¡¡¡Casi terminado!!! No puedo esperar.
Hablar más que un idioma es existir en más que un mundo
To speak more than one language is to exist in more than one world
~Me
What's so great about the above? They're quotes, of course! And they are in Spanish and English!
I'm happy to announce that effective within the next 24-48 hours I'm bringing you the first (I believe) Spanish / English quote book!!!! Available currently on Amazon Kindle, this book is broken up BY THEME! That means that they are in categories like Success, Failure, Friendship, Love, Famous Quotes, etc.
The second one to come out at the same time will be broken down by Teachable Topic. Soooooo.....for all you Spanish teachers out there, what a GREAT resource for you and the kids! Look at famous quotes or historical quotes by the grammar topics they demonstrate: Ser/Estar, Preterite, Imperfect, Commands, Interrogatives, Etc.
Keep posted for more info on them, and start enjoying them NOW!
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Mariachis Loco
Ay Ay! Who loves a little mariachi?!
WE DO!!!
Recently we moved to just south of UIC campus, and we've been exploring all the local restaurants and flavors. When my parents came down, they were in the mood for Mexican, so we went to Lalo's on Maxwell and Halsted. We also went early, figuring we'd miss the dinner crowd.
Wrong! It was packed at 4:30 because the mariachi was there! Every Sunday, Lalo's hosts a mariachi band for 3 hours every Sunday, and they travel from table to table asking for requests or just playing their favorites.
Need a recommendation? Ask for Mariachis Loco. You'll get a fun dance out of it too!
WE DO!!!
Recently we moved to just south of UIC campus, and we've been exploring all the local restaurants and flavors. When my parents came down, they were in the mood for Mexican, so we went to Lalo's on Maxwell and Halsted. We also went early, figuring we'd miss the dinner crowd.
Wrong! It was packed at 4:30 because the mariachi was there! Every Sunday, Lalo's hosts a mariachi band for 3 hours every Sunday, and they travel from table to table asking for requests or just playing their favorites.
Need a recommendation? Ask for Mariachis Loco. You'll get a fun dance out of it too!
Quotable
Welcome to the wait! Spanish / English quote books are .... well, are they?
They are soon! Spanish / English quote books are coming due in less than one week!
Use for:
The home
Teaching
Personal use
Want more information? Keep checking back!
They are soon! Spanish / English quote books are coming due in less than one week!
Use for:
The home
Teaching
Personal use
Want more information? Keep checking back!
Friday, July 26, 2013
Putting Together IKEA part 2
Well, we are still "putting together" everything, although we are almost done and only 21 swear words richer. Lack shelves need to be hung (which, by the way, are gorgeous and I highly recommend them). The boy's "battle station," as he calls it, is also done, except now he cannot find the chord he recently purchased. And one of our desk chairs was put together (by moi) backwards.
Aaaaaah, the joys of moving.
Where's that wine?.....
Aaaaaah, the joys of moving.
Where's that wine?.....
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Putting Together IKEA
Clay and I recently "furnished" our home with lots of odds and ends, gifts from people, and then our massive trip to IKEA (which really became a trip to IKEA with a massive delivery order).
Delivered two days ago. Thanked the men for bring them in, and then turned to start putting things together. Have you ever tried to carry some of these boxes? Holy sweet baby Jesus! Both Clay and I were astonished at how heavy they were. He laughingly asked, "How on Earth did they manage to get these in there?" and I answered, "over their shoulder." Yes, that's right, these IKEA amazing delivery men carried half of these extremely heavy boxes over one shoulder. You Herculean deliver men, you.
If you have never put IKEA furniture together, a word of advice. Buy their (if they still have it) little tool kit where you can switch out the screwdriver heads because it's way more convenient than half of the little wrenches they give you! Also, find some really good music, and make sure any small children are far away. You will probably curse at least 12 times.
So far, we have 1 Lack shelf, 1 Besta desk, and 1 Besta wine rack / armoir (75%) put together. We have another desk, another Lack shelf, and the other 25% of the wine thing to go. So at least 30 more swear words, a big bottle of wine, and Clay and me arguing over which type of music best fits the mood. He likes Deadmau5, I like general top 40 pop and random iTunes selections.
But seriously. Get that toolkit.
Delivered two days ago. Thanked the men for bring them in, and then turned to start putting things together. Have you ever tried to carry some of these boxes? Holy sweet baby Jesus! Both Clay and I were astonished at how heavy they were. He laughingly asked, "How on Earth did they manage to get these in there?" and I answered, "over their shoulder." Yes, that's right, these IKEA amazing delivery men carried half of these extremely heavy boxes over one shoulder. You Herculean deliver men, you.
