Mondays...why??

I was so looking forward to this weekend. It was a weekend where I didn't have too much going on and I was looking forward to "relaxing". I had my kids this weekend which always makes me happy...even though I sometimes enjoy some time to myself...for the most part my kids are self sufficient and having them around is a joyous thing.

...until they make me late and then I say...take 'um.

Friday was nice. I got to have lunch with GS and then we ordered pizza...had an earthquake...worked on moving files to our new computer...and played a couple rounds of UNO (we have a on going family tournament) Overall a very nice evening, but I need to not eat pizza anymore, it just throws me off. I eat healthy...feel good and then WHAM pizza enters my life and it just throws me for a loop. I understand it and now feel I can deal with it.

Saturday morning was my long run...and this long run was only 4.2 miles but it was kinda hard and good for me. Then baseball and a housewarming party at my department chairs house. Again...food that was not really that good for me and again made me feel like crap...Do I see the trend yet??? GEEZ...

Sunday was a, mostly, free day. Started out with a great workout and then cleaned my house, gave the dog a bath, and baked with Bella...and was prank called all evening by a unknown number.

Overall a really really great weekend...


...then Monday hit...

...and it all went downhill...

...fast.


...I realize this and am working on it.

More Later

A-Ro

EARTHQUAKE

Growing up in Iowa you get your share of natural disaster scares...


...well ok maybe just tornadoes.


And living here in LA you get your share of natural disaster scares too...


...well ok maybe just earthquakes.



I could debate and debate which natural disaster is worse...but to be honest they both suck.


Growing up in Iowa you spent a lot of time in the basement...under the pool table...in your pajamas...not sure why my only memories of taking shelter during a tornado was in my pjs...as I am sure that tornadoes happened in daylight too...hmmm. Although one time I remember we just fixed pizza and had to take it and eat it in the basement under the pool table...how exciting for a kid...


But at least you had some sort of warning...some sort of advanced notice. A tornado warning was when a tornado has been spotted in your area...the tornado watch is when conditions are ripe for tornadoes. So you see you have plenty of time for the women and children to go to the basement to seek shelter and the men to grab a beer and stand out in the yard and watch the weather...


...it is a real mystery to me why the human race didn't cease to exist with practices like this one.


However, here in California you get no warning what so ever...just BAM and your world is a shakin'. Now I have lived in California for about 7 years and I have only felt an earthquake once...don't get me wrong I am not complaining...but all the whoop-la and I have never even felt one, and the one that I felt someone had to tell me it was happening...


Today was no exception. There was a 4.4 magnitude earthquake about 16 miles away. Did I feel it??? NO!!! My son did...as GS and I were running to pick up pizza. Andrew calls me and tells me that we just had an earthquake and that I shouldn't worry cause everyone is OK and Bella didn't even feel it...well neither did I...again not that I am complaining.


When I come home my daughter informs me that I should give my son Andrew a big reward for taking care of her in a time of disaster...ok, drama queen, you didn't even feel it. She tells me that Andrew yells "EARTHQUAKE" from upstairs and they both proceed to get under the table...and I am assuming that by the time they decided to get under the table it was over.


The idea of an earthquake scares me...give me tornadoes any day...


...cause if I'm gonna die in a natural disaster let it be in the basement eating pizza...


More Later

A-Ro

Ice Cream You Scream We All Scream for Ice Cream

What is it about ice cream that really unites us. I really can't think of anybody that doesn't like ice cream...and especially Baskin Robins I mean who can't find an ice cream they like when the store has 31 flavors...c'mon people.

Well last night was the annual 31 cent night at Baskin Robins benefiting the Ventura County firefighters and it happened to fall on a Wednesday which at our house is our night to go out for ice cream...a long standing tradition.

...so if you come to my house be prepared for Wednesday night ice cream...just warning ya

And really there is no substitute in my kids eyes...Baskin Robins is it...and it has nothing to do with the fact that Andrew's 2nd grade teacher was Mrs. Baskin, and Isabella's 2nd grade teacher was Mrs. Robins.

...only my children would put those two things together.

Anyway we live withing walking distance of our local Baskin Robins which is really nice. On a nice night...like last night...the kids don their helmets and scooters and GS and I hold hands and enjoy the night air...well it doesn't go AS smoothly as that...I usually get...

"Do I have to wear my helmet...I mean it ONLY takes 5 minutes to get there"

...as if there is a magic 'head trauma' to 'time on scooter ratio' I don't know about...geez these kids are LUCKY they have me to keep them safe...

I also get the "Can we PLEEEAAASSEE bring Maggie?" (our dog) even though they know that she literally drags me around and likes to bark and lunge at EVERY dog...

...they have no compassion for their mother...clearly.

Last night I only got helmet attitude once and only one short can we bring Maggie...they were obviously excited about 31 cent night.

Now having been to a 31 cent night I knew what we were in for...

...a very long line.

Funny...the pandemic swine flu doesn't keep people away from 31 cent night...hmmm...see I was right about ice cream...it cures all.

