Changes oh Changes

So a while ago I stopped working at my previous employer (well sorta was LET GO from my previous employer) About 6 weeks later, I started a new venture with new titles and a new environment (and the best commute ever - 3 minutes!!!).
The emotions we go through when we are let go of our jobs is tremendous. Some days I felt like taking on the world and just imagining the opportunities!! Others, I felt helpless, edgy and worried that this unknown was upon our family. Once I started getting calls - even if they were from recruiters (which in the techie world they call all the time) it gave me a boost of confidence. Finally, about 6 weeks after I was let go from my 6 year professional job, I accepted my current job! It was nice to have that opportunity and even nicer to start a new venture.

I recently learned that most of my old co-workers are not going to be around that place anymore (again ... the LAYOFF), and I have mixed feelings for them. Mixed feelings because I know that most of them have worked in this place for the longest time (15, 16+) years, which makes it hard to even think about a new place to work for. But on the other hand, I feel that they do need to realize that there is life after this company. That new opportunities are not all that bad - and actually they could bring a breath of fresh air to a new company or to themselves. Sure sure, the vacation would not be the same, but companies nowadays are wonderful at giving you comp time or pretty much half days off without having to dip into your precious vacation pool.

For me, the hardest thing has been leaving my co-workers. Not to say that I haven't found a wonderful group who I currently work with, but my old peers were unique, in that they fostered me (this fresh out of college girl!) and helped me get through 6 years at a tough company. I made great friends along the way at my old job and I will try to make every effort possible to keep in touch with them.
It's tough going through changes - specially job changes. But I think one of the maturity traits for a human being in this day and age is to be able to adapt to change. Change is inevitable, and we need to embrace and jump to new ventures with both feet. Because this world is full of surprises - and even though I don't like surprises, I accept them and enjoy the ride!

Denver, CO

Ok so now I can turn my iPod on BUT I can't hear my music that I have bought from iTunes! Why oh why do they do this to use the users!!
I just got back from a trip in Denver CO. I didn't realize the altitude sickness would actually get to me. It did - maybe it was because I was nervous about presenting in front of so many customers (yes it was a work trip and I got to present a class twice!) or maybe it was because Denver is about 5,280 feet above sea level!
We went to the Red Rocks Amphitheater, Invesco Field and stayed in downtown Denver during the conference, met some really interesting people and made a few friends along the way!

Anyway - I'm going to bed. I've had a loooonnnnggggg day!!!

My Music My taste- do I have one?

Well, I'm so PI#$ED right now! My iPod won't boot up, nothing NADA!! I want to listen to about $50 worth of songs I've purchased from iTunes, and I can't ARGH! No- I don't want to listen to them on iTunes, I want to listen to them on my iPOD! I've tried everything the Apple site tells me to do, but it hasn't worked (sniff sniff)

So back on topic ... My music. So you must wonder what kind of music I like. I wonder what kind of music I like. It's funny, I usually list the genres I don't like, since I like so many types of music. I know I don't like RAP, Tejano and Country music. Other than that I pretty much enjoy anything else. So I guess a good way to talk about what I enjoy is what I have on my iPod. My ELO music!! What? You don't know ELO!? Come on!! Livin Thing? Mr. Blue Sky? Telephone Line? All Over the World? Last Train to London? Come on!! One of my all time favorite bands! With my favorite song being Livin Thing!

Then there's Soda Stereo! Best Rock En Espanol band ever, although some people might argue La Ley is better ... that's up for discussion! Then I LOVE Bossa Nova - Joao Gilberto, Sergio Mendes, Bebel Gilberto! That music just puts me in a GREAT mood.

For dancing I am currently into Daft Punk *their Discovery album* not that new crap they came out with recently! Then I like ABBA (yes I admit!), Fergie, Black Eyed Peas, Donna Summer, Janet Jackson, George Michael, Elton John!

