Christmas 2010 Post...

...COMING SOON!!!

Ally

"All you people can't you see? Can't you see? NKOTBSB!"

Earlier this year, I was excited to see a YouTube video of a New Kids on the Block concert where the Backstreet Boys made a guest appearance and sang with them. I was so excited and I thought: wouldn't it be awesome if they went on tour? Well, ladies and gentlemen:

A dream come true... and Daddy's worst nightmare.

About a month or two ago, it was confirmed that NKOTB and BSB would tour together. I immediately contacted my cousins to form a coalition of the willing to ambush Mommy with requests to go see them. I may now confirm that yesterday at 10:00 cst, I got on Ticketmaster.com and purchased 4 tickets to see them LIVE in Houston!!! This is going to be the best Summer ever. Mommy said that these tickets were my birthday present... in short:

21, I'm really glad I'm you, and I'mma let you finish in about 14 days,

but 22 will be the best birthday of all time.

OF ALL TIME!

How could I resist? :)

Well, back to Immunology. Ch.11, here I come. Watch out.
And a big 'Thank You' to Mommy and Daddy for my tickets :)

Ally

"I drink a boost for breakfast, and ensure for dizzert..."

"...Somebody order pancakes, I just sip the sizzurp."

This is my post bitching about things because I'm grumpy. I'm just stressed with finals. I have both Environmental Science and Immunology tomorrow, and Gen Bio 1 on Wednesday. Last night we went to the Town Center for dinner and Christmas festivities and my friend Claire ordered a focaccia and it was delicious, except that my teeth hurt badly when I tried to bite into the crust. Needless to say, I had to give up eating that last piece. It was sad. In case you're unaware, I am currently undergoing Invisalign treatments. Right now, I've got set 11 in. 11 out of 16. I'm pretty happy to be almost there... almost done!

That being said, time to get back to studying. But for now, how's about some music to express how I feel sometimes with these damn braces:



That one's for you, Beeksies. She just loves her some Kanye :)
Chorus sound familiar? See the post below!

Ally

"Through the fire, to the limit, to the wall. For a chance to be with you, I'd gladly risk it all..."

Tomorrow I've got a Chemistry exam and I'm working problems out of my Chemistry For Dummies book. Great stuff in there. As I go along, I feel more confident, but there is still room for improvement. As my Uncle Robert says: "If you think you've mastered a topic, convince yourself you haven't. Then study it more." A little depressing, but it's sound advice. I've still got a long night ahead of me, so I'm listening to motivational music. Now, one might hear motivational music and think along the lines of "Eye of the Tiger" or something else like that. As for me, I am getting my Chemistry on to the sounds of Chaka Kahn's "Through The Fire". I think it sums up how I'll feel this coming week: FINALS WEEK. I pretty much have 3 tests to get through then I can go home! I'm excited...



Now we can all be motivated. We can do it!

Ally

"Step Into Christmas! Let's Join Together! We Can Watch The Snow Fall Forever and Ever..."

Good day today. Plenty of fun and work. A good balance, I should say. The best part of today was going to Barnes and Noble to buy the new Christmas album by The Puppini Sisters:

It's amazing. You probably wouldn't guess their musical genre by just looking at them, but they're actually a big-band-style group. Think music you'd hear at the USO Dance before sending your high school sweetheart overseas. This album is a must-have for those who plan on busting a move on Christmas. The first time I heard them was when their music was featured as a free download on iTunes. It was a big-band version of the song "Walk Like An Egyptian" by The Bangles. I fell in love. Good times.

Speaking of Barnes and Noble...
One day, as we drove into Dallas, Daddy asked to be dropped off at the bookstore while Mommy and I went shopping for things for my dorm room. It was a pretty amazing moment:

Daddy: Just drop me off at Bárnes y Nóble.
Me: Barnes and Noble?
Daddy: Isn't that what I said?
Me: Nooooo. Far from it.

It was a pretty funny moment.

Bet 'cha didn't know I liked big-band music? There are a few things people would be surprised to see on my iTunes. I've got every genre: Classical, Metal, Emo, Rock, Rap, Pop, etc. I'd like to thank my cousins and my parents for my musical tastes. My cousins are responsible for the hours upon hours of Backtreet Boys and Britney Spears on my iTunes. My parents are responsible for the Beatles, Dean Martin, Janis Joplin, and Louis Armstrong. Do you ever think about your parents as teenagers? I'd like to think Mommy was desperately infected with Beatlemania. I credit them for helping me learn English as a child. Mommy was quite influential in my love of the Beatles. Every time we see any stock footage from the 1960s of concerts, I like to point out Mommy in the audience, despite her obvious absence.

