Blues Clues

One day while Kaci was watching Blues Clues (it was one of the first episodes) she thought that Joe was her dad! HA HA LOL For those of you that know what Rick looks like that is hilarious!  I explained to her that was Joe and not her daddy.  So she has been watching Blues Clues non-stop with Joe.  Today Blues Clues came on at 5:30 and it was an episode with Steve.  She cried and cried and cried.  She said it wasn't the right Blues Clues.  Oh it was so sad.  She really wanted to watch Blues with Joe.  So of course I turned her DVD back on that has Joe in it.  And then she just sat on the couch and watched it so intently.  My girl...so sweet and so cute!  I love her!  I hope the 5 new DVD's I bought her of Blues Clues have Joe in them!!!

Fitness

I am ringing in the new year with fitness.  I have been with Weight Watchers for 3 days.  It's going well.  I found that one of my new favorite drinks is water with lemon juice.  I know weird.  Anyway, I am determined to get fit in 2011! I have stated a new fitness blog.  www.dontbeabratburnthatfat.blogspot.com

I am very excited and completely stoked about doing Zumba!  I am always looking for ways to shake up my workouts.  I have a friend that is a Beachbody Coach and she is very motivating.  It's great to talk to her because she is so into fitness and has tons of great recipies and lots of motivating words.  Wish me luck on my fitness journey.

Let's see.   I have been trying some new products.  They are awesome.  They are all non-toxic (great for the family and the environment).  They smell fresh and clean.  Plus,  everything lasts a long time.  The company is Melaleuca.  If you'd like to know more then send send me an email rnkkandrach@hotmail.com and I will be happy to share the wellness with you!

The job is great.  Everything at home is rolling along.  I can't believe that in one day it will be 2011.  Where did 2010 go?  It went by so fast.  2011 is going to bring great things.  I just know it.  I have faith.  Today I am going to relax, workout, get my hair done, get a few things done around the house and then watch High School Musical with Courtney and Kaci. Other than that I don't have much else going on.  My AT is coming to visit in 2 weeks.  I am very excited.

Until Next Time....Party like its 1999!!! LOL

Kiwifruit

Some great recipies for those who LOVE Kiwi!

Kiwi Mint Lemondade

So refreshing! If you don't have mint, try fresh lemon balm. The lemonade is also delicious without the herbs.

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup packed fresh mint leaves
• 3 California kiwifruit
• 2 to 3 lemons
• Sparkling water

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, heat water with sugar over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until sugar is dissolved. Simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in mint leaves. Let stand 20 minutes
2. Meanwhile, peel kiwifruit and cut into chunks. Puree in a food processor. Place puree in a pitcher. Strain cooled syrup into pitcher, pressing on mint, then discard leaves. Refrigerate until cold. Squeeze juice from 2 lemons. Stir into kiwifruit mixture. Taste, squeeze in juice from remaining lemon for a tarter lemonade.
3. Pour into glasses. Top with sparkling water. Serve garnished with a slice of kiwifruit. Makes about 2¼ cups (550 mL) without sparkling water, enough for 4 drinks.

Kiwifruit Frozen Yogurt

Ingredients

• 2 California kiwifruit, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 pint frozen low-fat or nonfat vanilla yogurt, softened
• 1 to 2 drops of green food coloring (optional)
• 1 package (10 ounces) frozen red raspberries in syrup, thawed
• 2 tablespoons triple sec or other orange liqueur
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 3 California kiwifruit, ends trimmed and sliced lengthwise
• Fresh mint leaves
• Fresh or frozen whole raspberries (optional)

In food processor or blender, puree chopped kiwifruit; stir in honey. Place in freezer and freeze until slushy (about 45 minutes). In stainless steel bowl, quickly combine softened yogurt, kiwifruit mixture and food coloring; refreeze in bowl. With small ice cream scoop (about 2 tablespoons) form 12 balls and place on wax paper-lines tray; refreeze.

Meanwhile, to make sauce, in food processor or blender puree thawed raspberries. Over saucepan, strain berries, through a fine sieve, pressing with back of spoon. Discard seeds. Stir in orange liqueur and cornstarch. Bring to boil, stirring constantly until slightly thickened. Cool; cover and chill. To assemble; spoon about 2 tablespoons sauce on each of 6 dessert plates or shallow bowls. Arrange kiwifruit slices and frozen yogurt balls on sauce. Garnish with mint and whole raspberries. Make 6 servings.

Christmas and 2011

Merry Christmas and soon to be Happy 2011!  It all of a sudden just started pouring buckets of rain.  What the heck!?!?!  Anyhow, here are a few pics from Christmas.  You can see more on FB.

2010 has been a great year.  It has brought a lot of changes to our family.  We just feel so blessed and we thank GOD every day for those blessings.  I have to admit that I do miss my Hawaii friends!  We had an excellent Christmas even though we were missing some loved ones.  They were with us in our hearts.  I am pretty sure that the girls got all they wanted for Christmas.  I know I did and I hope all of my fabulous readers did too! 

I am hoping that 2011 will bring more changes.  I have a lot of goals for 2011.  I am going to start the new year off right with a Shakeology cleanse.  My first three days of 2011 will be just that.  I can thank my friend Amy for that.  Then I will be back on track with my workouts and feeling great!  At the recommendation of Amy I am going to try Turbo Fire.  It's supposed to be a great workout but not as much time (daily) as P90X which I just don't have time for right now so I will fit that in on the weekends for now.  My goal for 2011 is to lose another 30 pounds!  I know I can do this!

I am also hoping that my current place of employment will bring about some good changes.  I have been praying really hard for this to come through so pray with me.  I am also going "green" in 2011 which I have already started.  If you would like to know more about that just send me an email.  I'd love to share with you.

I know that God will lead me in all the right directions and he will place the cards on the table exactly as he intends.  I am ready. 

I hope that 2010 has bought great things for you and I hope you all had a wonderful holiday.  It comes and goes so quickly.  I am not sure what happened to all of 2010, but I am looking forward to 2011.  I hope you are too!

God Bless!

Until Next Time...

My Baby Turned 2!!!!!!

My baby girl turned 2 on 11 December!  I can't believe it.  Where does the time go?  She is so swet, cuddly, kind, funny...just plain adorable.  I love her so much!  Her birthday party was a blast!  She got lots of great toys and we were in great comapny!  We were missing some of our favorite people...hopefully next year!  I made a video of pictures from pictures from the time she was born until she turned two.  The song I had playing was My Girl by the temptations!  The video was very cute.  I am happy that those who were there got to celebrate with us. (And thank you to EVERYONE who wished her a Happy Birthday!)

I remember the day she was born like it was yesterday. I was 2 months into my Masters program.  I did finish and I never took a break.  I just pushed through and I think it was for the best.  She was born at TAMC at 5:36 am and was 5 lbs 4.7 oz.  She was 5 poinds even when we brought her home.  She was so tiny!  My wee one.  I will never forget the sleepless nights or the amazing milestones!  She is truly a blessing in our lives.  I am so glad that God brought her to us and entrusted us with her life.

