's going to happen.

This is what you get when you Google the words "time machine..."

Getting Through Today...

I don't want this blog to suddenly be about the recent layoff news at my district, but I've had a lot of support and questions in the last day, so I'll bring you up to date.

First of all, let me just say a big thank you to the many people who have sent notes of support. I really appreciate it. Really. Today at school my coworkers were their normally great selves and one of them even sent a quick hand-written note of encouragement first thing this morning.

As expected, the first letter that we were told about yesterday arrived in our boxes today. It has my hiring date and the kind of credential I hold, my address, and everything needs to be verified so that the information can be used for the tough decisions ahead.

I have to say, my kids were great. I told them everything. They're old enough to know and I feel like kids respect you more when you're upfront with them about these kinds of things. I also told them because if they see me stressed or having a rough day, they'll know why. They were really great the rest of the day.

After school I got a phone call from my mom encouraging me to go and use one of the gift certificates she'd given me for a mani/pedi. Our manicurist had some free time this afternoon. You know how in Legally Blond Elle always goes for a manicure when she's depressed. It really does help to get a little bit of pampering. It helps even more when it's free. I haven't been in ages, so it was time.

So I got through Day 1 after yesterday's news. It's still hard, it's still uncertain, and it is definitely still scary. I guess one day at a time is all I can do. Thanks again to everyone who has taken it upon themselves to give me a little lift. Hugs to you all...

Layoffs in my school district...

Well, the thing that they told us not to worry about has begun.

Today after school I was asked to go into the office. Never a good thing. But when I saw the other people there--all of whom have similar seniority to mine, I knew what this was about.

The district has to layoff some teachers. The number has yet to be determined. They are alerting everyone who was hired in 2003 up until recently. A meeting with one of the union people was going to be in an hour and we were being advised to go.

How much should we panic? We don't know.

Should we start looking for another job? We don't know.

I walked back to my classroom shaking, thinking about my house, my co-workers, the uncertainty of the next several weeks and months, went in and shut the door and started crying.

Then I did what I always do in times of crisis. I called my mom.

She encouraged me and tried to look on the bright side, that they always alert more people than will eventually be laid off, that she would do everything possible to help me not lose my house if I were laid off, etc.

I went to the meeting. The lady who ran it was very knowledgeable. I took 5 pages of notes. It is about 50% bad news and 50% good news. I'm trying to focus on the positive, but it sure it hard. And the hard thing is that we won't know for sure until May. That's a lot of waiting around and stewing over what could happen.

There will be several rounds of letters, starting with the first one to verify everyone's information, like credential status, hiring dates, degrees, etc.

The next round of letters will be around March 15th, which will inform people that there is a possibility that they could be laid off. If you don't receive that letter, then your job is safe. If you do, then you have some options to take with the union regarding a hearing to make sure that everything is being done correctly. Still, it does not guarantee anything.

In May the final notices go out.

I'm numb, worn out with the shock and worry of the news, and having a hard time holding the tears back. "Single woman with a mortgage" are the words that keep coming to mind.

Naturally, this upcoming 3-day weekend will be affected. My mom and I are still going to San Juan Capistrano--it's too late to cancel our reservations--but we'll be vacationing a lot more frugally than we would have before this awful news.

And yes, I keep telling myself that there are plenty of others that were hired after me, that I may be doing all this worrying for nothing, but without a 100% guarantee, I can't help but worry.

The uncertainty is the hardest part.

I never, not in a million years, would've thought that the economy could be so bad that my job as an elementary school teacher would be in jeopardy. It's a horrible feeling...

Catch Up...

It is only Wednesday, but it has been a busy few days...

The weekend flew by. I spent several hours pursuing a purchase order transaction at Big 5 Sporting Goods, only to come home empty handed. It got sorted out on Monday once all of the offices were open.

On Sunday I spent an hour putting together a new toy for Alexander. A neighbor is CFO at Hotwheels, which is part of Fisher Price, and he was able to get my mom a great deal--$40 for a $100 toy. It is a doorway, with a door that opens and shuts, and lots of other lights, music, and colorful things to engage a young child. Alexander has loved it. Of course he first went for some little colored balls that didn't need any assembly. Naturally!

