Hello – Summer Update

I have been so busy!  Here’s what’s going on…

• We went on a little vacation last week to Oregon.  Visited two aunts, went to the Enchanted Forest, Prehistoric Gardens and Gold Beach.  Had a great time.

• Andrew performed a magic show for Katie’s birthday party and the kids loved it!

• I took the Joann’s sewing class and made this pillowcase… then I finally made the dress for Katie.  Let me know what you think!

• Katie finished her swim classes and will be starting gymnastics at the end of this month.
• Grant is trying so hard to talk… a few words he’s yelling at me: BABY, HERE! and MAAAAAAA!
• Baby is getting big (3 months already)
• We are all sick.

Winter Beach Day

Took the kids to Huntington Beach yesterday with a friend of mine and her kiddos. We had a great time! Grant LOVED the water and cried the entire way back to the car. Katie made sand angels! It was a good 80 degrees out and the beach was pretty much deserted on a Tuesday winter’s afternoon. Great for us!

Grandma’s book

I’m seriously starting on this project now… my Great Aunt sent me tons of pictures and I began scanning them last night. 

When I originally was going to start this, I had scanned in some of the photos, but there was a problem and they weren’t right for the size I needed for the book.  Now I have a better software program, and after doing a few test scans, I have the method down pat.  Unfortunately, each scan takes over 3 minutes to do, and that doesn’t include any touch up time!

I have a deadline to scan them in by the end of January (so I can return them to my patient aunt), and from there, I can retouch, type in the actual story, and format the book. 

Very exciting!

Na na na na… na na na na… hey hey hey… goodbye!

What a year!  Goodbye to 2008… Hello 2009! I ripped this one from Jill at Live Laugh Blog.

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before? Tried pupusas.  Yum.

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions and will you make more for next year?  Well, I had intended on losing weight and eating better.  I did start to eat better, but since I got prego, my doctor frowned on trying to lose weight during the pregnancy.  Maybe next year.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? My sister-in-law gave birth to my sweet little niece Kameron!

4. Did anyone close to you die? My Grandpa RC died back in April.  While he could be a mean stinker, he was also a neat guy and I miss him.

5. What countries did you visit? None, this year, but would love to do so.  Now all I need is a passport…

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
More money would be nice.

7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?  September 6th… it is the first big anniversary for Andrew and I… number FIVE!  Looking forward to the next 50!

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Mothering 2 kids and making it through the year with my hair intact and not gray.

9. What was your biggest failure?  I’m sure there are many, I just can’t think of any.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Just pregnancy related problems.  Luckily they weren’t as bad as the last two pregnancies.

11. What was the best thing you bought?  The matching mother/daughter aprons from Etsy.  They are darling and I love when Katie puts hers on and helps me in the kitchen.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Katie finally being potty-trained!

13. Whose behavior made you appalled?
A certain family member who is the biggest conniving liar/manipulator and continues to make other family members miserable.  But this is nothing new… this person has been like this their entire life, so no surprises there.

14. Where did most of your money go? Health insurance & bills.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?  Putting together a book about my Great Grandma (she lived to be 105 and wrote her life story)… my great Aunt sent me some ancient photos and I just need to focus over the next month on getting them scanned in and starting the book.

16. What song will always remind you of 2008? Any theme song from PBS.  LOL

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:  Last year I had just given birth, this year I will give birth in 3 months.  I’m not as overwhelmed as I was, thank goodness.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?  Finishing projects that I’ve started.  I have at least 5 sitting on my desk that I need to complete!

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?  Worrying about things I have no control of.

20. How did you spend Christmas? Day & eve at home with my immediate family.  Then on Saturday, we went to my mom’s for a big she-bang.  It was great.

21. Did you fall in love in 2008? Yes, with my son!  It’s been so exciting watching him grow this past year and to see his adorable personality shine through.

22. What was your favorite TV program?  I don’t really have a favorite, but it’s been fun watching all of the shows I’ve never seen before on our new digital tv.  (Dirty Jobs, Robot Chicken, Good Eats, etc.)

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? Don’t hate anyone, but there are a few people I don’t care for.

24. What was the best book you read?  I really enjoyed Dixieland Sushi… it gave me flashbacks to when I was in Junior High/High School.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery of 2008? Well, mom & I saw Wicked, and I had no point of reference for that play before seeing it, so it was neat to hear the music for the first time.

26. What did you want and get? I bought myself a food processor online, but didn’t read that it was a chopper only!  I returned it to the store and they had a poor selection there, so I have yet to replace it with one that grates (which is the whole reason for getting one!)

