Can't wait to make these! Never thought about making muffins with sweet potatoes! Yum! Tis the season! I'll let you know how they come out.
Rachael Ray's Official Website - Sweet Potato Muffins
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Social Media -to be or not to be "social"
Myspace, facebook, twitter, google+, blogs, pinerest, linkedIn and these are just the ones I am on! I don't know about you, but I can hardly keep up! Oh, and don't forget, good ole fashion email. It almost seems weird to say that email is old fashion but it is after all over 15 years old. I actually now tell people to either fb me or send me a text. I don't even like getting on my email account anymore. Thank goodness for my Thunderbolt phone to make everything accessible with a touch of the button, viola, checked fb, emailed and sent text messages!
So we call all of these things "Social Media" or "Social Networking" but is it really being sociable? I mean you really are just talking to your computer, not a real live human being. You might talk to a human being through your computer, but is that the same as having a real live conversation in person or even on the telephone?
Here are some definitions that I ironically of course googled for the word "Social".
Here is an interesting look at the word coming from Wikipedia:
The term Social refers to a characteristic of living organisms (humans in particular, though biologists also apply the term to populations of other animals). It always refers to the interaction of organisms with other organisms and to their collective co-existence, irrespective of whether they are aware of it or not, and irrespective of whether the interaction is voluntary or involuntary .http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social
Dictionary.com also had some interesting definitions: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/social
As a journalist and communications person by default, "Social Media" has really changed the way I have to think, write and of course communicate. My new job that I started in September is basically keeping up with the Social Media for the organization. It seems crazy that I actually get paid to be on fb, twitter, blogs, youtube and other websites as part of my job. When people ask what I do, I say I do what I love! I really do love checking all these sites and seeing what is going on in the world. I have to admit, it sometimes can be information overload and really hurt my brain. But for the most part it is pretty cool!
Now back to the word "Social". If you look at the definition, "needing companionship or designed activites in which people meet each other for pleasure", I guess meeting on the internet via fb can be fun, but is it really being "Social"? I am not so sure that it is. While I love all of the people and connections I have been able to make via "Social Media", I don't find it very "Social" at all. Where is the companionship and relationships? While all of this new technology is great, at the same time it makes me a little sad. I want face to face conversations or to hear your voice over the phone. I want that human contact. That is what makes us feel alive. I miss the hand written letters and cards that come via "snail-mail" aka the post office. Seeing your friend's face, hearing their voice or even receiving a letter or card from them, you feel that human connection. When I am talking on the phone, just hearing the sound of their voice I feel connected because I can tell whether or not they are happy, sad, mad, or anything else that might be going on in their life. I always get a mental picture in my mind of what the person looks like and what they might be doing while I am talking to them. This helps me make that social connection.
Same thing if I receive a letter or card in the mail. Like just today I received a postcard from my friend Amanda from when she was on her honeymoon in Barcelona, Spain. Not only do I love looking at the pictures on the postcard, but I can imagine her there, and I can hear her voice in my head as I read the card. And that my friends is a social connection! I guess it kinda helps that I have been to Spain too, so I probably have a better image in my head. But all the same, as I am reading the postcard I feel the connection and really wish I could have been there with her.
I by no means am saying that Social Media or Social Networking is bad. As I have stated before, I love my job and I love being on these sites. But at the same time, I don't think the word "Social" is the right adjective to describe these sites. Somebody just coined the phrase and now it has stuck. I just don't want people to loose that human connection to the word "social". Let's not forget that God did make us to be Social creatures, not creatures of the internet.
You tell me, how important is human connection to you? Don't you just sometimes want to talk to a real, live human being? Or see their actual face, not just their profile picture?
So we call all of these things "Social Media" or "Social Networking" but is it really being sociable? I mean you really are just talking to your computer, not a real live human being. You might talk to a human being through your computer, but is that the same as having a real live conversation in person or even on the telephone?
Here are some definitions that I ironically of course googled for the word "Social".
- 1 relating to society or its organization. ■ relating to rank and status in society: a woman of high social standing.
- 2 needing companionship; suited to living in communities.
- 3 relating to or designed for activities in which people meet each other for pleasure.
Here is an interesting look at the word coming from Wikipedia:
The term Social refers to a characteristic of living organisms (humans in particular, though biologists also apply the term to populations of other animals). It always refers to the interaction of organisms with other organisms and to their collective co-existence, irrespective of whether they are aware of it or not, and irrespective of whether the interaction is voluntary or involuntary .http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social
Dictionary.com also had some interesting definitions: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/social
As a journalist and communications person by default, "Social Media" has really changed the way I have to think, write and of course communicate. My new job that I started in September is basically keeping up with the Social Media for the organization. It seems crazy that I actually get paid to be on fb, twitter, blogs, youtube and other websites as part of my job. When people ask what I do, I say I do what I love! I really do love checking all these sites and seeing what is going on in the world. I have to admit, it sometimes can be information overload and really hurt my brain. But for the most part it is pretty cool!
Now back to the word "Social". If you look at the definition, "needing companionship or designed activites in which people meet each other for pleasure", I guess meeting on the internet via fb can be fun, but is it really being "Social"? I am not so sure that it is. While I love all of the people and connections I have been able to make via "Social Media", I don't find it very "Social" at all. Where is the companionship and relationships? While all of this new technology is great, at the same time it makes me a little sad. I want face to face conversations or to hear your voice over the phone. I want that human contact. That is what makes us feel alive. I miss the hand written letters and cards that come via "snail-mail" aka the post office. Seeing your friend's face, hearing their voice or even receiving a letter or card from them, you feel that human connection. When I am talking on the phone, just hearing the sound of their voice I feel connected because I can tell whether or not they are happy, sad, mad, or anything else that might be going on in their life. I always get a mental picture in my mind of what the person looks like and what they might be doing while I am talking to them. This helps me make that social connection.
