D-Files

Revamping our bookcase

2012-02-07T01:24:00.000-08:00

So, we got this bookcase as a gift from my uncle. The same bookcase that I made our refurbished frame out of from one of the old glass panes that was on it. I have just been thinking that it looked a little grandparent-ish hand-my-downy, so I wanted to give it a face-lift! Here is our before:

Once I took out all the books, I had no idea that I had a small bookstore on my hands! And this doesnt include cooking, or old schoolbooks I've kept! Or the books that I knew I'd never read again, so I gave them away!

Then I bought some semi-gloss black paint from the hardware store and gave it 2 layers of black paint EVERYWHERE except the back wall. I probably should have sanded/faux sanded, but I really had no interest in adding another step messy or not. Just the painting alone killed my wrists (massage therapist, they're already abused, didnt need more), so I crossed my fingers and prayed it would be alright without that little step.

I thought it turned out quite lovely! Then I went to all the local hardware stores. I wanted to find either a damask or striped wallpaper to put on the back wall in some sort of shade of green. Wouldn't you know it, I couldn't find anywhere that carries wallpaper or wallpaper samples anymore! Maybe I missed the only store that does, but everywhere said the same thing: "We only carry it online now!" ARG! So thats what I did! I found a ton of wallpapers I LOVED... that were $36/roll with a min. 2 roll purchase. Um, not really in my budget. In the end though, I found something that I loved that also worked for my wallet! =) TaDa!

I'm in love! I put the books back in and almost took them out again cause I felt like not enough of the green was showing through the books! I no longer feel the constant urge to buy a new bookcase anymore!

Saying goodbye, and catching up

2012-01-25T23:19:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago, we had to say goodbye to some of our close friends because they were moving to New Mexico. =( We're very sad, and we will miss them, but hopefully we'll be able to see them occasionally! So we had a little "last hoorah" at Dimples, the Kareoke bar. On a Monday night. Obviously, it was packed. Ha. But it was nice, cause all of us girls's microphone hungry husbands had (almost) total domain over the stage for a majority of the night! It was a lot of fun! I sang "leaving on a jet plane" (even though they drove), and the boys sang every off key hard rock song they could. lol. It was hilarious... aside from the brawl that we almost started... lol. Seriously though. Don't mess with us, or we will cut you. lol. "Seriously, are you still talking?!?" Best night ever!

I don't know what those boys are gonna do without each other! lol. But we'll keep in touch as they raise their adorable growing family! Malia just had her second little boy this morning! We're so happy for them!

Other than that, I know I'm a bit behind! Thanksgiving was great...I cooked! Christmas was great... I cooked! Robs birthday was great... I only cooked some appetizers, and some really hard brownies. Note to self: When accidentally pouring the batter into a too large pan and deciding to go with it anyway, remember to cut the time in half! For christmas, Rob got a TV, and I got a Kitchen-aid mixer, so that pretty much means, we will NEVER be able to top this christmas! Then Robs birthday came around shortly after... luckily I plan for that... I hope to never give him a present and say "Merry christmas! Oh yeah, and its your birthday gift too!" Boo! I got him a nice sports coat, a fireproof safe, and I framed the ticket stub I saved from our first date to the movies. Aw, right?

New Years was great. I made one resolution. I will run a half marathon this year. Maybe I'll do a 10k first to get warmed up. I decided against the little things that I'd break right away, like losing 10 pounds, or working out every day... I figure if I get that big one, all the other little ones will follow =) And if I don't, at least I only broke 1 resolution instead of 5 ;) hehe, no but I will do it!

Last year I made the resolution to find out I was pregnant before christmas 2011. I was thinking I didn't make it, but then I remembered that technically, I did. We found out I was pregnant... right after my ectopic ruptured... but still, we found out, so resolution accomplished. Now to do it again... this time with a better outcome. This whole thing is such a rollercoaster. Right now, is definantly a heartbreaking time. Like one of those moments when you just want something with all your heart, and nothing you can do will get you there any faster. I mean, if I am just DYING for a certain pair of shoes, I can just drive over to the store and buy them (and then hide them in the closet and hope rob doesn't notice the first time I wear them...which he ALWAYS does). But you really can't do that with a baby. Nope. Appearantly the life lesson I need to learn is patience right now. If you pray for kindness, God gives you the opportunities to be kind. If you pray for patience, God gives you the opportunities to be patient... OK God! Lesson learned! Moving on! Sigh. I know, I know. Gods timing. Not mine.

Well, if you made it this far, you are a rockstar! Happy New Year, and if anyone needs anything at all, please let me know! We really want to find more opportunities this year to help others out. Plus, the more people we help move, the more help we can expect when the time comes for us to move! ;) haha, jk. Kind of.

Medical stuff again

2011-12-01T23:09:00.000-08:00

Ok, don't feel obligated to read this... this is just a short (short? I read this through after I was done, and it is anything but short! sorry!) little update for those who are interested, or are just trying to figure out just how successful certain fertility treatments are. Sorry in advance if I bore you =)

So about 2 1/2 months ago, Rob and I got the go ahead that we could start trying again, and I got the prescription for Clomid (or in my case, the generic Clomiphene). I was told to take it on day 3-7 of my cycle (5 days) and then do my thing, and do a blood test on day 21 (or 22 if needed, but it is a very time sensitive test) to see if I ovulated correctly. That test apparently is very important because if it turns out that I did NOT, then my dose needs to go up the next month. If the dose is not increased, the whole next month is a waste, and that is no bueno considering you can only take this med for up to 6 months at a time, and there is a lifetime max, but I don't know how much it is... anyway, I digress... If I did ovulate, then all is good and I stay on the same dose for the following month.

So, 2 months ago I started my first round! I was so excited. I know it's only a 7-10% of twins, but here I was half expecting the first shot at it to work, and not only that, but it would be twins! That first month was the longest month ever. Though I was happy to say that I did not have ANY side effects. Well, at work for two days I seemed to get a little hot, but who knows if that was just a lack of A/C... cause it was definitely not the "hot flash" that they said was possible. So good news people! Not everyone has awful side effects with that stuff. Anyway, here's the quick version of the results so far...

Month 1: I ovulated! yay! Not pregnant =(

Month 2: I ovulated! Not pregnant =(

And now we are in month 3. I won't do these posts regularly cause if it does work, I don't want anyone thinking "oh, she didn't post this month...she must be pregnant..." Gotta keep the mystery alive, right? Truth be known though, every month that passes increases my discomfort about the situation. I heard, though I didn't confirm it with my doc, that every month you are on Clomid, it is less and less likely to be successful. I try not to think about it though cause everyone says "Just stop thinking about it. If you don't worry, then it'll happen." Which, just so you all know, is a slap in every woman's face who is dealing with infertility. Basically you are telling her that it is her fault she can't get pregnant, which most of the time is completely not true. Sometimes, no matter how stressed or relaxed a woman is, it just will not happen for them due to physical issues beyond her control. And these women know that too. So hearing that phrase just will not help and will only make her feel worse. Sorry...didn't mean to go all preachy but it just had to be said...

Infertility is hard. I recognise that. I know it could get harder... I really haven't been forced to deal with it for all that long yet. I also recognise that it could get easier as well...I could be one of the lucky ones. However, I have not lost hope nor do I intend to. I'm not getting depressed...sad, disappointed, impatient, at times heartbroken, yes. But not depressed. Because I know that there is light at the end of the tunnel. There may be a perfect little spirit out there made just for us... we just may not get him or her in the conventional way... they may need to come to us through someone else. One day it'll happen... adoption, or naturally...it will.

And heres something fun and informative that I found online, check it out... please? =) (click on the link below)

The Top Ten Things Not To Say To Someone Experiencing Infertility

(with bonus pithy commentary)

This is a fun one too...

Things Not to Say

I really love this one... great miscarriage/loss section as well

Infertility and loss etiquette
And just speaking from personal experience, one of the hardest things to hear people tell me is "At least you know you can get pregnant" (#2 in the loss section). I COULD get pregnant. And it wasn't even successful...it destroyed my tube. Whose to say that it wont happen to the other side? There is no guarantee for future success because I had a failed pregnancy in the past. Its a really hurtful thing to hear. And I know it is only meant with the best intentions and comes from a good place... or maybe the person just doesn't know what to say to help...I'm happy to have friends that care... it's just hard to know what to say when you havent experienced it... heck, it's hard to know what to say even if you have... its a hard situation and everyone is different in how they deal with it.

Smell my face

2011-11-14T11:39:00.000-08:00

So yesterday Rob and I were in the car heading to a wedding reception/open house celebration. I leaned over while he was driving and told him to smell my face cause I wanted to see if it smelled sweet. LOL So many things he could have said in response to that, but instead all he did was take a big whiff and tell me I smelled like cinnamon and he liked it! Yes! Thats what I was hoping for! I found this diy face mask that was supposed to be amazing, so I tried it!

This mask is supposed to soothe swelling and redness in skin, along with helping to ease acne scars and prevent infection! So easy to make and I had everything on hand too!

2 Tbsp honey

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp cinnamon

Mix it all together, apply to skin (I did it in little circular motions to exfoliate at the same time) and let it sit for 30 minutes. That seems like a long time, but I just watched a show, tried not to scratch when it started itching a little bit, and then washed it all off! It's not pretty when its on, but you feel so radiant when it all comes off. It looks like you're glowing and you have this perfectly flushed skin like a professional just applied blush to you.

Rob told me the next time I do it not to skimp on time cause he likes how it smells =)

2 years!

