married... with children

OUT WITH THE OLD...IN WITH THE NEW

2011-12-28T00:14:00.000-08:00

i tried to have this photo downloaded on a new year's background but that failed, obviously. of about a million photos taken this was the most decent. either lauren or ian were making a face. yes, i can see that ian is barely visible and a shadow is cast over half of his face. but remember, it was thee most decent one.

i swore on my life i would NEVER be the one who sends out a Christmas greeting via "email", or in this case ~ on a blog. give me a break.

NEVER.

EVER.

EVER!

i mean, seriously? who does that? not that there's anything wrong with that... but it's just not me!
for 20 years i have been sending out personalized, handwritten (and sometimes handmade) Christmas cards. i used to do a family letter but then i was informed that most people get bored with all the details. so...i stopped doing letters and decided to only make time for taking a photo (which could end up being expensive and painful), buying a card (and sometimes it was a "photo-card"), and including a handwritten note (this was the ideal but not always a given).

after much thought (not hardly) and lack of time (i could care less to make the time), with little effort for a photo op and quite honestly no desire to make the effort...we (i) came up with an alternative (rather than not sending out a card at all). i truly had made up my mind that i wasn't sending out greetings this year. it actually felt good and almost liberating to choose to not stress myself out with one more thing to do this busy season. but the more cards we got in the mail ~ the more guilt i felt (not really). i first thought i'd just send out a new year's card. then i realized that that meant i had to actually order cards, address cards, buy stamps, and mail them. forget it. no way. in order to simplify i had to make an alternative choice. the easiest: bag the idea. the winner: download lame photo and email out. winning!

another thing i also said we would NEVER do is ~ move. we were never, EVER gonna move. then life had it's way with us and we were faced with some decisions that meant some sacrifice. it's what happens when you have kids and you have to sometimes put their needs above yours. bittersweet but rewarding in the long run.

so, now, one of the other reasons we thought we should send out cards this year was to let everyone know we have a new address. but by now most friends already know this. except some of you. now...you know.

and now for the eye-rolling update:

lauren is a freshman in high school and wants to hang out with her "hipster" parents every waking moment of her life! she also wishes we'd take away her iphone.

ethan is a sixth grader who only wants to pal around with his cool big sister and have his little brother always by his side! he also can't stand legos.

evan is a fourth grader who hates tv, computers, and anything electronic! he would rather spend his days doing chores, reading literature, and giving his mom foot massages.

ian's passion is still biking (his wife has finally accepted this).

suzy's passion is still shopping (her husband will never accept this but rather tolerates this).

now that you're caught up on our lives (annoying details, right?), know we have a new address, and that we cared enough to keep you in the loop ~ go and have yourselves a
HAPPY NEW YEAR!

with love...

THE TERVET FAMILY

1344 SALISBURY ROAD

LA CANADA, CA 91011

a lil' inspiration can go a long way

2011-10-01T22:11:00.000-07:00

not too long a go i got a burst of inspiration. kinda like the "spark" i mentioned in the last post. with just a spark i can get some good inspiration going! for this particular occasion, i had to.

i have a sweet friend who happens to be one of the co-owners of layla grayce, a very well known shopping website for everything beautiful and lovely for the home, lady, and baby!

this friend, tiffany, happens to be expecting twins and i was lucky enough to get invited to her baby shower. seriously? a baby shower for tiffany...of layla grayce? like...just what do you buy someone who owns layla grayce and has/can have everything lovely, beautiful and blissful?? i knew i had to search deep. i couldn't just "buy" something off the rack. i had to deliver. no pun intended! i was just gonna have to make something. so i did. mind you, she is having a boy and a girl. i embellished 2 onsies ~ each with a white cut-out of a bear - with frayed ends, shabby, no doubt, one with a pink bow and one with a blue one. then i did another onsie, one pink and one blue and i did white iron-on's on each - one said "baby boy" and one "baby girl"...in french, no doubt. then i made this long banner that read "welcome home harris babies" and i made it from this paper i tore from a book i have, in french (again, no doubt). but i think my favorite thing were the little signs i made (shown above) that each had the appropriate gender rhyme by mother goose "what are little boys made of"...

if you check out the following links you will get a feel for this unbelievable shower:

http://www.laylagrayce.com/blog/2011/09/26/extra-extra-read-all-about-tiffanys-big-news

http://blog.amyatlas.com/2011/09/layla-grace-guest-dessert-feature/

on this last one there is even a photo of that lil' sign i made...i'm obviously feeling special that it was included in these photos!

if i could just get a job where i could be creative and make things all day, for a purpose, and get paid a lot of money to do so...i would do it. isn't there a gay man out there who needs an assistant to make him look good by making crap all day? i wanna dress up everyday and go somewhere and use my creativity and feel inspired. there's gotta be something out there for me. right? guess i'm not just not feeling very useful these days.

lately...

2011-09-25T11:35:00.000-07:00

it's been quite a long time. i've been vascilating back and forth between posting and not posting. keeping a blog and not keeping a blog. it dawned on me that i have this blog or, that i created it as an outlet for my own creativity and to share whatever comes to mind. speaking of which, i love this quote i would see every week at my kids school, "imagination holds the key to overcoming adversity". to me it says: be creative. use your imagination to get thru your challenges. for me that means to be inspired and create. inspiration.

what moves and motivates me to create is my being inspired. i have to see something - either in my head or in front of me. i have to have a vision, so to speak. at the dentist the other day i sat waiting. i picked up a style magazine and remembered how in high school i would feel so motivated and inspired as i scanned over the pages of my "seventeen" magazines. i got that old feeling again as i sat there. to me, i must feel inspired to get myself going. and then when that spark is lit, a fire goes off inside me. i miss those sparks of inspiration and my mojo for creativity. i don't know where they went to, but i feel so lost without them. my life has meaning when i can create something.

i think i'd like to make a place of my own. a space in our home that is my refuge ~ where i can be inspired and create and use my imagination to feel peace. i think i'm gonna make my craft closet my "creativity cave". needless to say i don't need a particular space to be or feel inspired. i just feel the need to be inspired every day, in all i do and everywhere i go. by stopping to smell the roses, and listening and hearing ~ a passion releases inside me. by nature i am a passionate person. i put my soul into life. i am in the process of searching for my soul. i keep losing it.

so i think i'm gonna make an "A B C's of creativity" piece of art for my space first. its a fine balance between family, self, and others. leaning to much to one can be costly. in my creativity i am also searching for my own balance. i hope i find it. i seem to have lost that too...

yesterday i got a package in the mail. it was the latest book out by rachel ashwell, that i pre-ordered a bit ago. and it truly was inspirational.

BLOG-A-LICIOUS...

2011-07-20T23:35:00.001-07:00

where can i buy myself a pair of legs like this, people?? where???? like seriously!!!!

and this one...with all her majestic sexyness and perfect hair..."i love you cindy!!!!!"

then there's this one... what a classy lady. i love her modest, chic style.

i think i want all three of these ladies in one package. jennifer and nicole are like my ultimate FAVORITE celebrities. of all time. maybe because they are, to me, down to earth and simple and naturally beautiful. they have class and style without looking like celebrity sluts. i love their clothes, bodies, and hair. wrap 'em up...i'll take 'em!

so...on to more serious things...

we bought a home and move in tomorrow and friday...no freaking way!!!!! just about 2 mos ago i was stressing about this home going on the market and selling, looking for a new one and buying a fixer. so...this one sold after being on the market 2 days. frantically we began looking for one to buy. it looked grim. it was grim! then we found the one we bought on june 20th. we closed and got the keys tonight!!!! i'm up to my boobs in boxes. my kids keep telling me "this is the worst summer ever"!!! and i'm all "BITE ME"!! i mean seriously? i have to keep reminding myself that they will thank me in like 15 years. maybe.

i will post photos later. really i will. the past 2 mos. i have been so busy. it's been quite a journey. there have been doors opened and prayers answered. it has been a HUGE lesson in faith for me.

i will weep when we move out entirely. that's just what i do. but, i've realized why i do that. i recently was diagnosed (by who? myself, of course) with separation anxiety. but i also prescribed some dark chocolate for me. it seems to be working except for the fact that i look like "h.r. puff-n-stuff" and i don't fit any of my clothes anymore and my teenage daughter laughs at my HYSTERICALLY when i am in a bathing suit. complex? oh ya. i got one. thank you lauren!

it's official ~

2011-05-23T15:37:00.000-07:00

so after much blood, sweat, and tears - sleepless nights, burning the midnight oil in cleaning, painting, fixing, blah, blah, blah...

our home is now on the market.

and i am kinda sad. i get attatched to "things". yes, tangible things. i have seperation anxiety over some of these things too. i love this crummy little home. it was a diamond in the rough when we bought it and it still needs a tad bit of work. but it has been our home for almost 8 yrs and we've never lived in one place for this long. i have put my imagination to work here. i really thought we'd stay.

well life has it's seasons. it is our season to pick up and move on. it's bitter/sweet. i'm so confused - kinda. i have a headache. i'm moody and grumpy and sassy. i'm tired and overwhelmed to think that the work isn't over yet. whatever home we find next will the none-the-less need work too. in fact, i don't want a home perfectly all ready. truth is i don't think i'd like someone else's taste entirely. i know what I like and what I want, already, in our next home. let's just see now, how long it takes til we find it.

http://www.mrmlsmatrix.com/DE.asp?k=943866XSD33&p=DE-82045936-707

click on the above, then click on the "ml #" to see the photos - now i'd like to buy this home.

oh whatever...

2011-05-11T00:50:00.000-07:00

i've become quite the fan of a blue home. i like it's calming affect. or is it effect? whatever, i don't care. you know what i mean. each room has been re-done and i quite like them all. i esp. like it when no one is home, but me, and i sit in each room and enjoy. am i "house conceited"? bet i spelled that wrong too. whatever. i sit in the living room mostly. and i play over and over, the "amelie" c.d. it makes me feel like i'm in france. oh... to really live in france.

so, i've been so freakin' tired these days. like right now. it's like past midnight and i've been burning the midnight oil for weeks now. no end in sight. it is just life. more later....

