La Petite Belle

Weekend Recap in Pictures (Part I)

It was so nice to have a long weekend to look forward to last week. I've been especially exhausted lately, I'm not sure why, but having the extra day definitely made a difference.

On Friday the 3rd, we took the kids to an amusement park that's about 45 minutes from our house. It was the first time we had been there with our kids as "big kids". We were there a few years ago but the kids didn't remember much. 

And apparently, I failed to remember a few details about some of the rides as well. Like how YOU WILL GET SOAKED in the Raging Rapids Ride. (although DUH! Raging RAPIDS!!!)

 

I also made ANOTHER big mistake. I thought it was the best idea to have all four of us ride a roller coaster. What I didn't think about was the fact that my 5 year old is usually very fearful and would FREAK OUT during the ride. He didn't cry BUT I must admit that by the end of ride his lips had no color. They were white. He was pale. And I felt extremely guilty.

Bad mommy.

(although the intentions behind this were totally pure... I just wanted us to ride everything together as a family.)

On the 4th, my sister, her boyfriend and her family came over for a dinner party. We had appetizers galore, steak & chicken kabobs, salads and I made a multi-layer Jell-O dessert in red, white, and blue. I  took pictures of all of it (including my dessert, it was so pretty and I was so proud of it!) but I haven't had a chance to upload them yet, so I'll leave it for a part II of this post.

To Be Continued...

A reflection on my father

Father's Day has passed, I know, but I have been writing this post since before last Sunday and then I had to go to Boston for work for a few days so here it is. My Father's Day post almost a week late.

My dad wasn't the kind of dad that most of the people I know had. He didn't coach my Volleyball or Field Hockey Teams, nor did he come to my games very often. My dad was an incredibly hard, hard worker that worked all of his life and was (is, in my own humble opinion) the best at what he does. As a child, I stood in awe of him because of how much people respected him and how intelligent he was. He had an incredible unwavering work ethic and taught me to be intrigued by history, to love culture and to appreciate art.

While my dad was not the average team-coaching dad, he showed me how much he loved me in his own way. He took me to piano and opera concerts. He taught me about the things that he enjoyed, such as playing and listening to music, reading and learning, in hopes that some day it would bring pleasure to me as well. He took me to the movies and as we would leave, he would ask me questions about the meaning behind the movie.

Thanks to him, I met 3 Chilean presidents. The first one I met, Patricio Aylwin, happened to be at a function where we were invited to. I was too shy to say hello even though my parents were talking to him, so my dad gave me a quarter to go shake his hand.

He despised boredom- if I complained that I was bored when I was a kid, he would rapidly yell a "Go read a book!" because in his eyes, there was no room in my life for boredom. Not when we owned the entire Britannica Collection. Yipee. How fun.

My dad and I share a passion for music. He wasn't a musician by profession but he played piano every day in the music room of our house. He also has the greatest collection of music, ranging from Classical to Rock that I have ever seen. The 80's music that I love so much is the same that he used to play when I was little. I believe there is a video of me dancing on my dad's toes when I could barely walk. We danced to Kenny Rogers.

But what I am most appreciative of is the fact that he made me feel special. There were 7 of us, siblings, and I always felt like I was his favorite. Now, that's probably a sucky situation if you are one of the other 6, but to be honest I really feel that making me feel special and different and not like just one more kid made a difference. 

Happy Father's Day to my Papi.

Just take them, take them all.

Last night in the midst of despair I asked my dentist to remove all of my teeth. No, I wasn't serious and yes, I'd rather die later today than walk around toothless. But what my plead represents is how tired I am of dentists and teeth problems and cavities. I am mostly upset about how unfair it is that so many people walk around eating/drinking whatever they want, without brushing their teeth more than once a day, not flossing and yet they have never had a cavity.

And then there's me. I brush my teeth obsessively. I floss more than the recommended amount and surprise! surprise!, every time I visit the dentist I have either some kind of gum problem or a massive amount of cavities. And if you're wondering what I mean by massive? Let me just say that my dentist appointment last night took 2 hours, A LOT OF PAIN, multiple shots and tiny little tooth chainsaw machines. And I'm probably going to need a root canal anyway.

But there's more. That was only for ONE side of my mouth.

I actually have to go back in a few weeks to do the other side, where I have 4 more. Because when you're followed around by the black-cloud-of-bad-teeth you have to split the work into several appointments unless you want to move into the dentist's office for a few days.

And oh yeah, there was that one time when I had to have FIVE wisdom teeth removed. (Yes, not four, but five, because I not only grow bad teeth, I also grow extra ones)

And get this. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM WAS IMPACTED. 

Yeah.

