A Day In The Life...

2012-01-22T19:53:00.000-08:00

Road Trip

2012-01-22T11:20:00.000-08:00

I really just wanted to get out of Sacramento yesterday. I'm looking forward to permanently getting out of Sacramento, but that will have to wait a couple of more years....so, getting away for a day works for me, in the meantime. We got in the car and went to SF. I've never driven to SF without someone in the car who knew how to get there. This time, I was in charge of figuring it out. I took a different route, which is a lot easier than the other way I'm used to. We were expecting a lot more people in SF since the football game is on Sunday, but fortunately for me (and everyone else), there was not a ton of people - just the average weekend crowd. It was nice to walk the pier, window shop, and look at the seals (glad to see they're coming back). This has been a nice weekend. We got the rain on Friday, a break in the weather on Saturday (for the road trip), and then more rain on Sunday. It was a great weekend....one that I have been wanting for quite some time now.

Lights

2011-12-23T22:23:00.000-08:00

Saw some lights tonight...

Jaramiah

2011-12-16T22:23:00.000-08:00

Jaramiah drew this.

Berkeley

2011-11-26T15:08:00.000-08:00

#84

2011-11-13T13:57:00.000-08:00

Halloween 2011

2011-10-31T22:43:00.000-07:00

Jaramiah and I do so enjoy Halloween.
We enjoy going through all of the Spirit Halloween stores and trying on all of the masks.

We enjoy helping my parents out at their church's Trunk or Treat event and scaring the kids.

And now that Jaramiah feels he's too old for trick-or-treating, we enjoy decorating our porch and scaring the kids that come to our door.

Corn Maze

2011-10-22T08:38:00.000-07:00

We went to the Dixon Corn Maze again this year. It was an experience to say the least. We did make it out of the actual exit (instead of cutting through and escaping like last year). However, because sections of the corn had been stomped down, it was hard to follow the map so I feel like we found the exit by accident. Jaramiah and I decided that next year we will go on the day it opens so we can experience it when it hasn't been trampled through.

#5

2011-10-09T10:35:00.000-07:00

"Go on a Ghost Tour"

Done

Not sure what Jaramiah is looking at here.

This is the alleged haunted room.

Walking down the hallway of the haunted hotel.

Jaramiah coming down a flight of creepy stairs (no one else would go up) while holding his handy-dandy ghost detector loaned to him by the head Ghost Hunter.

2011-2012 100 List

2011-10-08T17:36:00.000-07:00

Here I go again...3rd Version:

1. Make screen art
2. Sleep under the stars
3. Camp on the beach
4. Go to Area 51
~~5. Go on a Ghost Tour~~
6. Participate in a marathon
7. Research my family tree
~~8. Have an evening in a Pub~~
9. Take pictures of a graveyard
10. Send a message in a bottle
~~11. Have a get-together at my house~~ Had 2
12. Milk a cow
13. Eat something exotic
14. Take pictures with my manual camera
15. Make jam
~~16. Buy the diner condiment containers~~
17. Go to the Jazz Jubilee
18. Be an "extra" in a movie or commercial
19. Ride on a motorcycle
20. Go on a hike
21. Get new bar stools
22. Learn shorthand
23. Get a hanging pot & pan rack
~~24. Get one new pot and one new frying pan~~
25. Go to a festival (garlic, strawberry, asparagus, etc)
26. Buy IKEA hall cabinet
~~27. Buy life-jacket for Max~~
28. Make a fruit pie
29. Cook something in my smoker
30. Take Jaramiah to Comic Con
31. Get lost
32. Volunteer
33. Go 24 hours without electronics
34. Have Jaramiah take scuba diving lessons
35. Swim in a swimming hole
36. Make a BBQ pizza
~~37. Re-organize the garage~~
~~38. Re-organize the extra room~~
39. Visit a lighthouse
40. Walk through model homes
41. See a movie in the IMAX Theater
42. Walk down Cannery Row
43. Attend a concert in a park
~~44. Meet someone new~~
45. Read a book a month
46. Go see a musical
~~47. Purchase a bird feeder~~
48. Visit Dennis the Menace Park
49. Go to a street fair
50. Go wine tasting
51. Go through the Monterey Mirror Maze
52. Fly a kite
~~53. Have a family picture taken~~
54. Buy a little black dress
55. Smoke a cigar
56. Finish painting Miah's room (from 10/11 list)
57. Grow a pumpkin
58. Cross a swinging bridge
59. Get a tattoo (from 10/11 list)
~~60. Walk through a haunted house~~
61. Buy Raw Denim Jeans
~~62. Go to Berkeley Marina~~
63. Take a train ride (from 10/11 list)
~~64. Visit Telegraph Avenue~~
~~65. Buy wine glasses~~
66. Go to the Melting Pot
67. Visit UC Botanical Garden in Berkeley
~~68. Go to a comedy club~~
69. Get paralegal certificate
70. Go into the Garden of Enchantment
71. Drive a golf cart
~~72. Buy a foot spa~~
73. Visit Soil Born Farms
74. Attend Tough Mudder as a spectator
75. Stomp grapes
~~76. Buy a new coal chimney for BBQ~~
77. Start my career
~~78. Get a new pair of new shoes~~
79. Ride in a hot air balloon
80. Buy a silver chain bracelet
81. Get a massage
82. Eat nothing but fruit for an entire day
~~83. Go on a road trip~~
~~84. Watch the salmon climb the ladder at the Nimbus Fish Hatchery~~
~~85. Stroll through Old Sacramento~~
86. Visit the El Dorado National Forest
87. Visit a California Mission
88. Re-plant my State Fair tree from last year
89. Build a sand castle
90. Read an autobiography
~~91. Get my ear pierced~~
92. Parallel park
93. See a movie at the Crest Theater
~~94. Get a wine rack~~
95. Buy wine only for the look of the label
~~96. Get a few tall standing candle holders~~
~~97. Purchase a new kitchen chandelier~~
98. Get a ceiling fan for Jaramiah's room and possibly extra room
99. Spend a day at the Sacramento River
100. Have a meal at Inks Eats & Drinks

#69

2011-10-08T08:34:00.000-07:00

One of my goals was to "#69 Learn to enjoy a glass of wine ". Well, even though my 2010/11 100 List is complete, it is still something I want to continue to do. So, last night, I went to a friends house and took part in a Chardonnay Tasting Evening. There were about 9 of us and we all brought appetizers and Chardonnay to try. We had a Wine Tasting Score Sheet so as we went along, we scored the appearance, aroma, body, taste, and finish of each kind of Chardonnay. It was so interesting to be able to taste significant flavors in certain Chardonnay's. As it turned out, the bottle of Chardonnay that I brought, seemed to be the unanimous winner. Which is funny, because I was the one with the least knowledge of wine and I picked out my particular Chardonnay because I liked the look of the label....with the sun.

