2nd Story Window

fast forward.

2012-01-29T21:18:00.000-08:00

I feel like I just got dropped right into the middle of some bad movie.

Quite a few years ago I started this blog for our family and friends to read, I had kept up with it all pretty good

until the last couple of years, I kind of majorly dropped the ball with it and then found myself logged back in

back in May of last year to fill everyone in a little bit about almost losing Alyssa.....the last thing I typed was...

"shes alive"

wait...what? It's January 29th....and she's gone. Can the bad movie be over yet? Let me out, seriously, I

don't want to be a part of this scenario, roll the credits, turn the lights back on, I'm over this.

October 16th 2011 should have just been another day....it should have been the day that I was supposed to

wake up, shoot an awesome wedding, be surrounded by friends and family, hang out in San Fran the next

morning with Sofia...maybe have coffee and head back home to my boys....

October 16th 2011 I woke up, felt nervous for some reason, felt antsy, felt uneasy, shot an awesome wedding,

all the while feeling "off" the entire day but still enjoying the events of that day, looking around, I was surrounded by friends and family...all that was true, went back to the Valenzuela's and there is where the blueprint for that day changed...my phone rang, Nico spoke, I cried, I screamed, I think I made sounds that night that don't even have a descriptive word for them, they were sounds that came from such a deep part of my heart I pray to God I never hear myself make again in my lifetime.

22 years, 4 months and 11 days.

That's how long I got with her. Seriously? Ummmm really God? Did you think that maybe I wanted her longer?

When are you going to reveal to me the reasons for taking her so early? I get it but then I don't and for right now that is just going to have to be how it is, I haven't really found myself being angry at God...yet, maybe I never will have those feelings, I do however question why, which I think is probably pretty normal in situations like this...I know that some people probably would feel as though its wrong to even question God because it was "His will" that she be taken when she was...but was it? Im probably opening a giant can of worms in even asking that question...how about I just dont leave it an open-ended question?

There is a pretty big hole still there...in my heart...where when I breathe, I don't feel filled, I feel like I suck in...take deep breaths and it all just leaks out of the hole left there and I just can't seem to catch my breath. Im most certain that there will come a day when I find the fire again to feel whole again, but for now, Im feverishly just rubbing two sticks together hoping for something.

Sometimes when I close my eyes at night....I see her.....

I can hear her, its as if shes on the other end of the phone, telling me, "don't cry over me mum, please, I tell you that all the time, please don't cry over me"

Everything for her was a struggle, one of my comforts is knowing that the struggle is over.

I wish that everyone could have known her, could have heard her sing, could have sat and watched her draw, could have experienced her, I promise you, she would have made you laugh.

more tomorrow.

Alyssa.

2011-05-04T09:36:00.000-07:00

So, I debated bringing this to Facebook, to any public forum really but after seeing the outpouring of just basic human love and compassion from so many people who don't even know our Alyssa and hearing of all the prayers that have been shouted, whispered and sung to the heavens for her, I felt as though everyone deserved a peek into what has been going on since yesterday.

So many of you know of her struggle, have prayed for her for years, have been by our side as we have walked that thin line between life and death with Alyssa before, so many know her personally, know that she is a combination of comic relief and laughter, her art, her fragility, my darling is a beautiful, amazing creature, this we know.

Yesterday we came so close to losing her, yesterday could have gone so differently had she been home alone at the time.

Yesterday Alyssa was sitting on her sofa with her boyfriend Travis, and he looked over at her because she had started to tense up and become rigged and began to turn blue, Travis called 911 and when they arrived, she had no heartbeat, no pulse, she was gone, THANK GOD they were able to get her heart beating again, found a pulse and immediatly transported her to the nearest hospital, since arriving there yesterday afternoon, she was flown to a hospital in Bend, Oregon where she is in the ICU and being watched over and cared for so perfectly. She is on a ventilator still, and just this morning opened her eyes the tiniest bit, she has blinked to certain questions asked of her so she is having some sort of response..SHE IS ALIVE and I do believe we have seen God's glory.

Please pray and continue to pray for her healing of both body and soul, pray for her boyfriend Travis, there needs to be an awakening within them to see and know that life as we know it is just so fragile, so unknowing, so easy to take for grantide, pray for Lucinda, the wonderful woman who was put in Alyssas life before this happened and who has been there for Alyssa and for us when we can't be, she is doing a great thing for us. I can't wait for the day I get to hear her voice on the phone again saying something that will most likely make me laugh, if she and I aren't crying together...we are laughing and this is what I want with her again. I keep hearing her in my head saying, "don't make me sing...don't make me dance". I look around our house and there are traces of her everywhere, drawings, pictures, this girl of mine has been granted another chance, another moment to sing, another moment to dance, another day to draw, another day to love and thankfully another day to BE loved.

Uphold our other kids in your prayers, they all 4 have different ways of dealing with things like this. Lucas doesn't know, but Corbin, Brenna and Dominic do, they ache, all in their own ways, they too are fragile.

So to you my darling Alyssa...

Tomorrow it will be exactly one month until you turn 22 and what I find so incredibly beautiful about that is, you get to do that. You get to wake up in the morning on June 5th and be 22. You came into this world not breathing, your breathing stopped a few times at the hospital, you were flown to Milwaukee to the Childrens Hospital and held and rocked and sang to by your Grandma when I couldnt be there, and here you are again, not breathing on your own just yet but being watched over and loved and prayed for, being rocked and held by Heavenly Father. Alyssa...you are ALIVE!

dominic

2011-02-02T20:45:00.000-08:00

This is dominic.

He is my 4th child out of 5.

He's 13 and one of the coolest kids I know.

I wish that everyone had the opportunity to know him.

I love him to bits and am thankful that I get to be his mom.

2010 ova 2011 begins!

2011-01-03T11:43:00.000-08:00

I had great plans for writing out this long blog all about the past year, what it brought, what I took away from it,

but then...the air just kind of got knocked from me and I'm just not feeling it at the moment. Not sure why, maybe

eventually. But for right now..let's just say that the year brought happy, sad, angry, glad, tears and smiles, all together.

2010 in a teeny tiny nutshell

January - the new year started.

February - Brenna turned Sweet 16!

March - Why is this month a blank?

April - Both Nico and I turned 4.0 ....yikes!!

May - Corbin graduated from highschool! {awesome}, I lost my sister.

June - Alyssa turned 21, Dominic turned 13!

July - Saw the Valenzuela's yet didn't see any fireworks on the 4th. {they were better than fireworks}

August - Nico and I celebrated being married 22 years!

September - Back to school,

October - Corbin turned 19

November - Had a sweet Thanksgiving with alot of sweet people, met my right hand chica after 12 years and her pretty sweet hubby! House of Blues was perfect!

December - Mr Luca turned 5...an entire hand! A Merry Christmas came and went. Richard came and went.

Here are a few pictures from the past New Years weekend.

the boys and me

2010-12-31T11:46:00.000-08:00

Finally I got a moment to look over some pictures that I took of my own bunch over the

Christmas holidays, everything got so back up with me being sick and lots of client sessions,

praise God...a great kind of busy though!

I won't ramble on, but these are just a few pictures from Seaport Village, Ocean Beach & Hodads!

YUM!

Today is New Years Eve...I think I'll try to document this day. Alot has happened in this past year,

some awesome, some not so much. 2011.....be kind?

a whole hand

2010-12-23T11:18:00.000-08:00

A week ago today, my littlest little turned an entire hand. FIVE years old. How is that possible?

He has been so excited to have his birthday, it came, it went, and he loved it. He went to Build a Bear

on his special day and picked out a Bumble to make. He stuffed him, gave him a heart beat and picked

out some pajamas for him to wear.

He woke up this morning and looked around his bed at his presents and kept saying, I can't believe I

got all of these presents daddy.

So awesome!

hold hands

2010-09-09T18:35:00.000-07:00

I was listening to the radio this morning during my morning drive and the
topic was, What types of deals or pacts do you have with your spouse, that
helps in keeping your marriage intact"
A woman phoned in and gave her tip, and I've never thought about it before
but their method sounded so real.
Their method..." they have to hold hands whenever they are arguing/disagreeing
and talking about it "
She said that they were told to try that in their pre-marriage counseling...and she said that
they have done it ever since, and they have been married almost 20 years.
I totally see how it would have its benefits. I think it's a good method. Plus she said then
you can't hit.
Just a thought.

Thou wilt keep in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
Isaiah 26:3

friday,

2010-09-03T11:35:00.000-07:00

So today marks the ending of week two of everyone back in school.
I think we are slowly getting into the schedule and I am learning how
I need to plan everything on my route so that I'm not backtracking a
million times a day. Grocery shopping, bank, errands, school pick-ups,
work pick-ups...again..thankyou Lord for a car that runs and get's me
from point A to point B.
This week was full of the usual up-downs.
Yesterday I picked up Brenna from school and then Corbin from work
and we stayed at the mall for awhile after Corbin got off work. We went
shopping, shopping with Corbin is always interesting because he is SO picky!
We spent an eternity in H&M and I ended up getting Dominic alot of stuff.
Their sizes are so small..it's hard for Corbin to find things there that fit him,
I think most of their clothes are made for 5 year olds. So then we went to
Forever 21, where Brenna ended up filling her arms with things she wanted to
buy {me to buy}. We compromised and she picked a few of the things that
she had.
Came home, went to the park with Nico and Lucas while we left the older kids
home to be our slaves and clean the house....cause we can do that.
Went to the park, talked to Lyssa on the phone about how she met someone from
the Sopranos at work, saw Sookie from True Blood getting hounded by the people
from TMZ while she was leaving dinner.
Exciting right? Nah...not so much.
I guess I should get to my errand running...
Dominic gets to be in Friday fun day today at school. Yah Dom!
Im so glad that he is liking his new school. What a relief.
I could really go for a rainy movie day at some point this weekend, the movies could
happen...the rain...I doubt it.

xoxo

September

2010-09-01T18:59:00.000-07:00

I like to think of the first day of September as the beginning of all the fall months that
I big puffy heart love so much!
All summer I long for fall weather, leaves changing colors, cracking under your feet when
you walk on them, hot chocolate, football...or the sounds of football...Nico watches..I listen.
I think maybe...just maybe I am going to try to join him in his love for football. Im not
saying that Im going to totally understand whats going on during the game, I wont try
to talk shop with him, but I will at least, sit on the sofa, and every once in awhile let
out a loud, "GOOOO FAVRE"!!!!! Oh wait, he quit on them, he plays for that "other"
team. Poor Favre, can't make up his mind if he wants to be done or not. Favre to a
football: I wish I could quit you.
Excuse the rabbit trails, I really do get stuck on those.
Anyways, where was I?
Fall.
Love it.
Can't wait for it to get nice and cold.
Can't wait to play Christmas music.
Picked up my sprogs from school, got icecream, had fun at the park and now it's time to
get ready for family dinner.
A new little diddy we are trying out seeing as everyone is going a million different directions
these days, we at least have to meet in a huddle one good solid night a week, when noone
is off and running or working, or sleeping.
YAH!
Kabang! Can't wait!

all lukie's idea

back in session

2010-08-26T13:12:00.000-07:00

School is back in session and Im driving around like a crazy person trying
to make sure everyone gets where they need to be.
Brenna to the highschool.....check
Corbin to work.....check
Nico to work.....check
Dominic to school.....check
Phew!
And then I turn around and do it all again in the
afternoon.
Thankyou Lord for a car that runs.

{I know that girl}

2010-08-06T18:40:00.000-07:00

Today I sat here thinking about time. How quickly it sneaks away from us, even while
we are sitting there thinking of how time flys it flees from us.
It's almost been 3 months since my sister Krista passed away.
I have never lost someone that close to me in life and I think that it really did a number
on me.
I have layed there so many nights since she passed wishing for just a few more
minutes with her, a few seconds to right some wrongs, enough time to say, "I love you"
All of my options with my sister Krista, left the day that she died.
The chance to see her, a possible meet up for lunch, maybe a quick phone call to let
her know that I love her....are all gone, they are no more. I will never get those chances
back again, and while I had them, I never used them.
I find myself talking to her in my head sometimes, while I'm out driving, if I am in Target
sometimes, if the weather is really hot, or it starts to feel chilly, I wonder what it feels
like up on the little hill where she is buried. Is there a breeze? Does she know what a
nice view she has of the little town that she lived in and built so many memories in, where
she met her sweet husband Joe, where she gave birth to her sweet triple D's {Daniel, David & Danica},
Where she went to church, on Ash St. and where she and Joe ran one of the bus routes on Sunday
mornings. Does she know how many people she touched with her ability to remember every single
birthday and anniversary of everyone in her life?
She was hit by a car when she was 9 years old, actually it was a van full of kids skipping school.
It happened in Rancho Bernardo, she and my brother were riding their bikes to our aunts house
and Krista thought it was safe to cross the street.
It was there in the waiting room, holding vigils for my sister Krista that my mom found a friend in
Jesus. If I remember correctly there was an older man who shared God's love with my mom during
that time. Krista was in a coma healing, while my mom was in a waiting room making the steps towards
God and putting her faith in Him that over time, ended up healing our whole family. Tears flowed from
my mom...I am sure of it.
After she came out of her coma, the Dr basically told my parents that Krista would probably not live
a very productive life, she would have struggles, that she probably shouldn't have children and
sent them on their way.
Krista ended going way over the mark for what was expected of her, my mom always said that the Dr
who treated her kept her file on his desk to show to other parents whos children had been declared,
"mentally disabled" She surprised everyone.
Fast Forward to May 17th 2010
There again, lay my sister Krista, and there again sat my mom, only this time, it was to say, "Goodbye"
This time was different, this time, Krista wasn't waking up, and this time, my mom didn't quite realize what
was going on. My mom has Alzheimers. This time, she sat there, humming, smiling, talking to
the people around her, completely unaware I think of what was really going on. She would look over at
Krista, laying so perfectly in her casket. I couldn't help but be sad for my mom at that moment, for a
mother to have to say goodbye to her child must be so terribly hard, I felt sad for her in thinking that
48 years ago, she was there in mind, body and soul when Krista breathed her first little breaths of air,
she agonised and pushed Krista into this world and I imagine felt such joy in seeing the little body who
bumped and poked around inside of her for 9 months, I am sure the tears flowed.
But then...the day that Krista was buried, the day for all of us to say our goodbyes to her, I looked at my
mom...and there were no tears, she didn't understand, she sat in the front row and looked over at Krista
as if she were a complete stranger, Alzhiemers is such a bastard.
Then it happened, it seriously was as if God gave that few seconds of sound mind to my mom, allowing her
to grieve the passing of her sweet Krissy Sue. My mom looked up towards Krista, and just started crying.
She pointed at her and said, "I know that girl....I know her" She remembered. The tears flowed.
And my mom remembered, she was a mommy.

I miss my sister and I miss my mom.

{this is Krista and Joe after they got home from their Honeymoon}

Summer is here!

