Pictures....Finally!!

Wow.... I told myself today that I was going to sit at this computer and download the pictures I had saved in my camera for almost two weeks now!!! It's about time!!! So I hope you're ready for an album here... I've been saving them up!!!

Last Friday was Noah's first sparring class... Here's what he looks like in all his gear.... Including his cup (teehee) and his mouth guard!!!!

Last week, little B and my two sisters came to visit me at work... It was nice to have them come check out the surgery center I work at. We went out for lunch at my favorite Thai food place near work....MMMMM!! I love Thai food... Well, the mostly non-spicy stuff... Here's a pic of Brayden with my friend Cristina from work....

The baby shower for my sister in law Brandie on Saturday was fun.. I played a few games I hadn't played before.... Which is always nice because baby shower games are usually all the same... Melissa did a good job on organizing it... I hope Brandie had a great time.. I know I did... Good job, Mel!!!! Here's a few pics of the guest(s) of honor.... Brandie with Emma and the hostess with the mostest Mel.

The KROQ Kreepshow with Serj Tankian was next on the agenda for the weekend.... We got all dressed up as Jack the Ripper and his dead Victorian trollop, and off we went to Hollywood!!! The show was amazing.. Serj is such an awesome performer!!! There were definitely some great costumes there... My favorites were the guys dressed up as the Ghostbusters, and the other two dressed up as Mario and Luigi!!!! They took a picture of us when we got there, but I didn't like it, so forget about it!!! We have the costumes until Thursday so we'll dress up again on Halloween and take pics then.... Here's Serj!!!!

OBI

Our little Obi is doing great!!! Today was his first day at home alone and he did pretty good.. We left him baby gated into our bathroom with his bed, food, water, pee-pads, and all his toys. He did all his business on the pads except for one poopie.... Oh the joys. He ate all his food, and some of his chew too... I love this dog!!! He is getting trained quickly!!! Even Mark commented on that too.. I'm so happy things are going smoothly because I know Mark was sooo reluctant!!! His sleepover at his brothers house (my moms!!!) went OK.. The brothers fought just like that...brothers... and Obi got a little lost and peed in places other than his pads... So my mom put a baby diaper on him!!! OMG!!! My mom is hilarious!!!! So from my moms house, Noah and I went to Petsmart on Sunday morning and bought Obi a collar and leash, and this cute rugby shirt that was on clearance... It's a small and it's still big on him!!! Too funny!!!! I guess he's the only one that will ever wear an extra small anything in our house!! LOL!!!

The two brothers....

By the time we got home from Petsmart, Mark was already into Guitar Hero III... This time around we skipped the easy mode and went straight for medium.... This game in medium mode is harder than GHII in medium... But after a few good hours of hard work, we passed the medium mode.... Now, we are working on the Co-op mode so we can unlock more songs... I love playing this game!!! It's a lot of fun... Even Marks friend Tito came over and played with us for a while.. We made a deal that if I could win The Devil Went Down To Georgia, that he would kiss my feet...and guess what??? I WON!!!!! So...hahahaha to Tito... He owes me..... Here's a pic of me with my guitar (from GHII) and Mark with his guitar (the wireless one from GHIII)

After playing GHIII for a few hours, and after Tito went home, we met my mom and sisters at the pumpkin patch to pick up our pumpkin... Noah picked a normal looking pumpkin this year.... Usually he picks a funky one... Little B was having lots of fun looking at the pumpkins tooo!!! After the pumpkin patch visit we all went to Shakeys and had dinner.... Good times!!!

As for the rest of this week, nothing special planned...Just trick or treating on Wednesday, and Tae Kwon Do as usual on Tues., Thurs., and Friday too.... Work on Saturday, and chill on Sunday!!!! Well, i guess that's pretty much it... Hope you enjoyed the pics...

He's Home!!!

Last night Noah and I went with my friend Marie to go pick up our puppy.... He's sooo cute.. His official name is Obi.... You know, like Obi wan Kenobi....

He's got the typical miniature pinscher coloring.... Shiny black with brown areas on the chest and above his eyes. He's got a little bit of tan with freckles on his legs (like his brother Sonic) almost like legwarmers but more like bracelets. Noah is loving him so much.. He snuggled with him on the ride home last night, and is stuck to him like glue!!! It was very sweet to see his mommy and daddy and for him to say bye to his mommy last night... His brother and sister gave him some licks goodbye and off we went...

