One Word Answers:

1. Yourself:
exhausted

2. Your boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife:
working

3. Your hair:
frizzy

4. Your Mother:
wonderful

5. Your Father:
dead

6. Your Favorite Item:
books

7. Your dream last night:
unmemorable

8. Your Favorite Drink:
Starbucks

9. Your Dream Home:
functional

10. Your Social Life:
improving

11. Your Ex:
jerk

12. Your fear:
something happening to my children (yes, that's more than one word...deal with it)

13. Where do you want to be in 10 years:
happy

14. Who did you hang out with tonight:
kids

16. Your Best Friend?
Drake

17. One of Your Wish List Items:
Kate Spade bag

18. The Last Thing You Did:
cleaned

19. What You Are Wearing:
capris

20. Your Favorite Weather:
mild

21. Your Favorite Book:
Koontz

22. The Last Thing You Ate:
Japanese

24. Your Mood:
exhausted

25. What are you thinking about right now?
company










1. In two words, explain what ended your last relationship?
Drake Silva

2. When was the last time you shaved?
yesterday

3. What were you doing this morning at 8 a.m.?
getting back from my walk

4. What were you doing 15 minutes ago?
cleaning

5. Are you any good at math?
exceptionally

6. Your prom night?
Which one? Junior prom, sophomore year...amazing. The perfect night. Junior Prom, Junior year, a lot of fun. Senior Ball, Senior year...a mess. After party...I don't remember much of it.

7. Do you have any famous ancestors?
No

8. Have you ever taken out a loan to pay for school?
yes, only $1200 left to pay off!!!

9. Do you know the words to the song on your myspace profile?
yes

10. Last thing received in the mail?
jury duty summons

11. How many different beverages have you drank today?
2...diet Dr. Pepper and water

12. Do you ever leave messages on people's answering machines?
usually

13. Who did you lose your CONCERT virginity to?
Marky Mark and Sir Mix a Lot

14. Do you draw your name in the sand when you go to the beach?
No, but I bury my kids in the sand!

15. What's the most painful dental procedure you've had?
having two baby teeth pulled

16. What is out your back door?
My new bbq and pool toys!

17. Any plans for Friday night?
Not yet

18. Do you like what the ocean does to your hair?
Any water in my hair with no hair products applied directly afterwards leaves my hair a frizzy mess, so no.

19. Have you ever received one of those big tins of 3 different kinds of popcorn for Christmas?
No, but I've given one.

20. Have you ever been to a planetarium?
Yes.

21. Do you re-use towels after you shower?
yeah for a few days

22. Some things you are excited about?
DISNEYLAND!!!!!

23. What is your favorite flavor of JELLO?
Strawberry lemonade

24. Are any of your great-grandparents still alive?
no

25. Describe your keychain:
I have a borders card, a little measuring thing from fabric.com, and a flashlight. Oh yeah, and a bunch of keys and my car remote.

26. Where do you keep your change?
in a little thing in my purse, or in my kid's Disneyland fund

27. When was the last time you spoke in front of a large group of people?
It's been a while

28. What kind of winter coat do you have?
I live in San Diego...we don't need winter coats.

29. What was the weather like on your graduation day?
windy

30. Do you sleep with the door to your room open or closed?
usually open so I can hear the kids if they wake up












Things you may not have known about me:

A) Five jobs I have had in my life:
1. Babysitter
2. Waitress at a retirement center
3. Baskin Robbins...ice cream eater...I mean scooper
4. Customer Service Representative at Hollywood Video
5. Daycare worker at 24 Hour Fitness

B) Five movies you could watch over and over
1. Mad Love
2. Untamed Heart
3. Mr. Holland's Opus
4. Reality Bites
5. Pretty Woman

C) Five places you have lived:
1. Fremont, CA
2. San Lorenzo, CA
3. Rexburg, ID
4. Mountain View, CA
5. Santa Cruz, CA

D) Four TV shows you love to watch:
1. Desperate Housewives
2. 4400
3. 24
4. Survivor

E ) Five places you have been on vacation:
1. Washington
2. Washington DC
3. Roseville, CA
4. Wyoming
5. Hawaii

F) 4 Websites you visit daily:
1. gmail.com
2. F&F
3. myspace.com
4. http://serenitytraining.camstreams.com/

G ) Four of my favorite foods:
1. Sushi
2. Filet mignon
3. lobster
4. baked potato

H) Four places you would rather be right now
1. Some place with better air conditioning
2. sleeping
3. my mom's house
4. Hawaii











1) Are your parents married or divorced?
They would still be married if my dad hadn't passed away. This year would have been 33 years.

