Just an Average Girl...

Happy New Year to All

2009-01-01T14:07:00.000-08:00

What a year 2008 was! I must say that I am glad to have it in the past. While the final 5 months were nice and a lot of good times were had, the 7 months before that were, at times, hell.

I'm not usually one to make resolutions...what's the point, they get squashed within the first few weeks anyway! :) But this year is one I hope will be different. I have a few resolutions, mostly personal ones. They are, however, ones that should I be able to stick with will make me a much happier and content person.

Here's to a great, fantastic and healthy New Year to you!!!!!

Coming soon...

2008-12-30T10:20:00.001-08:00

a new blog post with pictures! :)

I know it's been a while and a lot has been going on in the past few months. Unfortunately I am having some issues with my laptop at home so that makes my computer time very small.

I'll try to do a better update w/ pictures from work this week. Shhhh...don't tell my boss!

I Love You

2008-10-05T19:32:00.000-07:00

Eight small letters.

Three little words.

One huge meaning.

How often does someone tell you that they love you? How often do you tell someone that you love them?

Have you ever thought of how magical and meaningful that statement can be to someone? It can be music to their ears. The one thing that will lift their spirits. Those three words have the power to make time stand still and make you forget everything around you...I know they have for me.

I know many people that hear "I love you" many times throughout the day or week, whether it be from their kids, their significant other, or their friends. But there is also someone that I know that actually goes weeks without someone telling her that she is loved. I was out for a drive tonight and started to think about her. Then I started to cry. I tried the best I could to put myself in her shoes and I could not imagine the loneliness that she must feel. She has friends. She has family.

Not missed. Lonely. Unimportant. Those were the three things that first came to my mind when I tried to step into her shoes. No one should ever feel like that.

I never really thought about the importance of telling someone that you love them and the impact that you could have on them in that moment.

Who in your life needs to hear those words from you?

Lost: Fuji FinePix Digital Camera

2008-10-05T15:15:00.000-07:00

So when I went to the coast last month, my favorite guy at work got me a good deal on a convertible to go in! It was a Chrysler Sebring and it was a lot of fun. I must say though that I wouldn't but one...too heavy and too bulky of a car.

Anyway, I took my camera with me, hence the reason for the pictures I posted earlier. I went to grab my camera a few days ago to take some pictures of my new shoes and all of the new cards I've been making. I wanted to post them so that all of you could see what I've been up to. I looked every where for that blasted camera and can not find it anywhere! The last place I remember seeing it was in the floor board of the backseat of the rental car. I called them to see if anyone turned it in...of course not. I absolutely LOVE that camera. It takes awesome pictures and I love to use it every time I get the chance.

So now I'm on the lookout for a new camera. I have to say though, I find myself being loyal to Fuji.
This is the camera that I'm looking at. It's bascially the same camera I had before, just an updated version of it. My "old" camera was (I believe) a 6.0mp. This bad boy here...10.0mp with a 12x optical zoom!

I cannot wait to get my new toy and play with it! :)

Who Was Your Last

2008-10-05T14:40:00.000-07:00

It's not as bad as the title makes it sound...

Q: Kissed someone on your top friends?
A: True...they're my friends and family

Q: Been arrested?
A: False

Q: Kissed someone you didn't like?
A: False...why would you do that?

Q: Do you like/love someone?
A: True

Q: Held a snake?
A: False...are you kidding me?!

Q: Been suspended from school?
A: False...I was a good girl in school.

Q: Been fired from a job?
A: True...don't ask.

Q: Sang karaoke?
A: True...that was many years ago and, no, I won't do it again!

Q: Done something you told yourself you wouldn't?
A: True...hasn't everyone?

Q: Laughed until you started crying?
A: True...every time I see Dodgeball!

Q: Caught a snowflake on your tongue?
A: True

Q: Kissed in the rain?
A: False...I've always wanted too...maybe this will be my year.

Q: Sang in the shower?
A: True

Q: Sat on a roof top?
A: True...that's how we used to see the fireworks when I was a little girl.

Q: Been pushed into a pool with all your clothes on?
A: True...I still owe someone for that!!!!!

Q: Broken a bone?
A: False

Q: Shaved your head?
A: False

Q: Played a prank on someone?
A: True...if you know my family, you know the stories and you know how legendary they are!

Q: Made an ex girlfriend/boyfriend cry?
A: False...at least I don't think I have.

Q: Shot a gun?
A: True

Q: Donated Blood?
A: False...I tried to but it just didn't work out the way I thought it would. Won't be doing that one again!

Q: Had your heart broken?
A: True...if you've lived life, you've had your heart broken.

Q: Broken someone's heart?
A: False...know one's ever told me I have.

"Who was your last?"

You hung out with?
The family on Friday night

You texted?
SC

You were in a car with?
Dan

Went to the movies with?
Lisa, Rox, and Joseph

Went to the mall with?
Hmmm...either Lisa or Joleen

You talked on the phone?
Lisa

Made you laugh?
SC

You hugged?
Carrie

You cried in front of?
Does it count if you're doing it over the phone?

WOULD YOU RATHER...?
Pierce your nose or tongue?
No thanks!

Be serious or be funny?
Funny...what other choice would there be?

Drink whole or skim milk?
If I have to choose, I'd choose skim.

Die in a fire or get shot?
That's pretty grim but I'd have to choose getting shot.

ANSWER TRUTHFULLY...
Sun or moon?
Moon...it's more romantic.

Winter or Fall?
Winter...more snuggling

Left or right?
Right

Sunny or rainy?
Rainy

Where do you live?
Fresno

Do you want to get married?
Yeah, eventually.

Do you twirl your spaghetti or cut it?
Depends on if I'm in a cutting mood, or a twirling mood!

Do You Cook?
Of course...I love to cook.

Current mood?
Pretty mellow and tired...looking forward to getting back to work tomorrow.

IN THE LAST 48 HOURS HAVE YOU...
Sang?
Yep

Danced Crazy?
Nope

Cried?
Teared up, but didn't cry.

Like someone you can't have?
Nope

Montana de Oro and Morro Bay

2008-10-05T14:14:00.000-07:00

Last month I decided it was time to head back to the coast and get away for the weekend. I stayed in Grover Beach as I usually do. On Saturday I ended up going to Montana de Oro park in Los Osos and walked along the Bluff Trail. Even though it was a windy and overcast day, I was absolutely beautiful! Walking along the 40 to 60 foot cliffs was, I have to admit, exhilerating! The sign above was posted in the parking area before you even start walking on the trail. Totally craked me up!

It was so amazing to see all of the different rock formations from the way that the waves crash up against them.

No, you're not seeing things....those ARE big jellyfish in the water below the cliffs. This was the first time that I've ever seen them swimming in the open water. And for those of you that are wondering...no...I did not go swimming with the jellies!

This was in Morro Bay at Morro Rock. There was a small pod of dolphins swimming along the in the water. Now that was cool! :)

A Girl's Gotta Have Choices...

2008-10-05T13:50:00.001-07:00

So, ya'll know how much I like my shoes and how much I like to buy new shoes. I have actually been a very good girl this year and have not bought any shoes for at least 6 months! These black, strappy, kick-booty, stiletto's are my absolute favorites right now! However, there is one problem with these shoes...I can't really wear them for more than a few hours at a time without my feet screaming out in pain!

These are my new brown sassy heels. Pretty slick aren't they?! One of the guys at work decided I wasn't dressing according to the dress code for the office. Nah, it's all good...he was just giving me a hard time. Anyway, I decided that he was probably right and have started wearing skirts, dresses, and sassy and sexy shoes!

Now these shoes here, they turn quite a few heads! They look more like they're pink in this pricture. They're not, they are a blue-red...absolutely gorgeous! I wear them with a black pencil skirt and white blouse. Someone told me that I was pretty hot and that it was their favorite outfit on me!

Mortality

2008-08-10T15:24:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had someone (or maybe a few someone's) in your life that, even though you knew better, you thought they would always be around? I have two "someone's"...Nana and Papa. They have always been the two constants in my life. The two people that have always been there for me no matter what. The saying for me when I was growing was "when the going gets tough, the tough go to Nana & Papa!"

Whenever times were hard, they were there. It never mattered what was happening, they were always there with a helping hand...or firm hand if that's what needed to be given! I was with them so much when I was a little girl. They would take me camping with them to Balch Park or over to Morro Bay. Nana would take me shopping with her. Papa would always teach me silly songs in the car. He taught me how to fish too.

Nana has always said that, even now, I have Papa wrapped around my little finger! You know what? She's right! :)

But you know what else? No matter what, everyone gets older...and they get more frail. Both of my grandparents have had to confront their own mortality in these past fews years. In June 2004, Papa had a heart attack on the golf course and had to be airlifted by helicopter to Seattle. He ended up with a 5-way bypass and a valve replacement. Papa came out of it very well and became even more healthy than he already was. But then a few years later his doctors found that he had very limited circulation in one of his carotid arteries. With medication he's come through that pretty well.

This year feels like it's the downhill slope and I can't help but be fearful. This year Papa has started to have short-term memory loss. Enough so that he doesn't drive anymore, or at least an extreme limited distance. This has kept him from doing a lot of the things that has always been a part of him. It hurts more than you could know to hear about all of this from 1000 miles away. It hurts even more knowing that there's nothing I can do about it.

Nana has been having problems with her knees for a while and she's had surgery a few times. This year she has developed the beginning stages of emphysema. It took a while, but her doctors seem to have a good medication regimen for her so she's not having as many breathing issues. This year they have started to clean out the clutter in their house. Nana said that she doesn't want to leave a big mess for us to have to go through when they croak! (Her words, not mine!)

I worry for both of them and wonder what will happen if one goes before the other. Will the one surviving stay in Washington or move closer to family? I think about the huge loss and enormous void that will be felt in our family by either one of their passings. Having such an extremely small immediate family, I am fearful that I will feel a little more alone in this world.

To my Nana and Papa...I love you and appreciate you more than words can ever express!

2008-08-04T20:52:00.000-07:00

Can you fill this out without fibbing? I'll let all of you be the judge as to whether or not I have! :)

What’s the last thing you put in your mouth?
A chocolate chip cookie

Have you ever kissed anyone named Matthew?
Nope

Where was your default picture taken?
Sears

Last person you rode in a car with under the age of 20?
Boy Child and Girl Child

Can you play guitar hero?
Yeah...I kick booty at GH!

Last time you walked further than a block?
Everyday I'm at work

Name someone that made you laugh today?
Dr. Reimer and Sean

How late did you stay up last night and why?
Not too impressive, but I think I was in bed by 10pm.

If you could move somewhere else, would you?
I keep threatening to move to Montana...I probably would.

Ever been kissed under fireworks?
Haven't a clue

Which of your friends lives closest to you?
Grape Ape

Do you believe ex’s can be friends?
Sometimes they can be

Do you prefer to call or text?
Call

How do you feel about Diet Dr Pepper?
I like it...but I prefer Diet Cherry Coke

When was the last time you cried really hard?
Sunday

Where are you at right now?
At home

Mentally?
Hanging tough

Emotionally?
It's been a pretty good day.

