Two of a Kind...Working on a Full House

We're Still Here!

2012-01-19T21:08:00.000-08:00

Amazing isn't it? How people disappear for a while and then suddenly there they are, a year later, looking better than ever. Well that's the O'Leary family...we're back! 2011 was a good year for us. We were so busy that we had trouble keeping up with the blog. I hope there are still people out there who are willing to read this thing. I still read all your blogs all the time. Thank goodness for Google Reader! So here's a few things that have been happening.

This is us on December 31st, 2010 and here's a year later:

I can't believe how much our little munchkin has changed in the last year. She is definitely a little girl now and not a baby (and she reminds me of it all the time). We are in the process of singing songs, storytelling, potty training, choosing clothes and make-believe. I love listening to her play with her dolls and toys. She has a great imagination! She loves Tinkerbell and her fairy friends (Fly-Me's), all the princesses (her favorite is somewhere between Ariel & Aurora) and stamping with Momma. We also love the library and the park where we spent a whole lot of time this summer and her boyfriend is James because it's the only boy she really sees on a regular basis. We all love to laugh and dance together - just the other night we had an "Irish Rave" in our living room...picture flashlights and the sounds of the Flogging Molly station on Pandora with a whole lot of bouncing around like a Tigger. Fun times!
Abby has also started her career. We decided that with the cost of college tuition on the rise it's never too early to start earning your way. Check out her profile here: Off the Ricter We have only had one audition so I don't know how it will all pan out but we'll see and I'll keep you updated. :)

Other news: Pat is starting school on Jan 30th and will be getting his degree soon. (I say soon but in reality it will be at least 4 years...with the way time flies it doesn't feel that far away!) He is working at the Pro Desk for the Home Depot and will be a Gold level associate this year - meaning he sold over a million dollars in product for 2011. Too bad not much of that million dollars comes back to us!
I am still teaching in 6th grade and am also working as our schools Technology Lead Teacher and Assistant Principal. I was just released from teaching primary for two years. I am also a supervisor for Close to My Heart. CTMH sells traditional scrapbooking supplies and also has a great digital scrapbooking program. If you want to see some of my art check out my other blog: scrappingboogie.blogspot.com or find me on Facebook.

We are still going on lots of trips to Disneyland so if you're ever in the neighborhood, we're almost always up for a trip. We also love going to the street fair to ride the ponies and eat yummy caramel apples.

I hope some of you are still following and I am going to make a more determined effort to update. I love reading each of your blogs and I love to read new updates so I hope to do the same for you.
As always we are so grateful for your love and support. Happy New Year!

Challenge: Day 21

2010-11-15T21:18:00.000-08:00

Day 21 – A photo of something that makes you happy. :D

Challenge: Day 20

2010-11-14T21:14:00.000-08:00

Day 20 – The meaning behind your blog name.

It just fit so perfectly...

Two of a Kind, Working on a Full House by Garth Brooks

Yes, she's my lady luck
Hey, I'm her wild card man
Together we're building up
A real hot hand
We live out in the country
Hey, she's my little queen of the South

Yeah, we're two of a kind
Working on a full house

She wakes me every morning
With a smile and a kiss
Her strong country loving
Is hard to resist
She's my easy loving woman
I'm her hard working man, no doubt

Yeah, we're two of a kind
Working on a full house

Yeah, a pickup truck is her limousine
And her favorite dress is her faded blue jeans
She loves me tender when the going gets tough
Somtimes we fight just so we can make up

Lord, I need that little woman
Like the crops need the rain
She's my honeycomb
And I'm her sugar cane
We really fit together
If you know what I'm talking about

Yeah, we're two of a kind

Working on a full house

This time I found a keeper
I made up my mind
Lord, the perfect combination
Is her heart and mine

The sky's the limit
No hill is too steep
We're playing for fun
But we're playing for keeps

So draw the curtain, honey
Turn the lights down low
We'll find some country music on the radio
I'm yours and you're mine
Hey, that's what it's all about

Yeah, we're two of a kind
Working on a full house

Lordy, mama
We'll be two of a kind
Working on a full house

Challenge: Day 19

2010-11-13T13:27:00.000-08:00

Day 19 – Another picture of yourself. This is one that Abby took because she loves to play with the camera and all other technology.

