The De Leons

2011-12-14T13:44:00.000-08:00

My Associates Degree is

My last final was due as of midnight last night.

Now I must wait to confirm my final grades.

I know I got 4.0 in my Anatomy (Biology) class ---

but with amazing art and poetry like this,

can anyone be surprised? :)

U.W. applications open up as of tomorrow (12/15/11).

Onward and upward!

Anatomy class (Brain Poetry)

2011-10-28T15:22:00.000-07:00

I'm currently taking a Human Biology (Anatomy and Physiology) class
to finish out my AA degree with Highline Community College.

My teacher loves variety in our weekly assignments.
Last week I had to come up with descriptions for the movements
I make using specific muscles.
Did you know your Sartorius helps you cross your legs?
Yeah, I didn't either until last week.

We've had a couple more unique projects,
like a couple weeks ago when I had to draw (and label) my skeletal system.

So far I've gotten full points (20/20) on all my assigments.

This week's assignment (which was due today) what definitely different.
A 400 word poem of love...
to a part of my brain.
I got 20/20 again. Thought I might share it.
Again... 400 word minimum, people.
My poem was 401.
403 if you count the title. :)

For more info on the function of this portion of the brain
(and why I wrote what I wrote), look here or here.

"Cerebellum who?"

I must sadly admit
I often forget you are there
but then you hurt me.
A trip a slip or a fall –
Oh no! A sprain!
And I, in agony, wonder how?

It wasn’t always this way.
We were once in sync,
working together,
playing together,
getting along great.
But then I got older,
and I think you got slower,
and that’s when it all went wrong.

Am I to blame?
A few pounds here,
some extra weight there,
and maybe not as active.
My failure? No yours!
I once had grace to dance.
Now I sit and watch.
Tennis anyone?
You clumsily remind me,
it's better I don’t.

It’s funny I knew
it was always you who helped.
And yet
I never realized
what name you answered to.
It was you who kept me balanced,
while I worked,
while I played,
while I danced.
What happened, Cerebellum?

You and my muscles,
working together.
You moved my muscles
and moved me
forward
faster
surer.
With your help, we always won.

Is it true?
Are you always on my mind?
Or is it under?
Dorsally sitting below my lobe,
occipital in nature,
you sit with my cerebrum,
on auto-pilot –
mostly –
and occasionally
cleaning up my mess
with purpose.

With so many muscles,
how do you keep track?
“What’s that noise?”
as I turn to look.
“Wait for me!”
as I sprint ahead.
Working with my
senses –
ears to hear,
eyes to see,
sensory receptors feel –
it is you who is first to respond.

I can sense your guilt.
I know,
you didn’t mean it.
I know,
you can only do so much.
It’s just hard to not be me,
the old me,
the me who didn’t get hurt
working,
playing,
dancing.
The me who didn’t
bruise hips,
sprain ankles,
wrench knees… while walking.

Without you? Not fun.
I’m not naïve.
Alcohol –
not a fix.
I lean on you,
need you,
rely on your guidance.
Jose Cuervo leaves me
Leaning, needing, relying.
Too much Cuervo
I fall and curse your failure.

But I always get up.
That’s you too
isn't it?
When I think you’ve gone,
abandoned me,
left me to stumble through life,
you pick me up again.
That’s just you,
Cerebellum.
Always lifting me
back on my feet
again.

Working,
playing,
dancing.
So much fun to be had.
Can we try again?
It can’t be too late.
You,
me…
tennis anyone?

Final Graduation (for him)

2011-06-13T12:32:00.001-07:00

It is has been a LONG road but we are pleased to see that it is now done.

(Can you see the relief on our faces?)

At Seattle's Key Arena on June 12, 2011, a Sunday afternoon, Monico received his final teaching degree. He was the only graduate in the group to receive this degree, which is both for the purpose of teaching in special education (K-12) and is also a key to becoming an administrator or head of the special education department at a school or within a district (I believe).

Monico got another graduate cap and gown and hood and tassle, although (because it is again a degree from Seattle University's Education Department) it was the same color as his prior tassle and hood.

So now he has a "back up" set!

(Monico with all the other 200 Education grads -- there were 690 grads total who received degrees.)

Monico proudly displaying his newest diploma.

(You can faintly see his tassle says "11".)

In recognition of where he walked... a nice "Space Needle in the background" shot.

Congrats again, honey!

Image Says It All

2011-04-15T08:07:00.001-07:00

I'll see you in a week... after I return from my

7-day Pacific Cruise to Mexico.

Sun, here I come...

My sister's engagement photos

2011-03-24T09:55:00.001-07:00

Katy posted more on her blog, hawaiianharmony.blogspot.com, but my favorite of the bunch is below...

Quick Update

2011-03-08T10:36:00.000-08:00

My life generally sucks right now. But for those of you who have been in school before (and have other things besides school to take care of), you'll know what I mean.

Finals are next week, and then I have a brief break until the next quarter starts.

In short: I am extremely jaded/burned out right now, after a very long quarter.

Tired of seeing my Christmas post on my blog, I thought I would update with some photos of my favorite things. Hope you enjoy too!

Mount Rainier on a cloudless morning before the sun is up.

My "kid" keeping an eye on me from the other side of the door.

(She is very concerned when I venture outside without her.)

My nephew, Brian Mario, at 6 months.

(Has a pretty solid claim to "best baby ever.")

My nephew, Emeric, almost 5 months,
wishing my dad a happy birthday last week.
(Also has pretty solid claim to "best baby ever" title.)

My sister Katy and her fiance Michael.

(July 9th wedding date)
Their happiness is infectious.

No seriously... just try being sour with them in the room.

There.

Now at least I can see things that make me smile when I see my blog.

What I've been doing this season (so far)

2010-12-20T11:03:00.000-08:00

Continuing our holiday tradition of attending a Christmas-themed concert, this year we returned to the Seattle Symphony and their "Holiday Pops" concert featuring Cirque de Symphony. AMAZING! I highly recommend you go to it next year... and remember to buy your tickets early, as they only do a few days of performances.

This is the end of the concert photo, with the Cirque performers in the front.

We got our Christmas Tree up the Sunday after Thanksgiving. For the first time in 13 years, I got help setting up the tree and putting up decorations! Thanks again, Monica. I am grateful you share my passion for the season and you did an amazing job on the tree.

I wanted to capture Lexi next to her first Christmas Tree, but she couldn't seem to hold still long enough for me to get a quality photo. Oh well, she's still cute!

"Santa George" oversaw the decorating from his perch on the back of the couch.

The weekend following Thanksgiving I made a weekend visit to Vancouver, WA, to attend my nephew Callum's baptism. We had a mini-reunion at my sister Alissa's new home in Ridgefield (she and my sister Katy are in the background) when my parents (who had just gotten back 2 days earlier from their Germanic visit with my brother Damon's family) and my brother Matt & Family arrived as well. I had to snap a quick photo with my phone of my adorably-always-tan nephew, Brian Mario.

One of the coolest things about Alissa's new home is a large room just off the garage that easily fits their trampoline. No more worry about rain ruining play time! (Callum is blurred, but Keira, my youngest neice, came out clear in the back.)

I had finals a couple weeks ago. In English 101, we had an in-class essay, which I had little doubt I could easily pass. (I got a 98% on it actually, my best essay score all quarter.)

I was less confident in my History 148 class, however, and took the day off from work to study... which mostly meant read the 120 or so pages of textbook I had fallen behind on! Not wanting to be left out, my cat, Oliver, joined in on the studying. Ultimately I got a 92% on the test (70 out of 76 multiple choice), but thanks to a grading curve, received a 94%.

I am pleased to report that my grades are in and I passed with flying colors -- a 4.0 in my English 101 class and a 3.9 in my History 148! (My Golf class was so easy it is a shame to even mention that 4.0, but an A is an A! Haha)

I will enjoy this Christmas break while it lasts, catching up on recreational reading before the requisite reading begins again.

Lastly, I recommend visiting Downtown Seattle at least ONCE during the holiday season. The lights are colorful, the sounds of carols fun, the annual gingerbread contest entries are amazing, and the large star in the SE corner of Macys is GORGEOUSLY bright and beautiful! (The photo doesn't do it justice.)

From my family to yours -

have a very Merry Christmas!!

Loving CC

2010-11-16T16:51:00.000-08:00

I didn't know what to expect when I started back to school in September, but I am really enjoying my classes! It requires a bit more time sacrifice that I had been accustom to, but doing well in all three subjects makes the payoff quite sweet.

The pace of community college is much more pleasant than it was at BYU, but I also realize the student body isn't as competitive either. I shake my head seeing people who don't turn in assignments by their due date (or at all), or don't come to class, and then I remember when I was at BYU and did the same thing. School can be such a waste of money if you aren't ready to commit to it, and this time around I've got my priorities straight... even if it means staying up until after midnight to finish an assignment. (My theory is that my mind is nocturnal.)

We are now in the final weeks of Fall 2010 classes, and I just registered for Winter 2011 classes this afternoon! Time sure does fly.

I will say this: if anyone else is "considering" doing something, seize the opportunity. Before you know it, you are years down the road and no further along. And that is a waste too.

Meet my nephew, Emeric

2010-10-22T07:37:00.000-07:00

Emeric Christian Schwartz

Born October 21, 2010
weighing 4350 g (thank you metric system),
which equals about to be 9 lbs 6 oz.

New-To-Us

2010-10-11T15:17:00.000-07:00

Another milestone in our road to becoming more "grownup" -- we bought a car this weekend!

We have been looking since last February, but had to wait until we had the security of Monico having a teaching contract, not only for the stability of a monthly payment, but to be able to save for a down-payment.

It's a Hyundai Tuscon, which has a hatchback "Lexi door" and a space for her in the back that won't require a lint roller brush to be used on it before we can have a human passenger. We love it and are excited to take road trips with our new reliable vehicle.

Have car, have passport... Vancouver BC awaits!