2011-11-07T22:34:00.000-08:00

Today, Rob and I have been married for 2 years! Here we are then:

Awww.... we look so...um...the same-ish? Who am I kidding, it's only been two years. We're still relative newbies at this! We celebrated first on Saturday night. I have this awesome massage client that gave us a gift certificate to a restaurant in town called La Chene. The service there was AMAZING! Such a sweet server, host, busboys, everyone was great! The food was great too!

Today we both got the day off, and started it right by sleeping in! <3 Then we got up and I got my anniversary present!!! He got us tickets to go see the play Wicked next month! I'm so excited! I have been wanting to see that play for forever, and I just keep hearing everyone rave about it! I love that Rob knows me! I would prefer experiences for gifts, especially experiences we can both have. Those memories will last far longer than any material thing he could ever give me... unless of course we are talking about diamonds. Yes...diamonds are the exception... ha ha.

Then we made our way to Santa Monica. I grew up in Southern California, and I had never been on the Ferris wheel at the pier, so that was the one thing I knew we had to do. Everything else would just be bonus!

We kicked back and relaxed a bit... and took a few snapshots up there!

I absolutely love the faces we're making in this next one... soooo attractive!

Get a good laugh? Good, cause the rest are kinda boring, but look at the hottie that was following me around all day...

Seriously, isn't he so handsome?

After strolling around for a bit, we grabbed a late lunch, and then we saw The Three Musketeers and then came home. The movie was great, I think Milla Jovovitch is so stunning, though she was more cutsie in the movie than anything. If you've seen the "original" with Chris O'Donnell, you'll basically know how it goes. Same basic storyline, but slightly different. Anyway, great day, great night, I hope the next year brings us many joys and very few trials!

Who does that?!?

2011-10-30T14:08:00.000-07:00

Sad day! We woke up and got ready for church this morning. As we were leaving and locking up, we noticed something different about our wreath!

Someone stole the "W" last night! How rude! I guess thats what I get for putting up something nice. Seriously though... who does that?!?

I made a wreath!

2011-10-27T17:54:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I jumped on the wreath-making bandwagon... lol. Actually I jumped on it a few weeks ago, made everything, and then it just sat there at the mercy of my cats (I had to remake the flowers a few times cause they unrolled them) cause I didn't have a hot glue gun. Today I took care of that problem and actually finished everything!
I'm pretty fond of how it turned out! And I love that it's not seasonal, so I can keep it up for however long!
For the flowers, I used this link as a reference, except I used felt instead of paper!
Voila!

It's not perfect, but I love it! And I don't really know how to tie pretty bows (I'm sure theres a million tutorials out there...) but oh well. The wooden "W" was $2.99, the twig wreath was $4.99, and I got 4 sheets of felt all together at $0.29 each! All at Michaels. Who knows how much it would have cost to have a personalized wreath with all the colors I wanted on it!

Photo Love

2011-10-27T00:17:00.000-07:00

So there's this picture that I just love... taken by a very talented photographer I know, Bradley Smith. I just thought I'd share the beauty =)

Inspired

2011-10-19T17:08:00.000-07:00

So that website Pinterest.com is totally a time sucker, but is also inspiring me! I saw this post for an up cycled picture frame:

I thought that was totally adorable and such a great idea. I was dreaming of different thrift stores or other types of stores that might have old windows that people didn't want anymore, and what I could do with them... then I got a stroke of genius! We have this bookcase that my uncle gave us. It used to have these glass paned front panels that could slide down and sit in front of the shelves protecting everything, or you could slide them up and out of the way. Well the bookcase only had one of these panes left, so we just kept it up all the time. I decided to take this pane off, paint it, decorate it, and somehow find a way to put pictures in it just like the idea from Pinterest. Here is the result! I LOVE it!!!

I super glued painted clothespins (surprisingly hard to find) onto the glass to make for easy switching of photos whenever I want, and decided to start with cute little pictures of Rob and I as kids at roughly the same ages. I thought the red buttons made a cute little accent too! Then I added wire to the back so I can hang it! I LOVE LOVE LOVE it! And all it cost me was $0.99 for the black acrylic paint, and $3.00 for the pack of buttons! What a bargain!
Stay tunes for more inspiration! I'm on a roll!

Things to think about

2011-09-18T16:34:00.000-07:00

I found these sweet stories that I loved and wanted to share. Theres three of them:

Abbey the Dog:

Our 14 year old dog, Abbey, died last month. The day after she died, my 4 year old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her. I told her that I thought we could so she dictated these words:

Dear God,
Will you please take care of my dog? She died yesterday and is with you in heaven. I miss her very much. I am happy that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick.

I hope you will play with her. She likes to play with balls and to swim. I am sending a picture of her so when you see her You will know that she is my dog. I really miss her.

Love, Meredith
We put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey and Meredith and addressed it to God/Heaven. We put our return address on it. Then Meredith pasted several stamps on the front of the envelope because she said it would take lots of stamps to get the letter all the way to heaven. That afternoon she dropped it into the letter box at the post office.

A few days later, she asked if God had gotten the letter yet. I told her that I thought He had.

Yesterday, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch addressed, ‘To Meredith’ in an unfamiliar hand. Meredith opened it. Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers called, ‘When a Pet Dies.’

Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God in its opened envelope. On the opposite page was the picture of Abbey & Meredith and this note:

Dear Meredith,

Abbey arrived safely in heaven. Having the picture was a big help. I recognized Abbey right away.

Abbey isn’t sick anymore. Her spirit is here with me just like it stays in your heart. Abbey loved being your dog.

Since we don’t need our bodies in heaven, I don’t have any pockets to keep your picture in, so I am sending it back to you in this little book for you to keep and have something to remember Abbey by.

Thank you for the beautiful letter and thank your mother for helping you write it and sending it to me. What a wonderful mother you have. I picked her especially for you.

I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much. By the way, I’m easy to find, I am wherever there is love.

Love,
God…

Belker the Dog:

Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker. The dog’s owners, Ron, his wife, Lisa, and their little boy, Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle.

I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn’t do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.

As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.

The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker’s family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.

The little boy seemed to accept Belker’s transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker’s death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives.

Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, “I know why.”

Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I’d never heard a more comforting explanation. He said, “People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life – like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?”

The six-year-old continued, “Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don’t have to stay as long.”

The Violinist:

Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx. 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.

4 minutes later:

The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.

6 minutes:

A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

10 minutes:

A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children.. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly..

45 minutes:

The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.

1 hour:

He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.
No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.
This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities.

The questions raised:

*In a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?
*Do we stop to appreciate it?
*Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this:

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made.

How many other things are we missing?

In Unrelated News...

2011-09-15T15:15:00.001-07:00

In unrelated news, Rob and I went to Vegas this weekend. He had an orientation with the Vegas Metro Police! All I had to do was drop him off at some ungodly hour in the morning, but he was put through the Physical Fitness ringer! I guess the Metro Academy there is one of the toughest in the country, so they want to make sure recruits know what they're getting into before they proceed with the hiring process. If you cant get through that first PT during orientation, you're automatically out! Luckily Rob is in great shape and had no problem. Apparently around 1900 people sent in applications for the 30 positions that are going to be opened in the Academy. Of those, only 600 and some change actually signed up for the first orientation. So far over 100 have not passed the orientation. Of the 55 that were scheduled in Robs particular orientation, only 26 showed up. If that's the general trend here, I am REALLY liking these odds here.

While Vegas is not my favorite place in the world, it would be a tremendous blessing for us if Rob could get the job. We could start our family without a huge worry about the finances (though I know that is an inescapable worry til the day we die =)), and Rob would work so hard to do a great job and be the best that he can be. That man tries so hard, bless him!

While we were there, in our down time, we got tickets to see David Copperfield. While the man does seem to be a little bit arrogant, his show was genuinly entertaining. He pulled off some illusions that you could pretty much guess how it was done, and some illusions that were just baffling! And to give the guy credit (or the guy that writes his stuff?) , he was pretty dang funny!

In other unrelated news, my next doctor appointment is on the 30th! So excited to see what the doctor says is our next step! Hopefully all these hormonal imbalances wont be a setback, and this last packet of birthcontrol can really be my last! only 2 more weeks of active pills and 1 week of the placebos! Cross your fingers we get the Clomid prescription and that it is successful! On that note, does anyone have any experience with Clomid? How does it make you feel? any side effects?

Personalized Day planner

2011-09-15T14:31:00.000-07:00

So I love that Pin on Pinterest that says "Thank you Pinterest for making me feel creative even though all I've done is spent the last 3 hours on the computer" or something to that nature... But in all reality, it is inspiring me to be a little creative! I decided to personalize this dayplanner I had. I bought it cause I loved the colors and designs of the pages inside, but I was slightly dissapointed by the plain black cover. So after seeing all the craftyness on Pinterest with mod podge and scrappy paper, I decided I was going to personalize my planner! I took pictures to show how, but please excuse how terrible the pictures are!

We'll go from this:

to this:

It was super easy and only took me a couple of hours (including drying time)! All you need is:

Plain day planner
Some sort of graphic you want for the front
Scrapbook paper (if I could do it over, I'd choose a thin paper. Loved my vintage choice though)
Scissors
Mod Podge
Spongy applicators
Scrap Newspaper to lay everything on

1) The first thing I did was chose four or five different scrapbook papers, cut them into random shapes, and then arranged them around the border of the planner, making sure you have about an inch or two hanging over the edges. Once I knew what order to place them in, and made sure that when my graphic was placed over this, there would be no original front page showing, I Mod Podged the cover (not the paper) and then pressed the paper onto it. (Of course if some paper is going to overlap, place the glue on the first paper and press the second layer down)

2) Once dry, open the cover page and glue/Mod Podge the overlapping paper down

(At this point in the drying, it would be handy to have clothespins to keep it firm against the cover. I, however did not, and was forced to seek alternative methods)...

