2011 Philadelphia Flower Show

I seriously cannot find a font that works! I don't want a run-of-the-mill font, but it needs to be legible.

So, besides the awesome font issues...

Juan was amazing and got me two of the greatest things for my birthday: 1,000 Places to See Before You Die, and tickets to the Philadelphia Flower Show, (which just so happens to be one of the 1,000 places to see before you die.)

Both are incredible and but I only have pictures of the latter. Three words: A. Ma. Zing! I am so glad we (yes, the whole fam) were able to go last Saturday. Besides hitting up the main floor, I sat in on a couple of design workshops, one of which was taught by Robert De Bellis, AIFD* (more about what that means later.) They were workshops mostly for the amateur designer, but I actually did learn a thing or two. The smell as you walked into the HUGE Pennsylvania Convention Center was so fresh and sweet and I couldn't help but walk from design to design with a perma-smile on my face. The things that typify the Flower Show are as follows: crazy-cool, innovative designs from professionals from around the world, inspiring outdoor living areas, color and rhythm everywhere you turn, thought-provoking interpretations of other art pieces made from natural elements; and of course, you get the hoards of people walking around with bundles of pussy willow, curly willow, salix, and forsythia branches, samplings of the latest herbal teas and cheeses, and vendors clamoring for change as their booths were bursting at the seams with customers. We were there from 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m***., minus a short lunch break in Chinatown and loved every minute of it. Siena was enthralled, Juan was patient beyond what was required of him, and Qiana slept most of the time in the stroller. It couldn't have been a more memorable birthday gift.

The show also inspired me to continue with my goal of becoming a member of the American Institute of Floral Designers (*AIFD.) What this requires is completion of a specific pathway (i.e. design school, undergrad degree in Horticulture, etc.,) then a passing score of an extensive online comprehensive test, followed by critiqued hands-on designs before a judging committee, passing with an overall score of at least 4.0 out of 5 to become a Certified Floral Designer (CFD) and an invitation from the AIFD Board to apply for AIFD status. (Oh, and I can't forget the letters of recommendation: At least two need to be from AIFD professionals. To give you an idea of how many AIFD members there are in the entire state of Utah: only 2! There are only 4 in WA, and 3 in OR. Juan and I joke that there are more Oral Surgeons in the country than AIFD members in the world.) Once I make it there, like every other professional accreditation, I'll have to take Continuing Education Courses, as well as participate as an educator for at least 5 of those credits per three years, pay my annual dues, and attend the annual National Symposium to keep my status. Ever since college, I've known I was going to do it, but now that I've really researched it, I am going to work it into my ten-year plan. I could do it earlier, but I don't think I'll have the time to raise my kids and earn my AIFD title. Besides which, it costs mucho dinero (about $2,000+travel expenses just to get to the AIFD status, not including maintenance.) But it would mean a lot to me if I accomplish something like this and I really want to show my kids that they can aspire for higher education and success in their fields, too. Okay, okay, and it would be incredibly FUN to participate in the National Symposium, too.

PHOTOS! (If you click on it, it will take you to Photobucket, where you can see the titles/descriptions... I'm out of time, or I'd write them out again here on the blog.)













































































































































































***As some have pointed out, that was a long time for Juan and the girls to be there. I wasn't very clear--they only were there for the first three hours. Juan took the girls home after he dropped me off back at the convention center after lunch. He was a real trooper, though.

Tonight's Amusement

I think we may forgo a trip to Disneyland any time soon. Why pay for the spinning teacups when we've got essentially the same thing in our living room?

WHY...

...did I use my phone to take this picture when the camera was 6 feet away?! A moment when they are both smiling at the same time is priceless.

