The copycat blogger

Trena has been posting pictures of her mom... so I wanted to share mine. LOL

That's mom's HS graduation picture. I got these scanned from a pre-scanned and printed sheet so they're not the top quality I'd like, but they do for now. To me, this one looks the least like my mother as I've never really known her with long hair. Mom has always had shoulder length hair. We have video of her when Adam was probably two (so I was like 5-6) with her hair almost this length and she hates it. She said that there's a point when you realize you're too old for long hair and that was her long hair send off. I had one of those moments a few years ago. My hair just doesn't look nice when it's really long. It's reaching just past my shoulders right now and driving me INSANE!!

This one is about the length I always remember it (at it's longest before she gets annoyed and chops it off). That's my aunt Jeanine but no one but my uncle (my mom's older brother) calls her that. To us she's Aunt Jeanie. I've got 7 aunties and she's the one I'm probably closest too. I think it's mostly because she's the one I was around the most growing up. It's not because we're alike for sure, because she's a lot nicer than I am. She and my mom are the same age and had babies at the same time (Kristal is 3 months older than me and Jenna is like 2-3 months older than Adam) and we lived close by when we were little. Kristal, Brian and I all went to preschool together, which Jeanie helped teach at, and we played at their house A LOT when we were tiny. To be honest, she still pretty much looks the same too. ;)

This would be Mom & Dad's engagement photo. Dad looks at this one and says that he was so happy to get such a hottie. I laugh when he says that because my dad has always tried to be so hip growing up. When we got older, that's when his college pictures popped up. His hair was probably longer in this one photo than my hair has ever gotten. I'm going to have to find it and scan it one of these days because I always get a giggle when I think about how much he's changed since he was a young man. Growing up they'd take us for day trips around LA and we'd go to UCLA sometimes. Then he'd get all excited and point out where he used to protest the war.

"... and then the cops would come around through here. We'd just scatter this and that way and then we'd regroup back down there behind them and they'd come back and we'd just do it again." Let me tell you, when you're a little kid and you hear these stories you're fascinated because your parents were part of history. When you get older you just laugh because you realize the irony of your now ultra-conservative father sharing his glory days with his kids. Knowing that meeting your mother changed it all just makes you smile.

Growing up with them as my parents was the best thing for my marriage I think. They made sure I knew that it wasn't an easy thing. I went into marriage with some of that fairy tale ending thinking in my head, but when I realized how much work it really was, it still didn't surprise me. I know that my husband is right for me because I see some of my parents' relationship in us. I know that they're strong and good for each other so I know that even though we're two of the most stubborn people I've ever known, so are my parents (I didn't happen in a vacuum y'know). But that stubbornness will pay off and we will make it work. Besides, he tells me "no". ;)

What do you think?

This is just a mock up. The actual picture wouldn't be this one, but a more recent one of me. It was just the only one I had scanned of a full body shot. Is that too egocentric? I was thinking of maybe a wedding photo. It'd be me and Matthew in that case. The other idea was me in my new dress. I'll post pictures after this weekend. If not, at least it's a fun desktop now. LOL

Credits:

Stock photo- Windows Vista

Foilage Brushes- DesignFruit

White Buggy Brush- Departika (I think I'll be buying the whole set)

Wings- Genevieve Sass

Hot Fairy- me ;)

Text- Beyond Wonderland font

Is there something wrong with me?

So, I've been playing around with my iPod & playlists lately. I've never really had lists in my pod, just a bunch of songs that play on shuffle. I've recently made one that I thought would be more calming on me, "I Grew Up on This." Wanna know who's on it? I find it really strange, but maybe it's just a product of my generation.

Aerosmith
Beatles
Dire Straits
Eagles
Elton John
Eurithmics
Fleetwood Mac
Peter, Paul & Mary
Phil Collins
Queen
Rolling Stones

And that's just the music that was supposed to be an influcnce from my parents. I've got a whole other playlist called "I Was an 80s Kid" for all the stuff that I listened to as a kid in the background (music I heard but wasn't really aware of until I was older and "wiser").

I guess it just seems strange because I don't know very many people that would have a lot of those bands in their "comfort" music section, let alone that particular assortment. I also left the musical soundtracks off of it, that's another play list too. I dunno. Maybe it's not so weird. I just know that I feel like the product of hippies when I listen to it. LOL

Star Wars according to a 3 year old

Lunar Eclipse

I didn't get to see it completly blacked out as I had class, but I took this one around 6:30 pm on the 20th. I hadda lighten it up quite a bit with Laura Barden's Light & Shadows action. It worked pretty well. Before all you could see is a glimmer of the windows on the right side and the moon/lamppost lights were just white blobs. Cool huh?