3) Once dry, I secured the edges with some duck tape, and then Mod Podged a sheet of cute scrabook paper on top of that to hide everything!

(dont worry, I had company through the periods of letting the glue dry!)

4) Finally, Mad Podge your graphic down to the front, and then paint a layer of the Mod Podge over everything! Make sure you apply it in the same direction with every stroke. It will give uniformity and texture to the front, plus will seal the edges of the graphic so it doesn't lift up over time. I added a cute little "Love" embellishment, I think it would look just as cute with little buttons, ribbon, or pinwheel flowers.

Another doctor follow up

2011-09-08T14:54:00.000-07:00

Arg. Another example of why I changed Dr's.

Today I had a follow up for my last hospital visit a month ago. I had to see my old Dr. instead of my new one cause he was the first available. I know, right? Appearantly they are pretty busy over there. Good thing it wasn't all that important. Anyway, I went in today. I was the first appointment of the day. I still had to wait 30 minutes before the Dr came in!!! How do you figure??? Then he finally comes in and just starts talking at me.
*Backstory- Last month I went to the urgent care cause I was bleeding heavily. Like, extremely heavily, and it wouldnt stop. They sent me to the emergency room cause they wanted to do an ultrasound, but didnt have the tech there that day. I went to the emergency room where they did a pregnancy test first, it was negative, so they said there was no need for an ultrasound. It was just a hormone imbalance. Cue meds, and a few days later the bleeding stopped. Follow up recommended within 2 days*
So the Dr. starts talking at me. Telling me that I was bleeding due to hormone imbalances. (YA, I KNEW THAT). That the birth control coming on the tail of the ectopic surgery just sent me into a tail spin and its nothing to be concerned about. (I FIGURED THAT WHEN THEY SENT ME HOME instead of admitting me). That we can up my dose of B.C. and that should help stabilize my hormones over the next 3 months. ("But we want to get pregnant. We are only taking the B.C. temporarily to suppress my hormones and allow healing time.") Oh, yes, yes, thats right. Well, you can stop the B.C. now then, resume your Metformin, and start trying again. (Riiiiight. Smile and nod, continue with the last month of birth control and then discuss the next step with my CURRENT Dr. who is not a big fan of metformin *I know its helped many people get pregnant, I'm not knockin the drug*)

Seriously, I don't even know why I had to go in. They didnt take blood, do any tests, or anything. He just talked at me and made decisions for me like he's my current DR. According to my current DR, whom I have an appointment with on the 30th of this month, we have one more cycle of B.C. then he wants to start us on Clomid. He doesnt want me to go back on Metformin unless clomid is unsuccessful and if I want to try that again. Appearantly it did work for me, its just the stinkin' embryo didnt make it all the way to the finish line. I'm open to other methods now.

Yummy Ground Beef Stew!

2011-08-30T22:04:00.000-07:00

So tonight I had no clue what to make for dinner. I had no motivation to find and follow a recipe, and I wanted something that would fill my hubby and cook fast and easy. Hmmmm. What did I have in my fridge that would add the meat (since no meal is complete without meat according to the hubby)? One portion of frozen ground beef. (I buy the big ground beef from Costco, then put it into smaller frozen portions) And that was it. So I decided to try to recreate the yummy yummy stew that my sister and I put together when we were tent camping in Australia. It turned out SO YUMMY again that I have to share!

Yummy Ground Beef Stew

Makes approximately 4 servings (or feeds one hungry husband and one wife with enough leftovers for one lunch)

1 lb ground beef (or ground turkey)

1 can beef broth (I used low sodium)

3/4 cup water (I just used 3/4 of the empty can of broth)

1 6oz can basil, garlic, and oregano tomato paste (plain will work too)

1 can corn or 2 corn on the cobs with the corn shucked off

1 large potato cubed

1 large carrot sliced

2 Tbsp chili powder

1 tsp garlic powder

salt to personal taste

1.Cook ground beef (or ground turkey) completely in a large pot. Flavor with salt as you see fit. Do not drain! The juices add to the flavor!

2.Add entire can of beef broth. Fill empty can 3/4 full with water and add to pot. Stir.

3.Add entire can of tomato paste and stir. Allow juices to come to a boil while you slice the vegatables.

4.Toss in the cubed potatos and sliced carrots, watch out for the splashes!

5.Add entire can of corn.

6.Mix in chili and garlic powders, then add salt to taste.

7. Allow to boil on medium low until potatos are thoroughly cooked (about 20-25 minutes)

Serve with hot garlic bread and be prepared to crave seconds!

P.S. I thought about adding some small pasta noodles while the juices were boiling, but chose not to at the last minute. I'll bet you could and it would turn out just as good if you wanted to. If you do, I would add maybe 1 whole can of water instead of just 3/4...

Romance Challenge #4

2011-08-18T16:26:00.000-07:00

Bigger is Better

Wha-What? Didn't the last Romance challenge just say the little things mean a lot??? And now we're saying "bigger is better?" I think its more to mean, if you're gonna go big, go bigger! If you want to do something really special (even if its randomly and for no reason...no, especially if its random and for no reason), do it spectacularly! Every once in a while, do something sweet, something normal, and do it REALLY BIG! Make a gesture that's big. As big as your heart. ("awwwww")

TODAY'S IDEAS

1. Go for it in a BIG way. Pull out ALL the stops. Don't tip-toe into being more romantic. Be outrageously romantic.

2. GIANT BANNERS are available from supergram. The banners are printed on white or colored paper, and lamination is optional. The banners are about a foot tall, and tend to run from twelve feet long to thirty feet long, or more, depending on your message. Call 800-3-BANNER, or visit the website at www.supergram.net.

3.Make a GIANT greeting card out of a big cardboard box.

4. Make a custom banner-a BIG banner- to welcome him home from a trip (or just to say "I love you!". Use construction paper and crayons, or poster board and markers, or old sheets and spray paint.

5. Craig liked doing things in a big way. He was a dramatic and loud (though lovable) kind of guy. Mary on the other hand, was proper and quiet (and just as lovable). Craig sometimes criticized Mary for not being expressive or outrageous enough. Until...one day when Craig returned home from a business trip and was greeted by Mary-and two hundred forty-three members of the local high school marching band on their front lawn. (Most people don't consider John Philip Sousa marches to be romantic-but Craig does!)

*You too can probably hire your local high school marching band for a relatively modest donation to its band fund.*

WHAT I DID

One Saturday night Rob was able to go out on a ride-along with the Sheriff's, so I was left to entertain myself for the night. He was estimating to be home sometime between 12am and 2am. I was excited for him cause he was super excited, but I was bored, bored, bored. After I finished the second season of Veronica Mars, and was starting the third, I suddenly realized this was the perfect night to pull off my BIG romantic gesture! So I got out an old sheet from my massages that I couldn't use anymore, and a sharpie and went to work to make a big banner welcoming him home. *Now, in hindsight, I really wish that I had spray paints to make the job a bit more easy and fast, but the end result was still cute.

When I was done with my labor of love, I hung it up on the curtain rack, directly in the line of sight from our front door. Then I settled down and continued with Veronica Mars until I fell asleep. Fast forward to Rob coming home to me asleep on the couch and a giant banner declaring my love for him. I was woken up gently with a kiss, and though I don't really remember what he said or did, he did tell me that he loved it and thought it was really sweet. =)

***Disclaimer: I would like to remind everyone that I am not coming up with all these idea's myself. They are excerpts from a book called 1001 Ways to be more Romantic by Gregory J.P. Godek***

Pillow talk :/

2011-07-25T16:09:00.000-07:00

*Mr. Rob cuddling away from me with his pillow*

Me: Rob, Why do you always cuddle the pillow and not me before bed???

Rob: I don't know... cause the pillow is comfortable and I can put it between my legs...

Me: You can put me between your legs....Rrrrraarrrrrrr! *suggestively raising eyebrows*

Rob: Nope...not as comfy.

Something tells me that we are not now, nor have we been for some time now, newlyweds. The honeymoon is officially over. LOL

On a lighter note...

2011-07-23T15:04:00.000-07:00

My husband is constantly using the sugar spoon to eat his cereal with. I. Am. Going. Insane. When I need to dispense sugar, then what am I stuck with?!? A regular spoon?!?

Sugar Spoon:

...

Regular Spoon:

...

And again, just to make sure we have it...

Sugar Spoon:

...

Regular Spoon:

...

Naming First Trimester Miscarriages?

2011-07-23T12:17:00.000-07:00

So I was blog surfing, and I came across a blog where in her history, the author had told about her two miscarriages in the first trimester... she had named them. Now, I completely understand naming your child once you know if its a girl or boy, and once you've developed that connection where they are not only aware of you, but you are aware of them (other than the "morning" sickness). But naming a child that was miscarried before even the second trimester? I think that sets yourself up for more heartache than necessary if youre naming the embryo. Now in my case, I wouldn't do that because I now know that as of right now, I am at high risk for miscarriage. Knowing that, if I were to know that I was pregnant *yay*, I would NOT do anything to get my hopes and dreams any higher than they would already be until I had some form of confirmation that the pregnancy was more stable and not in the danger zone. Needless to say, I would not be naming my embryo. It would be like me naming my ectopic embryo that ruptured. I think I will call it "Max". It just seems a bit odd to me. Any thoughts?