When we got home he was very scared and shaky!!!! Poor little guy, he went straight for his bed and went to sleep!!!! He slept for most of the night, and early this morning he got out of his bed and sniffed around till he found his peepad and went poop!!!! Thank goodness he's semi-potty trained. We just have to stay on him!!!! He gets a little lost looking for his food in the kitchen because he's been hanging out in the living room only... So I think he needs to wander and explore a while..... Once he gets really hungry, he'll find his food quickly!!!!

I'm at work right now and from what I heard when I called home, so far everything is good with little Obi. I think he will have a sleepover at my moms house tonight with his brother, since Noah is staying the night there too. Should be good times!!!!

Well only 3 more hours of work, then the baby shower, then the KROQ Kreepshow!!!!!

More updates and pics of the puppies to come probably tomorrow.

Friday at last!!!!....But not really!!

Yup, you guessed it... I am back to working Saturdays... This weekend is going to be pretty packed starting today!!!!

During work, I played hookie for a while and went to exchange some of the pieces to Marks Halloween costume that didn't quite fit. Then it was back to work... Now I have to go grab Noah get him ready for his first sparring class at tae Kwon Do. AND THEN!!!! We are going to go pick up our doggy in Placentia.... OMG....I'm tired already!!!

Saturday, like I mentioned, I work in the morning.... Then right after work I'll be driving out to Rancho to my sister in laws baby shower... AND THEN from there.... Mark and I will be heading out to LA to the KROQ Kreepshow with Serj Tankian... It's a costume concert!!! Mark is going to be Jack the Ripper, and I will be his victim -a Victorian trollop (prostitute)!!!!!! Too funny!!! There will definitely be pics of this!!!

Sunday, we are hoping to get our hands on the new Guitar Hero III... So other than playing with our new doggy, we'll hopefully be playing with our new game too!!!!

By the way, I helped my big sis make a blog of her own... She hasn't posted anything but I think she'll be updating every once in a while with some cute pics of Little (not so little anymore) B!!!!

Here's the link : www.jtbmay.blogspot.com

Well, have a great weekend everyone!!! The weather and the fires seem to be getting better.. So thank God for that!!!!

I received this on Myspace but thought it was so amazing that I should post it on here too...

Dear God,
Please keep us safe. Please keep our homes, pets, and families safe. Please convince people that no house is worth their lives, and that they need to evacuate when asked. Please keep people off their cell phones so the firefighters can use the lines.
God, please let us all be okay.
























In October 2007 over a dozen wildfires across Southern California, United States forced the evacuation of over 265,000 residents.This evacuation comes almost four years to the day after the Cedar Fire of 2003. At least one person has been reported dead. Fires burned in Malibu, Lake Arrowhead, Irvine, and San Diego. California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency in Los Angeles, Orange, Poway, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties as a result. At least 100,000 acres of land were burned near San Diego County.

Slacker!!!

WoW!!!!! I apologize for being such a slacker.... But lately it seems like time is playing a cruel joke on me.... I'm losing it!!! Hahahahah!!! You know it's bad when even Liz can tell me that I am slacking!!!! LOL!!!

Well since last Thursday, what's new???

We went to Knotts Scary Farm on Saturday... I don't usually get scared...So it's fun to go and see if these people can scare me!! (You gotta make them work for it!!!)Well I only ended up getting startled once, so it was alright. We went with Tim and Melissa (Marks brother and his wife), Todd and Ann (Todd if from Marks work, Ann is his wife) and saw my best friend Kimmy there..(for like a minute!!!) I loved that we went in a group, but I gotta say I was truly disappointed with Knotts this year.. There were mazes that completely sucked and a few that were really awesome... But more than anything, was the abundance of mediocre mazes with only a few monsters inside to scare people. So disappointed, Mark and I decided that we would go to either the Queen Mary or Universal Studios from now on.... So long Knotts Scary Farm....After we left Knotts (at 2am!!), we drove over to Todd and Ann's house for a nice game of guitar hero... Did I mention my addiction to this game??? :)~ Well, we played till 5ish in the morning and then decided to head home because Tim and Melissa were coming over the next day.... It was so much fun playing head to head with someone else... It was Ann vs Kathy, and Todd vs Mark!!! And for the special tribute to Todd, we all played YYZ by his favorite band Rush!!! Good times.. Guitar Hero III comes out this Sunday so you know where I'll be...... You got it, in line buying it bright and early!!!

