*-*-*-*-*: December 2007

Wow, it's been almost 2 weeks since I've blogged last... And that's right, you guessed it, there have been lots of events and tons of pics taken!!! hahahahah!!!!

Well I'll go in order since the last time i posted....

This years Christmas party for the surgery center I work at was at a restaurant called the Castaway in San Bernardino... If you've ever been to the mining company restaurants or orange hill...it's the same kind of thing... cute restaurant, on top of a hill, with a view.... the food was good, the drinks were great!!! and the company was fun.... Here's a few pics....
Frankie and her hubby William (weeyam!!!)

One of the OR nurses Sherie....

The best rep ever!!! Jeff.. I've worked with him for almost 5 years now!!!

My boss Shirley...

Throwin up the peace out for 8 1/2 days off!!!

My girl Christi!!!!

Smooches... We're outta here!!!

The next day was my first official full day of vacation... Well, from work.... I woke up had some breakfast and then my friend Frankie came over and we baked our butts off!!! Cookies, fudge, pretzels dipped in chocolate.... You name it, we made it!!! We baked till nearly 3, and then she had to go home... So I continued till nearly 9pm, and then called it quits because I had to work the next day.... I went to bed dreaming of sweet things!!!!

Saturday was work at the hospital as usual.... We had a full day scheduled once again with my fav urologist Dr Shepard.... He's so much fun!!! Everything went well with all of his cases... But at the end of the day we had a case add on that I wasn't ready for and will never forget. We had a lady come in 4 1/2 months pregnant but her baby was no longer alive. We had to do a D&C (dilatation and curettage) to get the baby out. Usually when we do these kinds of operations, the baby is not so developed and everything usually fits into the suction device. Unfortunately this one did not. I was able to recognize anatomy and the doctor felt the need to tell me what it was that he was retrieving as it came out. I was so heartbroken as I watched this little baby coming out. I had a huge lump in my throat, and tears growing in my eyes. I wanted to leave and just say ENOUGH!!! but it wasn't possible, so I had to stay. After it was all said and done, I went into the OR office and just tried to reflect and compose myself... It was just so sad. I called Mark and told him about it, and told i how I just wanted to hug Noah and thank my lucky stars that he was born without any major problems and is so healthy to date..... We take so much for granted... I was reminded of that....

After work, I came home and changed my clothes because Marks big brother Jeff and his family were coming over so we could go walk around the mission inn in riverside. They call it the festival of lights because the whole block is just drenched in beautiful holiday lights.... I think they did a better job this year than they did last year...Or maybe it was the fact that we went in the rain last year and it was SOOO COLD!!! Either way, it was a great time!!! Even Obi came with us this year, and enjoyed all the attention he got from everyone. After our walk, we had dinner at Raxx and went home...

Sunday morning I headed over to my moms house because it was our day to make our Christmas tamales for our family dinner on the 24th... We made pork, pineapple, and strawberry tamales... I think it's been almost 10 years since we made them the last time, so it was a lot of fun relearning the technique... I found out I am a much better pineapple and strawberry maker than i am a meat filler one... I just couldn't get the masa to sit right... (or so my mom said)

Later that night Kimmy and I decided to do "our" Christmas celebration... We headed out to Hollywood and Highland and had dinner at La Trasevere (i think that's how its spelled)... The food there was amazing!!! and the Patron wasn't bad either! hahahaha!!! We sat and talked and ate and drank till we could eat no more!!! Then we walked around the Chinese theater and around the shops there... and finally called it a night!! I just love this girl!!! and she loves me for me, with all my faults!!! That's why she's my bff!!!

Christmas Eve!!! We didn't do much all day except for some last minute grocery shopping and little things like that.... Marks friend Tito stopped by and we exchanged gifts with him... Later that night, we headed over to my moms house in the evening.... We all had a great dinner of tamales and posole.... It was soooo good!!!! I had been craving these since we made them and the posole since my mom said she was making it... It was all so good, I don't think any of us had dessert!!! Yeah, that's how good it was!!! We stayed up and opened presents... It was so much fun watching Noah and Brayden opening their gifts.... For Noah, I think this will be one of his last magical Santa years.... I think he's just figured it out??? Oh well, we'll try next year, but I think it's over.... Magical or not, he certainly enjoyed opening his WII!!!! When we came home from my moms... we noticed that Santa had payed our house a visit too.... So we opened our gifts from Santa and from each other also. After all the excitement was done, we sent Noah off to bed, while Mark and I stayed up till 4am playing with our new toy ROCKBAND!!! This game is sooo much fun.. I've already beat the guitar part on medium!!!!