See? I told you I should have had him just pull them all out.

Hola from Brazil

I haven't blogged in what has felt like months, but really it's more like a bit over a week. I left for Brazil on June 1st on a business trip with my boss for a project in Campinas, Brazil which is about 2 hours from Sao Paulo. It's been exhausting and awesome and tiring and sunny all in 9 days.

It's been weird being away from my family but to be honest, because both my husband and I travel for work, it's something that we look at as our reality at this moment in our lives and we are up for the challenge and try to work as a team to make things work and to always have one parent at home if the other is away.

I am sitting at GRU Airport in Sao Paulo waiting for my flight, and because I was bored I decided what better than over pay for WI-FI access so that I could blog while I wait. Twenty five freakin' Reales. Seriously. For internet.

Anyway, it's Autumn here but it has been like spring. We stayed in a resort that while beautiful, felt like a prison at times because for 9 days I have done (almost) nothing but go from the site we are working on to the resort and back. Every day. Even Saturday.

I did get to sightsee a bit on Sunday.

A few pictures...

And because I was there for work, I actually helped my coworkers with the project, even if it meant holding a tube for like, the duration of taking a picture...

It was pretty awesome. Contrary to what I thought, I prefered to be on the ground helping than sitting at the office we were given access to for these 9 days. I had never seen anything like this type of work and I got to witness drilling and construction/installation of a water treatment system. It's like I totally love water now. So much so that during a bathroom break I ACCIDENTALLY DROPPED MY IPHONE IN THE TOILET. And I was so psyched to be doing the work I was doing that I didn't even notice until the plant manager ran to find me to let me know that someone had found my precious phone/computer/love of my life in the toilet.

I wanted to die.

I also got teased the entire time for being high-maintenance. I am really not. But I guess if you are traveling with three male coworkers you are bound to be victimized with prissy jokes. And I'm sorry but YES, MY FEET DID HURT AFTER HAVING TO WEAR GYM SHOES FOR 9 DAYS. Every time I see a pair of heels I see the pointy heel staring at me with an evil eye like asking "You left me for that pair of Reebok things?"

I also shopped a lot. I got the kids really cute things, my husband a bottle of Trio (which can only be special ordered in the states and I found it here at WALMART of all places) and a few things for moi and a few souvenirs for family & friends of course.

It was a great trip, but one thing is certain right now. When I get back I am going straight to the IPhone store because this girl needs her life back.

Week Recap (in Bullets & Pics!)

I didn't blog much last week because It was a busy week, you know with turning twenty-five and all? It's exhausting being this old, let me tell you. Unfortunately, I missed a few things that I SHOULD have posted about last week:

• Last week was my one-year blogoversary. I cannot believe it has been ONE year. To think that I was barely twenty four then and now, I'm practically middle aged. Ahhh...

• I went away for a few days last week for work meetings in Washington DC. It amazes me how many tourists and business people take over that city because I got lost somewhere between Massachusetts and Vermont Avenues, wearing 4 inch heels, dressed too warm (and it was HOT) and late for a 4pm meeting and NO ONE could point me in the right direction when I got lost. NO ONE. Not even the English-speaking guy that said he was from Washington DC. Thanks to the cab driver who didn't speak any English at all, I arrived on time. Isn't it ironic? Don't you think?

• The IPhone's Map Application? It's all hype. If you cannot travel WITH ME and figure out how to get me from point A to point B without telling me to go the OPPOSITE DIRECTION, then I don't want you.

• Watching your home undergo a radical transformation is exhausting. No, I didn't actually take part in making the transformation happen but I watched the whole thing, from start to finish.

        The "start" being this...

        to the "ending" being this...

So, do you like?

Window Treatments up next!!

Twenty Five Years

Turning twenty five seems strange. It's neither here nor there. It feels like a big deal because thirty feels so close and yet so far from where I am. I don't feel ready to be 30. I don't even know what I want to do with my life.

On the other hand, I feel like I have accomplished a lot in these 25 years. I feel happy about where I am but at the same time... restless. I want to figure things out now. I want to know where I'm going and where I will be 25 years from now. (although the answer to that is pretty obvious... laying down in a dermatologist's office begging for ONE MORE SHOT of Botox in that left cheekbone)

It feels definitive. It feels real. It feels scary, and I want to bottle up my youth and keep it because I'm afraid of growing old.

It feels like... a classic quarter life crisis?

Maybe.

But for today, I will stop thinking about all of this and enjoy my birthday. I will have fun on my day off from work. I will go get a massage and spend time with my family and blow 25 candles. I will make a wish that time slows down until I decide what I'm going to do with it.