27. What did you want and not get? See above.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?  Hard to say… I certainly didn’t venture out to the movies this year… maybe once or twice to the dollar theater with the kids, so that hardly counts.  I did enjoy seeing Indiana Jones because, hey, it was Indiana Jones.    There were plenty of funny flicks too, but honestly, offhand I can’t think of one!

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? We were on vacation and celebrated in San Francisco.  I turned 34!

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?  Being out of debt.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008? What fashion concept?  I wear whatever fits!  LOL… the first half I was getting out of my maternity clothes, while the second half, I was getting back into them!

32. What kept you sane?  My crazy friend Jenn.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?  I fancy Mike Rowe.  A lot.

34. What political issue stirred you the most? You know, I really don’t like getting into politics… I have my views, but I really don’t like discussing them.

35. Who did you miss? Some of my friends that I don’t get a chance to see often enough.  I am a big hermit and don’t get out much with the kids on my own.  I need to work on that this coming year.

36. Who was the best new person you met? I’ve not actually met anyone new this year, but have made many new contacts through my blog!  I love reading all of your stuff and thanks for all of the fun comments you leave me.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008: Again… don’t worry about things you can’t control.  They’ll work themselves out.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Even though we ain’t got money… I’m so in love with you honey… everything is gonna be alright.

Christmas Meme…

I know I’m skipping over Thanksgiving entirely, but here is a little Christmas meme…

 

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? 

Either one, depending on the gift

 

2. Real tree or Artificial? 

I prefer real if I can afford it.  Probably no tree this year.

 

3. When do you put up the tree?

After Thanksgiving

 

4. When do you take the tree down? 

Around the first of the year.

 

5. Do you like eggnog?

Yes!

 

6. Favorite gift received as a child?

Cabbage Patch Kid

 

7. Hardest person to buy for?

My dad & my father-in-law

 

8.Easiest person to buy for?  

My kids

 

9. Do you have a nativity scene? 

No

 

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? 

I only mail cards… and usually make them (but not this year… are you nuts?)

 

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? 

I can’t think of one I didn’t like

 

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? 

A Christmas Story, but I also love Elf.

 

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?

I try to shop throughout the year

 

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?

Of course.

 

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? 

Most anything homemade is good to me!

 

16. Lights on the tree? 

Yes 

 

17. Favorite Christmas song?  

O Holy Night.

 

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? 

We’ve never actually ‘travelled’.  We usually go to each parent’s house.  But this year planning on staying at home… too much running around!  Just want to enjoy the day with the kids at our house.

19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeers? 

Yes

 

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? 

I don’t even know what decorations I have!

 

21. Open presents on Christmas eve or morning? 

Both… we usually see extended family and friends both days.

 

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? 

The lines at the stores.

 

23. Favorite ornament theme or color?

I have an old angel from when I was a kid.

 

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner?  

Turkey or ham

 

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? 

I know I’m getting old… a food processor and a dustbuster!    But a gift cert for a massage or pedicure would be even better!

 

 

Our Halloween

We had fun this Halloween.  It was Grant’s first and he was a little monkey (courtesy of last year’s 75% off sale at Target!)

Frightening!!

We got a wig for Katie a couple months ago, and when Andrew put it on, I knew he looked like someone, but I couldn’t think of the name until yesterday.  It’s frightening, isn’t it?  I could barely stand to kiss him once he had the wig & glasses on. 

Which is which? Andrew or Bruce Vilanch? You be the judge.

Scary, isn't it?

Luckily, both the wig and the glasses came off and I was able to get a proper kiss.  But just thinking about it gives me the willies. (Sorry Bruce)

Happy Halloween.

Halloween Meme

Here is a meme I stole from Matt.  I changed a few questions because some of his didn’t really apply to me.  Feel free to re-post. 

1. What is the worst treat to get when trick-or-treating?

 A nickel for UNICEF.  I understand the concept, but does a 3 year old?  No.

2. What was your favorite Halloween?

 

When I was in 9th & 10th grade, my Grandparents decorated their entire yard and house and had a huge party for all of the grandkids.  We all got to invite about 5 friends.  They had a DJ, caricaturist and lots of food.  We had a great time and I know several of our friends still remember and talk about that time.  It was awesome.

 

3. Would you rather be a zombie, alien, or psycho? (why)

 

Psycho wouldn’t be far off from my normal outfits.  

 

4. How many Halloween, Friday the 13th, or Nightmare on Elm Street movies combined do you have on dvd?

None

 

5. What is the scariest movie you have ever seen?

 

 

Probably Poltergeist.  I still won’t watch it.