2 worlds collide

2011-04-12T04:32:00.000-07:00

well, not entirely.

let me start by saying that its 4:30 a.m. and i have been awake since 2 a.m. - this is a pattern that began last week. again...oh the joys of menopause! so last week i had a couple of bad nights. but this last friday night was painful. we were in a hotel in agoura hills. with 4 kids. it was 2 am. again. and i was wide awake. so...i decided to put on my flip flogs. grab my menopause book. put my hair in a pony. and go down to the lobby to read off my insomnia.

first stop - the front desk. i asked where i could get some hot tea and find a cozy place to read. the guy behind the desk was all, "lady, are you a guest of the hotel?" and i'm all, "dude, it's 4am, everyone is in their pajamas and looks like crap!" seriously? did he think i was some homeless lady walking in from the street? i showed him my card key and made him feel embarrassed. serves him right.

i read my awesome old lady book til like 6am and then i decided it was time to hide from the guests coming down and showered for the day. i snuck back into the bed and slept til, ohhh, like 9am. i am not pleasant when i have not slept!

so yesterday i took 2 extra strength excedrin for a killer headache i had from hiking in the heat. taken with a dr. pepper of course. didn't work. so 5 hours later i took 2 more, with the same dr. pepper. i think this is why i have been up since 2am. i was sooo out of it last night. i tried to go to bed at 8am and got a good nights rest for a whole 23 minutes. i could not fall back asleep. i paid each of my boys to rub my head, shoulders, and feet. didn't work. this totally sucks!!!

so as i laid in bed this morning i was thinking of how coincidental it has been that when my lauren was entering the stage of turning into, and becoming a young lady...i simultaneously entered my stage of turning into an old lady!!!! and so the 2 worlds collide...

or, rather, so the story begins...

this occurred to me as i was reading my menopause book. no wonder the past 18 months have been so hellish! it's hard enough to have your daughter turn into a pre-teen. then a teen. hormones. changes. moods. irrational. irritable. emotional. dramatic. they begin to leave a season of their life, a very short one - childhood, and evolve into young adulthood. it's not always pleasant, for them, or for us as parents, or family. in fact...it's rather quite challenging. but alas! the butterfly emerges - leaving the tight confines of that cocoon that had so many changes going on inside of it in such a short amount of time. then out comes a beautifully, transpired creature. no lauren, you are not a creature.

and so it is with the changes and transformation that occurs when a wife and mother sheds her skin as a young and vibrant thing...only to also curl up in her own cocoon - with both her hands and feet feeling tied up - and the very harsh changes begin! instead of wings...horns. instead of highlights...gray hairs. instead of glow...wrinkles. instead of menstruation...menopause. instead of perkyness...saggyness. everywhere.

and it's also all accompanied with hormonal changes. moodiness. irrational. irritable. emotional. dramatic. and might i add the loss of bone density, sex drive, and the increase of inches around the waist. it all sunk in when my obgyn very casually observed that my ovaries were "shriveled up". if that's not enough to make you cry she suggested i go find a therapist. why? ohhhh...but little did i know just how all these changes were gonna reek havoc on me. i didn't want to emerge from my cocoon. i looked at me. then her. then me. then me. and i asked "how come i don't look like her anymore"? and they answered, "because you are not".

and so, our 2 worlds collided. if you can imagine. a daughter becoming a young lady. and a mom becoming an old lady. all at the same time. under one roof. it is pure BLISS.

got prunes?

2011-04-07T17:56:00.000-07:00

...menopause continued. yesterday's bowl of ice cream at 9pm is now todays handful of prunes. and i'm not even joking. this "middle aged female issues" is beginning to cramp my style. i feel like i'm overdosing on calcium every night, along with my "milk of magnesia". gag me! and ~ at least with having a menstral cycle (i don't think i spelled it right, and who cares, i don't have one anymore anyway!) the pms happens once a month. for some of us that "once a month" lasted for "half the month" or 2 witchy weeks. none the less... it was better than feeling crazy literally EVERY DAY OF YOUR LIFE as what occurs in menopause!!!! honestly, pms goes away. menopause psychoness doesn't. you're irrational. irritable. unfocusable. delusional. forgetful. and much more. i don't remember bargining for this stage of my life! did i mention the extra poundage?? no diet will make the muffin top, j. lo butt, saddlebags, thunder things...go away. and thanks to the lighting and clarity of the ever-so lovely nordstrom mirrors - i discovered i now have cellulite on the back of my upper arms. is this what i have earned after carrying and towing around 3 heavy children? word up. i'm disgusted. i am reading a fantastic book on menopause: the silent passage. it confirms to me that i'm not crazy, not alone, and that i'm not gonna feel like this forever. just for the next 2 to 5 years. that's sooooo reassuring and comforting. can't wait to see what i've evolved into in 10 years. NOW i get why so many 40 to 50 something women get: facelifts, tummy tucks, botox, boobs, therapists, divorces and all things young and beautiful. now i get it! have i mentioned muffin top lately?

MEN...

2011-03-22T22:35:00.000-07:00

OOOOOH...

now, pause. but not for long or you'll be having a hot flash.

it sucks getting older. really it does. my gma went thru early menopause in her late 30's/early 40's and so did my mom. it started for me when i turned 40. and now...i am in full blown menopause! my ob confimed that last week. i wasn't surprised, nor was i elated. this just means the aging process is gonna be hard to stay ahead of now.

along with hot flashes come the aches of bones and joints and muscles that don't function like they used to. my knees give out easily - what an old thing i am! my lower back ALWAYS hurts. wrinkles and aged skin will appear almost over night - or so i am reading. grey hair. it's coming.

the worst are the mood swings, sleepyness, crankyness, and the HORRID muffin top!! now i get why they call it the "middle aged" season. because everything literally gathers, drops, falls, sags... to the middle of your body. it is horrific. my waist has disappeared. gone. nada. buh-bye.

and every woman has to come to terms with the arrival of "you ain't got it goin' on any more". wow. this sucks. i used to be so perky and cute. the other day my kids and i were in the car and they asked me to lift my arms and wave. i knew where they were going. i refused. ethan started singing some song about flabby arms. me????? flabby arms!!!! noooooooooooooooooo.

what has happened to me? i have headaches all the time. i've had like 10 hot flashes while i'm typing this and i'm NOT kidding! i'm hot. i'm cold. i'm hot. i'm cold. i'm hot.

i wish i was HOT. still. now only the old mexican guys at home depot whistle at me. how pathetic.

i can see now how middle aged women get all this work done to their face and bodies...as a way to "cling" to youth. OH FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE... what for??????? my dr. asked me if i wanted hormone treatment, estrogen, botox....

i said no, no, and no. if this is what my body wants to do then that's what it's gonna do. and don't be fooled by thinking that PMS is now gone. i just now have it every. day. of. my. life.

menopause means your body has stopped having a period at all for exactly a year. it means you don't produce estrogen anymore, your ovaries shrivel up, and your uterine lining is way thin. all those hundreds of thousands of eggs you were born with...are done. no more. and the baby making days are over...WWWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

just hand me a cane now! sign me up for the nicest nursing home and i'm trading in my kotex for depends. dr. pepper for ensure. and stocking up on gerital.

if this is a middle aged crisis, what is an old age crisis?

now i'm cold. i have a headache. i'm sleepy.

don't even get me started on how it affects your labido. it's time to burn the lingere.

if you feel sorry for me, you should. to help me in this crisis, please send me chocolate. dark chocolate. lots of it. it helps me cope. makes me happy. makes me fatter and adds to my muffin top. did i already tell you that i figured out why its called a muffin top? imagine the bottom part of a muffin. still in the paper liner. then imagine the top part - puffy, round, spilling out and over the liner. that's my stomach and waist. it's too gross to disguss anymore.

i'm done.

more beach rugs

2011-03-17T21:48:00.000-07:00

had some time to kill while waited for the plumber and then the electrian to do their thing here. then had more time to wait around while the worker guy also did his thing. so...i checked out more rugs and beachy colors while i waited and waited and waited.

this one too

2011-03-12T15:55:00.001-08:00

can't make up my mind

and please don't think i'm shallow...i really have issues, problems, chaos, and projects are just my way to cope, seek therapy, and enjoy a creative side of life!

i still want this house!

2011-03-10T21:55:00.000-08:00

http://www.trulia.com/property/3015827142-835-E-Woodbury-Rd-Altadena-CA-91001

http://dreamywhites.blogspot.com/ - love this white blog! check out the white colors she uses on her post dated feb. 28th. something to put into my file in my head!

happy blogland tonight. that's where i went instead of to target - where i really wanted to go!

catching up

2011-03-10T21:24:00.000-08:00

baby hazel!
why can't we all look as gorgeous as sachia a day after having a baby?
just a very beautiful and colorful wreath

oh i do love blue and white

to die for slipcovers

soon to be kitchen rug

i wish i could find these rachel ashwell chairs on craigslist

the rest of these are all just rugs i'm trying to decide on for rooms in the house...

i can't get enough of...

2011-03-07T10:04:00.000-08:00

the top left slip covered sofa (which i'm gonna do for mine) &

taylor swift songs - boy i love her!!!

blogland

2011-03-04T23:32:00.000-08:00

sometimes i have so much in my head that i become paralyzed and i shut down. i felt that way last night. extremely. after the kids and husband went to bed i veg'd out in the dark, on the sofa, alone, and went to "happy blogland". a place where one can read about others lives and look at the blogs so much that at some point you actually think you know the person. pathetic! i usually just click on a very small number of blogs. i'm really not a stalker. and... i only go to these blogs to check out the photography. really. i don't have time to read about others lives and get sucked into this whole blogging obsession. yes i have my own blog. but i don't post on it daily. its something i have to force myself to do, but i still enjoy it. i feel its a place i can go to express myself when i feel like it. rarely do i have time these days. i am full to the brim with life. blogging is very last on my list. i don't like comments cuz i don't want to be checking in on who's keeping up and thinking about feedback. i just don't care. it's an open journal, so to speak. i haven't always thought this way. whatever. none-the-less i have one. i like it. and i like how its a forum for sharing creativity in the form of written expression, photograpy, recipe sharing, reaching out, and other crap.

so last night i wanted to escape life just for a little while. i started by going to this one photographers blog. she had a post that caught my attention. i clicked on the link she had for this gal she posted about. and i was humbled. i think i spent an hour reading it and i fell asleep on the couch doing so. her post was about this young mom of 2 little ones who's husband just died of cancer mid february. sometimes when we think we are overwhelmed and stressed, we can quickly be put in our place and face the obvious - that it can always be worse. i always tell myself this. for me it works. there is a time and place for "hard" and "trying times" and if we always think it could always be worse then we may miss out on the sinking truth that we need to face hard sometimes, absorb it, learn from it, and move forward. power thru. with that being said i also think its o.k. to break down, lose it, have an anxiety attack (or 2), and live in that moment of despair. taking it all in and letting it all out in a good cry. feeling pain is good. it makes you feel human. it reminds you that your heart is working and that you have one.

so i woke up this morning feeling way overwhelmed. way. february was a trying month, it was. i haven't hiked for 2 weeks. i literally haven't had time. i've been going in so many directions - all the while my head spins around and around like the gal on the exorcist! when i got up today and felt weighed down and unable to cope, i knew i needed to escape and hike. i dropped the gremlins off at school, took a deep breath, and drove to the foothills. i didn't care what a mess the house was. it's been a mess all week and will be waiting for me no matter what. yesterday i said to myself that 2 things are a given in life - dirty dishes and dirty laundry. forever.

i lathered my face with sunscreen and began my 3 mile hike up hill. as soon as i hit the pavement...i feel myself escape my life, the reality of repition, the noise of the city. i leave ALL of it behind - in the car - and i again take a deep breath and i smell the beautiful smell of nature and i feel soooo happy. it's a high for me. it's my therapy. today i really needed therapy. really.
i thrive on going alone. it's nice to have a partner every now and again but today i needed solace. i needed time to be with myself, center, gather peace, feel clarity (some of you may recognize these words!!!! they are from i song i LOVE by fergie!) anyway...i just needed to be alone. as i followed the trail i began to let go and think and think and think and think. so many questions. i had to be somewhere where i could declutter my head. going up this trail is hard. it's steep. and, i realized that as i hike up i also think about ALL the hard things going on in my life. maybe it's how i power thru the hard and steep turns and points cuz i get my adrenalin going and pumping and i don't stop. i go deeper and deeper into my head and i get out all my thoughts, frustrations, worries, concerns, stresses, confusion, doubt, pain, and ill feelings.

