Catching Up

I did it! I finally put pictures on a 12x12 page! I definitely need more practice, but it was a start.

Siena is out with Juan right now and I get to blog... hooray for me! She cut her first tooth the other day (bottom left incisor... dental quiz: what # is is associated with that tooth?) I don't know if it's related to that recent event or not, but since then Siena has been practically yelling (or groaning happily) at the top of her 13-year old-sounding lungs. Weird, I know.

Hmmmm, what else can I write while I am waiting for pictures to upload.......

We found out that we live right next to part of Fairmount Park instead of a golf course, which we had previously thought. The trail entrance is about 100 ft. from where we live. That was a fun discovery.

Wow, I just realized that maybe the reason I haven't been able to think of anything to write is because I haven't checked everyone else's blogs yet. That must be where I get inspired to blog.

....now if only those darn pictures would upload.

The Things I Took For Granted

Now that we've been unpacked for a few days in the new home, I've been really antsy to get back to blogging. There's only been one problem--no Internet hook-up yet. It has been a good thing, I guess, because I've done things I probably would not have gotten to otherwise (such as going grocery shopping for food storage... not an easy task, I might add.) However, today it really got to me so I charged Juan's laptop battery (which is on its last leg, so I've got 30 minutes online and not a second more) and drove over to our old apartment where we still have a wireless connection. I feel like a spy or an investigator sitting out in my car with a laptop. I wonder what the neighbors think.

Anyway, so here's a re-cap of our recent "to-ings and go-ings":

• We moved. We're so happy with our new home. Refer to this post to find out why.
• Juan has been working at his new job and it's working out really well for him.
• The 4th of July started for us at 6:30 am when we drove out to Lancaster to meet some friends for a Smörgåsbord breakfast. (For those curious about how I did it with the diet: I didn't count calories that day-- big holidays are exempt ;^)
• We went to a barbecue with some friends from the Branch that evening and watched the kids play with fireworks.
• I caught Siena "talking" in her sleep today. It was so cute!
• ...and last but not least, we have become a little obsessed with The Next Food Network Star. Yeah, the reality is that I like this reality show. I hope the winner is either Kelsey (the Utah girl--gotta represent!), Lisa (Miss Tres Chic), or Aaron (Homie with Good Food.)

Well, we probably will not get to post until the 8th when we get our Internet hooked up, so sorry in advance to you, Mom, for not giving you your daily fix. Pictures to come....

Can't Pass Up A Good Tag

Joys:

• My heartthrob husband
• My little Siena
• Family, family, family. We're so grateful that all of our family, even extended family, is close-knit.
  
• Teaching the 13-14 yr. old kids in Sunday School
  
• The new apartment
• Oh, I could go on...
  

Fears:

• Slowly ruining Siena's life with bad parenting.
• Losing ability in my hands and legs.
• Losing my teeth (Hey, this existed before Juan wanted to be a dentist. If you didn't know someone who has reoccuring nightmares about losing teeth before, well... now you do.)
• Spiders and Snakes (had a hard time even writing that one.)
• Natural disasters
• War
  
• Basically anything bad that could happen
  

Goals:

• Start up my floral business out here soon
• Finish one single scrapbook
• Become a trophy wife. (Ha ha ha, I had to put that in.)
• Meet our new neighbors pronto. This week, I have literally just met our current neighbors and we've lived here for a year. Ironic and pathetic!
• Keep up with this diet thing. (My progress so far is positive.)
• Get more piano students
  

Current Collections/Obsessions:

• Blogging
• Creating digital scrapbook page designs (I've never actually put pictures to them, though. I guess you could say I am a digi-scrap hypocrite.)
  
• Cooking and experimenting with food
• I have a collection of dirty laundry. Does that count?

Random and Surprising Facts:

• Raincheck on this question, please? I can't think of anything random or surprising at the moment.
  

Yesterday we went out to West Chester to grill with the Adamsons. They have a grill near the outdoor pool at their clubhouse, so we took advantage of it. This was Siena's first time in a pool, so we were worried she wasn't going to like it. Well, she loved it and we're hoping Kurt and Amber will let us come back and visit them (...and the pool) a lot more this summer. ;^) It was a perfect day for swimming until we got there--go figure. We only got to swim for about 10 minutes before the rain started up, but it was fun.

