tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50353237540817364492024-09-04T04:34:42.564-07:00The Ramblings of a Latina Dukie Trojan Mama GeologistPGoBirenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068480874291721348noreply@blogger.comBlogger199125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035323754081736449.post-8397775826034408612013-12-13T06:24:00.000-08:002013-12-16T10:16:19.558-08:00

So we made it through my first week back at work.  It'll be interesting to see how we find a new balance in the next few weeks.   It is entirely possible, although not advisable, to carry a pump, bookbag, purse, 2 lunch boxes, 2 daycare bags, and a baby in her bucket seat while holding the Goober's hand down to the car in one trip.  The Goober turns into Miss Wiggly's

PGoBirenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068480874291721348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035323754081736449.post-91451335092626607942013-11-27T07:25:00.003-08:002013-11-27T07:25:39.422-08:00

Every year there is a small argument... is it Chrismakkah or Chanumas?  For obvious reasons, I lobby for Chrismakkah and some of my Jewish friends lobby for Chanumas.  This year for the first time (and not again for about 70,000 years according to our PJ Library newsletter) we have Thanksgivikkah!  Which means we can table the Chrismakkah/Chanumas until next year.  It also

PGoBirenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068480874291721348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035323754081736449.post-1733306370913631012013-11-19T08:58:00.002-08:002013-11-19T08:58:20.242-08:00

Two week left. I have two weeks (minus 1 day) left of my maternity leave.  I've already started getting the ducks in a row to take care of the wiggly wee, the goober, my hubhub, and myself while I head back to work.  I'd be lying if I didn't say I was nervous.  I am nervous and excited and hopeful.  I am also lucky.  I found a partner who does more with the kids and

PGoBirenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068480874291721348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035323754081736449.post-9487991275301306602013-11-08T07:56:00.000-08:002013-11-08T07:56:00.587-08:00

With a small one as little as our wee one, it's easy to feel trapped in the house to make sure that the feeding/changing/pumping occurs every two to three hours.  At first, I never ventured far from home so that I could get back home to take care of Miss Wee One.  Lately, I've been venturing farther and farther and for longer periods of time. I've been finding out which places do and do

PGoBirenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068480874291721348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035323754081736449.post-20129197728493295412013-11-04T07:48:00.001-08:002013-11-04T07:55:11.948-08:00

Fifteen Halloweens ago five women after weeks of hard work, sleepless nights, endless road trips, cases of diet soda, and the occasional ridicule from the conservative core on Duke's campus stepped out onto campus and proclaimed ourselves.  We were Kappa Chapter of Latinas Promoviendo Comunidad/Lambda Pi Chi Sorority Incorporated.  We were excited, energized, and a little cocky, but

PGoBirenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068480874291721348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035323754081736449.post-44635232526477775912013-10-31T08:00:00.000-07:002013-10-31T08:00:00.366-07:00

I understand the feeling of having the holidays sneak up on you. November kicks off a three-month whirlwind that includes my hubhub's, both parents', sister's, niece's, godmother's, father-in-law's, grandmother-in-law's, and my birthdays (along with some other family and friends' birthdays thrown in the mix). We have my parents' and my sister's anniversaries and, of course, Thanksgiving,

PGoBirenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068480874291721348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035323754081736449.post-71465994402137574592013-10-29T20:44:00.001-07:002013-10-29T20:44:22.804-07:00

The interesting thing about being a mixed household is deciding how we introduce religion to our children. I haven't always had the best relationship with the Catholic church and until the last few years I wasn't sure if I wanted to pass that down to the next generation.  Just after my confirmation I was pretty much rejected all things Catholic.  Interestingly enough, it was the two

PGoBirenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068480874291721348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035323754081736449.post-57265563456665069202013-10-23T20:05:00.001-07:002013-10-23T20:51:41.037-07:00

About a year ago we experienced the Watermelon Fiasco of 2012. It boggles the mind that that was a year ago. Since then I sort of fell off the face of the blogger universe. Recently, I thought to myself that it would be a good time to start up again, make some good use of what is left of my maternity leave.  Now that I've got the feeding/pumping/sleeping/cuddling/ocassional shower aspect

PGoBirenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068480874291721348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035323754081736449.post-9656296315207714132012-10-31T08:29:00.000-07:002012-10-31T08:29:15.395-07:00

Soooooooooooooooooooooo.  (Don't you just love it when a story starts with a long "So".) The goober was all packed, in costume, on route to the car for daycare and Halloween party.  As it is, I end up with a bunch of bags every morning I take him to daycare.  I have my purse, his diaper/clothes bag, my lunchbag, his lunchbag, and, of course, the goober himself.  Last night, I

PGoBirenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068480874291721348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035323754081736449.post-69979177668480756622012-10-27T13:32:00.000-07:002012-10-27T13:32:14.776-07:00

To which I answer, "why, yes, I have"... sort of. I had been studying for my State Geology Exam so, that sort of counts, right?  I finally took the exam (yay!) but don't find out the results for a few months (boo!) and now I have rejoined the land of the living. I'm trying to get my book situation back in order.  I'm trying to get back on my P90X. I'm trying to keep up at work.  

PGoBirenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068480874291721348noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035323754081736449.post-82672984586673402412012-08-29T07:00:00.000-07:002012-08-29T16:24:27.739-07:00

So I've finally loaded up a ton of photos on our family photo site http://pgobiren.shutterfly.com/! Keep in mind, that it is quite a feat to get a non-blurry photo of Flash Gordan!  Seriously, I'm lucky if most of him is in focus.  I hope you enjoy!  :)

PGoBirenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068480874291721348noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035323754081736449.post-6783116746202715022012-08-28T10:11:00.001-07:002012-08-28T10:11:42.368-07:00

So it has been two months... stinkers. Well, I do have a wee wiggly one who has decided that 5am is his new wake up time... Joy! Sadly, my running has not been progressing as I hoped it would. Fear not, hiccups and general failure have never stopped me before. There has simply been a readjustment of priorities and running has been put back on that list. So, I'm back... let see how it works

PGoBirenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068480874291721348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035323754081736449.post-4545684181907601482012-06-25T15:49:00.000-07:002012-06-25T15:49:06.405-07:00

HA!  To say that I'm a bit random would be not untrue :)  but how the running bug got stuck in my bonnet is actually an interesting story.  Sooooooooooo, here goes.... As many of you know, I am a geologist (supporting the "Pao is a bit random" theory).  So part of my seriously-super-cool-yo job is that I get to oversee when these big hulky guys bring these huge hulky drill

PGoBirenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068480874291721348noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035323754081736449.post-45673151271883301922012-06-24T21:55:00.002-07:002012-06-24T21:55:53.213-07:00

Running... I have a pretty standard love-hate relationship with running.  I've gotten hurt a number of times trying to run.  I sometimes get bored out of my mind while I'm running to the point that I had taken to listening to audiobooks on my ipod.  If I run, my brain just stalls out.  I'm not sure if this is a common thing but it seems to happen to me pretty consistently. &

PGoBirenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068480874291721348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035323754081736449.post-75594858233290981472012-06-12T22:29:00.000-07:002012-06-12T22:29:17.040-07:00

From: L.A. Kings Facebook Page  So after hours of watching and yelling at our TV and washing my Kings's shirts so that they could be worn during the playoff games, we got to jump up and down and up and down last night as we saw our Kings win the Stanley Cup.  OH YEAH! To think that we weren't even sure if we were going to get to see them in the playoffs at all.  But they won and

PGoBirenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068480874291721348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035323754081736449.post-77489416130313156542012-06-11T12:00:00.000-07:002012-06-12T22:39:47.139-07:00

I am an avid reader of the Flavorpill.  Every once in a while they send out some really cool lists of musics, books, movies to experience. Recently they sent me 30 Books to Read by 30.  The list was pretty cool and so I figure I would try to read them before I hit the big 3-4 :)   Here's the list as it stands now.  I've crossed out the ones that I've read, there are a

PGoBirenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068480874291721348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035323754081736449.post-88258404048845395412012-06-03T20:28:00.002-07:002012-06-03T20:28:42.487-07:00

