12.25.08

We had a great Christmas this year with our families. Christmas eve and Christmas morning was spent with the Andersons, and Christmas afternoon and evening was spent with my parents, Aunt and Grandma. I realized about noon on Christmas morning that all my photos were pretty much of Raegan. Babies really are so much more fun to get pictures of than anyone else!!

Now it's time to get on with things. Going back to work after 5 days off is kind of a bummer.

It's Christmas Eve-Eve

Last Saturday we went to Dave's neighbor Lynda's home to be a part of an annual tradition: cookie decorating! Since the kids were little they have gone next door every year to decorate cookies. So this year with Mike being home they kept up the tradition. We decorated ALOT of cookies, and Raegan got giggling with Lynda's dogs.

Sunday we spent the evening having dinner with the family and the Lundquists.

Dave and Mike really like "baby" or "boo".

(And having her around is good practice for 'someday'!)

Tis the season! I am so excited for the Holiday Season this year! It's finally cooling down, and even rained a few days this week, and my Josh Groban holiday CD is in my player. Last night I could see my breath outside. Ah, cool weather is so nice! Dave and I drove thru a few neighborhoods today on our way over to his parents house. While we were driving around admiring all the houses we really liked, there were Dads out mowing lawns and husbands hanging decorations and lights. I REALLY want our own house so i can spend a Saturday baking and decorating while Dave puts up lights and works in the yard. It's the simple things folks!

A recap on Thanksgiving. We spent the day with Dave's family eating and relaxing. I plopped down on the couches for a nap after the turkey and pretty much stayed there all evening. Friday my mother-in-law and sis-in-law's Rachel and Leslie along with baby Raegan went to South Coast. As we got off the freeway I sat there re-thinking why we were there. But it was fun! Jill got a head start on some of our Christmas shopping so it was a productive morning. Later Dave and I went to my parents for a post Thanksgiving dinner. Once again I plopped on their couches (new and AMAZINGLY COMFY by the way!) and I was gone. Dinner was yum, and we had fun playing a little game my Aunt Chrissy brought called Tell Me. It started some fun conversations. Tomorrow is Mikey's homecoming and then a lunch with friends and family. Should be a fun filled Sunday! Well people, i hope your Holidays got off to a good start and that your feeling just as excited about the Christmas Season as me!

xoxo

quick update

So i've been pretty bad about blogging lately. There hasn't been much to photograph, and life really has been pretty casual around our place. BUT, I'm totally looking forward to the Holidays approaching. I LOVE this time of year! A neighbor was putting up Christmas lights on their balcony last night, and as the Dad turned on the lights, his little kids clapped. It was so cute! So naturally, now I want to have lights on our balcony! (But, I hope that maybe we can have a house by Christmas time!) Hopefully Dave will feel the spirit of Christmas and put them up for us!

I bought some gingerbread mix at Traders, and last night while I was at the mall, I stopped in Williams Sonoma and bought Mulling Spices. I've heard everyone rave about it, so I thought who am I to pass up a good thing?!

I'm looking forward to next week. Aside from having Thursday & Friday off, Dave's brother Mike is coming home from his mission in Guatemala on Tuesday which will be awesome! (and I have a root canal scheduled for Monday, but thats not something to get hyped about...)

So here's to the Holidays! Now bring on the cool weather please.

Like the leaves change color in the fall, so did I!

I decided, (after toying with the thought to my fabulous hairdresser Coco many times) to make the "change". I mean, the country is all about "change" right now, so I thought, hey, why not embrace some "change" and change up my color! Besides, I'd been blonde for a few years, and wanted to switch it up a little!

Been a while

Shawnelle commented on my last post (making it my first "update your blog" reprimand). SO...I thought, what better to post about like the here and now! Today was a long day at work, consisting of spending two hours+ straight tallying, counting, and correcting our fundraiser information. I didn't get a lunch break, and the kids got out early, which = wild children. BUT, tonight after I got off I was in a good mood. Probably because the weather is awesome, and i went to Traders to grab some random items for dinner. I actually went to get only mozzarella cheese for pizza....BUT, who are we kidding! It's Traders! Anywho, Dave and I made homemade pizzas, mine was pretty crispy (note to self, do not set my oven at the direction temp of 450 degrees next time). Dave's turned out great! Now we're eating it while watching dancing with the stars. Ooh, and my fall smelling candles are burning and it just feels like fall! FINALLY.

I picked up some flowers at Traders.

Mine. Eh.

Daves. Wow.