2) Vegetarian?
yeah right

3) Heaven?
someday

4) Come close to dying?
once, when giving birth to Caitlin

5) What jewelry do you wear 24/7?
it used to be my wedding ring, but I don't anymore

6) Are you eating?
no

7) Do you eat the stems of broccoli?
yes

8) Makeup?
once in a while

9) Were you the dumper or the dumpee in your past relationship?
it was a mutual thing

10) Would you ever have plastic surgery?
yes

11) What do you wear to bed?
it depends on the night and the weather. Usually a camisole and gauchos

12) Have you ever done anything illegal?
yes

13) Can you roll your tongue?
yes

14) Tweeze your eyebrows?
wax and tweeze

15) What kind of watch(es)?
cell phone

16) Abortion?
100% pro birth

17) Hair color?
brown...well, it's currently chocolate cherry.

18) Future child's name?
MORE?!?!?!?!

19) Do you snore?
never!

20) If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Greeze

21) Do you sleep with stuffed animals?
Just Drake

22) If you won the lottery, what would you do first?
buy a house

23) Gold or silver?
platinum

24) Hamburger or hot dog?
cheeseburger

25) If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
sushi

26.) City, beach or country?
don't know

27) What was the last thing you touched?
the "w" key

28) Where do you eat?
where the food is

29) When's the last time you cried
not too long ago

30) Do you read blogs?
yes, I'm nosey

31) Would you ever go out dressed like the opposite sex?
Ummm, if jeans and a t-shirt count, then yes

32) Ever been involved with the police?
I got picked up for ditching school with my friends.

33) Whats your favorite shampoo?
Pantene

34) Do you talk in your sleep?
Once in a while

35) Beach or pool?
pool

36)What's your favorite song at the moment?
don't have one

37) what's your favorite color?
grey

38) Window seat or aisle?
window

39) Ever met any famous bands/singers?
nope

40) Do you feel that you've ever had a truly successful relationship..
so far

41) Do you twirl your spaghetti or cut it?
twirl

42) Rickie Lake or Oprah Winfrey?
I don't watch either, but would sooner watch Oprah

43) Basketball or Football?
hockey!

44) How long do your showers last?
15-20 minutes

45) Do you drive a stick?
I know how to, but have an automatic

46) Cake or ice cream?
ice cream

47) Self-conscious?
very

48) What time do you get up?
6:45

49) Have you ever given money to a bum?
all the time. I keep money in my car specifically for that purpose

50. When was your first crush?
kindergarten

51) Where do you wish you were?
in a room with better air conditioning

52) Have you ever truly broken someone's heart?
I don't know

53) Have you ever rode in an ambulance?
yes, with Cole :(

54) What kind of candies do you like?
sour

55) Last gift you received?
air conditioner and convection oven...woohoooo!


56) Last sport you played?
I swam last night

57). Things you spend a lot of money on?
bills and rent

58) Where do you live?
San Diego, CA

59) High School you attend(ed)?
Arroyo High

60) Last wedding attended?
Don't remember

61) Favorite fast food restaurant?
Taco Bell

62) Where do you work?
At home

63) Most hated food:
don't have one

64) what's your shoe size?
I have boats...not feet :(

65) Can you dance?
not at all

66) Last kiss?
I kissed Sera when she woke up from her nap about twenty minutes ago

67) what's your least favourite chore?
folding and putting away laundry

68) Favorite drink?
blended strawberry lemonade

69) Current Crush?
I'm supposed to say Drake here...right?











