GOTTA HAVE IT...NOW!!!

Do you know of or are you one of those people that just HAS to have the NEWEST ANYTHING on the market... the SECOND it comes out for sale?  I have a question for you or that person you know... "HOW CAN YOU LIVE LIKE THAT?"

I came across a person today... that just totally amazed me with her CONSTANT banter about how she JUST HAS to have ANYTHING that is new, upgraded, or in season... BEFORE ANYONE ELSE SHE KNOWS has it...  She likened it to being in a constant competition with her family and friends to get it first...

As she spoke, and lamented about having to stand in line a couple weeks ago or whenever it was, for the new iphone 4G, and the new Ipad that has WiFi...I was trying to ask her this question... before she rambled on and on and on about about others items I am clueless about... I asked her... "How... on your salary working at Forever 21 and Starbucks part time, can you afford to buy all these things you just HAVE TO HAVE before anyone else?"  Her answer?  "Credit cards".

Ugh...I couldn't help but roll my eyes... I know it was supremely rude... but it was involuntary.  She then went on to tell me now "Holier than thou" I was being.. and I just rolled my eyes again at her...  How can I possibly take offense from someone that spends her life buying intangible items with credits cards... just to say she HAS the newest and most up to date "whatever".  Did I mention this person is 35 years old, with 2 kids and a husband?
Yikes...

I was watching the movie "The Book of Eli" the other night... and Denzel (yummy!) said a line that really struck a chord with me... something along the lines of... "We had too much, we threw away things that people kill for now." 

I mean... I want an Ipad... I really do... but since I can't pay for it cash at this time... i won't be getting one... I will have one eventually... but I'm not willing to put myself into debt for it.. ya know?

I hear sooooo many people saying things like... "Oh, I deserve this indulgence... I can't afford it, but I deserve it, so I'm gonna get it anyway" or "I work hard, and times are tough, and this thing will make me happy."...

It's so sad to know someone that feels COMPELLED to go into massive debt just for bragging rights...  I mean... she bought a dress for $500 a month ago, that A) she's yet to wear, and B) only bought it because her favorite actress wore it in a picture...  REALLY?  Do I really know people THAT shallow?  She told her daughter to 'BORROW' a prom dress from her Aunt, and she can buy herself a $500 dress that's just sitting in the closet?

Thank God I only know this person as an acquaintance, and we were in a group setting when she was rambling on about her "dilemma".  Another friend hit me playfully on the shoulder when I rolled my eyes, then whispered in my ear... "My thoughts exactly".

I certainly hope my kids don't turn into people like that...  They don't get a lot of things other people have...but I feel like they have plenty... ya know?

Just wanted to vent...

The results are IN!!!!

Well... the last two weeks have been nothing but pins, needles,pacing, phone calling, patience testing, lots of late nights and missed dinners.  Why? Because my hubby has been very busy and dedicated to running an election for a Business Agent in his Los Angeles Union Local 105 Sheet Metal Workers...

AND HE WON!!!!

I am sooo proud of him!  He's been in his profession for 27 years, and he's wanted to do this job, his dream job, for all 27 years... and it's finally come to pass...  Sooooo many people came out to vote and show confidence in him, and the other men running for their positions... and all the hard work he's done in the past 27 years has come to fruition... and now he gets to give back and really help and uplift all the people that have helped him over his career... what a blessing...

His territory is East Los Angeles area... so it's a little farther commute than his Irvine commute... and a little LOT more dangerous... but he can't WAIT to get out there and serve...

I feel like I've been holding my breathe for the past 5 months... when Bill decided he was going to run in this election... and yesterday... at 4 p.m. I let my breathe out...

I made over 100 sandwiches for all the campaign workers, judges, and ballot counters, anonymously of course... and was so thankful for the monotonous job so my mind could be occupied with something other than the election...

I've been really trying to keep as busy as possible, now that school is out, so last week, I took the kids up to Mountain Lakes to fish, and we were at the beach for a week before that... and now it's all about All star baseball, and high school football.

Our new backyard "resort" is fab-u-lous... and we have been taking full advantage of that too...

Whew... soooo glad the election is over... it's sooo stressful!  The really cool thing is... Bill's Uncle DAve won his re-election... so it's a double victory... he is SUCH  a hard worker and pillar of strength and knowledge in the Union... sooooo awesome he won, and can now take Bill under his wing...

So that's where my head has been the past few months... and especially the last few weeks...

I'm breathing again... in... out... in... out... in... out...

Now I'm going for a swim... Ciao!

Beach Pics...Summer 2010

We had a blast for our week at the beach!!!

My hubby worked all week... he's running for office in his Union... and campaigning is brutal...

But he took some time out to hang with us between meet and greets...

So I snagged some pics quickly...

Johnny is always a willing participant when it comes to picture time...

Happy as always...!

Our oldest, William... 16... and Bill... NOT 16... LOL!

Alex (14) and his twin... Bill...

Awww.... nuff said...

