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LMAO

So we're headed to Florida tomorrow night (yes, again), for a wedding. Given that we got back from Florida on Saturday, Easter was Sunday and Hubby and I have been to work Monday through today, we are in no position to go anywhere at all! Our house is in disarray. Nothing is even unpacked from last week (other than most of the kids' stuff - thank you wonderful nanny). I just got back from getting my hair done, after taking the girls to get theirs done last night - but forgot to get my eyebrows done, and forget about my nails. Oh and L'il Buddy has nothing to wear yet. I don't have much time in Florida before the wedding because I am a bridesmaid and so I have to attend the rehearsal, rehearsal dinner and the other festivities the day before. I'm supposed to go to work tomorrow, attend a morning meeting and participate in an afternoon conference call, get home on the metro, and get everyone into the car and to the airport for an 8:30pm flight. It's making me laugh just typing it. There's no way!

Firing up my laptop while watching Law and Order: SVU and munching on the last of the Disney cotton candy seemed like the best thing to do at the moment.

When Your Easter Quiche Crust Goes Wrong

Clearly my mind is still in the Magic Kingdom.

Where Was The Princess & The Frog at Walt Disney World?

I started to leave my thoughts as part of my comment to Justice Ny's post about The Princess and the Frog movie, but thought that it deserved a post of its own.

As many of you know (from being bombarded by my tweets, Facebook postings, Foursquare check-ins and the like!) my family went to Walt Disney World for spring break this past week. While the trip was truly fantastic, I have to say that I was a little disappointed at how little of a presence Princess Tiana had at the Walt Disney Parks. Having 2 little girls - one of whom is a die-hard Disney Princess fanatic - we were on the Princess Circuit this week. My girls did the Princess Makeovers, we booked a special lunch with the princesses, and we spent way too much time at Cinderella's Castle. But there was one glaring omission; where was Princess Tiana? We had to hunt her down while at the Magic Kingdom (she was hidden in a garden that we only found by accident) and her meet and greet times were very limited! So much so that we didn't get a chance to meet her. We didn't see her in the parade, she did not make an appearance at our princess lunch, and the boat cruise that Disney launched to welcome her is no longer running...

I really think that Disney could be making a little bit more effort to make a big deal about Tiana at their parks. Because, she is a big deal! She really should should have a special section devoted to her and her cast of characters. Or even a "Bayou Breakfast" where people could reserve special seating to meet them. SOMETHING. I mean, Tigger and Pooh have their own breakfast for Pete's Sake. So do Lilo and Stitch. And even Chip and Dale. I have to think that some special event focused on Tiana and her friends would be a huge hit.

I made sure to seek out the window where her dress is displayed (will put up the photo later). But unless you were looking for it, you wouldn't see it. My gals were bummed to not have met her and so was I. Of all the wonderful things Disney did amazingly right this week, the lack of a showing of The Princess and the Frog Characters was definitely a let down. I'm crossing my fingers that this is simply because the movie just came out. If there's not a PATF ride somewhere next year, Disney's got some 'splaining to do!

The power of The Princess and the Frog

I just finished watching The Princess and the Frog with my little princess. I know I'm four months late, but I MUST post about my feelings about the movie. (BTW, I was not asked to do a review nor was I paid in any way nor received anything free. These are my thoughts and recommendations). GET YOURSELF A COPY OF THIS DVD; IN FACT, BUY TWO!!!!

At Blogalicious we got a sneak peek of the movie and I was super psyched to see it. However, I was unavailable the movie's release weekend, so hubby took princess to see it. I figured it would be a great daddy-daughter outing anyway, so I didn't sweat it. Then once the movie was scheduled for dvd release, princess asked for it. Hubby promised to get it and so did my mom in Canada. So, unbeknownst to me, hubby purchased it on Tuesday, after my mom did the same and shipped it to the States for her granddaughter.