87 out of 100

2011-10-06T19:15:00.000-07:00

Not too bad for my 2nd go 'round. Today was the last day to accomplish something off of my 100 list. I gave myself one year to finish a list of 100 things I wanted to do. I only had 13 items that I didn't tackle. Some of those items will roll over onto my 3rd Version List and some will just remain undone. I'm finding that I enjoy my 100 Lists very much. The older I get, the more competitive I get and apparently I'm mostly in competition with myself.....to get 100 things done.

Rafting trip Done
Make a new dinner recipe once a month 12 down and Done
Have friends and/or family over for dinner Done
Get a new patio umbrella Done
Move pictures from computer to cd Done
Make calendars Done
Re-organize kitchen cabinets Done
Get another house plant Done
Get a new coffee table Done
Go to a Raiders game (someday I will get to a game)
Take a train ride (might roll-over to the 3rd Version)
Go to a farmers market Done
Learn to be patient Doing It
Teach Jaramiah how to drive......whaaaaat??? Doing It
Have a pizza delivered to my house Done
Move vegetable garden box Done
Get on the treadmill at least 2 times a week Doing It (depending on my mood)
Fold clothes before putting them in drawer Doing It
Take vitamins everyday Doing It
Take camera everywhere and take pictures as much as possible Doing It
Get a new wallet Done
Floss teeth more often so the dentist doesn't yell at me Doing It
Get a new comforter cover Done
Organize master bathroom drawers and cabinets Done
Get more bamboo for side yard Done
Get a tattoo (this WILL roll-over to the 3rd Version)
Paint black stripes in Miah's bathroom Done
Get a hammock Done
Tithe (really working on this)
Begin pilates and/or yoga again (this will be my personal goal)
Go back to college UC Davis - Doing It!
Put more potted plants on side yard Done
Plant winter garden Done
Learn how to drive a stick shift (don't know anyone who drives a stick shift)
Get scentsy candle for Miah's room Done
Buy IKEA hanging lamp Done
Take my son to the snow Done
Build outside bar for backyard (probably just going to buy one)
Locate and buy "reading man" for backyard (my white whale) Done
Get crown molding for house (might roll-over to the 3rd Version)
Take a trip to Yosemite Done
Plant more plants in big pots in backyard Done
Get art for wall in bedroom (I'll get it when I see something that strikes me)
Clean under and behind refrigerator Done
Get rid of side rock Done
Correctly hook up home theater system Done
Take my laptop in to get Office package installed Done - even better
Update pictures in hallway frames (this will roll-over to the 3rd Version)
Get more candles Done
Finish reading one of my books Done
Have a game night at my house Done
Cut down on my soda intake Doing It
Drink more water Doing It
Get an anklet Done
Research switching internet service Done
Take car in for an oil change Done
Wash car at least every other month 1 Down
Buy new drinking glasses Done
Wear chapstick Doing It
Learn something new Done
Finish painting Miah's room (I soooo want to finish his mural)
Go geocaching Done
Take Miah fishing Done
Go camping Done
Go to Santa Cruz Done
Listen with Miah to an audio book on my Kindle Done (Miah didn't want to) - The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
Watch a classic movie with Jaramiah Done
Clean out refrigerator and freezer Done
Learn to enjoy a glass of wine Doing It, also found I enjoy Amaretto
Detail car interior Done
Get new remote control for bedroom tv Done
Make haystacks Done
Participate in Earth Hour/Earth Day Done
Get new plant for bedroom Done
Read Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter book Done plus 5 other books
Buy a new board game Done
Fix Miah's cd player Done - Bought speakers for his ipod instead
Eat more fruits or vegetables Doing It
Blog something I am thankful for once a week (Didn't blog it each week, but I am thankful everyday)
Make homemade strawberry shortcake Done
See the "corpse flower" in Berkeley Done
Color a picture out of a coloring book with crayons Done
Get a longer garden hose Done
Get pictures from childhood Done
Trim trees Done
Buy strawberries from the farms on the side of the road Done
Eat at a new restaurant Done Hungry Hunter
Make appointment for visit with doctor (ugh)
Visit the Mystery Spot Done
Go to Second Saturday Done
Attend the Zombie Walk Done
Visit the Nimbus Fish Hatchery Done
Look into getting Miah braces Done
Go see a comedian Done
Go on a Gourmet Walk Done
Take a tour of the state capitol Done
Go to Apple Hill Done
Go through a corn maze Done
Visit Winchester Mystery House Done
Get a video camera Done

Commercials and Explosions

2011-10-02T18:11:00.000-07:00

Jaramiah and I saw a bit of a commotion going on down a side street and when I saw a sign that said "Crew Entrance".....well I had to see what was going on. We jumped out of the car and casually walked down the street to see what was going down. A cop stopped us and told us that a Verizon commercial was being shot on this street. I chatted with him for a bit (and by "chatted" - I mean bat my eyelashes and gave him my smile) and he escorted us down towards the heart of the shot. We saw a group of people making the explosive in a cylinder thingy (and yes, that IS the technical term for it). We saw a bunch of vehicles and cameras and crew everywhere. We walked down a little farther and was moved to the "safe area" so we could watch the explosion. It was pretty cool. Now we'll have to pay attention to the Verizon Wireless commercials to see if we recognize what we saw.

Not a Soccer Mom

2011-10-02T17:07:00.000-07:00

Many moms spend their Saturday's at soccer games, or other sporting events, for their children. Not me. Granted, many of my Saturday's are spent driving my son to places and hanging out and (sometimes) watching him in action - but it's not a sporting event. ...and I like it that way. Instead, on Saturday's I take Jaramiah to either horse riding or to the Sacramento Zoo for his volunteer hours. I much more enjoy doing these events than sports. We tried the sports when he was younger and I think we both got bored.

This Saturday, while Jaramiah was volunteering at the zoo, I was sitting in my car reading the latest People magazine and I heard a crackling noise. At first I thought it was someone setting off some fireworks, but I looked and saw that it was a huge tree branch that broke. Good thing no car was under it.

After Max and I walked over to check it out, we went back to the car and I began to color a page out of a coloring book. This is one of the things on my 100 list that I set out to accomplish today. I'm pleased with the results - it was quite relaxing to color. I should do it more often.

After Jaramiah was done, we came home and I set out to accomplish a few more items on my 100 list. #33 on my list is to plant a winter garden and I did that today, too. I planted lettuce, broccoli, artichoke, carrots, and peas.

I got a lot done today and I enjoyed all of it....much better than watching a soccer game. *smile*

Apple Hill

2011-09-25T20:15:00.000-07:00

We went to Apple Hill today. It was a nice day for it too. The weather was perfect (even sprinkled a bit on the way back) and there weren't a lot of people either. What I enjoyed most was watching people catching fish from the pond and us picking apples from the trees. I remember going to Apple Hill as a kid and it was nice to enjoy it as an adult.