2010-06-14T01:08:00.000-07:00

Summer has entered our home...yes! Im soo much a cold weather person but I do like the face that with summer comes trips to the beach after Nico gets home from work. I am loving that and Lucas, that boy could throw rocks for HOURS...possibly days if we left him there to do it. Dominic just has fun wave-jumping, and Nico and I just sit back and chill. Our family is changing in the sense that Alyssa isn't home, Corbin is a "big boy" now and always doing something and Brenna is gone babysitting, with friends or something so now its Nico and I and the two littles. I
Im so thankful for Southern California sunsets and so thankful I get to sit and watch them happen.
So summer is going to bring the come back of the MadMen...yes! Don Draper is going to be back in July.
Dominic is going to be turning 13, I can't even believe that, it seems like he was JUST 4! Lukies age!
Hopefully fingers crossed at least one trip to San Francisco, seeing old friends/family, BBQ's and alot of love.
SO looking forward to these few summer months.

xoxo

And so we meet again....

2010-05-27T09:35:00.001-07:00

I think it's time to pick back with with my dearly beloved blog again.
I think I have found the want in me to start writing on it again.
So, here goes!
I will post pictures later from today as it unfolds, starting with
pictures from my meeting with friends I went to school with!
SO EXCITED!
And then tonight......we watch Corbin graduated! YES!

a change

2010-03-08T19:29:00.001-08:00

I think I'm considering scaling down to just one blog. Seeing as this one never
really gets much attention, I think I just might stick to posting on my photography
blog, mind you its really for posting sessions but I think it could be a good mix
of the two. I think I just might.

Do blogs need titles?

2010-02-24T00:38:00.000-08:00

I suppose not really.
I wonder if there is a setting on this blog site where you can change it to not
even have blog titles. It gets daunting feeling as though you have to come with
some quick witted catch phrase for every post. I think I'll check into that.
Lots has happened since my last post. Brenna is 16, 16 and lovely. 16 and sweet.

16 things I love about Brenna:

1} her laugh, she laughs like a little chipmunk, it's quite cute and catchy
2} her heart, it's a good one, sometimes it gets a little torn, but it seems
to find its footing back everytime.
3} her determination {last week she was determined to learn a song on the guitar..
and so she did! And even sang it for 3 complete strangers while she played
the guitar!
4} her feet, she has feet like noone else in our family, like little squishy feet.
5} her eyes, they sparkle
6} her love for rings, like me, she loves them and every day has a variety of them
adorning her hands
7} watching her with her friends, she so enjoys their company
8} when Im driving in the car and I can always count on her whipping out her
camera and taking oodles of self portriats while going down the freeway and
she tries to take them to make them look like she had no idea someone was
taking a picture of her.
9} when she sings. Its a sweet sound.
10} going to the movies with her, except when she gets upset with me and goes silent
those times are....nada.
11} shes dependable
12} she is a good friend to her friends.
13} her hair when its in a ponytail and the sides are falling out and she reminds
me of when she was little with scraggly pigtails.
14} the fact that shes eaten a roach, butter crisco, dog poo, and bacon grease.
15} shes so tidy.
16} when she comes into my room sometimes and we lay there watching random lame
Lifetime movies or serious issues on Dateline. Lyssa does that too.
17...one to grow on} She is very strong-willed.

This past weekend we celebrated her birthday...we all met for dinner, met family
and friends there and it was so much fun! Im glad that she got that day with her
friends.

Since its been so long since Ive posted there will be alot of randomness in this blog too.

Before the pictures though..I have to say, fingers crossed I sleep tonight, I have
been having some crazyyyyy nights I tell you.
The other night, I woke up at 2:15 and never fell back to sleep until the next night
when I went to bed. Before I went to bed that night I had watched Keeping up with the
Kardashians {shhhh I know its so scripted but I wanted to see Kourtney have her baby}
Anyways...I watched that which is probably what led to my random thoughts at 2:15 in the morning.
Thinking...Hmmm, Kardashians, Robert Kardashian, the father of Kim,Robert,Khloe,and Kourtney. Robert Kardashian was also one of OJ Simpsons lawyers, married to Chris, who is now Chris Jenner, and who is married to Bruce Jenner the athelete.
Then I wondered...I wonder if Chris ever got mad at Robert for defending O.J. because if Im not mistaken, Chris and Nicole Brown Simpson knew eachother and were friends,then I started thinking, I wonder if they ever talk about it, I wonder if Robert came to grips with the fact that he defended such a creep in a court of law, I wonder if on his deathbed he had any regrets about that, {he died of cancer a few years ago} then I started thinking, wow, all of O.J.'s lawyers have died, and now O.J. is FINALLY in jail and the only one alive and kicking still in the real world would be Kato Kalen, the dorky pool boy.
So then my thoughts switched to {God knows why} Happy Days, Ok, I think I know why though, I was thinking about Shutter Island because I had just seen it so I started thinking about Hollywood and actors and directors so I started thinking about Ron Howard and how he went from geeky little Richie Cunningham to big movie director, and how he is one of the only ones of that whole group of kids on Happy Days to really make it big..then I started wondering why they just made the older brother in the Cunningham family just disappear and stop exsisting. Why do they do that on shows? There will be a child/sibling there, and they just disappear, like on Big Love, the youngest daughter of Bill and Barb, named Teeny just disappeared for an entire season, no mention of her and then she comes back this season, and a complete different actress playing her...anywayssssssssss you see how my mind goes on major rabbit trails?
So then I thought, Ron Howard, his daughter is an actress now and played Ivey in the movie The Village, I loved her, she then played a role in Lady in the Water and is now going to be taking over the role of Victoria in the movie Eclipse. I was thinking and wondering then about Leonardo Decaprio and how he played such a good part in Shutter Island and I wondered who else read for the part {if they even do that anymore of if they just know who they want and they go get them} So I had to get my phone of course and Wikipedia it and IMDB is as well which, that is one of my favorite apps on my iPhone..it never fails me.
Then I started thinking about my dad.....
this went on for awhile........
the sun started coming up......
I heard Nicos alarm go off.....
I finally started drifting off......
the alarm went off again....
Nico woke up, got the kids up, came back into bed, and woke me up to tell me that it
was my turn to take the kids to school. HALA-FREAKIN-LU-YAH!
So, all that day, I was pretty much in zombieland.
Thankyou rabbit trails.

date night with Mr Big

I highly suggest you try these.

The nieces

Brenna and Sabrina

Brenna had a Red Velvet Cake and a Lemon Rasberry cake...they were so yum!

Its already the next day and Im not asleep. Not doing so good!
Tomorrow/today will be a good day, I have purposed in my heart!

Nite!

.i got nothing.

2010-01-27T22:34:00.000-08:00

Really, I don't have much to say. Not much positive stuff to say anyways.
Im afraid I'm in the dumps as of late. I really don't have much reason
to be but I just am. I feel guilty for moaning about one single thing, really
I do. I am surrounded in the "online world" with friends and aquaitances who
are all going thru such struggles right now, losses, mourning and I here I
sit, having not lost a newborn baby, or a brother, or a cousin, I don't
have a nephew or cousin who is only just 4 sitting in the hospital with a brand
new implanted pacemaker and little legs that don't want to work, I think maybe
there has just been so much sadness around lately that I start taking on
the sadness and the hurt these people must be feeling and I empathize with
them and my heart starts feeling so heavy.
I think it is really just so easy to go on with our days and when things
are going well, its so easy to forget just how lucky we are, just how blessed
we are to even have a chance to get to live out another day.
I think every single day I log on to Facebook, something terrible has happened
in someones life, and again, my heart crys.
Tonight...a brother of a friend, a father of two sweet little kiddos, a husband
to a wife he told was so beautiful she was making the beautiful sunset behind
her in the photo look "eh, not that great" He loved and was loved. I don't
even know this man, I just know that a prayer request was sent out yesterday
for him, and tonight, he was called home. So I sat, looked, read, thought of his
loved ones left behind and thought how fast everything can change, in a snap.
What is this life that we are given for? I don't want to just exsist, I don't
want to just go thru the motions, Draw me nearer.
Im asking for everyone to just enjoy the moments, enjoy the chaos, enjoy your
families, and savor it.
If you are a praying person, pray for that little boy in the hospital, pray
for the husband whos lost his wife a couple of days after their first baby
was born, pray for the family who lost their sweet little boy 8 weeks after he
was born, pray for one of my clients father who is sick and found out about it
right before her wedding, pray for a friend who lost her father almost a year ago,
pray for a beautiful woman, who was burned in a plane crash that she survived
with her dear sweet husband, she struggles daily to do so many things that we take
for grantide, pray for a woman whos blog I read, who is young, her husband is young, yet suffered a stroke in his sleep and is now struggling thru all of the things
that come with having a stroke, pray for every single soul in Haiti, they are
still finding people alive, isnt that crazy!!??
All of those children, so many little hearts turned into orphans that dreaded
day. Pray those people find peace, peace of mind, body and soul, I can't even
begine to imagine the mental torture so many of those people will endure.
My heart breaks.
Pray for my mom. There is a much deeper break there in my heart where she is
concerned. I don't even know if it's an ache I feel or more of just a giant
hole there, where my mom is supposed to be. I miss her...I miss her badly. I just
wish that deep down, amidst all that the alzheimers has taken away from her...
I wish she remembered me.
So much for having nothing at the beginning of this.
I guess I fixed that.
A friend of mine posted a question the other day on Facebook. It said,
"Why do people blog? Is it for them, or for us"?
I think both Heather...it's theraputic, it's a way to give someone a little
peek into your reality, your thoughts and feelings, a way to share and to
recieve. I get something every single day from blogs that I read. I always end
up feeling though I was taught something, admired someone, felt someones pain,
laughed with them.
Yah, I'd say both.

xo

2:57am

2010-01-24T03:09:00.001-08:00

Why when I should be well into sleepy lala land am I laying here in bed thinking I need to look up and find out if this is indeed Amy Adams in the movie Catch me if you can. The candystriper girl with the braces, yep, it's her. Thank goodness for my trusty IMDB only iPhone! That seriously would have bugged means would have kept me up even later than it already is. Stuff like that just gets stuck in my head and I'm like a dog with a bone until I find the answer.
I wish I knew why I was still awake, I haven't even had coffee in days, so what gives.
Maybe it's because I slept almost all of Saturday away? Possibly.
So tonight I have learned that both Jennifer Garnerand Amy Adams were in Catch me if you Can with ol' Leonardo.
I wonder what this post is even going to look like, I've never posted from my phone before.
I feel like a real life techy. Help.
I've gotten a middle of the night visitor, he's 4 and crawled into bed with me, I wouldn't have a problem with it if he wasn't such a space hog! He sleeps so comfortably while I sleep so smashed! Where is the fairness here?! Huh Lucas? Are you comfy?! I
Think that you must be, I can tell by the look on your face.
The rain didn't fall once yesterday, kind of miss it because it makes for perfect snuggle days, but I do think Lucas has cabin fever.
Ok, I am going to attempt sleep now!
Hope everyone is sleeping sound, luckies.
Goodnight

- Posted on my iPhone

Day 3

2010-01-21T15:03:00.000-08:00

Day 3 of the rain downpour. I dont think it was as bad as they were making
it sound, mind you anytime there is alot of rain here in California
everyone seems to go into panic mode. I think Im used to it from living in
Florida when the skies would open up and dump buckets on us! This, I can
handle!
This is the kind of weather that makes me want to have a big pot of something
hot and yummy cooking on the stuff yet so far today Ive eaten, reheated
lasagna from lastnight, two salted caramels from Trader Joes, and a little
coffee cake from the Hostess day old bread store, the kind my mom use to buy
for me when I was little that I loved SO much, you know, the ones with the
little balls of cinnamon all over the top of them? mmmmmmmm!
I love going to that bread store, its like im 12 again, going there and
shopping with my mom for the school. Those were the days. We would go there
and Smart and Final.
The kids got released from school early today because of the weather, a tree
fell on one of the teachers cars apparently...yikes!
Anyways, these pictures are from yesterday, Im a day behind.

Did you watch American Idol lastnight? Im really liking the voice of the younger
dude who spent four years in the Alabama Slammah, for robbing a bank with a bb gun.
Im quite sure he learned his lessons and really wishes he could take back the whole
Fun with Dick and Jane approach to filling boredom.
Anyways...I really like his voice, I hope he does well.

Me and Lucas put up a little Valentines sumthin sumthin yesterday, to try to
get into the spirit to love :) Kidding, that should just be there everyday.
I do like Valentines Day though, not like crazy love, I just think that its an ok
holiday, shame its slowly being ruined by the mass overload of crap they sell at
the stores now that people think they need to buy in order to feel as though
they have loved, and have been loved. {but look, I sold out, I bought some little
decorations at Michaels, for 3 whole doll hairs!}

Yah, so I think Woody is kind of upset about the weather

Do you know whats awesome?
When you add text to a picture, upload it and realise that you spelled a
word wrong....karma baby, its total karma, it's what I get for poking at
people who have major typos {brenna, I know that you know who I speak of}

Can you spot the typo? Im almost certain "bown" isnt a color.
ugh.

put on time out for flippin the bird earlier!

stay dry

1:47am

2010-01-20T01:46:00.000-08:00

I am awake at almost 2am in the morning. Am I kidding myself? Seriously?!
I knew I shouldn't have taken that cat nap this afternoon, mind you it was
a tad bit more than a cat nap, I would say it was more like a mini-hibernation.
I couldn't help it, the weather was screaming, "NAP" We have gotten so much
rain in the past few days, its been awesome! I love.love.love the rain!
It's such cozy weather, and the perfect weather for soup!
I stayed up to watch Cloudy with a chance of meatballs with my 4 year old,
yes, he was awake still until just a few minutes ago he finally nodded off
to sleep. Thats what I get for letting him fall asleep late this afternoon,
which always means late nighters for me and Lucas. I think he has college student
sleeping patterns.
Tis ok, I got the dishwasher loaded, two loads of laundry done, took some pictures
of my kid just being a kid, and Ohhhhhh are you ready for this? I mean, are you
sitting down? Lucas was wearing clothes! He has been keeping them on lately
I have noticed, maybe its the sudden burst of cold we have been having here, I
don't know because when we lived in Big Bear he was still walking around naked.

I think I'm tired now, I just got that feeling.
I better go catch it.

xo

Another day another $

2010-01-08T13:35:00.001-08:00

Yesterday we went to Kit Carson park for a little bit and I finally got
the chance to use my camera with some of my own family!
Lucas had so much fun playing in the water fountain and seeing the
tile sculpture garden...yah art!

2010

2010-01-07T10:54:00.001-08:00

Dare I beging to write the things that have happened just since the clock
struck midnight on January 1, 2010? I don't know. Ups, downs, all arounds.
I am determind to make it delicous though!
Real quick...check out Alyssas new Etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/alyssasobrito
Shes going to be adding more to it as time goes by. I so badly want for her
to see her potential, it's there, it always has been, she just needs to see it
in herself.

.unheard of.

