So Cal heats up for SUMMER FUN!!!!!

Yes, we are feeling the heat here in So Cal and the pool has been set up and the kiddies and ourselves are enjpying every minute of it! We splurged this year and got a little bit bigger pool for the family. We need to be able to cool off this heat we're going to experience. the kids absolutely LOVE it and I do too! The kids are doing so great and preparing to end this years school period. J will be going into the 4th grade GATE program. (He is my smart BOY!) and K will be entering her 1st grade school year with ALL advanced marks n her report cards. Vanessa is entering her SENIOR year and I am so PROUD of her progress from the last report card. Becca continues to soar, covering her regular job at Stater Bros, going to RCC College part time and her Modeling school courses on the weekends! I am so prud of her. She has taped her first TV show on TEEN NICK. 'The Teen Nick Show' With Hillary Duff, it was sooooo cool to see her on TV!

Eric started a second job for extra money and is doing great with it! This place LOVES him! It is a roadside assistance program and he got his BlackBerry and everything. He loves it and feels like he is on top of the world. He has only been doing this for 2 weeks and the supervisor already wants to move him up in the company, which to me is awesome! We are in the process of re-financing and need all the extra money we can get right now so this is a great opportunity for us! Here are some pics of the kids enjoying the pool and one of ME with My oldest , Becca (on right of screen) and one her best friends, Destiny (on left of screen

Penny & Jay----This pic is for you guys! I love and miss you guys and here is a picture OF ME!!!! You have been asking for one with me in it and here it is just for you!!!!! Karl says

HELLO and he misses you too!

oh my.....I finally did it...............

She is so excited! what do ya'll think??? Yeah, It darn near killed me to chop it off but she really wanted it done! And remember...... IT WILL GROW BACK,,,,,, SHE IS ONLY 5!

We are going to donate her 12 inches of braid to the Locks Of Love Hair donation center which is what she wants to do! She also claims that when it grows again, she wants to do the same thing..... Cut it and donate it! I am so proud of her for her reasoning's and even though I had a hard time doing this...... I know that she is much more comfortable and happy!

Tonight she took a bath and insisted upon washing and brushing her own hair, which she was ABLE to do this time......She looks so much older........I feel like I'm losing my last baby girl!!!

UPDATES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

JEREMY HAD HIS SCRIPT PERFORMANCE AT OPEN HOUSE LAST THURS. HE DID SO GOOD! HE SCRIPTED A PERFORMANCE OF MATTHEW GAGE, WHO IS A FAMOUS

EDUCATOR OF OUR COUNTY. HE DRESSED UP AND LOOKED SO HANSOME, AND DID A WONDERFUL JOB DURING OPEN HOUSE! WE AE SO PROUD OF HIM!!!!!!!!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHLOEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SAT WAS J & K'S YOUNGER SISTERS BIRTHDAY PARTY. WE WENT FOR FUN AND

VISITING! THE KIDS HAD FUN AND WE ENJOYED CHIT-CHATING WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY. HERE ARE SOME PICS FROM SAT. KAYLEE WITH CHLOEE AND THEN THEIR YOUNGEST BROTHER, BABY TRAVIS..... HE IS SO DORABLE AND SUCH A GOOD, HAPPY BABY!

......HAPPY EASTER.......

WE HUNG OUT AND THE KIDDIES WENT THROUGH THEIR BASKETS EARLY IN THE MORNING AND WE DYED EGGS AND HAD AN EGG HUNT LATER IN THE DAY. I MADE A HAM AND SCALLOPED POTATOS AND STUFF AND EVERYONE FILLED UP ON GOOD FOOD AND CANDY, OF COURSE!!!!!!!!!!!!

UPDATES.......