We LOVE our sweet girl!

Seasons Greetings!

Courtney is just as beautiful as ever and Kaci is just as sweet as can be.

Pochahotties

Ok. So the fun began on November 23 when Mara arrived. To start the trip off right her flight was 9 1/2 hours. Her plane had to make an emergency landing in Denver for fuel. The headwinds were so strong that they actually ran out of gas. Really!?!? How do you run out of gas? Seriously.

The Trip:

We decided to make a brief stop at the office so that she could meet her future coworkers. On the way to the office I noticed a clear plastic string hanging from the armpit of her jacket...yes..it was a tag. That was several minutes of laughter. Then I criticized her off white faux vintage glasses. Mara didn't not really appreciate that. But come on people she had on all black. Ugh! So we get to the office and she had to go through security because she is a visitor. She had to take her shoes off an low and behold mismatched socks. Really Mara. I took her to the secret squirrel elevator and we headed to the 13th floor. Once we got back down to the 9th floor we learned how to make cheesy baked potatoes. Then we left.

Once home we grabbed the girls and headed to the Olive Garden where Mara tried to devour meatballs the size of a head. All in all the dinner was delicious. We Heart the Olive Garden. After that we came home, got in our comfy's and watched Toy Story 3. Mara got scared. LOL.

Wednesday:

We got up, got dressed and headed for Land of the Idiots (Wallie-World). What an adventure. After that we went to Starbucks and I watched my friend ruin her coffee with sugar and whip cream. She said I am mistaken. However, she had Christmas Blend with whip cream and chocolate sprinkles...not sure about that. As I write this she is making that same coffee right now. YUCK. After that we headed to Ralph's for some oranges for our blue moon and some stuffing to stuff the bird (which we named Susie Bell). Ralph's was another adventure. As we were walking to the car we were approached by a man in a Bud Light uniform. (They have good benefits.) He walks up....

Bud Light Guy: "Do you ladies need any help?"
Us: No thanks. We go it.
Bud Light Guy talking to Kirsten:  "I'm sorry for staring at you but you are just so cute. You are probably taken right?"
Kirsten: Yes, I am married.
Bud Light Guy: "Sorry."

All the while Mara is cracking up. We get in the van and we just look at each other and say OMG! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Ok, I didn't have on any makeup and my hair wasn't even close to done. But, it was a nice start to the day.

The rest of the day consisted of making cheesy potatoes and movies and Coke's shaped like ornaments. We used a bendy straw which totally made the Coke taste better. So, that night we decided we needed a tablecloth. We made a mad dash over to Party City and wouldn't ya know...$5 Pochahotass costumes. Yes, we bought them. After laughing hysterically for nearly nearly 45 minutes we headed to In and Out (where it's not so In because it takes forever to get out). On the way home we rehearsed our rap skills. We are now....Team Take-a Take-a Takedown. (Laughing hysterically.) That was good times. We are in fact considering sitting in the driveway and reliving it.

On to Thanksgiving....Turkey Fat Kid Day

Woke up at 8 and prepared. Drank coffee and before you know it was 11 am and we almost forgot to put the turkey in the oven. OMG! Everything was smooth sailing until 10 minutes to 3 when EVERYONE showed up at the same time and then insisted on standing in the kitchen during crunch time. Not appreciated. LOL We greeted our guests in our Pochahottie costumes. We received several OMG's and laughter. It was fantastic. Then...Robert said grace and we ate ourselves stupid and watched some football. (Mara is currently insisting that I put whip cream in my coffee because it will change my life.) We were so full we couldn't even eat dessert. So, we'll have it for breakfast today. We watched Sunshine Cleaning and Baby Mama! HAHAHAHA! Then off to bed.

Today is Friday and she has to go to the airport at 10:30 pm. I am NOT looking forward to her leaving. That is craptastic. :o(

Mara: "But I'll be back!"

Until next time....and there will be a next time...with sprinkles.

The Holidays

I absolutely love the holidays.  There is just one thing missing...and well...I miss him.  So the top picture is of our fireplace.  We hung all the stockings even though not everyone is here. It's really pretty at night all lit up.  We rearranged the playroom to accommodate the Christmas tree.  It looks really pretty.  However, this tree in this house looks so much smaller because the ceilings are so high! LOL It's okay.  We still love it!  Courtney and I hung Christmas lights around the outside of the house.  It's hard work!  I am glad I bought a really good staple gun!  HA!

I am so excited for my friend Mara to come and visit.  She will be here on Tuesday!  YAY!  Thanksgiving is this week!  Where has the year gone?  It's going to be great!  Good food, family, and friends. 

I can't believe in just 3 short weeks my baby girl is going to be 2!  I want to cry!  This year her birthday is pink ladybugs theme.  Her cake is going to be really awesome!  I can't wait!

My next class (teaching) starts Tuesday.  Criminal Law and Procedure again!  I like teaching.  I actually had one of my students call me and thank me for helping him as much as I did with this class.  I really do try to be an excellent teacher.  I think it's important and I remember very clearly what its like to be a student.  In fact, being accommodating to the needs of the students.  I had a student who managed to finish three weeks of assignments in time even though he experienced the death of his infant.  It was very sad and my heart went out to him.  The point is that it's important to try and help them succeed and I really enjoy teaching.

My friend Heather is on an awesome trip right now...ROME!! (Amongst a million other places!)

It all of a sudden right now just started pouring down rain!  Holy cow!!

Until next time...Happy Holidays!

I Love...

my husband

watching Kaci sleep

my family (of course...duh)

reading romantic books

working out

mindless entertainment

watching Courtney play soccer and do ridiculous science experiments in the backyard

my job

baking cookies

frosting cookies (last year we made and frosted cookies with Angie)

learning sign language from Courtney (yes, she has a sign language class at school)

ordering crap from silly school fundraisers

playing with the animals

catching up with friends

making Christmas cards

holiday dinners

clean sheet day

the way my wedding ring shines when it's freshly cleaned

the way my mouth feels after I use Listerine Zero

watching Kaci crack up laughing

coming home and having Kaci run to me to give me a long hug

baby kisses

babies...period (who doesn't love babies)

giving presents

giving thanks

knowing that God loves me know matter what

being content

decorating for the holidays

a nice freshly cleaned house

fruit smoothies

liquid fabric softener

Tide Acti-lift technology (LOL)

a really good frozen margarita (with salt)

a really good steak

going on dates with my husband

movie night with the family

There are so many things in life that I love. This was just a short list. Some silly, some serious. I am so thankful to have the life I have. I feel like God has blessed us so much and I am so grateful. I hope someday I can win the Mega Millions and open up my campus, yes I said campus, for women and children of domestic violence. Someday...

Kirsten and the Soccer Mom

So, while I was about to type in the address bar the name of my blog I accidentally typed my name and hit enter. Ha! So I got to looking and there are a lot of interesting items that come up under my name. (You should try it with your own name.) LOL Here are a few examples...Name, American Girl, Pipe, and Senator.
Who knew?!