Same thing if I receive a letter or card in the mail. Like just today I received a postcard from my friend Amanda from when she was on her honeymoon in Barcelona, Spain. Not only do I love looking at the pictures on the postcard, but I can imagine her there, and I can hear her voice in my head as I read the card. And that my friends is a social connection! I guess it kinda helps that I have been to Spain too, so I probably have a better image in my head. But all the same, as I am reading the postcard I feel the connection and really wish I could have been there with her.
I by no means am saying that Social Media or Social Networking is bad. As I have stated before, I love my job and I love being on these sites. But at the same time, I don't think the word "Social" is the right adjective to describe these sites. Somebody just coined the phrase and now it has stuck. I just don't want people to loose that human connection to the word "social". Let's not forget that God did make us to be Social creatures, not creatures of the internet.
You tell me, how important is human connection to you? Don't you just sometimes want to talk to a real, live human being? Or see their actual face, not just their profile picture?
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Betty Crocker
I have now deemed Sundays as my domesticated day of the week. Cleaning, laundry, baking and other household duties as needed. In an attempt to find different things to put in Rayna's lunch for snacks, I have decided to bake different kinds of muffins each week. I started out with Zucchini muffins, last week I made chocolate chip banana muffins and today, pumpkin muffins. Along with the pumpkin muffins Randy has asked me to make a pumpkin cream cheese roll. I have never made one of these before but it shouldn't be too hard, just time consuming.
While all of that is baking, I have vacuumed, laundry started, dishes done and helped Rayna clean her room. Needing to let the pumpkin roll cool before putting the filling in, we went on a family adventure to Bear Hallow Zoo and hiked on the Birchmore Trail. It was a nice short little hike. We could really see the effects of the drought with the little creek that runs through the trail. It was pretty much non-existent. So the kids were playing on the rocks of the creek bed. We had not been to Bear Hallow in a long time. It was the perfect time to go around 6 p.m. as the animals were pretty active. We actually got to see the bear cubs moving around and the bob cats. Dill Pickle the alligator was also moving around. We were able to see him swimming underwater with the turtles. I've never seen an alligator underwater. It was pretty cool to watch him through the glass, standing on his back legs with barely his head above the water to breathe.
Well I will have to say that my pumpkin roll turned out AWESOME!! I mean, it's pumpkin and cream cheese mixed together, what's not to love!
Here is pretty much the recipe I used. I did use a lot of the hints and tricks off the reviews that made it easier.
http://bit.ly/nqtvJB
Now I feel like fall has officially begun, got to wear jeans all weekend and the first batch of pumpkin bread has been made. Yeah, for fall!
While all of that is baking, I have vacuumed, laundry started, dishes done and helped Rayna clean her room. Needing to let the pumpkin roll cool before putting the filling in, we went on a family adventure to Bear Hallow Zoo and hiked on the Birchmore Trail. It was a nice short little hike. We could really see the effects of the drought with the little creek that runs through the trail. It was pretty much non-existent. So the kids were playing on the rocks of the creek bed. We had not been to Bear Hallow in a long time. It was the perfect time to go around 6 p.m. as the animals were pretty active. We actually got to see the bear cubs moving around and the bob cats. Dill Pickle the alligator was also moving around. We were able to see him swimming underwater with the turtles. I've never seen an alligator underwater. It was pretty cool to watch him through the glass, standing on his back legs with barely his head above the water to breathe.
Well I will have to say that my pumpkin roll turned out AWESOME!! I mean, it's pumpkin and cream cheese mixed together, what's not to love!
Here is pretty much the recipe I used. I did use a lot of the hints and tricks off the reviews that made it easier.
http://bit.ly/nqtvJB
Now I feel like fall has officially begun, got to wear jeans all weekend and the first batch of pumpkin bread has been made. Yeah, for fall!
Friday, September 16, 2011
Single/Working Mom
Is it Friday yet? This is the question I have been asking myself since Monday. It's been a long week to say the least. I just got back on Monday from spending the weekend in Seattle at my dear friend Amanda's wedding. While it was fun and good to hang out, I am tired. They say you always need a vacation from your vacation, which is totally true. So I got back Monday afternoon, only to have Randy leave early Tuesday morning for NY. Not only do I not like the fact that I got to see my husband for less than 24 hours but I also started my new job on Tuesday. So this week has really been a balancing act of being mom, working, going to PTO meetings and everything else in-between. Not fun!
Hats off to all the working/single moms out there! Definitely not my cup of tea! Hopefully things will settle down next week as we get back to a more normal schedule. It's just been super crazy around here with me starting my new job.
Speaking of which, yes, I have a new job that I am super duper excited about. I am working as the Marketing and Communications Specialist for the Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia. It's part-time with Fridays off! The best part, I now get paid to be on facebook and twitter! How cool is that! And I get to play around on their website! I love it! I haven't worked in the communications field in over 7 years. While I have enjoyed teaching Spanish to all my little ones, I have missed the creative side of things.
God is Good All the Time! It truly is amazing how He works in my life. I know for a fact that I would not have this job if it wasn't for God leading me in this direction. I didn't even apply for this position, I had applied for another position listed on their website but they saw that I was more qualified for this position instead. Praise the Lord!! He knew what I really needed. Well on that note, I am going to call it a day and head to bed. Hopefully God willing, tomorrow will be a better day!
Hats off to all the working/single moms out there! Definitely not my cup of tea! Hopefully things will settle down next week as we get back to a more normal schedule. It's just been super crazy around here with me starting my new job.
