The Sunny Side of Life

Hello again :)

2010-09-22T00:13:00.001-07:00

Well it's almost been a year since I have updated my blog, that is really sad! :) I'm going to try and update it more frequently, since I really like to look back at old posts.

Lets see whats been going on....first big change is I am back on Weight Watchers and have almost lost 50lbs in about 3 1/2 months. My first memory of Weight Watchers was back when I was in 6th grade, weight has always been a issue for me, I joined and so began my life long struggle to loose weight. :( I've joined many times and have lost some weight but never stuck it out.

This time it really feels like I'm going to reach my goal. I have a great leader, support of my friends/family and I REALLY want it. My reasons for wanting to loose weight have changed since 6th grade, then it was to fit into cute clothes, now it's more about being healthy. I guess that what happens as one gets older. LOL

Other than that I've been FINALLY finishing up at Chabot, I feel like I have been there FOREVER. I should be attending Cal State East Bay next fall. Hopefully it will go much faster than my time at Chabot.

Much to my dismay Samantha started 6th grade this year. I can't believe she is now in middle school. Last week she actually wore mascara to school, she is officially becoming a teenager. I don't want her to grow up but I know it's inevitable and it makes me sad. She really likes middle school though which makes me happy! :) Most of you know that she has gone through A LOT of stuff with her Mom and despite all that she has turned out to be the most loving, caring, sweet and happy kids I've ever known. Whenever I see her she is always happy and with a big smile on her face!

I promise to keep the updates more current!

What's been goin on...

2009-10-08T16:20:00.000-07:00

I can't believe October is already here and that its already the 8th! Lets see last weekend was oh so FABULOUS! LOL Sam's Girl Scout troop went to Gilroy Gardens for an overnight. We stayed in the park Sat. night and then the girls go to do the park the next day. It was fun for the girls, I on the other hand am getting to old to sleep on the ground. LOL I was talking to a lady in one of the ride lines and she said that the temperature the night before was 40 degrees. WAY TO COLD! Not to mention it was very windy. But my motto is as long as the girl have fun it worth it. :)

Other than that I've been working and going to school. I've also been going by checking on Grandma. I take her to a doctor appt. tomorrow and hopefully she will get her cast off. :)

Nathan recently purchased Rockband 2 so our family has been spending many night rocking out!!! I'll have to take some pictures, it a funny sight to see.

The DRAMA at school with Sam has really calmed down. Lets just say the process of learning who your true friends are has been a painful lesson for her to learn.

Lets see... I think that is about it for now. Sam is selling nuts and candies so if you would like anything let me know. You can see what is for sale here.

:)

Drama, Drama, and more Drama!

2009-09-22T22:42:00.000-07:00

All I have to say is I'm ready for September to be O-V-E-R! (Warning long post)

Lets see first as my previous post talked about my girl started 5th grade. Well the first few weeks were great, she even said she loved school. Anyone who knows Sam, knows that is something I don't hear, ever. After the first couple of weeks the drama began. She had two little friends that she was hanging out with, one of them was her BFF last year. The other little girl is new to the school this year and Sam asked her hang out with them. BIG MISTAKE! LOL Her old BFF did not like the new girl and told Sam she was not going to hang out with her anymore. Sam said o.k. but did not want to be mean to the new girl. So two days later Sam's BFF tells new girl that Sam never liked her and was just pretending to be her friend. Sam told new girl she was lying but she did not believe her. Now the old BFF and then new girl have teamed up and their mission.... make Samantha's life as miserable as possible. They have turned other friends against her, tell her that her clothes are ugly, and continually whisper and give dirty looks during class.

My poor baby! I know girls can be mean and she is going to have to learn how to deal with it but honestly it breaks my heart. I've told her to just hang out with her other friends and try to ignore them, however I know that's easier said then done. If anyone reading this post and has any advice as to how to help her navigate through this difficult time, I'd greatly appreciate it. :) I've even ordered a few books off of Amazon about helping your kid deal with bullies, I'm desperate. LOL

Lets see what else. My grandma fell last week and broke her wrist. She is almost 90 years old, so breaking anything is a big deal. I've been working till 3, then going to her house to help her out, and then going to school at night. I'm so tired! I'm so tired that on my math test last week I totally skipped a whole question. We got them back tonight and I would have had a PERFECT score if I had finished that problem. I could not believe it!!!! Math does not come easy for me and a perfect score is something I rarely see. Oh well, what are you going to do.

So that's been my month so far. The only good thing is today is the first day of fall, my favorite time of year. Halloween is my favorite holiday and I can't wait to put out the decorations.

I hope all of you are having a better month than I am!!

5th Grader!!

2009-09-01T22:54:00.000-07:00

Well its official...my girl started 5th grade today. I honestly cannot believe she is almost 10 years old. Next year she will be in middle school, that will really be a hard one for me. My brother and I walked in her in and right away she saw one of her BFFs from last year. That was is it, off she went. However I did manage to go in her class and get a picture of her at her desk. :)

She was really dreading starting school but once she got it was fine. Her two best friends are in her class and her teacher seems really nice. So in the end she had a great day!!

Below are a few pictures. Last week she got her hair cut and was so excited to show her friends.

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Christmas came early....:)

2009-08-18T10:17:00.000-07:00

So I'm writing this post from my new PINK Hp mini laptop. It is sooooo frickin cute! Its totally girly, complete with pink keyboard and all. I had told my Dad that I wanted one, so last week when we were up there for dinner he handed me a gift wrapped in Christmas paper. He said, "Merry Christmas." Inside was the little laptop I wanted. :) It came at a perfect time...I start back to school this week.

Other than that I'm back in the swing of working and school, I'm already tired. LOL Watching four girls all day and then school at night is exhausting. Keeping the girls entertained all day, till they start school, is a real challenge. Samantha is a great little helper and is going to make a great Mommy someday.

I believe in my last post I mentioned we were going to farm in Watsonville to go fruit picking. It was a great day. We hit the farm and then decided to head down to San Juan Bautista. My Dad took my brother and I there as kids so we were curious to see how it looks now. Well the city has become slightly run down but the Mission is still very nice. The view from the Mission was just beautiful! From there my dad and brother wanted to hit a few wineries, I told them only if we hit the Gilroy Outlets after. :) So thats what we did, but first we hit Garlic World. Its a huge store full of any and everything garlic. We took some hilarious pictures of us all as a heads of garlic. I'll post them below. On the drive home it was decided that we should end the day with a fabulous dinner at Fredricos. As always it was wonderful!! So that was my last trip of the summer. :( Next weekend Sam is having a sleepover with a few friends and that will officially end our summer fun!

Below are a few pictures. The ones of Sam in the black dress are from this weekend. Nathan's girlfriend took her to see the play Cats so of course she had to get all dolled up. I grabbed my camera because she just looked so grown up. She has the most beautiful smile and these pictures really captured it!

Summer Fun!

2009-08-04T21:46:00.001-07:00

Well summer is winding down for me, I'm back to school Aug. 18th. :( So for my last few weeks I've been trying to squeeze tons of stuff in. LOL Last week Samantha and I went to the beach with Carla and her kids. It was tons of fun!!! Monday I took Samantha and one of her friends to the Hillsdale mall for some shopping and Build a Bear. Total Girl trip!!! I acutally made my own Build a Bear. It is the blue "peace" bear.

It hit me on the drive over that Samantha is becoming so grown up. She and her friend were looking through magazines, talking about clothes, their favorite stars, and what t.v. shows they love!! It kind of choked me up, it just seems like yesterday she was a baby and now she is almost a teenager. :( Where does the time go?

Thursday my family and I are going here. I read about it while we were at Mt. Hermon but we ran out of time, so we are making it a day trip. All the reviews I've read online say it is awesome and Samantha loves fruit so it should be fun!

Then Friday I'm taking Samantha and her friends to Sillman Center for some serious water fun. Her dad will pick her up from there and then Auntie is off for some ADULT time, scrapping at PMP. I am so SAD that my favorite scrap store is closing in a few weeks. Scrapping there on Friday nights with my friends was the highlight of my week!!!

Other than that it might be one more trip back to the beach and then I'm officially back to school and work. Fun, Fun.

I have made a video of our two weeks at Mt. Hermon. You can check it out here Below are some pics of the beach and Build a Bear. The Build a Bear pic were taken by Sam, she did a photo shoot with her and my bears. Enjoy!!!

Busy, Busy

2009-07-16T23:07:00.000-07:00

So I have not updated whats been going on for a while. Last week my family and I went to Mt. Hermon. We had an awesome time, as usual!!! It is so great to get together with my dad, brother, niece, aunt, uncle and cousin. There were lots of great dinners, late night Wii tournaments, and just hangin out time!!! We did have a little drama though. David, my cousin, got up early Friday morning and was not feeling well. He was throwing up and having pain on his side. It got so bad that my uncle took him to the nearest hospital. It turned out he had an appendicitis and they scheduled surgery for later that night. My aunt and uncle were very nervous and stayed there all night. The surgery went fine and he was actually able to go home Saturday. Other than that we had a great week!!

