Hectic Life

How far behind on life am I? Well, that is the last episode of General Hospital that I watched. Um, that's over 3 months ago! People, this was a show that I never missed! Ever! OK, I would catch up on a week's worth of episodes, once a week. Yes, I'd watch all 5 episodes in one day.

But as you can see, it's been a while. I've been so busy! And I haven't even been on schedule at the hospital since July! If I'm this behind in life now, what's going to happen between now and Christmas?

And my family wonders why I'm still single. What man wants to compete with my hectic school and work schedule? ♥Besitos

New Winter Scarf?

This is today's free pattern at Free Crochet. I really like it. And although it's still really hot here, I want to make this scarf. For one, I really love scarves! And two, I just love bundling up in Fall and Winter. I'm thinking it would look nice in a deep red color. Or maybe a light blue. ♥Besitos

Made Me Laugh!

For all sorts of reasons, this video makes me laugh. My best friend was looking up something on YouTube yesterday. And she got this. Low and behold, my guerita best friend watched it! Personally, I think that she is missing home a lot...

Anyway, this just makes me laugh. I know some of the guys in this group. How did she just find this video? I dance somewhat like this when I perform. Albeit, we don't "try" so hard. And we have learned more complicated steps. But that's what we do. By the way, Albert is the better dancer in this video. Do you think they could use a 3rd dancer? :)

But this video just made me smile. It reminded me of home. It reminded me of Mariachi, dancing, and performing. Things that I really miss. I feel like my life is missing a lot at the moment. But mostly, I'm missing all the "Cultura."

I guess what I'm getting at is, that I want to get back involved, full time, in Mariachi again. Or maybe take the leap, and start Ballet Folklorico. Either way, I need to find some live Mariachis to watch. And soon! ♥Besitos

More Dreams

Yesterday, I woke up a little uneasy. Maybe it was the stress of the Baby Shower. Or that I'm surprising my best friend with 2 things today. I don't know. But I had some wild dreams!

My first dream was about D. I had bought my grandparents house in the mountains. And I was living there. I had completely cleaned everything out. And I was doing some major work to the house. Transforming rooms into other things. It was a little nuts to be honest. The yard was all grass. No animals. And lots and lots of flowers.

And I walked out of the house and into the front part of their yard. I had on some jeans, a t-shirt, some old shoes, an apron, and a hanky wrapped around my head. I looked like a little housewife. Covered in dust and what not.

D came out from my grandparents' neighbors' house. Apparently, he had bought the place. And now, we were neighbors. Totally wild! But we decided to head into "town" for a bite to eat. Apparently, the community had a "town" now. With little shops, a restaurant, and a Post Office. So weird! My parents' Car Club was at the restaurant. Having their monthly breakfast.

Sometime between D and I leaving for the restaurant, and us getting there, we became a couple. Crazy! And everyone knew us. Knew that we were together. My Dad actually liked him. It was insanity! I woke up as the 2 of us were walking down the dirt road, back to our homes. Holding hands...

My 2nd dream, well it wasn't much better. It was like I woke up. Rolled over. And went back to sleep. My dream, it had me getting married! I was planning the wedding. The "groom-to-be," I never saw his face. Not once! We shopped, booked various things, planned our wedding.

Heck, we bought a house! It was so wild. But so "life-like." It just made me wonder. What the heck is going on. My dream ended with me and this man getting married. I can still see all the details of our wedding and reception so vividly!

It was nuts. But this morning, I had a totally crazy dream. I was marrying a friend. We'll call him TM. He was once a music teacher of mine. And we became fast friends. After I left the music stuff behind at school, we became even better friends. Isn't that weird how that works? In real life, TM and I are really good friends.

But in this dream, he was still a professor. And I was still a student. A mutual friend, in real life she was one of my best friends, we'll call her LG. Well, LG found out that TM and I were dating. LG and I were students. TM was a professor. And just like in real life, LG was "head over heels" for TM. It didn't leave me in a very good place.

I was studying something different. Something to do with cooking. So it was OK to date TM. We weren't breaking any rules or anything. But one day, LG found TM and I kissing. She blew up and starting screaming at us. Then TM asked what her problem was. Because he loved me. Yes, those were the words he used. He turned around. And I became visible. I had a big wedding ring on. And was visibly pregnant!

