Vanessa Lee

A Pack of Gum and a Very Happy New Year

2008-01-03T15:29:00.000-08:00

On my way to Calexico for New Years weekend I ate an entire pack of gum during the 2 hour drive and listened to the 50 first dates soundtrack.

Saturday night I hung out with old friends, Susie, Cassie, Sandra and Vivian. We had a nice time talking and laughing. We're hoping to make it a point to seeeach other more often.

On Sunday, the Laskowski clan of 10 joined us at my parents house for a sleepover. There were 18 of us staying at my parent's so we were all over the place. It just brings back the best memories.

Anyway, we were all in town for our big Cota Family Reunion/New Years Shin Dig. It was so much fun!!! They rented a small hall and there was tons of food of course, a DJ and lots of dancing. The brothers put on a talent show throughout the night. I was so impressed. They are just all so talented and it just made me very proud of them.

The next day, we all met up at my cousin Claudia's for a BBQ. Since I moved to San Diego I don't see everybody as often. We've all grown up and had families of our own and have gone our own ways. But I do miss everybody and hope to see more more of them this year.

Everybody is Arriving

The Dancing Starts

Tio Bob & Tio Luis

Some of Us Girls

New Years Day

Christmas

2007-12-29T10:58:00.001-08:00

What a wonderful holiday Christmas is. I love Christmas music playing on the radio and everywhere you go, the decorations at the mall, buying presents for everyone on our list, keeping the suspense about Santa at midnight for the little kids, being with family, decorating the christmas tree, the smell of pine, baking cookies, eating too much, driving by houses lit up with lights (even rush hour traffic lights turn into christmas lights if you just turn on the music).

This year we spent the early part of New Years Eve at my Tio Bob and Tia Marta's house. Jeanine drove down from Hollywood to join us for a dinner with all the trimmings. Tia cooked a wonderful dinner. Kids were running around everywhere. 17 of them to be exact. It was crazy. Just the way I like it.

Then we made it to dinner at my grandmother's house (on my mom's side) for the latter part of the evening. Once again a house full. I have 24 cousins... some with babies now. So it's extra fun for us. I know it was extra fun for me. Evan actually stayed awake until midnight to open his presents. He just liked tearing the paper and afterward, playing with the boxes. He wasn't too concerned about what was inside.

On Christmas day we slept in and then spent the day at Matt's parents house, where his side of the family meets. It's a much smaller gathering but it's still a lot of fun. This year, Hailey (5months) celebrated her first Christmas. Playing Dirty Santa was fun.

Jeanine stayed with me the rest of the week and it was nice having her here to hang out with. We tried out a new restaurant which is now on my fav list called, Cafe Chloe.

My Lunch Date

2007-11-29T19:00:00.000-08:00

We didn't do much this week afterall. Evan wasn't feeling well and we ended up staying home. He's never really gotten sick on me before with the exception of a minor cold last winter. This time, he got a pretty bad cough. I really didn't know what to do so I called my cousin with 8 kids and checked the Internet and ended up sticking with natural remedies and he was fine in no time.

I really recommend garlic in some fresh squeezed lemon with raw honey. A humidifer also made a huge difference.

I don't have much to post about but I thought it was funny that Evan knows what to do with headphones. I was thinking about it and I don't think I've worn any since I've had him. Matt hasn't worn them either. The only reason I took them out was for our trip to Oklahoma but we didn't end up using them. I left them in a backpack, which he got into and he was so busy trying to put them on.

He also got into pretty much everything.

He's hiding in the bathroom cabinet

Then the toilet (I never let him do this) Then into the kitchen cabinets

Back to Reality

2007-11-25T18:29:00.000-08:00

Cassie, Susy, Sandra & Me

I just got back from my 10 year high school reunion. To say "I had such a good time" would be an understatement. I guess I just don't get out much. I was so excited to go and was equally excited to be there.

There were a few friends I had kept in touch with, Cassie, Susy, Karla and Sandra, but there were so many I hadn't seen for 10 years and it was so nice to see them again. Honestly, almost everyone looked really good and not very different. The food and the music weren't great but I ate and danced anyway. And thankfully, Matt put on his happy face for me and ended up having a really great time (I think you all remember him dreading it).

But now, I'm sitting in front of my computer and feeling a bit down, more than I care to admit. It is because I started anticipating my reunion the day I graduated in the summer '97 and just like that, in one night, in a few hours it was over. And now I have to wait another 10 years before I see some of these people again. It's a long time to wait. So much has happend in my life these last 10 years and I'm sure so much has happend in thier lives; a few hours doesn't really catch you up. Add to that another 10 years and we may as well be strangers.

Anyway, we pretty much kept it short and sweet. You know... how are you? you look good (or I skipped this line altogether if it was insincere). are you married? do you have any kids? so glad to see you. And we moved on. Several people later, a few dances in between, by 2:30 am I was back home. I still had the next day to look forward to. It was family day at a local park and I got to meet some of my classmates kids, which was cool.

So it was a quick walk down memory lane. Although I love life now I also have really fond memories of my high school days. Actually, just being in Caleixico makes me very reminiscnet. It's like being back home goes hand in hand with my life as it was back then. Just before I left home I leafed through my yearbook, which I don't think I had done since I graduated so it feels a little strange to fast forward to 2007 especially when it involves laundry and cleaning.

I'm sure I'll get over it soon. I caught up on some emails and we've got so many events planned this month. This week there's a Spanish and Art class at the library for the kids and the Hotel Del is hosting a holiday festival on Wednesday. Of course I'll be back at Stroller Strides this week. I've also got to start working on our Christmas cards. I do love Christmas. I'm feeling better already.

Well, we're off to meet some friends for dinner. Hopefully that will cheer me up a bit too.

Alissa, Me, Karla & Cassie

Me & TovarEven my lil brother was there

We had fun

"Mute It, Johnny!"

2007-11-23T21:55:00.000-08:00

Every other year we spend Thanksgiving in Oklahoma with Steve's side of the family, the Oakie Lees. Unlce Johnny is Steve's oldest brother and he has a bad ear so he has to turn the TV volume up really high. When people call the house and Aunt Garlena answers she yells, "Mute it, Johnny!!!" (imagine it said with an accent). People don't realized she is referring to the television volume and think that this is the way she speaks to her husband. So now her kids all make fun and it has spread into thier circle of friends as just a saying and Matt and I loved it and can't wait to use it out here for no reason other than to just say it (with an accent, of course).

