december 2007

dec 3, dec 6 - santa's secret shop
dec 5 - wed - 6:45-8:00pm - rel ed
dec 10 - mon - confession - 6:30pm
dec 10-24 - 8am-2:45pm - fhosp
dec 11 - tues - christmas musical
dec 12 - wed - rel ed - not able to go...
dec 12 - wed - shopped - stuff for tn mall & wm
- b got a new eyeglasses
dec 14 - fri - fedex to TN - $17
***emtnly wrecked***
dec 17-18 - r's midterms in reading and math
dec 19 - wed - 6:45-8:00pm - christmas celebration - z's rel ed - bingo and pizza
dec 20 - thur - r's last day of school
- christmas party at school
dec 21 - fri - last day of extern ...what a struggle...having to endure everything in my pl...
dec 22 - sat - 11am-3pm - children's holiday party - facility - a visit from Santa and children 10 and under will receive a toy bag
dec 26 & jan 2 - no rel ed
dec 24 - jan 4 - christmas vacation

-no sacramental catechesis in dec...there will be 3 sessions in January

Hang out at

Panera today...free wifi...took 2 quizzes in my online class...

Eyeglasses

Reina just had her eyeglasses in less than a month and it's broken already! That's her second one just for this year!!! She lost her first one somewhere with her purse. Got to go back and see if it's covered with a warranty. Our vision insurance will cover only once in a year.

Thanksgiving Prayer

For each new morning with it's light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food,
For love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson-

Cramming

not enough time left...too many chapters...quizzes...exams... and more modules plus externship...2 weeks just went by and wasted!!!

Florida History Festival

Each students in R's class were required to choose a topic and write a report in their Social Studies. They also participated in the Florida History Fair. It was held at the social hall at their school. The students were dressed up, had props and explained to younger students all kinds of interesting facts about Florida History. R wrote a report about Daytona 500 and racing in Florida.

The following were the guidelines:
- 3 pages, typed using font 14 and double spaced
- must create a visual fair like posters, costumes, food, dioramas
- explain their research to other students through visuals and knowledge
- prepare a short speech...use index cards...less nervous when the visitors arrive
- must turn in a written report
- receive a grade for the report and performance at the fair
- expected to act professionally, polite and informative...

She was happy when she came home. She got an A on her project. Good job Reina!

Christmas Musical

The Mystery of Simon Shepherd on Dec 11, Tuesday at 7pm in the social hall. Reina's costume suggestion for her character is a white or black sweat suit. Practice the solo... I have to make sure to fully charge the video cam and b's canon eos digital slr for awesome pictures.

Wanted

to renew Bridge of Terabitha and Ghost Rider which I borrowed last week but the library won't let me. I had it for seven days but I just can't find the time to watch it. Oh well, I can borrow it again next time. I watched Catch and Release last night before going to bed. I thought it was good but it was just a waste of my time.

Citizenship

Finally, I made it to this point. No more dealing with the INS for now unless I will start petitioning my folks back home which is not on my/their agenda right at this time. To sum it up, I would say it was an easy road to my citizenship. Just simply follow and submit the requirements and show up on your appointments and of course pay the exorbitant fees and pass the test and you’re set. The oath taking ceremony is another story. I was one of the two hundred sixty two people sworn in today from fifty different countries. The excitement was in the air and people were waving flags and singing the song with the video presentation “Proud to be an American” with such emotion. The person next to me was from Guyana and seems like he memorized by heart the Oath and Pledge of Allegiance. I was impressed! It was a touching moment especially during the first part of the program where a video was shown “Faces of America” with different immigrants with their testimonies on how it was to be naturalized and live in a new adopted country. I can’t help but feel nostalgic and sentimental. It is a normal part of my transition process and of course I am proud to be where I am right now. It’s such an honor to be a blue passport holder. The privileges are endless. But that’s not it! Dual citizenship here I come!!!

My timeline:

November 24, 2006 – mailed my application form N-400. I paid $400.00 total including biometric fee. Now it will cost the applicants $675.00 starting last July 2007. What an increased!!! The following week I received a notice from the INS that they received my application.

February 15,2007 – fingerprinting
You will get in the mail the date, place and time for fingerprinting. Bring the appointment letter with you. Once you get there, you will receive a booklet “A Guide to Naturalization”. It has sample questions an officer might ask you during the interview. The booklet comes with an audio CD also.

