19 and Counting

I have been so intrigued with watching 17 and Counting, 18 and Counting and so forth.  The Duggar Family has 19 kids currently.  I have known about this family so some time, however never watched the show until recently.  This is all I want to watch now, seriously...  I love witnessing the family dynamics on this show.  I personally could never pop out 19 kids...  10 kids at that!  It works for them.  Yes, they can handle 19 children, they all work as a team raising them!!  It bothered me at first, the older kids assisting in raising, but then I realized the mom can not do it all.  Mrs. Duggar knows her kids very well, she just needs the help.  It got me thinking how I would run my household, I agree with every child having a job.  My liter,  (haa haa) would most defiantly have to partake in cleaning the house, dishes and yes, laundry, even though I would watch them like hawks, because laundry is my most favorite.  I guess if it gets done and is done correctly it would be okay.


The Duggars are home schooled, they know no different either.  I understand the home school system, and if done correctly it can be very successful, but I also feel it is of great importance for my children to learn in a diverse system where their peers are not carbon copies of themselves.  For me this is a well balanced form of education.  Don't get me wrong the essentials would be taught at home, right from wrong and don't do drugs, but how else are they going to learn and observe other kinds of cultures, religions and personas??  If for some reason one of my little ones was unable to handle learning in a public school environment, then I would, hands down, teach them at home.  A mother knows their child best.

Onto weekend festivities.  Spent all afternoon Friday watching, THE DUGGARS.  Stopped by to visit Natasha who I really thought would have had little Vito by now, but I guess he is too comfortable in her belly that he is just not ready!  Returned that damn RED BOX movie.  Never again will I deal with RED BOX.  They charge a buck a day for everyday you have the stupid movie.  I knew it was a dollar, but only a dollar!  I am sticking with Netflix.  Had dinner with Koo at Rio Grande.  It was so good, we even had space for sopa pia!  I love that dessert.  On Saturday, Natasha and I get our nails done, a must to for any weekend activity for me.  It was nice to catch up with my bestest for a little bit, until we had to prepare for her family baby shower.  Some mommies go into labor on their baby showers because of all the excitement, but Natasha did not, however she did have a bit of a cold.  It was another beautiful weekend, Natasha really had a nice baby shower with her family for sure.

Saw my sissy pooooooopppy.  Eli wanted me to go to MD with her Friday night, but honestly  am over any type of commuting that is like 30 mins outside my house.  LAZY?  No, just like to be close to home!  Hung out with Cortney, cute T pie!  I know my sister really misses us.  She is truly trying to find her balance and I feel she is doing a great job.  Then I came straight home and GUESS....  watched the DUGGARS!!

I have dinner with my brothers tonight, which I am very much looking forward to.  They are going to show me their Halloween costumes.  The Duggars do not celebrate Halloween by the way, but if they did, think of how many costumes they would have!!!!  I am trick or treating with Lucas and Matthew next weekend, what will I wear??  Suggestions???

Lazy Sunday

I decided to not use conditioner this morning, which is rare because I love brushing my hair with no tangles.  I figured, since I was going to be in the house most of the day it would be okay.  Honestly, I like how it feels.
It was a beautiful weekend, just beautiful.  Spent the day with the Gunnings celebrating Allison's 26th birthday.  Awe I remember when she was 13 and would hang out with GG and I :).  We went to a winery, Paradise Springs in Clifton.  The weather could not have been better, it was simply beautiful.  The wind was a bit on the crazy side, my hair (that was conditioned) had a rough time, therefore it had to be clipped back.  Natasha and baby Vito joined us too.  He had a blast laying around and dragging poor Natasha down.  Here are some pictures :)

After the winery I met up with my sister.  Eli and I have been planning going out to Baltimore for some time with her fellow Fellows from her Seminary program.  I had the best time meeting them and then driving in the car for about 6 days to have dinner with them.  All her friends were funny, adorable and very nice.  I look forward to seeing them again.  We ate at this sushi place by one of the piers.  It was nice catching up with Eli even if it was a crazy drive over there.  We walked around a bit and even went into BARNES and NOBLE, one of my favorite locations :).  However, I stayed away from purchasing any books, since I have a stack to be read waiting for me.