We love visiting them. They are so much fun. I really can't describe them but they all have an incredible sense of humor and very dynamic personalities. Steven Ross is so silly. He is such a comedian. And when he and Matt get together... oh my gosh. Where do I even begin? Somehow they just play off each other very well. Shelly is also hilarious. She is a hip, stay-at-home mom with a small side cleaning business and is super busy between baking and picking up the kids and keeping up with all the high school drama that goes along with a teenage daughter. Jeff, her husband works a lot and we can't really tell the difference between his excited face and his serious face. hahaha. But he is so totally cool and also very funny. He has more of a dry sense of humor and oftentimes I can't tell if he is joking or not.

Lisa cracks me up too. She is a beaver to a "T". And it's funny to watch her. We all went over for chili one night and after we were all done eating she washed those dishes quicker than anyone I had ever seen. So fast, the water just couldn't run fast enough. And just as her mom was telling me about how she broke every single appliance she ever had, she broke the coffee pot. I'm telling you, there was never a dull moment.

Liegh, her husband is not serious but just compared to everyone else is more mellow. Both he and Lisa are teachers and he happens to be a photography teacher so we talked about that at bit. And I noticed his great pictures throughout the house. Everywhere I go, I always notice pictures.

And of course there is Heather, Steven Ross' wife. I just love Heather. Ever since we met, we just hit it off. Maybe it was because we were both married to the King of Queens. I keep up with her blog and so whenever I see her it doesn't feel like it's been that long. Oh yes, and let's not forget what happend last time after leaving Oklahoma... both Heather and I got pregnant. Our due dates were 2 days apart.

So we started planning for this trip back in February or March and as soon as tickets were made available (6 months prior) to the date of departure we were the first to book our flights. Not only did we get to see Olivia again, but we got to meet Audrey, who is Evan's age.

We stayed with Jeff and Shelly and thier two kids Macy and Garett. Oh yes, and thier dog, Gabe and somewhat adopted son, Pete. We stayed up late every single night talking mostly about disgusting things, which I will not retell and just being completely silly. We were bummed that Steven Ross and Heather couldn't stay with us like they did last time but we didn't all fit anymore. It worked out... no fire hazards (this is the first time I had heard and seen a blue flamer) and hopefully nothing funny in the water.

This is a long blog and I haven't even talked about what we actually did while we were there.

We went out to Johnny and Garlenas ranch out in Norman and we rode the horses. We also went out to the lake in thier new motorhome. At the lake we all took turns riding thier new motorcycle and the guys also played catch with the football.

We also went to visit the Oklahoma City bombing site and museum. It happend in 1995 and I was still in high school at the time and didn't realized how bad it really was. 169 people were killed including children who were at the building's daycare. It was so depressing. I had a knot in my throat the entire time and by the time I got to the people's memorial, I couldn't walk through it. After we left we were all in a pretty somber mood.

One of the days we rode the RV out to Sterling, OK where Steve (Matt's dad) had spent a part of his childhood. It was out of a movie, or more like out of a country song. A small country town in the middle of nowhere with a red dirt road. Pastures and bails of hay, grazing cows for miles on end, a tree swing and a pond, a small corner store, one church and steeple and a sign that read, "Welcome to Sterling".

On our way back we stopped at Jake's BBQ and then went to see the most amazing lights. I know you can't picture them and I'm getting tired of writing but when they said we were going to see the lights I really didn't have this in mind. Before heading home we stopped for ice cream at Braums.

For Thanksgiving we were back at the Ranch and we just hung out. Talked and laughed and ate too much, of course. I ate too much the entire week. I will tell you about the deserts alone: Pumpkin cheesecake, Lemon Cheesecake, Butterfinger cheesecake, Rum cake, Pecan & Sweet Potato Pie, Plain Pecan Pie and Pumpkin Pie. Oh yes, and frozen chocolate custard one night after eating at Cracker Barrel and a double scoop of ice cream at Braums on another night. One night I got really sick and had a bad stomach ache. So much for organic.

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Halloween

2007-11-01T17:01:00.000-07:00

We had a busy little halloween yesterday. Evan was a little lion, I was an 80's workout girl and Matt was no fun. To go along with my theme I walked to Qualcomm Stadium where one of the churches was having a Halloween Festival. Matt didn't want to walk and said I was just a rebel. How silly. I just thought it would be fun and easy enough since it's right down the street from our house. Not only was I the only person walking down Friars Road, but I was the only person walking down Friars in costume. Matt drove by us and thought I looked like a dork. So anyway, he met us at the entrance. We also met up with his parents there.

Evan with Grandpa Steve

We were there for about an hour and then we headed down to my aunt's church, which was a lot of fun. More adults were dressed up there, so the ambience was funner for me and I didn't look as silly.

My cousin moriah's costume was the best. She was Pippy Long Stocking to a "T". She even sprayed her hair red and put a metal hanger inside her pig tales to make them turn up. Wish I had gotten her picture.

We stopped at my grandma's before heading back home so she could get a kick out of our little lion guy.

Anyway, these church things are really very cool. They set up all sorts of games and huge blow-up slides and obstacle courses. Of course there's always plenty of food. We had hawaiian BBQ and kettle corn. Lots of treats too!

Evan & Daddy

Evan & Mommy

Disneyland

2007-10-29T11:49:00.001-07:00

We had such a great time at Disneyland this weekend with our friends. If only we didn't have to come back. We drove up Saturday with Lenny, Amy and thier daughter Abby. We checked into our hotel and just hung out for awhile. You know, checked out the pool and the workout room. Then we went and walked around Downtown Disney and had dinner at the Rainforest Cafe. Evan really thought the gorillas were real and he was completely turned around looking and pointing at them. He was actually a bit scared. Awe, he's just a little guy.

Anyway (one of my fav words), on Sunday we met up with Jason and Rachel and their 4-month old baby, Taylor. They were in OC for a wedding and only had Sunday to hang out before flying back to Seatle early Monday morning. It was good to see them but way too short a visit.

I know Evan won't remember it but he really did like it. And that made it so much funner for us. He pointed at everything and it's so funny because I really think he thinks everything is real. Like animals and cartoon characters. He was also very intrigued by the firework show. As was I. It seemed like Taylor was interested in all the people and the lights. And Abby, who is 5, had the best time of all. She's familiar with all the Disney characters and has all of thier autographs in her autograph book she brings with her. She's so funny.

Sweet Taylor

About the Fires

2007-10-29T10:12:00.000-07:00

Well, it turned out to be worse than I imagined. Sunday night there was talk about fires on the news but I didn't think it would be a big deal. The next day, Matt called and said, "Dude! I don't think you should go to Stroller Strides today... there's fires and all the roads are closed and I don't think you should be breathing in the air." I happend not to be motivated to workout anyway and so that was just the excuse I needed but Matt tends to be overprotective and so I just thought he was exagerating.