Moving Tips

We find ourselves getting ready to move again. Since our marriage, Juan and I moved into a different home every year until this house (which we've occupied for 3 consecutive years... a record!) You'd think we'd be pros by now. I am procrastinating the overwhelming task of inventorying the house and packing it all up. Box. By. Box. I had a dream last night that Juan was in a meeting with the Department Chair of the Oral Surgery Dept. at a hospital he applied to here in Philly. The guy sat him down and talked him over and over the reasons he should apply next year, but then out of nowhere, he asked him to just come in as a resident this year. Juan immediately accepted and I thought, "Wow, we won't have to move again." Then I woke up and realized how bizarre that situation would really be back here in Real Life. Not going to happen, and by now I've become so antsy to move back near family that I honestly think I would be disappointed to stay here.

Anyway, the reason for this post is that I need some advice. It's useful stuff, you know?

Are there any moving suggestions you have? Any "Wish I would haves" or "DON'T do its!" for a move across the country?

I know it's not right to just Take-take-take, so here are the things I guess I can share about our first cross-country moving experience:

• Shipping a car was very useful to us. I hear paying for gas costs about the same and you save your car the wear and tear.
• Don't, DON'T, don't use Oasis Moving Co. Dishonest, disrespectful, careless: those are the first words that come to mind. We had a few boxes that had been broken into and taped back up in their month of storage in Las Vegas. They also delivered our furniture about two weeks after we were scheduled to move in (you may recall THIS. Just reading that again makes me laugh. My, how my mentality has changed, and yet most of it is still very true. Those two weeks sleeping three-to-an air mattress were priceless, though. Taught me a lot about how blessed I really was to have what I technically didn't have at the time.) They also charged us some outrageous fees before they would give us our stuff... a hostage situation. Besides which we had many broken items in boxes that were marked "Fragile". Oh well, you live you learn. Just wish I would have seen THIS first.
• Moving with a brand new baby- not as hard as I thought it would be. Definitely doable.
• DON'T sell/get rid of a ton of stuff thinking that it would be cheaper just to buy it again so you wouldn't have to pay to ship it. It really isn't cheaper!

Your suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated!

Here is the latest and greatest

Not too busy around here anymore. Now that Juan knows he passed his written Boards Pt 2 exam and we know where we are doing after graduation, life is flowing back into its normal pace. The girls and I had been enjoying the lovely weather (Yep, in the high 60's) until a snowstorm came to rip that ray of sunshine from our pending Spring. Guess we'll have to wait longer than expected to pull out the sandals. Luckily, we've been able to pass the time indoors too. Siena and I decided to create a model home for two lucky couples.

Our first couple decided they wanted the modern/contemporary look, taking a minimalistic approach. You can see the bold simplicity in the rug, sofa, and kitchen table:



The second couple decided to go with an artsy look, but it ended up just looking like the trash it was made from:


The breakfast nook


Bedroom


Futon


2011 Hybrid Coaster


The "Love" Tree


A proud co-architect


The destructive passerby




Other days, we like to pass the time by doing art projects.


Stamping takes great concentration






We also like to turn on the music and dance like ballerinas.








Picky Picky














"Entertain us Mom!"


"Okay, we'll entertain YOU then."

My Valentine Surprised Me

...with a trip to New York City this weekend, babysitters included! I can't help it if this post is all about how wonderful my hubby is (...hello "Seriously So Blessed!"...) I gotta write this down. So if you think you're going to be jealous, which you will be, don't read on. Please. It may save you an unhappy marriage. (end of sarcasm) This really is for my memory's sake.

It started with an innocent trip to the grocery store. We were in the parking lot writing our last-minute items on the grocery list when Juan pulled out a folded paper, along with a box of Andes Mints. Now, I didn't even notice the paper (who would?) because those Andes were calling my name. Luck had it that those were for ME and once I had sufficiently stuffed five or sixteen in my mouth, he told me to look at the paper. It was a printed bus schedule/receipt with these words scrawled on top, "Clue #1... Happy Valentine's Day."

Departure: Philadelphia 30th Street, Friday February 11th

Arrival: New York City, Penn Station

Return Date: Saturday, February 12th (You may notice that it wasn't officially Valentine's Day, but we've actually never celebrated Valentine's Day on its official day--flower business--so why conform now?)

I read those words and cried... no, SOBBED. I have wanted to spend some time with him without the girls for so long, that he couldn't have chosen a better gift.