today i prayed as i went up. i told God certain things and i asked certain things. it was a lot of "i don't know what to do anymore". sometimes i feel i have nothing left to give. i run out of ideas and inspiration. i looked up and saw a bush. on it were blooming yellow blossoms. they were familiar to me. then i realized just what they were and i stopped and sighed and held my heart and began to cry. years ago when lauren was a baby and i was feeling overwhelmed, my mother in law came to visit me with my niece. on her road trip she made a pit stop on the side of the road and she and nicole picked a huge bouquet of these wild flowers for me and gave them to me when they got to our home. they have and unbelievable scent. i never forgot that kind act. so when i saw that flower i had to stop dead in my tracks and think of mom. and her compassion and that day she brought me flowers. and i cried. and cried. and cried. boy do i miss her. i had to ask God, one more time, why she had to go so early. why her. why then. and i said, "i really need her right now!" He knows why. i couldn't get over it. i thought about what she meant to me. i realized that this is march and in a couple of weeks it will be her 5 year death anniversary. i couldn't believe it. 5 yrs already. i miss her just as much as i did 5 yrs ago. i thought about how some women marry and inherit a "monster-in-law". but not me. i inherited a "mother-in-law" and boy was she something! i had to laugh at myself for being so funny - monster-in-law. i crack myself up. a man passed me as he was going down and said hi and i said hi back with my head down and in a weeping voice. he turned around and asked me if i was o.k. and i said ya, but i thought wow,what a nice guy. i held on to a stem that i had broken off of the bush and smelled it the whole way up. it was my therapy. i breathed it in so much that i thought that my breath's out had the same scent as the flower.

going up was hard, physically, mentally, and emotionally. but i reached the top and it felt good. coming down i was in a completely different place, in my head. i had let it all out. i was still in deep thought. my problems hadn't disappeard or gone away. i still had to face reality at the bottom of the mountain but at least i had let go of some of the emotion that was weighing me down.

it ended up being a good day. i actually wound up with a killer headache but nothing some good ol' excedrin couldn't fix. i did do those dishes and even folded all the 7 loads of laundry. i had 5 teenagers at the house and i made a bon fire in the back all by myself. i sang to taylor swift REALLY loud in the car, all alone, and took the boys for ice cream. i even had some!

life is never as bad as it seems. nothing a phone call from a good friend can't cure, or at least attempt to cure. i value my healthy husband and children and family. i embrace our chaos, craziness and i am trying to acquire better coping skills. i hope one day i can look back and just laugh. it may not be tomorrow but it just might be - if we catch a good one on netflix.

the end.

CARMELA in the houze

2011-02-02T23:26:00.000-08:00

so the other day ian spotted out this new ice-cream "place". it was closed. i checked out the menu though, on a chalk board, and knew i really wanted to try it.

so i was out picking up ian's dry cleaning. since it was right around the corner i decided to extend my stay away from the house and go check it out.

i'm not kidding you. i am NOW done with cup cakes and frozen yogurt joints. they are SO yesterday. this place is THEE place to go for gourmet dessert. it's flavored ice milk. think FRENCH. the flavors are like no other you will EVER taste. they let you have samples. the folks working there while i went in laughed at me cuz i sampled EVERY single flavor! yes, i did. how can you NOT sample flavors like: meyer lemon olive oil, cucumber sorbet, lemon mint, lavender honey, basil...need i go on?????

now this is not bryers or dryers or Hagen-daez. not even close. and it is worth every dang penny - one scoop is $3.50 or 3 scoops for $5. i got 3! then the guys made me up a special concoction - basil with spicy strawberry and drizzled olive oil and balsamic vinegar and sea salt over it - i am not joking...it. was. the. BOMB!!

you gotta go try it. it is near the corner of washington and altadena drive, just west of altadena drive by about 6 shops and is on the north side of washington. gotta go. you will thank me!!

mama turns 44

2011-01-21T22:48:00.000-08:00

since when did getting older become so fun? when my mom was my age i was already a returned missionary, my brother was in prison, and my sisters were in high school. she was newly divorced and on her own working for the first time in 20 years. i am still "living la vida loca" or "living it up" as we say. i have little ones in the house and i am a stay at home mom. i feel young. i feel like i could live for another 45 years!

i had a fun bday celebration this year. i was taken out to the cheesecake factory...which is a total favorite of mine, by some lovely and wonderful friends. the food was great, the conversation was non-stop, the ambiance was sexy, but the gathering of friends was the best. what the night lacked was about 25 more of my favorite friends! i got some really beautiful gifts - anthro!! but the really, the gathering of super ladies is the best. THANK YOU GIRLS FOR A SWEET NIGHT!

ian and the kids celebrated with me on my actual bday. that morning i went and got a facial from melinda, a haircut from kelley, lots of running around with the kids, then, by dinner time i was wiped out and had a killer headache. ian ordered out from stonefire grill - my request, then he made me a cake!!!!! evan put a number 4 on the cake and then four candles for "44". i love him! now that's creative thinking.

it was a lovely week. i am truly, truly blessed!

mlk

2011-01-21T22:15:00.001-08:00

we took the boys on a hike last monday. it was a beautiful, warm california day. the trail was full of hikers. we were in the mountains, hiking by the water, away from the city. and it is january. ian said something like, what does utah have that we don't have here? i said, the seasons. and he said, but isn't this better? it is. i suppose. i love l.a. i love california. i don't love our taxes, high cost of living, our education system, or earthquakes. this hike was torture for the boys and ian and i decided that they'd better get used to them! it ended at a beautiful waterfall. i think what i loved was talking with the boys along the path and enjoying nature together...and the sign at the beginning of the path.

goose's bday fotos

2011-01-21T20:55:00.000-08:00

lauren had the funnest night, as you can see. dinner and ice skating. the boys gave it a good try and ian never even fell! i didn't want to seem like i was showing off with my moves on the ice...so i just stayed outside the rink.

ethan earned his arrow of light which is the highest achievement for a cub scout - yay ethan!!!

one day last week we got up and i saw this incredible sky thru the window. this photo really does no justice and i couldn't get the camera to cooperate. it was beautiful.

the shower of the year

2011-01-21T18:27:00.000-08:00

well it was quite the baby shower for sachia. a couple of friends planned this lovely party hosted by tiffany of "layla grace" website. her home is just unreal! the photos don't due justice but i think you get the picture of how beautiful it is.

sachia had a room full of guests to welcome "baby hazel" and coincidentally...she was born this morning!!!! CONGRATS sachia!!!!

why?

2011-01-21T12:05:00.000-08:00

why can't i eat chocolate all day and not gain weight?

why do i want a bigger home?

why am i so sleepy lately?

is it because i turned 44 this week and now by body is moving into "old" mode? why?

why do i not have energy to cook?

why was i born with frizzy hair?

why do i hate answering the phone?

why can't i lose these last 10 pounds?

why do i obsess about a clean house?

why do i pee all the time?

why do i have a killer headache?

why does my knee always hurt me?

why does my shoulder always hurt me?

why is my friend luisa so freakin beautiful as in the above photo?

carino amigita!

december stuff

2011-01-17T21:02:00.000-08:00

rainbow in the desert
sledding in bishop

still waters

geo cashing - never found it

santa visits in the wee hours

made a shabby chic ornament for ms. lucy

on my list of things to make myself

for next year too

lauren's 14 today!

2011-01-14T08:54:00.000-08:00

today is goose's GOLDEN birthday. i found out what a "golden" birthday was my first year at college and the year after what have would have been my golden bday.

a golden bday is when you turn the age - of the date - your actual bday is. lauren turns 14 today. today is the 14th. it's her golden bday! and it's the first one we've ever celebrated.

she is our only girl and therefore our princess. she bring life and drama and sound and passion to our home! she is unique and loves to be a tad different. she's one heck of a singer and guitar player! i can't imagine our home without her. i brought her home from the hospital on my birthday. i'll never forget. that was the best gift ever! ohhhhh and it keeps on giving....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GOOSE! I LOVE YOU!

2011 - out with the old and in with the new!

2010-12-31T23:54:00.001-08:00

i couldn't decide which one so i posted them both!

lauren said that she's gonna help me with one of my new year's goals...to lose 10 pounds. i'm not quite sure just how she's supposed to help me but bless her for wanting to!

i can't come up with the "best" and the "worst" of 2010. there were a lot of "bests" and i can't think of any particularly bad thing. well, maybe...lost 5 pounds! then gained them back...

lost my gold/diamond necklace...then found it yesterday!

lost the big tree in the back yard that fell unexpectantly...was relieved to find it didn't fall on us or on the house!

lost the old ugly front bathroom to a new-found lovely one!

found a new place to vacation...playa del carmen, mexico!

found a new way to enjoy exercising and getting a view of l.a. - hiking!

found a long lost friend from 4th grade - jeanna peru!

well, so...i'm thinking...as a mom almost every day is a struggle - one way or another. lots of little battles and we hear bad news from all over daily. but everyday there are also many miracles, happy moments, and much to laugh and smile about - well, usually. so many blessings i can recall that came our way this past year.

i am a very blessed and lucky woman.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

2010-12-25T14:00:00.000-08:00

it's Christmas day in the morning. well, it's really 2pm. i went to bed at almost 3am. it was a typical Christmas eve for us. celebrating too late and then realizing you are not going to bed any time soon. this year ian actually helped me wrap! what a miracle! each year i get lazier and lazier about wrapping. i'm all about the magic and bliss of the season. but keep me up past my bedtime and i cave. i was sitting on the floor in a middle of a mountain of wrapping paper, ribbons, labels, bags, tissue and gifts. i thought, "can i just get away with throwing stuff in a box without wrapping it? i mean, they just rip it apart anyway and give no thought to all the details?" but my anal way of thinking wouldn't let me. my husband was about to strangle me as i kept giving him instruction about the magic look and certain wrapping with certain ribbon and using the "santa" wrap on the "santa" gifts. i could tell he wanted to wrap the ribbon around my little neck. whatever. he fell asleep on me and i silently wrapped til all hours as i watched a video of evan in kindergarden in a school performance. they grow way too fast. i realize i have very little time left with them while they are still "little". i have to soak them up while they are still behind the "innocent" line, at least the boys. so today i will take it all in. watch them play with gifts and toys and live thru their eyes. what's Christmas like without children?

the 24th

2010-12-25T13:18:00.000-08:00

i've been a slacker, but considering my track record this past year on this blog, i've been doing pretty good this month! i've always wanted to be ready for Christmas by november but so far that has never happened. i don't think it ever will either. i was out Christmas eve morning shopping last minute at 8am. it was great. it was exhilirating and i loved the rush. i was home by 10am. and i thought to myself...i love last minute shopping! this year i got smart and hid all the gifts in the basement. my kids don't dare go down there - it's like a dungeon out of a horror movie. perfect place to stash the gifts. so this year lauren was excited to be absolutely surprised with her gifts. the boys are also fading out of "santa" so i told them that only those kids who still "believe" get gifts from santa. lets' see how much longer that will work...

i'm off to eat lunch - more chocolate. is it possible to have a chocolate only diet? i've got sores in my mouth and a hughe muffin top. you'd think that alone would be motivation enough. i guess not.

the 23rd

2010-12-23T01:09:00.001-08:00

actually...on the 17th my lovely friend marianne had her 2nd annual "favorite things" party. it was festive, fun, delicioius, and a party not to be missed. i love her. she cracks me up. she knows how to entertain fo' sure. i made some cones for part of my favorites gifts. i love crafting. where and/or who would i be without creativity???????~it's what i'm made of!

i love a white Christmas, a white home, and angels. isn't that a lil' obvious?

still the 23rd

2010-12-23T00:54:00.001-08:00

down the train tracks in san juan capistrano is a quaint little place that marianne told me about. this is where we ate for our anniversary brunch - the only meal we had that day. it. was. thee. bomb! they have a recipe book they sell. look it up on line. the buttermilk biscuits are too die for!!

doh.....it's now the 23rd

2010-12-23T00:27:00.001-08:00

ian and i celebrated our 17 year anniversary this past saturday! all we wanted to do was get out of town and be lazy...no phone, cleaning, fighting kids, chores, duties, callings, laundry, or getting up early. it was blissful! we stayed in orange county. it rained. we slept. we watched tv in bed. we ate lots of chocolate. and other stuff.
next year will be our "golden anniversary" as it will be our 18th and we were married on the 18th. hmmm....must tuck that thought away in my head and plan early for a great get-a-way!
i love ian. i am not sappy but i truly scored big time. well (wink, wink) you know what i mean.

we walked all thru laguna beach at night and we spotted this magnificant tree all lit up

and i just couldn't resist taking a photo of this nativity scene in front of the catholic church with baby jesus' foot up in the air!

this is where we stayed. this beach resort literally on the water. sleeping under the stars at night with the sound of the waves crashing just feet away. the bed had a mattress warmer and heated blankets. there were heated posts out there too. it was awesome. there was hot chocolate all hours of the day and night for us. can you just imagine staying at a place like this???? neither can i!!!!!!!! it soo doesn't exist. i'm just pulling your leg! this is a mere photo shot for a hotel advertisement. besides, it poured like crazy this past weekend...we're not this fancy. but wouldn't it be nice?