But sure enough, I turned on the TV an it was pretty bad. Homes in Rancho Bernardo were burning and it was getting worse. Friends were evacuating all over the place. Fortunately, no one I know lost thier homes but so many others did. I imagined that so many were like me. I always downplay serious things and I would have left so many valuable things behind.

Some people had to evacuate at like 4 in the morning and barely had time to escape.

We spent the rest of the week indoors. We did go out briefly to buy water and food to drop off at the evacuation centers. We live in Mission Valley, far from the fires, but my eyes got watery and Matt got the worst headache.

It seems like most of the damage has past. Last I heard, there were over 1400 homes destroyed in San Diego. I'm not sure how many people died.

At our church (one of the Evacuation Sites)

Our church Drop Off Table

Someone Seriously Laoded Up at Costco

He Did it... He Walked!!!

2007-10-22T18:28:00.000-07:00

Evan totally walked today. He's been taking a few steps here and there for awhile now. It seemed like he didn't even notice when he was taking a few unattended steps and when he did, he would immediately drop down to crawl. I'm so glad Matt was home to see it too.

I was in the kitchen cooking and he just started walking. I yelled for Matt and we both made a big fuss over it and he kept walking. He's so cute.

Too bad we have all those fires though. It's so crazy. So many people have been evacuated and it just seems to be getting worse. Please remember to pray.

Anyway, here are some pics... i grabbed my camera so fast I didn't adjust the settings (shutter speed) and they are tottally blurry.

It's Holiday Time... and Stroller Strides

2007-10-21T14:21:00.000-07:00

I can't even remember what we've been up to this month. All I know is that it was just October and suddenly its almost Halloween. Which basically means it's November and when it's November, it means Thanksgiving, which means it's Christmas and then New Years.

I'm really super excited about all of the holidays!!! We just bought Evan's Halloween costume this past week. A few day's before halloween we're going to Disneyland with Lenny and Amy and Jay and Rachel. Then in November we're going to Oklahoma to visit family for Thanksgiving. We'll fly back home just in time for my 10-year high school reunion on Saturday. Then Roxy and her entire clan of 10 will be here in mid-December to stay for a month! I always love Christmas. And Finally, on New Years Eve we're having a huge family reunion on my Dad's side of the family. We've got skits and singing and dancing planned out. It's going to be sooo much fun!

Anyway, Evan and I joined Stroller Strides this week. It's really great and I'm just bummed I didn't come up with the idea. Yeah, another one of those simple yet brilliant ideas. They're all over the country now. In fact, my good friend Stephanie bought a franchise for one in Knoxville a few months ago. I wrote about thier trip out here a few blogs back. So she was here for a training, I picked her up after it was over and I was so lucky to have her stay with us before going back home. I miss them and can't wait to see them again.

Anyway, back to Stroller Strides, I get to work out while Evan is in his stroller and I get to meet new people too. And moms happen to be my favorite kind of poeple to meet right now. After our workout, which by the way is pretty tough, we let the kids just roam free and play, so it's good for both of us.

My Absolute Favorite Picture

We've also been taking Evan to the beach quite often to get dirty and play around

Our New Car

2007-10-05T13:10:00.000-07:00

Here is our new car...

Lot's of September Birthdays

2007-10-01T19:08:00.001-07:00

Wow, we had a busy birthday month. Matt's was on the 16th followed by my brother on the 18th and then my tia Nieves on the 20th. On the 25th was my aunt Nancy's birthday and then my cousin Cassie had her birthday party on the 29th. Whew!!!

Here's what else is going on...

I started a photography class last week and I'm really excited about that. I just love taking pictures. I've also been working a bit part time trying to get back on track with our real estate investments. We've had such a crazy year with all of that with the market being the way it is. So many times it felt like we were holding on for dear life and we still are. But we've embraced the challenges and we've sort of regrouped knowing that at the same time there are lots of opportunities out there. I'm just thankful for all that God has done and is doing in our lives. He always provides and He is always faithful.

Which reminds me, that I'm thankful for our new car. We got a family SUV in which, Evan's jogging stroller now fits in the back, along with a lot of other things. It's so exciting when you get a new car. I actually couldn't wait to go run errands. I'll even admit that I sat in the car for over an hour while it was parked in the garage reading the manual. Yes, I read the manuals... I don't know if many of you know this but I wrote user manuals for a short time in my life.

A Little Girl at the Party, Holding on to her Mommy

Photography Class Assignment

Cassie (far right) & her Friends

Naunt's Cake (I made)

Aa.

2007-09-23T18:40:00.000-07:00

I don't know how to phonetically spell Evan's favorite word, "Aa." He lifts his hand up high and says, "Aa".

Here are more pics of Evan at the park in Del Mar:

Matt turns...

2007-09-15T12:49:00.000-07:00

Should I even say how old? Technically he is still 35 until tomorrow but we celebrated a little early because one of his favorite bands was in town yesterday. A few months ago he had talked about going but I tried to convince him that it wouldn't be a good idea. Then he forgot all about it. But I didn't. I secretly bought tickets and surprised him.

What a blast! We had good seats and they put on an awesome show. The thing about Rascal Flatts is that they're the kind of band that you like 13 of 15 tracks on their album. Usually, its the other way around. You know... they'll have one or two big hits, some mediocre and some you just skip.

Sorry, no pics to show because I forgot my camera.

My Baby is One!!!

2007-09-02T12:22:00.001-07:00

When we were driving home from the hospital a year ago, this song was playing by Rascal Flatts and both Matt and I said, "This is our song for Evan." We had tears in our eyes.

My Wish
I hope the days come easy and the moments pass slow
And each road leads you where you want to go
And if you’re faced with the choice and you have to choose
I hope you choose the one that means the most to you
And if one door opens to another door closed
I hope you keep on walkin’ ‘til you find the window
If it’s cold outside, show the world the warmth of your smile
But more than anything, more than anything

My wish for you
Is that this life becomes all that you want it to
Your dreams stay big, your worries stay small
You never need to carry more than you can hold
And while you’re out there gettin’ where you’re gettin’ to
I hope you know somebody loves you
And wants the same things too
Yeah, this is my wish

I hope you never look back but you never forget
All the ones who love you And the place you left
I hope you always forgive and you never regret
And you help somebody every chance you get
Oh, you find God’s grace in every mistake
And always give more than you take
But more than anything, yeah more than anything

This is my wish
I hope you know somebody loves you
May all your dreams stay big

A Too Much Fun Summer Part Two

2007-08-27T18:52:00.001-07:00

So the day Jay, Rachel and Taylor left, Stephanie and Santiago flew in from Knoxville with thier little baby, Saigen Kai. It was our first time meeting Saigen too and he was such a little cutie and a good baby too. Steph and Santiago are always a blast and they're also very entreprenurial and full of vision and ideas. A lot like Matt and I, so we spent hours everyday just talking about businesses and investments. I know Matt and I were really encouraged by them. Stephanie was actually out here in part because she bought a Stroller Strides franchise, which is headquarted here in San Diego and so she had to go through training before her grand opeing on September 5th. They went ahead and made a vacation out of it and stayed for 10 days.