Once I discovered that we would potentially have 2 copies of the movie, I decided that we should simply return the one bought here. As you can imagine though, once princess got wind of the purchase she had to see it immediately; as if her life depended on it. Having not seen it, I figured that copy number 2 would be a great birthday present for someone. However, after seeing it tonight, I've changed my mind and we will keep both copies - one for use and the other as a back-up and here's why:

Inspirational movie

The movie's message is so grounded and inspirational. Dream big and work hard! I loved that Tiana's dreams were centered around making something of herself and they weren't simply to get married to a prince and live happily ever after, as so many fairy tales end. I was also impressed that their challenges weren't simply solved by the prince. She was as involved in solving their problems as anyone else. Also, the music was so culturally rich and the message was so powerful that I appreciate and welcome my princess listening everyday - "I'm almost there" and "Dig a little deeper" are mantras that I hope she will live by.

Inspiring me to dream

For those of you who attended Blogalicious, you may remember one of our keynote speakers, Karen Walrond's (@chookooloonks) presentation during the Disney sponsored lunch. Her talk was entitled "The Beauty of Different" and it tied perfectly to the movie's theme. Karen gave us a glimpse into her life and walked us through how she ended up pursuing her passion and her dream of being an author/photographer/business woman. You may also remember that my emotions got the better of me during my thank you to Karen because her courage and strength to pursue her dream has touched me deeply. As I watched the movie tonight, Karen's words of encouragement echoed in the back of my mind because I actually saw through Tiana how perseverant, courageous and determined you have to be to live your dream and be truly happy. I am emotional as I write because the combination of messages is driving me to figure out how I can make my dream come true. Considering that I am struggling with this issue right now, you can only imagine how confused I am. I will figure it out!

Buying the black movie

I read somewhere that the movie did not meet Disney's revenue target and may be considered as an under-performing film. We cannot affect box office sales, but we've got to get out there and buy the dvd. It's a great film and it's the first black princess and I think it's imperative that we support this effort to show the buying power of people of color. It hurts my heart that despite the great recession, at the end of the day, Disney (and maybe others) may attribute lower revenues than expected to the fact that the princess was of color. I feel like we've got to show them (whomever that are) that we are a force in the marketplace and that they should continue to market product that specifically appeal to people of color. Please don't spend your $14.99 on Hannah Montana or the Backyardigans before spending it on The Princess and Frog!

My Biology Experiment

A few weeks ago I took the kids to get some new shoes and didn't realize the outing would result in a biology experiment. With three kids, all with different tastes and demands, I knew this outing would require plenty of patience and a good sense of humor to get me through it. What I didn't expect was to learn that I was going to have a clear snapshot of the differences between the male and female psyche.

We started out with the boys running down the aisles basically tearing the place apart, grabbing and knocking everything down. Oldest wanted a pair of Heelys. Little B wanted anything that looked like it would help him run "super fast" and within minutes he quickly found a pair of dark blue Nikes with bright green Nike checks zipping across the sides. They looked just like "lightening speed shoes." Even though they did just what he was looking for, I tried to show him a few others choices. How could he be done so quickly? He had zero interest in other shoes.

Next was Oldest. Although there were no Heelys, he found a good alternative. Skater shoes with no wheels. Since it's what all his friends are wearing these would do just fine. Like Little B he also was done pretty quickly and had no desire to keep looking.

Daughter, now she had a completely different approach. She looked at every possible shoe in her section. She inspected, flipped possible choices around, and thought about her choice long and hard. While she did this, she even talked about the types of shoes her friends had or what so and so would think about her choice. The boys were getting very impatient with her but this didn't distract or deter her. Eventually, even I had enough and tried to show her a number of shoes and felt like I picked one in every single possible style. There was something not right about each shoe. Either "too pink" or "too flat" or "too plain." The girl was driving me nuts!! Finally, she found the "perfect" shoe, the new Twinkle Toes by Sketchers. (Side note: The shoes are super cool and stylish with toes light up. A perfect match for my little style diva. Check them out!)

