Triplets -- and the Other Sister

Six months of silence ends today.

There are four girls in M's preschool class. There are 18 kids total.

The three cuties above have been close for almost two years. 

The one on the left will be in M's kindergarten class next year, and assuming nobody moves, they will be together for the remainder of their elementary years.

The one on the right is M's little buddy and her soccer pal and I anticipate they will be friends for a while, even with them going to different schools in the fall.

They are the triplets.

The "other sister" is another little girl who, according to her teacher, often gets excluded from the fun.

At conferences last year, M's teacher told us that B really liked M and hinted that it would be nice if M took her under her wing and facilitated an integration of sorts, since it seemed that M was the bridge that joined the two parties.

D and I touched the subject with her. But after bit of discussion, we both decided that at the end of the day, she was only five, and that as long as she wasn't being mean and being obviously exclusive, which wasn't the case as we understood it, she couldn't -- nor should she have to -- shoulder the weight of the world at such a young age. 

I still stand by that; albeit not very firmly. Truth is, I wobble around quite a bit on the topic.

Yesterday M's teacher told me that she had a talking to with the girls last week because they straight up told B that she couldn't play with them. B came up to her in near tears :(  

Today, the Triplets were born....and of course the "other sister" too.

Did they realize what was going on there? Or was this their way of including her?

Really? 

Already? 

God Help Me

I Wait

I sit here tonight waiting to hear news about my Tia Leonor. She has been sick for many years. Last Thursday dialysis was halted. Everything I read pointed to her not living much longer than about 10 days. I talked to my brother this afternoon when he had just left the hospital. He cried like a baby as he told me how sick she looked and that she would probably not make it through the day.

(August 2012)

It's hard to grasp that in a matter of days she will no longer be with us; that we will move forward in this life without her. 

I pray that as she takes her last breath she feels the love that surrounds her, and that when God takes her hand her children are holding the other.

I'm going to miss that beautiful smile. 

I will forever miss her beautiful heart ♥

Not Cool

I'm chiming in tonight for a quick post because I need to get some things off my chest.

M had a play date today with a little buddy from preschool. It just so happens that this little girl has an older sister that has been in J's class for the last couple of years. She is a year younger, but because of their mixed classroom, they have been together for a bit. Both of these girls are the daughters of Jacob's upcoming 4th and 5th grade teacher.

We like this family. My words in no way reflect ill-will towards them or their values and teachings.

After picking M up from their house this afternoon, and while we were in the car, she told J that Older Sister had said that she didn't like him. After a little bit of prodding, M told us how the conversation went down:

Apparently Younger Sister mentioned that she wished J was there. Then M stopped, and it was here that J asked her, "Did Older Sister say she hated me?" M proceeded to say that, "No, she just said that she didn't like you after Younger Sister said she wished you were there."

When I looked in the rear view mirror, J had what appeared to be a look that said, "REALLY???" He uttered a half-hearted laugh in what I perceived to be an attempt to hide his disappointment.

I would be lying if my blood didn't boil at this point. J, like any other kid, has his share of quirks. J can be loud. J can be disruptive in class. But I am positive that he never did anything to her personally that would cause her to have those feelings towards him. Not because he's a saint, but because for the most part he doesn't pay that much attention to girls.

Once I pulled myself together I told him that Older Sister was probably just being silly; maybe just playing around with the younger girls. I told him that sometimes people do things to try to be cool.

His response: "Well, it's not cool."

This was the time, I knew, to say something meaningful. Instead, everything coming out of my mouth sounded like Generic-ese: I told him that as long as he knew in his heart that he didn't do anything to her to bring about those feelings, then it's her problem and not his; I told him that everybody isn't going to always like him. Blah. Blah. Blah.

And then, finally, out came what I know to be true: "If she (or anybody else for that matter) makes the bad choice of not liking you, she is denying herself of your friendship....and that's her bad because you are AWESOME!"

It's not original or patent-worthy, but definitely true.

I don't have the time, desire, or credentials to delve into the mind of a seven year old. I realize that after 40 years I may have forgotten a few things about being that young and that her words could have come from a place that I no longer know exists. This isn't so much about Older Sister as it is about this guy:

At nine, J is still somewhat encased within the wall of innocence. The fact that it crumbled a little today is just life being played out and merely the start of the destruction. Life will continue to happen and the wall will be shaken over and over, its foundation determining whether it will eventually break and come tumbling down or stand strong against the elements.