What bed did you sleep in last night?
Mine.

What was the last thing someone bought for you?
Breakfast this morning.

Does that count?
Well, duh...of course it does.

When is your birthday?
June 18

Who took your profile picture?
Some photographer chick

Who was the last person you took a picture of?
Umm...I think it was Caelin and Brennan when I was in Montana.

Was yesterday better than today?
By far!

Can you live a day without TV?
Yep

Are you mad about anything?
Not necessarily

Do you think relationships are ever really worth it?
With the right person, they're always worth it

The last time you spent the night at someone’s house?
A few weeks ago when I was house sitting

When was the last time you were extremely disappointed?
Saturday

Are you a bad influence?
Absolutely not! ;)

night out or night in?
Depends on my mood and what I want to do

Are you more of an individual or an outgoing person?
I find that I'm becoming a little more outgoing with each passing year.

What items could you not go without during the day?
Cell phone, caffeinated beverage, laughing.

Would you share a drink with a stranger?
Like actually share a drink? Uh, that would be a huge NO!

Who was the last person you visited in the hospital?
Myself

Last hug?
Hmm, I'll have to think about that one.

Do you think its right for straight guys to get their tongue pierced?
I don't think it's right for anyone to pierce their tongue.

Are you more of a coffee or alcohol drinker?
Coffee

Have you ever thrown shoes on a telephone wire?
Nope

What does the last text message in your inbox say?
What?

How do you feel about your life right now?
It's getting better

Explain why you last threw up?
Meds

How many times have you been pulled over by the police?
I think twice

Do you hate anyone?
Nah

Do you talk dirty to people?
Can I plead the 5th?

If we were to look in your phone inbox, what would we find?
Nothing too exciting...I make sure to delete the good stuff! ;)

Will you have a valentine this year?
Maybe

Anyone upset you lately?
Yeah

Last person you talked to on the phone?
My doc's office

Can you easily tell if someone is fake?
Most of the time

How’s your heart?
Healing

Say you were given a drug test right now, Would you pass?
Of course I would!

Have you ever fallen into a rose bush?
Thankfully, no!

What did you do right before you started filling this out?
Took the final batch of cookies off the cookie sheet

Have you had any Beers today?
Nope, don't really care for beer

How many?
Nada

What are you doing tonight?
Making cookies, blogging, cleaning up

All Lacquered Up

2008-08-04T20:23:00.000-07:00

I decided today was a good day for a little bit of pampering for Maya. So, during my lunch hour I went and got a pedicure. The color of the polish that I chose was called "All Lacquered Up"! I couldn't resist! As soon as I saw the name, it reminded me of a very fun time I had not too long ago...so I had to have that color!

My Sweet Moose Boy

2008-08-04T19:44:00.000-07:00

So Friday evening I'm hanging out with Hale, the Boy Child, and the Girl Child. We're getting ready to leave their house and we're putting on our shoes. Out of the blue, Boy Child says to me "Auntie, you're beautiful...and I love you."

As we're getting out of the car at College Jr's (Carl's Jr. for those of you out of the loop), Boy Child says to me, "Auntie, I love you...AND you're beautiful!"

This boy never ceases to melt my heart! :)

Watch out McCardle...

2008-08-04T19:17:00.000-07:00

here comes the Boy Child!

The Boy Child graduated from preschool at the beginning of June. I can't believe how big he is. He is such a sweet and loving kid with a heart bigger than you can imagine. I can not wait to see the wonderful man he will grow up to be!

Picture Perfect

2008-08-03T20:39:00.000-07:00

It had been almost a year and a half since the girl child and I had our first pictures done. Auntie decided that it was time to do it again...she didn't really like the other pictures too much after losing all that weight! ;)

We started off our day by having lunch with Daddy and Brother (ie: boy child) and then us girls got ready and headed out the door. We stopped at Maggie Moo's for some yummy ice cream. Then it was off to Sears for picture time.

The gal that took our pictures this time did a much better job than the guy that did it the first time. The picture above was the girl child's favorite...she asked for the pink border around the picture! :)

This picture below was one of my favorites!

Off to Montana

2008-08-03T20:19:00.000-07:00

In June, it was time for another trip to Montana to see the family. Not sure if I've said this before, but...this has got to be one of my favorite places in the world to be. If I honestly thought I could support myself and be able to live there, I'd be gone in a heartbeat! :)

I wasn't able to stay for too long this time. However, I still had a very nice and relaxing time. We didn't do too much, which was perfect for me. Unfortunately I missed seeing Joel and Scott. They left for Mexico a few days before I got there. They were down there for a week on a missions trip.

This was the first time I've seen Caelin...we hit it off right away! She is such a sweet and precious little girl. Loves music and loves to dance.

Brennan has gotten so big since I last saw him. He is ALL boy. Rough and tumble and loves to catch frogs in the pond!

Fontana 2008

2008-08-01T12:42:00.000-07:00

Well, the best thing that can be said about this year's Auto Club 500 weekend is that we at least got to see the truck race! Unfortunately, that's pretty much all we saw. The Cup series cars got to practice for about 20 minutes on Saturday before the rain started coming down again. Everything was downhill from there for the rest of the weekend's festivities.

Once it started to rain, it just kept coming down. We stuck around for a while hoping and praying that the rain would start and we'd be able to watch the Nationwide race. No such luck...no way...ain't gonna happen! Rain. Rain. Rain. That's all it did. So, back to the room we went to dry off and relax for a bit. Then it was off to Red Lobster for dinner. Ok, so dinner freaking rocked! It was very yummy!

So, the truck race...that was pretty damn fun to watch! Kyle "Rowdy" Busch just killed them all. His truck was off the hook....driving like a dream! So...yeah...he won! Go Rowdy!

We didn't even bother sticking around for long on Sunday and didn't go to the track either. It was raining was we got up that morning and would only let up for a few minutes at a time and then start back up again. The one upside to leaving Fontana early was there was hardly any traffic to deal with...and we got home at a decent hour.

Here's a few pictures that I was able to get while we were there!

Trucks getting ready to take the green flag!

Rowdy Busch making a pit stop.

Tony Stewart during the very few minutes they got to practice .

Jeff Gordon along pit lane getting his tires checked.

This was the view on the way home...nice and sunny, no rain in sight!

Still alive!

2008-07-31T22:18:00.000-07:00

So, for my very few readers out there in the blog world, I am still alive!

Things have been kinda rough for me and I needed to take a break for a bit. But, never fear, I'm gonna do my darndest to get some posts done this weekend to catch ya'll up...maybe some pictures too! :)

Because I'm bored...

2008-05-29T19:11:00.000-07:00

Do you think the last person you kissed is nice?
YEP

Who was the last person to call you?
RED

What is the last non-alcoholic beverage you had?
WATER AND COFFEE

Did you sing at all today?
DON'T SING MUCH THESE DAYS

When is the last time you cried?
TUESDAY NIGHT...BAWLED LIKE A BABY

Last text from?
SHERYL

Are you scared of spiders?
EEEWWWW.... YES!

When was the last time you threw up?
LAST WEEK AFTER A TOOK A VITAMIN ON AN EMPTY STOMACH

Do you miss anyone?
ABSOLUTELY! ERICA THE MOST...BUT I GET TO SEE HER NEXT WEEK! :)

Do you curse a lot?
MORE THAN I SHOULD

Where is the person you have feelings for right now?
NO CLUE

Have you ever drank with your number one?
A LOT

Are you too forgiving?
UNFORTUNATELY, YES...TO MY OWN DETREMENT

Do you have trust issues?
YES

What are you currently doing? (Besides this)
LISTENING OUT FOR THE KIDS...THEY'RE PLAYING OUTSIDE

Who do you like to spend your nights with?
SOMEONE THAT CARES ABOUT ME

Are you a cuddler?
YEP

Have you ever punched a guy?
NOT REALLY

Would you go back in time if you were given the chance?
ABSOLUTELY

What are your plans for this weekend?
TRYING TO KEEP MYSELF BUSY AND OCCUPIED

Have you ever lived on a dirt/gravel road?
NOPE

Ever been swimming in a lake or river?
YEAH, BUT I DON'T DO LAKES...THEY FREAK ME OUT

Kissed someone in a pick up?
YEP

Whats your favorite country song?
RODEO...OR MAYBE THE DANCE

Ever done 90 miles per hour down a dirtroad?
NOT A DIRTROAD

Country skyline or a city skyline?
COUNTRY OF COURSE

Ever rode a four wheeler?
3 AND 4 WHEELER

Camped?
BORN TO CAMP

Is it cute when a boy/girl calls you baby?
YES, BUT IT ALSO DEPENDS ON WHO THE PERSON IS

What's irritating you right now?
I DON'T THINK IRRITATING IS THE RIGHT WORD

Is cheating ever okay?
DEPENDS ON WHAT KIND OF CHEATING IS BEING DONE

What radio station(s) do you listen to?
LITHIUM AND THE PULSE

Are you afraid of the dark?
SOMETIMES I AM

Can you run a mile without stopping?
I USED TO BE ABLE TO...NOT SURE IF I COULD NOW

Are you listening to music right now?
NOPE

Do you like Chinese food?
YEP

What is the last movie you saw in theaters?
JUNO AND NATIONAL TREASURE 2

How do you like the gas prices?
I DROVE BY A STATION TONIGHT THAT HAD GAS FOR $4.43/GAL...HOW DO YOU THINK I LIKED THAT?!

Do you talk to the person you like everyday?
I TALK TO SEVERAL PEOPLE I LIKE EVERYDAY

How many different houses have you lived in throughout your life?
26

Do you lose your keys easily?
NAH

Have you ever kissed someone 18 years old or older?
DUH...OF COURSE I HAVE

Next time you will kiss someone on the lips?
HE** IF I KNOW

What did the last text message you sent say?
YAY! ONE DOWN...

How many kids do you want to have?
2, I THINK

What are you wearing right now?
SHIRT AND PANTS

Have you had the chicken pox?
YEP

Who knows you the best?
2 OF MY PEEPS

Did you buy something today?
JAMBA JUICE AND STARBUCKS

Last person to lay in your bed?
ME

What was the last TV show you watched?
SOME SHOW ON FOOD NETWORK OR HGTV

Dumb survey...

2008-05-29T18:49:00.000-07:00

I figured I needed to post something a little lighter than some of my previous posts! This one is thanks my cousin Erica in Montana.

Do you ever talk to your ex?
NEGATORY

Do you still have feelings for your ex?
NOPE

What is your all-time favorite romance movie?
I THINK I'D HAVE TO SAY SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE

How many times have you really fallen in love?
ONCE

Do you believe that everyone has a soul-mate?
MY THOUGHT IS THAT THERE ARE PROBABLY SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT WE ARE COMPATIBLE WITH AND COULD LIVE WITH FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES.