Update: Appearantly I need to rename this post because I think people are starting to comment on this topic before they read my actual blog. Therefore this is being renamed from "Naming Miscarriages" to "Naming first trimester miscarriages." Though it seems a bit long now. Thanks a lot.

Also...I am not taking anything away from nicknaming your little embryo. I know someone who called it their little "peep", and I knew "peanut"s, "diva"s...etc...that seems perfectly normal. You may now go about your business.

Ectopic Rupture

2011-07-15T00:35:00.000-07:00

     So, today I had a follow up with my Cardiologist. "What in the world do you have a cardiologist for" is most peoples response to that. On the 4th of July I ended up having emergency surgery for a ruptured ectopic pregnancy. I thought it was food poisoning, which is why we waited so long to go to the emergency room, which is why I came very close to not living through this seemingly trivial medical condition. Anyway, at the cardiologist, they took my vitals, and everything looks good. But I saw the nurse practitioner today who was not there for the surgery and had no clue what happened, so he asked me to explain what happened leading up to the surgery and my need for a cardiologist.

     I explained: I thought I had food poisoning. We realized it was probably something more serious when I was fainting every time I tried to stand up. About at this point all my memories are fuzzy at best. My husband managed to get me to the ER and when I did get there, my blood pressure was around 40/20. All ER personnel flew into action in my room as they realized that I had internal bleeding in my abdomen. When asked if I was pregnant, my immediate answer was no. When asked if it was possible, I agreed that it could be possible, and a test was immediately done, confirming that I was in fact pregnant.

     An ultrasound tech was standing by because she had the feeling she might be needed and when she was called upon, she rushed right in with all her portable equipment saving precious minutes. It was confirmed that the pregnancy was in my fallopian tube and that was causing the bleeding, though they couldn't tell which tube because there was too much blood. Surgery was needed, and it was needed 10 minutes ago. I started to go into full blown shock and started shivering violently and uncontrollably. I looked over at the nurse next to me and saw him squeezing the heck out of a unit of blood they were transfusing into me to get it into me faster. Turns out they would end up giving me 4 units of someone elses blood and two units of my own blood that they were able to salvage, clean, and put back into my own system. A person my size has about 12 Units of blood in their body and I had lost half of that. My kidneys also decided this might be a good time to think about giving up the good fight too.

     By this time, I had an I.V. in each arm, a needle in my neck...I really don't remember if that was to draw blood or put something into me, I just remember them putting the needle in... and I was being run down some hallway towards an operating room where they would eventually remove my left fallopian tube. I had time to tell Rob I loved him as they reached the point they couldn't follow, and then I remember waking up in the ICU in this amazing suit of warmth that made me look like the marshmallow man.

     After this point, dozens of blood tests end up being done, one being for an enzyme that the heart produces in a heart attack, and I register positive for this enzyme. It was then apologetically explained that this test really should not have been done given the stress my heart had been in and the lack of blood was most likely the reason for this, given I am young and in good shape. However, since the test was done, they needed to follow through. Hence the Cardiologist, hence the follow up.

     My nurse practitioner listened very kindly to everything, and then agreed that there was most likely nothing wrong with my heart, but they'll do a stress test just to make sure. He then apologized for everything I went through. He said the last thing someone wants to do is be thinking about things like their heart when they've just come through something like losing a pregnancy, and to just know that I have a little angel now, watching over me.

     I hadnt really cried about that particular part of this at all, but when he told me that, my heart burst and it was really really hard not to let a tear fall. I'm sure my eyes betrayed me and got all red though. I hadn't really thought of it that way. I counted it a blessing that we didn't know I was pregnant cause we didn't have the chance to get excited and hopeful, and I kinda acted like, we didn't know, so it didn't really count. But it did count. But I still feel like a fraud when I have to say that I was pregnant. I didn't have any symptoms. I didn't even know until it was already gone. And then I think, was a little spirit there yet? Theres no way the pregnancy ever could have progressed, it would have been flushed out due to its location. Surely that little spirit would have known that. Then I feel a bit like if a little spirit had been there, I let it down. I didn't even know or get to acknowledge that I wasn't alone until it was already gone.

     Anyway, that is the story of how I came to have a cardiologist. Now I am on Dr.s orders to be on birth control for the next 2-3 months to allow my body to heal. Then its back to square one with all the infertility treatment. Ugh! Literally, I have to start from scratch now! Frustration!!! Knowing my luck, I am going through all this, because its really going to make me appreciate having a child, and the reason I'm going to need a large amount of appreciation, is because that child will most likely be a extra large hell-raiser. yup. That seems about on par.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ectopic_pregnancy

Romance Challenge #3...finally

2011-05-25T23:50:00.000-07:00

OK my friends... after a LONG hiatus, here we are again. Hiatus partially because I went out of the country...more of that in another blog...and its so hard to get back going again once you've stopped...and partially because I got frustrated that I wasn't seeing immediate results. I know...patience is a virtue, and I apparently was lacking in that particular virtue. Well I will be pleased to update you with a pleasant update! But to start us off today...Romance Challenge #3!!!

"Little Things Mean A Lot!
Every once in a while, a scene like this will play out while watching a romantic chick-flick in our house.
Me: "awwww...that's so sweet/romantic/amazing... why don't you ever do anything special like that for me anymore?!? That's so not fair. You must not love me anymore." (something to that effect, knowing full well he does love me...don't worry...I'm little miss drama queen)

Rob:"Sweetie, we're married. I don't need to do that stuff anymore"

Me: "But you could at least pretend you love me to make me feel better"

Rob: "But you know I love you, why do I need to do anything. Besides...I wouldn't know what to do. I'm not a Grand Gestures type of guy..."

Rob thinks to be romantic he needs big grand gestures of romance, but how happy would I be with just little ones sprinkled here and there? And Visa/Versa...I think I get so caught up with the fact that he's not giving any little romantic gestures, that I forget that I am just as capable of giving them as he is. The little things count, just as much, if not more than the big things! Plus, they're a whole lot easier to pull off! OK folks, take a look, choose at least one of the following, or make one up if none of them seem to fit in your household...remember, simplicity is key!

TODAY'S IDEAS

"1. Gift Wrap a wishbone in a jewelry box. Send it to him or her with a note that says "I wish you were here."

2. Unplug the TV. Put a note on the screen saying, "Turn me on instead."

3. Go though the revolving doors together.

4. Keep candles in the car. Eat dinner by candlelight the next time you
go to McDonald's.

5. Run your hands under hot water before joining your partner...in bed(!)

6. Look-no, gaze- into each others eyes more often.

7. Write him a little love note. Insert it into the book he's reading."

"The relationship secret that's not really a secret: Express your love in lots of little ways"

WHAT I DID

The night before I left for Australia, I didn't really write him little love notes, but I printed out some famous love poems, cut them out and signed them with X's and O's. I left one in his lunchbox that he takes to work, and I left the other in front of his shaving razor (he doesn't shave often, so I knew it might be a week before he found that one.). He found them while I was gone, and instead of "out of sight, out of mind", I ensured a "Absence makes the heart grow fonder!"

Then some time after I got back, I posted a post-it to the TV that said "Turn me on instead." I'll tell you girls, that was one of the first nights a basketball/hockey game was not on in our apartment! ;)

RESULTS!!!!

I'm so excited to tell everyone!!!! It's really working! Maybe it was a result of the little efforts I've been making, maybe not. Maybe he was just in a romantic mood...but I have to write it down!

One night I was goofing around on facebook. Rob whined at me to turn it off and come watch the movie with him. So I get off the computer and sit down with him, only to have him pause the movie, and get on the computer. I was baffled! Were you not just asking me to come over and sit with you?!? However within moments, I start to hear the song that we danced to at our wedding start to play on full blast from the computer. He sheepishly comes up to me and asks if he can have this dance. Feeling a bit silly, I allow him to lead me onto the "dance floor." We then slow dance to the entire song, complete with some spins and a dip, sprinkled with a few "I love you"s. I don't know what inspired him, but it really made a difference, and I can't tell you how special it made me feel =)

And back to the challenge... if you have decided to accept this weeks challenge, please feel free to let me know what you did, and how it turned out! I love hearing everyone's ideas of whats working for them!

Red Lobster biscuit recipe

2011-05-02T20:18:00.000-07:00

By popular request, here they are!

2 Cups biscuit mix
1/2 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
2/3 cup milk
4 Tbsp butter
1/4 tsp garlic powder
parsley flakes for sprinkling

1. Preheat the oven to 450 F

2. Stir together the biscuit mix, cheddar and milk until a soft dough forms. Beat with a wooden spoon for about 30 seconds.

3. Spoon onto a greased cookie sheet. Smooth down the tops to preventhard points from forming.

4. Bake 8-10 minutes, until the tops are brown.

5. While the biscuits are baking, melt the butter in a pan and stir in the garlic powder.

6. Once the biscuits are done, brush the butter on the tops, sprinkle with parsley flakes, and serve hot!

Tough

2011-05-02T00:04:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I am having a moment of self-pity here. I know everyone will probably be trying to offer words to uplift and give hope, but sometimes, that just makes things feel worse. Cause in the back of yorue head, youre thinking "I know there are miracle stories, and I know that in most cases, everything turns out just fine...but not always. And what if I'm one of those 'not always'?" Sometimes, theres just nothing anyone can say to help. And I think these are one of those moments that I'm just going to have to ride out. And I know, in the end, no matter what the result is, I will be fine. But getting to that point isn't always fun.

