Memories

Before our photo shoot from below we drove down to the beach this morning to pick up Johnny's race package for his marathon tomorrow morning. On the way back I thought it would be a good idea to stop by my great Grandma and Grandpa's grave site. I haven't been there in close to 5 years and wanted to go. It took us over 30 min to finally find it.

It brought back alot of memories from when my Grandma passed away. It was such a hard thing for me to deal with being only 11 years old. I remember going in my Grandma's room when she was in a coma and rubbing her forehead with a wet towel and talking to her in her ear and telling her how much I loved her and how much Jesus loved her. I was so scared to ever leave because I was afraid if I did it would be the last time I saw her. Death at any age is super hard but that was the first real experience I had with it. Even after 16 years I can still remember the sound of her breathing machine that was in her room, and the call I got from my mom telling me that she had passed away and just hanging up and crying.

I was happy to be able to take Aven and Johnny there. Even though I know they aren't there it was nice to go and remember them. Aven was even in a good mood which doesn't happen to often.


Johnny trying to help me find it...I guess my memory wasn't that great.

Daddy & Me

Today I made Johnny come with me to a cool looking photo spot I found to take some practice pictures. He is not the most patient person when it comes to stuff like this but I did manage to get a few cute shots and Aven actually was a good boy to.

7 month old Drama KING

Yesterday my sister Bridget and I got together to do Aven's 7 month pictures and Finley's 6 month pictures. They are exactly 30 days apart so we try to do it every month on the 30th and get them together. Well almost every time my son screams the entire time (imagine that). We started out pretty good then he took a face plant in the grass and then it was all down hill from there. He wanted me to hold him the entire time. Thank god precious Finley just sits there like a little princess the whole time, while my son throws a total fit and is so mad he is drooling all over himself. So needless to say here is the pictures from our photo shoot. I love my baby boy but at this rate he will be an only child and I think that is what he is trying to do :)

Started out good...
Finley....so sweet.

Only shot I got of him not screaming his head off together.

Oh thank god mommy picked me up

Notice the grass particles on his shirt..

more crying....

more crying....look at the drool. Finley is thinking, "is he done yet?"

and more crying......

Thank god there is only 28 days next month so maybe we won't have to deal with this again :) Maybe by 9 months he will be a good baby...I'm not gonna hold my breath. haha

Avacado/Corn Dip

A few people have asked for this recipe so I figured I would post it on here so if anyone else wants it. Since super bowl is this weekend I figured it would be perfect timing. My Mom got this recipe from one of her best friends from high school. I make it all the time and take full credit for the recipe. JK

* 1 pkg. white frozen corn kern (defrosted)
*1 med red bell pepper (chopped)
*1 sm. onion (chopped)
*2 cans sliced black olives (8oz each)
*5 garlic cloves (minced)
*1/3 cup olive oil
*1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
*2-3 tablespoon cider vinegar
*1 tsp dried oregano
*1/2 tsp salt
*1/2 tsp pepper
*4 med ripe avacados

Mix together all ingredients in a big bowl ** Add Avacados just before serving** This is best served with corn chips my favorite is fritos. :)

I made it....barely

So I am alive...but I feel like I have been hit by a truck. I am in worse shape then I originally thought. One of my friends had to run to the bathroom half way through class to throw up. Poor thing. But we all made it. Johnny was supposed to babysit Aven last night but didn't make it home in time from his meeting last night. So I had to call my Mom to watch him who was going to meet my sister Bridget to watch her son play hockey.

I called Bridget last night to ask her a question and she was like "are you calling to yell at me?" I said, "for what?" She said, "well Aven was being super fussy at dinner so I just dipped his pacifier in a little ranch dressing." I just started laughing. Little does she know all the food I have given her kids to shut them up. I guess it's pay back time :) jk I am at the point where I will shove anything in that kids mouth to get him to stop crying. He is such a fussy baby. He loves to be doing something at ALL times and if he doesn't get his way he is not happy. (sounds like his Mother) I felt bad for my poor Mom cause she was trying to be so nice and say he was only fussy for a little bit. I know the truth. That kid is not just fussy for a little bit. I'm sure he screamed the whole dinner. :)

This might be my last post

I'm starting my kick boxing again tonight cause I decided something needs to be done. I can't use the "I just had a baby excuse anymore" He's 7 months old tomorrow and the excuse has run out. My sister Bridget said after they are 6 months we can't use that anymore. So I am warning all of you that this might be my last post. Last time I started I couldn't walk for 3-4 days. The most physical thing I've done in that past year was attempting to see if I could still do the splits (we all know that didn't turn out as planned) and probably using my hands to mix Christmas cookies. So, if you don't hear from me tomorrow you know where I'm at. Wish me luck.