Jeez, Mommy. Cool it, will you?
You're making the other fans nervous.

Yeah, I think that's where I get the freak-out-at-Backstreet-Boys-concerts gene from. Hilarious...
Daddy is another story. I can't really imagine him as a teenager. I think he just skipped that time. Like Jesus. 12 to 30 in the turn of a page. Was that blasphemous? Are comparisons blasphemous or are only straight up assertions blasphemous? Meh, it's late. Actually, it's 10:05 on a Saturday and I'm in bed. Not at the dance, not at the party across the street, not with friends, just here. Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. I like it, actually. I need alone time every now and then. Doesn't everyone? I hope so. I was starting to think it was just only-child syndrome. I'm having writer's block tonight. Nothing too important to write about. If I think of other things, I'll get back to y'all. If not, goodnight :)

Ally

"We should take a ride tonight around the town and look around at all the beautiful houses..."

John Mayer says it best, 'something in the way the blue lights on a black night can make you feel more'. Christmastime is the greatest, especially when you know all the fancy neighborhoods in your town. Our neighborhood has a few people who enjoy sprucing it up for the holidays with the lights and yard inflatables, but nothing compares to those in the fancy neighborhoods. I believe Mommy's favorite thing to do is ride around the neighborhoods and look at all the decorated houses. There are some nice houses in our neighborhood who like to get creative with their decorating, but the people in the shopping district get glamorous with their lights. No inflatables from The Home Depot in their yards, rather they wrap their columns, their railings, their trees, everything with golden lights. It's as though they're engaging in some sort of 'Whose House Can Look The Most Gold' competition that the rest of us are unaware of...

Moving along...

I was thinking about Christmas in Mexico some more, and I'd thought I'd share some more traditions and things that make me happy. To start off, we usually go to the children's wing in the hospital to hand out toys for the kids and toiletries for the parents who stay in the hospital with them. Following the distribution of gifts, which is kind of heartbreaking but hopeful, we gather around a Christmas tree and Nativity scene at the entrance of the wing and say the Rosary. My Tia will lead the Rosary and will sing Christmas songs, (all about Jesus, mind you,) in between the Mysteries. It's a bittersweet moment, for you have some of the kids being wheeled out to pray with their parents, you've got parents that haven't been home for days or weeks on end because they stay with their kids, and you've got the caretakers who have to cater to these sick children and who have probably become as attached to them as their parents. Everyone prays for healing and for miracles and it's a sad yet lovely sight to see everyone come together and pray for the same thing.

There are other traditions we partake in. The Rosary is usually repeated at home with the rest of the family who don't go to the hospital. The Rosary is followed by a reverence to the Baby Jesus then food. Of course food. The food is followed by more food, more deserts, and more beer. More importantly, the aforementioned traditions are accompanied by family, good friends, great conversation, and memories being made. Following ALL that, we have the opening of gifts, which is pretty much awesome. We have 2 young kids in our family and one baby, so to see the older two freak out about their gifts is phenomenal. Sometimes we go above and beyond and even though they might get so excited they forget to say 'Gracias', we know it means something to them and that's enough.

This is a little late, but I apologize for not having more stories about my parents. It's the holidays, you see, and I'd like to get away from making fun of my parents for a while and instead concentrate on what's important: love.

That being said, I give you more Christmas memories:

Tia, Mommy, Tia, Tia, Tia, Tia
Hahaha... I love it

Tio, Daddy, Primo, Primo, Primo, Tio... no idea. Whoops.
Again, LOVES it

More family enjoying a Christmas card game

Me with two of my cousins wandering around the street...
back when it was safe to do so at 2:30am.

Lulis and JJ
He later went off to become a musician and we haven't seen
him around lately. That's a shame. He was so nice...

Would you LOOK at all that food?
No wonder I can't ever wait to get there.

Tia, Me with Miguelito, and Mommy

Lulis and her firstborn.
He seems quite unamused with the gift, but I can assure you
he loved it.

Miguelito receives an offering of toys and an Osito Bolo.
He looks pleased as punch.

Daddy and the baby

Me and the baby

Lulis and her baby... so cute!

Me and Miguelito by the tree. It took a while to get this photo.
He kept laughing for some reason until he finally settled down.

