Wonderful Whirlwind

Such is our life at this very moment. An absolutely wonderful whirlwind of activity. I continue to work full time at a job I am absolutely loving. In the beginning of March, the hospital sent me to a conference in Houston where I learned lots and met some very neat people. Red turned 5. We took a trip to Disneyland to celebrate. We had a blast there with Lyssa and her friend Jax . Red joined little league and now eats, sleeps and breathes t-ball. He has one practice and at least two games per week. (I have pain in my ribs that won't go away from laughing at our little player and the rest of his team! I recommend t-ball therapy to anyone who is feeling blue...It is hilarious and guaranteed to lift your spirits.) Our weekends have been filled with birthday parties (three in one day...), laundry, playing in the yard, cleaning house, playing with the dogs, catching up on some ZZZ's, visiting with friends, riding our bikes and about a billion other things we manage to fit in! I wouldn't have it any other way. I love this whirlwind I'm in...

What a beautiful day...

Light pink blooms on young almond trees, green-green grass, a beautiful blue sky, fluffy white clouds, perfect lighting, a camera (with remote), a tripod, two very handsome boys, lots of smiles and one very giddy Mommy...I had been driving past this spot for two weeks on the way to work, thinking each day what a beautiful spot it was and how perfect it would be as a picture place. So, last weekend we got dressed, loaded up in the car and off we went.

We (I) had such a blast. The boys were a little grumpy at first but after seeing how the pictures were looking, they really got into it. These are a few of my favorite pictures from that day.

I can't believe how grown up Red looks. I know he's growing. I see it in his "high water" pants. I hear it in his conversation. I feel it when I try to pick him up and hold him like I did not so long ago. But it is when I see him in a picture that I realize just how much. Life is sweet.

Say "hello" to his little friend...

Red was squealing with delight when he found this little guy beneath the street light in front of our house. From his dirty little hands to the water filled gutter, hopping down the street trying to escape only to be captured again, this little friend is probably very happy to be in the comfort of our very weedy flower bed where he can eat bugs and hide from that wild Redheaded kid.

Such a funny sight to see. Such a wonderful memory. Such an amazing boy.

Somewhere between...

Chasing Red around, spending time with Franky, doing laundry, cleaning up my clutter, going to the feed store for a automatic waterer for the dogs, spending 45 minutes holding bunnies at said feed store, spending 15 minutes convincing myself we DID NOT need a bunny, checking out the swap meet, eating yummy little tacos, eating a yummy churro, visiting with friends, taking a long hot bath, taking a long drink of NyQuil, eating breakfast with Red, playing Wii, watching Reese chase Red, going to get a flat tire fixed, picking up a few groceries, making grilled cheese for lunch, taking Red to Burger King to exhaust some energy and watching a little TV, I forgot to post about my new job!!!

As I said, I absolutely LOVE it. It is so different from my last job. Everyday is different but has many of the same components. I'm working Monday through Friday. In my role there is a lot of teaching, interaction with staff from every department, referrals, surveillance, organizing, lab interpretation, data collection and compilation. The list goes on!

The people are terrific. Very friendly. I feel like I've been there for years already! :)

Red goes to a daycare in town so he and I have 30 minutes in the morning and in the evening to chat. He LOVES the person who is watching him. He looks forward to going everyday.

Everything has been so seamless and easy in this transition. I really think I'm in the place I need to be and that feels GREAT!

I got a new job...

and I totally LOVE it!!! I am the new Infection Control/ Employee Health Nurse for Delano Regional Medical Center. I promise to write about it this weekend. It is keeping me quite busy during the week! Can't wait to tell you all about it. : )

*Lyssa-Lou, I'm going to call you this weekend and we can figure out a plan for you to come visit! Hope all is well with school and your new job. :)

Red's totally loving...

...these playful days. He is eating them up! Each day a new adventure. "What are we doing today, Mama?" Lately it has been lots of fun with friends. All of which happen to have little girls. Red doesn't mind a bit. In fact, he LOVES it! I do too.

When Red plays with girls, he is a little more balanced. He's a little more careful. A little more considerate. More willing to share. More willing to go second. And the more he plays with these little chick-a-dees, the better it's getting.

Of course he still LOVES to show off in front of them. He's like a preening rooster at times. But with the girls it works. They just sit back and watch. Not interested in competing as another boy would be. Actually, they seem very impressed with his antics. We may be in trouble if this pattern continues through the teenage years... :)

An American Tradition

Hey football fans!!! We're just hanging out watching the game. Red has picked the "yellow and black" team. I'm rooting for the Cardinals. We have a nice rivalry going here. We're the loudest fans on our block!