As his parents, D and I hold the responsibility to build a foundation for him; one that will hold him up against life's elements no matter how shaky they become. I hope this is a place that empowers him to be strong when he feels weak and brave when he is scared; a peaceful retreat for the times when he is wronged; a fortress that keeps negativity and self-doubt otuside; and a constant reminder that he can do more than he is capable of.

But just like any structure, it isn't built in one day. It's a work in progress. It takes time. It takes patience. It takes life lessons.

Today's incident could be classified as a life lesson. And it stung. As they sometimes do, it stung. It stung him and it stung me -- maybe more than it did him, because I'm not sure one can be immune when it comes to seeing their children hurt.

NOT COOL, Older Sister...NOT COOL!

Grinin' from Ear to Ear

About a month ago, J was the G.R.I.N Critter in his class.

It's something that I equate to being the student of the week or month or however long goes in between G.R.I.N. assemblies.

His previous two teachers didn't participate, so this was his first time in his almost-four years at Hansen.

The class compiled a list about ways in which they noticed J was special.

 And then Mr. Halvorson condensed it into the official document to be read by his two buddies, Alec and Reese, at the school-wide assembly.

"Jacob has a wonderful positive attitude. His cheerful smile and thoughtful friendliness are like a rainbow of goodness in our classroom. Jacob is a marvelous mathematician. Jacob, you rock!"

Spring Forward; Fall Back

Each spring and fall, when it's time to change the clocks, I always think of my Nino (my godfather). He is the one that taught me the saying that is my title: Spring Forward; Fall Back.

I don't remember when it was, though I was probably in my teens, but I do remember thinking it was genius. I may have even thought that he made it up, because if anybody could have made it up, it was him. He was genius. He was an amazing, though somewhat odd, man.

I can go on and on about him. But not today. One day I will be ready. Today it just hurts too much. I guess one could say that I think about him frequently. It's usually just a fleeting thought as I go about my day. Today there's been reminders of him all day long. We have a lot of clocks. On my way home from running errands; however, it dawned on my that the anniversary of his death was coming up. NO, was my next thought, it had already come and gone. In October!

How could the day have passed me by without so much as a thought of him? This is a man who was such a big part of my childhood and my life in general. This is a man who up until the end held onto mine and my brother's pictures in spite of the fact that he hadn't seen us in at least sixteen years. This is a man who still had some of my Barbies and maybe even a few of my brother's Matchbox cars; things that we left behind at the house in LA but that he couldn't bear do the same with when he packed up and moved to Mexico because they were the only tangible memories of the son and daughter he never had.  

I idolized this man, I loved and respected him. As with most relationships, it wasn't perfect. In my early-20's he let me down, and I'm pretty sure I returned the favor twofold. But I never stopped loving him. I used to think that one day I'd meet up with him in Mexico and tag along on one of his adventures. Unfortunately that day never came. Time passed us by. And then one day the phone call came. 

Juan Edmundo Tobias

My Nino.

I miss you. I love you. I'm sorry.

Accolades

Last week was conference week. 

The first one of the year for J is always a small party; with his teacher, speech therapist, case manager, the special-ed head honcho, D, me, and M sit around a table and talk all things J.

Expectations are discussed, and so are goals; both academic and social.

This is also where any concerns are addressed. 

For now, J is working in his internal dialog. Basically, keeping his commentary to himself.

I'll never forget that first conference in first-grade when his teacher told us in a hushed voice that he didn't have many friends and that he played by himself most of the time. My heart sank to my stomach and it was all I could do to hold back the tears. I don't even remember what the follow-up question was that D asked, but her answer was that the other kids "tolerate" him. Tolerate him??? 

I could hardly tolerate the overwhelming feeling of nausea that I felt.

Eventually he made a buddy and hooked up with another from the previous year. Today he has one really good friend and a couple others he plays with on the playground. His social advancement is a work in progress that he works on daily. 

So imagine my surprise when at the conclusion of last week's conference his general-ed teacher had a few parting words for us that went something like this:

"J is very charismatic. I would say that if I asked the class who they enjoy being around, J would be one of the top three names on the list."

I believe the word "fun" was also thrown in there somewhere. I could not believe my ears. I was so proud! Charismatic! He called J charismatic. And all over again, I found myself doing all I could to contain my tears at one of these meetings.

