La Familia Silva

2012, You Are So My Year

2012-01-09T19:51:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure why it took getting married, buying a house, and having a baby to finally take control of my life, but that doesn't matter now. I have finally decided to get myself organized, and 2012 is going to be my year baby!
Not that this counts as 'getting organized', but making my home more pretty and/or home-y doesn't hurt. I got this for Christmas, and just got it put up tonight.
I love it! Although, it makes me kinda want to give my door a face lift. It could definitely use a stain? Some color? Something. Either way, I'm on it.
I feel like getting organized is a resolution I can stick with. Instead of something lame like losing weight. I'm comfortable in my fat girl jeans, for now. And so far so good. I've got an awesome friend who won't let me slack helping out. I had some great company Friday night, which forced me to actually clean my kitchen (at least it was clean for me).
I considered posting before pics of the mess, but decided against it, I don't want to offend anyone. That, and I don't want anyone calling hoarders on me. Wish me luck!

It's Quite Unfortunate

2011-12-04T14:06:00.000-08:00

that I did not have this picture before I made my Christmas cards.

Priceless

Happy Birthday Baby Jake!

2011-11-18T10:36:00.000-08:00

And Rebecca too, of course!

I can't believe my baby is already 1. It makes me sad, but happy too. This past year has gone by way too fast, I'm thankful I took as many pictures as I did. We have learned so much this past year, especially how to be patient. Well, I have, Mario is still working on that. We're getting there :)

After 1 year he's not only walking but running. He's got 6 cute little teeth, and is finally starting to sleep through the night, in his own crib. He's kind of a little guy, only about 22 pounds or so, but I think he's finally starting to get his growth spurt. He has been eating all day long, the Cheerios all over my floor is proof.
Today we're going to go to Toys R Us, since we still haven't bought a birthday gift yet. This way he can pick something out, or at least point & grunt. The Pocoyo birthday bash is tomorrow, so more pics to come...

The Cutest Monster

2011-11-06T16:29:00.000-08:00

Happy Halloween! Better late than never. Since Jake is my little monster, it was only appropriate to dress him as a monster. At least that's what the costume tag said. It looks more like a dragon with horns.

Jake with cousin Addy

Trying to take her candy

Going to the neighbors house to get candy for Mommy & Daddy :)

Just went to a few houses. Jake had a really good time. I can't believe he actually wore his costume the whole time, but he didn't seem to mind.

Baby Doran

2011-10-31T20:15:00.000-07:00

We just got back from visiting with Angela, Charlie & Baby Doran Joshua Pooley in Santa Rosa.

Isn't he so precious? Handsome like daddy.

Born 10/28 at 3:20pm

8lbs 9oz

All are doing great. Angela is a rock star, and is gonna be such an awesome mommy (she already is). He hardly made a peep while we were there, a good baby :)

I don't have any 'approved' pics of Angela with Baby Doran, so here's one with me & one of proud Daddy Charlie.

Great job you two, he's definitely a cutie! I'm so excited for our little guys to play together, and can't wait for you to get peed on ;)

Anyone Wanna Go Swimming?

2011-09-24T15:57:00.000-07:00

Yea, I thought not. This is what happens when you inherit a piece of you-know-what pool. I was really wanting to get Jake in & start him swimmin, but I'm not fully convinced there isn't an alligator or something else living in there. So until next summer :( Maybe then we can have a pool party. I haven't forgot about you Melanie!

10 Months

2011-09-17T15:34:00.000-07:00

Already 10 months old (tomorrow) and tearing down the house. At his doctors appointment a couple weeks ago he was 20 pounds & 28 inches. He's gettin' big! He's started to figure out he can kinda walk, but still would rather crawl. He already pulls himself up to everything, so I guess it doesn't matter much to me. He's got 4 teeth with one more starting to poke through, and he's already talking back & throwing tantrums. He's a very inconsistant sleeper, some nights he sleeps for hours, others just a couple before the crying starts, and by the morning has found his way to bed with me. He's a good eater & eats just about anything I give him. Lets hope it stays that way. Doctor says he's healthy & smart, the kind of kid that deserves a little sister. His words, not mine! But I must agree :) I need a good nights sleep first.

Here's Jake walking

Jake's First Friend

2011-07-06T19:37:00.000-07:00

He's been kind of interested in babies when we go out, so we brought him home one. I think he likes him. He crawled right up to him & kept looking & touching. Poor Jake, looks like he needs a real friend!

I Have an Awesome Neighbor

2011-07-04T12:19:00.000-07:00

Cause she brings us these...

They're cupcakes! And mighty tasty.

Jake was tryin to get one, but he knows better. This lady is so cool, she makes us cookies & made Jake a little basket full of cool stuff when he was born. I love living next to nice people like that :)

My Offensive Boobie Boy

2011-06-20T07:58:00.001-07:00

It was kind of a bummer when I washed this Khristie because the pacifier faded! Oh well, it's still cute & so funny. I love seeing the reaction from people when they see him in these shirts.

This is one of my faves. We were watching the Miss USA pageant (yay Miss CA!) last night & while I was nursing him, he kept turning his head to see the swimsuit contest. Apparently girls in bikini's are more important than milk.

I have a video but it's too long & boring to post, but Jake is pulling himself up now. He likes to crawl to his toy box and pull up to see what's in it, he picks up what he wants & sits back down to play. It's so cute. This is him crawling up onto the fire place. I wonder how long it's gonna take before there's blood involved with this.
Does anyone know how I can edit a video I took? I just want to stop it after so long...

Memorial Day Weekend

2011-06-02T15:46:00.000-07:00

We spent another Memorial Day weekend in Santa Rosa, visiting Angela & her hubby Charlie. Looks as though this might be turning into a tradition. Although traveling this weekend isn't the greatest, so we'll see.
The weather was so wonderful, except on Saturday when we went to the beach. It was raining. So Jake's first official trip resulted in just a picture from the car. I'm guessing he'd have wanted it that way.

He slept right through it, with his Sophie giraffe.

The girls got to spend some time together while the guys played with gadgets, discussed BMW's, and whatever else guy's do.
Angela got some quality Jake time in, to prepare for her little boy due the end of October! Can't wait for him to have a little boy cousin to play with.

This is me on the left (I almost couldn't tell for a minute).
Mario fell in love with Charlie's car. Who wouldn't, right?
Here's a futuristic family picture of the Pooley family. Get ready guys, this is gonna be you a year from now!
I don't think many of the family has had a chance to meet Charlie, or spend time with them as a couple, but they are so awesome together. They compliment each other so well, they're just the cutest. It's so nice to have another couple to do things with, especially who have patience for a 6 month old. I love you guys & I'm so excited for your little arrival in a few months. You'll both make awesome parents.

New to Me Mommy Ride & Some Cute Pics

2011-05-17T20:08:00.000-07:00

Since the Mustang wasn't Jake friendly, we had to part ways.

Wasn't she purdy? It was a sad day in the Silva house. So hard to let her go, so many wonderful memories we shared. I hope you enjoy your new owner. I'll always have a special place in my heart for you.
After we parted ways, we lived with one car for a week. That was long enough for me. I'm spoiled, I'll admit. Getting Mario to work by 8am was causing both Jake and I massive headaches. So that's when we got this tough little guy.

Since I couldn't justify the Yukon with only 1 child, we got this, the Nissan Rogue, a mini suv. It fits us good & I don't have to break my back to get the car seat in.

In other news. Thanks to those of you who voted for Jake on Facebook, but he didn't win. He didn't even come close. I think the winning baby cheated. With that said, I wanted to post some pictures of my little one, because I feel the need to show Saint Agnes what they missed out on.

One of my favorite moments, holding little bubbas while he sleeps.

I take him out of the car, to find out that he's pulled off his sock & left it on his shoulder. Sorry Jake, I thought you might want socks when it's freezing outside.

Isn't this just the cutest outfit? Thanks again Crystal, it's so perfect for cold days like today!

My outdoorsie boy. Who took his first trip to Millerton Lake for a picnic.

My good little eater (when he had hair)

Don't worry buddy, you can live with me forever! I love these smiling pics, they don't come very often.

I can't even believe how big he's gotten, he's gonna be 6 months old tomorrow! He's already starting to crawl & getting his bottom teeth. I love that he's so playful now, but I can't help but miss the little baby he was when I see other little ones when I'm out. He's officially sleeping much better now (in his own room), and only wants to eat a couple times at night, as opposed to every couple hours (which wasn't that long ago). Thanks Jake for letting us have our bed back :)

3 Years Ago Today

2011-04-25T11:59:00.000-07:00

I was certain life couldn't get any better. I was the happiest girl on Earth, getting ready to marry the greatest man on Earth.
Little did I know that 3 years, 1 House & 1 Baby later, I realize that life does get better. Sure, there's obviously things I miss from then; a good nights sleep, date night whenever we wanted, money, having a waistline in the 20"s, etc. But I wouldn't trade any of those for the great life we share now. We have made such a wonderful life together Mario, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. I love you so much. Thank you for being such a loving husband!

3 Months Ago...

2011-02-18T20:57:00.000-08:00

My little pooper was in here...

In my belly, not the 2nd part of my chin. Although, if you saw me now, you'd probably think I was still pregnant. But thank goodness this post isn't about my weight loss. It's about Jake, who's 3 months old today! I celebrated with a hot fudge sundae, hopefully he'll enjoy it too :)

I never imagined how much life was going to change. In the last 3 months, I have finally learned how to be a mom, and I must say, I'm doing a great job. And child birth, for the record, is MUCH MUCH MUCH worse than everyone says. "Oh it's not that bad" or "you'll forget about it." Yeah right, I still feel the pain. How come no one told me the truth? I think I'd rather get run over by a bus than to go thru that again. We'll see how many siblings Jakey gets.

But anyways, I'm so proud of my little guy. He's already rolling from tummy to back & back to tummy.

When I tell him I love him, he says it back, even if it's only "goooo." He poops & pees in & on everything, and I mean EVERYthing. I do laundry like it's no one's business. He loves our walks when the weather permits & he hardly ever fusses in the bath.

I guess all that makes up for him waking me up every 2 hours at night to eat. So yes Melanie, he's going to co-sleep until that stops.

I wish I had more time to blog, but it's hard with just one hand. But I have been keeping up on everyone, I wish I had more of a chance to comment. BTW, we love our Brown Bear book Rebecca & Holly, the car seat toy is a life saver when he's fussy. 70% of the time, it works every time!!

Until next time, Happy 3 Months Jake! Mommy & Daddy love you!

What We've Been Up To

2010-12-30T10:17:00.000-08:00

I've been dying to post some pics, and since someone wants to be held all the time, it's been difficult. But that's okay, I don't mind it :)

Addy loves her baby cousin, it's the cutest thing

You know you're spoiled when you sleep through Christmas with this many gifts! Someone's loved.

And besides being held, he loves to spend his time crying. Or pooping, which has given him the nickname "Little Pooper".

Proud daddy

"No more pics please!"

This was our family picture at Angela & Charlie's wedding. I wish I had more pics, but when you're in the wedding, or have a child hanging off your boob, it's sometimes a bit difficult.

My handsome little guy :) Happy 6 weeks today Jakey!

Happy Birthday Baby Jake!

2010-11-20T15:49:00.001-08:00

This is Jake Tyler Silva, born on 11/18/10 at 0023. He was 7lbs 14oz, and 20 1/2 inches long.

I think his eyes are blue, but his pediatrician said they're not. Either way, they're perfect!

First family photo just after delivery

Very proud daddy. Mario is so good with him.

I'm not mad in this pic, maybe just a little tired

On Friday, his first day home! Mom & Dad put a sign & balloons out to welcome him :)

Jake & Grandma

Cousin love. Addy finally has a cousin, whom she calls Brick.

I wish I had more time to blog/discuss, but he's screaming as I type. So I'll leave you with this video, I hope it works (with sound

All Ready

2010-11-08T19:08:00.000-08:00

Just need a baby & a name. We've got the crib together, all his toys organized, plenty of diapers, he's even got more clothes than I do! I hope he stays "3m" for enough time to at least wear everything once. Here's the rocker with his crib, and his safari themed bedspread. The crib has a lot goin on.

Here's his super cute "lamb" swing. I can't wait to take his picture in it, it's furry with lamb ears at the top, so cute. His play pen in the back. And all his stuff on the desk to the left. It looks completely chaotic. It's more of an organized disaster.

He's even got a pretty good collection of stuffed animals.

I got this as part of a gift for my bday. Isn't that sweet?

We even had a baby shower at Saint Agnes. Mario's department threw a party for us, how awesome is that? We didn't take any pics of the gifts, but we got some adorable clothes, some bath stuff & then they all pitched in for a Target gift card. We totally scored. His department is awesome! I did get a pic of us, and a pic of the cake, how cute :)

12 more days until he's due! I type that both excitedly & nervously. I've been off of work for a couple of weeks now, and it has been such a blessing. I've been able to get so much done, as you can see from his room. But I do hope he waits at least 12 more days before he makes his debut. Seems like every task I complete I'm adding a new one to the list.