Looking forward to all the great commercials. Red is excited about the sneak peeky of the 3-D Monster Vs. Alien movie. (Reese is too.)

Have a fun day. We sure are! :)

Simple Pleasures

Oh, how I love the feel of soil in my hands. I haven't always. When I was young and we had moved from the city to the country, we (my brother, Mom, Dad and I) spent an hour each evening doing yard work around the three acres we lived on. I don't remember feeling the same sense of joy that I felt today perking up my front porch with a little promise of Spring.

I do remember (with fondness) working in our vegetable garden. I LOVED that. We planted one every spring. Mom, Dad, Grandma and Grandpa all determined to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Summer squash, zucchini, okra, tomatoes, sometimes cantaloupe or watermelon all planted in neat rows.

I loved to watch as they dug out the channels for the water to run through and irrigate the plants. It got even better when the hose was turned on and the water made its way through the maze of little seedlings. I always made it a point each evening to follow Grandpa when he would water. I think he liked watching it move around the plants as much as I did.

It seemed that in no time, we were picking loads of vegetables. We made sure to give some to anyone who stopped by. And each night we would sit at the table and delight in our home grown goodness. What wonderful memories... all brought about by today's trip to Lowe's!

Red was very vocal about which plants we chose for the porch project. I had picked up a few herbs to put in with the flowers we had chosen. He loved to smell each one and would describe their fragrance in great detail after each sniff. His favorite was the lemon thyme. He also selected a pot of mini daffodils saying they would look "so beautiful" with the other plants we had picked. He was right. :)

When we got home, he helped me plant. While I was finishing up, he rode his scooter and played in the yard. He was excited when he found this little wasp nest in our neighbor's driveway. I love these (when they are empty of course). I had to grab my camera and snap a picture of our sweet boy bearing this gift he was so proud of.
Another day. Just enjoying the simple pleasures life brings...

A Little Pink

Today Red and I got to spend the afternoon with a double dose of pink sweetness. We met MamaChanga and her two Gorgeouses for lunch, a little play and some fun photos.

Red was in heaven, he had two little cuties to show off for. They watched his every move and giggled as he spilled his silliness.Red delighted in the fact that he had their undivided attention. They looked like a gaggle of geese walking around our quaint little lunch spot.

I had so much fun taking pictures of them. It was pure bliss to have a little pink in the pictures. These girls are the epitome of all things girlie. But I have to mention, they keep right up with Red. I LOVE that! I have to tell you, being around them makes me want somethin' pink around my house! :)

These pictures are among my favorite. I love the shot of the girls holding the flowers with their sweet little fingers. They loved picking them and putting them into a nearby fountain.

They would place them in the water, watch them float, put their hands in the water and splash around a little. The three of them attracted a lot of attention. How often do you see such beautiful children?! (It's my blog, I'm allowed to be biased!)

What a perfect day...

My Playroom

I have finally finished working on my scrap booking room. It is absolutely wonderful! Now I actually have three separate work spaces. One (my fabulous apothecary cabinet given to me by my parents for just this purpose) I will stand at to put my projects together. The second is our desk that (for the first time) will be a place where we can use the lap top, write out bills, work on homework (Red starts Kindergarten this year) and enjoy our view of the neighborhood. The third spot is the white cabinet that holds our desk top. It was normally a "catch-all" for junk mail, bills, Red's preschool work, old magazines and lotsa dust bunnies!

To some, this space may still look a little cluttered. But to me it is PERFECT. I am surrounded by many things I love. Paper, material, rubber stamps, buttons (both old and new), ribbon, adorable little millinery supplies, pictures, my Grandmother's old sewing machine, vintage cameras, books and the list goes on...

I don't think I'll ever leave this room. :)

My most favorite "new" object in my playroom is this old printer's drawer. It is the perfect stamp holder. I got the idea from one of the scrapping pros. It was originally intended for something much different. I love the peely old green paint and the wonderfully rusted hardware. I look at it and can imagine a bustling print shop. I imagine all of the hands that have touched the handle, pulling out the drawer to find just the right stamp...Ooooh, I LOVE that!

I feel so very inspired to create something fun...But then I look at the rest of the house.

I take one last look at my beautiful space and smile. Now to tackle another room. Can I make another space look equally inspiring? Hmmm. We'll have to wait and see.

Cupid...

has a little competition in the form of an adorable little redhead with gorgeous blue eyes, angel kissed cheeks and nose, a dimple chin and a smile that is sure to melt your heart. Just take a look at these pictures and I'm sure you'll agree!