Happy Birthday to Me! :)

Doctors are seriously overrated

I had a dermatologist appointment yesterday. I haven't been able to find the perfect skincare regimen/system and It was getting to be really frustrating. I want to have perfectly-clear-all-of-the-time skin. I want my skin to look like those dolls made out of porcelain. Except my doll rocks a knock-out tan, of course.

So, now that you are aware of my realistic expectations, let me tell you about Doctor Know-it-all. I walked in with my pretty little sheet of paper (typed, no less) with my entire skin history. I did this myself before the appointment because it was my first time going to this doctor and because I moved here 6 years ago so most of my medical history is stored in a folder stashed in a closet somewhere in a doctor's office located in the 5th Region of Chile. I also did this because I want to communicate to whomever is treating me that I HAVE TRIED WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO PRESCRIBE ME SO JUST DON'T. JUST DO WHAT I SAY AND PRESCRIBE ME THE DRUG THAT I THINK I NEED.

The truth is, I haven't tried many potent things. Okay, I haven't tried anything with an RX on it because I had never convinced myself that I needed it until now. But I told her I had because, well I honestly don't want to go through trial after trial after trial. I want to get the most potent stuff and bam. Problem solved. No breakouts for the reminder of my lifetime.

Of course she did not buy it. She put me on Step #1 in the ladder of breakout treatments because "you are obviously perceiving it as much worse than it actually is".

Whatever. What the hell do you know.

Would it be rude if I asked for a co-pay refund?

Tack Tack Tacky

I had the best bestest idea EVER.

Imagine if... you call me next Monday, which you'll probably do because it's my birthday, right? (hint: google search "passive aggressive warning") and you obviously don't get me because I'll obviously already be on the phone with someone else, right?

Right.

So... you call. It rings. It goes to Voicemail.

And...

  "Hi, You have reached Carmen on her birthday. I'm currently on the other line with another well-wisher. I'd ask that you leave a message, but because it's my birthday, you should probably call me back. Thanks!"

TOTALLY.AWESOME.IDEA, don't you think??

ps: This is a joke. Do not Unsubscribe.

Somebody help her!

I don't often dislike people so strongly that I can't even feel sympathy for them and their horrific choice of hair styles. Typically, when it's this bad, I feel pain in my soul. In this case, though, I do not. 

Not only is this woman delusional to believe her hair looks good- but she is also a complete and total bitch to her husband. Bitch. Bitcherrrs. Bitch-o.

But that's not what makes me seriously upset. What makes my blood boil is the fact that she knows this, and yet SHE USES THE AIR TIME SHE HAS ON LARRY KING LIVE TO put down her husband even more!!!

Let's take a look at some of her words from LKL, shall we?

"Jon is having difficult times realizing that you can't go to the grocery store without people whipping out their cell phones, calling everyone they know and taking pictures of you,"

"He is dealing very poorly with it ...'"

OMG. Why don't you just say "Yeah, that Jon is such an idiot. I TOLD him to at least hop over to the other state if he insisted on sleeping with 20 year old cheerleaders. I swear, I DO NOT KNOW what I'm going to do with this child, I mean HUSBAND of mine."

I just don't know what to say. (I'm obviously referring to the hair. Is it long? is it short? Is it brown? is it blond? Is it red? is it bangs? Is it not bangs? *sigh*. It's disaster. That's what it is)

Pessimist

I'm a pessimist. Ever since I can recall, I have always expected the worst. When I was dating my husband I remember thinking that because I was so in love and I loved him so much, that something would most likely go wrong. When I found out that I was pregnant, I remember thinking that would surely miscarry because I wanted that baby SO BADLY. I became so attached to her the second I found out she was in me.

But being a pessimist isn't always a bad thing. When you expect the worst, you are often surprised to find that no, the worst didn't happen. In fact, the worst doesn't happen most of the time. And for a pessimist, that comes as a pleasant surprise.

But, to think that in every situation I expect the worst? Considering that most of the time my worst fears are just that... fears, and that things typically end up being better than expected? That's a waste of time. The time and energy I spend expecting the worst, even if the worst doesn't happen, is a whole lot of negative energy happening in my head.
A whole lot of negative. And negative can't be good. (not to mention that it probably makes your Chi all dirty and covered in dust)

So what if you try to be positive most of the time and sometimes things don't turn out the way that you expected? Then you deal with it. Is it the element of surprise that scares me? Is it the "I didn't expect this to be so bad, and now it is, so what can I do" that scares the shit out of me?

I think so. But so what. If the worst happens, I will deal. In the meantime, I will think happy thoughts because life is too short to be constantly worried that the worst will happen to me because I am me. That's just not how I want to live my life.