Khristie's Gift

2010-09-28T19:53:00.001-07:00

I wanted to share with you guys the awesome things that Khristie sent for the baby. Since they didn't make it in time for the shower, I couldn't show 'em to those of you who were able to make it. I love these hooded towels that she made, mainly because I don't have any towels for him yet. So that worked out perfectly!

And how super cute are these onesies?! You're so clever :) I LOVE THEM & can't wait to put him in them!

What great gifts, thank you so much Khristie!

I got some other amazing gifts at the shower that I want to share, I'm just waiting to get some pics in for a post of that.

The Littlest Guitar Hero

2010-09-23T08:55:00.000-07:00

One of our most favoritest things to do when we have company over is play Guitar Hero. Because really, it's good times had by all. Here's Addy playing AFI with her Uncle Mar. Like two peas in a pod.

The Nursery

2010-09-01T09:56:00.000-07:00

We finally picked out a color for the nursery, and ended up going with a mint-y color. I think it looks beautiful. I really thought that if we found out he was going to be a boy I was just gonna do everything blue, but after going shopping, there's just not much cute blue stuff. I couldn't really find a theme I liked that was blue, and I completely fell in love with all the baby animal prints. I wasn't really sure how I felt about the mint color, but we saw it in a store paired with some animals and it looked super cute. So here's the before pics of the room...
And here's some after pics.
I realize it's hard to see the color, but you can kinda tell. It's definitely not so bright. That desk is going to double as his changing table, so that's going to save us some money! I can't wait to put the crib together and put the room together so I can post more pics. Until then, here's a new belly pic...

Summer Update

2010-07-29T09:55:00.000-07:00

So this little guy (isn't that the cutest pic?)is in this bellytotal weight gain? Well, we wont talk about that.

Things are going well with us. I wish I had something exciting to post other than more ultrasound pics, but that's exiting too :) I haven't posted any after pics of the house because we haven't done anything to it. My bad. However, I did buy kitchen curtains, so I don't feel so "country" now. They certainly don't compete with Khristie's, so I really can't post 'em now!

We had an awesome housewarming party last month, but I have no pics to prove it, so can't post those. But we got some really awesome gifts!

We plan on painting the nursery soon, so maybe I'll bust out the camera for that. We've got a safari theme going, so we're looking for some cute greens/browns for that. Very exciting!!

The Only Time I'll Get Away With Posting a Picture of a Penis

2010-06-24T09:14:00.000-07:00

This is our baby boy! Well, at least the part that show's he's a boy :) That's basically a view looking up, so his legs on either side of it, and his butt on the right.

I didn't have high expectations of this appointment, being that the first ultrasound lasted all of about 10 minutes, just enough to get a picture of the baby and make sure there was only one of 'em. This time was a totally different story. We got to watch him for a good 45 minutes. He was very awake and active, it was so much fun.

Here's his hand

Spinal cord with the head

His cute little face, belly, and his hand. We got to see him sucking & sticking his tongue out, adorable!

His feet. Toes are on the left, heel on the right in each pic

And his face again. His arm/hand is just to the left of his head, like he's just relaxing :)

I'm almost half way thru being pregnant (almost 19 weeks)! And I feel wonderful. I'm so happy to be done being sick so I can enjoy food again. It's not the same, but at least I can eat again, and not just limit myself to crackers.

So now it's time to paint the nursery blue & go shopping! I'm so excited. Any suggestions on the paint? I'm not really diggin the idea of 4 blue walls...

And no names yet, as Mario has forbidden the name Brick :(

There's Nothing to do When You're Locked in a Vacancy

2010-06-09T10:33:00.000-07:00

John Bender's words are really hitting home right now. Work is so slow, I can barely contain myself. I've emailed all my friends, looked up a million different cribs, read books & magazines, what else is this place gonna pay me to do? My headphones don't work well, so music is out of the question. I wish I was tired, I'd take a nap. I really need to take a walk, but since I work in the ghetto Mario says absolutely not. I guess he doesn't want me getting assaulted by a homeless person.
Is there really anything worse than being somewhere for 8+ hours with nothing to, while you have a laundry list of stuff to take care of elsewhere? I could be painting my living room, since yes, it's still hideous paneling. I could be sipping a Slurpee next to the pool working on my tan. Better yet, I could be at Target.
I suppose that's all for now. I guess no one is coming to my housewarming party since I haven't received any RSVPs :( More food for me!

Baby Bump

2010-05-24T11:16:00.000-07:00

Should I be concerned that the ipod says Lexi (or Brick) is the size of a naval orange but my tummy looks like I'm stealing a frozen turkey from Savemart? At least the people who matter know I'm pregnant, and all the strangers who look at my stomach like I need to go on a diet can bugger off :) And Liz, we're defenitely related because I feel like I've totally gained in every part of my body. This is week 14 photo, taken on Saturday. About 6 more weeks & I'm bustin out either fushia pink or blue paint. Can't wait!

Home, Almost Sweet, Home

2010-05-12T10:36:00.000-07:00

After submitting our first offer last July, 10 months later, this

is finally ours!

And after all the problems we’ve had, I’m wondering if it was all worth it. As I type this, Mario is at the house with a plumber draining our pipes, and what little is left in our bank account.

Let me give you a tour. The “before” tour, since no, I don’t plan to live in such filth.

The living room with horrible paneling, I plan to paint that a green color, at some point.

The kitchen, which still looks just as messy, my bad.

The hall bath with beautiful blue tile, I dig it.

Master bedroom which currently has no carpet since at one point it was under water.

Master shower, bring your friends, we’ll have a party.

And last, the one thing that will save me from Fresno’s blazing summer months.

I don’t want to say where it is on the blog, but for those of you who remember where Uncle Paul lives, we’re just one street south of him, in the same neighborhood. So if you’re in the ‘hood, stop by & say hi :)

Another Year Already

2010-04-26T14:10:00.000-07:00

Another year down, and by far, 2nd year was much better than the first. I realized that when people said the first year of marriage is the hardest, they weren’t kidding. Granted Mario & I dated for quite some time before we got married (I’ve been told I didn’t bring my A game to the dating table), but being married totally changes the perspective on everything. From one day to the next, my laundry loads doubled in size, I was cleaning up hairs in the bathroom sink that I’m hoping didn’t come from me & now I have to make two bowls of cereal for dinner instead of just one Honey Bunches of Oats. This however, has earned me the title of “Best Wife Ever.” Not that Mario really has any comparisons, but because he knows what’s best for him.

This year’s anniversary was a bit less dramatic than the last couple years. Partially because I don’t want to be traveling anywhere unless it’s to my bed or the bathroom, but mainly because we’re in the process of buying a house and should be getting our keys “any day now.” That will be one exciting post!! In the meantime, we’re trying to save all our money, as carpet & fridges are expensive these days.

I did my research and found out that 2nd year gifts should be something cotton related. Mar got a couple t-shirts, and I got a couple short night gowns that will hopefully fit my growing belly. My belly that looks more like I ate one too many packs of Twinkies, and not a belly that looks with child. Oh well. After we exchanged our cottons, we went to Home Depot (so romantic), and then went to see Oceans. Not what I was expecting, but a decent movie. I remembered that screaming kids are the reason I don’t see matinees. After the movie we went to dinner at Pismo’s. For all you Fresnan’s, I’m sorry to say I don’t recommend it. It really wasn’t very good. We split a chowder & had some fish & chips, both were just kinda blah. It’s a really cool restaurant, but unless you wanna pay too much for so-so food, I’d say skip it! After that, went home, busted out the wedding cake, and went to bed.

I was reluctant to put this pic up from dinner, because I couldn’t possibly look any more horrible, but what the hey. My hairdresser/makeup artist was on vacay :)

First Ultrasound

2010-04-19T10:05:00.000-07:00

Mario & I went to our first ultrasound this last Friday the 16th. SO EXCITING!!! I’ve never experienced anything like that. Besides the morning sickness, which really makes me feel like I have the flu 24/7, I didn’t really feel pregnant. But seeing Baby on the screen was so crazy. It’s like the mother in me finally kicked in and now being sick seems so much more worth it. Or maybe just not so unbearable.
On another note, I went shopping this weekend to get a few maternity clothes. So the morning when I wake up and can’t button my paints, I’ll be ready. I must say though, I was all but impressed with the selections I found. I will just have to keep searching.
In the meantime, here’s a pic of Baby. Head on the right, little arms, legs, and what’s left of the tail where the curser is on the left. On Friday, the tech said about 9 weeks 3 days, and about 2.68cm, little over an inch. So looks like my due date should be right around Nov 20.

Let's Try This Again, WITHOUT the Help of Paul & Krista

2010-04-07T10:52:00.000-07:00

I didn’t want to announce it to the world quite yet, but I suppose it’s time. It’s only a matter of time before everyone tells my business anyways!
Mario & I are finally going to be parents :) We had our first doctors appointment yesterday, and our tentative due date is November 20. I have to schedule an appointment for my ultrasound to get a better idea of the due date, so pretty much some time in the month of November.
We’re super excited, and I’m bummed that some of you already know & I wasn’t the one to share that news. I guess that’s my lesson to keep my mouth shut. Good news travels faster than we’d like sometimes.
But anyways, I’m reading “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” which is an awesome book. I’m sure a lot of you have read it, it seems to be the popular choice. On top of the morning sickness, I’m also suffering from a cold that someone decided to give me (probably a dirty client, thank you). I’m still trying to figure out what I can and can not eat. The list of can not’s seems to be growing quite fast though.
Hopefully my next post will be a bit more cheery & maybe by that time I’ve had time to clean my house. Or maybe not :(

Does This Make Us Groupies?

2010-03-30T12:30:00.000-07:00

I hope so.

For Mar’s bday in January, we went to the AFI concert in Fresno. Good times. Since we loved it so much, we went to their concert in San Francisco. They’re from East Bay, so we figured this show will probably knock the socks off the Fresno show. Totally did!

I’m guessing if any of you even have time to listen to music, AFI might not be your first choice. Wasn’t mine either until their last album. They’re a lot more mellow now, not so punkish. So I have a newfound love for the boys, whom I refer to on a first name basis, Davey, Jade, Hunter & Adam.

So last Thursday, we drove up to Walnut Creek where Mario’s sister lives. Had a little visit, ate some bueno mexicano comida, and she drove us into the city for the show. And when it was all done at 1230am, we got in the car, drove back to Fresno & went to work at 8am the next day. Now that’s dedication. Right? Heck yes! How can you say no to that hair & those tatts?!

Better enjoy it while we still can…

Panini Update

2010-02-26T10:04:00.000-08:00

Back in the day (last year) I shared with you one of my kitchen purchases, the Griddler, aka, my Panini press (Insert 2/12/09 post here).

It is, to date, my most favoritest appliance ever! I do so much cooking on it, it’s such a life saver. It comes with 2 sets of plates: flat, for perfectly round pancakes & eggs & grill, for burgers, bacon & panini’s of course.

Realizing I posted my purchase a year ago, I’m disappointed I have not yet shared one of my meals on here. Boo me. Let’s go ahead & change that right now.

Last night, I invited Donnie & Addy over for dinner. But first, stop at our new Fresh & Easy for some yummy & very affordable focaccia rolls, ham, pepperoni, salami, mozzarella & parmesan cheese. Sounds good already, right? I know.
Once home, bust out the grill & prepare the sandwiches. I love the Panini press even more because you plug it in, turn it on, and you’re good to go in like 5 minutes max. Cut the rolls in half & spread on your choice of tomato sauce. I prefer marinara, but I had some tomato & basil sauce I needed to use up. Next, layer with meats listed above, sautéed mushrooms if you dig the fungi, & top it with both cheeses. Spread some EVOO on top & bottom rolls, and put ‘er on the gill (I forgot to take a pic until I put the last sandwich on, forgive the dirty grill plates).
Press down on the grill & that’s it. Let it cook for 5ish min, just enough to heat it through so the cheese melts. And there you have an amazing Italian gilled sandwich.

How’s your sandwich Addy? It’s bangin Auntie! Thanks ;)

Drunken Frenzo

2010-02-09T14:48:00.001-08:00

How horrible is your city when Seth Meyers is making fun of it?

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Sushi 101

2010-02-05T14:23:00.000-08:00

I'm back! After a long & much needed hiatus.

For my BIG 27th bday (back in October), Donnie, Meg & Addy bought me a sushi making kit. Cause I'm sort of a fiend, and I love to cook & try new things. I guess sushi doesn't really fall in the "cook" category, but it's definitely a "new thing".

