Getting back into the groove

My clock is still a bit off.  I went to bed around 7:30 tonight, but just woke up and am up for a few more min. before I go back down for the night.   My last day of vacation was a stressful one.  Elise was supposed to do her magazine shoot but instead had a breakdown in the midst and I tried but to no avail.  It just isn't in the cards...she is too divaish at 6 yrs. old and that will not cut it. My fear is that I let my friend/photographer Suzanne down, she was too stressed to get her to work out, and i completely understand, but at the same time, I should of read the writing on the wall that Elise is too complicated to work with.  I am going back to work tomorrow morning.  Ready, set and hesitant.  So much going on at work, and i am sure I will not know where to start.  My mind really still is in Europe, all the pics I took are still fresh in my memory and it was just a glorious break of life to be going back to reality.  I read the news and am so depressed of what America has become.  America is too worried about the image that they are destroying the soul of what we have contributed to the world and to each other over the last 50 yrs. Granted, I am still proud and would like to contribute a spec of my soul to the cause... I am still brainstorming of what can be my realistic contribution to the world. \ Hopefully, our new president to be will psychologically bring this country out of it's funk and I can then get my food at a decent price when I travel to Europe.  I am just happy/grateful to be back with my family and my dog wherever I may be.  

I'm Back

12 days in Europe and I am back, countless metros, trains, planes and buses got both Ed and I where we needed to go.  I am back on my CA time, with getting up in the middle of the night, my homage to Europe I suppose.  Stewie is sleeping on our bed.  He is happy, he had a few adventures while we were gone.  We had a snowglobe casualty last nt. my mini Amsterdam globe burst in the luggage and the Paris city globe is nowhere to be found.  Survived is the London and Disneyland Paris snowglobes for Elise, with various other knicknacks, a t-shirt and candy for her.  Ryan made out with a Disneyland Paris Alarm Clock, windmill pencil sharpener, big pencil from disneyland Paris, T-shirt from fat tire bike tours and a money holder from London.  Paris will be missed, I love the fact you can get fresh bread everyday at a store that only serves bread.  Some of the parisian food I can do without, but overall the atmosphere, the culture and speed of their lives entices me to go back someday.  What I will not miss are the prices. I just got my AMEX bill with a chicken caesar salad and a bottle of water. This cost me $26.  Which is about 16 Euros.  I know that in some cases Ed and I spent $60 for a basic chinese dinner meal.  Something that would cost about $20 here.  Amsterdam is very calming.  I would stick to the parts of the city away from Central Station.  The canals are quiet for the most part and there are more bikes than people on the streets.  Yes, there were the coffee shops but it wasn't a big deal at all. The stuff isn't off the wall strong and  we avoided the obnoxious establishments.  The beauty of each home along the canal is just astonishing.  Every single building there has a history and the architecture in that city is a good mix of modern with the old. I am taking a few days to soak in what I saw and recuperate before I return to normal life.   It has been a amazing experience and grateful I have something to look back on with good memories.

Down to the wire

Last weekend in San Diego, this time next weekend, I will be at the Lourve, seeing the Moulin Rouge Show and leaving Paris for Amsterdam.

I took my last French class (for now) at Language World on India St., I can actually speak a teenzy bit, I feel confident just enough to get around without feeling lost. Also, went to Parkway Plaza to buy the last of the odds and ends for my trip. Watched Amelie, cutest movie ever....I love the haircut Audrey Tatou has in this movie, but it would look very childish on me.

I will probably go to yoga, this morning and then pack some more. Also, need to pack the kids and Stewie up. Kids are sharing their time between grandparents and Stewie is going with Debby the whole time. Monday is cleanup day at work, need to tie the ties and dot the i's. I vow not to check work email, it will only make me anxious. Flight is early Tuesday....arrival in France, in the morning on Wednesday. So excited, can't wait.

This weekend and beyond...

French Class- my second to the last class before I go to Europe.
Confident enough to say oui, non, ca va, de rien, where es la bain de salle. Which translates to yes, no, good or ok, it was nothing, where is the bathroom. Maybe I can count to twenty too and say right and left. I think I know more that that but really you need to be immersed in a language to learn it properly.

Pool Material investigation. We are looking into a swimming pool in my backyard. Nothing is definate, but it is a good chance, we may be swimming by my birthday. We may visit the block and brick to see what materials are out there. We will get out to the great city of Lakeside in the next weekend or so.