17th, 18th, and 19th...

2010-12-19T23:17:00.001-08:00

this was our 17 year anniversary weekend! we went away to orange county and were back in time for church this morning. i could have used just one more day for r n r. on the next post i will have photos of the weekend.

we were so pooped out and tired. i'm about to pass out right now so i am outta here. another post soon!

16th day

2010-12-16T21:11:00.000-08:00

the week is almost over. everyday i have been running - not for exercise, but to try and keep up with life. i could run all day and still not get it all done. that's o.k. at some point my best has to be good enough and i have to let something, or many things, go.
i am not too proud to admit that i can't do it all. but sometimes i attempt. today i attempted and tonight i will continue. this will be a late night for me. i'm off to the supermarket at 10pm.
my husband got in from singapore at 7:30pm - feeling sick and tired - and went straight to bed. perhaps the family will see him in the morning.

i am in no rush for Christmas. i would like one more week to really enjoy the season. hopefully we'll realize not doing every little thing is so important, and just enjoy what is.

btw...for the very weak...do not go into forever 21...you will think you need to buy everything...like i did today! also, while waiting in a line today, a lady asked me if i wanted a coupon to use. i was gonna say no cuz i already had a coupon, but i said yes, because i could tell she saw what i was buying and wanted me to get a great deal. i let her give. i didn't tell her i had one. we had a great conversation and i could tell she felt really happy to share. sometimes, i thought, we need to let people give - even if we already have - because there is still something to gain in receiving. in my case, today, it was the smile and compassion of a stranger.

15th

2010-12-15T22:50:00.000-08:00

tonight was lauren's school Christmas performance. they were fabulous. those girls sure can sing! i'm so glad that our girl has a talent to call her own and that she enjoys so much. i don't know where she inherited it from as her dad and i can't hold a tune. our kids are so blessed to go to such a fine school! we're proud of her.

i got as much done as i possibly could today, so that was good. but still. not enough hours in a day. Christmas needs to be moved to January!

and might i add that tonight lovely laura came by with a basket of goodies for us...thee best brownies i have ever had!!! thee best granola i have ever had!!! and a box of gumball - my fav! what a gal! i'm so lucky!

the 14th

2010-12-14T12:38:00.000-08:00

i am behind. i tried to post and it ended up on the ward's blog - bone head.

in a nutshell....

friday was evan's Christmas program. like angels they sang! then a sweet 16 bday. i CAN wait til lauren is 16.

saturday ian left to singapore. went to a great mom's Christmas luncheon and loved it. i love a shabby chic home!

sunday was what i needed. church. feeling the Christmas spirit. best of all visiting with girlfriends til 1am. a christy reunion. man i miss her. what is life without friends?

monday was crazy monday. never enough hours in a day. but i hung out with tremaine, shopped, decorated the tree with the kids, and we did a puzzle together. lauren had us play q on q where we ask eachother questions. the 4 of us had fun. it was a very sweet night. went to bed at 8pm!

today i am scrambling. i have so much to do this week. i over schedule, over induldge, over spend, and sometimes i over react. i need mo' chocolate.

day 9

2010-12-09T23:22:00.001-08:00

this was on etsy and i thought it was sweet. i loved collecting nativities. then we moved into a smaller home with no shelf space and i stopped buying them. then i started to get rid of them every year. then i regreted it. so now i guess my husband must buy me a bigger home so i can buy more nativities, have bigger parties, and have an office and guest room. i don't ask for much.

today i felt better. i went to target for the 5th time this week - that's enough to make any lady happy. then i addressed more cards to send out. then i talked on the phone for 2 hours to my best friend in 4th grade. jeanna peru. it was like no time passed. she lives in texas now. we talked about marriage, family, getting older, our moms, being moms, and everything under the moon. i wish i could see her. i love her. i am soo thankful for friendship. i love my friends. truly i have been blessed. she made my week.

i want to have a huge island where all my friends have 2nd homes, including us, and we can all vacation there at the same time and have a huge party at night. i can dream.

today i got my Christmas organized, stuff put away, thrown away, and now i can make sense of everything. i feel better. a sweet family from the ward came by and brought us homemade hot chocolate. i just had a cup and it was delicious. i felt so happy to get a gift like that for our family. we are blessed. we got a plate of goodies the other night...bring on the pounds!

the kids and i made cookies tonight. every batch was burned as i kept forgetting i had them in the oven cuz i was multi-tasking. we will still eat them. we just can't give them away!

i am off to bed now. i have a very early morning!

the 8th

2010-12-09T23:11:00.000-08:00

i know it's really the 9th but i was in a foul mood yesterday and my laptop would not let me into my blog. but, i'm better tonight. so...yesterday... i was "off" hormonally. waaaaay off. i felt overwhelmed with home/family stuff and i let it get to me. but i did work in evan's class and that was fun. i also went on my 6 mile hike route with my best ever hairdresser ~ but really she's my friend, kelley. we can never shut up when we get going. i had the best hike ever with her. she's preping for the marathon in hawaii this weekend! i love her to death. so... that was good too.

sometimes december isn't so "merry and bright". then the scrouge went to sleep and woke up better ~ and that would be today. thank goodness!

the 7th

2010-12-07T23:10:00.001-08:00

well i sent out like 150 cards today. 100 more tomorrow. it's all the church folks and the usuals. it makes me happy to send cards. it makes me stop and think of each person as i am doing it and i think that's why i love to do it. i think of my friendships, relationships, good times, and stored memories.

ian went to san fran. my car isn't working. there are other things going on that worry and concern me. today i was on overload. mentally, emotionally, and i have to remember it can always be worse, and in a place not so far away, it always is. so, i am lucky. i am blessed. but some days are still hard. my good day is someones hard day. my hard day is someones good day. it's all relevant.

i really must go to sleep. i am soo tired. but the night ended lovely with a r.s. Christmas dinner. it was such a great dinner. my mom was there and we laughed so hard. the ladies did such a great job. it was a wonderful way to end a hard day.

day 6

2010-12-06T22:44:00.001-08:00

sweet little shabby chic.

i think this year i am going to keep it simple. i had decided that this year we would do really nice cards. that idea got shot to hell. it's too late to do what i really wanted to do. then i had this great idea of sending all our ward members a card from their bishop's family. i went the cheap and easy route and wound up not too disappointed (i feel i'm having a hot flash this very moment...). i ordered like a million cards from costco!

it gets to a point when you just don't care anymore. i'm not impressing anyone, but myself, with how much money i'm saving! sheeeez - the stamps alone cost more than the cards!

we got the tree tonight. now we will do all our shopping online at amazon. even simple is still a lot when you gotta jam pack it all into one month.

all in all i am enjoying this year's Christmas season. i refuse to run myself into the ground. i want to do crafts with the kids and bake and make time for people. i want to make memories. i also want to lose 10 pounds. but i also want to enjoy all the homemade goodies!

today was a great day. a good start to a good week.

keep it real people and do that by keeping it simple.

day 5

2010-12-06T22:36:00.000-08:00

i know it's really day 6 but i was too tired to post last night. it was a long day, yesterday. we got home from church after noon and i went straight to my bed to nap. i laid and slept there for 4 hours! man that was awesome! in fact, all i want to do right now is sleep.

these votives are a set i saw when i was in georgia. they were the cheap price of $12 at the "ballards" outlet. the only thing is that i have zero room in the house to know where to put them. but, i love them.

day 4

2010-12-04T23:56:00.000-08:00

today was a whirlwind saturday. holiday boxes out, shopping, haircuts, church christmas dinner. i'm pooped. but tonight was a blast. our ward is the best.

i wish i had more time to do holiday crafts. there just aren't enough hours in december, aye?

December 3rd

2010-12-03T22:29:00.000-08:00

FELIZ NAVIDAD Evan's favorite Christmas song is "feliz navidad". when he hears it playing on the home stereo he runs over to it, turns it up, and starts to sing and motion the moves that they make to it when the kids at school sing it every year in the holiday program. i LOVE that he loves that song. i have always loved that song.

O.K. i hate this lap top!!!! i just spent hours writing a long and funny post and the computer crashed and didn't save the rest of it. i had written something about 3 spanish Christmas c.d.'s i bought and a great "big band" jazz Christmas c.d. that i found at nordstrom rack and how it reminds me of my grandma and grandpa who i miss terribly. they were the stereo-typical couple of the 40's-50's.

then i mentioned how i spent 4 hours at the mall with the kids yesterday and feel like i am now getting into the Christmas spirit. then i shared how i wanted to have our kids remember this time of year as a time of giving. in my "spanglish" way of speaking i see two words when i see the word "Christmas". in spanish the word "mas" means "more". so my brain thinks "more Christ" when i see the word "Christmas". i hope this is the message i can convey this season!

december 2nd

2010-12-02T21:10:00.000-08:00

last year i bought one of these on sale. today i got down all the Christmas boxes and discovered all the treasures i had bought after Christmas ~ and came across the one. i carefully took it out of the package and started to "fan" it open. it is pretty. i love finding treasures that you forgot you had.

i realize i have collected a lot of junk over the years and in a small home, one can't possibly put out all of the decor. so each Christmas i put out less and still end up buying more! good thing i like change.

i have a feeling i will be asleep in the next 4 minutes, so to finish up here i will say that i could get used to it being the Christmas season.

End-of-the-year resolutions...

2010-12-01T23:23:00.000-08:00

MERRY DECEMBER!

i decided that i was gonna have a couple of goals this month.

one would be to write a little something every day on this blog.

another is to exercise at least 4 times a week ~ preferibly by hiking.

also, i'd like to have the bulk of shopping done by the 10th.

and, to have ordered and sent out all our cards by the 10th.

i'd like to get out all the holiday boxes of crap and decorate, including the tree, by this weekend.

it would be ideal to actually have the advent calendar set up by tomorrow so that their "little treat" isn't handed to them in the car, like it was today.

finally, in the car this evening, evan asked me to tell him 5 things that i wanted for christmas and so i gave him my list: a very good cutting knife, toaster oven, hiking shoes, waffle iron, and i think the last one was a week of peace at home. i love our little conversations! i told him we should make a list of 5 non-tangible things too. he wasn't sure about that one.

that's all for tonight.

Almost

2010-11-30T23:15:00.000-08:00

the pole's in front of lauren and ian looks gay holding daphne
evan is tired and i am "over" posed

my thigh is WAY to huge looking and ian is too stiff, but...almost

this one was 2nd runner up

the wind started blowing and we look...ackward (did i spell that right?)

just for fun

we were almost ready

well as i write this post it is 11:42pm, which means it's almost midnight, which means november is almost over, which means that Christmas is...here.

i'm still in thanksgiving mode.

i'm not ready for shopping, baking, wrapping, shopping, addressing cards, buying cards, buying everything i see that i think i need, decorating the house, pulling out all the Christmas boxes, eating and eating and eating, shopping, waiting in lines, holiday music 24/7 everywhere you go, lights twinkling in my face in every store, and blah, blah, blah...

i'm almost ready for summer vacation. i'm almost 44. it's 11:49. it's almost midnight. almost wednesday. it's almost december. it's now pretty much...Christmas.

fall happenings ended in georgia...