Whats your current problem?
YEAH...WE DON'T NEED TO GO THERE!

Hookups or relationships?
RELATIONSHIPS

Had a Long Distance Relationship?
NOPE

Do you believe in the saying ONCE A CHEATER ALWAYS A CHEATER?
NO

Do you want to get married?
I THINK SO.

How many kids do you want to have?
I THINK I WANT 2 KIDS.

Whats your favorite color(s)?
PINK AND RED

Would you hug the last person you hugged?
DUH, I'VE ALREADY HUGGED THEM BEFORE, WHY WOULDN'T I DO IT AGAIN?!

At what age did you start noticing the opposite gender?
MAYBE SECOND GRADE

Do you still like your exes?
NOT REALLY

Do you like/love anyone?
YEP, A LOT OF PEOPLE

Do they know you like/love them?
I'M PRETTY SURE THEY DO

Would you kiss someone on your top friends?
YEP, ALL OF THEM

Disposable

2008-05-18T15:15:00.000-07:00

Ever feel like that?

I do.

Missing: My Creativity

2008-05-03T16:14:00.000-07:00

I have been so entrenched with school and work and life that a lot of what I like to do has been put on the back burner. Well, it's probably more like it's been in the very back of that one cabinet that you never go in to.

I am a creative person...a very creative and, dare I say, artistic person. While I am not a painter and I can't really draw very well, I can do many other things. I like to scrapbook. I like to make homemade cards. I like to take pictures (not great at it, but I like to do it). I like to put flowers together. I like to decorate.

Like a lot of people, I have lost my desire to be creative. Don't know where it went, but I lost it. There's been a lot going on in my life over the past 3 years and something had to give. Unfortunately, my creativity is what ended up "giving." My creativity is such a huge part of me, of who I am. In losing my creativity, I've lost part of who I am. I want to be a creative person again. I need to find her. I need to find myself.

There will be a BIG reward for the person that can help me find my creativity! Okay, so there won't be money involved, but there might be a Starbucks or lunch involved! :)

Mindless Stuff...

2008-05-03T15:52:00.000-07:00

37%

Some of you may want to reconsider traveling with me... >:)

252 WATTS

I Scored a 93%!

Unfortunately, it didn't tell which words I misspelled! Not cool, Mav!

Girls day...

2008-04-30T14:54:00.001-07:00

So the girl child and I went and had a girls day over this past weekend. We went to Maggie Moo's for ice cream and then went to have pictures taken! It was a lot of fun and we both enjoyed ourselves immensely! :)

We did this about a year and a half ago...we've both changed a lot since that time!

Five Things...

2008-04-30T14:40:00.000-07:00

5 things found in your bag:

a) ATM card
b) Chapstick
c) Keys
d) Gum
e) Tylenol/Advil

5 favorite things in your room:

a) Laptop
b) Pictures of my family
c) Willow Tree figurine
d) Bed
e) Favorite pair of shoes

5 things you have always wanted to do:

a) Get married
b) Have kids
c) Buy a house w/ said family
d) Travel to Ireland
e) Meet my dad

5 things you are currently into:

a) Taking a break from school

B) Spending more time and effort on me

C) NASCAR

d) Juno

e) Finding the perfect, moderately priced day spa

Multiple layers of me...

2008-04-18T22:04:00.000-07:00

Thanks Katie-Did! :)

Layer One: On the Outside
Name: Maya
Birthday: June 18
Current Location: in Pismo Beach, in a king sized bed...alone
Eye Color: green
Hair Color: brown
Righty or Lefty: righty
Zodiac Sign: Gemini

Layer Two: Just Below the Surface
Your Weakness: I always take care of everyone else before taking of myself
Goal: to be happy and know that it's ok to put Maya first once in a while
Your Fears: dying with nothing to leave behind

Layer Three: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow
Your thoughts first waking up: again?
Your bedtime: anywhere between 8:30pm and 1am
Your most missed memory: belly laughing

Layer Four: Your Pick
Pepsi or Coke: diet cherry coke, please
McDonald’s or Burger King: hmmm....depends on which one is more conveniently located
Single or Group dates: can I just have A date? Please?!
Adidas or Nike: doesn't matter to me as long as they're comfortable
Lipton Tea or Nestea: Lipton
Chocolate or Vanilla: definitely chocolate

Cappuccino or Coffee: just depends on my mood

Layer Five: Do You?
Smoke: no, just the smell of it turns my stomach
Have a crush: not right now
Think you’ve been in love: yep
Want to get married: I think so
Believe in yourself: trying to
Think you’re a health freak: not really, I go both ways

Layer Six: In the Past Month
Drank alcohol: yes
Gone to the mall: of course
Eaten Sushi: yeah, don't like it so much
Gone skating: that was my favorite thing to do when I was a little girl
Dyed your hair: yep, but not as often as i used to

Layer Seven: Have You Ever?
Played a stripping game: don't think so
Gotten beaten up: nope
Changed who you were to fit in: unfortunately, yes I have

Layer Eight: Getting Old
Age you’re hoping to be married: I was kinda hoping that I would've already been married by now
Plastic Surgery or Wrap: probably wrap...I'm scared of the knife
Buried or Cremated: Cremated

Layer Nine: Perfect Mate
Best Eye Color: doesn't matter...it's what I see when I look into the eyes, not the color
Best Hair Color: prefer dark hair
Short or Long Hair: short

Layer Ten: What were you doing…
1 HOUR AGO: counting down the miles until I got to Pismo
1 WEEK AGO: tried to go to a baseball game that was standing room only
1 MONTH AGO: starting what felt like the beginning of the end
1 YEAR AGO: busting my butt work school and work trying to get ready for a trip to Montana

Layer Eleven: Finish the Sentence
I LOVE: my friends and family...and the boy child's belly laugh
I HATE: ????
I HIDE: myself
I MISS: feeling normal
I NEED: to be happy

Away From Me

2008-04-16T18:27:00.000-07:00

I hold my breath as this life starts to take its toll
I hide behind a smile as this perfect plan unfolds
But oh, God, I feel I've been lied to
Lost all faith in the things I have achieved
And I

I've woken now to find myself
In the shadows of all I have created
I'm longing to be lost in you
(away from this place I have made)
Won't you take me away from me

Crawling through this world as disease flows through my veins
I look into myself, but my own heart has been changed
I can't go on like this
I loathe all I've become

I've woken now to find myself
In the shadows of all I have created
I'm longing to be lost in you
(away from this place I have made)
Won't you take me away from me

Lost in a dying world I reach for something more
I have grown so weary of this lie I live

I've woken now to find myself
In the shadows of all I have created
I'm longing to be lost in you

I have woken now to find myself
I'm lost in shadows of my own
I'm longing to be lost in you

Away from me.

How Many Five Year Olds Could You Take In A Fight?

2008-02-03T10:37:00.000-08:00

This is a funny little thing that I found over at Two Blonde Boys! I think that my score was so low because I've never been in a fight...at all...ever! :)

16

New Year, Old Pictures

2008-01-29T17:53:00.000-08:00

Okay...so they're not that old...but they are from last year!

Hume Lake - September '07

The boy child was very excited about doing this while standing in line for 30 minutes. Not so much once he was strapped in!

The girl child, on the other hand, loved every minute of it!

Daddy and girl child goofing off in the cafe.

Disneyland - October '07

Someone wanted to have a picture with Cruella...! :)

Had to try on the Pirate's mouse ears! Definitely completes the outfit, don't you think?!

Halloween - October '07

Red Power Ranger and an Angel

Gorgeous and great kids!

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk - November '07

Auntie and the boy child enjoying the ride!

The daredevil girl child...had a hard time getting her off the roller coaster. Yes, that's her in the front row with arms up high!

The goofball boy child waiting in line to ride the hello-copters...again!

Christmas - December '07

Why yes, those are Willy Wonka glasses! They really help you out when you're rockin' on Guitar Hero! ;)

There's nothing like a voice-changing Transformers helmet to make the holiday's complete!

San Simeon - December '07Road trip to see the new baby elephant seals

How Addicted to Coffee Are You?

2008-01-25T18:33:00.000-08:00

I am 81% Addicted to Coffee

A New Year, A New Post

2008-01-13T18:56:00.000-08:00

Yes, I know I know...I haven't blogged in like, well, okay...FOREVER!!! And, yes I know...it's been even longer since I've actually done a real post. I have found that my heart has just not been in it to get a post done. Actually I don't think my heart's been in it to do a lot of things lately, or for a long time for that matter. Please forgive me?!

So lets see...what's been going on...
There was Hume Lake, Disneyland, Halloween, Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, San Simeon, and Christmas, and I finally got to meet my friend Anne. I think I actually have pictures of all of the previously stated activities so I'll try to get some posted within the next or so. Of course in between all of this there was still work and school.

I finished up Advanced Accounting in mid-December and then had 3 weeks off!!! I started back up with school last Monday and am currently taking Introduction to Statistics. It's not too bad. I've now finished all of my accounting classes except for my Capstone class. I've got 5 classes left to take after this one and an exam to take to get out of English and one more General Ed exam to take and then I'll be done with my Bachelor's Degree. If I can get all of this wrapped up, I should be graduating in December...of 2008!!! :) Call me crazy (I do all the time), but I'm thinking about going back to get my Master's when I'm done with my Bachelor's. I never thought I would actually say that considering how sick of school I am, and have been for a long time.

Oh...and guess what?! My annual trip to Fontana in SoCal for the NASCAR race is coming up next month! I'll be heading out on Friday, February 22nd, for a weekend of race festivities! It's going to be so much fun and I CAN'T WAIT!!!!

My Blog is Rated...

2007-12-02T23:19:00.000-08:00

The Worth of My Stone-Cold Corpse is...

2007-11-29T20:35:00.000-08:00

$4125.00

Needs More Cowbell!

2007-11-07T11:57:00.000-08:00

Will ferrell ~ More Cowbell! | Funny Jokes at JibJab

You gotta love Will Ferrell!!

I'm a Chocolate Chip cookie!!!

2007-10-31T13:58:00.000-07:00

"You're sweet (but not too sweet) and you fill other people's lives with tasty bits of awesomeness. You're no perfectionist – in fact, you're a bit disorganized – but your friends find your easygoing personality irresistible. You're so popular and loveable that even when you're having a bad day, people still like having you around."

These are my favorite cookies...of course, they must be homemade though! And I am very picky about them...they should be a little crunchy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside! Yummy...

Evidently I'm The Grinch of Halloween!

2007-10-25T18:59:00.000-07:00

You Are

An Angry Pumpkin Face

You would make a good smashed pumpkin.

What's Your Pumpkin Face?

How long before it stops?

2007-10-21T19:57:00.000-07:00

There are days when I truly think that I would be better off if someone were to just take my heart away from me. I certainly haven't been a good steward with it! Then I would feel no pain, no hurt, no sadness, and none of the other adjectives that I can think of but shouldn't be put on here for public reading.

Oh well...in the grand scheme of things it doesn't really matter...like it or not, life goes on.