First you start with the ingredients:

vinegar's, sushi rice, dried seaweed, etc.

Next you cook the sushi rice, put it in a bowl, and fan it with a Mexican fan (please ignore the grapes).

Chop up some crap meat (imitation if you're cheap like me), English cucumbers (no seeds or skin), and fresh avocado. Don't forget to make yourself some miso soup either.

Next, you take some seaweed, lay it on the rolling bamboo mat, and firmly press the sushi rice into the 'weed. May get sticky, so use some vinegar.

Once you've got a nice even coat of rice, place 'weed rice side down on a damp cloth. Fill it with your fave fixin's (crab, cuc's & avo's) & roll 'er up!

Just to prove who made 'em, there I am :)

The finished product! Not bad if I say so myself. Definitely have a long way to go if I want a career in the sushi making/rolling biz, but good enough for the Silva's.

As far as the taste...well, I will be using real crab next time. Aragato!

Trip to the City of Hope

2009-10-12T19:40:00.000-07:00

Mom, Dad, Mario & I went down to the City of Hope for the day this last Saturday to visit with Aunt Peggie. Check out our sweet get-up! We had to be completely covered at all times so we couldn't spread any germies. Poor Aunt Peggie, she was so sick when we went :( Here I am probably breaking all the rules laying in her bed, but she needed cuddle time.

Mario being difficult sideways
Since she wouldn't let me shave her head, I decided to french braid it. Maybe next time :)

This picture with Mom was taken when she was first admitted. Probably why she looks a little happier!Mom with Dad looking so excited to have his picture taken.
And just look at her empty board! If anyone makes it down to visit, make sure you take something to put on it. She needs pics to look at!!

We also made a stop at the Blood Center there and all donated for her. When you donate there, they keep all the blood in house for the cancer patients, which is awesome, I think. Then for donating we got a coup for a free pint of Baskin Robins ice cream, and a mug, totally worth it :)

I know you still have a couple weeks left down there, but hurry home!!

Back in Action, Baby

2009-10-03T22:17:00.001-07:00

Got the internet fixed, yay! What does that mean exactly? I have like 3 hours worth of blogs to read. But I'm serious about my blogging. So if you're on my blogroll, rest assured, I will read all of your entries. Pinky swear. Then maybe I can post some real entries of my own :D

Before I end this & start gettin' busy :) I wanted to touch on Aunt Peggie real quick. I'm not on Facebook (not cool enough), so I'm not sure what exactly she's posted. She went in yesterday to the City of Hope down south (Duarte?) to start chemo. I called the blood bank to check on donating, and they no longer give people "credits" for blood donations. Boo! But I thought I'd remind you all in the importance of donating blood :) Don't know if you're getting on the internet in the hospital Aunt Peggie, but I hope you're kickin butt! And I hope I can schedule some time to make it down to see you. Love ya!

On Lockdown

2009-09-21T13:14:00.000-07:00

NOT locked up. That would be bad. But I dunno, they probably have the internet in jail.

Our IT guy decided I needed to spend my time working, not blogging. What's up with that?! Doesn't he realize I have family that needs to know my business? Like how Mario & I spent the weekend in La Jolla at a wedding, while wearing a super cute black dress with a snake skinned belt. Or like how he's getting an A in his Pharmacy tech class (I'm so proud). Or my opinion on celebrities who should really just keep they're mouths shut. Or even how I'm preparing myself for premiere week, this week on tv! Shame on you IT man.

The good news is, I can still log in. The bad news is, everything takes forever to load, and I'm just not a patient person. Even more bad news, my internet at home is broken. Yes, someone broke it!!

Oh well. I miss you all, and your blogs. I miss my blog :'( Hopefully we will reunite soon!

P.S. Good thing I still have yahoo! messenger :) Holla if you have it!

I'm Alive, Just Boring

2009-08-05T15:29:00.000-07:00

I realized I haven't posted in weeks, and came to the conclusion that I have been boringly busy. In the past few weeks we have looked at way too many houses, watched way too much tv, and have been getting Mario ready for school that started this last Monday.

To start off, I'm getting really frustrated with the housing market right now. And I'm so over people saying the houses are "cheap." Houses are not cheap. Just because they're not $300k+ like they were, it does not make them cheap. It seems like the minute I find a house listed online, it's already gone, or it's over priced, or too much work even for Rebecca to do. I'm not sure if anyone else is looking for a house right now, but I hope you're not as frustrated as we are!

Next subject; television. I so heart television! It's sorta like my therapy from a horrific day of work. I have my whole week planned out, so don't bug me after 8pm please. I have Hell's Kitchen, More to Love & Wipeout, some of the best. Let's not forget SVU, which I get to catch re-runs of on Sat's. That show makes me cringe, Dick Wolf is a sick individual. But he has the mind of a genius. Has anyone been watching More to Love? The Bachelor spin-off? I like to classify it as a train wreck. It almost hurts to watch, but something just won’t let me change the channel. Maybe it’s the fat girl inside me that feels for these women, but I see this ending in more tears than MJ’s funeral (was that mean?). It seems like they picked the most depressed “plus sized” girls to be on this show, very heartbreaking.

As for Mario, he started back at Fresno City on Monday doing the Pharmacy Tech program. I’m so proud J It’s a 4 ½ month program, so he’ll be done in December. This officially means I will be permanently attached to my couch on Monday’s & Wednesday’s from 6-10pm. Well, except when I need to get more ice cream. Yum-O!

You Know You Work in the Ghetto When...

2009-07-14T16:02:00.000-07:00

Someone approaches you at the bank, tells you he makes adult movies & asks if you'd be interested in filming one for him. I'm just sayin'!

A Little Taste of the City

2009-06-23T11:44:00.000-07:00

To remind me of our wonderful honeymoon & subway (not the Jared one) adventures...

and Mario's dream come true of attending a Yankees game, in matching apparel of course...

I bought this for our living room

After many wrong turns, and uptown & downtown, we FINALLY figured out that the letters, numbers, and colors really do stand for something, imagine that?! :)

**No Red Sox fans allowed**

Saturday Hike to Redwood Canyon

2009-06-22T12:51:00.000-07:00

This last Saturday, we went with Mom, Uncle Paul, and a couple of his church members up to the Sequoia's to go hiking. It was free this weekend to get into the parks, that was just an added bonus. I had to get up earlier than ever (5:45am!), because hiking or not, I do NOT leave the house without makeup. I'm kinda prissy like that ;) I've been on this hike before, probably 10 years ago, and really forgot how pretty it was. It was a fantastic way to spend our Saturday, although, I could have done without the cross country part (capris & running shoes; not the best for deviating from the trail), but I guess 2 scratches isn't too bad. It reminded me of when we would all go backpacking in the summer. Back when we didn't have to work, or when hikes like that didn't wind us after 5 minutes. Yea, good times :) Looks like we've found ourselves a new hobby. We're really excited to do a day hike again, but will have to do some research. Any suggestions?

1 Year Down, A Whole Bunch More to Go

2009-06-03T14:08:00.000-07:00

I have so many wonderful things to say about marriage, but that would be boring. No one wants to hear about cuddle time, or how we share practically every meal we eat together. If you want that, you could just turn on the Hallmark channel or something. I'm here speaking the truth :) So, it's been just over a year, and we still haven't got this marriage thing down. He can't do the dishes right, and I can't keep my side of the bathroom clean. He leaves his clothes wherever it is that he took them off (living room floor, couch, doesn't matter), and I go through the house picking them all up while cursing under my breath :) I guess we just haven't quite adjusted yet. I do SO pray for that day to come (sooner than later please!).

Of all the things I want to move on from for this first year, I will definitely miss being "newlyweds." There's just something about American's loving newlyweds & we took full advantage of it. From the morning after our wedding & getting free Starbucks, to getting a major discount at our hotel for our anniversary trip, I will miss it all dearly. But I definitely look forward to the next many years of perfecting our relationship & hopefully a lot less yelling :)

Here's the pics of our trip that we took late April. We stayed a night in LA to watch cousin Kevin perform at the Magic Castle. AWESOME!! From L to R: Mario, Me, Mom, Grandpa Lee, Dad, Donnie, Kevin & Aunt Peggie. We all got together for dinner before the show.
Since we couldn't take any pics inside the castle, this is the only one I have from that night.
The next night we were in San Diego & ate at this fantastic pub (some British thing), with the best fish & chips, hands down.

The next day we went to Sea World. When we were planning our trip, we decided on San Diego because we thought it'd be warm. Notice how almost all our pics we have sweaters on!

You can't go to Sea World without seeting the Shamu show! Or a huge horse (?)

Mar tried to catch a bunny

The next day was our anniversary, and we drove to La Jolla. Beautiful, but packed! Took us forever to find a parking spot, and when we did we only had an hour to shop (in a bunch of stores we wouldn't even afford to look in, let alone go in). So we drove down to the beach & took some pics. I heart these pics, so pretty...

That night we celebrated with Sushi, as if you didn't already know! Good thing I brought my little back dress...

On our last day we went to the Wild Animal Park. Neither one of us had been there, so that was kinda nice. I'll put those in a slide, since there's a million pics. But I had to show this one seperate. I think they moved King Julian from Madagascar to SD. I bet he's just sitting there thinking, "I'm just better than you".

After all that, I still got the final rose :)

Trip to Santa Rosa

2009-05-29T09:17:00.000-07:00

For our Memorial Day weekend, Mario & I took a drive up to Santa Rosa to visit with Angela. We used to be neighbors back in the day & I wish she'd move back already! This pic was taken at a grill type restaurant we had lunch at in Napa.

Isn't it so cute how we loook alike?

This is her way cute home with her beau Charlie, and their dog Baxster (sp?). I wish I would have taken some pics of the inside of the house, but you'll just have to believe me when I say it's super fantastic :) Don't they look like such a cute family?

Mario & Charlie were in charge of the grill, while the girls caught up in the kitchen.

Next night we went to sushi. Have I mentioned before that's our favorite? :) Apparently they love it too, awesome!

What's the perfect way to end a night after sushi? S'mores on the bbq! First you toast the mallow, then put it all together & put it back over the flame, just until the chocolate starts to melt, mmm :p

I love this picture of them. Aren't they such a gorgeous couple?

I was so sad to leave, but so glad we were finally able to get together. That was one of the best weekends we've had in a long time. My cheeks still hurt from laughing. If I had favorite cousins, Angela would definitely be one of them ;) I'm so happy for you Angela, and I'm so proud of you for all that you've accomplished. Hope to see you guys again soon & we love you!

This is What Happens When Auntie Babysits

2009-05-27T13:35:00.000-07:00

Sure Donnie, I'll watch Addy today :)

You can already see the look of concern on her face. "You're gonna make me do what Auntie?"

You're gonna start by helping Uncle Mar clean out the pantry. And don't even think I'm making you any cupcakes, put those back!

Then I'm gonna need you to do some laundry, and don't go mixing up colors either

Fake smile for the camera (let them think you're having a blast)

And then back to Mommy & Daddy's to stuff you in a box!

Anyone need a babysitter?

Master's of Illusion, Tonight!

2009-05-18T14:07:00.000-07:00

For those of you interested in seeing Aunt Peggie's son, Kevin Viner, on tv, he will be on tonight! It's going to be on MyNetworkTv (Channel 53 in Fresno), tonight at 8pm. He's going to be doing a mind reading trick from the streets of Hollywood. Should be awesome. Watch it if you can! P.S. I'm still trying to upload pics of my life from the past couple weeks, but my comp is still acting like a punk. Hopefully I'll get some up soon so my page wont be so boring :(

No Longer Newlyweds :(

2009-04-29T13:12:00.000-07:00

I'm a few days slow with my post, but let's just blame that on my wonderful computer & lack of spare time at work. I know I made the announcement that Mario & I were headed to the happiest place on Earth, Disneyland, for our anniversary, but I'm kind of a liar like that.

Since my comp is not playing fair, the pics will have to come another day, hopefully tomorrow. But for now, I'll just give you the written story.

We left for our trip on Wednesday, and went down to Hollywood. Kevin was performing at the Magic Castle, which turned out to be a great show. That place is awesome for those who don't know. There were some fantastic magicians there, Kevin was the best of course :) On our way to the castle we saw this guy...I tried to find the most charming pic I could, since he's everything but. He was filming something on the walk of fame (not that kinda something). Once we made it into the castle, we saw another celeb, this guy...

Look familiar? If so, you've been watching Criminal Minds. He was enjoying his time at the castle as well.

Thursday morning we got up and drove down to San Diego for the next 3 nights. Talk about a nice change from the crazy heat in Fresno. The high's were in the low '60s, so we actually didn't get to enjoy the ocean like we'd planned. Didn't matter though, we had a jacuzzi tub in our hotel room ;) Enough said. For the wonderful few days we were down there, we went to: Seaport Village, Sea World, Old Town, Wild Animal Park, La Jolla, and spent a little time in the Gaslamp District. Can't wait to post the pics, but there's a little insight to our awesome anniversary trip.