I have lots of pictures but my dad has my card so I will post them soon. Believe it or not we are going back for another week, next week!! The cabin we rent had a cancellation, so the realtor gave my dad a great deal. So Sunday its back to Mt. Hermon for another fabulous week.

This week is Girl Scout camp. Monday and Tuesday were sooooo hot!!!! It was almost unbearable on Tuesday. Thankfully it really cooled down on Wednesday. I was really happy because I was assigned the cooking station, were I stood for six hours helping girls make pancakes and butter. Tomorrow is the last day and the girls stay overnight, noticed I said girls, I will not be staying overnight. I am there till 9 pm, after campfire and skits, I'm back home to sleep in my bed. LOL This week's camp has been fun and the girls have really enjoyed it. The theme is Renaissance, so tomorrow night there is a big Renaissance festival in the meadow, complete with an authentic feast.

Other than that not much has been going on. I'll post picutres soon.

I can't believe it!!

2009-06-25T21:10:00.000-07:00

I,along with most of America, was socked to learn today that Michael Jackson had passed away. I distinctly remember being at my Grandpa's house watching his big performance at the 25 year anniversary of Motown. It was where her first performed the moon walk, wore the white glove, and the next day everyone was talking about it. I had his posters on my wall and still have the "Thriller" album out in my garage. Lots of my friends in middle school had the leather jacket with the zippers and we all sat around our t.v.s as the video for "Thriller" debut on MTV.

My mom and I were talking and I was telling her that this is what it must have been like for her when Elvis died. Michael Jackson is definitely my generation's Elvis and had a huge influence on music and pop culture!!!

These are the exact posters that hung in my wall when I was 12 years old. :)

Graduation, Camping and Vacation.....Oh My!

2009-06-16T00:46:00.000-07:00

Lots of people have been asking me to post on my Graduation. It was very nice!! My family was there and Carla came to, which was a wonderful surprise. The weather was a little cold but its better than being hot!! I graduated with "highest honers," which is having a GPA over 3.50, mine was a 3.95. For those of you who knew me back in the day, high school days that is, I bet you never would have guess that I would have been top of my class. LOL For my hard work I received a medallion and everyone with highest honers was recognized and was asked to stand. After Graduation my family went to lunch, which was really nice. With my brother and I in school full time and working, my Mom at new job, my Dad always traveling, and Sam finishing up 4th grade....its been a while since we all came together to hang out.

The next weekend was a weekend I had been dreading all year. Literally the days leading up leaving I was praying for rain!! The forecast kept saying rain and thunder showers were header our way. LIARS!!! LOL The event was the U.C. Girl Scout Association's Camporee. The location that was chosen was in Sunol, so the one good thing I could say about it was it was close. :) When I went onto the website to see what it looked like the description stared out saying, "Our Rustic campground has pit toilets and no running water..." OMG!!!! If any of you have seen Troop Beverley Hills, this is how I picture camping, in a four star hotel with room service!!!!!

We left Friday and returned Sunday afternoon. The girls had fun however I was so never so happy to see my own bed. I actually slept in my car, tents are not my thing. The highlight of the trip, for the girls, was horseback riding. They have already deiced they want to use their fall product sales money to go again. However I will be suggesting we make it a day trip.

This weekend was pretty quiet. I was supposed to go to a friend's graduation party but Samantha and my mom were sick so I got stuck taking care of them. We ate at Applebees and they both had clam chowder and it must have been bad. I'm the only one who did not eat it and I did not get sick. So that was fun!! Congratulations to Satyn, who graduated with her B.A. from Cal State East Bay!

Other than that I am enjoying having two weeks off from work. The girls I watch during the day, mom is off, so that means I am too. YEAH!!!! I don't know what I'm going to do with myself. LOL

Below are some pictures. Enjoy!

Sad Day...

2009-06-09T16:15:00.000-07:00

Today my Simba passed away. :( Over the last week I could see he was not doing very well. He was such a fighter though, as weak as he was he would go out to the back yard every day to bask in the sunshine. Simba was the sweetest cat I have ever known and I'm truly going to miss him! I've had him for 17 years, my best friend and I rescued him from a apartment complex when he was about three months old.

Over the last two years my niece, Samantha, has grown very close to him. When I picked her up from school today I told her that I had an appointment to put him to sleep. She became very upset and said she wanted to go with me and if we could wait till tomorrow. I said I'd see how he was but if he was wasn't doing very well I'd have to take him in. She started crying, it just broke my heart. I dropped her and her sisters at her mom's and when I got home, Simba had passed away. He had crawled in to his favorite corner. I felt so bad no one was here with him!! :(

Below are just a few pictures that I'd taken since he had become sick. The one with the Christmas tree was last Christmas. We were so behind that we were almost going to skip a tree altogether. However I knew Simba would probably not be here next Christmas so I went out and got a tree. Every year he would sleep under the tree every night till we took it down. This past Christmas as soon as I put the tree up he came down and laid next too it. I'm so glad I took a few pictures!!

Great B-day!

2009-06-03T22:47:00.001-07:00

Today was my birthday and it was a fabulous one! :) Samantha got to stay home from school and her and I headed out for Half Moon Bay. It sort of has become a tradition to go the beach on my birthday. Last year it was overcast and drizziling, today was sunny and beautiful!

One our way to the beach we hit the Girl Scout Store so Sam could spend some of the cookie credit she earned. She got some supplies for our camping trip this weekend and then some fun stuff too. Our next stop was the beach! We reached Half Moon Bay and had lunch at my favorite sandwich deli. Its called the Garden Cafe and its awesome! Thier bread is baked daily and you can smell it as you walk up the street.

After lunch we hit San Geregero beach. We could not have asked for better weather, no fog and tons of sunshine. Samantha played in the water and we built a sand castle. Then she decided to bury herself in the sand and fill up the top of her bikini with sand so she could have "big boobs." LOL It was hysterical!!! We walked all the way down the beach and collected tons of shells and sea glass. Before we left my two best friend called me and sang "Happy Birthday." It was good to talk to both of them and catch up on things!

My day ended with dinner with my family. We ordered chinese take out and had a homemade birthday cake!! The perfect end to a perfect day.

What's been going on...

2009-05-23T18:29:00.001-07:00

It's been a little while since my last post. I finished all my finals yesterday, thank God!!! :) Next up is Graduation which will be on May 30th at 10 a.m. at Chabot College. I was planning on having a party afterwards but I've been so busy and just haven't had them time. So I figure when I graduate from Cal State I'll have a big blow out!! After graduation we can just all go to lunch to celebrate. So if you have no plans and want to see me walk the stage come on down. LOL

Other than school it been work and...well... that's about it. So sad I know!!! Our Girl Scout Troop did march in the U.C. 50th Anniversary Parade last weekend. The girls really enjoyed it, but it was waaaay too hot for me. Sam actually got to carry the banner in the front so she was very excited.

The weekend before that was Mother's Day. My Mom said it was the best one she has ever had. :) It started off with me cooking her breakfast. Next we went and picked up my Grandma and headed out for a nursery in Alameda. My Mom and Grandma watch a gardening show called "Playing in the Dirt." The show is actually taped at the nursery we were going to. I went online and found out where it was and decided to take them there. We were in luck the woman who hosts their favorite show was working. So of course I had to go up to her and ask if I could take a picture of her and her two biggest fans. LOL She was extremely nice and posed for several photos. I told my Mom and Grandma to pick out whatever plants they wanted, and it was on me. After that I took them to Chili's for dinner. All in all it was a great day!!

Below are some pictures from the past couple of weekends. Enjoy!!

I'm Walkin!!!!

2009-05-04T08:51:00.001-07:00

Well its offical I will be graduating on May 30th at 10:00am. Yeah me!!!!!! :) The card came in the mail this weekend and I just dropped it by the post office. I'm so happy!!!! :)

So Tired.....

2009-04-25T23:05:00.000-07:00

Like the title of the post says, I am soooo tired. School has been kickin my butt this semester and I can't wait for it to be over!!!! Hopefully I am going to graduate at the end of May.

Friday I went to Administration to turn in my evaluation paper for graduation. Well the lady looks at it and says, "For your Liberal Art degree you must pick option 1, 2or three. So I ask, "What does that mean?" She replies, "I don't know, go next store and ask a counselor." So we go next store, we meaning me and one of the little girls I watch, I stand in line only to be yelled at by the secretary. :) She says, "What do you want to do with your degree?" To which I answer, "Teach elementary school." She then says," Oh God, you need to see a counselor!!" "You can buy this catalog and try to figure it out yourself but I doubt you can, go over there and make an appointment." I smile and bite my tongue and walk to the appt. desk. The lady looks on the computer says, "The next opening we have is May 6th." I tell her that the paper for graduation needs to be in by the 30th. "That's the soonest we have an opening, sorry." She then tells me that I can try for a walk-in, which means you walk in and wait for a possible opening. That would be o.k. but I have a three year old with me and can't wait in the lobby for hours. So.... I'm going to try to get in after I'm done with work and before my classes. Wish me luck!!!

