This Post Is Dedicated to Lucidendings...

Blessing to you...

http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fy6yz/51_hours_left_to_live/

Puerto Rican Holiday...

Alright people! I seriously think I will be making traditional Puerto Rican holiday dishes this year. It's really for no one other than us, but I really feel like I need to pass on our traditions to Brianlily as soon as possible! I want her to watch and help make it all the way I've done with my grandmother.

I'm talking about some serious hard work- Pasteles (scroll down to read about Puerto Rico)! And of course some Alcapurrias! Now all I have to do is find all the ingredients here in West Bubba! I really want to make it happen though. I called family members to get family recipes, I have my grocery list, now all I need is to begin my scavenger hunt!

I will be sure to keep any Puerto Ricans in the state posted by updating this! lol I swear I'm the only Puerto Rican in Portland!!!

H&M Opening Day...

It was pretty crazy! I didn't shop opening day, but I was in the neighborhood. I stopped in the day after and it was still a mad house. Welcome to Portland! Picked up a cute Winter coat for baby, and a few other things, but the tuxedo shirt I want for her won't be in for a while! Ugh!

H&M Countdown...11/11/10

As I mentioned back in August, the Grand Opening of H&M in Downtown Portland, Oregon is almost here!!!

November 11, 2010

Check out store details here!

H&M!

I was downtown the other day, on the Red Line, which I NEVER take, and I saw it...it's coming...I can't even believe it!

H&M IS COMING TO PORTLAND!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOOHOOOO!!!!!

Continued...

I can't believe how long it's been since I last posted! Sheesh! I've been hella busy with getting my daycare up and running, and preparing for my family's 2 week stay!

I've been getting lots of inquiries about my child care services, but all outside of the age range I was hoping for (16-24 months). I wanted to keep ages close to Brianlily's so that no one would be too far behind or ahead. I haven't had too much luck with my "restrictions" so I'm opening it up to children under 3. Frustrating. No one enrolled yet. Here is my website: Lily's Pad Day Nursery.

As for my family visiting...well...it was as well as expected. My grandfather stayed one week, and my mother, sister and nephew stayed the second week. I still can't get over the fact that my grandfather came all the way to Portland! I love that man! It was amazing having the kids together and having my mother and sister here. And we didn't have TOO much fighting between us. The trip did make things hardER on me and Brian. The whole "this is my house" thing made it hard for us to deal with having everyone over. I guess we moved from NYC for lots of reasons and having it all come back to us was tough to deal with. It was nice showing them my "West Coast" life, but I was definitely happy to have some quite when everyone was back home. We got to do and see a lot, which was super cool for me because I've been wanting to do this stuff since we moved to Portland. We showed them the Coast, or at least a little of it. We visited Multnomah Falls, Mount Saint Helens, and the Space Needle, Pike Place Market, and Bruce Lee's grave (really for my grandfather...he's a HUGE fan) in Seattle. There was lots of driving, and with 7 people in tow this was not an easy task! In the end, we made lots of memories, and have loads of great photos of our trips.


PIKE PLACE FISH MARKET- SEATTLE, WASHINGTON








VIEW FROM THE HILLS NEAR LAKEVIEW CEMETERY- SEATTLE, WASHTINGTON


SCIENCE FICTION MUSEUM- SEATTLE, WASHINGTON





I HAD TO DO IT!


SEATTLE, WASHINGTON


SPACE NEEDLE- SEATTLE, WASHINGTON


MULTNOMAH FALLS. COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE, OREGON




MOUNT SAINT HELENS- WASHINGTON


WHAT THE HELL WAS UP WITH MY HAIR!? MUST HAVE BEEN ALL THE DRIVING THAT I DID...ALL BY MYSELF!!!


MY BABY HAD SUCH A HARD TIME WITH THE DRIVE THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS




THIS WAITER GETS NO TIP FOR THIS LOUSY SHOT! WHAT THE HELL!? WAS THERE AN EARTHQUAKE IN THE RESTAURANT!?
THE OREGON COAST- SEASIDE & CANNON BEACH










FOOT BRIDGE AT UNION STATION- PORTLAND, OREGON


JAMESON PARK- PORTLAND, OREGON


UNION STATION- PORTLAND, OREGON

Small Business Owner!!!

I'm on my way to becoming a small business owner! I cannot believe that I'm here, but it seems like I was meant to go this route...for now.

I've been a stay at home mom for almost a year now, and wanting a second income is huge right now. When I left New York I thought it was going to be soooooo easy to make extra money and still be able to stay home with Brianlily, but that has NOT been the case. I wanted to take on a few little ones in to care for, sitting. But after Sittercity.com, Care.com, Craigslist, and flyers all around town including PSU, with no luck I had to think of going back out into the work force and placing Brianlily into daycare. DAUNTINGGGG! It just didn't make sense in the end. The income I would need to cover the cost ($1000/mo the cheapest), plus enough to save and enjoy ourselves was way more than I could make without my degree.