I know you didn't know (because I wasn't telling anyone)

2010-09-24T10:11:00.000-07:00

Outside of my immediate family, I have not shared all that has been going on with us. I'm ready now to tell all.
(Heads up: this is not baby news.)

First, just days before our Puerto Vallarta vacation, I was laid off from my job. They want to take the office in a new direction, so I got a "thank you" for my efforts and a month's severance.

What a way to start a vacation, right?

While being unemployed is stressful, I was actually grateful to be let go! I hated doing reception work and missed being a paralegal. But since Monico was likewise unemployed (without a teaching contract for the fall), and the employment climate is rough, I didn't know how I could leave. But, by being laid off, I qualified for unemployment! Plus, a month's severance would help us make it through August (until Monico found a job and/or we got an influx of financial aid).

In the time following our very relaxing vacation, I didn't really put much effort into looking for a job, because I had a secret...

I had time to think while on vacation about what I was going to do now that I was unemployed. The more I thought about it, the more I questioned what I was doing with my life and understood how many opportunities were passing me by. So, after we got back from Mexico, without Monico's knowledge, I enrolled with Highline Community College.

Using my prior BYU credits, I should be able to get my AA in 1 year, finishing it up around the same time Monico finishes his second Master's Degree. I can then tranfer/continue on to get my bachelor's degree at a 4 year university.

I don't know how to make this sound more WOW, but my going to school is kinda a big deal. I quit BYU nearly 12 years ago, I have been repeatedly told that I should go back since then. Finally, after spending the last 8+ years focused on Monico's education, I'm ready to do school work for my own benefit again. But, having left BYU with rather dismal grades, I need to prove any future university I attend that I can be serious about school, so my goal is to achieve an A in every class at Highline.

In addition, because I am enrolled in school, I felt I owed it to myself to not work full time. Gratefully -- using a mutual contact -- I procured employment with another firm, where I will have flexibility in my schedule and can work around my classes (which I can take during the day, at night, or via online), and where I will once again be a paralegal, being paid a paralegal wage (aka 25% more than my last job!) to do the work I love in guardianships, estate planning, and probates. It is a small firm, with only ONE attorney. I am working at home for now, because there isn't an office available for me. (Lexi is very happy about that.)

I'M SO EXCITED! I love drafting and revising original documents and meeting with clients, all for the purpose of enriching their lives. (I'm soooo over litigation cases!) I'm extremely grateful to my friend who helped me get the job, as I was hired based on "I trust her judgement, so you're hired!"

My office (aka, home).

My work/files (and my view!).

When the occasion arises that I have to commute to work, it is a mere 2 miles away in downtown Renton. (My old commute to downtown took 45-60 minutes each way.) Because we only have one car, we located and cash-purchased a low-miles scooter. It gets roughly 100 miles to the gallon, costs $120 a year for full coverage insurance, and doesn't require a motorcycle license to operate. In other words, it is pretty darn economical. And, it is pretty darn cute too! Not so much fun in the rain, of course, but since it is only 2 miles, it really isn't a big deal.

Not wanting to leave out Monico's accomplishments: in late August, he obtained new employment in the Seattle School District as a EBD (Emotional Behavior Disorder) Special Education teacher at Garfield High School, just down the street (literally 11 blocks) from Seattle University. So, on nights when he has class, he has a super-sweet commute from work to school. The position is 1.0 FTE, which is 100% full time and allows him to receive 100% of his union-monitored salary and benefits. Hooray for medical coverage - his first in almost 4 years!

Garfield High School

Monico also started his football coaching career by volunteering with the team. Their game against Seattle Prep last week was his first as "coach." (That's him below with his team.) He is working with his bread-n-butter: defensive line. He is already learning so much from the other coaches and is eager to continue volunteering with Basketball in the winter as well. And that's what we've been up to.

My classes started just this week; I'm jumping right back in by taking 11 credits. I have about 40 credits available for transfer from BYU (stupid religion classes don't even register as an elective!), and need 90 for my AA, so I need to get crack-a-lackin' if I'm gonna be done in a year. So enough blogging... I need read about the Progessive Era in the US and write a short essay about the impact of advertising on society before I go to work!

Don't chuck your muck in my backyard...

2010-08-12T23:32:00.000-07:00

...because my backyard has berries!

I couldn't believe it when I heard some people were picking
wild blackberries ,
but sure enough, they have already started to turn!
Fortunate for me, we have a blackberry bush on our property.
(They are like a weed in Seattle... just try to stop them from growing.)
This was all I grabbed tonight, but I will get more tomorrow.

Oh, and apparently we have a wild strawberry bush as well.
This was the only one ripe and ready to be eaten.
I shared it with my sister in law, and
we both agree it was De-licious!

Close call

2010-08-10T08:40:00.000-07:00

This is a photo taken from the front steps of our rented house. The SUV is my sister in law, Monica's, and the red truck is my neighbors.

Our little white car is usually parked between these two vehicles but today we parked it farther down our driveway near the garage.

My neighbor has a lot of cars. Usually at least 4 at any given time. Typically there is a car or truck parked in front of the red pickup truck, just off the street.

These are the police that showed up in front our our house last night.

...because this white car was driving too fast and couldn't maneuver fast enough and PLOWED into my neighbors car (the Ford Focus now on its side).
Yeah. This car WAS parked in front of the red pickup truck.

This is how far the car had to be hit over to not only move 20 or so feet from where it was parked, but to also get pushed up and over our neighbors' wall/fence.

If you are interested in more details about this story:
Monico was in our backyard prepping the BBQ grill. I was in the house prepping stuff in the kitchen and Monica was in the living room watching TV.
Monica saw the white car through the window speeding. Monico heard the screech and looked up the driveway just in time to see the white car plow into the Ford Focus. (We ALL heard the boom of the cars hitting.) I looked out the front window but couldn't see the accident.
Monico came running in "did you see that?"
With his help to know what happened, I then looked over into my neighbors' yard and saw the car on it's side and smoke coming up.
Then my neighbor (the wife) came running passed our front window, through our yard, shooting a gun and chasing down the driver of the white car.
So. We all dropped to the floor to avoid gun fire.
Yep. On the floor of my house. With my dog's collar in my hand. Because there was a gun being fired in my front yard.
And all I could think of was "crap. are the hamburgers burning on the bbq?"
Monica called 911.
The police arrived.
We came out to see what the damage was.

The good news was our cars and/or property was not damaged.
No one was injured. (My neighbor had been unloading groceries from her bronco parked next to the truck. Had she been out there, she would have been standing in the path of the cars. Also, they have golden retriever which was not in the way or in the front yard.)
They caught the guy.
Our dinner was ok. :)

Back from Vacation

2010-08-09T18:02:00.000-07:00

After dealing with school, work, and life (in general),
we needed a REAL vacation.
We hadn't been on vacation in nearly 3 years.

This vacation started at 2:00 AM, when we woke
to be to the airport by 3:00 AM to catch a 5:15 AM flight.

After a VERY brief layover in Phoenix, AZ, we arrived here.

Specifically we arrived here...

We stayed here.

(It was so humid
this is what happened to my camera
when I tried to take an outside photo from our room's balcony!)

These are the bracelets we had to wear
the 6 days/5 nights we were at the hotel...

...so we could have unlimited access to things like this

...and this

...so we could do this

We didn't just stay at the hotel the whole time.

We did a couple of timeshare presentations and got free cab fare,
as well as free tickets to Rhythm of the Night.
(Think BYU's Living Legends if they only did pre-hispanic Mexico.)

This is where we went to see the show

This is how we got there.

This is the outdoor stage where the show takes place.
(Sorry, no photos of show are allowed.)

We also did this...

...in the rain
(it IS rainy season there right now).
BTW - this is what you look like after you ride in the rain.
Not to mention a little barter-style shopping downtown.
(We passed on this particular item.)

It was EXACTLY what we hoped for and
what we needed.

We are feeling much better now.

Couponing and Freebies

2010-07-30T18:26:00.000-07:00

My name is Melissa, and I love couponing.

I know you are now imagining me sitting around the kitchen table with my scissors and the newspaper clipping coupons. Well, yes, I do that too.
BUT IT INVOLVES SO MUCH MORE than that!

Did you know there are companies out there that will give away free samples or free products to you if you ask? Welcome to the age of the worldwide web.

The company, Natura Pet, was giving away free dog food. Not a sample, mind you, but an actual bag of food (5-6.6 lbs). Below is a picture of the bag I got and my coupon on top. (FYI, this is NICE food and would have cost me $20.00 if I had paid for it.)

These things don't necessarily have to be from companies you don't know, but can just as easily come from those you know and love. These are some of the coupons I received by sending a "thank you" email or filling out a "contact us" on the companys' websites. As you can see, you get more than just $$ off your purchase. In this case, I received two FREE bottles of Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce, as well as coupons to save some moolah off their other products. Below that is a coupon for free Chiquita Bananas. That's right, free fresh produce!

Some of the other company's I wrote to (who sent me coupons in response) included:

Pepperidge Farm
Hunts
Hefty
Campbells
Treetop

It only takes a minute to tell them how much you love their product(s) and the reward is a discounted or free product -- definitely worth the effort when you are on a budget.

In addition to clipping coupons and writing emails to companies, I have been signing up for freebies (did you know walmart.com has a "free samples" section?), AND I have been enrolling us in BIRTHDAY CLUBS. Monico and Monica have birthdays a week apart, so I signed both of them up and got them a free burger from Red Robin. (You have up to a week before and after to use the coupon.) Here they are showing off their redemption certificates. At nearly $9 a burger per person now (darn inflation), this made for a special, but not expensive night of celebration.

(FYI - I also signed Monico up for Black Angus, which got him a free entree with purchase of equal or lesser, and for IHOP, a free Rootie Tootie, as well as with Baskin Robbins and Cold Stone Creamery, both of which gave free ice cream cones.)

One of the final ways I have recently scored freebies is by hosting a house party. I applied in May to host a "Febreze Set & Refresh" party for my friends. Essentially, if chosen (you do not always get picked to host) you receive a package with items to use and/or share with your guests. In this instance, it was to promote the company's new Set & Refresh line (no plug in needed) of scented oil products. This was all the LOOT they sent me. After totalling it up, I estimate that it was roughly $450.00 worth of products (not to mention hundreds of coupons for future purchasing); each of my attendees walked away with roughly $80 worth of stuff each!