I Don't Want To Work

2007-10-15T08:30:00.001-07:00

Happy Monday to all!

What Kind of Candy are You?

2007-10-09T11:44:00.000-07:00

Snickers

Nutty and gooey - you always satisfy.

What Kind of Candy Are You?

I can live with being a Snickers...I love Snickers!
So, what kind of candy are you?

Have to give a shout-out to Katie for the candy quiz!

My Favorite Pictures

2007-10-07T17:38:00.000-07:00

A few years ago I bought my first (and only) digital camera...Fuji FinePix S5100. It came highly recommended by Hale who had the same camera but one model year below mine, and I always loved the pictures they got with their camera.

Anyway, I've been going through all of my digital pictures and weeding through them and putting them onto disc. I found some that I really loved and wanted to share some of them with all of you!

How old am I really???

2007-09-19T17:46:00.001-07:00

So, thanks to Two Blonde Boys, I have now been able to find out how old I really am!

Click on this link to find out your "true" age.

Here's my stats:

Biological age: 35
Real Age: 23.5

Average life expectancy: 74
Your life expectancy: 85.5

You know...people have always told me that I look younger than my biological age, but I never thought I looked that young!

What's your "real" age?

Finding the Foothills...

2007-09-10T16:10:00.000-07:00

So...if you read my last post, you know that I've been walking through my own personal desert. The desert has continued but it seems to get just a little bit better with each passing day. I'm starting to see glimpses of the foothills and the soft, hot desert sand that I've been walking on isn't quite as soft and hot as it used to be. Now...don't get me wrong, things are far from great and marvelous. I struggle every minute of every day...some days are just better than others!

Unfortunately, today wasn't one of those days! Today was a very hard day and in the end I was left feeling undeserving and unworthy of all the good things in my life. Funny thing is, is that I can't really pinpoint one exact thing that made it so bad. It was more of a combination of things...work, school, lack of sleep, etc, etc, etc. It was a day that was borderline tears from about lunch time until around 5pm. Not the best way to spend half of your day at work!

I'm trying to spend more time...well, who am I kidding, spending time AT ALL...in the Word. I did very good my first week. I was actually going through and reading 2, 3, and sometimes 4 devotions a day. I was very thirsty and hungry. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I'm not hungry and thirsty now to hear what God has to say to me. For some reason, I've found it harder to 'find the time' to spend with God. I have no excuses to offer (not that it would matter anyway) other than I just haven't.

It's been two weeks since I turned back around to face God and started to walk towards him again. While each day is a struggle, I'm starting to feel God's love for me again. I'm starting to feel worthy and deserving and lovable again. I'm starting to recognize the woman that I face in the mirror every day again. I know that God has forgiven me for turning my back on him. I'm still working on forgiving myself for turning my back on him. But I can feel him there, gently taking me by the hand and trying to lead me down the path.

Walking through the desert...

2007-08-26T20:01:00.000-07:00

I used to be on fire for God. I say used to be because I haven't been for probably close to 2 years now. For months it's been excuse after excuse as to why I couldn't get to church on Sunday's...too tired...had to finish up homework...went out of town. The longer I didn't go the easier it became to not go at all. When I started back in college in May 2005, I felt that I had to give up being in choir because I wouldn't have the time to devote to it. For the first six months of school, that was true. I had a very difficult time keeping my head above water. Then in October 2006 I started a new job that came with a, somewhat, crazy work schedule. So I gave up being the supervisor in the Toddler room. Once I gave up working in the Toddler room, that was it for me. I'm pretty sure that up until 3 Sunday's ago, I could count on one hand how many services I had attended since the end of October last year.

I started a new job at the beginning of July that has normal work hours. Once all my friends found out about that, they all wanted to know when they were going to see me in church again. My cousin's had been asking me also. And so had God. I finally relented and went back 3 Sunday's ago. Talk about ripping off a band-aid! That first Sunday was rough, but I maintained my composure. Last Sunday was rough, I didn't maintain my composure. This Sunday...today...was by far the hardest day I've had in years. And, no, I didn't maintain my composure. Not only did I lose complete control, I broke out into ugly cry during Communion!

God is taking me through my desert right now, making me face myself and my transgressions. I know He will bring me through it...I know this is my head. My heart tells me otherwise. My heart tells me that I don't deserve to be loved by anyone, especially God. My heart tells me that I don't deserve forgiveness from anyone, especially God. I will be the first one to tell you that I don't know who the person is in the mirror staring back me. She is someone that I swore I would never become, and yet, I did.

Last night, someone loved me enough to confront me. They allowed God to work through them and to speak through them. It was very powerful for both of us. I was allowed to cry. I was prayed with and prayed over. I became a very broken person last night and let out a lot of emotion and anger. I know that I am not the same person today that I was when I woke up yesterday morning. I know that I won't be the same person tomorrow morning that I was when I woke up this morning. I know that soon enough, I will start to see foothills instead of just desert and that my shoulders won't feel as heavy from the burdens that I have been carrying.

To my wonderful friend...thank you for allowing God to speak through you and for loving me enough to confront me!

As we were sitting there last night, God put a special song on my heart. It was Take You Back by Jeremy Camp...

Take You Back

The reason why I stand
The answer lies in you
You hung to make me strong
Though my praise was few
When I fall and bring your name down

But I have found in you
A heart that pleads forgiveness
Replacing all these thoughts
Of painful memories
But I know
That your response will always be

(Chorus)
I'll take you back always
And even when your fight is over now
Even when your fight is over now
I'll take you back always
And even when the pain is coming through
Even when the pain is coming through
I'll take you back

You satisfy this cry
Of what I'm looking for
And I take all I can
And lay it down
Before the throne of endless grace, now
That radiates what's true

I'm in the only place
That erases all these faults
That have overtaken me
But I know
That your response will always be

(Repeat Chorus)

I can only speak
With a grateful heart
As I'm pierced by this gift
Of your love

I will always bring an offering
I can never thank you enough

You'll take me back always
And even when my fight is over now
Even when my fight is over now
You'll take me back always
And even when my pain is coming through
Even when my pain is coming through
You'll take me back always

Even when my fight is over now
Even when my fight is over now

You'll take me back always

Even when my pain is coming through
Even when my pain is coming through

You'll take me back

Psalm 23

2007-08-22T19:17:00.000-07:00

A lot of you know Psalm 23, but...have you ever heard it recited by such a cute and sweet little girl?

Please check out this video and you'll see what I mean!

The Color Quiz

2007-08-20T11:42:00.000-07:00

Maya took the free ColorQuiz.com personality test!

"Wants to prove to herself and others that nothing ..."

Click here to read the rest of the results.

Check out my results...definitely don't agree with a few things, but some of it is actually quite hilarious!

This was courtesy of NerdMom over at NerdFamily.

My Nana

2007-08-14T11:18:00.000-07:00

She is one of the best people in the world. She has a heart of gold and would give you the shirt off her back. She is an awesome cook and makes great Snickerdoodle cookies. She has also been the one constant in my life that I knew I could always count on since the day I was born. She has been my caretaker, my comforter, my friend, my safety net. She and Papa would take me on vacation with them, they bought me school clothes, my first pair of eyeglasses when I was in high school, and my first car. While we may not see eye to eye on everything, I can not imagine what life would be like without her in it. Just the thought of her not being in this world makes my heart ache.

I found out about 6 weeks ago that she was diagnosed with Emphysema. I'll be honest...this scares the hell out of me. I don't know how advanced it is. I don't know what her prognosis is. What I do know is that the first few medications her doctor's have put her on, haven't worked for her...she is still struggling with coughing and being able to breathe normally. I also worry because she and Papa live 1000 miles away in Washington. We do have some other family up there, but no one that would be able to care for either of them should anything happen.

Nana is also not a Christian. If she does not come to Christ before she leaves this material world, I will never see her again. If you think about it, will you please pray for Nana? Pray for healing and pray for an open and seeking heart.

Kyle Busch and Tony Stewart teammates?!

2007-08-06T19:50:00.000-07:00

If the rumors are true...KB's in and JJ Yeley is out at Joe Gibbs Racing. This means that Kyle Busch will now be teammates with Tony Stewart in the No. 20 and Denny Hamlin in the No. 11 with Kyle taking over the No. 18.

Personally, I like this for Kyle...I think he'll be a good fit at Gibbs and...I can hear April hollering at me now :) ... it'll be good for Kyle to have a teammate like Stewart. Yes, I'm very well aware of what a hot head Stewart is and has been in the past. That's just part of who he is and that's also part of who Kyle is.

This is the scenario I've wanted to see ever since I found out that Dale Jr. was going to Hendrick and Kyle was going to be out searching for a new ride!

I certainly feel bad for JJ Yeley and hope he gets a new ride very soon! I can't imagine what a NASCAR weekend would be without JJ's hottie self in a car!!!

You got it (the right stuff) - New Kids On the Block

2007-08-05T22:10:00.001-07:00

Alright, I know you all know the words to this song...and I'm sure some of you (probably April!) know the dances moves too!

So turn up the volume...it's time to get your groove on! :)

Income Tax 450B

2007-07-28T22:33:00.000-07:00

AKA: Chinese Water Torture/Drawn and Quartered 102

Okay, so ya'll know that I'm in school to get my BS in Accounting...and, yes, I did just say, "ya'll"...get over it! :)

Back to the subject matter of this blog post...

I'm currently taking Income Tax 450B - Corporations, Estates, Partnerships, and Trusts. Let me be the first to tell you...THIS REALLY SUCKS!!! I love the instructor...she's great...super involved with the class and really wants her students to succeed. The class itself is horrid...the book is beyond horrid and almost impossible to understand. Of course, it has to do with taxes and the government so I don't know why in the world I'm surprised.

This is my beef with this class: if I want to graduate, I have to take this class! I have absolutely ZERO desire to do taxes, work with taxes, or have ANYTHING to do with taxes other than having to do my own once a year.

Okay, this is where you insert my sarcastic tone...if you know me, you know exactly how this sounds coming from my lips!

Since I love the book oh so much and since it is oh so easy to understand and since I have always longed to do everybody's taxes for the rest of my life, I have oh so much motivation to actually do my homework and take the exams! NOT!!!! I have had the worst time for the past 4 1/2 weeks trying to get my assignments done, let alone get them submitted on time! I would rather be stuck on a pile of fire ants for 60 minutes than have to take this class..seriously!

I think I can honestly say that I hate this class! Thankfully this class will be over in 4 weeks and I'll never have to worry about tax classes again. Of course now that I've said that, you know that's gonna come back and bite me in the a**!

I'm the girl...

2007-07-20T22:04:00.000-07:00

I'm the girl who will put her head on your shoulder, not because I'm sleepy, but because I want to be closer to you...

I'm the girl who likes to be kissed in the rain, more than in an expensive restaurant...

I'm the girl who says, "Okay, but you owe me..." jokingly. Not because I actually want something, but because it means I get to spend more time with you and I care...