Challenge: Day 11-18

2010-11-13T12:44:00.000-08:00

So I guess I failed at getting this out everyday but I did get to day 10 and then went to Vegas so I am going to make it up and get back on track.

Day 11 – What’s in your makeup bag? A little bit of every brand because I am always trying new stuff. I am also cheap when it comes to make up because I don't really know much about it and don't want to spend a lot on something I don't like.

Day 12 – A photograph of the town you live in. Monrovia is a great little town. I love going downtown on Friday nights for the street fair and that they have kept many of the buildings and houses original. Here's a picture of one of the beautiful houses and downtown in 1914.

Day 13 – Your favorite musician and why? This is a tough one. I love music and always have - almost as much as I love books. (Okay, probably just as much!) Here's a few of the current favorites.

Sugarland - Great messages, harmonies and a lot of fun (have you seen the Stuck on You video?)

Miranda Lambert - I just feel her music. I don't necessarily relate to all of it but I still like it. Good stuff.

Day 14 – A TV show you’re currently addicted to. I just love Chuck with Zachary Levi. It's a fun show and he is so adorable! (He's also the voice of Flynn in the new Disney movie, Tangled)

Day 15 – Something you don’t leave the house without. This little beauty is always with me. Yea!

Day 16 – Your celebrity crush. Zac Levi...nerdy cute. One of my favorites. :)

Day 17 – A photo of you and your family. I love these two more than life itself. They are my happy thought!

Day 18 – Something you crave a lot. I get a lot of cravings with the craziness that is my life. Here are a few of them.

Chocolate, mainly in the form of brownies or cake; salsa, nice and spicy; Flaming Hot Cheetos, silly but it works for me; back massages, the ultimate for relaxation; happy, upbeat music; and more time in my day.

Challenge: Day 10

2010-11-04T20:53:00.000-07:00

Day 10 – A photo of your favorite place to eat.

I love soup and salad. I also love not having to cut up all those different components all be myself and then wait for things to cook. So Souplantation is a very good place for me. (I also don't feel as guilty as when I eat a big burger at other places!)

I remember being in Utah and my roomie, Kadie, wanted to take me to this new place called Sweet Tomatoes and said I would love it. Lo and behold, it was Souplantation with a different name. This was a very happy day while living in Utah.

Challenge: Day 9

2010-11-03T21:43:00.000-07:00

Day 9 – A photo of the item you last purchased.

I finally got a smartphone and it is awesome. I am hoping that it helps streamline my life a little and make texting sooo much easier. The T9 was starting to get annoying. I had people laughing at me as I clicked away at my tiny number pad on my old phone. :P

Challenge: Day 8

2010-11-03T21:37:00.000-07:00

Day 8 – A song to match your mood.

So I finished reading The Hunger Games series today and it was very bittersweet. So the song I picked to fit my mood is Iris by The Goo Goo Dolls.

I thought this graphic was way cool to fit in with the end of the series. (from viivi.net)

Iris by The Goo Goo Dolls

And I'd give up forever to touch you
Cause I know that you feel me somehow
You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be
And I don't want to go home right now

And all I can taste is this moment
And all I can breathe is your life
Cause sooner or later it's over
I just don't want to miss you tonight

And I don't want the world to see me
Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am

And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming
Or the moment of truth in your lies
When everything seems like the movies
Yeah you bleed just to know your alive

And I don't want the world to see me
Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am

Challenge: Day 7

2010-11-01T22:10:00.000-07:00

Day 7 – Your dream wedding.

If you know me well enough I don't have to explain this. If you want to know more let me know!

Challenge: Day 6

2010-10-31T08:40:00.000-07:00

Day 6 – A photo of an animal you’d love to keep as a pet.

