Things you learn

I was in a training class all week called 7 Habits for Highly Effective People. Well it was very interesting. We had a lof of group activities and I really learned a lot about the other people in my group.

I will preface this by saying that I grew up in a very sheltered home. Not sheltered like my parents tried really hard to keep the good in and the bad out, but sheltered like I lived in a small town where there was not a lot of diversity. My parents also taught me to keep things to myself and not ask probing questions. This was not a lesson that was taught in a sit-down session or anything like that, but just a learned lesson by watching them. They never talked politics like who they voted for, pay grades, religion (other than that we were Catholic) but never that everything we did was right, but also that other people weren't wrong.

So, we were sitting in class and we were supposed to give examples so the other people in the group could talk about empathic listening. Where you seek to understand before you talk to be understood. Anyways...one of the groups members situation was that people would ask her about her religion and then when she told them what she believed in (she didn't tell us) they would tell her she was wrong. I could not believe that people would be so rude. Then of course the next person went and she talked about how she would like to talk to her co-worker about religion. Now if this wasn't awkward enough, she went on to say that she saw how her co-worker was living and was afraid that if she didn't tell her about what she believed then she feared for her co-worker when she died. So there was a clash just between the two members in my group and I can only imagine what would happen if this 60+ year old woman tried to tell her coworker about what she believed would happen to her if she didn't listen to what she said.

So yeah, I am glad for my keep it to myself attitude then these people! My situation was that I was annoyed at mi esposa because of something silly, not anything so serious like religion!!!!

I got another award!

Need Sleepy at http://luckysmiles.blogspot.com/ gave me the "Honest Scrap" Award.

With this award, I am to write 10 honest tid-bits about myself. Which of course I will! Here are my 10 tid-bits about myself:

1) I can never remember how old I am. I honestly can't. I always have to think what month and year it is.

2) I really want another kid but I don't know if I have the patience for another one. I get frustrated really easily with my little monkey already and I don't know how I would mentally react with a baby and a toddler.

3) I am not a very good friend. I always get really connected to people and then when we move on our separate ways I lose contact because I don't make a very good effort. I would love to but I am worn out all of the time with everything I have going on I just don't.

4) I am very animated when I watch sporting events. Live or on TV. I yell, scream, have to leave the room, etc. When I am at a live event I yell profanities at the opposing players, refs, etc. I'm sure it is a good time had by all! :)

5) As much as I may complain about my hubster I do not question whether it was the right choice to marry so young. We think alike, enjoy a lot of the same things and I can honestly say when it is just us we laugh constantly!

6) I would love to retire today. I'm sure that is true of everybody but I can think of so many more worthwhile things I can do with my time than working.

7) I do not want to live in any town other than the one I live in. I hated the high school I went to (in the town I currently live) but I think that people behave the same everywhere so a different town would not change the outcome and I really enjoy the city because we are close enough to bigger cities that I can go there for dinner and drive a little farther to go shopping at the better malls and sporting events!

8) I really like to dress up but I never have anywhere to dress up to go to. And when we do things with other couples they always dress down so I do to.

9) I love TV. If I could stay at home all day for like a month I think I could watch TV the whole time because I can find stuff on all the time. But after a month I think I would be tired of it. Especially in the summer since everything is re-runs.

10) I can't watch a movie from the middle. I have to start a movie at the beginning. Even if I've seen it a million times I don't like to start it in the middle.

what did I do to deserve this

So today I am at home with a sick kid...again. This time he has pneumonia. Now as I was laying in bed last night listening to him labor to breathe I was thinking about what I wanted to say (write). They say God only gives us things that we can handle so it got me thinking. When I was little I can only imagine the trauma that it caused my parents with my brother having juvenile arthritis and barely being able to walk and me having as many problems as I had with asthma and allergies and of course no one diagnosing me correctly. So it is only fair that I also am dealing with a child who has the same things that were wrong with me. Because I know what symptoms I should be looking for and knowing when enough is enough and when to go to the doctor.

And then it got me thinking even further. I have a cousin who has 2 autistic sons. Now I am very impatient. She is not. She was able to handle me drunk on more than one occasion and that is a task in itself. I won't even begin to compare it to what she deals with on an everyday basis but I really don't think I could handle it and she does with flying colors. Everytime I go to her house it is clean and she is able to keep a schedule from what I understand. So apparently God (or whomever you choose to believe in) saw something in her that said she can handle it and these two little boys deserve to have someone that can see their true potential.

