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Friday, December 26, 2008

Merry Christmas To All

Christmas morning.

Look what Santa dropped off at grandma's house.

Cookie day.


This season seemed to fly by for us this year (maybe it was the trip to NYC), but the memories are many. The girls loved all the festivities leading up to the big day. From the lights with friends to the cookies with family, they enjoyed it all. Emma seemed to have more fun this year, considering she was only 9 months last year. She really got into the present opening, which was always followed by squeals of delight. It was indeed a merry Christmas!



Tuesday, December 23, 2008

50 Things About Me, Part 2

26. I love America's Funniest Home Videos....people falling makes me laugh till I cry.
27. I don't mind the skunk smell.....I think it smells like coffee.
28. I met my hubby when I was 13.
29. I am double jointed.
30. I danced in The California Ballet's Nutcracker when I was 11 and 12, and I loved it.
31. I used to bite my fingernails (and still bite just my thumbs).
32. I have never had one cavity.
33. I have never colored my hair.
34. I have been fired twice.
35. I am not a jewelry person, I want to be, but it always bothers me.
36. I love purses, a girl can never have too many.
37. I would wear flip flops everyday....damn this cold weather.
38. I love having a fire burning in the fireplace.
39. I don't get "brain freeze", never have.
40. I think McD's coffee is better than Starbucks.
41. I will know the lyrics of a song after hearing it once.
42. I don't like public speaking, but if forced......I can rock it.
43. I have recently come to enjoy bell peppers......used to hate them.
44. I cleaned houses for money in high school.
45. I used to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel, and still enjoy the reruns.
46. I hate clutter.
47. I love to look at model homes.
48. I made all my babies sleep in their own room at 3 weeks.
49. I love the "Shazam" app on the iPhone.
50. I hate having a dirty car, makes me crazy.

Monday, December 15, 2008

New York, New York

Atop the Empire State building.....so very cold.


All of us in front of Lady Liberty.


A Rainy day at Battery Park......still a pretty picture.




A cold day at Central Park.

Another Central Park bridge.



Here are a few from our trip to NY. It was absolutely fabulous, I had sooo much fun. Some of my favorites were Central Park (I could have taken 200 pictures there alone). We went to Serendipity (from the movie) on our last night there, it was awesome. Little Italy was another highlight, with some of the best restaurants, bakeries and coffee shops. We saw the Radio City Rockettes, and walked all night in the freezing rain. Rode the subway, hailed cabs, got honked and yelled at, It was wonderful. It indeed is a city that never sleeps. Hundreds of people in the streets at 2 and 3 in the morning. I am exhausted, have 5 blisters total, but would go back tomorrow.
PS. We did see the "Mac Guy" in the subway and I managed to offend him by screaming out..."hey that's the Dell guy!" Priceless.
All pictures are posted on my Facebook, if interested.

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Fun in the Leaves




Enjoying the few fall leaves that we have here. Emma wanted nothing to do with such nonsense, which resulted in a tantrum, followed by a nap. Maybe next year for her!


Thursday, December 4, 2008

50 Things About Me, Part I

  1. I have been married for 11 years, but with him for 17.
  2. I was born in Canada.
  3. I have 2 tattoos, but have gotten 4 (figure that one out).
  4. I have no living biological siblings.
  5. I can play the guitar.
  6. I want to learn to play the piano.
  7. I want a degree in photography.
  8. I start school next month.
  9. I am a complete and total neat freak.
  10. I wish I was more organized.
  11. I want to swim with dolphins.
  12. I love Disneyland probably as much as my girls (and miss not having passes right now).
  13. I want another tattoo.
  14. I want to lose 20 pounds.
  15. I used to be a dog groomer.
  16. I am a great friend.
  17. I am sorta good at electronic stuff.
  18. I can't sleep on my tummy anymore, it makes my back hurt (how old am I).
  19. I love music. All types.....even rap.
  20. I want a tummy tuck (I have asked Santa).
  21. I want another black pug....someday.
  22. I am still in love with my hubby.
  23. I think about adopting a little black boy.
  24. I think mean people suck.
  25. My hubby and I were youth leaders for 3 years, hardest job ever.

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Cruising Mexico

Chillin in the pool....Emma feeling better here.

Drinks in Zihuantenjo.

Water slide on the ship.

Zihuantenejo fishing boats.