The week began fabulous! I made a CD of some of my favorite songs and have been listening to it every day on the way to work. All different types of songs. What fun. Tomorrow is Veteran's Day ad I have the day off. I hope you all remember to thank and remember a Veteran. I am going to remember the man I married who has basically signed a blank check to the USA and will lay down his life so that we can sleep peacefully at night. I am going to pray for his safety, take Kaci to gymnastics, and get a pedicure. Maybe I will get camo toenail polish!

Snickers is doing fabulous! She is so darn cute, so playful, and loves to cuddle. Saturday she will be going for her next set of shots.

So, we had to set our clocks back here in good ole SoCal. That means that it gets dark at 5 instead of 6. Soccer practice is 4:30 to 6. So now instead of practicing at the school where the games are held we practice at the park since it is lit. Well, we haven't been to the park (except for Halloween) so I emailed the "Team Mom" to ask some questions. It's a HUGE park! Well, instead of her taking the time to explain to me where practice is held she replies with some snarky rude comment. UGH!!! So I emailed her back and explained to her that she didn't have to be rude. She then told me that I didn't deserve an apology and all kinds of other ridicuous things so I replied with, " Linda, Just so you know my grandmother does me a favor and takes my daughter to soccer practice because I am not home from work yet. And since my husband is deployed, ensuring your safety so you can sleep peacefully at night I take care of the rest. You don't know me. So before you start assuming  things maybe you should take the time to BE NICE to people and just give them directions to the soccer field." UGH! I can't stand people like her. She is the type of soccer mom who screams at her kid while she is trying to have fun. Her husband is rude and obnoxious. He yells at OTHER people's kids. Their daughter is rude, pushy, and bossy to all the girls on the team. RARRR! I am over it now, but HOW RUDE!!

I think that's all I have for now. Oh- posted final grades for my students today. YAY! Next class...23 November.

Until next time...enjoy your day, make someone smile, and continue to be positive!

Ciao!

Snickers

Where we are supposed to be...

I think every junture in our life and where we are at those very moments is exactly where God wants us to be.  Every decision we make leads us down a path that was designed exactly for us.  The journey for us is the reward.  We cannot and should not live in the past of what ifs.  The what ifs are the reason they have stayed the what ifs.  I am so very blessed for those that God has brought into my life and also for those He has taken out.  I feel that every aspect of my life is rich.  I don't mean monitarily either.  I may not be rich and I may not every everything that is material, but I do have love and friendship.  I have elements that others only dream of having.  Thank you God!  Thank you for being in my life and blessing me with so very much!

In more news...We have Snickers!!!  Yes, I said Snickers.  She is some kind of puppy.  They rescue place said some type of sheppard mix but I swear she has some lab in her!  She is cute and so far has been very easy to train.  I have decided that I am going to crate train her.  It's working out fabulously!  She really is a joy!  Kaci loves her to pieces and so does Courtney. 

Courtney has been kickin butt in soccer!  The playoffs are a comin! Kaci is loving gymnastics.  I am so excited that I get to take her on Thursday!  I love playing with her and talking with her.  She is really turning out to be someone really great! (Not that I ever had any doubts!)  She is really talking up a storm and she is so animated! I love it!

Work is going great, both teaching and my other job! Busy busy busy!  My bestie is coming to visit in just 2 weeks! I am so excited and honored that she is coming all the way from CT!!! YAY! It's gonna be 6 days of pure relaxation. Whew!

Well, that's all for now.  Time for me to enjoy the time change.

Until next time...be blessed!

Lunch in Santa Monica

Another fabulous lunch with my friend T! Thanks T!

Lunch at Literati

My friend T and I had lunch at this cute little place today called Literati. It's so adorable inside. Had a delicious grilled cheese (1/2) and tomato bisque. She and I had a nice time. We always do.

Los Angeles

I went to LA today for a work meeting and while I was there I took some pictures....yes...with the retro camera on my phone. Not half bad!

Croy Wedding Part I

Photos by Katy Gazda, Mesa, Arizona....

The Professor

Good evening all my fans! As you all know I obtained my Master of Science degree in April! I did not forget what it is like to be a student. So, I thought will all of my knowledge and work experience I would be a professor. Here I am. Professor Kandrach. Instructor Kandrach. Ma'am. Kirsten. Those are all of my titles. LOL I am currently teaching Criminal Law. I love the class and it's totally cool and interesting. I have 24 students. It is a 300 level course so most of you know what that means...they are juniors/seniors.

One would think at this level that they know APA format is required in ALL writing right? This includes discussion forums and writing assignments. Well, not the case in my class. I have a student (who shall remain nameless of course) that has a 38% in my class. How does a person even get a 38%?

Anyway, I am a tough grader. I have explained to them in my announcements and my guidance for each week what I expect of them and what is required. The discussion forums require and initial post and 2 thorough responses to their classmates posts. They are to use APA format and cite references and yes...my discussion forums do require references. The writing assignment is (for this week) to be 3-5 pages long excluding the title and reference pages. And they are to use APA format! Pretty standard and relatively easy.

So, this student has decided to not even complete the three required posts. She does one post, doesn't respond to her classmates, and doesn't use APA format. I have explained that one liners will get you nowhere in my class. Automatic deduction of points. No APA more deduction of points. Then she turns in her writing assignment for the week. Now, remember that all of my students have my email address and phone number and can call me at any time (which I have students that do). I open her paper, use my plagiarism checker and find out that her paper is 83% plagiarized. Really?!?!? So I look deeper at the paper. Yup- definitely plagiarized. I can also tell it is not her writing because she doesn't speak that way in her discussion forums. Not to mention she didn't even cite references. UGH! I'm totally annoyed.

So, I send her an email and I tell her that the similarity index of her paper is way too high and that she should look it over. I also proceed to tell her that if she would like to re-do her paper and turn it into me by Monday I will accept that as her final paper. Basically, I tell her in a nice professional way that she is going to flunk my class if she doesn't get it together. She emails me back and says......."Ma'am, I will think about it and let you know." WHAT?!?!?!? Is she serious? Really? What does that even mean? Geesh. Here I am giving her an opportunity at this teachable moment and she basically tells me to go jump off a bridge. UGH! Now, I feel like giving her a big FAT ZERO!!! But, I will wait and see if she redeems herself.

The life of a teacher...

Until next time...think about it...UGH

Woodchuck to Ground Squirrel

HAHAH! AT - do you love the title? I am so happy you came to visit me last weekend. What a relaxing blast! I never laughed so hard. My freakin cheecks were hurting! HAHAH. Spankin my monkey and nunchuck tampons! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! OMG! Kids! Too Funny. How about the Crisco Courtney spread all over her face and then had to use the "scrubby" face wash! LMAO! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! What a great weekend! I was so sad to see you go. But, Cherry 123 and Rettard love you! XOXOXOX- WC Out

Ok- onto my blog! WOW! What a happenin last two weeks. My person and her fam came out to visit all the way from good ole MI! We had so much fun, but it was exhausting. All of us were ready to crash every night by like 9:30pm! We went o Venice Beach, Santa Monica Pier, Disneyland, to see the Hollywood sign, the ghetto pumpkin patch, and they went to Universal Studios while I was at work. Talk about BUSY! It was great though and I hope they come back to see me soon. Maybe next weekend! HA! Yeah right! I love you guys!