Challenge: Day 5

2010-10-30T08:21:00.000-07:00

Day 5 – A photo of yourself two years ago.

This was taken at the San Diego Wild Animal Park in July of 2008. Pam and I went on a sleepover at the park with a teaching grant. It was very cool because we got to do all the tours they offer for free. We woke up to lions roaring over-looking the savanna and we able to feed the giraffes and rhinos. This giraffe tried to lick me.
This is also a good memory for me because it was right before I found out I was pregnant with Abby! Good summer. :)

Challenge: Day 4

2010-10-29T16:55:00.000-07:00

My best friend, without a doubt, is my wonderful husband. He is the sweetest, most caring person I have ever met. I am so glad we are together and I love him more everyday. He is an amazing daddy too! Here is a series of pictures that make me smile.

Challenge: Day 3

2010-10-29T06:24:00.000-07:00

Day 3 – Your idea of the perfect first date.

I'd have to say the perfect first date is with friends. A group date takes the pressure off the whole idea. I always hated first dates. There definitely has to be some kind of activity that involves talking - no movies! How do you get to know someone if you sit in front of a movie screen silent?
The first date Pat and I had was to a friend's party and it was an all-day event. There was a bbq and games. We did watch a movie later in the evening but by then we were already holding hands so I guess we were comfortable enough for a movie! (It was a dumb movie so we talked through the whole thing anyway!)

Challenge: Day 2

2010-10-27T20:38:00.000-07:00

Day 2 – A photo of something you ate today.
Millsaps-style Po'Boys and Coleslaw...Brings back memories and an easy dinner for a busy night.

We went to the pumpkin patch tonight so I will get some more pictures up soon...I hope!

Challenge: Day 1

2010-10-26T20:27:00.000-07:00

Day 1 – A photo of yourself and a description of how your day was.

My day actually went fairly well. I am in the middle of parent conferences so if I can make it through the day without getting chewed out for a child getting bad grades then I consider it a success. I made dinner at home - burritos with homemade salsa (my favorite) - and spent some time splashing around with Abby in the bathroom. Now I'm watching Glee and glad that I finally saw The Rocky Horror Picture Show a couple weeks ago so that I actually understand the episode. I plan on going to bed as soon as it's over - yea!

30 Day Blog Challenge

2010-10-26T20:08:00.000-07:00

*My sister posted this so I decided to try it in hopes of resurrecting my blog. Wish me luck! (and try it for yourself.)

30 Day Blog Challenge

Day 1 – A photo of yourself and a description of how your day was.
Day 2 – A photo of something you ate today.
Day 3 – Your idea of the perfect first date.
Day 4 – Your favorite photograph of your best friend.
Day 5 – A photo of yourself two years ago.
Day 6 – A photo of an animal you’d love to keep as a pet.
Day 7 – Your dream wedding.
Day 8 – A song to match your mood.
Day 9 – A photo of the item you last purchased.
Day 10 – A photo of your favorite place to eat.
Day 11 – What’s in your makeup bag?
Day 12 – A photograph of the town you live in.
Day 13 – Your favorite musician and why?
Day 14 – A TV show you’re currently addicted to.
Day 15 – Something you don’t leave the house without.
Day 16 – Your celebrity crush.
Day 17 – A photo of you and your family.
Day 18 – Something you crave a lot.
Day 19 – Another picture of yourself.
Day 20 – The meaning behind your blog name.
Day 21 – A photo of something that makes you happy.
Day 22 – A letter to someone who has hurt you recently.
Day 23 – 15 facts about you.
Day 24 – A photo of something that means a lot to you.
Day 25 – What’s in your purse?
Day 26 – A photo of somewhere you’ve been to.
Day 27 – A picture of you last year and now and how have you changed since then?
Day 28 – Your favorite movie.
Day 29 – Something you could never get tired of doing.
Day 30 – A photograph of yourself today + three good things that have happened in the past.