Our cruise was tons of fun. We all boarded the ship with some type of illness. Julianna a cough, Victoria and Emma a fever, Matthew a "tickle" in his throat. So when Emma puked at 2am the first night, I chalked it up to a bug. The puking, accompanied by a fever, continued off and on for a few days when suddenly (after catching her puke in a napkin at breakfast) I thought..."um, maybe she's seasick?" we were given some kids Dramamine (by a very nice guy at the table next to us), and she was better within an hour. Well, at least we think she was better. The Dramamine pretty much put her in a coma. I felt like a horrible mother, letting her suffer all week just thinking that she had the flu. Lesson learned......don't forget the Dramamine! Despite all the obstacles it really was lots of fun, the girls had a blast with all the kids activities, and mommy actually got to sit and read 2 whole books. It is always good to be home and on land though. Every now and then I still feel the boat sway beneath me!

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Photo Shoot








Julianna has been signed (whatever that means) with a modeling agency. They asked me for some more pictures, and mommy had lots of fun!


Sunday, November 9, 2008

Paci Love

Two is much better than one.

Emma loves her paci's. What is better than one paci? Two! Yes she is cute, even with the drool. Yes she needs a bang trim.

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Happy Halloween

Can you guess which pumpkin is Emma's?

"Monster" cheerleader and a pirate.

Butterfly princess.


We started with a practice run at our neighbor's house and down to see grandma and grandpa (our street is lame for trick-or-treating), then we were off to the Scotts for a party and real trick-or-treating. The kids got more full size candy bars than last year, which thrilled them, of course!



Wet Day

She was shivering while eating her dippin dots.

She looked like ET.

The first time around was ok, the second time.....she was done!


In my many adventures of going to Magic Mtn as a teeanger, it was always hot....even in November. Our plans were to spend all day Sat, spend the night in a nearby campground and then drive home Sunday afternoon. Instead, it POURED. It THUNDERED. It POURED some more. We were so unprepared in our shorts and flip flops. We never rode a single ride, except for Thomas the Train! By 4:00 we were freezing, the rides were still not running and we were done. We were told that we could get a refund online...yeah!




Saturday, October 25, 2008

Pug Pug


Pug Pug is what the girls called her, and she would answer to it. She was a lover, that wanted nothing more that to cuddle on someone's lap. She loved running down the street, racing the girls, and winning everytime. She would sit ready at the garage door when it was time to take Victoria to school.....she loved car rides.
Stella was stung by a bee yesterday afternoon, and immediately started showing signs of trauma. Vomiting, seizures, labored breathing and finally collapsing. I rushed her to the vet, I was told that she could be fine, and also told the worst case scenario. But who really thinks that your dog could die from a bee sting?! I sure didn't. I left her there, thinking I would be back to get her in a few hours. That wasn't the case. It was anaphylactic shock, and she was highly allergic...her body could not recover. We did things that I told myself we would never do to save a dog. But she was Stella, she was only a year old, and we loved her. I am not sure what hurts more, her being gone or spending so much money for nothing. I have never lost a dog, and I certainly never expected to be such a wreck about it. When I am not crying it's because there are no more tears. I tell myself I need to get it together. I picture her sitting on the lovesac waiting for me to join her, or seeing her wag that curly little tail in hopes that I will pick her up. Life will not be the same for a long while.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

New Pictures

Emma had enough of family pictures here...she went off by herself.




Sandy Toes.
I asked my friend Jaime to take some pictures of us, and they turned out great.
Here are just a few.





Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Please!

Don't let that sad face fool you.
The final stage....her bottle.

Here are a few shots that captured our evening with Emma. Now let me preface this story by saying we are parents that pride ourselves in being consistent with our kids. It all began at dinner when Emma decided that she did not like what was being served to her, and once Emma is in a foul mood, it is best to just let her be. Instead, we tried to give her something that she liked and asked her to say "please" (which is commonplace, and she says 100 times a day). We should have known better than to mess with the grumpy Emma, because she refused to say "please". She simply sat in her highchair and would not do it. So, after 30 minutes, we got her down and tried our darndest to get her out of her funk before asking for the word "please" again. But the mood was here to stay and she just wandered around crying. (Let me point out that she was in no way starving. This is the child that eats all day, and 5 minutes before she was served her dinner she had just eaten a bowl of raisins and goldfish). We were stumped as parents. Never have we had a child test us like this. Her screaming gets worse, something that is cured with a one minute sit in timeout......and at the same time we think, ooohhh, this will work. She will want to get out of timeout and we can ask her to say "please" then for sure. We are so smart. Nope. No "please" for this either. And believe me, we were trying hard to talk her into it. So, next up in our bag of tricks....her bottle. She loves her bottles, and will do anything for one. Ha, not tonight! We actually give her the bottle, but tell her she can't drink it until she says that magic word. Meanwhile she just sits there, not too many tears, just stubbornness in her eyes. She does manage to say "all done" and "down" quite a few times, but never the word that we asked. At this point I am wondering how long she will hold on, and I am beginning to doubt myself as well. But it was a matter of principle, even at a young age consistency is so important. So after countless games of pool (timeout chair is in the game room), we venture to the other room, leaving her there alone. To sit. After 5 minutes I hear babbling, I peek around the corner, she smiles at me and says "please". There you have it. 2 hours later. We fought the good fight as parents, and won......I think. Although I might give it a few days before I ask her to say that word again.


