If I Only Had a Brain......

This idiot typed in the wrong address for the delivery of her new running shoes. Now I have to leave a note for these strangers telling them I need my tennies. Here is some other evidence of my brainlessness: I did the same thing with a pay check once, I recently lost my keys in the parking garage, I had to charge the battery in my car last week because a light was left on....Do I have Alzheimer's? I can't use baby brain as an excuse any more. The saddest part is that Larry does not even flinch.
Wish me luck on my spy mission to get my new kicks in the morning. :0
Love love love- Kelly

Pink wigs and Fantasy football on MAJURO

OH MY IT'S BEEN TOOOO LONG. I apologize for my short disappearance, life has been crazy getting settled here in Majuro. (And I think I still get confused on how to post on this thing.. lets hope it works). Firstly, I'd like to say HELLL YEAAAA to my BUFFALO BILLS!!! I was soo excited when I saw that we beat the Pats! I was posting pictures of Tom Brady crying on all the walls of my friends from Mass. Awesomeness. Keep it up boys.
Congrats to Elise for growing the courage to leave Linnie. I'm so happy for you. Seems like you've got a lot goin for you (wheatgrass and all). Keep Rockin SIS.
SO much has been happening here in Majuro - school is amazing and I'm ecstatic to have Provan back. Things are really looking up for this year and I'm excited to get everything rolling. I'll be sporting a Scooter around majuro pretty soon and hopefully getting my own paddle board so prov and I can take long paddles is the lagoon. Both new vehicles a great bonus for being on salary this year! Also Provan is planning a Christmas trip for us to Pohnpei and Kosrae, Micronesia to visit friends and surf and hike....so stoked.... does santa go to Micronesia? And also in the Spring I'm potentially going to Australia with Provan for a friend's wedding (getting the ball rolling with this meeting friends and family thing... haha). Lots of fun plans in action. :)
But the big question is What am I going to be for Halloween??? All I know is that a long pink wig will be arriving for me via US Postage next week. I'm taking suggestions for what to do with it.......
Miss you all very very much.

Love
Val "Pretty in Pink" Lazickas

Let's Go Buffalo!

SO, today I found myself longing for a crisp breeze, a light jacket, and a romp in some freshly raked leaves... BUT I'm here, in the drought. No rain in sight. I think the weathermen have just given up sounding hopeful and are hiding their extra dry faces in shame. It's pretty entertaining that Texans act like 95 degrees in reasonably temperate and 70 degrees is just plain freezing. (meanwhile, a good Buffalonian knows that 70 degrees is precisely the right temp to bring out the Willy waterbug (remember??! awwww...) sprinkler and open the pool. Jeesh. I guess you do what you know. Here's what I will love most about living in Buffalo:

• My family...(insert collective awwws)
• Good pizza..and that's no joke
• Enjoying the seasons and relearning to ski (eeek!!!?)
• Bonding time with Elise
• Going back to church with the Mom
• Christmas with the kids at home
• A million things I miss annually with friends..examples: Mustache Pageant,Poconos Trip,Caroling Party
• Driving in the snow (not so much)
• Sabres..and knowing people who have the tickets. Brian Chamberlain...I'm coming for you.

I know there's a zillion more things but it's 2:12 am and my brain doesn't function that well in the middle of the night. If you want to get in the Buffalo mood, check out Natalieeatsbuffalo.com . Think: cute Clarence girl writes food reviews and such. She's also Mike Kreher's cousin, and he was my friend in H.S (Yes, the egg guy). Anyhow, have a fabulous weekend, Y'all, and pray for some rain down here. xoxo Kelly

An old door has closed, so I can go find another FINE HANDCRAFTED DOUBLE DOOR to open.

So, today I start my new Part time job at O3....a raw juicebar and bistro on elmwood Ave. CHeck it!
http://www.buffalorising.com/2011/06/o3-an-oasis-for-organic-food-lovers.html

If any of you girls don't already know...I mutually left my old job at New Buffalo Shirt because of many reasons....