A woman responded to my ad on Craigslist, came to visit, was interested but in the end went with someone licensed. total bummer. So I thought, why can't I get licensed? I know that by law I would be exempt from licensing if I only care for three children, not including my own. But wouldn't being licensed be a great way to get business?! So I called and started the process. It's crazy to think it'll be a full fledged BUSINESS! It's great though, it's everything I love...work for myself, organize, be detailed, teach, children, and activities!!! hahahaha I'm such a geek! I want to run a Martha Stewart Daycare! lol Crafts, crafts, crafts!

It's going to be a load of work, but the benefit is being home with my daughter! And that's more than enough reason. Maybe I'll just do it until she's in school. Either way, I'm on my way. Another great thing is my location. Turns out there aren't any registered family child care providers in my area!!! Woo Hoo for me!

Here is a quick breakdown of the process here in Oregon:

1. I visited The Oregon Child Care Resource & Referral Network and The Child Care Resource and Referral of Multnomah County. They give you all the training and helpful information you need for licensure.

Training consists of:
a. Overview of licensure process
b. CPR/First Aid
c. Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect
d. Food handler certification
e. Enrollment in the Central Background Registry

2. After completing these trainings, you will send in photo copies of certificates along with the application for becoming a Registered Family Child Care Provider.

3. Once your application is processed, including listing in the Central Background Registry, you will have an in home safety and regulation inspection. Upon satisfactory evaluation, your license is active the following day.

4. Naming your business. You can search here for business naming information.

5. After you are officially licensed and naming is done, you will then need to apply for a business license; get more information at your local City Hall.

It's a lot of work, but it's all worth it! All of the information here was shared with me during my Overview course at CCR&R of Multnomah County. The people there are amazingly helpful, kind, super informative, and answer ALL your questions (and I have a lot!). There is so much more information, and still more to come, so I will continue updating the process.

The Zoo...

Today was Brianlily's first time visiting the zoo! So amazing when animals finally caught her attention, to see her amazement..."you mean these things are real!?" I did however have the same feeling I always have with zoos, circus', and aquariums...it's just so sad! These animals locked up makes me want to free them all! I understand the educational part of it, but how much are people actually learning from their visit?I made the decision to take my daughter to all of these places and let her decide if she wants to continue, as for me I'd rather not.

PS...I really enjoyed today! And I really noticed just how big the Bronx Zoo is compared to our little Oregon Zoo!


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TERRIFIED...

ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT THERE WAS A HUGE COMMOTION OUTSIDE OUR BUILDING. WE LIVE ON THE GROUND FLOOR, SO IT WAS IN OUR FACES. A FIRE TRUCK, A POLICE CAR, AND AMBULANCE WERE PARKED OUTSIDE AT ABOUT 11PM. SOON AFTER, A HUGE POLICE BUS PARKED ITSELF WHERE THE FIRE TRUCK WAS. THE NEXT MORNING MY BOYFRIEND SAW A POLICE OFFICER SITTING IN FRONT OF AN APARTMENT DOWN THE HALL FROM US WHEN HE LEFT FOR WORK. THE BIG POLICE BUS WAS STILL THERE. AT ABOUT 530PM ON THURSDAY MY BOYFRIEND CALLED FROM WORK AND TOLD ME TO CHECK OUT THE NEWS...A WOMAN HAD BEEN STRANGLED TO DEATH IN THAT APARTMENT.

I'M HORRIFIED. TERRIFIED. I HAVE A DAUGHTER, WHO I WORRY ABOUT EVERY SECOND OF THE DAY. I'VE LIVED IN FEAR HERE BECAUSE WE'RE ON THE GROUND FLOOR AND I NEVER REALLY FELT SAFE IN THIS BUILDING. NOW MY FEARS HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED.

AFTER THINKING ABOUT IT I REALIZED THERE WAS NO WOMAN THAT LIVED THERE. I KNEW WHO DID. IT WAS A MAN WHO WORE RED SNEAKERS. I'VE PASTED HIM IN THE HALLS A THOUSAND TIMES. I'VE PASSED HIM IN THE HALLS WITH MY DAUGHTER. HE ALWAYS SAID HELLO TO ME.

I JUST CHECKED OUT THE NEWS FOR ANY UPDATES. AND THERE HE WAS. FRONT PAGE...ARRESTED FOR THE WOMAN'S DEATH.

I'VE NEVER BEEN THROUGH ANYTHING LIKE THIS, AND AM SHAKEN TO MY CORE. I PRAY FOR HER, FOR US.

Tigard,OR...

I had yet to visit towns to our west like Beaverton & Tigard, but I did it! Just so happens there's a huge mall in Tigard, the Washington Square Mall. Wowza! Such a beautiful, big mall. I had to change a size on a gift for baby (her first birthday gift from her titi's & cousin) and that was the only Baby Gap that had it in stock! Lucky for me, because now I know about this great mall! Loads of shops, even a Striderite! Plus a cute little play area for super little ones (under 36 inches I think) Brianlily had a blast! I do know that the next time we're there I'll most likely get into with someone at the play area...there were wayyyy too many kids over the height restriction that were playing much to rough to be around our little ones! I wanted to kick some kid ASS! We'll see what happens next time, for now I love the place and can't wait to go back for some Striderites for honey!




















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Our First Snow...in Portland!

Last night we had our first snow here! Thank God...I was getting upset we weren't getting any. Looks like Portland doesn't get much snow, if any. I say...if it's going to be cold, there better be snow!