On the way back, we stopped at a Halloween Store in Folsom. We had fun trying on all of the masks and stuff.

First and Last

2011-09-11T22:02:00.000-07:00

I made my first cobbler today and it was a chocolate one. This recipe was also my last new one for the year. One of my goals was to make a new recipe each month and I accomplished that goal. Checked it off my list.

Last Summer Hoorah

2011-09-05T23:31:00.000-07:00

This was a crazy, busy weekend. Saturday we went to the lake and kayaked, canoed, swam, and picnicked. Sunday, we went to the Bay Area and Jaramiah zip-lined, we rode the cable-cars to all of our favorite spots, and walked the wharf. Monday we saw Apollo 18 (scared the crap out of us), came home and cleaned the house, and, later, had a bbq at my parent's house with the entire fam. It was a great way to end the summer. Now bring on the rain!

Ghost Hunt

2011-08-25T22:04:00.000-07:00

When Miah and I visited the Winchester Mystery House, a book entitled Haunted Houses of California was purchased. So, of course Miah and I recently went on a Ghost Hunt. We went into a toy store, we drove by a popular building, we stopped by a mansion - but did not run into any ghosts. We also went into a hotel and went to the door of the hotel room that is supposedly haunted (still no ghost encounter). We spoke to the hotel desk clerk and asked him if this hotel gets a lot of requests for room 207. He looked at us wide-eyed, lowered his voice and told us that they do not share the history of that room with their guests. He also shared that he does not like going to the entire 2nd floor, at all. He told us that the hotel housekeepers make it a point to clean the rooms in twos, they never do it alone. Also, they leave the doors open when they clean the rooms on the 2nd floor. Miah and I thought this was amusing. Now Miah wants to stay in the hotel.

2011-08-22T20:35:00.001-07:00

And the fun begins....

Mostly Finished

2011-08-17T16:58:00.000-07:00

I had a Summer List, a list of things I wanted to do and goals I wanted to accomplish over the summer. I think I did a pretty good job at completing most of my list.

To Do List

Paint black stripes in Miah's bathroom Done

Have a GameNight at my house Done

Paint Miah's room

Listen to a book on my Kindle

Make a few new recipes 3 Down

Find directions to build an outside bar

Update pictures in hallway frames

Fun With Miah List

Rafting Trip Done

Visit Yosemite Done

Go Geocaching Done

Go fishing Done and caught one!

Go Camping Done

Go see the Corpse Flower (if it's blooming) Done

Go to the Mystery Spot Done
Movies 8 Down

Attend Second Saturday again Done

Visit Nimbus Fish Hatchery Done

Go on a Gourmet Walk Done

Visit the State Capitol Done

Go to the Winchester Mystery House Done

Paint

2011-08-17T16:52:00.000-07:00

One of my goals this summer was to paint black stripes on a wall in Jaramiah's bathroom....I did and I didn't like it at all.

So, I decided a green wall would be better, with black, white, and burgundy accents. I was right.

Game Night

2011-08-13T10:41:00.000-07:00

Last night was Game Night at my house. We played Catch Phrase and Quelf. We all laughed so much! I decided to do all appetizers to nosh on throughout the night. They are turned out pretty good. I made a Paula Deen recipe, BLT Wraps, that was scrumptious. The last person left at 1:30 am, so I consider the night to be a success. I'm looking forward to the next Game Night. Now, I just need to clean up.....

2011-08-07T13:49:00.000-07:00

This building is see in the beginning of the movie, Interview with the Vampire. This is where the interview takes place.

This is the house that is shown in the old television series show, "Too Close for Comfort".

Geocaching

2011-08-07T13:41:00.000-07:00

Miah and I went geocaching yesterday. We couldn't find the first cache, but the other 3 we did. It was a lot of fun. The first one we found was the official "Geocaching" tube, the second one was a treasure and we left something in it, and the third one was a virtual cache. Miah and I look forward to doing it again.

Yosemite

2011-08-02T12:35:00.000-07:00

Jaramiah and I have never been to Yosemite. So we went with some friends over the weekend. I enjoyed the trip very much. We stopped on the side of the road to watch a deer grazing. Then, to our surprise, he came right up to Jaramiah and I and licked our hands! We found a spot where we were able to do some exploring and rock climb near a waterfall. We enjoyed a picnic lunch near the river and saw some huge ants! We did a lot of hiking and almost made it to the very top of a waterfall, but the sun was going down and it was getting cold. On the walk back down, we saw a huge millipede. I look forward to coming back again; it was a nice day.

Busy Day

2011-07-29T20:41:00.000-07:00

Today was a busy day. We started off by waking up early in the morning and taking Jaramiah to go ride his horses. Afterwards, we went to the movie theater to watch Cowboy & Aliens. It was an entertaining movie, not excellent, but it was good - at the very least, I was able to get my popcorn! After the movies, we stopped at the store to get food to BBQ. Then, we stopped by our house to get Max and then drove to my parents house. We had a great time swimming with the entire family (Jaramiah and I, mom and dad, Lola and Adah). We grilled some hot dogs and enjoyed a nice dinner outside. After all of that, Miah and I came home. Now, in a bit, I'm going to clean the house. Whew! I'm exhausted!

State Fair Day

2011-07-27T23:12:00.000-07:00

Today, Jaramiah and I went to the State Fair. We always have so much fun. We enjoy seeing all of the animals first. I got a baby tree and this year I am determined to get this one to grow! Miah found a helicopter he wants to buy and challenge a couple of his family members to a flying match. In the evening, he went on all of the rides. He did a few too many and started to feel a little queasy. It was much fun!

Miah went on this ride twice in a row...and I think he regretted it.

Miah said these glasses look a lot like my prescription glasses I used to wear in the 80's. Punk.

My one indulgence. Yum.

On His Way

2011-07-27T22:14:00.000-07:00

Jaramiah got his first acceptance letter! His first step towards becoming a Marine Biologist! He was accepted into the Zoo Teen Program at the Sacramento Zoo. The experience he gains with working with animals is going to be so beneficial for him to attain a job as a Marine Biologist in the near future. I'm so much proud of my young man!!!

New Recipe

2011-07-26T20:08:00.000-07:00

Tonight I made chicken fried steak (my new recipe for the month), mashed potatoes, peas, and Hawaiian rolls. it turned out prett-ay, prett-ay, prett-aaay good!

Cabining

2011-07-25T15:45:00.000-07:00

We stayed in a cabin on a lake with my parents this last weekend. It was lots of fun!

Fish

2011-07-19T16:36:00.000-07:00

Today Miah and I drove to the Nimbus Fish Hatchery and fed the fish. It was fun. We plan on going back in November to watch the fish climb the ladder. Afterwards, we drove to Folsom and watched Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. It was a good movie.