My favorite AT came to visit me last weekend. (The beginning of the blog was a tribute to her!) LOL Then on Saturday I am going to see my good friend Heather and hopefully relax! Courtney has a soccer game at 0900 and then I am taking her on a mother-daughter date to Color Me Mine where she gets to make her own pottery! Should be fun.

Work is crazy busy plus I am teaching. Really with my students? Seriously? Come on people. I am not going to even get started on that. Geesh!

Kaci is gowing up so fast. She is 22 months now! Almost the Big 2!!! Wish daddy was gonna be here for her birthday! It seems so amazing that she was born almost 2 years ago. Really? Where does the time go? I have a friend whose triplets are going to be 1 next month! Holy Crap! Man are they ever cute! The twins...I miss them! Declan and Conner- Auntie Kirsten will come see you soon. Promise! Sooner than you think!

Well, this has to be a fast blog because it is already 9:01 PM and I have to clean the kitchen, pick up the toys, take a shower, and go to bed! Gotta get up at 0400! Yikes! So....Until Next Time....

Night ya'll!

Past to Present

I have to start with Friday. And no...there are no mental affair stories...sorry. Friday began wonderful. Friday did not end up so good. My lovely grandma has been helping me with the kids. I have crazy work hours so she has been getting them off to school/daycare and helping out before I get home from work. So she sends me a text on Friday while I am driving home from work, in LA, in all of LA's glorious traffic. Beh. I burst into tears on the 405 freeway. Yes, my glasses are fogged up and I am sobbing. She tells me that she picked Kaci up from daycare and they didn't feed her lunch! WWWHHHHAAAATTTTT!!!!! Seriously? They didn't feed my baby lunch! So, as you can imagine I am passed the point of furious. I call the daycare. (You know this already.) They are like, "Well, she had dry cheerios for breakfast and we gave her a handful of Cheeze-Its." I think to myself...Wait..did you say a handful of Cheeze-Its? Now I am more furious.

Let me back-up. The "rule" at day care is you can either bring their food for them or you can pay for a hot lunch and only provide the snacks. Quite frankly I pay way to much money for this daycare for either of those things. They should provide it all! (Well, the food anyway).

So, I am like well why didn't anyone tell us on Thursday that Kaci was out of food?!?!?!?
Them: Oh, I don't know I guess we forgot.
Me: Seriously?!
Me: Why did I fill out an emergency contact list and no one bothered to call me or anyone else and say that Kaci was out of food?
Them: I don't know. But she had the Cheeze-It's.

By this point I am literally ready to freaking take someone out! Seriously? You don't know? What does that even mean? UGH! So, yup, you guessed right. Kaci is no longer going to The Learning Garden. Great Grandma Reta is lovingly taking care of Kaci for now. Kaci loves GG Reta! She cries when she leaves. Well, cries after she tells her bye bye. LOL I'm happy now. Kaci is happy. That is all that matters!

Now, I am sooooooo excited for tomorrow. My person arrives with her family! YIPPEEEEE! I am so thrilled and we have so much to do. Universal Studios, Halloween at Disney, Venice Beach, the pumpkin patch and more! I'm so glad they are all coming!!! Just wish my hubbs was here to spend this wonderful time with us.

Then, next weekend my AT is coming to town! Woo Hoo!!!!!!!! I see Blue Moon in my future. Maybe Sam. I'm not sure yet.

Then....my good friend Heather is coming to town. (Do NOT start singing here...Santa Clause is coming to town or I will hurt you.) HA!

I'm trying to get my other peep hired on where I work. Man, talk about pulling strings and trying to work it! I hope it happens for her. She deserves it. :o) Speaking of work my job is fantabulous! I absolutely love and adore the people I work with, my boss is awesome, and I am just having a great time learning and learning and learning. Annddddd, speaking of learning I started teaching my first class today! It's not too bad so far. Hmm, Courtney won her soccer game last week 5 to 1 and all is well in her world. She gets to skip school on Thursday so I know she is thrilled. LOL Kaci is wonderful and cute as a button! Kyle is doing great in school! YAY!

Other than all of that not too much else to report. I am off to bed. Nite ya'll!

Until next time....

Seriously? Is this my life?!?!?

(singing) my life just hasn't been the same...Baby if I ever get the chance again I would sacrafice...I gotta let you know I feel so weak without your touch...I never thought that I could ever love a man so much...I gotta let let you know I think we are destiny..I'm goin crazy...I need to be your lady...from the moment that I met you its been so damn real...I'm fallin so deeply...

I had that song in my head. Can you say old school. LOL I have been hearing a lot of these older songs lately. Kinda takes a person back ya know.

Ok, on to my BOTD (blog of the day). Seriously, I swear this happens to me all the time. My boss told me that I missed my calling after I told him about yesterday's elevator story. Geesh. Someone else today...a complete stranger in the cafeteria at work...hello people...the freaking cafeteria? Really? (sigh) Another grass is never greener story. Except this time I had 45 freaking minutes to listen to this chick whose name I never caught and quite frankly I think I will start bringing my lunch to work. I think I will also wear a trenchcoat and wear sunglasses. Dark ones. Ok. So this girl proceeds to tell me her complete life story. I do not take joy in other's people's problems. I don't mind listening...if I know you and you are my friend, but perfect strangers...come on. I think they tell a person they don't know because they don't have anyone else to tell. Obviously if you tell someone you know then it is no longer a secret. Right? Right. This doesn't just happen to me at work, or in the elevator...it happens in restaurants, dressing rooms while standing in line, the grocery store...I swear sometimes I just want to turn around, say Seriously? and walk the heck away! My lunchtime chick proceeds to tell me that she thinks she is having an affair. What? What is it with affairs lately? It's like being pregnant...either you are or aren't. There is no grey area. Right? She tells me that she isn't sure she wants to be married. She has been married for almost 3 years. Ok- they are supposed to be in like newlywed stage or something right. So, I'm thinking....what the heck. Heh. Maybe she didn't love this guy to begin with. She loves this guy at her office. Ok- don't dip your pen in the office ink! Get YOUR OWN INK!!!!! Geesh. Office affairs. I swear every day lately seems like Days of Our lives. (sigh). Anyway, she tells me that she thinks he feels the same way. WAIT! Thinks? She thinks he feels the same way? What is wrong with this girl. She has not done the deed YET but she somehow feels emotionally attached to this guy. (rolling my eyes) From here I just listen and don't utter another word because I CANNOT believe what I am hearing. MORON! UGH!

People seriously...do not tell me about your mental affairs. I don't wanna hear it. I don't wanna know. Either stay with your husband and work it out or get divorced. It's simple.

Until next time.....follow your mother's advice and DON'T TALK TO STRANGERS!!!!