Fun Times

2010-07-21T13:44:00.000-07:00

Abby likes to improvise. She was using the pillow to rock and cracked herself up. It's nice that she doesn't know how to scream. She closes her throat so we don't get that loud, piercing sound when she is mad or excited.

Summer 2010

2010-07-21T13:30:00.000-07:00

And we're back...to blogging that is. Time flies and I have lots of excuses for not blogging but I won't go into them. Here are a few updates!

Abby is so much fun! She is such a ham and always brings lots of smiles and laughter. Her personality gets bigger by the day.

We have been spending a lot of time in the pool this summer and we are going to Stroller Strides together. (A great workout for mommy and fun with other kids for Abby.) We also went to Disneyland on one of Daddy's days off. Enjoy the video...we just got a new camera that is waterproof!

I want to be a part of it...

2009-11-11T21:14:00.000-08:00

*Thanks to Aunt Colleen & Uncle Jesse!

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T15:22:00.001-07:00

Pat's New Toy

2009-10-18T20:14:00.001-07:00

We finally decided to upgrade our t.v. to one a little larger. Pat had no idea that we were working with a 21 inch television. So we looked for a great deal and found one pretty quick. It's amazing what happens around here with a little motivation! The final purchase: a 47" flat screen and a twelve-device remote control.

It's actually my fault that we ended up with a new, larger tv. I mentioned one night that I didn't like playing Mario Kart on a small screen because you can't see what you are doing. And thus began the search for a new television. I've got to be careful what I say!

Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-18T18:06:00.000-07:00

So I am realizing as the holidays approach that I need to do things that I have never done before because I have a child now. So the first adventure was to the Cal Poly Pomona Pumpkin Patch. (I also need to update my blog more often! I know...I know!)
This is Abby in her chariot and below is her caddy for the day (Aunt Bitty). She also has a chauffer (Grandpa). Can you tell who's in charge?
We were able to get at least one family shot. I find this is the hardest picture to get whenever we go somewhere. It's always Daddy and Abby or Mommy and Abby, hardly ever all three of us.

The end of the trip. Ahhh...peaceful car rides. :)

Independence Day

2009-07-13T11:57:00.000-07:00

Happy (first) 4th of July!

Abby wasn't sure what to think of the fireworks. (But eventually they put her to sleep!)

Abby's Blessing Day

2009-07-13T11:17:00.000-07:00

On June 7, 2009 we blessed our little Abigail Rose. Her daddy blessed her. The wonderful men included in the blessing circle were Grandpa Lee Millsaps, Grandpa Ken O'Leary, Great-grandpa Aerius Huntsman, Great-grandpa Ray Hambleton, Uncle Brett Millsaps, and Uncle Kevin Spencer. She wore a beautiful white Strasburg dress with hand smocking. The blessing was beautiful and Mommy and Daddy were both a little choked up. It was a beautiful day and we are so blessed to have the gospel in our lives to share with our children.

After the blessing we had a get-together at Grandma & Grandpa Millsaps' house. Many family members and friends were there to see and meet Abby. In fact, we had all of the great-granddaughters (8 total) on the Huntsman side there, so we took pictures. (In case you were wondering, there are no great-grandsons!) From left to right: Sydney, Serena, Victoria, Katelin, Angelina, Abigail, Great-grandpa Aerius, Sara, and Chloe.

P.S. A big thank you to my friend, Crystal, for taking beautiful pictures of Abby in her blessing dress!

Already a Ham for the Camera!

2009-06-12T11:34:00.000-07:00

The Infamous Outfit

2009-06-12T11:10:00.000-07:00

Here is the outfit that Grandpa M. did not approve of. Thanks Grandma M. and Aunt Hillarie for the cute outfit! It doesn't quite fit yet, but it will be fun for dress up.