Sunday we went to Marks moms and grandpas storage units here in town and rummaged through some of the stuff they have in there... Mom said for the boys to go through there and get what they want because they're just going to sell it all whenever they come out here... (They're living in Alaska now) OMG, it was soooo dirty and dusty in there.... The brothers are definitely going to have to make a day of organizing and going through everything there.... Both storage units were sooo full!!!! I recommended the boys take masks and gloves when they actually go sort through it all, because it was sick... I think I tasted dust for the rest of the day... Ugh.... Luckily, there was a few goodies that we could use.. You know I love to cook and bake... So i found some Pyrex bowls and measuring cups to bring home... I'm a sucker for anything to do with the kitchen... I also was able to bring home some cute pics of Mark and his family from way back in his childhood. I have to scan those and a few other pics sometime soon and I'll add them on here....

This week has started off OK.... Work is busier than usual for me because one of our techs is out on disability for an unknown amount of time... She has a mass in her leg that will be biopsied because they think it could be pre-cancerous or cancerous.. She is so very young tooo (early 20's)...It's so sad... So please keep her in your thoughts. All of us at work are keeping positive thoughts for her.... On a funnier note...My new nickname at work is Miss Cupcake..... Why??? Well, I have totally gotten into making some semi-gourmet cupcakes, and am brushing up on my frosting and decorating techniques... Here's a pic of some cupcakes I had made for Marks office and for my coworkers too.... I think these were the chocolate buttermilk cupcakes with cream cheese frosting... Yummy!!!!

Noah is doing great at Camo belt.. His classes changed from Monday and Wednesday to Tuesday and Thursday, which is OK.. But the time changed from 515pm to 345pm...which means I have to get up WAAAYYYY earlier on those days to be at work between 6 and 630 so I can get out in time to go over the canyon, pick him up and get to class!!! Phew!!! That's hectic....But it's well worth it because we have the rest of the day together.... This Friday though, he will start his sparring class. I am so excited.. I think I am more excited than he is, for now anyway..till he gets started.... Then I know he'll love it... Here's a few pics from his ceremony....





My mom and little sister have a new puppy!!!! His name is Sonic!!! He's a 10 week old miniature pinscher/chihuahua mix.... OMG!!! He's sooo cute!!! He came from my friend at works brother.... They had a big litter, and only wanted to keep two so she asked me if my mom was still interested in a dog... And of course, she was!!! So he came to his new home on Saturday... He has a tan body but his 2 front paws have areas that are cream with tan freckles... (I call them his leg-warmers!!!) Noah and I went over to play with him on Sunday and fell in love... Well, Monday Marie told me they had one more puppy they wanted to give away and if I knew anyone that was interested... I said yes, I am interested... (I have been bugging Mark for a puppy for a loooonnnnggg time....) After a lot of thought, Mark said YES!!!! So we are getting our puppy on Thursday.... He is all black with a little bit of brown... He's got typical miniature pinscher colorings.... Awwww...I can't wait!!! We just have to come up with a name.... Mark was joking and mentioned Bruiser (which I like) from the movie legally blonde, but he was joking.... So we are trying to think of cute names for him... I am sooo excited!

The wildfires here in Southern Cali have been downright outrageous this week... Grey ash filled skies from morning till night... You can barely breathe, and visibility is lowered.... Luckily the nearest fires to us are about 25 or more miles away... I just shudder at the thought of winter rain this year... We need it soooo bad, but when (and if) it comes there will be so many horrible landslides... Those people are just screwed either way. My thoughts go out to all those families... I know the heat isn't helping either... It's been in the 90's so far this week.... I hope it cools down a bit so the firemen can do what they do best!!! Speaking of, my brother in law Jay (who is a fireman) has been put on mandatory duty until next week.. So please keep him in your thoughts as well... I know he is an awesome fireman, but it's always scary to have him away at a big fire like these are.

