my heart is thankful.

• in all circumstances, not for all circumstances. (heard that from pastor gary-really like that one!)
• my Jesus
• mi familia
• my friends...my molly and my melissa! (friendship-it's funny..i don't think you truly know what you have in a friend until you look back and realize at that one moment you couldn't stand she was there to help you up and help you walk through it. you leaned on her, with no judgement passed, no questions asked. just a hug when you needed it the most-more thankful for this than they'll ever know!)
• annual thanksgiving dinner (i love that it's a constant, no matter what is going on, we do it!)
• mi job! (yeah-you read it right!...i actually am thankful for my job and the people i work with. while most were at home with family and a huge turkey, the "work family" pulled off a pretty good turkey spread! with all of the fixins from turkey to home made apple pie and cheesecake! it was d-licious!)
• i have so many things to be thankful for..things i don't even stop to realize or appreciate, the little things in life (i've gotta try to do this more!).
• but what i'm really thankful and excited for is....Christmas spirit! oh, i just love, love, love, this time of year! the joy, the smiles, the music, the hot coco, the jackets, scarfs, and mittens! i just love it! and now it's here! yippeeee!!! i hope you all have a joyous holiday season and your cup runneth over with joy, excitement, and love!!!

a few pics of thanksgivin' dinner...not as many as i'd like..i did more eating than picture takin!! hope you enjoy!...

RACE FOR THE CURE!!

My most favorite time of the year I'd say! As soon as it's over, I look forward to next year! I think because...1- it's in October, which means fall is here! 2- i just love all of the commotion it brings! 3- of course i love all of the pink! 4- i get to run with my dad! 5- i get to run for my Grandma, a survivor!!

So this year...my dad challenges me to run-yes, you read right..RUN the whole thing, for a time! eeeekkkk! i mean, i know i might look like i'm in shape (i joke, i joke!) but i'm not! so running wasn't really what i had planned, but when your dad throws that out there..how do you say no?! he's twice my age and he actually is in shape..and..it's a great chance to hang out with the pops-so you can't say no, right!

To make a long story short! i ran the whole distance with Dad! i didn't stop-notta once!! let's not talk about the time i got-that not relevant! Mom scoped out all of the good booths while we were running, and loaded up on water for us! i one a k-frog country cd (wahooo, my favorite!)! Mom won a jewelry cd! i stocked up on my pink pens and pink sanitizers (love those!) i left sore, but feeling accomplished! i got a great breakfast at mimi's after (which i could hardly eat because i was so tired!!) and....went back to mom and dad's and took one of the best naps (since last year!) to which i woke up with a headache and the feeling like i just got hit three times by a semi truck!! but..all worth it! can't wait for next year!

Oh, p.s.!...yeah, about those "port-a-pod-e's". there is nothing i hate more. but, at the last minute i figured i better use one real quick. i didn't want to spend the next 3.2 miles regretting i didn't. well...somehow, someway, as i'm just about to walk out...i lose my balance and had to catch myself against the side. which means what? i totally had to touch the inside wall! O-MY-GOSH. this was the single most worst time of my life. for those of you that know me, i am a germ freak and completely proud of it. so, using one of these things is an accomplishment in itself. but then...touch one-i almost fainted. but dad got a good laugh out of it!!

UP!..and into my heart!

sooo....i finally saw "UP"!!! and oh, i just love, love, loved it!! i read about it on alison's blog a few months back when it was still in theatres. to be honest i was a lil iffy about it, not that i don't like cartoon movies (which have come such a long way since i was five! you all remember teenage mutant ninja turtles and strawberry shortcake! wow! what a difference it is today!) but..i dunno for some reason i just waited to see this one?! well, finally i rented it and...ali was right! oh, i too wanna have a love like carl and ellie's! and the adventures they had together, and the adventures he made after her...oh, i just LOVED this movie! it most certainly has a grr-ate message! thanks ali b.!

"i carry your heart with me"

"i carry your heart with me (i carry it in my heart)

i am never without it (anywhere i go, you go my dear; and

whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling)

i fear no fate (for you are my fate my sweet)

i want no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)

and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant

and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows

(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud

and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows

higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)

and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart ( i carry it in my heart)"

a poem by e e cummings

heard this in a movie...got me...isn't it just...so real and sincere. one of those things you just dream to have someone say to you-right?!