Of course, these are just a couple of the ways I have been stretching my dollar. If you are interested in any more of my tricks, let me know and I'll help you by spreading the word!

Settling.

2010-07-15T10:58:00.000-07:00

Daydreaming of playing outside

because I'm inside working.

But, you can't really blame me

when the day looks like this.

Mmm... another delicious summer day!

"I'll see you after 5 o'clock, Seattle."

Seattle Sunny-days

2010-07-12T09:13:00.000-07:00

For those of you in-the-know, Seattle residents tolerate the bad weather here (overcast, rainy, cold) because the pay off is spectacular days when it is sunny.

Since the start of Spring, week after week we have had crappy weather. Last week, the temp jumped 25 degrees from one day to the next, going from high of 60 (Tuesday) to high of 85 (Wednesday).

By Thursday, Seattle hit a record high of 95 (for that day). We spent it at the Yankees vs. Mariners game at Safeco field.

My S-I-L, Monica, supporting the Yanks.

(Notice the slushie? Not a bad way to cool down.)

Monico and I.

He lent me his hat, so I could try to avoid burning my face too much.

Saturday, it was still quite warm, so we bbq'd dinner.

Everyone enjoyed being in our backyard, expecially the puppies.
(Can you see Lexi's doggie grin?)

We visited my parents a couple weeks ago, and my dad slipped us some Yakima Valley asparagus. A little spray-on olive oil, salt-n-pepper, and Mrs. Dash and we got ourselves yummy-deliciousness!

Found some yellow corn at Safeway 5/$1.

If you have never grilled corn before, I recommend it. My way, carefully peel back the husk, butter the corn, pull the husk back over and grill on medium-low heat for 25 minutes, rotating for even cooking every 5 minutes. Mmm-mmm.
After much activity over the prior hot days, Monico took the opportunity on a cooler Sunday morning to sleep in a bit longer. The doggies joined him and all enjoyed a lazy morning.

Reading Opps

2010-07-07T09:26:00.000-07:00

Having more time to read has been one of the biggest positives to my job change a year+ ago, as I went from driving myself to riding the bus, so all my time waiting-for and while-riding-on leaves me ample opportunity to delve into the pages of a good book.

Right now I'm reading Mrs. Kimble by Jennifer Haigh (c 2003), and I can't wait to find out what happens next!

My copy is a $13.95 paperback I found at the local Goodwill for $1.99. (Goodwill is my FAV place to find books for cheap. I almost always come away with at least one, but most times I have to control myself and put some back.) Last week I was read Comfort Food by Katie Jacobs (also found at Goodwill); I had already read Friday Night Knitting Club (Goodwill find) and Knit Two (new from Target) by the same author.

If you can't tell, I like a bargain. So when I found that Random House has a program where you can get free copies of books, I was ON IT!

I just entered for a chance to win a copy of each book, but won't find out if I was chosen for a few weeks. (I could end up with all 3, only 2 or 1, or 0; it just depends upon quantities available and number of entries.) If you are interested in entering, you can go here to their website and read more about their "Read it Forward" program as well as enter for a chance to win. (Must enter between July 7-14.) The titles available right now are:

I'll let you know what, if any, I win, as well as how I like the end of Mrs. Kimble.

Delicious (and easy) are a must

2010-05-27T10:49:00.000-07:00

I love to cook. (Not so much love the cleaning up, but then again, who does?) About this time last year I started getting more experimental with my cooking, being braver to substitute this or that in a recipe, and trying to use more diversity in my cooking (namely, add more fruits and vegatables and flavor). I was also not working at the time, so I was clipping coupons like a mad-woman and signing up for all kinds of freebies, including some I found through http://www.bettycrocker.com/. If you enjoy cooking - even if you are a novice - check out the site and sign yourself up!

Every couple weeks I get emails with cooking ideas, as well as coupon offers, and there are often contests to enter, as well as postings of the winning recipes (WITH PICTURES!).

My newest email arrived on Monday, and after perusing for a while, I found a couple of interesting recipes to try. So, last night, using left-over chicken from our dinner the night before (thank you Safeway rotisserie), I made

"Thai Chicken Salad Cones".

Simply put, they were AWESOME!! Anyone who loves peanut flavored Thai will love this meal. Even better, it was SUPER-EASY to make!

Plus, in total I would guess that this meal for 3 adults (I doubled recipe) cost roughly $10, as I had many of the ingredients on hand (e.g. peanut butter, brown sugar, cayenne pepper, Apple Cider Vinegar and Soy Sauce). The fresh ingredients were really inexpensive (cilantro, $.89; pre-cut/bagged coleslaw, $1.29; cucumber, $.99)... with the most expensive being the wraps, a whopping $3.09 for 6 large sun-dried tomato flavored. (FYI - I omitted the dry-roasted peanuts on purpose.)

As the weather heats up, my desire to "cook" will certainly decrease, and this non-cooked meal will definitely be at the top of my future mealplan lists!

Ready to travel!

2010-05-06T12:11:00.001-07:00

I love movies. Those who know me know that. One of my favorites is "While You Were Sleeping" with Sandra Bullock. In the movie, she acknowledges she loves maps and planning trips, and even has her passport, but has never travelled beyond the local area.

I can relate!

Before marrying Monico, I did not do much travelling other than between Washington and Utah for the annual take-a-sibling-to-BYU trek. Sure, I had been to Canada a couple of times -- once for a family vacation when I was 10, and once with my high school band -- and I had even visited Southern California & Disneyland... nevermind that occurred 6 months before my marriage, and was only the second trip I had taken on a plane, because if I couldn't get there by car, it just didn't happen.

Monico loves to travel. I hate the expense, and with one less income while he has been in school, we simply could NOT vacation. Prior to school, together we have vacationed in Orlando, New York, and Washington DC. But, despite living 3 hours from Vancouver, BC, we have never been together.

So, why the photo above? That is the cover to my newly issued, good-for-ten-years passport! After having a moderately steady double-income for a few months, we took some of our extra cash and both got our passports. (For those of you who scoff at my years of delay in spending $100 each on passports, just remember that is the same as half a month's groceries!)

We are both excited to use our passports this summer to visit Vancouver BC, and look forward to the near future, when Monico gets a contract for a full time position and we can purchase tickets to take cruises and visit family in Europe (currently in Naples, Italy, but soon to be in Southern Germany)!

Have passport -- able to travel -- will soon be willing to expend the money to do so!

Congrats Brandy

2010-05-04T11:37:00.000-07:00

(Info below cut and pasted from WSBA website)

Brandy E. Schwartz, Esq

The newest bar licensed attorney in the State of Washington

and member of the Washington State Bar Association!

Grades Are In! (aka Even more husband bragging)

2010-03-29T10:50:00.000-07:00

Monico's final grades for his three Winter Quarter classes (i.e. 9 credits):

A, A, A- !!!

To give further perspective on this success,

you should understand that 6 credits is full time.

Also, during the entire Winter Quarter, Monico was teaching full time as a leave-replacement substitute in Renton (a 30 minute drive each morning), which meant that he was not only doing homework at night, he was also busy creating interactive and educational lesson plans for his students.

Job well done, Monico!

Dirty work

2010-03-23T16:28:00.000-07:00

Oranges. Love eating'em / hate peeling'em.

(FYI - just had one, so now my fingers "stink".)

But, the effort put into peeling is so well rewarded

with the sweet and sour treat, it is worth it!

That is a great metaphor for so many things in life!

Sometimes I just need a reminder

2010-03-19T11:05:00.000-07:00

Smile though your heart is aching

Smile, even though it's breaking

When there are clouds in the sky, you'll get by

If you smile though your fear and sorrow

Smile and maybe tomorrow

You'll see the sun come shining through for you

Light up your face with gladness

Hide every trace of sadness

Although a tear may be ever so near

That's the time you must keep on trying

Smile, what's the use of crying?

You'll find that life is still worthwhile...

If you just smile.

Husband bragging

2010-03-03T09:06:00.000-08:00

Monico has been a very busy guy over the last 2+ months. As I noted in a previous post, this Winter Term he is taking 9 credits (keep in mind that 6 is full time) and has been working a long-term substitute position as a leave-replacement Social Studies teacher in an alternative school in Renton. During his "planning" period each day, he travels over to the Special Education classroom at the school to fullfill a portion of his requirement for 3 of those 9 credits by observing the students and teacher, particpating, working on their IEPs, etc.

Although the majority of his time for these 3 credits is spent out of Seattle University's classroom, his class does meet with his professor for class once in January, in February, and in March; likewise the professor meets with him at his school (specifically in his volunteer Special Ed classroom) to observe.

His professor also happens to be the head of the Special Education Dept at Seattle University.

I wanted to share Professor Johnson's musings on her blog yesterday about her recent visit to Monico's school on Monday, which includes her observation of him. (Click here.)

I know my man is amazing, but it is still fun to hear others acknowledge it too!

Apparently you are NOT welcome

2010-03-01T10:01:00.001-08:00

I let my membership lapse a little less than a year ago. With a husband still in school and only one income it was hard to justify the $50 membership expense or buying in bulk when we didn't have the extra $$ or storage space.

So, yes, it has been a while since I have been to Costco.

With my sister-in-law in town and her membership card in tow, we headed off to Costco this weekend, found some great purchases (love, love, love their fresh produce!) and headed to the register, where -- after my sister-in-law purchased her items -- I was told by the cashier that friends and family can no longer piggy-back membership usage, i.e. that payment for purchases cannot be made by anyone other than the member/cardholder.

My first thoughts: WHAT?! Really? Since when?

Although the cashier was "nice" about it (she DID allow me to make my purchases), she also could not hide dripping distain from her lips as she told us of their policy change, which apparently became effective as of February 1, 2010.