What in the world? She ran to the President's office. Which was across campus. And our President said there was nothing wrong with TM and I being married. I was in a different field. He wasn't a professor of mine. LG was very angry. She was yelling at everyone. Couldn't believe I had done this. Then I woke up.

It's crazy! My dreams are becoming more and more vivid. With people I know. Mimicking aspects of my real life. It's a little scary. LG and I are no longer friends. In large part because of TM. But that was a very difficult situation. One that I might blog about down the line. For now, I need to get up and get ready. Hopefully, these wild dreams will end soon. Because I'm really not getting any rest when I sleep. ♥Besitos

Never Forget

September 11, 2001 was one the darkest days in our Nation's history. What a sad and truly horrible day. I was a freshman in college. Just starting out on my own. I had lived on my own for less than 2 months.

That was the day that changed our lives forever. It changed our sense of security. Of trust. Of life. But it's a day that we can never forget. What an important day that was. There were so many heroes, people that gave their lives to help others. And so many innocent lives that were lost.

This image, is forever ingrained in my mind. Along with watching the Twin Towers collapse. That's how my life as an adult began, with this tragic day.

But on this day, 9 years later, I celebrate the lives that were lots. They're what's important. So many lives were changed because of this day. But we'll never forget those who lost their lives.

I have some footage on VHS. And I was slightly tempted to bring it with me. Just to watch and remember. But today, I'm not going to be sad. I'm going to work hard at celebrating so many beautiful lives. And I'm going to live my days to the fullest. Because so many people never got the chance. ♥Besitos

Quick Easy Updo Hairstyle

Today is my best friend's Baby Shower. There is still so much to do! I'm glad that I'm co-hosting it with lots of friends! But, I need to get ready. And since D bought us all a new dress, that's one less thing I have to worry about. Now, my biggest worry is my hair...

Um, the east coast isn't so kind to hair like mine. It's a wreck! I'm not sure what I can do to tame it. And instead of trying to tame it, I'm thinking I'll go "all natural." But I don't want to scare anyone. So I'm going to try this hairstyle when my hair dries. It looks nice. ♥Besitos

Surprising My Best Friend

It's like 6:30AM here. I'm on the east coast. And I'm lucky to have gotten 2 hours of sleep. We got here in the middle of the night. And immediately, I went to work on the nursery surprise for my best friend.

It's been crazy! But I'm OK, I actually just landed. You see, my friend is the one that got me here. I couldn't afford to come. But he knew how special it would be for my best friend. Oh, and he's my boss. We'll call him D. So D flew out to get me yesterday. And we're going to be my best friend's baby's Godparents. Did you get that? My best friend wasn't expecting me until later today. But this morning, I was put on a helicopter to come and surprise her. Right now, I'm in a car, on my way to pick her up! She thinks I'm still back home, trying to catch a flight. :)

H, my best friend, has a doctor's appointment today. And I get to be there. I'm so excited! I can't wait to see what her little girl looks like. Heck, I can't wait to see my best friend! Oh, and her Baby Shower is tomorrow!

So the surprises that we have planned...a nursery at D's house. And a surprise Baby Shower on Sunday. Yes, a 2nd shower for all of her friends that have to work tomorrow. It's a long story. But there are going to be 2 showers!

I probably should get going. I'm sure we're almost there. And all I want to do, is enjoy this time with my friend. She is amazing. She has been through so much! And well, H just needs a little "Girl Time." I know that the last few months haven't been to easy on her. So I'm off to help her enjoy her weekend. :) ♥Besitos

Ballet Folklorico

For years and years, I wanted to be in Ballet Folklorico. My parents would never put me in it. I'm talking, I was like 3 years old, and I wanted to dance. They thought I was too shy.

I also wanted to play the violin. Another thing they wouldn't let me do. But when I was going to start 6th grade, my uncle helped me get into orchestra. That was when my love of performing started.