I'm the girl you can take absolutely anywhere and I will have fun because it means I am spending time with you...

I'm the girl who never forgets all the sweet little things you do for me...

I'm the girl who once I let you into my heart, there's always a place there with your name on it. And even if we spend time apart, I'm the girl who never forgets you..

I'm the girl who loves to end the night with a hug and a kiss..

I'm the girl who you can talk to about anything..

I'm the girl who laughs at your jokes...

I'm the girl who will brag about you to all of my friends...

I'm the girl who will listen to you talk...

I'm the girl who loves it when you hug me for no apparent reason...

I'm the girl who loves it when you hug me from behind or kiss me on the cheek...

I'm the girl who loves the feeling when you take me by the hand without saying a word...

I'm the girl who loves you for you, and doesn't care what other people say about us...

SWEET HEARTED GIRLS : If you are this girl repost this saying "I'm this girl"

DUDES: If you want this girl repost "I want this Girl"

LUCKY GUYS: repost "I have this girl"

*** Yes, this is a little sappy! Don't get me wrong, while I may be all of these things, I also have sarcasm and piss and vinegar in me too...it's a great balance! ;) Now if one of you wonderful blog readers would be so kind as to point me in the direction of a man that would be interested in this girl, it would be greatly appreciated! ;) ***

PS - I'm posting this with permission from my friend Anne! Thanks!

Another useless survey...

2007-07-20T21:52:00.000-07:00

I don't know why I do these...I just can't help myself!

1)How old do you wish you were?
You know, I don’t know how old I wish I was…I just know that I don’t want to be any younger than 28 again!

2) Whose bed did you sleep in last, other than your own?
I can’t believe you would ask me such a thing…that’s pretty personal! ;)

3) What do you do when vending machines steal your money?
Walk away

4) Do you consider yourself kind?
Absolutely…but I have a tendency to be tooooo kind! Maybe I need to learn how to be a little more selfish and self-centered…

5) If you would get a tattoo, what part of your body would you get it on?
What do you mean ‘IF’…I do have a tattoo! It’s on the lower left side of my back. Love it!!!!

6) If you could be fluent in any other language, what would it be?
Probably Italian or Portuguese…they’re great languages.

7) Do you know your neighbors?
Sure do…I’m not completely anti-social! ;)

8) What do you consider a vacation?
Vacation to me could anywhere from camping for a long weekend or taking a 10-day cruise. I’m very easy to please when it comes to my vacations.

9) Do you follow your horoscope?
Nah…but I’ll read it for humor purposes once in a while!

10) Would you move for the person you loved?
Absolutely!

11) Are you touchy feely?
Yep, always have been.

12) Do you believe that opposites attract?
I do.

13) Dream job?
This will probably sound corny and old-fashioned but I’ve always wanted to be a stay-at-home-mom.

14) Favorite channel?
I’m sorry, but what are channels? I may watch about an hour a week of actual television programming.

15) Have you ever attempted suicide?
NO!

16) Favorite place to go on weekends?
Depends on my mood…movies…bed…mountains…coast

17) Showers or Baths?
It’s all about the shower…I don’t have the luxury of time to take a bath.

18) Do you paint your nails?
Fingernails? No. Toenails? That’s what the pedicure shop is for!

19) Do you trust people easily?
No.

20) Do you want kids?
Absolutely.

21) Do you keep a handwritten journal?
I did as a teenager, but never as an adult.

22) Where would you rather be right now?
Either in bed or spending some time with my buddy Anne!!

23) Who makes you feel guilty?
My niece…but she doesn’t even know she’s doing it.

24) Are you paranoid?
Nah…

25) Are you impatient?
Depends on the situation and my mood.

26) Who can you relate to?
Anne!

27) How do you feel about interracial couples?
I could care less!

28) What's your life motto?
Never say never!

29) What's your main ring tone on your phone?
Some lame a** ring tone that came with my phone. As soon as I can figure out how to put my own ring tones on it without having to pay for it…I’ll have a billion songs to choose from!

30) What's the last thing that scared you?
Someone that grabbed my ankle when I was asleep.

31) What and who did the last text message on your cell phone say?
Hale: Nope…next week!

32) What color shirt are you wearing.. anything special about it?
Black…it says ‘Pirate Princess’ on the side of it. I bought it at Disneyland. Let me tell you...I ROCK this shirt!! :)

33) Most recent movie that you watched?
Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure

34) Name 3 things you have to have on you at all times:
Cell phone, car key, ATM/credit card.

35) How much cash do you have on you right now?
A little less than a $100. I never carry this much money on me but I went to the ATM during lunch today.

36) What's your favorite town/city?
Florence/Missoula, MT

37) I can't wait to..?
Finish school, go to sleep, win the lottery, buy a house, etc, etc, etc…

38) When was the last time you saw your mom?
A little over a year ago.

39) When was the last time you saw your dad?
Never

40) When was the last time you talked to them?
Talked to mom about a month ago

41) Who got you to join myspace?
I think it was Anne!

42) What did you have for dinner LAST NIGHT?
Outback: Filet Mignon, dressed potato, and Cesar salad...yummay!!!!

43) What will be the best part about your weekend?
Going to the races tomorrow night with the family!

45) When's the last time you were proud of yourself?
Monday…but I’m not going to say why!

The wait is finally over...

2007-07-12T20:46:00.000-07:00

At long last, here are a few pictures of my new tattoo! I've also included a picture of the original drawing that my tattoo is based on. The tattoo artist had to change a few things to it to make it fit the area where my tattoo is at.

I'm now 2+ months post-tattoo application and am still completely in love with it! Not many people know about it yet. Matter of fact, most of my family doesn't even know that I have it! I did tell, and show, my dearest friend Pam and my cousin Carrie...they were both very, very shocked and amazed that I did it!

This is Hale's original drawing...pretty awesome isn't it?!
Here's the permanent ink...
Another shot, I think the color is better in this one.

So what do you think of my body art? Is it what you expected? Better? Worse?

Jamie McMurray finally gets his win!

2007-07-08T10:55:00.000-07:00

Last night was the last restrictor plate race for the current car. When the driver's show up at Talladega in October, they'll be racing in the Car of Tomorrow.

But in the mean time, Jamie McMurray ended a 166-winless streak by winning the Pepsi 400 in Daytona last night. Jamie edged out Kyle Busch for the win by .005 of a second. That, my friends, is the second closest finish in NASCAR history! The closest was Ricky Craven over Kurt Busch at Darlington in March 2003...that finish was barely .002 of a second!

My boy, Jeff Gordon, finished 5th last night and increased his lead over Denny Hamlin to 277 points in the championship standings. Only 8 more races to go until the start of the Chase for The Cup!

You know, there is something about a restrictor plate race that is absolutely electrifying to me...even if I am only watching it on TV. Maybe it's the car racing around at 190 mph. Maybe it's the cars running 2-3 wide about 10 deep around the entire track for most of the race. Maybe it's the anticipation of The Big One. Maybe it's the sound of all 43 cars running full throttle in one giant pack. I think it's all of the above! There's nothing like watching the driver's race full throttle at 190 mph, 2-3 wide, and 10 deep for 400 miles. It's exhilarating and nerve-wracking at the same time! The one thing you don't want to see is all of the above happening and then your favorite driver be right smack in the middle of all of that...especially if The Big One happens! All it takes is for one driver to move left or right by mere inches to set off a 25-car wreck fest and someone gets sent barrel-rolling down the straight away or pirouetting on the nose of their car!

Home Remedies

2007-06-30T19:12:00.000-07:00

1. If you are choking on an ice cube simply pour a cup of boiling water down your throat. Presto! The blockage will instantly remove itself.

2. Avoid cutting yourself slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold while you chop.

3. Avoid arguments with the Mrs. about lifting the toilet seat by using the shower.

4. For high blood pressure sufferers: simply cut yourself and bleed for a few minutes, thus reducing the pressure in your veins.
Remember to use a timer.

5. A mouse trap, placed on top of your alarm clock, will prevent you from rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze button.

6. If you have a bad cough, take a large dose of laxatives, then you will be afraid to cough.

7. You only need two tools in life - WD-40 and Duct Tape. If it doesn't move and should, use the WD-40. If it shouldn't move and does, use the duct tape.

8. Remember: Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.

Daily Thought: SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE SLINKIES. NOT REALLY GOOD FOR ANYTHING BUT THEY BRING A SMILE TO YOUR FACE WHEN PUSHED DOWN THE STAIRS.

Disclaimer: I stole this from my friend Anne. I found them very funny and had to post them here!

A New Job

2007-06-29T22:49:00.000-07:00

Well, about 2 weeks ago, some stuff went down at my job that I used to have. I say "used to have" because today was my last day. No need to bore you with the details, so I won't even go there.

Within about 20 minutes of the drama happening at old job, new job came up. New job came about due to one of my wonderful cousins and his networking capabilities! In other words....HE ROCKS!!!

New Job is with a local construction company and I will be the office woman. New Job was willing to hire me even though I have no accounting/bookkeeping experience, but do have a boat load of office experience. I think it also helped that I came very highly recommended!! I start New Job on this coming Monday. Even though I'm very excited about this awesome opportunity that I'm getting with New Job, I am very nervous as I will be doing things I haven't done before.

In the end, I know it will be a great move for me and a job that I know I'll be able to do and will excel at. I will get the opportunity to multi-task (something I haven't had to worry about with Old Job), run the office, get the accounting experience to go with my accounting education, work normal hours (no more getting up at 4:15am), and I get my weekends off again!

Wish me luck!!!

The Fratellis - Henrietta

2007-06-29T22:32:00.001-07:00

This is a band that I found while listening to one of the music channels on Comcast. I really like their music!!!

Another year older...

2007-06-18T08:01:00.000-07:00

Yes...today is my birthday! Although I'm not too sure I'm actually happy about it yet. It's just another year...same stuff, different year. I guess I can be happy that it fell on one of day's off, so I was able to sleep in. There is something to be said for that, especially considering that I have to get up at 4:30am on my work days!

I might be more inclined to be happy about it once I get some caffeine in my body! :)

The Dirty Thirty

2007-06-10T22:45:00.000-07:00

Yes...it's another survey! I have a problem...what can I say?!

1.When was the last time you shaved your legs?
Yesterday morning

2. What were you doing this morning at 8 am?
SLEEPING!! I don't remember the last time I got to sleep past 7am!

3. What were you doing 15 minutes ago?
Putting ice on my hand :(

4. What are you wearing?
Black tank top and shorts

5. Are you mad at anyone right now?
Not at this very moment, no…but give me time! ;)

6. Last person to say they loved you?
Hmmmmm

7. Last time you kissed someone?
Again, hmmmmm

8. Do you know the words to the song on your MySpace profile?
I’ve got The Killers on there right now, and I do believe that I actually know all the words!

