let's see, where

were we?  Oh yeah, Puerto Rico.  I believe I last posted pics from our time at Rio Mar and Luqillo... ahh, what fun.  So after a few days, we left the resort and headed back to the city to spend the remainder of our vacation.  I loved Old San Juan.  I didn't particularly love the location of our hotel or the traffic but I liked San Juan.  Here are some pics:

The streets of Old San Juan remind me of the French Quarter of New Orleans meets San Francisco.

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I ate a lot of rice.

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A crew was filming at our hotel.  This scene was by the pool, looking over the ocean.  The next day the filmed a scene of the lady walking a tightrope from our hotel to the building across the street.

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Again, I'm having problems with some of the pics from my phone.  It's annoying but oh well...
On the plus side, only two more pics will have me caught up to today.  Woohoo!

it's really starting

to seem like Liz's What I'm Digging Wednesdays are a good reminder for me that this blog is here... waiting...  I will get around to more posts, I really will.  Tomorrow.  For now I'll continue on with her blog hop.  Let's see, let me think about what I'm digging this week, other than air conditioning.  I'm digging the yard guy, but not like that.  I love it when the grass is just mowed and edged and it's hot and I didn't have to do it.  I dig it more when I sit there with a Coke in the shade and look over the yard.  It's very nice.  Now I just need him to come do the flower beds.

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I'm also digging my washer and dryer because without them I'd be knee deep in a nightmare.  I guess that pretty much tells what I've been up to when I'm digging the washer and dryer.  Don't get me wrong, this is not even close to a complaint.

Now for the questions:

1. What 3 things do you use everyday? No matter what?
Other than the necessities like the bathroom and air, I use the computer, the phone and the TV everyday.  That might seem sad to some people but hey, I like to stay connected.

2. Coffee or tea?  And how do you take it?
Coffee?  NEVER.  I like tea hot or cold, with or without sweetener.  If I have "iced" tea, I prefer no ice.  I like cold drinks without ice in my glass, thanks.

3. Where do you shop for your wardrobe favorites?  What about for your kids (if you have any)?
Shopping for my wardrobe... yuck.  I have to be in a really special mood to shop for clothes.  I hate it.  I'm so picky.  I hate looking.  I hate trying on.  If I have to shop, I turn to Madeline's (Sienna Rose is my favorite).  My next step is online (anything to keep me out of the store).  If I absolutely must go to the store, my first stop is usually Macy's.  I can do a walk through in less than 10 minutes.  The guys are easier because they aren't as picky and if I see something while out, I'll get it and they'll wear it.

4.  When you were a kid, did you go to Summer Camp?
I went once.  I went with my friends Holly and Hope to their church camp.  I got all new clothes (shorts had to be at least three inches long) and it was so exciting getting ready for it.  I was going to be just like one of the kids in the movies.  We loaded up early one morning to head out and spend the week in Palacios, Texas.  We arrived, unpacked, met some new people and I was ready to go home.  Mom had already told me that if I went, I had to stay because she would be working.  I called my grandparents, crying.  I told them how much I missed them and wanted to come home.  My grandfather, thinking it would wear off, told me to sleep on it and to call him back the next day if I still felt the same.  As soon as I woke up I ran to the phone and called back.  He hadn't even had breakfast but said they'd head that way after he ate.  They left Brazoria and by the time they got to Palacios, I was standing with my bags packed waiting for them.  We left, stopped for lunch and I never looked back.  I swore off camp.

5.  What trait in your spouse/partner drives you nuts but you couldn't live without it?
The first thing that comes to mind is he's very determined.  If he wants something done, he'll get it done.  Like the time he cracked his sternum but the sheetrock still needed to be hung and I couldn't stay awake to help.  (Yes, I still feel bad about that.)  I guess it's good that one of us has motivation.

i'm still having

problems with the phone pics.  Maybe I'll get them up one day.  For now I'll share a few more images from the first few days at Luquillo Beach.  These are pictures I made while sitting on some rocks while they were boogie boarding.  Had I realized we were going to be out there as long as we were, I probably would have worn my bathing suit.  Luckily, since my goal was pictures that day, I didn't and wore capris with a sleeveless shirt.  I was the only one who didn't get burned that day.

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to quote

Tone Loc, "Let's do it".  Here's the catch up...

We took a little trip to Puerto Rico and it was so much fun.  We landed in San Juan, rented a car and drove to Rio Mar Beach Resort.  Upon arrival, the bellhop told us about the Rum Carnival going on out back.  Cosme and I went.  It was stands of food, live music, dancing and free rum.  Some people were having drinks out of coconuts.  It looked like it would be good, if coconut drinks are your thing (I'll pass, thanks).  The next morning Cosme and I went down to the beach to check it out.  When I say the next morning, I mean 6:00.