Happy Birthday Grandma!

My Grandma turned 80!! So...let's CELEBRATE!!! We threw her a little surprise birthday bash with some of her family and friends!...Just a few pictures of the fun time! (ps the first few songs on my music player were the top hits the year she was born...kinda cool!)

My Grandma-such a great lady, with such a great story! I remember when I was younger (and even still today!) when she'd visit she'd let me throw a pillow across her lap and lay there while she told me one of her stories! Either how her and Grandpa met, or how he proposed, or something ridiculous my dad and uncle did as kids! She would tell you, God has blessed her life beyond measure! But, you'd never have to ask, because she wears it in the smile on her face! She's a one-of-a-kind lady that makes you feel like you're the most important person in the room, with a smile from ear to ear, that shouts "I'm so glad you're here!" the minute you walk through the door (and even when you call her on the phone!) Which would explain the big turnout at the party! She had friends and family from everywhere! What a story and what a life this lady has. I hope I can bless the people I meet in my life the way she has and continues to do along the way. Grandma, you are the truest and greatest example of God's love and the importance of family! I love you and I am beyond thankful for the things you have taught me and the love you have shown me! Happy Birthday!

i love fall for...

friends and pumpkin spice cheesecake! (my new favorite!!)

i was flippin through the camera, found these, and wanted to share! (a lil' late, as usual!)

i met molly and the girls in riverside for a lil lunch at one of our favorite restaurants! yep, you guessed it-the cheesecake factory! mmmm! don't you just get hungry thinkin about it!! well, this time being the beginning of fall, they brought out their pumpkin cheesecake! something i had never tried before and....L-O-V-E-D it! definitely my new favorite! what would i do without fall and all the many wonders it brings!!! and then onto some shoppin! good friends and a beautiful fall day...the kind of day you roll down your windows and feel the autumn breeze on your face...ahh-love it!

memory lane.

oh, how fun you are to stroll down!....are you all ready for this! here we goooooooo!



i took a weekend to go through and get rid of some things and although a lil embarassing, i couldn't resist sharing what i stumbled upon!...

yes, i actually carried these on my arm

what?! why were these so cool? did i not know how to spell my name or something? did i need a reminder? whatch out folks-i'm a "m" and here i come....? oh, what was i thinkin!

i have nothing. i really don't know how to explain this. maybe i liked all of the pockets??

grrrr. but-just for the record, i don't think i ever walked outside with this one-i do know a lil something about fashion...i think!

yes, this too. i did carry this one outside. but nothing can prepare you for the next picture.

"GUCCI" (made in Italy) HA! GUCCI?...GUCCI? (insert scream here!) WHAT WAS I THINKING!!! because i actually thought it looked real??? someone should have taken this off my arm and trashed it!



???


i was trying to simplify my life...????



ahh, my first canon!



ok-these might look funny, but...they are my most favorite and i still have them! my brother got them for me one year (probably more than 5 years ago) and they have to be the most comfortable slippers i have ever had! love them! thanks jake!



my first pair of addidas! in my book-if you didn't have these your weren't cool. ha! the things that matter sometimes....?!!!! i would venture to say i didn't even run in them once!!

these carried me around EUROPE!!

i bought these in san clemente the first time i went with molly! but why i kept them, i really don't know?! i wore them out and they are just flip-flops...a true pack rat i am!

love Sea World-it's my most favorite place! how could i pass these up!! you would have bought them too!

ooooohhhhh! yayer! what's up! CREEEEEEPERS! i'm gonna be honest-i wore these all of the time and thought they were just the cooolest! and the addition in height wasn't so bad! my friends being the support they were just stood by and supported me while i went through this phase too! actually, i think some of them had a pair, but i wore mine way beyond the time i should have!!

my favorite shorts to wear around the house (when i was 8), and yes-they are mens boxers....????

varsity team-freshman year

ba-hahahahha! yeah right! you didn't actually believe that-did you!! i remember it was more important to make a taco bell run right before practice then to be on time. i had priorities! a girl's gotta eat! they were some fun times though!!!