But I've never forgot about dancing. I wanted to do it. I cheered and danced in high school. I began dancing and sing when I moved out at 18. And well, I even found a way to incorporate come of that into my Mariachi performing. :)

But Mariachi stuff is getting harder and harder to come by. I usually only perform for big holidays and big concerts. I'm not in a local Mariachi. Mostly because my schedule. I can't lie, back home, I couldn't get into a group if my life depended on it. It really sucks! But I do fill in whenever they need me. I take whatever gig I can get.

Ballet Folklorico keeps grabbing my attention. It's still part of my culture, just like Mariachi. But where would I go for classes? I'm still not too connected in this town. But this is something that I'd enjoy doing. I mean, just watch these videos. You can't tell me that it doesn't look fun.



Do you see that? Well, I do some of that dancing already in Mariachi. I learned from some dancers years ago! And in the group I was once in, back home, me and a friend would dance like this. Puro Jarocho!



This is just a beautiful dance. Just look at the way they dance. How can you not fall in love with Ballet Folklorico.



This is one of the beautiful and fun dances that I just love. Another one that I learned with a friend. :)



And who doesn't like a good Polka? I mean come on! I was born dancing these no lie! My grandma had me dancing polkas when I learned how to walk. I still love to dance them.



This just makes me smile. Come on! you have to admit it. What I would give to dance a Polka right now!



One of my favorite songs to play. And just love to watch the dancers dance to this song! It's just beautiful.



La Bruja is another one of my favorite songs. I don't know why. It just is. And this dance, absolutely beautiful!

I'm telling you, I really want to start learning Ballet Folklorico. And I don't mean how my friend and I learned. It was backstage before a show. I want to really study this type of dance. Maybe I'll do it at the Mariachi Conference this year. Or maybe I'll actually find a studio to start studying at. ♥Besitos

Let's Talk About...

Last week, I touched on the subject of sex. It was brief. But it was there. And it got me thinking...

When I was growing up, my parents never talked to me about sex. Never. They never told me that it was good or bad. Never said that I should stay away from it. We never had "The Talk." My Mom didn't really say much to me when I started my period. In fact, I probably waited about 18 months before even telling her.

But we did have a lot of sex education in school. I was in 1st grade, 6 years old, when I had my first sex education class. The girls and boys were split up. We left there knowing that boys had testicles and a penis. They knew we had a vagina and one day would have breasts. We saw horrible 50-70s sex ed materials. I honestly thought I had fallen into a time warp. But we learned.

By the time we were in 5th grade, and about 11 years old, sex ed was held in the gym. All of us together. We had been shown horrible 1950s sex ed material. Saw what 80 year old men and women looked like naked. They were drawn pictures. But still, it was horrible! All of our questions were answered. We saw real life pictures of what our bodies would look like from the time we were babies until we were 90. The pictures of that old man, they still haunt me!

But we knew things. Like what sex really was. That we could get AIDS from unprotected sex. We knew what condoms were. And why they were used. Our teachers answered every single question we had. Including the very pregnant 5th grade teacher. I can't remember her name. But they answered everything. Including how the very petite teacher could have sex with her very tall husband.

Then we went to middle school. Another year of sex ed. The boys had to learn about us girls. And our periods, cramps, pads, tampons, and our hormones. We learned that boys woke up with "hard ons" and that they quite liked to "play with themselves." It was a very open class.

In high school, we had 1 more year of sex ed. It was all about pregnancy and diseases. We saw real life pictures of infected vaginas and penises. We watched birthing videos. We talked about it all. About the kids in our school that were expecting babies. The ones that were "doing it" in the baseball dug outs, and under the bleachers. We talked about the pleasure that came from sex. And the consequences. we learned about it all. We even had a teacher that had an entire drawer full of condoms. They were free for the taking. No questions asked.

I never talked to my parents about it. But I did talk to both of my grandmas. I also talked to family friends. Oh, and my older friends. Most of which were male. It was nice to get their take on the subject. Their views on sex and women. It was just nice to talk to a guy and not be embarrassed. Thank goodness for older, wiser friends. :)

My best friend and I, well we talked to each other about it all! I still remember for her 8th or 9th birthday. I went to her house. Like normal, for a birthday sleepover. We'd spend the entire weekend at each other's house for our birthdays. And the minute I got into her room, she closed the door. She pulled down her pants and her underwear and asked if I had any of this...pointing to her pubic hair. I laughed and told her mine was darker. Um, she is a blond, and I'm a brunette. We also sat and talked about our growing new friends...our new breasts. Does "We must, we must, we must increase out bust" come to mind? :)

We had the period talk that weekend too. Her grandma actually supplied us with enough pads and tampons to last us each 18 months. That's the reason I didn't tell my parents when I got my period. Her grandma, she was the only one that ever really talked to us. You know, outside of school. She told us about everything. Yes, we were young. But somebody had to talk to us.