My semi-impromptu, and totally-worth-every-minute-of-it weekend

I took friday off, as posted earlier. boy, i am glad i did!

friday morning i spent sleeping in and reading a book. when i finally got myself up and ready i drove into whittier and met katie and the girls at costco. we had lunch & i picked up a great o'neil hoodie for dave. later that evening, katie and i hit up target. ahhhh, i love that place! katie got alot of cute kid clothes on sale. then we headed to shawnelle's baby shower! it was great to see alot of people i grew up around, and the baked potato bar totally hit the spot on a cool fall evening.

sidenote: i'm SO happy that its finally fall weather!!

ok, then after the shower we decided that to ring in the fabulous weather, we needed to shop for katies house and decorate it for fall. we went to marshalls, then over to target, and finally hit up ralphs on the way home for some gourds, pumpkins, and tall wheat in fall colors to go in vases. like true whittier style, i ran into an old friend at ralphs and had a nice chat.

while we were out and about i decided that since dave wasn't even going to be around on saturday (taking the jeep up to big bear to rock crawl) that i shouldn't even bother going home! he was on board, and katie and i were SO excited!

we picked up contact solution and i slept in maddie's bottom bunk. it was so unexpected and totally fun! i'll spare you all the details of saturday, but staying over was so worth it! i got to...

- go out to breakfast with katie, randy and kids

- get a pedi

- browse cost plus world market

- see Shawnelle randomly one more time

- visit with isaac and see the house he bought

- grab a delish caramel apple cider

- meet up with gladys

- go back and get a sweater katie got and i wanted

- talk to juddy

- just be in whittier! it's nice to come "home".

like i told isaac, being back in town made me totally miss it! he looked at me, laughed, and said "you probably only like it so much once your back to visit because it's not where you live anymore". i think he's right. after living somewhere a while it can loose it's magic. but there's nothing better than the feeling of coming back to your old stomping ground and feeling totally at home.

this just in.

I'm taking Friday off.

As someone who works full time, i think that knowing your week is going to end a day sooner might be the best feeling ever!

I think a morning of sleeping in, maybe a pedi, and then heading to Whittier to spend time with Katie and go to Shawnelle's baby shower is my plan.

On another note, i'm currently wrapped up in The Boleyn Inheritance.

I read The Other Boleyn Girl and was captivated.

I mean, literally couldn't get away from the book into it kind of captivated .

If your the kind of person who doesn't mind a little old fashion raunchiness, and alot of deceit and drama, then i highly recommend these reads.

So question? Anything you recommend for when i'm done with this one??

l.o.v.e. i.t.

i read this book to the kinders at my center today...and my eyes welled up with tears.

i mean, i've read this book many a time, and today it just got to me. it gets me every time, but usually not to the point of coming to tears in front of the kiddos. we had a discussion at the end and i asked why the tree was so happy if she had no branches, no apples, and no trunk? one girl said "because she loves him". i totally melted. i want to get a copy of this book for each of the kids and everyone i know.

enjoy the silence

sometimes i miss the nights at home when i lived with my parents. the nights when i sauntered in well past midnight, probably from Johns house where our friends had either: a. watched t.v. and given our own commentary on shows like DWTS while eating fast food, or b. sat and talked about nothing and laughed until our stomachs hurt, again, eating food. it was in those moments when i would plop down on the chair at the computer, somehow not tired, and browse for some new clothes, blog about the funny night we had, or im with friends who were at their computer doing the exact same thing. in those silent moments at my parents, with the only light being the computer screen, i would love being completely alone.

right now is one of those moments. dave went to bed. (i think he gets bored when i check out and focus on something else besides tv and it's past 10). he told me to come too, but i lingered. now it's dark. the only light is the computer screen and some yum smelling fall-ish candles my mom brought me (always the bearer of candles...and i'm always accepting!). i'll cave in a minute and go to bed too. there's something about him falling asleep before me that i'm not a fan of. but for right now, i'm enjoying the sound of a keyboard and nothing else.

Prop 8.

I know many of you are probably familiar with this proposition, but for those of you who are not, here is some background.

Proposition 8 places into the California Constitution the same language that voters already passed by 61% of the vote in 2000.