2010-11-19T17:40:00.000-08:00

last week i had the great opportunity to visit the place we used to call home - georgia. i went for my lovely friend, sheryl's, wedding. it was thee perfect week in georgia. the weather was perfect in the daytime and cool at night. i spent the week at my friend shellie's home who let me crash there. i slept in everyday. on the second day there i got a uti and thought i'd die. i went to the urgent care and took care of it in time to enjoy the wedding and visits. i visited with friends, neighbors, shops, and had some great alone time. i had some quality time to do some thinking and re-evaluating our life and home in pasadena. it was really good timing for me, mentally.

as i drove around i was in love with all the fall colors. it was in full bloom. i had forgotten how HUGE all the yards were! how would it be to have a forest in the backyard again? the highlight was the wedding, well, and the day i went to the deep south with shellie for her daughter's "cheer competition"...pure southern energy!!! and pure finger-licking delicious southern cookin'! for the first time ever i had "fried pickles" and they...were...thee...bomb! soooo good! i miss it there. i miss the southern hospitality, quality of life, cost of living, pace of life, and esp. our friends. i had some good cries there.

this is the photo of a front yard. a forest. my boys would love this so much. there are trees like this everywhere in georgia. it is thick with trees and this time of year it is just beautiful.

this is beautiful sheryl and jared. it was a lovely night and she looked stunning. i love this photo.

this is kim. we were neighbors, then friends, and now kindred spirits. i. miss. kim. we went out to lunch and i cried when i picked her up, cried while we were out to lunch, cried when i dropped her off. she said, "is this what happens when you go thru menopause?" (meaning, you become a cry baby). i sooo miss her. we just live too dang far apart. she actually now lives in florida but was coincidentally in georgia the same week. how crazy is that? what luck! oh kim, i cherish that afternoon we spent together and the catching up and you listening to me! i luv u!!!!

and this is shellie! i stayed with her while there. honestly, she is one of the best mom's i know. she gave me such wonderful mother advice. we talked and talked and talked and it felt like 8 years hadn't passed since we could really have quality time together. she is from glendora and so is a true californian at heart but now she says "ya'll" all the time and so she's part southern now too. shellie is one of those friends that you have forever and who is a blast to be with. she is so giving and willing to help anyone. she loves having fun and is so down to earth. she makes me want to be a better mom. you are the best shellie! the best day ever, i had with her. we went to her daughter's cheerleading competition. what an experience!!! i'm not sure if i had more fun there or on the 2 hour car ride there...we had a little drama on the way, aye shellie????

this is the bride. sheryl. i don't know anyone who gets less sleep than her. i think she usually goes to bed at 3am. she has 6 kids so you can imagine what all she does while they are at school. she talks a mile a minute and is always on the go, go, go. now SHE is impossible to keep up with!!! we have remained close friends since i left. i cherish her and admire her even more. she has been a widow for 4 years, i think, or 3, and i don't remember her ever breaking down and feeling sorrow for herself. she has the strength of a warrior. she is a survivor. she is a small but mighty woman and i just love her. we had some great time together before the big day. i am sooo happy for her. she is now married to the love of her life and feel so honored to have been a part of her lovely day!

not a great photo, but this is the home we built and lived in when ethan was born 11 yrs. ago!

this is not the white house, but the local high school!!!! i couldn't believe it. it's the south people.

i kid you not, i have been shopping for like 2 years for 2 urns like this!!!!! exactly like this!!!! cast iron, 3ft, and antique. of course i found the pair in georgia. of course.

the local nursery was already selling Christmas trees. the holidays are in full swing by now.

the above 2 are of lauren and ian at her young women in excellence program. i was really proud of her. she show cased the garden she tended this summer.

this is our BIG BEAR weekend in mid october. i love this photo of big bear lake.

on our first day there we rented a dirt buggie and spent the day in the desert with ian's dad and brother brad. the guys rode their dirt bikes and i took the kids for high speed, bumpy rides in the dirt buggie. it was a first for me and i felt like good ol' white trash!!!!! lauren and ethan didn't really have a great day but the rest of us had a blast!

good times. fun memories. lovely places. beautiful people. priceless.

a day late & a dollar short

2010-11-01T11:08:00.000-07:00

just a quick low-down on our halloween. the boys are just not into my creative costumes. its painless to go to party city and get one already made, heart breaking for me, but painless.

thank goodness that lauren, on the other hand, is open to my creativity. she and ellie were peacocks - and quite adorable.

she also had some lead roles in the school's halloween performance - i'm proud of her!

it WAS a fun halloween around here. hope yours was a fun one too! more later.

this past month (october) we went to big bear and loved it. i'd even love to get a cabin there! i'm gonna have to post again with photos of that pretty get-away and of other things we did and saw in october. i'm exhausted just thinking about taking down all the halloween decor!

Our new home...

2010-10-21T13:11:00.000-07:00

in my dreams lately, of course. i am trying to convince my husband just how much i need this home. he isn't budging. i may have to take drastic measures! isn't it beautiful?? videos and photos never do justice, the lot is soo huge too. huge. i could throw some major parties there. major.

check out this video of it:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjkYygA_IhE

they seemed to have left out the other half of the home, private balcony off the master, office off the front entry, half bath, cool basement, and 2 other bedrooms. it's so awesome. got money?

2010-10-21T12:35:00.000-07:00

not too long ago i had a shower, for obviously, a baby girl. i love pink. i don't wear pink. it isn't a good color for me. but it's so girly. and i am girly. i love pink flowers, and pink glittery stuff. i love trader joes pink striped bag of kettle corn. i love pink hydranga's and roses. i love pink jelly belly's. i don't like, though, everything pinky pink for breast cancer awareness. i think it's too overboard - although i am in full support of such a cause. i am done. i also love my new pink shoes, which i don't have a photo of.

more baby love...

2010-10-21T12:16:00.001-07:00

i couldn't resist! i saw these babies on a website and i had to save and post them. who doesn't love a baby? really. oh how my heart yearns to hold a newborn in my arms. i mean my own. and nurse too. i really miss those days. if i were 10 years younger we'd have another one. to smell that delicious neck. to kiss that belly. to cuddle that infant. i'm so excited for all the moms in our ward who have just had newborns. i'm actually just a little bit envious too. i've been shopping for gifts at baby stores and i just die!! honestly! those little outfits are killing me!

it all came and went way too fast. they begin to grow up, turn into pre-teens and teens, and then they slam the door in your face, tell you they hate you, stop needing and wanting you (so they think), and they crush your very heart that fell so deeply in love with them when they looked like this.

i guess i wish i would have just lived in those younger years more. they were hard too. but then they wanted me and my attention and affection so much. they hung on me and put their arms out for me. it's not quite the same anymore but i don't love them any less. i love them more.

enjoy them now.

HALLOWEEN inspiration for the day...

2010-10-05T21:39:00.000-07:00

IT'S HERE!

2010-09-22T22:25:00.000-07:00

i'm so excited that it's AUTUMN. this is my favorite time of the year. yesterday my dad mentioned that it was the last day of summer and that today it would be the start of fall. i was instantly thrilled. i love the chill in the air. the crisp breeze. cooler nights. sweaters. hot chocolate and tea. but of course i love the fall colors. i love seeing halloween stuff out. i love baking pumpkin bread. i love that it'll be darker earlier. i love a warm fire. i love the seasons! and even though we don't really have them right here in pasadena...we only have to drive out about 2 hours and then we experience them. it's awesome to live in california!

oh, just stuff

2010-09-21T22:46:00.000-07:00

this would look so sweet on the door of a little cottage home!

and i want my yard to look like this!

and i kind of have my eye on this table as ours is nearing the end of it's life.

my week

2010-09-17T22:21:00.000-07:00

found evan and an almost naked neighbor in a huge mud pit in the yard - you gotta let the boys be boys

the kids on the first day of school
it's the year of the skinny jean, but, not for mom

goose wants to learn to play the guitar

she is so beautiful and has grown up way too fast

i want a girls night out every week

i SCORED last night!!!!!!!

2010-09-17T10:38:00.000-07:00

well...not in the way you may be thinking. but hands down to CRAIGSLIST!!!!

how many times have you seen something on there that you can not live without - only to inquire and find out that it was just sold or picked up. i hate that.

well yesterday i saw something i really wanted. i called. she said come and get it. i did. i drove for an hour to get it. thats just how i am. it's my passion. i told the family i was "doing errands". i called my friend nathan and told him that if anything happened to me that at least he'd know where i was. in highland. not too bad for ONLY $20 ayeeeeeee????!?!

i just love my shabby chic passion for trash!

it's a new day!

2010-09-14T11:54:00.001-07:00

today the kids went back to school. boo-hoo. not really.
o.k., i did actually enjoy them this summer. we did a whole lot of nothing but it was good for all of us to not be on any kind of schedule. we had a lazy summer. some would even call it boring. i say it was relaxing. last night we went around in a circle and had to say only one word that described our summer - surprisingly none of them were bad words.

as the kids and i shopped for back to school items i came across this totally awesome agenda. i saw it at the "container store" but you can find it online to at: www.momagenda.com where i actually also saw some other great items. the one i'm thinking of getting is the "desktop" edition. you just gotta see it. i like the chore chart and then somewhere on the site is a place where you can download and print all these great lists/forms/stuff!! check it out!

getting the deck worked on this week and we're thinking of putting in a pergola over the deck. that tree was incredible. i miss it's shade and character. i'm thinking of planting either an avocado tree or a beautiful maple, for fall color. and a small lemon tree. since the play structure was destroyed it's getting removed but not replaced (sorry kiddos). we'll do something for the kids but i'd like to put a big garden in its place with 6 raised beds, little benches, and a firepit in the middle. behind the garage is where i'd like to have a raised fort for the kids or a platform with a ladder and slide so they'll feel like they're in the treetops. and after the pergola is done i'd like to get this shabby candle chadelier i've had my eyes on for years and some curtains and maybe an outdoor bed. as you can see i like to dream.

more projects.
more projects.
more projects.

mo' money.
mo' money.
mo' money.

i'm off to shop before i gotta pick them up.
it's been a greaaaat day!

feeling the return of the MOJO

2010-09-04T11:18:00.001-07:00

AVOCADO SMOOTHIE

1 avocado

1 cup milk

1 cup ice

2T sugar

1/2 t vanilla

blend and drink.

BANANA SPLIT ICE-CREAM CAKE!