ANYONE ELSE HEARD OF THIS? I certainly hadn't, nor can I seem to find anything about it on the internet. And believe me, I have tried; using various combinations of search words I could not find ANY reference to this policy change.

Don't get me wrong. I completely understand the reasoning Costco would have behind it -- they make money off their memberships, and use of a friend's membership instead of getting your own means they make less money -- I just wish they could provide a little more notice of the change, so you don't feel like a schmuck for "not knowing."

Reading

2010-02-18T09:37:00.002-08:00

I don't have anything much to post at the moment, but because I was tired of seeing those desserts on my previous post each time I logged on I thought I would share the book I'm reading at the moment.

It's a large book (nearly 600-page hardback), but after 2 weeks of reading on the bus and on my lunch breaks I am nearly done with it. (Although the book was published in 2008, it reads like Steinbeck!) I like the anticipation of not knowing what is going to happen next, but it seems like it is excessively long. For me, it will all come down to how the ending plays out. Yes, I already snuck a look -- just last night, in fact -- and am wondering how I will feel when it is done. 100 more pages and I'll know.

I recommend reading it to anyone who loves dogs.

This is the first time since school that I have to have something read by a deadline, because Monday (Feb 22nd) I'm attending my first book club (I am "crashing" into my friend Emalei's club) to discuss it.

What book are you reading right now?

Another Recommendation

2010-02-04T11:43:00.000-08:00

Wow.

These 100 calorie treat shots are amazingly delicious!

Having fallen out of love for yogurt some time ago, I tend not to even notice that section of the store. But yesterday at Safeway, apparently by chance, my eye caught sight of a product, "Yoplait Delights".

These dairy treats (sorry Vegan friends) come 4 to a pack, and although they usually retail for $3.50 or so, they were on sale for $1.99, and (oddly) one of the flavors was actually 3 for $1.00 (yes, 3 4-packs for $1.00). I decided to buy one pack for the crazy-on-sale price of $.33 (Chocolate Raspberry) and one of the regular sale priced for $1.99 (Lemon Tart).

I just had the Lemon one as a morning snack and OH MY GOSH it was DELICIOUS! It was like eating something between a lemon meringue pie and a lemon square. For $.50, this is DEFINITELY a WINNER. I highly recommend it!

I'll let you know how the Chocolate Raspberry tastes when I have one with my lunch this afternoon.

If you are interested in trying these for yourself, make sure you go to the company's website (www.yoplait.com/delights) and print yourself a $1.00 off coupon, which saves you on the purchase of any one pack... meaning, you can get it for a total of $.99 at Safeway this week (or, in my case, I can get 3 packs of Chocolate Raspberry for free, hehe)!

Good buys and bad buys

2010-01-29T09:25:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you just got to let others know what is a good purchase worth your money, and what should be avoided. So, here is some of mine.

Product #1:

In November the temperature dropped quickly and, because I ride the bus to and from work, my skin was exposed immediately to some harsh treatment. As a result, my face began to crack and hurt from the dryness. My regular face lotion a la Clinique was not cutting it, and I was frustrated at how my face looked like crocodile skin. So, I googled "dry skin cream" at Walgreen's.com and what should I find?

This stuff works GREAT! And at roughly $5.99 a jar, you can't ask for a better bargain. Also, I have not-the-greatest pores, and I fully expected two things to happen: (1) I would break out in hives from using a drug store lotion, and (2) I would break out in pimples. But, neither of those two things happened. What did happen was my skin became smooth, my rough and flaky cheeks, forehead and chin became soft, and the results were IMMEDIATE. I am still using the same jar of cream daily, and have more than half of it left, so a little goes a long way.

This is my "Good Buy"!

Product #2:
Now for my bad buy...
When grocery shopping last week, I stopped in the cracker isle and wanted to get some crackers to eat with all the soup I was planning for my lunches that week. When I went to grab a box of Ritz, I noticed that the Safeway brand crackers were on sale for half the price. (Ritz were $2.99, I think, and the Safeway were 2 for $3.00.) So, I bought the Safeway brand... BAD CHOICE. I hate when a generic product burns me, and this one did. They are THE WORST crackers I have ever had, and taste more like the cardboard box it sits in than a cracker.

So, no matter the price, Ritz is always the "Better Buy".

Avoid the generic.

What products have you been surprised with (good or bad) lately?

Poker Night with 'Gar and the Guys

2010-01-24T13:58:00.000-08:00

Last night was a donor-only-invite poker game at Maggiano's Restaurant in Bellevue, with proceeds to benefit The Martinez Foundation and their scholarship program(s). At $750 a ticket to attend, Monico was fortunate to be included as the Foundation's "recipient good-will ambassador," the only one of the beneficiaries to be invited to the event. (Nope, not even I got to go.) So, he got to spend the night playing poker and talking with his childhood idols, and like any true sports enthusiast, Monico was star-struck by all the superstars who attended the event...

Edgar Martinez, Monico, Jay Buhner

Omar Vizquel, Monico

Monico & (actor) Tom Skerritt

Manu Tuiasosopo, Monico, Matt Tuiasosopo

Jeff Nelson, Monico

Monico & Dan Wilson

Norm Charlton, Monico, Jeff Nelson & wife, and (??)

Jeff Nelson, Dan Wilson, Edgar Martinez, Norm Charlton, Omar Vizquel, Jay Buhner

In summary, there were several Superbowl and World Series Rings in the room, not to mention true future Hall of Famers, and Monico still can't believe he got to be there with them.

Busy winter

2009-12-31T23:51:00.000-08:00

Quick post (without pictures) to mention that Monico got a teaching position in Renton at Black Rock High School (beginning January 4th) as leave replacement Social Studies teacher through mid/late March. Its a great opportunity to gain experience and money, even if it is only short term.

In addition, he is taking 9 credits this term, which means he will have all the necessary credits as of March 30th or so to receive his endorsement in Special Education... and will DEFINITELY be on his way to a permanent full time position shortly thereafter.

It is nice to be on the way to more calm and security after months of wondering what is coming up on the horizon... but it will be a VERY busy couple of months as he both studies and does lesson plans on the fly. Looking forward to spring break...

Tis the Season

2009-12-07T23:58:00.001-08:00

Our countdown has begun...
(we leave for Cali for a DeLeon Family Christmas on the 20th)

Frosty is waiting patiently for the first snow of the season...
(it is amazingly dry so far this year)

The stockings are hung...
(Monico, Oliver, Lexi, George, Melissa)

The "tree" is trimmed...
(in consideration of puppy and space, I opted to be pine-free this season)

...and our newest Hallmark Keepsake Ornament is once again the centerpiece...
(we try to make it as reflective of our year as possible; this seemed very appropriate)

This year my holiday traditions have shifted a little bit. First, I have almost ALWAYS set up all my decorations the first Sunday following Thanksgiving. However, this year it took me until the following weekend. (I cannot believe I let a week without decorations pass!!!) Then, for the first year since we were married (i.e. 11 years past) I did NOT set up a Christmas Tree. For those of you who know me well, that is HUGE! But really, in the grand scheme of things, it just wasn't as important as the time it took (2-3 hours), the space it required, and the possibility of destruction to our collectible ornaments our animals (well, mostly Lexi) threatened. So, instead I got creative and put our lights and ornaments on our wall. Although it isn't my standard holiday decoration, I am still enjoying the warm glow it gives all the same.

I LOVE THE HOLIDAY SEASON! Bring on the cocoa.

More Lexi

2009-11-19T18:21:00.000-08:00

I know you have all been eagerly awaiting more photos and videos of Lexi, right? Okay, so maybe not "eagerly"... okay, maybe not even "awaiting" but I hope you enjoy them nonetheless.

From the moment we got her, this has been Lexi's favorite place to lay. (This photo was taken when she was about 19 weeks.) But as she has grown bigger, it has become a little more difficult. She keeps trying though.

Since we don't have a yard, we have to take Lexi on walks. This was back in early October at Mathew's Beach. (You can see Lake Washington and a distant Kirkland in the background.)

Like all parents we think Lexi is the cutest pup alive, but are frequently startled when we are in public and she gets second looks from people passing by, with the just as frequent "did you see that puppy?" or "Oh my gosh, it is so cute!" So, we have nicknamed Lexi "Miss Congeniality" since she seems to appeal to everyone she meets.

Because we would never want the responsibility of being grandparents to her puppies, 2 weeks ago we took Lexi to be spayed. Her incision was very small, less than two inches, but they shaved pretty much all of her stomach. Luckily her buzz-cut isn't visible without her rolling on her back!

To help show her growth progress, we have been taking pictures of me holding Lexi. At over 30 pounds now, she is nearly too much for me to hold anymore!

And here is some more of Lexi's tricks. Enjoy!

New Challenges, Careers, and Friends

2009-10-25T22:39:00.000-07:00

In March 1998, I was home from college for my grandmother's funeral the same weekend Monico proposed to me. The events of the last few weeks felt oddly familiar, as once again I received amazing news amid the extreme sorrow of the sudden passing of my cousin's little boy.
While I am not unfamiliar with being simultaneously elated and sad, out of respect to my cousin and his family, I had delayed sharing our exciting news. (No, we are not expecting.)

First, a little back-story. In June 2009, Monico walked at graduation and received recognition for a Master in Teaching from Seattle University.

(Monico and I at graduation)

I clarify this because some people I speak with are still not quite sure whether or not Monico is a teacher yet. Yes, he is. Monico is endorsed to teach History, and is "highly qualified" in Social Studies, which means he is able to teach those subjects. However, the job market has been tight and he was unable to find a teaching position prior to the start of the new school year.

Prior to starting his student teaching in March 2009, Monico was told that his placement with a high school history class fell through and there was a last-minute scramble to find him a new position only a week before he was to start. Fortuitously, a middle school teacher in another school (whom Monico had worked with previously on another school-related project) generously offered to let him take over her class to complete his student teaching. The catch: she teaches Special Education. (The subjects taught included Pacific NW History, US History, Social Skills, Language Arts and Academic Lab, and the students are high-functioning with social and behavioral disorders.) Although apprehensive at first, Monico learned a great deal and gained a love for his students, their parents (an essential relationship for Special Education Instructors), and teaching in general.