The Consequences:
The Supreme Court’s decision to legalize same-sex marriage did not just overturn the will of California voters; it also redefined marriage for the rest of society, without ever asking the people themselves to accept this decision. This decision has far-reaching consequences. For example, because public schools are already required to teach the role of marriage in society as part of the curriculum, schools will now be required to teach students that gay marriage is the same as traditional marriage, starting with kindergarteners. By saying that a marriage is between “any two persons” rather than between a man and a woman, the Court decision has opened the door to any kind of “marriage.” This undermines the value of marriage altogether at a time when we should be restoring marriage, not undermining it.
Vote Yes.
Passing Proposition 8 protects our children and places into the Constitution the simple definition that a marriage is between a man and a woman.
Bottom Line:
Please remember, this proposition is not anti-homosexual or anti gay. It simply is stating that we believe the only marriage that should be recognized is that between a man and a woman. I firmly believe that at this time, we need to not only take a stand on restoring traditional families, but work to create a society in which families are the central unit. Sadly, this is so much more important than most people realize.
For more information click here.

Time on my hands

Way too many facts about myself.

1. Was born on July 25, 1983 in Whittier CA.

2. I am an only child.

3. Was born with a gimp foot and had to have a cast as a newborn.

4. I LOVE diet coke.

5. Broke my arm when I was 8 at Diana Thomas' house.

6. My Dad didn't think it was broken. He made me lay around while he went to Home Depot.

7. Diana also waited to get baptised on the same day as me.

8. My Mom worked at my elementary school.

9. My contact perscription is -8. HORRIBLE!

10. Katie has been my best friend since I was 4.

11. I didn't get my license till I was 18.

12. Dave and I met online.

13. I like to get a pedicure every 2 weeks.

14. I used to work part time at Bath & Body Works.

15. I subscribe to Oprah Magazine. And love it.

16. I secretly want to go to interior design school.

17. Target is my favorite place ever.

18. I love thier Sweet Water air fresheners.

19. I will not eat mushrooms. Or anything with them in it.

20. I had my first kiss at 17.

21. My degree is in Child Development.

22. I've become addicted to girly non-thinker books like 'Confessions of a Shopoholic'.

23. Dave proposed at Ruby's on the pier at Huntington Beach.

24. With a fake ring he 'dropped' over the pier.

25. And didn't get on his knee.

26. I enjoy scrapbooking, but rarely do it anymore.

27. I was on T.V., twice, on Dancing With The Stars 2 years ago.

28. I used to have plugs in my ears.

29. I took my first plane ride at 18.

30. There are always candles lit in my house.

31. Dave and I are looking to buy a home.

32. My favorite perfume is Dolce Gabbana Light Blue.

33. My favorite # is 7.

34. I had like 3 or 4 hampsters growing up.

35. I was a total dork as a child.

36. I've seen Social Distortion like 5 times. Love them!

37. I'm not all for this Hybrid car thing.

38. I can't wait to get a Phillip Stein watch.

39. Pasta is my fave.

40. I prefer frozen yogurt over ice cream.

41. My Grandpa was the kindest man ever.

42. Katie and I lit her backyard on fire as kids (cause will remain unspoken)

43. I'm voting YES on Prop 8.

44. If you're still reading....you must be pretty bored! lol.

45. I have alot of cars I want...Lexus ISF, C 300, Bentley GT...

46. Our sealer at the LA Temple was James Dean.

47. Someday I want to spend Christmas in New York.

48. We're taking a family cruise to Europe next summer.

49. For which I have to loose weight.

50. Which brings me to the question...why is it SO hard?

51. Dave and I want to buy a boat.

52. I've never been to San Francisco.

53. I burp. Often.

54. My dream dog when we buy a house is a bulldog. Named Herman or Lola.

55. My favorite sport is baseball.

56. I decided I didn't want to be a teacher after I got my degree.

57. My Aunt Chrissy used to do the '24' days of Christmas for me. Until last year. haha.

58. I really want to lift my truck.

59. Dave sold his 2nd love (car) to help pay off debt. Pretty much for me. Thats love.

60. I think I have a shopping addiction. For reals.

61. I love sending out thank you cards and random notes via the mail.

62. I've never seen any Star Wars movies.

63. My Great Grandma lived to be 101.

64. I'm related to President Monson. He's my Grandpa's cousin.

65. Black is my favorite color.

66. Burts Bees chapstick is my staple.

67. I love country music.

68. Gold jewelry is my new fave.

69. Dave vacuums our place 95% of the time.

70. Thats because he can leave it with perfect lines. I can't.

71. I miss Dave's charger. The one he sold for us.

72. I lived in the same house growing up since I was 4.

73. I don't like going to the movies. I feel like it wastes hours of my time.

74. There was a point in time when I did not like Marta Anaya. I love her now though!!!!

75. I used to cry during thunder and lightning and make my Mom lay with me in bed.

76. I stopped wanting to spend the night at Katies as a kid cause there were prowlers in her backyard and the sliding glass door had no window coverings on it.

