101 things about me

I am copying Emily and Rachel....so here we go!

101 things about me

my favorite color is purple
When I was 5, I took nail clippers and “clipped” my front tooth leaving a small chip in the front. When my mom asked me why I did it, my response was the classic “I dunno…”
I investigated fraud/forgery for 6 years and absolutely loved it!
I still contemplate getting my degree in criminal justice
I got tattoos at 17, 18, and 19 total=3
I wish I could remove the tattoos, but they were a choice I made at a different time in my life and serve as a reminder.
I LOVE Italian sodas
My hair is not really red and I have been dying it red since I was 17
I play World of Warcraft with my husband.
When I was pregnant with my first son, I cried because I just wanted a pizza and we were poor.
I love the outdoors (fishing, camping)
I love Bridgeport, CA and want to be buried there with my husband
my favorite words are “Plate Tectonics”
I was diagnosed with depression at 22
I’d rather hang out with my husband and kids than anyone else
I enjoy yard work
I love to laugh
I can’t tell a joke without starting to laugh before I get to the punch line
I love to cook
I’ve had the eardrum on my right ear reconstructed 4 times
My left eye droops when I get sleepy
I love makeup
I had a drawing in the Santa Clara County fair when I was in high school
I love 80’s music
I love to dance
I love bookstores and the smell of books new or used
I dislocated my left knee when I was 14 just by stepping on a rock at girls camp
I enjoy learning
I like to read but struggle with reading the scriptures
I can sew and I am trying to learn how to knit
my best friend is my husband
I can set up my own fishing pole, camp site, and gut/clean fish
I struggle with making friends
I worked at Luckys grocery store in my Junior and senior years, and up until after I got married. I lived in Utah for 10 months in my first year of marriage, and then we moved back to Cali.
I’ve always wanted to work in Young Women’s
I snore really bad when I’m sick or pregnant
Wonder Woman is my favorite superhero
I had gestational diabetes, preclampsia/HELLP syndrome when I was pregnant/gave birth to Zachary.
I had preclampsia when I gave birth to Isaac
I still want to have another baby despite the issues I had with my other pregnancies.
I have lived in a house that was built in the 30’s that had no insulation; every thing ran on electricity with the exception of the heater that ran on propane.
I decided that if I have to live in the country, the house MUST have AC and heat
I strive to be a good Mom and wife
I had a hard time turning 30
I am cool with being 31
I love Phantom of the Opera
I hate the heat of Summer
I absolutely, positively LOVE Fall!
I had a hickey on my neck one time and told my mom that I ran into a pole
My mom told me when I was in grade school that at night they “roll up the side walks at 5 pm” and I took it literally
I had braces from 3rd grade to 5th grade
I draw my eyebrows on since they are so light in color (my husband likes to say that someone scared them off of me)
My feet get really tan in the summertime, and I STILL have somewhat of a sandal tan and it’s January
I love Sandals
I can only snap with my right hand
I am left handed
I love to watch shows, read about, and research weather. ESPECIALLY tornadoes
I have never been out of the country
I love Dogs
I am allergic to Cats
I am not a fan of having rodents (i.e. rats, mice, hamsters) as pets.
Guinea Pigs are cool
I sometimes wish I could shave off all my hair and grow out my natural color without people thinking I was a freak
I wonder if my hair would grow back curly or straight since I have straight hair and curly hair combined after having kids.
I am not a frilly fru fru type of woman.
I like natural elegance for things
I’m not materialistic
I like singing and making up songs but could never sing in public
I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up
The movie Ratatouille made me want to be a chef
I like Mad Libs
I failed the written part of the drivers exam 2 times and passed on the 3rd time
I failed the driving part of the exam 2 times and passed on the 3rd time
During my sophomore year, I cut a class and then went to the office to tell them I cut class because I felt so bad about it.
Math is not my strong subject
I hate word problems…yuck!
I LOVE tapioca pudding
Sometimes I talk in my sleep, which entertains my husband
Sometimes I have dreams about war and bombs and mountains
$50 is my favorite price. I feel that it is reasonable for most anything. It’s not too expensive for me and the other party is getting some money too.
my favorite flowers are daisies
I loved New Kids on the Block when I was 13 and 14. Okay Okay..I must admit, I do think it’s cool that they are getting back together. I am interested to see how they sound after so many years
When I was 14, my mom wouldn’t let me shave the sides of my hair as was the style for girls to do in 1990, so she just cut them short for me. I had HUGE bangs, short cut sides, and long permed hair..yup…a femmullet…I admit it
I’ve always struggled with my weight.
I lost a lot of weight in high school
I gained a lot of weight back after I got married due to depo provera
I believe Depo provera was created by the devil
Keraoke machines are fun
I love taking naps
I am not a fan of watching sports
Playing sports is better than watching sports
When I was 12, I played the trombone for ½ a year. I hated to practice and my mom made me practice every day for ½ hour. I would just blow on it for ½ hour because I was mad.
I really, really, REALLY do not like ants in my house..or bugs or spiders
There was a time when I was afraid of the dark
I have an extra cusp on one of my molars
I love living in a small city of 14,000
Eventually my family and I will move out of California
I love being a Wife and Mom
My hair was permed a majority of the time while growing up
I am happier being me now at 31 that I have ever been in my life101 things about me

