Seriously...

I know I should be very thankful that I have a job. I mean.. I am thankful. I am thankful to have a job in healthcare where my career is a necessity. It still amazes me how bad a patient can look, they get better, and they say, "what happened to me???" And I just want to tell them, "you have no idea! you were at the light, but came back!" Or a patient who literally we thought was gone, come back to life. Its very gratifying to know how bad they looked, and yet walk out of the hospital. So yes, I honestly do love what I do. These patients give me hope.... That as bad as this economy is, patients have another chance - and its life.

I know i should not have any complaints at all... but seriously! I guess it can get to me when you hear people talk and say that they didn't get a decent raise - when if fact they should be happy to have a job let alone a raise. When there are people out there without a job, without an income, and all they have is hope.

So on another note. I  have  a 4 day stretch off (with the exception of a few meetings for work). Its time for the kids activities. Its hip hop class tonight. Its still snowing- just not sticking thank goodness!  And its date night....

Living our Saturday

Finished reading the Last Lecture. And it will be one of my favorite books that I've read. (I'm giggling because I don't read many books so I don't have many to choose from.) Anyhow, i'm glad that I read it before watching the actual lecture. It was beyond inspiring and admiring.

So our Saturday was quite productive. Ashton had a game today, and it was one of his better games. 43-40 and he scored 13 points in which 2 points tied the game, 2 points gave his team the lead, and his final free throw gave his team a solid win.  It was a sweeter game, having Bobby coach his team, while I was the official score keeper. Lately, its been one of my responsibilities during game day. Luckily, Jadeline has made some friends who are preoccupied with girl stuff. 

On Saturdays, Bobby finishes the laundry (yes, I have nothing to do with laundry - remember the set of clothes i messed up? ). He also took 6 bags of cans/bottles to recycle. I would have normally given the bags to the boy scouts  to donate, but they didn't come around. Bobby has more patience to take the time to recycle them at WinCo's - i just find it dirty.  

And you know what i saw today that almost made me cry? Snow! It began to snow in PDX, thank goodness it did not stick.  And by the way, that moment of almost crying was not out of happiness. More about sadness that we could go thru that snow storm again. Ahem, and its because we just picked up the Rav4. That car repair was a lot $$$$$ .... $$$ that was not in the budget.  Yet, its nice to have a husband who knows how to take that stress out of me.  When I saw snow, he saw sadness and stress in my face. But he also saw Krispy Kreme's which he knew would make me forget that snow... He was right.

Around here.

 .. . .lots of basketball games. 5 games - 1 practice, and another game tomorrow.

. . . Staying awake with Starbucks coffee. Yum!

. . .  Daily loves. Fishy kisses.

  . . .and finally get this fixed! Its still in the shop. Did i forget to mention that I gave myself a very expensive Christmas present? On Xmas eve, i spun on some ice driving home, did one 360, and gently hit a curb. Now this expensive xmas gift (a very costly car repair), awaits for me to pick it up. Grr... I know, my mechanic said just that, "Its not suppose to look like that!"

16 things about me

16 things about me right now...

1. I love being a mom. I love experiencing unconditional love from them. Its pure and genuine.
2. Seafood. If i had a choice i could eat just seafood all the time. Crab. Shrimp. Fish (particularly salmon and i do like raw fish for sushi). Spiny lobster.
3. I am a card person. I don't need a gift or present. But i enjoy cards. And I do keep most of them. They make it into my scrapbooks or i keep them in a box.
4. I have a goal to someday vacation on a cruise. Where or when I really don't know. But i'm always fascinated at looking at other people's photos . Its something i'd want to do.
5. I believe that Disneyland is magic even at my age. Its a magical place. I feel like I'm the biggest kid there. 
6. I have a sweet tooth. And I believe that I was born that way. And yes, I was already eating Godiva chocolate at 10 years old. A huge sweet tooth, enough to wonder why dessert is always at the end of a meal and not the beginning.
7. I believe in true love. And I'm lucky to have a husband who knows how to love me. I think we all should experience this feeling sometime in our life. Bobby knows how to make me smile, make me laugh, knows what dessert i like, and knows how to push my button. And still today, when i look at him he's still handsome in my eyes and I  truly love him.
8. I enjoy making stuff. I like having or giving things that no one can find anywhere else. In a way i guess i like to be original.
9. I have an 'addiction' to coffee. I need a cup everyday. Without it, i get an awful headache.
10. I was born a night person. My mom use to tell me that I could sleep all day. But I sure would be awake all night keeping her up with me.
11. I am not, by no means an athlete, but i enjoy watching sports - football, basketball, and baseball.
12. I love taking pictures. I would like to someday, take a professional photography class. 
13. I wish i had 'radiant' skin. I've always had blemishes. I've always had pimples. Can't stand them. If i had the $, i would do whatever it takes to not get pimples.
14. I cherish and adore my sisters. Often times we don't agree on things, but they are still my sisters and I'm thankful to have them in my life.
15. I am afraid to lose my mom and dad. I see my children and myself getting older. But its hard to accept that my parents are also aging. Moms and dads are suppose to be in your life no matter what.
16. I get tickled when someone tells me that Jadeline  is a mini me. Who would ever thought i could create a life that really looked like me. Just wish she was born with her dads nose and curly hair.

