Oh, the Facebook

There are certain things that bother me about facebook. I wouldn't say "facebook" bothers me, moreso the people that post on facebook, or the things that happen on facebook.

• 1 Like = 10 Prayers
• Share this if you believe in Jesus!

Here's the thing... I can guarantee you, your God isn't sitting around checking how many people 'like' photos for prayers, or in support of Jesus. "Sorry kids, not enough likes on the facebook today, no soup for you!"

• Like and share if you agree!

I'm also pretty sure if someone agrees with whatever you posted, they'll like it; you don't have to tell them to do so.

• Breast Cancer week! Put a heart on your wall, but don't tell anyone why!

Posting something stupid on your wall in support of this or that doesn't actually give support to whatever it is you're supporting. CRAZY, I know.

• "I don't like it when you post things I disagree with."

Here's something else that might also strike you as crazy: not everyone shares the same beliefs you do. So being surprised when someone posts something you disagree with just makes you look crazy, not the person who posted it. Same with being shocked when someone doesn't agree with something you post. You know what's funny? There's this option in your news feed to either block a person from showing up in your feed, or hiding a certain post so you won't see any more updates on it. It's really cool. You should utilize it sometime.

• "I'm doing _______."

Oh hey, you forgot to tell me what you were doing 4 minutes ago, but thanks for letting me know you're putting your laundry from the washer into the dryer right now. Glad to know you're keeping us all informed, because inquiring minds are just dying to know.

...Anyways, I'm sure there's more I could write on this subject of facebook, and I probably will, but for now this is where I leave it!

Like... dislike... what does it matter?

You Finally Made It!

Today I took my sister and her boyfriend to the airport, so they could do the Vegas getaway. While I was there, I saw something so incredibly sweet. Maybe it was just sweet to me, maybe I was reading too much into it, but I loved it and it made me think a little.

There was a little old lady, tiny frame, skinny, short haircut, looked rather frail, had to have been in her 70s or 80s. This lady was walking in front of the airport terminals searching for someone. She was holding a sign that was equally as big as she was, you can tell she made it all by herself. In big red letters, the sign said:

"Welcome Caroline! You FINALLY made it to California!!!"

She painted a bright yellow sun in the top left corner, and a bunch of blue waves at the bottom. (I wish I got a picture!)

Like I said, she was walking around searching for, I'm assuming, Caroline. And again, assuming, Caroline must be one of her old friends who always vowed she'd make it to sunny California some day, and today was that day.

It made me think a little more about where I live and how lucky I am to be here. To be born and raised in one of the most beautiful and sought after places in the world. I'm less than an hour away from Hollywood, about an hour from San Diego, in the heart of Orange County, 10 minutes from Disneyland, and another 10 from Newport Beach. I grew up going to places a lot of kids dream about. Songs were written about the beaches where I made sand castles with my sister. People from all over the world dream about and want to go to California. It is, after all, the Golden State!

So many people I knew growing up were dying to get out of here, only left wishing they could come home once they were gone. I, too, have made the outrageous claims to want to leave here... but then I realize how silly it is. Of course I want to leave here, everyone wants to leave their home now and again; that's what kids have a desire to do. I want to travel, I want to visit new places and say I've been "somewhere," but I really don't think I want to live anywhere else in the world. Granted, I haven't been to very many places, but I do know that I've never been anywhere I'd like to live, more than my hometown.

I know this isn't the place for everyone... I know so many people who absolutely love where they live, and I think that's fantastic! I know there is good and bad in every city, in every county, but to find the beauty where you live is something you hold in your heart. I grew up here, my parents and grandparents grew up here or moved here with their children. My parents went to the schools I went to. I met my husband here and had our babies in the same hospital my mother was born. That's something really special! It's history, MY history, the history of my family and our family, right here... we don't have to go looking for it. I love that.

I really do love where I live, and now that we've had our babies here and I know we'll be raising our family here, I feel like I really have FINALLY made it!

It's good to be home, and I know there's no place like it.

Stay Golden, California!

To Be Continued

Controversial topics for future entries:

• Birth
• Breastfeeding
• Circumcision
• Parenting
• Tattoos
• Fashion
• Health
• Religion
• ...and more. (To Be Continued...)

I bulleted the topics so I can remind myself of the things I'd like to write about. Before I do, though, I'd like to make a few things clear--

• My opinions are educated.