On Sunday night I had kind of a blind date. The neighbors 2 doors down wanted me to meet the husband's best friend. We had a great Japanese dinner and the friend was very nice and impressive. Whether I hear back from him remains to be seen, but I had a nice time.

Yesterday was exhausting. We had district visitors who went to every classroom. The 2 people who came to my room were very intimidating. They didn't even return a "hello." I found it very stressful. This is supposed to help our teaching? I don't see how. I was in knots all day and I know it translated into my teaching. I arrived home simply worn out.

I even watched both hours of the new American Idol, which I haven't done in several seasons. I like the new judge, Kara DioGuardi. She actually has some constructive things to say. A few talented people were chosen--Bikini Girl is NOT one of them!

Today was much easier. Although the visitors were still at our school, my visit was scheduled during the grade level meeting. Only one lady came in, she stayed for 10 minutes and was not as unfriendly as yesterday's visitors. A little warmth and friendliness goes a long way. I was very offended by the people yesterday. Even the kids noticed how frosty they were.

And now it feels like the week is ending and we have a nice 3-day weekend to look forward to. Dinner at Claim Jumper on Friday to celebrate a co-worker's birthday and 2 nights in San Juan Capistrano relaxing and antique shopping will be nice distractions.

All caught up!

The Good Outweighs...

Ah...Thursday. I love Thursdays. It is the first day where we have an early dismissal for the week. We have usually really found our groove for what we're supposed to be doing in the classroom. Best part? Knowing that the next day is Friday.

I did have a harrowing experience on the freeway this morning, though. I was cruising down the freeway and was suddenly forced to screech to a stop to avoid hitting the car ahead of me, which had screeched to stop to avoid a very recent accident. The smashed car was in the middle of the freeway with cars going quickly all around it, but no police or ambulance. The back end of the car was very smashed but the driver appeared to be OK, although I must admit that I was so shook up from my own scary experience that I really didn't pay much attention. Another car was also stopped. All I know is that it happened in the blink of an eye and all of my things (purse, lunchbox, a Lakeshore bag) were thrown forward. That could've been me if it wasn't for the seatbelt.

I arrived at my school heart thumping, knuckles white, and a little shooken up. Fortunately, today was very smooth and it helped me recover quickly.

Throughout the day I found myself constantly looking at the classroom from an "observer's" POV, since I'll be getting my share of observers on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week. I redid the room arrangement, changed the kids' seats, picked new "table captains," and did some organizing in some neglected areas. Luckily, though, my room usually looks pretty good because of my natural need for order. The school will be open for 4 hours on Saturday, but I won't be there.

We also lost a kid-my most recent kid--who moved away. I hadn't seen him all week, so I had a feeling. Must be hard to be the new kid all the time. I didn't have to deal with that when I was young. The only problem with losing a kid is that now I have a vacancy and you never know who will fill that spot. I'm staying optimistic and putting happy thoughts out into the universe...

We had a good math lesson today too on a concept that I must admit I did not remember how to do--diving by decimals. It turned out great and I learned right along with the kids.

After school I did some more picking up in the classroom. I could get a better perspective with the kids gone. Then I came home and recorded 3 more songs. I know. I've been on a roll this week. What I REALLY need to do is take down Christmas stuff! I've been saying that for 5 days. That's next, I promise!

SECRET LOVE

YESTERDAY ONCE MORE

VINCENT

Some relaxation!

Well, the last 2 days have gone pretty smoothly at school. Today was better than yesterday. Yesterday the kids were drowsy and not all there, but today you could tell that they were back on schedule and we got a lot done.

A faculty meeting after school was on the shorter side compared to normal. The main subject was to tell us "not to worry" that we're having 6 visitors next week who could visit our rooms up to 3 times in a day. And "don't worry" that our district has to cut millions of dollars from the budget over the next two years because they will only give out pink slips (layoffs) as a last resort.

Well...as long as don't have to worry... (are you kidding me?)