2009-12-17T15:50:00.000-08:00

Blogging twice in a day is unheard of, at least for me, so this is a real
treat. Right now I'm sitting here typing listening to Lucas quote lines
from Home Alone 2..while he paints a Jack Skelington head that Dominic
mad him to paint...fun stuff. He keeps saying, "Give this to Kevin, give
this to Kevin, give this to Kevin...Kevins not here, Kevins not here,
Kevins not here..." Sadly, Jack Skelingtons head got painted and turned
into the Joker and Lucas said, "Whyyyyyy so serioussssss"! So much for
it being a Christmas ornament!
One more half day of school for my kiddos and then they are out for Christmas
break, Im ready for them to be on a break, Brenna leaves Christmas Day to go
see her Lukey, I mean, they haven't seen one another since I think it was
September...how ever do they manage? Anyways, she is going to go see him for
a week, I can only imagine how excited she and Luke are.
Im not even going to start baking until they get out of school, I went them
to bake with me!
I was going thru pictures today and found these of my girls. I miss them together.
My heart is heavy as to whats going on with Alyssa. I do appreciate the many
prayers that my friends send her way, I feel that love thru all of you.
A difference needs to be made and I want to be part of it.

I made a little "wordle" the other day. Its a program that takes words used
in your blog and makes a little collage out of them...big fat heart it.

Now last but not least, a friend of mine posted the link to this incredible
book, that after reading, I click {order} and got it for Lucas. So worth the
purchase and the guy who wrote it, Dallas Clayton is giving a book away per
every one that is purchase so I hope the book that is given away in honor of
the one that I purchased lands in hands that will use it for good, and that
it will inspire someone to dream BIG ! Just like the mom on Juno!

Here is the link, watch the video and read the book. Trust. http://www.veryawesomeworld.com

4. Today he is 4.

2009-12-17T13:12:00.000-08:00

Well, not really today, yesteday he turned 4 I just didn't get time to
blog about it. 4 years ago sweet Lucas joined our family. I think back to
that day surrounded by Nico, my little sister Niki and Corbin, everything
was going well, I wasn't in any pain and then towards late afternoon it all
started going wrong...Lucas was finally born via c-section and after waking
up from that I was told that it was a close one, and that both myself and
Lucas could have died. Scary.
4 years ago, I know its so cliche to say but time does go by too fast.
Savor this moments. Enjoy the minutes.
Love your people.
Just love.

I attempted pictures with Lucas, oh dear, this kid is so hard to take
pictures of now days, he's totally going thru the whole, "Im not quite
sure how to smile" stage.

Look how cute he is :)

xoxo

Dominic

2009-12-16T08:45:00.000-08:00

So lastnight was Dominics school music program.
Nico wasn't able to make it because he was stuck at work. No fun!
Dominics been taking guitar this year at school and he's already
doing so well! Im SO proud of that kid. He's influenced by Corbin
and Nico playing all the time too, I thought even Lucas might want
to pick up the guitar but all he keeps asking for are drums...eeek!
We shall see!
Good job Dom! You makah your mama prouda!

View discretion is adviced

2009-12-15T09:53:00.000-08:00

Goodmorning lovelies!
I woke up this morning feeling not so up to par, Im thinking it could
have been from the whole eating dinner late lastnight. I stayed up late
because I was partaking of a very important phonecall. A slow healing if
you will.
So yesterday was Nicos day off and we decided to celebrate Lucas' birthday
on that day instead of on Wednesday. We had fun, we took him to the Wild
Animal Park, went and got him his cake, went to get him a ton of balloons,
took him to his most favorite place to go...Party City, that kid loves that
place, he goes gaga when he sees all of the bouncy balls!
Hurry for Nothing Bundt Cakes and the Wild Animal Park.
Happy 4th Birthday my dear sweet little Luca.

Oh yah, he has started with this new "smile" that makes him look a bit like
Nacho Libre! And yes, his hair is in the "grow-out" stage. Oh dear.

Lyss. I miss you.

{ Cloudy with a chance of dorkballs }

2009-12-07T12:23:00.001-08:00

So another week has passed us by and its getting closer to Christmas!
I suppose I should be better prepared as I have oodles of kids that need
buying for! Brenna is done, Dominic and Corbin..ummmm, havent started.
Lucas is easy peasy to shop for so no worries there.
I did a session on Saturday with the happiest baby in the world, her name
is Emma and she seriously has the cutest laugh ever! Makes me wanna ha...
nevermind. What was I thinking?
I woke up this morning to rainclouds and rain falling from the skies, it
actually made me stay in my bed a little longer, which is even easier to do
when Lucas has snuck into our bed during the night and acts as the perfect
little heating blanket!
Lastnight I watched Dexter, only one more episode left of this season, NOOOO!
I wish that show never had seasons and was just on nonstop, year round! Love it.
Brenna and I went and saw that movie Brothers, on Friday night. SO good!
It made me see Tobey McGuire in a whole new light, he was awesome in that movie.
He even managed to scare me! Not the mellow little Spiderman boy in that movie.
We might take Lucas to see Planet 51 today, I don't know. I really should go
shopping.
Things are good. Things are pleasent. Things are lookin up.
And why is it that no matter how many times I think I have seen every single
episode of Roseanne does my remote just stop on that show anyways and I watch
it whenever its on lol. Its like a weird security blanket to me or something.
I think I like it because its real, its bullcrap, and its honest. And there is
a hint of white trash that I think I can relate to in the sense of their family
isnt trying to be some fake knock off of a perfect family, you know, its not
trying to be like the familys that you see on tv right now during all of the holiday
television viewing where everyone lives in giant houses, and everyone wakes up to
perfectly clean houses and the children all jump out of their beds that probably
cost as much as my car, and they all gather round their 10 spruce tree wearing their
perfectly woven robes and designer slippers and the mom opens one of her Kifts,
that is usually a piece of jewelry, because every gift begins with K. Curse you
Kay Jewelers, I dont even like lockets or anything that resembles a heart hanging
from a chain, I dont care for diamonds and Id rather have that money spent on
something that would actually better my life.
Wow, how did I just get off on that rabbit trail?
Anyways, the reality of it all is, Im sitting here on the sofa, in pj bottoms and a beater, no bra, Lucas is laying next to me watching Hortin hears a who and hes sitting in his chonies, Nico is sprawled out on the other sofa in scrubs from his old job at the hospital and hes snoring like a freigh train. Hows that for real life?
I cant even say that I smell the sweet aroma of Christmas cookies baking in the
oven. Go me!
I find that sometimes on Facebook, the way everyone post every single moment of their
lifes status it can get daunting, do you agree? And honestly, sometimes is seems
as though people arent real on there, its so easy to post really just anything
you want isnt it? I could go on there right now and post, "Off to Tiffanys, AGAIN, gosh Nico is addicted to buying me diamonds, whats a girl to do"? Or "Going to catch a flight to Paris, I want to see the sunrise in Paris today as opposed to this boring ol San Diego one" or " I just got the cutest dress onsale for only $600, like oh em gee, I cant believe the deal I got"
Let's be real peeps, post the realness.

Facebook status update : I just coughed again, Lucas is still in his chonies and
Nico just yawned and asked when Dominic gets home from
school.
Yah, its just that exciting.

I hope you all have a delicious day! LOVE everyone, trust me it will make you feel
better.

xoxo

{ The Island of Misfit Toys }

2009-12-04T10:36:00.000-08:00

I figured that since I never seem to have the time to get the camera out, take the pictures, load them, etc....etc...Im probably just going to blog iphone pics. Lazy? Maybe. Easy? Yes! Have I mentioned how much I love the convenience of my Iphone? I do, I love that I can do nearly everything from such a small item. It holds a world of applications! How many pages of apps do you have on your Iphone if you have one?
Im curious, I dont know if I have too many. Every once in awhile I will go thru mine and decide its worth and if I want to keep it. I do have a slight addiction to getting Twitter apps. How many do I seriously need? I think Ive tried them all. All of my camera apps are must keeps! But do I need Paper Toss? Shhhhh, it's fun throwing a rolled into a ball little piece of paper into a trash bin.
Do I need Facegoo? Ummm, HELLO! Yes I do...its for Lucas and Dominic. Do I need FoodNetwork? Well, you do realise that when one cant seem to fall asleep, they can click on their FoodNetwork app and watch videos of food being prepared in a gajillion different ways! And Yes, for your information I need Time Magazine, NBC San Diego, Urban Spoon, iEmoji, Paypal and Pandora!
Here are some pictures from the past few weeks via my iphone, dear sweet convenience.

Lucas, taking a soaky with his ducks, he loves the ducks from Bath & Body.

Lucas, holding his giant balloon he got from Daddy when we went to visit him at work.

Here is my iphone wearing its "winter sweater", I love that there are so many covers for iphones, I bought this one for the snowflakes :)

Lucas digging into some peanut butter Happy Yogurt. We love this place. Its been in
Escondido since I was a kid and the same husband and wife own and run it from way back then. They are so sweet. As soon as we walk in, she loves on Lucas, all I have to do is say, Nico wants the usual and she knows exactly what to make, Peanutbutter with peanutbutter cups. Lucas always gets a gumball and Happy Yogurt is especially good in Nicos books because they have Green Bay Packer stuff in there! Score!

This was Lucas this morning. Holding the monster from Rodolph. {actually thats Nicos, its his favorite character from that show}a few answers to some questions one might have...Yes. Lucas is in underwear, the boy hates clothes, I really hope he grows out of it before he starts school because that could be, not so good. Yes. Lucas' hair is out of control, its in that growing out stage so he's looking a bit like chaca from Land of the Lost. It will get better :)

This is Nico, Corbin, Eric and Alex playing some shoot 'em up game.

Another app I have on my iphone, just for this holiday season is called Christmasy
see, I can do fun things like this with peoples pictures.

Thanksgiving night, everyone lounging around watching Home Alone

Orchids that remind me of dear sweet Sofia. She is the best.

Dominic has started taking guitar at school and is doing very well might I say. This night he sat in my room and played me to sleep, I love the sound of the guitar and its even better when one of my lovlies is playing it.

Here is a little treat I found in my bathroom sink, Lucas is always leaving me little surprises throughout the day, this time it was two gum drops and a penny.
The gumdrops were from his gingerbread house he made with Brenna and Dominic.

I had a session on Monday afternoon down at Bernardo Winery and Alana {my niece} was with me, soooooo we thought we would go find the house from Paranormal Activity. We drove up to it and I pulled right into the drive way, there were warning signs stuck to the front of the house so I, being the law abiding citizen stayed in the car, while Lana took the camera and went into the backyard. There were no blinds on the windows so Lana took some pictures of the inside of the house, yikes, those stairs, those scary stairs...

so there you go.

Let me just say this in end to this particular blog post,
Im not sure who all reads this, but I blog as kind of a therapy, there are times when I blog alot and then times when I dont blog for ages, it all just depends. Things that I say on here are my own personal feelings and emotions and happenstances, if I am feeling crappy about how my dad doesnt let me talk to my mom, thats my choice, if you don't like hearing those feelings voiced in this way, don't read my blog. I honestly just live my life, enjoy my friends, love my job, and write about the good, bad and the ugly. I feel its best to be honest on here rather than try to conjour up some fake exsistence, so if its a bad day, Ill write about it, if its a good day, Ill write about it. Tis the joy of blogging, its my choice to share my feelings. If you have issues with those feelings, please, just take your attitude somewhere else. And to those people who support me and understand things as they are, and who are there for me no matter what and accept me for who I am, as I am, Thankyou a million times. Thankfully, there are people out there who don't paint us all with the same brush. Life is short people and the only person that bitterness and grudges hurt, are the people holding them. In the long run, it's just not worth it.

Happy Holidays everyone!

p.s. Lucas knows cable lingo, he just asked if he could watch Tom & Jerry and I said I didn't know if it was on and he said, "Yah it is, it's on demand" Wowzers!

{ Let there be L.O.V.E }

2009-12-03T21:47:00.000-08:00

It is better to give than to recieve right?
A fellow photographer friend of mine, Jennifer Guiley recently had
tragedy strike
her family with a very harsh blow. Yesterday December 2nd her cousin
Chasity 27,and her son Dylan who is 4 were killed in a horrible car crash. Her son Kameron who is 3 is still in
critical condition. You can read their
story here http://jenniferguileyphotography.squarespace.com/
This is one of those cases where the giving is far better than the
recieving.
To help this family during such a difficult time would ease the
financial burden even a little bit, but please pray for her fiance
Mitch and her sweet baby girl Keira and little Kameron still fighting
the fight in the hospital, pray for their hearts, they will be missing
their mommy and sweetheart.

xoxo

oops

2009-11-27T21:39:00.000-08:00

I never blog on here anymore, I feel so blah about it.
I have things I could sit and blog about but Ive been so stinkin
busy I feel like I have no spare time to really sit and blog.
Plus, there are a few not so nice things I might say...oops.

Here, you can look at some of my sessions Ive had over the last
few weeks.

http://2ndstoryblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/welsh-family-so-cal-coronado-love.html

Cupcakes

2009-11-19T09:53:00.000-08:00

I dont know what has caused this cupcake obsession with me lately but its
starting to creep me out. Only for the fact that they have now entered my dreams.
Honestly, of all the things I could dream about, I have what seemed like an "all nighter"
about cupcakes, oh and then thrown into the mix was a random part of my dream where my
dad was an asian chef and he was mad at me for something {go figure} and I ran thru
his kitchen and he grabbed the whole top part of my hair and chopped it off with one
of his fancy shmancy kitchen knives! Where is a dream interpretor when I need one?
This all has to mean something.
I knew it was bad this morning when I woke up and kind of sort of remember talking
to Nico about cupcakes in my sleep...I remember him saying, "uhhhh hummmm" to my
cupcake comment. It went something like this in the middle of the night, "Nico,
I can't stop thinking about cupcakes"...Nico, "uhhhh hummmm". And that was it.
I called him this morning to ask him if I was remembering correctly and he reassured
me that I really was talking about cupcakes in the middle of the night and then
said, "RANDOMMMMMM" He said it would be like him waking me up in the middle of the
night to tell me that he couldnt stop thinking about pizza crust!
Smart A.
Anyways, long story long....cupcakes. Anyone want to buy me a dozen of San Diegos finest?
I wouldn't argue!