The Affair

I was telling my husband this story earlier. I know a girl, well, I don't KNOW her because I met her in the elevator but she let out her soul today. She met someone at work. She said he is funny and handsome and everything she thought she wanted in a man. I say thought because as the old saying goes, we always think the grass is greener on the other side. She really likes him and she said she has been mentally involved with him. She is married. She proceeded to tell me that her husband travels for work and when he is in town he works long hours. Really? Do I look like a therapist? Hello...I don't even know this chick. (Sigh) So, I tell her that she is still having an affair. Even if it is just mental or emotional its still an affair. She is still "cheating" on her spouse. I told her if she is unhappy then she knows what she needs to do. She thanked me and got out of the elevator. Whew! It was a lot information from the 13th floor to the first floor. I hope I never have to do that again! Anyway, the point is that we take vows when we get married and we need to honor those vows. Flirting and other emotional behavior is not acceptable when you're married. Don't do it. Don't get caught up in that hot mess. The grass is NEVER greener on the other side! Geesh.

Until next time....don't get stuck in an elevator!

Controversy and Toddler Beds

At what point do you know for sure that your child is ready for a toddler bed? Is it when they try to crawl out of their crib? Is it when they won't sleep in their crib anymore but they will sleep anywhere else? Is it when they turn 2? When? Your thoughts would be helpful on this issue.

On to the controversy. How do you feel about the military lifting its Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy? Now, I am not one to pass judgement and I certainly was not put here on Earth to do so. On the surface I get it. The stigma attached to miliary men is that they are strong, rough, tough men. They are not homosexual and if, just if they are then it is left unsaid. I asked someone today how he felt about it and he brought up some very good points. He said that we used to live in a time where it was actually against the law for a black person to marry a white woman. It was legal to hang a black person from a tree and make a Sunday picnic out of it. It was against the law for blacks to ride the same bus as whites and drink out of the waterfountains in white neighborhoods. So let's think about homosexuality as a whole. No, the Bible doesn't condone homosexual behavior, but think of this: is it right for a child to be raised in a home with heterosexual parents who mentally/physically abuse each other and then get divorced? Isn't the principal of a relationship to love, nurture, bond, and build upon all of your best qualities? Who are we to say that a lesbian or gay couple can't raise children in a home filled with love and nuturing? I mean think about those scenarios. I get it. I get what it is at face value. But this is 2010 people. Churches all over the country are losing members because they are still preaching to their audience as if June and Walt are still sleeping in different beds. The audience now is culturally different. We might not all agree with what others do or how they live their lives, but shouldn't they have a chance with God and family? I mean there are still churches that have a "dresscode". Well, a person can believe in God and also not be able to afford a shirt and tie. Everyone should be allowed in church. Basically what I am getting at is to look below the surface and find the real root of your issues. I know a man who has been married, divorced, biracial relationship, with biracial children who were miserable together and now the kids are in therapy. He was also in foster care for eight years of his life so he knows what its like for no one to care about him or love him or nuture him. I also know a couple (2 women) who love each other and have a son. That little boy is so loved. Is it wrong? Is it right? You tell me. Tell me your thoughts.

Until next time....YOU be the JUDGE!

SHARK

This is totally worth talking about. Ok, I don't know too many people that LOVE to iron. I have been talking about getting a steamer for a while now. So today, I bought a Shark steamer (clothes steamer)! It is soooooo awesome and so easy! I absolutely heart my Shark! Everyone should own one. Its fabulous!

Until next time....just Shark!

Success

Success can be defined in many ways and it means different things to different people. I feel I have a multitude of successes. I have a wonderful husband, great kids, cute pets, a great job, a supportive family, and awesome friends. I feel successful in my relationship with God. I just feel successful overall.
Courtney had a great soccer game today. They played against the Purple People Eaters and won 2-1! She was pretty excited. She played a great game today. The team really brought their hustle today. I took her to do a little school shopping. And last night she got to do some fabulous shopping with Grandma Marian.
Courtney, Kaci, and I were on our way to Kohls and we saw something that made us crack up. Now, I am not judging and I know everyone has their own style, but.....ha ha this guy (Asian guy) was strutting his stuff down Crenshaw Blvd in a grey Adidas running suit with PINK stripes. Clearly this was a woman's running suit. It was hilarious and he topped off the outfit with orange and white tennis shoes. I don't know if it was funny because of the outfit, his demeanor, or both! But it made us smile and chuckle.
Kaci got a pretty bad boo boo yesterday. She tripped on the patio and smacked her face right on the cement. She scratched the tip of her nose and upper lip pretty good and bit the inside of her bottom lip. She ended up fine, but it looks yucky. However, next week we are starting potty training!!!!!! YAY!!!! I think she's ready. Her new pottie sings and gives out stickers! LOL. I'll keep you posted.
Kyle is doing great in school. He wants to see about testing out of Algebra 1 and going into Algebra II! Smarty pants! His room is next on the list for a makeover!
Remember when Nintendo was the thing? I don't know what just made me think of that.
Only 17 days until my person and her fam come to visit! Yippeeeee! Disney here we come!
Oh, and I'm down 44 pounds! Yay! Go me!
Well, I think that's all for now! Until next time...
TO SUCCESS!

Sunday

Sunday's are great days! Today I am finally going to a much needed hair appointment at an Aveda salon. Here's the great thing. My visit is half off today! Because I am a first time customer to an Aveda salon I get 50% off! So, instead of the visit costing me $200 it's only $100!! That is exciting news for a Sunday!

It's a beautiful chilly morning in So Cal. Tomorrow it's back to work! My boss is finally going to be back in the office after being out for surgery. Bring on the work load!! LOL It's gonna be busy!!!

I posted a few pics last night that are edited. The program is called Picnik. You can use just the general settings or for $4.95 per month you can have ALL the features. I opted for the $4.95! It's a fun program but it takes for ever fo each individual picture. I'm getting the hang of it.

On the kid front. Kaci loves the new Mott's Juice. It's apple and carrot and it's 2 1/2 servings of fruits and veggies per serving. Whew! Last night I grilled Teriyaki chicken, made string beans and rice in the rice cooker. Kaci devoured 2 bowls!!! She LOVED it! Finally something other than Cheeze-Its and apples. YAY! Tonight it will be pork loins, corn, and probably some fried rice for Kaci.

Courtney had her first soccer game yesterday. It was intense. These girls mean business. They lost 3 to 2 but overall it was a good game. Next game is next Saturday at 10:30. Im totally looking forward to it! YAY! I think she is going to have a slumber party with a couple of the girls from the team. I figure we will just do pizza, ice cream, movies, and games. Should be fun! I hope the girls can come.

Only 23 days until my person and her family come to visit!!! YAY!!!! I am so excited to see them! I am sending them to Universal Studios (with Courtney) while I work and then Friday we are headed to Disneyland!! Woot Woot! They are gonna get some real mexican food. AND I get to enjoy Brad's kick butt breakfast. Yes, I realize they are going to be on vacation, but I HAVE TO HAVE Brad's breakfast!!! YUMMMY! It's gonna be a great visit. I sure wish they could stay longer!