But we learned. I also grew up in the 80s. A time when sex was all over TV. I watched 90201 and Melrose Place. I was 7 years old. My parents didn't seem to mind. And anytime you put on MTV, there was some special about AIDS. I learned how to put on a condom on a banana. I was probably 7 or 8. And I was watching TV.

There were so many "After School Specials" on network TV, that it wasn't funny! They wanted us to know about sex, AIDS, and condoms. And our generation learned. It was everywhere we looked. And at some point, you had to learn something, from all the information that was flooding our lives.

That's what happened during my generation. TV taught us a lot. School taught us a lot. We weren't afraid to talk about sex. We talked about it. My niece, she's 7 years younger than me. She never had a day of sex ed from K-12th grade. This year, she's a senior. And she honestly doesn't know much about the consequences of sex. Heck, not much about sex in general.

Much was changed since I was in school. Since I first started school. Parents were upset because we were taught so much. But I don't see it as a bad thing. We were well informed. These days, honestly what are the kids being taught? Do they really know about all the STDs and what being a parent is all about? ♥Besitos

Oh My!

I want to go to this event. It's Thursday. The last time I went, I was little. Probably 4 or 5 years old. But there is something that is drawing me to it. Hmm, with my classes, I might be able to make it. Let's see what happens... ♥Besitos

Weekend Wrap Up

So this weekend, my parents came to visit me. Obviously, it was a holiday weekend. And they had 3 days off. Um, they haven't been here since Christmas. So it was a nice visit. :)

They came late Friday night. Nothing too major happened. My Mom and I stood up talking. My Dad was in bed by 11PM. But Saturday, we had a full and fun day. It started with my Mom making the best breakfast ever! OK, so before going to bed, my Dad put a pot of beans on. Saturday morning, they were perfect! OMG! My Mom also made fresh tortillas, yummy chili, papitas, huevos, and bacon. It was so yummy!

After breakfast, we headed to the Farmers' Market. My Dad sat and listened to the music. My Mom and I did some shopping. We bought some yummy fruit and veggies. I really like buying food that's fresh like this. We also bought some fresh bread. Oh, and some cookies to snack on while we were there. Those were my Dad's favorites. :)

I also managed to do a little shopping for my Goddaughter. Yup, I bought Sarita some presents. Her birthday is next month. A book, some Muertos, and a hat. My Mom and I also picked up a few barrette's and hair ties for ourselves. It was such a relaxing morning. So much to see and do.

Later that day, we went to eat at the new Chinese place in town. OMG! They gave us so much food. I was lucky to eat 1/3 of it! But honestly, we were just trying to get out of all the heat. We also made our way to Hobby Lobby. Of course, my Mom and I spent almost 2 hours in there. We bought all sorts of things. I needed some supplies to finish up some projects. And my Mom bought some fabric. And a bunch of beads. We then went home and relaxed for the rest of the evening.

Sunday we went to church. And of course, my Dad had to go to VI for breakfast. Makes me laugh. But he really enjoys the place. Then we headed back to my house. To work on some projects. It took us a while, but we fixed my gate. And did a little weed pulling. My Mom worked on the leak in the roof. And well, we just got some projects done.

While my Dad took a nap, my Mom and I decided that we wanted to have a BBQ. So I pulled out some meat and we wrote up a list. Wally World wasn't too bad. We were in and out, in about 20 minutes. And then, I was grilling. We had hamburgers, hot dogs, chili beans (homemade!), grilled veggies, calabacitas, and papitas. A lot of food, huh? I know! I had a burger, and lots of veggies. Not too bad.