First off, I felt that I had absorbed everything from the job possible, I just was not learning from the job anymore. I was working as the owner's wife's assistant,for years now, and when I approached the company to ask about joining their art department, they told me it was a closed door in their art department, and it wouldn't be opening for me. This made me very sad, and I felt mislead completly by the company. Apparently, they only saw me as an assistant, or a manufacturing manager(blah).

As much as I love the women ( infamous Linnie) I had been working for, I couldn't believe she had told me this; for she is also an artist, so I felt she understood my intentions with New Buffalo. Apparently NOT. After discussing this all with both the owners( Linnie and her husband) I decided to get a new job while I finish school. I left with the future thought of coming back to the company when I can dedicate myself full-time to them. They told me that they would love me back, just not as a student. Who knows if this is true or just an easy way for them to get me to leave. Whatever.

I think I've learned a lot about myself from working at New Buffalo. I learned that my goal in my career is to work for a Music Merchandise Company, because in this field I can fulfill my artistic needs through business in music. Both of my passions mingling together.  New Buffalo manufactured T-shirts FOR merchandise companies(Live Nation, Redstarr, ect) and after working for them I made a few key connections with owners of these companies, and discovered THAT is what I want to do. Or possibly even owning my own merchandise company! I have put a lot of thought into my own Merch company. I have named it "Gallery Rags" and I am currently getting rights to a band's name to do a limited edition T-shirt run for them(I am getting the shirts printed at New Buffalo) I recently met with the Merchandiser for pearl jam, and she gave me some awesome advice and direction for Gallery Rags.  Gallery Rags really deserves its own post, so I'll be writing a Gallery Rags post soon enough.

Anyways- I think that door has closed so I can go find another FINE HANDCRAFTED DOUBLE DOOR to open. haha :)

Hey, atleast with this job I can be all healthy and drink organic wheatgrass and stuff...mom- I'll finally be getting all those vitamins and minerals I have been depriving myself of. YAY! Gotta go make juice now. PEACE LADIES.  Love you.

Yours Truly,
Elise

I'm proud to be a Buffalonian today. The Bills looked amazing. It must be the new uniforms. I almost didn't recognize them. The sad thing is--I didn't win any money on my football pools. It was a great day anyways. Woke up at Chatauqua Lake-went to a touching Mass in a cute little church in Bemus Point, Eggs Benedict paid for by friends, Bills won, killed weeds on my patio, motorcycle ride with my honey and New York style pizza at Gianni's Mazias. God is shining on me today. Love, Mom

By Mary Lazickas on Sunday, Sunday on 9/11/11

Sunday, Sunday

Hi Everyone!  I really liked talking to Brit this AM on facebook. Kris and I are going to send your a care package! Yay! Now where is that Valerie?
Oh yeah, and Elise and Mom?
So, today we met Kris and Kayla at the playground. In the middle of this HUGE fort-like playground is a tiny sandbox. All of the kids spent most of their time digging and rolling around in this sandbox...it actually should be called an ash pit. They were so filthy. They looked like they had come out of a war zone. Wish I had a pic to post of the mess:).
If you are wondering, my face has mostly recovered from the waxing incident.
Love to everyone!!! Kelly

Getting adjusted

Hello all,

Today is a gross rainy day in Germany! I have done pretty much nothing all day. I feel extremely lazy! I just got back from the gas station across the street. I went over to buy beer because tonight I am going to a friends house to watch the Bills game! I am beyond excited that they get the channel and we are able to watch it! I am all decked out in my Bills gear.

This week was busy with intro seminars and getting to know a lot of new people. I haven't met anyone who will be in my classes because they don't have to come to intro seminars. Classes start tomorrow but I don't have Monday classes yet so I start Tuesday. I am ready to start!

I was talking to Kelly this morning and I was telling her that I miss being able to have snacks! They don't really have chips and snack type foods here. I miss it because the big meal here is lunch and I will eat lunch but then I get hungry before dinner! ha. She suggested I make a wish list of what I miss so here it goes: Goldfish, cheetos, cheez-its, swedish fish, chips ahoy cookies, hersey bars ( I know that they make fantastic chocolate over here but I still love my hersey chocolate!), animal crackers, fritos. Just stupid junk food is what I miss. I think mostly because I miss home and get upset sometimes and I like to snack when that happens and I don't have anything to snack on!

