Memory Tag

This sounds like an interesting game. I think I´ll try it and see how it works. 1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember! 2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you.

Post Office

Ok, so must I say overseas customs and post office requirements are ridiculous! Ok, so my family sent me a package. Cool, huh?!?! Certified and everything. Got there great. Thanks! I told them to put my mother-in-law´s name on the package because her address is more reliable. Well, lo and behold its not as simple as just going to the post office and picking up the package. 1. We got there and had to make copies of her id card. 2. Wait for about 30 minutes until they call your name. 3. They had to know how "Brian Taylor" was related to my mother-in-law. Luckily, I was with her and could clear that one up. He´s my brother and she´s my mother-in-law. 4. Here´s the kicker. My mother-in-law´s id card had expired...4 months ago! She didn´t realize it expired because she used it for everything else. So, what did we have to do? 5. Go to the National Bank of Peru...pay a fee 6. Take photos (passport size) 7. Wait for them to be developed 8. Go to Reneic (the legalization gov´t place) to start the process of a new id card 9. Go back to the post office before 12:30pm 10. Then, my mom sent some vitamins that I had asked for...one problem...there they consider it medicine. So send medicine over seas you have to have a prescription in the box or in your hand. 11. Well, after she signed what seemed to be 20 papers and explaining the entire reason and what the situation was they finally gave it to her. 12. The guy in the post office said that the next time you send something overseas through certified mail...when it asks for a description of what´s inside...just put "presents". Otherwise there´s a heck of a lot of problems. Anyways, I´m very very grateful for the package. Now, we know the entire process and whats best and whats worse. It was kinda a crazy round about but in the end everything turned out fine!

Torta de Galletas

Ok, so my sister-in-law came over last week...she´s 13...and taught me an incredibly yummy and simple dessert. It one of the easiest things ever. We had to put a limit on ourselves as to how much to eat. The first time I ate it I ate a TON and later had a tummy ache...so now I´ve learn...all good things in moderation! So here´s how you make it. Make up Vanilla Pudding Make up Chocolate Pudding Buy Vanilla wafers or cookies...whatever is more available (in Peru its vanilla crackers) Then put a chocolate layer of pudding on the bottom Then a layer of cookies Layer of vanilla pudding Layer of cookies Layer of chocolate Layer of cookies ...continue this process until there´s no more pudding Top with crushed vanilla cookies and refrigerate That´s it! I know way too simple...but its SOOOOOOO GOOOD! We enjoyed it. Hope you enjoy!

So, what do you put in a blog?

Ok, so this question has gone through my head sooooooo much. I have a blog and I don´t even write in it. How lame is that? (Don´t answer that.) Well, honestly there really isn´t anything all that interesting happening. I am proud of myself though. Lately, I´ve been REALLY tired. I mean REALLY tired...so I haven´t been up to much housecleaning. I´ve done minimum housecleaning for a while. You know, dishes and sweeping, and putting stuff away. Well, today I swept and mopped all the floors, super cleaned the kitchen, AND super cleaned the bathroom. Christian just might be surprised/or notice when he gets home. I asked Amy one day what I should put in these blogs...she just said ordinary stuff. Sometimes I see all these blogs with kids in all the pics that I just don´t know what to put. So, as far as ordinary stuff goes...its kinda like this. Yesterday, was National Strike day in Peru. Something about the mines and the money it produces here. Crazy stuff, huh? Its insane how often there are strike...basically when this happens NOBODY works unless its in a calm area and you can walk there. Transport is completely down and its kinda like a holiday...at home...within walking distance. So, yesterday was kinda weird. We woke up to sirens just to look out the window and see a teenager running as fast as he could and the police right behind him. Well, the police started knocking the crap out of him and some of the neighbors started yelling at the police for them to stop. I guess I´ve gotten kinda used to it...but its definately not something I´ve seen in the U.S.A. The rest of the day was beautiful. The sun was out and we just kinda hung out. I think I know why Peru is considered a 3rd world country. Well, for one there´s always some sort of strike. This year alone there´s been at least 6. Nobody studies, works, or anything. And they don´t have things like "bad weather days" where they make up the days. So, if nobody is working and everybody´s always mad at each other its kinda hard to progress. But, there´s nothing really all that dangerous or unpleasant unless you go to the center of the problem. We just stay away from it. So that´s probably the news in Peru. How´s that for a new blog. Hope it puts me back into the blogging world.

Photos?

So, I´m sure you are all waiting for photos. Well, so am I. Don´t worry I have taken photos of our various activities. However the usb port isn´t functioning. Meaning that downloading photos from the camera to the computer is a bit difficult. We have two options, call a technicion or buy another computer. So, until then it´ll have to be online pics, old photos, and just plain words until its fixed. Sorry.

That Darn Cold

Well, I have to admit, I´m not at the top of my game. I´ve had a pretty nasty cold for the last couple of days. It hasn´t been fun. I´ve gone from a lil scratchy voice to no voice at all to congestion to headaches to sleepiness to sneezing to basically all the cold symptoms you can imagine. But don´t you worry I´m working on getting myself better. Let me just enlighten yall to medicine.

This is the traditional medicine that we all know.

This is the typical medicine that we take. But I´ve been taking other stuff...for migraines and now for the cold symptoms. Its called homeomedic. Its basically little dissolvable balls that are elements in the periodic table of elements that help train your body to overcome the problem on its own. There is a delicate balance and it helps.

So, look it up. Its actually quite interesting. They´ve been using stuff like this in the eastern world (Asia) for centuries. The Western Hemisphere is just a lil behind on medicine.

The New Look

Well, its finally happened. I cut my hair...and it turned out cute. Photos yet to come...don´t you worry. Ok, so I have to admit I was really nervous. The thing is my mother in law told me to go to a specific salon, because they apparently do really good haircuts. BUT, the last time I went there I was butchered. I mean literally butchered. It was too short to do anything and then Christian (my husband) had to help me fix it. What a nightmare! So, several months later I´m going to the same stylist. You´d think I had learned my lesson. I was set on how I wanted it cut...until Lucy (my sister in law) and I started looking at magazines. Well, I found one I liked. So, it about 5-8 minutes I was done. It wasn´t exactly like the pic...it was better. She cut it more or less the same style...just adjusted it to my type of hair. The thing I did like is that she asked me before she started snipping. So, now I´ve got a new hair cut. AND, might I add its very managable. I only have to form or blow dry the front 2 strands (I´ve got some major wave there) and then everything else air dries right where it should be. The other part of the "new look" is that I have lost weight. I doubt any of you have seen me this weight since 8-9th grade. It not too extreme, however...I have gotta eat more and do some weight training. For so many years I had tried not to gain weight but stay healthy and here in Peru I don´t have to do anything and I lose/maintain my weight and eat healthier than any other time in my life. Crazy, huh? So, what was that quote...oh thats right...The only thing constant is change.