Siena used to be so afraid of Kurt, but now they're the best of friends.

Can't beat summer grilling!


Juan found this grill on Craigslist. (One of the best Craigslist purchases we've ever made.)
Siena loved the green beans, as Jeremy and Genevieve can attest. She loved them so much she smeared them all over her face and tummy. So much for the bath she had right before the barbecue.
Juan, preparing the steaks.

Don't tell me this steak doesn't look good! ;^)

Fireflies

When I first visited the Eastern United States, I was mesmerized by the fireflies. I had never seen one in real life and when I first saw the little lights moving above the grass at dusk, I didn't know if it was an illusion or not. Well, it's firefly season again and Juan just caught a glimpse of one for the first time the other day. He was so excited! Nature is the most interesting subject to me; I think that is the reason I chose Horticulture as my major in college. The idea of growing something as big as a tree from a seed the size of my fingernail is a phenomenal process. Plants don't even have brains, yet they have adapted themselves to their conditions by changing colors and even their own anatomy. I was interested in learning more about fireflies and so I went online (here). This is what I learned:

• Fireflies "light up" because they are warning possible predators that they hold defensive chemicals in their bodies. (Well, this is a theory, because nobody really knows.)
• Their light is actually produced by a chemical reaction that they have control over.
• 100% of the energy given off by a firefly is actually light, whereas only 10% of energy produced in a household lightbulb is actually light; the remaining 90% is given off as heat.
• Not all fireflies are created equally. Some species can't give off light.
• In mating season, fireflies use "flash patterns" to attract a mate.

It was interesting to me at least.

Too Tired to Eat?

I've been excited to go to more Park Days (where some women in the 1st and 4th wards bring their kids to the park and get to visit.) I don't get a lot of opportunities to socialize because the branch is so spread out and so few in number, and really where else do you get to socialize if not at church activities? So being invited to come was a big deal for me. Anyway, I started getting Siena ready to go and realized that I should probably feed her before we go. This is how it went:


She has had a really hard time going to bed early at night and last night was no exception. It's hard to adjust her bedtimes and nap times back to their regular schedule because she's simply not tired. Any suggestions?

This was taken on Sunday at 5:00 pm and the whole time I was thinking, "Man, they are cute all snuggled up together ...but Siena, you're killin' me; you'll never go to sleep tonight!" Lo and behold....

So back to Park Days (and how I was sooo excited to go.) I decided to let her sleep because an 11:00 nap was looking a lot better than a 4:00 nap. I return to being a hermit for the day, but at least we'll get some good, old-fashioned sleep.

It Starts

We have to start packing today. Ugh! I have desperately avoided this moment....

5,4,3,2....

Two more finals for Juan and he will officially be done with his first year of dental school on Tuesday! I just wanted to let him know how proud I am of his hard work this first year, even though it wasn't 100% fun. I mean, who really wants to learn about the physiology of the hand while they're in grad school to learn about teeth?
Before we know it, the long hours of studying in the wee hours of the morning, all the interesting experiences on the subway, and all of the missed football games will be over... well, I can't guarantee that one. *wink* It's exciting to think that he will be working on actual patients next year. (I guess the only downside is that our summer breaks are officially over after this year until he retires. Boo!)

A Goal Scheduled for Embarrassment.

I'm just going to let out my secret to the world: I have to lose some inches before I take the plunge (literally.) I went to buy a swimsuit today with Juan and left with nothing but a heavy, heavy heart. Do you think it was the store's fault? No. Stac has officially let herself get... *sniff*... FLUFFY! The drive home was miserable, more for Juan than for me. While I complained about hating to workout, wishing I could get liposuction, and praying for a new diet pill that would melt the inches away in seconds, he suggested the idea of setting a goal. (Don't get me wrong, Juan has been nothing but encouraging about my "current state-of-being", but there's no seeing past the cold, hard truth for me.) So, knowing he was behind me the whole way, I set a goal to work out every weekday, eat according to the Food Pyramid, and maintain an earlier bedtime/wake-up routine. Now, this would be easy to botch up if it were not for the "Loser Clause"; I decided I needed something totally embarrassing to look forward to if I didn't keep up on my goal. So here are the consequences: I will have to put my hair up in a side-ponytail, wear high-tops, and go jogging along West Chester Pike (a busy street near our house,) --in spandex. Juan said that was a little harsh (and the more I think about it, it would be more of a punishment to the drivers who had to see it, and that's not fair.) So the real consequence is that when we visit Utah (and hopefully Las Vegas) in August, we are going swimming and I have to get in the pool. No if's, and's or butt's about it (no, that was not a typo.) To further cement my conviction in completing my goal, I have posted this to the world and in doing so, I will have tripled or quadrupled my embarrassment if I don't accomplish it.

