Mom's the Word

Living the headlines

Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:40:28 -0800

I sympathize with the Muslim family that was kicked out of a AirTran flight in Washington after some passengers reported a suspicious conversation among family members. I applaud that family after hearing interviews with them, that they understood why the suspicion would be there if they had mentioned the words "bomb" or "explosive" and they praised the FBI for their professional treatment.

These are the times we live in.

My sister and I submitted our applications for citizenship at the same time almost two years ago. She received appointments for her fingerprinting, interview and oath-taking within the year. She's an American citizen now. I, meanwhile, am waiting.

Last week, I received a letter from the INS saying they have to retake my fingerprints since it had expired, having been taken 15 months ago. When I came in to the El Monte office to get that done, the consul told me the reason my application was taking so long was because of my name. Not my last name, mind you. But my first: Anissa, which is Arabic for "friendly girl."

The FBI had to clear me first and that was what was taking awhile.

I don't mind this one bit. Please be safe and thorough.

These are the times we live in.

'Twilight' mamas

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 09:02:37 -0800

Okay, okay, I've read the books. Seen the movie. (Only once though!) And yes, I'm on board.

My niece Lauren was the one who started reading Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight" series of books way back in 2005. Shortly after, she couldn't wait for each book to come out and she started saving pictures of this Rob Pattinson dude on the computer with the titles "Beautiful" and "Perfect."

I chalked it up to a great book and a great choice of a leading man. Hey, I remember getting all excited about the Sweet Dreams books when I was Lauren's age. She told me "Twilight" is a vampire love story (and a bit about werewolves too). O-kay.

Here's to you!

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 01:00:00 -0800

I've never been a New Year's Eve party girl. My parents were always too scared of drunk drivers to let me out much back in the day, and with little ones, we mostly stay home or hang at a relative's house to ring in the new year.

There's always something hopeful about all the parties. Even though we know so many people, so close to us, who have had a house foreclosed, who's been laid off, who are struggling financially, we raise our glasses to hope anyway.

And my three favorite dates, each of whom I'll be kissing come midnight:

Holidazed

Sun, 28 Dec 2008 21:21:44 -0800

Maybe I've been having too many glasses of Bailey's, but boy am I tired!

Tired but happy, despite the flurry of Christmas activities: classroom parties, office parties, Cub Scouts gift exchange, the Monrovia Christmas parade, more parties, ooh! shopping, then Christmas Eve in San Diego and Christmas Day at my in-laws.

The boys made out like bandits: it seems my 6-year-old very sweetly told most relatives what he really wanted for Christmas (namely, games for his DS game and anything Star Wars Clone Wars). My 3-year-old wanted what his brother got.

Hubby got a new pair of chinos and some sweats (yeah, not romantic, but very wifely-practical!)

Last things

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 20:34:40 -0800

Hubby came home from his hour and a half commute and totally needed time with me and the boys. He had heard and read about the man who lost his family in the Marine Corps jet crash in San Diego: his wife, 36, their two daughters, 15 months and 2 months (2 months, Hubby kept saying) and his mother-in-law, 60.

Read the story here.

For this man who has literally lost everything to ask us to pray for the pilot is so noble.

It always makes Hubby and I weak-kneed when we hear stories like this. We wept copious tears after this year's earthquake in China, and how parents waited and wailed amid the rubble of their children's school.

You think your kids would be safe in school. You assume the safest place for your wife and little girls would be your own home.

Hubby and I always say "I love you," at least once a day, and always before parting.

Stamp of approval

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 20:27:43 -0800

Free is fast getting to be one of my favorite words these days.And free is what you get from the folks at PhotoStamps.

The Thanksgiving Shuffle

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 20:35:03 -0800

Now that I'm an ol' married woman (10 years and counting!) I can share how Hubby and I decide which side of the family to go to on holidays.

No coin-throwing, no rock-paper-scissors or heated arguments about how "your" mother will "never" forgive us for not bringing her grandson to her on Christmas Eve.

Read on, grasshopper, and learn.

Why we love David Shannon

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 13:38:20 -0800

We love David Shannon.

My boys love him because he gets them, the high-energy, toy-loving, let-me-show-you-what's-in-my-mouth, pirate-loving boys that they are.

I love him because he's the kind of funny, cool, but still (dare I say it?) sensible parent I want to be. And his books, from the now-classic "No, David!" and it's follow-ups, to "A Bad Case of Stripes" and "How I Became A Pirate" all ring true and witty and wonderfully creative.

We so enjoyed the book reading and signing he did at Vroman's for his latest, "Too Many Toys," that we might just drop by San Marino Toy and Books when he visits on Wednesday, Nov. 19. I'll get back to you guys about the exact time because he may just be visiting a school there, but if he is going back to the bookstore and signing books, I'll let you know. (I got books signed for my boys, nephews, nieces and assorted godchildren for Christmas.)

Ode to Arcadia

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 19:15:07 -0800

Congratulations to Arcadia, selected by Business Week as the top place to raise kids in California. Runners-up were Diamond Bar and Monterey Park.

Basic lives

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 14:32:19 -0800

You know that Far Side cartoon where there's a bird in the sky, with this in its thought balloon: "Up, down, up, down," and below, a dog is looking at a white fence, "bark, don't bark, bark, don't bark," while a man strides on the street: "left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot." On the green grass nearby is a frog, who's thinking, "hop, rest, hop, rest, rest....dang!"