In memory of my dream...{a friend gave this to me yesterday to watch...curse her!!}

Break a leg | Taylor Swift

2009-10-24T23:29:00.000-07:00

So today was good, I woke feeling super pumped for the weekend.
I spent a large part of my day running around though. Woke up, talked
to Lana on the phone for a long time, had a belly gut laugh about
something she told me that we then did what we always do and add
majorly to the storyline.
Then, I went and met a couple to be married in December, their wedding
sounds like its going to be so quaint, super cute, warm, cozy and cool!
Went to the bank, picked up my nephew Michael, took him to get his moms
car, found Brenna at the mall, gave her some $$$$, came home, got Michael
and Corbin their tickets for Knotts Scary Farm, sent them off, took Dom
and Lukey to get frozen yogurt {Happy Yogurt} the best in Escondido, personal
opinion of course, came home, chilled, waited for daddy Nico to get home
from work, took Dom and Lukey iceskating and watched some of a hockey game,
went to the store to get poor sicky Nico some vitamins,tea, and some meds,
came home, laundry...and now....SITTING...Phew!!
Tomorrow I am going to meet up with a friend from highschool, so excited!
She and I have been trying to get together for ages and now, finally, its
happening! On a side note, her mama made my bridesmaids dresses for my wedding,
wayyyyy back in 1988!
Now Im going to watch Taylor Swift on SNL and hope from some laughs...wait,
WHATTTTT??? Why are they reshowing the episode with Megan Im in love with myself
Fox?!? What happened to Taylor??? Ugh...forget watching this now.

fall | fall | this must last

2009-10-23T01:55:00.000-07:00

My dream, well one of my dreams is that the weather would just stay "fallish"
forever and ever. Im not a spring/summer person one single bit, I love a
chill in the air!
I can't seem to find sleep tonight so I stayed up way later than everyone in
my family and watched cruddy tv. Those housewives of Atlanta...girlllll!! Love
them, I do...I admit it. I think I will never forget the words dont.be.tardy.for.
the.party for as long as I shall live. Heaven help us.
heaven help us...good song by the way {sung by MCR}.
My hand is still pathetic, today it hurt beyond words, I am so ready for it to
be better....
so wow I guess if Im suffering from insomnia all I need to do is log into my
blog and start typing because I just caught myself dozing...I guess thats my
cue to go find my bed and a dream.

xoxo

.still....broken....after school special

2009-10-19T23:39:00.000-07:00

Oh little hand how I wish you would heal.
Im going to have majorly improper grammer going here because
i want to press as little amount of keys as possible.
So real quick...
I LOVE where I live.
I love the life around here.
I went to Andreas halloween party with nico.
We all went to gabe and sheris yesterday for a bbq.
They gave me a lovely gift.
My kids like their schools,new friends,and our home.
Lukey loves the parks, jack skelington and anything to
do with halloween.
October 28th myself, brenna and dominic will see This is It
nicos job is awesome.
and i feel things changing...life is changing.
some things r getting easier, some harder, best part is,
God knows.

silly lad

xoxo

Gabe & Sheri goodness Part 2

2009-10-15T10:11:00.001-07:00

http://2ndstoryblog.blogspot.com/2009/10/gabe-sheri-part-2-rancha-santa-fe.html

{Yogurt Mill a go go}

2009-10-12T00:57:00.000-07:00

So this weekend was fun, Friday night was kinda chill night, and then on Saturday, I went to Ramona and picked up the nieces..lana and George. [bare with me, im still kinda one hand typing]. So anyways, me, Lucas and Brenna went to go 'ol Ramona to pick the girls up at the McDonalds in Ramona...memoriesssssss!
We came home and waited for Nico to get home so that he could watch Lucas while we went to a scary movie called Paranormal Activity...HELLO SCARINESS! I dont care what anyone says, that is the first movie to ever make me jump out of my chair and scream, both me and Lana did it.
Brenna kept her feet up in the chair the entire movie...chickennnn.
We came home..i felt the need to pray so when i went up to bed, I did.
Fell asleep..and woke up to Brenna standing over me in such a creepy way i freaked out...arghhhh
Sunday was lazy day, we watched tv, talked, laughed went to Oceanside to pick up Dom from the A's and I took the girls back to Santee...before dropping them off though, we hit up the Yogurt Mill...can you say delicioso? {sp?} It was huge and their servings r epic purportions.

Here r a couple iphone snaps....jordan wasnt showin face, eventually im going to get this girl to see how beautiful she is.

BROKEN

2009-10-02T10:38:00.001-07:00

Broken :(

{ Dear sweet blog }

2009-09-30T09:36:00.000-07:00

Hello.
Long time no talk.
It seems like so many of my blog post start with that phrase,
"Long time no talk" Things have been nonstop go go go here
in our household. We have been in the moving process for what
seems like forever, moving is never easy, I dont care if its
across town or across country. Just all of the packing, unpacking,
truck rentals, rehooking up things, getting the kids enrolled in
new schools, it's madness. I think we are finally done, apart from
the unpacking of the boxes that are still piled inside of the garage.
Good thing we have a two car garage!
So we are living in Escondido now, the town that I consider to be,
"Where I grew up". Its the place I lived when my life was the happiest
when I was a child. Everytime I have to drive somewhere in town, its
memory after memory, everywhere I go. In so many ways I love that, but
in some ways, it makes me sad because those days are long gone, I have
with me though all of the lovely memories.
I drove down Farr St. The road we lived in just down the street from our
church and my christian school I went to...I remembered our house, with
the amazing yard, where I had my rabbits, where Niki, Sofia and Synthia
and myself would sit in our garage that was done up like a living room
and we would watch movies, I drove down the road that we used to walk
to school and puddle jump on the way home from school, where we would
be greeted by Mrs A with fresh hot tortillas and butter. Oh were those
days the best. Living nextdoor to the Apodacas, laughing, going to the
swapmeet on Saturday mornings, just always laughing, thats what I remember
the most...as I drove down Farr, thinking of all of these things, I was
saddened to see that where our two homes sat, ours and the Apodacas, was
now an elementary school and a parking lot. Gone are our houses, gone
is the garage, gone is my beautiful yard that was like a park, gone is
my moms garden where she would grow the biggest zuccinni in the world and
make the best bread out of it, all of it..gone.
Some things remain though, I can drive down Quincy and see the entrance to
the swapmeet that is still there, open on the weekends, same time, same place.
I drove past the Swapmeet the other day with Dominic in the car, and he said, "Isnt
that the place that you went to with Grandma every Saturday morning?" I said,"Yes"
and he said, "Its sad that Grandma doesnt remember you" and I told him that it's
not her fault, and that she has Alzheimers and its a disease that just slowly robs
people of their memories, thoughts, etc, and that she couldn't help it, and he
proceeded to say, "Ohhhh, does Grandpa have Alzheimers too then because he always
forgets you?"
How sad is that?
I almost started crying but I didn't want to in front of Dominic and I didnt want
him to think that he had said something to make me cry.
It is however sad that my children notice and realise that there is a definete
"hole" there in my life where there should be parents.
I love my kids to pieces and I would never ever want them to be left feeling
how my Dad has left me feeling. I don't think I'll ever understand him.
Now Im off to run some errands, driving around Escondido, where I am sure another
memory will be triggered and Ill either be happy or sad about that.

xo

A special little blog

2009-09-25T20:02:00.000-07:00

LOOKY LOOKY!!

http://2ndstoryblog.blogspot.com/2009/09/gabe-sheri-rancha-santa-fe-wedding.html

{But I don't wanna watch Noggin}

2009-09-05T22:35:00.000-07:00

That's what Lucas just said.
So hello long lost blog. It seems as though I am always whispering sweet
nothings of make up words to my lil blog.
I really thought that once the kids all went back to school, I would have
nothing but time pouring from my day to do things like, update blogs,
edit photo sessions, send off things, go grocery shopping, keep up with
friends, drive hours to San Diego, you get the picture.
We are in the process of looking for somewhere to live down closer to
San Diego, its both exciting yet stressful both at the same time.
Nicos new job starts on Tuesday..he is super excited about that, we all
are except having not found somewhere to live yet, we are going to have to
live seperated :( Im not liking that bit. He's going to stay with someone
down the hill. The commute would be WAY over kill.
Im REALLY excited that I wont have to make that longgggggggg drive to and
from San Diego anymore, plus we will be so much closer to good friends and
family. Weeeeeeee!
This next month is going to be jam-packed with weddings and love. Im looking
forward to all of these weddings I have booked. I can't wait to see all
the different ways they have chosen to do their weddings. I have a wedding to
shoot on Halloween night!
Brenna remains on her Michael Jackson mourning.
Its been almost 80 days already. Sheesh. Smooth Criminal and Blood on the
dance floor are permanently engrained in my brain.
I want to go to Vegas.
It just seems like it would be fun.
Nico says we can get remarried so maybe we should go get married in Vegas
by Elvis and get the highroller treatment baby.
Its a thought.
Tomorrow we are off to look at a potential place to live, Pray!
I know that the just right thing for us is going to come along. Im seeking God,
I miss my friend. It's been awhile since Ive had dinner with Him..Im feeling
the need and the pull to have Him in my life more. I remember when He used to
be in every room of my heart, now, doors are closed, Im thinking there is alot
of dusting that needs to be done but Im in it to win it, Im feeling things
need a Spring/Fall cleaning. Be patient with me, and my random ways, Im asking
an old friends for dinner :)

Zeppys view of Lucas

.New.

2009-08-22T14:36:00.001-07:00

This week kicked my butt.
Seriously.
I haven't taken a picture of anyone in my own family
in ages. It took almost 3 days of Dr's appts to FINALLY
get Dominics cast put on, poor kiddo. But alas, finally
he is sporting a neon green cast.Thankfully nothing else
happened to his arm when he fell on it the other night.
Good news! Very good news!
Nico got the job he interviewed for in Poway. So it looks
like we will be moving down closer to San Diego. I am SO
looking forward to being closer to my clients, no more
hours of driving for me...thankyou Jesus!
Now, to find somewhere to live.
I know something will come along, it always does.
Carol, if you are reading this, before I leave the OC area,
we NEED to catch up with one another. We better!
Even just a lunch, a chat, a picture or two. Anything.

blog

2009-08-22T14:24:00.000-07:00

New blog posted on my photography blog.
You can look. Seriously. You can.

http://2ndstoryblog.blogspot.com/2009/08/banisters-escondido-ca-family.html

.Stop, I wanna get off.

2009-08-20T08:35:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was insane.
Seriously.
Woke up. {Which that in itself is an accomplishment and a great
step forward}
I kept Dominic home from school because I thought that he needed to
see the Dr again seeing as the night before he fell off the arm of
the sofa {which he shouldnt have been sitting on anyways but thats
besides the point}anyways, when he fell, he caught all the weight of his
body on the arm thats in a soft cast. UGH! He cried for ages my poor son.
So, yes, woke up, tried calling the highschool in Florida to get some
of Corbins school records, got put on hold for an eternity, finally
gave up on that one for the time being.
Now, time to take Dominic.
Got Dominic and Lucas both ready to go, found Zeppy, put her in her crate.
Went to the Dr's office {Its going to be about a 3 hour wait ma'am}
SHINE THAT, Im not sitting here with two kids for 3 hours to maybe even be
seen in 3 hours! {they said I could come back at 1 and hope for the best}
I took him over to the emergency room considering that's originally where
they told me to take him if anything happened before his Dr. appt.
I got in there, told them why I was there and the lady at the front desk
informs me that Dominics insurance has been cancelled. AWESOME!!! Of course
it has been.
They take Dominic back to a bed...we sit and wait for someone to come see him.
We waited so long that Lucas actually went into the hallway and said to the
girl who was emptying the trash cans, "Excuse me, can you come fix Dominic,
he's broken".
Finally the Dr comes in, asks what we have going on here, I tell him that
Dominic fell all over again on his already fractured in 3 places hand and
I didnt know if they needed to re-x-ray him because of that.
He steps back and says, "Well I cant do anything for him, when are u going to
take him to see his Dr"? I said, "Well considering I just found out his insurance
has been cancelled, I cant take him there, they wont see him without his
insurance" And he said, "Well I cant help him, we dont do casting in the ER"
COOL OF COURSE YOU DONT WHY WOULD I BE SO FOOLISH TO THINK THAT YOU COULD HELP
MY SON IN THE ER!
He tells me that I need to take him down to the hospital in Apply Valley, about
30 miles away...really? Seriously? He gave me the phone number and said ask
for the Orthopedic department {mind you this Dr has personality 0% and is
completely rude and Im sitting there biting my tongue trying not to go off on
him about his less then stellar bedside manner}
So scooped up the kids, went to the car, called that hospital, asked for the
Ortho department...she transferred me...and...sit.....sitttt....wait....hmmmm..
horrible please hold music...waitinggggggg.....geez nevermind! They never
answered.
Looked at the clock, it's 11am. I decided I may as well go home for a bit, let
the kids stretch, eat, I snuck in a bit of client work and thought, I may as well
go back to the clinic at 1.
So 12:35 back in the car, lets go to the clinic! Dominic needs to be seen!
Got to the clinic at 12:45...phew.
Sitting.
Waiting.
I answered emails on my phone.
Twittered.
Facebooked.
Fed Lucas Alphabet cookies.
"Mommy whats this"?
"Its a Q Lucas"
"Ok cool, wh..wha...whats this one"?
"It's a half eaten E lucas"
"Ohhh that's really great Mommy"
"Uh huh, it is Lucas..stop running...get over here and sit down"
"Mommy you're so amazing"
"Yah, nice try Lucas, get over here, you're still sitting down"
"Mommy, did you see that Grandma Dr?"
"Ummm Lucas"
This went on for a longgggggggggggggggg time, all the while Dominic laid
sprawled out across 4 chairs, looking so miserable. I thought, what in the
heck is wrong with him, hes acting like a zombie, is he really in that
much pain? They need to see him!
So, sat we did.
Waited.
Lucas met little kids, shared his cookies, entertained two grown men by
throwing his purple plastic starfish across the floor saying, "Hey watch
this guys, you're gonna love this"
FINALLY they called us to the back, stuck us in a room.
And we sat there for a bleeding hour!
The nurse comes in to do all the usuals, blood pressure, temp...etc.
She checks his temp. "Did you know he had a fever of 102?"
K, I didn't know that, but it would explain why he was laying down looking in
pain the entire time we sat in the waiting room {with a little girl next to us
who had strep}
The Doc came in, looked at Doms hand, looked at his first x-rays from the
other day and said...hmmm...we need to do some more xrays since he fell on it
again..he said he wasnt liking that his fractures were in his growth plates
and that he may need to see an Orthopedic dr instead because if his hand
isnt dealt with properly then his hand could heal all buggered and he could have
problems with it his whole life. :(
So he sends us across the street to get xrays and says hurry because you can
come back over here and depending on the looks of the xray, we can put a hard
cast on it.
So we booked it across the street, went to Xray and the technician sat there on
the phone talking to someone about her schedule, chillin on the phone, laughing.
The whole time Im thinking COME ON GIRL STOP BUMPING YOUR GUMS AND XRAY DOMS HAND!
She finally does it, we got in the car, went back across the street, got to the
Dr's office {again} and the girl at the front desk calls the Dr, he comes out and
talks to me and says, "Come back tomorrow, the radiologist just left"
"Are you kidding me? If that girl would have gotten off the phone and done her
job we could have made it"! Argghhhhhhhhhhh!
Then, the girl at the front desk tells me that if we do have to go down to
Apple Valley to see the Orthopedic Dr that we are going to have real fun doing
that, and that since Dominics insurance had been cancelled and he was no longer
covered, the wait to get to see the Orth specialist is about 6-8 weeks.
Holy hell in a handbag!
Like hes supposed to sit there with a fractured hand for 6-8 weeks?
Whatever.
They told us they will call me in the morning to tell me what they think we
need to do, so today I may be going to the Dr to cast him or I will get the
news that he needs to go see the Ortho down in Apple Valley.
And so far...no phone call.
Dominic just woke up...."look, I can kind of grab things with my hand now"
Amen!
Lord, please let the new xrays show nothing new!
Maybe just a normal hardcast will do.
Pray.
Phew!