1.Where did you take your default pic?
N/A this isn't myspace

2.What exactly are you wearing right now?
a tshirt, capris, bra and underwear.

3.What is your current problem?
I have a headache

4.What makes you most happy?
my family

5.What's the name of the song that you're listening to?
I'm not currently listening to one

6.Any celeb you would marry?
I'm already married...although Drake would have had to fight Tom Cruise for me before he turned all freaky.

7.Name someone with the same birthday as you?
Ricky Shroeder from Silver Spoons

8.Ever sang in front of a large audience?
Yes

9. Has anyone ever said you looked like a celebrity?
Drake told me once that I remind him of Sandra Bullock. This was when we were first dating. I think he was trying to get some.

10.Do you still watch kiddy movies or kiddie TV shows?
All.the.time.

11.Do you speak any other languages?
I took quite a few years of German in high school. I think I can still ask you how to get to the train station.

12.Has anyone you've been really close with passed away?
Yes.

13.Do you ever watch MTV?
I'm ashamed to admit this, but I watch Real World/Road Rules Challenge.

14.What's something that really annoys you?
my kids, at times

Chapter 1:

1.Middle name: Anne

3.Current location: My condo in San Diego, CA

4.Eye color: boring brown

Chapter 2:

1.Do you live with your parents:
No

2.Do you get along with your parent(s): Absolutely

3.Are your parents married/separated/divorced:
they would be married if my dad was still alive.

4.Do you have any Siblings?:
I have four brothers and three sisters

Chapter 3: Favorites

1. Ice Cream:
Starbucks Mud Pie

2.Season:
Spring

3.Shampoo/conditioner:
Pantene

Chapter 4: Do You..

1.Dance in the shower:
Who does that? I'd slip and fall.

2.Write on your hand:
No

3.Call people back:
Rarely...sorry.

4.Believe in love:
Absolutely

5.Sleep on a certain side of the bed:
yes...the one closest to the door so I don't have to climb over Drake to get to the kids at night when they wake up.

6. Any bad habits:
Quite a few

7. Any mental health issues?:
It depends on who you ask ;)

Chapter 5: Have You...

1.Broken a bone:
No

2.Sprained stuff:
No

3.Had physical therapy?:
No

4.Gotten stitches:
yes...I fell of my bike at Blacow Elementary in Fremond. I landed flat on my chin. The doctor had to dig around a while to get all of the tar out before he stitched me up.

5.Taken painkillers?:
After I give birth and after my miscarriage.

6.Gone SCUBA diving or snorkeling:
No

7.Been stung by a bee:
Once when I was young, then a couple of years ago I was attacked by a full hive. That was fun.

8.Thrown up at the dentist:
no, but my daughter has

9.Sworn in front of your parents:
no

10.Had detention:
I got it all the time in Fremont. You got detention everytime you didn't do your homework. Thank goodness they didn't do that in San Lorenzo!

11.Been sent to the principal's office:
no, but I had a teacher scream at me! That was fun.

12.Been called a hoe:
No, but it's been implied

Chaper 6: Who/What was the last

1.Movie(s):
Click...good movie!

2.Person to text you?:
Tracey

3.Person you called:
Drake

4.Person you tackled?:
Drake...in the pool

6.Thing you touched:
The mouse

7.Thing you ate:
Japanese food

8.Thing you drank:
Diet Dr. Pepper

9.Thing you said:
Okay, fine, whatever.

10.Friends you miss the most that have moved:
I moved...they didn't.

The inlaws are coming. They should be here in an hour or so. I really did luck out and got some decent in laws. Okay, more than decent. Or am I just saying that because I know there are some people who read my blog that know them? Hmmm....you'll never know.

We only see them about once a year, so when they come to visit, the kids get unreasonably wild and excited. So, amidst all of the cleaning and running around preparing for their visit, I'm dealing with hyper active kids. Yippeee!!! That's always fun. For some odd reason the idle threats of, "If you don't shape up, I'll tell Grandma and Papa to turn around and fly back home," just aren't cutting it. Perhaps it's because they know I'll never follow through with it. Perhaps I should actually threaten with something I'm willing to do. Now there's a novel idea!