Whew!

What a weekend we had! I had a lot of fun though. From Across the Universe, to Zoot Suits (close enough anyway) it was a fun weekend. I'm really kicking myself for not taking more pictures but we'll see how we do.

Starting with Thursday. It was V-day. I'm not a huge fan so Matthew knows better than getting me stuff because he feels like he has to. He got me flowers just because a few weeks ago so that actually made me happier than flowers that day would have. (One of the guys at work did ask why I didn't have anything on my desk that day though, lol)

We went to dinner at Ruby's (where they gave me a carnation and for some strange reason it made me silly giddy) then to Target for a little walk around. We bought Across the Universe on DVD and brought it home.

I had wanted to catch this film while it was in the theaters, but it just didn't work out. I really enjoyed it!! It's like watching a Baz Luhrmann production of the Beatles. Granted, Baz had nothing to do with it, but you get the idea. If nothing else, you know the music will be great. Did I mention the cameo by Bono? He sings I Am the Walrus. Koo koo ka choo folks. ;)

Friday was our friend Matt's bachelor party. They did the usual... go to a "family" restaurant where the waitresses wear semi-skimpy uniforms and then a goofy round of mini golf. They all dress up in argyle and plaid (wearing tams and flat caps too) and take goofy pictures the whole time. I don't have any of them right now but I'll post some when I get 'em. You can always check my first video on YouTube... there are a few of them buried in that slide show. (1:06, 1:36, & 2:21)

I went with Trena to watch Katie's kids while she and Skip went out. We had fun. Belen takes less and less time to adjust to me everytime I see her. She and Matthew bonded the last time we went to Disneyland (he took her all though the fun stuff at Toon Town). She lit up and liked me better when we reminded her about how much fun she had with him last time we saw her. He's so much better with little kids than I am.

Saturday I went to Scrapbook expo with Trena, Malia and Jenny. I found my friend Cindy while we were there to. I ended up buying a few things. I only took a few pictures though because most of the booths didn't allow them (the kits were gorgeous though!!)

The SEI truck (I couldn't resist!)

Jenny's son, Gavin. He was as good as gold the whole time!

Mia, me, Trena, Gav & Jenny just before going home

All my loot! I had fun at Rusty Pickle!!

That night we dropped by Matt & Kim's new apartment. They get married on Leap Day so she was working on her dress at her parents' house. Matt had us over to check out their new diggs. Lemme just tell you, I'm having Kim come in and help me with decorating our place! She did an awesome job and had only been moved in for a week!

Sunday brought church. I gave a lesson in Relief Society about the Book of Mormon. It was a great lesson with lots of fantastic comments from the women. I love my calling and my ward!!

Monday brought chores and the "dreaded" shopping trip. Chores first: helping Trena and Aaron build furniture. LOL It wasn't really OUR chores, but the sooner they got done the sooner we all could go shopping. We took a run down the the Orange Circle (old town Orange has all kinds of cool antique shops and the like) to try out Sir Wicket's first. Turns out it was our only stop! Both the guys found suits that worked perfectly for Matt's wedding, yay!

Then we walked a block down to visit the Orange Antique Mall (where Matthew and I had purchased my wedding rings). After walking around for a bit (Rambling Rose was closed... they're the estate jewelry place where my rings came from) and admiring all the retro Pyrex dishes (I know where to go for Trena's birthday now) we were on our way out. I stopped at a little jewelry rack and found some awesome pearls for my dress and a really cute magnet while I was waiting in line that I just HAD to have:

Rejected

Bummer. Oh well, it was my first try... I'll try again next time.

I just wanted to thank you so much for applying! I was overwhelmed by the response I received to my creative team call this time around. I loved looking through each applicant's gallery and seeing each scrapper's unique style displayed in the carefully crafted memories there. Believe me, I had an extremely difficult time choosing, and even ended up taking 8 new members instead of my intended 5! I wish I had room for everyone who applied! Unfortunately, I don't have a spot for you this time, but I hope you'll keep scrapping and consider applying for my next call!

I didn't really think I'd make it, but wanted to at least say I'd tried y'know? I'm glad I did. I've been kicking myself since I let the opportunity go by a year or so back for the same designer. Cheers to next time!

The Voice of Reason

That was NOT me the other night. Ha ha! Talk about role reversal.