Speaking of which, yes, I have a new job that I am super duper excited about. I am working as the Marketing and Communications Specialist for the Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia. It's part-time with Fridays off! The best part, I now get paid to be on facebook and twitter! How cool is that! And I get to play around on their website! I love it! I haven't worked in the communications field in over 7 years. While I have enjoyed teaching Spanish to all my little ones, I have missed the creative side of things.
God is Good All the Time! It truly is amazing how He works in my life. I know for a fact that I would not have this job if it wasn't for God leading me in this direction. I didn't even apply for this position, I had applied for another position listed on their website but they saw that I was more qualified for this position instead. Praise the Lord!! He knew what I really needed. Well on that note, I am going to call it a day and head to bed. Hopefully God willing, tomorrow will be a better day!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning
I got this from another blog as it has been posted all over Facebook but wanted to re-post it here. As Swim season is upon us, this is great information to know. Be smart and respect the water! This is great stuff to know for those that are not trained lifeguards. I take water safety very seriously. I have been a lifeguard since I was 18 and even when I am in a public pool, I feel like I am on duty. You never stop scanning the water. Now that I have my own kids, I am very diligent about teaching them water safety. You never know when you might have to use this information. Right after I posted this to facebook yesterday, my friend read it and had to apply it to her little boy. Please click on the link below, you never know, it could save a life.
Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning
Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning
Summer Time
Yes, it is a officially summer. Not quite sure how that happened. I swear we were just on Spring Break. Well we started our summer off with a bang, a road trip to my sister's house in Weslaco, TX. For those of you that are not familiar with how big Texas really is, Weslaco is on the Western border, way down in the toe. It took us two days to drive 1260 miles one way. You can actually see the border wall to Mexico from my sister's house. We had a great time visiting with family. We all came down to see my nephew graduate from high school. It hardly seems possible that he is going off to college in the fall. It seems like yesterday I was changing his diapers. So proud of him, graduating at the top of his class and scoring some scholarships along the way. Way to go Cameron!
We returned home to summer in full swing with 90 degree plus weather, swim lessons, gymnastics and Tae Kwon Do. So much for relaxing this summer!!! No rest for the weary or is that the wicked? :) You decide. Yesterday alone I drove 90 miles. Today was somewhere around 50 or so. Oh and this week the kids have vacation Bible school. It never ends, there is always something going on.
Right now I am listening to the thunderstorm outside. I love listening to storms. We really need the rain. I am pretty proud of the little garden we have planted. We have tomatoes, corn, carrots, and pumpkins so far. We even had some strawberries in the spring. I didn't think the strawberries were going to come back after Poppy mowed them over last year.
Well our next trip isn't until July. We are going to family camp at Colhutta Springs. I can't wait! A whole week of no cooking! Oh and of course I can't wait to show and share with the kids the joys of camp! I think this will be one of our best family vacations yet! We have one more trip planned right before school starts. We are going camping on the beach at Panama City Beach. We will be using Poppy's "bus" to came in. He has a little motor home that he is going to let us borrow. And we get to bring Bauer.
Of course every day is always a new adventure in the Gaytan house. Look for more summer adventures soon.
God Bless!
We returned home to summer in full swing with 90 degree plus weather, swim lessons, gymnastics and Tae Kwon Do. So much for relaxing this summer!!! No rest for the weary or is that the wicked? :) You decide. Yesterday alone I drove 90 miles. Today was somewhere around 50 or so. Oh and this week the kids have vacation Bible school. It never ends, there is always something going on.
Right now I am listening to the thunderstorm outside. I love listening to storms. We really need the rain. I am pretty proud of the little garden we have planted. We have tomatoes, corn, carrots, and pumpkins so far. We even had some strawberries in the spring. I didn't think the strawberries were going to come back after Poppy mowed them over last year.
Well our next trip isn't until July. We are going to family camp at Colhutta Springs. I can't wait! A whole week of no cooking! Oh and of course I can't wait to show and share with the kids the joys of camp! I think this will be one of our best family vacations yet! We have one more trip planned right before school starts. We are going camping on the beach at Panama City Beach. We will be using Poppy's "bus" to came in. He has a little motor home that he is going to let us borrow. And we get to bring Bauer.
Of course every day is always a new adventure in the Gaytan house. Look for more summer adventures soon.
God Bless!
Friday, March 11, 2011
Traveling With Children: Expert Advice from REI
Now to decide what the next Gaytan Family Adventure will be......
Traveling With Children: Expert Advice from REI
Traveling With Children: Expert Advice from REI
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
This n' That
Well here it is again the middle of the week and I'm already exhausted. Randy is out of town on a whirl-wind tour of the country. He left for New York on Monday morning and is now in Albuquerque, NM. He flies home tomorrow night. The kids have been up and down. One minute they are playing really good together and the next all hell breaks lose, literally.
Like this morning for example, I was getting ready and Rayna was in her room getting dressed. I called out to see where Lorenzo was and he was in Rayna's room reading a book. Two things right there are amazing in and of themselves. The first is that Rayna was ok with Lorenzo in her room and the second was that he wasn't destroying anything. I thought, "Wow, this is really cool. What an awesome morning we are having. We are actually going to leave the house on time to get to school."
I spoke too soon. Now it is time for me to get Lorenzo dressed. He takes his pj's off and goes to the bathroom. I tell him to get his clothes on. Here is the moment where all hell breaks lose. Getting dressed has now turned into a game as my son proceeds to run around the house naked and refused to get dressed. He hides under his train table and under his bed. I decide I am not going to chase him since that is what he wants me to do. Plus I don't have the time. I have to finish getting ready so we can leave for school. I finally capture him, dress him and put him in his time out chair for not listening and following directions. His time out chair is his booster seat that he is strapped into so he can't pull a Houdini and escape. He takes his socks and shoes off. I put them back on. I take stuff out to the car. He has taken them off again. I put them back on. I put Rayna in the car. He has taken them back off again. At this point, I am not only mad but we are now late!! Seriously child, just leave your socks and shoes on!! Is that really too much to ask?