So I came home and tried to put those things behind me. I found Bailey (the dog) sitting in the back yard where he is supposed to be despite the fact that the electric gate had opened on its own. That dog is amazing and I'm very spoiled! He loves to roam around in the neighbors' front yards, but he knows he's supposed to stay behind that gate when I'm not home--so he does! Incredible!

Then I made my way over to the MySpace karaoke site and chose 2 incredibly difficult songs to record. Lover's Concerto took so many takes that I eventually lost count. That is a hard song! Click on the titles to hear them...I mean me.

THE WAY WE WERE

A LOVER'S CONCERTO

Vacation is nearly over...

Well, this is it! I can't believe I have to go back to work tomorrow. It has been so nice to enjoy the freedom of setting my own schedule each day.

Today I was determined that I wouldn't be a slug like yesterday. I even set my alarm (which I reset for a later time) and got up a little earlier than I have been, although I've never been one to sleep in too late. I promised myself that I would be somewhat productive and I have been.

Last night I did my market errands for the upcoming week and had the extra treat of watching the floats from the Rose Parade being pulled down Huntington Drive in San Marino. On my way to my first stop I only saw 2 floats, but on the way back I saw about 20 or more.

This morning I stuck to my guns and stayed busy: dishes, laundry, linens, and bills. It feels good to have those things done. The rest of the day was mine and I could enjoy it a lot more knowing those things were done. I've continued to enjoy that Roku player from Netflix and relaxed in front of a pleasant movie with Christopher Reeve that must have been made very close to his horse-riding accident.

The one thing that I haven't done is take down Christmas stuff. I don't feel like tackling that job quite yet, and I certainly don't want to spend hours and hours of my last vacation day doing that. So, I'll take it down the way I put it up, a little at a time over the next few days. My goal is to get it all down by Friday. Let's see how I do...

And now I'm just trying to keep good thoughts about the upcoming weeks. Next week we're having some important and intimidating visitors to the school. That's always fun--not. All I can do is go one day at a time. That's all any of us can do, right?

Some Swan Songs...

OK, I'm a total hypocrite. I've done absolutely nothing noteworthy or productive today except wash some dishes. The only cool thing I've done is find several people from elementary school on good ol' Facebook and have a 20 minute IM session with a childhood friend I've known since I was 2. (Shout out to Kari--that was fun!)

And, in the middle of reconnecting with old friends, I recorded several songs. These are the ones I think turned out the best:

HOPELESSLY DEVOTED TO YOU

LET IT BE

IN MY LIFE

So I guess tomorrow will *have* to be a productive day. I think I'll set my alarm just to train myself to get up really early for Monday. At least it will make the day seem longer!

TWO days to go...

See? This is what happens when you fritter away too much time on the computer. You stumble across ridiculous things like a picture of a cat dressed up like Darth Vader. Seeing that ticked-off looking feline told me that I'd better make the most of these last 2 days of vacation.

Where did it go? The ever-vanishing minutes are the only thing that makes me long for my previous school district. In LA we got 3 weeks for vacation. It was pretty nice. But there are so many other advantages to my current district compared to the corrupt mess that is LA Unified, I guess I can make the sacrifice.

Speaking of LA Unified, yesterday I hosted another group of friends at my house for lunch. This time it was 3 teachers and my mom from my first school. Despite 2 spills at the beginning that had me gritting my teeth, the rest of the afternoon went well. And I finally said goodbye to the pretty Christmas dishes until next year.

So now I have to decide how to spend these LAST 2 DAYS...I find myself saying those words slowly and ominously....I have to make today last, because tomorrow is essentially ruined with the thought that I have to go back the next day. That means going to sleep at a reasonable hour, making sure I have stuff for my lunches for the week, picking out what I'm going to wear...ugh! The only good thing is that the kids are usually well-behaved upon returning to school. They've gotten the wigglies out of their system and most of them will say how boring vacation was and have a new-found respect for the school day's order and constant activities.

I hope I'm not being overly optimistic!

OK, 9am. I better get out of pajamas and start using this day well. I'll wait til later to put a Star Wars costume on my cat...