I've always had more guy than girl friends. The few females I hang out with tend to be more like me in that respect. It makes for less drama most times. I became particularly bonded to a group of boys in high school that I stay in contact with a handful of today. Back in the day I would try to be "one of the guys" as much as they'd let me, but I was always the voice of reason. Be that with dating psychos, telling them to be careful, or quit causing trouble. It must have been the motherly instinct in me.

One of which we went out with twice last week. He's dating a new girl (now known as "Red")and we wanted to get to know her (did I mention I'm still very protective of these guys?). We went to Disneyland both times. Let me just tell you, he's not in a rush to put us together again any time soon. I felt myself turning back into a teenager, but this time I was the reckless one! Matthew and my friend kept shaking their heads at us girls. How often does that happen?

When DL closed we walked down Downtown Disney for awhile and then walked around the hotels. There was a really cool path that we wanted to go down, but it was blocked off with chains and trash cans. Red and I found ways in that were only chained off and we kept telling the guys that since the chains were only knee-high that it was okay to just step over them and keep going. No big deal. The boys won. But not before we became giggling crazies (Peas, you and I had better NEVER hang out like this or we'll really get into trouble!).

Then we walked over to this place where there used to be a dancing water/light show. They shut the show down YEARS ago, but left the concrete pond there. She and I kept talking about how easy it'd be to hop the fence and go climb the trees now planed along the back of the "stage". I even went so far as to test a door that looked like another way in. Locked dang it! Right about then my friend pointed out a guy watching us and insisted he was security watching us. I still believe it was just some random guy watching the "drunk" people making @$$es of themselves... I never need to drink to get punchy thankyouverymuch!

We walked around some more. We finally got the boys to climb through the bushes with us. It was a worn path in the dirt that we were sure the gardiners use to check the lights and sprinklers, but we felt vindicated that we got to be rebels finally. LOL

More Giggle Worthy Children

Charlie Bit Me!!

Odds'n'Ends

I heard the results for Heath Ledger’s autopsy today. It made me even sadder (is that the right word?) about the whole thing. What a waste. He was so talented and vibrant; he was going to do great things, now it’s over because his doctors couldn’t figure out a proper dosage & cross check his other medications. Now a little girl has to grow up without her father. I watched Knight’s Tale last weekend. I cried.

School started again a few weeks ago. I’m burned out already. LOL I like my teachers so far. We’ll see what time says about the classes themselves. My senior seminar is creation vs. evolution. It’s been really interesting so far. My teacher actually has ethics and told us off the bat that he won’t insert his opinions into the class, just the different viewpoints out there. He’s a pretty cool guy. This class is the only one he teaches. He works in a biological lab as his day job and his masters/doctorate are in theology. I think that’s the perfect fit for the class!

The last week before school started I read all 3 of the Twilight books. I meant to post on them sooner, but stuff just got in the way. They were amazing! I just gobbled them up. I’m really excited that the 4th one comes out later this year. Then it’ll be back to the waiting game like with Harry Potter. I think this series can go on forever though. It’s not like she has to cap it off if she doesn’t want to. She’s got another book coming out in May I think. I’ll probably check that one out too. It may be time to make another blog header with a touch of them in it too.

Speaking of Harry Potter, Robert Pattinson (Cedric Diggory) has been cast as the main vampy boy in the Twilight movie. I think it’s a good match. I’ve noticed on the fan boards a lot of girls get all bent out of shape over it. He even supposedly said himself that he doesn’t think he’s getting a lot of support over it (rumor on IMDB). That’s sad. I honestly think he’d be perfect. I’m not the type to picture real people when I read books. I kinda just let my mind fill in the blanks with the few details the author gives you. When I read he was cast I thought he was perfect! I really can’t even think of an actor that would come any closer to what I’d thought up. These fan boards keep picking these olive skinned, dark haired boys. The few details in the book allow for a bronze haired boy with VERY pale skin. Robert isn’t that pale… but make-up fixes that. I also think that part of the reason for the hub-bub is that the photo posted on the author’s site is a HORRID likeness of him. LOL Got to some of the HP fan pages to see a much better picture of Robert.

Canned Peas & Other Goodies

I feel like I haven't sung my praises of the internet enough lately. Well internet, I love you! You have helped me meet wonderful (and not so wonderful) people whom I would have never in a gazillion years met on my own. Fantasticly wonderful people who have become dear dear friends, ones that I miss almost as much as the "real life" dear friends that have moved away.

(I promise to try to post a better posting later too.)