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Remember the coconut drinks?  Some people obviously tossed their coconuts on the beach.  Two little dogs that ran up to us on the beach were playing and digging and peeing on coconuts.

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We stayed here for a few days and spent a lot of time on their beach and in their pool and also in the town of Luquillo.  Luquillo was pretty cool.  It has kiosks with food and rum and behind those is access to the beach. That particular beach was popular but didn't have very high reviews.  We went into the heart of the town and found another beach with lots of surfers and boogie boarders.

A view of the neighborhood where we parked for beach access.  The mountains in the back are the rainforest, El Yunque.

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The kiosks.

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We went back the next day after a pit stop for boogie boards.

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The next day we hung out on the beach at Rio Mar and at their pool.  We loved it there.

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I'm having a problem posting a few pics from my phone so I'll wait on those and I'll continue with San Juan tomorrow.

we went on vacation

and I knew I'd have things to post to catch up with my photo-a-day, which is now probably two months behind... sigh.  I'll start with Staying Home and Staying Sane's blog hop which, by the way, is normally a Wednesday thing.  So, What I'm Digging is home.  Our vacation was great but home sure is nice.  I love being home, probably too much.

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I think Strat loves us being home too.

And for the questions...

1. What do you do to keep your kids occupied while traveling in the car or plane? 
Eric keeps himself entertained with his phone.  Games, music, texting, internet...  When he's done with that, it's time for a nap.

2.  Favorite sunscreen for the family?
I just started exposing myself to the sun again about two months ago but I always turn to the same tanning lotion, Hawaiian Tropic SPF 6.

3.  Best kept secret for the beach or pool?  Handy dandy tips or fave toys or products.
A jug of water for the feet and a clean towel to dry them off.  It's a necessity.

4.  You are heading on a vacation with just your other half...where are you going??? (and how the heck did you manage that?!)
I think it'll be California.  We just got back from Puerto Rico and that was for his 40th birthday.  I said I want a trip for mine too and I want to go to California.  Considering my 40th birthday will be September 20 of 2012, Eric will have graduated and be off at school.  That leaves just the two of us to take my trip.

5.  Best State Park or local attraction that you love for your family outings or vacations?
Hmm... this is a hard one since we don't normally venture out to the parks.  The outdoor thing isn't really my cup of tea.  I prefer a/c and running water.  I'd really like to go to Big Bend.  Imagine the photo ops.  Brazos Bend is pretty cool.  Mom and I went out there one morning in their RV.

we went up to the

college today so Eric could register for his summer classes.  We parked and I saw this on the way into the school.

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Umm...  A rusty razor blade on the ground of the school parking lot just as the semester ends?  That doesn't sound good if you ask me.

let's try this

What I'm Digging Wednesday and Blog Hop.  I've never tried this and thought I'd give it a shot since Liz at Staying Home and Staying Sane is starting it.  This will fit right in with my photo-a-day.  So, what I'll do is let the reader know what I'm digging right now and then I'll paste some questions she posted and answer them here.  I've left a link with my blog in her blog and that's how it gets started...

First of all, a few things I'm digging right now...


"Yodel Me on My Cell" nail polish by OPI
I have worn the same color for a few years now.  It's actually a dark maroon but looks black.  It's "Midnight in Moscow" by OPI and as of Sunday, it's on hiatus.  Make room for blue.

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Mt. Olive Kosher Dill Sandwich Stuffers
Convenient and delicious.

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My coupons
Yes, I've been watching Extreme Couponing on TLC and now Mom and I have become obsessed with the craze.  It's like a game.  Like Mom said too, it's like gambling.  I know it seems lame but it really is fun.

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One thing I wish I was digging right now is some sort of anxiety medication.  I hate flying and I've been stressing over an upcoming flight.  Oh how I wish I was digging something really good, preferably in the form of a pill...

Now for the question and answer portion of today's program:

1.  What is your "happy place" song?  The one that makes you smile every time.
I have quite a few happy place songs, it really just depends on what's going on.  One song I've noticed is Train in Vain by The Clash.


2. Do you have a guilty pleasure?  
Like you wouldn't believe!  The top on the list would be a few Neil Diamond songs.  I can't even listen to them with earbuds in fear that something might malfunction and people would hear and I would be humiliated for life.


3.  Place that you MUST visit before you kick the bucket?
There are so many places I'd like to visit but I'm not really interested in Australia, Africa, most parts of Asia and obviously Antarctica... and Hawaii.  Everything else can go on the list but again with the flight anxiety...  Plus I don't want to jinx myself and say I want to visit then maybe something comes up to where I do.  That would almost be like saying, "Okay, now that I've gone to such-n-such..."  See where I'm coming from?


4.  Summertime is creepin'...what kind of bathing suit are you wearing?
I don't know if this is a step up or down but I'm pretty sure it's down.  I wear a tankini but I've ditched the mens swim trunks that I wear over the bottoms and just bought a skirt cover-up (that will stay on my body and ALWAYS accompany said tankini).  Also, I only wear it under extreme circumstances.