We know he's charismatic. We know he's fun. We know he's funny. Could it be that everyone else is starting to see it too?

Next, special-ed head honcho commented on how handsome he is. She said that he is probably the "Most Handsome Boy in the School." 

I'm going to concur.

And then, as icing on the cake, the next day at Kumon, Andrew commented to him what a great job he's doing on focusing. You have to know Andrew to know that praise doesn't come easily from him.

It was a good week!

A couple of days later we went to the pumpkin patch.

Hey, nobody said he followed directions.

Bribes

That right there was my Facebook status update tonight. It proved to be popular with many likes and a few I love yous.

I felt a little guilty at first, which is probably why I posted it. But as it turns out, Momma knows best. He had some homework to finish up that I knew would become a fight after running three miles. Not to mention the time. Sure enough...it took him a little over an hour to get his thoughts in place and onto paper.

He was adamant about going to practice. I love his work ethic, especially since he's been going nonstop since 7:45 this morning, but something had to give today.The deal was that if he skipped cross country and finished his homework by 7:30, I'd take him out for ice cream. We shook on it and he finished with about 20 minutes to spare.

Okay. Okay...I wasn't really in the mood to drag us out to one of the coldest parks in Olympia and wait for an hour while he ran. But those are just semantics.

Dennis has been gone all week and I'm tired! As we speak, the kids are fast asleep, the homework is done, and their tummies are full -- of the yumminess that is an Oreo McFlurry.

Like I said, Semantics!

Lucky

Lucky. It's a word I've heard thrown around quite a bit lately.

On Saturday, J told us he was SO lucky because just that week on Thursday he had gone to his friend's birthday party. On Friday he went to a picnic where he got to play with a bunch of his friends, and that evening he was going to our neighborhood's block party.

Last week was M's first week of school and J's first full week. It was also the first week for fall sports. We were busy! So busy, in fact,  that M decided to get a nap in before making her soccer debut.

LUCKY!

The picnic that I speak of was the annual HAP picnic. I'm a co-chair this year and had the opportunity to introduce myself to the Kindergarten parents at Curriculum night earlier in the week. In my push to get parents to volunteer, I spoke of the feeling of community that we have at Hansen. I told them how on M's first day of school she was greeted by several of the staff there, of how I feel that they are always safe behind those walls. I love the HAP program. I love that the kids travel together through the years. It's a great fit for somebody like J who is socially-challenged. It presents the opportunity for him to build great friendships without much of an effort on his part. I feel very LUCKY to have gotten in, and I feel lucky that  M got into the preschool program there.

Saturday was our first annual neighborhood block party. There was a great turnout. The adults ate and drank while the kids ran around and planned for a talent show. As we were wrapping things up some of the other neighbors and I were talking about how awesome our neighborhood is and how LUCKY we were to have stumbled upon it. 

As it turns out, the next day my mom ended up in the hospital. She had a sinus infection that went haywire; her blood pressure went sky high, her potassium and sodium levels low, and five days later she's still there.

I don't always feel lucky when these things happen. I stress about not being able to be there with her; get angry over the shabby phone lines that won't go through to her room; annoyed at the nurses that don't seem to be doing much. But, she's lucky to have family and friends there that never let her down. They call and visit and keep her stocked with the things she needs.

 I'm LUCKY to have the best mom in the world still here.

And I'm lucky to have my two beautiful kids....

They keep me busy when I need it most. They keep my body moving, my mind occupied, and my heart full of love.

Just Sayin'

When our house was being built I asked about air conditioning.

They told me I wouldn't need it.

They lied.

I'm not complaining. I'm just sayin'. 

Summa.....So Far

I've taken some pictures since school got out almost six weeks ago:

BOO for summer being almost over!

Mini Camp: Then and Now

Back in the summer of 2009 my neighbor and I signed up our boys for a couple of mini camps at the Olympia Center. It got them out of the house for a few hours; they enjoyed them; and they were cheap.

Here they are leaving after a fun-filled couple of hours.

Fast forward to 2012 and the street above is now a beautiful walkway lined with sculptures by local artists that leads to the boardwalk.

2012 hosts a different set of friends attending the same camps; each the little sister of the male version.

I feel so lucky that the paths of our two families have crossed and that our kids have found in each other somebody they can call "Friend."