The approach the kids took when selecting their shoes really highlighted the differences between the two sexes. But this isn't something I noticed just during this outing. Really, since having the kids I've learned to have a better appreciation and understanding in how different men and women really are from each other. I saw in Daughter what most women go through when they shop for clothes/shoes. For most of us we put a lot of thought into our purchases and enjoy when we get compliments from our peers. (And let me assure, she's been getting plenty since she got them and it makes.her.day.) Most men, on the other hand, have a totally different approach. They know what they want, they find it quickly, and voila, they are done. I can remember plenty of times where Mr. Jonesie would ask us to wait in the car while he ran in and out of Dillard's only to come back with exactly what he needed, and in minutes.

As the kids get older I'm really starting to see more and more that my boys are wired completely different than my girl. Their habits, inability to communicate, ways in which they communicate, or solve problems are much different than the way I would or Daughter would approach something. Even though the two boys have two totally different personalities, the basic science behind them are similar.

While I realize none of this is groundbreaking information for anyone, my little shoe experiment has compelled me to inquire into this a bit further. Maybe listen to an audio book or two on the subject and see if I can find answers to some of the million dollar questions in my life. Like, why can't men just put the toilet seat down? Or find something without asking where it is first? Or express their feelings about something just for the sake of talking about it rather than searching for solutions or answers only? Or how about this one- toughen up when they are sick?

I think I'll start with adding Men are From Mars/Women are From Venus to my reading list because it's about time I better understand what's really going on here.

I'll keep ya'll posted!

Magical Memories

We're on Day 3 of our Disney Trip. And despite all my apprehensions about coming with three children under the age of 6, I have to say that we've been having a wonderful time and I'm so glad we decided to do it.

The high points so far? The Bibbity Bobbity Boutique Makeovers for my girls on the day we arrived. Giggles was transformed into a full-fledged princess by a Fairy-Godmother-In-Training into a little princess, complete with pixie dust, makeup and a tiara. Chatterbox, ever the rock star, chose the "Pop Diva" package and sported multicolored, spiked hair for the past two days. That was awesome. The other highlights (for me) were the Storybook Dining Princess Lunch at the Akershus Castle in Norway at EPCOT. We got up close and personal with almost all of the royal court: Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Belle, Ariel, and - GASP! - Cinderella. When I booked the reservation, I was told that the specific princesses that would be in attendance could not be guaranteed, and so we were all excited to see the heavy hitters there. My girls got to ask them questions, take photos, get autographs and give hugs to their favorite Disney ladies. The look on their faces when the princesses walked in? Priceless. We're gonna seek out Jasmine and Tiana tomorrow. Another fave was the Mickey's Phil-Harmagic 3-D movie. It was great! Each night over dinner we've been chatting about our days and recapping our favorite moments. Those times are my favorite moments.

The low point? THE BATHROOM RUNS. I mean seriously. I think I have been to every bathroom in EPCOT and the Magic Kingdom so far. Between the two girls with miniature bladders, lots of water and frozen lemonades, and hours at the parks, I have taken them to the potty a zillion times. It's even caused us to miss a show and get out of line after waiting 30 mins for a ride. Is there a Guiness record for most bathroom trips at Disney? 'Cuz I'm sure that I'm a shoo-in.

Aging gracefully or not.

About 3-4 weeks ago I realized that I'm starting to age. Although I'm going to be 36 in a couple of months and have had gray hair for a few years now, the thought of aging has never actually scared me. I figured it would happen and I would do it gracefully. After all, age is just a number and it's all about how you handle it.

Maybe vanity got the better of me, but I looked in the mirror and my eyes - my eyes!!!!! Suddenly, the circles were darker than I had ever recalled, there were fine lines and then these marks appeared near my eyes. What were they? I still don't know! They look like small burns under my eyes. Then one side of my face, near my eyes also, is suddenly much darker than before. It seems like my skin is changing color and the texture is not as smooth as it once was. All the while I'm still battling adult acne. Sheeeesh!!!!!

Am I alarmed? Yes!!!!!