I love to relax to some Jazz! I don't know many Jazz artists by name, but I love the music.
Then my all time favorite Latin singer - Shakira! She rocks - but not her latest stuff, her early spanish songs!! That's Shakira! Look it up if you ever get a chance.

Then there's my platonic boyfriend - Miguel Bose!! With his Amante Bandido!! Yikes, if he were 15 years younger .. boy oh boy!

Then I really enjoy classical music - specially Chopin and Tsaikovsky!
Well, so I like everything in my opinion! At least of what I've been exposed to.... I need to fix my iPod!!! BOO!
I also love to dance and get out as much as I can with my also dancing loving husband! I just hope my kids inherit our dance moves and enjoy just having fun dancing!

Spring!

Well, it's almost over here in Ohio! I love Spring - every spring ever since we moved to this house, we have taken a picture along the yellow tulips right in front of our house. They are beautiful strong tulips - which were here before we moved. Enjoy the picture slide show - a chronological transition of our family!

Updated the newest pictures :) - I love my family (that include the tulips!!)

So it Happened ... Jackie turned 5!

My little baby!! She was so tiny when we brought her home! Just 5 lbs 11 oz. Now she's a beautiful smart and energetic little girl! Her party was at a local party place, where lots of kids attended(pretty much everybody that was invited was there). Just take a look at the picture, there they are ... well most of them, some were wondering around and didn't make it to the group picture.
We had a lot of fun, with over 30 kids running around, the party seemed a bit stressful to me. Bottom line though, Jackie had fun, even Julien had fun! Parents were pleased that the kids were so tired, most likely they took a super long nap after this!

I don't know how to feel yet, my daughter is growing up right in front of my eyes, and she is doing things that amaze me every day! She is reading beginner books, writing with a beautiful handwriting (for a 5 year old) and saying things that are hilarious! She helps with her little brother, and is always talking ... ALWAYS!

Next thing I know, she'll be going out with her friends (eeeek) and I don't even want to know the future ... I'm just enjoying every minute with this fun, loving and beautiful little girl!

Today was coolddd... so what else is new right ? It has been freezing here in Columbus, OH. Temperatures at night get as low as 1 and minus 5 with the windchill. An example outside of my house.

My Little Baby is turning 5!

I can't believe it! I am happy and sad! My little baby is now going to be 5 years old soon! Where does time go!???

Cool Slideshows

Cold Cold Days!

This weekend we decided to take a trip up to Cleveland to visit family. Well, it was about 0 degrees and about -10 with the wind chill! BRRRR!!! My poor kids, I felt like a bad mother taking them out of the house in that weather in addition to taking them to the coldest area of Cleveland!! We were on the east side, right where the snow belt starts... yep right where the lake decides to blow air! The roads were a mess and visibility at one point was really bad - so much that we could not see the car in front of us! We survived and stayed for the weekend, mainly indoors.
Most schools around this area closed today, due to the cold weather. Day cares though are open, since there is no bus system the kids need to wait for!

Anyway, I doubt I'll go anywhere this weekend or the next or the next. I think I'll stay around here and hang out till this weather decides to warm up :) !!!!

Now I gotta go break up a fight between my almost 5 y.o. and my 15 month old! YAY!

My Background - My Schools!

I was actually born and raised in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. Born in 1978(YEAH YEAH) and lived a great childhood with my family. My grandparents owned an elementary school to which I did not go to for some weird reason. My sister and cousin did though. I actually attended a school settled and partly funded by a Christian group from the US called Pable Menzel. The education was excellent, however religion was pounded into you with the whole attitude that they are right and everybody else was wrong!