I'm working on a little Valentine's Day project and can't wait to use some of the pictures I took of this guy! I will post pictures when I finish...hopefully before the actual day has passed. :)

I have also been doing some reorganizing/redecorating. I will post pictures of my progress when I get a little closer to being done! I'm excited about the work I've done in my scrap book room. It has been a major under taking. At various stages, it has looked like a major tornado had blown through.

Red (and our three furry kids) seemed to want to be right in the middle of it all. I had to laugh, I asked Alex why he wanted to be in there. He says, "Because it's your room and I like the colors in here." I reply, "But it's REALLY messy right now." He says, "Yeah, but it's really beautiful Mama." How cute. That gave me the motivation to keep working on it!

Now that I am near completion, I have a very large bin of scrap booking goodness that I am giving to another scrapper (my cousin, Lori). I had planned to send the care package in the mail but now I think I may have to rent a U-haul and deliver it personally!

Anyway, I am really enjoying my time off. I love spending the extra time with Red. He loves it too. On the days I have things to do in my search for a new job, I take him to preschool. (He prefers to stay at home.)

One of the days I had decided to have him go, we arrived at the school to learn that it was closed. Martin Luther King's Day. ( I guess when you don't work, you become unaware of things like holidays!!!) I told Red, "Well, I guess you DO get to stay home with me today. It's Martin Luther Kings Day." He says,"Oh, Mom! That is MY favorite day!" I cracked up!!!

So here I am...

The New Year has been an interesting one. On December 30,2008, we received an email at work saying that the county would be laying off 300 employees due to budget issues in the coming year. Everyone was shocked and disheartened by this announcement.

Unfortunately, I was one of those employees. You see, I worked as an "extra help" employee.I chose this due to the fact that Franky is out of town a lot and I could arrange my work schedule around our family's needs. The bad part, when there is a lay-off, the extra help employees are the first to go.

So, here I am. I feel lost. I told Franky it is sad that so much of who you are is defined by what you do in your work. I loved my job and what I was able to do for families in the position I held. It was a very rewarding 6 years. I am hopeful that I will find something I enjoy as much.

In the meantime, I am going to enjoy some extra time with Red, clean and reorganize the house and who knows what else.

There is a reason for everything and I'm looking forward to what God has planned for me.

How Time Flys

The rest of December was pretty much a blurr. There was Grandma Mary's Annual Ice Cream Social at Rosemary's. Yum Yum. What a great Christmas gift.

Then in the middle of the month Franky attended a class in Illinois. While he was there, Mom, Dad, Alex and I went to the coast. Mom and I got to visit our favorite shops. The Nest and Feathered Nest. We were sad to see that the Susan Branch Store in Arroyo Grande had closed.

Over a couple of days, we went to the movies and saw Bolt, ate fish and chips,visited the Avila Valley Barn and explored SLO. On the way home we made a stop at Good Ol' Burger and delighted in their gigantic burgers and onion rings. We had so much fun.It was so awesome to spend time with my parents there.

Christmas was really nice. We spent time with all of our family. It was wonderful. Santa was very nice to Red. He was pretty overwhelmed with all of the gifts he received.Thanks everyone for spoiling our little redhead!

I was excited that on Christmas my cousin's daughter Alyssa(aka Lyssa-lou)got to spend the night with us. We stayed up late (late for me anyway) and played cards. The day after Christmas, we hit the movies and saw Marley & Me and Bedtime Stories. Both very good movies.:) We were sad when Lyssa had to leave and go back to Long Beach. She definitely needs to come back to visit again.

The rest of December was taken up with relishing the last bit of time with my parents, playing cards, playing with Red and cleaning up Christmas. I'm still finding bits of Christmas in the house!

I hope you all had a blessed Christmas.

Where to begin?

So much time has passed and so many things have happened since I last posted. I guess it would be best to start where I left off. Our trip to San Francisco was AMAZING! It was so awesome to spend time reconnecting and enjoying the beautiful city. We left on a Friday. Red was not even phased by the fact we were leaving. In fact he was pushing us out the door excited to begin his own fun weekend with Papa and Mow!

I enjoyed the ride. Franky and I talked (not just about Red!), we laughed and enjoyed ourselves without a peep from the back seat. That was a little strange for both of us, but really nice. :)

When we got to the hotel we decided on a game plan for our weekend. Then off we went. We started off at a little deli that Franky visits when ever he's working in the Bay. I don't remember the name but will say that they had the BEST tri-tip sandwiches I have EVER had!Because it is mostly a grab and go type place, we had a little picnic in our car. How romantic...