Other than that drama, I've not been doing anything. I feel like all I do is work and school!! I've literally been on the computer all day studying for a big test Monday. Turned my phone off so that there would be not interruptions and of course my best friend called!! Its been FOREVER since we have had the chance to catch up!! Hopefully I can get in touch with her tomorrow, it been waaaaay too long. I'm hoping I can convince her to come out her for my graduation!!! She is the best!!!

Our family had a nice Easter. Nathan and I cooked lunch up at his house. The Easter bunny hid eggs for everyone so we had an egg hunt before lunch, it was fun! The only draw back on the day was my Dad got in a car accident on the way up to Nathan's. He was broadsided and the whole driver's side was smashed. He was o.k. so that was good. At first the shop thought they might have to total it but it looks like it will be able to get fixed. The insurance company determined it was the other drivers fault. We were just glad he was o.k.!!!

The following Sat. we had Easter at my aunt Lois' house. Had a great time catching up with everyone and meeting my cousin David's new girlfriend. I got a little, lets say, "buzzed", and for anyone who knows me that's something that doesn't happen very often. LOL My uncle makes these "Gin Fizzes" that are to die for!!!! His sister kept coming around with the pitcher filling everyone up. I swear mine was filled about 5 times!! LOL Oh well I needed it!!!

That's all for now. I'll will update as soon as I hear if I'm walkin the stage at the end of May.

Hannah Mania!!!!

2009-04-10T23:58:00.000-07:00

Well after the long wait, Samantha, Megan, Catherine, and I went to see the new Hannah Montana movie. The girls were so excited, they were literally squealing as the movie's opening credits began to roll. The movie was very cute and the soundtrack is great. After that Megan came over for play date and the girls shot music videos of themselves lip singing to the movie's soundtrack. Too cute!!! Below is a picture of the two of them at the theatre.

Our little Actress

2009-03-25T10:56:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Sam had her last dress rehearsal. It actually turned out to be a full performance and her Dad and Mom were able to go and see it. They both said it was very cute!! Nathan was able to take a few pictures and I'm posting them below. She has really enjoyed being involved in this play. For those of you who don't know her part is "little girl" and the play is "Beauty and the Beast." I think the acting bug has bitten her and she will be involved with may more theatre productions!!!

One other note! I am no longer taking care of the girls I was watching, their dad has moved back in and will be watching them till he gets a job! So I've been looking on Craigslist and putting the word out to friends and family that I'm lookin for a job!!! Hopefully I find something that will work with my school schedule cuz I'm graduating on May 29th!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah ME!!!! LOL

DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-03-22T17:34:00.001-07:00

Well its over!!! Yeah!!! My girl sold 1278 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies!! Our troop sold out yesterday but another troop had extras so my girl went out today and sold their last 34 boxes. We made a cute sign, gotta love the cricket!!

Thanks to everyone who helped her reach her goal!!!!!

Big Thanks!!

2009-03-11T22:10:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to make a quick post and thank all the family and friends who have been so great with helping Samantha reach her goal of 1000 boxes!! We had a booth tonight and Carla and Satyn came by and made second purchases, thank you!!! Paga (A.K.A. grandpa) also made additional purchases. This weekend at my cousin David birthday party all the Duncans made very big purchases. You all are awesome!!!

Again thank you so much. I am so proud of her, she has worked so hard and been a real trooper! It looks like she will reach her goal. Yeah!!!

My Little Cookie

2009-03-09T11:42:00.000-07:00

Samantha did her first weekend of booth sales. She did awesome!!!! She mostly worked alone so that means she gets double credit, which means she is getting closer to her goal of 1000. I am so proud of her, she really worked hard and even wore the Samoa costume!!

Below are a few pictures of her in the costume. Enjoy!

Cookie Time!!!!

2009-02-25T17:44:00.000-08:00

So starting March 1st I will have NO life for the next three weeks. LOL My niece has decided that she want to sell 1000 boxes of Girl Scout cookies. Her first goal was 800 but when they added a *PINK* Nintendo DS to the prize list at 1000 she changed her mind. :)

So if you happen to go to Luckys in U.C. look for me because I will basically be living in front of the store. LOL She has already sold 400 in pre-sales and has signed up for 17 booths which should bring her total to about 750, so we have a ways to go!! If you read this would like to help her reach her goal leave a comment of what you would like and I will make sure you get them. For a list of cookies click here.The price of cookie is $4.00 a box.

Thank to all the family and friends who have already supported her. Special thanks to Satyn who even took a selling sheet to work and Carla who said Sam could come and sell at her school. You guys rock!!

Back Home

2009-02-23T14:05:00.000-08:00

Just a quick update. My mom came home this afternoon. Throat is still sort but fever is gone. I guess the doctor was telling us that they mainly kept her in because her white blood count was dangerously low.

Mom is glad to be home, even though I have to order her to take it easy. Thank you again to everyone for the visits!!

Update...

2009-02-23T00:48:00.000-08:00

My mom is doing better, thank you to everyone who has stopped by to see her. The company really breaks up the long days in the hospital. She was hoping to leave tomorrow but the doctor looked at her tonight and there was still quite a bit of swelling in her throat. :( She is so ready to leave!!!!!

I am just thankful she is going to be o.k. The doctor told us that if she had waited a few more hours he would of had to perform a tracheotomy. Scary!!!! She is able to swallow food now, not that hospital food is something to look forward to. LOL Yesterday she got the craziest roommate ever!!! This lady literally will not let you visit, she is constantly trying to get your attention and have you do something for her. Crazy!!!!! Tonight though they had roommate totally sedated and we did not hear a peep out of her.

As if dealing with my mom in the hospital is not enough, Ive been taking care of two sick cats and Sat. we had a huge incident with my niece's mom. It got so bad I had to call the police. I could not believe it!!! This is not my or my family's month. Hopefully March will be calm and peaceful!!! LOL One good thing about all the stress is I've been doing really good on my diet. I'm too tired to eat. :)

I will update when Mom comes home!! Thank you to everyone for the calls, prayers, and visits!! They mean a lot!

Prayers for My Mom!!

2009-02-20T01:35:00.000-08:00

Well I am just getting home from Kaiser after being there since 4:30pm. My mom woke up this morning and had a slight sore throat. By tonight she was in extreme pain and could not swallow. I rushed her to the ER and after and X-ray and calling in a specialist, who stuck a camera down her throat, she was diagnosed with Epiglotitis. From what the specialist said it can be very serious and she was lucky she came in when she did.

They admitted her and are going to keep her to at least Monday if she responds well to treatment. When my brother and I left her fever was 103.5 and they were covering her with ice packs to bring it down. The doctors say she should recover fine but I'm asking everyone to please say a prayer for her!! She is the rock of our family and we love her very much!!!

I will update after I visit her tomorrow.

Good Friends :)

2009-02-18T23:28:00.000-08:00

Tonight I joined Weight Watchers with Carla and Satyn, they joined last week. I've joined several times in the past but I told myself the next time I joined that was it, I either do forever or stay fat. LOL So this is it!!!!!! Even if it takes me 5 years the weight is comin off!! Thank you Carla for gettin my but back on track!

The last couple of weeks I have been kind of in a funk. Don't know why just fellin down. Partly because my kitty Simba, who I have had for 16 years, is really sick. He has a rare disorder that is not treatable only semi-manageable. We have been taking him in every month to have fluid drained from his chest, which greatly improves his condition. However over the last month the fluid has been filling faster and faster. It so hard to make the decision to put him down when you see how much he improves after the fluid is drained, it like he is back to his old self. The problem is one we can't afford to go in every week and two the fluid that is being drained contains protein which his body needs. So in the last month he has lost 6lbs. It is going to KILL me when the time comes to put him down. Especially now he has began to associate going to the vet with feeling better. He is the sweetest cat!!

For those who don't know I found Simba with my best friend Vicki. He was found at an apartment complex next to a dumpster. We thought he was just a few weeks old but when I took him to the vet they said he was actually 3 months and was so small because he was being starved to death. I took him in, he became healthy, and slowly began to trust our family. I believe he was abused cuz if a male came in the house he would run and hide, just terrified. Over the years that fear has subsided and will even go up to Nathan and let him pet him.