Garden

2011-07-08T20:11:00.001-07:00

2011-07-07T16:50:00.000-07:00

The girls were getting ready for a dip in the pool after their swim lessons.

It is a rare occasion when the entire family gets in the pool. That's what we did today. Lola and Adah had their swim lessons first. Afterwards, Jaramiah and I got in the pool. Christa, mom, and dad joined us shortly after. We spent about 3 hours in the pool together. We all had a great time!

4th

2011-07-05T14:17:00.000-07:00

Another succesful 4th of July block party of Brasilia Court. We've been doing it for 28 years and it gets better each year. It was nice seeing everyone.

Mystery Day

2011-07-04T11:38:00.000-07:00

Jaramiah and I visited the Winchester Mystery House and Mystery Spot. I remember going as a child and thinking it was all very weird. Jaramiah had the same opinion.

Pieces of My Backyard

2011-06-30T16:43:00.000-07:00

Capitol

2011-06-28T15:47:00.000-07:00

Miah and I took a spontaneous trip to downtown Sacramento and had a guided tour of the Capitol. We both enjoyed ourselves. I hadn't been in years and I think I learned more today than any other time I've gone. The weather was beautiful too!

Fried Green Tomatoes

2011-06-25T20:48:00.000-07:00

Today I made fried green tomatoes for the first time. They turned out so good! I would make these again, for sure.

Stinkin' Flower

2011-06-24T17:12:00.000-07:00

Today, Miah and I went to see/smell the Corpse Flower at the UC Davis Botanical Conservatory. It is a beautiful flower...it just stunk. We were told that yesterday it smelled much more pungent when it bloomed. However, today, every once in awhile we would catch a whiff of the smell and it was pretty gross. It smelled like trash mixed with a dead body....not that I know what a dead body smells like. After the flower, Miah and I got to see my boyfriend (Ryan Reynolds) on the Big Screen today (saw Green Lantern movie). It was a pretty good movie. It's our 6th movie this summer. The heat wasn't too bad today, which is always a bonus.

Green Tomatoes

2011-06-18T18:16:00.000-07:00

I'm not a fan of the sun/heat, but I will concede that the sun is needed to aide in the growth of my tomatoes. I checked on them today and they seem to be coming along. Can't wait!

I See Dead Things

2011-06-15T15:46:00.000-07:00

I don't have any fears. Nothing freaks me out to the point where I won't do something, look at something, touch something....however, dead creatures just make me sick. I don't mind anything, when it's alive. I don't mind snakes, (my son has one), I don't mind spiders, I don't mind anything - as long as it's alive. But, once it crosses over...I don't want anything to do with it. So with this being said, I have a dear friend at work who knows this and loves to push my limits. He'll find dead frogs all over the school grounds and, later, I'll find them on my desk, in my desk drawers, taped to my phone, or taped to the top of my computer. It's just disgusting. He better be glad I have a sense of humor.

Super 8 and Wyatt

2011-06-14T22:28:00.000-07:00

Today Miah and I started our day by seeing our 5th movie for the summer, Super 8. Before we even stepped foot into the theater, we received a 2 dollar popcorn ticket and a free movie pass for our next visit. The movie was great! It's sort of a cross between ET and Goonies. Miah and I enjoyed it very much. After the movie, we visited my sister, her husband, and their new addition, Wyatt, at the hospital. He is such a cutie. After that, we went to my parents house and visited with them and also Lola and Adah (my sisters daughters). A lot of laughter was going on over there. It's so much fun to visit all of them. We finally got home and I'm exhausted. Today was a good day.

Alcatraz

2011-06-12T18:23:00.000-07:00

Edamame

2011-05-30T19:18:00.000-07:00

I had this garlic edamame at a restaurant
once and it was to die for.

So I made it to snack on tonight.

Olive oil, crushed garlic, add steamed edamame and soy sauce.

Scrumptious.

Gourmet Chocolate Walk

2011-05-29T23:01:00.000-07:00

Taking a Gourmet Chocolate Walk was fun. It's walking for 3 hours and eating chocolate along the way. Who can beat that? But this isn't your Hershey's chocolate...this is gourmet, melt-in-your-mouth-and-savor-it chocolate. Miah enjoyed it too. He especially liked the hot chocolate and chocolate bar with pop rocks. If you are looking for something out of the ordinary to do and don't mind walking uphill, I recommend this tour.

Water

2011-05-26T19:34:00.000-07:00

My Son

2011-05-26T19:03:00.000-07:00

Chicken

2011-05-25T22:30:00.000-07:00

I've been cooking a new recipe each month. This month I had a hard time picking from two recipes that caught my eye. I had a choice between Pulled Root Beer Chicken and Beer Can Chicken. I improvised and made Root Beer Can Chicken. It was the same recipe as the Beer Can Chicken, but obviously I substituted the beer for root beer. It turned out so good. I served it with baked potatoes and cold tri-color pasta salad filled with veggies. Even though it rained today, it was a nice summer dinner. For dessert, I made Cookie Dough Brownies that were ridiculously good. It was another successful first time meal!

2011 Summer List

2011-05-23T22:53:00.000-07:00

I've recently come to the realization that I am a list person. I've always done it at work, but just recently I began making lists for myself, personally. I get a lot done that way. There's something about checking something off of a list that feels so accomplishing. Anyway, here's my list of things I would like to do this summer:

To Do List

Paint black stripes in Miah's bathroom Done

Have a GameNight at my house Done

Paint Miah's room

Listen to a book on my Kindle

Make a few new recipes 3 Down

Find directions to build an outside bar

Update pictures in hallway frames

Fun With Miah List

Rafting Trip Done

Visit Yosemite Done

Go Geocaching Done

Go fishing Done and caught one!

Go Camping Done

Go see the Corpse Flower (if it's blooming) Done

Go to the Mystery Spot Done
Movies 8 Down

Attend Second Saturday again Done

Visit Nimbus Fish Hatchery Done

Go on a Gourmet Walk Done

Visit the State Capitol Done

Go to the Winchester Mystery House Done

So this is my list for the summer. We'll see how it goes!....

mukluks

2011-05-15T17:37:00.000-07:00

I love my mukluks!

Mother's Day

2011-05-08T09:47:00.000-07:00

I love my son's sense of humor. He's a lot like me....we don't give sentimental cards - we give sarcastic cards. Also, please note the movie passes! He knows me well!

Thank you Jaramiah! I love you!

If Your Looking For Us...

2011-05-06T22:49:00.000-07:00

...we'll be at the movie theater for the next 2 years. I just looked up what movies will be released and so many of them are movies that Miah is going to want to see - and, I'll admit, I want to see too. Here's a taste...