We waited patiently...(see he takes off the helmet the second he is able...)...admired the firetruck...

and even tolerated four giggly teenagers in front of us...

Which caused me to ask..."Was I really that giggly at that age?" to which GS replied..."naw you were way more mature than that in high school"...and since he actually knew me back then I relied on his expert testimony...

...but I am pretty sure he is lying.

...here are the friendly firefighters who scooped our ice cream...and according to Andrew he hoped they were better at putting out fires...their scoops were really too small.

...hey we only paid 31 cents for each scoop...and you got three...geez kid cut them some slack.

However, you must cut him some slack because he is used to this kind generous Baskin Robins worker...usually she sees us coming and has his large world class chocolate shake started or already made by the time it is our turn to order...

...sorry for the crappy picture...Andrew about killed me when I tried to get her picture...something about being a crazy stalker mom...thirteen year olds...geez.

...we are a pretty predictable bunch.

More Later

-A Ro

I Did It...I Ran My First 10K!!!!

So today was the day...my first 10K. I was nervous and excited. GS came along and took some pictures. It was a great experience for me. I still can't believe it did it!!! I worked so hard since January and it was an amazing feeling to actually do it.

Here are some pictures:

Lacing up the runnin' shoesFinishing up the first 5KHomestretch...I was sprinting...well as much as I could sprint by this point.Crossing the finish line...1:03...I was under my goal...I wanted to run it in 1:04. I came in 14th out of 23 in my age category...old.

I...need...water...and...this...banana...that's all I need.

At our favorite coffee shop afterwards...a very nice treat!!!


Me and my biggest fan...GS...he was so wonderful and supportive...I couldn't have done it without him....thank you!!!

Well on to the next thing...I think another 10K...and try to get faster.

More later...

-A Ro

Santa Monica

This is why I hate Los Angeles...three digit concrete paths to hell...

But this is one of the reasons I love Los Angeles....Santa Monica.

GS and I had the day off on the last Friday of my spring break...no kids, no work, nice day...SANTA MONICA. We love the third street promenade. It is a street in downtown Santa Monica that is closed off to traffic and has really neat shops and restaurants. It is also close to the pier...

The only problem with going to Santa Monica is...you have to drive on the freeways to get there. Thankfully GS drove...which doesn't mean I don't get uptight, just not AS uptight. GS is a very calm and cool headed driver...I atribute this to his air traffic controll skills. I mean if you can keep several airplanes from colliding you surely can navigate the freeways of LA...one would hope.

It was a nice day...a little chilly and when I mean chilly I mean low 70's

...I know my sense of weather is skewed.

We walked around went to a few stores and a book store, and then went to Hudsons...a really good restaurant by the promenade. We decided to take each other's pictures...

Here is GS...

Here is my makeup less self...I had a deal...no makeup for spring break.

What I should have taken a picture of was the food...so good. I had the veggie burger and it was the size of my head...and you have seen my head. Ok Ok...I can't remember what GS had...I was too busy basking in the glory of my head sized veggie burger...maybe GS will remember.

After dinner we went to Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. I was excited to get my new favorite drink the Over Iced Tea Latte...Toffiee Rooibos. Yum...as we were sitting there outside on the patio we noticed this beautiful dog and his owner standing just over the rail. Now I was looking at the dog and GS was looking at the guy...He said to me that he looked familiar I thought so too, but it wasn't until he told me who he thought it was that I said "Oh Yeah...that could be him"

Now GS's co-worker knew who it was almost immediately...not sure how...this camera phone picture is not very good...although the lovely lady in it is one hot mama. Do you know who it is?

Not the hot mama...the guy behind the hot mama...geez.

Now we got a good look at his really hot allbeit fake parts girlfriend...So we went home and looked up the guy we thought it was, and we were right. The reason we knew we were right was because we totally recognized his fake parts girlfriend...It was Jose Canceco. Kinda fun...

...actually I could care less...not celeb crazy.

I do, however, love people watching...just love it, and Santa Monica is a good place to people watch. There are "performers" all over the promenade, and when I mean performers I mean people who can do something unusual. There is a guy who makes himself all silver. Silver clothes, hair and makeup. He does so me sort of dancing...quite frankly...he totally creeps me out. Then you have the various acrobats...singers...guitarists...and magicians. I really don't like to stop and be the "crowd"...but they facinate me. Do they really make money at this? Do they have other jobs? Are they just everyday people who could be your neighbors?

...I just hope the silver guy doesn't live next to me...

More Later

-A Ro

I Hate the Internet....

...ok not really, actually I can't live without it. The old saying is true that you don't know what you've got until its gone...and boy is it gone, and boy do I miss it.

I am talking about my Internet at home. So as you can see I have not been blogging so much lately, because I have to work...geez people do you think that I just sit around all day and blog...

Well as you can see I am not working at the moment...

...shhhhh.

But I really felt the need to tell you all about my Internet woes.