Me at the Fundidora where my great-grandpa worked.
I look like I could kick butt at this job... maybe?

I'd have to find an apron that fit me, first.

Mommy, wake up! We're taking a photo!
Merry Christmas, yo!

I wish I got presents 3xs my size...

Mommy and Daddy witness the unveiling of the presents...

Pery and Tia Pera. She's got her apron on.
You know some good stuff is going down
in that kitchen. Mmmmm...

FELIZ NAVIDAD, HOMIES!

Well, there you have our daily dose of Christmas. I think this is a good way to get ready for the holidays and to get into the spirit of things. You must be asking, 'doesn't Daddy have a family'? That he does. We will meet them later on this week. I must be off. Chemistry studying has ravaged my brain. The white matter is just leaking out my nose in exasperation... Goodnight, all!

Ally

Going to the Chapel and We're Gonna Get Married...

Congratulations are in order for my dear friends Lizzy and Thad(deus). Over Thanksgiving break, the pair FINALLY got engaged and I've never been more excited. It was quite a spectacle when they told me. They got me in a room, closed the door and shenanigans definitely went down:

Thad: Close the door.
Me: Okay...
Thad: Promise not to scream.
Me: Am I about to die?
Lizzy: We're ENGAGED!
Me: eeeee-
Thad: -SHHHH!!!
Me: eeee... *starts sobbing uncontrollably*
Lizzy: *also begins crying*
Thad: Gahhh, gay!
Me: Shut up, Thad.

Congratulations to the happy couple. It's about time. They've been together since freshman year and it was customary after sophomore year for me to ask Lizzy if he had proposed yet after every holiday and school break. I'm so glad that this time, she had a 'yes' for me...

Aaaaaah.
You liked it so you put a ring on it...

Love is in the air, people. It's everywhere I look around... especially on this campus. There's a saying that girls come to our school to get their MRS Degree. It's certainly happening in our class. Rome, Junior and Senior year are the times when people get engaged the most. Groundhog and Graduation are usually the times when drunken professions of secret loves happen. I've got my camera ready for this year. Well, back to Immunology homework. TTFN

Ally

Geometries Just Had Its Ass Kicked... and other Christmas things.

Class is over for the day, and I am proud to say that I dominated with my group today in Euc & Non-Euc Geometries. We were the only group to get the quiz done and correct. The teacher then had us parade around showing the class our model. It was a proud moment for me.. moving along...

Again, I am here with the Christmas music on. I am so excited to go home soon... in two weeks, I believe. The girls from my high school who go to school here with me were talking about going shopping back home and I was SO jealous. There's a shopping center back home that gets very festive for the holidays and I cannot wait to see it. I love driving through the street with the lights and giant ribbons and humongous ornaments... here, have a look for yourself:

The cutest part is that they put ribbons around the stores.
The stores are like ginormous presents. Awesome!

This just makes me so homesick, I can't stand it.

Would you just LOOK at that beautiful bow?
Our city just knows how to throw a lovely Christmas...

Isn't that the most beautiful thing you've ever seen? Gosh, I can't wait to be home for the holidays. Speaking of home, I'm compelled to ask about the home lives of the Peanuts gang. I'm currently listening to the song 'Christmastime Is Here' from A Charlie Brown Christmas, and it occurred to me to ask... WHERE ARE THEIR PARENTS?! My concern for these children began a long time ago in Corpus Christi, TX while in town for either a funeral or a family reunion. Mommy and I were holed up in a hotel room waiting for whatever festivities to begin, and we were watching "Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown (and Don't Come Back!!)". This film revolves around the Peanuts gang traveling to London, England. Their one chaperone is Snoopy... a beagle. I remember asking Mommy, "WHERE ARE THEIR PARENTS??" I, for one, am appalled at the irresponsibility of the parents of the Peanuts gang. How on earth did they allow for their children to take off to London with a dog as their only means of security? It doesn't help that the dog is entirely delusional as he constantly imagines fighting the Red Baron. This concern probably stems from Mommy's obsession with ABC's 20/20... many missing teenagers and murder mysteries have made me quite cautious. Snoopy's just lucky Chris Hansen never questioned his motives for taking a group of children to London.

Why don't you have a seat, Snoopy?

Moving along...

There are many things happening before Christmas can get kicked off right. Here's hoping I have enough energy to plow through these next few weeks. Well, time to take a nap. I did not get enough sleep this Thanksgiving. I should've eaten turkey like a normal person, get the tryptophan necessary for a nice long post-thanksgiving nap/food coma. Talk to y'all later!