 

6. Name a few of your favorite costumes over the years.

Tammy Faye Bakker (I put on tons of makeup and had mascara streaming down my face.  This was when she was still on PTL with her husband Jim), and Elvira(see picture in #2). 

 

I still hold a grudge against Lisa, who in kindergarden, got to dress up as a fairy princess and I had to be a clown.  Grrr… those tears are real in the picture!  I was so upset, my mom let me change into my Wonder Woman bathing suit and wear that instead. 

 

 

7. Favorite Halloween treat?

 

I LOVE Milk Duds, but have to give them up since THIS happened to me. 

 

8. Friendly-faced jack o’lantern or scary one?

Friendly!

 

9. Have you ever had nightmares about a scary movie character chasing you?

 

Not chasing me, but that Poltergeist movie has done a number on me while sleeping.

 

10. Best thing about Halloween?

Dressing up the kids.

  

11. Strangest Halloween custom you’ve heard of?

 

The only one that comes to mind is smashing pumpkins afterwards. 

 

12. Person in your family who most likes Halloween (not counting yourself)?

 

I have two friends that really get into it… Jon and Rachel

  

13. Your lamest costume?

I was a baby a few times.  Note my friend’s ‘sexy’ costume.  What did I know? LOL

FRESH and easy?

Last week (Wednesday), we bought a pumpkin from Fresh and Easy.  It is a new store out where I live and since they are building one right around the corner from my house, I thought I’d try one of the other locations and see how I liked it.  It was REALLY nice inside and the prices seemed pretty good.  The pumpkins were only $3 for any size, so we got a medium/large one and set off to Grandpa’s house to carve it.  This is what we came up with…

BEFORE

On Monday we went back to Grandpa’s house and this is what we found…

AFTER: Same pumpkin 5 days later

I have no idea what happened.  As a child, we carved pumpkins and they lasted for weeks.  If they did start to deteriorate, it was just a softening, but NEVER have I seen the pumpkin turn black and deflate! 

You bet your sweet bippy we went back to the store and showed them the photo and got my $3 back.  Didn’t give me much confidence in a store with a name such as theirs.  I will say the manager was very nice and suggested we send a comment to their corporate website, which is on my to do list.  I’ll probably still shop there once my location opens, but I might be a little leary about the fruits and veggies.

Funny Things Happen When You Work for a Mouse

My husband just published his first book through Blurb about his adventures working at Disneyland.  You can preview the book and if you’re so inclined, it is available for purchase.  Through 9/30/08, shipping is free (up to $10) with this code: shipforfree

Funny Things Happen When You Work For A Mouse

Happy Birthday Pho54!

Jenn & me on my 20th birthday... 14 years ago!

At my bridal shower - 2005

Jenn and I met when we were 18 and fresh out of high school.  It was at a local mall and we were working at Bullocks (now Macy’s, I think!).  She worked in the children’s department, which was right next to the crystal/china department where I was.  (Who thought that up?  Let’s put the kids dept next to the china so they can break stuff.  Brilliant.)    We went out a couple times and have been friends ever since!  My family has even adopted her as their own. 

Once, we found these crazy old potatoes, then decorated them and put them in my roommate’s bed and freaked him out. 

Our Potato People

My Jenn is so special to me… she is so thoughtful and wonderful!  She pampers me when I come to visit her and is the perfect hostess.  She drives over 2 hours to come visit me at the hospital when I am having babies or when my baby is in the hospital and brings me baked goodies.  She is a great wife and mother, and a PERFECT friend.

I love you JenniPho54!!

Love, Pho999

Not just another project.

Remember this post?  Well, I got through Grandma’s life story and boy, is she a hoot.  I’ve decided to type it up myself and make a book through Blurb.  I have asked my Great-Aunt and Great-Uncle to send me any photos they had growing up with GGR.  I have received some already and scanned them in, but still want more for my book.  There were some great shots like this one:

She was 18 in 1915!

and this one:

Up in a tree with a friend at 14 years old. (1912)

This will be a lengthly process as some of these photos need repairing, and I don’t really know what I’m doing.  But I am looking forward to this project!  When I’m finished, I can put it up on Blurb for the family to purchase – that way I don’t have to take orders from long lost relatives that I never see or talk to, but at least they will have the option. 

What I did on my summer vacation, by Jennifer.

Well, I’m back… and only 351 posts in my google reader! LOL.  We had a great time and I will try to write about each day at a later time, but here is the breakdown of our 9 day vacation.

Day 1: Drive to Gilroy, CA

Day 2: Gilroy Gardens (that’s me in a giant artichoke above!)

Day 3: Santa Cruz Boardwalk, train to redwoods – my birthday!