Tea & Taxes, Anyone?

2009-04-16T09:56:00.000-07:00

Like Mom said, she's gonna party like it's 1773. And that she did, with the help of Addy & her pig.

It's kinda hard to see, but it says "Leave my granddaughter's piggy bank alone!"

Fresno just had to take part in the tax day protest, which turned out to be one of the biggest in the nation, so they said. About 7,500 people showed up to the Savemart Center for a fun filled afternoon of NObama rallies (or something). I wouldn't know, my work wouldn't pay me for an afternoon of protesting, I guess Mom's did. Here's the link for more on the valley's tea party http://centralvalleyteaparty.com/

Happy Easter

2009-04-13T14:17:00.000-07:00

This Easter was probably the first holiday where I have really just been able to relax for the day. Poor Mario had to work :( Apparently St. Agnes doesn't believe in holidays, but I believe in holiday pay (yay!). So mid morning, Donnie, Meg, Addy & I went to Grandpa Lee's to visit for a little bit. Here's a pic Meg took from the couch. No babies were harmed in the making of this pic (although Addyson looks as though she may be smashed). For more on them, click here http://addybobaddy.blogspot.com/
After we got back I took a nap :) Yes, it was lovely. Then I started with dinner, and made my first ever ham. Much easier than I ever expected. Even with my 1970's oven I managed not to burn it. I guess there were a few things from the '70s that turned out okay ;) Mario's mom & step-dad came by for dinner. It was a nice quiet evening. So nice not to hop from house to house. It's always so tiring once we finally make it back home. And then we watched Extreme Makeover Home Edition. Even Mario started to tear up, (now he's gonna kill me). If you saw it, you know what I'm talking about, probably the most touching episode yet. Hope everyone had a great day yesterday :)

TGIF & Happy Bday Dad!

2009-04-03T15:00:00.000-07:00

As I sit here bored at work, I can't help but smile about knowing it's Friday! I've even added the Black Eyed Peas to my playlist to get me pumped :) Everyone needs some Boom Boom Pow today. If that doesn't make you want to get up & dance, you're lame.

So, a little update on La Familia Silva. We played out last soccer game last night, and finished the season 0-8. As in 0 wins, 8 miserable losses, and a busted up big toe (oh, and my Podiatrist, so not proud). On the bright side, we had a lot of fun. We're hoping to get enough people together for a team sometime & play on a beginner league so that we might actually have a chance at winning. If you're interested, let me know.

Thanks to those who gave me advice for Disneyland. We're still working out the details, but I'm really, REALLY excited to get away for a few days. For the last time Mom, you can't come with us. We don't need a chaperone.

Lastly, today is Dad's bday, so Happy Birthday Dad(even though you will never see this). Since I don't have my comp here with me, this is the only pic I could find, but it's super cute. Sorry to subject you to another wedding picture. But I was having a really good hair day :)

Have a wonderful weekend!

Twilight

2009-03-23T13:21:00.000-07:00

Am I gonna have to be the first to admit that I bought this movie? At least I wasn't one of the dorks who stood in line at midnight (just the dork who had to have it the next day & almost be late for a wedding). So after watching it for the third time, I finally found Stephenie's cameo in the diner (thanks to Mario, who by the way, is the best for sitting through it again). Also, it seems as though every time I watch it I like Kristen Stewart even less. I'm sure you're a nice girl, but not a good Bella. I'm a little disappointed I wasn't chosen for the part, but that's topic for another day.

We're Going to Disneyland!

2009-03-17T10:09:00.000-07:00

What better way to celebrate the happiest time of our lives (our one year anniversary), than at the happiest place on Earth. Mario & I have decided to go to Disneyland in April. So I was wondering if any of you know of any place to get discount tickets? I've been searching, but have had no luck. Maybe if any of you have extra tickets I could buy them? Any suggestions?

Told You It Wasn't My Day

2009-03-13T09:57:00.000-07:00

Otherwise titled, "The Reason You Don't Play Soccer With Pro's". If I didn't mention it before, our team captain signed us (mostly all beginners) up to play soccer on the most advanced league. We're still not sure what he was thinking, perhaps he just wasn't. Long story short, I came up on a player from the other team & we both kicked the ball at the same time. This team was not messin around, and I'm pretty sure they're all made of steel. Well, I broke my big toe. OUCHIES!! Of course it was the big toe on the foot I had surgery on a few months ago, of course. And of course the doctor can't see me until Monday. I guess I have a date with Vicodin today, tomorrow, and Sunday. Hopefully this means I don't have to do my chores :) This better not be my sign to quit, cause I'm not ready for that yet, I just got back in the game! And hopefully my Doc won't yell at me on Monday. After all, he never said I couldn't play soccer :) With me luck!

I Just Need A Moment, Part 2

2009-03-12T10:05:00.001-07:00

I've only been up for 3 hours, but I'm already wishing I would have just stayed in bed. I can already tell that this is not going to be my day. Work is so slow, the only action around here are the roaches. Hopefully Orkin comes soon before I go even more crazy. Yes, I'm blessed I have a job, because yes, I realize there's far less fortunate, but it sucks to have to sit at a desk for 8 hours when you literally have 1 hour worth of work to do. My head hurts. I'm tired. I have a double-header tonight in soccer, which means we're gonna get laughed at for twice as long. Atleast the sun is out.

Tweet Tweet

2009-03-05T14:15:00.000-08:00

Am I the only loser on Twitter? If not, follow me at Kristi425. It's my newest reason not to get bored at work.

Extreme Update

2009-03-02T14:14:00.000-08:00

Fresno's Extreme Home Makeover will be airing this Sunday 3/8/09. Did anyone happen to see last night's episode? They really do do it bigger in Texas, that house was HUGE!!!

Also, tonight is the finale of the Bachelor. Supposedly there's going to be a twist. I've already got my popcorn ready.

But don't worry, if you miss anything, you can catch it anytime at abc.com. Glad I could be your tv guide :)

P.S. Wish this were me. right. about. now.

Donate a Mammogram for Free

2009-02-26T10:27:00.000-08:00

I got this forwarded to me in an email. Please do it, it's for a great cause!

The Breast Cancer site is donating at least one free mammogram a day to an underprivileged woman. It takes less than a minute to go to their site and click on 'donating a mammogram' for free (pink window in the middle).

This doesn't cost you a thing. Their corporate sponsors/advertisers use the number of daily visits to donate mammogram in exchange for advertising.

Here's the web site! Pass it along to people you know.

http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/

Our Own Family Celebrity

2009-02-25T11:08:00.000-08:00

I am VERY, no, EXTREMELY excited to be the one to announce this to all of you. For those who don't already know, Aunt Peggy's son, Kevin, is a magician. See below :)

For those who haven't seen him perform, he's quite fantastical. He just announced that he's going to be on TV, and performing at the world famous Magic Castle. Here's some info I stole from his announcement...

Magician Kevin Viner on Network TV! Performing on National TV Program Masters of Illusion. Masters of Illusion is a 13 part television program airing on My Network TV, a FOX subsidiary. "Earlier this month, I filmed 7 routines for the show, and I will probably be on 3 to 4 episodes in late March or early April. The show airs Monday nights at 8 PM/7C, so please be on the lookout! Many of my close friends are also performing on this show, so try to tune in every week."

To read more on Kevin, here's a link to his website http://www.kevinvinermagic.com/

Best of luck Kev, I know I'll be watchin! ;)

Good Bye Dust Mites, Hello Dyson!

2009-02-19T10:19:00.000-08:00

Mario has been pleading for a Dyson since we registered for the wedding at Bed, Bath & Beyond. We both suffer from asthma/breathing issues (who doesn't in this Valley?), and he's been trying to convince me for a couple years now that this will help us. He even said he'd vacuum if we got one (riiiiiight!). Lucky for him, we started to notice that our little Hoover just wasn't doing the job for us anymore. Seemed like every time I vacuumed I had to go back over it & pick up everything it missed by hand. And seriously, who has time for that? And, with filters almost $15 a pop, I'm not only wasting my time, but my money too. So I caved. But let's be honest, this Dyson guy sure knows how to make 'em pretty. When it came in, Mario acted like such a kid in a candy shop. He opened it up and put it together first thing. He even vacuumed the bedroom, but don't be fooled, he stoped there. What can I say, I knew it wouldn't last long. I've officially reclaimed my title "Domestic Diva" (as if I ever even really lost it).

Bugger off David Beckham

2009-02-13T13:25:00.000-08:00

but make sure to leave me some cologne before you go. So last night, Mario & I signed up for an indoor soccer league/team/whatever. So, not only did we sign up last night, but we played our first game too. I think the correct term would be slaughtered. It was pretty bad. I think it was like 9-2 by the time it was done, and it's only a 40 minute game. Who knew our first game was against FCC. I think I even heard they were talkin trash, but whatever, I got a great workout. Our team is about 1/2 girls, 1/2 guys, and I already forgot our name, lol. Mario & I have never done something like this together, and I don't even think I've touched a soccer ball since I was probably 13 or so (Grandma Gage's funeral if I recall & broke my leg in a million places). We'll see how this turns out, I'm excited!

And hopefully this wont happen to any of the guys, especially mine!

Our Newest Edition

2009-02-12T15:12:00.000-08:00

to the kitchen that is. I ordered this nifty little griddler/panini press from Williams Sonoma, and UPS just brought it to me :) I wish this picture was really me & that I could take credit for those beautiful pieces of french toast. Yum-O! Mainly I wanted this because our stove is a little old skool, and I can't cook anything flat on it (like fried eggs), because the burners are all crook, and my eggs come out looking deformed. Plus, anything that cooks both sides at once is definitly welcome in my home anytime. Anyone have any good panini recipes? I'm thinking about a new tradition, Panini Wednesday's.

What are the Odds

2009-02-11T14:25:00.000-08:00

I have been so desperate to post something. I hope I'm not the only one that thought starting a blog would give me something to do. I take that back, I spend way too much of my time thinking of something to post, and most days end up with nothing. Being a newlywed should be exciting, but it's not. Here's a quick list of topics I came up with that ended up not being blog-worthy:

1. Why didn't anyone tell me that getting married guarantee's at least a 10 pound weight gain?
2. I was going to sign up for a soccer league tonight, but now I guess I'm not going to (I'm confused as well).
3. I bought a new book today because i'm uber bored at work. Can we start book sharing on here? I think it'd be cheaper. Anyone in?
4. It's about time Subway decided to have all footlongs $5.
5. I Googled myself today & was excited to find myself more than once on the web. Which leads me to my title, what are the odds.

I actually knew this before today, but I found more proof of her online. Apparently, there is another girl in Fresno whose name is Kristi Buchanan, spelled the same as mine. I figured there may have been more in the US, but right here in my hometown? Come on! I feel some sort of an obligation to meet her and see what else we may have in common. I wonder what she looks like? Do you think she married a Mario too? K probably not. I first learned about her when I was trying to rent a movie at Blockbuster years ago. For some reason they had me in their system, but the address what just a couple digits off. Weird, I never recalled giving them my address at an apartment I didn't live at for long. That's because it wasn't me! I don't know when she lived at that address, but at one point we may have almost been neighbors. Again, at another store, I had the same problem. And just last week Mario called me from his work (St. Agnes) and told me that girl checked into the hospital. Unfortunately, by that time she had already checked out, and he couldn't stalk her for me. So today, I found her on one of those class reunion websites & found out she went to my high school (Bullard), but graduated much before me (in '88 I think). Isn't that crazy, or do I just have too much time on my hands to get excited over nothings? Well, if anyone runs into her, tell her I'm lookin for her!

6 Reasons Why I'm Awesome

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

Krista calls them quirks, I call them awesomenesses. Yes, that's totally a word. Either way, I've been tagged. Here's my 6 random's...

1. I love the type of work I do. Working with Probation is awesome, and maybe one day I'll actually get a badge. After all, I didn't get my psych degree with a crim minor for nothin!
2. I love wearing high heels. I feel so sexy in a pair of pumps. I just wish I could wear more dresses to work.
3. I work right across the street from Wildcat Enterprises, the adult superstore :) And no, regardless of what you're thinking, I have NEVER been in there! Seriously!
4. I watched Napolean Dynamite this weekend, the weekend before that, and could pretty much watch it every weekend. BTW, did/does anyone personally know Aaron Ruell, I read he went to Clovis West?
5. People who litter drive me CRAZY! I saw a girl throw trash on the ground last night & I wanted to drop kick her & put her face in it. People are so inconsiderate!
6. If I had the money, I would buy all designer handbags. We are living in a material world, and I am a material girl!

I tag, Crystal (cause you need your first tag), Jennifer (3 weeks since your last post, seriously?!), and Khristie (2 weeks is almost as bad as 3). The rest of you are off the hook!