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cup butter, melted, plus 1/4 cup butter

5 medium bananas, sliced

1 1/2 quarts strawberry ice cream, soft

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup evaporated milk

1 t vanilla

8 oz whipping cream

combine cookie crumbs and melted butter. set aside half a cup of it and press the remaining into a 9x13 pan. place bananas in a single layer over the cookie crust. spread soft ice cream on top and then add nuts on top and freeze. til firm. meanwhile, melt the chocolate and the 1/4 c. butter til smooth. add the powdered sugar and evaporated milk. cook over medium heat til thick, 8 minutes or so. take off heat and add vanilla. cool then pour over the ice cream mixture and freeze again. spread the whipping cream on top and sprinkle with the 1/2 cup reserved crumbs. now freeze for 3-4 hours. remove 15 minutes before serving.

actually i think a REAL banana split would be A LOT faster and easier...this just sounded good!!

before the tree fell down

and after it fell...

boy it sure was lovely - the shade it provided, privacy, and it add charm to the yard that i loved.

i'm not sure how we can creatively charm it back up but i realize there is NO need for grief. it can ALWAYS be worse. we had a yardful of children just a couple of days before this happened. what a nightmare that would have been. there are folks all over the world dealing with disaster after disaster, and loss after loss. on that scale, i look at this as a blessing. now we can get rid of the play structure and put in a garden. we'll plant another tree - like an avocado tree! we'll put in an awning structure over the deck. seriously, i feel no loss, it's too bad, but not sad. it is what it is and i realize that stuff happens. roll with it. it can always be worse.

daddy's bday this past week. i love that i married a younger man and so does he.

my friend kristin and lauren wanted to "fix me up" so i let them. then i looked in the mirror. "aye carumba" i thought! they put a "bump-it" in my hair and did my makeup and put this scarf thing on my head. not my style but nice try guys!

kristin, me, mom, and melinda - 38 years worth of friendship.

evan's 8th bday!

daddy baptizes baby boy - how did we arrive at this point in our lives already?

i feel time slipping thru my fingers.

we must enjoy.

i must enjoy.

enjoy it.

finally a post worth checking out!

2010-08-31T14:09:00.001-07:00

i have been meaning to update this blog since may - my bad, it didn't happen. so this past week it was my goal to get these photos on here, esp. since my mexican riviera get-a-way. i don't know about your blog - but uploading photos on mine takes FOREVER!!!! what a nightmare, maybe this is why its taken me so long to post these.

so this is what i've got... i posted photos of playa del carmen, a summer wedding, museum visits, a few relaxing days at the oaks spa in ojai with cousin karen, fourth of july in brian head (or is it bryan head?) and bryce canyon, memorial day in st. george, and other random stuff.

so check it out - i'm off to finish my box of gumballs.

VIVA MEXICO ~OLE!!

it was like a hurricane the first morning there - and then it looked like this!

and these howler monkeys woke us up right outside our room!

chris and wendy

judy and i

i know this is a bad photo but i don't have a tripod and i loved the sky this one night

chris patiently waits as we shop - what a good sport

this is what sold me. all you can eat guacomole and chips - beachside!

the view from our room

the endless mojitos (minus the alcohol, of course)

shell collecting

ahhhh, just another relaxing day in mexico

it was all in celebration of judy's bday

it didn't take much for judy to convince me to go to mexico with her to celebrate her bday. she invited chris and wendy (judy and i have known chris since we were young and his wife wendy is icing on the cake - you've never hung out with a funner group of people, if i do say so myself)!

so she planned a 6 day vacation for us at the sandos resort and spa in playa del carmen - and WOW what a vacation!! this is an all you can eat resort, with 5 "five-star" restaurants and many buffets, pools, endless drinks and guac with chips, beautiful rooms, entertainment nightly, a kids club, spa, gym, disco, shops, bikes to take around the town, awesome service, unbelievable food, and the warmest, clearest water ever. all for ONE price!!! when you're in...you're in and you don't pay anything til you leave the resort and pay the shuttle to the airport - which will be the sadest day ever! you all MUST go. really.

well all good things must come to an end but they haven't seen the last of me in mexico!

taking dad and the boys to the laguna beach sawdust festival

visiting with cousin liz in san fran

me with my dear friend charmaine at her daughters wedding - look at what a creative reception they had...you gotta love a summer wedding at night and that huge dessert table!

with the boys at the getty village in malibu

the sun rises as we return home on a ride from utah for the 4th with the tylers, of course!

i love trees

i HAD to take this photo when i turned and recognized how lauren and ethans hair matched

the color of the mountains

this was a very tiring hike up but isn't it cool looking?

it was sad to witness just how much the bark beetle has destroyed

so many trees in the utah mountains

before school ended i took lauren and 2 friends for a weekend get-a-way in palm springs

and this was spa night for the girls

and this is a photo of my big butt and it's also the

photo that convinced me that i needed to join weight watchers!

gag me with a spoon! wire my mouth shut! buy me a bottle of laxatives - ewe gross!

ethan with his teacher at his 5th grade promotion

evan's class had a last day poem party where he had to

memorize and recite at least 7 poems!!

i don't mean to boast but i love (loved) how our bedroom overlooks

a very lush backyard - with the tree and it's shade now gone

i'm thinking it's not gonna be as beautiful, peaceful, shady, or private.

guess it's time to move to another house now!

and this is the beginning of a great memorial day weekend in st. george with the

tylers, heims, and knute with his boys

our favorite part of this weekend? the food!

evan did this the first 10 minutes we were there, of course.

our visit to the l.a. museums with the boys

the boys really loved their long(er) hair

ya know, there's not anything that i feel i really want or need. all i could possibly want, i have ~ a beautiful family, our health, a stable home life, ian's job, surrounded by family, the best of friends, and a relegion that has paved the way for how i live my life.

truly, i am a blessed woman.

baby love...

2010-08-04T00:09:00.000-07:00

i saw this photo on a blog i frequent and it TOTALLY made me wanna have a baby!!! i froze when i saw it and gasped for air! then i remembered that my ob told me, last visit, that my ovaries are shriveled up, i have no estrogen - well not enough to ovulate and make a baby, and that i'm going thru early menopause. now, that's sad. sad because this baby makes me wish i was 10 yrs younger.

i can't help myself...

2010-08-03T23:25:00.000-07:00

there's something so beautiful to me about the sky, and clouds, and color, and it's wide open spaces. i love the sparkle of the sun on water. i love the beach.

so i don't even remember where i got this photo from...but i loved this romantic, love tent. pretend the Christmas tree isn't there and imagine a romantic evening. nice.

once a month...

2010-08-03T15:35:00.000-07:00

i love this 1930 summer prints. i don't think the beach and summer were too different than they are now to the little ones. i have the best memories of going and getting scorched. there was no sunblock back then!

this summer we have gone to the beach once! ONCE! and that was at 5pm after we were done with our visit to the getty villa. so, tomorrow i will pack up half the house and go. i can't wait. i could use some color and the kids could use some sand, sun, and surf. living in so. cal. is the best!

i understand that for many, school starts next week!? that sucks. we are just at the half way mark of our summer. we go back sept. 14th! i feel like we're just getting started, really. i was thinking about some of my summer plans and how they've gone out the window...

i had the great idea of hiking every morning at 6am - ya, that happens once a week, maybe.

i had the great idea of joining weight watchers and losing 10 pounds by the time i go to mexico - that's not working out either.

i had the great idea of painting rooms in the house, purging the garage, organizing the computer room, finishing the bathroom makeover, and other projects you do when you have a home - i haven't gotten to doing much of what i had planned. my heck we haven't even taken a family vacation. i think this will be our first summer stay~cation, which is just fine. lil' weekend trips are good too.

i had planned with the kids (on our memorial day get-a-way) "10 weeks of mommy camp" - which meant a different theme for each week of things they wanted to do - and i would be the camp counselor. i will probably lose my job soon.

week 1 - book club camp

week 2 - art camp

week 3 - baking/cooking camp

week 4 - basic skills/survival camp

week 5 - nature camp

week 6 - i'm gone that week so they get to do exactly what they've actually been doing all the

other weeks!

week 7 - fitness camp

week 8 - finance/money camp

week 9 - oh, i guess that was it!

hey, a mother can try.

i think i will be posting, from now on, once a month. like...the first week of the month. seems like thats all i'm capable of doing right now. i'm busy being a mom and wife and friend. i like it. i'd much rather check out other fun blogs (at 11pm) than write on my own. doesn't it seem like everyone else's life is funner? i'm wiser than to think they are. besides, my husband can't stand me taking up time on the computer and away from the family. this week he is gone with lauren so i think i will put the boys to bed and catch up on some posts that i've been meaning to publish. i sure do love summer.

Seriously?

2010-07-06T16:11:00.000-07:00

i would love to be an innovative and creative baker. i would love to come up with out-of-this-world, mouth-watering, eye-bulging, and unbelievable creations such as these! instead, i copy. i think i will make the cake for one of my gay friends on their bday (just kidding). it could even be made in different tones of the same color! hey! now that wuz my idea.

if i still had a little girl i would make these fairy cupcakes too. oooh.

Time to catch up

2010-07-06T15:41:00.000-07:00

this is where i will be vacationing, alone, for the month of july. in my dreams, of course.

i'm so busy (not really) reading other blogs that i don't have time to post on my own. i may make the time this week, since school is over and i should have the time. but too many projects going on around here!

i'd like to post about memorial day (hello! only over a month ago), and the end of school year events, and taking lauren to palm springs, and 4th of july, and life!

it comes and goes and the dayz just seem to whiz by.

our summer is just "full" enough. lauren is doing a school performance and gone everyday. she'll also do girls camp. ethan will do scout camp. evan...just wants to be home. both boyz will do swim and art and goose even wants to do guitar. i told them we would "play" school this summer so i went and got them the bridging workbooks for each of them to work on. i'm really gonna have to load up on tons of candy for that to happen!! oh, and we've got cavities to fill...so maybe not so much candy.

no real summer trips. we just got back from one and we may try to sneak in one to lake tahoe at summer's end. i...on the other hand...get to have MY VERY OWN SUMMER VACATION this year. judy and i will be going to cancun...alone!! no husbands. no kids. no schedule, backpacks with snacks to carry, whining kids, bored kids, or fighting about what "we're gonna do today"...kind of vacation! can't wait. so that now means only one thing...shedding 10 packed on pounds so i can pull and yank my body into a bikini. a bikini??? yes. judy said that "everyone" wears one in cancun and that if i don't ~ i will get laughed at! i prefer to be a "peculilar people" and not wear one. but...i'd also like an incentive to lose some poundage left over from the holiday's and squeeze into one. hmmm...we'll see judy.

i'll be downloading tons of photos this week to post our latest adventures.

i'm SO dang glad it's summer!

You must

2010-06-09T17:05:00.001-07:00

...i say MUST check out this awesome blog:

www.thecookingphotographer.com

she photographs the most unbelievable dishes/recipes she makes
and they are to....die....for!

It's almost...

2010-06-09T08:50:00.000-07:00

time to be done with early morning screaming. and laziness. and making breakfasts no one likes. and lunches no one wants to eat. and getting to school on time.

summer. yes, i can't believe it's almost summer. i went over some ideas with the kids over memorial day wkend of what we wanna do. i think we've come up with a creative plan. we're gonna try to have a different theme each week and do activities that go with that theme. mama can't wait for summer.

done. yes. this bathroom is almost done. i love what gabe has done.

there are still some details i need to work on - the mirror, cabinet, towel hooks and shelves. so it still looks like a sterile hospital room but i'm really thrilled with how it came out. ahhhhh. i'm sure my early ancestors are rolling in their graves as just having an outhouse on their property was a big deal. now we worship the throne with thousands of dollars and elaborate details. they have become our sanctuaries and salons. we are indeed a blessed people!!!

Apricot time

2010-06-06T23:50:00.000-07:00

this is the tree
that bears the fruit

that falls to the ground

that gets picked and preserved

by suzy homemaker

now i know this looks like chicken but it's really german pancakes all fluffy and full of butter and you make it like this...

1 cube of butter melted in a 9x13 pan @400

3/4c flour

3/4c milk

4 eggs

mix and add to pan with melted butter and bake til it looks like this

enjoy with cinnamon/sugar or powdered sugar or syrup or all of the above!