Oh My Gosh! My most absolutely FAVORITE show! i couldn't even talk on the phone for the hour the show was on! if someone called, i wouldn't even answer. it was west beverly, they were my friends, and i was committed!! (yeah, it's a cd-rom fun pack!)

bow chicky bow WOW!!! yep-you're seein right...leather pants! correction-pleather pants! molly-you know you wore them too! ok folks, you laugh, but just the other day, we were in the mall and....they're makin a come back! so the way i see it, i'm in with the fashion! next time i go out-oh, i'm sportin em!

for you girls!: alison, molly, and natalie, and lauren! the PPB had no idea the rath we could bring in TP!!! (ps-this barely fits over my arm now!!)

up-close!! girls, is the feeling coming back!! yeah, not so much for me! good laughs then! and great ideas to pass on to the kiddies, but i don't think i can stay up pass 9pm anymore! how did we do it then!!

the end!

simply.

"...For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come to pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all of your heart. I will be found by you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back from captivity." Jeremiah 29:11-14

"...I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete..." John 15:11

"...I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy..." John 16:20

TAG!! YOU'RE IT

i've seen this done with molly and a few other blog sites, soooo...i thought i'd give it a try!

what exactly is it i'm trying you might ask?! movies, movies, and more movies!! not to exclude mainstream tv switched to seasons (one right after the other, you know the kind you just get lost in!! like S.I.T.C.-if you're a fan you know what i'm talking about!!)

living in the middle of NO-where i've become a true-blue netflix member (the cable out here stinks, and that's me being nice! there's only so much of lifetime and oxygen a girl can take!) but, it seems like i've come to the end of my road. i've ran out of the "good" movies to watch. first, i started with some oldie but goodie flicks by jane austen! ahhh, lets have a moment for pride and prejudice, is it not the best movie ever!! for it's time period of course, because there is nothing better than...THE NOTEBOOK!!! anyway, i moved onto a few more chick flicks, and some new releases, and even some action/horrors that were suggested to me. and then...(dun, dun, dun....) my great friend melissa introduced me to....SEX IN THE CITY!!! O-M-G!!! i picked it up at her house one night, asked her if i could give it a try (i had never been to interested) and i couldn't stop watching it! i was sucked in-immediately! i watched episode after episode, season after season, the movie, and then the bonus disc! and then, just like that, my four girlfriends were gone.

so now back to the drawing board. i'm not sure exactly how this will work, but, i thought i'd list a few more of my favorites and then eventually maybe it'd get passed around enough i'd have some options to choose from-from you!! so here we go! help me out! pllllllease...

• THE NOTEBOOK
• SEX IN THE CITY (season and movie)
• PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
• CATCH AND RELEASE
• DEXTER
• 27 DRESSES
• THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF...?
  

TAG! YOUR TURN!!

my heart is happy

i am very, very, excited! tomorrow i get to see my bestie (great new term i picked up from a fellow blogger!) for a lunch date of catchin' up and laughing, usually lots of laughing!! it was at the last minute we decided we should get together just for the sake of getting together! and oh i'm so excited! i feel like my heart has been hugged!! there is a good warm feeling of home when you spend time with family!! the quality time is just unmeasurable! (ya know, if in the end, i gain 1000 lbs because i've had so many great lunch dates-well then i'd say it was all worth it!!) and it's always fun to watch audrey and ellie eat or listen to them talk! little lives are so precious and innocent! such a renewed joy!! my favorite thing to say to them is, "...use your words!" pretty much because it makes me laugh! they just look at me as if to say-lame, think of something new!! and i'm sure there will be pictures to share after!! i can't miss a coo-coo photo shoot!! so off i go to have a lil girl time with my bestie! see you when i get back...hopefully with lots of funny pictures!! now, go call your bestie and tell her much you love her!! and make a lunch date!

lately i've been loving

just a few ideas that come to mind...