Sorry!

2009-01-21T10:16:00.000-08:00

I can't stop laughing at this SNL skit. Enjoy!

Move that Bus (Sneak Peak)

2009-01-15T12:11:00.000-08:00

Today is the final day for the Extreme Makeover. These past few days have gone by so fast, I only had a chance to make it out one time to see things. ALL the streets are blocked off, so they really don't make it easy on you to get there. Anyways, I thought I'd post a couple pics to recap the madness in Fresno. Even though Fresno isn't a small town, this was HUGE for us. Everywhere you turn there's Extreme talk.

The mom & a couple of her kids with the crew
Here's a pic of the crews setting out to start demo

Ty filming the demo for the family
The crowd watching as...

this is being built.

The "almost" final project. I personally am not a fan of the color, I sure hope she is!

Ty's crew also built that rock to climb at Fresno City College.

A little action of the furniture moving in...
extreme makeover

Since I have to work today, I wont be able to scream "Move that Bus" :( I'll just have to catch it on TV when it airs. And don't worry, I'll keep you posted on that day. Go Ty!

Goooood Morning Silva Family!

2009-01-08T09:44:00.000-08:00

Alright, so Ty didn't show up to my home with his crew and megaphone, but he is here somewhere! I've got ABC's website up & I'm refreshing like crazy to find out. I may need a new mouse after today. I am a little bummed because apparently I was too late in volunteering the two of us & our services. They already have plenty of people & they're not impressed with my baking skills. Seriously? I'm a natural Betty Crocker. However, they did send me an email that I'm more than welcome to come spectate, as long as I bring a canned food item. I can do that. I might just bring my hard hat & sneek in. Either that, or I'll bring some cookies. Come on people, can you really have too many cookies?! I'll shove them down throats if I have to (just kidding people). On the food note, Chipotle is donating 300 burritos a night for 5 nights, go Chipotle! I hope this is the reason you charge so much for your food, in that case, I may have you for dinner tonight. Since I'm not wanted for any of my skills, I will gladly donate a can of beans (or 2) to go watch Ty & his crew do their thing, and to support all the other people who volunteered their time. I think they start allowing spectators on Sunday and it's thru Thursday (the final day!). I'm off work at 5pm, who's comin with?!

Just as I was about to post, ABC posted this on their wesite...
Fresno, CA, USA (KFSN) -- The Valley family chosen for the show "Extreme Makeover Home Edition" has just been revealed.
The home of Mary Ann Riojas is located at 23 E. Robinson in central Fresno. Mary Ann Riojas is a mother of four children. She was born without legs and only one fully developed arm. She has served as an ambassador for the Easter Seals program.
Her home is not equipped to deal with her physical challenges and has led to many serious injuries. In one week, Mary Ann and her four children will have a beautiful new home.
Stay with ABC-30 and abc30.com for complete coverage

Poor Guy

2009-01-07T15:49:00.000-08:00

Rock N Roll, Grams!

2009-01-05T15:14:00.000-08:00

Yea, that's my Grandma. She's a Guitar Hero just like me. When I gave her the guitar she said "let me see if I can remember from my rock band days." She made it through Hotel California on beginner, and it said she rocked! Looks like I'm gonna be jammin' for a long time...

Move That Bus!

2008-12-31T09:17:00.000-08:00

is coming to the Valley! How excited am I? Very :) I LOVE this show. Mario & I are going to try to volunteer some of our time, but now that I'm back at work it might be tough. Maybe I'll bake some muffins or cookies. They're announcing the family on Jan 8, which is the day they'll start. YAY!!!!

8 Things (that I should be doing instead of this)

2008-12-24T10:30:00.000-08:00

As I sit here at work on Christmas Eve waiting desperately to go home, here's my list of 8's, courtesy of Liz!

8 TV shows I like to watch:
1. Grey's Anatomy
2. The Biggest Loser
3. Stylista
4. Super Nanny
5. Hell's Kitchen
6. Kitchen Nightmares
7. The news (all day everyday)
8. Crime Shows

8 Favorite Restaurants:
1. Chick-Fil-A
2. Sendai Sushi
3. Famous Dave's
4. Red Robin
5. Wendy's
6. My Kitchen
7. Sal's
8. Teriyaki Don

8 Things that happened yesterday:
1. Worked :(
2. Went to Aunt Peggy's for a Christmas Party
3. Got a gift card to Pottery Barn
4. Ate some bang-tastic ham
5. Went to Costco with everyone else
6. Call EDD to inquire about my final disability check
7. Played poker
8. Kissed Mar :)

8 Things I'm looking forward to:
1. Christmas Eve at Grandma's tonight
2. Making Christmas breakfast for the two of us
3. Opening my presents from Mar
4. Mar opening his presents from me
5. Grubbin' down
6. Getting paid
7. Anniversary trip
8. Lots of hot cocoa this winter

8 Things on my wish list:
1. Money
2. A Cuisinart panini press
3. Warm jammies
4. A Starbucks gift card with a million dollars
5. Lots of Sweaters
6. An Audi A4, or 2010 Camaro
7. Bigger boobs
8. Smaller feet

8 People I tag
I don't know 8 people. If you haven't already done it, do it!

Back at Work :'(

2008-12-22T15:31:00.000-08:00

Yes, that is a tear my sad face is shedding. Today marks my first day back at work in 3 months. That is if you don't count cleaning house, cooking, running errands, etc. I must say, I make a pretty darn good housewife. So good infact, I need to take it up as a full time position. First I'll go on the Price is Right (since I'm a pricing pro now) and win me some money, or a new car, and then I'll gladly retire as the domestic goddess that I am (wearing flats because I still can't wear my heels! At least not for 8 hours).

On a brighter note, Mario & I are in the process of planning a vacation for our anniversary. Now it's not until April, but we need some ideas so we can book it. We want to go somewhere fun, but relaxing, and preferably warm, since our honeymoon only fit into the "fun" catagory. We have a few hundred dollars airline credit, so we don't wanna go somewhere too far away (we're cheap). Any suggestions?

Some Serious Baking...Seriously!

2008-12-19T10:21:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday, my long time friend Sarah came over to help bake some cookies. Our small task turned into an entire afternoon of fun, emphasis on the fun. I dunno about Sarah, but I had to go lay down after that. Not smart to walk around barefoot on hard flooring, ouchies! Also from this experience, I have learned that I need new baking pans (hint. After all those cookies, we still threw almost 2 dozen away because they burned. Even my brother wouldn't eat them after we told him they were "chocolate." That was officially my contribution to the Holiday's. I love to cook/bake, but I'm still tired. Sarah, next time you come over, we're watching a movie instead!

Our Christmas Tree

2008-12-08T11:40:00.000-08:00

This last Saturday, Mario & I went with Mom & Dad up to Shaver Lake to get our very first Christmas tree as a happily married couple :) These trees are definitely not my favorite, but at $3 a foot, it's kind of a hard price to beat. As you can see from the pics, the sun was out & it was so pretty. It was warmer up there than it was in Fresno, and there was no fog! Mom & Mario got some hot cocoa from Bob's Espresso :)
And the winner is this 7 footer. I'm fully convinced we picked the best tree they had. Not the fullest tree by far, but it'll do.
After that we stopped by the lake to check it out. It's kinda hard to tell, but the water is so low. I've never seen it like that before :( And since Dad "doesn't do pictures" here's mom by herself. Very cute :)Here's the final product. I don't know if it's just me, but I couldn't seem to get a clear picture of the tree with lights on, but a blurry pic is better than a focused one without the lights on. We went red, black & silver on the tree. Mar turned on the Christmas music while we decorated, such good times, I love being married to him.Lastly, I really wish this would have turned out, but this is our first ornament! It's a 3 tiered wedding cake that says "2008, Mr. and Mrs., Has a nice ring to it". Inside it has two interlocked rings hanging from it (you can kinda see in the pic), and on the back it says, "First Christmas Together."
I can already tell, this Christmas is gonna be awesome :)

I'm on my way!

2008-11-22T19:04:00.000-08:00

I would like to thank my way cute kitty Mystie for modeling my Twilight ticket for tonight. We saw Bolt last night, which was pretty cute, and noticed the huge lines for Twilight. We decided to go early today to get our tickets, so that's one less line we'll have to stand in. I'm kinda bummed by all the negative reviews I've read. I hope it's good. Just another 3 hours to go, I hope I can stay awake!

I Hate to Rain on my own Parade, but...

2008-11-19T16:30:00.000-08:00

I'm NOT pregnant. We're not even trying. Let this be a lesson to everyone, if Paul ever finds out your password, change it immediately!! And it is true, poor Donnie & Meg did come over to congratulate me this morning. So messed up!! Sorry to disappoint, although I have a feeling some of you already were in on this.

Wonderful Grandpa

2008-11-19T12:57:00.000-08:00

I have the best Grandpa in the world. He had his office make a picture of what I have in store for me.

She has Mario's chin I think

I haven't quite decided on the name if it s a boy. I'm thinking Lee , Lamar or my personal favorite Paul. If it's a girl I'm naming her Donna Cheryl or my personal favorite Paula.

I am so excited to have Mar rub my feet for hours on end. It will be so worth it. Donnie & Meg were so excited and came by to congratulate me this morning. Addyson will definitely have a cousin to play with soon.

Guess What

2008-11-19T08:53:00.000-08:00

As you all know Mario has been baby hungry for a while now......he is getting an early Christmas present this year. We just found out that we are expecting. I'm about 5 weeks along. The little one will be delivered around late July or early August. I am scared out of my mind but very excited! Mario could not be happier. Any advice out there? What should I expect? Did I mention that I am expecting?!? I guess I will have to become the Queen with the little prince or princess on the way.

And I Normally Don't Like You, Monday

2008-11-18T13:45:00.000-08:00

Even though everyday seems like a Friday to me anyways, I still don't like Monday's. I blame it mainly on Professors who thought they were giving us all a break making our papers/exams/projects due on Monday instead of ANY other day. No one wants to waste a good weekend of college parties studying. So yesterday (Monday), was brother Donnie's 28th Bday, old man! Mario had the day off, so we decided to take Donnie balloons to work to cheer him up since he had to work. That's him hiding behind his awesome Star Wars Darth Vader balloon. After we dropped off the balloons, we had lunch at Costco (great when you're on a budget), and then to McDonalds to get an ice cream cone. While waiting in the drive-thru, I was looking at this pic I have from a few years ago of Me & Mar that has been in my wallet (under one of the pic proctector sleeve things) since about the time it was taken. I decided to pull it out to look at it closely, since I was amazed at how much fatter we have gotten since (as I'm waiting for my ice cream, mind you). After I pulled it out I noticed there was something green behind it. I pulled it out, unfolded it, and had to pick my mouth up from my lap when it was 2, $100 bills. Seriously, how awesome is that? I can not for the life of me remember when or why they would have been there, but talk about a blessing. Just in time for Christmas, when I'm still collecting disability, which isn't a whole lot, but I'm greatful it's better than nothing. At this point I'm totally stoked. So later that night, we went next door to Donnie's for some cake & ice cream & Addy was so cute. This is her playing peek-a-boo with her Uncle Mar. She would put her head down on the couch & she would come up for him to tell her "peek-a-boo", look at me, wait for the flash of the camera, and do it all over again. She's such a doll, and a little ham. All in all, what a great way to spend a day. So Monday, you haven't made the top of my list, but you're no longer my least favorite.

7 Bits of Random

2008-11-15T19:54:00.000-08:00

Since Rebecca said I need a new post, here goes. I've gotta come up with 7 things that you probably don't know about me. I can't remember all that I've blogged about, so these 7 things may already be known. If so, let me apologize now, I'm not the most interesting person :)

Numero Uno- Lately I've been on this Twilight kick at home. Mario gets quizzed on almost a daily basis about a book he hasn't read, and will never read, but has agreed to see the movie because it's dark, and I just happend to tell him there's vamps involved. At any random moment I ask, "Mar, who's Bella" or "Who's Jacob". I'm making him a shirt for the premier that says "Team Bella" :)
Numero Dos- Yes, I speak Spanish. Kinda. Not really. I took 4 years in middle school & high school combined, and can hold my own a little in a conversation, as long as you keep it on a 2nd grade level or so. Mario is fluent, so sometimes we have meaningless conversations in Espanol, just for the fun of it.
Numero Tres- My most favorite candy ever is Peanut Butter M&Ms, but I am willing to accept anything chocolate with peanut butter. Can you imagine what my pantry will look like when I'm pregnant? Hopefully a Jiffy & Hershey's factory.
Numero Cuatro- Since we're on the subject of eating...I could (would) eat cereal for all of my meals. I used to eat boxes like it was my job before I signed up to be a wife. I love Cinnamon Toast Crunch (known in my house as CTC) & other healthier things like Chex.
Numero Cinco- I LOVE watching cop/law enforcement shows on TV. Right now, as I type, Lock Up is on. It's a show where they go to different prison facilities and make documentaries on them (for those who may not know). They're always in CA, especially at Corcoran. In college I went with my friend (another student) to the facility for a report we had to do. It was serious excitement. Such a rush to be within feet of people serving time in prison for terrible crimes. Now that you all think I'm a freak :) lets move to...
Numero Seis- I live in a home with no cable tv, no internet service, and no landline. I DO realize that it's almost 2009. We don't even have a pet :( How do I feel about all of the above you ask? I'm SO happy, seriously. I still have my shows that I can't live without, but I'm so pleased that we have managed to live without these luxuries. The upside is having a little extra money at the end of the month to treat ourselves. We love sushi, and just going out to dinner in general, so it all works itself out.
Numero Siete- I seriously have the best husband ever. This, I know I have raved about before. I could write a novel on this subject, but I'm still a newlywed, so I feel like I have an excuse (and that I kinda just have to talk about it). As I was in here (Mom & Dad's office room)typing, Mario came in here put his arms around me, gave me a kiss & told me he loved me. There's nothing better than the sweet moments like that. If this is my reward for having to wait 4 long years of dating then I would do it all over again, if not, i'm still pissed it took him that long!