Everyone has to go look at my facebook pictures from this week. I will post a few on here but want you to see all of them!

Hope to talk to you all soon!

Love,

Brittany

p.s.- here is my address
Brittany Lazickas
Linzer Str. 19 B Apt. 14
International University of Applied Sciences- Bad Honnef
53604 Bad Honnef, Germany

 
                                             Cathedral

                                                      Beethoven Festival

Oh, here's Kayla too....

Thanks to Kel....

Well, thanks to kelly I am now part of the blog!! Yay!  Now I can post weird comments and thoughts about being a teacher in 2011...boohoo:)  Not the best occupation to have in this economy!  Why is it that education is attacked and their budgets are cut?  Which then results in my job being on the line!  It frustrates me...doesn't anyone care about the education of the next generation??  I DO! 
Although...I don't have much to complain about this year at Georgetown ISD.  17 kids in my 1st grade class and they are all awesome!!  Lots of parent involvement = haven't had to cut out any construction paper yet:) 
Talk to you all soon:)
Love, Kris

P.S.: if you forgot what I looked like all the way over here in Texas, here is a picture of me with some Mrs. Potato head accessories!!

Facial Waxing Update....

Ummm...I seem to be breaking out over my lip, people. NOT attractive. I think this may have been a mistake. I retract my recommendation. However, I do think everyone should play Words with Friends with me on Facebook. :)
Love love love-Kelly

YAY

Brit and I have accomplished the impossible. We can now check in to our own gmail accounts in order to post on the Mom and Chics blog! Very exciting news. My computer was all confused b/c we were all signing in from different locations, it was not happy with me. YAYYYY love from the Marshalls! Iakwe Eok, val
p.s. I find out today if my suitcase made it from Honolulu!

DAMN CIRCADIAN RYTHYMS

Iakwe Aolep :)
WHelp, I have arrived to Majuro in one piece. And I say one piece but I do not mean in the least bit "normal". I have never felt so jetlagged.

If you look up the definition on "jet lag" on the world wide web you will come across the following breakdown of classic symptoms.
1) FATIGUE AND DISORIENTATION
I can honestly say that my first night in Majuro was exactly this. Provan and I went to dinner an Won Hei Shen and met up with friends. But as the night went on I felt like I turned into a crazy person - felt intoxicated, had trouble forming words correctly, almost fell off my chair at one point. Though all I imbibed was 2 waters and an orange Fanta. (Yes, we have Fanta) VERY STRANGE

2)INTERRUPTED SLEEP
I know the Marshall Islands is not known for their lush sleeping arrangements, but compared to most people's houses, Provan's place is the Holiday Inn. I should be sleeping beautifully. Not the case. However not anything a good few Tylenol PMs can't fix. Slept from 5 am to 3 pm today :)

3) CONFUSION AND FUZZINESS
Forgot to double check in Honolulu that my suitcase was going to be put on my plane. I assumed Continental had everything figured out. My luggage should have been checked all the way through... should have. Must survive until Sunday with a pair of jeans and 2 tshirts in this 90 degree heat - damn u continental.

other symptoms include....
4)GETTING UPTIGHT - apparently "losing it is another symptom reported by flight crews".. only when you forget my luggage people, only when you forget my luggage.
5)DEHYDRATION -"irritated nostrils and headache" .... my nostrils only irritated b/c of the woman with the smelly breath you sat me next to.
6)SWOLLEN LIMBS ? wat>??? have me arms and legs gotten bigger?

Glad to say that today I am feeling much better ... and enjoying being back in paradise. This weekend is Dri-Jerbal MArshallese holiday (Labor Day) and the Billfish Club hosts the All-Micronesia Fishing Tournament. Should be fun seeing everyone again. On Monday I sign my contract with Marshall Islands High School to teach Biology. School has already started so I expect to be thrown right in. Haha lets just hope my suitcase comes by then. I can't teach 18 year old boys in bejeweled jeans can I?