*deep breath*

It's a Thursday and I've Got Boring News and Exciting News.

I don't mind Thursdays because it means we are nearing the weekend... time where laziness is permitted, uh, I mean... time where we can finish projects, clean the house, actually make a fully-balanced meal, etc. We have finished re-finishing the coffee table (thanks to Juan fixing my mistakes) and are on to the dining room table. I've been more excited to see the finished product with this project than the others, but more "dragging-my-heels" at starting it. It's going to take a lot of work. That's the boring news.


Now for the exciting news: Juan got a job at Sears Hardware. It's just the job he was hoping to get for the summer and on into the school year. They are really flexible with hours and are located really close to our new apartment. We're so grateful he got the job because it's really hard finding jobs where you don't have to work Sundays here.


Um, other than that, there's really nothing to blog about (thus the two-day hiatus from the blog.) Siena is pulling herself up to, getting into, crying about, laughing about, babbling about, and pulling out of her hair anything and everything she possibly can.

The Walker

The Answer

Okay, it's really not that juicy, but I'll tell you why I couldn't type more on my post yesterday.

I started my day with going to the doctor. You see, about 5 weeks ago I jammed my hand between my body and the corner on the wall. It was a stupid freak-accident that left me with indescribable pain, more than a usual jammed finger would leave. I couldn't move it a half of an inch without writhing in pain. Well, I splint it that night and the next morning, it felt like nothing had really happened. I was so relieved.

Over the last month, I really thought nothing of it and was just hoping that the soreness would eventually leave. It hasn't. In fact, it has gotten worse. I finally realized that my knuckle "popping" every other time I used my left hand for something was probably not a good thing because the pain increased every time. Yesterday, my knuckle had finally swollen to the size of a big, juicy grape, so I splint it again. Today, when I woke up expecting the same "overnight success", I was left with a motionless finger.

No big deal, though. The doctors took about 20 minutes to deliberate how to handle it and finally concluded that we'll wait another few weeks to see how it turns out before they give me x-rays. Meanwhile I have physical therapy exercises to keep me busy.

There you have it: the most lengthy and hypochondriacal explanation for a hairline fracture or severe sprain. "Why is she able to type a super-long post if she's in such pain?" you may ask. Let me tell you, I've been doing my therapy exercises all day to be able to write it. My readers are very important, you know.

Para Nuestro Querido Papi, Suegro y Abuelo:

Book:

The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy

I read this book in high school for an English class and decided that it was my favorite novel of all time. I read it again last month and decided that it still is. It's about a man's struggle to keep his friends and good name while his bad temper and many misunderstandings pull him further down from his gain in society, while those around him steadily rise above him due to their own honest (and dishonest) efforts. As dramatic as the book is with all its plots and subplots, I picked up that Hardy had a couple significant issues he was trying to address. The feminist attitude was just surfacing in the Western Hemisphere when Hardy wrote the book; Hardy wanted to indiscreetly give his approval of women's rights through the women characters of his books. Actually, the "hero" of this book was actually a poor girl who had schooled herself to become a learned woman in a society where that was reserved only for the upper class.

Oh, I could go on... but I can't and I'll post why tomorrow.

Banished

In lieu of a despondent sequel to my last post, I will just mention that Siena and I have stayed in her room all day (minus taking pictures of the house for our landlord and grocery shopping.) It's wonderful being shut up in one room, and so far I really mean that. Juan moved the AC unit into her window and we're feeling nice and cool. Her room has become a kitchen, dining room, living room and bedroom for both of us. I've got the computer and she's got her toys. It looks like we'll be doing this for 20 more days.