I had a really nice Christmas this year. It was so nice to be healthy this year (without a severe sinus infection). The boys had a great time. Of course, Isaac ended up with a fever on Christmas Eve and Day, so Zachary and I went to my parents for dinner on Christmas Day. We found out some wonderful news that Jim is now engaged and they are expecting a baby in May. His girlfriend already has a 6 year old son and Jim is planning on adopting him when they are married. Very exciting! Zachary turned 5 on the 30th..it's hard to believe it has been five years already. I remember bringing home my small 5 lb guy after we were in the hospital all week...my how time flies.

Scott and Cindi's new baby Emmett is doing well. He now weights 4 lbs 12 oz and is still in the NICU, but breating on his own. They did a chair test to see if he would have any apnea episodes when he was in a car seat. He still had an episode so he can't go home just yet, but he is doing great!

Zachary started back at preschool this week on Wednesday, then on Friday...he is sick with a high fever. He still has a fever, but he doesn't let that stop him singing "Viva Las Vegas" when he is watching Looney Toons back in action even if he has to laydown to do it.

Isaac had his speech evaluation at Kaiser on Friday and Sam was supposed to go with me to it, but he had to stay home with Zachary since he couldn't go to my sister's house. I really wanted him to go with me for support as I didn't want to go through the whole evaluation thing alone again, but to my delight, it wasn't as horrible as my mind was making it. Isaac speaks at a 7 month old level and comprehends at a 9 month old level. This wasn't a surprise to Sam and I as we figured he was about a year behind anyway. So, he will get referred to VMRC to set up speech services. I am familar with the whole process, so that makes it easier. It was comforting to hear from the Speech Pathologist that speech delays can run in families, especially if an older sibling has a speech delay. Zachary did/and does very well with speech therapy. All I can do is take it one day at a time and not stress myself out over it. I feel very peaceful about it and know that Isaac with do well with speech therapy as well.

my sweet boys...I just love them

When Opportunity Knocks...

Yesterday they boys and I were running errands in Modesto (to the Fabric store and Trader Joes) when we stopped on the off ramp and there was a homless man on the side of the road holding a sign that read "Homless..Hungry...please help..WWJD." Zachary saw the man and started to ask some questions:

Zach: Mom what's the man doing?
Me: Well, he's homeless and is asking people for food because he is hungry.

I explained that the man did not have a home or a job and had to sleep outside.

Zach: Is he lost Mom?
Me: I guess you could call it lost, he doesn't have anywhere to go.
Zach: I got'n idea! The man can yell Help! Help! and could come home with me, Zachary.
Me: Well, he can't come home with us, but how about we get the man some food? Would that be nice?
Zach: Yeah Mom!

Now I must mention that the whole time Zach and I were having this conversation, I was feeling the very strong prompting from the Spirit that I needed to get the man some food, hence the comment to Zach about getting the man food. I felt it all the way to the fabric store...I kept having the thought go through my mind about the scripture in Matthew (25:35..I had to look it up...alas I am not a scripture master any longer) "For I was an hungered and ye gave me meat, I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink..."over and over. So we finished with the fabric store and made the loop back to a McDonalds, passing the mall and all the mega traffic there, and then went back on the freeway to take the off ramp where the man was standing. So we were waiting at the light and I was a couple cars back, I waved the man down and he came over. I purchased a Big Mac, Fries and large coffee.

Man: Oh! is that coffee?! Oh thank you God Bless!
Me: Here you go...keep warm
Man: I saw you at the light the first time..thank you

I felt at that moment when he said that to me that Heavenly Father was very much aware of me and was pleased with me listening to the prompting of the Spirit...the extreme "burning of my bosom" confirmed this for me.

Zach: the man is Happy!
Me: yes he is happy...now he can have a good dinner. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are happy that we helped the man.
Zach: yeah....helped the man....

So we proceeded to Trader Joes and I felt great inside. Are you ever so excited when you have successfully recognized the prompting of the spirit? It makes me feel like my spiritual antena is a little closer to being in tune...

I am grateful for the opportunity I had to give service to someone and be an example to my son....