K HAD A BIG PROJECT DUE THIS LAST WEEK. SHE HAD TO BUILD 'HER TOWN'. WE HAD TO SHOW WHERE CERTAIN PLACES WERE LIKE THE HOSPITAL, POLICE STATION, FIRE STATION, HER SCHOOL, HOUSE, GROCERY STORE, THE PARK, ETC. SHE REALLY HAD FUN WITH THIS. THIS WAS HER FIRST REAL BIG PROJECT EVER. AND THIS IS FOR KINDERGARTEN. WE USED SUGAR CUBES FOR SOM EBUILDINGS AND SHE PAINTED THEM. FOR OTHER BUILDING WE USED CARD STOCK AND STUFF. I MADE TREES OUT OF SKEWERS AND SOME MOSS AND HOT GLUE. V HELPED OUT BY ASSTISTING HER WITH THE PARK WHICH FEATURED SWINGS, SLIDE AND A PICNIC BENCH. WE ALL HAD FUN WITH THIS ONE AND SHE HAS TO DO HER PRESENTATION THIS WEEK IN FRONT OF THE CLASS EXPLAINING WHAT EACH THING IS.

SUN WE TOOK THE KIDS TO CASTLE PARK FOR A FEW HOURS. THEIR DAD AND I WENT IN HALVES AND BOUGHT THEM AN ANNUAL PASS FOR GETTING EXCELLENT REPORT CARDS. YEAH!!!!!!!!! E STAYED HOME AND DID SOME LAUNDRY AND ENJOYED SOME QUIET TIME, I'M SURE! THEY WENT A ON A BUNCH OF RIDES AND WE ALL PLAYED A GAME OF MINITURE GOLF. THEY HAD A LOT OF FUN! WE GOT HOME A LITTLE WHILE AGO AND THEY HAD SHOWERS AND I BELEIVE THEY ARE BOTH ALREADY ASLEEP. THAT TIRED THEM OUT! ANYWAYS, IHOPE ALL ARE DOING WELL. I HAVE BEEN SO BUSY LATELY AT WORK THAT I HAVEN'T HAD THE EXTRA ENERGY TO DO MUCH MORE. ONE MORE WEEK AND THEN I WILL BE OFF FOR SPRING BREAK WITH THE KIDS, SO HOPEFULLY I'LL GET SOME MUCH NEEDED REST AND RELAXATION!!!

HERE ARE SOME PICS OF THEKIDS HAVING FUN WITH THEIR DAD AT CASTLE PARK!

Kaylee's Dance Recital......

Saturday was K's dance recital. It was so cute! Very busy for me as I was a helper backstage and things got very hectic at times. I picked up one of K's friends, Madison from one of her dance classes and got them both ready at the same time Sat morning. Her mom, Lise got there a while later and she watched the first show with her family and then helped backstage during the 2nd show. They had 2 shows cause the first show sold out so we had a show at 1pm and another at 6pm. WHEW!!!!!!!!!! What a LONG EXHAUSTING day we had. Each show was 3 and a half hours long with a 20 minute intermission. After the first show ended we had about 1 hour for a break then back to the show we went. K had a lot of family come to see her and she was so excited. I still cannot believe that these girls lasted the whole day. I stayed backstage for the entire first show and assisted with 4-5 girls, making sure their make-up was touched up and costumes were changed accordingly. I was having fun too although it was tiring. All of our family came to the 6 o'clock show so by this time I was pooped. The girls were still going though. K had two different dacne performances and then their class finale so she had a total of 3 outfit changes. She loved every minute of it and she did so good for her first time on stage in front of a huge audience. I went into the 2nd show and watched K's 2 performances and then went backstage again to assist with Lise, Madison's mom with the rest of the girls. By this time, the girls were getting a bit crazy and we had to try our best to keep them calm and get ready for their last finale. We walked them out behind the curtain for their last finale and then they were finally DONE! It was so neat and the girls really had a good time. I'm a little disapointed that I did not get more pictures while backstage, but we were really busy, so here are a few pics from our day. I did get her performances on video though, so that's good! Here is K and Madison and then K in one of her costumes an one of her holding her roses she got Aunt Melissa and Uncle James!!!!!

Hope you all had a good weekend.....Back to the grind tomorrow.....