This does NOT mean I know everything there is to know on the subject. All it means is, I've gone looking for answers, and have found answers from both sides of the issue, as well as facts surrounding the issue. I've researched each topic and have personal experience with each topic. If I do not, I will make it known in the post.  

• I am open-minded.

I like learning, and I like debate. If you choose to comment I will respectfully listen to your educated opinion as long as you respectfully listen to mine.

• I do not tolerate hatefulness of any kind.

If you choose to comment and attack the way I parent, the things I do, the decisions I make, or the opinions I have, or you do this to anyone else on here, you will be blocked, reported, and your comment will be removed. Life is way too short to be a jerk.

• I love my children and my family more than I could ever describe.

All of my research has been done to educate myself on the best ways to raise my family. I strive to do the best for myself and my family every day of my life and I believe I am making the best decisions for them.

• Some of these topics are sensitive.

I do understand the sensitivity of these topics and would like to take the time to clearly write my opinions and personal (or very close) experiences with each. I expect my experiences and opinions to differ from yours, and that is just fine, I completely accept that. I ask that you realize that, and if you choose to comment, please keep it in mind.

I like soap boxes... they stack nicely.

Things I Never Thought I'd Say... pt. 1

"That's not paint, it's cheese; don't rub it on your leg."

...I guess the cheese can walk away?

Friday the 13th

Today was Friday the 13th. I don't consider it a scary or unlucky day; actually quite the opposite. Usually my best days are Friday the 13th's. (yes, that makes complete sense.)

I have family visiting from out of town, and they wanted to go to Disneyland... which is fine, because I love Disneyland, and I've had an annual pass since I was 6 years old! (If you do the math, I've had it for 20 years. BAM.) It was pretty rainy yesterday, so I assumed it would be a good day to go, since most tourists don't go to a theme park when it's wet and rainy. Well it wasn't wet or rainy. It was about 80 degrees, and it was around 99% humidity. Everyone was there. Party at Disneyland! It drizzled just a few times, but burnt off before it hit the ground.

I got there with my babies around 10:30-11:00 am, and I left around 11pm. I tell ya, if you want a good but abnormal workout, try pushing a double stroller full of stuff and two kids around two theme parks for 12 hours in full humidity, maybe you'll lose 2 lbs like I did!

We started at Disney's California Adventure...

I absolutely love what they've done with the place. I love Buena Vista Street (I've only been in one shop so far.), it's like walking around LA in the 30s. Beautiful. I feel like I belong there!

I also am totally digging Cars Land; it's like the Pixar studio just dropped the move right over the "real world"... it is literally like you're walking through Radiator Springs in the Cars movie.

The only "new" thing I haven't seen is the Hollywood Back Lot and the Mat Hatter Tea Party... definitely looking forward to seeing them hopefully soon!

Disneyland...

The one and only original. I love Disneyland. I always have and I always will... I just hate that they took my "home" away. Carnation Plaza Gardens. Every time I see the top of the Plaza all torn apart over the fence, I get sick to my stomach and I want to cry. I spent a lot of time there growing up! Oh well, Disneyland needs more character Meet-and-Greet areas, right?

I guess that's all I can muster to say about Disneyland right now.

Anyways, all in all, it was fun being there. Despite frustrations that happened and not going on a single ride (I have babies, I'm used to it), I had a good time with my family.

The year is wrong... bad luck, Mickey!

A Couple Lovies

These are my babies... Bug and Squidge. I love them to the moon and back.

I can't handle the cute...

Bug is 2 years old. He is hilarious, he loves his baby sister, and is also the sweetest child I've ever met. He has such an amazing heart and cares so much. He loves to play, dance, and sing. He's a rock star. ...and Bug is a mama's boy.

Squidge is 2 months old. She is my princess. She adores her big brother. She sleeps a lot, and smiles even more. She doesn't do much on the entertainment scale, because she doesn't know how to work those pesky hands. Squidge is definitely already a daddy's girl.

1. I am 100% biased.
2. My babies are perfect and are the cutest children on the entire face of the planet.

I will more than likely be talking about them a LOT on this blog, because Bug makes me legitimately laugh multiple times a day, and Squidge is growing non-stop.

Squidge

Bug

Anniversary Numero Six

That's right folks. My husband and I have been married for 6 years and 2 days. We've known each other for 6 years and 3 months. No, I'm not kidding! We met some time around Easter in 2006, he proposed to me the weekend after his 21st birthday (June 21) and we were married just a few weeks later on July 8, 2006.