Friday, October 17, 2008

Fun with Friends

All of us at Pt. Loma.

The kids (minus the 2 youngest).

The girls at the pier.

Our dear friends from Colorado were here visiting, and it was wonderful seeing them. Our kids have been friends since they were in our tummies (except for the 2 youngest), and Victoria loved seeing her friend Brennan again. They are still the best of friends, even though they live so far. When they first arrived, Brennan ran over to Victoria and they hugged each other, so precious! Meanwhile, Gabriel (who is Julianna's age) still only has eyes for Victoria...like he did as a baby. He spent the whole time following her around and calling her his "Princess Victoria."

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Goodbye Grandpa

He could always find a place for a nap.

Holding his first great-grandbaby.....Victoria.

Victoria and great grandpa....she is 1 year old here.


Kayaking in Kauai.....a precious family trip.

My memories of my grandpa are of camping trips in the tent trailer, Wild Animal Park and the Zoo. Family holidays where he always carved the turkey wearing my grandma's apron. Telling me not to hold on to the side of the pool so much because it would make my fingers raw (and I always did, and my fingers always got raw). As a child my most vivid memories are of him taking out the trash, and falling alseep anywhere and at anytime.

When the first signs of Dementia began, it was very hard for me to accept. My grandparents have always been in my life, and I couldn't imagine it any different. Alzheimers is a horrible disease that takes the mind, often before the body. Some of the things that he began to do was funny, or maybe we just laughed to keep from crying. Eventually he became too much for my grandma to care for and went to an active care center. There my grandma diligently visited him for hours daily, often feeding him. I, however, couldn't bring myself to visit. I told myself that he didn't know who I was. An excuse? Maybe. But it broke my heart to see him that way, I wanted to remember him as my grandpa before the disease. I did go to see him two weeks ago, and it took everything in me to not run from the room in tears. I did manage to get his attention once, and as I looked into those same blue eyes that I did as a child, a small smile formed. It was then that I saw my grandpa, and that is the memory that I took with me when I left. One week after my visit, he went to be with Jesus. When I picture him now, he is whole again and reunited with his grandson, Nick.

Saturday, October 4, 2008

Pumpkin Time

A bit too big.

Emma's Pumpkin.



We decided to enjoy the fall like weather and make our annual trip to Nates Butt Farm today. The girls always enjoy picking the pumpkins that they hope will have candy in them (a little tradition that we do with them when we carve them). Emma really had fun this year, since she was a bit too small to enjoy it last year. Once she found the perfect size pumpkin for her she would not put it down. She loved seeing all the animals, and squawking back at the geese. It was a wonderful day.

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Happy Birthday Dad!

Today my dad turns 57! Don't worry though, because 50 is the new 30, or so goes the rumor. Even though I am all grown up I sometimes still see him as the guy in the picture below.....loving his music and his long hair. I can remember a time in high school when I had to describe my dad and who he was, and it went a little something like this....."My dad is a mellow guy and never quick to anger (unless mom brings home a puppy without asking). He is a perfectionist in all he does, from music to a simple grocery list. He is selfless. He forgives those that do wrong against him, even when they don't ask for it. He loves surfing, music and sparkling water."

There are only a handful of times in my life when I can remember my dad angry or sad, instead, he always seemed to be smiling and laughing. I remember watching him cry when my little brother got sick, and being scared at what that truly meant. I remember him getting angry when his Les Paul guitar was stolen. I remember him coaching my softball team and taking me to the batting cages. I remember countless Padres games, always getting there early for autographs. I remember him teaching me to drive a stick, and looking frustrated in that seat next to me. I remember him singing at my wedding a special song that he wrote. I remember him being there when Victoria was born.

I love you dad, and happy birthday!


Most of my memories are of my dad singing.

Dad, me and mom (gotta love that hair).

Riding Thunder Mountain.

Not just a dad anymore, but a papa.