Mother's day- My 10th celebration, The last two m days sucked majorly like two bad nightmares. I guess it is really my 8th Mother's day on Sunday.
Elise wrote me the cutest card book. She loves me and I love her too it says. I also rescue her from her bad dreams letting her sleep in my bed. How cute.

Packing for my trip- I hate packing, but I guess this is for a good cause.

SeaWorld day trip with Elise- This Tuesday with her school, I will get to ride on the special bus with the rest of them. No rides, just good ol' Shamu and ocean education.

Going on my trip, I think I have been planning for like a year and putting the trip to Europe off for like five years. Rick Steves has become my friend, I have invested hundreds in his madness.

My presale for the Madonna concert. 7pm on Tuesday..May 27 at a fast internet connection in Amsterdam. I will take out a small loan for these babies. There will be two good things happening on Nov. 4, Election Day and my date with Madonna.

Possible future model in Elise...she will be doing the next photo shoot that Suzanne is doing with bridesmaids, Elise will be playing the flower girl. Did I mention, this will be published in a San Diego Bridal Magazine?

Summertime.....Is there going to be a weather change? Al Gore will know the answer.

Other Travels

Found Blog from Suzanne with travel to LA/Hollywood, March 2007

Elise had her 6th birthday last Sunday, It was a small party with family but it was a good time. She got lots of presents, I bought her lots of little things useful and cute.

Life's choices

This week has been challenging with person decisions. Do we move into a bigger home and then sell our existing or do we stay where we are and be comfortable. We can put some improvements into our existing. The house we are looking at is a bit bigger in the bedroom but not so in everything else. The bathroom is still a 2.5 and still would have a bathtub and shower, no huge sit in bathtub. Anyways, pondering and looking at what the bank has offered to us, we are going to stay in the existing home. But the week of adventure has not been a total loss. We have discovered that the bigger homes are just like mine. Most of them need work in some way whether it is aesthetics or just new this or that. peace out on this subject. We will stay in my lovely house for a while.

Disneyland 2008

Such a tiring experience, I accomplished much.. My goals to go on the new Finding Nemo Submarine ride and to see Mickey Mouse and I did both. I have been to Disneyland a gazillion times but always find myself in the escapism mood when I am there, which is a good thing. Unfortunately, I also managed to lose my camera, which had some wonderful pictures of the kids and I on it (I went with my cousin and aunt and they both had cameras, so I do have a few backup pics). Hopefully, I will be one of the lucky ones that have their item turned into the lost and found. Overall, it was a fun trip, but the crowded lines and hordes of people weren't so much fun. No fights broke out between Ed and the "happy" employees of the Magic Kingdom, so I can say the trip is a success with a glitch. And the kids were happy and all sugared up which is all that matters in the land of the mouse.

Disneyland HERE I COME

Going to Disneyland in a about 5 hrs. I am always awake around 3 or 4 in the morning, that sucks for me, but I can do things like blogging or playing on my facebook page. Anyways, it is cool, I spent time with my aunt and cousins from Sonora. It is amazing what you see in San Diego, and I live here. I haven't been to Mission Beach in ages. They have a wave park, lots of rides, that costs half of seaworld admission, but not the total package and tons of tourists that I normally don't see. Anyways, I will be sure to say hi to Mickey and take some pics.

found a dog

was supposed to take stewie to his weekly dog training lesson, and i walked outside and a little Chihuahua was outside under the neighbors motorhome. I took him in for a few minutes and then had Ryan see if it belonged to the people down the street, in which it turns out the poor dog belonged to them.  That is all.  The end.

Here is my Facebook Badge, isn't it pretty, I have learned that there are pros and cons of both Facebook and Myspace.. Myspace is more fun, yet there are too many intrusive elements, like spam and unwanted weirdos wanting to be your friend. Facebook is more professional, and it can keep up with your up to date doings and if you have common friends can keep up them as well. Facebook doesn't have a blog, or a counter to see if people have seen your pg. or not. I do have all my friends on myspace and only a friend from Europe on my facebook pg. , also, I do not wish to join niche networks, so until I do that function is not useful to me.

All by myself

I don't wanna be all by myself...anymore. no no no.