If you have never put IKEA furniture together, a word of advice. Buy their (if they still have it) little tool kit where you can switch out the screwdriver heads because it's way more convenient than half of the little wrenches they give you! Also, find some really good music, and make sure any small children are far away. You will probably curse at least 12 times.
So far, we have 1 Lack shelf, 1 Besta desk, and 1 Besta wine rack / armoir (75%) put together. We have another desk, another Lack shelf, and the other 25% of the wine thing to go. So at least 30 more swear words, a big bottle of wine, and Clay and me arguing over which type of music best fits the mood. He likes Deadmau5, I like general top 40 pop and random iTunes selections.
But seriously. Get that toolkit.
Saturday, July 20, 2013
The Summer of 3
If you haven't already read about it, I'm pleased to announce that my newest book has officially been available for just over a month now! We have had great readership already, and I'm so excited for all of you who currently own the book to finish it! It's such a privilege to write for you!
Don't own it yet? Curious to see what all the hype's about?!
Check it out, here!
Happy reading!
Don't own it yet? Curious to see what all the hype's about?!
Check it out, here!
Paint This House!
For the past two days, we have been painting. Well, I painted on Friday, Clay helped today, and we spent almost 8 hours each day doing so.
Here are some things I learned:
PRIME. Prime dark colors, or any color that isn't white, unless all of your walls in the room are "light colored walls" and the same "light color." Otherwise, you run the risk of applying the paint and having it turn up different shades as a result of the under-color.
Some paints have primer in them. Great!
Don't skimp on paint. Cheap often means, well, cheap. This is going on your walls, people! Everyone sees these and you see them everyday. Every little dink, miss-roll, or uneven application will show up, so do some research. At Home Depot, they'll all tell you to go with Behr. Otherwise, most people recommend Sherwin Williams. They have different grades of paint. We chose the paint and primer in one for the interior white for our baseboards and doors, and the Emerald paint for the wall color. Emerald Pain has a great texture to it, but it will show a little more brush marks. On the other end, it wears really well and is one of the few paints that is washable!!!! (perks for those with kids, animals, or, like me, just someone who has a tendency to spill and break things randomly!)
Go for color! Don't be afraid of it, but also know the space you're in. Darker colors will make the room look smaller. If you're in a loft, try a neutral: greys or beige. The fact that all the walls connect from one room to the other makes it difficult to color the rooms differently, and too many "accent walls" only makes a loft look choppier than it is!
Our choice? Grayish, 6001 by Sherwin Williams. I am in LOVE with the color. It's a bluer neutral as opposed to a yellow/brownish neutral, and in certain lights looks almost white while other sections have a purple/blue tinge to them! LOVE. Very lofty. Very cool. Very industrial / modern.
Now, we just need to finish! Two coats. ALWAYS go with 2 coats. And wine or beer and lots of good music or background noise. It makes the time go by faster and gives you something to look forward to when you finish!
Here are some things I learned:
PRIME. Prime dark colors, or any color that isn't white, unless all of your walls in the room are "light colored walls" and the same "light color." Otherwise, you run the risk of applying the paint and having it turn up different shades as a result of the under-color.
Some paints have primer in them. Great!
Don't skimp on paint. Cheap often means, well, cheap. This is going on your walls, people! Everyone sees these and you see them everyday. Every little dink, miss-roll, or uneven application will show up, so do some research. At Home Depot, they'll all tell you to go with Behr. Otherwise, most people recommend Sherwin Williams. They have different grades of paint. We chose the paint and primer in one for the interior white for our baseboards and doors, and the Emerald paint for the wall color. Emerald Pain has a great texture to it, but it will show a little more brush marks. On the other end, it wears really well and is one of the few paints that is washable!!!! (perks for those with kids, animals, or, like me, just someone who has a tendency to spill and break things randomly!)
Go for color! Don't be afraid of it, but also know the space you're in. Darker colors will make the room look smaller. If you're in a loft, try a neutral: greys or beige. The fact that all the walls connect from one room to the other makes it difficult to color the rooms differently, and too many "accent walls" only makes a loft look choppier than it is!
Our choice? Grayish, 6001 by Sherwin Williams. I am in LOVE with the color. It's a bluer neutral as opposed to a yellow/brownish neutral, and in certain lights looks almost white while other sections have a purple/blue tinge to them! LOVE. Very lofty. Very cool. Very industrial / modern.
Now, we just need to finish! Two coats. ALWAYS go with 2 coats. And wine or beer and lots of good music or background noise. It makes the time go by faster and gives you something to look forward to when you finish!
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
The Power of Thought
I had coffee tonight with a client who has become a good friend. We met at 6:30 and chatted past 8:30, outside, drinking iced soy drinks, and really just connecting. It was fantastic. Conversation is so powerful, I think with all the high-tech gadgets and widgets we just forget what it's like to really and truly connect with someone. And you have to to feel human.