Besides being enamored with him, I respect my husband for all the forethought this surprise took. He made hotel reservations, dinner reservations, bus reservations and scheduled babysitters about a month in advance. (THANKS SO MUCH KURT AND AMBER!)

We checked-in at the hotel then took off for some yummy lunch at Pinche Taqueria. The tacos were so-so, but the Milanesa sandwich was Oh-so-Good. Then we took a walk down 5th Avenue, then down to SoHo to see all the new window displays and were definitely not disappointed. I love the creativity and no-boundaries attitude that the boutiques all exude. Dinner was at La Cucina de Pesce, a small Italian place in East Village. The food was good, but I learned something new: unless you are a vegetarian, don't let a vegetarian server advise you what to order. My food was good, but Juan's food (his own decision, I might add) was DELICIOUS! He ordered a fettucini dish with shrimp, scallops and crab meat in a creamy sauce that made my palate jealous. Come to think of it, I traded dishes with him half-way through the meal. As a gentleman, he let me order the chocolatiest thing on the dessert menu, too. We finished the day stopping at St. Patrick's Cathedral to take a peek inside and, my-oh-my, it is very cool and something I'm so glad we were able to see before we leave the East Coast.

Today (Saturday) could easily be dubbed the "Subway Day" because that's where we spent most of our time. No complaints here, though, because I am a huge fan of observing things in their natural habitat, and there's nothing more natural than a crowd in a New York subway. Since we were shuffled back and forth from line to line because of weekend construction, we saw all sorts of things that added up to be an essential New York experience; for example, there was a guy hunched over in the middle of the hall, peeing into an empty water bottle. Also, I will never forget the innumerable amount of girls traipsing in booty shorts over colored tights topped-off with platform stilettos. (I might add that even with three layers of warm clothes on, I was still cold.)

Juan and I were able to go to the Manhattan LDS Temple while we were there and although I think St. Patrick's is beautiful, it pales in comparison to inside the temple. Juan hit another home-run with his selection of where we ate for lunch. Darbar is a little Indian buffet near Grand Central and the food there left me completely satiated. Not too crazy, not too dull with a spice just-right and perfect Naan. It may have even cured me of my disdain of goat meat!

We also had a perfect ending to a perfect weekend getaway. As we arrived at our bus stop about 45 minutes before it was scheduled to leave, we were told that we got there just in time to catch the earlier bus to Philly if we wanted. No standing out in the cold wind for another 45 minutes? Yes, please!

Juan, you are a truly amazing person and I'm lucky to have such a romantic like you. Thanks for the much-needed, much-appreciated time alone with you. Hope I can surprise you with something just as wonderful someday because you deserve it and more. Mwah!

64 oz.

Are you like me and find it hard to get the daily recommended dose of good ol' H2O? Well, read THIS. And, if you are like me, you may end up wanting to cry afterward but will be resolute to drink in all 64 ounces. Today I got in about 56 ounces and wanted to puke but I'm trying to be a good girl--I'm gonna stick to the plan and try to finish the last bit before bedtime!

The Way She Talks

Siena saw an ad for a local furniture company on our table today. In the corner of the ad there was a logo with a dog and, pointing to the logo, Siena said the following:

"Mommy, tonight Bentli (her preschool friend) and me are going to go watch this movie (pointing to the logo) about a dog named Parsley and a cat named, ummm..... Puuurrrrshley."

As for Qiana, she is speaking more and more but the thing she loves to do more than anything is animal growls, and she's good at it. She growls whenever she sees lions, tigers, bears... and bunnies. She's got this eensy weensy body that can surprisingly produce a low, resonating growl. It's terrifying, but funny.

The Next American Idol

Yesterday Juan stayed home to study for the Part II Board Exam (which he's taking tomorrow!,) and I think that the girls were a huge distraction for him. I had to pull out my phone and record this video during lunch because, let's face it... this has to somehow make it easier for us as parents when she's a teenager:

(Pssst... you might want to turn the volume down a little before you watch this girl belt out as loud as she can go.)