Last weekend, our neighbor gave the kids a ride on his Harley. K was so scared at first but after she watched J go for a ride, she did too! Of course, I had to snap a picture of them on it!

updates....

well, hello all.....seems like I haven't blogged or updated in forever. For starters....my surgery went well. I had a lot of pain from the anesthesia this time as well as pain from the actual surgery. For about 3 days afterwards I had pain in my shoulders and chest which the nurse said I may have. I guess it it usual in some patients. I was under for about 1 and 1/2 hours during the procedure which is alot longer than the last procedure they did. It has been about a week and a half now and I am feeling much better. I have to go back to work tomorrow and I know I amgoing to be bombarded with stuff. Oh Well, I've already told myself, I'm just gonna take it easy and get through the day. I will know more about the outcome of this procedure in about two weeks, so I'll keep ya'll informed. I'm stitched up from the inside and glued on the outside so I don't have any nasty dressings or anything, just some discomfort in the area. Can't do any lifting or major stuff til after my follow up early next week. My doc is sure that this is really going to help me so we'll wait and see!



In other news...... Becca got another call from a very well known modeling agency.... John Casasblancas and we called them back this time. ( if you click on john casasblancas, it will take you to their website) She went down for an interview and audition and she got got a call back the very next day. This is a modeling and acting school with a very high profile reputation. She has REALLY wanted to have the opportunity to do this for a while now and she is getting her chance. She will be attending modeling classes every other Sat and continuing her classes she is taking during her 2nd semester of COLLEGE. And she is still working at Staters. So she is a very busy 18 year old!!!! I am so proud of her and I am so thrilled that she is going to get a chance to live out her dreams, which is something I never had the chance to do at her age as I already had two kids. Of course, there is money involved and we had to put down a pretty healthy down payment and now we are going to try to raise some money to help pay for the rest. We are having a big car wash this next weekend and I will be sending out flyers via email to everyone we know. So please check your emails for info. I really believe that this opportunity should not be passed up and her coach at this modeling school has rated her a VERY HIGH B+ and told us that she has BIG potential and really believes that she is going to get something out of this. So please, if you're interested in helping, let me know and we will greatly appreciate it!

Here are some pics of her befoer she went to her audition, which she had to dress business-like and in heels. I think she looks adorable!!!! There's also a pic of her with her boyfriend, Josh....

Angel's FAN FEST.....

Saturday was Angels Baseball Fan Fest Event at Angels Stadium. Eric and J & K's dad took the kids and Jeremy's BF Donovan. They had a BLAST!!! E was like a little kid getting to meet and greet players and shake hands with the Angels owner! The kids got to meet players and pitching coaches and got a chance to learn some information about baseball and the Angels! They got their faces painted, went on some rides and filled up on snacks and of course, funnel cakes! There were obstacle courses and they got to meet a REAL ralley monkey as you can see in the photos below.

Eric's HUGE highlight of the whole day was getting a picture with Mike Soicia and Garret Anderson which id the bottom picture!!!!!! He was so excited!!!!

I stayed home and relaxed, did laundry and went over to Heathers in the evening to visit with her and the boys! It was nice! Friday is my surgery and I'll be off work for a week after that so I'll try to keep everyone updated!

HOPE YOU ALL HAD A GOOD WEEKEND!!!

News...............

Well, I - WE have been sick.....Eric and I both had it bad last week and Im so glad that I am finally feeling better. This ucky flu and congestion absolutely sucks! Then Thurs night, after I finally tried to eat some real food, I got voliently ill and puked my guts out. This of course made my heart rate go up and let me tell you,. it was pounding and would not slow down. I ended up at urgent care and they did an EKG and a chest x-ray. My heart rate was still a bit high and now I have to see my reg DR tomorrow and get a referral to a cardioligist to have some tests done. Hopefully this will not interfere with my already scheduled surgery which is for Feb 16 - to have a procedure called Novasure and and have my tubes tied: Here is some info on this newer type of procedure that will hopefully end my monthlys and ree me me from agony an pain:

What is the procedure like?
The application of energy is intended to permanently remove the endometrium (lining of the uterus), to reduce or eliminate future bleeding. Here's a look at how the procedure is performed:

Your doctor will slightly dilate your cervix and insert a slender wand through the cervix into the uterus.