After seeing the TRAGIC and HORRENDOUS spill continuing in the Gulf... there were 4 big reminders off our Coastline that that can happen right here... anytime... if they don't get their acts together...

I really HATE BP...

Across the beach from where we camp... there is a HUGE bird preserve... and we had all kinds of visitors... loons, cranes, pelicans, seagulls, and... mallard ducks??? yep... Mallard ducks too...

Alex loves a camera too!

His smile just lights up my world...

And no... he's never had braces!!!

My Spoiled Kids...

My kids are bummed...

They get sandwiches like this...

Everyday for lunch when school is in session...

Homemade bread... fresh meat, fresh veggies, my dressing...

And they COMPLAIN!!!

Why?

Because I am still making them for lunch when they are home now too...

Ungrateful little rodents... huh?

Would YOU eat this?

I don't make the same thing everyday, and sometimes I cook a hot lunch for them...

But really?

What if I decided to buy Lunchables and Cheetos for lunch for them... I wonder what they would say to that?

Holy Shiza!!!

I can't seem to do anything right... and quite frankly... I don't care what  they think... I'm the boss, and they'll eat what I make... but I've just gotta vent...ya know???

My new outdoor dining room table...

Up close on the stencil I used on the table...

This cool outdoor table is courtesy of my Hubby's awesome skills with all things construction... and a little bit of cheapness and ingenuity on my part...

$10 table from Pier One outlet on the bottom... topped with a 5 foot hubby cut piece of wood screwed to the top, painted pitch black and adorned with my new favorite color... chartreuse...

I said it's my Birthday!!!! Is it your Birthday too???

I am 42 years young today!!!

I love being this age...

I care less about what people think of me...

I care more about the world around me...

I appreciate my parents more and more every single day...

I have less patience... but I now have something to blame it on... Premenopause!!!

I've lost 80 lbs in the last year!!!

I will lose 80 more in the next year...

I'm not afraid of anything at all anymore... except outliving my kids and I still HATE snakes...

I have decided it's time to buy a condo in Italy with my family and vacation there every year!!!

I wish I had this clarity in my 20's... imagine how cool I'd be by now!!!

Have a wonderful Flag Day all!!!

I LOVE MY B DAY!!!

Summer time blues

So school is out.  Yipeee.  Can't you just FEEL the enthusiasm through the computer screen?    Yeah...it's palpable... I can tell.

While I am very happy that all the "What homework do you have tonight" and "You have a 20 page report due WHEN?" 's are over for a while...I no longer look forward to summer the way I did when they were all small.

Summer now means 3 p.m. drives to school for football practice all summer long.  Two-a-days in August.  So it severely cuts into my beach time...I knew it was coming.  I knew as soon as my kid hit high school this was the "norm"... I remember when my summers were filled with early morning drill team practices (6:30 a.m.), and late night dance practices at the dance studio.  There was no time for a "vacation".

Although we are taking full advantage of a vacation next week... I used to like to spread them out over the course of the summer and have little tidbits of fun in the sun sporadically.  Alas...I must succumb to the schedule set forth by the school and my boys LOVE of playing sports...

I think it'll be really different in October when William is able to drive himself alone.

Speaking of William driving... he had his first official behind-the-wheel class last Sunday. The driving instructor came to pick him up.  Will was ready an hour before... go figure.  He was gone for two hours when the phone rang and William said "Uh... Mom... the driving instructor wants to come to the door and talk to you when we get there, so be ready."

I panic... and say "Is everything okay? Did you wreck? What aren't you telling me!  Answer me young man!"

He just says "Everything is fine, just meet us at the door when we get there." Hmmmm.... I didn't like the sound of THAT at all!

So they arrive, and I see the car completely intact, and I invite the instructor (so young I could have been his MAMA!) in... which he declines because he has another student in his car...

He thrusts his right hand out to me, which I take, and starts saying things like... "Ma'am, your boy can DRIVE!"and "Thank you for making my job so much easier by buying him that big ole truck in the driveway" and
"He drives like he's been doing it for YEARS!"

I stare at him blankly.  Surely he isn't talking about "Almost hit every parked car cant find the brake William!" So I say... "Really?"

"Oh yeah... he is AWESOME!  He drives like a pro!"

I bite my tongue so I don't ask how old he is... but you should have SEEN William's face behind the dude.  One of sheer joy and "neener neener"!!! 

I laugh, and say... "Well, obviously I am riding with a completely different person in the car... but I am very proud" then I choke.

When the guy leaves, William begins strutting around the house like Nascar Driver after a win... and says  "See Mom... to everyone else, I'm good!"

Lord have mercy.   William... I love you.  You know I do.  But I see my life flash before me everytime we come to a red light... so... I will no longer drive with you... ever.  Amen.  Dad is doing a GREAT job with you, letting you drive at night and on the freeway all the time... I promise to take NO CREDIT at all for your good driving skills... just don't make me get into the passenger seat with you anymore... I beg of you...

My life in the passenger seat is over... AMEN!

Our Outdoor Fireplace, Dining Room is almost done!!!