When they first got here, we talked about all the things we were gonna do and it seemed then like we would have plenty of time but the week went by so quickly. And we did do a lot. We hung out with friends, went to the beach several times and definitely got a surf session in at the shores. As I'm writing this I'm remembering how much fun we had and I wish they were still here. Actually, I shouldn't say that or they'll want to move back here again and they've got some stuff to do over there. God's blessings on Stroller Strides, Knoxville. Go, VOLS!!!

A Too Much Fun Summer - Part One

2007-08-23T15:45:00.000-07:00

This has been a busy month for us. Jason and Rachel flew in from Seatle to stay with us at the beginning of the month. We got to meet little baby Taylor for the first time. He was only three weeks old and he was sooo cute. It felt strange to hold a little newborn again. They grow so fast. Evan looked so big next to him. In about a year or two they will be little buddies. Anyway, Rachel's sister was getting married so they were busy going to wedding events, bachelorette party, rehearsal dinner, etc. But after that was all over we just hung out. We went to the beach and the bay and out to eat, of course. We were sad to say good-bye but they'll be back for her other sister's wedding in October. It will be nice to see them again. Especially Taylor, who Matt calls Taylor made.

Taylor

The gang at Extraordinary Desserts

A Toast to Six Years

2007-07-27T22:56:00.000-07:00

So today was our 6 year anniversary!

We took the baby to grandma and grandpas and we went surfing together. After hanging out at the beach awhile we went home to get ready and went out to dinner. It was the perfect ending too because when we came home we had a Fedex package waiting for us and it was our wedding album! Yes, 6 years later, we finally got it. And I didn't even plan for it to show up today... but maybe our photographer did. So, we sat and looked at it together.

I asked Matt if I was still the same dorky girl he fell inlove with oh so many years ago. I was laughing as I said it expecting him to say, "yeah" but he said, "no, you've actually matured a lot". I hadn't really thought about it but I thought back on when we first met and I have to admit... I think I have too. No one wants to change necessarily... "Don't never change, girl" (most overused yearbook saying). It means we've gotton old, or assumes we'll change for the worst... I forgot to ask him if I changed for the better. I think that's what he meant because I thought about how I used to be when we met I went from losing my keys everyday, missing freeway exits every other day, misplacing 10 pounds of meat enroute from Calexico to San Diego, finding moldy cheese in the backseat of my car and too many other stupid things to count. I'd like to tell a story about how Matt saw me walk into a room, my hair glistening in the light and it was love at first sight but that's not what happend...

I used to live at my aunt's house during the summers because it was near my summer job as a temp at UCSD. She always had foreign exchange students and I loved it because I got to make a lot of friends and so I would always plan for us to do fun things. On that particular day we were all going snorkeling at La Jolla Cove and one of the girls, Raquel (from Brazil) had met him and invited him to come. I dropped everyone off at the parking lot where he was waiting and I just didn't see where the dip thing was and went off the sidewalk curb. He said I just laughed and drove away. Then he said when i got back I practically skipped off the rocks and dove right in. He didn't think I was careful at all. For those of you who know Matt, he is quite a scardy cat. It cracks me up. He always lets me do things first. Like when we went on our honeymoon... lol! We went shark feeding and he says, "go ahead, babe, you go first." So much for my knight in Shining Armor!

Matt has matured a lot too. He has always been very entreprenurial and a hard worker. But he's just really come a long way. He still works hard but he mostly works smarter. He is just so much more responsible now.

I love each passing year. I look back and am so happy. I'm so blessed and I know who am thankful to for it all. And when I say, I'm happy, I don't mean that everything has been perfect but even in times of challenge the most important things remain. Love, health, peace. Thanks, Matt for being so wonderful. Thanks, God, for blessing me more than I could ask or think.

Anyway, I left my camera behind because I didn't want it to get stolen at the beach but here are pics of our day 6 years ago.

He is so handsome!

La Jolla Cove

2007-07-26T23:20:00.000-07:00

I love La Jolla Cove. Even though the waters don't compare to other places I've been, mainly, Tahiti, I still really enjoy coming here. I love taking my cousins and just seeing how excited they are to be here. It's one of those places that makes me love living in San Diego. And lets not forget this is where I met my would be husband, Matt. He thought I was a complete dork when showed up and drove off the curb. Who would have known then that tomorrow we would celebrate our 6-year anniversary.

My Practice Models

2007-07-23T00:04:00.001-07:00

Click to play | Make your own Smilebox

Just Playing with Photoshop

2007-07-11T00:06:00.001-07:00

This is my niece Talia, Roxy's youngest, who was visiting over Father's Day. What a sweetheart.

4th of July

2007-07-05T13:14:00.000-07:00

Lots of food as usual, volleyball, swimming, fireworks. Here are a few pics of our day at Coronado.

Evan actually kept his visor on

Me & Evan

Moriah & Lily

Damien

Anica, Due in Sept.

A Non-Celebrity, Celebrity Wedding

2007-07-03T12:53:00.000-07:00

All I can say is, "OH my Gosh!"

This weekend was my cousin Claudio's wedding and it was amazing! I knew it was going to be very nice but even "very nice" would be an understatement. It was just like one of those celebrity weddings you see on TV or in magazines. Every detail was arranged for, even shuttles to and from the hotel between the church and reception for the guests.

The first hour was coctail hour and open bar on the patio overlooking the golf course. I must have had under 10 tamarindo martini's during that time (with no alcohol). They are my favorite drink right now... that and mojitos. We were outside anticipating to be let in but none of us knew just how amazing it would be.

When they finally opend the doors I was litterally taken aback. It sat 500 people and white silk fabric draped to cover the entire interior. It was dimly lit with special effect lighting that illuminated the entire room in a pink glow. The tables and centerpeices also had lights shooting out of them. Some tables were clear class with light pillars holding them up. Other tables had tableclothes and others were made of glass and reflected all the light beautifully. There was a clear glass, floor to ceiling waterfall behind the bride and groom's table that was up on a pedastal above all the guests. The biggest dance floor I had ever seen and the best entertainment band to go with it. There were a number of different singers for different styles of music. And once the party got started it everyone rushed to the dance floor. The entertainers passed out balloons, beach balls, rattles, wigs, hawaiian lei's, and all kinds of stuff.