Then my friend Heather is coming out later that month. It will be nice to see her. We keep in touch via text and phone calls, but it is so much nicer to visit in person!

Let's see, then hopefully Steph will be out to visit in November and Mara and her husband too at Thanksgiving! I love having visitors. Now, if I can just get Erin to bring her little one out! That girls desperately needs a vacation!

Well, that is all I have for now. School starts tomorrow for Courtney and I am back to the office.

Until next time....

Picnik

For those of you who do not have FB here are some pictures that I have been working on... The program is called Picnik (available on the internet). Now, I don't claim to be a photorapher, but this is really fun!!!

Miracles

Surely last night I thought God placed a miracle in front of me. Kinda. It was a 6 hour miracle with only 2 small sidetracks. Ever since we have moved again and Rick is absent for the time being it has been really hard to get Kaci back in her groove. Many restless nights and many nights of her not wanting to be in her bed. So last night I went back to the old routine of putting her to bed right after her bath (and her teeth brushing). She fell asleep last night in 6 minutes...literally. She woke up for a few minutes around 9:30 so I covered her back up and she went back to sleep. I heard her for about 10 seconds around 11 but I didn't even get up. THEN at 1:40 am she woke up just cryin her little head off. Needless to say, we were up until 3:00 am. Well, I had to get up at 4:00 am so I just brought her to bed with me. She slept until almost 7. I was at the office by the time she woke up and Great Gma Reta was there with the kids. Seriously? So, tonight I am trying the same tactic. She hasn't been so easy to get to sleep tonight. She keeps waking up. I know as soon as my head hits the pillow she is gonna be up. What the heck is a mom to do? Clearly I cannot let her scream forever. At the same time she has to get used to HER bed. She used to have a ceiling fan at our house in HI. I think I will hang something from her ceiling so she has something to look at if she wakes up. (Thanks AT for the idea!) Otherwise, its just going to be a constant battle. I don't want her sleeping with me forever! I love her, but I'd like my bed back.

On to other news. Courtney's soccer scrimmage is tomorrow! We are all going to be there to root her on! YAY! Pics to come! We have to be to the firld at 8:30 am. Scrimmage is at 9:00.

I had another great week at work! YAY!

Only 25 more days till my person comes to visit with the fam! Disney is gonna be a blast!!! Woo Hoo!

I'm really looking forward to all of my visitors!

I'm off to read Chasing Harry Winston. Thanks Heather!!

Until next time, remember, the journey is the reward!

No flashy title...

Yes. It IS 5:50 am and I am already at the office. Poor Kaci. She heard me getting ready this morning and she woke up. She is so tired. I felt so terrible when I left her this morning. She was saying momamamamama and crying. It just breaks my heart. I really wish she would be blessed with sounder sleep. She is such a sweet baby.

On a happier note I have been working out 7 days per week! Yup! All 7 days. I am trying to reach my goal of 5 miles runs by 1 January. So far I am at a little over 2 miles. I am addicted to cardio. I always "make" time to workout, even if I am exhausted. I have been eating healthy for a long time and now I feel soooooo guilty if I give in to a craving. Beh! I am feeling really good!
Courtney starts school on 13 September. Kyle started yesterday and low and behold he took the wrong bus home. Geesh! Seriously! LOL Courtney's first soccer scrimmage is this Saturday and her first real game is next Saturday! I am looking forward to that!

Well, I guess I better get to work.

Until next time...

Wal-Mart

Let me start off by saying that I hope all of you are having a fabulous Labor Day weekend! Enjoy the long weekend!

I am not usually a frequenter of Wal-Mart although you can find some good deals there. I had been looking for a grill and since we don't do a TON of hosting now that we aren't in Hawaii I just wanted something small. I did have a few requirements: a condiment basket, tool hook, and it had to be a gas grill. NO MORE CHARCOAL FOR ME! SO, I found one at Wal-Mart. The Char-Broil brand. It's a reputable brand and the price was very reasonable. It was $85.00 and they will assemble it for free. So, I took them up on their free assembly offer. I went to Wal-Mart today to pick it up. All the way there I was dreaming about grilling my steak kabobs. I picked up the grill and te propane tank (also very reasonable at WM) and drove home. It's only 4:00pm so I had some time to prepare for grilling. Yes, there is thought and preparation involved. I get the thing out of the van and roll it to the back patio. Then BAM! A punch in the gut!!! The darn thingwasn't even put together right!!! RARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! In order to "fix" it you had to take the whole top apart. UGH! I had to of course, go all the way back to Wal-Mart. Eddie, the manager was very nice and he said I could pick it up first thing in the morning at 7:00 am. That is exactly what I am going to do.

Of course I am bummed about not grilling kabobs, but it has been a great day nonetheless. I got to catch up with my friend JF and it was so good to talk to her. Washed the linen - it's clean sheet day! My favorite day of the week. Vacuumed the house. Cleaned out the fridge. Did a few other loads of laundry and worked out. Gotta get that BOOM BOOM POW! Now, I have to run back to the store for the beloved Hershey's syrup for my delicious vanilla bean ice cream that I am going to thoroughly enjoy later with a movie. I am hoping to relax at some point. Maybe while I am sleeping!

Also, I have been on the hunt for new tennis shoes. Good ones. Ones that don't hurt my feet since I wear heels all week long. I went to the New Balance store and bought some. I even spoke to a shoe specialist. Yes, I said shoe specialist. I have worn New Balance before and really liked them but they are kinda pricey. Well, I have ran in them the last 2 days and my feet have been killing me. SO, of course I called the store and spoke to the nice youg man that sold me the shoes. He was very nice and said I could exchange them no problem. So, I need to do that too. Maybe on Tuesday. I don't think they are open tomorrow.

Other than that not to much else is going on. I am hoping next week is going to be as awesome as this ast week was. YAY! Again, have a safe, fun, and happy weekend.

Until next time....

Jammin

WOW! What a week! It was my first week on the job with America's best of the best. I'm sure you can figure out which organization I'm talking about! For those close to me, you already know! I have a really hard-working,gung-ho, super cool boss! I've had the honor of meeting some of the worlds best crime fighters!I feel so lucky and blessed! It has been a really great and exhausting week.

It's Friday and I am spending the evening watching Camp Rock 2 The Final Jam. It's actually a good movie! Lot's of singing, dancing, and jammin!

I took Courtney to get some new schools for shoe and decided to go with New Balance for this years tennis shoe. What an awesome shoe! She's wearing a woman's 6 1/2! She loves her new shoes. (And even I got a new pair!)

There has been some CRAZY traffic this week on the 405! Stalled gas truck and two three-car accidents! Luckily they weren't too bad.

I'm looking forward to a relaxing three day weekend! Have a safe holiday everyone!

Until next time!

Delightly Exhausted

I can honestly say that I am happily exhausted. My new JOB ROCKS!!! I love where I work and I am so busy. I have a kick butt boss! We are like two peas in a pod. I also like all my coworkers. I can't really say much more than that. But WE are fighting crime and kicking some major butt! (fist-pump)!