September 13, 2007 – test/interview
In order to passed the interview, you are required to correctly answer 6 out of 10 questions. Once you get 6 questions right, they won’t bother to ask you the rest of the 4 remaining questions. You are also asked to write a sentence in English and asked you to read a sentence orally. Recently, the INS came out a Redisigned Naturalization Test. It includes a new lists of history and government questions. Visit their website www.uscis.gov for more information.

November 15, 2007 – oath taking
You will received in the mail the date and place of your oath taking. Dressed nicely and make sure you get a lot of pictures:)

Today is one

of those days when I need to go out but I am not in the mood to go anywhere. I have an event to attend tomorrow and I feel like I need a new outfit to wear or just having another good excuse to go shopping but I am too tired to go to the mall. I also have some freebies from Victoria Secret and a $10 off from JC Penney and Macy's but I just don’t feel like going to the mall right now. I have to use these coupons before their expiration date. I don't know if it’s because I have to drive in this so called traffic during the rush hour or I’m just plain tired which I am lately. The day is not over yet so I still have time if ever I decided to go out or I will probably end up staring at my closet wondering what goes well with my Ferragamo shoes. I am pretty sure I can find something...

went to

dinner with b and i just settled for this...
i was not hungry at all...

so

tired...got up for church...homily was about martyrdom and marriage...got a funny look from b:)

Chargers and Colts are playing tonight. How exciting!!!

how far can

my patience go???? it's been stretched to its limits...all because of these...

my new laptop

b came home early so i was able to go to borders and read while he took care of the kids up to their bed time...had to go to albertsons afterwards to get some stuff before it closed at 11pm...

calendar reminder

nov 07 - wedn - 6:45pm-8pm - rel ed
r's dismissal at 12 noon - extended care-picked at 2pm-$5/hr
par-teacher conf - wait for the next one
nov 08 - thurs - hands-on-theatre-$7 due;
cupcakes for r's school
nov 09 - friday - no school - fall festival - reina's bday
nov 9-10 - fall festival
nov 10 - sat - 3pm-6pm - vol for fall fest
nov 13 -tues - 6:30pm - science night
cubs meeting also at 6:30-7:30pm
bake sale D-G is donuts - vol?
nov 14 - wedn -6:45pm-8pm - rel ed
nov 15 - thursday - 6:30pm-7:45pm - penance - Rev. David Kasmerick;
citizenship oath taking
nov 16 - fri - 2pm - blue ribbon celebration - congratulations St. Charles!
nov 17 - sat - b and z to jacksonville at 4pm
nov 18 - sun - jaguars vs chargers at 1pm - jacksonville
nov 19 - monday - 8:30am-10:15am - florida history fair - project due
nov 20 - tuesday - hands-on-theatre -orlando historical society visiting;
cubs meeting;
r's thanksgiving party
nov 21 - wed - no rel ed - thanksgiving mass
nov 22 - thursday - happy thanksgiving everyone!!!
nov 21/wed-23/fri - no school for r - thanksgiving holiday...pie social outside church after mass
nov 24 - sat - library
nov 26 - mon - 6-7pm - pack meeting
nov 27 - tue - sally foster mega party
nov 28 - wedn - r's progress report
rel ed - 6:45 - 8pm
nov 29 - thursday - 6:30pm-7:45 pm -absolution - Rev. David Kasmerick;
cupcakes for z's class;
happy birthday zach!!!

along a

journey we commonly forget it's goal...
almost every vocation is chosen and entered
upon as a means to a purpose but is ultimately
continued as a final purpose in itself...

Friedrich Neitzsche

notes for tues

call for fall festival
dep -b offered to do it
pb - settled and done
cubs meeting

too excited to

go to sleep...find out why later...

conversation

in the car while sitting in the traffic after picking up reina from school:

zach: mom i want a psp for christmas
me: what? do u know how much it costs? that's $200 plus the games...
zach: but mom! i'm going to ask santa to bring it for me...
me: zach i don't think santa can afford that...think about all the kids in the world
zach: well santa does not need money to buy it...the elves can make it
reina: zach, the elves need money to get the parts to make it...
zach: no reina, they can make that too!!!
me: can we just discuss this next time zach or you can talk to dad about this
zach: ok mom...

well, reina was trying to reason out with me. she knows how expensive it is and she has her own agenda too! it's her birthday next week and she wants a pink nintendo ds and a nintendogs game. and on christmas, she wants a pink ipod nano and a pink cellphone...she's actually more expensive compared to zach! that's all i can say since reina reads my blog:)

wow!!!

it's november already???? time flies so fast...i went to school today, of course after dropping the kids to their school. For some reason i feel so tired and i almost fall asleep in my desk that i have to get out and get some fresh air outside the classroom.