Never done this before...

Well, click on the links and see...

I WON'T LAST A DAY WITHOUT YOU

GOODBYE TO LOVE

Man, I look tired! (Well, it is 11pm, so that explains it...)

Movie Review: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

If there is one thing I have learned from the events of 2008, there is no stopping time. Having watched the passing of 2 grandparents and the birth and development of my nephew all in the same year shows you time's diligence and power. That could be one of many themes in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, which I finally had the chance to see today...

You know the story. Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt) is born an infant with all the signs and limitations of old age and, as time progresses, he grows younger as those around him grow older. Inside, however, he ages in the same direction as everyone else. The only main difference could be that, as someone extremely different, he is more sensitive to those around him.

There are striking similarities to Forrest Gump, not the least is which that the screenwriter is the same for both films. Both movies have an epic feel to them. Both movies have profound stories. Both films have similar characters: Benjamin=Forrest, Queenie=Mama, Daisy=Jenny, Capt. Mike=Lt. Dan... Benjamin has less comedy and the production design is staggeringly beautiful.

The story is told in flashback as an aging Daisy (Cate Blanchett) lays dying in a New Orleans hospital hours before Hurricane Katrina descends on the city. Her daughter, Caroline (Julia Ormond,) reads Benjamin's journal to Daisy and we are invited to witness his curious birth and his life that follows.

There's no denying that, at 2 hours and 47 minutes, the movie is long. But it is a lovely film with an old-fashioned pace. By its conclusion you are left pondering the meaning of time, age, maturity, and love in relation to those uncontrollable things. I found myself looking at others a little differently when the movie ended and we made our way through the herd of people leaving the theater. When I was waiting for my mom for a moment I looked up and saw an elderly lady with a walker and, for an instant, I saw the younger version of that lady buried beneath the older exterior. So often we look at someone for the first time and see only what is in front of us, never considering the journey that life has taken that person on before that moment.

The film isn't without its flaws. I wish that the character of Daisy was a little more consistent. At first she is moody and you aren't sure how to feel about her, but over time she mellows and you see her devotion and sincerity. The Capt. Mike character speaks with an accent that is very hard to understand. But the imperfections are minor. The actress who plays Queenie (Taraji P. Henson,) Benjamin's adopted mother, is especially good and worthy of a Supporting Actress nomination.

And, although it is easy to get caught up in the look of Benjamin at the beginning of the film and say "How did they do that?" again and again, Brad Pitt's performance transcends all of the movie magic to make his character very real and sympathetic.

When all is said and done, I would highly recommend this film. Leave the little ones at home because they will get squirmy, but treat yourself and see it.

New Year, New Day, New Fresh Start...

Am I the only one who finds something very cathartic and refreshing about New Year's Day? It is like all of the challenges of the previous year have been washed away.

This morning I slept in (for me) until around 8am, fed the dog, opened up the house, made some eggs and toast, and settled down with a great Columbo episode that I had never seen before. (Thanks to the instant viewing on Netflix and the new Roku player...) It was called How to Dial a Murder. Very entertaining, as all Columbo episodes are!

Then I sat down and designed a new look for this blog, as you can see. What a fun way to be creative once in a while. During that time I turned on the fabulous soundtrack to Annie Get Your Gun, the Broadway version with Bernadette Peters. I have been listening to that one a lot lately because it has such great songs and is so upbeat.

Right now I'm waiting for my mom to return from the Rose Parade, which she goes to every year. Poor Mom, she has such a hard time getting anyone to go with her! No one wants to get up that early! She's got it down to a science so that she doesn't have to camp out on Colorado Blvd overnight, but it is still an early morning. I like to go when there is a cool Grand Marshal or other fun people that I know there will be to see. Over the years we've seen Shirley Temple, Gregory Peck, Mr. Rogers, and many other iconic figures.

It just feels good today to not have to be rushing off anywhere or have any pressing obligations, (except set the table and prep some of the cooking for another round of company tomorrow...) We've having over 3 teachers from my first school in east LA. This is the 2nd year in a row that we've had a little New Year's potluck at my house. I guess it is becoming a tradition!