Anyway that has been going on since the end of December and then I've sort of started a job that I'm kind of dreading, but I need the money and a job that works with my school schedule. For those who know the job situation you know why I'm not looking forward to it. :)

So all in all I've been kind of bummed lately. However like my title said good friends are always there to cheer you up! Sunday I scrapped all day with Carla and Satyn, had a great time. Then tonight when I joined Weight Watchers, Carla gave me a bag of scrappin goodies!! That just made my day!! I'm so lucky to have such good friends!! Going to miss you guys this Friday!

Satyn birthday was Tuesday, HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY GIRL!!!!!! You are the best!!!

First Dance

2009-02-08T15:37:00.001-08:00

Samantha went to her first school dance. This dance was the "Sweetheart Dance" and the school gym was decorated with red, white, and pinks. Her Grandpa, A.K.A. as Paga, was her chaparone. She was so excited and the minuate she came home from school was dying to put on her new dress. LOL

We did the whole girly thing. Painted nails, curled hair, and put on a little make up. By the time she was ready she looked so cute and so grown up. I could not believe she was going to a dance, time flies by too fast. It seems like yesterday she had just learned to say "Auntie." :)

She had a blast at the dance. My mom said she did not stop talking about it for an hour after she got home.

Other than that not much is going on with me. Back in school and can't wait to transfer to Cal State East Bay! I've been looking for a job that is willing to accomadate a changing schedule, since I'm not quite sure what it will be like once I transfer. My niece's mom is looking for someone to watch her kids so I might do that just till I find something else. :)

Here are some pics from her dance. Enjoy!!!!

The Times, They are a Changin!

2009-01-20T18:32:00.000-08:00

Woke up this morning to a sense there is a "change" in the air. I got Samantha off to school in her red, white and blue, her school was going to watch the inauguration. In all my years in school we never watched an inauguration. This just goes to show how significant today is in our country’s history. Even our youngest children have become interested in politics. I think that is so awesome!

Here are my thoughts on the inauguration.... Chief Justice John Roberts flubbed up the beginning of the oath, but it was his first. :) Obama’s address was wonderful! Michelle’s dress was pretty but Aretha Franklin’s hat was ridiculous! LOL I have to say my favorite part was the Benediction by Rev. Lowery. Here is my favorite part, “Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around ... when yellow will be mellow ... when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right. That all those who do justice and love mercy say Amen." AMEN!!

I have to say I felt a little sorry of Bush, just a little. :) To leave with a 22% approval rating and then to see the 1.8 million turn out to see Obama sworn in, let’s just say that must "hurt" a little. Did you hear people singing, "Na na, Na na, Na na, Na na, Hey, Hey, GOODBYE as the helicopter took him back to Texas? Sadly he still won’t concede that he made many mistakes, Iraq and Katrina, just to name a few. Maybe in time History will not be so harsh to him.

Our country has such high hopes for Obama and I really hope that he can live up to them and bring the "change" we are all so desperately seeking.

A little trivia on inaugurations, Sam and I heard these questions on the radio this morning.

1. Which President gave the shortest Inauguration speech?.......... at 135 words it was George Washington. This was his second Inauguration speech. There is something to be said for making it "short and sweet."

2. Which President gave the longest Inauguration speech? ...........at 8445 words it was William Henry Harrison. He not only holds the record for longest Inauguration speech but he is also the president that served the shortest term in office. He died one month later from pneumonia. Some say he should have made the speech short and sweet and he would have not become sick.

Happy Birthday Dad!

2009-01-12T14:10:00.000-08:00

Today is my Dad's birthday and I want to wish him a fabulous birthday! I also want to take this time to thank my Dad for always being there for me and supporting me in whatever I do.

I'll give an example of what kind of Dad he is. Years back I signed up to sell crafts that I made at a store in Newark. I had mentioned it to him and he said that was great. As my best friend and I arrived at the store to set up my booth, I looked through the window to see my him there. He had come down to support me, how awesome is that? It was around Christmas time and the next week when we gathered at his house to decorate the tree, I walked through the door there was one ornament on the tree. It was one I was selling at my booth. :)

That is just one example of what a great Dad I am so lucky to have!! Happy Birthday Dad, I love you very much!

Miss you!

2009-01-11T21:14:00.000-08:00

Today would have been my Grandpa's, Grampy, 94th birthday. We lost him on Jan. 22nd of last year and we miss him everyday! I just had to post that I've been thinking of him a lot today, his birthday, and that we all miss him and love him very much!

I made a movie a while back and the link is here. It pretty much sums up how I'm feelin!

Happy New Year!!

2009-01-10T17:02:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to everyone!! I can’t believe it is almost the middle of January. We rang in the New Year at my Grandmother’s house. This is her first Christmas and New Year without my grandfather and it’s been hard for her. So we all went over there and had dinner and watched the ball drop. Good Times!

I have a few goals for the year. Graduate from school, find a job, focus on my health, and get out more with my friends. On Ali Edwards blog she challenged everyone to come up with a word that sums up their hopes for 2009. She says,"A single word can be a powerful thing. It can be the ripple in the pond that changes everything. It can sharp and biting or rich and soft and slow."(Ali Edwards)
I choose "strength." The "strength" to recognize the things I need to change and the "strength" to change them!!

Her blog as well as a few others are also doing a project where they ask you to take a picture a day. There is a kit you can get but I’m just doing it on my own. I think it will be cool to look back in 2010 and see each picture and the memories they all hold. A few months back Ali had a "week in the life challenge" and it was to take pictures of all the things you did for a week. Today I printed them off so that I can put together the album and it’s really interesting how just a few pictures can tell what is going on in your life. I plan on doing one each year.

I am happy to say that my blog has been awarded the "Lovely Blog Award" by Rocio. Thank you!!!! Now I have to nominate 7 other blogs, I’m not sure can come up with 7, but I’ll try.

Last night I went scrapping and had such a good time. It is so great to end my week with such great friends!! We literally laugh all night long. It is waaaaaaaay fun. (that’s for Carla and Satyn) Carla mentioned that she missed the movies I used to make, so I’m makin one for ya, keep your eye out for it.

To everyone who reads my blog, all of about 4 people (LOL), I hope 2009 brings you much happiness!! Remember to focus on what’s really important, family and friends, and treasure every moment with them.

Below are a few pictures from New Year’s.

Awesome Christmas!

2008-12-28T16:57:00.001-08:00

Christmas was wonderful this year!!! On Christmas Eve we went to my Grandma's house like we have done every year since I was born. This year was definitely different though, it was the first year my Grandpa was not there. It was so weird to sit in the living room and have his spot on the sofa empty. We all miss him very much!

Once everyone was there we had dinner and then opened presents. My Grandma read the story of Jesus birth from the bible. Then we had dessert and it was off to home and to bed.

Christmas morning we all gathered at Nathan's to open gifts. Everyone received lots of nice things. Samantha was spoiled as usual. :) Santa brought Samantha and Nathan a Wii, Wii fit and Animal Crossing. Besides the Wii items, her other favorite gifts were Bendaroos and a huge Hannah Montana Doll.

Once the presents were opened Nathan cooked us his traditional Pancake breakfast. With everyone full and a little tired naps were the next order of the day. Nathan lit a fire and then we all caught some zzzs. Once we woke up Mimi went and picked up Grammy and the other grown ups played some Wii fit. Then we finished the day with a fabulous dinner.

It was a great day!! I am so thankful for my wonderful family and the time we spend together. I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday and have a safe and Happy New Year!!!!

What a Weekend!

2008-12-09T20:30:00.001-08:00

This past weekend was very busy! It started off Friday with a fun time scrappin with Carla and Satyn at PMP. It had been months since we had a change to get together and scrap and I had missed it!!! We had a great time catchin up.

Then Saturday Samantha had a slumber party with four of her friends from Girl Scouts. The troop had an outing to the Hayward Little Theatre to see Cinderella. Then I took the four girls that were spending the night up to Nathan's for the party. I think they finally went to sleep around 3:30 and I got to sleep around 4. We were all up by 8 because one of the girls had to go home early. I was Waaaaaaay tired!

We played Wii, did crafts, a pinata, cupcakes, and gifts. Then it was time to go home. :) The girls really had a good time and are already trying to plan another sleepover during winter break. I told Sam talk to her Dad, I'm done for the year. LOL

Over all it was a great weekend. Below are some pics. Enjoy!

Great Times!

2008-11-30T22:57:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving was wonderful. We had dinner at Nathan's, it was a small group this year,my Mom, Dad, Grandma, Nathan and myself. This year was the first Thanksgiving since my Grandpa passed away so it was a little sad. I could tell my Grandma was struggling to get through the day. But we got her through it with a fabulous dinner and good family time together. We ended the night with all of us watching one of our favorite Christmas movies, Scrooge. It put everyone in the Holiday mood.

Friday I was going to get up at 5 and go to Walmart but decided nothing is worth fighting the crowds. :) So my Mom and I got up around 9 and hit the stores. They were EXTREMELY crowded but we found some great deals.