It started last Sunday night. Andrew was complaining that his i-touch was not picking up the Internet...and truth be told I wasn't really listening to his complaint at the time...well he is 13 and really most of what comes out of his mouth is a complaint...so...I am sure you understand.

Anyway Monday I got home from work...and being that it was the first day back after spring break I was absolutely EXHAUSTED...and it isn't like I haul steel or anything, but I guess teaching middle schoolers (who are also just back from spring break) could be considered a contact sport. Although a good friend of mine compares teaching middle school with herding cats, and let me tell you that can be tiring. Well the Internet was down so, of course, I just start turning things off and on...because anyone knows that is the magic way to fix computers....otherwise known as re-boot.

Let me tell you people, with all the trouble I have had with trying to get my Internet fixed I want to give my ISP a re-boot right where the sun don't shine.

First of all I just love how they send you to their website to solve your Internet problems...

...OK people it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that if I am having Internet problems I can't access their website.

...duh...

So thankfully I have Internet at work so I got on their website which kept asking me what kind of operating system I am running and what version of Internet explorer I have. Am I the only person who doesn't have that stuff memorized? and do I need to remind them that I am not at my home computer accessing their website, because my problem is NO INTERNET...geez.

So I finally work my way through an amazing amount of troubleshooting screens and when I say an amazing amount I mean 20 minutes worth....to no avail. So finally I fill out a customer support form and they say that someone will contact me within 24 business hours. Now I know that sounds like a quick turn around but 24 BUSINESS HOURS is around 3 days...

3 DAYS??? Do they not know that I need my facebook, e-mail, and blogs to get through my day??

Thankfully I have GS...my hero. He takes it upon himself to call said ISP, and spends about 30 minutes on the phone with various techies and still no Internet...but don't worry they will call us back tonight around 8:00 pm...


...I am not going to hold my breath.


More Later (hopefully)

-A-Ro

Red's BBQ

After a day of baking...and I mean a day...9:00 am to 4:30...GS and I looked around the kitchen and decided that cooking dinner was not in the cards.

...which means I looked around the kitchen and said "There aint no way in heck I am cooking anything...baby...lets go to Reds" (Which was funny because GS was going to grill pork chops so I really didn't have much to cook anyway)

However, it doesn't take much for me to talk GS into going to Reds...in fact just saying the word Reds causes him to grab his wallet, head out the door, and get in the car.

Now GS and I go to Red's much more than my kids do...so this was a real treat for them, and they were excited.

So here are the top 10 reasons we love Red's BBQ. (This is not a shameful endorsement for Red's BBQ...they don't know who I am...OK maybe they know me as the girl who always gets the Tuesday special, double veggies, no tomatoes on the salad...but not me as A-Ro.

10 - Those OH so YUMMY hot, fresh, Parmesan rolls they bring you after you sit down. I am serious the four of us ate 10 of them.

9 - The very friendly staff...they have a very slow turn over so we really get to know them...especially when we frequent the joint as much as we do.

8 - The salads...if you are looking for something not so animal may I suggest the BBQ chopped chicken salad, or the tri tip salad (with artichoke hearts and avocado) OMG YUM

7 - The ranch dressing. I know what you are saying...how good could ranch dressing be...let me tell you...it is "go right now hop on a plane, get to LAX take a taxi to Simi Valley Red's" good...

6 - The atmosphere...very nice calm place, dark woods and homey feeling. Homey is good when you are looking for a restaurant...not necessarily when looking for a mate...just a piece of free advice.

5 - Now I am not a baby back ribs kind of gal so this one is for Andrew. He could eat his weight in baby back ribs...I am sure of it. Red's has very good baby back ribs.

4 - The coloring contest...this one is for Bella. They do a monthly coloring contest...now she has never won, but she is just always sure, every month, that the $20 gift certificate is hers...we are still waiting.

3 - The cost...my family of four can eat for under $50 with tip, and have leftovers. GS and I can eat for under $30 with leftovers. It is a deal.

2 - The Tuesday special. Half BBQ chicken and petite tri tip. It comes with dinner salad...did I mention the ranch dressing?, choice of two sides. I get two sides of steamed veggies...you gotta do what you gotta do when you eat your weight in rolls...did I mention the hot, fresh, Parmesan rolls?

And the number 1 reason we love Red's...

1 - LEFTOVERS FOR LUNCH!!!

Here are some pics from our latest trip to Reds.....no laughing at me, at least I changed my shirt...it was covered in buttercream frosting, food coloring, and flour. I also forgot my camera so these are taking with GS's camera phone...I know I know forgetting my camera...unforgivable.

GS and Andrew trying to look like dudes...
Me and my Bella...
Andrew's membership to the clean plate club...well he did give his veggies, salad, and mashed potatoes to Bella...so his membership to the "I only eat tasty animals, and Parmesan rolls" club...sorry PETA. We could have shaved the kids meal off of our bill but Bella REALLY wanted the buttered noodles...I know...she would do well in a third world country.

...not me I need my Reds...


More Later
- A-Ro