Here I am, turning 28 soon. Everyone says, thats so young. I have time. But it doesn't always feel that way. Everyone around me is having babies. Not only that, but having their second, and third babies. And some of these people are quite a bit younger than me. I know I can't compare my life to other peoples life, but sometimes it can't be helped. I wonder what I did wrong. Why is it that I'm so far behind? Especially since there has been nothing that I have wanted more? I have wanted a family more than anything since I was in kindergarten. I was that kid that always said "I want to be a mom when I grow up" from K-12th grade to now. I'm starting to wonder if it will ever happen for me. I know, I know...if you want something enough, it will happen one way or another. Maybe not naturally, but adoption is always an option. And I know, its not even like we have any indication that having a baby naturally wont happen. It probably can happen. It's just something that crosses your mind when you get down and all self-pitying. Also, when you stay up super late and browse through all your friends profiles on facebook that have either had kids recently or have recently gotten pregnant. Someone take this computer away from me!

But still, in the back of my mind is always that lingering question...what did I do wrong? When all our friends were saying how I'd probably be one of the first of our friends to be poppin out the babies, why am I so far behind? It gets discouraging. But don't worry (thats me assuming that someone is worrying), I will get through it. I don't really have a choice, do I? Life goes on. No matter what I think or feel. "And all these things shall be for thy experience..."

Happily Ever After

2011-03-05T10:31:00.000-08:00

Romance Challenge #2
How would you grade your relationship right now?

A = Passionate, exciting, loving, fulfilling; not perfect- but clearly excellent.
B = Very good, solid, better-than-most, consistent, improving.
C = Average, acceptable, status quo, okay- but static, ho-hum, sometimes boring.
D = Below average, unhappy, dismal; bad not hopeless.
F = Hopeless, depressing, dangerous; tried everything, it didn't work.

Now, I'm no relationship expert, I've had my ups and downs, and I know what works for me. I won't say what I'm grading my own relationship as, but I am striving for an A, which is why I have taken on this challenge for myself. Hopefully no one reading this feels their own relationship is at an F, but there is always hope. So here's to baby-steps toward a grade A relationship!

Today's ideas are:

1. Give your lover a dozen roses - and do it with a creative twist. Give eleven red roses and one white rose. Attach a note that reads:

"In every bunch there's one who stands out-
and you are that one."

2. Sending a birthday card isn't just a good idea, it's an obligatory romantic gesture. But how about doing something different this year? On your lover's birthday, send a "thank you" card to his or her mother.

3. Gallantry never really goes out of style. So every once in a while kiss her hand with a flourish. Note: The proper way to kiss a woman's hand is to lower you lips to her hand. You don't raise her hand to your lips.

4. Thoughtfulness is merely the beginning! True romantics know how to go above and beyond the call of duty: Following a bubble bath you've prepared for her, wrap her in a towel that you've warmed up in the dryer.

"These are the secrets of turning your relationship into a love affair"

What I did:

This topic was pretty tough. Rob's birthday was a few months ago, so that one was out, and he may look at me a little strangely if I started trying to kiss his hand. He definitely wouldn't appreciate the flowers, so that left me with the only idea left that you actually have to think about it and be creative. (I read into it as be creative with something like a bubble bath, since rob doesn't actually take baths, so that one was out too.) TMI WARNING! So on Robs day off yesterday, I sent him a few thoughtful text messages when I was at work. Then right before I came home for lunch, I told him to pick out his favorite sexy outfit of mine and lay it out. Needless to say, he was very excited to see me home for lunch! I don't think he's ever greeted me at the door before! lol. Then that night, before we went to bed, I snuck into our room and I turned down his side of the bed...

Did you see the chocolate on his pillow? He loved that part!

*Ok, so now its your turn! Pick one of the four, and get creative! This isn't meant to be super easy, but it shouldn't be hard either. Look for ways to pleasantly surprise your loved one. I can't wait to hear the results of what you chose!

Romance Challenge

2011-03-02T18:41:00.000-08:00

So how many times do us women complain about how much we wish our husbands/significant others were more romantic? In the beginning we were all aflutter, and just head over heels (and hopefully still are) but we must admit, that the excitement does fade with time. I found this great book at the Borders clearance sale called "1001 ways to be more romantic", so I thought it would be a really great challenge for myself. No matter how many hints I drop, lets face it, my husband may never be as romantic as I may want, but what if I took the initiative instead? What if I changed my attitude and started to try all the cute little suggestions? Would my husband follow my lead over time? Do we get what we give?

So here is my challenge. I will go through the topics in the book, and list them in the blog. I will try out one of the challenges and write out how it went at the end. Hopefully I'll have some pictures to post as well. Anyone who would like to follow along, also pick one of the ideas out, and then let me know how it went! I'd love to hear! I'll try to post 2 or 3 a week, but I promise to post at least one per week!

Romance Challenge #1
Once Upon a Time
...two people fell in love. Just like you. They did all the classic romantic things. But the passion faded after a few months. Is this inevitable???

In the beginning things like this happened...

A. He gave her a dozen roses and a box of chocolates on Valentines Day.
B. She wrote him long romatic love letters. He sent her greeting cards.
C. They talked and cooed on the phone. During work. And late at night.
D. He took her to see every romantic movie that year.
E. He gave her pufume. She gave him cologne.
F. They celebrated special occasions with a bottle of champagne.
G. She served dinner by candlelight. He served breakfast in bed.

So here is this weeks challenge. Think of the romantic little things you used to do when you and your significant other were first dating. Feel free to share. I remember Rob and I used to go in the hot tub all the time. He used to make all sorts of cute remarks about how beautiful he thought I was in a bathing suit, and I used to tease him about how I could wash clothes on his washboard abs. It was very flirty and fun! hmmm...Maybe we can fit in a visit to the hot tub tonight... ;)

Apple Crostada

2011-03-01T16:28:00.000-08:00

This is by far my FAVORITE dessert EVER!!! Seriously, if you make it right, you will be celebrated as the best cook ever, and its really easy! The key is to make sure you don't substitute any ingredients for something else! Especially delish served with ice cream!

Apple Crostada

10 tablespoons butter, cut up
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup plus 4 tablespoons sugar
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup creme fraiche ( I have only found this at Trader Joes so far)
4 to 5 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored and sliced into eighths
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons cream

In a mixer with the paddle attachment, mix 8 tablespoons of the butter, flour, salt, and 2 tablespoons of the sugar until sandy. In a separate bowl, blend the egg yolk and the creme fraiche. Add the blended egg yolk and crème fraiche to the flour mixture and mix until barely combined. Form into a disk and chill. Meanwhile toss the sliced apples with 1/2 cup of the sugar and cinnamon.

Roll out the dough to a 1/8-inch thickness on a floured surface and cut out 8-inch disks or 1 large round disk and place on a parchment lined sheet pan.

Place the apples in the center of the dough, leaving a 2-inch flap of dough around the edge. Fold over the flap onto the apples, forming a rustic, uneven rim around the crostada. (The apples should NOT be completely covered with the dough.) Dot with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Brush the edge with the cream and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar.

Bake in a preheated oven 350 for 25 to 35 minutes, until light golden brown and apples are tender. Let cool.

Yield: 1 large crostada or 4 to 6 individual servings

My own crostada! Huge hit!

PCOS

2011-02-18T13:38:00.000-08:00

So, I guess I'm not so crazy after all. I went to the doctor today. All the bloodwork tests came back and he wanted to meet with me to discuss them. He said we did every blood test twice because he said the results were so concerning he wanted to be sure there were no mistakes. The results are in. 1) My progesterone levels are extremely low. He said they are 1/10th the level they are supposed to be. I have been put on Prometrium to regulate the levels, and he hopes that in the next 6 months they will be at normal levels. And can I say...Dang that stuff is expensive!!! 2) I have Polycistic Ovarian Syndrome , read about it here, cause its is lengthy to explain. Anyway, if left untreated, I risk lengthy infertility, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke, so even if I weren't trying to get pregnant, this is something that I need to treat right away anyway. He thinks that in the next 6-12 months of treatment on Metformin HCL, I should be be able to get pregnant. However I do need to stay on Medication for that for the rest of my child bearing years. UGH. If I have still have trouble having a baby, then he can start me on fertility treatment.
So, it's really frustrating knowing that I actually do have something wrong. Its great to know its treatable. They say the medication can cause me to feel ill, dizzy, sore, and I could lose weight. The last one I'm kinda hoping for...lol. Bathing suit season is just around the corner! LOL.
Special thanks to Melody for sharing about her condition, which inspired me to actually talk to a doctor about my own situation.

Adventures with the Dr...part 2

2011-02-09T18:31:00.000-08:00

So, I decided that since I took the last of my blood tests last week, it would be a safe bet that I could call and get some of the results from them. So I called, and had to wait for a call back from the nurse. She finally called and told me that the last time I took my progesterone test it was a 0.8, and this time it was a little bit higher, but still low, at 1.5. Now, I dont really know what normal levels are, but I heard it was somewhere between 8-10, and thats just me remembering badly something I read a while ago. Anyone have any knowledge on that area?
The other two hormones they tested me for on the 3rd she said were elevated. Now I dont know if thats good or bad, or even what they were...anyone know of the other two main hormones they generally check for with these kinds of things? And is elevated bad? I guess it would be hard to say without knowing what they are, huh? So, I have to go back in a week and take that blood test again. Seriously, I'm not one to feel ok when I flunk tests. And I cant even study for these...hahaha, bad joke. Seriously, maybe I should go back and erase that...nah.