Well, I think I'll load some pics on Thursday after we pick up our new addition to the family!!! Till then have a great week and be safe for those of you that are in California dealing with these crazy fires!!!

Wow... Have I been slacking!!! Here's a slideshow of pics from the cruise.. I'll talk more about it later today after work and Tae Kwon Do. Enjoy!!!!

Bye!!!

OK, so I had a little extra time this morning that I didn't think I was going to have.. So I've either forgot to pack something or do something, or I actually did everything!!! Personally, I think it will be the first option, I just won't figure it out till we're out on the ocean and I actually need whatever it is I forgot!!!!

We dropped Noah off this morning to Kindercare and my mom will pick him up tonight for their Tita (thats what Noah calls my mom....he couldn't pronounce abuelita when he was smaller, so he just said tita) and Principe weekend... I think she's planning on going to the Long Beach aquarium and lunch at Bubba Gumps :( I'm sad I'm going to miss that!! I love Bubba Gumps...Bucket of boat trash and a lava flow..MMMMMM!!!! Then they're going to visit my aunt and cousins in Downey... and probably some other cool stuff like that... You know, quality time together!! He's going to have a blast!!!! He won't even notice we're gone!!

Speaking of my Noah poo... We went to his ceremony yesterday where he was awarded his camo belt decided!!! I'm so proud of him.. He has not received one recommended belt...They have all been decided!!!! I know it's just the beginning, but he has shown so much dedication to Tae Kwon Do already!!! He is learning reverse side kicks now and his jump front kick is pretty sweet!!! I bought all of his sparring gear this week too, so he is officially ready to spar!! My son is now the proud owner of a mouth guard and a cup!!! Proud mommy moment!!! I want to see him kick some little kiddies!!! It will be nice to see him show aggression like that.. He's just so mellow and stoic, you know? The next testing cycle will be in December, and he will have to spar another kid to pass to the next belt (which is green)... So we have a lot of work to do until then..... I have nothing but confidence in him... This new belt brings different class days...It's now going to be Tuesdays and Thursdays for regular class and Fridays will be sparring class.... Three days a week!!! WOW!! He's going to be tired!!! We haven't even started on Tournaments!!! Those will be Saturdays and even all weekend for some of them!! I love the idea of him getting to the point where he wants to do tournaments.... I'm not going to sign him up for one until he says he is ready himself... There is a lot of pressure at those tournaments, so I'll wait until he is ready.

Well, I better go..... Have a great weekend everyone and I'll try to get back on here probably on Tuesday after we get back and get settled back in.... Take care!!! (and you know I'll take tons of pictures to share when I get back!!!) Bye!!!

Good evening.....

I got to work this morning only to find out that my one case for the day cancelled.... So a few of the girls from work and I piled in the car and took a stroll around the nearest Wal-Mart to kill some time...... Then back to work, to figure something out... I ended up helping my nurses reorganize and stock our operating rooms... and pulling supplies for the next day... For lunch we went to El Gran Burrito.... ehhhhh... not that great! So for the rest of the day I was just collecting more icons for the side of my blog, updating my myspace to a nice Halloween theme and getting back to all my emails and messages..... Just waiting for the time to go by because I had to make it back home in time to go to the county recorders office and get a copy of Marks birth certificate for the cruise.... Otherwise they may keep him over on the other side!!!! (A lot of people think he's the Mexican one and that I'm the white girl!!!! hahahahha!!!) Luckily I made it with time to spare... So all is good!!!!

I can't believe tomorrow is Wednesday already.... I feel the time crunching right now... Tomorrow is Noah's usual Tae Kwon Do class, then we have to return library books in Riverside. Thursday is Noah's awards / belt ceremony... and Friday we leave for our weekend cruise.... So I need to pack somewhere in between all of this... Not to mention scheduling bills to be paid, and getting Noah packed for his weekend with my mom..... Phhhheewww... It's all worth it though. A weekend alone with my hubby on a cruise??? Are you kidding???? It's going to be great!!!