Keeping it Real

A friend posted this on Facebook yesterday.

For Reals, people, For Reals!

Oh, The Pressure

As a direct result of the geographical location of my home, I have a love/hate relationship with the sun.

In California, it was hot in the summer and cold in the winter. Phoenix had two seasons: "hot" October through April and "hot as hell" May through September. Maryland was picture perfect, as in the calendar and Mother Nature were always in agreement with what the weather outside should be.

But in the Great Northwest where the sun is a rare commodity, that's where the problem lies. The usual free-spirit, make-love-not-war aura of these parts is quickly forgotten when the sun comes out. He's a dictator of sorts and we are the products of his communist ways. Nobody tells you this when you move here,you go into it blindly, but it's inevitable, live here long enough, and its iron grip will grab a hold of you too.

We will literally stop in our muddy tracks and scramble around in search of something to do ~ something that doesn't involve getting drenched the second we walk outside our front doors. Ironically, though, we can't wait to get drenched, and just like that, our arsenal of water toys are pulled out and dusted off:  Balloons, guns, Slip and Slides.

Oh, the pressure! You feel inadequate, guilty, like a bad parent, if you don't maximize your time in the sun. Not to mention that you're depriving yourself and your kids that much-needed dose of Vitamin D.

So, while I admit that I am now one of them ~ the ones that get giddy over a ray of sun ~ there's also a part of me that feels some bitterness at the fact that I've succumbed to it yet again.

And while we're on the subject of bitter....a lot of folks around here have what they call "'Seasonal Depression." Not me. I have what I call "Seasonal Pissed Off."

It's a condition that occurs every year around February when there hasn't been a sighting of the sun in about five months and the drizzle has been constant for just as long, which, as a direct result, causes one to feel, well, PISSED!

So I wait, and wait, and wait. And then one day, there really is light, sunlight, and I remember just how much I love the sun.

This came totally unexpected! With a cheesy grin on my face I walk over to my closet and open the door to a plethora of leggings, jeans, and sweatshirts. Anything that resembles summer is packed in boxes under the bed; as I reach down to find them, I notice that my toenails haven't been touched in a long time and are in no way sandal-worthy; next, I catch a glimpse of my white and ashy legs ~ a mere second before I realize that any plans we had for the day have to be changed in the next two minutes and the "You-just-never-know-when-we'll-see-the-sun-again.....gotta-maximize-our-time," chants begin.

Did I mention my love/hate dilemma?

A Decade Later

Ten years ago today I left the house on Conrad Drive that I had lived in for so long; the place where I, for all intents and purposes, grew up; the place that once had so much life and where my father lost his.

It was a day filled with emotions. On the one hand, the excitement of moving to a different state and starting a new life with my future husband. On the other, seeing the tear-stained face of the woman who had never needed me more than she did at that time.

With my veladora in hand, I turned away. Since then I have married, become a mom, and moved another two times. I've endured happy times as well as sad ones. I've worked at my trade and have taken on a new one. My life is as it is now because I took that step; the same step that led me to a place where I found a strength and resolve that I never knew existed within me.

Looking back now, leaving there was like a breath of fresh air. I felt so liberated. So light. Even with the stresses of being a new mom and moving to DC, I knew I had made the right choice and that I was where I needed to be. Our move to WA State 5 years later was like a homecoming. I was back on the West Coast and an hour-plus away from Sacramento.

About a year ago, D's work began a restructure where the opportunity for us to move back might be on the table. It's been a long process and now it seems as though we'll be here for a little bit more. The logical side of me knows that it's the best option for now. Our house is worth much less than what we paid for it, J's school is wonderful, and the position D would take on would be one that would leave room for another move. To another state. So staying here is the best option. I really do get that. And yet I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit disappointed. Even with all the stresses that particular move would bring.

While my life has seen many changes, not much has changed there; and it's the same things that drove me away that are now calling me home.

The Missing Picture

My dad never got to meet his grand kids. While we were growing up, he was the grumpy uncle that was easily annoyed by the antics my cousins, my brother, and I provided. He wasn't a bad man, but his patience was limited when it came to the younger set. I would have thought that he would make no concessions for his own grandchildren.

Enter Ar in the summer of 2004. She came to my mom on "loan" from my Tia Lupe who had been watching her for a few months until the planning of her daughter's wedding took a toll on her time. She handed A to us until the big day. She was one.