Chantix

Go figure when you have a husband who smokes. You'd think I'd be able to have him quit long time ago when I work with patients with lung problems due to smoking. It doesn't matter how much you can tell anyone to 'just quit', that its not good for your health, that he should quit for his children and I, and I personally refuse to drag an oxygen tank around when we get older. Because I know better. Its a habit and addiction that he had to choose to do by himself. All I can do is support his decision.

I'm not sure if he just woke up one day and decided to quit. Well you know how that can go. And i simply said, if he was serious about this, he had to call his doctor and set up an appointment. That big day was on 1/14 - just last week. That same day we picked up his prescription for Chantix - can you believe we had no copay!! 

So far he is doing very well. On this drug, he can continue to smoke. We also bought a pack of cigarettes that day - which was the last time he has bought a pack. Its working amazingly great - so far.  . . .  

How has it been for the family? Bobby smells so much better. There was a time when we got lost looking for a restaurant to meet friends. We both were frustrated, and you have no idea how much i bit on my tongue to prevent me from saying, "just smoke a cigarette already!!!" The thought was there, but are you crazy, i didn't say it! 

the Brick Wall

I'm reading the Last Lecture, and so far its been humbling.

I'm stuck on his topic about his brick wall. I'm sure we have all of those but I'm sure a lot of them are also in our personal life.  . . "brick walls are there for people who don't want it bad enough." I've hit my brick wall, but now its a matter of bringing it down. And how do you do that?

Multitasking

Thursdays are tough!

• Jadeline: ballet class @5:15 and hip hop @6:00
• Ashton: Practice or game @5:30
• Bobby: pick him up at work @ 7:30
• Dinner: well today its left over night. Its old school spaghetti.
• For me: Cut fabric while having Mama Mia on DVD. Cutting is done! Now to get the sewing started. (figured if i can cut all the fabric i need for my projects, i can things actually completed).

Right now, i thought i'd organize all my photos on this computer. While I sit and wait for Jadeline finish dance. But wouldn't you know.. i can get on the internet from this dance studio.

Resolution update.

Forgot to mention how I'm doing with my resolutions.

1. Exercise. Yes, done.  Been working out at work. And tonight i'm working on my cardio at my hip hop class. Yes, you read that right. So quit laughing.
2. Create something once a month. That is definitely done! Anaheim scrapbook, thank you.
3. No fast food. Phew, thats the hardest one. Because that means I'm having to cook or put together more meals at home. So far so good.

Keeping busy.

.. .  again, life keeps me going . . .

Now that i've worked my almost 4 night stretch at work, its time for the family and me. ;)

What have we been doing since Saturday?

• First, get myself on a day schedule. Its school, meals, and homework.
• Date night @ Urban Fondue and Bartini. That was fun!! It didn't seem like it would be a lot, but after all the drinks, and dipping your food, it keeps you content.
• Another basketball game. But i huge lost for the boys. They lost by almost 30 points!! Not a great night.
• Been cutting material for projects. Getting ahead for February.
• Watched the movie, "Sex and the City"
• Received care package from Marie. Thanks Sis!! Love it!

SCRAPBOOKING

Part of my new year's resolution is to create 'something' once a month. An achievable goal - something i shouldn't fail at. Here is a great start: I put together an album about my trip to Anaheim last month.

a few pages from the album

This is the cover of the album.

How it began. My desk and a stack of 180 photos.

55-32 a win . . . for all of us.

Ashton had a game today. Always sweet when your child's team wins. Even better when your husband is the coach. BUT much more memorable when your other son who is with Grandma in Las Vegas, calls to see how his brothers game went. Something i want to remember forever. A moment which I'll keep in my heart.