Everyone there kept commenting what a great wedding it was and what a good time they were having. I left fairly early, at midnight but I heard that it ended at 4am. I also missed the 2 a.m. 2nd round of food. Has anyone ever heard of such a thing?

What a lucky bride and groom. I'm so happy for Vero and Claudio. I hope they have a wonderful time on thier honeymoon in Cancun. From there they will fly to New York City where they will live.

I slept in the next day and later met up with relatives who were staying at the Marriott downtown. We hung out by the pool the rest of the afternoon before going to dinner in Little Italy with a party of 40! My brother, who had flown in Friday, the day before the wedding, had to catch the red-eye back to Florida just as we were finishing dinner on Sunday night. It all seemed like it went by so fast.

Yesterday, Monday, I met up with the relatives downtown again and today they were going to the zoo but I just had to take a day off. But its back to more fun tomorrow. It's 4th of July!

Costco, the Park, Sushi & Nacho

2007-06-25T23:42:00.000-07:00

Sunday was a beautiful day. After church, we came home and both Matt and Evan took naps while I ran over to Costco. I love going to Costco. I love weaving through the isles to see what's new. And of course, I love the samples! It's funny because suddenly all of these adults turn into little kids who can't wait their turn. As soon as the sample lady puts the food out everyone just grabs as fast as they can. Me included. Oh I pretend to be courteous but I'm really eyeing the biggest piece and am watching for cutters. I also love how Costco is now carrying all kinds of organic products. I buy the organic lettuce pack, free- range eggs, meats (when they have them), tapioca pudding, milk, butter. And these aren't organic but I buy diapers there. I also like walking through the TV isle. The downside is that I never get out of there for under $100. Even if all I went in to get was $30 worth. I end up coming out with books, some gadget and food I didn't intend to buy.

Anyway, when I got home we all went to the playground at Mission Bay so Evan could try the swings. He didn't like it at all. But he liked crawling around on the grass. He doesn't like the texture or the feeling of the grass on his skin but he likes to eat it. Our friends Lenny and Amy and their daughter Abby joined us and then we grabbed some sushi and watched Nacho Libre yet again at thier house. Oh yeah, and we also picked up some frozed yogurt at Golden Spoon.

Evan's Chewy Ball

Ice Cream Truck Breaks Down

Abby

Lenny & Amy

A Life is Born

2007-06-21T12:14:00.000-07:00

Hailey Marie Eriksson was born last night at 11:19 p.m. and I got to video tape the whole thing! What a sweetie. She weighed 5.2 pounds and was 18 inches long. She was early but she is doing fine. Shannon did awesome and now I can't wait for her to start enjoying her little girl. I'm so excited for them!

oh, my baby!

2007-06-20T00:45:00.000-07:00

He's getting soo BIG! I just love this stage he's in. Matt and I can't say it enough... He is SO cute! He turned 10 months today and it's bittersweet because it's nearing his 1 year birthday. I just can't beleive a whole year has gone by! And my baby won't be a blank-month-old anymore. You want to stop time but you can't.

I spend a lot of time with him but we're always out and about. We're always so busy I don't have time to write half of it on my blog. After the craze surrounding my cousin Estee's wedding, the following week started out busy as well with family in town. My cousin Roxy who I visited in Michigan just about a month ago was here and everyday I had something to do. Then it was Father's Day followed by my mother-in-laws birthday. This weekend is Shannon's baby shower and next weekend is my other cousin Clay's wedding. My brother will be in town for just a two quick days. I keep thinking things will settle down but they never do.

Anyway, I am excited about summer. I love the beach. Which reminds me, we took Evan to the beach for the first time the other day. He had just woken up from a nap though but he was still very intrigued and was very observant.

GOLF on Father's Day

2007-06-17T15:54:00.000-07:00

Can you believe golf is on all day?

Today is Father's Day and Matt has been watching golf all day. It's his day but if it were me, I'd be out enjoying the sunshine.

My father-in-law did suggest going out but Father's Day is only 1 day of the year. And today is Matt's very first Father's Day! So I just want him to enjoy his day however he wants. He's taking a nap now, so I'm blogging.

Afterward, we're going to my aunt Marta and uncle Bob's house to spend the other half of the day with my dad. My cousins and thier kids are there too.

Wedding Day Bliss

2007-06-13T21:46:00.000-07:00

Going to weddings makes me want to go back to my wedding day. Well maybe not the day of... but the day after, when we left for our honeymoon. And definately not the day before, when you're anxious and nervous and feel like you needed more time to tie all the loose ends.

Weddings are actually quite stressful for the bride and groom. There are timelines to meet all day. Hair and makeup appointments, get to the church on time, rush through pictures to get to the reception, to get introduced as Mr and Mrs., to dance the first dance, to greet all the guests, to cut the cake, to toss the bouquet. And inevitably not everything goes according to plan. The DJ's car breaks down and is late to the reception, or the photographer goes to the wrong place.

It's really all the guests who enjoy the wedding. They eat, dance, laugh at the relative who had a little too much to drink. And every wedding has one of these... the funny dancer who has no idea he's the funny dancer.

I got to enjoy a little bit of what the guests enjoyed since I was one of them. But as the matron of honor I was there for my cousin Estee throughout her day and I was also reminded of how stressful that day can be. After the church and pictures they were running about an hour behind "schedule". Her photographer made it but the DJ called during the ceremony and told me he had broken down and was being towed to the car shop. So he sent another DJ two hours late! Then he didn't have thier song for the first dance. The grooms parents got lost on their way to the reception. The bride got sick.

You might think this sounds horrible, but anyone who has ever had a wedding can relate. In reality the wedding was wonderful. And no one probably noticed any of those details that the bride had spent months planning. First of all, she looked beautiful. The ceremony was meaningful and quite short. The reception was stunning. It was at a private clubhouse, Spanish in architecture with a fountain and a beautiful rod iron gate at the entrance. Two fireplaces flanking the dance floor on either side. Candles and flowers on the tables. They danced to "Sabor A Mi" and no one knew it wasn't "their song". It was a fun crowd on the dance floor and I really had a good time. When Estee and Cookie left we all line up on two sides and lit up those firecracker sticks and they ran out waving good-bye.

I don't have any wedding pictures yet, but here are a few of their engagement pictures.