We all fell in love with her. The wedding came and went. Ar stayed. She quickly became a part of our family. We looked forward to her arrival each morning.

My dad was a changed man. He played with her. He hugged her. He teased her. He loved her. And when her little brother arrived two years later, he had enough love to give him as well.

In the mornings when Car got there he would run into my dad's room to say good morning. My dad would still be in bed as Car walked to the edge to babble his greeting. On the day that Car went to see my dad lying in his coffin, he uttered the same thing he had for months one last time. In the days that followed, Car and Car alone would see my dad outside the sliding glass door. Car has no memory of any of this, or my dad for that matter. But the memories of the joy he brought my dad will forever be embedded in my mind.

When those kids stepped through the front door, they walked straight into his heart.

On the first anniversary of his death, I spoke about the comfort I felt knowing how much he would have loved his grand kids. I saw it with my own eyes. Without Ar and Car I would never have known. They are angels. I love them so much. Just like my dad did.

There will never exist a picture of my dad with either of his granddaughters, but I have a pretty good idea of what it would look like if there were:

This was waiting for me the other morning when I logged into Facebook.

That's my dad and my goddaughter, Ar. I can't make out the year it was taken ~ looks like '98, but that's when he passed away, and judging by the sandals and sundress Ar is wearing, I would assume it was sometime during summer. He left us on January 13.

I love the look on his face. This could very well be my favorite picture of him. I love it. It's exactly as he looked those last couple of years.

Looking at it made me realize that in the photo album of my kids' lives, there will always be a missing picture. It made my cry for the first time in a while over his death. It made me miss him. At the same time, it made me happy. And it made the realization of that missing picture a little bit easier to bear.

Thank You for sharing, My Ar!

Never Forget

It's hard to believe that yesterday marked the 10th anniversary of the September 11 attacks on our country.

I will never forget walking out of the shower on that Tuesday morning to news that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center, and then another. And still two more at the Pentagon and at a random field in Pennsylvania. I will never forget the confusion that followed, not knowing what it was all about. I will never forget Davey D, the DJ of the local radio station, say that it was Armageddon. I will never forget that for the first time in my life I believed it myself.

I will never forget being glued to the television for days on end. I will never forget the devastation, the loss of life. I will never forget the stories, the heroes ~ policemen, firemen, ordinary people doing extraordinary things. I will never forget the members of congress ~ both houses ~ standing outside the US Capitol singing "God Bless America." I will never forget the sense of unity that ensued the days and weeks following. We put our differences aside and joined hands with the world.

"On that terrible day, the nation became a neighborhood, all Americans became New Yorkers."

Governor George Pataki

Ten years later, we live in a different world. A world shaped by the events of that day. It's evident at airports, sporting events, and by the number of flag-covered caskets carrying a brave solider who made the ultimate sacrifice fighting for our safety and our freedom. To them and their families, Thank You!

Ten years later, I still get goosebumps on my skin, a lump in my throat, and tears in my eyes when I hear the National Anthem.

I Love the United States of America; may God continue to bless our great country; and may we never forget.

Just When...

Just When

I got serious about turning our backyard into a respectable place to hang out

The sun decided to make an appearance after almost 9 months of being MIA

My steno machine was about to see the light of day in almost three years

I decided to pull out a paint brush and add some color to our house

Olympia got a Trader Joe's, an REI, and a Chipotle, and Target a makeover,

That's when the Government decided to do some restructuring ~ some restructuring that carries with it a big possibility that we won't be here past 2013.

When we arrived almost four years ago, we had no expectations that we'd retire here, but more and more we throw it around, and to say that I've given up all hope to move back to California would be a flat out lie. But we always thought we'd have a choice; we figured the decision would be ours to make.

Things are still at their very preliminary stages and changing daily. I know that we'll be fine no matter what happens and where we end up.

And while the employees at the Department of Agriculture may be hanging onto every word the suits in DC have to say. I"ll be keeping my sights closer to home - in this Washington, the "other" Washington; namely, Olympia. Because I can guarantee that if and when ground breaks for a Nordstrom at our mall, the moving trucks won't be far behind the construction ones.

All Right Already!

I've been fighting a battle with myself about this post. It's like having an angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other. The angel is saying, "Don't do it!" The devil is saying, "You must!"