We also had dessert. Ice cream and chocolate chip cookies! :) It was so yummy. And relaxing. We sat out in my yard. Under the shade. And just enjoyed the evening. My Mom and I watered all the flowers and plants. And just relaxed.

Monday morning, well it proved a little difficult. My parents wanted to eat out. But everything was closed. All of my favorite little places. Finally we found a place open...Los Compas. It was so yummy! But it did take over an hour, to find a place to eat. After breakfast, we headed to Home Depot. Who doesn't like that place?

My Dad was looking for some fence things. Oh and a new kitchen drain thing. My Mom and I were looking at all the plants. We ended up buying 2 bushes and 2 pots of flowers. My Mom and I split them when we got back to my house. I ended up with 3 separate plants of one kind, and 2 of the other. My Mom got one of each. And we each got 3 separate flowers from one pot!

We had such a nice weekend. Just hanging out. Doing a little bit of shopping. And well, just enjoying each other's company. It was nice to have them back here. And I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I didn't need to go shopping. But it was a nice thing to do. Just to hangout with my Mom. And I really enjoyed working with my Dad. Hopefully, they won't take another 8 months to come and visit again! ♥Besitos

Autumn Leaves Makeup Tutorial

I'm really loving this makeup! No lie. I think this would be a great look to try. And who knows, it might become my "go-to makeup" for the next few weeks. I just get inspired by Carah. We have similar coloring. So when something looks nice on her, I like to try it out. What do you think of this look? ♥Besitos

Mother Of The Bride Shawl

Do you see this shawl? I kind of really like it. I'm thinking of making it for my best friend. I know it was designed for the "Mother of the Bride." But I'm thinking it would be a nice gift for a certain expecting mommy...my best friend. What do you think?

Um, I have less than a week before I head east, to visit her. My best friend's baby shower is the 11th. And after talking to her recently, she needs a "pick me up." Yes, I'm pretty sure she'd like a few presents for herself. I've been shopping too!

I better get working though. It doesn't look like a tough pattern. I just need to get busy. It's a good thing I picked up some beautiful yarn today. ♥Besitos

New Shoes

I'm going to sing at a friend's wedding. It's in Las Vegas. And we're leaving September 17th...early in the morning. We are supposed to dress a little "flashy." You know, it's a Vegas wedding. Um, I don't know what to wear. But I'm pretty sure, I have the perfect little black dress. It's pretty plain. A strapless number that hits a little above my knee.

So it's not too crazy. It's actually pretty elegant. But I wanted to dress it up. Because my friend, whom I'm singing with, is stepping up his game. I'm thinking nice jewelry and some fun shoes will make the outfit. I've got the jewelry. And I just found the shoes!

Yes, these shoes are on sale! I went to my local Target, and I got them for $8!!! Yes, you read that right. A total score. And they are really cute and comfy shoes. I'm in love! ♥Besitos

Love this Makeup!

I happen to really like Trina's makeup. Especially her eye makeup. It always looks amazing! Not overly done. Or cheap looking. Just classy and well put together. And she doesn't use terribly expensive makeup. Or makeup brushes. But this is love! Seriously it is.

And it's so easy. I love that! Cheap, cheerful, and easy. What more can you ask for? It's just beautiful! OK so maybe half of the look has to do with her eye color. But for this brown eyed babe, I think I can also make this work for me too. :) ♥Besitos

Huh?

I have this friend from high school. She was a devote Christian. And was always into the Lord. And doing what was right. I was raised a Roman Catholic. And we shared lots of the same values. And I respected the differences between our beliefs and religions. I figured, what works for you, well, it works for you. What works for me, it works for me. But we're all worthy, no matter what we believe.

At the end of my sophomore year, we went to a friend's house. We were all cheerleaders. And it just felt like it was time to share. Just the 4 of us. We were hanging out. Eating a snack. And I think we were waiting to go to a baseball game or something.

It was like clear your mind and your heart day. My best friend on the team, he told us all about his relationship with his girlfriend. And his OCD. Our other friend, the senior, told us about her relationship with her boyfriend. He was a bit older. And she was just this sweet girl. I don't even remember what I talked about. I was not very good at sharing. And my life wasn't terribly interesting.

