Ay Dios Mio

This morning the kids were up before the roosters. At the kids' NEW AND BETTER school, they are allowed to celebrate not only Mexican holidays, but the American ones as well. Today was half day, costume contests, barb-q, food, games and DISCO! We're super excited that the kids' get to experience this holiday WITHOUT the fear of going to hell for dressing up. LIttle One was Iron Man, and Moosecake was witch/evil fairy/demon/angry teenager.

The look of adolescence sure scares the hell outta me. WITHOUT the costume.

Please tell me this gets better. :P

Desperate Housewife?......Maybe.

That's it. Now I've done it. I have fallen captive to available American programming......all of it........

Woah. Don't judge me just yet... It's not like I'm watching The Situation n 'Jersey Shore'... fine, once. maybe twice. But I must say that there are some shows that overnight became really addicting, that I might not have ever watched in the States.

It's not like I'm against trashy American programs. There are plenty of purely retarded programs that I love. Like the Dog Whisperer...if i ever had to 'do' an older man, he better look like cesar milan. And That 70's Show... every night on Teen Nick starting at about 10p.m. Keeping Up With the Kardashians, Private Practice, The Doctors, n SCRUBS???? Don't forget my favorites, Desperate Housewives, every Sunday and Wednesday nights, and oooohhh... Cougar Town.... Who doesn't want to be hott and get good ass when you're like 50? The list goes on and on. I think I've even watched Oprah a few times.Whatever it takes to NOT have to watch shows in spanish. Why? Maybe it's my last attempt to cling to my roots, to resist the 'dark side', resonate with something. It's rare to find a program in spanish with the same retarded sense of humor that I so love. Or similar interests. After so long, I don't even bother looking.

However, sometimes pops up a show on the TV Guide that sounds interesting even in spanish. "DROGAS:NEGOCIO REDONDO" Well shit, I understand that! And while the program was completely in spanish, it was easy to understand. Part of a 4 part series, last night's episode was HEROIN. The terrorist trade. Filmed in Canada, there was a segment that really intrigued me. With an increasing number of deaths and disease to users, a clinic, called Insite, opened its doors to offer drug addicts a safe place to inject. With doctors and nurses supervising, drug users are given clean needles and whatever else and given areas to do the "deed", in addition to medical advice and the path to treatment.

Given that this opens the doors for many advocates against drugs and even programs that facilitate use (although it might be helpful), Canada's federal government has been challenging the clinic's right to provide "health services" to drug users. And while the Canadian Medical Journal and countless doctors have fully supported this clinic, it has remained a hot topic of debate, whether for drug prevention or well, voter support.

More on this here..... and here.....

What do you think? Should we support clinics like this and minimize the spreading of disease and overdose? Or do these facilities further increase drug use, making it easier and easier to get hooked?

Lucky Me

Lucky for me I've got great parents.... Grandparents who enjoy their grandchildren immensely (sometimes a little too much) and want to help out hubby and I in our careers. Kids cut out of school early in July and my parents treated us to a week in Disneyland and Yosemite National Park. Lucky me, I stayed for another week or so and then returned to Mejico... sola!

While Hubby and I travelled quite a bit...expo to expo.... working so very hard.... my parents made sure to keep the kiddos busy. Knowing how important it is in Mexico to know how to play futbol, especially if you're a 7 year old extranjero who hasn't a clue, they made sure that Little One spent some time in a soccer camp. And while it didn't exactly teach him to be a world soccer player in two weeks.... it did teach him the basics and now he can confidently join in at school. :)

Moosecake jumped in tenis to stay occupied. This little rockstar picked it up in a breeze!!!

Also on the list, cooking class!!!  While it appears as if the kids would learn to cook simple treats...my mother had other plans. Along with cooking stews, cupcakes and other treats, came knife safety and kitchen awareness.....something that BOTH kids lacked.

In between classes they played at home, went to the pool, visited Bodie, the alpaca farm, the Monterrey Aquarium, the beach, the old cars at Hot August Nights, horseback riding, time with my beautiful niece, and well.... seeing their family that they've missed so much.

posing already... just like her momma!!! :)

does anyone else see a problem with this?!?  oh wait, phewwww. Just root beer.

Thank you Grandma and Papa. You made this summer the best ever. Miss you and love you. See you soon. XOXO

Back in Action.....

Tap. Tap.

Testing...1....2.....

Geez. Wasn't sure if this thing still worked anymore. It's been ages since I last played with this thing.
I hope you didn't forget about me.

It's been about 3 weeks now... and it's almost daunting to jump back in the game and post what the hell I've been up to. I failed awhile ago during the Mexico City tattoo shows and the Guadalajara show.... and now the LONDON tattoo show, (which was unbelievably AMAZING) and the Barcelona tattoo show (equally as thrilling.)

July 2010  Mexico City Tattoo Convention : bad ass convention... stop by if you're in the area... it's an invite only tattoo expo, so if you don't put out.... good sh*t.... then don't

 Palacio Bellas Artes

 Fonzy y Chespi giving hairstyling tips in an interview downtown.

 Why she interviewed hubby WITH NO HAIR next, I haven't a clue. Must be his charm! ;)

 Stone found a stone that looks like him!

 Museo de Antropologia: this place was AMAZING...

 Party hard!!!

 California Girls!

 Tattoo Wars... Final Piece!

 Indio x Craneo.... both amazing pieces.... It was a DRAW!

 A gift for a good friend.

 My new wifey.... more pics from Paris coming soon!

Reno, Guadalajara, LA and Japan representing.

I love these tattoo expos. Not only are they great for work and exposure, but I get to hang out with LIKEMINDED people and have a good time. Old friends and new get together to do what they love to do and have a blast afterhours. This is MY time, a moment to break away from the daily grind in Mexico. These are the times that make this journey, well,  a little more fun ;)