Lost My Voice

2007-06-03T19:29:00.000-07:00

I feel so weird not being able to talk! It started Friday night. We went out to dinner at Cafe Sevilla downtown for my cousin Estee's bachelorette party. My throat started feeling a little funny and got progressively worse as the night progressed. I ordered too much food and a virgin mojito but I don't think that had anything to do with it. I did talk a lot but I also don't think that had anything to do with it either. And I'm not sick. I feel perfectly fine. But when I blurt something out, something horrible comes out. I wish I could describe it as raspy and seductive but its more like a sea lion's. I can feel the strain in my vocal cords .

Anyway, I had a really good time at Estee's bachelorette party. After dinner she had a sleepover at my cousin Nicole's apartment not far from my house. I stayed pretty late but didn't spend the night since I'm a married woman with a baby now. But we played games and talked all night... maybe that was it. Still, no, I don't think so.

So Estee gets married on Friday and I'm the Matron of Honor. I'm really excited for her but I'm not looking forward to doing the speech. I've been trying to think of the perfect toast and that is a lot of pressure. We've known each other our whole lives and I feel like I just have a short moment to sum all of that up into two minutes. That and the pressure to be somewhat entertaining to all the guests.

And lets not forget, a sea lion disguised in a red dress! VOICE, Come BACK!

Babyproof

2007-05-31T21:49:00.000-07:00

Oh, the joys of a crawling baby! I love this stage! I've loved every stage but when I look back I'm really liking this stage. The more he does the more I think he just gets cuter and cuter. He gets more expressive and he is able to do more and more things. I love watching him struggle as he figures out how to get into things. I had bought him a set of books and they are still wrapped and he will just sit there for quite a long time and try to open it. I can hear him grunting as he turns it in every direction and chew on it, he'll hold it one way and then another. I love the look of concentration. He has that look when he plays with his favorite toy, a waterbottle. That will keep him busy for a very long time. Which reminds me... I also love his busy look. He will be fully engaged in conversation, or should I say, babble, with us and all of a sudden he gets really quiet and looks like he's really working on something. We try to get his attention but nothing will do, and we just know, "He's very busy".

So now that he is crawling everywhere I had to babyproof the house, which turned into a major spring cleaning. I must say, it took me a few weeks! And we're still not done I still need to put those clamps on the cabinets. I feel at ease though that there's nothing laying around that could really hurt him. But not even the best babyproofing will keep him away from everything. He does have pen writing on his kneck and face right now. Whether that was mine or Matt's fault we are both much more aware of keeping things clear. I make sure I put my bobby pins where they belong after washing my face. We don't leave scissors or screwdrivers lying around.

First Foods

2007-05-31T21:42:00.000-07:00

I finally decided to start Evan on real food! Just about a week before he turned 9 months I gave him banana and avocado mashed. He was quite interested in grabbing the spoon and putting it in his mouth. I haven't been consistant about feeding him real food though. I want to make sure he gets the best nutrition and mother's milk is supposed to be just that. Plus its way easier not to worry about packing food for him and all the extras, like a spoon and a bib on top of all the other things in his diaper bag.

My goal is to make most of his baby food myself and to keep him away from junk food for as long as possible. This means I have to eat better too!

The Perfect Day

2007-05-22T13:19:00.001-07:00

Do you ever have one of those perfect days, where everything seems picture perfect and it just makes you think how great life is? Sunday was that day for me. There was nothing grand about it. In fact, it was a simple day. We woke up with baby by our side. He was all smiles (as usual) when he woke up and we played happy family until about 8:30. Then we started to get ready for church. We weren't rushed, we didn't get frustrated with each other, we didn't forget our Bible, we didn't skip our protein shakes and we were on time! We found a parking spot with no problems, we found perfect seats in the back where Matt likes to sit. The message was encouraging. Then we came home. Baby took a long nap. Matt watched golf and I did a little shopping and found everything I was looking for. Family had come to town so we visited with them at my in-laws and went to The Prado at Balboa Park for dinner. The park was beautiful. I started with a mojito that was just right, sugar and lime with the perfect infusion of mint. I tried a new dish and liked it and finished it off with a Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Flan. mmm... And baby was sooo good all day. Everyone commented. Then we came home and played with baby in bed for a little bit, put him in his crib and then Matt and I cuddled and we went to bed early.

Then Monday came and I thought about how perfect Sunday had been.

8-Month Milestones

2007-05-17T21:44:00.000-07:00

It looks like 8 months was a big month for little Evan. This month was full of firsts for him and we had so much fun watching. He finally started crawling... and I mean finally not because I was in any hurry, but it seemed like he was going to start at 6 months. That's when he was on all fours. I really didn't want him to crawl too early because it gave me peace of mind to know that if I set him somewhere, he wasn't going to go anywhere. But after seeing how frustrated he was becoming by his attempts to go forward only to go backwards, I started to feel for the little guy.

Then, the day after we got back from Michigan I noticed he had a tooth coming in. The bottom right. No wonder he had been so fussy the past few days.

So after his first big conquest of mobility, he quickly graduated to standing up. As long as he has something to hold on to, he pulls himself right up. Needless to say, I cannot leave him for a second now and babyproofing is way overdue! He has put so many things in his mouth. And here Matt was so worried about people passing on germs... If he only knew all the things that have gone into his mouth.

Ahhhh (sigh). But its a joy. Really, I'm not being sarcastic. I love having a little baby. Listening to him babble and laugh. Its the greatest.

2007-05-02T18:49:00.000-07:00

I was sad to leave but it was also good to be home. Evan and I went to visit my cousin, Roxy, in Michigan for a week. It was great spending time with her family and getting to know all 8 kids. Yep, 8! I can't even begin to describe them. They are all such wonderful kids and I'm really amazed at how well they behave and interact with each other.

Jazmin, the oldest, is very outgoing, has a lot of talent and is beautiful. Not only that, she has such a pure heart. Most 16-year-old teenagers are annoyed by younger siblings but she plays with them and helps her mom out with them as well.

The 13-year-old reminds me a little of my brother. He's good at sports but he is really humble. Him and Isaiah, 10, are best buds and they're like little grown men who help thier dad chop wood and help thier mom carry heavy things. They also help clear the table and sweep up the floor after dinner.

Jared is really funny. He's the one that stuck a grape up his nose and couldn't get it out because he had shoved it up too far. He cracks everybody up. You can just see he is so full of life and you just don't know what he's going to do next.

Nathan, who is 6, not only looks just like his dad, he also has the same personality. He's a self-starter who wants to know the task at hand so he can quickly finish it. Levi on the other hand, who will be turning 5 in just a few days, puts off his chores as long as he can. He is the typical kid, full of questions and can't wait to play. He's actually quite smart and really beat me at the memory game. Which proves what I poor memory I have even a 4 year old can beat me.