I turned to Twitter in search of advice about under eye concealers. I got some good tips from Brittany at clumpsofmascara.com in terms of products worth trying, but also a simple reminder that I needed to get some sleep and rest a little. I heeded her advice and got some good rest, but I also headed to the store in search of something that may help. I got a concealer and I'm not really happy with it - maybe because I don't quite know how to apply "fancy makeup" (i.e. anything other than lipstick and some basic foundation). So back to the store I will go because it doesn't make sense that I spent about $100 in products and I still feel like I look like a raccoon.

Rather than continue in this state of flux, I have an appointment to see a dermatologist in the morning. I'll keep you posted.

Are you experiencing these "adult" issues too?

Spring flowers of the week

If I had a life coach...

Yesterday, I received an invitation to apply for an important job. Although it’s just an invitation to apply, and not an offer itself, it’s a pretty big deal that my name was thrown in the pot of possible candidates. The position could be pretty influential in terms of doing good for the community and the city and it could be a great career move for me as well. So, why am I not excited? I shared with hubby and he was very pleased and excited by the opportunity, but I’m pretty torn.

First, I’m torn because I don’t feel the same way as hubby and I don’t think I’m up for the ensuing argument. He thinks it presents a great opportunity while I don’t. He wants to see me succeed but I don’t think he’s entertaining anything less the traditional route. Second, my life’s plan was to transition out of the working-for-someone-else workforce and into the owning-my-own-business workforce by the end of the year, so I wasn’t even thinking about exploring new opportunities. Third, as I encounter more and more issues with princess and we embark on her school career, I feel like more parental involvement is needed, not less, and I think this position will be all-consuming. Last, with all the many things going on in my life, I feel like transitioning to a new job is NOT what I should be doing right now.

Yet, it is a great opportunity and I believe that everything happens for a reason and I don't want to regret passing on the opportunity. I don't know what to do. I feel pretty conflicted and I wish my life coach would help me figure it out - that is, if I had one!

SuperNanny to the rescue

This morning princess told me in a calm, unequivocally confident tone "I'm not afraid of you!"

WTH am I supposed to do with that? She's four and notwithstanding the myriad of issues that I'm already facing (and I say "I'm facing" because Daddy doesn't get down like that) I can't imagine it getting any worse.

I need SuperNanny to come to my house to straighten this chick out because I have no idea what to do and I'm pretty fed up with her constant opposition.

She's four!!!!!!

Advice???

File This Post Under Gross

Brace yourselves because this post is gross. I debated on even writing about it for fear that people would find me disgusting. But my dog is in heat. This means she's on her period and this folks, is quite nasty.

First, let me put it out there. The last thing I want to deal with is another woman in my house having her period.

Second, a dog on her period. NASTY. Luckily, she's not having a heavy flow not leaving spots all over the house. (I can't believe I'm writing thissss!!!). Yet, at least, because this can change in the next few weeks.

My mom told me not to get a female dog for this very reason but I figured I would get her spayed and we would be okay. Thanks to me not doing my research, I didn't even realize that she would have her first heat between 6-14 months of age. We are at nine months of age.

So here I am, on Google, looking up what to do about this situation and learn that she can be in heat for as long as 21 days! Who wants to deal with this for 21 days? Then I came across an ehow.com article that summed up the situation in a few simple steps. The last step was to put a child size under garment lined with a pantyliner on your dog to avoid a mess.

Seriously?? Because the day I find myself putting a pantyliner on my dog is the day my career has hit an all time low.

I should have listened to my Mom!

Bumper Stickers That Annoy Me

The bumper sticker below is officially annoying. Someone at my son's school has this on the back of his Toyota Rav 4 and without fail, I always end up behind him in car line. I mean seriously, do you think this man put this on his car or is it safe to say his wife bought it and "surprised" him with it and one day he walks to his car and it's there?

"Surprise, honey!"

Even if he was out somewhere and found this bumper sticker and just had to have it, I always end up wondering about this man and the wife that he loves so much.

Now, I'm not hating on this man, or his wife. In fact, last year Mr. Jonesie ordered a personalized license plate with my name and the year we met on the front of his car. Needless to say, the plate is now in the garage.