Ally

Christmastime is here, happiness and cheer...

Thanksgiving is over, everyone. That can only mean CHRISTMAS TIME IS HERE!

As I type, I have my Christmas playlist on. It is now acceptable to play Christmas music. I have all the greats:

All I Want For Christmas Is You - Mariah Carey
Auld Lang Syne - Dave Francis & Mairi Campbell
Carol of the Bells - The Bird and the Bee
Christmas Tree - Lady Gaga
Christmastime is Here - Vince Guaraldi Trio (Charlie Brown Christmas)
O Holy Night - Green River Ordinance
Last Christmas - WHAM!

I could go on and on...

I hope everyone out there had a most wonderful Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a great holiday because you get to spend time with your family and eat gratuitously and not feel horrible about yourself. You'd think you gain plenty of weight with all that eating, however according to The New England Journal of Medicine, the average American gains ONE POUND between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I say that's fair. It must be all the mall walking and shopping that burns all those calories and sheds the weight. I was a little surprised because I always feel like I've gained at most a Backstreet Boy in weight during that time. That is probably the reason people love the holidays... the food. I must agree.

I am a little disappointed that I will not be traveling to Mexico this year. That's where the most damage is done. SO MUCH FOOD EVERYWHERE!!! We wake up to food, stay at the table and wait for more food to arrive, perhaps go out and get more food, come back to more food, eat food in the evening, and then perhaps sneak some leftovers at around 1am while watching a movie in the kitchen. It's probably the most unhealthy tradition known to man, but by GOD is it delicious! Aside from the plentiful food, there is a disgusting amount of Coke and cerveza consumed during that week... aside from other alcoholic beverages.

I mean, just look at the size of that bottle.
I disgust myself sometimes.

The rest of this post will be dedicated to reflection and nostalgia. I feel as though I owe it to my family since I won't get to see them this year.

We usually travel to Mexico to visit Mommy's family in the MOTHERLAND, but this year it's just too dangerous. It's always a great feeling, though. I love the packing and the anticipation of getting on that plane. I love the plane because I get my own seat... you're probably thinking I'm an idiot, "Of course you get your own seat, silly!" No. I mean that the plane is situated like this:

[seat](isle)[seat][seat]

therefore, I get the lone seat in that 'row'. It's fantastic except for that damn snack tray destroying my elbow and waking me from my high-altitude slumber. The landing is exhilarating. We land at the airport surrounded by mountains, usually quite early in the morning, and the sight is lovely

...not to mention a little blurry.

We are greeted by my cousin who works at the airport and from there we move on to luggage claim and meet up with the rest of the family. That's the best part of all, seeing the faces you've waited 12 months to see. Nothing beats that feeling! Then, it's off to the house where we are greeted by more family:

'Sup, fools?

The moment we walk into that house, the festivities get underway. There's usually something being made in the kitchen by one of the best cooks ever, perhaps people are heading out the the mall and take me along, maybe music being played while people clean, but I can always count on something fun happening. Enough about that for now. How about a tour of our great city?

Our lovely Nativity scene all lit up... beautiful!

Mommy wait patiently in the car while my Tia
goes out and fetches some foodstuffs.

The mall we frequent is always quite busy this time of year.
That year, the mall was Sesame Street themed. Totally boss.

The Cerro de la Silla as viewed from where Erika wants to
open her night club on a mountain.

The longest love affair I've ever had is with Carl's Jr.
Best. Burgers. EVER.

Pery drives the old Suburban to...

...LETY to get some cookies and perhaps a cake for my birthday?

This is Mommy's favorite house in all the land.
It's pretty amazing.

Jason and Vaca are ready for Christmas for sure.

Fun with the children :)

Chios in her signature color. Looking good, prima!

The Lovebirds, pt I.

Chepis and my Tia.
Some good food is in the process of being made here.

Chios and my Tia

A younger me and my cousin Pery

The Lovebirds, again.

More dancing

Relaxing at about 2:00am

My cousins who are responsible for my musical tastes...
Thank you.

The debauchery has taken its toll.

The Lovebirds, pt II.

Those are some lovely memories. Well, 13 minutes 'till class starts. I'll talk with you all later! We will continue this post either this afternoon or tomorrow. I'm looking forward to sharing more Christmastime memories with y'all!

Ally