I am completely looking forward to October being over...  TOTALLY CAN NOT WAIT!  I feel November has better plans for me!  I will keep you posted.

PEACE AND BLESSINGS, PEACE AND BLESSINGS

"Nobody Calls My Sister Stupid, STUPID"

On the school bus in elementary school there was an ugly, smelly boy (I am assuming, I really don't remember) who was not so nice to me.  One morning, I was looking for a place to sit and this boy yelled at me and said, "You are so stupid".  Here I was with these huge red gnarly glasses that my mom said I had to wear until I was old enough to wear contacts, with teeth the size of Japan with braces from ear to ear, plus the most amazing jacket EVER!  (GG, Tasha, and Eli you know what jacket I am talking about).  Anyways, he called me stupid.  Well, I was shocked and applaud, just so embarrassed, I had no smart ass comment to make, but had times been different and I had heels on at a younger age the left heel would have been up his nose in a heart beat.  But something better happened, my sister, little Eli, came to the rescue and she said, "Nobody calls my sister stupid, STUPID".  Right then and there I knew she had balls!

I remember when Eli became cool.  No, it was not when I hosted (aka: CONTROLLED) her 8 year old birthday party using my wit, and my patrol badge... nor was it when I tried to flush her down the toilet.  It was when I was in the 8/9th grade and she was in the 4/5th.  My mom sent us to Kansas to visit my Titi (Aunt Meliza).  This was one of the only times, until recent years, we traveled without my mom.  It was a sad and gloomy day for me.  One, I was stuck with "her" and two, I was so scared to fly without my mom.  PS- I am the oldest.

I remember boarding the plane and my mom did not seem like she was going to miss me as much as I was going to miss her.  This really concerned because I am a huge Mama's Girl.  Was this a plot to stick me with my sister and send us off to Kansas and the Frito Lay factory to live there forever, or did she just really need a break from us?  My sister is very intuitive (she gets it from me) and knew I was a nervous wreck.  She held my hand on the flight (I also suffer from airplane sickness...) as I held my teddy bear, "Alfredo" and we took off safely and landed safely.  She had balls, I didn't.  --To this day that bear still goes everywhere--

We had a great time in Kansas together.  Titi had a fun planned week with lots of activities that we will keep as memories forever.  One in particular was going to a farm and collecting ostrich eggs which Eli and I proceeded to eat the next morning for our love of eggs.  Definitely not as good as regular old organic cage free eggs like Traders Joes.  In addition, Titi did not want us to leave the state until... wait for this...  we took the most amazing tour of the FRITO LAY factory...  LMAO.  It was okay, but it was a big deal for us to see the highlights of TOPEKA, KS by doing this.  The most fun was enjoying my sister.  We actually slept in the same room... odd but we are probably the only sisters in the world that never had to share a room with one another.  We honestly did not fight much when we were there and I realized that at the time she was just as mature as I was.  We laughed, we joked around and had a plain ole' good time.  From then on I stopped telling people I had a brother instead of a sister, (yea I would do this...  I just really wanted a brother) and I started to hang out with her and include her with my friends.

As we have gotten older, but still look young, we have gotten closer.  I love and miss her all the time, even when she is hours away or just a few miles down the road.  Time with her is never enough and I am pretty demanding at times, but I just want to be with her.  I am so proud of her and her accomplishments.  Eli is a strong independent girl and will always have the balls to stick up for herself, even if I get my patrol badge out again, she would stick up for me and vise versa!

One Thing After Another!

My weekend was fun, eventful and interesting all in one.

Positives first:

1. Had the most delicious lunch Friday with my former co-worker, Angie (who has one of the cutest babies ever- I LOVE ALEX).  We went to the Olive Garden and talked about work, life and of course Alex.  I continue to make fun of her because I feel like she never lets her baby go outside of the house.  Angie is paranoid that he could catch some crazy, nasty virus from a crowd of people... note, he has not had his shots.  I cannot wait for him to face the real world!!  We had a blast and I look forward to meeting up with her again very soon.  Keep her in your prayers, she goes back to work this week and it will be tough to get into her grove since she has been full-time mama these past 8 weeks.

2. Got to hang out with my brothers!  While hanging out with them, it always makes me think about how similar Lucas and Matthew are to Eli and I.  Just look at these pictures, it says it all.