No, No.  That hasn't happened to me yet, gravity is still at work keeping me grounded.  I'm just trying to work on the new juggle.  By now, you know me - if I don't have ten balls in the air I start to feel restless.  So what have I added to the mix - Softball.  Have I ever even played softball, you ask. Of course not, when has that ever stopped me in the past.  I'm

PGoBirenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068480874291721348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035323754081736449.post-24951466682312923612012-04-27T18:00:00.000-07:002012-04-27T18:00:03.841-07:00

I love heading to the gym for a quick workout.  That is the beauty of 24 Hour Fitness.  It is ACTUALLY open 24 hours a day.  My "go to" machine has always been the elliptical.  It super easy on my knees but I can get a good sweat going.  The ones at the new gym are super awesome because they have mini TVs on each one so I can watch whatever I want while I work out. &

PGoBirenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068480874291721348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035323754081736449.post-23588678151225051562012-04-27T12:30:00.000-07:002012-04-27T12:30:00.995-07:00

At the Whale of a Day Festival I love playing.  It's my favorite thing in the world, especially when you throw a 7 month old in the mix.  We try to get outside as much as possible.  We try to go to the beach, head to the cliffs, or trek to the park.  If it outside and green, we are there!

PGoBirenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068480874291721348noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035323754081736449.post-65348190066045608252012-04-27T08:17:00.003-07:002012-04-27T08:17:59.306-07:00

My two goobers on Earth Day! My little goober and my big goober.  These two guys are my motivation for getting in shape.  We love playing and running and just being active.  When I started this journey, I wasn't able to go all of the things that I wanted to do.  It's definitely getting better but the little goober is getting more active and more mobile.  That means

PGoBirenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068480874291721348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035323754081736449.post-79129247890344293572012-04-24T17:54:00.001-07:002012-04-24T17:54:41.033-07:00

I have got hydration down.  I have back up water bottles for my water bottles.  If there is one thing I can't stand, it is being thirsty.  Today, I treated myself and added half a packet of  Crystal Light to one of my water bottles.  It tastes too sweet to me if I follow the directions so I add 40 ounces of water to a packet instead of 20 ounces.  I used to use

PGoBirenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068480874291721348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035323754081736449.post-26323048632363943792012-04-23T07:33:00.000-07:002012-04-23T07:33:50.552-07:00

My Blog Journals are definitely an important part of the whole healthy lifestyle.  My main journal is what you are reading. I also use www.myfitnesspal.com and my FitBit to track my activity every day.  The best part of my FitBit is that it does all the work for me in terms of tracking.  Here's my FitBit readout from last night.  I can see exactly where my various

PGoBirenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068480874291721348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035323754081736449.post-60812002818764713482012-04-22T21:13:00.001-07:002012-04-22T21:13:48.301-07:00

Healthy snacks are easy for us on Sundays, particularly since we stock up on good fruits and veggies on Saturday at the Farmer's Market.  This week we stocked up on apples and oranges.  These are great for when you need a little sweetness but want to avoid the chocolate basket (just out of frame :) - out of sight/out of mind).  We like to keep snackables within reach so that I'm

PGoBirenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068480874291721348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035323754081736449.post-19416445393746059422012-04-21T15:28:00.001-07:002012-04-21T15:29:17.295-07:00

Traditional Office Space I thought it was funny that the Photo Challenge for a Saturday would be our office.  Luckily I looked ahead to the challenges to see what I would have to do next so I caught it. My Mobile Office Depending on the day my office is not always as office.  Yes, I have a traditional office where I have my files and pictures of the kiddo and family.  But

PGoBirenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068480874291721348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035323754081736449.post-55763681379413063492012-04-21T15:05:00.000-07:002012-04-21T15:05:06.717-07:00

Nyala Restaurant on Fairfax Friday nights are our date night.  Nana Birenbaum stays with the wiggly one while Papa and I head out for some non-baby time.  This Friday we went to Nyala's on Fairfax.  It's a great Ethiopian restaurant that I have been going for years!  What I love the best is how they serve the food.  You get both dishes on one huge plate to allow for

PGoBirenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068480874291721348noreply@blogger.com0