The day goes on, work is work. Lorenzo had a good day at preschool seeing as he was the only kid there today. Probably a good thing he didn't have any interaction with other kids today. It may have gotten ugly. We are still working on the sharing aspect.
Rayna had an awesome day at Tae Kwon Do. She did two sparring matches today. Sparring is fighting in Tae Kwon Do. It's so cute to see her in her pads and helmet. She sparred a little on Monday but actually did two matches today. Lorenzo had my phone watching a movie so I couldn't get any pictures or video. Next time I will remember my camera. Here's a video example of sparring. Don't worry, he has them be really gentle and with soft kicks and punches.
Then we went to Trader Joe's to pick up dinner. They love going and finding the lobster to get a prize and hiding it again. I love how everyone is so friendly and of course the food and prices are awesome. I got a mango for 99 cents! And it was so good! Just a little taste of heaven. I guess I should back up a little bit. It took us a while to even get into the store as I had to calm a very scared Rayna down.
We were getting out of the van and getting the re-usable bags out of the back. Yes, I actually remembered my reusable bags! I had parked right next to a Camero, a new one, and the guy starts it up and it is a very loud engine. It freaked Rayna out! She dove into the back of the van and was hiding behind the seats crying. I felt so bad. I was trying to get here to come to me and she refused. Poor baby was terrified! Even after the guy had left it probably took me a good 10 minutes to convince her to come see me and calm her down. I've never seen her that scared before. Poor Lorenzo didn't know what to do. He wasn't sure if he should be scared or getting into trouble. But getting a sucker from the treasure box at Trader Joe's made everything go away.
Lorenzo was just a little pill on the way home pushing a very, very tired and sleepy Rayna's buttons. She fell asleep and he starts screaming and kicking her seat. But then we get home, she goes and plays in her room and he goes in the backyard and rides his jeep around for a little while, comes in and plays in his room with his trains.
Well at least both of my little angels are now safely tucked in their beds dreaming away. Until tomorrow.....
Like this morning for example, I was getting ready and Rayna was in her room getting dressed. I called out to see where Lorenzo was and he was in Rayna's room reading a book. Two things right there are amazing in and of themselves. The first is that Rayna was ok with Lorenzo in her room and the second was that he wasn't destroying anything. I thought, "Wow, this is really cool. What an awesome morning we are having. We are actually going to leave the house on time to get to school."
I spoke too soon. Now it is time for me to get Lorenzo dressed. He takes his pj's off and goes to the bathroom. I tell him to get his clothes on. Here is the moment where all hell breaks lose. Getting dressed has now turned into a game as my son proceeds to run around the house naked and refused to get dressed. He hides under his train table and under his bed. I decide I am not going to chase him since that is what he wants me to do. Plus I don't have the time. I have to finish getting ready so we can leave for school. I finally capture him, dress him and put him in his time out chair for not listening and following directions. His time out chair is his booster seat that he is strapped into so he can't pull a Houdini and escape. He takes his socks and shoes off. I put them back on. I take stuff out to the car. He has taken them off again. I put them back on. I put Rayna in the car. He has taken them back off again. At this point, I am not only mad but we are now late!! Seriously child, just leave your socks and shoes on!! Is that really too much to ask?
The day goes on, work is work. Lorenzo had a good day at preschool seeing as he was the only kid there today. Probably a good thing he didn't have any interaction with other kids today. It may have gotten ugly. We are still working on the sharing aspect.
Rayna had an awesome day at Tae Kwon Do. She did two sparring matches today. Sparring is fighting in Tae Kwon Do. It's so cute to see her in her pads and helmet. She sparred a little on Monday but actually did two matches today. Lorenzo had my phone watching a movie so I couldn't get any pictures or video. Next time I will remember my camera. Here's a video example of sparring. Don't worry, he has them be really gentle and with soft kicks and punches.
Then we went to Trader Joe's to pick up dinner. They love going and finding the lobster to get a prize and hiding it again. I love how everyone is so friendly and of course the food and prices are awesome. I got a mango for 99 cents! And it was so good! Just a little taste of heaven. I guess I should back up a little bit. It took us a while to even get into the store as I had to calm a very scared Rayna down.
We were getting out of the van and getting the re-usable bags out of the back. Yes, I actually remembered my reusable bags! I had parked right next to a Camero, a new one, and the guy starts it up and it is a very loud engine. It freaked Rayna out! She dove into the back of the van and was hiding behind the seats crying. I felt so bad. I was trying to get here to come to me and she refused. Poor baby was terrified! Even after the guy had left it probably took me a good 10 minutes to convince her to come see me and calm her down. I've never seen her that scared before. Poor Lorenzo didn't know what to do. He wasn't sure if he should be scared or getting into trouble. But getting a sucker from the treasure box at Trader Joe's made everything go away.
Lorenzo was just a little pill on the way home pushing a very, very tired and sleepy Rayna's buttons. She fell asleep and he starts screaming and kicking her seat. But then we get home, she goes and plays in her room and he goes in the backyard and rides his jeep around for a little while, comes in and plays in his room with his trains.
Well at least both of my little angels are now safely tucked in their beds dreaming away. Until tomorrow.....