And, since I've been enjoying the Annie Get Your Gun music so much lately, here's a great clip I found of 2 songs that were performed on the Tony Awards a few years ago. Bernadette Peters is amazing! I don't know where she gets her energy. The woman is in her 50's, and she looks great!

Happy New Year Everyone...

To my family, friends, loyal readers, and random visitors--
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL!!

For whatever reason, 2008 has been a challenging year for many people, and I know that I'm not the only one who is ready for a fresh start.

I hope you all have a great evening tonight--whether you're going out or staying in--and that 2009 is a wonderful year of happiness. Happy New Year!

Movie Review: The Duchess

After cleaning up from today's company, resting a bit, and running a quick errand, it was time to veg a little. Netflix delivered The Duchess today, which I've wanted to see since it was in the theaters. It did not disappoint...

Admittedly, I love period pieces. There is something fascinating about being transmitted to another time and place with these movies and The Duchess was no different. The fact that it is also a true story added to its allure.

It is about Georgiana Spencer, also known as the Duchess of Devonshire, also known as an ancestor to a certain Lady Diana Spencer. The parallels in their lives are striking, but the duchess also had to contend with the fact that, while unhappy in her marriage, she was also living at a time when women had no rights. None. And if they wanted to leave their marriage they had to also leave their children behind.

Keira Knightley was magnetic as Georgiana, and Ralph Fiennes has mastered the art of being the creepy arse that he portrays here. Ooh...you really hate him more and more throughout the film.

It was opulent and detailed and the story was riveting. The double standard among what men could get away with and what women had to sacrifice is amazing. And, while it is no secret that women have often had to suffer in silence throughout history, this film really makes you feel the gravity of that suffering.

It isn't a film I would need to see again or add to my DVD library, but I would still highly recommend it. A very high quality piece of filmmaking and an unforgettable story.

Hosting is fun...

Anyone who knows me knows how much I adore my house and, while on the smaller side, it has a great layout for hosting company.

Today we did our annual get together with my paternal grandma--now my only grandma--and my dad's wife. So it was me, my mom, my brother, my sister-in-law, nephew Alexander, grandma, and dad's wife. Yes, it is a little surreal having my mom and my dad's wife together, but we're all adults and we have made it work over the years.

We did our gift exchange and oohed and aahed over every little thing that Alexander did, as usual. It sure feels good as an auntie to have him crawl over to me and want to be held or to crawl all the way into the kitchen looking for me when I'm getting things to put on the table. And he looked so adorable today. I was too busy to take pictures, but my mom did, as usual.

We got to use our pretty Lenox Christmas dishes. I made this great and easy chicken casserole and my mom made a peach pie--both out of my "Busy Woman's Cookbook." This cookbook is so great, so simple, and it has never let me down in all the years I've had it. My mom's pie was excellent. She said it was so easy it was almost embarrassing! Jonathan made the Caeser salad. It was an excellent meal and we had a lot of fun. All topped off with some Martinelli's Sparkling Cider.

After everyone left my mom and cleared the table and did the dishes. Then we called some of our friends from our first school where we both taught and set up a little luncheon for this Friday. Again, at my house. I think we're going to do a repeat of today's meal.

And since I don't have pictures to share, I'll share the recipes. You can order that cookbook at busywomanscookbook.com: (it is the last one on the list, with only 3-4 ingredients per meal)

EVERYONE'S FAVORITE CHICKEN CASSEROLE

• 2 1/2 or 3 pounds of chicken, cooked
• 2 (6 oz) boxes stuffing mix (I use Stovetop)
• 1 1/2 (10 3/4 oz) cans cream of chicken soup
• 1 1/2 cups carton plain yogurt

Boil chicken until done. Pull apart from the bone and set aside. Fix stuffing according to directions on box. Spread half of stuffing in 9x13 baking dish. Cover stuffing with chicken. Mix soup and yogurt together and spread it evenly over the chicken. Sprinkle the rest of the stuffing on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Makes 6 servings.