So if you are someone out there doing something amazing with a situation that you didn't ask for or that you don't think you can handle just know that someone is looking out for all of us and you are appreciated.

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Today is MLK Jr. Day. And I think that everyone should take some time today to think about what he did for the United States. I am at work today (ridiculous since I work at a bank) and I am sitting next to a mixed culture of fellow employees. And if he wouldn't have brought to the attention the wrongness of segregation then we might not be discussing this today because it might still be occurring.

So also, I was thinking about the courage it must have taken to stand up for what he believed in. I for one do not have a lot of things that I feel strongly about that I would have taken to the streets to spread the word that it was wrong or right. One thing I know I would do anything for is my family. If something was wrongly happening then I would do everything in my power to correct it. So I think everyone should take time from their day today to think about the courage it takes for people to make a change. And hope President Obama can make the changes he has said he will make in the next four years. Because I want my kids to be able to have a dream and I want them to be able to act upon their dreams.

Chill Out

Yesterday I had an amazing time with some friends that we hadn't seen in awhile. We spent the evening playing games and hanging out, catching up with what their kids were doing etc. So then we decided to play Clue because I am slightly addicted as of late. Well we were discussing the rules and the alpha male (not my hubby, and not alpha, just a wannabe) was explaining how to play. I interjected by politely (or not) that he was incorrect and how to play. He dismissed me (which annoyed me) and so the official rules were busted out and I was proved correct. So I did my happy dance by smacking my arse in his direction to insinuate kiss it and rubbed it in his face (my correctness, not my bum!) that I was correct and he was not. He declared that this must be a new version because how he used to play could not possibly be wrong! I just sat smugly in my place waiting to begin playing by my rules. At that, I just want to say that people need to chill out because honestly it is a game of Clue. You do not have to be right all the time. And I guess the same could be said of me immortalizing my rightness on my blog but to that I say whatever! We did play games all evening and for 2 weeks in a row now I have gotten home much later than I thought I would. Me and the hubster strolled in the house (this time lugging our sleeping 2-year-old) in a little later than 2. Ridiculous, but fun times!

Tears and a smile

So today is the end of an era at the bank I work. My friend of close to 4 years is moving on to the next phase in her life and I am sad. But at the same time I am a little happy. Happy for her because she is going to start her teaching program with the local university and happy for me for a selfish reason. After I became a direct supervisor to her I got stuck in a lot of the petty battles between her and the manager. But now that she is leaving I will be able to enjoy her company without having to worry about if it will make said manager angry and vice versa. So good luck to her and my tears will shed only when I am not able to email you when the stupid customer is annoying me!

Days after the debauchery

Yes I am still going on about this because this may be the highlight of my year! What a way to start with a bang! Well really the only thing I am going to say about it is that I am glad I was not hungover. I took 2 ibuprofen and chugged a glass of water and passed out about 3:45. Then bright and early Sunday started with vomit. Not mine...my almost 2 year olds. He decided on the morning after I stayed out way to late he was going to get the good ol' stomach virus. He was sick ALL DAY LONG. I changed sheets twice, and outfits 8 times. Mine twice his 6 times. Holy cow. And also, purple pedialyte turns poop green and of course vomit purple. We had a rainbow of colors displayed in our house that day! And then Monday the hubster stayed home with the monkey and when I got home from work this is what happens:

Hubby: Can you watch him I am going to go lay down
Me: Of course dear. You must have had a hard day watching sick kid and need some rest (I may be exaggerating here!)
Hubby: Thanks
Maybe 3 minutes later
Hubby: (footsteps running down the hall) ralph

This is fantastic! So, I watch the monkey for the rest of the evening. Go grab some dinner because I am tired and don't want to fix anything. Blog a little then go to bed about 10. I wake up at about 1 feeling clammy and sick. Uh oh...that's right stomach bug. 3 for 3. You got the Fernandez household. But it will not happen again...until next year I am sure!

We are all better as of today but I am off because I have to work Saturday so I get the pleasure of cleaning and de-contaminating a sicky-infested house. yippee.

Hope today finds everyone well!

My first award!