*the idea of fall! all of the colors that start to come out. the jackets, the sweaters, and the hot coco! not to metion a lower electric bill!*

*a night sky full of stars. i looked up last night, it was so dark and the stars were so bright i just got lost in the deepth of it all*

*naps during the day*

*a great glass of iced tea*

*sundays*

and...well, there's lots! but i've gotta run, so i'm gonna come back later with more and maybe some fun pictures too!!

raindrops

(prepare yourself for a bunch of jumble in this one! just some of my thoughts thrown together!)

Sometimes do you ever wonder....

If what you're doing now (this month or this year) you'll look back on sometime in the future, whether near or far and just wonder why you thought and acted the way you did?! It's weird but sometimes I get this picture in my head of a raindrop, and in this raindrop is my college years, or when i first moved out, or where i was at just a year ago, or even right now. of course there is a drop for each of these moments, they're not all rolled into one! and they're just falling out of the sky. and well, I'm just kinda caught up in this visual-can you see it?! so for example...me being the over thinker i am, which by the way i find it be a gift, however so many find it as..."you think to much." insert uggghhh here!! anyway-back to my point, for example...when i worked for one of the many retail stores in my long list of short term employment, i used to get so anxious about staying inside the rule box. i wasn't necessarily crazy about being on time, and maybe i wasn't necessarily worried about calling out sick (!!!) but other non-confrontational rules, like...not getting caught standing around and talking to much. of course now I'm drawing a blank to more examples but i think you get my point! i always didn't want to do this because it might cause that. when looking back the "this" and the "that" were so meaningless. sometimes you just have to live-right?! so what if you get written up while working the Christmas job at the Gap..honestly this didn't happen to me! but, my point is in 1, 5, or even 10 years it's really not gonna matter! and, i know with some of these ethics we can be on the fence about a little. somethings we do have to be aware of, i get that. but sometimes, life is just so much bigger! am i making sense?!!

Or maybe the path you are on right now! should you be there? should you be in that job? or doing that activity? will you look back and think maybe i should have done this that's what i really wanted to do! should i have just pushed myself a little more? am i procrastinating?? again, i know i probably sound like a basket of jumble. maybe you're saying-what the hizzzzzy is she talking about?! but these are the thoughts that sometimes accompany those raindrops!!

Ya know, it's funny-as I'm writing this. seriously it wasn't planned. i remember this talk molly and i had just 2 days ago about God's will for your life..weird how that works?! anyway, the point was (if i heard her right!) maybe the path that you're supposed to be on is the path that has a few crazy turns but gets you to your destination eventually (as longs as you're still looking up!). if i got this wrong molly you've gotta correct it, so people don't get the wrong idea!!

Hmmm....so i guess..no regrets (as usual) and really...it should never rain?!

What do you think?! am i getting it or does it rain so that we can see clear again?! there i go thinking again! oh well!! :)

please bow your heads for a moment of silence...

i'm in mourning...over...my CHI flat iron. better known to me, (as i'm sure most of you ladies) as one of my most cherished items and one of the-if not the only thing that shines when i open the door that holds my other "gettin-ready" tools! yes, that's right-it's done for. an unmentioned animal chewed it. yeah. you read that right-chewed it! at the tip (where the cord connects). i'll admit-i let out a burst of tears so deep, one standing around me might have thought i just watched someone get hit by car. now, some might say that this is a slight irrational...OH WELL to you! i did indeed lose something near and dear to me. and, for that matter i in fact am allowed to have my time to vent and mourn.

as any girl would do, i immediately called my best friend (well, first the boyfriend, he was understanding but i knew he wouldn't get it like a girl would-he couldn't. but that's not his fault.) so anyway, i called her to let her know of the loss and tragedy. it started like this, "i've been crying..." and her being the caring soul and also an owner of a CHI (actually the one that introduced me to this glorious tool!) completely understood the loss i was grieving. she too, reminded me (as did steve) that it's just a CHI and someday i'll laugh at this. unfortunately, i just don't see that day in the near future?! this morning when i opened the door to grab it-sad. throughout the day, thoughts of my loss-sad. i know someday soon (and i mean very soon) i will acquire a new one, maybe even a pink one (thanks molly for the pink idea!) but at this moment, all i can think is...i don't want a new one. i want my old one back.