Melancholia

Thor Done

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides Done

Kung Fu Panda 2 Done

X Men: First Class Done

Super 8 Done

Green Lantern Done

Transformers: Dark of the Moon Done

Zookeeper

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows: Part II Done

Captain America: The First Avenger

Cowboys and Aliens Done

Rise of the Planet of the Apes Done

The Three Musketeers

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

Apollo 18

Wrath of the Titans

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance

Ice Age: Continental Drift

Madagascar 3

Men in Black III

The Amazing Spider-Man

The Avengers

The Bourne Legacy

The Brothers Grimm: Snow White

The Dark Knight Rises

The Raven

This list are movies that I know by title. Not included, are the movies I haven't read a summary on or just know about. I'm excited that Miah and I will have fun with movies for the next couple of years. The theater and drive-in is where we'll be. Feel free to send us movie passes!

2011-05-06T17:41:00.001-07:00

Read

2011-05-01T17:03:00.000-07:00

I go through fazes where I feel like reading all of the time. Then, after a while, it passes and I don't pick up a book for months. Well, I'm in my reading faze again. A couple of weeks ago, I finished reading The Color Purple. I just finished reading The Godfather. While I'm waiting for The Godfather Returns to be delivered, I'm reading Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and on my kindle I'm reading Interview with the Vampire. My son started reading Interview with a Vampire during our cruise. I also think he would enjoy reading Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter, so I'll be getting that soon too. It's supposed to be made into a movie and released sometime in 2012. I hope my wanting to read lasts through the summer. Nothing is nicer than to grab a drink, lay on an inflatable mattress, and float in the pool with a good book.

Sirens

2011-04-23T22:16:00.000-07:00

My friend, Krazy, who I've known since kindergarten, is a player for the Sirens womans football league. She's a veteran on the team and been playing for them for years. I've gone to a couple of games and it's fun. I think I'll be going to the next game which is on Saturday, April 30th. Join me and help me support the Sirens!

Paradise

2011-04-23T09:49:00.000-07:00

Miah and I had a relaxing time on our cruise. We enjoyed the ship, the people, snorkeling, dolphin watching, seeing one of three blowholes in the world, shopping, and eating! It was a fun time for Miah and I and we have the sunburns to prove it.

Picture of our ship as we were on our way to go snorkeling.

La Bufadora Blowhole that shoots water up to 100 feet.

The ship was so pretty at night.

Getting our lessons for snorkeling.

When we went snorkeling, the water was freezing and it was a weird sensation to put my face in the water and not have to hold my breath. It took me a minute to get used to that. I haven't developed the underwater pictures yet, but am looking forward to seeing how those turned out. Also, we got a 2 for 1 deal. On our way back from snorkeling, we saw hundreds of dolphins. So we stopped and watched them jumping out of the water. They were so close to our boat. I think it might have been my favorite thing to see. We had a great time and created many more memories.

Almost Ready

2011-04-16T19:40:00.000-07:00

Sun tan lotion.....check

Kindle with downloaded books.....check

Underwater camera.....check

Swimsuit.....check

Sunglasses.....check

Just about ready to go!

Say This

2011-04-13T21:09:00.000-07:00

One-One was a race horse.

Two-Two was one too.

When One-One won one race,

Two-Two won one too.

Miah has to say this in his theatre class.

Today's Conversation

2011-04-11T20:59:00.000-07:00

"It's supposed to sprinkle on Wednesday."

"It better not rain next week during my cruise."

"Whatever, you'll be somewhere else."

"So? Because it doesn't rain on the ocean?"

"And what ocean would that be?"

"....The....Mex-i-can Ocean???"

Salsa

2011-04-10T11:44:00.000-07:00

I'm growing tomato's, peppers, and onions. Now I wait for my salsa to grow. I also planted cucumbers and watermelon. I can't wait to start seeing the fruits....er, vegetables of my labor!

Where Are Your Manners?

2011-04-08T19:49:00.000-07:00

When you want something, use the word please.

When you get it, say thank you.

Why is this so hard? I can understand children not using manners all of the time because they're still in training. HOWEVER, if a grown adult does not use manners, it's just sickening. How does a grown adult not have enough sense to use manners? Did their parents completely fail them in teaching manners or is this adult so self-centered they don't feel the need for manners? With children, if they forget to use manners, I'll just stare at them until they figure it out. I think I'll do that with adults too. So, just know this...if you want something from me, you better start with "please" and when you get it, end with "thank you". Otherwise you'll never get something from me again.

100 Movies

2011-04-08T15:34:00.000-07:00

The following is a list of 100 movies I will see...

1. Citizen Kane
2. Casablanca
3. The Godfather
4. Gone With the Wind
5. Lawrence of Arabia
6. The Wizard of Oz
7. The Graduate
8. On the Waterfront
9. Schindler's List
10. Singin' in the Rain
11. It's a Wonderful Life
12. Sunset Blvd.
13. The Bridge on the River Kwai
14. Some Like it Hot
15. Star Wars
16. All About Eve
17. The African Queen
18. Psycho
19. Chinatown
20. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
21. The Grapes of Wrath
22. 2001: A Space Odyssey
23. The Maltese Falcon
24. Raging Bull
25. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
26. Dr. Strangelove
27. Bonnie and Clyde
28. Apocalypse Now
29. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
30. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
31. Annie Hall
32. The Godfather Part II
33. High Noon
34. To Kill a Mockingbird
35. It Happened One Night
36. Midnight Cowboy
37. The Best Years of Our Lives
38. Double Indemnity
39. Doctor Zhivago
40. North by Northwest
41. West Side Story
42. Rear Window
43. King Kong
44. The Birth of a Nation
45. A Streetcar Named Desire
46. A Clockwork Orange
47. Taxi Driver
48. Jaws
49. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
50. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
51. The Philadelphia Story
52. From Here to Eternity
53. Amadeus
54. All Quiet on the Western Front
55. The Sound of Music
56. MASH
57. The Third Man
58. Fantasia
59. Rebel Without a Cause
60. Raiders of the Lost Ark
61. Vertigo
62. Tootsie
63. Stagecoach
64. Close Encounters of the Third Kind
65. The Silence of the Lambs
66. Network
67. The Manchurian Candidate
68. An American in Paris
69. Shane
70. The French Connection
71. Forrest Gump
72. Ben-Hur
73. Wuthering Heights
74. The Gold Rush
75. Dances with Wolves
76. City Lights
77. American Graffiti
78. Rocky
79. The Deer Hunter
80. The Wild Bunch
81. Modern Times
82. Giant
83. Platoon
84. Fargo
85. Duck Soup
86. Mutiny on the Bounty
87. Frankenstein
88. Easy Rider
89. Patton
90. The Jazz Singer
91. My Fair Lady
92. A Place in the Sun
93. The Apartment
94. Goodfellas
95. Pulp Fiction
96. The Searchers
97. Bringing Up Baby
98. Unforgiven
99. Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
100. Yankee Doodle Dandy

My Personal Honorable Mentions:
101. Toy Story
102. Sophie's Choice
103. 12 Angry Men
104. The Shawshank Redemption
105. The Color Purple
106. Steel Magnolias
107. Fried Green Tomatoes
108. Dear Frankie
109. Amelie
110. Life is Beautiful
111. Crash
112. Searching for Bobby Fischer
113. Thelma and Louise
114. The Bridges of Madison County

Try, Try Again

2011-04-07T20:55:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I attempted to make Tomato Barley Soup. It was a flop. So with a some whining, a little bullying, and my charming smile I was invited over to a friend's house for dinner. My goal was to watch her husband (a chef) make the soup from start to finish. I took notes, watched intently, and found out what ingredient was omitted from my original recipe (on purpose I think, but the jury is still out).