Then Sunday it was Samantha's 9th birthday. Every year we go to the city to Sam's favorite restaurant, Rainforrest Cafe. Then we always walk down to Pier 39 and see the Christmas tree. As every year it was a great time. The weather was perfect and the city looked beautiful all decorated for Christmas.

Next weekend Samantha is going to have a Spongebob slumber party for her birthday. Fun for me. LOL All of a sudden she is in LOVE with Spongebob. Anything and everything with Spongebob on it, she wants it. Go figure.

I'm looking forward to getting out the Christmas decorations this week and putting them up. Hopefully after I get through Sam's birthday party I can get to some holiday baking and cardmaking.

Below are some pics from this Thanksgiving weekend. Enjoy.....!

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Yeah MiMi!!!!!

2008-11-18T18:38:00.000-08:00

Well starting Monday my mom will be starting her NEW JOB!!!! She will be the head teacher at the Logan's Kidango. This job pays well and for the first time in a LONG time she will have FULL benefits. That is so great!!! We are all so happy for her. Its been a hard few months with no work and she is so happy to have found a great job.

Now I'm talking her into going back to school and finishing her AA degree, she only needs one class. Then she can apply for her director's permit and apply for a director's position. She seems up for it and I know she can do it!!!

As for me finishing up this semester at Chabot and just registered for my final semester before I graduate with my AA. YEAH!!!

The next couple of weeks are going to be busy. We have Thanksgiving, I can't believe its already here, then on the 30th we have Sam's 9th Birthday. We will be having dinner at her favorite restaurant in the City, The Rainforest Cafe. We go every year and then walk down to Pier 39 and see the Christmas decorations.

For a party she has decided she wants a slumber part. Fun for me! LOL I've talked her down from 6 girls to 4. The party's theme is going to be Spongebob. All of a sudden she LOVES Spongebob, go figure!

So that's it for now. Looking forward to spending time with family at holidays!

BFF Visit! :)

2008-11-09T19:34:00.000-08:00

My very best friend, Vicki, was in California this past week and Friday I went out to Tracy to visit with her at her mom's. Her mom, her mom's husband, Vicki and I drove out to Arnold to see a house that her mom is having built. All that has been done so far is the foundation. It is in a really nice spot and will be a great place to retire to.

We came back and Vic and I hit the stores. Our favorite thing to do is shop, talk, and eat! LOL After shopping we had a late dinner and then went up to Nathan's. We stayed up till 3:30 visiting with Nathan. We crashed for two hours and then I had to drop her at the airport.

The visit was waaaaaaaay to short!!! I really miss having her out here. Everyone has certain people in their lives in which they know they can truly count on no matter what. Well Vicki is definitely one of those people in my life!!! When ever I really need a friend to be there for me, she has. Love ya girl!!!

I'm going to try to go out and see her soon! I've never been to Tennessee so it should be fun.

Can you believe I took no pictures!! We were having too much fun catchin up. LOL

Yes We Can!!!

2008-11-06T22:33:00.001-08:00

What a couple of days it has been. Tuesday night is a night I will never forget. We all sat by the TV. and watched as Barack Obama became the first African-American President of the United States. His speech literally brought tears to my eyes.

While I know it was the younger generation that got out and "rocked" the vote, I can't help of all those who came before and gave their lives so that their dreams for this country could become a reality. The ones who marched, protested, faced being beaten by police, and were ready to lay down their lives so that future generations might be treated as equals, are the ones that made it possible for Obama to become our 44th President of the United States.

Tomorrow I am off to Tracy to visit with my BFF Vicki who is in town helping out her mom after her surgery. We are going to hang out and have a "girl’s night out." It’s been way to long since I've had one of those. :) I will try to take some pics.

I VOTED!!!!

2008-11-04T12:23:00.000-08:00

So I just got back from casting my vote! When I left for school this morning at 7am there was a huge line but at 12:30 it was empty! YEAH!!! I even snapped a picture of me marking my vote for president. I am going to scrap a few pages on this historical election.

If you haven't guessed yet I voted for OBAMA!!! LOL Lets keep our fingers crossed and hope that he is elected to be President of the United States and will bring true "change" to this country and bring our men and women home from Iraq!!!!

If you haven't voted GET OUT THERE AND VOTE!! :)

Cool Site

2008-10-31T21:18:00.003-07:00

I found this site on the Two Peas message board. Check it out. Here are some pictures I did of Sam. Too Cool!!!!

http://www.photofunia.com/

2008-10-31T07:47:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween Everyone!!! I hope you have a wonderful night of trick-or-treating and get LOTS of candy!!! Have a safe and fun Halloween!

Another Great Day!

2008-10-26T17:21:00.001-07:00

Sam and I got up this morning and went to see High School Musical 3. We got there early, found great seats and by the time the movie started it was packed. The movie was really good. Sam said it was her favorite of all the HSM movies. This one definitely had the most musical numbers and the story was a great ending to the trilogy!

After that we came home and made carmel apples. They were soooo good. Sam said she wants to make it a tradition every year.

Her Dad just came and picked her up and they were off to carve pumpkins at one of his friends house. Before the movies her and I went and picked out pumpkins for them to carve. She picked the two biggest pumpkins they had. Sam's was so big she could barley lift it up. LOL Hopefully he will send me a few pics so I can show how they turned out.

A couple of pics from today. The one from the movie is from my cell phone that's why it is so grainy. I'm also having problems getting pictures to line up side by side so for now only one per line, sorry it makes it so long. Enjoy!

Halloween Fun. :)

2008-10-25T23:47:00.000-07:00

This has been a busy weekend. Friday was Sam's school's Halloween Carnival. I took her and Paige and they had a ton of Fun. Tonight my Girl Scout Troop went to the Candlelighter's Haunted House at the Fremont Hub. We went last year for the first time as a troop and the girls really enjoyed it again so they decided to do it again. Samantha decided to wear her Sarah Palin Costume but was concerned that no one would know who she was. Well of course everyone knew who she was and LOVED her costume. Sam even brought a pen to sign autographs. Too Cute!!!

Of course we went through with the "good fairy," which means no scary monsters jump out. They all had fun and once we made it through the girls played tons of carnival games. It was a fun time.

Tomorrow Sam and I might go and see the new HSM 3. If not tomorrow then definitely next weekend. Its hard to believe this month is almost over!! Next month Sam will be turning 9 years old, time flies!!!

Below are some pictures from the last two days. Sam was Hannah Montana at her school's carnival and Sarah Palin at the Haunted House. Enjoy!

Crazy Day!

2008-10-18T13:57:00.001-07:00

As some of you might have heard the new S.F Academy of Science opened this month after being completely remodeled. After looking at their website I found that the third Wed. of each month is a free day. So my Dad, Mom, Samantha and I decided that we would go and check it out.

We left early and got over there around 11:30. If you have never been to the Academy it is in Golden Gate Park. Well after seeing the parking garage was full we preceded to drive around for a while looking for a parking spot. After about 10 min we finally found one.

So we had to walk a little ways to get to the building. As we rounded the corner all I see is a huge line that is down the street! My dad asked one of the people in front how long they had been waiting and they said about an hour and a half but that the line was not as it long is was now. Looking at the time it was around quarter to twelve so if we got in in two hours we would only have 3 hours to see everything. We decided that we would have to come back another day.

Poor Sam she is a trooper, she was a little disappointed but did not let it show. We had passed the Botanical Gardens on our way to the Science Academy so since it was a nice day we went and checked it out.

It was beautiful and huge!! It had tons of different plants, trails, and ponds. Samantha loved it, she ran all over checking everything out. It was so hot that she even took of her socks and shoes and went in the sprinklers. Soon she was saying she was really hungry so we left and found our car and went looking for somewhere to eat.

Once we were in the car we drove through Golden Gate Park and saw the Conservatory of Flowers and other sites within the park. Then we drove and drove and we made our way to the beach by the Cliffhouse and Seal Rock. I had never seen either of these places so we got out and walked around. The view and weather were spectacular!

With our stomach saying we needed lunch we left and headed down the coast. We drove for a while and decided that we would go to Half Moon Bay to our favorite sandwich shop and get a bite there. As we drove in to Half Moon Bay everywhere we looked we could see pumpkins, that's because the Pumpkin festival was this weekend. My mom and I and our good friend Carla used to go every year. We used to have so much fun hanging out there for the weekend. Hey Carla if you are reading this remember that weird noise in the bathroom? LOL

So back to my crazy day. We had a wonderful lunch and then Sam asked if we could go to a pumpkin patch on the way home. So we did, it was one of the cutest patches there. They had pony rides and bouncy houses. Sam rode the ponies and went down the slide a bunch of times. She had a blast.

All in all it was a great day. I never would have thought we would have ended up in Half Moon Bay but I'm glad we did!! I love it there and have decided that when I get my teaching credential I want to teach and live over there! I better start saving now if I ever hope to afford a house by the beach!!