After we finished eating, we headed to Berkley. I love to walk through the shops there. Franky, not so much. He was a great sport though. I found a great scrap booking shop that I would've spent the whole weekend exploring.

We left Berkeley and decided to go to the movies. We saw the Transporter 2. It was ugh... really bad. I guess the first one was better. I never saw it. Don't know if I'd want to! We enjoyed ourselves though. We had a good laugh at some of the bad acting and unrealistic stunts. If any of you have seen it, our favorite bad acting moment was when the red headed girl says (three different times), "Am- I -in -heaven?" We still joke about that phrase...Bad, bad acting.

The next day we took the BART into the city. It's interesting the people you meet. I spent most of the trip talking to a guy who gave me a detailed history of the BART and the politics surrounding the placement of its stations. When he asked where we were from and we told him Porterville, another man joined in our conversation. He was a very handsome man in his 50's. He told us that he currently lives in the Cayman Islands but was born and grew up in Terra Bella. Wow, what a small world. He laughed when I told him I regularly visited Terra Bella with my job and that it probably still looks exactly like it did when he left!

When we got to the city, we went to Golden Gate Park to visit the Conservatory of Flowers. It was so beautiful. We scoped out the Museum of Science and decide it was a place we would need to visit with Red. We visited Fisherman's Wharf then took the trolly to Chinatown. I had never been there before. I felt like I had stepped into another country. The architecture and colors were amazing. I felt so immersed in the Chinese culture as we made our way down the streets and through the shops.

By the time we had left the city, we had taken every form of public transportation available, walked miles, taken lots of fabulous pictures, eaten wonderful food,lost a box of Sees candy (we bought for Mow & Papa), shopped a little, watched the "bush man" scare people at the wharf, bought a souvenir for Red and just enjoyed being together.

On Sunday, we (I) was lucky enough to get to experience the Alameda Flea Market. I could write for days about how wonderful it is but I won't. I'll just say that I LOVE it and can't wait to go back!!!

Red was happy to see us when we got home. He had a blast. My parents said they would happily keep him again for us but the dogs...not so much. I guess Reese and Sophie were revolting because we were gone. They were terrors. Reese even got on the counter and ate two rolls of salami my mom had bought to send my brother. Papa wasn't too happy about that one. :0

Thanks so much Papa & Mow. We had a GREAT time!

What a City...

A Bit Wiggly...

Ok, usually those are words I use to describe Red when he is about to experience something great and is very excited. Well, the title of this post is describing me. Yes, I am VERY excited.

You see, on Friday, for the very first time in the four plus years we have had Red, we are going away for the weekend and he is staying home with Papa & Mow!

We are going to San Francisco, one of my very favorite places! I can hardly wait!!! Whoo hooo!!! (Picture me doing cart wheels!)

I plan to take lots of pictures and will post about our adventure when we get back! Only three days until we go!!! Yippee!!! :)

Thank you, Papa & Mow!!

Red & Reese

I wish each of you would've seen these two playing in the leaves this weekend. It was comical. Red was dying to jump in a leaf pile. Begrudgingly, Franky allowed the leaves to collect in the front yard over the last week or so. Then on Sunday he raked them into a nice size pile. Alex was wiggly with excitement at the site of this huge mound of leaves and could hardly wait to take the leap. When I headed out the front door to witness the romp, Reese ran out.

Red looks at the pile and then at Reese. Reese looks at the pile and darts toward it, Red not far behind. Then for the next forty five minutes the two of them rolled, romped and played in the leaves.

Red would throw them up and Reese would do his best to catch every one. Reese chased Alex. Alex chased Reese. When they finally stopped for a break, they both had leaves strewn all over their bodies. It was a hilarious site! I love watching them play. What a great memory. :)

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Just had to post these. We stopped for a bit at the Towne Center in Santa Clarita. It was so pretty there. The weather was perfect, flowers were blooming, Christmas music was playing and decorations were up everywhere. What a great place to get little Christmas shopping done and (of course) take a few pictures.

Too bad I wasn't wearing any makeup, this might have been "the Christmas card picture". Regardless, I love these pics!!!

March AFB

... Me & Red.

...Our future pilot.

...Daddy & Red

...Flying at March AFB

On the way home on Friday we got to make a fun stop. March Air Force Base Museum was right on our way. Franky had been wanting to take Red there forever.