For high school, I was transferred to another religious school - a more open one! That was La Salle (graduated 1995). I loved that school, people were great, teachers are amazing and open minded, and the education is out of this world. To this date considered still the best high school in the area. I should not say high school, because it actually is Secondary School (7th through 11th grades). I have many fond memories from the school, but some that are not fun to remember. In any case, going to that school made me who I am today and I appreciate it!! The school is religious (Catholic), but we did not have weekly or daily masses. Just for special occassions. My sister also joined me there when it was her turn, and it was nice to be in the same school for a change! The classes were strict, the teachers were serious about teaching and giving students a chance. However, when we broke the rules, that was baadddd! We wore uniforms, and if they were not at an appropiate length (the skirts for the girls I mean!) they would either send us home so we could change or take scissors and undo the hem of our skirts! We also were not allowed to have long hair for the boys, or shaved heads (unless it was a medical condition). The girls were not allowed to wear makeup, any jewelry or anything crazy on our hair. Oh the days!

My sister got in more trouble than I ever did, I always kept a low profile and tried to study a lot to get the grades that I needed. I was a really good student .... really!! Didn't graduate top of my class, but certainly I did really well!

I miss those years, I would have made other decisions now looking back, but then again I may not even have the wonderful life I have now ... who knows!! It's been 11 years since I graduated, and I still keep in touch with my friends from La Salle. They will always be my friends and my partners!! I love you !! You know who you are!!! (can we say lemon tree!?)

What a Week!!

It all started really nice, with MLK Jr. Birthday. On that day Jackie and I stayed home, went shopping and met daddy for lunch (to LeChatelaine, my favorite little French cafe). We even went online to have her listen to Dr. King's "I have a dream" speech. Jackie was well aware as to who Martin Luther King was - she's 4!! So Tuesday Jackie has no school again, I had already took a day off to stay home with her, and she wakes up complaining that she has a tummy ache. Well, I usually trust her, as she knows her little body really well. The vomiting started at 2 PM on Tuesday and it got worse by the hour.


On the other hand we had to work hard between my dh to keep our 1 year old away from this horrible stomach flu. She didn't even want water, and at one point was throwing up bile (sorry, I had to say so you get what happened next). So we took her to the Pediatric Urgent care close to home, and they sent us to Children's Hospital with a recommendation to put her on IV for a little while, since she even stopped going to the bathroom. I have to say, I am so lucky to live so close to such an AMAZING hospital. Although I do not wish anybody to have to take your child there, if you HAVE to, this hospital is welcoming, the staff is amazing with the kids, and there are doctor's galore. She had an IV dripping within an hour of us arriving, and finally some color starting coming back to my daughter's cheeks. In the meantime, my dh dissapeared for about 30 minutes .... he has been stuck in the men's room with vomiting as well! OH FUN! 2 kids to take care of now. (My son stayed home with my sister, so that both my dh and I could take Jackie). It was so tiring, we came home at around 2 AM, and both Jackie and I went to sleep with no problem. DH stayed up a while ... I think!



Phew ... what a Wednesday. At least Jackie was not throwing up anymore, she's keeping water down, but still not eating. DH is having the same stomach issues, OK but he is easier to take care of. Friday rolls around and I get up with my son (he's 15 months old) his one eye is really swollen ... hmmm PINK EYE!! Oh my goodness, off to the pediatrician at 8 AM to get the official diagnosis, and YES he has PINK EYE. In the meantime the pediatricians are letting me know how they would let me know later in the day about my daughter's test they had to do the day before. THANKS! So my poor son has pink eye, my daughter is getting over her stomach flu, dh is in the peak of that bug and MOM ... well Mom is trying to keep everybody happy at the same time feeling terribly uncomfortable. Why you ask ? Well, it ended up that I also had a little infection coming on ...so off I went to the doctor and he comfirmed it. Gave me antibiotic and now I'm feeling a lot better!
So Today, Sunday, kids are doing good (no goop in the eyes, no throwing up from anybody) there is snow on the ground, and the air is cold and crisp!!


Now isn't it fun when the whole family shares and nice quiet relaxing day of health!? I feel like not going out this next coming week, in fear of getting anything else out there ... .