Ps. A special thank you to all those who have purchased nuts and candies from Samantha! She is getting closer to her personal goal.

October......

2008-10-04T13:27:00.000-07:00

It is my FAVORITE time of year!!! I LOVE Halloween and Fall!!! Yesterday Sam and I decorated the front of the house with lights and other spooky things. As soon as the calender turns to October it is our tradition to get out the Halloween stuff and decorate the front yard. In years past she would get so excited and ask each day when it was going to be October 1st. This year I have to say she helped a little and then wanted to do other things. It made me a little sad. :( She is growing up WAY to fast!! Not to grown up for trick-or treating though. She was off today with her Mom to get her costume. It looks like she is going to be Hannah Montana this year, though I have convinced her to dress up as Sarah Palin for her Girl Scout party. :) We are going to go to the thrift store tomorrow to put together an outfit. I will post pics.

Speaking of Mrs. Palin, did you all see the debate??? I have to say even though I disagree with most everything she says, she did a decent job. Her answers did seem very rehearsed but with all the pressure she has been under she did not bomb. Can't wait to see Saturday Night Live tonight!! Nathan and I were texting back and forth during the debate and I told him if she said "Maverick", "joe six-pack", or gave another wink I was going to scream. LOL

One positive thing I can say for this election is it has gotten everyone to talk about politics, even Samantha and her friends. When she mentioned to one of her friends that her auntie wanted her to dress up as Sarah Palin, her friend said, "She is stupid!! All she says is, "I can see Russia from my house." How funny is that!!! I can't wait to see the outcome come November, whatever it is it will be historic!!!! Don't forget if you need to register to vote the deadline is almost passed!!!

Here are some pics of our decorations. I find some of my favorites are the ones Sam has made over the years! :)

Beautiful Girl!

2008-10-01T21:22:00.000-07:00

Samantha received her glasses today and I have to say she looks too cute!!! She had been complaining for a while that she had problems seeing the board at school and the computer screen looked blurry. So her Dad made an appointment and sure enough she needed glasses. She really likes them and is super excited that they are just like her Paga's(grandpa's), they turn to sunglasses when exposed to the sun.

We she came in to the house with them on I told her that I had the perfect costume for her!!! She could be SARAH PALIN!!!!! I am trying to convince her to dress up as her for at least one of her many Halloween outings. I'll give her the updo with the bangs, red button down shirt with a flag pin, and she has the glasses. My Dad thought she could carry a rifle too, but I told him that might be a little much. LOL I'm still trying to convince her. Maybe I can get her to do it for a picture to post on my Blog. We will see......

Monday's SUCK!!! :)

2008-09-29T10:38:00.000-07:00

Well at least this Monday does. I began the morning off by starting a scrapping challenge from another blog. It is to document a week in your life. So I am supposed to take pictures of things I do and journal thoughts and feelings as well. She also asks you to start an envelope and place things in from the week. Some people put in receipts, notes from their kids, etc.

So what do I have for my envelope???? My first item will be my first test I got back in my Algebra test this morning! Lets just say it was not a good grade!! Then as I am driving home going over the problems I missed in my head I notice a flash as I drive through an intersection. What was that I thought to myself, it was a ticket camera taking my picture. SAY CHEESE. There is #2 for my envelope a nice picture of myself running a red light. So that's a horrible grade on a test and a ticket ($361.00) all before 9am!!! WAY TO GO!!!

As my brother reminded me in a text,"this too shall pass." However right now I am really bummed. Math is a subject I really struggle with and if its this hard now its not going to get any better.

I have to remember though that in the big scheme of things there things are very minor. As I wrote in my last post my best friend's Mom is facing a life threatening disease and my problems are NOTHING compared to that. I'm prayin for her everyday and I know things are going to turn out at right!!!

So that's my Monday so far. I hope your's going better than mine. :)

Prayers Please!!!!

2008-09-26T23:23:00.000-07:00

I found out from my best friend yesterday that her mom has been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. They are doing some testing next week to see what stage it is at. I am asking everyone to say a prayer for her that the cancer has not spread and that everything will be o.k.

So I am sending big ((((((hugs)))))) out to Vicki and her family at that this very difficult time!! I love you guys and will be praying for you everyday! :)

Busy, Busy!

2008-09-23T09:44:00.000-07:00

I have not posted in a while but things have been busy around here. Last weekend My Girl Scout troop participated in the Coastal Clean up Day at the Hayward Shoreline. They really enjoyed it and it was great to seem them giving back to their community. If you have little ones take a look at Hayward Rec. Department's brochure; it has a great discovery center that has activities almost every weekend.

Weekend before Sam had a birthday party with one of her Girl Scout Friends. It was a rollerskating party. To her surprise there were lots of her friends from her old school. They skated and had a great time. From the skating party the girls went back to the b-day girl's house for a sleepover. Her poor mom had 15 girls!!! Myself and another GS mom stayed and help out. This mom was so organized! She had tons of games with prizes, one was a scrapbook page contest(they would not let me enter LOL), and then they roasted hot dogs and made somores! It was a Great Party! I'm so glad Sam has made such wonderful friends with some of the girls in her troop.

That same weekend my Mom and I had a garage sale. We sold ALL they childcare stuff. It is so weird and sad to look out and see the empty playroom. My mom went to an interview with Kidango and looks like she is going to get the job. Yeah Mom!!!

Well that's whats going on with me lately. I know exciting! I am off to study for two major test I have on Thurs.

Gettin in the Groove!

2008-09-04T09:37:00.000-07:00

Well my second week of school is over! THANK GOD!!! My math class starts at 7:00am so by the end of this week I finally feel that I'm getting in the groove.

All I can say to anyone who has just graduated high school, go to college when you are young! If you go straight from high school you can graduate college by the time you are 22. I would have to say that not completing college after high school is one of my life's regrets. Anyway I guess its better late than never. I'm looking forward to transferring up to Cal State East Bay and obtaining my teaching credential!!

Another kind of big event that has happened in our house is my mom and I have finally decided that its time to move on from home childcare. Our last family was going to go part time because of school starting so we both decided that after at least 20 years of childcare it time for a change. I have to say that I really enjoyed working and with my mom and building a successful childcare business. We have made some lifelong friends with some of the parents as well as a few of the kids, not kids anymore, so overall it really was a wonderful time in our lives. I still see many of the kids that we started as babies who are now in their twenties, yes I feel old, and they have all turned out to be wonderful adults. I'd like to think that I had a small part in that outcome. :) Too all the families that made our childcare a wonderful experience I want to say a huge thank you!!! As far as what we are going to do now, my mom has applied for a job with Kindago but hopes to eventually get a job with 4'Cs of Alameda. I am looking for something part-time so that I can finish school. So I have signed up to take a test to work for the after-school program for the school district near me.

Labor day we had a family barbecue at Nathan's. It was kind of a a goodbye to my dad who is off on another adventure. This time he is off the Grand Cannon. I told him that he had to create a blog so that we can all see pictures and hear about what is going on.

Yesterday was Samantha's back to school night. She really has a great teacher this year, I am so thankful! She is really outgoing, which for those of you who know Sam know that is right up her alley.

This weekend should be a pretty relaxed one. Sam is going with her mom for the weekend to see her Nana. Friday I am FINALLY going scrapping, it has been way too long!!!! It will be nice to be in air conditioning. Can I just say I am SICK of the HEAT!!!!!!

Tomorrow is also my best friend's birthday, 25 right vic? LOL Happy Birthday Girl!!! I hope you have a great day!

First Day of School

2008-08-26T21:20:00.001-07:00

Well Sam survived the first day of 4th grade. Getting out of bed this morning was a little difficult, she was a little nervous and could not fall asleep last night, but once she was awake she got in the groove. I went up to help her get all "glamed" up for her first day. She looked so cute and so grown up. I've said it before, I cannot believe she is now a 4th grader.

Once she was dressed and had breakfast we were off. Well at least that's what we thought. I am backing out of Nathan's driveway when WHAM I hit something. Nathan's neighbor and I backed into each other. NICE way to start Sam off for school. :) The lady's must of thought there was no damage cuz she just kept on going down the hill. However I got out and of course my car had a nice little dent in it.

So after that wonderful incident we were on our way. We found out what room Sam was in and then went and stood by her room. To her surprise she had a handful of kids in her class that she had in her last year's class. It made her feel good to see some familiar faces. The bell rang and her teacher,Mrs. Paris,opened the door and let the kids come in and pick their seats. She told the parents to feel free to come in and look around. She gave a quick overview of how things worked in her class and then told the kids to say goodbye to mom and dad. I think Sam lucked out with her teacher this year, she seems extremely nice and outgoing.