Part of what we discussed was how things come to pass in our lives that are brought on by what we think and say. Silly thought initially - or at least that's how I felt - but the more we compared stories and incidents, the more we solidified for us that more recently followed belief that, "what you think about you bring about". Our conversations went everywhere from jobs to relationships to health to dreams (goals). At every point, whether we meant it or not, we were encouraging each other to strive to be better - to believe better.
And sometimes it's hard. At first or at all. We spend so much time talking to ourselves and we do so in ways that if we spoke the thoughts aloud to another person we would be appalled at what we said. But yet with ourselves we deem it okay, and it shouldn't be. Change the way you speak to yourself and what you expect, and you will change your reality.
It's encouraging. And it's time you thought better of yourself, even if you are already thinking very highly of yourself, keep going. Keep pushing yourself to be better, and you will keep reaping great rewards.
Part of what we discussed was how things come to pass in our lives that are brought on by what we think and say. Silly thought initially - or at least that's how I felt - but the more we compared stories and incidents, the more we solidified for us that more recently followed belief that, "what you think about you bring about". Our conversations went everywhere from jobs to relationships to health to dreams (goals). At every point, whether we meant it or not, we were encouraging each other to strive to be better - to believe better.
And sometimes it's hard. At first or at all. We spend so much time talking to ourselves and we do so in ways that if we spoke the thoughts aloud to another person we would be appalled at what we said. But yet with ourselves we deem it okay, and it shouldn't be. Change the way you speak to yourself and what you expect, and you will change your reality.
It's encouraging. And it's time you thought better of yourself, even if you are already thinking very highly of yourself, keep going. Keep pushing yourself to be better, and you will keep reaping great rewards.
Monday, July 15, 2013
Reflections in Reality
Waking up with purpose is the greatest gift we can be given. It is freeing - to feel like we are on the path we were meant to be on. To know, even more powerful. But what happens when we awake and our purpose is fuzzy, or has been hidden and left somewhere just out of our reach? It is then we feel lost, lonely, conflicted.
In that loss and confusion, we turn to those who we feel can help us either find ourselves, or further mask the pain from knowing we are not being true with who we are supposed to be.
But how do you re-find yourself? Your purpose?
Sitting on the couch watching TV is most certainly not the way. I tell you that because that is where I am at the moment! However, that is not to say that direction is not found in solitude and stillness. Sitting for a period of time in the quiet, outside, or even going for walks can help you open up that inner communication with your strengths. Listen, although it may not be immediately that you find yourself, but it is there within you.
Secondly, do. Search for new jobs, go on interviews, and plant your hands in multiple pies until you find ones that align with who you are. Once you've found your inner voice, listen to it. When on an interview, take heed to the way you react internally. Do you feel uncomfortable? Does it feel natural? If you were called back about the job would you feel relieved or shackled? It will help you know if you are on the correct path, for you have someone wonderful to give. It, however, can only be given if you allow it to be found.
Still searching? Read. Read a book and see if you can escape into it. Does it reflect who you are currently or who you want to become? Reading can help you attract the thoughts about yourself that maybe you haven't learned yet, or don't know how to say over yourself. Your thoughts and actions have power, so knowing them and knowing they are right for you are important.
Some call it your gut. Some call it your tug, but regardless, learning to listen to your inner self is important. Once you find it, then you must act. Things don't appear without work, but they also don't appear when the work you do isn't the right work for you.
In that loss and confusion, we turn to those who we feel can help us either find ourselves, or further mask the pain from knowing we are not being true with who we are supposed to be.
But how do you re-find yourself? Your purpose?
Sitting on the couch watching TV is most certainly not the way. I tell you that because that is where I am at the moment! However, that is not to say that direction is not found in solitude and stillness. Sitting for a period of time in the quiet, outside, or even going for walks can help you open up that inner communication with your strengths. Listen, although it may not be immediately that you find yourself, but it is there within you.
Secondly, do. Search for new jobs, go on interviews, and plant your hands in multiple pies until you find ones that align with who you are. Once you've found your inner voice, listen to it. When on an interview, take heed to the way you react internally. Do you feel uncomfortable? Does it feel natural? If you were called back about the job would you feel relieved or shackled? It will help you know if you are on the correct path, for you have someone wonderful to give. It, however, can only be given if you allow it to be found.
Still searching? Read. Read a book and see if you can escape into it. Does it reflect who you are currently or who you want to become? Reading can help you attract the thoughts about yourself that maybe you haven't learned yet, or don't know how to say over yourself. Your thoughts and actions have power, so knowing them and knowing they are right for you are important.
Some call it your gut. Some call it your tug, but regardless, learning to listen to your inner self is important. Once you find it, then you must act. Things don't appear without work, but they also don't appear when the work you do isn't the right work for you.
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