Well this weekend I did some research on mini weekend trips and day trips that Mark, Noah and I could go on... I found some pretty cool places (most pretty near by) that we could visit in a day or two on the weekends.... So I think maybe next month or at the latest in January we will start doing a trip a month hopefully... A few that I looked at included going to Joshua Tree to hike and maybe even camp out a night..... We'll be hitting up all the museums.... Especially the Brea Tar Pits.. I am so excited about that one.... There's the town of Julian.... A few beautiful canyons near Palm Springs that we can hike and get great pictures.... Palomar observatory.... Maybe soon we can take him to Pole Position and learn how to Go-Kart... Too much fun!!! Well, to name a few.... It's exciting to have plans like this... I love LOVE love relaxing at home on my (usually one) day off from work, but I definitely want to get out there and show Noah some of the beautiful things that we are surrounded by. Teach him about life and history.....So if it means that I have to be a little tired, so be it... It's well worth the effort!!!

Well I better get started on my to do list..... The more I get done tonight, the less I have to worry about in the next few days.... Don't know if I'll be back on till next week.... So if not, have a great rest of the week and an awesome weekend.....

Serj Tankian

That name sound familiar???? Probably not.... He is the lead singer of System of a Down...One of mine and Marks favorite bands..... Since their last tour, they have decided to take a indefinite break.. We were so glad to have been able to see them at Ozzfest, but were very sad to hear that news... Since that, Serj has decided to do a solo project.. Here are the links to his 2 new song videos.....


The first one is for Empty Walls....
http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1126082709/bctid1184193695

This one is for The Unthinking Majority....
http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1185162182/bctid1125863717

His music is very politically influenced. It's so interesting and dramatic... Well, enjoy!!!!

Thanks.

Thanks for all the love and kind words regarding my last post.... It felt so good to get those words out of my mind.... It was my own little pep talk to myself.... Mark said I should write like that more often because I am a good writer... We'll see...

I hope everyone has a great weekend... Other than work, I just want to RREEEELLLLAAAXXX at home with my favorite two guys in the whole world!!! MY Marky poo and Noah poo...

Noah lost yet another tooth...I'll post that story tomorrow when I have more time, and he also tested yesterday for his new belt... I didn't get the official results, but from watching him, I think he will get a camo belt decided....

Well, I have one more case to go here at work, so let me get back in there and finish off Friday!!!

The never ending story.......

Just getting through another week of work, and trying to make some plans... Lately I just feel so ehhh about all the things I have to do... I think I like to pile a lot on my plate just to test myself and see how much I can handle.. I like pressure...this I know... But there are always unexpected events that pile on top of that...and make me feel like a failure... so I try to remind myself of why I'm not..... and why I will never be...

I think up to now, I've done a great job at all that I do....

I am a good wife... I love Mark with all my heart... and would do whatever it takes to make him happy.. Cook, clean, work, whatever... If he comes home craving cookies, I'll make them... If he just wants to relax and snuggle, consider it done!!!! I am supportive of him, and his decisions, and I am there for him... To help....to console, to repair...to love.... I'd do anything for this man....

I am a good mom.... Loving, fun, nurturing, caring....Yet tough and strict... Noah does good at school... Good grades, loves math!!! Excels at math!!! Sure, he's semi-shy until he's comfy with you, but after that it's over!!!! He opens up to people, but is cautious... I love that!!! It' shows me his judgement.... He knows that if he doesn't know someone, he's shouldn't tell them his life story right away.... He loves to hug us and tell us he loves us... He won't go to bed without a hug and a kiss from me and a high five from daddy... He is responsible for himself... In the morning, he gets up and makes his own cereal without us having to say a word. He is doing such a great job in Tae Kwon Do... As a matter of fact, he will test tomorrow for his next belt... Camouflage!!!! I'm sooo proud to be his mom...

I pride myself at what I do at work in the operating room. I know I am good at my job... Of course, there is so much about the job that I do not know, because of the places I've worked and the experience I've gained..... But I love hearing a surgeon say he missed me because I wasn't in his OR... I even have a doc now that said he would rather cancel his operating day than not have me in his room.. That's a compliment!!!! At my weekend job, there is a surgeon that will only schedule his cases on Saturdays because that is when the best crew is at the hospital. I love knowing what the doc will need next in a case before he can even ask me... (When I started tech school...the instructor told me that a great tech will become a mind reader!!!!) It's little things like that, that give me joy inside... I smile and pat myself on the back.... Good job, Kathy!!!!

