Stepped away for a bit...

 

Hi there!

You may have forgotten about me already, but I haven't forgotten about you. ; )  I haven't updated lately because we've had a couple of getaways, and last week I had all kinds of computer issues and breakdowns.  Aside from my computer breaking down, I haven't been in a full writing mode either as I have been busy with one thing or the other trying to get our house organized, and the kids ready for the upcoming school year that is too quickly coming up on our horizon. So we're trying to fit in as much as we can these days.

This week is also the Pre-wedding week around my house as we are getting ready for my brother's wedding this Saturday.   I am helping out with a few details, and as you can imagine there is always something to do at the last minute to get ready for a special day like this. We are all excited, tired and a bit stressed, but we are looking forward to a beautiful day with many special moments, and of course, pictures which I hope to be sharing next week.

So I just wanted to check in quickly, say Hello, and let you know that I'll be back soon...

From my corner to yours....Have a great week!

The Circus came to town...

Jerry loves to surprise us. He's sweet that way. He loves to make any outing even more special by making it a surprise in some fashion. So last week, Jerry calls me from work and says we were going somewhere on Thursday night but he wasn't telling where we were going.  I LOVE surprises, so I don't like asking a whole bunch of questions other than what time and what are we wearing. So I went along with it. Mikey was going to have to miss basketball practice, but Jerry got an extra ticket so he could bring his friend, Zachary, as an added bonus so he was happy.  Jerry kept the kids in suspense all the way to the event as they kept guessing as to where we were going..
 

Christian guessed it was either a Dodger/Angel baseball game.
Daniel guessed it was a  movie
Mikey guessed somekind of concert
and
Zachary said that if it ended up being a Justin Bieber concert he was going to scream!!

Hahahaha...that was funny!

Well low and behold we get to Staples Center and

 we were all surprised to see that the Circus had come town.. 

The kids got super excited and to hear the "Wows" as they walked in was

 enough indication that it was a great surprise.

We haven't been to the circus I believe since Christian was maybe 4 or 5 years old. 

Mikey wasn't even born yet, so this was his first real show.

I had honestly forgotten how fun the circus was, and we were not disappointed.

It truly was all about putting on a show. There's a story, lights, music, tons of performers, animals

and of course the clowns.  They've also added a dimension of variety with a group of

 incredible martial artists.

They did a great job in transitioning between each performance. They would set up for the floor sets by having you watch these incredible aerial acts above in between. This one in particular was amazing as these ladies did acrobats as they hung inside and out of these transparent bulbs.

 

  Christian mentioned that there was no amount of money he could be paid to do some of these crazy acts. I think I have to agree with him here.

I overheard someone say that the motorcycle tightrope lunatic artists, was a family from Mexico. How cool!

 

 I loved the tigers, but we quickly realized just how dangerous this job is. 

Those cats were feisty that night and they were one too many close calls for that ring leader. 

(Personal note:  I will be honest in that I am conflicted about these performances when it comes to animal cruelty. Its exciting to watch but I couldn't help but wonder if they were reacting to fear or to true training. I can only pray that these animals are treated properly.)

  

The elephants were adorable!

 

One of my favorite acts is always the trapeze artists. I don't have a picture because they're constantly moving through the air, but the training involved for must be undeniably grueling. I love knowing that many of these acts come from long lines of families who have grown up performing in the circus. What a tradition to follow.

The final act was one with tiny little motorcycles riding around in this metal globe. It was amazing to see how they could get up to 8 of them in at one time and not hit each other. 

 

 I took a short video because it was just too cool! 

Take a look!

The kids had a good time, it was super entertaining, and we all had a great night. 

Thank you again to my hubby for the nice surprise!

Thank you Ringling Bros, Barnum & Bailey for stopping by LA!

From my corner to yours, Until next time...

18 years and counting!!

Wow! We look soo young!  

From a platonic handshake in a CSUN hallway to getting married, and 18 years later...

 

Here we are! And what a ride its been...

Let's face it...marriage is not always easy or perfect. We've figured out that its not supposed to be! We've had our lower than than low times, but we've had and continue to have our awesome moments! We've made our mistakes, but we've learned to make some really good decisions together too. There have been lessons learned, and I'm sure we got a few more coming, but we have been through all of it together. We are proud of the life we have built together, and prouder yet of our 3 beautiful boys who light up our lives in too many ways to count.





We have learned that communication makes all the difference, and to this day we are still learning how to communicate the best way possible for each other.  Its not always easy, but it has honestly been the glue that has kept us together. Everything we have been through, good and bad, has gotten us to this point. We have grown up together, we have changed in different ways, but we are at a point where we are the best people we can be...together!

Jerry is...