Since we have been having 70+ degree weather these past several days, I couldn't justify making soup. Then today brought on the clouds and cold weather. Perfect day to make soup...AND IT TURNED OUT SCRUMPTIOUS! I love it! I can't wait to share it and take all the credit for it....er, give credit to my friend's husband....maybe.

Home Away From Home

2011-04-06T20:34:00.000-07:00

A friend and I were talking about our jobs today. We were discussing some funny events that had occurred at our jobs lately. We both realized that many jobs are much like a large family. All of the employees are much like siblings and the supervisors are like the parents. You have the employees that play practical jokes on each other which adds a little humor. The employees that snitch on others add the tension and resentment. Meanwhile, most of the employees are trying to impress the supervisors or fly under the radar in hopes of not being reprimanded by them. Many employees get frustrated when they have to clean up after others or if their stuff comes up "borrowed". The supervisors sometimes have to evaluate the employees which is a growing experience for that individual and possibly a lesson to learn. Then, comes the time when the employees are ready to move on to bigger and better jobs and it's time for them to leave the nest. A job is much like a family and I enjoy mine.

Half Way

2011-04-04T20:50:00.000-07:00

I'm half way done on my 2nd 100 List. Much of the items on the list are works in progress. Some of the other items are things I'm going to do during the summer with Miah. I'm about half way through my time line and half way through my list...not too shabby! I've already started a 3rd 100 List for the 12/13 year. I like my lists and checking off the things I accomplish!

100 Books

2011-04-01T19:58:00.000-07:00

The following is a list of 100 books I will read...

1. To Kill A Mockingbird

2. 1984

3. Pride and Prejudice

4. The Lord of the Rings

5. The Catcher in the Rye

6. The Great Gatsby

7. Crime and Punishment

8. Catch-22

9. Animal Farm

10. Lolita

11. Jane Eyre

12. The Brothers Karamazov

13. Anna Karenina

14. War and Peace

15. Wuthering Heights

16. The Count of Monte Cristo

17. Brave New World

18. The Grapes of Wrath

19. Lord of the Flies

20. Ulysses

21. Great Expectations

22. A Tale of Two Cities

23. Gone With the Wind

24. Les Miserables

25. Slaughterhouse-Five

26. East of Eden

27. One Hundred Years of Solitude

28. Harry Potter Series

29. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

30. The Hobbit

31. Don Quixote

32. Atlas Shrugged

33. Of Mice and Men

34. The Fountainhead

35. A Clockwork Orange

36. The Kite Runner

37. The Chronicles of Narnia

38. The Picture of Dorian Gray

39. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

40. Frankenstein

41. Fahrenheit 451

42. The Sound and the Fury

43. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

44. Moby Dick

45. Ender's Game

46. The Stranger

47. Heart of Darkness

48. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

49. The Sun Also Rises

50. Watership Down

51. His Dark Materials

52. The Time Traveler's Wife

53. On the Road

54. Dracula

55. The Stand

56. The Da Vinci Code

57. The Old Man and the Sea

58. The Road

59. Dune

60. Little Women

61. Madame Bovary

62. Tess of the D'Urbervilles

63. Invisible Man

64. Life of Pi

65. Memoirs of a Geisha

66. Love in the Time of Cholera

67. David Copperfield

68. A Confederacy of Dunces

69. A Farewell to Arms

70. Middlemarch

71. For Whom the Bell Tolls

72. Remembrance of Things Past

73. Rebecca

74. The Unbearable Lightness of Being

75. Fight Club

76. Absalom, Absalom!

77. The Idiot

78. Persuasion

79. Of Human Bondange

80. The Handmaid's Tale

81. To the Lighthouse

82. The Name of the Rose

83.A Prayer for Owen Meany

84. As I Lay Dying

85. The Trial

86. The Three Musketeers

87. The Master and Margarita

88. Blood Meridian

89. The Alchemist

90. Anne of Green Gables

91. The Bell Jar

92. Emma

93. A Thousand Splendid Suns

94. Siddharta

95. The Twilight Saga

96. Atonement

97. Beloved

98. The Poisonwood Bible

99. Cat's Cradle

100. The Scarlet Letter

My Personal Honorable Mentions:

101. My Sister's Keeper

102. The Godfather

103. The Color Purple

104. Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe

105. All John Grisham Books

106. The Green Mile

107. Flowers in the Attic Series

109. Water for Elephants

110. The Iliad

111. Are you there God? It's Me, Margaret

112. Tilly

113. The Bridges of Madison County

114. Interview With the Vampire

115. Death of a Salesman

116. Mrs. Dalloway

117. All Janet Evanovich Books

118. Alive
119. Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter
120. The Help

My White Whale

2011-03-30T19:08:00.000-07:00

Probably 5 or more years ago, I was walking through the K Street Mall. I came across a store that had random odds and ends for sale. I saw this Reading Gnome and stood and contemplated buying it for a long time. I ended up not buying it. I have regretted that decision ever since. So, I have spent the past 5 years or so going into similar stores and doing searches on the internet for my Reading Gnome. FINALLY I found it! I did a search and found it on ebay (after years of trying)! I love my Reading Gnome!

Educational Visit

2011-03-28T21:01:00.000-07:00

One of the parents, at the school I work at, will bring lunch or goodies to share...her husband is a chef. One day she brought in tomato barley soup with homemade croutons. It was to die for. So every day after, for about a week, I hounded her to ask her husband for the recipe so I could make it. She got me the recipe and I attempted to make it. It tasted NOTHING like what her husband made and it all went down the drain. Needless to say, I was not happy. So, I then began to hound her for a more detailed recipe or her husband could just bottle up the soup and give it to me. She suggested I come over and watch him make it.
Tonight, that's exactly what I did. Myself and a friend, Mike, went to her house for dinner and I took extensive notes while her husband cooked the soup. I think I found where I went wrong, but can be easily remedied. Once again, the soup was amazing! I can't wait to have a go at cooking it again. Thank you, Lady, for inviting us over for dinner and allowing me to steal your husbands recipe! If it turns out good, I'm taking all the credit!