At the time of graduation, just after his student teaching concluded and the prospects of positions for History/Social Studies teachers looked grim, Monico and I discussed our future in the Seattle-area, as well as his future in teaching. At that time, we decided that it would be beneficial for Monico to continue on with his education through Seattle University and add a Special Education Endorsement to his resume.

For Monico to become a SpEd Teacher, he has to obtain 24 credits, 9 of which he has already satisfied through his Master in Teaching Program. When he met with his SU advisors in June, they told Monico that although he can get his "endorsement only", for 45 or so credits he could get another Masters degree, this time in Specialized Education (i.e. Special Education). Furthermore, because of his Mexican heritage, if he chose the Masters program, he was eligible to receive a scholarship through the Martinez Foundation. (Monico would have also qualified last year, but Seattle University and the Foundation were not working together yet.)

(Edgar and Holli Martinez, the Foundation founders)

Monico was initially hesitant to obtain a second Masters, as his immediate need was to obtain his certification/endorsement in Special Education so he could become employed again. (We are both SO OVER being a single-family-income home!!) But, near the end of September a few weeks ago, after receiving a telephone call and a meeting request from the head of the Special Education Department at Seattle University, Monico was left to reconsider that decision.

Apparently Monico had made such an impression on everyone at the middle school and SU because of his amazing work during his student teaching, someone from SU had submitted his name for consideration for a Martinez Foundation Fellowship (e.g. scholarship), and Holli Martinez contacted SU to find out why Monico had not yet formally applied for it. In short, Monico was told "agree to get the Masters, fill out the application, and the Fellowship is yours." This particular scholarship is SPECIFICALLY for a minority who is enrolled in the Masters in Specialized Education program. (The funds for this scholarship were donated by the Armendariz Family in memory of their son with special needs, Nick, who died at age 19. Coincidentally, I worked as a paralegal for the law firm that represented his parents in their guardianship petition last year. Amazing!)

Of course this left us to talk about how this would change things (more time in Seattle, more school, more debt, etc), and the benefits (he would be able to complete the essential classes pertinent to his endorsement first, and able to work just as quickly), and decided it was an amazing opportunity not to be missed.

It all happened quickly. Monico accepted the change in program from "endorsement only" to "masters" on a Friday. The following Tuesday we submitted the application for the Fellowship, Wednesday he received a call that he formally received it, and Saturday we attended the 2nd annual gala, the Foundation's major fundraiser for the year. (So quickly, in fact, Monico's profile is still not yet updated on their 2009 list... it will be soon...)

(Monico with Edgar after the Gala)

Since then, Monico has become more acquainted with Holli and Edgar (amazing people!!), and also attended a weekend "retreat" with the other 15 Graduate Fellows (his first real opportunity to get to know them). We still giggle with childlike excitement when we think about how Monico's "chauffeur" to the weekend event was Edgar himself!

We are still a little in shock about the exciting opportunity Monico has received, but are extremely excited about the new future(s) this creates for us. We are also extremely grateful to Seattle University and the Martinez Family for the extra "push" we needed!

Lexi, our puppy

2009-09-13T18:09:00.000-07:00

Meet Lexi.

Lexi is our half-Keeshond, half-Samoyed 13-week-old puppy.

We got her from a family friend, who owns the mommy dog, upon our promise to take excellent care of Lexi. Well, we love her lots, give her tons of attention, take her on walks/runs, and teach her smart little brain new tricks, which I wanted to share.

I think we'll work on "beg" or "roll over" next, although "stay" is also an essential!

More photos to come in the future as Lexi learns and grows.

Mr. DeLeon

2009-08-28T09:56:00.000-07:00

Look what arrived in the mail yesterday:

Yep, my man is now a "certified" teacher!

Congrats Monico. You deserve it.

40 years

2009-08-23T17:40:00.000-07:00

Next week is my parents' 40th anniversary. To try to make it special, we ("the kids") coordinated a special anniversary gift for them. Because of our various schedules and obligations, we didn't have a lot we COULD do together, but when the idea came up to get a photo taken, things came together relatively easily.

So, the plan was this:

my oldest brother, Damon, was going to visit Washington for the first two weeks of July, so we arranged he would make a Seattle trip part of his schedule, where my other brothers Joe and Matt are living as well, with my sisters, Katy and Alissa, to drive up and meet us from Vancouver, Washington, where they live. Damon's wife, Heather, (with her nice new camera) was to serve as our photographer, so prior to everyone getting together, Monico and I scouted outdoor locations to use as backdrops. Ultimately, our best location option was University of Washington campus, which has various flowers, foliage, brick buildings, fountains, and benches to stage our photo(s).

After Heather digitally formatted the photo on her home computer, she ordered development online and delivery to Alissa, then Alissa located a frame and mat to finish it, and Katy took it to my parents this weekend to present them with their gift.

So, next time you visit my parents' house, you will see this photo added to their hallway "wall of pride"...

Haha, just kidding... The real photo is this one.

New fav candy

2009-07-28T11:42:00.000-07:00

I blame/thank Walgreens and their promotional candy at the register.

As another fan stated

(on a site I saw when looking for a photo of the package):

"Tasty little bastards!"

Yes. Very tasty.

Monico's Graduation

2009-07-05T22:38:00.000-07:00

Monico walked at graduation on June 15, 2009. (His classes will officially end as of July 17, 2009.) His parents and sister came for the event, so we spent the few days prior to graduation playing tour guide to them.

Seattle University Campus
(and obligatory stop at the book store!)

Lunch at the Crab Pot

Walk to the Ballard Locks

Graduation boy and his mama!

Way to go, Monico!!

Home Decor

2009-06-03T10:55:00.000-07:00

I thought this was amusing, so I wanted to share. (Disclaimer: my idea of amusing may not be the same as yours!)

In today's office mail was one of those "ValPaks" blue envelope things that has coupons for savings and discounts at local businesses. I tend to quickly glance through the coupons to see if any of them are worth keeping and then discard the majority into the recycling bin.

However, today one of these coupons caught my attention, and like "Headlines" on the former Tonight Show with Jay Leno, I did a double-take at what was being advertised, and how the advertisement was worded.

So really, it's not like it's incredibly or outrageously hilarious or anything, I just laughed myself and had the following thoughts:
"Think Wallbeds Are Expensive?"
Um, no, because I don't think about wallbeds... ever.
"Discover the Seattle Wallbed Difference!"
Wouldn't I have to know what the non-Seattle Wallbed experience was like first?
Do I care?
"Affordable Pricing"
Is nearly $1800 a deal? I'm pretty sure that my bed (frame & mattresses) was $600.

And yes, I realize this is a completely random blog post. Oh well, what can you do.

Behind on Blogging

2009-05-19T20:00:00.000-07:00

My sister, Katy, has complained to me that I have been a bad girl for not updating my blog more often. So, here are some of the things I was up to during April 2009.

I went shopping at Old Navy and was disturbed, to say the least, that they are now selling WHITE demin! Gah!!!! Who is the marketing genius that said, "Hey. I got an idea. Now that we are the FATEST nation on the planet, why don't we sell white jeans in sizes up to 20 at our stores?" And apparently others agreed with him, because "whal-ah!" there they were. Ick.

Who needs a man to have beautiful flowers? Now that I work just a few blocks from Pike Place Market, I have to resist the urge to buy myself flowers every week! But, an occasional splurg is okay, right? (Then again, this beautiful bouquet of daffodils and tulips only cost $6.00!! I heart Pikes flowers.)

On our first weekend with weather over 70 degrees, we headed with the masses outdoors. Monico and I made a trip over to Alki Beach (in West Seattle) in time for some ice cream, fish and chips (ala Spuds), and a sunset.

And, of course, it wouldn't be Spring without baseball! Monico and I bought a family pack (i.e. 4 tickets for the price of 2) and invited my brothers Matt and Joe to join us for our first game of the season at Safeco field.

Welcome back, Griffey! (Now earn your keep as the Designated Hitter and HIT THE BALL!)

That is enough for now. This is already quite a jumble of recent activities anyway.

All done

2009-05-07T08:51:00.000-07:00

Well, after 8 Seasons, I guess Scrubs is officially done. Last night's hour long finale saw Dr. John Dorian leaving Sacred Heart Hospital to take a job closer to his son, and (likewise) the actor Zach Braff leaving the show. (It may return again, if ABC choses to renew contracts, but it would not be the same... think "Joey" after "Friends".)

I'm a little sad to see it go, but am surprised it was able to make it as long as it did. It was the little-engine-that-could of television shows, always managing to hang on for another season. The show was ALWAYS being moved around in the weekly schedule to different days and times, and some seasons wouldn't even start until January, and would then running double episodes thru May, only to make us wait again until the next January to find out what happens next. Not to mention that last year NBC cancelled the show entirely, only to have ABC give it one more year on their network.

Bottom line: this was a really great show, which might only be appreciated by those who watched it enough to know and love the quirky characters and their memorable sayings like "Eagle," "Bambi," "Newbie," "Chocolate Bear," "T.C.W. [Tasty Coma Wife]," "Dr. Acula," "Dr. Jan Itor,"... and my favorite, "Who's got two thumbs and doesn't give a damn? This guy, Bob Kelso."

So, farwell Scrubs on TV... see you again on DVD.

Bound to rustle feathers with this post

2009-04-22T10:10:00.000-07:00

I am not a very political person by nature -- just ask my family. But, I am getting older and now I realize there are topics that I am drawn to, and inclined to comment on. Apparently this is one of them.

The following is a transcript of the Q&A between Perez Hilton and Miss California at the competition on Sunday night, which answer (now we find) may have cost her the crown:

Perez Hilton:

“Vermont recently became the 4th state to legalize same-sex marriage. Do you think every state should follow suit. Why or why not?”