Wordless Wednesday

New Journey

This post may or may not offend some people. If it offends you then I am sorry. Maybe you should move along to the next blog. This is always such a touchy subject for people but I am just sharing what I know that have been called to start doing. For many years I have known I have wanted to help girls who are struggling with the choice of abortion. Or even girls who have had them and are struggling with the healing of it and just need someone to talk to. My sister Bridget and I have decided we are going to be counseling girls who need the help. We start our first classes next Saturday and I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to getting started. If all I get out of this is to save one baby and help someone make the right choice then it will all be worth it. I have really struggled with this for a few years and now having a baby of my own I know this is something that I have to do. If you know of anyone in this situation I urge you to have them listen and watch this video.

Fun Time with Daddy

Aven is really starting to love bath time and I think Johnny likes it even more himself. Thanks to my friend Krystyn he loves his new bath seat.

After his bath Daddy has to make sure he gets a hot towel right out of the dryer. I wonder why he's so spoiled already :)

Daddy trying to show Aven how to squirt Mommy with the toys.

He found his new bath toy

Happy Early Valentines Day :)

So I decided to torture my son and take some pictures of him for Valentines Day. I did them a little early so I'd have time to send them to Johnny's side of the family. Here is a sneak peek.

Shabu Shabu

Johnny and I got addicted to this resturant in Orange County so much that we decided maybe we should try doing our own at home awhile back. We used to do it probably once every other week until we moved. I finally found a Japanese market near our house so we went yesterday and got all our goodies. He put it all together for dinner last night. Soooo good. I think I'll have garlic breath for the next two weeks :)

Just call me JLo

So I am in the process of throwing my 7th baby shower for my friend Sommer. I am so excited to do this but if you know me well enough you know that I have to make sure every detail is perfect and it pretty much consumes my life for a few months. Thanks to my sister Bridget and throwing her 5 showers it's becoming more of a breeze. By her next baby I should have so much stuff that I wont need to plan anything. Here is a sneak peek of the shower so far.....
The diaper cake I made.

Photo Meme

I was tagged by a long time friend since I've known since childhood. So glad to be back in touch and see her and her beautiful family. Her name is Megan.

Here are the rules:*Open your photos, choose the 6th folder and then the 6th photo in that folder.*Post the photo with a description about it and tag 6 friends to do the same

Here is the picture I came across....I have so many pictures I thank god It wasn't a picture from when I was pregnant or something :)

This was from my friend Marisa's (far right) bday party almost 2 years ago. The others are Courtney far left and Sommer next to her. Then of course yours truly. Anyway I'm not gonna tag anyone but feel free to do the same. I enjoyed doing it.

They have a name for that....OCD

I purposely think my husband is doing things around the house so he will be to topic of my blog, (which I know he secretly loves) so all the other wives out there will think what a nice husband he is. I do have to say that he is a really good husband and does alot around this house to help me out. On the other hand I think he has a little OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) Ever since I met him he has had a super organized closet and always had to have matching black hangers and have everything color coordinated. At the time I was like wow how nice. The first time he came over my house I made sure that he didn't see my room or closet or else the relationship would have probably ended and the truth would have been out. So I fooled him for awhile into thinking I was as organized as he was. Only worked for awhile. He discovered the true me when we moved and shared the same closet.

So the other night I came upstairs to get ready to go to bed to find him organizing MY side of the closet and replacing all the white hangers and any other god awful colors I may have had in there with the famous black hangers.

If you are a normal Mother and or a working Mother or both like me. You would understand that not everything is perfect ALL the time. He just can't understand why organizing my closet is not on top of my to do list.