9. Last thing received in the mail?
Package from Amazon with some cool stuff in it

11. Have you ever had sex in a public place?
Come on, do I seem like the type of person that would do that?! :)

12. Have you ever been searched by the cops?
No…but there’s one at work that I would like to search me!

13. How long is your hair?
Shoulder length

14. How many different drinks have you had today?
I think 3…water, coffee, and diet soda

15. What have you eaten today?
French toast, a few bites of Linguica & Cheddar omelet, and ½ of a 6” Subway sandwich

16. Are you any good at math?
HELLO!! I’m going to have a degree in Accounting, so I’d better be good at Math.

17. Do you have plans on Saturday night?
No, not right now.

18. Do you draw your name in the sand when you go to the beach?
Nah…

20. Have you ever been awake for 48 hours straight?
That’s just a dumb question…why would anyone want to be up that long?

21. Do you like the ocean?
I absolutely LOVE the ocean!!!!

22. Do you stay friends with your exs?
None of them have be worth keeping around up to this point in my life.

23. What are you excited about?
Right now? Not much…

24. What did you do last night ?
Went to a friends house, had a few drinks, played a few games, laughed a lot…then came home and passed out! No I wasn’t drunk, just extremely tired!

25. Are any of your great-grandparents still alive?
No, not anymore.

26. Where do you keep your change?
In the ashtray in my car.

27. Do you remember the most naughty night of your life?
That was unforgettable…there’s no way I could forget that!!

28. Would you rather sleep with someone else, or alone?
Depends on who the ‘someone else’ is! ;)

29. What was the weather like on your birthday?
I don’t know…ask me next Monday and I’ll tell you. It’ll probably be hot!

30. Would you kiss anyone on your top friends list?
Yes…but that also depends on what kind of kiss you’re referring to!

New Jeff Gordon Chevy commercial

2007-06-04T21:04:00.001-07:00

I just loved this commercial...

Another dumb survey...

2007-06-02T21:35:00.000-07:00

Would you marry for money?

That depends on a lot of other factors…so I’m not sure. Do we have to live in the same house?

2. Have you had braces?
No…but I do need them.

3. Could you live without a computer?
Never!

4. If you could live in a different decade which would it be?
I think I’d like to live my adult years in the ‘70’s.

5. Do you drink enough water?
Sure do! Well, most days anyway…

6. Do you wear shoes in the house or take them off?
Usually the first thing that comes off when I come in the door.

7. What are your favorite fruits?
Strawberries, watermelon, pineapple.

8. What is your favorite place to visit?
Montana.

9. Are you photogenic?
I don’t think so.

10. Do you dream in color or black and white?
Color.

11. Why do you take surveys?
I don’t have a lcue!

12. Do you drink alcohol?

Is the sky blue? Is the grass green?

13. What is the most beautiful language?

I don’t know…

14. Do you like being kissed when you are asleep?

That’s how I prefer to be woke up!

15. WHAT do you like MOST: Sunrise or sunset?
Sunset.

16. Do you want to live until you're 100 yrs old?
No..

17. Is a flat stomach important to you?
It used to be…

18. What body part of the opposite sex is sexiest?
His eyes and his hands!

19. When watching scary movies are the lights on or off?
I don’t watch scary movies whether the lights are off or on!

20. Do you believe in magic?
Not really

21. Do you believe in ghosts?
No

22. Do you like to watch cartoons?
Depends on the cartoon…

23. At what age did you find out that Santa Claus wasn't real?
probably around 8…

24. Do you write poems?
Nope…I’m not creative like that.

25. Do you snore?
No…I purr!

26. You sleep more on your back, front,or sides?
Sides.

27. Would you rather have a poodle or a rottweiler?
Neither.

28. Are you basically a happy person?
Most of the time.

29. Are you tired?

VERY!!!! Today is my Friday and I’ve been up since 4:15am!

30. Did you drink anything with caffeine?
HELLO!!!! Iced, Quad, Venti, Non-fat, No Whip, White Mocha…PLEASE!!!!!

31. How do you take your coffee?

See above…

32. How many landline/cellphones do you have in your house?

2…one of each.

33. Do you get along with your parents?
basically.

34. Do u smoke?
EIEWWWWWWWW…that’s gross!

35. Do you have a kitty?

Used to.

36. Have you ever had a birthday party?

Yep, but it’s been a few years.

37. What do you do when you're sad?
Depends on why I’m sad.

38. What do you need most now?
I refuse to answer that question on the grounds that it might incriminate me!

39. What song are you listening to now?
ummmm…Sex and Candy by Marcy Playground and it just rolled into Wherever You Will Go by The Calling

40. What are you craving right now?

Does it have to be edible?

Have you ever...

2007-06-02T21:12:00.000-07:00

1. Worked at McDonalds?
No…but I did work at Burger King. There was even a time when my hair color matched my burgundy uniform shirt!

2. Slept in a different bed?
Huh? Than who? At the same time that I’m already a one particular bed?

3. Snuck into a movie theater?
Nah…I worked at one so there was no point in that!

4. Made out in Wal-Mart?
I don’t even like to shop at Wal-Mart, so I sure as heck ain’t gonna make out in one!

5. Thought your cousin was hot?
Nope…never!

7. Slept upside-down?
As in my head at the foot of the bed? Yes. As in my feet hovering just below the ceiling? No!

8. Said hi to a stranger?
Yeah, I’m not rude (most of the time)!

9. Gone over the speed limit?
Every time I get in the car!

10. Painted your room?
Yep! It’s been almost 3 years and I still haven’t cleaned up the walls either! :)

11. Drove a car?
Duh!

12. Fell in public?
Yes and I ruined a brand new pair of pants, sprained my right ankle, and fell, full body weight, on my left knee!

14. Been dumped?
Hasn’t everyone at some point in their lives?!

15. Stole money from a friend?
Never!

16. Gotten in a car with people you just met?
Not that I remember…but it’s possible!

17. Been in a fist fight?
Nope…I’m a lover not a fighter!

18. Snuck out of your house?
Only once that I can remember.

19. Had feelings for someone who didn't have them back?
Unfortunately…yes.

20. Been arrested?
Most definitely not!

21. Made out with a stranger?
I plead the fifth on this one...

22. Left your house with out telling anyone?
Hello!! I’m single…I do it all the time!

23. Chopped down a tree?
Nope.

24. Ditched school or work to do something more fun?
Of course I have…why do you think I barely passed high school!

25. Slept in a bed with a member of the same sex?
Yep!

26. Seen someone die?
I have…it was very sad and heart-wrenching, but welcoming at the same time.

27. Been on a plane?
Sure have…just about 4 weeks ago!

29. Slept in until 3pm?
Not in this lifetime! I'm lucky if I get to sleep past 7am!

30. Love or miss someone right now?
Sure do!

31. Laid on your back and watched cloud shapes go by?
Yes

32. Made snow angels?
Yes

33. Played dress up?
Yes

34. Cheated on a game?
When I was a little girl!

35. Been lonely?
Do I have to answer this one?

36. Fallen asleep at work/school?
Let’s put it this way…Starbucks is my best friend!

37. Been to a club?
I have…but it’s been many years! And, no, I don’t miss it!

38. Felt an earthquake?
I live in California don’t I?!

40. Ran a red light?
Yes…but please don’t tell my Sergeant!!!!

41. Been suspended from school?
Nope…I’m a very good girl!

42. Had Sushi?
Yes, but it’s gross!

43. Been in a car accident?
Yep…but I was a passenger.

44. Hated the way you look?
yeah…

45. Witnessed a crime?
Yes…that would be the crime that I committed!

46. Been lost?
Yes.

47. Been to the opposite side of the country?
Yes…used to live over there.

48. Felt like crying from embarrassment?
When I was younger I would…but I’ve toughened up since then.

49. Cried yourself to sleep?
yes...I have.

50. Sang karaoke?
I have…after many alcoholic beverages!

51. Done something you told yourself you wouldn't do?
Guilty as charged!

52. Laughed till some kind of beverage came out of your nose?
Yes, many times! Carbonated beverages definitely hurt the most! I don’t recommend that you eat or drink anything while watching Dodgeball!

53. Caught a snowflake on your tongue?
yes

54. Kissed in the rain?
No, but I’d like to!

56. Had a dream that you married someone?
yes

57. Glued your hand to something?
What kind of crazy person would do that?!

59. Ever gone to work partially naked?
That would depend on your definition of “partially naked!”

60. Been a cheerleader?
Nope, couldn’t stand them in high school!

61. Sat on a rooftop?
Yes

62. Didn't take a shower for a week?
While camping, yes. But I always take a lot of baby wipes!

63. Ever been too scared to watch scary movies alone?
Yes

64. Played chicken?
I’m not stupid!

65. Been pushed into a pool with all your clothes on?
Have you met my family?!

66. Been told you were hot by a complete stranger?
Not in so many words, but yes!

67. Broken a bone?
No.

69. Laugh so hard you cried?
Yes…while watching Dodgeball!

70. Cheated on a test?
Yes

72. Blacked out from drinking?
So the story goes!

73. Played a prank on someone?
Again…have you met my family?! Did it last week, as a matter of fact! :)

74. Gone to a late night movie?
Yes

76. Failed a class?
Yes!

77. Choked on something you're not supposed to eat?
ummm…maybe…

80. Do you celebrate the 4th of July?
Of course!

81. Thrown strange objects?
What do you consider strange?

82. Felt like killing someone?
Every day!!!!! Those of you that know what I do for a living can understand that!

83. Thought about running away?
Yes…but I was told, “you can’t!”

87. Cried over someone?
Yes…

88. Owned more than 5 sharpies?
I don’t think so…but I do buy at least one new Sharpie every year before my NASCAR race.

89. Dated someone more than once?
Boy, was that one of the dumbest things on record!

90. what's your favorite color?
Pink and red

91. Own an instrument?
No

92. Been in a band?
Not technically

93. Drank more than 25 sodas in one day?
I don’t think I’ve drank more than 25 of anything in one day!

94. Broken a CD?
No

95. Shot a gun?
Yes

96. Been on MySpace/Blogger for more than 5 hours?
No

97. Have you ever been jealous of any of your siblings?
I have no siblings to be jealous of!

98. Who is your youngest friend?
I think that would be Sheryl.

99. Have you ever came close to dying?
You mean like by the idiot in the jacked-up 4x4 that decided to run the red light and almost hit me head on at about 50 mph?!

100. Ever had a sand fight?
How dumb is that?

My Firsts...

2007-05-21T16:42:00.000-07:00

1.Who was your first love?
Jeff – no…not as in Jeff Gordon!

2. Who was your first roommate?
Pam…we lived together off and on for about 3 years.

3. What was your first alcoholic drink?
I think I was 12 or 13…camping with some people who shall remain nameless. They gave me some alcoholic beverage Apple-something. It was good!

4. What was your first job?
17 years old working at Cinedome 6 Theatre in Las Vegas. The place has been bulldozed since…

5. What was your first car?
1978 Toyota Corona Station Wagon. It was ugly as sin but I loved it!

6. Who was your first grade teacher?
I think it was Mrs. Fought. But all I really remember was being out of school for at least a week with the Chicken Pox.