When I started this blog a couple of years ago, my intent wasn't to document every aspect of our lives. I wanted to highlight the spectacular, of course, but more than that, I wanted to open my eyes and my ears to the mundane sights and sounds ~ the smiles, the tears, the laughter, and cries ~ and highlight the ones that for one reason or another stood out. I wasn't interested in chronological events where I sat down on a regular basis to record library outings and zoo trips. Yes, I know that's mundane, especially since we have a membership to the zoo, but there's a method to my madness.

Or so I thought. For some reason not known to me, I feel the need to document the eleven weeks since my last post. That's the devil talking. And I listened.

All right already, here goes:

J and I finished up Faith Formation at the start of May; attended Muffins for Moms at the school; went to dim sum and Ikea for Mother's Day. We got bad news from Sacramento when we found out Mark has colon cancer. The school carnival was a fun and wet success mid-month. J's class had a Crazy Hair Day:



Memorial Day Weekend started out with a mommy/son date to watch Kung Fu Panda 2, followed by a day in Sammamish to celebrate PK's birthday, and ended with Hansen Day at the Mariner's game. M, Daddy, and I visited the Westside Co-op Preschool at the end of the month.

Also in May, J ran the kids' run at the Capital City Marathon. It was only a mile, but he ran his booty off:

And speaking of running, he was only one of nine kids in the whole school who ran the equivalent of a marathon during Track Stars.

And he kept running into June on the soccer field playing on a team coached by his future 3rd grade teacher:

They won no games, but they didn't whine or complain. They had a great time together, and that in itself made it a winning season.

By the time this picture was taken at the beach, I had signed M up for preschool at the Olympia Center. She'll start in September if I can get her potty trained. Yikes!

The school year wound down with numerous field trips: to the zoo (really???), Burfort Park, and sightseeing downtown.

Father's Day weekend was busy! Donuts for Dads, N's 4th birthday party at a very soggy golf course, lunch on Sunday to celebrate the papis AND D's 40th Birthday!

We celebrated on the actual day as well:

And I sighed relief because the scrapbook I had driven myself crazy putting together for the occasion was finally done!

If you hadn't noticed the addition to the family, that's N. We brought him home with us on Father's Day and the kids had a ton of cousin fun:

After a couple of days of hiking, playing, and celebrating his birthday, I took him home and M went along for two days with just the clothes on her back and a Pull Up in her hand.

We went to Kindergym for what I believe was the last time. We're going to miss Teacher Cindy:

The last day of school was the 24th:

And so was the opening of Cars 2. Daddy, J, and I all went to dinner and were the first ones in line for the 7pm showing.

Mary brought Joy at VBS:

We picnicked in the house on a rainy day:

The VBS crew sang at church; the grandparents came to lunch; and a couple of days later, after an "all American" meal at Din Tai Fung, the cousins got to hang out again on the 4th of July:

We had an awesome neighborhood fireworks show later that evening where the snakes were a big hit:

We went to the $1 movies the next day and J tagged along with Rob and Robbie to the aquarium in Seattle. He started track and field, and we left to Sacramento on the 6th:

We hadn't even been there 24 hours when, what do you know, we went to the zoo! Ugh...this is like a bad recurring dream :)

Daddy arrived on Saturday morning to join the madness.

The quinceanera was beautiful. I visited with my tias,

my cousins,

and a bunch of folks I hadn't seen in years. D got drunk, the kids ran around. A good time was had by all. I heart my familia ♥

Raging waters; dinner with the godmothers; snow cones on 10th Street; visiting some of my old stomping grounds;

a day of swimming with my girls and their brood; mourning a loved one; returning to the place where I got married;

trips to Target; eating at the taqueria, Jimboys, Paesanos, In & Out; staying out until 3:30 in the morning at the baile; fun at Funderland

when not having fun with their cousins

and loving Abuelita,

that's what CA was all about.

We returned on the 17th to gray skies and rain.

Today was our first chill day of summer vacation. We pretty much did nothing but laundry ~ oh, and upload the pictures you see on this here post. It took about two hours. I forgot some; some were the wrong ones. Whatever.

In other news: The US team lost the World Cup Championship to Japan yesterday. Casey Anthony was acquitted of murdering her baby girl. The last space shuttle launch was last week. Jennifer Lopez and Mark Anthony split; William and Kate visited CA.

And the devil is victorious....what an absolutely boring post. I surely hope this doesn't become a trend of mine!