My life has been a whirlwind. All of it is good. Well, minus the fact that I woke up exactly one hour late this morning and still managed to make it to work on time. Minus the gas tanker stalled on the 405 and the three car accident also on the 405. I yi yi. And no one can just dribe past. They have to slow down and stare at whatever is going on. Like geesh..just go to work already!

Oh- side note. I think I may have gotten my friend hired on where I work! Yippee! Nothing like working for the feds.

I have so much more to blog but I am way too tired. So...

Until next time....

The Big Day and the Escape

Well, tomorrow is my big day! Yup! I am starting my new job fighting crime and sending bad guys to jail! Woo Hoo! Justice will be served! I am so excited. It's like Christmas Eve. I am looking forward to this new journey. It will be so rewarding.

Also, I start teaching my first class on 5 October. The first class i am going to teach is Criminal Law and Procedure. Should be interesting. I am looking forward to sharing my knowledge with my students.

So, I went shopping yesterday with my mom for work clothes (thanks mom). I am down six sizes from when I had Kaci! Yay! Go me! I will continue my exercise regimen! Got some super cute outfits from New York and Company and Ann Taylor Loft. next on the shopping list is shoes! I love shoes and I will be on the hunt for some cute comfortable heels!

We have a spectacular yard. The front courtyard is gated with a white gate. once inside there is a gate on the side of the house that leads to the backyard. Well, KeiKei learned how to fit herself through the gate from the backyard and now she does the Great Escape. Two days ago she was across the street. UGH! Darn dog! So...she has been sneaking to the front yard and barking when she is ready to come in. Silly dog!

Nothing else to report really. Looking forward to my person coming to visit in 38 days! YAY! I can't wait. Then my friend and her husband are coming to visit for Thanksgiving. I love having guests! Should be a lot of fun!

I am off to clean some house and RELAX! I'll let you know how fabulous my first day at work was.

Kaci in her FrayBaby outfits! Thanks Liz!

Just when...

Just when I sit down to blog my cell phone rings. Of course, it is not the call I was waiting for, it was LIFELOCK. Our "safety and security" is about to lapse. Ugh. Whatever. Before that I was doing some light picking up and all of a sudden as I walked through the hall I felt home. I don't feel as at home without Rick but this feeling will do for now. In the 7 days that we have lived here I have managed (with Courtney's help) to get the house in order and the garage rearranged complete with a workout area. I feel accomplished today. My house is in order and I got my van repaired. (That was $300 I wasn't really excited about spending.) I suppose in the end fixing the van later could have ended n disaster. All in all I am glad that everything is as it should be.

Have you ever just walked into a room and felt something come over you. A sense of peace, stability, and confidence. That is how I felt as I walked through the house today. No, this is not exactly my ideal house, but that day will come. For now, it's home and I feel blessed to have what I have. I love my life and I love the (my) husband that provides all of this for me. I really owe him a lot. If it wasn't for him (although he will NEVER take credit) I probably wouldn't be in the awesome place that I am. Through my faith in the Lord and the support and love of my husband I really do have it all. Sure, I could wish for more or be envious of what someone else has but here's the thing: God brings us to this world knowing exactly what is in store for us. Everyone walks a different journey and for us, the journey is the reward.

I truly feel blessed and I hope to be able to continue to pay it forward...

Until next time...

Good Parents

What makes a good parent?  Is it a parent that simply loves their children?  A parent whose child sleeps soundly all night?  A parent that can get their child to sleep in his or her own crib?  I don't know exactly what makes a good parent. I love all my kids but this blog is about Kaci. We have moved again. A new house, new smells, new everything and again I am having trouble with Kaci in her crib. I'm trying to be patient but I am exhausted. We have been in the house for a little over a month and I have had her crib for a week now. Every night...well. Ok, first, just laying her in the crib doesn't work. She screams her head off, bangs on the rail, and yells mommmmmaaaaaaa. One night I let her cry for 40 minutes and I swear I thought the police were going to show up. I finally went in a got her. Every night I have to pat her back or rub her back for her to go to sleep. That would be fine too if she STAYED asleep.

Let me back track for a second. When we were in the Melia house in Hawaii she had NO problems going to bed. She knew after bath it was bedtime and she would point to her crib, I'd lay her down, and she would go right to sleep. She didn't wake in the middle of the night at all.

Now, I can't do that routine. It doesn't work. I don't understand what is going on with her. I am no child psychologist and the pediatricians all say the same thing: let her cry it out. Well, if you are a parent then you know that or at least understand what that means. It means that you are supposed to put your child in their crib and let them scream and cry and carry on until they finally fall asleep. Well, with Kaci she doesn't just cry. She screams, makes herself gag, and acts like she is going to throw up. Now, if I lay her down and pat her back until she falls asleep then the above doesn't happen. However, if she wakes in the middle of the night and I don't go in within a few minutes once I hear her crying then she...screams my name and bangs on the rail and cries so hard that she makes herself gag. UGH. I am tired. I am frustrated. I love her so much and I don't like seeing her all upset. I don't want to let her cry for 3 hours until she falls asleep. That cannot be good for her. It's not good for me either. It is really stressful to listen to her go through all of that.

I am really hoping that this will pass and she will go back to her "old" routine that she had when we were in Hawaii. I just wonder how long this will take. We could both use a good night's sleep.

So does this mean I am a bad parent? Am I a bad parent because my child hates going to bed? Am I a bad parent because I didn't put her in her crib from the start? (From the start I mean 4 weeks old.) I don't think this MAKES me a bad parent. It means that I probably should have made better choices. If I had to do it all over again and knew then what I know now I would have put her in the crib from the very beginning. I will never know if it really would have made a difference or not. I am doing the best I can. I just wish she was more comfortable. I wish she would get a good night's sleep. I'm trying to be strong. I'm trying not to show or let her feel my frustration. I just want her to sleep in her crib. I will just keep at it and hopefully that will pay off.

I am off to bed. I will probably be up at midnight trying to console her. Goodnight.

Until next time...dream big- dreams DO come true!

Just a lot of stuff

I have been meaning to blog for a couple of days and then by the time I sit down to do it I am too tired.  I have been thinking about a lot lately, but on to new joys first...

Joys
1. New Face wash: Garnier Nutritioniste I absolutely love it. It smells good, feels good going on, and feels clean when off! There is some kind of something that just makes your face say, "WOW!"
2. Don Francisco Hawaiian Hazlenut Coffee - A new coffee introduced to me by my AT!
3. Watermelon - I have always loved watermelon, but lately I have been buying it every few days! YUM!
4. Last on this particular list, but not at all least...Kaci's laugh and smile. Her laugh and her smile never get old. I love that kid. She is my ultimate joy.

It's 11:27PM. I have been sitting here staring at the screem for about 30 minutes.  I always forget what I want to talk about.  I think I am tired.  I think I need some sleep.  I really hope Kaci sleeps all night.  I think she is getting used to sleeping in her crib all over again. The last 2 nights have not exactly been desireable.  I just want my baby to get some good sound sleep.