Family gatherings

2010-06-05T11:57:00.000-07:00

so here are some photos from a recent family gathering, in celebration of my sisters bdays, both in may. my siblings, dad, aunt, cousin and the glorious children. good food. good laughs. great memories.

yes. the cake fell apart when i removed it from the pan. but i was serving family. so who cares if its cracked and broken up. we scarfed it down in no time flat!

this was my fav. a lemon cake with homemade lemon flavored frosting. homemade. no duh.

it's coming along!

2010-05-19T09:18:00.000-07:00

this photo doesn't do justice for the pretty marble floor but it looks much nicer in person

gabe is doing a fabulous job and i can't wait to sit in that tub with a lit candle and a vase of flowers on the vanity while i sip a cold one on the rocks! bubbles included. and the door locked. and some music. all the while the kids will be beating eachother in the hall, screaming for me, pounding on the door, and finally getting me furious enough that i will have to end my spa session, get out of the tub butt naked, and bust open the bathroom door to them all as i run after each with a wet towel in hand ready to burn their butts!!!!!

downtown l.a. art walk festival

2010-05-19T08:43:00.000-07:00

my favorite group this past year - BLACK EYED PEAS

this is my nephew and his best friend who are young, hot d.j.'s on the hip-hop scene. they opened up for my brother's band who played at the "downtown l.a.'s art walk" last week. my sister and i went to support the boys and our brother. it was a "rockin' hot party"! kiki and josh played an 80's mix for the opening act and everyone was dancing and coming up to them, telling them they were great d.j.'s for being in high school still... the fun tid-bit is that josh is the son of taboo, who is one of the singers for black eyed peas (the mexican singer in the white jacket with long hair in the photo above). i took josh home after their gig last week and talked to him all about girls and dating and their prom. and now, i know where taboo lives. not too far from me. not that anyone cares but it's fun if you like the band like i do! them d.j.'s know how to get it on!!!

this is my bro gabe as he jams to the audience. it was seriously a fun night. sarah and i esp. loved people watching. let me tell you - here in l.a. there is plenty to see on the people scene and there is always a look that you say "oh my gosh, can you believe they left the house looking like that??? we laughed and ate and danced. i love living close to my family.

and on the way to the car we spotted this HUGE cockroach!! i swear it was 4-5 inches long!

neck candy

2010-05-14T21:34:00.000-07:00

i love necklaces, as you can see. the past couple of yrs. i've induldged in a couple that i just couldn't resist.

this past mothers day i told ian not to buy me a thing! i only wanted the kids to give me the sweet gifts they'd made at school. and then something unexpected happened. (ya right). i stopped into a boutique in monrovia and spotted a necklace i just loved. i thought to myself, "well i guess ian could give me something if he really wants to"... and i bought a pretty necklace. then i saw the matching earrings. i bought those too. you can imagine ian's surprise when i showed him what he bought me! it's the first necklace in this post. good choice daddy-o!

is it summer yet?

2010-05-12T15:43:00.000-07:00

yes, i know i've asked this question before but i'm obviously a little anxious...

i can't wait to go to the beach and just chill.

i can't wait to make lemonade from fresh lemons picked from someone else's tree.

i can't wait to fill the rooms with fresh flowers from my garden (and from random places that i see when i'm driving that i don't think is illegal to do as long as it's a public place??)

i can't wait to sleep in and not make the kids hustle.

i can't wait to get some color on my legs and hide the veins and bruises.

i can't wait to take some family get-a-ways...

and i can't wait for the freakin' bathroom to be DONE!!!!

oh, and by the way....today i got my hair straightened, semi-permanently, by the ever so lovely kelly, now at union station, and i LOOOOOOOVE IT !!!! it makes me feel like a young thang.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY...

2010-05-09T00:41:00.001-07:00

to the two most special mom's...

my very own

and

my sweet mother in law who now rests in peace

i know i am so very blessed. i love you mom.

me n' my big mouth...

2010-05-08T23:46:00.000-07:00

so last MOTHERS DAY was ian's 1st as bishop. their idea for a gift for the women was a 2 inch potted plant. really now. i was a little surprised or shall i say "annoyed" that i wasn't getting chocolate. well i decided that moment that "next" year i was in charge!!! soooo....as of a couple of days ago i still didn't know what the heck i was gonna put together for some 100 plus women!!!!! why do i do this to myself?? i went to a million stores for inspiration. then i was at party city for cinco de mayo stuff and came across this mini take out box - pink with white dots. i had it!!! fill em' with trader joes "french" truffles and add a ribbon with a lovely poem. of course i spent forever looking for thee perfect poem. not too sappy, corny, too directed at motherhood, or sounding like a kid wrote it. it is old and i call it a "vintage poem". look it up on google. it's called "Gods helpers".

so i got the candy, boxes, ribbon, liner, pretty paper, and sat down for half the day putting them together. with some help from the family of course. i even said to them that we should do this together every mother's day. you see, when i am creating, i am happy. i loved doing this. really.

every mother's day that i have been a mommy i always said to myself "this is my day to show just how much i love them and to be the best mommy i can be". when they were just little i would always buy a new book about mommy's and read it to them and give up my anal hang ups for a day.

i don't buy a new book anymore but i still try to give up my hangups for a day. i love that they get up early to make me my special breakfast in bed. i love that they are sooo excited to give me the "special" gifts they made at school. i love those gifts more than ANYTHING they would ever pick out in the stores. the gifts they make can not be bought for any price and i look forward all year to see what their little hands have created. i always cry and they know that i will be emotional. i am so predictable!

tonight as i was folding laundry i looked at evan's little t shirt and socks and undies and thought to myself "suzy just treasure this time...it will end all too soon". i realized that one day their clothes won't be little. that one day i would be folding all adult size clothes and i almost couldn't bare the thought! it made me enjoy folding and looking at his dirty, stained, and torn clothes. one day it just won't be this way. one day they will all be big people. one day they won't be so innocent. one day they won't ask me for help anymore. one day they won't crawl onto my lap anymore. one day they won't even be able to jump onto my back and ask me for a piggy back ride. the tears flow. i can't imagine this. i want them to stay little. i love their little hands. i love making their meals and working in their classes. i love seeing them perform and seeing thier little kid handwriting. i love it when i'm cleaning their rooms and find their treasures and hidden candy wrappers under their pillow. i just love being their mom. i know they can't stay little forever. i know that one day they each will leave and my nest will be empty. until that day i will love doing their laundry, washing their dishes, making their meals, being their taxi driver, helping with homework, cleaning their rooms, and taking family vacations. i just love every day that i get to be their MOMMY. to me...every day is mother's day.

just stuff...

2010-05-08T22:51:00.000-07:00

gabe and tony - contractor & his caddy

oh ya...making some progress

and i am so loving it - ian said it looks like a hospital - whatever

gabe had this idea of making the shower nook look like a window frame and i didn't get it. he said just trust me suz' and i said o.k....i so love what he envisioned.

i know it's not done and not too fun for you as much as it is for me, but after almost 3 months i am so excited to see this much progress taking place! i love how the marble has different shades to it and now i'm even more confused about what color to paint the walls, vanity, and mirror.

lauren was in a hit production "the age of aquarius" at her middle school this past week and it was such a great production!!! we were so proud of her. she had one of the lead singing roles and did so beautifully. i can't believe my girl can sing so lovely considering the fact that neither of her parents can hold a tune. all the kids were so funny and so entertaining. i'm so proud of her!!!

this is one of my favorite roses in the yard. it smells so amazing.

so i was at my favorite nursery the other day and i looked down and spotted this plant with dew all over it and it just sparkled as if it had diamonds all over it! i got down on my knees and bent over and couldn't pull myself away and then i thought i'll just go home and get my camera. well i did just that and took a bunch of shots and i'm so glad i did...aren't these water droplets pretty?

ward camp out

2010-04-28T17:39:00.000-07:00

this past weekend the ward had a camp out at leo carrillo state beach - in malibu. it was gorgeous. the weather was great. the fire was warm. the kids were dirty and ran around like wild indians. we all slept like babies. it was way too short. but worth the hours of packing and unpacking - setting up and tearing down camp...all in 24 hours.

after the campout we went to the beach for the day and found lots of treasures in the tidepools. who would guess that one minute you're in the mountains, surrounded by wildlife, trees, dirt, and trails...and the next minute (literally), after crossing the street, you are at the beach - smelling the surf, sand, and enjoying sea life and the water.

yup...i'm pretty sure we're sticking around california for a while!

Airstream love

2010-04-25T22:04:00.000-07:00

for a couple of years now i have had my eye on an airstream. at first i thought i wanted a new one ~ they are oh so nice and updated with every bell and whistle you'd ever want your "home away from home" to have. i could camp ANYWHERE as long as i could stay in an AIRSTREAM.

and then i started looking at remodeled ones and refurbished ones and vintage ones. oh my. i can't make up my mind. of course it's not in our budget to buy one, first comes our "real home" makeover, but one day i hope to lay in one that is "our" very own.

here are some sites where i found some neat ones to look at:

http://www.theshadydell.com/

http://www.vintagetrailercrazy.com/

http://www.poetichome.com/2008/08/18/vintage-airstreams-re-purposed-into-creative-spaces/

http://www.silvertrailer.com/

http://www.poetichome.com/2010/01/19/an-airstream-ingeniously-repurposed-into-a-library/

http://manolohome.com/2009/12/29/airstream-living-on-the-chic/

pretty

2010-04-25T21:36:00.000-07:00

i'm obviously thinking about the bathroom re-do and wondering if i'm gonna love what i've chosen.

the laundry baskets? i just think they're so vintage pretty and can just see my kids putting eachother in them and pushing eachother all over the house - putting me in a completely foul mood and then breaking them. those pretty things wouldn't last a day around here...

san diego

2010-04-21T16:57:00.001-07:00

we saw lots of beautiful flowers, native landscape, and spanish architecture

we went to balboa park and visited museums and saw movies and walked and walked

we went to a strawberry field and picked lots of berries - but they're not all that good...

and we saw this girl in this HIDIOUS dress and i had to snap a shot - a quinciniera of course

last week was spring break and we took the kids to san diego for a couple of days. we went to the new mormon batallion center and it was fabulous. then we walked around the old downtown and had fresh tortillas.

it was a fun time and i think we all felt rejuvinated and really enjoyed being together!

still not done...

2010-04-21T16:43:00.001-07:00

well as you can see the bathroom continues to look like a remodel, which is, because it is. that's what happens when your brother is kind enough to do it at a discount! but...we're hoping to be done in 2 wks. it was much uglier looking last week but with the patching getting done on the walls i can now stand to open the door and look at it.

getting it done has inspired me to get a lot of painting done around here and do some minor facelifts in other rooms. but i'm gonna wait til this is done. i can't wait.

is there such a thing as a home that isn't a money pit?

Forever 41

2010-04-07T07:44:00.000-07:00

i can't even compete with 21 anymore and truthfully it was a horrid age and time for me.

31? i had it goin' on in my 30's.

41? that age is a couple of years behind me but now i'm racing against the clock. i've come to the conclusion that getting older is gonna be expensive!

thought of the day...

2010-04-05T10:17:00.000-07:00

women are angels ~

and when someone breaks our wings ~

we simply continue to fly ~

on a broomstick ~

we are flexible.

this blog has been last on the list...

2010-03-31T23:01:00.000-07:00

...obviously. but i have lots to share.

the bathroom remodel...it's still in the "gutted" stage - what a drag.

i have some good recipes to post. tomorrow. maybe.

lauren and ethan got braces last week. i wish i'd get braces so i wouldn't be able to eat.

the flowers are in bloom and smell so good in the backyard.

i can't lose weight.

facials really do work!

i'm gonna professionally straighten my hair.

i keep rearranging my whole house. that only means one thing...boredom.

i'm staying creative, making necklaces.

i found a couple of great thrift stores in pasadena and got some great junk.

i'm tired and going to bed. will post later this week!