Ed is away this weekend, so I am queen and king of the house. I have the kids and dog to fend for and it will be very challenging being the queen bee for all. Of course, I will miss Ed and will miss him even more come Sunday.

SO much too do, so little time. I really need to focus on one thing at a time. I have all these projects in my head, books to read and movies to see and nothing is accomplished. Only time will mend this madness.

Le Weekend Dernier

So I had a pretty full weekend. It was daylight saving time, so I had one less hr. to my weekend. I am acclamated. I had fun making a myspace page for my dog Stewie. Have fun requesting to be a part of his life. Spent tons of money, went to a indie fashion show at the Abbey in Bankers Hill yesterday, bought some boy baby gifts, a dress and a shirt for Elise, a cool bracelet for me, and some random tees, even one for Stewie. This week, just dog training for Stewie Monday night.. That is all.

Le Weekend

This weekend ahead:

French Class
Take Elise to her birthday party at Tori's
Take pictures of Stewie and the kids for my mom's birthday
Clean the house
Go to clothing show at the Abbey on Sunday
Organize my Blythes
Organize my dog Stewie's wardrobe
Relax!!!

PS. it is the middle of the night and I can't sleep again.. what is up?

Saturday,

Went to MCASD's Fundraiser with Suzanne, we had lots of fun, it was Andy Warhol Factory Party themed. http://www.myspace.com/madameur Band from TJ, good sound played there. Cool iced cupcakes and devine desserts. Definately, something up my alley. In other news, my latest guilty pleasure, blogs:

Stuff Asian People Like
Stuff White People Like

Last week, we got a new member of our family.... *we tried one more time.. His name is Stewie, pics to come, my camera lost it's battery power. He is very sweet but spoiled and tries to play with our smelly neighbor dogs. He has hardly any bad dog habits, but is in need of good potty training and knowing where and where he cannot go in the house and trying to get friendly with the big neighbor dogs.

RIP Penelope

Penelope died last night from complications of her spay. She was back with rescuer when this happened. It is too short and too sudden to happen to us. I will never forget Penelope, this is my coping and here is my Eulogy:

Penelope you were loved and will be missed forever. You are an angel now. We love you

We dedicate this poem to you:

Rainbow Bridge

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge. When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable. All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind. They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster. You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart. Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

10-10-07 to 2-23-08

PENELOPE

Got a new dog today, a Maltese Mix (maybe terrier, maybe poodle), from the teeth she is four months old, I say she is at least six, but what do I know. She is a sweetie, very mischievious (still a puppy).... Got her from a rescue organization, so I feel good about it, she will be spayed on Monday. Hopefully, she will make a good addition to our family, so far so good. Here is her first picture...

The new kids on the block- My new expensive habit Friends FOREVER
My new Petite Blythe dolls

Lazy Sunday,

Today is lazy Sunday day. Did my weekly yoga class and went to Target, took a nap and did a few errands around the house. Last nt. I worked on my fortune cookie atcs. I also attempted to send my Raindrop on Roses Swap to happyichigo and the box I had it in would of cost $37 dollars to sent to Malasyia. I think I will repack and try again- (post office said a different box that is not priority mail will cost $11.55). Inside her goodie box is a petite blythe doll, hershey kisses in cool packaging (I think I bought her style girl kisses), some gummy's, a ring pop and my little pony stickers. Probably the most costly swap yet. But it is all good, I get to meet all sorts of people around the world and keeps my mind sane.

Fortune cookie Atcs...........................

Petite Blythe, I want to keep it for myself...

Le Weekend

The weekend is almost over, I am a big homebody. I did go out to see that Hannah Montana 3D movie with Elise today. We may do the U2 3D Movie next weekend. I wasn't too productive, my house is still a mess, I am feeling a little better. I can breathe freely now. I do have a sleep hangover and had a caffeine withdrawl yesterday. I think I slept sixteen hours yesterday. Plus lots the few days previously. I couldn't even watch a dvd or read, my brain was completely in the off mode. Bought Itunes cds. Louis xiii, vampire weekend, and the yael naim cd (she sings the airbook song on the commerial). I was disappointed at the superbowl commercials this yr. they were all lame, none memorable. The Clydesdale bud horse one was the closest to my heart all the others lame. This week is back to work, just can't burn the candle at both ends or I may get sick again.