77. I love Reese's during holidays, like the eggs at Easter and Trees at Christmas.

78. My Aunt knew I was gonna marry Dave long before I did.

79. There's a store in uptown Whittier called Pour Le Bain that I LOVE.

80. I'm a big fan of Greys Anatomy.

81. Growing up we didn't have cable, or call waiting.

82. The more I grow up, the more I realize how great my Dad is.

83. I get nostalgic for the past when i'm left alone with my thoughts.

84. This is taking way more time than I thought it would.

85. For our senior trip a group of us girls went on a cruise to Mexico and Catalina.

86. Dave and I just recently moved to Rancho Santa Margarita.

87. I had a goldfish as a pet, and when he died I gave him a funeral.

88. Christmas is my favorite holiday.

89. I always wear sunglasses when it's even remotely sunny.

90. I like mafia type movies, like a Bronx Tale.

91. When Dave talks about cars, I actually try to listen and understand.

92. My cars somehow never get carport or garage privelages.

93. As i've typed this I've thought like 10 times how I could have been working out.

94. The Jackmans (Sherri and Randy) nicknamed me Sarahberra.

95. I hope my kids get blue eyes. Dave swears they will be "poo brown".

96. I get migranes. Often.

97. I'm hording alot of my wedding gift cards to Crate & Barrel for when we buy a place.

98. I had a New Kids on the Block party when I was a kid.

99. Sometimes I think about going back for my Masters degree.

100. Naps in my truck on lunch get me through my days.

PHEW! I have no idea how I got through all that. Dave wanted to do 100 facts about him, after he saw what I was doing. I think it would be much more entertaining!!! Maybe I'll have him do it next. I tag anyone who has the time to do this. Come on....it's kinda fun! :)

9.15.08

Last Monday marked mine and Dave's one year anniversary! I can't believe it's already been a year. It went by pretty darn fast, and has been pretty darn great too! For our anniversary, Dave took me on a surprise weekend getaway to Laughlin for a little rEsT & ReLaXaTiOn. The week before was a hectic one at work, so I was very much appreciative of the sleeping in and being away that he treated me to!

Peek-A Boo!

On Monday I got a dozen red roses on my desk at work, and we went to eat at our favorite Mexican spot Morenos. On Friday, Dave asked me to check the mail really quick before we took off to Matt Waldrip's wedding reception, and I was so excited to find this adorable necklace in a package!!

Seriously, I love my husband!

A big thank you to him for all he does, which is way too much to list on here (and i'll spare you all the mushy details).

My new favorite

On Sunday before church, Dave and I stumbled upon this show called

"Million Dollar Listing".

I was hooked in like 10 minutes! It's about 3 young guys who are all like real estate superstars and sell way more million +++ dollar homes a year than anyone under 25 should. (Am I jealous? haha) So I started to TiVo the show, and have been anxiously waiting to see if any new episodes air when I get home from work. It's on Bravo, which I've never really gotten into before, but man, there's something about watching these "kids" sell houses to people who don't even flinch when they throw down like 2.8 mil for their sons bachelor pad while he goes to Pepperdine. Anywho, that's my latest addiction.

In other news, I've been working my butt off! Going in at 7:00, leaving at 6:30. Taking 1/2 hour lunches, non stop phone calls, juggling kindergarten enrichment classes until I hire a new teacher, yada yada yada. I just want to go into work at 9 like normal and get an hour to breathe and maybe power nap!! I guess all my hard work will pay off, and there's something about being to busy to even check my phone for texts that's pretty satisfying at the end of the day. I just hope the end of crazyness is in sight. It should calm down, today was the 1st day of school, so I give it like a week until I can be a bit more settled.

Ugh.

I guess after working with kids for 7 years, it was bound to happen.

Raegan's Blessing

Today Dave's sister Leslie and brother-in-law David blessed their new baby Raegan....

who is SO adorable!

It was great to be with family and friends!

Dirt and Deer and Bears, Oh My!

So this past weekend Dave and I took a vacation to Yosemite and stayed with Katie and Randy at Housekeeping in the valley. It was my first trip ever to Yosemite, and I LOVED it! It was so beautiful. We went up on Friday and came home on Monday. While we were there we visited Glacier Point, went rafting on the river (which was more like a creek/stream, and the rafting was more like pushing ourselves along the rocks and through the sandbars), played alot of skipBo, and took a bike ride to the meadow, saw a bear across the river in our first ten minutes there, and got really close to deer that would eat by our campsite. The falls were more like a trickle (according to other people, seeing as how i've never seen them before).