"Let me tell you"

2009-08-18T11:31:00.000-07:00

Hello blog :)
Long time no type.
These past couple of weeks have been interesting to say the
least. Where to begin?

"Things to scratch my head about"

1. the harddrive on my laptop went tits up
2. Dominic got knocked over by a huge wave at Laguna
Beach and drug across the coral and left his leg
looking like a big piece of raw meat.
3. I dropped my Iphone and the screen shattered, AT&T wanted
me to pay them $199 to replace the screen considering accidents
aren't covered with the insurance that you pay for to have on your
phone. Blah. In the end, I figured a way out to get a new phone and
much cheaper, so a new Iphone came in the mail yesterday.
4. Dominic fell off his skateboard over the weekend and we found out
yesterday after a trip to the Dr and x-rays that his hand is fractured
in 3 places, so he is now the proud owner of a cast. Thankfully it wasnt
his left hand since hes a lefty.
5. Nico had to go get his California license this morning, left super early
to try to beat the crowds which Im kind of thinking is an impossibility
in the state of Ca. He called me at 7:30 saying that he had forgotten his
wallet...he was all the way down in Redlands and had no cash on him either!
Sooo...he had to sit and wait for the bank to open at 9am so that he could
withdraw some cash to get gas and his new license {mind you hes got no ID
with him so I called the DMV to make sure he could still do it with no ID
on him, they said they should be able to just look up his SSN and see a photo
of him proving he is the guy in the picture. We dont know though yet because
he still has to stand in the 50 mile long line to be told if they will do it,
or not. DANGGGGGGGGG!
6. I got up, to go to the bank, the dog chewed the trash up, I slipped in grease,
went to get the mop out of the garage and stepped in dog poop.

I went on Twitter to see if Ashton Kutcher said anything about being up in
Big Bear this week because I really felt as though I must be being punked.
If so, not funny. They say bad things happen in 3's so can I be done now?
Last Wednesday Nico and I celebrated 21 yrs being married...there is the silver
lining in the grey overcast, gloomy cloud thats been looming over our house
the past couple of weeks.

But you know, life is short, we are healthy, we have a home to live and grow
in, we have food, vehicles, we have eachother and when you really look at things
that way, it makes all the things I listed seem to minimal. We can get thru
things and come out better people, happier people.
Noone likes the grey clouds in life really but good really does usually come
from them, think of the delicious smell after the rain, and clean feeling
that comes from all the crap being washed away...so let the "grey clouds"
loom, there is deliciousness coming up soon!

Right? right.

listen to something today that makes you smile inside out.

{ Midnight }

2009-08-09T00:11:00.000-07:00

This song....is intense.
Im in love.
It makes me happy/sad
The whole time Im listening to it, Im imagining
the scenes...Ahhhh I love it.
The build up with his voice just gets me.

{ Can't see the lines can ya Russ? }

2009-08-06T23:18:00.000-07:00

You will be missed John Hughes.
Your movies have been watched in this house over
and over and over again. Thankyou for Uncle Buck,
Clark Griswald, Kevin McAllister, Andie Walsh, Long
Duk Dong, Duckie..Oh Duckie, Ferris, Samantha Baker,
JAKE RYAN, The Geek of the century
{Anthony Michael Hall}, Watts, Aunt Edna, Cousin Eddie,
The Breakfast Club, Cameron FryeChet Donnely, Jack, Tia,Maisy & Miles Russel,
Chanice Kobolowski, Marcie Dahlgren Frost & Bug, Curly Sue and
Dennis the Menace, Dutch Dooley, Doyle Standish, Neil Page & Del
Griffeth, and Moley Russels wart!
Mr Hughes, you just rocked. All of your characters created in your
mind that made it to a movie screen or a tv all made me laugh
and cry! When Watts gets the diamond earrings at the end of Some
Kind of Wonderful and says, "I wanted these to be mine" And Keith
says, "You look good wearing my future" Awwww man! I love that.
The end of Uncle Buck, when he turns around and waves...gulp,
I cry at that part EVERYTIME! Clark Griswald trying so hard to get
all of his Christmas lights to work and he's outside all alone..
he looks so sad trying to figure out why they arent working. :(
Del Griffeths face when Neil was telling him off.
I think Im going to have a John Hughes movie marathon soon.

Ferris was right, "Life moves pretty fast,if you dont stop to look
around once in awhile, you might miss it"

{ Zeppy }

2009-07-30T00:28:00.000-07:00

Oh WOW!
I haven't given this little space in my life attention for a
very long time. I feel so guilty, my little blog must be feeling
like a jilted lover. Im so sorry my dear sweet blog.
So much has happened since I was last here...
The Bachelorette picked her love...Ed. I knew it, since the first
episode I was rooting for him :) My instincts were sharp with
that one. Whoa!
I've done some really fun photo-sessions with some very way cool
people {I have no idea where that little surfer just came from in
my typing} I love my clients to bits, I really do.
Let's see what else, a sister came and went {go figure} not too
shocking though, and I can honestly say I have no idea what happened,
she just disappeared, thats ok though, Ive grown quite used to it,
it doesnt take much really to refrigerate my female siblings.
All I can do is keep living my life and pray and hope, hope and pray
that one day they see how short life is and how grudge holding
really solves nothing. Bitterness sucks and thinking that one is better
than the other sucks even more.
On a rather good note, we got Zeppy, she is a dear sweet little doggy.
She reminds me of both Dorothys dog Toto and the Grinches dog, Max.
Shes a little scruff-muffin! She's so loving too. I think rescued dogs
always seem to have a better attitude, its like they aren't jaded
and all they really want to do is love you and have you love them back.
So simple really.
If humans could only be more like dogs. Maybe the world would be a little
kinder.

But, here is the scruffy-muffin

You know what else I love about Zeppy? Shes as big as
she's ever going to get. She's a lil fuzzy pumpkin!

{New "love-session" blog}

2009-07-16T00:07:00.000-07:00

You can see a yummy couple whos wedding I will be shooting
in September is you go to http://2ndstoryblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/awesome-people-so-cal-engagement.html

{weekends are the best}

2009-07-13T10:06:00.000-07:00

We all went down to Oceanside this weekend because the V's are
down from San Fran and so of course we need to spend as much time
with them as possible!
We had so much fun! I love and miss all of them SO much.
I had a photoshoot on Saturday so I asked Sofia to come to be my second
shooter so she came along. It was a session for one of my future
weddings..such a fun couple! You will be able to check out their
wedding photos in September when they get married :)

Nico made pizza for everyone Saturday night and then the next day we had a
big BBQ. The kids all went swimming and we just hung out by the pool. Poor
Corbin and Luke spent the entire weekend either being sunburnt, itching
from hives & bugbites or knocked out from Benadryl. I felt so bad for
them.
It was a great weekend though! We got to see lots people we havent seen
in ages!

Corbin and Lukey

.4am...seriously.

2009-07-09T03:18:00.000-07:00

WHY AM I AWAKE RIGHT NOW!?
Seriously though, why am I awake right now?
Anyone got any ideas? Im willing to take sleeping
advice. Right now, I am sitting in the comfy chair in
my bedroom and in one ear I hear Michael Jackson singing,
the other ear...Nico snoring. Not cool. I could put both
headphones in but I have this thing about not being able
to hear every little sound in my house at nighttime. I cant
stand that, I HAVE to hear all of the different little sounds
that happen in a home during the middle of the night.
Infact...as soon as I sat in this chair, I hear two loud pops
outside...fireworks? gunshots? flares from someone sending out
an SOS? I don't know but the kids all did come in my room saying,
"Did you hear that"??!! So I thought, finally it wasnt just me
overracting about something! Not long after that came the police
lights scamming the neighborhood. Right then I felt dodgy, like
im living in Compton and Im having to deal with possible gunshots
and police car lights shining on my bedroom wall thru the curtains.
How so very So Cal.
According to MJ right now...I am not alone. Ahhhh, thats comforting lol.
We went to the park and I took a few piccies for my dear blog.
Seeing as I tend to neglect..with great neglect!

Luca the Ant Bully {if u look close you can see some of his prey}

Nico and Lucas chasing Lucas and Nico

Listening to, you guessed it...Michael Jackson {thankyou Brenna for that}

He wanted to hear Black & White

and this time, it was Thriller

.Sunday Funday.

2009-07-06T07:22:00.000-07:00

Sunday morning Nico, Lucas and myself all woke up early to
go down to LA, we had an appt of sorts for Lucas {shhhh it's
a secret} I knew they would like him.
After our appt, we drove around Hollywood for awhile, pretty
fun a gotta say. We drove up Mulholland Dr and soaked up the view.
It was awesome. Have I told you how much I love California?
I am dearly greatful to my Dad for moving us out here when I was in
about 4th grade. Had that never happened I would never have known
just exactly how great California is. Especially in the mornings!
We drove down Hollywood Blvd and saw some interesting things, a rabbit
walking across the street, Jesus drinking Starbucks, Bumblebee from
Transformers, Spongebob, Davey Jones and Jack Sparrow, KISS, and I
think I saw Marilyn Monroe standing out there too.
We drove past the big crowd mourning at Michael Jacksons star on
the Walk of Fame and drove past Nickelodeon Studios where they
were taping an episode of I-Carly which Dominic would have liked!
Now today, Im off to the gym, finishing up some editing, trying to
swollow as my throat feels like someone dumped sand down it, and let's
see...that about covers it!
{I forgot to mention that we went and ate at Famous Daves, this one was
quite good}

Happy week everyone
xo

{Michael Joseph Jackson}

2009-07-02T15:37:00.000-07:00

So, yah, it's a sad thing.
I havent written in my blog forever and now
that I am its going to be about death.
Alot of death has been around these past couple
of weeks. Not just in the media but with people I
know, knew, etc.
Sad.
I was sitting here the other day thinking, "Oh, my dad
and Michael Jackson have the same first and middle names"
not that that means anything, but it was just a thought.
I wonder what else they had in common...something about the
name Michael the name Michael has been used in my family
let me think...how many times..7 times in my family {that I know
of} See Ill name them My dad Michael, my brother Michael, my nephew
Michael, my nephew Joshua Michael, my nephew David Michael, Nicos
middle name is Miguel {same name different way of saying it} Dominics
middle name is Miguel.
K talk about a rabbit trail!
Anyways, I leave you with one of my favorite videos ever.
I remember watching it over and over back when I lived in Alacrapa
the fact that I ever lived in Alabama is disturbing..bleh.

One of my el favorito videos of him..his dancing is a-freakin-mazing

.Oi Oi.

2009-06-22T07:07:00.000-07:00

First off, I'm freezing!
How can it be SO cold this far into June!?
I don't get it. I guess it's what you get when
you live in the mountains. Bleh. I want to be
living off of this mountain by the end of the summer.
Seriously, I am sitting here at 7 am wrapped in a big
blanket because I can hardly feel my feet! Brrrrrr!
So I hope everyone had a good Fathers Day!
Sadly, I didn't even get to talk to mine. Reasons unknown
{kind of} It's sad really, but ok, this is the way he
choses to be so I hate this word but "whatever"
We had a great day yesterday.
First, earlier in the week I thought I would be really clever
and take some pictures of the kids for Nico for Fathers Day.
Well...its nearly impossible getting them all home at once, that
alone was a feat!
Then...Corbins allerigies were off the hook and he did nothing
but wipe his eyes and sneeze, my poor son. I wish he wasn't
so allergic to the outdoors. Especially now, there is so much
pollen in the air it looks ridiculous outside! I went and
washed the car on Friday afternoon, and by the time they called
me over to the car to tell me it was finished, it was already covered
in pollen. Ugh.
So for Fathers Day we went to Laguna Beach...fun!
Dom wasnt with us because he's down in Oceanside spending time
with friends..{from the sounds of it, having loads of fun}!
So back to the beach talk...
We had mucho fun! It was a nice relaxing day and Im glad that Nico
was able to have a day of sun and fun! He is addicted to Lucas and
I think could just follow him around all day..Lucas always says, "Come
on Dad, follow me," Nico does.
Here are pictures from the last two events!

Really, all Lucas was interested in was dancing.

Fathers Day at Laguna Beach
{I have to mention that I took my old camera to the beach with us,
and I forgot to switch the lens on it so the only lens I had was
my kit lens that doesnt auto-focus anymore so everything had to
be manualy focused which kind of throws spur of the moment pictures
out the window} So bummed!

A picture of a house Nico liked.

no idea how Lucas walked on these barefoot!

Nico, Brenna & Lana wayyy over there in the water.

Nico on chicken rock. He was JUST about to jump when the lifeguard came
and told him that the tide was too off for him to jump...bummer, next time!

Nico holding a tiny crab in his tire-guy hands.

Oh do I LOVE living in California. How amazing is this view?

Happy Monday!
I have a session tonight that is a very special one. I can't wait to
be a part of this awesome event!

.Wowsers.

2009-06-17T22:19:00.000-07:00

It's been SO long since I blogged!!
I have been SO incredibly busy the past couple of
weeks, and on top of all that, being sick...bleh!
I have finally started feeling better though.
Today marked the last day of school for all of my sprogs!
Dominic is offically a 7th grader, Brenna is officially a
Sophmore and Corbin has entered the world of being a Senior!
That's intense people! It seems like Corbin just started high
school and now...almost done. Even though he kind of looks at
school like a long sentence in a labor camp, I am still quite
proud of him. Im proud of all my "youngins" {ugh that word}
So, whats new.
Last weekend I feel as though I lived in the car. Got up on Saturday,
went to San Diego to meet with a family at Seaport Village for a big
family session with them...loved them! I think I love all my clients
though, gosh darn it, they are always such sweet people!
Seeing familys interact with one another during their sessions though,
all the aunties, uncles, cousins, grandparents...is so cool to see but
at the same time it reminds me that my family is so jacked up. Pardon
the slang but that's the term that comes to mind. Its sad actually.
Nothing is as its meant to be. Aunts being nice to their nieces and
nephews??? Unheard of! Grudges are a bastard, especially when
they are held onto so tightly.
Anyways, back to Seaport Village...yah, the family I had the shoot
with were super sweet! After my session I came ALLLLLLL the way home
and got Nico, Dominic and Lucas, and we all headed down towards
Malibu for the night because I had a shoot there the next day.
We ended up staying in Woodland Hills {Whoa Whoa a little shout out
for Alana}! We had fun! We didnt get that FOREVER because my stupid
GPS took us thru downtown LA late at night right when there was something
big letting out at the Staples Center. Finally we settled into our hotel
room, showered, watched mindless tv and fell asleep. The next morning,
like complete dorks, Lana and I went and found Dash LOL. The store that
the girls on Keeping up with the Kardashians run..or at least appear
on tv to run {I bet they are only there like 5 days out of the month
for filming} So ya, we saw that, and drove away thinking, "hmmm, wow,
big deal"
We went to Target to get some stuff for the beach and the whole time
I think Alana was convinced she was going to somehow see Kristen
Stewart since that is her hometown. Trust me she about peed her pants
when she found out that the very same day WE were in Woodland Hills getting
gas somewhere...SO was K-Stew {Oh my gosh it was a Christmas miracle}!!!!
Afterwards, we went to Malibu, did the shoot {another big family} had fun
in the sun, Lucas and Dominic ran the beach and we headed for home..I was so
drained by then!
ALLLLLLL that traveling around and activity and not a picture was taken.
But, I do have picture...so here goes.