Poor Qiana didn't have a morning nap so she was OUT COLD during this grand performance. Her mom should have immediately put her in a comfortable bed, but first she had to record her cute little baby asleep like an old man in church--open mouth and all.

And the verdict is...

Juan received an e-mail at around 9:00 this morning saying,

-------------------------------------------------------------

To: JUAN C CHAVEZ - Applicant Code *****

This message provides you with your Match result for Phase II of the Postdoctoral Dental Matching Program for positions beginning in 2011.

Congratulations! You have been matched to:

Institution: UNIV OF UTAH SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

Program: GPR-1 YR

-------------------------------------------------------------

We were both in shock when we read those words; both of us had pretty much thought that we would never live in Utah again due to the over-saturation of dentists.

I think I had the hardest time with it and kept whining to myself. "Why didn't we get the 4-year residency that we had been hoping for?" Talk about not seeing the blessings that were just given to us on a silver platter! (There were a LOT of people who didn't Match anywhere.) Luckily, Juan talked me through it and I remembered the hundreds of prayers in which we said, "We'll go where you want us to go."

After the shock wore off, I realized how excited I am to go back to live near family, experience good customer service, have a lower cost of living, and bask in the great outdoors. So, we're heading back to Utah (for at least a year or until Juan gets into an Oral Surgery Residency) and who knows where we'll go after that. It doesn't matter because we've lived in Philly, which was a culture shock for me and I survived. We are ready and excited for this new chapter.

Three and a half months and counting....

Spelling

Siena tugged me into the kitchen today and proudly showed me the word she spelled, (as shown below.) "It's Arugula," she said, after seeing my puzzled face.

S, Q, Dentist J and Patient S

S

Kids say the darndest things. Tonight Siena said to me and my family over webcam tonight that she was going to put a baby in her tummy and be a BIG mommy! Her role as 'Mary' in the nativity really left an impression on her as well as the news that her new cousins are growing bigger and bigger inside her aunts' bellies. She also said, when asked what Tristan and Rob should name their baby, that the child should be named "Quesadilla". Nobody kept a straight face for that one. She also has been requesting songs from "The Sound of Music" to be sung at all times during the day. The other day I was trying to get her to take a nap because she looked exhausted; however, she decided she wasn't going to settle down and rest, so I thought if I put her in front of the four-hour-long movie she would eventually fall asleep. Nope, I was wrong. She sat there with me and watched it in its entirety. Now she can't stop singing "How do you solve a problem like Maria?" and "Raindrops on roses, and whiskers on kittens;" but her favorite still remains "Do, a deer, a female deer. Re, a drop of golden sun." It really makes me happy that she liked watching that movie and loves the music. It's definitely one of those classic films that everyone needs to see. And if you're not the musical type, I say just watch it once... you may be converted. I was. (I will admit, however, to fast-forwarding through the song where Maria and Georg are singing in the glass gazebo. It got too cheesy for me.) But wait! Did you know that The Sound of Music was based on a real-life story?! I didn't until tonight, when I looked up the spelling for Captain von Trapp's name. Wikipedia has a really cool history lesson on the Family von Trapp that you can read here!

Q

Qiana thinks it's the funniest thing to close her eyes really tight and open them while saying "Boo!" Her "simplified" version of peek-a-boo always results in overwhelming amounts of giggles from everyone, especially herself. Also, somebody's finally got three new molars! That's a total of four teeth breaking through at the same time; the total count is up to eight already! The thing that I'm noticing more and more about Qiana is that she takes her entertainment and learning into her own hands. She doesn't ever really beg me to read to her or play games with her. She keeps herself busy whenever I'm busy with other things, which is something I didn't expect since she was so dependent on me being with her the first 14 months of her life. My favorite sight right now is to see her sitting in her "reading spots" throughout the house. She always goes to the same spots to read her books depending on which room she is in. In her bedroom it's a little corner next to the book bin. In Siena's room, it's the little armchair by her play kitchen. In the living room, it's on the floor next to the loveseat. Downstairs it's a spot next to the elliptical. She's also very active--so active that I think she's a boy inside a girls' body. Sometimes it just takes a lot of deliberate distractions to get her to calm down a bit. Other times I just let her go crazy and wear herself out. Oh, the tricks we mothers have up our sleeves. (I hope she doesn't catch-on any time soon.)