I pass the fun of this post along to Meg, Liz, & Holly, now it's your turn!

No Fish For Me :(

2008-11-11T14:05:00.000-08:00

Since I have been off from work, I don't think I've gotten up before 8am more than just a couple times. We can go ahead and add yesterday to that list. I decided to go fishing with my dad, and my uncle Doug, since he's got a boat, cause fishing off the edge of a lake is so 1985. We went to Millerton Lake, only about 20 minutes away. Talk about a nice day though. For the most part, it was sunny (obviously not the time the pics below were taken). So for the 4 or so hours we were out there, I got 1 bite, 1 BITE!!! It wasn't even anything promising, in fact, it was probably just another fish playing with the fish on my hook. Leave it to Uncle Doug, the hunting guru to get the only fish. He actually hooked another one, but it got away, with his $15 lure :( Don't be fooled, there's 2 pics, but they're the same fish. 8lbs, 10 oz, not too shabby! Good thing I made other plans for dinner, btw, Taco Bell has a great new triple steak burrito :p

Car Show

2008-11-03T13:24:00.001-08:00

Otherwise titled, 2 hours of my life I'll never get back. You know how sometimes you do things stricktly to make your spouse happy, this was one of those occassions for me. Lucky for me, Dad came with us, so he & Mario got to have father-son-in-law bonding time (since Mom decided not to attend). I guess I can't complian to much, because it is kinda fun to check out brand new cars, since who wouldn't like to have a new car, right? They had a bunch of reps from some of the leading companies out right now, with even more new cars on display, even some cool looking concepts. FYI, this was downtown at the Convention Center.

I didn't take many pics, but here's one of Mario & his dream car, a Dodge Challenger.

Personally, I like the thought of going green. I want a 2-door Yaris, or a new Smart Car (not pictured). Atleast until we have children ::cringe::

But I guess I could settle for something a little less green. Perhaps this Ferrarri? It would look way cute in my garage :)Until then, I'll settle for my Pony. Just as long as gas is under $3/gallon, hopefully it'll stay that way!

Yup, I called that one!

2008-10-23T13:30:00.000-07:00

Even though yestesterday was not a surprise, I still had a great bday. Addyson came over in the morning to tell her Auntie Happy Birthday. She's so cute, I love living next door to my siblings & niece :) She's usually more smiley than she was in this pic, but maybe my lack of make-up scared her.

This pic is breakfast at Starbucks, because you really don't have to count calories on your bday. But since I got a glazed donut, I opted for fat free milk in my mocha. By the way, I can't remember having such a warm bday, notice the sun was out & it was only 10am (or so).

After breakfast we played in Riverpark. I went to Old Navy, only to get upset that my usual size "x" jeans wouldn't button, so I got pissed & left. Then we went to Target, I got a new cd & some jammies (last pic). You can never have too many jammie pants for lounging. After that it was time for lunch. Since it was my day, I chose Famous Dave's. I LOVE this place. They have the best bbq food ever! Below is the fam who came out to celebrate with me, thanks, love you guys!

After lunch Mario took me to the mall & I spent way too much time in Macy's. I bought a couple pairs of jeans that are now my new fave's. They were having a sale, plus I brought my coups! I saved quite a bit of money, I was so proud. You can see them in the pic below. I also got a pink thermal hoodie shirt (left) with the blue tank-top to wear under. The white with polka-dots are the jammie pants & the pink to the right is the long sleeve shirt to match. The pink on the bottom left is a wrap around towel that my Aunt Diane bought me & the awesome lepard gloves are another gift from my Aunt Deana & Uncle Doug. Aren't they sexy? Can not wait to rock those!

After we spent way too much time shopping, we got ready & went out to dinner. We had teppanyaki at Sakanaya, say that 3 times fast! I think this is the 3rd bday in a row I've had that for dinner. I love teppan because you never know who you're gonna sit next to. We set next to this highschool couple (not sure if it was a date or not, but a fancy dinner on a Wednesday night? Did their parents approve that?). The girl was telling the boy that her mom just bought the Twilight books & she's really excited to read them. I was holding back from giving her a piece of my mind (in a good way). But thanks to her, since she's the one who took this pic :)
The only reason we didn't go to the movies was because the only showing we could make was the 9:35pm for The Secret Life of Bees and I felt bad cause Mario has to get up at 5am for work, so that wasn't a good idea. Plus, now we have an excuse to go out on another night ;)

Even though my bday was everything but a surprise, and now being another year closer to 30, it was still a great day. Thanks to everyone who celebrated with me, and my wonderful hubby who agreed to shop with me for hours & only wanting to buy a few things for himself.

Happy Birthday To Me, Tomorrow!

2008-10-21T13:54:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow (Wednesday), I will dreadfully be another year older :( On the upside, Mario is taking the day off which means 4 things: Breakfast at Starbucks, lunch, dinner & shopping (hopefully we can add a movie to make it #5)!! I desperately need some jeans, so I'm looking forward to that, even though I hate trying to find a pair that actually fit me right, I'm sure most women can relate. Since I have my whole day planned for tomorrow, I had some family over on Sunday for a little pre-bday bday party. I was actually able to cram about 20 people in my condo, that was awesome, and I got some pretty sweet gifts. So now I FINALLY have a camera, wooo whoo!!! Thank you to everyone who gave me support & encouragement during my time of loss (& those who offered their old camera, you know who you are!) Here's my sweet new camera, in pink, of course!
So thanks Mom & Dad for my new camera. Now I get to finally post pics on here!
Here's a few more pics of the festivities.
Mario & his dad Mario, a carbon copy

Upclose look at my cake, Halloween themed of course!

My kitchen that I love! Krista, that's the microwave (in the back) that your gift card helped me buy :)

My Cousin Brandi (my Maid of Honor), my Grandmother Eloise, & my Aunt Deana

Aunt Diane with my cousins Zach & Haley

So much fun, thanks everyone for coming & for all the great gifts & gift cards that I'm going to spend tomorrow. Pics of all that to come :)

Only because everyone else did it...

2008-10-20T14:41:00.001-07:00

Take the Quiz and Share Your Results!

Seriously, Someone Hire Me!

2008-10-13T14:06:00.000-07:00

Why does finding a job right now have to be so difficult? I suppose finding a job is never easy, but WHY NOW?? I've been searching the web for a VERY long time, and have came up unsuccessful. I decided against the Youth Correctional Counselor job with the state because I refuse to live in Stockton, and my only other option, Camarillo (Ventura County) is a little out of the price range, even with the excellent pay. I can not justify renting a 2 bedroom apartment for $1300+ or more, not gonna happen. The price people pay for SoCal. I'm still waiting to hear from Tulare County about the Probation Officer job. Not quite sure how I'm still feeling about that being that Tulare Co EE's are/were on strike, yikes! During my entire college career, I had this idea that getting your degree would just guarantee you a job upon graduation, boy was I wrong. Even with my bachelor's, I still can't find someone to hire me, or pay me what I deserve to be making. Mario & I are thinking about moving somewhere else, although I'm not fully convinced that's the solution. Any suggestions, job offers, or other bits of advice?

Twilight

2008-10-01T19:43:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update for those 2 of you who care :) I'm about 3/4 of the way done with the Twilight book. First, let me admit that I was a bit skeptical about starting to read these. I could have thought of a million other ways for Mario & I to spend our time lying in bed together, but I decided to give it a shot. Second, I don't do well with peer pressure. I am enjoying them though. It's not the scary vampire, I wanna suck your blood kind of story I thought it may have been, so that's good. It helps at this point that they're easy reading too, cause I'm just not up to reading at an adult level right now. So thank you Rebecca & Khristie for the referral, I'm really not sure how many court shows & paternity tests I could have handled otherwise!

Lunch at Grandpa Lee's office

2008-09-30T13:02:00.001-07:00

I got a hold of a camera! Now everyone gets to see my short hair. I just got a trim yesterday, thanks to my cousin Brandi, aka, Beauty School Drop-out :) It's not long and pretty anymore like all the wedding pics :( Oh well. Here's me & Mar in the conference room pre-lunch. He went to Panda Express with Mom & brought us Panda food, yummy!
Can you tell they didn't want to take a pic? But seriously, how cute are they? Uncle Ben, Aunt Nedra & Mom enjoying lunch, pre-aww heck, or whatever you call that stupid card game.
Paul with his "Magnum" look, whatever that means. He got his little feelings hurt because he doesn't get much air time on his own blog. So he was more than willing to pose when I told him I'd put some up on my blog.
I saved the best for last. Although, he new was behind him sticking out my tongue and he gave me the pic anyways. He must really want his pic on the internet.
That's all. I'm tired & my foot hurts.

My Wounds

2008-09-30T11:53:00.000-07:00

So I just got done at the doctors office & he took off the bandages for the first time since my surgery on Wednesday. It was so nasty, I decided I had to post the pics. By the way, this blog is courtesy of Mom (actually Grandpa Lee & his office). I don't want to forget cousin Paul who offered to be my photographer. In this first pic, you can really see the bruising on my foot. Notice how white my leg is compared to my foot. Eww.
Here's where the nastiness starts. That's the incision he made to cut my bunion out. It pretty much hurts, like bad! You can also see the little stitches on my little toes, cause he released my hammertoes, just a small incision so that my toes would lay flat

Here's a look from the top. Still very swollen & quite painful. I thought I needed the Vicodin before. I was just informed this morning that the numbing meds he gave me for surgery are just now wearing off, so I thought I had it bad before, ha! Take that!!
Now, to help ease your stomach, a picture of a McDonald's ice cream cone. Apparently, Paul likes to take pics of ice cream cones in his spare time, cause i'm pretty sure those are his fingers, Krista, you may need to confirm. By the way Krista, are you aware he leaves the office to sneak in ice cream cones?

Ouchies!

2008-09-28T14:40:00.000-07:00

I have yet to pay for internet service at my home, so during my time off of work I have to rely on anyone who will give me a few minutes at their c0mputer. Today, I thank Donnie & Meg. Thanks neighbors! I can't believe how painful a bunionectomy is. Even worse, it's gonna be another 2 days before I get to see what the doctor actually did, since it's all wrapped up, and I am NOT allowed to remove it, or get it wet. Which you can only imagine how wonderful bathing is. I haven't had to rely on anyone to help me bathe me since I can barely remember, and let me tell you, I don't like the reminder. I am so blessed to have your help Mario, but you're kinda worthless in the cleaning me up department. I know having to bathe me wasn't directly written into our vows, so I forgive you, and I totally commend you for your efforts. So I'm gonna leave it at that :) Back to the title, ouchies is right. I have a non-stop stinging pain in my foot. I'm yet to decide what's worse, taking my Vicodin & sleeping 15 hours of the day, or not taking it, and feeling the pain. As much as I thought sleeping for that long would be a dream come true, there's not a whole lot to do at 3am when your hubby is sleeping, and you don't have cable, or the internet. So I'm trying my hardest be tough, and deal with the pain. I figure if I can get through this I can get through child birth. I wasn't brave enough for pics, if you've seen my feet you'd know why. Maybe I'll post just an "after" pic & show off my scar.