Side note. I have dyed my hair. It is red. Yes. Red. A lot of comments I get are something like this... "Wow, you dyed your hair! It so...red. It's...nice..." Shut up. lol. I like it! It's a little bright, and I might tone it down to a little darker to look a little bit more natural, but its not like its clown red. Its just very vivid. I love it. The little girls I teach in Sunday School told me I look like Ariel from the Little Mermaid. That made me smile inside =)

Scott and Lianne Whiteside photo shoot preview

2011-01-30T22:47:00.001-08:00

I went out with one of my oldest friends and her husband for their first photo shoot together as husband and wife. Because he is in the Army, and they got married when he was home briefly for R&R, they never really had a chance to have engagement photo's. They never really had any time on their wedding day to take quality photo's either, so now that he's home from overseas, I was lucky enough to have the privilege of taking their pictures.

Slightly nervous

2011-01-20T18:39:00.000-08:00

So, let me preface this blog by saying that about 6 or 7 years ago, I had a doctor tell me at my yearly womans visit that I may have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, but that she didnt want to check or do tests until I was closer to wanting to have kids. She didnt want to test because she didnt want me to have a pre-existing condition. So here I am, years later, and I thought that if Rob and I were going to start trying in the next year, I should check that out, in case there were steps I needed to take to actually get pregnant.
I had my doctors appointment a few days ago, and the doctor I saw was really great and informative. He did say that by looking at me, he didnt think that I had PCOS, but that we'd do a complete workup just to make sure everything was alright. So my homework was: a bloodtest at day 3 of my cycle to check two hormone levels (dont remember which ones), a blood test at day 22 of my cycle for progesterone, take ovulation tests for two months, and then meet again. Well, I was able to take my progesterone blood test that same day cause I was on day 23, which he said was close enough, so I went and got poked. Ouch!
Today I got a call from the doctors, which suprised me. I wasnt expecting to talk to them until my two month mark. The nurse said that my Progesterone level was too low, and that they want me to take the blood test again just to be sure, in two weeks.
Now, I may be jumping the gun, but that phone call kinda makes me want to cry. From what I've been reading, if I do in fact have low progesterone, that is no bueno! No progesterone = no baby. Now, there is treatment, which is a plus, but maybe I should wait until all the tests are final and get an actual verdict before I freak out. Sigh. Rob thinks I'm being silly and says that there is nothing wrong with me. I sure hope he's right.

Fondue Success!

2011-01-12T16:53:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I know that when there's something that I can't stop thinking about, I should probably write about it in my journal or blog about it. Guess which one I chose? lol

Monday night we did what we call a "Family Home Evening," or a night of the week set aside to do something special with your family, bond and have a special moment studying something from the scriptures (Bible/Book of Mormon). Most of the time that is on a Monday night. Since we don't have a family of our own yet, and we probably might be considered odd going to the singles ward FHE, we decided to have our own Young Married Adult FHE.We hope it will help us stay motivated to keep up the habit of FHE and bond and learn more about other couples in the area! So far it has been really fun!

This last Monday we did a New Years Fondue night, and we made Spinach artichoke fondue, and chocolate fondue. Let me tell you...it was SO DELICIOUS! I found this great recipe that is supposedly the exact recipe that the Melting Pot uses, and it was also alcohol free (I know, I know, the alcohol burns off...still was aiming for alcohol free though). I love the Melting Pot, so I thought I'd give it a try. I had a moment of panic when I realized we didn't have the canned artichokes in the cubbard like I thought, but I sent the hubby to the store quickly and that was fixed before everyone got here. I even hand grated the fresh garlic, and almost made myself sick with how strong that smell was. Talk about dedication! But then everyone got here, we combined all the ingredients, and once the garlic induced nasia passed, got to try the finished product. OH. MY. GOODNESS. It was just as delicious as The Melting Pots, if not more! We paired it with bread peices, apples, broccoli, and carrots. Before the evening was done, there wasn't a single drop left! The chocolate fondue was the perfect way to complete it too! Milk chocolate with strawberries, bannanas, and cakes and marshmallows! Yummy!

But not only was the food great, but everyone seemed to really enjoy themselves! I love to see people come together and enjoy an evening socializing and smiling and laughing. It really gives me a warm feeling inside! But anyway, I thought I'd share the recipe since this is a wonderful, cost friendly way to experience someplace like the Melting Pot, without paying the super high cost!

Spinach Artichoke Cheese Fondue

8 oz. Vegetable Boullion
1 teaspoon garlic, chopped
4 oz. cooked spinach
4 oz. canned artichoke, drained, chopped
1 1/2 Fontina cheese, shredded (we used smoked Fontina=) )
1 1/2 Butterkase cheese, shredded (found at Whole Foods, but we used Gouda
since I couldn't get there in time)
2 tbsp flour
3 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated

Cubed bread, veggies and apples to dip

Directions:
1. Heat bouillon in a pan until boiling.
2. Transfer bouillon to heated fondue pot, and add the garlic, spinach and artichoke.
3. Before adding the shredded cheeses to the pot, lightly dust the cheeses with the flour.
4. Slowly add a portion of the cheese and stir in a "figure 8" with a long spoon.
5. Add the rest of the cheese in small amounts, as in step 4, until all is melted and fondue has the consistancy of warm honey.
6. Dip and eat!

I love to try new recipes (or even old ones that I love!) and so I'll try to share any recipes that I just fall in love with! Especially since it's hard for me to find recipes that I dont have to modify since I dont/wont eat onions, and a variety of other gross foods. haha. Check back often and I'll share more!
Happy Wednesday!

Special Delivery

2011-01-07T18:54:00.000-08:00

The last day of 2010, I decided to buy this cute black dress online, since it was on sale, and I had been eying it for a while. I was hoping that it would come soon, and today it finally came in the mail. Here is a picture of the dress I ordered.

And here is a picture of the dress that actually came.

Unfortunantly I contacted the company and told them I was very dissapointed about the mistake BEFORE I tried on the dress, and before I looked at the price difference. Appearantly the dress I ordered was $45, and the dress that came was $145. And I tried the dress on and discovered that I LOVE it!!! Oh what to do, what to do? Think if they call me back, I can just tell them that I actually like it and dont want the original and they'll just say ok?

Crossing my fingers....

So weird...

2011-01-04T20:47:00.000-08:00

So by weird, I mean, odd, not funny haha. I was just thinking about something, and I don't know if I can express what I'm thinking and have it make sense, by I'll try.
Sometimes, I have these memories just hit me. I'll remember a certain time or event, and all the sudden I feel like I'm there again. Not so bad, everyone has wonderful and not so wonderful memories that are brought on by a song, picture, or something or other. The tough part is the coming back to myself. The moment when I realize that no, I am not in New Mexico right now, and I feel weird all the sudden realizing that home is California. And for a split second, New Mexico still feels like home. Then I have to remember that those amazing friends I was just remembering aren't around the corner, and in fact I haven't even seen them in years. They felt so close just a moment ago. I love my life, and I love my home, but a small part of my heart completely misses New Mexico and will always consider it home.

My soapbox

2011-01-03T22:31:00.001-08:00

I really don't get on here often enough, though it is more often than I write in my own journal. Rob and I are sitting here on the couch, each in our own respective little world. Me surfing the web, and reading my latest novel... this one is the 5th installment of the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon, which I highly recommend. I have fallen in love with the characters and story lines! I could really move to Scotland after this!

Rob is (I hope I don't embarrass him here) reading the first novel of Twilight! He has Twilight in one hand, and a thesaurus in the other hand...lol. I guess he is just trying to get his vocab up...though I don't know if I could really get into a book if I was stopping every other sentence and looking things up. I am glad he is trying though. He really does make me proud with how hard is is trying to improve his mind (or maybe just try to understand why I like the books so much...equally sweet), and get a job and provide for the little family we hope to start soon.

Now that gets me on another subject that I have thinking about. We want to start a family, and I'd like to hopefully find out that we are expecting by the beginning of 2012. I want to at the very least have our first child before I am 30, and lets face it...I'm starting to run short on time. The thing that is really frustrating me is that regardless of who you tell/don't tell, you run into two (and only two it seems like) types of people. 1)the people who are asking you every other day if you are pregnant yet, and when you are planning to become so. Oddly enough, these people bother me the least. And 2)the people who you confide to that you are actually hoping for it soon, and they look at you with that disapproving look, and tell you they think you should wait a bit before taking on something like that, and that its really a miserable thing to go through, and maybe you're not quite ready for that yet, and etc etc. Seriously, its not like I haven't had close friends/family members go through pregnancy and don't know that the entire thing has the potential to make you hate life for about 9 months (or longer depending on the child after birth). But the thing that kills me the most is that look. It is almost like, why don't you just go ahead and try to kill a couple more of my dreams, and while you're at it, there's a couple of kids over there that still believe in Santa... you should really set them straight too.
The fact is, I will have a family someday. There is never a "great" time to start. I'd be happy if I were pregnant right now, I'd be happy if I were to become pregnant later in the year. Whenever the Lord decides to bless us with a little bundle of joy (or misery, if you're one of those dream killing naysayers) is alright by me. I just don't really want your opinion on when YOU think it is right for me, cause as far as I'm concerned, that part is between me, my husband, and the Lord. No offense. Just be happy that I'm excited about the next step of life, cause it seems like less and less people in the world actually get excited about life. Let me have my joy.
Ok, I am dismounting my soapbox now, its bedtime.