I can't wait for the new year. Why you ask? Well, we will switch to th 9-12 slot for church. I am very excited as this will help me get there since I work every other Saturday night/Sunday Morning at get home at 7:20 a.m. And since it is at 9 and I am awake, I can get everyone ready to go. Right now we have the 11:30 to 2:30 slot for church and it is difficult to get there as by 11:30 a.m., I am usually asleep. I take a nap everyday between 12 noon and 3pm, so it has been VERY hard for me to get to church this year. It made me feel good when I saw my bishop one Sunday and he said they're glad to have me as much as I can come. I still feel bad when I don't go. My heart is there and my love of the Gospel and Savior have not faltered, but I miss going. It's hard when spouse has a difficult time going as well, not that he doesn't believe (he has such a great testimony) he's told our previous bishop "I'm just lazy" at least he's honest with himself and the Lord in that perspective. I miss Relief Society and the other sisters. Sometimes I just feel out of place. It saddens me when I find a sister to whom I can connect and then sadly, she and her family move away.

Sam and I were talking at dinner about our Ward and remember when it was the small close knit ward prior to the Stake boundary makeover in 2002. After they changed it from 6 wards to 4 wards, Ripon ward became HUGE (it was combined with part of Manteca), and we felt lost in the shuffle. It was then that my attendance (as well as my husband's) started to dwindle. I know that it doesn't justify me having difficulty going. Manteca has really grown in 5 years so we are hoping that maybe they will redo the wards again...I hope that Ripon gets to be by itself again as Ripon is growing as well.

So my goal in 2008 is to go to church every week....

If I could invent something....

If I could invent something, it would be to put a paint that sprays out if someone where to steal your stereo out of your car...you know like the paint the banks put in some of the money bundles so the crook gets sprayed blue or orange. Yeah...blue or orange...or bright yellow! Why this invention? Well...Yesterday afternoon between the hour of 12:15 pm and 12:50 pm...I had my stereo stolen out of my car! I was only in Target with the boys for 30 minutes! The middle of the freakin afternoon and someone steals my stereo! What I think happened is when Zachary got out of the car and locked the door, he didn't push down all the way or forgot all together, and I forgot to check as I normally do. But on the positive side, I am glad a window wasn't broken (there is a little damage to the dash {broken plastic piece} but once the hoodlum realized that the stereo could easily be taken with out pulling the dash all apart, he took it with out damaging the dash further). I am glad that my car was not stolen. I am glad that neither I or my boys came upon the thief while in the process of stealing the stereo and be put in a potentially dangerous situation. So now I have a silent 15 minute commute to and from work for awhile until we can save up for a new stereo. At least it gives me some quiet time to ponder and pray...I needed to get new speakers anyway...so why not a stereo too!

So back to my invention...It would be hilarious to see some hoodlum walking around yellow for a month. Maybe that would teach them a lesson. I guarantee the police would be able to know exactly why he was yellow or orange and arrest them....okay maybe not...but it still would be funny to see...

I think my son has grown 2 other Kidneys...

I think my son has grown 2 Kidneys for how can I explain
the 3rd morning to coming home and finding he is soaked again

"I pee peed the bed Mom"his sweet little voice cries
"it was an accident, it's okay!" he states and I let out a sigh...

To the bathroom we go for a bath and a scrub
But not before he takes a HUGE pee before jumping in the tub.

I questioned his father, "Did he go pee before he went to bed?"
His father says "He took a Huge pee." as he nods his head

"Where is he storing it all?" I ponder as I load his blankets, sheets and clothes
into the washing maching..once again...they go

So I beg, plead to my sweet son "Please oh please....get up out of bed if you feel the need"
"Okay Mom" he states to me...
Unlock the door and walk in the house after a night of work "Hi Mom!" he greets me at the door "guess what mom..no pee the bed...I pee peed on the floor!"

sigh....

Disneyland October 2007

Well we had a blast at Disneyland. I did see some of the hills on fire by Magic Mountain on our way down to Anaheim. The air quality was horrible, but we dealt with it (took a break during the day for a nap) and of course, it was hot. Our hotel was okay. We liked being across the street, but next time, I think we will stay at the Best Western next door to the Park Vue Inn. Sam laughed at the room we got because it was exactly like the one review he read on a bad room (sticky floor from gum, leaky A/C unit, and the fridge was missing a foot so it rocked.) Go figure...but the beds were really comfortable! Zachary had decided that Pirates is his favorite ride. He rode it 2 times and it would have been a third but the line was longer on Thursday afternoon and we were tired. Isaac endured us taking him on 3 rides total. He DOES NOT like Pirates..or the little catapilar ride at California adventure. He tried to cry on the Buzz lightyear astroblasters, but once he recognzed Buzz...he was better. He did like the train ride around the park though. All in all, it was a very successful trip and MUCH better that when we went in February...I will post some picutures soon...