Day 4: Alcatraz and San Francisco

Day 5: Jelly Belly Factory tour, Old Town Sacramento and Train Museum

Day 6: Calaveras County: Angels Camp, Murphys (Mercer Caverns) and Columbia – old mining towns

Day 7: Volcano (mining town) Lake Tahoe – 4th of July!

Day 8: Lake Tahoe

Day 9: Drove home

Some days were great, but as Katie is 3, we had some rough times as well.  Grant travels wonderfully…. no issues with him at all.   I think he was just excited to have me sit in the backseat next to him.  We booked a few things online ahead of time and got better rates than if we had just shown up.  We even got 1/2 price coupons from our hotel to Gilroy Gardens which saved us quite a bit of money.  Andrew was recovering from a cold on the way up, but it turned into pharyngitis and he had to go to the emergency room.  Other than that, no problems along the way.  It was a great way to see some parts of California that we had never been to. 

Movies: My Generation

I keep seeing Patrick Dempsey all over the place.  I’ve never seen Grey’s Anatomy or Enchanted.  I know him as the guy from Can’t Buy Me Love.  And that made me think of all the posts Allison keeps writing about 80′s & 90′s stuff.  So, I am dedicating this post to her as I reminisce about the 80′s/90′s TV shows and movies that most people won’t remember or care about.

 Movies:  Stand by Me, Teen Wolf, Teen Wolf Too, Grease 2, Just One of the Guys, Better Off Dead, Teen Witch, The Boy Who Could Fly, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

TV Shows:    Romper Room.  Land of the Lost.  Sigmund and the Sea Monster. The Great Space Coaster.  Remember ‘Small Wonder’?  Wasn’t Vicki creepy?  How about Evie from ‘Out of this World’?  Charles in Charge – Buddy Lembec was way cuter than Charles.  Mr. Belvedere. 

TV Movie: Dance Til Dawn – with all of your favorite teen stars… including Matthew Perry!

 

What were your favorite movies as a teenager?  Is anyone else out there as nerdy as me?

GGR105

I had the pleasure of knowing my Great Grandma on my mom’s side.  She died in 2003 at the age of 105 1/2.   When she would write us letters, she would sign them GGR (Great Grandma Randall) and her age.  So, the last letter/card I got said GGR105.  Also, EVERY birthday, you could expect a card with $5 inside.  It didn’t matter that I was close to thirty years old, Grandma still sent me $5.    Every Christmas, she would buy socks and Avon earrings in bulk and you could expect to get a pair of either one.  LOL

My mom was going through my grandpa’s things the other day and came across a 15 page single space typed story of GGR’s life.  It starts with some of her first memories in 1904!  My mom brought the story over for me to scan in.  I haven’t had a chance to sit down and read it yet, though it is at the top of my list!  I want to make sure I have no interruptions so I can soak in all of this precious family history that Grandma Randall was wise enough to write down for us to read.

There she is in the middle of us back in 1984.  I’m the dark haired dork doing bunny ears on my brother.  Like my plastic shoes?

The Treble Makers

When I was in 4th and 5th grade, I was a member of a children’s choir called ‘The Treble Makers’ at my elementary school.  We had an awesome teacher who taught us so many wonderful things.  I loved to sing!  Our group did a lot of performances for the schools, and I seem to recall performing at City Hall and a bowling alley once!  We had these funny little red & white outfits (see below).

Like my bangs?  Honi… I love your knee highs!

There I am… #2 on the totem pole with the blue eyeshadow!

See the blue pompom? I’m right behind it holding the ‘W’.

We had so much fun singing our little hearts out.  The only BAD memory I have is forgetting the lines to my solo in ‘This Land is Your Land’ and I just stood there at the microphone.  When my part was over, I just backed into line.  How sad.

I was in my Junior High choir and drama class and played the flute for about 4 years, but I pretty much only sing with my daughter now or when I’m alone in the car.

What kind of groups were you in growing up? Are you still involved with that sport/music/art etc? 
 

Happy Birthday Lisa!

 

I’ve known Lisa since I was a year old!  We used to play Atari and Nintendo together (diddo-dido), have fun sleepovers (twy to fly) where I would ALWAYS fall asleep first, and make fun of the neighbors (King Caller, Flubba, CONCEPTION! and Coco-Crotch).  Whenever I would ask her ‘Guess what?’ she would answer ‘You got your period?’.  When I finally did, she didn’t even guess right!

Today is her 34th birthday and she is STILL older than me!  Happy Birthday Lisa… Here is a walk down our memory lane!

I’m still pissed she got to be the princess when I had to be the clown.  I really was crying in this picture!