Dentist J and Patient S

Speaking of teeth (sort-of,) Juan played "Dentist" at home the other day. A big section of one of my molars broke off as I was eating dinner last Thursday (this part of my molar has broken off twice before and my previous dentist was, let's say, sub-par.) I couldn't go in to get it fixed the next day because my kids were too sick to send with someone else, but I had to get it fixed because I was in a lot of pain. So he brought the dental office home. It was a little unusual, but it did the job. The only thing he couldn't bring home was that tool that sprays water, blows air, and suctions up your spit (and luckily I didn't need any anesthesia for my temporary fix.) Before he could seal up the tubules in my tooth so the pain would subside, he had to dry the surface. This was when I realized how much I liked that little air-water syringe; he told me to hold my breath so he could blow air from his mouth into a straw and onto my tooth to dry it off. Eechk! We kiss each other and smell each other's morning breath daily, but THIS was bad. Not the smell (because I did what he said and held my breath,) but it was the fact that the air that was going into my mouth was warm and humid. YUCK! So uncomfortable! (If you don't believe me or think I'm exaggerating, try it. You'll see.) Oh well, it did the trick and I've been mostly pain-free ever since. Now, I just have to go in to see him at the real clinic to get it permanently repaired. I love his mad skills.

Sicky Sick Sick

In the Chavez household, there are currently two sick residents. I'll give you three guesses as to who they are and what kind of sickness they have.

1.

2.

3.

Did you guess that it was Stacia sick with scarlet fever, and Juan sick with smallpox? If so, you are a bad guesser.

Both Qiana and Siena are sick with horrible colds and have been since Thursday night around 4:oo a.m. The poor things are coughing up lungs and sneezing snot rockets like I've never seen before! I wish I could make them better like Mary Poppins, but alas, the spoonfuls of sugar I gave them didn't do much good. They are going to be making a slow recovery it seems, and they will have to be quarantined the next 48 hours or so.

Luckily Juan and I have not caught the virus, and good thing because today was a day of church that neither of us could miss. I had to give a talk, play the organ, lead and play piano for Sharing Time in Primary (which is pretty much impossible, I've come to realize;) and Juan had to be there to conduct Sacrament Meeting, confirm a new member, take care of the tithing, and simply BE there to welcome and familiarize the new Second Counselor of the branch with how things are run there. It was going to be a crazy day, to say the least, considering that we were going to try to shuffle our schedules so one of us could take the girls home after Sacrament Meeting.

Oh, but the Lord blessed us with a tender mercy.

When the girls and I arrived at the church building, we discovered that the heater was broken and that the frigid 56 degree air was not going to get warmer any time soon. A few space heaters were brought in from members who lived nearby and it was decided that only Sacrament Meeting would be held. They were kind enough to position a space heater near our girls, who had been sequestered in the back of the room, so luckily Nena and Qiqi weren't affected much by the cold air. And besides a couple of times when Qiana got away from Kurt (who, with Amber, kindly watches them while I'm at the organ,) and played the super high notes on the keyboard, the meeting went on without too many distractions.

Yes, Juan and I were saved by a broken heater from an extremely hectic day at church. When we got home, all of us were able to relax and enjoy the rest of Sunday. I think that's what Heavenly Father wanted for us on this day of rest.

Oh, Babies!

(No, I'm not pregnant.)

S and Q are going to have not one, but TWO new cousins!!!!!!!

Triana is due in late June. Woot!

Tristan is due in early July. Woot!

I'm predicting girls... but who knows. It doesn't matter because WE'RE JUST SO EXCITED FOR MORE COUSINS and Nienepchews! (That is the politically correct word for genderically unknown fetii with whom you are related as a sister or brother of the first party's parent.) FYI, "genderically" is not a word, but the rest of that is totally easy to map out, right?