Holy cow...stop the presses...I got my first award! And even though it is from someone I know it is awesome! It is the lemonade award. Not really for sure what it is but I am supposed to pass it on to 10 blogs. So I really don't want to be creepy and give it to people I don't really know so I am giving it to 2 people! And my nominations are...
CC at http://forkintheroadcc.blogspot.com/
and
Brunilocks at http://brunilocksvirtualpunchingbag.blogspot.com/

So much fun I needed time to recuperate!

So Saturday was the night of my life (in the last couple of years anyways!). I went to my cousins house and we had a girls night with about 6 of us young hot mothers! And not one of those, "Oh I'm gonna do my nails and drink martini kind of girls night. Full on board game, drink 'til you pass out be perverted and no one care kind of girls night! We may be dorks (yes we did play Clue, Scattergories and Catch Phrase) but there was a pregnancy test taken (not by me, and no one was prego!) 1/2 a bottle of rum was drank *by me and me alone* and probably a full bottle combined of vodka drank *not by me, well maybe one drink ;)* And my uncle was the bartender for the evening and was making drinks Florida style! He also was a great sport and played Catch Phrase when one of the partners passed out in the middle of a round. Honestly, who does that?!?! So it was a great time had by all and I did not get home until 3:30 in the am. So very uncharacteristic of me, seeing as I usually like to be in bed by 10! It was so much fun though and I can not wait until the next one. Here are a few pictures of what the night entailed for us!

When Do I Find The Time

I have read 5 books since the new year started. Granted I had a few days where I was holed up because of the whole father-in-law situation, but seriously...has there really been that much bad TV on that I spent that much time reading? The answer is yes. I have read the final 2 Harry Potter books which equals over 1100 pages of pure awesomeness. I also read Jen Lancaster's Such a Pretty Fat and then I finished off with the first 2 Percy Jackson books. I am borrowing the last 3 in the series from a friend so those should be finished by the weekend! I will give you my reviews on all but the Harry Potter because you all already know how I feel about those!

Such a Pretty Fat: Jen Lancaster is freaking hilarious! She is an overweight woman (who isn't) that can't be more than 3 things: Fat, Renting and 40. She chooses not to be fat. And does it hilariously so we can all laugh with her and know that we have been right there with her. The only sad part was when I realized I was reading a dieting memoir as I shoved my face with Reeses Peanut Butter Cups. Oh well...you know from my previous blogs I'm working on that! Anyone who hasn't read any of her books should run right out and do that now. I'm not kidding...stop reading and go!

As for Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief and Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters. They were both good books. Definitely easy reads since they are meant for young adults but still quite good. No Harry Potter but I finished each one in a day so obviously good enough that I didn't want to put them down! I really like mythology and I think that any book that wants to get kids to learn more than about vampires and true love then these are good books. I also liked that the characters ventured outside of what they think is there comfort zone. Obviously these characters are not real (or are they...) but from what we get about who they are they step out of their comfort zone to help friends. Also good qualities to teach impressionable kids!

So those are my reviews...I will get back to you about the last three in the series and I would really like to read Revolutionary Road when I get done with those.

Happy New Year!

Sorry it has been a few days since I have posted. I have been a little busy doing nothing! Well not nothing exactly, but not much other than work and minding the chillins'. Anyways...just like I'm sure everyone and their mother blogged about I will do the same. My look back on the year and my resolution for the new one! 2008 brought a lot of different things that could be viewed as good or bad.

• The hubster and I fought a lot less frequently due to a newborn now being a walking, talking monster. We laughed a lot more than we cried and I was/am very thankful for that.
• The little monster grew up (a little bit!)...awww...good and bad!
• My immediate family is spending a lot more time together which I LOVE LOVE LOVE!
• I got a new position in a place that I really like!
• The hubster got added pressure at an already stressful job but was looked at by higher ups and that will be a huge help in the future if he decides to pursue anything higher!
• We both have our jobs and our health and that is a GINORMOUS plus with the way the world is turning on it's head!

Ok, so that is a small look at things that have happened to me and mine during the past year. My biggest resolution for the real world is to budget this year! I think I am going to do it! And my bloggy resolution is to try and find good topics to write about to make this blog a little more exciting to read!

Hope everyone's new years went smashingly and that everyone made it to their 2009 safely!