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Zumba
Gotta love me some Zumba! I've been going to zumba classes now for over a year and I just love it. I lost not only a lot of weight but inches as well just doing Zumba. It makes me feel so good. I love the music. I love the dances. Zumba to me is like a drug. When I am in class I just get so lost in the music and dancing. It makes me so happy and feels so good at the same time! Gotta love a natural high. And it is all so sexy at the same time! How could you not like this kind of a work out where you are having fun, loosing weight, sweating, dancing and feeling sexy all at the same time? Now that is my kind of work out!
http://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/home/headlines/Big_Apple_Circus_cancels_visit_to_Stone_Mountain_115074389.html
http://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/home/headlines/Big_Apple_Circus_cancels_visit_to_Stone_Mountain_115074389.html
So sad the Big Apple Circus is not coming to Atlanta this year. Boo! This is such an awesome circus. They do such a great job with the show. It was become a family tradition for us to go to this every year.
So sad the Big Apple Circus is not coming to Atlanta this year. Boo! This is such an awesome circus. They do such a great job with the show. It was become a family tradition for us to go to this every year.
Monday, February 7, 2011
My Little Joker
Ah, another Monday! Just not quite ready for this week to begin. I don't think the weekend was long enough recovery time from the previous week. That and Randy is out of town again this week to the wintery-wonderland of good ole Detroit, MI. He almost forgot that he needed to pack his winter jacket. I just try and take one day at a time. That is all anybody can do.
So Rayna has been really into telling "Knock, Knock" jokes lately. She just loves making up the silliest things. It doesn't matter to her whether it makes sense or not, the silly the better. On the way home today from Tae Kwon Do we precede to have the banter of "knock, Knock" jokes. Here are a couple of the good ones I remember Rayna coming up with:
Rayna: Knock, Knock
Me: Who's there?
Rayna: Butterfly
Me: Butterfly who?
Rayna: Butterfly, fly back to me, I love you.
Rayna: Knock, Knock
Me: Who's there?
Rayna: Rainbow
Me: Rainbow who?
Rayna: Unicorn, slide down the rainbow to get to the other side.
That kid cracks me up. Never a dull moment in the Gaytan house.
Which reminds me of the car ride to school this morning; we were listening to the radio and the song, "What Faith can do", by Kutless came on. My kids never cease to amaze me. I wasn't too surprised when Rayna started singing the song because she picks up on everything, it was when Lorenzo joined in and they were both looking at each other while they were singing. It's moments like these that my heart swells with overflowing love and pride and humility. Sometimes I can hardly believe that these two precious little people are my children. What a great way to start the day! I love my kids! And in case you are not sure what song I am talking about, here is the link to it. A very powerful and moving song by itself, but coupled with your children singing their little hearts out in the car, PRICELESS!
So Rayna has been really into telling "Knock, Knock" jokes lately. She just loves making up the silliest things. It doesn't matter to her whether it makes sense or not, the silly the better. On the way home today from Tae Kwon Do we precede to have the banter of "knock, Knock" jokes. Here are a couple of the good ones I remember Rayna coming up with:
Rayna: Knock, Knock
Me: Who's there?
Rayna: Butterfly
Me: Butterfly who?
Rayna: Butterfly, fly back to me, I love you.
Rayna: Knock, Knock
Me: Who's there?
Rayna: Rainbow
Me: Rainbow who?
Rayna: Unicorn, slide down the rainbow to get to the other side.
That kid cracks me up. Never a dull moment in the Gaytan house.
Which reminds me of the car ride to school this morning; we were listening to the radio and the song, "What Faith can do", by Kutless came on. My kids never cease to amaze me. I wasn't too surprised when Rayna started singing the song because she picks up on everything, it was when Lorenzo joined in and they were both looking at each other while they were singing. It's moments like these that my heart swells with overflowing love and pride and humility. Sometimes I can hardly believe that these two precious little people are my children. What a great way to start the day! I love my kids! And in case you are not sure what song I am talking about, here is the link to it. A very powerful and moving song by itself, but coupled with your children singing their little hearts out in the car, PRICELESS!
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Happy Birthday Big Brother!
January 31, 2011
I wrote the last post back in August with the passing of my brother and never posted it until now. It has been sitting in my saved draft box for 5 months now. I haven't even looked at for some fear of what I wrote, not really sure how it would make me feel. I don't really remember the month of August. It all seems like such a blur now but then there are the moments that make it seem like it was just yesterday. I can remember the sounds around me, the exact words said to me, what the hospital room looked like, how I was living in my own little world of hell while the outside world went on without me and the sun kept right on shining so brightly in the sky.
But today the sun was not shining. The clouds came and not only covered the sky and made it gray and gloomy but my mood as well. I smiled to myself that the weather actually matched my emotions. I did not want the sun to shine today. I did not want to feel happy. I craved the gloom and despair like a child craves the sweet delicious taste of candy. I did not mind the rain beating down upon my face.
Today seemed like a fitting day to finally post this and to help me get some closure as today is Vince's birthday. He would have been 43 today. I always call my siblings on their birthdays and it was one less phone call I got to make today. I remember last year when I called him, I can still hear his voice telling me, "Awe, sissy, thanks for calling. You have always been good about remembering everyone's birthday. It's good to hear from you and I miss ya and I love ya."
It's still hard to believe he is gone. Does the pain ever really go away? Not a day goes by that I don't think about him. I think what hurts the most is when Rayna says she misses Uncle Vinnie. Just this past Saturday we were in the car and the song "I will Raise" by Chris Tomlin came on the radio. It is her favorite song as well as one of mine. In the song it talks about how Jesus has overcome the grave and the victory is won. So my sweet, darling, precious daughter of only 5 years old, says to me, "Mommy, when he sings that part about overcoming the grave, it really makes me think about Uncle Vinnie and how much I miss him."