5.  Favorite vacation spot?
California or Boston

This, my friends, was my very first What I'm Digging/Blog Hop Wednesday.

i tried to get caught

up.  Well, I thought about getting caught up.  There is just a lot going on right now.  If you don't believe me, just ask Dad.  When I get really worked up I cry.  Over the weekend I got angry and frustrated with the MG situation on top of thinking of everything else I've had going on and had a crying meltdown.  (Since it's one of Dad's favorite things, I thought I'd let it all out for him.)  I can't help it, it's how I react.

Anyway, on Sunday I had to go to Pearland to exchange a few things so we figured we would stop for fajitas.  (I'm sure that's the only reason Cosme was anxious to go with me.)  We stopped at Lupe Tortilla and it was good.  I know it doesn't look like much food... it really isn't.  We get the small order of fajitas and share it because we eat so much of the beans and hot sauce we get beforehand.  Don't worry, it fills us up just fine.

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Why not wash it down with an Amaretto Cupcake?

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This is the resident snuggle buddy doing what she does best.

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Trying to get as much sun time as a can before having to expose my legs on our trip.  Oh, you know what's better than sipping on a Coke out in the sun?  Pouring that Coke into a cup with a straw and poking it through the chair so that when I'm trying to expose the backs of my legs there's little to no effort to take a sip.

 #134

Don't be surprised if I slack off again for the next few days.  Like I said, there's a lot going on.

let's try a little

catch up here.  I'm so far behind I don't even know where to start.  My last photo-a-day was 120 and it was two days behind.  Today should be photo-a-day 140.  Wow.  Fail.  There's no way I can find things for some of those days because there's been a lot of busy nothing going on.  I'll post as much as I can and see where that leaves me.  Maybe I can at least catch up with the photos by the end of the weekend...

Eric drove my car to school and it got tagged in the parking lot.

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This was May 4, 2011.  In honor of "May the fourth be with you", I did a quick, not so great photoshop job of turning Strat green with his Yoda ears.

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May 11 was Cosme's birthday but I have no pictures because I was a little rushed.

The next night was the PALS banquet at the high school.  Each PAL decorates their own table and our theme was A&M.

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There is a candle lighting ceremony.

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Eric hosted Sam since he was an incoming PAL.

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I went shopping the next day and had to stop and take a second look.  Am I the only one that thought this was a pair of briefs with one long leg at first glance?

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What can I say... Another day in the school parking lot.

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PALS had a training day to get ready for next year and to get the new PALS ready.  Each PAL had to decorate a t-shirt for themselves and the incoming PAL.  This was the design on Eric's shirt.  (The back read "PAL extraordinaire".)

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The training is a lot of running around.  After that Eric came home and fell asleep on the couch.  Lucille joined him but I had to get a picture because I had accidentally shut her paw in the door a little bit earlier and she looked so sweet but sad.

#129

We're taking a little vacation soon.  I've been trying to get ready by getting reacquainted with the sun and lying out.  I hate it because it's hot and boring but it beats going on vacation and getting horribly burned from lack of sun for so long.  I never had problems with the sun and tanned easily so I'm just trying to get back into the groove of it all.  It's not my favorite thing to do but I went out with a Coke and that sure made it better.

 #130

i lied and

I'm sorry.  I'm about to not be as busy but for now I am.  I do have a few things to post but I've been so preoccupied, it seems like my mind is in about 936 other places.  May hasn't been my most productive month as far as this blog is concerned but believe me when I say there are tons of other things being taken care of and I will get back on track.

i keep thinking

about all the catching up I need to do and then I get distracted.  In the next few days I will get caught up.  It probably won't happen today because I need to get dressed, run to the store, make banana pudding, get an outfit ready for tonight, run to Lake Jackson, run to West Columbia, come back to Angleton, get ready for tonight, go the the church, go back to West Columbia to set up, come back to Angleton then head to West Columbia for a banquet.

it's a good thing

I sometimes pay attention.  I almost bought salad dressing that expired a year ago yesterday.  You know I turned that mess in.

photo-a-day, day 120

(FYI, day 120 was Saturday.  I'm slowly getting there.)

i'm very jumpy

when it comes to bugs and things.  Can you imagine how I reacted when I opened the closet, turned on the light and saw this?  There was a jump and a yell involved.

photo-a-day, day 118

Eric had community service to do for PALS on Friday.  He was to walk the 6pm to 6am shift for Relay for Life. We stopped by around 9:00 to see how it was going.  He had just finished five laps and was taking a break.  We said we'd come back around midnight but we passed out.  Around 4:30 I received a text letting me know he was on his way home.  This picture is when we stopped by and he was still awake and acting goofy.

photo-a-day, day 119