Honestly, they are carbon copies of us.  Matthew wants to go to JMU and Lucas wanted to go to GMU.  SO glad they have goals.  We also had a chance to meet up with Eli at Fairfax High School for a field hockey game.  Her host family's daughter plays for McLean and she is a senior.  Obviously Eli was supporting her team, even though we went to FHS.  The boys were ver excited to see her, since it has been some time.

Favorite conversation this past weekend with them was as follows:

Eva:  Guys we are having dinner with Shirin tonight, you guys remember her, she is Koo's cousin.
Lucas:  Oh yeah, I know her.
Matthew:  Okay!

Eva:  Remember how I told you Koo and I are not together anymore?
Both:  What??

--- OR DID I NOT TELL THEM??----

Eva:  Well, we are not.  We are still really good friends.  That is why you have not seen him.  (PS- they have been asking about him none stop, I could have sworn I told them).

Lucas:  Oh that is because he must be with Eli now.
Eva:  **Laughing**  Um, no.  That is not what happened.

Hysterical right?  It is very interesting how they think and then Matthew was just trying to keep up, poor guy.  We ended up having a great dinner at Red Robin.

3. Shopping /Taco Night with my bestest from another mother, Lauren.  Bought some very nice (on sale) items at Express, and we not once felt an ounce of guilty for purchasing these amazing articles of clothing.  Lauren should really be Puerto Rican, but she is not.  It has been a rough week...  month... YEAR for the both of us and taco night was well over due for the two of us.  We dined with my roommate Jeni, drank red wine and enjoyed watching WHEN IN ROME.  (Not a five star, but entertaining).

4. Enjoyed having some time with my niece and nephew.  Gwen and Zander.  They are just as precious and entertaining I must say.  Zander calls everyone "MAMA" and Gwen loves to boss him around, that's my niece!  I cannot believe how much they have grown.  It is unreal how time flies by.

5. Hanging out with my GG and Eileenie watching The Pacific.  I am one lucky girl to have such awesome friends.  When we all have the opportunity to get together we take advantage.  I love that!  I am super grateful for the people in my life.



Negative things:

1. I am itching like CRAZY around the wound that is forming into a scab.  It is so unbearable that I had to have several glasses of red wine the other night just to stop the itching.

2. I got a speeding ticket...  BAH!  It has been 2 years and 6 month of pure good luck and then the POLICE stop me, when I was minding my own BUSINESS.

3. Could not go to a friends birthday party, because I needed to be off my foot.


I have to say, the positives supersede the negatives, maybe this is a sign of my luck changing for the better.  Thinking more positively feels better.  This will be a good week, I can feel it in my bones.

Still Sprained

My left foot had been fine for the majority of the week, until yesterday morning when it started to act up again.  I wrapped it up again before I went to bed last night, and still this morning it is funky monkey.  I also had a follow up doctors appointment about my poor worn down feet.  Dr. Rubirio is super nice and said that the wound is still healing, it is not infected, THANK GOODNESS, this would affect pedicures...  but to keep it uncovered.  UNCOVERED??  In order for it to continue to heal as much as possible I need to keep it open, so that the air can help the process.  However, when I am out and about, I need to keep it closed, due to nasty germs.  So I made a pedicure/manicure appointment for this morning and I will wrap the boo boo and only dip my toes of the right foot in the water.  My left foot can go in, GREAT but it is still sensitive.  I feel old.

Exciting news, I pick my little brothers up from school today!  We are going to hang out and then have Red Robin for dinner, this is their most favorite place EVER! (mine too).  Only thing is I have to stay away from burgers for a bit, due to my TMJ and being very limited to opening my mouth...  but who cares we will have a great time.  We will then hang out and I might be taking them over to visit Tasha and my future godson, Vito!

I am looking forward to another relaxed weekend of keeping my foot up and my other foot uncovered as I watch movies and read.  Life of a clumsy person isn't so bad.

Silly Rain

It all started with the rain...


Thursday morning I woke up on time for the first time in a long time.  I had my eggs with coffee, as per usual, but this time I was able to enjoy it while working on some notes for work.  When I was done, I grabbed my water bottle and filled it up (as I do every morning) and picked up the files for work and headed for the door.  I put my new nine west silver heels on, so excited because this was the second day they has been outside and they had yet to hurt my feet.  