Feliz Navidad!!! Merry Christmas!!!! On Christmas morning, we slept in a bit which was a nice change from other years... We usually have to get up early to drive out to orange county and spend Christmas morning with marks fam... So we were able to just hang out in the morning and relax... Marks friend had left something the day before so he stopped by and picked it up and I sent him off with a box of cookies and other goodies... and then it was time to get ready to go... This year we changed it up a bit and didn't do Christmas morning with the fam, we decided on only Christmas dinner at Tim and Melissa's house. (Which by the way, I loved this!!! I think this was a great idea and thanks for having us all over) We all got there and opened presents, had a great dinner!!! and then in usual fashion we played guitar hero till the wee hours of the morning... Mark and Tim outlasted everyone!!!! I crashed on the couch with Noah and Obi, and Mel went upstairs to her bed... It was a fun night!!!!

Since Christmas everything has been pretty mellow.... Nothing too exciting... Today we took down all of our Christmas decor since we aren't having anyone over for New
Years... Kimmy and I went shopping yesterday for outfits for New Years... and then we had dinner at the Roadhouse.... I think we've decided on going to see the hobos play at the press for new years... which should be fun... It's a cute little restaurant/bar in Montclair in the old historic district... Very cute!!! A few other options fell through, so I think we'll stick with this one. Noah is going to stay the night at my moms since he can hardly stay up that late anyways unless he's stuck on a video game... and that's a no, so he'll just hang out with my momma...

On New Years day Mark and Noah will be headed up to his friends house in the desert to play some football and just have a boys day, so I think I will just have a ME day and chill out at home watching the rose parade.... Then Wednesday it will be back to work... I'm going to take Noah with me to work for the rest of this week so he only has to spend one full week of his vacation at Kindercare. He hates going full time because it's boring. So because of my vacation he will have to go 1 out of 3 weeks!!!
Awesome!!!

And after wandering through everyones blogs while writing mine.... Here is the answer to a request!!!

Yes Mel, here is the recipe for the IRRESISTIBLE CHEEZ BALL!!!! You are so funny!! I can't believe you ate most of that thing!!! It was soo big!! hahahaha!!!
I hope it fits into your diet.....and if it doesn't, I hope you enjoy it anyway!!!

THE WORLDS BEST (AND EASIEST) CHEEZ BALL

2 8 oz. packages of cream cheese
1 Large can of crushed pineapple (drained very very well)
1 1/2 tsp seasoning salt
2 tsp. chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper

mix all these ingredients together, then refrigerate for an hour. take out of the fridge and form into a ball, roll in chopped pecans.... walaa!!!! it's ready to eat... I served it with toppers crackers, but it tastes good with any flavor triscuit too... just your preference!!!

OK kidlets, This was quie the blog entry... I think I more than made up for my laziness the last couple of weeks!!! Please have a safe New Years... I know we're going to give it a try!!!! Goodbye to 2007, it's been lots of fun!!! HELLO 2008!!!! Time for some fun and adventures!!!!! Bye guys!!!

Wow.. Only 2 1/2 more days of work and I can't mention how glad I am to have these upcoming days off... It will be so nice to spend all that time with Noah and actually have energy when Mark gets home from work....Not semi-dead and super tired from all the hectic daily activities... I can't wait to get my bake on....(that's gangsta talk!!!) hahahaha...

Tomorrow is Noah's last day of Tae Kwon Do until after the new year. Master Nice is going to go to visit her family out of state, so the studio will be closed.... Tomorrow is also pre-graduation for Obi's puppy class... His graduation will be on the first Tuesday after the holidays, but tomorrow we practice for it!!!

Last Friday was Noah's Tae Kwon Do banquet.. It was pretty cool to see everyone relaxed and in a partying mood.... It was a lot of fun... Noah even won himself a gift card to Target!!!! Pretty cool!!!!

Noah and Master Nice....

Noah and his Tita...

Me and my little man!!!!

On Saturday we went to Tim and Melissa's Pre-Christmas party at their place. We played some guitar hero and had fun!!!

Haylee loved my fondue!!!!

Uncle Teddy and Haylee

Teddy B making sweet sweet love to the guitar!!!!

Mark and me....

Ann vs. Teddy...

Mel and me...

My little adopted Asian brother Teddy!!!

And then it was Sunday... We did a little last minute Christmas shopping... and then went home to relax for the rest of the night.....

Here's Noah at Target.... Noah's my little Target model!!!! He's sooo funny!!!

One of the girls that hung out with us for Kimmy's bday just loaded her pics on myspace so I thought I would share a few new pics from Kimmy's birthday!!!

I'm thinking.... she's wasted!!!

I got her id, and her ATM!!!! She's not going anywhere without me!!!

Well, I don't have much more to report...so I'll end this post with some more inspiring words... Stay warm out there... It's chilly!!!!

More great words of wisdom!!!

"IT'S YOUR FRIENDS THAT MAKE YOUR WORLD Your own positive energy will compel things to turn out the way you desire when you're surrounded by positive people.Choose your environment with care.Your environment is your mental feeding ground.It's where all the food that goes into your mind comes from.Choose your environment with care, one that is positive,one that lifts you up and gives you wings to soar. Create favorable conditions through your association with others.Avoid people who belittle your ambition.Small people always do that, but the really great people,make you feel that you, too, can become great."