One Month Old

2009-06-01T19:55:00.001-07:00

Ok...so she's actually 5 weeks old but at least I'm posting! We went to the doctor's office today and she is pretty much perfect. Everything checked out fine but we did have to get one shot today. She was strong and it only hurt for a minute. When we walked out, she was smiling again.
Here are the stats:
Weight - 12lbs. 2.5oz. (95%ile)
Length - 22 1/2 inches (90%ile)

Here's a picture of her in the outfit that Grandpa M. bought her in Hawaii. It's still a little big but we thought we'd try anyway. I will post a picture soon of the outfit that Grandma M. bought her with Grandpa's disapproval!

Hooray for nap time!

Baby Faces

2009-05-27T16:52:00.000-07:00

It's amazing how expressive a newborn's face can be. Here are a few we caught today.

And my favorite...
There's nothing better than seeing your baby smile!

Bath Time

2009-05-21T12:43:00.000-07:00

So the umbilical cord finally fell off and so comes the first official bath! Abby started out curious and soon grew to realize that she did not appreciate being naked and wet. So after a quick scrubbing she did survive and smelled so pretty afterward. We'll have to keep working on this new skill!

Introducing...

2009-05-06T13:50:00.000-07:00

Miss Abigail Rose O'Leary

Saturday, April 25th, 2009
5:55PM

9lbs 5oz -- 21in.After much waiting and anticipating she is finally here. It was a long and arduous process-definitely not what I was expecting-Abby came into the world via c-section. It wasn't our first choice but we really didn't care in the end because she is a healthy little girl.

We have been home for a little more than a week and are adjusting to our new life together. She is a joy and a wonder.

Happy Easter!

2009-04-17T09:19:00.000-07:00

We hope everyone had a great Easter! We spent the day with Pat's wonderful family. I really can't believe how lucky I am to have married into a family I love as much as my own. I'm so grateful for the love and support they give to us everyday. I am also eternally grateful at Easter for the sacrifice of the Savior and the gifts He has given me and my family. May the Lord bless you all during this sacred time.

Baby Update: She is due today but not ready yet. We are letting her decide for now but hopefully she comes soon. We know how much everyone wants to meet her, especially Pat and I. I must be doing a great job making her feel safe because she doesn't want to leave!

Anxiously Awaiting

2009-04-03T15:23:00.000-07:00

This waiting is going to kill me. I haven't even reached my due date and I want to meet her so much. How do you pass the time while playing this waiting game?

A couple of weeks ago we took maternity pictures with a great photographer and friend, Amber Baker. Here's her website for anyone interested in seeing more of her work.
www.amberkatrina.com

Here are a few of my favorites from our shoot!

One Week of Work to Go

2009-03-22T09:55:00.000-07:00

So I have tried to make these updates more regularly but my camera has not cooperated. So I'm hoping it will work this time.

Here's some pics from Week 34.Week 35 - This is my friend Jeannie. She is due two weeks before me.

I've had two baby showers this week and I've appreciated all the love and support from friends and family.

I love this picture of my cousin Sydney and Piggie.
Week 36
Everything has continued to go very smoothly with the pregnancy. There really isn't a lot of news to share. I get more uncomfortable as the days go by and I only recognize my ankles in the wee morning hours, after a good night's sleep, but other than that things are great. Anybody out there have any other advice to share before the big day?

Baby Update

2009-02-19T17:22:00.000-08:00

Everything is going great with my pregnancy. I am currently 33 weeks along. I can't believe how close we are getting. It has all progressed without any complications...until Tuesday night. I have been having some sharp pains and so I called the doctor to ask what I should do and he sent me to Labor and Delivery at the hospital. That freaked me out, just a little, since this is the first "glitch" we have had (except for the twins scare at the very beginning!).
So we dutifully went to the hospital and the nurse hooked me up to the monitors for about an hour and a half. My baby girl did not like that very much and protested by doing a gymnastics routine. The nurse had to keep coming back in and moving the monitors. They also did some tests to make sure everything was doing what it should. In the end it all looked totally normal, so they sent me home.
We are calling this our "trial run". We know how long it takes to get to the hospital during rush hour, which entrance to use (since the hospital is under construction) and that I am pre-registered for when the real thing happens!