Why?!

...Well, when you know, you know...

In these last 6 years, we've lived in 4 different places, I worked at 3 places, started my own company, he worked in two places, we've had two beautiful children, and have never ever been happier!

This year we had a lovely anni. We woke up when our son came into our room, so we snuggled with both babies for a while. We exchanged presents (I got him an awesome watch from Diesel, he got me beautiful diamond stud earrings from Tiffany & Co.) I got up and made my family real french toast with scrambled eggs. It was a pretty big and kinda late breakfast, so we didn't really do lunch. We hung out at home for a while, played games, did some normal 'around the house' stuff... then later in the day, my hubby's parents watched the kidlets so we could go to dinner!

We went to McCormick & Schmick's - Irvine for our 5:00p dinner reservation.  We get there and pull into the valet area... the valet guy is just hanging out in his truck waiting for the restaurant to open. He gets out and runs over to us, totally not "ready." He hands the valet ticket to my husband and away we go to the restaurant! He goes to open the door for me and almost fell over while trying to pull it open. He says, "It's locked..?" "It's locked because they're not open..." I replied. Then we just started cracking up. It was funny, because they open at 5:00, which we didn't know. It was also funny, because we tend to do the normal thing and arrive a few minutes earlier than our reservation time.


The hostess and manager inside noticed us and didn't do anything. For about a minute. Then they let us in and showed us to our table. Now we were the only people IN the restaurant, other than the staff. Super awkward for me, because that's never happened to me before. But it was kind of cool because we had the whole place to ourselves, even though we stayed at our table.


Our waiter was nice, but quiet, spoke fast, and spoke with an Asian accent. Just had to double check what he said a few times, but nothing major. Everything was going well-- until we moved the silverware and table settings. Maybe it's because we were the only people in there. Or maybe he was just extremely anal retentive. Either way, it was really funny for us. We didn't notice it at first... then he kept doing it. Every. Single. Time. We moved a spoon, he'd put it back on the placemat. We used a fork, he'd take it away and put a new one down. We ordered food, he'd move the settings again. He did it the entire night, and it was hilarious. Towards the end of the dinner, my hubby just started moving things on purpose.


Hubby ordered wine, I ordered a seasonal sangria. Then mango iced tea. Then regular iced tea. We got a caprese flatbread appetizer. Hubby got a iceberg wedge salad with bacon, tomatoes, and bleu cheese dressing, with crumbled bleu cheese on top. I got a caesar salad. For dinner, hubby got alaskan halibut with crab on top over a mushroom risotto. I got parmesan crusted chicken with a caper butter sauce next to garlic linguine. For our sides, hubby ordered creamed spinach and lobster mashed potatoes. I got grilled shrimp scampi style, and a lobster tail. For dessert, hubby got a mixed berry florentine over vanilla bean ice cream, served in a dish made of caramel and assorted nuts. I got a vanilla bean creme brule topped with strawberries.

First thing, I ordered a sangria that looked way yummier than it tasted. So I got a mango iced tea-- the waiter said the bartender would make it with a mango syrup. NOPE. Made it with mango juice. It was delicious, but not at all what I was expecting, so I just went with iced tea after that.  Our caprese appetizer out as a pizza, but it's okay because it was way yummy. Our dinners were absolutely AMAZING. The lobster mashed potatoes were literally the best mashed potatoes I have ever had in my entire life. I almost don't want to eat any other mashed potatoes ever again. The lobster tail was cooked perfectly. The shrimp scampi? To die for. Our desserts were perfect. All in all, it was a fantastic anniversary dinner... we got the bill to prove it!


After dinner, we picked up our babies and enjoyed the rest of our night together.

...and to my wonderful husband,
Thank you. Thank you for being my everything, I love you with all of me! Happy anniversary, here's to a million more! (...if you can handle me for that long!)

6 wonderful years... can you tell?

New Beginnings

Starting a new blog, for a few reasons.

• I want to be able to remember specifics!
• I want to be able to vent.
• I have some opinions, damnit!
• I enjoy cooking and sharing new recipes.
• I'm a photographer.
• I have two amazing children and a wonderful husband, and I think our lives are changing, so clearly I need a way to document!
• Facebook is not a blog.

Blogging is important, right?