30

2011-03-27T16:30:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is my parents 30th anniversary. 30 years! How amazing is that? Nowadays, it's so unheard of to be married so long. Their marriage, like most, was a work in progress....but they made it through the hard stuff and stayed married. I'm thankful for that. They have both grown emotionally, mentally, and spiritually in these 30 years and have shown that it's important to work on something that you believe in and love. I love my parents so much and am proud to say they are mine! Happy Anniversary, mom and dad....I hope you have 30 more wonderful years!

Mine

2011-03-22T20:17:00.000-07:00

I saw it. I wanted it. I got it. I love it!

2011-03-21T15:32:00.001-07:00

This plant stopped me in my tracks. I want it.

Stir Fry

2011-03-20T18:58:00.000-07:00

I have never made stir fry before. Never felt the need. But, I was told I should have a go at it this evening....so I tried. I made chicken stir fry, rice, egg rolls, and pot stickers. It was gross. It didn't taste like the real deal. I'll continue to get my stir fry from M's Garden.

Animal Theme

2011-03-12T21:05:00.000-08:00

Today started, like most Saturday's do, with me driving Miah to go take care of and ride the horses. No crazy stories today (Last week he rode a horse. The horse tripped in the mud and went down to her knees. Miah got thrown onto the horses neck - holding on for dear life. The horse bucked up and threw Miah back onto the saddle.).
After horses, we went to Petco to buy some small feeder fish for Jaramiah's snake. While driving home, Miah is examining the fish and notices one has no eye. It's not a damaged eye or missing because it was injured....there is no eye! He thought that was pretty gross and when we got home, he videotaped it.
After he was done and after I packed our lunch, we went to the zoo. It was nice to skip the long line and walk right in. We always head over to the reptile building first. A lot of animals were out and active today. Miah enjoyed videotaping the animals. It was a nice day filled with animals....which is what Miah loves.

Sleep

2011-03-08T18:16:00.000-08:00

I love it. I can't get enough of it. I live to sleep...ok, well that might be going too far. It's defnitely one of my favorite things to do! Now that I'm getting old (pushing 35), I feel like I can't stay up as late as I used to. And what's even worse, on the weekends, I'm waking up earlier than I want to! On a good weekend, I could sleep in until 12:30 pm, easily. Now I find that my eyes shoot open between 8:30 and 9:00 am! What is that all about??? My son has always been a "sleep in" kinda kid too. So I wouldn't have to wake up extremely early on the weekends. We would both be rolling oughta bed around 11:00...skipping breakfast and going right to lunch. Now that I wake up so early, I'm sitting in the front room glaring at my son's bedroom door because I'm envious that he can sleep the day away! Oh well. It's nice to have some quiet time to either get stuff done around the house or just quietly read a book before the teenager wakes up and spews his sarcasm and wrath my way. I still love to sleep and thankful for every minute I get of it.

RPM

2011-03-05T22:25:00.000-08:00

My dad and Jaramiah went kart racing at RPM today. My mom, Lola, Adah, and I watched them. We don't go all that often, but when we do, we have fun. Lola and I enjoyed going out to the viewing section on the track. My mom and Adah stayed upstairs and watched through the window while eating pizza. Miah wants to go a lot more and race on the days they open up both tracks to make a full one. I think I might join in on the race, next time.....to show them how it's done.

15

2011-03-01T20:43:00.000-08:00

Jaramiah turned 15 yesterday. FIFTEEN! I don't know why, but this birthday is hitting me harder than the others. It's not like its a momentous birthday either...it's not his 16th, 18th, or 21st birthday. I'm not sure why him turning 15 has got me so freaked out. Maybe because this is the year I teach him how to drive and after that, I know I won't see him much. Kinda makes me sad.

Miah and I had a good time celebrating his birthday. I pulled him out of school early and we went to the movies. Afterwards, we went back to our house and my parents, sister, and her fam came over for pizza and cake. We played the PS3 Move and had a plethora of laughs. Next weekend, as an extended birthday celebration, Jaramiah and my dad are going to meet at RPM to race some karts. Should be fun to watch.

Happy Birthday, Kenner

2011-02-22T22:43:00.000-08:00

Today is my dad's birthday. I invited my mom, dad, and grandma over for dinner. He was surprised to see my sister and her family, aunt Laura and uncle Bruce at my house, as well. We had a nice family dinner and enjoyed salad, minestrone soup (my new recipe for the month), and spaghetti. I think the soup was the best. After dinner, we enjoyed just visiting with each other, singing Happy Birthday to dad, and grubbed on the cake my sister made...it was delectable. Once again, it was a fun family time celebrating my dad's birthday. Happy Birthday, pops!

Parade

2011-02-20T13:51:00.000-08:00

Miah and I went to San Francisco for the Chinatown Community Street Fair and to watch the Chinese New Year Parade, yesterday evening. Even though it rained, we had a lot of fun. Miah bought a skull sword cane, which I'm not sure what he plans to do with it, but he's excited he got it. The parade was a lot of fun to watch. We also had fun and got many laughs from tossing "Hercules Snappers" on the ground and watching people jump when they stepped on them....they are extremely loud, a lot louder than regular "snaps". The parade was really long and it got really cold so we left a little early. It was a fun night.

Boys Valentine's

2011-02-14T11:19:00.000-08:00

No candy. No hearts. No stuffed animals. No mushy cards.

A fully automatic belt-fed nerf gun is what he gets for Valentine's Day.

Diced

2011-02-12T15:12:00.000-08:00

Miah bought a samurai sword. After mowing the lawn he grabbed a lemon from our tree and asked me to come in the backyard with him. He threw the lemon up and sliced a chunk of it off with his sword in mid-air. I was impressed...he was shocked.

Time

2011-02-08T19:41:00.001-08:00

Got a new clock. I like it much.

Nyla

2011-02-07T17:29:00.000-08:00

My great aunt Nyla passed yesterday. She was a wonderful woman! I'm going to miss her laughter and her wicked sense of humor. Her marriage to uncle Leon is an example of a long successful marriage filled with love and laughter. She was so classy and lady-like and so much fun to talk to. She is going to be greatly missed. I love you, Auntie Nyla.

Weekend Party's

2011-01-30T11:46:00.000-08:00

This weekend was packed with parties. Friday started with having the day off. I spent the day fooling around the house, scheduling an orthodontic appointment for Jaramiah, and looking into going back to school. That evening was dinner at my parents house with some friends from Chicago. We played Quelf and had lots of laughs and fun.

Saturday started with going to my nieces, Adah, 2nd birthday. It was a breakfast birthday party and my sister and her husband made wonderful food! It was nice to visit with my side of the family and also my sister's in-laws' family. They are a fun bunch of people...wish I saw them more often.

Right after the birthday party, we went to Strings (my parents version of 'Cheers') for my dad's retirement party. It was like attending a huge family reunion! My dad has worked for Proctor & Gamble for 30+ years, so most everyone who attended I knew since I was a little girl. Some of them I hadn't seen in over 10 years and it was so much fun to visit with people.