Here is a part of my view when Im driving around the lake.

Lucas playing in the den

kisses

Lana

Brenna and Dom

pictures from today with Brenna

Brenna took over the camera

love & goodnight

{Baron & Asia}

2009-06-08T09:40:00.000-07:00

Go here http://2ndstoryblog.blogspot.com/ to check them out! It was a gorgeous
yummy day!!

{ xoxo } 2ndStory | So Cal | Lifestyle Photographer

2009-06-04T19:28:00.001-07:00

{New Moon}

2009-06-01T23:39:00.001-07:00

How could I forget this!?
One of my favorite parts of the book even!
I loved Bellas birthday party...
Cant wait for November!!

What did you think of their kiss or lack thereof at the MTV movie
awards? Were you bummed?
Did you like how Kristen dropped her golden popcorn!? OOPS!

Thoughts on the trailer??

cough

2009-06-01T23:06:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged on here for days, I was sick ALL weekend and
still am. I got Brennas killer cold and I feel like I have cracked
a few ribs from coughing..ugh!
Im over it.
I just want to post some pictures from Doms school program and from
my day down in Anahiem with Fia! Yah!

This is the view from Dominics school..nice huh?

Dom sitting at his desk in his classroom

a poem Dom wrote for school..

Dom and his Math teacher

Dom and his choir teacher

some cool people in the crowd :)

I was sitting behind Corbin and thought hmmm...
Thankfully those holes are getting smaller.

late Daddy..[he had to work]

Dom very happy to see us.

And so these are a few pictures from my visit with Fia and Nile..
Oh I miss them SO much!

Sofia and Luca at Peets coffee in Newport Beach

a cool little spider web that had collected dew on it

the aftermath at Sprinkles

Lana lookin fly [see me and Sofia in her glasses?]

mmmmmmmm

Lucas waiting in line at Sprinkles

Me and Fia

Swiper no swipping

Nile sitting at his laptop

Lucas loves "bangels"

Sofia lookin lush

Im still coughing...Im so tired.

.Americas next top model.

2009-05-23T12:50:00.000-07:00

There are nine beautiful ladies standing in front of me,
yet I only have 8 cards in my hands...and now Im going to
stand here and tell you how pathetic you all are...Tyra Banks
gags me!
Me and Lana are sitting here watching Next top model out of sheer
boredom I think. Why?
I dont feel well today so I have pretty much only done things that I
can do from the sofa, so far thats been eat breakfast, fold a basket
of clothes, and watch complete rubbish on tv. So far, so fun.
This weekend is my last mellow weekend I think for a few weeks.
It is looking like we are going to have a super busy June..alot of
photosessions which is SO good! Im excited about
this and I think Im going to really enjoy meeting all of these awesome
new people!

we went out for a ride wayyyyy up in the mountains on a 4runner ride and this
was our view...

Dom skateboarding

this is what Lucas does every single day...he loves to
throw things on the roof!

A flier I made for something...

So there you go.
Hope everyone has a GREAT weekend!

{ Our big FAT jeep ride }

2009-05-17T19:46:00.000-07:00

This afternoon we packed up the forerunner and went
for a forever long ride. It was so much FUN!
Poor Brenna girl didn't get to come because she is sicky...I
don't think shes hardly left the sofa today...poor thing.

After we got done with our jeep ride...we went to Micky D's
and got a choccy dipped icecream cone. Heres a tip...dont
try to eat icecream cones in the back of a jeep with the wind
blowing so hard. We had it EVERYWHERE! In our hair, on our faces,
I even lost mine...I went to lick it and it flew out of my hand!
Booooo!!!!

Here are some pictures from today!

a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/storyphotography/3540610141/" title="IMG_1242 by [Amy] 2nd Story, on Flickr">

.Sessions.

2009-05-17T12:56:00.000-07:00

Ive been busy editing a few sessions I had this week.
Let's get the lowdow.
Yesterday Me, Nico and Lucas went down to San Diego.
Nico and Lucas went to the zoo while I went and had a
session with Christina, Craig and little Sofia. Bliss!
I love going over to their house, they are the sweetest
ever!

to see more go here http://2ndstoryblog.blogspot.com/2009/05/princess-sofia.html

Then I also had a session earlier on in the week with Lisa, Nathan, Ian
and Sonya. They are clients of mine who Ive done other sessions with.
They are moving to Italy at the end of this month.. they will be missed for
sure! I really enjoy their family!

to see more of them go here http://2ndstoryblog.blogspot.com/2009/05/bye-bye-miss-american-pie.html

And now I am off for a little family time. We are going to go riding in
the jeep up to somewhere cool and relaxing! [im sure there will be pictures
to follow]

*Say a prayer for my Brenna girl, she isn't feeling well at all.
she even had to miss her Disneyland trip today with the yearbook
staff at school...my poor girlygirl*

{bugs and yogurt}

2009-05-13T00:08:00.000-07:00

Today Lucas and I were home all alone, all day!
Everyone else in the house was either at work or school.
We watched Noggin, Lucas sat on his pottychair many times,
ate crackers, peanutbutter honey sandwhiches, drank apple juice,
ate yogurt and found bugs!
We have these ginormous ants out on our front walkway. Lucas loves
to pick them up and play with them, there have been a few casualties
however...the boy doesn't know his own strength :)
Tomorrow morning it's get up early time!
I have a session in San Diego tomorrow afternoon.
Yah!
One of my past clients...they are moving to Italy at the end
of the month and are wanting one more session before they
leave. Im looking forward to seeing them again!
Time for bed.
Oh, one last thing...Chris was awesome on American Idol tonight.
I think we all know by now that Adam can scream and hit the high
notes. I would really like to see him do something more mellow
but...its almost over so probably not.
Go Chris though!
{actually, I like all three of them so may the best man win!}

xoxo

{The Killers}

2009-05-12T07:56:00.000-07:00

This is just a quick blog to share a video of my lovlies
on David Letterman lastnight..I think you should watch it.
Of course I have watched it numerous times because I love them.
Corbin and Lana tease me about them all the time and say that
they are just a band who copied Interpols sounds {but whatever}
Anyways, off to the Farmers Market for my fresh flowers of
the week, strawberrys, pitas and Chibatta bread.
Have a delicious day!

.iron&wine. {love it}

2009-05-09T00:04:00.000-07:00

Friday night and nowhere to go.
Actually it's midnight and I should be going to
sleep..I have a session in San Diego at 11 and I need
to get up early in the a.m.
My poor Lukey isn't feeling well...I hate that I have to
leave him tomorrow. Nico was going to go with me but
he decided to go down with me next weekend instead.
They are going to go to the zoo while I do my sessions next
weekend.
Yah!
It's kind of quiet around here tonight, just the girls home and
little Luca. Brenna and Lana are sitting in here with me, Lana
is playing with Brennas hair, singing Chasing Pavement...actually,
she sounds quite good, although shes teasing Adele which I think
is mean...and keeps saying, "should I give up or should I keep
being ugly"? She's teasing the girl..and I love her. I think she's
lovely.
Tomorrow Flat Stanely is going down the hill with us..we CAN NOT forget
the poor lad! He has a mission he needs to be on before he goes back
to Florida to tell his story!
Here are a few lovelies from today.. {my camera fell in love with Lucas
earlier this afternoon}

my phone, I know right? A photoshoot for your phone? It's just that...I
love it that much.

nitenite

.tears stream.

2009-05-07T09:59:00.000-07:00

Busy week but no sessions...blah!
I had one for tomorrow postpone on me, what a bummer!
I do have one on Saturday with a lovely couple whos wedding
I am also shooting...YAH!
Im sitting here after doing a some major cleaning and Lana is
watching Exterminators...the family of exterminators...are strange!
One of the family members looks like a cartoon character.
Right now, the topic is a fire ant infestation..wow, I so do not miss
fire ants. They are evil and I believe come straight from hell.
Ever been bit by one? They hurt like heck.
My kiddos are almost out of school for the summer...WHOA!! I can't wait
for them to be home more and for things to slow down a bit.
HOLY MOLY the wife on this exterminators show is a haggatha!
I finally took some time and took some pictures of some of my family members.
Have a look see :)

this face Lucas makes is hilarious and when he does it, he does this little
asian voice...he's a funny kid!

Lana...pondering.... :)

Brenna and Lana chillin

Lana blowin smoke

Lanas obsession

some of my smells

little lemon

mmmmmm

xoxo

.Spaghetti Friday.

2009-05-01T11:22:00.000-07:00

So, yah...its been ages since my blog has seen my face.
Im a horrible blogger as of late...but here I am, I've
come to save face, if only just for today.
I feel like I've been nonstop busy.
I have pictures to post from a couple of weekends ago,
we went down to Nicos grandmothers birthday party.

So...here you go :)

a view from our drive there...I LOVE California

Dominic soaking up the sun and the wind

Lana, snoozing on the road trip

Brenna snoozing on the road trip

Dominic at Nicos grandmas

My sister in law Susan

Nicos grandma cutting her yummy coconut cake she always makes!

little jules

Kaylee, Brenna and Susan

Big D

Nicos beautiful mama. She died in a car accident when he was just 10.
I never got to meet her, I always wished I had been able to. She's lovely isn't
she?

Happy Mothers Day to her

.do the Helen Keller and talk with your hips.

2009-04-23T12:19:00.000-07:00

Morning/Afternoonish!
Sitting here getting some work down, thought I would take a break
and bloggity blue.
Went to the gym this morning, came home, made coffee, sat down to
work and totally forgot that Dominic was still in bed and needed to
go to school...oops! He didnt seem to mind, he got some extra much
needed sleep.
Yesterday was fun...I should have taken some pictures of our treats.
We had some amazingly cool fun drinks, made by Lana AND I made some
strawberry shortcake and it was yummmmm!
Today it's errand time.
Watching music videos with Lana...hense the name of this blog.
Kiss me thru the phone is on..and seriously? Gag me. I love the
girl making out with her iphone on the tredmill...so realistic!
The director of the third book in the Twilight saga was announced, for
Eclipse...have you read it? Be honest...it's good huh!?

Some piccies from the last couple days...

:)

{ Catching up }

2009-04-22T16:35:00.000-07:00

which I have ALOT of catching up to do! So much has happened since I last blogged that I dont even think I will attempt to try to catch up where I left up, but
Ill just start from this week.
Last Sunday we all went down to Nicos grandmothers house and celebrated her bday!
It was BLAZING hot last Sunda...seriously, it was horrible! The party was fun,
the weather..for the birds! Bleh!
I dont even think I've blogged since I got my new car!
Yippee! Nico got me a Subaru Forrester, I love it, it's perfect for me. Very
very happy about that!
On Easter we went to the San Diego Zoo...good times. It was Lucas and Doms first
time ever at a zoo. They LOVED it! We all had so much fun. Lucas was hooked on
staring at the "Plamingo's" [Flamingos]...we spent alot of time looking at them,
and the gorillas.
Anyways, I shall post some pictures now...
to be continued.

Brenna and Lemon

[look how swollen Doms poor mouth was from his tooth]

xoxo

{I got the shivers}

2009-04-08T10:02:00.000-07:00

Im cold!
I was supposed to be down in Carlsbad today but my session
was postponed for today...total bummer, I was SO looking
forward to that shoot today too...Well..soon it will happen.
We got a little snow lastnight, just enough to make the air cold.
I am still coughing my insides out, yah, it's getting old!
I feel like my stomach is going to explode from coughing so much.
We got season passes to the San Diego Zoo, so guess where we are
going this weekend? Heehee :) Fun will most DEF be had!
We are still trying to find me a car, pray we find one pretty please!
A few shots from the last few days..

{sniff sniff sniff }

2009-04-03T10:12:00.000-07:00

This is getting ridiculous!
I am STILL sick! This cold really seems to be holding
on for dear life! Seriously...how many times can someone
blow their nose in one day? And the coughing? Ugh! I'm over it!
I haven't blogged in days and I have some pictures to put up from
last weekend in Oceanside.
We had another great weekend down there...it could become a habit :)
I had a photosession on Sunday in La Jolla which was fun and went well.
We stayed at the A's again...fun fun fun!
After my session me and Lana met Synthia and all of the kids at the Oceanside
Pier...how fun was that!? I love it down there.
We came back up the mountain late Sunday night, the kids still having another
week off of school for springbreak. I have pretty much been sick the entire
week, so has Alana. She came back home with us for another week.
Let's see what else..went to LA the other day. Lana was in LALA LAND!
I got a new pressie :)
A new camera.
It's lovely.
I <3 it.
Ohhhh how I love how it feels in my hands. Seriously, I love it :)
Whoa!!!

We went here to eat after the Pier...

Synthia in front of me & Lana with all the kiddos.

Eman and Lucas..can you tell he didnt want to leave?

Lana looking lovely

Lana [my friend Vivian said that Lana looks like her mama here]

Synthia mama's [Luke calls her Grandma]

Little Espi

Big D

Brennagirl

Eman [his hair ROCKS!]

I met this kid at the pier, his name is Stephen, he had cool boots and
cool friends, he struck a pose for me.

and Synthia my amazing hair girl did my hair last weekend...RED! She rocks!
Am I saying "rocks" alot today? It seems as though I am!

right..
Hope everyone has a raging fun weekend this weekend. I know I will have
tons of fun coughing and blowing my nose! Awesome!

.some newness.

2009-03-26T10:09:00.000-07:00

So almost everyone in our house is ill this week. Blah!
What a bummer.
There are new photos on my photography blog http://2ndstoryblog.blogspot.com/

.second set of rents.