BROWSING

2010-03-05T13:31:00.000-08:00

...for some things i'd like to have ~ especially the urns. i'd like some big ones for our front porch and who couldn't use a purple purse? i'd love to have these chairs with a new dining table too. i want, i want, i want...if i were blind would i WANT so much?

PISMO BEACH

2010-03-02T23:11:00.000-08:00

this past weekend i took the kids to pismo beach by myself. it stormed all the way there but was clear and sunny by the time we got to to hotel. perfect.

it was breath taking. we spent the afternoon on the beach. we were in heaven.

then we went to santa barbara. i let them ditch school since monday's are short days anyway. it was worth it. it was one of the funnest days we've had together. sometimes it's rewarding to cut loose and bend the rules. not break the rules, but just be flexible enough to teach them lessons in ways and with experiences they wouldn't otherwise have. we spent hours at the santa barbara museum of history and it was the best little/quaint museum we have ever been to. so much to learn and see at such a cute little place. very worth the ditch!

more to come later.

FINALLY A STICKER...that says it all

2010-02-25T22:11:00.000-08:00

i died of laughter when i saw these and vromans and had to buy them! now of course i love my little angels, but there are indeed moments when i feel like one of these stickers!

I LOVE MAGAZINES

2010-02-25T21:58:00.000-08:00

they grab me and suck me right in every time i'm standing in line at the grocery store or target. i'm a sucker for a magazine. just this past week i saw one again. "kitchen and bath remodel". since we're in the midst of a bathroom remodel i thought i had to get it. $8 dollars later and i thought to myself, "how do i justify buying another one"? and i then realized that while many other folks are hiring interior designers and decorators and all these contractors...i'm not. i'm actually saving money. i'm using a designer thru a magazine so they are actually an investment for me - all these magazines!

...and justify, i did.

who needs a designer when you've got a million magazines, anyway?

GLAMPING

2010-02-25T21:22:00.000-08:00

this is just the prettiest lampshade ever and the rest of the place is pretty darn nice too

o.k., back to the title of "GLAMPING"...

this is what it looks like from the outside...

this is what one of the glamorous tents looks like on the inside...

this photo was posted in the wrong place but this is an idea of glamping...

another closer up photo of this glamping resort...

and i think this tent would be my number one choice to stay in. who wouldn't wanna wake up in this bed, with this view??? surrounded by the ocean and can you see that tub in the room just to the left? sign me up...

this is a word i just discovered yesterday as i was flipping thru 'sunset' magazine. i came across luxury tent camping where "glamour" and "camping" come together. the best of "glamping" was found at the above beautiful place in vancouver:

http://www.rockwatersecretcoveresort.com/

what i wouldn't give to be there right now.

Today and other days

2010-02-23T21:43:00.000-08:00

today i went with evan on a class field trip to the zoo. it was actually a beautiful day. i'm not a huge fan of the zoo (or disneyland) but if it makes the kids happy then i want to be there

my favorite exhibit is the gorillas. they are a crack up to watch ~ check out that huge butt!

this peacock gave us a very colorful show, too bad my camera sucks

last week...i began doing this intense hike on every free morning i have. it is a hard workout and it really works my butt and thighs. i decided i found my new love ~ hiking. it smells so amazing on the trail. the view is breath taking. the workout is mighty. the cost...free. i cancelled my gym membership.

when i get to the top of my destination i sit and enjoy the view. this is the view.

this is some of the hike and the trail i follow. ian took me on it last week. he rode his bike up and i hiked it. why did it take me so long to find this workout?

evan and friends

ethan and his best friend noah. they are two peas in a pod and are inseperable.

here is goose and ellie. the third amigo, cassie, isn't in this photo but they too are inseperable.

i'm so glad that my kids have found real friendships. my childhood friends and i shared thee best of times and i have lasting memories. and i still have those friendships. i hope my kids stay kids for a very long time.

Bloom

2010-02-23T20:52:00.000-08:00

it's beginning to feel like spring and look like spring all over southern california and i couldn't be happier

this image doesn't do justice for this beautiful celery colored jacket from jcrew, which i want

i think this moss wreath is so lovely for an easter door decor and i think its from william-sonoma

i thought this would be a lovely invite for the relief society garden party and i would add come see what's in bloom in our garden...but i would be refering to something other than flowers

my favorite ~ hydranga's ~ look beautiful anywhere, anytime of the year

now this is probably one of the most beautiful arrangements i have ever seen ~ lovely!

gotta love a purple arrangement

o.k. now if you look closely these are lemon and orange peels that have been dried ~ clever?

today evan and i went to the zoo and all i noticed were the pretty blossoms everywhere

i've been doing this very intense hike lately up a local canyon, and on the way down i noticed all these beautiful purple flowers

ethan took this photo for me. you can't see the detail of this narcissus/paperwhite flower, but it is so pretty and the scent is even more unbelievable. it is called a bridal paperwhite and is double in it's blossoms. i wish it lasted longer than a couple of weeks...

Feeling Blue

2010-02-23T20:31:00.001-08:00

i said that once evan turned 13 i would begin to transform my home into a "white house" ~ walls, furniture, slip covers, towels, bedding ~ it's just not practical right now.

then i decided i wanted hints of blue cuz white can be too...i don't know...lacking in personality. and blue is so beautiful to me. soo calming, soothing, relaxing, beachy, crisp, and clean.

but i am feeling like i just can't wait 6 more years to begin transformation!

i love this entry way but i'd like the floor to be darker

oh and i really, really love this laundry room but, again, darker floors

this bathroom is not my style, per say, but i do love the color scheme

o.k. now this is a slab of marble that i fell in love with~and these photos just don't do justice for what it really looks like up close. i am really considering this for my future kitchen. it has such a variety of color in it ~ white, blues of all beachy tones, greys, and sand color!

it really actually looks like clouds in the sky

i did wanna do it in the bathroom. thing is, is that you have to buy it by the slab and the slab is like 100 inches by 75 inches and i just don't have a bathroom that huge! kitchen fo' sure.

NEW YEARS DAY

2010-02-21T16:24:00.000-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

yes, i am well aware that it is almost march but i forgot to post our very fun new years!

the tylers and the tervets do new years day on the parade route together

this is how far we were from the procession and as you can see evan could care less about what was going on. i think my legs fell asleep not long after this photo was taken!

judy reminded me that this was our 30 yr anniversary of celebrating new years together. 30 yrs ago my dad took us to the route and we slept on the bleachers and stayed up till all hours of the night. needless to say we didn't do that this year. we could barely keep awake and as soon as the midnight festivities were over...we were OUT!

this is my favorite photo! this just shouts out PARTY to me!

judy got the kids non-alcoholic drinks and candy cigarettes that puff and they loved it

whats new years without silly string and marshmellows thrown into your car

new years has gotta be the funnest thing ever here in PASADENA. i can't imagine not being here for new years to bring in every new year with a BOOM-BANG par-tay.

and the remodel continues...

2010-02-15T09:51:00.000-08:00

this is the furniture piece that will become the vanity

fear not...it will be painted and antiqued. me really like the curves.

and the feet. too bad i didn't get a claw foot tub.

the top will have a slab of marble on top and an undermount sink

this is a huge mirror that will also be painted.

this is the "pillow marble" tile that i finally picked out after much vasculating.

i'm goin' with the subway for the shower and 12 x 12 for the floors.

then i picked this out for the shower nook and vanity backsplash.

it's really pretty and reminds me of the ocean. i decided to go for an ocean feel and wanted a hint of blue and green, grey hint like the beach and i was gonna do a sand colored tile for the floors to seem like you were walking on sand, but i couldn't find anything i loved. i'm just lucky to do it.

THAT'S AMORE

2010-02-14T23:05:00.000-08:00

Mental Clarity

2010-02-11T10:25:00.000-08:00

i came to a realization of something the other day...

when we are overwhelmed, consumed, too busy, obsessed with things... we loose that "clarity" and "open space" our minds and brains need for new ideas and inspiration. we need clarity and mental down time for processing "clearance" and time in our minds, thoughts, brains, intellect... to be inspired, thought provoked, gain insight, grasp ideas, and connect with our creative side so we can process ideas, find answers, hear/listen/feel.

i feel I need to stop being so consumed with this and that and doing so much. i guess i feel it's just time to CLEAR THE MENTAL CLUTTER and stop obsessing over stuff (weight, gym, work, house, chores, activities, lists...).

i've begun to let things go...just a little...for starters. i've modified my lists and things i'm involved in and things i obsess over. a lot has to do with how much my family needs me. let's just say it's kinda seasonal. kind of. this is my season to be a giver but i need to fill my well.

the clarity is coming. when i am alone and out in nature i feel the clarity the most, accompanied by inspiration. also, when i do the dishes and fold the laundry, i have the same results.

somehow i hope my little ones will learn this from me. life can be too busy for them already.

The MIDDLE Ages

2010-02-11T10:24:00.002-08:00

this is defined as a time in your life when you are no longer in your 30's, are creeping into your 40's, and yet not quite 60.

i think i realized why it's the middle aged years - except for the obvious - it's because everything creeps towards the middle.

really. it sucks. i've noticed extra layers on my stomach. i can say i have a muffin top. thanks to "high rise" jeans - everything spills right over the waist of them and that makes for a thick waistline. love handles. boobs sag and droop and blend into the tummy problems. good thing i don't have any.

even the whole "mid life crisis" thing is making sense to me now. for crying out loud it is a crisis! i haven't even touched on the topic of the big butt...and i won't even go there. it may be on the back side, but it is the middle too. and the hips. it's hard to watch your body transform into something you can't quite identify. it should be called the "transformation age". only we can't transform back...

listen, i may complain a whole lot - but i am quite aware of the fact that "it could always be worse". always.

i'm gonna go find some chocolate now.

Passion vs patience

2010-02-11T10:24:00.001-08:00

i was thinking the other day about a friend of mine who also happens to be my dentist. she is a very wise woman with 6 grown kids - missions, college, temple marriages and kids. her girls were in my y/w classes when i was a newly wed. i love this lady and her advice and wisdom.

i have observed her many a time under stressful situations and pressure. and many times when i find myself under pressure or ready to blow up i think of this dear friend, amy.

i really pondered this the other morning. this is what i was thinking...

i am a pretty passionate person. so are the italians. and the mexican soap operas. i lived with an italian gal once, for a couple of years. that was passion thru and thru - the yelling and the emotions and the love and the thinking with your heart.

amy has patience. i do not. she is chinese. i am not. she and howard raised 6 kids. i soo am not. but just her way of thinking is different than mine.
case and point:

1. she listens first, she may "gasp" at an alarming statement or situation
i just yell "WHAT" and i don't even think to listen

2. she thinks before she speaks and methodically goes thru a situation before she reacts,
acts, replies
i don't think at all. i just react. with my emotions. i don't ponder first and i wish i did

3. she will talk and engage on a rational level to agree on a solution
i don't know how to talk in a rational format and i tend to over exagerate

so as i thought about this and how i handle things i thought, "maybe i need to hang out with my chinese friends more, maybe i could learn a thing or two, maybe in realizing this - i already have and maybe i just need to learn to apply it. now i'm not saying that italians and mexicans aren't patient. i'm just saying they are passionate. i am passionate. i react with passion and not a lot of patience. does that make sense?

i will give myself credit though and say that i am currently learning how to think before i react. sometimes it's just out of "shock". but i am really making more of an effort to be patient and if i find myself acting like a character in a spanish soap opera ~ i just close my eyes and try to calm down and rethink my reaction. it helps. it's hard being passionate. it's good to have patience.