So Long, Farewell Bag Lady

As with every new year, it's time to throw out the old and bring in new. As I was cleaning out some closets that were LONG overdue for a tidy-up, I found a stash of old bags. I am known for being quite the BAG LADY in my family, but I feel like the time has finally come to say adieu to these old companions. I have held on to them for so long because it feels like I'm erasing memories when I give them away, so I'm going to write this silly blog post to help me feel better about it.

1. Given by mi querida suegra (My loving mother-in-law) after she went on a trip to visit family in Mexico.
2. Given by my much-missed, super-cool neighbor, Janine, who said this bag belonged in my closet, not hers. I like all our hand-me-downs from them.
3. Ahhhh, the memories of my visit to Juan's old stomping grounds.... When we were in Mexico, we stopped at a flea market in Patzcuaro. I bought this satchel because it smelled so good inside: pure leather, ungreased and uncured.
4. This little cutie has been moved from place to place since my senior year of high school. My best friend, Abi, went on a trip to Europe and brought this back from Greece for me. I can still remember saving the Grecian newspaper that was stuffed inside it. This will be a tough one to let go.
5. Bought from the finest-quality department store, Deseret Industries. You may have heard of it.
6. Why are most of these bags somehow related to Mexico? I bought this in preparation for the aforementioned trip to Mexico. This was a bit of a splurge at $40 on a newlywed, starving-student budget... but I have no regrets because it's definitely put in its time over these last five years.
7. My Juanito gave this to me on some special occasion (Aah! I know, I should remember! Anniversary maybe?) I'm pretty sure we were living in the house in South Provo at the time. Regardless of when it was given, it was cute and thoughtful.
8. And last but not least, the good ol' "everything bag" from my sister-in-law, Triana. This bag has been beat up and thrown around so much throughout the last three years, that I don't know how it's survived. It has housed everything from diapers to bills, soccer balls to dress-ups. It's been used and abused.

(Deep breath.)

That's it. They can go to the thrift store now.

Hot Tamales and Three Kings' Day

(Boring alert!... the first part is really for S and Q's parents who are enjoying these little things... Read on below for our Three Wise Men's Day Celebration.)

This afternoon while Qiana was taking a nap, Siena helped me shave off a few chores from today's list. First, I watched as she made her bed from start to finish; this is a huge accomplishment since she's needed my help arranging the 'big' quilt for the last year and a half. It took her a few attempts, and the result was a bit deformed, but I'm proud of the chamacita for trying with patience.

After she finished with her blankets, pillows and doll, we did a "LAUNDRY CALL!" and she gathered the baskets of dirty clothes from both her and Qiana's bedrooms. This was the first time I've had her do this, and I almost laughed out loud while watching Siena carry a laundry basket that was double her size into our room to be sorted. I can't believe she's growing up! We sorted laundry and she followed behind as I brought the first load to the washing machine. She helped me put the wet clothes into dryer, which just added to her excitement at being a "Big Helper" today.

Next, we went upstairs to do dishes. Siena always likes to help with these. She loads, unloads and scrubs the dishes as best she can. It's (mostly) really helpful to have her there with me.

After that was done, we made tamales. This was probably the highlight of our day as it was the closest thing to a food fight we've both ever experienced. Messy and fun! I want my kids to have a childhood infused with traditions from both of our cultures, and although it's a bit more effort, I think they will have good memories from it.


Speaking of which...

The other day, we celebrated El Dia de Los Reyes (Three Kings' Day,) which is a tradition in many Latin cultures as well as some European countries. We cut up the Rosca, drank Mexican Hot Chocolate, and ate tapas, marzipan, Spanish clementines and other Mexican dulces. Having a few friends over to celebrate was so fun and I hope it's a tradition we can keep up.


As per tradition, the kids write wishes and tie them to balloons. Later, everyone lets their balloons go outside and supposedly the three wise men receive the wishes. The next day the wise men send the toys or wishes to the children. This year, we decided to do a toy drive instead of giving toys to the kids. Our friends are going to the Dominican Republic in a few months and were looking for things to bring the children there.