I finally went

2008-09-23T12:55:00.000-07:00

When I came home from work last night, I was so not in the mood to cook. Not to mention everything was frozen, and I can't keep eating cereal for dinner. For those who think "what a terrible wife" you're so wrong! I know Mario loves it when I cook, but I know how much he really loves it when we get to go out to eat. For those who weren't thinking "what a terrible wife", thanks ;) So anyways, last night we decided to go to Chick-Fil-A. What a great decision that was! I called Richie & Meg and they met us there with Addy (who doesn't have enough teeth yet to enjoy a good chicken burger). Considering they just opened last week, it was very quick. They are on it back in the kitchen. Plus while you're eating they have people walking around offering to bring you things (condiments, more soda, etc) if you need it. Who knows how long that's gonna last, but I didn't even have to get up to get a refill. If you're going to go, I highly recommend the #1 Chick-Fil-A Sandwich, and try their sauce on it. I am such a chicken sandwich freak, I couldn't be happier with Fresno's new addition. All in all, it's bang-tastic, two hooves up (or maybe 4 if you're lying on your back)!

This one's for you Richie

2008-09-18T15:33:00.001-07:00

Seriously, how could I resist this? James Doohan?!

MyHeritage: Celebrity Collage - Geneology - Roots

Like the Jeopardy category; Potpourri

2008-09-16T11:05:00.000-07:00

Life has been full of such insignificance lately, and I'm really buggin' to post something, so I'm gonna leave you with some randomness, because none of these subjects are entitled to their own posting...

#1 I have my pre-op scheduled for this afternoon (I get to leave work early, woo-hoo!!)because I'm having bunion surgery next week. I wasn't going to talk about it because now the secret is out I have ugly feet. I'm 99% sure I got it from Dad's side, so hopefully none of you have the same problem (before & after pics if I'm feeling brave). I was cool with the situation, and was desperately awaiting some time off of work (even if it means I rely on Mario 100% of the time to give me sponge baths in bed), until I had a dream. I dreamt that I was laying on the operating table, and for the life of me, the anesthesiologist could not put me down. Please don't let this be a sign I wake up in the middle of surgery. I saw it happen on Grey's Anatomy, and I'm scared!!

#2 Dad called this morning & asked if I wanted to go to lunch. My thoughts..."you want to take me to lunch & you're gonna pay, is this a trick question?" There's this new Mexican restaurant in the Galleria downtown right by my office which has the most bangin' beans & rice, hands down!!

#3 Mario asked me last night, "what's it gonna take for us to have a baby?" Besides the obvious for those with dirty minds (or maybe that's just me), we've really gotta stop spending so much time with Addyson. He even asked me this after she spent half the car ride screaming, what's the deal?!

#4 Is there a sport my brother isn't good at? We played tennis last night & for someone who I had no idea played, he almost spanked Mario, who "claims" he lettered in tennis his frosh year. Can anyone from Reedley High verify this for me?

#5 I got subpoenaed to court last week for one of my clients who could not follow program rules & was arrested a couple months into his program sentence. The Deputy DA was saying something to the Judge to get the case moving along, I heard Judge say "I saw the pictures from when he slit the victims throat, and blah blah blah, the rest obviuosly does not matter since (a) I don't understand court room talk, and (b) I'm already fuming! What's worse, working with someone knowing he almost purposely killed someone (and being prepared for when you reprimand him one on one in your office), or not knowing until the whole thing is over with & realizing you should be lucky for your safety? I have to testify in a couple weeks, and he BETTER get prison time. I need to step up my game & turn on the power of persuasion. Which leads me to...

#6 I applied for a job with Tulare County as a Probation Officer. Because at least then I can legally carry a gun on my hip, and not tote one around in my purse hoping if the occasion does arise, I can get to it in time. Wish me luck!

Now I would like to leave you with a sibling appreciation pic. Happy Tuesday!

Many thanks to you, Unlce Paul

2008-09-04T12:38:00.001-07:00

I've been meaning to put these pics up for all to see, but I just haven't. The longer I live with no camera, the more old pics you're gonna see :) But really, I wanted to post some pics from our wedding ceremony. Since some of you (Julie & Jennifer) wern't there to see it, I thought it would be nice to show some pics, give some special thanks to Uncle Paul. He from the beginning was willing to help Mario & I out, and agreed to marry us. He always made time for us, answered our questions, and spent many hours counseling us on how to be the best married couple we can be. So far, it's working :)

This is us right before the ceremony in the bridal room, he came in to go over the readings with me again before it started. I love this pic, btw, way cute of us.

This below is as it was starting with a prayer

Reading some scriptures, etc

This is when he dropped the ring! Good thing Mario's is made of tungsten, ahhh, good times :)

The vows, I think

Just after he announced us. What's up with the smirk on Mar's face?!

So for those who couldn't make the ceremony, there's some shots of Uncle Paul in action! He did a wonderful job, I must add. Thanks again Uncle Paul, you're awesome!

I Love Being Tagged

2008-09-02T10:42:00.000-07:00

Krista got me and I'm it.

4 random things I like about my husband:
Mario has a way of making me laugh even when I'm pissy ;)
He has no problem showing me affection in public (in an appropriate way, of course!)
He's totally honest when it comes to my cooking, if he doesn't like it he'll tell me
He almost always takes me to lunch on his days off

4 movies that I would watch more than once: I'm not a big movies person, here's a few
The Wedding Singer
Any of the Bourne movies

TV shows I watch:
Grey's Anatomy-Can't wait till the Premier this month!
Hell's Kitchen
Kitchen Nightmares
Extreme Makeover Home Edition
GMA, anything news related

4 places that I have been:
Hawaii-My place of engagement (how awesome is that?)
Europe-Germany, Austria, London, Paris
Florida/Bahamas
Boston/New York

4 people who e-mail me regularly:
Momma
John McCain-I accept your apology & I'm fine with it. Truth is, I'm a little too busy with my life to be the VP anyways, I have blogs to write. Plus, Sarah will do great I'm sure of it.
Semi-regularly:
Auntie Diane
Aunt Peggie lately
Vanessa

4 favorite foods:
Sushi rolls with eel :P
Chicken & rice bowls from Teriyaki Don
Ice Cream-Rocky Road, French Silk, Mint Choc Chip
Cereal-Good for any meal, not just breakfast

Places that I would like to visit:
Europe
Colorado-Maybe our 1st anniversary trip
Seattle
Australia

4 things that I am looking forward to in the coming year:
Enjoying my time as a newlywed & enjoying an anniversary for the first time!
Possibly planning a move
Cooler weather
Reading blogs & catching up with cousins

4 people that I have tagged
Rebecca Wisor-Can't wait for the comedy of that one!
Meg Buchanan
Darlene Gage
Julie Harrison

You're it!!

Newby Blogger

2008-08-29T15:23:00.000-07:00

What a disease this blogging business is. It sucks you in, and it just spreads like crazy, but definitly in a good way, not in a bad disease kinda way. Incase there may be a single person out there who misses my brother, Meg has created a blog for all to see. I know many of you have not met her, but stop by the site and check it out, I'm sure she's love to get to know the family. She just added some cute pics of their little girl Addyson. I'll even make it easy on you, here's the link :) http://www.addybobaddy.blogspot.com/

For the Record

2008-08-29T13:21:00.000-07:00

The pic in the previous post IS real. We really did meet the Senator at a WWII (I think) museum (hence the tank), in London. So for all of you (Richie) thinking I got creative with it, I didn't. Here's another pic with the gang all squeezed in. And in case you don't recognize the fam; from L to R: Mom, Grandpa Lee, me with bad highlights, cousin Kevin, our next Pres, cousin Kristin, and Aunt Peggie.

McCain-Silva 2008

2008-08-27T11:24:00.000-07:00

Catchy, right? I mean, I could be the VP. Is it really that much harder than babysitting criminals all day? Plus, I think I compliment the Senator. He's old, I'm young, he's a man, I'm a woman, he owns like 12 houses, I don't even own 1, etc, etc (you get the point). So below is the official campaign photo. Hey, if Paris can do it, so can I! We'd appreciate your vote in November.I'm Kristi Silva, and I approved this blog post :)

Our Fabulous Honeymoon

2008-08-05T09:23:00.000-07:00

So I finally got arond to making a post from the honeymoon. Here's how it went...Mario & I left for our honeymoon the Sunday after our wedding. We figured we would use Saturday to pack and get everything ready, and relax for a minute before we were on the go again. We were scheduled to leave Fresno at 7am to fly to Boston, with a short stop in Utah (I think). So much for that plan. Our 7am flight was cancelled, which was wonderful in so many ways, the first being we didn't even get to sleep until 2am because we were STILL packing, and had to get up again by about 5am or so to get to the airport on time for our flight. Second, it was our honeymoon, which really should be first, but I value my sleep. So, from about 7am-11am, I was on the phone trying my hardest to get us out of Fresno so we could start our honeymoon. I was begging them to fly us anywhere, as long as we could get into Boston that Sunday night, but as luck would have it, no airport in the country was flying into Boston that afternoon/night that we could make a connecting flight too. We finally agreed to fly into Denver that afternoon, spend the night there, only to turn around the next morning to fly into Boston, and lose only 1 of 2 days we were spending there. By the way, this really devistated me. Only a few times in my life have I ever had flight delays, and they never turned out this bad. After some tears and pleading that "this is our honeymoon", the airline manager put us up in a nice Denver hotel, gave us $36 in meal vouchers for dinner & breakfast, and gave us $300 credit towards a future trip. We were grateful, but would definitly have chosen our original plan to that. So here's a brief recap of the honeymoon documented with some pretty pics :)

Mario & I having dinner at a cute little Pub in Boston. We had fish & chips & some chowdah (of course)

We did not pack accordingly for the weather. It rained the whole time!! This is somewhere in the city, almost looks fake

We ventured up to the top of the Prudential Building for this pic, down below are all of the cute little apartment homes, made of brick of course

Mario in his fave past time, driking energry drinks & eating hot dogs. This was on the Amtrak we took from Boston to New York. It was nice & quiet, the East Coast is so beautiful.

When we got to New York, we headed straight for the NBC studios. We sat in on the Conan taping which aired that same night, 4/30/08

Here we are outside of Rockafeller Plaza.

Madison Square Garden, just up the street from our hotel. We were only a block away from Penn Station, and a subway ride away from everything.

What's a trip to New York without Coney Island and Nathan's Famous?

Yankee's vs. Tigers, pretty good seats!! This was part of Mario's wedding gift, along with that sweet jacket he's got on. We were 1 row away from a fly ball too, darn!!

The Statue of Liberty. Apparently if you wanna go inside, you gotta get tickets in advance, bummer. This is as close as we got, but definitly better than nothing. Also, if you wanna go to Ellis Island, don't take the last boat out, cause you're not given the option, double bummer. Kudos to the girl who took this pic, she managed to get the whole thing!

Central Park. We went during the week so it wasn't too crowded. It was so peaceful. Would have been perfect weather for a picnic, but we just paid way too much for a hotdog & Red Bull for Mar. This was one of the only sunny days we saw, and it didn't last long, it was raining a few hours later.

We rented a row boat on a lake in Central Park, very romantic :)

The most depressing part of our trip...This is Station 10, right next to where the twin towers stood. That's Mario in the blue with his back to the camera. There was a fireman there who talked to us about the attack. He was the only survivor from this station who lived to tell that story. Next door here was a 9/11 museum that we went to, they had all kinds of pics, stories, videos, debris, etc. from that day. Crazy to think I was there 12 years before and it was a completly different scene.

This is ground zero. You can kind of make out the new construction they're working on.

On our last night, we saw Mary Poppins on Broadway. Just above my head to the left you can make out the New Amsterdam theatre and the sign for the show. It was definitly a show to see, even Mario was impressed! You haven't seen a show until you go to Broadway. Thanks Mom & Dad for the tixs, worth every penny!
And finally, the New York subway. Equipped with every walk of life, we even saw a rat, lol. Ten million times more complicated than any European station ever, EVER! Just look at the sign to the left of us, lets see if you don't get lost.

As promised there's the pics. Not bad for being disposables. I lost my camera on the flight from Denver to Boston. I know you've already heard it, but I'm gonna keep saying it 'till I get another! I especially need one now to document our times as newlyweds. Anyways, we had fun, hopefully you had fun looking at them, good times had by all :)

Our first purchase

2008-07-29T12:51:00.000-07:00

Well, besides the Mustang we bought together last year (pre-marriage), we have made our first semi-big purchase as a married couple. We are the new owners of a dining table! I know it sounds boring, but we don't have kids, and this was definitely something for us to get excited about. We have been shopping for a few weeks, maybe even a couple months now for the perfect dining table. Needless to say, we're kinda picky. We had a vision of what we wanted, but had the hardest time finding it. So now we feel like grown-ups furnishing our home, and eventually will have furniture that matches. That day is still too far to see, but we have faith it will come. Besides, have you seen the price of furniture these days? It's not cheap! So here is the table we very excitedly purchased from Cost Plus World Market.