It was cute once we left Nathan pointed out to me that one of the little boys who had a crush on Sam last year was in her class and when they picked their seats sat right next to her. Too cute!

We went and picked her up and she came out with a smile on her face, so it seems she had a great day. Below are some pics from today.

--Little Ms---- These are the boots she had to have.

----Style---

----Walkin in to school.----- A little nervous.

--A familiar face.----- Her Sam's Classroom

---friend Hannah----

This pic says it all... ---My lovely dent!!!----

Leave and stop

Takin pictures!!!

Exsausted!!

2008-08-23T15:58:00.000-07:00

Well yesterday started out by taking Samantha to go school shopping. She has hit the stage where her and I don't see eye to eye on what is appropriate school attire. :) After the second hour and the third store I gave up and tried to remember how I felt as a kid shopping with my parents, everything they would pick out for me I hated. LOL So unless it was totally inappropriate I let her get what she wanted. She is going to put a fashion show on for everyone tomorrow, so I will post pictures later.

After that super fun adventure we were off to the Silliman Center for a Girl Scout outing. They swam for four hours and still did not want to leave. They all had such a blast! Below are some pictures for the outing.

So after shopping for at least 4 hours and then swimming for another four hours what does a person who is insane do...... let their niece have a sleepover with her friends. :) Samantha had two of her best friends, Paige and Megan, spend the night up at her dad's house, I was the chaperon. How fun for me!!!! We got home at 10pm and then they HAD to watch the new Cheetah Girl Movie that was premiered last night. The consensus was that it SUCKED!!! LOL After that I told them it was bed time or at least go to your room and lay down time. I think around 3am the her room fell quiet. Then promptly at 8:30am I was awaken to the lovely sound of drums beating. Nathan has a drum set and microphone downstairs so of course the girls had to perform bright and early!

All in all it was a busy day and after dropping both girls home and getting Sam off for her visit with her mom, I am off for a nap.......

.

The Last Supper

2008-08-20T22:45:00.000-07:00

Tonight Samantha, Nathan, my dad, and I went to our FAVORITE restaurant Federico's in Fremont. If you have never been there you have to go and give it a try! When we first started going the restaurant was called Cafe Bellisimo and it was located in Union City. Now they are in the shopping center in Fremont where Barnes and Nobels is located. Federico who is the owner and his brother Kiko are awesome and the food is wonderful!!! If you go the pork, I can't remember the name of it, is the best. Tonight I had the fillet mignon, it was so to die for!! Another favorite is the Tiramisu, it is the best I have ever had.

We went to celebrate the end of a great summer. As usual they spoiled Sam to rotten! She had several Samtinis and a few new drinks as well. Don't worry she did not drive. LOL It was the perfect ending to a perfect summer! Here are a few picks from the night.

A new drink

A pic Sam took of the fountain

The Samtini

Back To School

2008-08-20T14:46:00.001-07:00

Today was my first day back to school. It just does not seem right to have to start school in August! LOL Most of my classes so far have been online but now the remaining classes I need to graduate are all on campus. Every time I start an on campus class I think to myself either these kids are getting younger or I am getting older. Sadly I think it is the second option. :)

One bright spot though is I will be graduating Chabot in Summer '09!!!! Yeah!!!! If I can keep my GPA the same till then I will graduate with a 3.95 GPA. My parents probably never thought they would see the day I would graduate let alone with honors. My next step after graduation is to transfer to Cal State East Bay and get my BA in Education.

Enjoy Life to the Fullest!!!

2008-08-12T17:54:00.000-07:00

This morning I was watching the news and the top story was about a fatal car crash that happened early this morning in which two teenagers lost their lives. It turns out after seeing the car and hearing the names, that I know the parents of one of the teens that was killed. Their family attends Mt. Hermon, a camp we go to every year and my dad was friends with this boy's father growing up. If you say a prayer tonight say one for their family!

It just got me thinking how life is so short and we never know how long we have. Here was a boy 18 years old just starting out his life and now its over. It really helps but things in perspective! The "things" that we think are so important; cell phones, computers, i-pods, and fancy cars in the end really don't mean a thing. Its our loved ones and the times we spend with them that are life's true gifts. So the next time you think I've got to get the next best gadget or I have to get my "to do list" done, forget about it!!! Take you children, friend, or loved one and go for a walk or just spend time talking with them. Treasure those moments and hold them close to your heart.

Below is a article I found on another blog and it really hit home what I am trying to say!

The Mayonnaise Jar and 2 cups of coffee

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 Hours in a day is not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and 2 cups of coffee.A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous 'yes. The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed. 'Now,' said the professor, as the laughter subsided, I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things - God, family, children, health, friends, and Favorite passions--things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, house, and car. The sand is everything else -- the small stuff.' If you put the sand into the jar first,' he continued, 'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. So... Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play With your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. 'Take care of the golf balls first -- the things that Really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.' One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. 'I'm glad you asked'. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.'

What Made the Tomato Blush??

2008-08-11T23:24:00.000-07:00

Here is Samantha's unit's jokes. Samantha (aka "Drama Queen") and her friend "Wild Thing" told two jokes. What do you do when a rhino charges you? and What made the tomato blush? They were too cute!

As promised here are some other pics from our awesome week at Girl Scout Camp!

Thank GOD its Saturday!!!

2008-08-09T17:59:00.000-07:00

Well day camp is over!!! :) It was a great week but like I said before I am exhausted!!! You know you are a great Aunt when you give up the Scrapbook Expo to work the last day of camp! LOL Sam stayed the night last night. I was proud of her because she has never stayed at a Girl Scout event before without me but she did fine. When I asked her how it went she said, "It was awesome and she was doing it next year for sure!!" Her Unit performed jokes instead of skit this year. I will post the video later as well as some more pictures of the week.

So after camp Sam three sisters came over to her dad's house for a visit. He is at work so I watched the girls. They were too cute!!! Sam made them put on a fashion show, of course. Below are some pictures.

Day Camp

2008-08-05T22:08:00.000-07:00

Well this week Sam and I are at Girl Scout Day Camp at Garin Park. The theme this week is magical fairy mystery. All I have to say for the first two days is I AM GETTING OLD! LOL I came home Monday and was exhausted!! However I am sooooooo thankful that the weather is NOT hot this year. It has been overcast in the morning and then sunny in the afternoon.

Monday I worked at the tote/hat station. OH WHAT FUN!! Lets just say the girls were supposed to stencil designs on their bags and ended up using their hands instead of the paintbrushes! :) One little girl at my station actually painted both her hands completely blue. Her mother must have been thrilled.

Today I was the stepping stone station. This activity went much more smoothly! They turned out really cute! Since Samantha is a Junior we are on the opposite side of camp this year. I must say it is so nice to be working with older girls, they really are much more self sufficient. LOL Basically I show them once what to do and they go to work. Its great!!! Here is Sam's stepping stone.

The girls also got to make Fairy bears. Above is a picture with Sam and her bear. Her unit, unit 8 also got to do the flag ceremony today. So far is has been a great week!

Gotta love her!!!

2008-07-28T01:49:00.001-07:00

After spending the day with my niece, Samantha, and her two BFFs it really hit me that she is no longer my little sweet pea but a young lady. It seems like just yesterday Nathan was bringing her by and she would run down the hall calling, "Auntie, Aunite." That would make my day! Now its, "Hey Aunt can my best friend come over so we can hang." LOL It is hard for me to believe she is going to be entering the 4th grade next month. Where does the time go? All I can say is enjoy every minute with you little ones because before you know it they are all grown up.

Below are some of her highlights from the last few months! She can drive me CRAZY sometimes but I love her to death and she always keeps me laughing! I love ya girl!

2008-07-28T01:17:00.000-07:00

This was all of us at dinner at one of our favorite
restaurants, Frederico's in Fremont, celebrating mine
and Nathan's birthdays. Cheers!

The restaurant has a large dance floor which Sam
takes full advantage of. Here she is with her Paga
cutting a rug.

This is Sam dancing with the owner/chef. They spoil
her rotten there.

Here is Sam with her drink the chef designed
just for her.

We call it the Samtinni! Gotta love it!

Here is one of her last projects of the school year.
All I could say was THANK GOD!! LOL!

On my birthday Nathan, my Dad, Sam and I went to
Half Moon Bay. The weather was over cast but we had a
blast!

The weather may have been a little chilly but that did
not stop Sam. She went in bikini and all! You go girl!

In June Sam bridged from a Brownie Girl
Scout to a Junior! Way to go!

One Sunday afternoon Sam decided that we
need to have an Easy Bake Party. What Fun!
She picked the menu, cooked it, and set up the table.

Here she is preparing the food.

Frosting the tiny cake.

Look out Martha Stewart! It was one of the best, if the
only, Easy Bake Parties I have ever been to.