Yup, that's how I feel today.

Bills haven't been paid (I was supposed to do them by noon today), I broke down and ordered pizza for lunch, the boys discovered the joys of washing rocks but trailed dirt and mud into the house and got all wet in this cold day, and Hubby called to say he's not feeling well. Car needs a wash, house is still a mess....

BUT, Hubby's coming home soon and there's a big Hershey bar in the pantry and my boys are now giggling at something funny their cousin said and there's enough light outside to water the rosebushes, which, despite and in spite of me, are blooming yellow and lavender.

And there's enough leftover pizza so I don't have to cook!

There's something to be said for basic lives, lovely routines and the ups and downs, hops and rests of every day.

For everything that's been, thanks. For everything that is to come, yes.

Just as big as chocolate

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 19:58:53 -0800

I let the boys stay up tonight, mainly because I wanted to watch TV and not get caught up with the pre-bedtime whirl. That's how, at 8 p.m., Firstborn Son and Wonder Boy got to see Barack Obama elected on CNN and watch as Mama tried to impart the importance of this day.

"We're watching history?" Joseph asked, even as his little bro asked hopefully if he could now watch his Veggie Tales DVD.

"This is history, baby," I said.

"This day is just as important as the day they invented chocolate!" Joseph proclaimed.

When our 44th president strode onto the stage, Sandro pointed to the TV excitedly and said, "That's the United States of America!"

I think he was pointing to the line of flags on the stage, but pointing to Obama works just as well.

Brothers for life

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 11:03:44 -0800

Grandma's staying with us a bit, so I was able to leave Wonder Boy with her while I picked up Firstborn Son from school. My little one adriotly took command of the situation, charming candy and soda from Grandma and joy of joys, playing his brother's Nintendo DS, knowing he would have to surrender it to its rightful owner when brother got back from school.

We had just parked in the garage when Wonder Boy opened the door and asked me: "Did you pick up Joseph from school, Mama?"

When I said yes, he clutched the DS close to him and wailed, "Noooooo! I don't want him!"

Joseph and I laughed.

"But Sandro," Firstborn Son said, scrambling out of the car. "I have a surprise for you!"

"What?"

"A Slurpee!"

After which Wonder Boy ran to his sibling, arms open wide, proclaiming: "My brother!"

Hear the stomp?

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 16:08:15 -0800

I haven't been blogging lately because the news haven't been good, and I don't mean the national financial crisis. Just the usual things that happen in life but happening one after the other, like the Biblical Job or Charlie Brown.

The biggest challenge has been getting Mom out of the house she's lived in for more than 20 years: boxing, throwing, selling, throwing, and cajoling her into a new life. She's living with us now and that has mostly been fun. (More on that later!)

But didn't want to send out negative vibes to you all, at least not until I've processed everything. Everything that's happening in my life is happening in other people's lives too and when read the news and see the TV stories, it sometimes get TOO depressing, especially if I see Mom trying to be cheerful when she jokes she's homeless or hear her rant about a million little things she should have done before the move.

Choose to be happy, people.

I just finished the Monday column today, but was a bit flustered because my deadline got moved up. I had three hours to write it, that's doable, but then Wonder Boy needed lunch, my sister called and needed to vent about Mom and the move, my Mom called to make sure I could pick her up later tonight, and Firstborn Son needed to get picked up from school.

Needless to say, I was half an hour late, agonizing over the column while my two boys chattered around me.

"Go downstairs and watch TV," I said like the good mother I am.

Joseph was dutifully quiet behind me. Sandro kept coming up to me with minute by minute reports of how well he's eating Pez candy for the very first time.

I let him have it. In one long exhaled breath, I explained how I am doing my work and needed to think and if I kept hearing his voice I would lose my train of thought and have to start over and then it would take me longer to join him in his play.

He looked at me from under impossibly long lashes and whispered penitently, "Sorry."

I turned back to the computer.

A minute later, I hear a soft voice by my elbow.

"Sorry, Mom."

Just as I was feeling guilty about losing my temper, my little man looks at me, works his eyebrows into a frown and intones: "Why don't you just work somewhere else?"

Oy.

At this point, his older brother takes him by the hand and says authoritatively, "Sandro, you need to leave Mama alone. You're only making her angry. Did you hear the stomp?"

It seems my son has learned that when Mama stomps her foot, she means business. Hubby thought that was so endearing when I did it during our dating days. Doubt our kids think the same today.

Namely, kids

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:52:10 -0800

Not even born and already we're thinking resumes.

I was seven months pregnant with Firstborn Son and Hubby and I were batting around names, charting each choice with pros and cons: what name will leave our baby free from teasing, look good on the top of a resume, lead him to a destiny full of success and happiness?

Happy Good Neighbor Day

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 22:42:58 -0800

The day we moved into our home in 2000, the neighbors to the right and left of us came to welcome us, newlyweds brimming with excitement about owning our own home. Neighbor to the left later retired, but the family that moved in after them were just as gracious and nice. I have seen their daughter grow up (she's now taller than me) and we have gotten to know our neighbors across the street, in the corner and even a couple of doors down.

Today is Good Neighbor Day and Flowers by Robert Taylor continues its heartwarming tradition of giving away a dozen roses free to anyone who promises to give 11 of those roses away to neighbors, teachers, friends, co-workers and even complete strangers.