The doctor then extends the triangular mesh device through the wand where it expands to conform to the dimensions of your uterine cavity.

Electrical energy is then delivered into the uterus on average for approximately 90 seconds.

The triangular mesh device is then retracted back into the wand and removed from the uterus.

(you can read more about this at NovaSure.com)

(I really hope that this will work!, it sounds good and my Dr who is a specialist, has convinced me)

I'm a little worried that if they don't have a concluse answer about my heart rate, that they will not want to do the surgery. So I am keeping my thoughts up and hoping for the best...

IN OTHER NEWS: Here's K and V posing for the camera his last weekend! K is so excited because her dance recital is coming up in March, so she has been busy...busy... learning and practicing her routines! And V is being sexy in her pics!!!!!

Also: I am doggie-sitting for a few days or a friend and karl the little Cocker is not being nice....I had to put him in the garage for a little while cause he was trying to attack him. Like he would have a chance with this big ole dog Blue! Lexi and Blue get along fine but Blue hadn't met Karl before this afternoon and they had their little run and now they are doing ok! I will be sleeping in the family room on my second bed (the couch) like I do alot anyways and keeping an ear and eye on them. They will be alright, they just had to get used to each other a little while!

Karl is our cocker and Blue is the bigger doggie! Although, right now Karl is on Blue comforter that his dad brought for him and he's not liking that too well! But hten again, Blue is on the couch, (my bed) so they'll have to be getting to their own dog beds real soon!!!!!

weekend stuff............

~This is becca's beau playing' Dance, Dance, Revolution with them! He is such a cutie!!!

~here is Kaylee ready for T-ball for th first time~!

~ she has been practicing with her bro and friend!~

~kids playin throughout the weekend! Jeremy, Kaylee and BF Don!~

~J reading to little sis, K---James and The Giant Peach!!!!

They are too cute!!!!!!!!

HOPE YOU ALL HAD A GREAT WEEKEND AND I'M NOW PREPARING MYSELF FOR A BRAND NEW WEEK!!!!!!!!!!!

***********HAPPY BIRTHDAY AARON***********

A BIG BIRTHDAY SHOUT OUT TO A VERY GOOD FRIEND OF MINE THAT I HAVE KNOWN SINCE I WAS BORN-

(CUZ HE'S OLDER THAN ME---HEHEHE!)

LITERALLY, his parents and my parents were best friends and hung out together in their younger years.... Aaron and I are not even 1 year apart so we have always been pretty close. Although we have always lived about an hour drive from one another, we have always stayed in touch and now we both have families of our own and spending time with them is always wonderful! His wife, Dilsia is one of my best friends and our kids love to hang out together now too! They just boght hteir first home in Hesperia and I'm so happy for them! They really have worked hard to get this far and I am very proud of them both!

We went up yesterday and saw their house for the first time and celebrated Aaron's b-day!!! We played poker and had pizza and wonderful snacks and cake and stuff. Eric and I had J and K with us and they had a ball playing around there too! It was VERY CHILLY there-it got down to 9 degrees sometime during the late night/early morning and they had bits of snow in their backyard. The kids loved it!

Here are some pics I took during our stay......

~this was taken from their backyard~

~j and k watching the train go by in their backyard~

~k~

My baby's apartment searching......

What am I going to do? I know.....I need to be adult about this and support her in every way possible, but inside, I feel sad. Becca and her boyfriend Josh, (whom I love) went apartment hunting today... Like seriously apartment hunting and I am feeling very bittersweet about the whole thing. Anyone have any thoughts or advice for me on this cause I could really be using some right about now.