After Miah and I came home, some friends came by to assist me in a household issue and, after that, they stayed until 1:00 am visiting and watching movies.

Sunday is my day of rest. I plan on doing nothing. But, now that I've been sitting here, I've thought of stuff I need to do such as laundry, dishes, grocery shopping, etc...so much for my day of rest. My weekend started with having Friday off and I feel like I haven't had a weekend at all because of all the stuff I've done. I'm exhausted.

Brave Recipe

2011-01-28T11:57:00.000-08:00

I'm a little OCD when it comes to leaving appliances on in the house when I'm not home. I don't like to leave the washer or dryer on when I'm not home or the dishwasher. I double and triple check to make sure everything is unplugged (blow dryer, curling iron, cell phone chargers, etc.) before I leave the house. I have used my slow cooker many times, but always only when I'm home.

Well, yesterday I came home during my lunch break and made some chili, put it in the slow cooker, AND LEFT THE HOUSE to go back to work! I was a nervous wreck the entire time I was gone. I was worried that my house was going to go up in flames. It didn't. The house was still in tact and my chili turned out pretty good. I had never made chili before and I think, for my first time, it tasted quite good. I also made corn bread to go along with it. For dessert, I made home-made strawberry shortcake. It was all quite good. I think it'll be another several years before I go cooking something in my slow cooker and leaving the house, though. That part was too stressful.

IKEA

2011-01-26T21:07:00.000-08:00

Any day at IKEA is a good day. Any day I walk out of IKEA with items that I purchased is a better day! I was able to find my accent chair, coffee table, and hanging lamp all in one day. Knocked a couple of items off of my 100 List and put a big ol' smile on my face. Thank you, IKEA.

Lessons Learned

2011-01-25T10:19:00.000-08:00

I am thankful for lessons that I continue to learn and, in turn, make me a better person.

Clear

2011-01-18T22:06:00.000-08:00

I am no longer under the deceitful, monopolizing, greedy, corruption tyrants otherwise known as Frontier Communications. I no longer have my land-line, so if you need to reach me...call my cell phone. If you don't have my cell phone number...email me and I'll give it to you.

Boys Rule

2011-01-17T23:09:00.000-08:00

I'm glad I have a boy. Girls are too hard.

Snow Day

2011-01-17T17:58:00.000-08:00

Miah and I went with some friends to the snow. Had lots of fun.

80th

2011-01-16T21:01:00.000-08:00

My grandma's 80th surprise birthday was a huge success! It was so nice to see the fam and friends. Jaramiah enjoyed being the candid videographer. He got some great video of the event. Happy birthday, grams!

of Sound Mind

2011-01-10T16:54:00.000-08:00

Despite what my friends and co-workers might tell you....I am thankful for having sound mind. I'm thankful for my mental stability (despite what my friends and co-workers might tell you) and clear thought (despite what my friends and............). On occasion, when life's circumstances are troubling me, I am thankful for my sense of humor. Laughter is always a good way to clear the head. I'm mostly thankful for no issues, which allows me to have clear thoughts, which allows my mental stability, which my friends and co-workers would argue.

New Doo

2011-01-02T18:54:00.000-08:00

I took Miah, the other day, to get his hair trimmed. He had long, shaggy hair. I couldn't see his eyes. Well, the barber screwed it up. He was an older gentlemen and I don't think he really knew what to do with teen hair. So, I took him to Great Clips today for someone to fix it. It's now short. I like it. It's nice to be able to see his eyes and his neck and his ears. He's not thrilled about it, but he likes it a lot better than what the first guy did to him. He is also getting a lot of compliments on it which is making the new haircut a bit more bearable for him. His hair grows fast too, so it will just be a short while before I won't be able to see his gorgeous brown eyes again. I'm going to enjoy this while I can.

Jipped

2010-12-31T19:03:00.000-08:00

Do you see that tiny potato???? I got jipped! It's a good thing the potato bag is pay by the pound and not by the potato!

#60 On The List

2010-12-29T00:00:00.000-08:00

Today I learned something new. Well, I learned a new word, to be exact. I was watching a movie and heard someone use the term "interloper". Even in the context of the sentence and conversation, I didn't get a full grasp on what the word actually meant. I, of course, had to look it up:

in·ter·lop·er/ˈintərˌlōpər/

Noun: A person who becomes involved in a place or situation where they are not wanted or are considered not to belong.

I like this word. I'm going to try to use it in a conversation sometime soon.

I think I can thank my mom for my interest in words. I remember getting to a point in my teenage years where I remember my mom telling me that I need to "broaden my vocabulary". I guess she was getting sick of me saying "like" and "totally" much too much. It was something that she said that has kind of stuck with me. Ever since then, when I hear a word that I don't know the meaning of, I like to look it up and then throw it in a conversation when possible...if, that is, I can even remember the word.

Visit

2010-12-28T20:06:00.000-08:00

Today my parents, sister and her girls, Miah and I visited my Grandma Kenner. We hardly ever see her or my entire dad's side of the family, for the matter and it makes me sad. I would love to see them more often. They are a funny bunch of people and I have fond memories of all of them.

While visiting with my Grandma today, I looked around the house and encountered so many great memories. I remember having Christmas Eve dinners at her house when I was real little and this is where I received my Bruno bear, my childhood stuffed bear that I still have. Christa and I took her girls and Jaramiah out in the backyard where Christa and I remember playing - and remembering that once you passed the bushes there was a separate secret garden in the back.

It was so nice talking with Grandma and listening to her today. I miss her and would like to see her more often. I would like to see the Kenner family more often. So let's all plan something and get together!

12th Movie of Christmas

2010-12-24T18:29:00.000-08:00

To top it all off and to finish our 12 Movies of Christmas, Miah and I watched A Christmas Story. My personal favorite Christmas movie ever. I hope to someday get the leg lamp and display it in my front window.

11th Movie of Christmas

2010-12-24T17:29:00.000-08:00

The 11th movie Miah and I watched was It's a Wonderful Life. I think I've seen this movie, in its entirety, maybe twice. I have always caught bits and pieces while it was played on tv and got the gist of what it was about. Miah and I sat down and watched it all today....what a great movie!

10th Movie of Christmas

2010-12-24T13:17:00.000-08:00

We watched Frosty's Winter Wonderland this morning. Neither of us had seen it before. It was an interesting sequel to the Frosty the Snowman movie.

9th Movie of Christmas

2010-12-23T16:46:00.000-08:00

Our 9th Movie of Christmas was A Charlie Brown Christmas. Watching Charlie Brown was always a favorite for Miah when he was a young boy. He still enjoyed watching it. Snoopy makes us laugh.

8th Movie of Christmas

2010-12-23T16:05:00.000-08:00

Miah and I watched A Year Without A Santa Claus. Miah and I thought there was too much singing, but it was cute. Now, on to the next movie.