again, i was reminded that it's just a material, and granted i did leave the door open, and...the cord danglin' (which i never do. but work with me here). and why? let me take you back a little. back to a day when i didn't have two pennies to rub together to even dream about getting such a fantastic item (not that i really do now either). but, i heard about its wonders, i saw what it did to hair, and the day i passed it in the store there was a bit of a glow around it. and yep-it called my name. so i saved and i saved (actually i probably just paid for it with the credit card, but the point remains.) and finally-it was mine! it went everywhere with me. if i could only take two things with me (which i never do) it was my toothbrush (always that!) and my CHI! and now its gone-just like that, in the blink of an eye. my straight hair and so many great do's and memories-gone with it. so sad i can't even use proper grammar. you feel my pain-right?!

well, now that i've had my opportunity to vent. on with my day i will go, and go i will with unwanted waves and frizzy hair.

p.s. there will be no pictures of this disconnection between the cord and her iron. it will remind me later and i'd rather forget.

sad and frizzy-out.



***p.p.s. alright-i figured for those of you that don't me (if i even have people that don't know me and read this?!) i probably should drop the disclaimer that-yes, i am bummed. but, no-i'm not that shallow to mourn that deep over an iron. just stinks a lil, ya know!!!

i bake...and i didn't even know it!!

really!! i was doin some grocery shoppin, and thought it'd be fun to bake up a lil something...something easy that i could carefully follow the directions on. and i figured instead of regular chocolate-i went for red velvet!! creative-i know. and instead of cake, how about cupcakes?! again, creative-i know. i gave a sample to some peps (yeah, i just peps...??) at work and...they liked them!!! they were totally a hit, yaaay! it miiiight be hard to tell through the pictures, but they weren't too bad. wahoo! the funny thing is, i totally felt inspired by myself!!! ha! i pretended i was in that new movie, julie & julia!! basically-i'm awesome. and now, for your viewing enjoyment...(insert drum roll here)

(pssss hey molly...i tried it, i like it ;)

FRIENDMOON #3...

Some more catchin' up i had to do..hope ya enjoy!...

It's our annual trip Molly and I take every year! We go wherever we want, do whatever we want, and eat as much as we want!! Every year has been a blast! This year we were talkin and realized it's our third year doin this, that means..it's obviously tradition! (fitting that we saw Fiddler On The Roof!) So..we decided we'd call it our FRIENDMOON! What a great idea-right!! Anyway..if you read Molly's blog, then you already know, we went to L.A. to play this time! First, we stayed the night in a nice hotel and ate some great food! We went to what I thought to be a pretty fancy restaurant and ordered regular Fettuccine and Mac n' Chz. But, even the Mac n' Chz was delicious! We jumped on the bed a little! Fell asleep, woke up and just caught up on life, laughed at some old memories, and had some of the best conversation! We jumped on the bed a little more! We ran out of time to get ready (didn't know they would say "no" when we asked for a late check out!), but we eventually snuck out right on time!! Waited for what seemed like forever to get our car from valet. And no, I'm not rich-they only park valet, they didn't allow for self parking. We headed for Hollywood! Couldn't find a park, ran a lil behind time again, so made a fun trip out of it by eating pizza and a soda (in five minutes!) and used everything in our savings account to pay for it! (they know it's the only decent food on the street-so they charge ridiculous prices) And den...we ran to see Fiddler On The Roof! It was A-MAZING!!! I got goosebumps! I laughed, (drank a lil water-Molly you know what I mean!!) and laughed some more!! Oh, and threw mini snickers bars at each other! And, lets not forget the lady sitting next to us that wouldn't stop "soooshing" everyone! I guess she needed it as quiet as a library?! If she wanted it quiet, she should have sat in the front row. But, she gave us a good laugh! Anyway-i was so, so, impressed!! It was just the greatest play! That to me is just true entertainment! I just love, love, love plays!

Another great trip! Another great Friendmoon! And...ready for the next one! Love you Mol! Hope you had a great birthday! (sorry for the late post! but, you know me!!)

catchin up...

I know, I'm super late at posting these pictures but,..I found them and thought I'd share!...or give you MY version of Alison's shower!...