I opened the door to rain...  silly, stupid, nasty rain.  Closed the door, put stuff down and got my raincoat from my room.  It was silly to do this because I do have an umbrella, but it was in the car, no help.  Picked up all the things again, files, water bottle and my purse.  Went outside, covered my head with my right hand, like this would help me not get wet, and quickly walked down the stairs.  On the last two steps, my right heel got stuck on fold/hem of my left pant leg.  As you can tell things from this point on did not go so well...


I thought that with my files in hand to prevent them from getting wet I could hop on my left foot to keep from falling.  With that awesome plan I would then attempt not to fall.  PAH!  Hopped two times and got the right foot free, but the shoe went flying and I slipped in a puddle of rain because of my left foot on the sidewalk.  I scrapped my right foot up to the ankle.  Mind you my files went flying, pants are soaked and I was laughing hysterically because it was all so unreal.

Went to work anyway...  bleeding... called one of my bestest, GG to fill her in, because it was so unbelievable and I was still laughing, which GG would completely appreciate!  I did not complain with her on the phone, just gave her the play by play informing her that no one was there but that it happened and it was crazy!

At work I cleaned it at work while my assistant got me band aids.  I completely ignored my left foot because I felt a little cramp in it and I figured I would go without shoes in the office for a bit.  Went to a meeting in the later afternoon, put my shoes on, left shoe would not go on because my foot was so swollen.  I attended my meeting and with every step I took I shed a tear, but I was bound determine to take every step with pride.  

At 6 pm went to the hospital FINALLY to find out that I sprained my left foot pretty bad and the scab that was forming on my right was the size of Africa and was and is so very uncomfortable.  Smart doctors gave my a boot, still could not walk, then they threw in the crutches... boo.


Friday I had a dentist appointment.  I know what you are thinking, could anything good happen at the dentist?  Well, it has been about 3 years since I have actually been to the dentist.  (I just recently got my dental plan in action with work).  My dad "Papi" took me because I really had no business driving yet.  OBVIOUSLY.  Papi loves the dentist, or should I say, loves the work that dentists do.  Teeth are a very big deal in my family.  Filled out paperwork for the dentist and then headed back to the hygienist.  SIDE NOTE:  I have been experiencing some really bad TMJ and it has been killing me these past few weeks.  Anyways, the hygienist said I had great dental hygiene, which made me feel great :).  BUT THEN she asked me if she could take a picture of my dark tooth.  Yes, I have a dark tooth, which I my self wondered about... Apparently, the dentist, (who was Iranian) said that I had some kind of trauma to my tooth and that there is a fracture in the back of is.  WTF!


Made my appointment for Saturday morning to meet with Dr. Akerman to see the results of the millions of xrays they took, as it was my first time with this office and to speak to him about my TMJ issue.  My appointment was early in the morning, so I asked my roomie to take me.


Saturday morning comes around... I finally meet with Dr. Akerman, and this was the first part of the conversation:


"Hello Eva, nice to meet you."
"Hello, thank you for seeing me this morning."


"Open your mouth, let us take a look."  As soon as I open, Dr. says, "OH MY, What is up with that dark tooth?"
I was so embarassed!  I slapped him on the arm, I know I should not have but I was shocked.
I said, "Um, jeez, it is that bad?"


"I am sorry, we should take a picture of it."
"You should have one on file, my tooth posed for it yesterday."



I was so bummed... 


Come to find out, I have a dead tooth.  Yes, the tooth is dead.  I will need a root canal...  FML!  PLUS, they took modelings for the night guard for the TMJ...


Here is a list of the following things that also need to be done:


2 replacement cavitites
whitening to the tooth after the root canal
mouth piece for my TMJ
Invisiline (sp)- which I might wait another year or two, because these issues are more important.




To end the evening... I went to a movie with mom and bob (step dad), and right in the last 15 minutes the fire alarm went off.  So with my crutches, we walked out of there in a a hustle and bustle.   I hobbled down three flights of stairs with my mom while others raced quickly to the exit.  "Should have waited for the cute fireman to save me." (Amber sent me a message with that statement).




What will next weekend hold?