2009-03-23T10:24:00.000-07:00

The kids and I went down to Oceanside this weekend because I had a
session at Seaport Village and then met with a client about her wedding
[which I must say her, and her mother are dear] we talked for 3 hours!
My session at Seaport Village was precious, two very sweet little girls
and their mama. {pictures soon to be up on my photography blog}
So we got to Oceanside, I dropped the kids off early in the morning and
went right to my session, after that I went to Santee and picked up Lana.
Yah! She came up to Big Bear for the week! {I will love her despite the fact
that she brought with her Jordans cold} We went back to Oceanside, Synthia
did my hair...yahhh I love it, she gave me a red streak in it and cut it up
abit. I <3 it of course...and her...I love her even more.
Then we ate some amazing mexican food, of course, it was cooked in the A's house,
of course it's going to be good!
Then we went to Vons and bought icecream, more sweets, went to Blockbuster and
rented some movies {Twilight being one of them because you know we havent seen
that movie enough}!
I went to sleep with Buca and woke up and got ready to go meet with a lovely
daughter and mama. Came back, talked for ages, everytime I am in Oceanside at the
A's house...we literally could sit and talk for hours upon hours, got the kids
gathered up and ready to go because we were getting snowed on up in Big Bear and
Nico wanted me up the hill safe and sound for the night...drove home..{pitstop
at Coldstone} and got home...Ahhhhhhh...it's cold!
Look at the lovely people who have been my second set of parents since I was little.
By the way Mr A, there was no need for the man in the white pickup truck, the roads
were clean...no snow! :)

a quick little one of Lukie and Choco

xo

.good day LA.

2009-03-19T08:31:00.000-07:00

Goodmorningggggggggggggggggggggggg!
I have a funpacked day today!
[not really but im just trying to convince myself of that]
Im going down the hill today to groceryshop at my beloved Winco,
I have to get Nico some good for his trip to Glamis with the "bros"
[not before ho's]
He wants his favorite chips, salsa, cream cheese, I'll probably get
him a bag of Starburst since he loves them, I don't know, we'll see!
Ive been somewhat productive this morning while Lucas slept.
Paid the kids insurance, made dentist appts, talked to Sofia, Twittered [
yes that is an actual item on my list of to-dos]
I booked a session for this weekend, just a mini one but one that has been
long in coming.
Now I just have to go back to the post office because the one up
here just continues to disappoint!
I wish I could just sit and sit and sit and work on stuff that's been
in my head for weeks now, photography stuff, I have so many ideas in my
head and never the time to sit and bring it all out onto paper/laptop.
Hopefully soon I will be getting a mini-break during the kids springbreak
when we are meant to go up to San Fran and visit the V's...YAH!
Isnt it so sad about Natasha Richardson?
I wonder why it is that some deaths just really sock you into reality and make
you think and realise how precious life is. Such a tragic death. Id always loved
her. Prays go out to her family right now.
Right, time to get cracking!
I leave you with these...

Ohhhh can you just feel the love here?

look at my little Buca

.have a good day.

Happy St Pat's Day

2009-03-17T20:21:00.001-07:00

Today is the day of green and the only thing green on me are my eyes.
I didnt drink anything green, didnt eat a cookie covered in green frosting,
didnt wear a cute little hat, didnt pinch anyone, nor was I pinched by anyone.
I was thinking it seemed more like April Fools Day, especially when I turned
on American Idol to watch it tonight and the theme is Country music. Hmmmm,
really...why? They already do a Nashville Idol...can we not find enough genres
for American Idol? Id rather watch them sing Showtunes.
Maybe Im just in a crabby mood.
I took Corbin to the Dr this afternoon, he has a cyst in his testicle, not
cancerous so the Dr says, however, he did say that we could have it removed
because it hurts him so bad. Then, was told by Nicos co-worker that he had
the exact same thing when he was a teen and was told the same thing by his Dr
and ended up getting cancer in it and it going into his lymph nodes and now has
a massive huge scar going down his entire torso...so, Im thinking Corbin needs
it removed.
Tonight was lovely...quiet...and then Lucas accidently gave me a giant accidental
headbutt...I am now sporting a lovely goose-egg on my eyebrow bone.
Im probably being a total baby but it hurts! Why right there? It hurts so bad!
Im going down to San Diego this weekend...YES!
Meeting with a client to discuss her wedding, and then I think, not too sure yet,
but I have two other sessions.
Awesome blossom!
Right,
Im off, I feel the need to give Lukey a squeeze. I think that he thinks Im mad at
him for bumping my head.

p.s. Apple kind of did good today with some of ther upgrade announcements. Not all,
only some...they will serve me well :) I love my Iphone...I really do.

You should get one.

.......

2009-03-14T01:14:00.000-07:00

It's so late and I need to go to bed but real quick,
I'm going to post some piccies of the teens :]
Corbin and Brenna.

Corbin. Not smiling. Which is a very rare thing for my
camera, Corbins smile is hard to capture on it. He does
smile, you just wouldn't know it. Crazy kid.

quiet Brenna

goodnight lovelies
xoxo

.superstar.

2009-03-12T21:10:00.001-07:00

quick recap of the day.
Woke up to a super cute juicy little boy
all snuggled in his bed...{that he stayed in ALL
night long} WHEEEEE!!! Shout out to Lucas!!
Really though, he did stay the whole night in his own bed!

We watched Noggin, and Noggin, and a little more Noggin.
Probably a little more than I wished he had watched but I was
doing work today and Im afraid the one-eyed monster came to sit
for awhile in our house. We made up for it though later with some
outside play.
Went to the gym, came home, did some more work, with no outcome..bleh.
I think I could look at fonts forever and never get tired of it. Sad eh?
Made dinner and had a nice talk with Lana Lou Who.
Then...my phone died. Too much Twittering perhaps..."tweet tweet" that
was a shoutout just for you Lana!
You're probably getting all twittery and stuff aren't you?
I think Im off to go watch some tv, I have to watch The Office, can't miss
it!

nitenite xoxox

.well shucks.

2009-03-11T22:51:00.000-07:00

I'm afraid I dont have one single picture to load with this
blog..unless people would want to see pictures taken with my
phone?? I mean..honestly? Would you want to? I could load them..
really, I could!
Let's see..the time change..Im afraid me and this whole "spring
ahead" thing just aren't getting along too well. The mornings are
kicking my booty! Seriously, if I don't drink cups of coffee, around
10 or 11 I start zoning out and feel so tired! Bleh! I wish we could
just remain at one time, no falling back, springing forward, just stay
normal. I cant handle all of these changes, the time change, Jack in the
Box switching things up on us with their newer hip looking logo, although
the Jack in the Box thing doesn't really bother me too much. I don't even
like their food. I think its just a memory from childhood or something.
The weather has been superb here lately! Really it has, no frozen bones.
We have had a few uninvited guests though...and there is NOTHING Stewart
Little about them either. We've had mice! Argggghhhh I can't even tell you
how disgusting it is and how freaked out I am to be sitting in the living
room at night time, praying to God that I don't see one run across the
living room floor. How can something so small gross us out and scare us
so much? I just cant handle the thought of them rooting around my house
while we are all sleeping, anythng left on the counters has probably been
fondled by their little tiny paws, ok, enough mouse talk, I feel dinner
rising in my throat.
My only solice is hearing that trap smack....sweet victory!
Im watching American Idol right now...Kenya West, dude loves himself doesnt he?
Im SO glad he got rid of his mullet he was sporting at the music awards!!
Wow American Idol is really getting fancy with their guest singers. Next up,
Kelly Clarkson! Whatever happened to rock solid Taylor Hicks? He was probably
busy singing for the grand opening of the new Popeyes Chicken in Jay Florida or
something.
I am excited for alot of my upcoming photosessions that are booked.
I love new sessions, new people, new love...new new new!
I think I will do a little work.. Oh, and if you're up late and trying to
find something to watch on tv..turn to MSNBC and watch my cousins hubbys
show called Dead Men Talking. I mean, if you can handle autopsy stuff.
A few Iphone piccies for you...

Brenna, in the car, outside of Guitar Center

"Do you know the muffin man"?

It's so generous that Starbucks gives money away like that right at
their drive-up window! {no money was taken during the taking of this
picture}

Lucas, sitting on his pottychair, pretending to pottytrain, while playing
Jellycar on the Ipod.

Brenna after school the other day

Goodnight, sleep tight, don't let the mice bite :)

xoxo

.goodnight.

2009-03-07T00:43:00.000-08:00

I haven't stopped by here to load some of my own stuff
for over a week! Yikes!
I have some photos from my week to share..and then I am
off to sleep.
It seems as though this week flew by and it's already Saturday
and we have to SPRING ahead, Ohhhh do we really have
to!? Can't we fall back another hour? Just until it warms up!?
It was SO freezing out today, I took Dominic and Lucas to the
lake..wow, we couldn't even feel our hands, we ended up staying
just a few minutes until we couldn't endure the cold any longer.
We ran to the car and tried warming up as fast as we could.
I came home and made some of the lovely coffee I had just
bought...two kinds actually although I only made one flavor.
Irish cream truffle and I got Nico some Cookies and Cream. Does
that sounds good for a coffee flavor? I know it smells killer!
I so badly wanted to go down to Oceanside this weekend but it doesnt
look as though Im going to get to. Bleh. Maybe sometime during this
next week.
Ok I just heard a weird noise up on my roof and I always get the
feeling that someones on our roof and spying on us thru the
skylights, I think Ive seen too many scary movies. I dont know
why someone would really want to sit on our roof to pry. It's not
that excited...trust me!
Corbin is snoring and I hear Little Bear playing on the tv in the den.
Everyone's asleep but me.
I got alot done this week and made alot of contacts...Yah!
I love what I do.
And right now, what I'm going to do at almost 1am is go lay down, get all
snuggly and try to catch up on Damages from earlier this week. [good show]

there were these two cute little kids sitting on the curb :)

an "original" up the tree shot

Corbin, making some sort of plan

Who rocks the house? Dominic rocks the house!

some of me {my bracelet is from Eman...he rocks with the bracelet making}

"Did you see dat ladybug Donamic"?? Thats what Lucas was saying.

pinky pinkerton

Awwww a nature pic

look at the lonely little benches, which could have easily been filled
with us sitting on them, but, it was frigid! FRIGID!

little buca

So goodnight

xo

.so delish.

2009-03-03T22:07:00.000-08:00

I got the biggest piece of sweetness in my email tonight,
from one of my clients who has also turned into a friend.
She is one of the sweetest people EVER!
I don't usually put these types of things out there, but
this one I really want to share because she just made me
smile....it's lovely.

{ Ok, I need to take a moment to let the world know about you Amy
...my turn to write a love letter. I don't know if you know exactly
how much you have touched our family. You have given us memories that
we will charish for a life time; a day in our life, not just a "Photo
Shoot". This is a gift that we will charish forever, and we will
always remember my children's smiles on this day, even after they
have grown. You are AWESOME at what you do. I can't say enough about
you. You are a wonderful woman, and my family and I are so greatful
for what you have given us! Thank You AMY!!! }

Thankyou Julia!
You are a jewel!

.Tweet.

2009-03-03T11:59:00.001-08:00

Chicken Soup for the 3 yr old taggers soul

2009-02-27T11:35:00.000-08:00

So, lastnight as I was doing like three things at once,
[watching Hells Kitchen, Talking to Debby and making something for Sofia]
Lucas came into the livingroom where Nico and I were sitting and he
was covered in marker...except he had his arms hidden behind his back,
thinking that Nico and I wouldn't notice. We asked him what happened and
he said, "OHhhhh my toe hurts"!! Clever kid trying to change the subject.
He never did come clean but about that time, Corbin walked thru the
livingroom and said, "OH, by the way, Lucas had a marker.." NO KIDDING!!??
We told him obviously Lucas had a marker.

Fast forward about an hour later.

I got up to go to bed, Nico was still closing up the house for the
night, I walked down the hallway passed the den, looked in and this is
what was said, "Ohhhhhhhhhhhh my Lordddddddddddddddddddd" mind you I said
it once when I noticed the first tagging, then as I looked around, ALOT more
"OH my lords" left my mouth, yet they got louder and louder. Loud enough to
send Brenna running out of her room from a deep sleep. She came in, looked
around and started laughing. She said Im sorry but I cant help it. Its funny.

My 3 yr old has started his life of crime early. He is a tagger.
He wrote on everything in the den...with a SHARPIE!
I mean everything. A sheet, the tv, the tv stand, the walls, pictures, frames,
lampshade, the printer, Nicos computer monitor, the lightswitch cover...
and then..sitting off in the corner, completely unmarked..was the chair I
found on the side of the road last summer.

Anyone have tips on removing Sharpie from flatscreen tv's?
Someone told me to take a dry-erase marker and write over the sharpie
and wipe it off and that it would work.
Here is to crossing all fingers toes and everything else that this works!

The crimescene evidence

Look at the little marker weilding perpetrator lying in bed looking oh so
innocent...all snuggled up fast asleep. Look the perps dad sheilding him
from the paparazzi..."No cameras please..."

Phew!

.soooooo.

2009-02-26T21:50:00.000-08:00

Watching Hells Kitchen, making something for Sofia and looking at my
blog thinking...hmmmmm, do I like this?
Today kicked my rump and I only left the house to go to the post office!
The potty training saga continues. Lucas seriously has no interest in the
whole idea. I put him in underwear..Spiderman ones to be exact, gave him
the peptalk, asked him if he needed to go potty, he said, "yes" and sat on
his pottychair for what seemed like forever..and

nothing.

So, we got him off the potty, pulled up his spiderman undies, and he
filled them with pee! Are you kidding me!?
Everytime I ask him if he needs to go to the potty he says, "No, I'm
fine" so I set him on it anyways and no results.

He has been my hardest to train. Although Lucas has been my hardest child
to wean off anything. He sucked on a bottle until Lana put the stop to it.
Hmm maybe because he's the baby and I know that as soon as he moves on to
bigger boy things..the baby stuff is all gone. Wahhh!

Well today is a new day [I started this blog lastnight]

What Lucas thinks of pottytraining!

.hey hey hey.

2009-02-25T22:06:00.000-08:00

There are new posts on my photography blog!
Go check them out! http://2ndstoryblog.blogspot.com/

much love

I'm iphoning it

2009-02-20T20:06:00.000-08:00

Tonight is pizza, salad and movies, techdecks
And paper airplanes!
This weekend should be good! Winco! Grizzly
Manor, San diego, clients, a photoshoot, and friends!
No snow!
I going to go eat with the fam!
I wish it was Monday night and The Bachelor
was on..... Ahhhh!!!

.awesome.

2009-02-18T22:30:00.000-08:00

I should be sleeping but there you go.
I thought I would do some catching up on my
365's seeing as I was majorly behind in loading
them onto the computer and getting them sorted.
I kept busy tonight editing some photos from a very
special shoot I did on Saturday down in Oceanside!
I can't wait to get to show them off. This family was
precious, blessed, so sweet and lovely. You will love them
I promise :]
I thought while I waited for my iphone to sync the new music
I put on it tonight, I would blog...bloggy blog blog.
Today was fun, Lukey and I went to the library, read books,
and kicked snow! All in that order!
We went and got a yummy drink, came home, soon after Corbin,
Brenna and Dominic got home from school so we chilled. Brenna
and I watched Incredible Shrinking Woman LOL That movie is SO
OLD AND CHEESY! But...I can't help it, I like it. I think because
I remember it from when I was little, my dad took me and my little
sister to see it. Anyways, we watched that...I think I did more sleeping
than anything..and while we slept/watched that..Corbin made tortillas.
Can I just say,...they were delish!? Yah, cause they were!
Here is my catching up of 365's and a few extra goodies :)

43[365]
The photowall is slowly growing and has been moved to a different wall

44[365]

Lucas being a sillyhead

45[365]

Snowtires...at the tireshop

46[365]

Lucas loves singing in the car..