It's a pub table, as if that's not apparent from the pic. I still don't have a digital camera (hint hint), so I stole this from the website. We got the table and 4 chairs to go with it. It seems to be quite a bit darker than how it looks in this picture, but it is a very beautiful color. It's 40" squared, and 42" high. When I stand next to it, it comes up a couple inches above my belly button, and I'm 5'7", so that's pretty sick!! It's so comfy to sit in, and there's plenty of room for 4 people to eat on it. I also found some placemats at Pier 1 to decorate it, and help protect it. They're dark brown bamboo with blue stripes on them, and they're kinda woven together I guess. I also got some royal blue napkins with some pretty bronzie-type napkin rings. Considering I'm not the decorating type, I was proud of myself when I came home & put it all together. It looks very cute, with a bit of an Asian theme. We have a little bamboo stick that we got from a bridal expo here in town that we saved, and Mario put that as a centerpiece for the table. It looks cute with the blue. It helps to complete my green & blue kitchen, thanks to those who got me my kitchen stuff for my shower. Lastly, lets discuss the financial end of it, which just may be the best part of this excursion. The table & chairs cost $600 total. A little pricey, but we were tired of eating standing up (I sold our old table at a yard sale. I couldn't stand to look at it anymore, it was older than me. I normally love '80s things, but this just had to go, it may have well been neon yellow with leg warmers). Then, right before we were going to pick it up, Mario noticed the Entertainment Book we got for free had a $50 off coupon in it. Imagine that...now $550. Then, we have $250 worth of Visa giftcards (1 a wedding gift, and the other 2 rebates from our phones). This brings us to $300. Then, World Market is offering 10% off if you open an account. Mario & I got this table for $273 (plus tax), and we have 3 months to pay it off with no interest. I'm so proud. The extra $3 was for the licorice I bought Richie for letting us borrow the truck. Thanks for sharing :) Lets not leave out that I had another giftcard for Pier 1, and only had to spend $16 and some change buying 8 placemats, 6 napkins, and 4 napkin rings. I'm not sure I've ever felt so good about spending $300 before!!

Cuteness

2008-07-22T09:33:00.000-07:00

I just had to post this way cute pic of Addy. This is her sitting on the cat tower. I'm not quite sure how she managed to find a time to sit here when her brothers Nibblet & Buckey weren't occupying it. But seriously, look at that pose, someone knows she's cute.

Interesting tidbits

2008-07-21T11:52:00.000-07:00

Since life has been a bit boring lately, and I haven't had much to blog about, here's some semi-useless info I that I know you've been dying to know about me.
01. WHAT TIME DID YOU GET UP THIS MORNING? If you don't count the numerous times Mario woke me up in the 5 o'clock hour, I got up at 7am
02. DIAMONDS or PEARLS? Dimaonds are my best friend
03.WHAT IS THE LAST FILM THAT YOU SAW AT THE THEATER? WallE. Wasn't my fave Pixar, but it was cool.
04. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TV SHOW? I love Hell's Kitchen (obviously), Greys Anatomy, and Kitchen Nightmares
05. WHAT DO YOU USUALLY HAVE FOR BREAKFAST? Usually a piece of loaf bread or a muffin, depending on what I've made, and crystal light to wash it down. I like the Lo-Carb monster, but at $2+ a pop, I don't have the luxery often.
06. WHAT IS YOUR MIDDLE NAME? Lee
07. WHAT FOOD DO YOU DISLIKE? Canned spinach, ewww!!!!
08. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CD? I don't have a fave cd. I get bored easily. I currently like my Lil Wayne album
09 WHAT KIND OF CAR DO YOU DRIVE? '07 Mustang baby!!!
10. FAVORITE SANDWICH? I make this bangin chicken with turkey bacon and guac sandwhich, mmm
11. WHAT CHARACTERISTIC DO YOU DESPISE? I don't like liars, ie, my clients
12. FAVORITE ITEM OF CLOTHING? My Juicy sweats, worth all 40,000 pennies
13. IF YOU COULD GO ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD ON VACATION, WHERE WOULD YOU GO? The Black Forrest, Germany
14. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR BATHROOM? It's currently dark green, tan, and choc brown
19. FURTHEST PLACE YOU ARE SENDING THIS? Someone may read this from the east coast
20. WHO DO YOU LEAST EXPECT TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? I'm not "sending" it
21. PERSON YOU EXPECT TO SEND IT BACK FIRST? see #20
22. FAVORITE SAYING? What the french, toast (from the Orbitz gum commercial)
23. WHEN IS YOUR BIRTHDAY? 10/22/1982, I want shoes
24. ARE YOU A MORNING OR NIGHT PERSON? It's pretty much whatever time I'm not grumpy
25. WHAT IS YOUR SHOE SIZE? 9 1/2, I know, they're monsters
26. PETS? Mystie, she lives with Mom & Dad, cause Dad couldn't stand to see her go :)
27. ANY NEW AND EXCITING NEWS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH US? I'm practicing to get pregnant ;)
28. WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU WERE LITTLE? A veterinarian
29. HOW OLD ARE YOU TODAY? Do the math, 25
30.WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CANDY? Peanut butter M&Ms
31.WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FLOWER? gerb daisies
32. WHAT IS A DAY ON THE CALENDAR YOU ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO? Whatever day Mario is going to tell me to be his stay at home wife, until then, who cares!
33. WHAT IS YOUR FULL NAME? Kristi Lee Silva, I wasn't allowed to hyphenate :(
34 . WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? A po-po siren, I hear them ALL day
35. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? A Jolly Rancher
36. DO YOU WISH ON STARS? No, I'm not sure you can even see stars from the valley
37. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Pretty in Pink
38. HOW IS THE WEATHER RIGHT NOW? Not bad actually, it's noon, probably 85ish, high today of 94 I think
39. FAVORITE SOFT DRINK? I have way too many, maybe Diet Coke, I get that from my Aunt Peggie
40. FAVORITE RESTAURANT? Sendai for my sushi addiction
41. SIBLINGS? Richie & Meg, and Vanessa
42. FAVORITE DAY OF THE YEAR? I'm hoping it's going to be April 25, we'll have to see how that plays out
43. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE TOY AS A CHILD? I dunno, maybe Barbie
44. SUMMER OR WINTER? Spring
46 COFFEE OR TEA? I love coffee, but I love green tea also
47. CHOCOLATE OR VANILLA? Chocolate for sure
48. DO YOU WANT YOUR FRIENDS TO EMAIL YOU BACK? Y-E-S!!
49. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? I don't remember
50. WHAT IS UNDER YOUR BED? Nothing on my side, Mar has a mag light so he can blind someone if they break in
51. WHAT FRIEND HAVE YOU HAD THE LONGEST? Probably Sarah, since about 7th grade
52. WHAT DID YOU DO LAST NIGHT? I made a cod & brocolli caserole type thing, and some rice & we watched College Road Trip, it was pretty hillarious being it's rated G, it wasn't corny
53. FAVORITE SMELLS? I like the smell of freshness, homemade cookies, and some furniture stores
54. WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF? Things that pose a threat to me
56. HOW MANY KEYS ON YOUR RING? 8, but I need to give one back
57. HOW MANY YEARS AT YOUR CURRENT JOB? It will be 2 in Sep
58. FAVORITE DAY OF THE WEEK? Saturday, I love to sleep in
59. HOW MANY TOWNS HAVE YOU LIVED IN? Just this one, hopefully we'll move though
60. DO YOU MAKE FRIENDS EASILY? I'm shy, people often mistake that for bitchyness
61. HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL YOU SEND THIS TO? Not sure
62. HOW MANY WILL RESPOND? ? Everyone better

I'm hot, and my Fave show has ended

2008-07-09T14:59:00.001-07:00

Back when I was a kid summer was awesome, and I never really noticed how hot it actually was. But now, when I have to hear Doug Collins every morning talk about "record heat" or "extreme heat" it just puts a damper on my day. As if work wern't bad enough right? I'm trying to convince Mario that Alaska would be a great place to live, but he's just not quite buying it yet. Even Washington maybe, does anyone know if Uncle Ben has a spare bedroom? I just wanna go back to the days when I could lounge around, and summer was actually a break. There's no such thing as a break anymore. I gotta work a week just to buy a tank of gas for my gas guzzling beast of a car. But anyways, another crappy part about the summer is there's nothing to watch on tv. We don't have cable, so we're stuck with the basics for now. Last night I went for a walk (I don't know why either) and made it home in time to watch the season finale of Hell's Kitchen. Gordon Ramsey may just well be my mentor (well, almost). Mario & I were lucky to see him on our honeymoon in New York. He was a guest on the Conan O'Brien show that I got us tickets to attend. Back to the point...last night was the finale, it was between Christina & Petrozza. I absolutely love Christina. She's such a doll, and she's 25, just like me. I've been rooting for her this whole time, she's kind of like the underdog. Although, Petrozza was cool too. I felt that for his age & experience he very much deserved something like this in his life. It was a great show, both did very well, but in the end, it was Christina who one it all. I was so happy for her, I'm sure if we knew each other we'd get along so well. As I've been watching this show for a year or two now, it's really been making me think...I wanna be a chef. I wanna make Risoto, and fancy shmancy deserts, and be able to name all the ingredients in whatever it is that i'm eating. I like to cook, and I'm good at what I do, but I'm not versatile. I stick with the basics, and my palet is so over it. I always judge the quality of my creations on whether Chef Ramsey would love it, or spit it out and tell me i suck. So for my birthday/Christmas/whatever occassion present, I want cooking lessons. Would someone mind passing this on to Mario, thanks!

The winner!!!

The infamous "green paper"

2008-06-24T10:03:00.000-07:00

A little over a year ago I applied for a job with the CA Dept of Corrections to be a Youth Correctional Counselor (YCC). For some insane reason I like working with these people. Anyways, early last week I got a call from the Sergeant down in So Cal who's handling my file. Everytime I see the call coming in, or that letter in the mailbox I get antsy in my pantsy. It's been 14 months already!!! Let's recap the last 14 months of my life, shall we? April 2007-I applied for a job as a YCC. I laid out my life story in a packet of papers for complete strangers to read and analyze. The skeletons are out of the closet & my dignity, well, that is no longer. May 2007- Spent many precious hours taking second grade reading & vocab tests, eye exams, doctors appts to correct my vision, physical tests, even getting grief from the department employee because of something I did when I was 18, cut me some slack would ya!! June 2007-waiting, July 2007-Got engaged :) (still waiting), August 2007-March 2008- Planning my fantastical wedding & still WAITING!! & wondering, do I really have that much of a "background" to research? Also, going to other random doctors appointments, and paying way too much money for one of the nurses to check a box that says "applicants left ankle is cleared to run on, and asthma should not interfere with job description. If I thought it would have, I wouldn't have applied for the position, duh!! April 2008-Getting married :) (still waiting), May 2008- I'll give you a hint, it begins with a "W", and also writing up & sending in more information about my recent nuptuals, name change, and affiliation with people in the prison system. Early June 2008- Sergeant calls me & tells me she's having trouble with my employment (past & present), are you kidding me?! Mid June 2008- Seargeant calls and says "I'm getting ready to close you're file, I know you've been waiting for awhile. You should be receiveing your green paper from us any day now." At this point in time, I'm calling Mario speaking a mile a minute about what could very well be one of the greatest days of my life, ready to pack up my belongings and move to Galt (location of the training facility), and say goodbye to Fresno. Third week of June 2008, checking the mail religiously waiting for that "green letter". It sounded so good when the Sergeant said it too. June 23, 2008, I open up my mailbox & am practically blinded by the light reflecting from this white envelope with a green letter showing through the window part, CDCR on the top left corner. This is it, this is officially my lucky day!!! I run inside, and tell Mario "my green letter, it's here!" You can only imagine the feeling I'm experiencing here. I've got a million things going through my mind, and almost as excited as I was in July of '07 when I saw Mario start to get down on one knee, girls, you know what I'm refering to here! So I open the envelope & begin to read the unfolding of the rest of my life (or atleast the next few years). "Dear Ms. Buchanan, this is to inform you that you have successfully been cleared to work for the Dept of Corrections as a peace officer. However, this letter does not guarantee employment. Please be advised that until you will be considered for the position, you are responsible to act in a responsible manner, abide by all laws, and conduct your life in a way of that of a peace officer." Are you kidding me, SERIOUSLY?! What the heck. At this point, if I had a cat I probably would have kicked it. Okay, I'm kidding, but come on?! What a let down. It's like watching the season finale of Grey's Anatomy and realizing Meredith & Derek just may make it this time, but you gotta wait how many months for the next season to start. It was almost throw myself on the ground and have a tantrum worthy, but I held back. So, I'm back to playing the waiting game. My advice to any of you applying with any federal agency is, don't get your hopes up, and be prepared to wait. Let this blog be a prime example of what you're getting yourself into. Here are some pictures of what I not only could be doing, but what I SHOULD be doing. Hope you enjoy them :) The funny part is that it looks like such a happy place to be.