As soon as my sissy in law sends me our pics from our Mammoth Vacation..I'll have something of worth to blog about.

I'm still waiting...

SPOILER ALERT:

Cheeeeezzzzzzy BLOG POST AHEAD.

As I had mentioned in a previous post-

February is home of the Hallmark Holiday...the one time of the year where people like moi ...spend entirely WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY too much money on overpriced Valentine's Day cards and those yucky yucky raspberry filled chocolates (barf).

Despite all that cheeze (*which I heavily endorse*) February is a month I hold very dear to my heart.

I come from a very strict Puerto Rican/ Catholic/New Yorkan/ Law enforcement/ did i mention strict and loving family. Soooooooo....needless to say my parents would NEVER in a MILLION years let their oldest of two daughters date.

Until. of course.

She was 18.

So at 17 1/2 I found myself working at AppleBee's Neighborhood Grill and Bar. And it was there, where I met him....ahhhhhhhhhhh.....my darling husband (*reach for your barf bag*). He was this 20 year old strawberry blonde/blue eyed boy....

Cute
Shy
Brilliant
Sweet
Respectable
GGGRREEEAAATT Story Teller
Endearing
Loving
Mature
Witty
Funny
Sarcastic
loyal
honest
chivalrous
had a cool ass car
and my list could go on and on and on....

In the beginning....I think it's important to note, that we DID. NOT. GET. ALONG. I think it was a combo of my bratty/ spoiled little 17yr 'tude- and his "I'm the shiiizzznit" swagger.

Not a great recipe for two very STUBBORN people.

But one day after work we were all fix'n to get ready to go to a party, when this boy stood up and starting talking about " This crazzzy shit" he saw on Faces of Death!

And it hit me-
like a bad outfit.

OMG- I. think. I. like. him!
(music swelled and the red sea parted!!!)
Like really... I'm not kidding- It was like a very profound moment .
so
on and on
he went about
this grotesque man who had elephantiasis of the nuts...awww...
I know I know.. so romantic, huh?
my heart skips a beat every time <3

From then on it was history...
of course with my father's stamp of approval
(12 gauge shotgun disassembled at the dining room table)
(125lb rottweiler foot side)
(Think I'm kidding)
(I'm not)

So two years later
Valentines Day 1999
he surprised me with at trip to where our first date was
La Jolla
Cove...
And it was on the 14th day in February
the man of my dreams...

In true CBRAVE form...
BROKE UP WITH ME!
Yes.
you.
read.
that.
right.

He sat there all nervous rubbing his palms on his jeans.
I sat there all cute and excited thinking I was gonna get
me some Tiffany.
Nope.

Instead.
This is what I heard...

" I can't really do this anymore"
I was like ummmm....
"huh??"
" What? work late?"
And he was like
" No THIS...you and me"
I said
" Ohhh shit, was this about me not rolling enough silverware last night"
silence.
" I don't want you to be my girlfriend anymore."
silence.
Shortness of breathe ensued
clenching of fists
rage
like pure rage
hot pink w/ gold
acrylic nails getting ready to scratch his pretty blues
straight from his fucking head!

Then all of a sudden he kneels down on the sandy sea soaked rocks
( a perfect height for me to jam my heel straight up his fucking nose)

He drops to one knee.

(perfect. No balance.)
(if I kill him now, no one will see)
(ok maybe everyone might see
but I'll feel sooooo much better!)

Takes the small white box out of his Levi's...

(and suddenly I get it.)

Then this was all I heard...

" I don't want you to be my girlfriend anymore....because I want you to be my wife"
aaawww<3
see I told you.
I'm ChEASY.
Like EZ Mac n Cheese.
I was 19
and my love surprised me with an
adorable princess cut platinum diamond ring
that he designed himself.
All from a picture I drew on a napkin
I thought I threw away.
So yes.
We got engaged.
In the cheeeziest month
on the cheeziest day of the year.
But for two helpless romantics
so young and so in Love
February
will always be

Us sitting on the rocks...looking forward to lifetime of this....

CONFESSION:

So this is how I feel about....

I'M...

LOST!

Finally after one whole year...


LOST
is
BACK.

The Hubby and I have been HUGMONGO Lost fans from the beginning!
We. have .never.missed a. single .episode.
And even though storylines and plots began to get
a bit convoluted through the years our loyalty to the OG
Oceanic passengers of flight 815 has stayed strong!
There will be a heavy feeling in my heart knowing that
every episode will count down to the last (tear*...chin dribble)
The beginning of the end starts tonight!