Today, a package arrived for Ethan. It was his birthday present from my mom. OH MY GOSH, did I forget to mention that my little boy is THREE now?!?!?!? I cannot believe that he's three. I swear it was just yesterday that I huffed and puffed my fat pregnant ass down here to San Diego, six months pregnant, with three kids in tow. Now, that creature that caused so much exhaustion and pain during that move is THREE!!!

Oooh, speaking of that move, let me tell you a quick little story. Drake moved down to San Diego about two weeks before the kids and I did so he could start work and find us a place to live. So, that left me, six months pregnant, with three kids ages 5, 3, and 1, to pack up, move, then fly down to San Diego. Finally, after finishing with the packing and getting things on the moving truck, it's time to catch my plane. Loading the truck took longer than expected, so I was running a bit late. After stopping off at the in laws and them insisting the kids needed to eat before we left, it was a mad race to the airport to catch our flight. My bags made it on our plane...we did not. So, here I am a huge fat heiffer, with three tiny kids, already exhausted from moving, stressed out because we missed our flight, having to scramble to catch another flight and figure out how I was supposed to get my luggage when I got there. I found another flight, found out where to pick up my luggage, and went to sit down at the gate. Problem was...there were no available seats and apparently chivalry is dead...at least at the San Francisco airport. Not a single person offered up their seat to me (remember, I'm six months pregnant at the time) or any of my kids.

So, I'm standing. The kids are restless. They start wandering further and further away. I'm having to corral them back in. I had three hours until my flight. So, here comes the fun part. I start counting kids. One...two...oh crap...WHERE'S THE THIRD ONE?!?!?!??! I look around and can't find her anywhere. I start to panic. All of these awful thoughts of kidnapping and child molestation run through my head. How on earth could I lose my little girl?!?!?! I start screaming, "EMMA!!!! EMMA!!!! SOMEONE HELP ME, I'VE LOST MY LITTLE GIRL!!!! EMMA!!!!!!" I'm totally panicked. People are starting to stare. All of a sudden I hear, "I'm right here, Mommy," and find my little girl...get this...are you ready for it? UNDERNEATH my fat pregnant belly. She was just tall enough to fit under there without her head touching it and just small enough that I couldn't see her. I felt like such an idiot. By this time security had come running over and I had to explain to them that I was so huge and fat that I had lost my little girl under my stomach. Yeah, that was fun. Anyways, the rest of the trip went without incident, so that was good.

Anyways, where was I? Oh yes, that huge baby that kept me from being able to see my daughter is now three years old! So, here he is modeling the gift from my mom:

He's been wearing it all day, running around the house, pretending to fly, yelling, "Suuuuuuuuuupermaaaaaaaaaan!!!!" He's the cutest little thing.

So, today I found out that a good friend of my family's passed away. He was our next door neighbor for many many years, the father of my younger brother's best friend and just an all around great guy. This morning, his wife woke up, got out of bed as she does every morning, went out to the living room to see what her husband was up to, and found his body on the couch. He was dressed for the day and everything. He just sat down and died. He wasn't sick. There was no tragic accident. He just died. I'm not sure how old he was, but I'm guessing late fifties. He was in really good health. He was really active. His dad is still alive and his mom lived a very long life. Nothing could have prepared anyone for this.

This, of course, led me to thinking of my own mortality and that of my spouse. What would I do if I woke up one morning only to find out that my husband was gone? How could I possibly cope with something like that? You think that it's so far away and you don't want to think about it, but really, it could happen at any time and with absolutely no warning. I hate how fragile life is and the uncertainty that comes with it. Any fluke thing can take someone you love away from you. It all just seems unfair at times.

Anyways, there's my Debbie Downer post for the day :(

1. Good friends - I recently reconnected with an old friend...we're talking old as in friends in preschool type of old. I haven't seen him since I moved away from Fremont in fourth grade, but all of those years apart still hasn't seemed to change the reason we were friends in the first place...we just click. It's been awesome getting to know him again.