My view of the baby:

Yes...those are my feet. They look so far away.

The baby's room...so far:

A Goofy Anniversary

2009-01-28T14:25:00.000-08:00

Pat and I celebrated our 4th anniversary on Nov. 20th. We decided to go to Goofy's Kitchen and gorge ourselves on an excellent breakfast buffet. The fun part is that you get some quality time with various Disney characters.

At one point Pat was getting an omelet and Goofy stopped by our table. Goofy decided that he would celebrate with me since Pat was MIA. When Pat returned with his omelet, they had a struggle for the ring but Pat prevailed. I always knew I was married to someone a little goofy!

Christmas 2008

2008-12-24T11:13:00.001-08:00

The O'Learys 2008: A Year in Review

There have been many fun trips this year: Garth Brooks Concert in Los Angeles, Drag Races in Pomona, Paintball Tournament in Huntington Beach, and Youth Conference for Arcadia Stake, The Getty Villa in Malibu, Outdoor Science School in Malibu, The Wild Animal Park in San Diego

We have spent many a day at Disneyland - Our favorite date night and family get-together!

(We even got a backstage tour of Thunder Mountain - Okay, in reality it broke down and we got to sit there, on a hill, for a while and then follow the cast member out the side door but we did get some fun pictures.)

I am still happily teaching 6th grade and Pat has just finished his first year with Hilti.

Obviously, our most exciting news is the anticipated arrival of our baby girl! Coming April 2009! (Stay tuned for more details.)

Please check out all our other posts for more happenings with the O'Leary family in 2008. At this time we would also like to thank all our friends and family for their continuing love and support. We are also grateful for the gift of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, at this special time of year!
Merry Christmas to All! God Bless Us Everyone!

For those of you who haven't heard...

2008-10-18T08:11:00.000-07:00

Baby O'Leary
Coming April 2009
Currently 14 weeks old
Wahoo!
Life is good. I'm feeling amazingly well. We are so blessed.
Thank you to everyone who prayed for us. We know it made a difference!

Hallelujah...It Fits!

2008-07-09T18:38:00.001-07:00

This is our wonderful new gazebo and it just barely fits in the space we wanted it in (after a fight with tree and its roots). It took three days to build and two of them were spent trying to figure out how to fit a 10x 10 gazebo (on the inside) into a 10x10 space (total). Its a little closer to the house than we first imagined. It looks good though and you are all invited over to help us break it in!The recommended tools for assembly were an 8ft ladder and a hammer. The tools we used to put it in: 4ft ladder, a hatchet, a hammer, a cordless drill, a saw, a broom, a wrench, a lot of sweat (mainly from Pat...I held the ladder and the tools) and sheer genius. This was definitely not an "easy" assembly.

Happy Belated 4th!

2008-07-08T16:12:00.000-07:00

We celebrated this year with both families. Its always nice to not have to decide who to see for holidays. There's definitely a case for marrying someone from the same state! Its also nice when your family lives in one of the only cities in the area to still allow fireworks. So along with the ones we bought we also had quite the show of "illegals" as well...and I'm not talking about the citizens of El Monte.

Here's Pat playing Wolverine.
Garrett and Kevin enjoying the sparklers and the fountains.

Pat trying to light the grass on fire while playing with sparklers.
Ken (Dad-in-law), Katie (sister-in-law),Cathy (mom-in-law), Garrett (Nephew), Brittany (sister), Brooke (niece), Dad and Mom

Domestic Bliss...?

2008-07-08T15:49:00.000-07:00

Domestic bliss...hmmm...what exactly does that mean? If it means I wash dishes and laundry, take care of the pets and my husband all while working full time (oh wait, its summer), then I guess I'm there.

Here are some new pictures of our kitties. They look so much alike now I can't tell them apart when its dark. We were hoping Ellie's skinniness and energy would rub off on Hunter but, alas, the opposite has been true.