Awww...
The Hallmark Holiday month has arrived!

And for those of us cheese balls who LOVE this holiday
(present company included)
This month will be filled with
red
hearts
cheap teddy bears that still smell like acrylic
candy
cake
cupcakes
.99 roses
$99 roses
engagements
break-ups
hook-ups
reminders that you're desperately single
Thankful you're not desperately single
Love
Hate
(for those that believe this was a Holiday created by and for consumers)
Tacky Kay Jewelers and De Beers commercials
Diamond hearts
gold hearts
Silver hearts
reservations
2hr long waits at restaurants
Targets Valentines aisle
Heart boxers
Heart panties
Old school Valentines Day cards, that come 32 in a box
Childrens Valentine's Day projects from school
office decorations that will make you want to BARF and not wake up till March.
which is only 27 days way!
oooohhhh...
Cant forget..
the obligatory romantic comedy
that makes it's debut every year this time.



Which I ACTUALLY CANT WAIT TO SEE!!

So HAPPY FEBRUARY
(which is also a month I pronounce like feb-u-ary)
(which I have been told is wrong)

I. just. don't. know. how. you. do. it...

( *big eyes* *dramatic voice* *shaking head in disbelief*)

As I've mentioned in a previous post, I spend my Wednesday mornings volunteering in my Sista's Kindergarten classroom. Like most mornings I arrive to find a PLETHORA of "tasks" sweetly awaiting.

First.

Let me just say...she uses me.
She uses me...partly because she can...
mostly because we're family...
but definitely because I'm that G - to the double -O- D...GOOD...(of course I toot my horn now...but the first time I went...I failed my first task. Lets just say- apparently there's a systematic method to hanging paper snowman on window with tape...errr...)

Any whoooo....

Task 993 today was to assess her children in counting (thank god spelling was not involved!!).

This was deeeeeefffffiiiiiinnnnnettttllleeeeyyyy (*slow but yet uncontrollable high pitch voice*) an eye opener. Some of these children can barley speak clearly- let alone count past 20!

I sat there dumbfounded...

She tells me that on the first day of school ,many of them don't even know their own age- I was like " SHUT THE FRONT DOOR THEY'RE 5 !!" Both our children can sing their birthdays, recite addresses, phone numbers, alphabets, numbers, text, identify shapes...report on CNN or tell the local weather- and they're only 3 and 5!


I guess I just assumed that by the age of 5 these were all things kids should know.


Boy was I wrong.

And it was on this task that I appreciated her and ALL teachers ( my mommy being one too) much more today.

Some children aren't privileged.

And when I say privileged I don't mean getting dropped off in an Mercedes G-class rockin' Seven Jeans and a Juicy hoodie.

NO - I mean the basic exposure to the fundamental resources in hopes to encourage and support their educational growth.

We take for granted...how little things like reading to a child for 10-20mins a night, counting to ten, or rewarding their small achievements not only makes learning fun but sets a foundation for future learning!!!

It just so so sad.

OOOOOHHHHH and not to mention the current CRISIS the state of California's educational system is in. With the recent nose dive into the Pacific our schools have suffered- layoffs, cutbacks, budget cuts and furloughs. Forcing our existing over worked and unpaid teachers to pick up MUCH MUCH more of the "slack".

Would you believe in most middle to upper middle class districts schools are turning AWAY volunteers!!! But in districts like my sister's a volunteer once in a LLLLLOOOONNNNGGG while is a life saver. Just a few hours a week gives these teachers the peace of mind to focus on actually teaching their students, instead of being pulled in ....ooohhhh I don't know....like a million different directions- in a freaking 8 hour work day.

However, despite the stressful demands of our crumbling educational system, part of what she loves the most about her job.... is the progress that these little tykes make throughout the school year.

From barely being able to hold a pencil-to writing short sentences.

This makes all the frustration -- irritation---hair loss and that craaaaaaaaaaazy 8 pound weight gain (complements of the cafeteria lady) aaaaaaaaall worth it.



So thank you Mrs. B...for letting me be your slave...because if completing 1 million tasks for you, helps you be the BEST teacher you can be and get you home to my niece and nephew... with out comfort food !!!! Then honey child I'M ALL YOURS (provided I get paid in skinny Vanilla Lattes).


If any of you have teachers as friends or family you would be surprised at how devoting any free time you may have will help these kids so much more than you know :)

I took this picture as the Little Guy
was feeding his cousin...
He's already the best lil helper ever!
Step aside ladies
He's only got eyes for one
little teeny tiny gal now...
Miss Emilie Rae