Break my heart a little more

2010-09-28T17:25:00.000-07:00

So some people know, but others dont. My sister-in-law Stacy passed away on Friday due to complications from breast cancer. She was simply an amazing woman. The whole family is have a tough time with it. I want to do anything and everything I can to help in any way needed, but at the same time, I dont want to be in the way, or stepping on feet, or even benig there when people may be just wanting quiet and alone time to sit with their thoughts. That plus being 45 minutes away means I cant just pop in and leave if its not a convenient time. See the delimmah?

Anyway, I was talking to my brother today and just letting him talk and vent, and being there to listen for him, cause thats what families do. My heart is breaking for him. How could your heart not break when he says that he now gets jealous when he sees a couple in their 80's arguing over which tomatoe at the supermarket theyre going to pick. or when he says its not fair that out of her only 40 years on this earth, he only got her for 6 of them. He's trying to hold a family together in this rought time, but who's holding him together?

Editing advise?

2010-08-29T22:00:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I went with my dear and patient friend Lianne to go practice more photography. I'm lucky she is patient, because we had more than our fair share of problems. First of all, we get to the fountain I had been dying to take pictures at, and theres a cone in the middle of it. Hilarious, but we just had to shoot angles that didnt include that fun little object!

Second, the technical difficulty I've been having with my Nikon, is that the camera seems to want to tell ME when it is or isnt going to shoot. I get one shot, then it refuses to take another. I'll mess with the settings and then it'll decide to let me take 2 or 3 more (if I'm lucky), then it'll stop shooting again. I'm very puzzled as to why it's doing this, and it makes it hard to get the settings right, when I'm only allowed one shot. I discovered that when I take the battery out, when I turn it back on, it lets me take 4 more photos. After an hour shoot though, I realized that everytime I took the battery out, for some reason, all the photos on my stick dissapeared! OY! I wanted to die! We stayed 15 more minutes, got a few useable photos and decided to try again another day.
Of the photo's I got, I went to edit, and I LOVE editing! The only problem I am having (I'm testing LightRoom right now) is that I jazz the photo up, maybe tweak a little, or tweak a lot, and I dont know what setting I'm adjusting that is making some of the photos I email out really grainy! They dont look grainy on my computer! But the minute they are off my computer and on someone elses, it's grain city! And I'm not even touching the grain setting in Lightroom! I know some of you are photographers, so what is it I'm doing?!? HELP!
So here's a couple of photos from our fun session. Theyre from my computer, so I doubt there is much grainyness. We'll see though.

Embarrasing admission

2010-08-28T13:09:00.000-07:00

So, I have an embarrasing thing to admit. I remember all the teachers I know talk about tenure when I was younger. Talk, but not write it down. I always thought they were saying ten-year. And I thought they were excited about ten-year because they had a guaranteed job for ten years. Made sense to me, and I never saw it spelled, so I never questioned it. I never really thought about it much, until I saw something about it online recently, and was wondering what tenure was. After seeing it used in a sentence, I came to realize, that I am just dumb. lol

On a side note, I took some pictures of my friend Lianne recently. I am having a few technical problems with my camera that I can hopefully iron out, so the exposure was completely terrible, and I couldn't do much to fix or salvage many of the pictures other than what I could do in LightRoom/Photoshop. Here are a few of the ones that are semi ok! I was also just playing around with a watermark, honestly cause it gave me the option, so I took it. I dont know if I'll stick with the name or anything, but it was a fun little thing to add.

Jobs and Family

2010-08-15T22:48:00.000-07:00

So, Rob has been looking for jobs. He really wants to get into law enforcement. The only problem is that it takes too freaking long to complete the entire application process! Like, 6-9 months is considered quick. Anyway, he is going to be testing with the Riverside Police Department, so cross your fingers for him. He had gotten back a letter from the Salem, OR police asking him to come test out there...the only problem with that, is that we got the letter on the 14th, and the testing date is the 18th. =( No time to plan for that one. I was really hoping for Salem too. We're even starting to consider Utah now, that how desperate we;re getting now. lol.

Rob's mom also came into town not too long ago, so we have a big family get together...for only the family that is in so cal...which is a tiny percentage. We took one of the biggest tables at Bucca De Beppo! I love that place!

I love their pizza!

Today at work...

2010-08-02T22:57:00.000-07:00

One of my coworkers 4(ish) year old son was waiting in the front lobby with grandma...

Me: Bricey! How did you get so cute Bricey?!?

Brice:(pause to think) It's because I drink chocolate milk!

lol. I still cant sop laughing! I thought I'd share!

After a LONG hiatus...

2010-08-01T17:26:00.001-07:00

Ok, so after living 9 months with no internet other than my little iPhone, which as far as I know, offers no easy way to update blogs, we finally have internet, and I can finally start to update the good ol' blog! I wont get into too much detail about things and bore the maybe one person who might read this.

Our Kitty Cat! We got Dash about, oh, 5 or 6 months ago. I swear, Rob loves that boy like he was his own birth child. I think Dash gets more lovin than I do! We lovingly call him Stinky because the poor thing had stomach problems with the first first food we tried him on, which resulted in some pretty potent gas problems. Unfortunantly for us, I think he realized how to control that power, and unleashed it on us whenever he didnt want to be held/played with/scared/etc.

School- I start back to school this fall after taking the summer off. Its really tough to work full time, and try to get night classes in. Not that I really have it that hard, but its tough to concentrate on school and keep up 110% at work. Maybe eventually I can go to school full time. I never imagined the day I'd say that! But I am almost at that point where I have to decide what direction to go in... not many more general classes left, which is good, but really...I dont wanna decide! I think I'll do the whole Nursing direction, and at the same time, take photo classes and workshops on the side. I'm really loving Photography, and lucky me, my brother lent me an older DSLR, so I'm learning more and more! I even just got a flash, which has really brought a new element to my photos! Here's a few from some friends of ours, Nate and Malia's new baby!

Anyway, like I said, I wont bore you with length! Rob and I have been married for 9 months, and it isnt always easy, which I never expected, but it is worth it! No babies yet for us, we'll wait a little bit longer for that. Rob is loving the graduated life, but unfortunantly its a tough place in the world for recent college grads, so cross your fingers that he finds a good job soon! I dont even care where it is, as long as he can finally be doing something that he loves!

Engagment photos!

2009-08-22T09:25:00.000-07:00

So we got the proofs from the engagment photos!

Engaged!

2009-07-11T18:27:00.000-07:00

Yay! Boy met girl, girl and boy fell in love, boy asked girl to marry him... girl said yes!

So, there have been many requests for the story of how Rob proposed, and many more for pictures of the ring. I didnt want to type the story out too many times, so I'll just give everyone the link here to read the hows, wheres, and whens! Oh, and my memory card is having trouble tranfering the pictures to the computer, so you'll all have to wait a bit for pictures!

On July 1st, which happened to be my mom's birthday, AND Canada Day, Rob took me to the LA Griffith Observatory. We went out to dinner before-hand to a sushi place that seemed like a random hole in the wall... little did we know that we'd end up sitting at the table next to Bette Midler! Anyway, we didn't bug her... just stared a little bit, and evesdropped a lot...lol. We finished dinner, and then headed over to the observatory. We watched the laser star show, and then went up to the top of the building overlooking L.A. It was very romantic! Then Rob would start to tell me how much he loved me, and then we'd walk to another part of the roof. Then he reminded me that we had had one of our first dates at the Observatory, and then walked to another part of the roof. I knew it was going to happen that night, cause I could see the ring box in his pocket...but when they announced that the Observatory was going to close in 5 minutes sharp, I started to wonder if he had changed his mind. As we turned to head out, Rob "accidentally" dropped his keys, dropped to both knees to pick them up, and then turned to me with the ring box in hand and asked me to marry him. Yes, thats right, he was on both knees... that made it extra special! I said yes, he said "yes what?"...hmmmm.... I said "yes please?" he said "yes what?" again, and then I got it... I said yes I'll marry you, and he put the ring on my finger. It was one i had tried with him once and had fallen in love with! We left walking on air!

So, now we are trying to plan a November 7th wedding, amid work and school schedules... not the easiest thing, but it will get done! I can't wait to join the Winberg family!

Relay for Life

2009-06-06T09:10:00.000-07:00

Yay! I love stealing Robs computer! So, the Relay for Life went really well. We really only had about 3 weeks to prepare, as we got involved really late. All in all we raised over $600 dollars for the American Cancer Society. BJ's restaurant even got involved and held a fundraiser night (which reminds me, I need to pick up the check from them).

And then the day of the relay, we got all set up, and I gave massages all day when I wasnt walking, as a way to earn some extra money for the ACS. It was a ton of fun, and some people even came back for a second massage. I may have gotten a few new clients out of it too!

The whole relay was super amazing and emotional. There were so many people there, and to be able to see firsthand the lives it touched, was an amazing experience. I highly recommend getting involved, or at least just making a quick visit to any local Relay for Life's in your area! Theres a ton of great fundraising and raffles... Next year I want to raffle off a puppy, I think that would be such a smart way to attract people to our booth! I will definantly be involved next year!