I've been quite domestic lately and made curtains for the bathroom and the kitchen. The one in the bathroom keeps the glaring sun out since our neighbor chopped all the branches off his trees. And the kitchen one hide all the laundry (yes, the laundry is in the kitchen) and stuff for the dishes. It at least makes us look neater without actually being neater. You would be amazed at what kind of things you can hide behind a curtain! :)

Make New Friends but Keep the Old...

2008-06-19T13:55:00.000-07:00

Congrats Carol & Gary!
About two weeks ago my long-time friend Carol tied the knot. It was so great to see her and Kimmie at the wedding. We've been friends since kindergarten! The "blonde" friends aren't so blonde anymore!

Carol and her mom and dad

Tag! You're It!

2008-03-25T09:16:00.000-07:00

1. What time did you get up this morning? 8:00...I love Spring Break!

2. Diamonds or pearls? Both. (I have to go with Ash on this one)

3. What was the last film you saw in the theatre? Never Back Down

4. What is your favorite TV Show? Charmed...since everything is reruns anyway I might as well watch a show I've never seen.

5. What do you usually have for breakfast? Smoothie

6. What is your middle name? Chantelle

7. What food do you dislike? Onions

8. What is your favorite CD at the moment? Both Sugarland CDs

9. What kind of car do you drive? 2004 Ford Es-ca-pe

10. Favorite sandwich? Subway Turkey Breast...lettuce...tomato...peppercinis...olives...honey mustard

11. What characteristic do you despise? apathy

12. Favorite item of clothing? Flip-flops

13. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? Greece, Rome & Egypt

14. Favorite brand of clothing? I have no idea.

15. Where would you retire to? A Greek island

16. What was your most recent memorable birthday? Birthday?

17. Favorite sport to watch? I don't like to watch...I like to play.

18. When is your birthday? Dec. 19

19. Are you a morning person or a night person? Morning because I have the whole day ahead of me.

20. What is your shoe size? 9-10

21. Pets? Coda, Hunter & Ellie

22. Any new and exciting news you’d like to share with us? I wish...

23. What did you want to be when you were little? Vet or the President of the United States

24. How are you today? Not wanting to clean the house

25. What is your favorite candy? York Peppermint Patties

26. What is your favorite flower? Tulips and Daisies

27. What are you listening to right now? The TV

28. What was the last thing you ate? Oatmeal

29. Do you wish on stars? Always

30. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? shamrock

31. How is the weather right now? Its nice right now but its been hot the last few days.

32. Last person you spoke to on the phone? Pat

33. Favorite soft drink? If I have a choice, I'd rather have milk.

34. Favorite food? Mediterranean

35. What was your favorite toy as a child? I really don't remember. I liked to play house and
school.

36. Summer or winter? I like Spring and Autumn.

37. Hugs or kisses? both

38. Chocolate or vanilla? Vanilla

39. What is under your bed? Shoes and Hunter's favorite sleeping spot

40. What did you do last night? Spent time with Pat

41. What are you afraid of? Losing my job

42. Salty or sweet? Usually salty.

43. How many keys on your key ring? I have three key rings....home, school, and church...there are about five on each ring.

44. How many years at your current job? Teaching for 5

45. Favorite day of the week? Thursday

46. How many towns have you lived in? 5...El Monte, Provo, Covina, Pomona, and Monrovia

-I "TAG" anyone who actually reads all this!

Snow in Monrovia

2008-02-18T19:38:00.000-08:00

When I was in kindergarten we wrote a story called "If it Snowed in El Monte"... well this is about as close as we get and it actually made me miss those cold, snowy places I used to live. It only lasted for the morning but it was fun anyway. Too bad I had to go to work!
(I know this happened back in January but I just had to put the picture up!)

The Best Kind of Fundraiser

2008-02-04T17:28:00.001-08:00

Being such huge Garth fans and considering he is "retired", this event is definitely blog-worthy. Garth Brooks puts on a great show. Trisha Yearwood made an appearance and so did Huey Lewis. We tried to hide out and stay for the 10:00PM show but they wouldn't let us.