Here are pictures of his closet. Looks like the Men's section at Nordstroms if you ask me. I think I might go into his closet and rearrange everything tonight and hide a camera in the closet and do a video blog with his reaction :)

And here is my newly organized side of the closet. I wonder how long that will last. haha

Working or Hardly Working? You be the judge.

Yesterday when I had my blow up my husband decided shortly after he was going outside to do yard work (get away from me). I walked into our bedroom to check on Aven who was watching his baby Einstein move for the 4,598 time. I overheard someone singing and glanced out the window to notice that it was my husband who was singing (our poor neighbors). I got the picture that he had done all the yard work that needed to be done, but was now killing time to avoid having to come back in the house and deal with me. I did what any loving wife would do and went about my business.....NOT. I went and grabbed my camera and hid to tape him. I have no idea what he is spraying at the end of the video....Oh well. Enjoy :)

J Singing @ Yahoo! Video

My first blog award

WOO HOO. I am pleased to annouce I've received my first blog award. I never win anything so I was so excited when I heard the news. One of my blog friends nominated me for the "this blog measures up" award.

This award requires a few "to-do's"

1. Say one nice thing to the man in your life: Well I have two men in my life now who I love. But to my husband. Thank you so much for all you do and being such a wonderful husband and father.

2. List at least 6 ways you measure sucess in your life:
*By how happy I am no matter the struggles I might be facing.
*By how many memories I have with my family and the people I hold dear.
*By seeing my son grow everyday and knowing that I've had a part in it.
*By the love and respect I get from people closest to me.
*By the amount of true friends I have.

3. Assign 5 other blogs this award:

Lesley
Krystyn
Nicholle
Shalay
Loni

Not Me Monday

i've never posted the not me Monday. But I thought I would do it since I seemed to have alot of these not me moments this week.

1. Not me....I did not lose my cool today at work and hang up on a customer that yelled at me. I would have remained calm. I did not have to tell everyone at work that I needed a break and get up and leave for a half our to keep my sanity...no, not me.

2. I did not walk downstairs and cry to my husband about it. He was looking at me like, "who is this lady?"

3. Not me, I would never try to do the splits on Saturday. I guess I was trying to show my sister up. Click here to see what I'm talking about. I would never do that. I would never want to be so sore 2 days later that I can barely walk.

4. Not me, I would not forget to bring my son a change of clothes when I leave. Cause if he decided to poop all over I would make sure I had something for him to change into. I would never allow my son to ride home in just a diaper would I?

5. Not me, I did not post that picture of me with short hair. the one that used to haunt me up until about a year ago. I think that might be the one of very few pictures of me with short hair I didn't destroy.

6. Not me, I didn't stay in my pajamas all day cause it was so busy at work today. Thank god for my coworkers that I work from home. Right Travis??

Flashback Friday

I'm not sure what even to say about this picture. This was my sisters great idea to try and dress me up for my Birthday. She said let me do your hair and makeup and pick out an outifit for you. I think she had Sally Jessie Raphael look in mind. I remember thinking I looked soooo cool and really I looked like a huge dork ready to go tackle someone with my shoulder pads. If your wondering about the cool hair do in this picture and can't figure out why I would cut my hair like this refer to this post.

Let's hope my dreams *don't* come true

I heard Johnny getting ready for work and he awoke me from one of the craziest dreams I've had since being pregnant. (I hope that's not a sign) I woke up and couldn't help but laugh. I was having a dream that I was riding around in high heels on a street bike. I wasn't riding alone either. Aven was riding in front of me as we cruised around town.

Please Pray

My niece Chalice is going in today to have a procedure done on her knee. I called to wish her a Happy Birthday yesterday and she said she was really nervous about going in. She is such a tuff little girl. Please say a prayer for her today that everything goes as planned.

This is me and Chalice from last month. She decided it would be funny to put ketchup all over her face for the picture. See what happens when Daddy is babysitting. JK.

Thankful Thursday

What a long week this has been as a single mom. I have to give credit to all the single moms out there that have to do it all by yourself. I would not be good at it.

1. I am thankful that after 9 loooong days my husband has returned home.

2. I am thankful that he came home alone and didn't bring speedo boy with him j/k. If you don't get it, see the post a few down.

3. I am thankful that I got to hang out with my parents almost every night this week, I think they were starting to become worried that I might move back in.