2. A loving family - As I sit here and type this, my beautiful baby girl is at my feet, looking up at me and smiling her huge toothy grin. I can't even begin to describe the sheer joy...and horror...I feel knowing that these children depend on me for their very lives. They trust me fully to raise them well and keep them alive. What an overwhelming thought. With this trust and responsibility though, comes this unconditional love. So often I don't deserve it, yet they're always there, giving it to me. It truly is awesome.

3. Sushi - Yes, it's odd that sushi makes me happy...I realize this. However, hear me out. I'm a huge fan of sushi. I can be quite the expensive date because of my love of sushi. However, this isn't the reason it makes me happy. What makes me the most happy about sushi is how much my little boy, Ethan, loves it. He'll randomly come up to me and ask me for sushi. It's the cutest thing. People think it's so odd because this little white boy (Ethan is VERY white and has blonde hair) LOVES his sushi so much. We're not just talking California rolls with their fake crab and such. He loves the good stuff. He'll happily eat my whole plate of sashimi if I let him. His favorite is the teka maki with tuna (raw, of course)in it, but you'll never find him turning down maguro nigiri, or pretty much any kind of sushi. It's the cutest thing..."Sushi, Mommy?" is heard at least every other day around here.

4. Disneyland - My kids have been saving, saving, saving for Disneyland. I've never seen them so excited about saving money before. Every penny they find on the ground goes straight to their Disneyland fund. When Saturday rolls around and they are due their allowance, all four of them put their money straight into the Disneyland fund. It's actually starting to fill up! I'm thrilled at the thought of being able to take my kids to Disneyland. I want them to have the same wonderful memories I have.

5. Starbucks - Again, a strange thing that makes me happy. I just can't help it though. Have you tried their blended strawberry lemonade? Heaven..I'm tellin' ya! My kids are incredibly fond of their passion iced tea. Plus, if you buy 9 drinks, you get the tenth free (at least at the Starbucks inside of the local Albertsons)...how cool is that?

6. My digital camera - Without it, I wouldn't be able to capture moments like these:That's my sweet little Sera at 1:45 in the morning...neither of us could sleep :)

Anyways, those are the things on my mind at the moment that make me incredibly happy and help me remember how truly blessed I am. (Yes, even Starbucks)

I donate blood. I do this every eight weeks. I usually go through the Red Cross. A coworker of Drake's emailed the whole office and told them that they should go donate blood on a certain day because that day the San Diego blood bank was giving out free meals at Pat and Oscars if you donate blood that day. So, he went. Not only did he get a free meal, he also got a free all day pass to Boomers and a DOUGHNUT!!!! When I give blood, I just get Cheezits or a small bag of crackers or soemthing. He got a DOUGHNUT!!! I was horribly jealous. lol So, I decided this next time I was going through the San Diego Blood Bank instead of the Red Cross so I could get free stuff. Yes, I realize I should do this selflessly and that so many people can benefit from my blood donations, but gosh darn it, no matter where I go to give blood, it will go to helping someone out, right? Can you sense that I feel a tad bit guilty about switching from the red cross to the blood bank just so I can get free stuff and a doughnut?

So, anyways, today was my first day I was eligible to donate blood again (you can only donate every 56 days). So, I went to a San Diego blood bank mobile and donated. I got a free meal to Souplantation, a free Hornblower Cruise, a free oil change, but get this...NO DOUGHNUT!!!!! Seriously, the main reason I did it was for the doughnut. LOL Goes to show that being selfish won't get you very far. :( I did eat my free meal, which sadly, wasn't that great, but hey, it was food. I probably won't use my free cruise because going alone sounds boring and I can't afford to take the whole family. I go to the dealer to get my oil changed, so I don't need that. So, basically, I got a free mediocre meal and the guilt that comes with being selfish when doing somethign that is supposed to be selfless. Karma and all that.

Oh, let's not forget the fact that donating blood has NEVER affected me before and this time I was feeling all dizzy and nauseous when I was done and I bled like crazy, which also never happens. Lovely.

I'll still be going through the San Diego blood bank from now on. I'm bound to get something good eventually. LOL