Sam is going to kill me for posting this but it was TOO
FUNNY! I came home late from scrapping and went into
the bathroom and what did I find? My sink had been transformed
into a Barbie Club Med! LOL Here is the pool (AKA the sink)

Here we have the topless section of the resort!
Like I said the girl always keeps me laughing!

6 months

2008-07-22T22:15:00.000-07:00

Its hard for us to believe but it has been six months since my grandpa passed away. So today we decided to go to one of his favorite places, Lake Chabot. Even well into his eighties he would go for daily walks up in the park and I have many childhood memories of him taking me there.

The day of my grandpa's funeral is was pouring rain. My grandma really wanted to have an outdoor graveside funeral but with the weather that was not an option. So I thought as the six month mark approached we could do a day of remembrance doing something that he loved. So I choose his favorite park and got each of us a balloon with a tag attached. We wrote personal messages to him and then walked to a clearing and released the balloons up into the sky. There was a little hill near the clearing so we climbed up and watched till they disappeared. All of us loved my grandpa very much and we miss him everyday!

2008-07-22T20:04:00.000-07:00

We could not have asked for a more beautiful day! Below are pictures of from the day.

Crazy for Mama Mia!

2008-07-19T23:56:00.000-07:00

I had sooo much fun today. First I scrapped all day with my two best scrapping buds, Carla and Satyn. While scrapping I mentioned how much I wanted to see Mama Mia and Satyn and Rocio ( another scrapping friend) said they were both up for going. So we did and it was sooooooo good. We laughed, we sang, we cried(even Satyn! LOL Yes girl I saw you wiping those tears) and then we laughed even harder.

If you go and see it be sure to stay till then end, it is waaaaaay worth it! So grab a friend or two and go see a really great movie!

Ps. Be on the look out for Satyn, Rocio, and I's Mama Mia act coming to a scrapbook store near you. This production has not been rated. LOL

What a Moon!!!

2008-07-16T21:22:00.000-07:00

In all the years I have lived in my house I have never pull out my camera to take a picture of the moon. My mom and I were out front painting and I happened to turn around and there was a huge beautiful moon right over Mission Peak. It just screamed, "take a picture!" LOL So here it is I hope you enjoy it. It really goes to show that you don't have to go looking for the beauty of nature sometimes its right out your front door!

True Beauty

2008-07-16T21:18:00.001-07:00

I am Obsessed!!

2008-07-14T19:38:00.000-07:00

O.k. I have just found my new favorite toy. Its actually a computer program called "Windows movie maker." For the last two days I have been uploading pictures and making movies with different themes. Right now they are posted on Utube because I was not able to e-mail them due to the fact that the files are too big. So I will try to figure out how to post a link here for my Utube movies. If it works check them out and leave comments! :)

We're baaaaaaack!

2008-07-12T22:15:00.000-07:00

After a wonderful week of family camp we are home. The week was so amazing that we did NOT want to leave! Friday night Nathan barbecued his famous ribs and we had my aunt, uncle and cousin up to our cabin for dinner. After discussing how fast the week passed we all decided that we should try to come up for two weeks possibly next year.

After the barbecue we all went down for the camp's "party on the mall." Every year at the week's end the camp hosts a end of the week party by having a snow cone booth, cotton candy booth, ice cream and music all in the main mall area. There are white lights all around and a movie with video from all the week's activities is shown. The kids love it and lets just say they leave on a sugar high. LOL

All in all this without a doubt was my favorite week ever at Mt. Hermon! Everyone in our family had such a good time. This year my aunt Lois' family rented a cabin and really enjoyed it. My cousin David spent many late nights up at our cabin challenging Nathan on the Wii! We won't say who won, we'll just say it was entertaining. Samantha had her best friend there this week and on Friday they had a play date at our cabin. While Samantha loved spending time with the family she really wanted to hang out with friends more this year. It just hit me how fast she is growing up! Nathan was able to stay the whole week which really meant a lot to Samantha as well as my Dad and I. I got to scrapbook all week on a huge dining room table that looked out over the redwood mountains. Can't get much better that! Everyone had a fabulous time.

It is nice to be home but we will all be counting the days till next years camp!!!!

Ps. Many people have asked if I can let them know when my blog has been updated. If you click around there is a way to subscribe to it so that when something new is posted it will notify you. :)

More Pictures

2008-07-12T21:29:00.001-07:00

One final shot from the balcony before we left for home.

Sam had us wear coordinating blue shirts so that we matched the flowers in the background. She is so funny!

This is one of the front buildings in Mt. Hermon. Everything was decorated with the camp's theme in mind. There were red carpets and movie drapes everywhere.

Fun in the game room with a new friend.

What a cutie!!!

Smore night. Yummo!

During the morning and evening Sam went to Childcare where they did all kinds of fun activities. Creek walks, swimming at the pool, crafts, and games. This picture is of her counselor who's camp name was "Munchkin." The other little girl is Sam's camp BFF, Abby.

This is the view out of my bedroom window. Numerous bird feeders line the trees and birds are constantly coming down to eat. From this picture it easy to see why they named the cabin "treetop."

This view is from one of the kitchen windows, its so amazing. I wish I could wake up to this every morning.

A mountain blue jay. When the bird feeders were empty he would come to the window and stare at us. LOL

Of all the birds these little finches are my favorite. Sometimes when I would look out at the trees there would be 10 to 20 all hanging out. Too cute.

This bird is the "mean" woodpecker! In years past we would occasionally see them but this year they had taken over the bird feeder tree. Any bird that tried to come and eat would be quickly chased away by one of them. Nathan actually saved one of the finches that had run into a glass window and had fallen to the ground. The woodpecker saw what had happened and swooped down and was trying to kill the poor little finch!

This Place is Amazing!!

2008-07-09T20:24:00.000-07:00

Well we all safely made it up to Mt. Hermon. I cannot believe it is already Wed. Where has this week gone? The weather has been quite warm, however the cabin we are in does have AC. :) I am off to do Smores with the family but I have added a few pic from some of the fun thing we have been doing. Enjoy!!!!

Mt. Hermon here we come!!!!

2008-07-05T12:53:00.000-07:00

Well tomorrow my family and I are going on our yearly vacation to Mt. Hermon. For the last three years we have been renting a cabin named "Treetop," we love it soooooooo much! It has a deck and windows that wrap around the whole cabin and it sits on top of a hill. So when you look out it really gives the feeling of being in the treetops. On the back deck there are tons of bird feeders and one of my favorite things to do is to get up in the morning and watch all the birds as they eat their breakfast. :)

Mt. Hermon is Christian conference center located in the Santa Cruz mountains that has been in operation for more than a 100 years. Both my parents went there with their families growing up and my dad spent so much time there with friends that he was practically considered part of the staff.

My first time at Mt. Hermon I believe I was about thirteen or so. My parents were newly divorced and my dad decided he, my brother, and I would go there for a summer vacation. I have to admit while I LOVE to go to Mt. Hermon now I DID NOT like going as a teenager. Not sure why but I am so thankful that my dad kept signing us up every year! Now it is a family tradition and it is Samantha's favorite place to go. She had to write a paper for school about her favorite place to go and she wrote it on Mt. Hermon. I do have to say though she has it a lot nicer than her dad and I did growing up. She is staying in a beautiful cabin complete with a hot tub while we stayed in the conference center's housing. Not quite the same. LOL

Well I will be updating my blog with pictures and all the family fun. The theme this year is "Mt. Hermon presents Family Camp 2008." It has like a movie/Hollywood feel to it with a barbecue on Sunday complete with a red carpet. Can you say, "SAM IS IN HEAVEN!" She has been planning her outfit for weeks.

Happy 4th of July!!!

2008-07-04T23:19:00.000-07:00

Today my girls, I am a girl scout leader, marched in the Fremont 4th of July Parade. It was so much fun! We are definitely doing it again next year. The theme this year was "America Sings" and boy did the girl sing their little hearts out! I will be singing "This Land is Your Land" in my head for the next week. LOL The girls just loved all the spectators cheering for them as they walked along the parade route. As Sam said, "Its like we are famous!" Too Cute. Well we had a fabulous time! Below are a few pics from today! Enjoy and Happy 4th!

2008-07-04T23:16:00.001-07:00

Ready to march!

2008-07-04T23:11:00.000-07:00

Practicing their songs.

2008-07-04T23:07:00.001-07:00

Here is Sam with her very best friend. They have been BFFs since they were born.

2008-07-04T23:05:00.000-07:00

The girls really wanted a picture with this balloon. Too Cute!

2008-07-04T23:03:00.000-07:00

Sam and Auntie doing our very best diva pose. We wore matching glasses to the parade. Gotta love the Target dollar spot. :)

My First Blog

2008-07-04T20:30:00.000-07:00

Everywhere I turn these days everyone has a blog. So I figured it was time for me to join in the fun. :) Its hard for me to believe that anyone would want to read about my facinating life, LOL, but here it goes. ENJOY!