I know that is is very NORMAL for young adults to move in together and whether or not they actuay make it together in life, this is a way of their learning of life and I'm am going to support her & them 100%. I was NEVER given this chance as a young adult to venture out on my own too figure out what I was going to do with my life and I want her to be able to do just that! She is a VERY good girl and in college and working and has her goals very well in mind!!! I could not ask for more. Her boyfriend, Josh, is incredible! He is so polite, kind and caring and loves her too death! He too is in college, has a good job right now and finishing up his college education with a metal fabrication degree, and has very oriented goals for their future. Can it be possible that you really, actualy meet your life-long mate in college and it sticks? When they got home tonight and were showing me pictures and applications and such from different apartment rentals, it really hit me,,,,,,they are serious,.........and I am going to have to face this and support them, no matter what! She was so excited to show me the pics she took while they were looking about different apartments throughout their search today! And I was very happy to be a part of it!

She said, mom....mom... look at this kitchen....isn't it cool!!!!!!!!!!! This complex has a pool and spa....but, (she said) don't worry..... I'm coming home all the time to do laundry, FOR FREE, don't worry, you guys won't miss me! ooooooohhhhhhhhhhhh OK! Of course, I was happy with that! As long as I now she is not that far away, I'll have to get over it and I will be a very proud mama and support her no matter what!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank-you Jay & Penny......

I want to Thank Penny & Jay for our package we received for Christmas! I LOVE the Lighthouse stuff you sent me!!!!! I hung the Lighthouse of the East Coast kitchen towel in my kitchen and told all the kids that it was NOT a dishtowel, but part of my lighthouse decor! and to keep their grubby hands off of it! So far, so good! Also the dogs love their goodies! Too be honest with you, Lexi loves the toys more than Karl, but Karl loves the eats more than Lexi!!!! Here are a few new pics of Karl and Lexi for you guys to see!!!! He is a VERY sweet, although we're still having a problem with his bathroom habits and my living room carpet. I think it's go to be either in the night or after I leave for work in the morning that he uses the living fr his bathroom. There's usually not a long a period of time that someones coming in and out of the house and lets the dogs out back to go potty, but he's still peeing in the living room. I have been working extra hard with him and to tell you the truth.... he is a little fiesty with others, (which I do not mind at all) When others try to call him to go out the back door for potty, he rarely listens to them... But if it is Me or Kaylee, (whom he LOVES) he goes right out!!!! I have grown very close to him and so has Kaylee. We bought him some Doggie cologne, (for in between grooming) cause, you know how Cockers have immense odors, (especially their ears) and she brushes him and everything. It is so funny how she can just call him out back and hold his collar with his doggie brush in the other hand and he just stands there and lets her brush him and spray him with his cologne! But you let ANYONE else try to control him like that and he does have ANYTHING to do with them. They have really bonded and I'm glad for that!!! He has an official full name now, you know...

- Karl David Mariani- Isn't he adorable!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy New Year Everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!

We stayed around home for the New Year- Keepin' it safe and happy for everyone. We BBQ'd burgers and the kiddies played on J's new air hockey table that we set up in the garage-the adults even got involved a for a few games. My bro- J and K's dad was here too and they had fun hangin out with him for the New Year too! V was with my sister so she as not here and B and her boyfriend, Josh hung out here too. He is such a sweetheart! I know she is getting older and boyfriends have come and gone, but this guy is a definite keeper in my eyes. He is polite and well mannered and the most mature one we have met so far! I think she really likes him too! (I guess we'll see what happens this time, huh?) He is in a pic with her below....what a cutie, huh?

Around ten o'clck, we went down the street to our friends house, (where Jeremy's best friend lives) and hung out there to ring in the New Year and we danced and had a few drinks! The kids hung out until right after midnight and then K fell right to sleep, she was tired! J and his BF stayed up a little while later and crashed out around 1am. We on the other hand, didn't go t bd ntil about 3:30 or so AM..... That is SUPER LATE for me......and I am still recovering from my lost sleep.... Here are some pics of us being silly and having fun through out the night!!! We hung out and danced with our good old buddies and enjoyed ourselves very much!!!!!!!!!!!!

~this was my favorite pics of the night....I caught them by surprise and it looks like they are trying to make out with each other, doesn't it?

HAHAHA! This is E with one of our good friends, J!

(get off each other guys!!!!!, Just Kiddin!)

********HAPPY 2007 TO ALL********

Hope you all had a safe and Happy New Year Year!!!