Miss California:

“Well, I think it’s great that Americans are able to choose one or the other. We live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite marriage. And you know what, in my country, in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anybody out there, but that’s how I was raised and that’s how I think it should be between a man and a woman. Thank you very much.”

Ok. So here are my thoughts:

(1) Miss California was not targeted by a harder question than the other contestants were asked and (as far as I know) Perez Hilton was randomly chosen to make his question to her (although, it is crazy ironic that an openly gay individual was able to ask the rep from the state that recently repealed the law that permitted gay marriage), so I don't think the question itself was part of any conspiracy -- more or less just SUPER bad luck for Miss Cali.

(2) Miss USA has to be able to be a spokesperson (I mean, do they really have many other purposes?), which means that there are going to be instances where she is put in a position that she has to respond and come across intelligible. This answer is not a very good answer. I have read it a couple of times and don't believe she answered the question well at all. (I actually had flashbacks of the one contestant last year who answered that schools don't have enough maps so kids don't know how to find "the South Africa, ectetera...") Miss California starts off well by saying that it is great that we live in a country that lets us make choices, which was certainly a good starting point. Where I think she went wrong was to say "in my country," because she implied she was speaking for everyone out there (which clearly she is not)... and then she says "no offense to anyone out there." Hello, that is THE sarcastic precursor that someone says when they are being bitchy, e.g. "No offense, but you are an idiot" or "no offense, but those pants make your butt look big." So, the answer itself was poor quality, regardless of her opinion.

(3) Just like Miss California has her opinion regarding same-sex marriage, Perez Hilton (and the other judges too -- he wasn't the only one there) has an opinion about the kind of "ambassador" he wants representing the USA.

Conclusion:

After hearing the story, as well as both Miss California and Perez Hilton defend themselves live yesterday morning on the Today Show, I side with Perez (who, as a matter of my opinion, comes across as a far better speaker than the 1st Runner up) on this one.

Ahhh... Spring...

2009-04-07T09:13:00.000-07:00

We have had the most amazing weather in Seattle for the last several days. Even though I know it will temporarily end soon, I am trying to take advantage of it while I can.
On Saturday, we went and played tennis until well after then sun went down, then on Sunday, we ventured over to Alki Beach (photo above, courtesy of Google Images) for a casual stroll along the water, sitting looking out at the Sound while devouring an ice cream cone, and some Spuds fish-n-chips for dinner.

I say it again -- I love Spring!!

Looking for luck

2009-03-17T08:46:00.001-07:00

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY

to all my friends and family.

"May St. Patrick guard you wherever you go,

and guide you in whatever you do--

and may his loving protection

be a blessing to you always."

--- Irish Proverb

Genius! (Wish I had thought of it first.)

2009-03-13T09:11:00.000-07:00

So, I was looking through a office supply catalog this morning, and I found this clever little product. It is a pen and a highlighter all in one! (http://www.biceveryday.com/products/pens/duo.aspx)

I have no idea how well it works, so I can't recommend it or anything, but as a concept, it appears to be genius!

My S-I-L

2009-03-03T13:15:00.000-08:00

My sister in law, Monica, is THE BEST!

Yesterday in the mail, I received a surprise gift from her --
a super cute new sweatshirt!

It fits perfectly, is sooooo soft, and oh so ideal for the upcoming spring.
Thank you again, Monica!
You are my #1!!

Vancouver, not BC / WA, not DC

2009-03-02T16:03:00.000-08:00

As I said in my last post, I visited my sister(s) in Vancouver last weekend. Here are some photos from that trip.

My sister, Katy.

My youngest niece, Keira (2 1/2), playing with their new kitty, Mojo.

My sister, Alissa, my nephew, Callum (6), and my niece, Bridget (11).

My niece, Jocelyn (7... 8 next month), showing me her Science Fair Project regarding "Static."

Although it was a cold and rainy day, Katy and I ventured out to the Oregon Zoo.

The new baby elephant born at the zoo last September.

Sea lions... they were so big but so cute!

Beautiful polar bears!

This is how I measure up to the different types of bears...

Channeling a little Dick Van Dyke ala Mary Poppins. :)

Even though it was raining, this tiger was still out to see us.

After the zoo, Katy and I detoured to "Voodoo Doughnut" in Portland. After seeing a couple of Food Network shows over the last several weeks that featured this place, we went to find it and buy their unique doughnuts.

These are the ones I bought, including the classic "Voodoo" with raspberry (blood) filling. For my carnivore, Monico, I bought the maple bar with bacon. They were all good, save and except the cereal one, which had gone stale.

Thanks again to my sisters for their hospitality!

Down with the sickness

2009-02-26T12:45:00.000-08:00

I love my nieces and nephews sooo much. I love their germs... not at all. After successfully visiting my sisters, Alissa and Katy, a month ago without getting ill after (quite an accomplishment for me and my puny antibodies), I visited again last weekend. Like magic - PRESTO - this time I "caught" a cold!

So, now I'm just sick enough to sound terrible (stuffy nose and sore throat) and sleep horribly (crazy nightmarish dreams scattered with restlessness), but not enough to keep me down and out. I blame myself for not washing or sanitizing my hands after the goodbye hugs and kisses.

So long as I don't get a sinus or ear infection from this nuisance, I'll just be grateful that at least it's not the flu!

Weekend Revelation - Thanks Animal Planet!

2009-02-17T16:58:00.001-08:00

This weekend on Animal Planet they had a marathon of "Dogs 101" and "Cats 101," and Monico and I love both, so we were drawn in to watch. (Thank goodness for DVR and the ability to fast forward through the endless commercials!)

While watching one of the segments of "Cats 101" they discussed a breed of cat which I had never heard of before called "Ragdoll." After a few minutes, I was mesmorized because the characterists they were describing were that of my cat, George!

When we got George 7 years ago from Monico's co-worker, he looked like this...

... but because George was from a litter of kitties that only resulted because of improper animal birthcontrol, we assumed he was a mix of all different kinds of "North American Shorthair," the typical family/house cat, but maybe had a little Siamese mixed in or something because of his coloring.

But over the first 2 or 3 years we had George, he continued to get bigger and BIGGER, and weigh more and MORE, growing much larger than our other cats! Now at 7 years old, poor George tips the scales at 15 pounds, twice as much as our other cat!

We had always assumed this was because George was an overeater, or we fed him the wrong kind of food, etc. But, thanks to this weekend's revelation, now I realize that George is actually a RAGDOLL CAT!

RAGDOLL:

The Ragdoll is a pointed breed, meaning the extremities are a darker shade than the body, with lovely blue eyes. It is a playful cat, with a gentle nature and is noted for its tendency to go limp when picked up. Having a soft, silky, semi-long coat, the Ragdoll Cat requires a minimum of grooming. The coat is often described as feeling like rabbit fur. The Ragdoll Cat is a fairly large cat, not attaining full size until two or three years of age. (Courtesy of ragdollcat.org)

The ragdoll is listed with guinness records as the largest cat, with adult males ranging 12-20 pounds, and females averaging 10-15 pounds. They usually mature slowly into adulthood, taking sometimes a few years to reach full size and for the color markings to be complete. (ragdollcatguide.com)

I cannot believe how this describes George to a T!!!

So, today I get to celebrate that my cat, George, who we have always affectionately called "the Puppy" because of his size and desire to lay in your lap and follow you around, is not fat -- he literally was born that way!

Celebrating Valentine's

2009-02-17T16:29:00.000-08:00

I enjoy decorating for the holidays.

After taking down all of the Christmas decorations two weeks into January (don't judge!!), the apartment was looking kind of bare, so I decorated for the next holiday - Valentine's Day! I'm no artist, but I can certainly make a heart template and print different sizes on my computer. Then I cut and colored the hearts while watching "You've Got Mail" (because I don't own Sleepless in Seattle, and this was the next closest thing I did). I put the decorations on the sliding glass door and on the wall above the TV. (Sigh...) But now that the holiday is over, I need to take them down.

So, now on to St. Patrick's Day -- just beware of the Ides of March!!!

My veggies

2009-02-08T13:48:00.000-08:00

I took this photo after returning from the grocery store yesterday so I could post it on my blog for my cousin, Janae, who is challenging her blog readers to eat more healthy. (Aren't the colors pretty?!)

This photo is of the veggies I typically purchase from the grocer each week, especially the mushrooms, onion, and red pepper, which I can include in almost every meal I prepare. After meeting with a dietitian over the last several months to refine my eating habits and diet, one of the goals was to eat more veggies and to eat less saturated fat (red meat) and refined flour and sugar. However, I am also an EXTREME sodium-aholic, so to cut down on my sodium, I use more natural flavoring like onion and peppers to lessen my compulsion to salt my food after it is prepared.

This post is mostly for Janae, to help encourage her and her blog.
If you are interested in following her blog, it is at veganmothering.blogspot.com.
Onward!

Cost-effective VS. frugal

2009-02-03T16:46:00.000-08:00

Have you ever walked into your kitchen and thought,

"Ew! What is that smell? Where is it coming from?"

I had that thought this morning when I walked into my kitchen.

I'm hoping it was coming from my REALLY old sponge --

which I have now finally replaced --

so I hope the smell will now fade away.

I admit that this sponge was WAY past its prime,

since I have been using it daily for at least a couple of months.

Yes, it was looking worn out and the color was faded,

but I hated the thought of not get my "full value" out of the thing by tossing it out too early.

(FYI: My sister in law Brandy is going to KILL me for admitting I continued to use a tired sponge, as it is probably her biggest pet peeve!!)

But I'm sure you are also guilty of such frugalness too, right?

Like... wearing two-week contacts for a month...

Cutting the mold off the cheese block before cooking...

Adding water to your soap (laundry, hand, body) when it gets low...

Taking free ketchup packets from fast food restaurants intead of buying...

What is something you have done recently to "penny-pinch"?

Sacrilege anyone?

2009-01-30T17:52:00.000-08:00

I visited Vancouver, WA, last weekend and stayed with my sister Katy

at her new apartment in a really nice area of the city.

To provide me with a contrast, Katy showed me her old apartment

and neighborhood, which is not as nice.