Typically I hate fundraising but when there is an awesome cause (Southern California Firefighters), and an awesome concert attached, I have no complaints! I bought these tickets for Pat's Christmas/Birthday gift and we had a blast.

Christmas Letter 2007

2007-12-22T21:22:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays!
This year has been very eventful. As always we are grateful for the love and support from everyone with each passing year. We are especially thankful for the many blessings and opportunities that have come to us in 2007. We’ve had so many things happen that we actually have a Christmas letter to write!

Pat began the year working with The Home Depot but we knew it was time to move on. He found a job working with his dad at National Vendor Services for a couple of months while he was in the process of applying for Hilti, Inc. In October Pat was offered a job as a sales consultant with Hilti. Hilti is a private-owned, international tool company. Pat has been working hard to complete the pre-training and just spent three weeks in Oklahoma for the hands-on training. He will also be going back to school starting in February. Pat is currently serving as a ward missionary.

On May 12th I graduated from Point Loma University with my Master’s degree in educational leadership. The 15-month program was grueling but definitely worth it. I never thought I would get my Master’s degree so quickly!
I can’t believe its been five years since I started teaching! I am excited to finally have a 6th grade class. I have been teaching combo classes for four years. I love my kids. They are a lot of fun and I am blessed to be working with them. They make me smile everyday. I really love my work. Also I have finally had the chance to get started with my scrapbooking and improving my skills with card making. At church I am keeping busy as the Enrichment Counselor in the Relief Society.

Pat and I were able to do some traveling this year. We spent a week on the beautiful island of Oahu with my parents and had a great time. We visited the Polynesian Cultural Center, feasted at a Luau, ate pineapple ice cream at the Dole Plantation, did some shopping in Waikiki, went snorkeling (which I thought I would hate but actually loved!), and spent lots of time relaxing on the beach and in the water. The best part of the trip happened while we were snorkeling. We were getting ready to head to shore and all of a sudden I looked down and there was a huge sea turtle sitting on the bottom of the lagoon! Pat and I swam along with it for a little while and were really upset we had used all the pictures in the waterproof camera.

We also spent a week in Utah…big difference from Hawaii! We were able to visit with family and friends whom we hadn’t seen - in some cases, finally met – for some time. I took Pat to BYU and showed him my old stomping grounds. The campus has changed a lot. The trip made me nostalgic but grateful for what I have in my life now. The culmination of the week was a 4th of July party with some friends. We had a blast with the 27-foot slide (and only a few scrapes and bruises)!
In November we were able to visit family in Arizona for Thanksgiving and had a great time as always.

Hunter and Ellie are as feisty as ever. Ellie has learned that she can get into the house anytime she wants by tearing a hole in the window screens. Although now that it is cold she runs into the closed windows a lot! Hunter has decided that he will only drink running water, so Pat bought him a small fountain. He loves to cuddle with Pat and tolerates me when Pat isn’t around.

We pray for your continued health and happiness in the New Year! Lots of love!

Moving on...

2007-08-21T21:24:00.000-07:00

Goodbye Home Depot! Pat has finally moved on from the depot to bigger and better things. He is now working for NVS (National Vendor Services) as a service manager. He services the Fashion Lighting Department of Lowes. So if you ever need advice on lighting in your home, Pat's your man.

This job is just a stepping stone to what we hope is a position with Hilti, an international tool company.

Old Stomping Grounds

2007-07-13T16:47:00.000-07:00

After Hawaii we spent a week in Utah. We went to Christine's baby blessing (our niece) and then I was able to see some college friends. The best part was taking Pat to all the places I loved when I lived in Utah.

Aloha!

2007-07-13T16:13:00.000-07:00

Pat and I were finally able to go on an actual vacation. Hawaii is definitely a good place to go. We visited Pearl Harbor, the Polynesian Cultural Center, the Hawaii Temple, and spent an awful lot of time relaxing. How great it was! I think we both could have spent another week or two there.