I wrote the last post back in August with the passing of my brother and never posted it until now. It has been sitting in my saved draft box for 5 months now. I haven't even looked at for some fear of what I wrote, not really sure how it would make me feel. I don't really remember the month of August. It all seems like such a blur now but then there are the moments that make it seem like it was just yesterday. I can remember the sounds around me, the exact words said to me, what the hospital room looked like, how I was living in my own little world of hell while the outside world went on without me and the sun kept right on shining so brightly in the sky.
But today the sun was not shining. The clouds came and not only covered the sky and made it gray and gloomy but my mood as well. I smiled to myself that the weather actually matched my emotions. I did not want the sun to shine today. I did not want to feel happy. I craved the gloom and despair like a child craves the sweet delicious taste of candy. I did not mind the rain beating down upon my face.
Today seemed like a fitting day to finally post this and to help me get some closure as today is Vince's birthday. He would have been 43 today. I always call my siblings on their birthdays and it was one less phone call I got to make today. I remember last year when I called him, I can still hear his voice telling me, "Awe, sissy, thanks for calling. You have always been good about remembering everyone's birthday. It's good to hear from you and I miss ya and I love ya."
It's still hard to believe he is gone. Does the pain ever really go away? Not a day goes by that I don't think about him. I think what hurts the most is when Rayna says she misses Uncle Vinnie. Just this past Saturday we were in the car and the song "I will Raise" by Chris Tomlin came on the radio. It is her favorite song as well as one of mine. In the song it talks about how Jesus has overcome the grave and the victory is won. So my sweet, darling, precious daughter of only 5 years old, says to me, "Mommy, when he sings that part about overcoming the grave, it really makes me think about Uncle Vinnie and how much I miss him."
Monday, August 9, 2010
Remembering Vinnie
Monday, August 9, 2010
Yesterday was the worst day of my life. It's so hard to let go. My brother was such a wonderful person with the biggest heart. He was such a giving person and had so much love that he was a registered organ donor. My brother now will help save other lives with his kidneys, liver, heart valves, eyes, bones and skin. What a self-less act. But that's my brother. Always thinking about others and never himself. I feel so privileged to be his sister. Anyone who knows him, knows what an awesome person he was.
Yesterday was the worst day of my life. It's so hard to let go. My brother was such a wonderful person with the biggest heart. He was such a giving person and had so much love that he was a registered organ donor. My brother now will help save other lives with his kidneys, liver, heart valves, eyes, bones and skin. What a self-less act. But that's my brother. Always thinking about others and never himself. I feel so privileged to be his sister. Anyone who knows him, knows what an awesome person he was.
My Aunt Nancy and Uncle Jeb did make it here yesterday morning in time to see him. Since he was donating his organs, the transplant team actually had to take him to their facility. So they waited to for us to have our time with him before taking him. When all the family was there, we gathered around Vince's bed, held hands and said a prayer. We all signed balloons that had been given to my brother. So when it was time, we walked out of the hospital together, as a family, sang the song, "I can only imagine" by Mercy Me, (I have this video on my blog already from an earlier post if you want to hear it.) and then let the balloons go. It was a very nice way to have closure and say good-bye.
It's just really hard to believe he is really gone. It just doesn't seem possible. I know he is resting in Jesus. The next thing he will know is that he will wake up and see Jesus' face. We will be reunited in the clouds of glory, surrounded by the angels singing Hallijuah, Glory to God in the Highest!
Saturday, August 7, 2010
It's been a long day, one of the most emotional days of my life. I don't even know where to begin. Just when we thought things were going so well....
Vince had a CAT scan done today and the results are not what we were expecting to hear. He has extensive damage to his brain due to the lack of oxygen and blood when he first collapsed. The damage is causing swelling on the brain and there is nothing they can do to relieve it. His EEG test did not show positive results. The neurosurgeon said that this is one of the worst CAT scans he has ever seen. There is basically nothing they can do for him.
That is definitely not what we wanted to hear! NO NO NO!!!!!
It's been really hard to accept this news. It's really hard to believe when all of his other signs are so positive. I know God is in control but ya know, sometimes it's just so hard to give up our own control. I have to keep the faith.
We are keeping him as he is right now on the ventilator, waiting for the rest of our family to get here. My grandparents arrived tonight. My brother Phil and Randy will be here tomorrow. My Aunt Deb and Abbey are on their way as well.
I will praise You in this storm, oh Lord. I lift my eyes to you, the maker of heaven and earth! You the God of Gods, Lord of Lords and King of Kings. You are my strength, my rock and fortress.
Please continue to pray for my brother and family. It's in God's hands now and we just have to trust Him. This is not an easy task to do.
I have so many great memories of my brother. Growing up Vince was the mean one. He was always hitting or pinching me. But that's what big brothers are for right. I remember one time we were at Burger King. I was probably about 5 years old and Vinnie was 13 or so. I sat down to eat my happy meal. I was sitting there eating my fries first before I ate my cheeseburger. Along comes Vinnie. "Are you going to eat that?" pointing at my cheeseburger. "Yay, when I'm done with my fries." The next thing I knew my cheeseburger was gone. He ate my cheeseburger!!! I couldn't believe he did that! My dad had to get me another one. Thus, learned to eat fast, otherwise my food would be gone.
I'm trying to keep this as updated as possible. Just be patient that it might be until the end of the day. If I haven't called you, please don't be offended. I just can't handle crying every time I talk to someone. It's starting to take it's toll on me. I love you all so much. I really appreciate your love and support. We feel your prayers and your love. Thank you so much.
Vince had a CAT scan done today and the results are not what we were expecting to hear. He has extensive damage to his brain due to the lack of oxygen and blood when he first collapsed. The damage is causing swelling on the brain and there is nothing they can do to relieve it. His EEG test did not show positive results. The neurosurgeon said that this is one of the worst CAT scans he has ever seen. There is basically nothing they can do for him.