Anyway, to the point of the photo.

Katy's old neighborhood contains a workout facility

called the "Lord's Gym", which has a HUGE picture of Christ

on the side doing a push up in a loin cloth,

with a crown of thorns, and a crucifix on his back.

I cannot believe the audacity of the owners to use that image!

I find it both uncomforably humorous and disturbing.

I mean, could this mural be any more blasphemous?!?!

Waiting for Uncle Sam...

2009-01-27T22:35:00.000-08:00

I got our final tax-related info today and then filed online for free.

Now I'm looking forward to getting my refund in 8-14 days - whoo hoo!

-----------------

Stupid apartment living

2009-01-23T08:58:00.001-08:00

It is almost the one-year birthday of our friend's dog, Dexter, and I recently saw these photos of when he was just a pup... which makes me resent still having only a one-bedroom apartment and a single family income, because I sooooo still want to get a dog!!

I just have to keep reminding myself that Monico is almost halfway done with school, which means he is halfway back to making a real income, and we are getting closer to the time we can get a bigger place and a dog.

Until then, I guess I will just have to puppy-sit more...

Message for Dexter: Hope you are enjoying Texas! Monico and I miss you and Amy mucho...

Monica, Seattle, and Twilight

2009-01-20T13:13:00.000-08:00

My sister in law (SIL) Monica came to visit for Thanksgiving, staying from the weekend before until the weekend after, so we had a lot of time to play "tour guide" for her.

No weekend would be complete without a visit to Salty's famous brunch buffet! This photo was actually taken the weekend AFTER Thanksgiving, which is why the March of the Nutcrackers and the Christmas trees are part of the background.

We took the bus downtown to Westlake Center,
then rode the monorail to Seattle Center.

Atop the Space Needle. It was fairly gray day, but while at the top, the sun broke through the clouds, so you can see the variation of light and dark in the photo behind Monico and Monica.
Classic Seattle - sun and clouds!

Of course, no trip to Seattle is complete without a trip to the Public Market.
I love getting a half-dozen fresh mini-donuts whenever we are there!
Mmm...

Monico had classes and studying,
so a couple of days were only Monica and I.

On this afternoon, I took her on a speed tour of the notable sights....

Gas Works Park (Monica is freezing!!)...

The Fremont Troll...

and the Ballard Locks.

While Monico was in school,
Monica and I took a one-day trip to Port Angeles.
Monica has read the Twilight series, so she wanted to visit the town.

View of the historic portion of town.
The Victoria B.C. Ferry (not pictured) docs directly ahead.
Regarding Twilight (for those who care),
the Woolworths is one block to the immediate left in the photo,
the Bella Italia Restaurant is one block to the immediate right,
and the movie theater is to the right one block past the restaurant.

If I ever read the books, I will better understand the significance of these locations, which is why I made sure to take a photo of them while I was there!

Snow Day in December

2009-01-15T11:31:00.000-08:00

Mid-December, when Seattle was blasted by repeated snow storms, Monico and I took the opportunity to get out of the house and took the bus downtown to take in some of the festivities.

Our first stop was at the 16th Annual Sheraton Suites Gingerbread Village. Although this is our 4th Christmas in Seattle, it was the 1st year I had heard of this free event.

This is the tree in the hotel lobby. So pretty!!

The theme was "Superheroes" and the designers could interpret that however they wished.

"Super Mario Holiday"

"A Dark Knight Before Christmas"

"Christmas Comes to Life"

"Superman Saves Santa:
The Fortress of Santatude"

"A Community of Super Heroes"

The Christmas tree outside Westlake Center.

The Merry-Go-Round also outside Westlake Center.

After we caught a movie, we headed back to catch the bus and passed by Macy's, which had this amazing lighted star on the SE corner of the building which overlooked Westlake Center.

It was incredibly cold after the sun went down, and it took Monico and I a LONG time to make it home that night (and to warm up) because buses did not run on regular routes or schedules, but it was an adventure we enjoyed together and a memory we can treasure!

Enchanted Love

2009-01-10T16:46:00.000-08:00

Thanks to a promotion by Comcast I now have the next 6 months of Starz movie channel for free, and have watched the movie "Enchanted" for twice in the last 24-hour period!

I have been in love with Patrick Dempsey since 1987's "Can't Buy Me Love," but seeing him dressed like a prince while dancing and singing to Amy Adams is too much for my swooning heart to take...

Ahhhh...

Happy Birthday...

2009-01-08T10:38:00.000-08:00

You did what with your hair?

2009-01-07T20:02:00.001-08:00

Again, this happened back in October....

With a lot of PTO left before it expired at the end of the calendar year, I took a "mental health" week of vacation the week of Halloween and (essentially) vegged around the house.

It had been several weeks since my last hair coloring, so I thought I would take care of that as well. Having wanted to experiment with coloring my hair a darker shade than what it has been for years, with the hopes that I wouldn't have to spend so much time continuing to do highlights, I thought this week of at-home time was the perfect opportunity to play around with color, especially since I color my own hair.

Well... this is what happened.

This is a photo of my hair BEFORE coloring.

Another BEFORE shot of my hair to get the back.

And this is the AFTER.

While I realize that it turned out nice, it just didn't look like me. But, for those of you who have also colored your hair extremely darker or lighter, it is a bit of a shock and takes some getting used to before you can judge whether or not you like it. Well, after 5 days, I decided I missed the blonde Melissa and proceeded to spent a lot more time and money to get my golden hair back.

Oh, and although Monico didn't hate this as much as when I chopped off my hair to my chin in Spring '07, the expression on his face when he saw me drying it was priceless, as his jaw literally dropped and he could only say "uh... that is NOT blonde!"

P.S. In case you were wondering - it is SO much easier to color your hair dark then it is to lighten.

P.P.S. to my cousin Rachel: It took me 2 blonde colors and a highlighting kit over several days to get ALMOST back to my starting color... and I was freaking out the whole time thinking about the time that [newlywed] you burned your scalp by trying to go blonde on your own before you turned to a salon for help. Those are the kind of life lessons that stick with you... even after almost 11 years have passed since you did that... Thanks!

Old photos - still fun

2009-01-06T15:55:00.000-08:00

I have fallen behind on my blog entries, so I am going to try to play catch-up and post photos from the past couple of months. This blog is devoted to late October, when Monico and I went to the corn maze at Craven Farms in Skykomish, Washington. The Maze was made in the shape of the state of Washington, with the maze itself the highways and freeways in the state.

This is the photo printed in the paper of the maze. you can see the pumpkin patch area is directly above the maze, where B.C. would be. The farm house and barns are located in the "Pacific Ocean" to the left of the maze.

This is the pumpkin patch. Fairly picked over by the time we made it to the farm (on October 25th), but still a lot to choose from.

I thought this was so adorable! It is a train ride for little kids in "cattle carts."
I don't know the cost, but I can't imagine it would have been much.

This is part of the farm house and barn area where they sold goods and food and the portapotties were located.
LOOK HOW BLUE THE SKY WAS THAT DAY!! The weather was ideal.

To get to the maze entrance, they take you on a hay ride in these
tractor-pulled covered-wagons around the bottom of the state
and drop you on the Washington/Idaho border.

This is the Washington/Idaho border... just a reminder not to bring fruit from Idaho because of the Apple Maggot Quarantine. (hehe)

Monico waiting for me at the Spokane starting point. There were actually 3 entrances: Clarkston, Spokane, and... well actually I don't remember the third, but you can see the sign off in the distance behind Monico.

They had photos for nearly every town, including state parks and mountains. Although this one says "Tri-Cities" only, there were also plaques for Richland, Pasco, and Kennewick individually too.

I hope I don't have to explain this joke to any of you.

I couldn't believe it - even the fake Sunnyside looks run down!
But, at least it didn't smell like cow poop...

Even Batman took the opportunity to explore the maze that day...
(this kid was too cute not to capture!)
The end of the maze.

Me and my man.

We treated ourselves after the maze. They have the greatest baked goods available, many of which have either cinnamon or pumpkin. Clearly unable to choose, Monico took the pumpkin pie and I got the cinnamon roll...
and then we shared!

It was Monico's first corn maze, and thankfully he enjoyed it,
so it will be easier to convince him to go back again next year!

Lesser known celebration coming

2008-12-11T09:11:00.000-08:00

For those of you reading this who are not Mexican,

tomorrow is "Virgin of Guadalupe" Day, or "Our Lady of Guadalupe" Day.

The following information is compliments of Wikipedea (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Guadalupe):

Guadalupe's feast day is celebrated on December 12, commemorating the
traditional account of her appearances to Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin on the hill of Tepeyac near Mexico City from December 9, 1531 through December 12, 1531.

The Virgin of Guadalupe is a symbol of significant importance to Catholics. Mainstream Catholics believe that Guadalupe was a manifestation of the Virgin Mary in the Americas and recognize her as "Empress of the Americas." The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City is the second most visited Roman Catholic shrine in the world.

The Virgin of Guadalupe has also symbolized the Mexican nation since Mexico's War of Independence. Both Miguel Hidalgo and Emiliano Zapata's armies traveled underneath Guadalupan flags, and Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe is generally recognized as a symbol of all Mexicans. The Mexican novelist Carlos Fuentes once said that
"...one may no longer consider himself a Christian, but you cannot truly be
considered a Mexican unless you believe in the Virgin of Guadalupe."

So, Felicidades Virgencita de Guadalupe!!

Congrats to Monico

2008-11-18T10:55:00.001-08:00

I'm very proud of Monico, who scored 48 out of 50 points

(that's 96% to those who are math-challenged) on his midterm!

Way to go!!

Isn't that redundant?

2008-11-17T09:12:00.000-08:00

As I was driving to work this morning I saw a sign board that said,

"Thank you Veterans, past and present" and it got me thinking...

Other than to be poetic, do we really need to specify

the remembrance of Veterans to include past and present?

Don't get me wrong, I know that there are Veteran's who are "present"-ly living, but a isn't a "Veteran," by definition, something that is always "past?"

Am I alone in my thoughts on this?