Dave spent his time relaxing and making friends with the squirrels. (If you're an animal lover, read on with caution...) which I came to find out was just an act, he really wanted to capture them and after that do who knows what with them.

He got only as far as to catch one in a box. Then let it go.

I totally want to go back next year and explore more and see what we didn't have time to. It was the getaway that I needed, and we had a great time!

Maddie

Dave the squirrel whisperer

Oh Deer!

It's time to pack up....

...cause' we're moving! It's all happened so fast, but I'm totally excited. We're heading to

Rancho Santa Margarita!

We found a nice complex with creeks running through it and a great neighborhood too! It's far, I know. But if you love me, and if I love you, then we'll make it work :) Dave will be closer to work, and we have a few new things that we were lacking in our old place...including peace and quiet!

I'm gonna miss our place, it was my first home away from home (and I like the inside space too...its pretty workable, and my bathroom is seperate from my bedroom...big plus in apartment living!) But i'll make it work. Now I just need a few things...curtains, new pillows, new couches, a BBQ, a patio set, coffee table....ok ok, you get the picture. So if you need my new address, just pop me an email or something!

We're cheap and don't wanna pay...

We were "borrowing" the internet from someone in our complex who obviously hadn't caught on to securing their wireless...but now the connection is gone! Before it would go out for a day or so, and then come back and we'd be good to go. But this time we're about a week into no internet. It looks like the free wireless is gone for good. So until we get another freebie or face the music and pay, then my posts will be few and far between. Sadness!

3 wishes...

If a genie in a bottle suddenly appeared in my hands today, here are three things I'd wish for...

1. A house to call our own. But for the time being, we'll entertain the thought of a condo... or at least a new apartment with un-shady neighbors, no ear splitting kids screams!

2. A non-gas guzzling vehicle. Now don't get me wrong, I don't regret the truck. I love it actually. But, when I can't even drive it to Yosemite for vacation because it costs so darn much to fill up, then it might be time to part ways. Plus, Dave sacrificed his Charger for us, so I think I can do the same. Right?

3. A new wardrobe. I mean, a girl can dream, can't she?!

7.4.08

Happy 4th of July everyone!

I hope that everyone had a fun and safe holiday. I have to say, there's nothing better than being paid to sleep in, relax, spend time with family and eat. We spent the day in San Clemente with family and friends, and topped it off with fireworks and then some late night Nacho Libre (which my mom saw, and I think she enjoyed because I saw her laugh quite a bit!)

Ra-chach

Bundled up

Mom & MeDaddy-o

Dave & I

Here's to you Katie!

Happy Birthday to my best friend Katie! She is such an amazing friend, wife and mother. I feel really blessed to have been friends with her for SO long, (21 years) and have been close through all the years and still be as close as ever! We can talk forever about anything...our husbands, our families, memories from growing up, life, makeup, the list goes on. I really value her opinions on everything. When I need to vent or tell someone something that happened, its her. I also look up to her. She is so smart and just generally knowledgeable about so much! We've asked ourselves if we hadn't met when we were so little and grown up as neighbors, could we have met when we were older and still be close? I actually said no, because we both went through different life experiences at different times. What kept us close was our history. So i'm thankful for meeting her so long ago. I think she's my friend soulmate :)

Jillian, you're in this one above!

Happy Birthday Katie!!!

Since Katie is STILL internet-less...

I'll take it upon myself to post on her behalf (and becuase I love her and her kids SO much!)
Last weekend Katie and I got pedi's at my favorite place. We took the kids with us, Maddie got her toes painted bright green and Delaney was a good little girl and sat on Katie's lap the whole time. While we were out doing that, Randy and Dave went to Randy's friends car place to look for a new car for Dave. (Yes...he sold his baby. The charger has a new home now, but we're ok with it! Much good came from it, which is great.) After that we came back to Katies and relaxed with the kiddos in the front yard. Delaney is walking now!

I can't believe how big she's getting!

While we were out enjoying the afternoon and a soda, Katie gave Delaney her first drink. (Don't worry...it was a Diet Hansens).

The looks on her face from the carbonation were classic!

Later that evening we went to dinner and miniature golfing with Katie, Randy, and Mark and Karen Fisher, which was a lot of fun! I LOVE relaxing Saturdays spent with friends.