That is definitely not what we wanted to hear! NO NO NO!!!!!
It's been really hard to accept this news. It's really hard to believe when all of his other signs are so positive. I know God is in control but ya know, sometimes it's just so hard to give up our own control. I have to keep the faith.
We are keeping him as he is right now on the ventilator, waiting for the rest of our family to get here. My grandparents arrived tonight. My brother Phil and Randy will be here tomorrow. My Aunt Deb and Abbey are on their way as well.
I will praise You in this storm, oh Lord. I lift my eyes to you, the maker of heaven and earth! You the God of Gods, Lord of Lords and King of Kings. You are my strength, my rock and fortress.
Please continue to pray for my brother and family. It's in God's hands now and we just have to trust Him. This is not an easy task to do.
I have so many great memories of my brother. Growing up Vince was the mean one. He was always hitting or pinching me. But that's what big brothers are for right. I remember one time we were at Burger King. I was probably about 5 years old and Vinnie was 13 or so. I sat down to eat my happy meal. I was sitting there eating my fries first before I ate my cheeseburger. Along comes Vinnie. "Are you going to eat that?" pointing at my cheeseburger. "Yay, when I'm done with my fries." The next thing I knew my cheeseburger was gone. He ate my cheeseburger!!! I couldn't believe he did that! My dad had to get me another one. Thus, learned to eat fast, otherwise my food would be gone.
I'm trying to keep this as updated as possible. Just be patient that it might be until the end of the day. If I haven't called you, please don't be offended. I just can't handle crying every time I talk to someone. It's starting to take it's toll on me. I love you all so much. I really appreciate your love and support. We feel your prayers and your love. Thank you so much.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
God is Good All the Time
I am sitting in the ICU at Barnes-Jewish St. Peters hospital in St. Louis, MO. My brother Vince had a massive heart attack on Tuesday. God is always in control, He holds our hands and wraps in loving arms around us. It is truly a miracle that my brother is alive right now. We are very positive that he is going to come out of this. Right now we are waiting for him to wake up. They are supposed to start weaning him off the sedatives slowly today and see how he responds. He has opened his eyes twice now, which is a good sign, and has been making facial gestures when the nurse does something to him that he doesn't like. My mom, sister and my brother Nick are here. I'm going to kick my brother's butt when he wakes up. If he wanted a family reunion, he just should have said so!!!
So let me back up a little bit and start from the beginning. On Tuesday I am on my way to pick up Rayna from summer camp and I get a call from Babs, my sister-in-law, saying I need to call my mom and grandma right away that Vince was in the hospital. I could barely understand her. A nurse got on the phone and explained to me what was going on. My brother had collapsed after working outside and they were administrating CPR. At that point it was really touch and go as they couldn't get him stabilized and nobody knew what was going on. They were finally able to stabilize him and found out that he had a massive heart attack with his left descending aorta 90% blocked. This is the main artery that pumps the blood to your whole body. They were able to immediately get him into surgery to put the stint in. That they were able to do that so quickly is just one of the many miracles that have happened to my brother.
He came out of surgery and they put him in an induced coma so he can rest and heal. That is basically where we are at right now. We are waiting for him to wake up as they are now slowing reducing his sedatives.
God has truly been with my brother every step of the way. He placed all the right people in his path to come out of this and make a full recovery. Vince was working at a client's house staining the deck and Babs was helping him. They came inside to take a break and Vince was saying that he wasn't feeling well. The client's daughter and her boyfriend were also at the house at the time. Babs went to go get the paint brushes as Vince was worried about them drying out. That was when he collapsed. The daughter called 911 and the boyfriend immediately started CPR. It just so happened that this guy is training to be a paramedic. The ambulance arrived within 3 minutes. They worked on stabilizing him for 45 minutes at the house before they could get him in the ambulance. I believe that if God had not placed this people in my brother's path that day, he would not be with us today, fighting to come back to us.
Now that the stint is in, his heart is doing really good. All of his vital signs are good. His blood gases are good, his blood pressure is stable. His body is responding as it should be. He looks good, his color is good and a lot of the swelling in his arms and face has gone down. I am just glad I can be here. I flew out Tuesday night. I did get some sleep last night. I'm just trying to make sure Babs gets some rest.
Please continue to pray that God can give him the strength to wake up and come back to us. Pray for Babs and the kids, Madison and Brendon.
I will try and keep you updated.
So let me back up a little bit and start from the beginning. On Tuesday I am on my way to pick up Rayna from summer camp and I get a call from Babs, my sister-in-law, saying I need to call my mom and grandma right away that Vince was in the hospital. I could barely understand her. A nurse got on the phone and explained to me what was going on. My brother had collapsed after working outside and they were administrating CPR. At that point it was really touch and go as they couldn't get him stabilized and nobody knew what was going on. They were finally able to stabilize him and found out that he had a massive heart attack with his left descending aorta 90% blocked. This is the main artery that pumps the blood to your whole body. They were able to immediately get him into surgery to put the stint in. That they were able to do that so quickly is just one of the many miracles that have happened to my brother.
He came out of surgery and they put him in an induced coma so he can rest and heal. That is basically where we are at right now. We are waiting for him to wake up as they are now slowing reducing his sedatives.
God has truly been with my brother every step of the way. He placed all the right people in his path to come out of this and make a full recovery. Vince was working at a client's house staining the deck and Babs was helping him. They came inside to take a break and Vince was saying that he wasn't feeling well. The client's daughter and her boyfriend were also at the house at the time. Babs went to go get the paint brushes as Vince was worried about them drying out. That was when he collapsed. The daughter called 911 and the boyfriend immediately started CPR. It just so happened that this guy is training to be a paramedic. The ambulance arrived within 3 minutes. They worked on stabilizing him for 45 minutes at the house before they could get him in the ambulance. I believe that if God had not placed this people in my brother's path that day, he would not be with us today, fighting to come back to us.