Halloween 2008

2008-11-09T20:04:00.000-08:00

Monico and I had a fun Halloween with friends. This photo was taken of us at the apartment of Monico's classmate who hosted a party. So fun!!!

My costume is a German Beer Girl (hey, I didn't name it!) and Monico's costume - manufactured by me - is affectionately

called "Death by Ball Machine"! Kind of silly, but very cost effective!

Obviously not marketed to women!

2008-10-22T22:00:00.000-07:00

How funny is this photo? Monico found it on http://www.break.com/,

and I couldn't resist sharing.

Yes, the father and son are playing the game, and the daughter is helping her mom with dishes in the background,

because clearly, why would the girls play, right?

Haha... too funny...

Leavenworth 2008

2008-10-09T21:44:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we traveled with Matt and Brandy to Leavenworth to enjoy the spirit of Oktoberfest, and to cheer Brandy as she ran the half-mile marathon. Go Brandy!!

On the way home, we drove via Blewett Pass
and enjoyed the colors along the road.

What can you get when you go to Walmart?

2008-10-09T21:40:00.001-07:00

Gigantic 2 lb bags of Twizzlers!!

What is HILL-AIR-E-OUS is that there is a 4 POUND box-o-twizzler's right behind me and I didn't even notice it until I saw this photo!!

I mean honestly, no one needs that much licorice... ever...

Oh, and I can't believe how tired I look in the photo.
Apparently I need more sleep!

Grateful

2008-09-24T20:28:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have been students, or married to students,
you'll understand my excitement that financial aid came in today!!!

Yep. This little dancing guy is me.

We've been INVADED!

2008-09-15T19:15:00.000-07:00

Soooo... apparently the late summer/early fall period is uber-breeding time for fruit flies, which reproduce faster than rabbits! I did not know this. If I had, I would have nipped it in the bud early when I first noticed a few little flies around the kitchen last week.

I predict that the eggs hitched a ride on the bananas I bought last week... or the ones I bought the week before. Either way, apparently the eggs hatch into larva (yep... worms in my kitchen, ew...) and then into flies. This whole lovely process takes 10 days. Not a pleasant thought imagining this whole process taking place on or around my food. YUCK!

After reading on the internet, I created some traps, which I set last night. This is the collection I was able to gather within 24 hours. I am hoping is the majority of the flies, and that the few stragglers will join soon.

This trap was a bowl with apples, covered in plastic wrap, with small holes poked in it. The flies get attracted to the smell, climb through the holes, but can't get out again.

This trap is a bowl of cider vinegar, with a drop of dish soap. Apparently the soap breaks the "tension" of the surface of the liquid, so when the flies land on the top, they sink (and drown!!) instead of walk on top.

Can you believe HOW MANY there are?? This is only after noticing these pesky buggers last week. I always thought that the down side of leaving rotting food out was you might get ants. But apparently these are just as likely to appear.

So, warning to all my friends. Wash your fruit when you bring it into your home, and (when possible) store in the fridge, as the flies are extremely sensitive to the cold.

Again... yuk!!

Awe... so cute!

2008-09-05T21:45:00.000-07:00

After looking at photos on other peoples blogs, I loved the idea of scanning and posting old photos (thanks, Donna!), so I scoured my collection of photos we stole - um, I mean "borrowed" from our parent's collections, and tried to find photos of Monico and I at about the same age... which is hard when you don't have that many.

Hope you enjoy!!

This is a photo of me at 8 months (circa September 1979).
This is my favorite photo!!!

This photo of Monico looks as if he is about 3 months old.
Look at all that hair!!! Sheesh...

In this photo (taken at G&G Bagley's) was taken summer 1980,
so I would have been 18 months

It's anyone's guess on how old Monico was,
but my best guess is 12 months.
LOVE THE BLUE SUIT!!!

As a child of the 80s, I think this photo (circa 1984) is iconic:
a "Big Wheels" AND "jellies"?
Awesome.

Monico at his first day of school.
Have you ever seen a more complacent Kindergartner? LOL

And, just for fun, this is one of the engagement
photos we took (circa April 1998).

It's finally here - Monico started school today!

2008-09-02T22:39:00.001-07:00

I know what you are thinking, and "Yep. I totally took a picture of my man - with his lunchbox in hand - as he was heading out for his first day of school." How could I not, when he looks that cute!

So, today is day one of the Master's in Teaching program,
and Monico's last day will be August 15th(ish) next year!
It is soooooo exciting to think about how
close Monico is too his goal of becoming a teacher.

No more job (or paycheck!)... time to head back to school

2008-09-01T23:06:00.000-07:00

Monico is officially done working.

His last day as a file clerk for the Dussault Law Group, the same office I STILL work at as a paralegal (yes, I got him the job...) was on Friday, August 29th, and he starts class tomorrow morning!

Monico at his desk...

We had a going away party. Not much time for decorations,
so I tried to be clever with dri-erase...

We got the fiesta platter from Azteca restaurant down the street... YUM!!

We had some fun golfing this weekend. We did 9 holes at Interbay Golf, then did
the18 hole putting course. It was a FANTASTIC mini-golf location.
Had we not done the 9 holes, I wouldn't have even known it was there.
Monico won by 2 or 3 strokes.
(Out of humiliation, I actually didn't do the final tally, so I don't know for sure.)
We will definitely be back again for a rematch before the weather turns too sour.

Although the sun was out, it was kind'a chilly... thus my hat/sunglasses and sweatshirt combo.

As prep for his first day of school, I gave Monico a haircut.
Although we've been married for this long, one of the things I was previously
NEVER allowed to do was cut my husband's hair.
However, as he has now joined the ranks of the unemployed students,
he has agreed to let me do it to save the $20 or so he spends each time he goes.

Oh yeah, since we don't have a hair-cutting cape yet,
we used an emergency poncho instead!
Kind of ghetto, but it worked really well!

I think i did a fantastic job -- if I say so myself!!!

(Before)

(After)

Summer Sandals

2008-08-22T18:08:00.001-07:00

The weather has gotten a little colder the last couple days, and I have started thinking of the fall getting closer, and how all my summer clothes are going to be put away until next spring.

Well, apparently my cats aren't ready to let go of the warm summer months yet, as they seem quite attached to my summer attire!

But, my cats will soon remember how much they love my winter boots, and my sandals and capris will be long forgotten...
(he he he - I guess I'm little silly because it's Friday! Boo-Yah!)

Anniversary Weekend Getaway

2008-08-17T16:39:00.000-07:00

With temperatures getting over 90 degrees this weekend, Monico and I took an impromptu trip for the weekend to the other side of Puget Sound. Although taking a trip means spending money, I figured that "you only have a 10th wedding anniversary once!"

We left on Saturday morning and drove South through Tacoma and across the Tacoma Narrows Bridge.

We stopped for lunch in Gig Harbor, Washington.

After a lunch at a Mexican restaurant on the waterfront, we were completely taken by the cuteness of the elderly couple (they both had to be over 80 years old) who owned and ran a used book shop next door and couldn't get away without buying something.

After Gig Harbor, we headed to our destination at Port Orchard, Washington, where we had a room reservation at Days Inn just off Hwy 16.

King-size bed AND a hot tub in the room?

It was like our honeymoon all over again!!

After we cooled down from our trip in our air-conditioned room
(one of the key amenities we were looking for in a hotel!),
we took a drive around Port Orchard.

Could you trust your house not to fall in the water?
If so, this one is for sale...

Not a cloud in the sky... look at the sun reflecting on the water! Beautiful.

One of the "sites" to see was The Candy Shoppe, which we missed the first time we drove by...

So many taffy flavors! Crazy.

We bought these cute flower suckers for Brandy, who let us borrow her car for the trip.

We had dinner at the Pancake House -
was 10 times better than any IHOP I've ever been to.

Everything sounded so DELICIOUS! I had such a hard time choosing.

Monico enjoyed the buttermilk pancakes.

After dinner we headed back to the hotel for a swim.

Ah, Sunday morning. Time to go home.
"Goodbye air-conditioning... we will miss you."

We took the ferry home. We had planned to take the ferry from neighboring Bremerton, but we didn't time it better, so we headed East to Southworth/Vashon ferry.
We had some time to kill while waiting so I took some photos.

Monico in the car

Vashon Island
(you can see our ferry docked there before coming to get us).

Our ferry unloading.

A view from the ferry's bow, and the end of our trip.

Starting our blog...

2008-08-15T22:56:00.000-07:00

So I decided to get with the times and start my blog for all my friends and family to see what Monico and I are up to here in Seattle, as I have thoroughly enjoyed reading THEIR blogs!

At present, it is 11:09pm, Monico is watching the Olympics and folding laundry in the living room, and I am frantically trying to get this new blog set up before my eyes give out. But, then again, tomorrow IS Saturday, which means I get to sleep in and "catch up" on all my missed sleep from the week... right? Only if I don't have to work one of my 4 jobs. With Monico soon joining the ranks of the unemployed in two weeks when he starts his one-year Masters in Teaching program at Seattle University, I have taken on some additional work to try to make up some of his lost income. Monico put it best when he said "Mexican's aren't taking all the jobs, you are!" Apparently. But more about that in the future.

I am excited to share that yesterday was our 10th wedding anniversary! Yep, ten years since "I do," can you believe it? To celebrate, we went to Buenos Aires Grill in downtown Seattle and enjoyed a mixed grill feast.

There was skirt steak, chicken, ribs, and chorizo sausage... muy delicioso!!

To balance the meaty-meal, we got a side of grilled veggies:

And for dessert, we got sorbet... can you guess what flavors they were? (So clever!!)

After dinner, we headed over to Giggles Comedy Club just north of UW campus, where we paid $5.00 each to attend "Open Mike Night." Although a little painful at times sitting through the awkwardness of some of the newbies, we thoroughly enjoyed most of the comics, and were even lucky enough to have Jeff Dye (of the recent Last Comic Standing) do 15-20 minutes of schtick! FANTASTIC!

All in all, a very fun and unique anniversary.