My best friend

my partner

my lover

my rock

 my biggest fan

Jerry...  

has my back

can make me mad

but he makes me laugh harder

he lets me be ...Me!

loves me like no one ever has or will

and I Love him more than he knows!

 

Happy 18th Anniversary Babe!! 

May God Bless us with many more happy years to come!

I LOVE YOU!

 

Time for Haircuts

No big deal, but we all got haircuts this week. We were all in desperate need for one!
However, haircuts for this family are an interesting deal. Instead of my husband asking the boys to cut their hair off as you'd expect, the boys actually have to ask my husband if its ok to cut their hair.

Huh???

Yeah, well, you see my husband Jerry grew up in the 80's when long hair was in for boys, BUT he was never allowed to grow it out while at home, and/or his business career has not really been the appropriate setting for it either. So he has had this unrequited desire to this day to have long, flowing hair.  The problem with Jerry's hair is that its curly so instead of growing down, it grows out to the sides. Not exactly long and flowy, but he swears he is going to have long grey hair in his old age if it kills him, but I think that will actually kill me instead! lol

Jerry doesn't really necessarily decide on the kids haircuts, its just become the inside joke of the family. When they get home from getting a haircut he always jokes about them getting into a fight with a lawnmower...Jerry's kind of sense of humor! Gotta love it! The kids really do need styles to keep it in order or else they look like delinquents, but I have to say that I don't mind their hair a little long on occasion. I think it gives them character!




Christian's hair grows back really fast and he was wearing a beanie everyday last week because he couldn't do anything with it. I have to say though, I really do like the beanie look on him too, but the his new short hair with this heat is much more practical.

 






Michael and Danny tend to deal with their long hair for a longer period of time, and I love Danny's long hair. He looks like a surfer when it first grows out, but its just too hot to keep it that way. They also need to look nice and sharp for their uncle's wedding, so I think we're good.

I needed a haircut badly as well. I don't get my haircut that often, maybe twice a year. Its been 6 months since my last one (as you can tell from all the dead ends, ugghh!), and I usually try to stay with the same hairdresser as I have a thing about two many different hands cutting my hair. But I recently won a silent auction at Chris's school for a haircut and blow dry at a place called SECRETS Salon and Spa in Northridge. I was excited as its also been a long time since I had my hair done at a really nice place so this was going to be a treat for me, and with the wedding coming up it was perfect timing.

The original hairdresser I was supposed to meet was on vacation so I ended up meeting Raquel, a young but very confident and talented hairdresser, and I was soo happy to end up getting my haircut with her.  She listened to my concerns about my length, and my style and she walked me through everything she was doing. She has a different method of cutting hair that I have never experienced and I really liked it. She washed my hair, did an initial cut, then blow dried my hair, and then after I saw what it looked like, I could tell tell her where I wanted to go shorter or different and I think it made such a difference. She was really happy with how my hair turned out as well, and since she is still building her clientele she took pictures of my hair for her portfolio. She is reasonably priced as well so I'm looking forward to going to her again soon.                                                                                             (click on her name above for more information and 'like' her FB page for her specials)

 
 I was really happy with the longer layers, and I was able to get rid of the dead ends and still keep my length. There is just something soo nice about getting your hair done. I'm set for my weekend.

Thank you, Raquel!!! Hope to see you next time!

And I hope to see you all again next week as well. We have a busy weekend ahead with a baseball game, a family reunion in San Diego we're looking forward to, Chris goes back to CSUN for his last residential week on campus, and our wedding Anniversary coming up on Monday. Its going to be a good weekend!

Hoping you all have a wonderful weekend!! Happy Friday!

From my corner to yours...

My 100th Blog Post

Its my 100th post!!!

Wow! I finally got here! Its been 4+ years since I started this blog and maybe I honestly thought I'd get here sooner, but this blog has been a work in progress for me, and its not as easy as I thought it was going to be, so maybe I'm right on target! ;)

When I first started writing I wasn't really sure what I wanted this blog to turn into and I don't even think I'm there now. However, I did know that I felt like I had some stories to tell, and I'm still trying to find my voice for all those things I want to say. Sometimes I succeed, sometimes not so much...but writing is such a process!! Every year I have started off the year really motivated and then not write anything until the end of the year...not great! But I have been getting better, and it wasn't until last year when I really felt like I was taking this seriously and became more disciplined in writing more consistently and I think its been paying off. So 100 posts is a big deal for me! Its Exciting! Its a lot of writing, but I love it! It is a part of me now, I think about it all the time, and I love being able to expand this side of my creativity everyday through writing.



Finding a word for the year has really helped me start off every year with a focus, and helps me find a direction as to what to write about, although life naturally seems to give me those moments. Some are personal, some are worldly, some and I try to get some in there that might be motivating, but as I grow, I'd like to think that my topics and/or my blog will evolve and grow around me as well.
 