At the bus stop… I think she’s getting a headache because I won’t stop talking.  What a surprise.

Oh my.  Way too close up.

 

I was Elvira and she was a hockey player.

Before my graduation party.

 

Flaring my nostrils at the camera.  She knows I’m weird and still loves me after all these years!

Posing at Olan Mills.  I used to work there and got free pix when the photographers were bored.

Newport Beach Hard Rock – early 90′s.  I think she finally got rid of the bangs in 2000. 

 

Pregnant with Grant, doing our prom pose.

 

At her wedding last month.

I love you girl!  Twy to fly!

Memories of Grandpa RC

 

My grandpa who has been very sick and hospitalized the last few months, finally passed away today.  I say ‘finally’ as he had bone marrow cancer, severe pneumonia and heart problems and has just been miserable.

Below is a story I wrote to him for his 80th birthday.  Tomorrow he would have been 82.

 

It seems like I spent more time growing up at Grandpa’s house than my own.  While I have both good and bad memories (being hung by the meat hook and learning to swim by being thrown into the pool – both by Grandpa), the good definitely outweighed the bad.

 

I loved going to my grandparent’s house.  The first memories were at Reedview.  There was always someone there and I always had fun.  Sometimes Grandpa would have the sheet strung up in the garage and he would video tape all of us singing and dancing (and sometimes even picking our noses).  We would go swimming in the pool, watch movies, or Grandpa would teach us how to gamble.  And why not? There was a mini-casino in the play room complete with roulette and craps tables, a slot machine and even a pool table. When I would spend the night, we’d always go out to breakfast at Bob’s Big Boy.

 

Holidays were wonderful – always a packed house.  At Thanksgiving,  there would be tables full of food, and people everywhere.  One year Grandpa decided to have a “Turkey of the Year” award. He knew everyone would vote for him, so he made the prize a hundred dollars.

 

Christmas Eve was a night to remember… with either Great Grandma R playing the piano or one of the kids using the player piano rolls.  Everyone would sing along.  We would go back Christmas morning to unwrap our presents.  They were always very generous.  One year grandpa had a tree decorated with a deck of cards!

 

My friends loved going to Grandpa RC’s house.  We’d have swim parties there and everyone loved RC.

 

Grandpa even built us a tree house with a racetrack around it. 

 

When Grandpa and Grandma moved to MV, there was even more stuff for us to do.  By that time he had a Bingo Board, and he would let us invite our friends over to play.  We would take out the pink hippo around the lake.

 

It seemed like twice a month we had get-togethers… either for holidays or birthdays or weddings. 

 

Vacations were the best.  The year I was old enough to go river rafting, Grandpa broke his leg going down the river, and where did he go to recoup? Yes, Reno.  Then we went to San Diego.  Then we went to Hawaii.  I remember being on a bus going to a luau, and Grandpa got the whole bus singing… “Oh, you can’t get to Heaven”.  The next year we went on a cruise from Florida to Nassau.  I remember being at Disneyworld and Grandpa rented a wheelchair for us to push him around in. 

 

How lucky I was to have grandparents that threw Halloween parties for their grandkids.  When I was about 14 they told us we could each bring 4-5 friends.  They had the whole house decorated, complete with a graveyard in front.  There was a DJ and we danced all night. 

 

I wonder if anyone else has a grandpa that eats cereal over ice cream for breakfast.

 

When I was 17, we were on Family Feud together – FOUR TIMES! I’m so glad I was included in that.  It was so fun.

 

Grandpa always told me I was his favorite… but don’t tell the other grandkids.  Well, one day the grandkids were talking amongst themselves and it seemed that Grandpa told ALL OF US that!  Hmph!  When I talked to him about that, he told me that “I just tell them that so it doesn’t hurt their feelings…. You’re my real favorite.”  I know he was telling me the truth.

 

Over the years my mom has told me stories about her grandparents.  I can’t wait to tell my children about my memories of growing up at Grandpa’s house.

 

Grandpa, thank you for giving me such wonderful childhood memories.  I love you!

 

Yeah baby!

Reunited and it feels so good!!

New Kids on the Block are back and looking GOOD!

I think Donnie is STILL my favorite. 

I’m too sexy for my jacket…

Back in Christmas 1995, my dad’s girlfriend gave my sister and I gift certificates to Glamour Shots.  I was 21, my sister almost 19.  I happened to have one of the worst haircuts ever (definitely another post dedicated ENTIRELY to that coming soon) and off we went.

Here was the result.

Yes, this was 1996, not 1980.  What is up with those mettalic jackets?  And why do I look so much older there than I do now?