EASY PEACH PIE

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 (29 oz) can sliced peaches, drained (my mom used peaches from a jar--don't forget to drain them)
• 2 (9 in) pie crusts, unbaked

Put 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon flour in bottom of 9-inch unbaked pie crust. Place peaches on top of flour and sugar. Put the other 1/2 cup of sugar and 1 tablespoon of flour on top of the peaches; use the other pie crust for the top crust. Seal, cut slits on top. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

I would love to know if anyone actually tries these. Trust me, you won't regret it! They are both fabulous and super duper easy. The casserole is a little time-consuming, but still very simple. The above pictures were taken off the web, but they are pretty darn close to how everything is suppose to look...

Christmas Brunch Table

The table is all set for tomorrow's Christmas brunch. Like I said, my new thing is setting an elegant table. At the last Macy's trip we bought some chargers for the table at an incredible discount. I know, I didn't know what a charger was either, but they are the gold decorative faux plates under the actual plates. They really add a nice touch.

One thing I learned from Tita, my mom's mom who recently passed away, was always set the table the day before when you're having company...

(notice Bailey trying to be inconspicuous in the background...)

Maybe it is a little fancy, but it has been a heck of a year, and I think we all deserve a little bit o' fancy.

Post Holiday Busies...

Yesterday my sister-in-law asked me why I haven't added any new blogs lately and I replied that I only wanted to write if there was something interesting to write about. "What about Christmas?" she asked?

She's right. It has been eventful, but I have been putting off writing about it because I've been battling this cold for 9 days now. But, here goes:

This was a momentous Christmas in many ways, mainly because it is the family's first Christmas without our grandparents, the last Christmas Eve at their house, and the first Christmas with baby Alexander. What a bittersweet, full year this has been.

My mom gets the credit for most of the work at the grandparents' house, which was quite an undertaking. She and Carmen, (the family cleaning lady who has worked for 5 different relatives, including me,) set up a tree, outdoor lights, set the tables, indoor Christmas decorations, spent 5 hours making bunuelos, and my mom did the turkey and stuffing.

We had a very nice time, especially because everyone was there, including cousins Robby, Monica, and her husband, Mike--all in the military. The importance of the evening wasn't lost on anyone, as we tried to absorb the atmosphere as much as possible. The idea that it would be our last Christmas Eve at my grandparents' house is unfathomable. It is what all of us have known our entire lives and a tradition that I've looked forward to as long as I can remember.

The dinner was potluck, the seating was pretty much the way it has always been, with the kids and inlaws in the dining room and the grandkids and their spouses in the living room. We ate and ate and laughed. You could tell everyone was taking a mental picture of the house, because this is it. Today my mom and her 3 siblings are sitting down to discuss the process of dismantling the house. And, although certain things have been promised to everyone (and we don't foresee problems,) no one wants to be the first person to take something off of a wall or remove it from a room. This is a new reality that we, as a family, have to deal with.

After dinner we did the gift exchange, then dessert, then clean up, which is hard in a house without a host. I felt like I was helping, but I probably didn't help as much as I could have. My cold was at its full intensity and I felt lousy by the end of the night.

I dragged myself home around 11pm and went straight to bed. Christmas morning my mom and I were supposed to go and see the Benjamin Button movie and then my brother and family were going to be over around 3pm, but it didn't work out that way. My mom and I both slept in much later than expected, I spent a lot of time getting the table ready, and it was just a day to move very slowly. When Jonathan, Quyen, and Alexander did come over, we had a really nice time and it was just us, some holiday music, and a fire (at my house) for the next 4 hours.

This is certainly not the age where one is into the gifts at Christmas, but I did receive some great stuff, thanks to our wish lists. A year's supply of car washes and a wax, several gift certificates for mani/pedis, and a Roku player from my mom. (I'll explain that one in a sec) The Unsolved Mysteries collection from Jonathan and Quyen, and some great stuff from Monica, my "Secret Santa" for the family gift exchange the night before.