I'm not abusing the blog...

...I just want to paint a picture for those who haven't experienced "coastal living" yet. (Juan told me that I shouldn't use the blog to complain, and I agree, so feel free to feel sorry for us, but don't feel obligated. Also, I threw in a couple of "good things" on my "bad things" list to offset my guilt.) Did it work? Yes, so here it is:

Humidity Top Ten

1. Frizzy hair
2. "Hotter than it really is"
3. Beautiful, green vegetation everywhere (good thing)
4. Sweaty feet
5. High electric bills
6. Sad baby
7. Hydrated skin and hair (good thing)
8. Moldy bread
9. Soggy chips and cookies
10. Mosquitoes, etc.

You Won't Believe This!

Siena has been standing up by herself for long periods of time lately. Tonight she made a personal record of 23 seconds! We're so proud of our little "Nena". It's cute because she is also proud of herself; she shows us this by clapping her hands together while she's standing. (videos to come....)

Voila!

(I tried out my 80's photo editing skills.) Siena kind-of looks like my little sister Sierra in this pic when she was a baby. The only difference is Sierra's hair was much curlier.

Creepy Crawly

For those who are not yet believers:



Okay, so I had to urge her to crawl by tempting her with my shoe. I don't know why she would rather crawl toward a dirty shoe than a colorful toy, but whatever works, right?

Ride 'Em Cowgirl

We have awesome friends. Before the Beaman's moved, they bequeathed their daughter's zebra toy to Siena, a most grateful recipient. She usually gets really into it, but I couldn't capture her in her "riding mood" on film. The attempt was cute anyway.

key word: PROJECT

Today was a big day at the Chavez Residence: I finally finished the rocking horse! (For those of you who have not seen me in my front yard slaving over this "project" for the last month and a half, let me fill you in: I bought an old hand-carved rocking horse at a yard sale and decided it would be a fun project.) Yeah, I learned that I'm not cut out for "projects" because this one took too long and I have no patience. Too bad I have already purchased a coffee table to re-finish for our living room in the new house. (Ha! I say that like we are going to be home-owners soon. Just a dream right now, Stac, just a dream.)

So, anyway... there will be pictures soon... I hope. Once the horse is reunited with his head, we'll have a "photo shoot". Aaaawwww!

First Come, First Serve

We've got 4 extra bus tickets to go to NYC tomorrow at noon from Philadelphia. The cost= $FREE.99. Who wants to come with us?

Siena's First Temper Tantrum

I don't know what tipped her off this morning, but it has been a hard day so far...



(This tantrum all sprouted from me taking an important piece of paper from her hands. Where did this attitude come from? She's not supposed to get it until she's TWO! The hardest part was trying not to pick her up to soothe her. So I distracted myself by filming it for posterity.)

Week In Review

Get Your Fill Now

This will be the last post I write in a long time, say, a week. (oh yeah, and it's gonna be short.)

We are moving. Not too far, thankfully; we found a place on the other side of the golf course. There are many good things about moving to this place. It is a full house (for the same price as our current rent,) it has a big kitchen, a garage, 3 bedrooms, 1 1/2 bath, a dishwasher, Central Air, and a washer/dryer. You can't beat it, so we made the decision to go for it.

The bad things: we have to leave the neighborhood (I will, however, make the effort to visit our friends here often,) and everything associated with the actual move (change utilities, possibility of higher car insurance bills because we will be in the actual city of Philadelphia, packing/unpacking and cleaning the house.) I think it is worth it, though.

We move out at the end of June. Wish us luck!

Peluca (translation: Wig)

(Siena just woke up from her nap)

Lentils & Other Success Stories

Siena can crawl now. And she eats lentils...



...and that's all she wrote.

Ear Infection Anyone?

Today was Siena's 9-month check-up. Yep, the title says it all... ear infection. Luckily, it is still acute and with the medicine they gave her, it should clear up soon. Siena has been a pretty good sport about the whole thing; she didn't cry when they pricked her finger for blood samples today and she only cried for about 20 seconds when they gave her the Polio/Hep B vaccine, and other than her tugging at her ears, the ear infection hasn't seemed to bother her.