This bumper sticker is officially annoying though. It's the gag me with a spoon type of annoying. Kind of like when people feel the need to engage in P.D.A. in front of others.

One word-- annoying!

I Gave Up

I'm still fairly out of sorts from being overwhelmed lately. And life doesn't seem to be easing up! Over the weekend I ended up in urgent care after experiencing terrible pain; I was prescribed antibiotics and am feeling a bit better. After pushing through the Sunday Dash, I woke up this morning, made it through the Morning Madness and was walking out the door, only to discover that the car keys were nowhere to be found. You might recall that we carpool. Hubby had left for work really early to make a morning meeting. He took the bus, and left his car for me, but he took one set of keys with him. (The spare, I suspect, he has too although he denies it.) The nanny had already left with my car to take the girls to school, so I was all dressed up, late - after tearing the house apart looking for the keys, and stuck. Feeling the meltdown coming on, I took a deep breath and...gave up.

Changed into my jeans and sweater, logged on to tell the office I would be working from home, and parked it on the couch.

Now I know it's not a huge deal and you're probably thinking "get it together, woman." But it just seems like it one thing after another. What scares me is my reaction to the little mishaps; these days I constantly feel like I am going to fall apart. It's so not like me at all. What's wrong with me?

Cheating Celeb Husbands: I've HAD it!

I've kept my mouth shut for far too long. I didn't say anything about Elliott. I maintained my silence about Tiger (did you see the freakin' latest, btw??). I've bitten my tongue about John. I zipped it about David. And there were more. Through it all, I silently fumed and cursed. But today? When I heard about Jesse? I decided I couldn't take it anymore. So I'm breaking my silence.

WTH is wrong with these men? Do they think that having power, success, fame and money gives them license to be jerks? Is infidelity really innate? Is it because they're treated like spoiled brats and never told "no"? They have beautiful, intelligent, loving wives that are good mothers to their children. Is that no longer enough?

Someone please help me out here. I.JUST.DON'T.GET.IT.

The Great Basement Flood of 2010: Finale

Tall, For a Mexican and 2010 Census

So I'm out to eat with my sister-in-law on Saturday and we start talking about my brother-in-law's new girlfriend.

Me: What's she like?

Her: Nice, really pretty. She's actually normal.

Me: Normal- thank goodness. Where is she from?

Her: She's Mexican, but she's actually tall for a Mex.., um, tall.

Me: Were you just going to say she's tall for a Mexican?!

Her: Yes...

We both started cracking up because this happens a lot - people forget that I'm Mexican and they have a little slip of the un-politically correct tongue. Half-Mexican or not, I'm a Chicana. Was born there and until 2007 still had my Mexican citizenship. Although I wasn't offended by her comment, it's easy for people to forget or not even think that I'm (a short) Mexican or of Latina background. I've chalked it up to me thinking that it's because I look more like my dad, who is Haitian. Because of this, I've heard my share of inappropriate comments about Mexicans enough times to not be surprised when it actually does happen.

The bigger issue here, I wonder what options I'll have on the Census form this go around? This can always be a tricky question for me. I've seen some chatter on Twitter about the options for the ethnicity/race/nationality type questions. I hope that this decade they got it right because for the longest I was really confused by the "hispanic non-white" or "hispanic non-black" type choices. I know many hispanics that are black, ie. me. But, even if I wasn't half Haitian, there are plenty of black hispanics. Plenty as in, like islands and countries full of black hispanics.

Keeping my fingers crossed on this question...

The Great Basement Flood of 2010: ACT II

When It Rains, It Pours

Oh that post title would be hilarious if only the situation weren't so sad.

On Saturday night, not 3 days after writing this post, I was enjoying a fantastic evening at Momz Share (more on that soon), when I got a text from my sister who had so graciously agreed to babysit for me while Hubby was out of town. The text read something like this:

"Emergency! The basement is badly flooded."

Ok, so that's exactly what her text said.

All I could do was laugh. I mean really, what else could I do? Ask TeachMama how calm I was. She was in disbelief.

And really so was I. Anyway, I decided to vlog the aftermath. Enjoy the show.