My mom's big gift was an 8gb red Zune player from Jonathan and me, which I helped her learn about yesterday. We downloaded several of her CDs, bought a case online, and found some other essential accessories at Best Buy. She's getting the hang of it!

So, what's a Roku player? I'll show you. A Roku player is for people who have Netflix, the service where you rent movies online. There is an "instant viewing" feature on the site where you can watch certain things right on your computer. The Roku player transfers your "instant viewing" queue and puts it on the TV, so that you can watch the things on the TV instead of on the computer. IT IS AWESOME, especially for some like me who doesn't have or want cable.

Here's how it works:

1. At the Netflix site, the movies with the blue buttons are the ones available for instant viewing. Usually they are older movies, but there are still 1000's of choices and, if you dig, you can find some great things.
2. You have 2 queues. One for the movies that will be sent to your house and one for instant viewing. I went through several lists, and I put anything that looked remotely interesting into my instant viewing queue just to increase my choices:
3. Then you've got the Roku player, which hooks into the TV and the ethernet cord OR, if you have a wireless network like me, it hooks up just to the TV (and plugs into an outlet.) Setup is super easy. I hooked up the cords with no problems and followed the instructions that appeared on the TV screen. It gave me an activation code to input on the Netflix site and that was it. I also like that the Roku is nice and small.
The handy little remote that comes with it makes all the magic happen:
4. After the easy setup, your Netflix instant viewing queue appears on the screen. You navigate with the arrows to select the movie you want to see.
5. You select it, and it shows you a little synopsis, the length, and gives you the play option. If it is a TV show, it gives you the option to select a certain episode:
6. When you select "play," it retrieves it from the Netflix site, which takes a few seconds:
7. Then the movie begins! You can pause, rewind, and fast-forward at will. Sometimes when you move around within the movie it will have to retrieve again from the site, but it only takes a few seconds.
I LOVE IT! I even put some movies into the queue that I own, because it is nice to have them so accessible if I'm drifting off to sleep and don't want to dig out the DVD.

So that was my nicest and biggest surprise this Christmas.

The day after Christmas turned out to be busy. We mustered up our courage and went to the mall, only to discover that my local Eddie Bauer store is closing sometime in January. We're still holding onto the hopes that it is just going to relocate to the new section that is being built at our local mall, but only time will tell.

Our new favorite store, though, is the Macy's on Lake Avenue in Pasadena. That is where I found my dress for my cousin's wedding, and my mom and I have been building up our collection of Lenox Christmas dishes. We also got some beautiful winter coats there on Friday night: $240 coats for $95! Wool, warm and really lovely. Black for me, gray for my mom. Robby's wedding on Saturday was going to be far and outdoors.

So that is what we did Saturday. My mom and I dressed up and picked up my brother and the baby. My sister-in-law had to work. We dropped off Alexander at his other grandparents' house and drove 85 miles out to Hemet. It was a small wedding, family only, but really nice considering the size. Robby's my first cousin who recently graduated from the Air Force Academy in May. He's currently in pilot's training in Mississippi and his fiancee (now wife) is in the Air Force in Arizona. It stinks, but they are going to be separated for months after just a few days of marriage. Such is life in the military.

Like I said, it was really lovely. It took place at Robby's now-sister-in-law's home in the back yard under a trellis. The decorations were perfect and we had a little lunch afterwards. The 2 main obstacles were the very long drive (180 miles round trip) and the cold. Boy, was it cold!

I'll post pictures later when I get them off my mom's camera.

Yesterday we got to spend a few minutes with Jonathan and Alexander in the morning and then I helped my mom with her new Zune player for a few hours. We also made plans for tomorrow to meet with my dad's mom and wife, who is spending her first Christmas since my stepsister passed away in October. Seriously, what a year. So we're having a little gift exchange at my house and a little brunch. I want to set the table very pretty. That's been my new thing lately--setting a lovely table.

Today is all about prep for tomorrow--setting the table and buying a few little gifts. I think my cold is finally, finally on its way out. Thank goodness.

There! Now no one can say I haven't brought this blog up to date. I hope everyone's Christmas was very merry! Let's face it, we all have so much.