47[365]

trips to the library are good when you've been trapped in the
house because of snow!

48[365]

49[365]

When we move down off the mountain, which looks like its going to
be sooner than later, this is where I want to live. I had forgotten
how much I liked Oceanside.

now just some sillies from the other day

Valentines Weekend

2009-02-16T00:02:00.000-08:00

We left Friday night for San Diego...right after Nico got home from work.
It was snowing SO hard..it took us only THREE HOURS to get down the
mountain...yikes! We ended up being stopped for a little over and hour
as well because someone had flipped their car. We finally got to SD around
11 something...spent the night at my dear friend Andreas house and I had a
maternity shoot at 10:30 the next morning...I woke up to get ready to go..
and ding ding...text message..the maternity mama is in labor! Soooo so much
for that shoot. I was SO looking forward to doing her maternity session as
well but you cant tell a baby when it can be born!
So I thought..Hmmmm, since Andrea has been away from her home for so long
maybe Ill do an impromptu photo session with her cats! Happy Valentines Day
Andrea! xoxo

That afternoon I had a shoot at Oceanside pier..[which..Im saving the pictures
to show for later..they are a secret for right now.but it was perfect] After
my session Synthina, Eman and Espi came and met me at the pier..YAHHHH!!!
We went and got Nico, Brenna, Dom and Lucas from Andreas house..AND Lana and
George came along as well..we all went to Oceanside and had a perfect time!
Of course...the food was amazing and like always..as soon as I walk in the door
there I breathe a sigh of..."Ahhhhh this is home..."
Being around them always reminds me of when things were "normal" with my
family..well, as normal as any perfectly disfunctional family can be,
but "normal" in my world. I miss that. I see Mrs A [my Mexican mama] and just
seeing her makes me miss my own mom so badly. She is a constant reminder of
so many fun times..her and my mom going to the Escondido swapmeet every
Saturday morning, cooking, thriftshopping, laughing, driving us girls around,
dumpster diving, more laughing, a ton of love, all of us living together,
more laughing, loving, dinners, praying, making mints for every freaking
wedding at FBC, Jesus... I miss normal. Being at Papa and Mamadacas house
is bittersweet, in the sense that its a reminder of how things used to be,
but also its always so good to see everyone. I just wish Sofia and Nile, Jordan,
Lukey, Sarah, Hannah, and Joshy were there...one day though we're all going
to be packed into that house and it will be loud, and crazy and happy, and insane,
and lovely and perfectly disfunctional full of people who are all just people
with faults, weakness's, talents, hopes, jokes, hugs, smiles, cuddles, smacks,
pinches, tons of gushy goodness!
Here are the pictures from the weekend.. Some people didnt make it into pictures..
Danny! Espi! Corbin & Alyssa [because they werent there]

This...is one of the coolest doggys EVER!

Old Skool

Nico and Eman

I have no idea what Lukey put over his eye!

my moms best friend.

[ I seriously dont think Lucas wore clothes the whole time we were
there...he was in his total element...he loves earth, dirt, water,
grass, everything about being outside and this backyard was a little
piece of heaven ]

Emans bracelets he makes

Lana...pickin her eye lol

Nico getting YUMMY food!

Synthia looking lovely

ahhhhh memories!

Lana displaying her Jack tat.

tacos...yum....

Lukey and his little sidekick while we were there

Eman, Dom, Brenna, Jordan & Lana

Lana, Brenna and Jordan

Tina & Tortilla sittin in a tree...

I should have taken more...I so should of.

We got back home tonight..and Im so sleepy.

So goodnight..goodnight...xo

.real world.

2009-02-12T08:46:00.000-08:00

So this week has been crazy!
I have spent much of my days rescheduling
client sessions, talking on the phone, making plans
that all all get changed about an hour after they are made,
watching it snow more and more which has been the cause of
much stress...bleh!
I am so over this snow can I just say that?!
I NEED to get down to San Diego for my client shoots, I WANT
to get down to San Diego to do my client shoots. I miss client
sessions.
This Saturday..should be much better though!
We are going down there so that Nico can record some more of his
music..and I have sessions. YES! I have missed it so much.
I have 2 for sure, and 1 maybe.
A Belly to Birth session for sure which I have been so excited to do,
Christina..she nearly had her baby the other day and we would have missed
her maternity session which would have been SUCH a bummer because you can't
get that back...thankfully...she is going to try to make it to Saturday
so that we can get her session done and then...she is free to have her
little girl :]
Im waiting for Lucas to wake up so that we can go for a walk, he needs
some fresh air, to run, jump, dig in the snow, whatever he wants to do.
He's so cute I can hardly stand it...seriously.
I have been such a bad blogger lately but honestly, since we got all
this snow, I feel like I have been trapped at the house and I think if
I dont get out in some way today, Im going to go stir-crazy...I think
it's already started happening.
I need to be around some inspiration, some sights and sounds and smells..
Im so looking forward to being in San Diego this weekend!
On Valentines Day even...hmmmmmm maybe while we are down there Nico and I will
have to do something or go somewhere yummy! Mind you, seeing as its the
"love" holirday of the year, I bet every single place will be slam-packed.
If I know Nico...he will say, Hey lets go to Popeyes or In n Out!
Which, I suppose that's not too bad.
Here are my 365's I havent posted..

41 [365]

And there was this icecicle....

42 [365]

Looky Looky what Lukey did!
[mind you for the whole rest of that day he showed absolutly no interested
in using his little toilet. He is so anti-pottychair!]

xoxo

.Yesterday.

2009-02-10T01:09:00.000-08:00

So..it's late enough that I SHOULD be asleep, but, sleep just
isn't happening just yet. I got a call from the kids schools earlier
tonight.."Good Evening Big Bear Valley parents, tomorrow February 10th
2009 has been declared a snow day..." So there you go, the second
snow day of the week, no school on Monday, no school on Tuesday!
I don't think it stopped snowing at all today, the snow is again..
slowly creeping towards the top of the fence in our yard. Not again!
We just FINALLY started recieving mail at our house again because
postman was able to deliver because the snow from our first storm
had finally all melted. Looks like back to square one!
This weekend I went and saw a movie with the girls. "He's just not
that into you" such a cute movie, I loved the cast. It had lots of
my favorites! We had fun and got out of the theater and the snow
was nearly blinding. We went to the store and got stuff to make
Brenna girl a birthday dinner so we got home and made chicken cob salads
and Alyssa made roasted Cauliflower soup...it was so YUMMY!
Late into the night I told Brenna HAPPY BIRTHDAY! She turned 15.
How exciting and we had plans...plans to go to lunch together..but we were
snowed in ALL DAY! I didnt even get to make her a birthday cake but
her daddy was awesome and ordered a big chocolate cream pie to be made
for her special day from the place we were supposed to go eat lunch at.
It was YUM and she was happy!
Today was good.
Today was grand.
Today was blessed.

Piccies from the past days..

After Corbins DR's appt.

Lucas was plugging his ears because he couldnt handle all of our singing.

scenes from Brennas bday...

nitenite xoxo

.Oh me Oh my.

2009-02-03T13:53:00.000-08:00

I need a blogging spankin!
I officially, truly stink at keeping up with this!
Oh do I try!
So alot has happened since I typed a single letter on here.
Let's see, I booked about five new photo sessions for the coming
weeks, so thats awesome!
Im hoping to go to San Fran during the kids spring break which is in March.
It's been long and coming and I have been wanting to see my V family
for ages now! It's due time!
Nicos dog is doing my head in and I think he has chewed pretty much anything
and everything left in his path. Today was the crowning blow though,
I was talking to Sofia on the phone..and got a whiff of something that smelled
like..ummm...rotting death..and looked into the livingroom
and there was something
laying on the floor that looked weird..I got closer to it..and
Silvio had brought
a dead ROTTING snake into the livingroom and was chewing on it!
It wasnt bad enough that he had it on the floor but before I could
get it picked up
[which I didnt, I had the maintenance man who was here working on
something in the bathroom at the time come and get it for me]
Silvio grabbed it in his mouth
and went and sat on the sofa with it!! OH MY LORD!
But wait, there's more!
While I was in the bathroom talking to the guy about the thing he was fixing,
Silvio went into my bedroom and was licking his chops like he had just enjoyed a delicious
little snack...he jumped on my bed and layed there like he was the
King of the
joint...I smelled that smell again, and went down the hallway and
Sil had gotten
the snake out of the trashbag that the man had put it in and chewed
it all up in
the den on the floor!
My house...seriously smelled like we had a rotting corpse somewhere
off in one
of the corners...Argggghhh!
I took a picture of it [of course] and sent it to Nico [of course] and
Nico said
it was a python! Someones pet must have kicked the bucket and they
threw it away
and Silvio found it! SO DISGUSTING!
I am almost certain Im going to have nitemares about that..for real
...I will.

See for yourself...

and now...dum dum dum the 365's

30 [365]

Darling Alyssa.

31 [365]

this really cool guy Im married to

this past weekend I got to do a photoshoot with Nico for his music website.
he was such a good sport in letting me take these, plus, he has to listen
to me :) We had fun and got some good shots..isn't he a cutie?

and here are some of lil Alyssa.

xo

.wowzers.

2009-01-30T01:16:00.000-08:00

I had so much to sit and type tonight, so much
stuff in my head, but then I sat down and typed an email
and I think I got all of my talking needs tended to.
So sorry bloggy people.
I am super excited to meet one of my new clients next weekend
for her first session of her Belly to Birth sessions!
And I am super happy to be able to be a part of helping
one of my clients celebrate something amazing that is
happening in their familys lives!
Nico is going to be recording some more next weekend, the plans
were kind of going to be for this coming weekend but...
Superbowl Sunday seems to take over the planet every year.
That's cool though, football isnt so bad :]
Corbin is on the football team at the highschool now, how awesome
is that? Go Cor!
And more newzzy in our family...Dominic made chorus so now he
gets to sing sing sing. That kid is always singing..I mean always.
I love that he gets to participate in something like that at
school now, that was always my favorite thing about school, music
class. I loved it!
Brenna is on the year book staff which means she gets to take pictures,
which...she loves!
Right now, I am awake far too late.
Im going to post these pictures from today and go nana's.

We'll start with this

29 [365]

"Change of plans"
Nico and I were supposed to meet for a lunch date today..
and...here you see...the plans changed.

Here is little Lukey having breakfast in me and Nicos bed.
Is that right? Is it fair? He left traces of peanutbutter on our
pillowcases!

the life of Riley...

Me and Big Nic

a weird tiny little web noose I found on a tree in the front
yard..

Doms bubble bursted!

some little bits of nice weather wrapped around the
fence in the front yard.

just chillin

goober pie

Hannah Montana say what?? [i despise when she says that on her show]

taken with my fish eye or should I say "sea kitten eye lens"
Thankyou PETA and your crazy idea!

Awww looky looky!

peanutbutter for jelly, gumballs and strawberry juice!

Oh Dom, you're such a little cutie!

nitenite x

.shiney happy people.

2009-01-29T07:43:00.000-08:00

Greetings and salutations :]
I woke up this morning, got myself a gun [kidding, those are lyrics to the
beginning of the Sopranos] anyways, I did wake up this morning, obviously,
I'm typing this aren't I?
So, so far this week has been pretty dandy. I found some old friends from
college days...Robin being one of them. Ahhhh she is so cute, she is one of
those people who is just so refreshing to talk to and to have around. I remember
her and I spending mucho time standing outside at good 'ol Boughton St. watching
the kiddies play in the big front grassy area. We related in alot of areas.
Anyways...Facebook helped me find her again. Awesome!
Ive been watching American Idol this season, I think it's going to be a good
season this time, there have been alot of people to be sent thru who I'm really
liking! How exciting for those kids right?
I was tagged on Facebook to fill this thing out, so I figured I would post it on
here...you know...a little special treat for your eyes...Im kidding, but I am
going to post it :] So...read...

{ So, I am suppposed to write 25 random things }

[ Ohhhhh fun stuff ]

So I am supposed to write 25 random things about myself, let's get this
party started

1] I'm watching Ghost right now because there is nothing else on the
tv to watch while I sit and work
on my laptop.
2] I have peed my pants at least 3 times in public places, 2 I remember
fondly, or not so fondly, one of
the times was during a Youth Rally at our church when Sofia and I were
doing a skit on stage for all
of the youth groups that were present, yah...that was fun! We had to
pull the curtain down and
wrap it around me so that I could run to the bathroom.
3] I am a hardened criminal, I once stole poprocks from a 7-11 when
I was about 10.
4] I dated or was "in like" with at least 3 pastors sons while I was
in high school.
5] I have an addictive personality
6] I once stared at the sun for over an hour [ k not really ]
7] I won't eat certain foods if I don't like the way the names of
those foods sound, I didn't eat shrimp
forever until I got a job at the Sizzler when I was in highschool and
Nico got me to try it.
8] I won first place with David Martens singing at a State Competition
9] Had I not grown up in a Christian home during my teenage years, I
probably would have ended up
being an Avril Lavigne. [when we were supposed to be soul-winning on
Thursday nights at our church
I would sneak and hang around the Punkers and New Romantics at the
mall and try to breath in all
of their cloves smoke. Such a rebel.
10] I've never met one of my bestest friends in real life and I have
known her for over ten years.
11] I knew I was going to marry Nico the night I met him.
12] I still keep in contact with at least 10 people I went to highschool
with
13] Ive dreamed of being the center of an Al Pacino & Robert Deniro
sandwhich [ oh hush ]
14] I spent a good portion of my middleschool and highschool years
growing up at a girls school,
and should probably spend a good portion of my adulthood in therapy
because of it.
15] Im still watching Ghost
16] I love being alone
17] I didnt have a drop of alcohol until I was 30 and honestly,I don't
get the hype.
18] I would love to be a photographer for differrent Christian
ministries, missionaries, bands etc.
19] I can't ever give up on Alyssa and can't wait for the day she
finally sees what she has to give to
this world.
20] I LOVE driving fast [ zip it ]
21] I really don't like talking on the phone, Id much rather write it
if it needs to be said.
22] I am married to an Italian dude who cooks amazing, plays the guitar,
sings, and makes me laugh
and who I don't even have to say anything to and we can just look at
eachother and know exactly
what the other is thinking.
23] I hate Walmart and lust Target
24] I have conversations in my head all the time with God
25] I want Starbucks

You are now all tagged, if you read tihs..you have to list your 25 random
things :]

Time for 365's

26 [365]

Heehee, look who I love

27 [365]

This is Nico and the other shop guys, his shop posse, his workin homies
from left to right [Wes, Doug, Jason and Big N]

28 [365]

I totally cheated with this one, I used the camera on my iphone.
But look at Luca's non potty-trained rump!

xo