But this one friend. She shocked us all! She had had an abortion the year before. She was in a Christian School. And one day, she slept with a much older guy. She specifically said that he was a Mexican construction worker. What that had to do with it, I still don't know. But I remember that. And when she found out that she was pregnant, she asked her mom to take her for an abortion.

That's essentially why her and her sister ended up at our school. Our public school. I guess, she didn't want people to know. But she trusted the 3 of us. I felt bad for her. You could see that it still bothered her. But, I figured, she had done what was best for her.

Fast forward. Maybe 4 years ago, I found her on MySpace. And we started chatting again. She had devoted herself to the church. Had decided to go to TCU. And was doing good. Then, she got pregnant. This time, the guy and her decided to get married. I was excited for her. She seemed to be getting her life in order. And she got married. about 4-6 weeks before their daughter was born.

Now, they have a 6 month old little boy, and a 2 1/2 year old little girl. Her husband is working hard to be a preacher. And they seem so happy.

But I was shocked when I seen her Facebook Status not too long ago. 50% of all pregnancies in the US are unplanned and unwanted. (I knew that. I work for the DOH.) Of those, 4 out of 10 end in abortion. (I also knew that.) But it's the next part that shocked me! She wrote, "Abortion is wrong. It's sinful. Any mother who aborts her innocent child is going to hell. The Lord shall not forgive her. She is like the devil himself. This is unacceptable. How can any person act in such a sinful way. How can anyone give of themselves before marriage."

Um, do you see why I'm angry? She obviously had sex at least twice before marriage. She was pregnant twice, before ever walking down the aisle. She also had an abortion. Yes, she was a young teen. But still, it happened.

And this is what makes me mad. She is judging other people. That's wrong in so many ways! You don't know the circumstances that these women and girls are going through. Or what they're thinking.

My own mom, she told me that when she was pregnant with my older sister, she considered an abortion. My mom was 19. And got married solely because she was pregnant. But she didn't think they could give their baby a good life. So she considered an abortion. So much so, she was sitting in the clinic. At the last moment, she left. And then, after my sister was born, she considered giving her up for adoption. My mom still thinks about this a lot. Because she feels like maybe she could have had a better life. And maybe my sister may have as well.

I also know women who have been rapped. And who have become pregnant. It was hard for them. But they couldn't imagine raising a baby that was created during a rape. Everyone has a different story. A different reason. And no one has the right to judge. What may be right for you, could be horribly wrong for someone else. Put yourself in their shoes.

Going back to the numbers. Essentially 20% of pregnancies in the US end in abortion. Is it right? Or is it wrong? I feel like I can't judge. I've never been in that situation. But I do have young cousins, nieces, and nephews who have children. They shouldn't. But they do. If it were an option for them, would their lives have turned out better? Could they have done better for themselves and future children?

I don't see the HUGE issue in this subject. Because I think each person has the right to make those decisions for themselves. The problem I see is, when 12 year olds are having sex. What's up with that? Or when parents have no clue where their 13 year old is 2AM? Or think it's hilarious that their 15 year old is having sex in their home.

Let me tell you, I'm 27. My Dad would smack the crap out of me, if I took a guy to his house, to "hook up." Or if we were "making out" in front of him. Or "feeling each other up." That's just not acceptable in my house. But that's the way I was raised. To show and have respect.

It just makes me wonder. I mean, no one should be afraid of sex. But there should also be some responsibility that comes along with it. I mean if you are adult enough to make that decision, you have to be adult enough to face the consequences. It's simple. And I still don't feel like we have a right to judge people. Because we were all raised differently. And experienced such different things.

But I do feel like we need to respect ourselves. And our bodies. I'm not saying that 100% of kids are going to leave 9th grade as virgins. That would be ridiculous to expect that. But maybe, it shouldn't be so accepted to see kids having sex at school. Or in the parking lots. Maybe that's when talks of abortion would be more meaningful. And feel less like some grand speech.

I know, I've totally changed the subject here. But it just makes me so mad. That people are ready and set to judge others. They've never walked a day in their shoes. Or experienced life through someone else's eyes. I think we all just need to stop and breathe. Take a look at your own life. Who knows, you're probably judging someone for the same things you've done. ♥Besitos