She gets it from me.

I believe she gets this from me. But then again, i have to admit she has her own sense of style.  The blouse above is in fact a size 1-2 year old dress from Cinnamon Girl. She actually wore it as a dress at a wedding in Napa Valley when she wasn't one yet. (photo below taken May 4, 2004)

When she put this dress on last week she said, "Look mom, i made my dress into a shirt!" Okay, not bad,  a little tight, but she believed that she looked great! 

To understand this . . . I've always wanted a girl. Given we have 2 boys, stuck with jeans and shorts, no hair pins, no pink, and no dolls. So when Jadeline came along, I told myself she would wear dresses, I could dress her in pink (she loves pink and purple), I could brush and braid her hair, and we could craft and create together. She can be high maintenance - because i did that to myself. Bobby reminds me all the time, "You wanted a girl, there you go. She's a real life doll!" So now I have a daughter who dreads wearing jeans, who can live in dresses and tights every single day, who can't live without a headband in her hair, and when her mother insists that she must wear jeans - Jadeline has that crazy fashion sense to put a dress on over her jeans!

*Note: You must wonder why i have her 1 year old dress hanging in her closet? She gets a cinnamon girl dress every year. I've bought them or its passed down from her cousin Kimi. I plan to do  a little project with them.. just haven't got around to working on that quite yet.

NO FAST FOOD!

I decided to add something to my New Year's Resolution. We decided that we would not eat any type of fast food. Goal: no fast food for one month. (That includes McDonald's, Wendy's, BurgerKing, etc). 6 days and its been a great start. We even made hamburgers at home to get over any hamburger fix. Its not just a great health change, but a great habit to be creative with meals and snacks. I thought it would be hard when we step out and do errands, but its funny how we remind each other - "we either go now, so we can come back to eat lunch, OR leave after lunch." 6 days. . . 25 more days to go...

Ughh!! and sigh....

Sometimes work can get in the way. I know i need to be patient because it provides a wonderful and comfortable lifestyle for my family and I. But there are days when i would love to just be at home. . .  to do all this: 

I am so wanting to create stuff. I have a bunch of new fabric to sew up. (above photo taken by Jadeline who spotted the bolt of fabric that i have - the pink flower one). I had my camera in fabric depot; to entertain Jadeline, i told her to find the fabric i have at home and take a picture of it. Great eyes!!

Hunter got left over prime rib! Yum!!!

Yes, its snowing - AGAIN! I woke up at 330pm today and it was snowing! 

And sometimes I just want to stay home to do this. I inherited Ashton's Nintendo DS, to play Guitar Hero. It is addicting. I'm struggling playing on hard. Jadeline is playing her Little Pet Shop on her DS.

 

Resolutions . . .

New year - new resolutions! Last year, i was very hesitant to start a list of resolutions because i thought I was setting myself up for failure. But i did anyway, and i did pretty well.

• Maintain an organized craft desk. DONE. Kept that up, rearranged it, and bought a few used pieces to keep me organized.
• Scrapbook a page a month. KIND OF DONE. I chose to scrap a few pages a month to allow other craft projects. Sewing took a lot of my craft time.
• Be healthy. DONE. I thought i would just do the vitamin thing. Instead, started working out, and had a trainer with boot camp.

This year, i have a little different goals - and something more achievable so i won't fail.

• EXERCISE. Did i really type that? But if i can do some sort of exercise at a minimum of once a week, its a start. Anyhow, i actually love the energy it gives me.
• CREATE. scrap/quilt/bead something once a month. *project must be complete*

Just 2 this year. I want to keep it simple. Lets see  how that goes...

Happy New Year!

We spent New Years @ the Austin's. It was fun, entertaining, and intoxicating. ;) It is different to what I grew up with - spending time with family and a lot of fireworks. But New Years spent untraditionally for me is something I am getting use to.

Last year, I had my word for the year which was "embrace." Looking back, it was the perfect year for embracing our adventures. I had one child in elementary school, one in middle school, and one in high school. And to make things much more interesting, my husband works the opposite hours i do. So in my world, I'm at home just 4 nights a week to do homework with the kids, have a family dinner just twice a week, and somehow fit in date night 1-2 times a month. And while the husband works during the evening, and Jadeline in school till 11am during the week, i find the time for creating.

This year, I'm taking the word, "PATIENCE." As my life continues on, i plan on taking each adventure with a breath, I bite my tongue, and remind myself that I have that patience to do this. . . .