Alex loved it! He "flew" around and explored every inch of the museum. He was awed by the size of the aircraft and was ecstatic when we bought him a souvenir in their gift shop! He played with his Discovery spaceship all the way home. He even told us he was going to fly one of those big planes when he grew up!

On Christmas morning he will be surprised when he opens up his very own bomber jacket, complete with official patches! Can't wait to see our little future pilot

Thanksgiving Fun

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We did. We spent the holiday at my Aunt and Uncle's who live near Temecula. Red was so excited on the way. He was convinced we were going to a "party". In fact when we arrived he hoots, "Yeah, we're at the party!!!"

If he was disappointed that this "party" didn't have a bounce house, you would've never guessed. He made himself right at home! He was laying right up in the center of my Aunt's bed watching "Elf" fifteen minutes after we got there!

We ate yummy food and had a great time visiting and playing cards. Thank you Uncle Charles and Aunt Paula for having us!!! Red loved that Uncle Charles played the guitar for him. Aunt Paula, Alex is still talking about the bells on your clocks. He LOVED them!!!

Thank you Sharie, Lyssa-lou, Al, and Lori for a fun game of cards. (Lori, I may have won the first game of cards, but during the second game I really did consider leaving for a vanilla coke!!! I lost terribly...)

Thanks Lyssa-lou for spending time with Red. He had a blast playing with you. I have some great pictures to prove it!!!

I am thankful we got to spend Thanksgiving together.

Building Buddies

These two recently had fun at Lowe's. They built this wooden race trailor with such speed and precision, they were recruited by the Lowe's racing team! :)

Luckily, there were no injuries. Although Red did knock Papa's fingers with the hammer a couple of times...Oops!They had a great time and it was fun watching them. Watch out, Bob. Here comes the new building crew!

Top Ten Reasons (Excuses) For Neglecting My Blog:

10. I forgot the log in password for my computer. (?)

9. Our new Target store opened and I've been busy getting acquainted with it.

8. One word: RED.

7. I ran off and joined a circus...

6. Feeling guilty about content of the last post. (However true it may be!)

5. I've been busy turning my home into a Christmas wonderland.

4. Did I mention our new Target opened?

3. I've had writer's block.

2. I wanted to see how long it would take for someone to mention that I hadn't written in a while!

And the best reason is....

1. My parents are here and we've been having a blast!!!

So now I'm back. I am so excited my folks are here. Franky has been home, too. It has been awesome. : ) I have lots of pictures and posts to come. Glad to be back.

Halo and Horns...

Can you see the mischeif in this freckeled little face? It's there, just take a closer look!

This week I have seriously contemplated calling in to the Nanny 911 show to request a visit from that lovely woman with the British accent. Either that or placing a sign around Red's neck that says "free to good home" and placing him on the front curb... I'm only kidding. (I think.)

Yes, I have had a very challenging parenting week. Red has tested me in every way and has even shocked and surprised me with some four year old fall outs. One second he is melting my heart with his sweetness, the next he's behaving much like Satan's spawn. Hence the very fitting title.

Today was much better and I'm hoping we're over this little defiant stage. At least for a while... I am realistic and know this occurs normally as children go through the various developmental stages. But I need a break from it...

I love Red so much. I feel so fortunate to be his Mommy. I've been praying a whole lot lately. Not for patience (that one backfires...) but for the safe return of my sweet little redheaded boy!!!

I wonder if lighting a candle will help?!

Cobb Ranch

Our last stop on Sunday was Cobb Ranch. This is a huge pumpkin patch close to Children's Hospital. I've always seen it when driving to the hospital and have been wanting to visit forever. I have to say, I was a little disappointed. It is really big. The set up is neat, they have hayrides, a tractor "train" ride, tricycle races and a little area with farm animals you can feed.

I guess I'm just used to the little pumpkin patch by our house. This one just seemed too commercial. We had a good time though. Red rode in a tricycle race, rode the tractor "train" and we both went on the hayride.

We didn't buy a pumpkin there... Bummer. I think part of it is that we always visit the pumpkin patch as a family and since Franky wasn't with us, it just wasn't the same. I can't wait until he comes home. Our little pumpkin patch is waiting for us!!!

Riverpark Romp

After hanging out at the bookstore for almost two hours, we went over to Riverpark. It had changed so much since we had been there last. We walked around the shops, enjoyed a smoothie, and took some pictures. It was a great place to be with Red. He could run around and play without me hovering over him.
He had fun balancing on the flower beds and playing in the grass. The weather was perfect and he was having so much fun. I enjoyed watching him. What a beautiful day. :)