And then there is Bella... What can I say about Bella? I say, "She is sooo cute!" a hundred times a day. She's a beauty, but she also has the cutest little personality. She flutters around keeping herself busy. Its funny when she acts like a miniuture mommy. She's full of expression and she just cracks me up.

The youngest is almost 4 months and her name is Natalia but we all call her Talia. She is soo sweet and tender but poor baby she cried a lot until she got back on her schedule. As soon as I got there we were off and busy.

Nick & Kali's Wedding

2007-04-15T23:52:00.000-07:00

It's unbelievable but my aunt Judy and uncle Oscar's two oldest kids are getting married within months of each other. Estee, who is the eldest gets married in June and Nick got married on March 30th. He married, Kali, who I just love. It's kind of funny because Nick, Mr. Cool Guy, always thought Estee and I were so dorky and here he falls in love with Kali who is quite dorky herself.

It's kind of a long story but essentially, my aunt and uncle had taken her and her son, Damien into their home to help her out. Our whole family fell in love with Damien, who was 3 at the time and just sooo cute. He would call my aunt, "Nana Judy", and my uncle, "Tata O". So it's ironic how that worked out because now, they really became his nana and tata. And you know it really feels like they were meant to be a part of our family. Do you ever feel that way about someone?

Well, the wedding was beautiful. After the church ceremony, the reception was held in my aunt and uncle's backyard and it held about 150 guests. For those of you who don't know, they have a beautiful garden that was actually featured in Home & Garden magazine. There was a fountain in the middle of the pool and the buffet was in the gazebo. Nick and Kali were so happy and we were all so happy for them. Kali was beautiful of course.

A Wedding and Three to Come

2007-03-20T23:19:00.000-07:00

My childhood friend and cousin got married a few days ago, on March 10th. It was nice to be there on her special day and it brought back so many memories for me. When we were little we used to plan our lives together... how we would go to college together and we would be roomates at a beach house. We planned on having babies at the same time and we didn't even mind marrying the same guy. LOL. We always wanted to dress the same, go to the same school, be hide-and-go-seek partners. We were inseperable.

It's funny to see how differently life turned out. Not in a bad way, just in our own way.

I think that this has happened to many of us - more than once even. It makes me a little sad when I think about all the friendships that have come and gone. But life takes us to different places and even though we lose touch, I am grateful for the special times we did share together. And when you see them, there's a comfort, as if you were never apart.

Anyway, Cylvia married a fun-loving, uuber friendly guy who makes her happy and I was glad to be there for her on that day.

I've got three more weddings to go to which I'm very excited about because they are also very close to my heart but I'll write about them later (when they happen).

Java Mama & Heaven's Gate

2007-03-06T22:31:00.000-08:00

Ah, I finally feel like we're not so busy. In fact, I have nothing to write about. For a while there, I was feeling like a needed a planner just to keep up with myself. But when I think about what I was busy doing I can't remember.

I'm still doing a lot of things and am pretty active but I feel more settled now. Today, Evan and I went to a mommy bicep class. There is this new cafe called Java Mama that is tailored for moms and kids. They have a play area and a kid friendly menu complete with baby food and other treats. They also have a schedule of music and exercise classes. So we tried one out and Evan really liked it. But Evan really likes anything. He's a really good baby. Afterward, I stayed to chat with the moms awhile.
This past weekend we went to the Home and Garden Show and walked around with grandma and grandpa Lee. Afterward, we went to tour one of the homes they're working on... Heaven's Gate. Creepy, right? For those of you who don't remember, this was the cult that was going to ride the comet to heaven and all commited suicide.

One of the builders they work with bought that property and knocked it down and built a 10,000 square foot house that will be selling for around $10Mil. It was beautiful but I think I would still be creeped out. Wouldn't you?

Good-Bye Uncle Chuck

2007-02-16T00:36:00.000-08:00

My brother leaves for Spring Training today. I'm bummed he's leaving because there will be no one to wipe up the counters, wash the dishes and clean up around here! I'm kidding.

It's always fun when he's here. And it always seems like I just picked him up before I'm driving him back to the airport again.

My brother and I have always gotten along really well. Even while we were growing up. And I just think the world of him.

He lives with us 6 months out of the year and then he plays minor league ball the other half. Even though we miss him when he's gone, we're excited for him because we know that he has a once in a lifetime opportunity. What a lucky guy.

When he is here, the simple things seem funner. Like cooking the "perfect" meal, going to Target or watching one of our shows (The Office, ReDesign, Samantha Brown). He and Matt make fun of each other constantly and I'm simply entertained.

Evan loves his uncle Chuck. He just has a way with kids. Evan will just hang out with him in his room. Carlo puts Evan on his lap and lets him ride like a motorcycle. He also holds him up in the air and swings him side to side on a pillow.

Next time Evan sees Carlo he will be a year old. We will have our webcams but it won't be the same. So hopefully we'll get to go visit him in New Hampshire.

Evan at 2 months

Evan at 4 months

Evan at 5 months

Makeover Your Body Contest

2007-02-14T22:48:00.000-08:00

Matt and I entered a fitness contest along with some friends. We went in and got our body fat and lean muscle mass measured. As you would imagine, the winner is the person who loses the most fat and gains the most muscle. I officially started today and Matt started last week... So far, I think Matt has the contest terms backwards. On Day One, he stuck with it. On Day Two, he went to the Barona Casino buffet. Should I go on?

Quite honestly, he's not doing too horrible. And I shouldn't talk quite so early... I'm only on Day One. Who knows how long I can go without chocolate and ice cream.

So to help my chances, I ordered a rebounder online and the plan is to use that for 15 minutes first thing in the morning next to Evan in his exersaucer. He'll probably think I'm trying to play alongside him. Then I'll eat breakfast and do 100 push-ups and 100 situps throughout the day. I'll go on walks with Evan and push his stroller with my rollerblades at Mission Bay or Miramar Lake. I also upped my pilates sessions to twice a week and Genevieve, my trainer is not taking it easy on me. She loves this new challenge.

Even if I don't win, there should be some improvement and that will be a nice reward.

I'm not posting before and after pics but here are some pics of baby, ofcourse and my nephew, Damien. He came over to spend the night and he was my model for today. He also got to hang out with Carlo who took him to hit some balls at our neighborhood park.

So Many Pictures of Him

2007-02-09T22:32:00.000-08:00

We have so many pictures of our little Guy. We cannot savour every moment any more than we do. We really make it a point to cuddle with him, play with him, just be with him... study all of his features, smell him. Every little thing he does, however small deserves our applause. The way he curls his toes. The way he looks at his hands. The way he stuffs his foot in his mouth. The way he pouts his lips.