7. Where did you go on your first ride on an airplane?
I was 9 and went from Reno, NV, to Boston, Mass.

8. When did you sneak out of your house for the first time?
I was probably 10 years old. I went out with a cousin that was about 5 years older than me. Not much fun for little Harpo!

9. Who was your first best friend and are you still friends with them?
My first best friend was Andrea Wallace and we met when we both started a new school on the same exact day. I haven’t talked with her in about 18 years.

10. Where was your first sleep over?
I have no idea…

11. Who is the first person you talk to in the morning?
I try not to talk to anyone unless it’s a matter of life or death.

12. Whose wedding were you in the first time?
My cousin Holly’s wedding when I was 4 or 5.

13. What is the first thing you do in the morning?
Hit the snooze on my alarm.

14. What was the first concert you ever went?
The first real concert that I went to was Duran Duran in 1990.

15. First tattoo or piercing?
Tat: May 2, 2007
Piercing: I was 8 when my ears were pierced...and, no, I haven't pierced anything else!

16. First celebrity crush?
Tom Cruise…I saw Top Gun more times than should be legally allowed.

17. First crush?
Shane…he was in my 5^th and 6^th grade classes.

18. First time you got into serious trouble?
Serious trouble? That would be the weekend I went to LA with my boyfriend. I had my mom’s permission but I lied to my boss to get the weekend off. My boss called my mom…’nuf said!

19. When was your first detention?
I never had detention!

20. First pets name?
Brandy, German Shepherd…she was the best!

21. First party?
I vaguely remember going to one when I was 18. I say ‘vaguely remember’ because it was my first experience with a large amount of alcohol!

22. Who was the first person to break your heart?
Ummmm, yeah, not willing to divulge that information!

23. Who will be the first to be tagged for their firsts?

April over at 10:15 on a Saturday Night

So what are your firsts? Post your answers here...

The things we do on vacation...

2007-05-15T19:14:00.000-07:00

Okay, so you all already know that I was on vacation and went to Montana...if you didn't know that then you're just not keeping up on my blog often enough! I got home from Montana on May 1st. April and I were headed to Pismo Beach on May 4th. You know...Girl's Weekend! Basically it's eat, sleep, and eat, sleep with a little walking thrown in here and there! :) She and I had been over at Pismo back in early February and I had a very wild, hair-brained idea that I wanted to get a tattoo! Yes, Maya wanted a tattoo! Straight and narrow, tow the line, sweet and innocent Maya! *alright, the person that's out there laughing at that description of me, and you know who you are, can be quiet now!*

So, this was something that I've actually thought about for 5 years! Seriously...no joke! I had finally decided that I wasn't going to do it because 1) it's permanent, 2) I'm not much into pain, 3) hello, it's permanent, 4) didn't know what I wanted, and 5) did I mention that it's permanent. Well a few months back, we were having a party (Superbowl, I think) and we had some friends over. Well, color me shocked when Mrs. VderV bent over and I saw a tattoo sprawled across her back! :0 She was not someone that I expected to have a tattoo! That description that I gave of myself up above? That's how I saw Mrs. VderV! So after that, I started thinking about it again...do I really want to get a tattoo?

YES I DO!!!!! So then I started looking at some images online to try and figure out what I wanted. I knew that it had to be small...I'll be darned if I'm going to be on a table, in pain, for hours on end. I knew that it had to be girly....hello, have you met me?! Most of all, I knew that it had to be meaningful...hello, didn't I say that it was permanent?! After much thinking and deliberation, the light bulb went on over my head. I know someone that's a fantastic artist...Hale! So, for a small price, I commissioned him to draw my tattoo. He was very happy to do it (at least that's what he says) and did a fantastic job on it.

I had already decided that I wanted to get it done at Tiger Rose Tattoo in Pismo Beach the weekend that April and I were going to be there. I called them a week before we were supposed to go to try and set an appointment. No such luck...they don't do appointments on Saturday's, walk-in's only! That wasn't going to work because there was a NASCAR race on Saturday late-afternoon and there was no way April and I were going to miss it! So the guy said that if I could come over there any earlier than the weekend and talk with them, it would make Saturday go by much quicker. I talk to Hale about taking a quick, impromptu road trip to Pismo (he's usually down for things like that) and he said great, no problem. We decided to go the day after I got back from Montana...basically because that's the only choice we had.

Well, neither of us could have been prepared for the fact that my flight home from Montana didn't get into Fresno until 11:45pm. So, very late night to bed with very little sleep. Hale had even less sleep because he had to be at work by 7am if he was going to get off at 4pm for him and I to drive to Pismo. He got off work at 4pm and we loaded up on caffeine and hit the road. We made it to Pismo safely and went straight to the tattoo parlor. We walked in and I said that I wanted to talk with someone because I wanted to come back on Saturday to get a tattoo done. He asked me if I wanted to do it tonight? Holy Shnikes Batman, TONIGHT?! Bring it on baby! :) Hale said that was fine even knowing that he was going to have another very late night and it was all my fault...again! The tattoo artist made a few small changes to the drawing that Hale did...made it smaller and little better suited for the area that I had it done. He got all set up and had me sit in the chair. I made Hale stand beside me so that I could hold his hand...I don't do needles, so that was a necessity!

An hour later, no tears were shed, I was still in one piece and I have the most beautiful, fantastic tattoo I could have possibly wanted!!! One of these days, I'll have someone take some pictures so that I can show you! It's gorgeous!!! The ride home was interesting...it was a little painful to have to sit down in a car for 2 1/2 hours. But Hale and I made a few stops along the way and I had my Advil, so I was good to go!

Have you ever wondered?

2007-05-05T23:29:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered what you're really supposed to be doing with your life? Have you ever wondered if the life you lead and the things you do will not only make a difference to someone, but will actually be remembered after you're gone from this world? I have been thinking about that a lot lately. I have really been questioning what I'm doing with my life and what I'm supposed to be doing with my life.

I'm coming up on what I consider to be a significant birthday. I understand, of course, that a "significant" birthday to you may not be the same "significant" birthday to me. For whatever reason, this is a big one for me and not really something I'm looking forward to! I've come to realize that I'm no where close in my life to where I thought I would be at this age. Back when I was 20-something, I had my life fairly well planned out. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't on a timeline or anything silly like that. It's just that I thought that certain things would've happened by a certain point in my life and none of its happened. Now I have to wonder...will any of the things I want ever happen? I have to admit...I've kind of given up hope...

It's...Vacation Time!

2007-05-05T22:32:00.000-07:00

So I got to spend this past weekend in Montana visiting with some very special family! I left last Friday at an hour that, seriously, people should not have to be awake! (thanks, Hale, for the ride to the airport!) Of course, when I get up to the counter to get my boarding pass from United, I was politely informed that I would not be able to get on my flight because they oversold it! Yep...that's right folks...I was not going to be able to get onto a flight that I had purchased 4 months prior! Considering that I had only had 3 hours of sleep the previous night and had only one shot of Starbucks at this point, that little girl is lucky I didn't leap over the counter! But, you want to know what the icing on the cake was? They already had my luggage on the plane and couldn't take it off because the plane was getting ready to leave. So, my luggage made the trip to Missoula, Montana, via Denver, Colorado, on United Airlines. I, on the other hand, made the trip to Missoula, Montana, via Seattle, Washington on Horizon Airlines! Thankfully, both of us made it and arrived at our final destination in one piece and at exactly the time we were supposed to!

The picture above and the picture here at the right are pictures of my cousins backyard! No...I'm not joking! They live on approximately 18 acres and have their own pond. During the winter, the pond freezes over and they can ice skate on it. During the summer, they can fish in it and also swim in it! To say that it is peaceful up there would be an understatement. For me, it's like heaven on Earth! I feel so at home and calm and at peace when I'm there and absolutely love it. The people up there are very friendly and this is a place where you can leave your front door unlocked and know that someone's not going to come in while you're gone and taken everything!

This is my godson Brennan! Isn't he adorable? He's 3 1/2 years old and is an absolute blast! As you can see, he's playing with NASCAR cars. He loves them! And, yes, it's all my fault and I'll take all of the credit for it! I had previously given him a Jeff Gordon car and a Dale Earnhardt Jr. car and he plays with them everyday. So, before I left home, I decided to take 2 more cars with me. I bought him Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch. He wouldn't let go of the Kyle Busch car and everytime he asked me to play cars with him, he would give me Jimmie Johnson. It wasn't until we were in church on Sunday that he even let me touch the Kyle Busch car!

After church on Sunday, we had a baby shower for my cousin Erica. She and her husband are expecting a baby on Father's Day, June 17. I, personally, am hoping that the baby will hold on until June 18th! Yes...that's my birthday! The baby shower was fantastic and a great time was had by all. After the shower, we loaded up all of the new baby stuff and headed back to the house. A nap was in order for all of us, so a nap it was. Later on, Erica, Brennan, and I worked on the baby room and put away all of the new baby clothes.

Come Tuesday, it was time for me to head back home. Not to be outdone on my flight there, United decided to one-up themselves! The flight from Missoula to Denver was 40 minutes late leaving. That was okay because I had a 3 hour layover in Denver...no problem. So I get to Denver and decide to trek the 1/2 mile (and, no, I'm not joking!) down the terminal to get some dinner. I ate and looked at the departures monitor to check on my flight. The monitor now says that my flight will be leaving 1 hour later than originally scheduled and will be leaving out of gate B82. I'm really not happy about this, becuase this means that I won't be getting back home until 11:15pm, instead of 10:15pm. So, I make the 1/2 mile trek back to gate B82 only to find that my gate has been changed to B56. Yep, I trekked back again! Within a 1/2 hour my departure time changed again...this time from departing at 9:55pm to departing at 10:20pm. Yeah, I was pretty upset...but, what can I do! So, I call the person that is supposed to pick me up at the airport to let them know that I will now be coming in at 11:45pm instead of 10:15pm! (thank you again, Hale!)

In the end, I got home safely and my luggage made it home safely! I guess that's all that really matters. But I think that United will be hard-pressed to get me on one of their flights any time soon!

Give it away, give it away, give it away now!

2007-04-16T08:26:00.000-07:00

So, evidently my boy, Jeff Gordon, has been listening to the Red Hot Chili Peppers a little too much these days. How else can you explain the fact that he led a total of 173 of 334 laps but then hits the wall coming off of Turn 4? That's just wrong man! But, I also knew not to get my hopes up because his car was so strong in the beginning of the race, that, at one point, he had a 4 second lead over the rest of the field. Of course, that's when NASCAR decided to throw a caution for "debris." Yeah, right! We never saw a piece of debris on the track and like FOX Sports said yesterday, "When there's a debris caution and we can find it, we'll show you the debris." Well, I never saw it, therefore I don't believe it!

