Tomorrow...Here begins the end of the World

Maybe....well who knows really.

-------Skip this paragraph if you are tired of political opinion pieces-----------

But it is an end to the principles that this country was built to protect. Absolute power corrupts absolutely and as voting laws are changed to keep those who want to stay in power.....in power......as freedoms like the second amendment are stripped so the common man can't reclaim his rights under a tyrant...... as freedom of speech is done away with if it is a dissenting opinion ....you have to wonder where it all leads. A forced redistribution of wealth and a government who controls what used to be free trade....... With a nonexistant free press.....the Republic is dead. Will it all really be squashed so easily? There are already grumblings warning that this path will lead to a revolution....a civil war. I wish that some balance would occur to prevent such. Without balance, no matter what party or individual is in power......it is catastrophic for our way of life. So, politicians....suprise me. Be the men/women you promise to be. Don't make fools out of those people who trusted what you said and voted for you. At the very least, it will create the same situation we are in now.......but, with victory for the other side and no hope of bipartisanship.

On the lighter side of the political situation, the funniest conversation occured at a family dinner party. Of course, as is the trend for this hot election season, politics was the topic of choice. We agree on the presidential bid and were also debating initiatives. So, just as the conversation is winding down, my mom looks at the twins and asks....."Who are you voting for?" Knowing my boys, they don't talk much and their words are very much in a different sphere of interest. I expected to hear Tow Mater, McQueen, Dora, Wa Pets or Cow Cow. So, it was to the table's surprise when Sebastian smiles and says with a loud and confident boast,"CAIN! CAIN!" Everyone looks up in surprise and claps and smiles and Sebastian looks over at his brother with pride. Well, Ben looks at my mom with a thoughtful glance. He taps his finger to his chin. And proclaims," Obamama!" That brought on another roar of laughter. It is surprising how all of this political conferencing even made it into the minds of my toddlers. And how could Ben pick "Obamama". Ha, ha........Then I remembered.......the last two weeks we had visited with my wonderful (wonderfully liberal) friend Lauren and Ben had taken a liking to her. I thought that he was just after his buddy Marley's chicken while he sat on her lap.......now, I am pretty sure that by some kind of liberal osmosis......Ben was body snatched, ha ha. No more sitting on Lauren's lap buddies......it is just too dangerous. Okay....I am kidding.....but, thought it an amusing story anyway.

Okay, enough of the politics. On to the fun stuff. Daddy was a hit at work in his nerd costume and the boys had fun as Tigger and Pooh on Halloween. I dressed them up in the morning to play in their costumes for the day. We were leaving that night to make the drive up to the Bay Area after Michael got off from work. His cousin's son was getting christened in SF early Sat. morning and so we had to leave before the boys got to go trick or treating. Chocolate is still a no no with their lactose intolerance and so it is just as well anyway. I think at their age the fun of dressing up and playing all day was more exciting than going door to door. Plus, the grandparents made sure there was no shortage of marshmellow and gummy candies, not to mention videos and toys awaiting their arrival.

In the afternoon, Mike, Lauren and Marley stopped by which is the greatest Halloween gift that I could ask for. The boys and Marley played in the backyard and ate lunch together. Marley held his own with my two men who were obviously fiending after his chicken again. I tried to convince the family yet again to move next door and we joked about knocking down the fence and all the fun and parties we would enjoy. I will cross my fingers for this version of reality because there are few people, if any, I would rather have as my next door neighbors. So, we had a great visit and a noneventful drive up north that night. It was Mike and my 10 year dating anniversary as well.....so we missed our usual ritual of gory movies and pizza......but, I suppose I will get over it.

We had a good time seeing all of Michael's relatives at the baptism and then going to a beyond tastey Chinese restaurant for the reception. I think it was a 16 course meal and I gave up at about the 7th round. Sebastian held his own and probably made it through more courses than I did. Ben was all about the rice and soy sauce and of course had some noodles. They were doing fine at such a long dinner, but of course my husband is the ultimate poop. First he convinced his cousin that the hot mustard was honey mustard. Poor guy. Then he convinced the same cousin that the red pepper sauce was sweet. Then he took a whole crab shell and made it chase and pretend attack Ben at the table scaring him to death. So, the boys were well behaved, but Daddy left a bit to be desired. Well, I suppose Ben did start using the chopsticks as drumsticks....but that was after his daddy showed him how. And Seb was using the tip of chopsticks to stick into different entree sauces for taste tests. You can't take us anywhere, hehe! All joking aside, the boys were received very well by the family. In the past, we have had some problems with Filipino culture as it relates to our family situation. Most every person came over to say hello and reacquaint themselves with the twins. Every passerby stopped with an encouraging,"Guapo, Guapo."

We also got a chance to visit with my parents later that evening. It was nice to spend time with both sides of our family. Hence, the picture of the crazy woman with the boys is my mom who people say that I look a lot like. That picture is so a me thing to do. I love my mom.

The favorite song is still "Old McDonald" in which they love to make the animal sounds. This has been great for them as they will now answer with the sound if I ask them....."What does the duck say"....."Quack, quack" and they have expanded to horses and sheep and well, they are convinced that the farmer has a snake, which is their favorite. And, for halloween of course, the farmer had a "gos ---boo" and a "weesh ----hehehe". But, who cares, if I had a farm......I would probably have a ghost and witch too. Actually, my last condo was full to the brim with ghosts. Not by choice of course. The boys already loved taking baths and to make that addiction even stronger, I bought them some bubble bath. Why would I do such a thing to myself? I am dragging them out after an hour and Ben still chases me around wanting to inspect each of his "ra-sin" fingers. The boys also love their Imagination Movers CD. Sometimes they want it on so that we can dance and jump. Other times they are tired of my singing voice at night. I will sit down as I usually do and they will put the "no hand" up and say, "no, no, no". This means that they want to listen to their music and want me to kiss them and say goodnight to leave them to whisper their secrets and listen to music as a brotherly duo. Luckily this rarely happens as I love the time we spend together before bed.....or maybe I like a captive audience when I sing nursery rhymes and reminisce about my teaching days, hehe.