And no matter how much we try to savour every moment, time still escapes us and Evan is getting so big so quickly.

I love being a mom. Evan and I went to baby gym and we also joined a playgroup. We go on walks around the nieghborhood (and at the mall). I like to spend time in the bookstore leafing through magazines and skimming through books (that I'll later buy on amazon.com). Now that Evan is here I find a spot to sit in the childrens section and he is entertained just looking at his fellow little people. I end up making friends with the other parents. I don't think I've ever met as many people as I have since being pregnant and being a mom. You can strike up a converstaion with just about anyone. And I find all kinds of interesting people... although, I did get in trouble from Matt for being friendly with the waiter last night. I promise, I wasn't flirting. The waiter happened to be from Iran so I was asking him questions about the people there. Anyway, it turns out he is studying photography here and I recently took that up as a hobby so I was really interested in this class he was telling me about.

I've taken up a lot of hobbies lately. I've always enjoyed photography but was in a hurry to graduate and didn't want to take classes I wasn't getting credit for. But after paying a professional photographer to take newborn pictures of Evan (which I cannot even post online for copyright infringement) I decided to invest in a professional camera of my own and Photoshop CS2. Believe it or not, I also took up scrapbooking, which is a very mom thing to do. But I really enjoy it. I get together with my girlfriends and catch up.

You'll probably see a lot of practice pics on my blog from now on... bare with me.

Weekend in the Snow

2007-02-05T15:23:00.000-08:00

We spent the weekend in Big Bear and came home just in time for the Super Bowl yesterday. We've been going to Big Bear Lake every winter for as long as I can remember. Big Bear Lake, for you non-Californians is our winter resort town... about 3 hours from San Diego. We would rent a huge cabin and all of my aunts and uncles and cousins would go. Well, a few years ago, my aunt Judy and uncle Oscar bought a cabin and now we go up to Big Bear a lot more often. We usually do some skiing and try to find a spot for sledding. During summer, we do watersports on the lake.

Although I love to ski, what I like most about going to Big Bear is hanging out at the cabin with my family who constantly make fun of each other. We play board games. Boulderdash is a fav... we always know Matt's answers because he is too hilarious and he always has to write about West African aardvarks or champion mote swimmers.

I don't mind the food either. Aunt Judy loves to cook up a feast and so we always eat more than we should. But hey, we're on vacation and calories don't count at that elevation or when you're having too much fun. Monster Bagels, Rasberry French Toast, Hot Cocoa with extra extra whipped cream! Matt goes crazy on all the snack food as you could imagine. He's a big hit with my family because he's easy to make fun of in the eating arena. Last time we went he put away a whole family size of pudding snack packs. He won't ever live that down.

As with everything, this was baby's first trip to the snow but there isn't much to tell about that since he didn't get to do much. He just hung out and looked cute. My cousins and I, we all went to a sledding place nearby and we tried to be creative about the way we would come down. We would all come down together in a train or a circle holding on to each others arms and locking our feet. You had to be there.

I don't know why we all hurried back for the superbowl. We fell asleep. Does anyone know who won? Just kidding. The Chargers weren't playing so it didn't matter.

New Years At Disneyland

2007-01-28T23:51:00.000-08:00

We celebrated New Years at Disneyland this year. Can you believe Evan already went to Disneyland? We wanted to do something fun but didn't want to have to drive home so we booked a hotel and joined up with my uncle oscar, his family and some friends.

We had so much fun and Evan did great. We stuck him in his backpack carrier, he rode in his stroller and he was carried around by all of us. He was entertained by all the people and the lights. Especially the firework show and "It's a Small World".

Disneyland was beautifully lit with Christmas decor and they had a spectacular firework show. We were really impressed and would definitly do it again.

Uncle Oscar and Family

Me & Evan

Tia Tati

Uncle "O" & Mark

It's a Bugs Life

A Little About Christmas

2007-01-09T22:17:00.000-08:00

We are well into the new year and we're still busy as ever. We had an awsome Christmas. We spent Christmas Eve with my side of the family and Christmas Day with Matt's family. It works out well for us because both sets of parents are in town.

My parents, all of my aunts, uncles and cousins were at my grandmothers Christmas Eve. It was extra special because it was Evan's first Christmas and extra fun for me because I got to open all of his presents. He got so much stuff, thanks to all of his aunties and uncles who are spoiling him already. It was baby Vicente and Exavier's first Christmas too. They are Evan's cousins (two of my cousins also had babies this year). The next round of babies are filling the Famania household. My cousin Knettie, who was the first to pop one out (X-baby) is pregnant again, so there will be 5 great-grankids now. And with everyone growing up and getting married there will be lots of kids running around during the holidays and family get-togethers. Ahhh! I can't wait. It will be just like I remember when I was a kid.

Anyway, we got home pretty late and slept in the next morning before getting ready to go to Grandma and Grandpa Lee's house. We exchanged gifts there and Evan got more presents there too. He has no idea of course but again it was fun for me and daddy. Shortly after, the rest of the family came and we did some eating. I'm really excited because Nick and Shannon (Matt's cousin) are expecting a baby this summer. Evan and baby Eriksson will be pretty close.

We had a nice time. And now it's time to start all over and before you know it, it will be Christmas once again.

Me and Evan by our Tree

Evan in His Chair

Christmas Tree Shopping

He wore this Hat all Month

A Year in Review

2006-12-18T00:11:00.000-08:00

I'm just so overwhelmed thinking about 2006 and what a wonderful year it was. During this time last year, our lives were about to change... that's when we found out we were going to have a baby! I had a couple of rough months in the beginning because I was super nauseous but then it turned out to be a really easy pregnancy. I felt great, and had tons of energy. I did pilates, laid out in my bikini up until 9 months and even took a whirlwind trip to Europe with my buny at 5 months. Matt was lucky I was pregnant. He'll tell you, he could barely keep up with me. I'm so glad we took that trip. I still think about our trip a lot. I'll just be laying in bed and I will think about it. We had the time of our lives.

I feel like I'm always having the time of my life though. Even doing the simplest of things. Perhaps for most, my life is nothing too exciting, but for me, I feel like life is great and I love living it. Most of all, I'm thankful for my family and our friends. I'm thankful for the beautiful places I've gotten to visit: all around the country, Tahiti, Brazil, Canada, and our recent European vacation. Oh yeah, and Mexico. I'm thankful that this year, Matt and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary. We also met our 5 year goals that we had set when we were first married. That was really exciting for us and it was a humbling experience because we know that we couldn't have done it without God in our lives. And to think that there is still so much of life to live, so much to look forward to. Starting our family. New things. Great things. Life is good and then some.