In the end, my boy finished in 4th place yesterday. Which is a lot more than I can say about April's boy, Kyle Busch. You'll have to check out her blog to read about Kyle's drama yesterday. All in all, my boy is having a great season so far, having finished 2nd 3 times and hasn't finished any worse than 12th in the 7 races that have been run so far this season...and he still has the points lead! Jeff Burton ended up passing Matt Kenseth on the last lap to win the race! It was a very exciting ending and since I knew that my Jeff wasn't going to win, I was happy to see the other Jeff win.

Spring Break at Disneyland Resort

2007-04-12T02:04:00.000-07:00

I have no idea why I thought that would be a good time to go with the girl-child! But I did and we had an absolute blast! For the girl-child this was surprise trip, for me it was months of planning. I'm lucky that, while she is extraordinarily smart, she is also somewhat naive and gullible, so I was able to pull it off without a hitch. We got up Sunday morning, got ready to "run errands", went to get coffee for Auntie and a smoothie for the girl-child and we were on our way. It wasn't until we were on the road for 45 minutes before she actually asked me where we were going! Once I told her, she was ecstatic and couldn't wait to get there. Every 30 minutes or so it was "Auntie, how many more miles until we get there?"

The place was a zoo! Definitely more crowded than I was expecting...how naive of me! :) Once we got there, we headed straight for California Adventure. This is a girl after my own heart! She loves the big rides and the only thing that she didn't want to go on (and I agree completely) was the Tower of Terror. We went on California Screamin', the Grizzly Run, Maliboomer, Mulholland Madness, Orange Stinger...all the fun rides! We even ended up doing California Screamin' twice and the second time was from the very front row! When we got off the second time, I asked her how she liked riding in the front row. Her reply: Auntie! That ROCKED!! That's my girl!

We also spent some time at Disneyland and rode on Space Mountain, Thunder Mountain Railroad, Pirates of the Caribbean, Indiana Jones, and Autopia. On our second day there, we spent quite a bit of time in Downtown Disney and had lunch at the Rainforest Cafe, did some shopping, got temporary tattoo's, and turned the girl-child loose in Club Libby Lu!

Getting the hair done...

Getting the make up done...

All finished...she looks so grown up!

Spring Time Fun

2007-04-12T01:40:00.000-07:00

Last month, I watched the children of Hale and April for a few hours...and what does Auntie Maya do? She buys the kids bubble guns and squirt guns...because all children should have one of each (especially when there are siblings around!) What ensued was a lot of fun, a lot of laughter, a lot of spilled bubbles, a lot of trips to the hose, a few changes of clothes, and water inside the house! Yes, that's right, I said water inside the house! How did that happen you ask? Well, the kids made a few trips in and out of the house for their various changes of clothes because they were getting wet. I know...duh, they were playing with water! So among the trips in and out of the house, the front door didn't get closed; it was left WIDE open!

I just love this picture of the boy-child trying to hide from his sister behind his itty-bitty sqirt gun!

Yes, that would be the boy-child squirting himself in the face with the hose! And, yes, this was the exact reason why I wasn't helping...photo op!!!

If you click on the picture to see a larger version of it, you can see the water going inside the house. Yep, the fun ended the second after this picture was taken!

My life as a student...

2007-03-16T04:23:00.000-07:00

basically sucks! As I sit here at my computer, it is currently 4:24...in the morning!!!! Technically I've been up since 3:15. Unfortunately I have found that this is when I get my best homework done. No one is up, unless you count the paperboy that should be tossing (actually throwing) the newspaper on my front porch any minute, the phone's not ringing, no TV on, no loud music coming from my neighbors across the street, nobody's driving by, etc, etc. The bad side to getting up in the middle of the night is that I'm dog tired by the time I get home from work at 5:30pm. I have dinner, do a little homework, and (no joke) I'm in bed by 8pm. Sometimes I'm even in bed by 7:30pm. The only other people that I know that go to bed that early are little people (aka: children)!

So, to make a long story short, I have no life! I hardly ever see my friends (which is why they were so happy for me to start a blog so they could keep up with my life) or family, let alone talk with them on the phone. But, in the end, it will all be worth it and I will have my Bachelor's Degree...FINALLY!!!

Hmmm, what will I do with all of that newly found free time? The possibilities are endless and I can't wait!!!

The grass is always greener...

2007-03-13T15:24:00.000-07:00

in North Carolina. Ok, so here's where I'm at: single, no kids, about done with my Bachelor's degree, able to go anywhere, anytime. Can you see where I'm going with this? Those of you that live here in Fresno, or even in another part of California, know how expensive the housing market is. I know full well that my first job in accounting isn't going to pay me enough to be able to afford a $300,000 house! Just ain't gonna' happen!

So, that being said, if you were in my shoes (like my new sassy, strappy brown ones!), where would you be willing to move to? What would be your wish list for a new place? Any places you absolutely would not move to? What are things that are important to you to consider before making a move like this?

I've got my eyes on Charlotte, North Carolina right now. I mean, HELLO, it's the hub of all things good and pure: NASCAR!!!!

A girl's got to have new shoes...

2007-03-13T15:18:00.000-07:00

and I love to buy new shoes! They're cute! They're strappy! They're sassy! So what do you think?

Some people may say that I have too many shoes. I say that a girl can never have too many shoes, there's just no such thing as far as I'm concerned! And, yes, the toes are freshly manicured as well!

Another one bites the dust...

2007-03-03T16:28:00.000-08:00

Governmental and Not-for-profit accounting is now done! Thank you Lord! I think it may be time for a book burning...and, no, I'm not kidding! This was the worst book I've had to deal with so far in all of my college classes. There were limited (extremely) examples in the book and up until about 3 weeks ago, the instructor was absolutely useless! She was completely MIA until, I think, someone complained about her because all of a sudden, she she started paying attention to her students. What a concept!! If I come out of this class with a "B", I'll be content...although it will ruin my streak of "A's" I've got going on. If I get an "A", party's on!

Next up we have Cost Accounting, which I've heard is also a bear but not anywhere near as bad as the one I just slayed! Why do I get the suspicion that it's not going to get any better from here? Luckily I do have a carrot waiting for me in 4 weeks and another in 8 weeks! At the beginning of April, I get to take (I hope) my lovely niece to Disneyland with me! In 8 weeks, I'm hoping a plane to see family up in Montana! Woohoo!!!!

The countdown has begun...

California Speedway, Day 3

2007-02-24T21:43:00.000-08:00

Well folks, I hope you weren't hoping for a big summary of today's NASCAR activities. I'm sorry to say that I'm very exhausted and sick and have no energy to post. But please rest assured that I'm still having a great time and can't wait to come back again next year. JJ Yeley has now acquired a new nickname: McHotty!! It's so fitting, don't you think?! Now, just how do I sneak into the garage area...

Ryan Newman

Tony Stewart

Greg Bifle

JJ Yeley (yummy)

Jeff Gordon

If you check out April's blog, I'm sure she'll have a complete blow-by-blow commentary of today's festivities.

California Speedway, Day 2

2007-02-23T22:02:00.000-08:00

Still here. Still sick. Still cold. Still having a great time! I picked up a sunburn today, but if you know me, you know that’s not a big surprise! The sexy-man voice is now gone having been replaced by a frog-like voice. Day 2 has seen Busch practice, Cup practice and qualifying, and Truck qualifying and race. We have had so much fun down here, it’s unbelievable! But it hasn’t been too much fun since we haven’t had to have someone come and bail us out of jail…yet! Once again we got the opportunity to see a bunch of drivers and I was even able to get Kyle Busch’s autograph on one of my tickets. This highlight of my day was the fact that my boy, Jeff Gordon, got the pole for Sunday’s Auto Club 500! The only thing that would make my weekend totally complete would be if he won the race on Sunday.

Here are some more pictures for your viewing pleasure…

My boy Jeff Gordon

Kyle Busch being interviewed by Speed TV

Martin Truex Jr (this is for you Tracey!!)

Carl Edwards waiting for practice to start

Kasey Kahne

Check back again tomorrow for another update...

California Speedway, Day 1

2007-02-22T21:08:00.000-08:00

April and I left this morning and drove down to Fontana for our NASCAR weekend! We had perfect weather for the majority of the drive...that is, of course, until we got to the track for the Fan Racefest! It started pouring rain and it continued off and on for the rest of the evening. Did we care? No!!! We were two women on a mission: get Kyle Busch's autograph! Did we succeed, you ask? Duh, of course we did! See the picture below for the evidence. There were many other drivers signing autographs tonight, including Elliott Sadler, Kurt Busch, JJ Yeley, Kenny Wallace, Clint Bowyer, Bobby Labonte, Robby Gordon, Ryan Newman, and a few others. We had so much fun tonight in spite of me getting sick the night before (I'm sounding very manly right now!).

Tomorrow, we'll head back to the track for qualifying, practice, and the truck race. I've included some pictures for your viewing pleasure. Elliott Sadler...what else is there to say!! :) Tracey, eat your heart out! JJ Yeley was definitely much more handsome in person! WOW!!!

Chris Meyers and Elliott Sadler

JJ Yeley

David Gilliland

April showing off her Kyle autograph

Kyle Busch

Kurt Busch

Check back tomorrow for another update...

Seriously Sirius

2007-02-17T18:46:00.000-08:00

So, I decided that it was time for a new toy! Since NASCAR was moving from XM to Sirius, I figureed that would be a good enough excuse to go out and buy one. My first choice was the Stiletto 100 due to its portability and its (supposed) abiliy to allow me to listen to NASCAR activities while at work. Unfortunately, the Stiletto just doesn't work well in here in Fresno. So I decided on the Starmate 4 and am in love with it!!! Sirius has some great channel's including 80's, Classic Rock, Alternative, and Christian Rock. If you've ever thought about getting Sirius, I seriously recommend it! I think that the last time I had this much fun with a new toy was when I bought my digital camera!

NASCAR = Drama

2007-02-13T14:04:00.000-08:00

So, in case you haven't heard, I am a NASCAR fan! Now that the season has officially started, my world is whole again. Of course there can't be NASCAR without there being drama to go with it. Last year during Speedweeks, Jimmie Johnson's crew chief, Chad Knaus, was suspended for 3 races for pushing the envelope in regards to the No. 48's car spec's. This year, suspension's have been handed out again, although not to the No. 48. Nope, this year the honor belongs to 2 teams. The No. 9 of Kasey Kahne and the No. 17 of Matt Kenseth. Both crew chief's, Kenny Francis of the No. 9 and Robbie Reiser of the No, 17, of these teams have been suspended for 4 weeks and fined $50,000. Unfortunately, the driver's will also lose 50 points and the car owners will lose 50 points. These are some of the steepest, if not the most, fines and penalties NASCAR has handed out. Do you think that the driver's, crew chief's, and car owner's will get the hint now? Nah, what fun would that be?!

Check out the full story here for more details and to read about the penalties that were handed out to other drivers.

Finally succumbing to peer pressure...

2007-02-13T07:55:00.000-08:00

I've been advised that I must start a blog of my own. Someone once told me that I would have a lot to say. We'll see if she's right...