I'm a great friend... Just ask Kimmy.... I love that girl!!! I'm there for whatever she needs... If it's a shoulder to lean on, an ear to listen to you, a designated driver, or a hug when things go really wrong... I'm there. The only way to have a great friend, is to be one.... I take that quote to heart!!! There's nothing like having a best friend to hang out with and giggle with... I love that we can just say a word and laugh for like 10 minutes!!!

I love my family... My mom and sisters... They are 3 of the most amazing women I will ever know in my life!!!! Each pretty different, but awesome!!!! I cherish them soo much... I love being near them... Just knowing they are close gives me so much strength... My moms wisdom is profound!!! To know where my mom came from and all that she has been through... To see her so happy and unaffected by all the wrong that has happened in her life... It's a miracle... a true live miracle.... What an example to have to follow... I'll do anything for my mom and sisters... My extended family from Marks side... Either good or bad, I think we've made progress and definitely gotten to know each other better through the years... I love that we try to get together a lot... Keeping the family close.. It's what kids need these days... They have to learn how important family is, not status or materialism... Status is bullshit... It's an ego trip... Materialism is greed... I love that we have a good time when we get together... Like in any family...there are misunderstandings and disagreements, but we get over it.... And in most cases, move on with life....

There are times that I don't understand why things happen... Why things are the way they are... But I know it's not my call... I just try to make the best of life... You only get one.... I know that if it is in the stars for some or all of my dreams and hopes to come true...that they will at the right time... Which may not be the right time for me, but it will be the right time.... I cling to this with all my heart. I think about it all the time...

I try to understand how people who live their lives so wrong, look so happy.... Then I realize, how fake it is.... how rehearsed and concocted their behavior is... But it doesn't make me feel any better... I still ask myself why??? I guess the answer is... I'll never know.... It's none of my business.... The world we live in today is so demanding of perfection... and I am not perfect.. Oh boy, am I not perfect.. And I will teach my family that perfection is unattainable... There is no such thing.... You need to be a good person, with a good heart... That will take you sooo much further than looking perfect or "acting" perfect.... That's all bullshit... It's an act....

Don't get me wrong here.... This isn't a "pity me story" or a "look at how great I am story" either.... Just a blog, right??? To post what I'm thinking and how I'm feeling right now... I love my life and I think that I've grown up into a pretty decent human being... I think I've come a long way from where I think I could have ended up.... But I think we all have moments where we ask ourselves if we can do something better than what we are doing right now..... I think my answer is yes.... I will try to be a better person in every aspect of my life...

The end...

Happy Monday....

Happy Monday to everyone.. I hope every ones weekend was great!!!

Friday night movie night was fun.... Knocked up is such a funny movie... (You have to like stupid and vulgar movies to enjoy it, which I do!) We made popcorn and had pizza.. Noah even had one of his cousins come and stay the night... Mark surprised me with an XBOX 360 Friday so after we watched the movie we hooked it up and played Guitar Hero II... I am sooooo addicted to this game!!!! We stayed up till 3:30 in the morning playing it!!!

I had to be at work at 6:45, and I didn't even wake up till 6:30, so needless to say I was late to work.. But through a true miracle, the laser rep we needed in the morning forgot some instruments, so HE delayed us. :)~ So I made it to work in the nick of time!!! And we did our 3 urology cases with the green light laser (which I had never used before) and it was sooo awesome! Totally revolutionizes the prostate resection!!! AMAZING!!!! And after our 3 cases, we all had lunch together, and then I was able to take a 2 hour nap... just in time to go home.... Boy, did I need that nap!!!!! I felt so refreshed!!! I love my weekend job!!!!

We didn't do much Saturday night, just hung out at home and watched some old shows we had on tivo.... Sunday was pretty lazy.... Mark was kind of tired from helping his bro move into their house, and the Raider game was on TV... So he had his friend Tito come over and watch the game with him... I did some cleaning and baking.... and then Kimmy came over and we played some more guitar hero.... This time only till 1am..... hahahaha!!!

So here we are, Monday October 1st!!!! Can you believe it???? This year has flown by!!!! You can kiss 2007 goodbye because before you know it, it will be Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years!!! Well, enjoy that happy thought..... Till next time!!!!