4. I am thankful that on Monday when I had no sleep my mom came over and cleaned my whole house for me once again. I was going to just tell Johnny I did it all myself but didn't want to not give my mom the credit.

5. I am thankful that I get to go on a mission with Courtney tonight. We get paid to go hang out and go to dinner. What can be better than that?

6. I am thankful that I didn't rip off my car door when I was backing out of the garage the other day. I forgot that the back door was still open and stopped about 2 seconds before I did some major damage. That's bad that in about a week period of time I've almost ruined my car twice. (It's gonna start looking like Seth's old truck) :)

7. I am thankful that Courtney is doing my hair on Saturday so I don't look like this anymore.

8. Last but not least I am thankful that it's almost Friday which means that I am one day closer to a night out to myself. (oh yeah honey, can you babysit Saturday?)

Wordless Wednesday

If you have a weak stomach move along....

Working hard in Paradise

My husband has been gone for almost a week now in Hawaii. After a long day doing our yards in the hot 80 degree sun (btw...how do you get sunburned in mid January???) I get a text message from Ann who works with Johnny. She sent me the lovely picture below. You'd think having your husband in a nice tropical island without his wife you might have to worry about the other beautiful dark hawaiian girls...nope not me. I have to worry about him hanging out with other men in speedos. Thanks Ann for the great pic :)

Flashback Friday

In honor of my sisters 29th bday this flashback Friday is dedicated to her. HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRIDGET!!

Bridget and I didn't always get along. As a matter of fact we didn't get along pretty much at all in high school. My mom used to tell us "when you guys grow up you're gonna be the best of friends." We would always say NO WAY! When I move out I am never talking to her again! Bridget couldn't really stand Brenda and I. She bought a lock for her door so we couldn't get in to snoop around and wear her clothes. As soon as Bridget would leave we would break into her room with a credit card.

I thank God that my Mom was right and we have ended up to be best of friends. I don't know what I'd do without my sister Bridget. She has taught me so much about how to be a good mother and has truly set a high standard for me to follow. I look up to her in so many ways. It was so nice to be pregnant with her and have someone to call and complain to about how fat I was. (I also had Krystyn...thanks girl)

So hope you have a wonderful birthday and hope we have fun tonight in whatever your husband has up his sleeve :)

Thankful Thursday

1. I am thankful that I was in my car when the earthquake hit tonight and not at home like I was last time. (I am such a chicken with earthquakes)

2. I am thankful that my parents were with me in the car driving cause I almost drove off into a dirt field cause the road decided to end. They yelled for me to stop and I swerved at the last minute....Thank god my husband wasn't in the car I would never hear the end of it cause I'm always trying to tell him how he should drive.

3. I am thankful that my neighbors are kind enough to check on me after the earthquake cause they know my husband is out of town.

4. I am thankful that my husband stocked the house full of food for me before he left so I wouldn't have to go to the store while he is gone. Although he did buy me some of that yogurt Activia. I don't know if he was trying to hint I should eat better or that he was trying to sabotage me by making me have to go #2. Either way they both worked.

5. I am thankful that Aven said Dada tonight so my husband doesn't think all I do is try and force the word Mama all day long (even though I do)

6. I am thankful that I got to see alot of my family I don't get to see to often this week, even though I wish the circumstances were different.

7. I am thankful that it's not me that's turning 29 tomorrow and that it's my sister :)

Goodbye to a great man

Yesterday was the funeral of my godfather. I didn't even know that he was my godfather till 3 days after his death. I was digging up pictures for my flashback Friday when I came across the pictures of my baptism. I called my mom and asked her. She said "I don't remember, maybe." Not sure how she didn't know. I guess when your the 3rd of 4 kids you forget details like that :)

We used to see him alot when I was growing up and from what I remember he was always a real fun loving guy and always up beat. Not sure why we stopped seeing him. We all kinda had our own lives and stuff going on and didn't really see him much. After the funeral yesterday I was really sad that I didn't get to know him better than I did. Hearing all his kids talk about him and what a good man he was really upset me that I didn't make an effort to know him more. I found out that he was a Marine in the Korean War and was awarded a purple heart. Up until a few years back he would pick shrapnel out of his arms that would rise to the surface... I can't believe after all these years that would still happen.

Here are some of the pictures I found.