Tomorrow will be another busy day.  Geek Squad, Time Warner, Grandma's Birthday dinner...just a few things I have to do tomorrow.  I also need to get started on the garage now that the house is done.  Actually pretty amazing that Courtney and I got the house unpacked and put away in just 3 days!!!  All I know is that I have one solid week to get that stinkin garage in order.

I made a mistake today.  I made the mistake of going to get my nails done at a place that was close to my house. DISASTER.  I then had to go to my original nail place to have my girl fix my nails.  Heh.  She is awesome.  Now my nails are perfect.  I told her that she could never quit and she said she wouldn't as long as I continued to pay her.  LOL.  Mai- you are awesome!

I was happy to finally get to catch up with my friend HP.  She is awesome.  She always makes me laugh.  I wish she lived closer. Like 5 hours closer.  LOL I also got to talk to my good friend MM today.  She is the type that is just plain ole funny.  She always has a quick witted comeback for everything.  She lives in CT.  I miss her.  And I got to talk to my person.  She is that...my person.  Everyone should have one.

I have been thinking about the Bowman's today.  What an awesome family!!  I hope to be able to hang out with them some day!

I have also had a lot on my mind about God.  Just the way that things work out.  How those things have a domino affect and how those things change the lives or circumstances for others.  We have a GREAT God!  Well, with that said...I am going to kick back, watch a little TV, and hit the sack...

Until next time...dream BIG

Kate plus 8

My dog is snoring as we watch Kate Plus 8. Haha. I have never heard a mother complain quite like she does. She is such a spaz! Eeek! (The kids are cute though!)

Today our household goods arrived! What an awesome day!!! Our friend R was here to help me. It was so wonderful to have him here. He was such a big help (and of course we had a nice visit). Courtney's room is just about complete. Kaci's room is almost complete. Hopefully we can be done with the entire house by Thursday. I can't wait to kick back this weekend and watch a movie in the living room and lay on the couch. :o)

Courtney had her first soccer practice today! She had so much fun!

I'm enjoying watching TV in our BED! Yes, I said bed...not air mattress! I can feel my body slowing down and I think I might be sore tomorrow. I'm sure it won't be too awful. Off to dreamland I go.

I hope all of you had a wonderful and blessed day!

Until next time...dream big!!!!

CHRISTmas in August

Again, I am blogging from my phone! UGH! But tomorrow and forever after I can blog from an actual computer. Tomorrow our household goods are finally being delivered! Yipee! It will be so nice to have our things. My bedroom is finished (painting that is) and the living room will get done eventually. Courtney's room turned out really cute. She loves her room and her new bike. I will get a picture up here of her on her new bike. I can't wait to start unpacking, do some laundry, and bake some banana nut muffins! The house is gonna smell so good! I'm really excited! Can you tell?! LOL.

I am also excited that my friends are coming to visit! 50 days and they will be here! Then I have another friend visiting in November for Thanksgiving and HOPEFULLY my HI peeps will be out to visit! Disney...here we come!

I am only 14 days away from starting my new job! I know who my boss is and what division I will be working in. I'm so excited...I just can't hide it...LOL it's gonna be awesome!

Courtney's first soccer practice is tomorrow at 4:30. I really hope her coach is awesome and that she makes some friends! She is excited about starting the 5th grade! She is gonna do great!

I think that's all for now.

Until next time...dream big

Yours, Mine, & Ours

Your kids. My kids. Our kids. Oh how I love my children. They get the love of three parents. Well, Kyle and Courtney do anyway. :o) Since we are a blended family love comes from all over, all over the country! I am glad that I have a lot of support from various friends and family and I know there is a lot of love for all the kids. I always see on Facebook how people are posting son's week and daughter's week, but can't every week we be proud of our kids and what they accomplish? Someone did post once though that sometimes it is not US as parents that made them who they are, but they are who they are because of the choices THEY have made and the things THEY have accomplished. And we should be proud of that. Parents can't always take the credit. We build up our children to be the best they can be and let them run with it. Although we have guided them sometimes it is not our direct doing that made them successful. Each child is unique. Each child has different desires. Each child wants to be something different when they grow up. We should cherish our days with our children. Life doesn't last forever. We need to savor these moments given to us by God and appreciate the fact that we were chosen to be their parents. We have a lot of work to do raising our children. All we can do is love them, guide them, and give them hope.

Not chores...blessings

I am trying to look at life in a new light. I'm trying to think of everything as a blessing and not a chore. Even the little things. Doing nice things for others even though it may not be convenient (for example). I want to feel love and life every single day. I want to see others smile and pray for their happiness. I just want to live my life as God intended without feeling one ounce of regret. I never want to live in His eternity wishing I had changed my ways. I want to make those changes now and make the world a better place for others. I want to be remembered by the impact I have made in the lives of others. I hope you want to do the same.

Until next time...dream big

Following along and paying it forward...

A while back I got hooked on this blog that a freind of mine sent to me. I don't think I have mentioned them in my blog before. They are the Bowman's. I think of them often and my heart and prayers are always with their family. It is through them that my faith in the Lord is continuously restored. They have suffered a tragedy with their 44 day old baby. God hold him and keep him safe as he is no longer with us. For every time I get annoyed or start to get angry I think of them. I think of all they have endured and I realize that life is short and we have to be thankful and grateful to the Lord for every day he lets us live. Here is their story.. Think: Bowman's

Today is another new beginning for all of us. It is one more day that we get to spend with our familes. We get to hug our kids, see them smile, hear them laugh, and love our families. We need to begin to appreciate all that the Lord has blessed us with and ensure that we don't forget. We need to instill in our faith in our children.

I sat here thinking today after a conversation with my friend that if I won the lottery I would set up a foundation. A foundation for people who need a little bit of assistance and a little bit of hope. Operation Hope (my foundation) would provide assistance for families in need. I know there are government programs for this type of thing but sometimes it just isn't enough. The requirements would be that one, they need to send me a letter requesting assistance. They would need to fill out a standardized form that told me how much money they have coming in and how much money they have going out (exactly). There are plenty of parents who could get a $0.10 raise and then not receive child care benefits. Then because they can't afford child care they lose their job(s). My foundation would provide that assistance. I wouldn't give cash directly to the families, but I could (let's say) write a check to the child care center for one year's worth of child care. Then it wouldn't matter so much about the $0.10 raise. They children would still be cared for while they were at work. I could purchase $100 gift cards to local grocery stores and send them out if needed. I could pay off people's car notes. I could ensure that the families had reliable transportation buy purchasing service center gift certificates. There are so many things I could do for this not-for-profit foundation if I won the lottery. I would love to be able to start something like this and give back to the community. God has blessed our family over and over again and I feel in my heart this is a good way to pay it forward. For those who have endured tragedy (i.e. the loss of a family member, a natural disaster, loss of a job) I could provide assistance for headstones, shelter, clothing, food, water.

I think about this often and I wish I could win the BIG CA lottery. This is what I would do with the money. Maybe someday...

Until next time...dream big