And guess what!!!! Kirby Heyborn from the Singles Ward, and every other mormon movie, performed there!!!

updates

2009-05-16T12:16:00.000-07:00

So, I'm supposed to be working on a paper for my Political Science class because the library closes in about an hour. But, I decided that it was giving me a headache, so I'm taking a break!
Quick update on life since I cant really post anything without a computer at home... My big current thing is that I am a team captain for the Relay for Life in Santa Clarita. Its my job to get a team together (sponsored by my job, Promenade Dentistry) and get contributions to help fight cancer, and fund research on cancer. Then on the big day, May 30 at 9am, we start walking. I need team members, cause its a 24 hour walk, and they want at least one representative from a team on the track at all times. Its a track at the local Central Park, so we're not going far! I'm going to have a tent and a table there at the event, and when I'm not walking, I'll have a massage table out to give 10 minute massages, and all the money earned will go to the cause! I'm really so excited! After doing my 10k run, it felt really good to do something for something else. And its so much fun, cause there are a ton of other people out doing the exact same thing, making a party out of it! If you want to help out, please feel free to join my team and help walk for the cause, or feel free to make any kind of donation! They keep telling us that no contribution is too small, but when you try to donate online, you cant make one smaller than $5...lol. I thought that was funny... http://main.acsevents.org/goto/Danica

Other side note, I'm finishing up the semester, and I have fallen in love with my Political Science class. Granted, its just the basics, but my professor says that I really seem to have a grasp on it, and he thinks I'd really enjoy International Relations. They dont offer it next sememster, but I'll be enrolling in that class as soon as its available. I'm seriously thinking about changing my major to Political Science or Social Sciences now! Who knows!

RIP computer

2009-04-11T19:24:00.000-07:00

My computer refuses to turn on anymore. =( I talked to the computer guy at work, and he said it was the plug in part that charges it up that is dead. He said it wouldnt be worth it to fix, that it is better to get a new computer. Unfortunantly I am saving up for a possible large event, so I dont have any extra cash just laying around. So, I must be content just using Robs lappy, and the computers at school. Moment of silence for my beloved laptop....

Cake Mania!

2009-03-16T17:49:00.000-07:00

So we had munch and mingle at church, and I decided to bring some cakes. I've been wanting to try my hand at cake decorating because it seems like an easy way to save money on a wedding would be to make the cake. So I prepared, watched little videos, and got a general little design in mind. Here is the finished product!

I think with a little bit more practice, I could actually do my own wedding cake! I just loved decorating too! IT was so much fun! I really want to experiment more, and try new things! So, I do not think this will be the end of creative baking for me... look for more to come!

Stys gone bad...

2009-03-13T17:27:00.000-07:00

So, Saturday, I woke up and my eye was kinda red. I thought I had pink eye. Well, I finally remembered that though I dont have health insurance, I could see the nurse practitioner at the school, since I'm a student, which made me very happy considering the fact my eye had gotten so bad, I wasnt sleeping through the night. She told me on Wed. night that I had a sty on my upper eye lid that got out of control for some reason, and got infected, and the infection spread along all of my upper eye lid, and even into my tear duct! She gave me some drops and said I should be feeling better the next day.
Well, the next day, my eye was twice as swollen! She ended up calling me in some oral antibiotic, and I noticed the first small improvements today, finally! But really, A whole week of red, itchy, swollen, painful eye is just getting old now! I'm about ready to cut the whole thing out and just try to make the eye patch fashion work! And today, the thing has been tearing up so constantly with tears, or whatever is in there, that I feel like my eye is just drowning by now! We took some funny (i guess not that funny for me) pictures yesterday when it was at its worst!

Ya, not so bad, huh? Just wait until you see the other side though... Completely different person, huh?

And from the front...

.
.
.
Ouchy! I'm so over this already!

School Days

2009-03-06T18:01:00.000-08:00

So, I am going back to school. Good thing I grew up in California... I'd hate to pay those out of state fees! But I'm just taking 2 classes, which I thought would be a breeze, but its really not! My only saving grace is that I'm taking political science, and US history, so they kinda reinforce each other. Learning about one is helping me with the other! So, I've had my first two tests in each class. I got my results from my Poli Sci class this last week, and I got one of the only A's!!! I just took my Hist test a couple of days ago, so I dont know how I did, but it was pretty hard. I ordered my books online, cause I couldnt afford to pay the nearly $250 for the 2 required books, and they hadnt arrived yet, so I was able to study for the test off the one book that they had in the library. I obviously knew the material, but I couldn't site the 2 quotes from the other book that he required in the essay! Arg! So, I'm sitting on pins and needles waiting till next week to find out how I did!
Work wise, I finally got my first review! Overall, an outstanding review! They want to bring me closer in to the company and give me more responsibility... I didnt hear anything about a raise to go along with that extra responsibility though...=) But I am grateful to have a job, which is more than some people can say in cali now a days! Anyway, I did get a very very small bonus, which I hope to see soon, but all in all, life is just truckin along!

My finger!

2009-02-23T17:36:00.000-08:00

So, about 2 1/2 months ago I was setting a heavy desk up in my room. I was tilting it from its side, to right side up all by myself, when it collapsed down. Lucky, my whole hand wasnt in the way, but one finger did get caught. Everyone keeps asking me if a couple of curse words accidentally slipped, but to be honest, I could say anything for a full 15 minutes. I just paced for a minute or two and then layed down on my bed and let it throb. Almost my entire nail immediately turned black. I couldnt sleep that night cause the throbbing was so bad. The next night was better, but I was able to drain it a little bit, so that helped. It was swollen for weeks!

Well, finally, this last week, the last little bit of the old nail fell off! Finally! Now, I just have a retarded looking little bit of new nail growing, and nothing else. It looks alien. It probably doesnt help that I painted all the rest of my nails a really dark dark red, and that one finger with no nail has nothing on it...lol.

Prop 8, and the Los Angeles Temple 2008

2009-02-21T09:31:00.000-08:00

So, Remember when prop 8 and the whole gay marriage thing was being debated in Cali, and it passed, barely? Well, the day after it passed, myself along with a few friends were planning on going to a swing dancing class out in Pasadena. When we found out that it cost a little more than the money in our pockets, we were already driving south on the 5. We had the radio on listening to the protesting going on at the temple, so someone got the bright idea that we should go there instead and see firsthand what was going on. We make our momma's proud, huh? A bunch of mormon kids going straight into a mormon protest!

Well, we got there, and things were pretty intense. We couldn't go on the sidewalk on the same side as the temple, there were cops in riot uniform everywhere, and the pacific Islander mormons were there keeping us safe, at the same time as trying to pick a fight. It was pretty obvious though that no one wanted to mess with them if they could help it. They were our angels with attitude!

Well, we sat and watched things from across the street at the 7-11 until the protesters decided they were going to march. When they left someone bought a bunch of trash bags at the 7-11 and we went and cleaned up all the trash and semi to non permanent grafitti that was left behind. I will say this for them, I didnt see anything permanent. It was mostly all chalk that was easily washed away with water.

It was really heart breaking and sobering though to see all of this happen right outside a place that we hold very sacred. I heard that one of the cops said " If someone tried to push past me and get on the property, I wont try very hard to stop them. I hope they burn that place down." I dont understand a thought process like that. It really makes me feel so sad! I know that as we were all picking up afterwards, we were trying so hard to make that place look like what it is. A house of God.

I am Lucky!

2009-02-20T17:19:00.001-08:00

Starting over

2009-02-20T15:09:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I've been meaning to start up a brand new blog seperate of the one I used to have. I've been "meaning to" for over 6 months now. And finally here I am, the old is gone and in internet heaven, and I've gotten started again.

The circle has come around, and I am back in Southern California. Seems like no matter what I do, I always come back to this area. I'm sure glad I did this time though. For some odd reason, after everything that happened, the one thing that stuck out in my mind was " It's time to go home. Even when home doesnt exist, sometimes its the only place left to go to." So, I came home. Not even sure how I would make it, just knowing that I would. I'm lucky I have some amazing angels in my life that I call friends, cause I couldn't have done it without them!

Well, I now have a great job, I live in an amazing house with an amazing family, and I have the most wonderful boyfriend ever. He really is so good to me, which is a great thing to finally get used to! We met at a Family Home Evening activity at church. I looked at him, thought he was cute, and looked somewhat familiar. I asked him if he went to school around here, cause he looked familiar. He told me that was impossible, cause he's from Canada. One of the guys talking with us made some corney joke about us knowing each other in the pre-existence, and I came back with a quote from Saturdays Warrior..."I've seen that smile somewhere before..." Well, long story short, we went on our first date either a week or two after that, and we've been together from that time till now, 5 months later!

Life is good though. I'm back in school. I've decided to go ahead and get my prerequistites to get into the Dental Hygiene program at Pasadena College. I would try for the USC program, but I think thats gonna be a little too pricey for what I can do. I'm excited, even though Biology has never been my strong suit! I was always awesome at Anatomy, which explains the massage therapy.

Oh, by the way, I'm starting up my massage again! I finally have my table, and all my old equipment, and I gave my first two official massages last night! It was great to get back into the swing of things, and I've realized that its all like riding a bike. I even felt myself doing some massage moves that I didnt even realize I remembered! I gave a few massages back in New Mexico, and that was great and awesome and turned out well, but it was just even more comfortable using all my old stuff that I was used to. So, if you, or anyone you know is wanting to get pampered, or wanting to work out a few kinks, just give me a call! (505) 716-1689