Now that the stint is in, his heart is doing really good. All of his vital signs are good. His blood gases are good, his blood pressure is stable. His body is responding as it should be. He looks good, his color is good and a lot of the swelling in his arms and face has gone down. I am just glad I can be here. I flew out Tuesday night. I did get some sleep last night. I'm just trying to make sure Babs gets some rest.
Please continue to pray that God can give him the strength to wake up and come back to us. Pray for Babs and the kids, Madison and Brendon.
I will try and keep you updated.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
My Review of Sleepover Twin Travel Bed
Originally submitted at Bedroom Furniture.com
Features:
- No Phthalates, BPA or lead
- Twin size sheets fit over center mat
- Inflates & deflates less than 2 minutes
- Includes electric pump & storage bag
- Fits into "carry on" size luggage
- Perfect for kids ages...
My son loves this bed!
By Jacki mom of 2 from Athens, GA on 7/1/2010
Pros: Easy to Inflate, Inflates Quickly, Easy To Transport, Convenient Storage, Deflates Easily, Comfortable
Best Uses: Travel, Camping, Spare Bed
Describe Yourself: Budget Shopper
My son loves his new travel bed. He is 2 years old and we were tried of carrying the pack n play with us on trips. This bed is easy to inflate and deflate and easy to carry and store. I just use a regular twin fitted sheet on it. It is bigger than I thought and pretty comfortable. My son gets excited when we travel now because he gets to sleep in his "robot" bed. I see many uses for this bed.
(legalese)
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
I would love to win one of these for Rayna!
Win a pettiskirt thanks to @shopadorabelle – www.shopadorabelle.com over at www.modernmagical.com by @HeatherL – Pettiskirts are magical!
Win a pettiskirt thanks to @shopadorabelle – www.shopadorabelle.com over at www.modernmagical.com by @HeatherL – Pettiskirts are magical!
Monday, May 3, 2010
The Show Must Go On!
Here we are, once again it is Monday. And right now it is raining cats and dogs outside! I felt like Moses this morning when I took Rayna to school as it felt like I was crossing the Red Sea to get her to her classroom. The sidewalk where the gate is always floods with water. So glad we both had our rain boots on. Lorenzo's feet have finally grown into Rayna's old rain boots. He was tickled to death this morning to wear the pirate boots and enjoyed walking in the puddles. Which now I think the puddles have turned into lakes. I think I now need to channel Noah and build a boat to get anywhere. We are in a flash flood warning and expecting 3 inches of rain today. Well at least it is washing all the pollen away.
Wow! I can't believe it is May already. This is going to be one busy month. We have Cinco de Mayo on Wednesday, Mother's Day on Sunday, Lorenzo's birthday on the 17, among all the other birthdays this month, trip to Vegas, Grandpa G will be here and Rayna's last day of school is the end of May.
Yesterday Rayna had her first ballet recital. It was delayed about an hour due to a power outage. Like I've said before, never a dull moment. As we were waiting for the power to come back on, I went backstage to check on Rayna, more of a hair and make-up check then anything else, and all the girls were restless and hungry. They had been there since 1:30 p.m. and it was now 3:45 p.m. The show was supposed to start at 3 p.m. The smart mom that I am packed 2 packages of gummy snacks that were eagerly gobbled up by the girls. I felt like I was rationing out food to the survivors of some disaster victims the way they held out their little hands in anticipation of the small morsel. Thank goodness the lights came back on sooner than we were told. I'm not sure the girls would have lasted much longer. But the show must go on!
She was so adorable on stage in her little costume. I think her favorite part was she got to wear a little make-up. I will definitely be posting some pictures soon. I also have to post some pictures from the Mother's Day lunch at Rayna's school too. I'm just glad we had a babysitter for Lorenzo. He would not have been able to sit that long waiting for the show. We took Rayna out to a celebration dinner at her favorite restaurant, Cali n' Titos and then for ice cream.
I know this week and month is just going to fly on by so I better be prepared.
Wow! I can't believe it is May already. This is going to be one busy month. We have Cinco de Mayo on Wednesday, Mother's Day on Sunday, Lorenzo's birthday on the 17, among all the other birthdays this month, trip to Vegas, Grandpa G will be here and Rayna's last day of school is the end of May.
Yesterday Rayna had her first ballet recital. It was delayed about an hour due to a power outage. Like I've said before, never a dull moment. As we were waiting for the power to come back on, I went backstage to check on Rayna, more of a hair and make-up check then anything else, and all the girls were restless and hungry. They had been there since 1:30 p.m. and it was now 3:45 p.m. The show was supposed to start at 3 p.m. The smart mom that I am packed 2 packages of gummy snacks that were eagerly gobbled up by the girls. I felt like I was rationing out food to the survivors of some disaster victims the way they held out their little hands in anticipation of the small morsel. Thank goodness the lights came back on sooner than we were told. I'm not sure the girls would have lasted much longer. But the show must go on!
She was so adorable on stage in her little costume. I think her favorite part was she got to wear a little make-up. I will definitely be posting some pictures soon. I also have to post some pictures from the Mother's Day lunch at Rayna's school too. I'm just glad we had a babysitter for Lorenzo. He would not have been able to sit that long waiting for the show. We took Rayna out to a celebration dinner at her favorite restaurant, Cali n' Titos and then for ice cream.
I know this week and month is just going to fly on by so I better be prepared.
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