This blog has also turned into my virtual scrapbook. Most of you know that I love scrapbooking, but finding the time to do so is almost impossible. One of the things that I love about it is telling the stories behind my pictures. That's what its always been about for me...leaving a legend behind for my boys. Blogging is allowing me to do both.  It gives me comfort to know that if they aren't reading my blog now (which they're not!) they're a click away from getting to some of my favorite stories about them. Its online, its in chronological order and better yet its DONE!!

Anyway, I'm learning something new all the time, and I am looking forward to trying and discovering new things as my blog develops. I have some things running through my head and I will let you know as soon as they're developed properly.

Last but not least, I wanted to Thank all of you who so graciously read my posts!! I so appreciate you taking the time to do so. Its silly, but its encouraging to know that I'm reaching someone out there other than myself! You have no idea how much it means to me when you leave your comments, or when you tell me to keep writing. I see the numbers that keep coming back to visit, and it makes me giddy! I hope you'll always enjoy it as I much as I do. I'd love to know if there is anything you want me to write about too. Suggestions are always welcome!!

Have a great day, thanks again for stopping by...and on to my 101st post and beyond!!

From my corner to yours...

"Showers" of Inspiration

Weddings are in the air for my family this summer. One is my brother's wedding to Casandra, my future SIL in August, (which I am super thrilled about!) The other is Jerry's cousin, Natalia, that will be in September.  With weddings come wedding showers, and in the last 2 weeks I have helped plan one and I attended another. They were both soo different but yet soo perfect and appropriate for each of the future brides.

Casandra and Sergio, met later in their lives, as two very independent people who have lived and done a lot already on their own, but are now living together.  They are at a point in both of their lives where they are past all possible wedding traditions. They didn't feel the need for all the pomp and circumstance that comes with being new bride, but without taking away the meaningfulness of the occasion. So Casandra's shower was very casual, simple, and tasteful...no fuss/no muss...just like Casandra!! It was so refreshing...She's a simple girl, so she just wanted her shower just to be about being around her friends and family that are closest to her during this special time in her life. Casandra has friends from all over and had some come from out of town which was soo nice. And we all got along soo well. If this was fun, I can't wait for the wedding!

I co-planned it with one of her best friends, Wanda (above in the purple) who graciously  hosted it at her beautiful house. We were both on the same page when it came to planning it, and along with Casandra's friends we all made something and made it as simple as possible just like Casandra wanted. I brought my favorite china set and I decorated some of Casandra and Sergio's favorite beer bottles (they're making their own beer for the wedding) with fine glitter and their initials to make some cute flower vases. (idea from Pinterest of course!)





I always enjoy doing this kind of stuff and even more so for my family and friends, so for my brother and Casandra I wanted to make things special, and that included making the cake myself. So I made Casandra's favorite lemon cake and then added a fresh raspberry/strawberry filling and it was apparently a big hit with everybody.

We had such a great time! There were no games to be played, but we did have a door prize for the girl who's birth date or anniversary came closest to Cas and Sergio's wedding date, and Wanda and I said a few words and I got mushy of course as I expressed how happy and thankful we are to have Casandra join our family. She's a great girl and has mingled soo well with us and even our closest friends. Welcome Casandra to this crazy familia!

Natalia, Jerry's niece, has always been the most dainty, soft spoken, sweetest little girl you could ever meet. She is now all grown up and just graduated college and is starting her life as a new bride.  So her mom, Nilia, went ALL out to make sure she sends her daughter off properly, with as much ceremony and tradition as possible, and gave her a Tea Party shower that was just as dainty and sweet as Natalia!



The shower was gorgeous and beautifully decorated, all the tables set to the nines in true Tea Party fashion,  but the main event featured was the candy bar, one of the newest trends in the party scenes.

Nilia, has a close friend who does these candy table set ups for a living for all kinds of parties so she did an amazing job for Natalia's shower. It was out of this world, and no detail left unturned.We couldn't help but take pictures because it was just so pretty.

 

 

 The shower was held close to San Diego so it was a lot of fun 

getting together with all the girl cousins and aunts from Jerry's side of the family. 

We all dressed up and looked fabulous in our tea hats, we played some traditional shower games,

 and just enjoyed a really nice afternoon with Natalia.

 

All in all, I just realized how far wedding showers have come nowadays. There is no right or wrong way to have one, but I was inspired by both of these events. They can be totally elaborate or totally simple and still be beautiful and perfect. Each bride sets the tone for what is right for her. Aside from all the glitz and the presents, the important thing is about being there to support and wish the bride all the best in her married life. 

To Casandra and Natalia, 

may you look and feel beautiful on your wedding days,

and may God Bless you both with all the love and happiness that forever can bring!!

With all my love to you both,

from my corner to yours...

XOXO