The side yard... just before renovations started... bad pool, beach sand, overgrown shrubbery... it's was okay while the kids were small... but now... we are ready for some serious entertaining.

During... still have beach sand... but the fireplace is coming along nicely...

Bill worked on it endlessly on the weekends... endlessly...

Almost done... still need to put seats on the planters, and plant all the banana plants, and ferns...

This fencing is SOOOOO cool... Just regular fence... with silver sheet metal on the back... gives it a very asian feel... with clean lines and modern feel... so of course... I needed to add a little whimsy...

My $10 Pier One table, that Bill built a 5 foot wooden table top for... about an hour ago... we painted it BLACK... and the accent color for this area will be Chartreuse... This is our new outdoor dining room...

Still need to put in all the electricity, shepherds hooks with lanterns and rug... but otherwise...quite functional!

I painted everything on my front porch black and brought it to the backyard... now my porch is empty... LOL

About 80% done... Bill made that coffee table from legs from an old planter and the top of a kitchen cart... my idea to do it... he did all the hard stuff like labor...

Cool huh?

Bill's idea to leave room under the fireplace seat for flowers... can't wait until they fill the area in!

We've had 3 fires in a row this weekend... last night was Smore's night!

So my patio, not pictured is going to be my outdoor kitchen, it already has a table, stove and fridge in it... Bill's next project will be the wood burning pizza oven, and Brazilian Grill, and some kitchen cabinets in the patio...

This picture is my outdoor dining area...

And this is my outdoor family room...

All we need is an outdoor bathroom... as we'll never have to go inside again!

I love Southern California!!!

Wednesday... I'm having 18 5th graders and 6 Mom's over for an end of year swim party...

I wanted to make sure and get some pics of it before the mayhem...

Fun... Fun... Fun!!!

New (possible) Horizons!!!

I don't know where to begin.  Soooo much has been going on!  Some exciting... and some just exhausting... but fun!

Lots and Lots of sports stuff with the boys these days... double header baseball games, late football practices, end of year reports due, dinner parties with Bill's colleagues, and getting ready for Johnny's end of year party at our house next Wednesday, and my possible job...

Did you catch that last one?  Yeah, I thought you might have... yes... I said JOB!!!

Was I looking for one? Heck no! I didn't plan on going back to work until Johnny was at least graduated from high school.  I've been a SMOBFHM (Start My Own Businesses From Home Mom) for the past 16 years! But... William was choosing his Junior Year Elective classes from a course list last week, and International Cuisine was listed.  A few years ago, his school offered a Culinary Arts class, in an AWESOME kitchen classroom, but didn't offer it the last 2 years.  So when I noticed that class was offered again... I was intrigued.

Then... last week at a Parent Football meeting, a friend of mine mentioned that my name "had been thrown around" about possibly TEACHING the class... just as a suggestion.  Well... I didn't hear the rest of what she was saying because I was jumping up and down like a kid in a jumper.  I was sooooo excited!  Just the thought that someone had mentioned ME to do that...was SUCH an honor!!!  My mind started working overtime...
I found myself turning off the radio in the car on the way to carpool, and having "mock" classroom discussion with my make believe students... I was coming up with 1001 fundraiser ideas, and deciding on the final exam dinner they were to prepare... for their families...at school... UGH... it's been SUCH a week!  I can't keep my mind off of it... AND I HAVEN'T EVEN APPLIED YET!

I  have been out of the loop in the job market for 16 years!  The last time I had a job... THE INTERNET wasn't even a normal thing!  I have never worked where there is a computer at every desk!  Cell phones were the size of shoe boxes the last time I clocked in anywhere!  Can you believe it?

Sooo... I downloaded my application tonight and filled it out... oh...wait...was I supposed to fill it in on the computer? I did it by hand... is that still allowed?  I freaked out when the "list your employers for the last 10 years" part came up... and I just had to write... "Self employed" and name my businesses...

I typed out a cover letter, and let them know what I plan on doing... and how excited I am for the opportunity to apply and be considered.  Do people still do that?

How cool will it be to be able to teach at my son's high school? I think it would be for maybe an hour or so a day... pretty good hours... huh?  Well...cool for me anyway... NOT so cool for them... LOL!  But... my sweet William told me he'd definitely take my class... sweet huh?  Then he said... "Yeah.. for the easy "A"!"  Ahhh.... my sweet son...

Even if I don't get the job... it has whet my whistle to pursue other avenues for monetary compensation...at home... of course...

I love my job as Mom... but the pay SUCKS!!!

Lost... I'm totally Lost!

Lost is over.  It was one of my favorite shows on TV.  Bill and I BOTH loved it.  We had the end plot figured out in Season 2.  So last nights finale wasn't a total surprise.

I do still have a bunch of questions though... but to hear other people talk about it... my questions just don't matter... I beg to differ...

1.  Why did they all go back and forth from real life to the island?  Did they die when they returned? Or were they already dead from the first plane crash?

2.  Whose baby was that in the final scene in the church?  Was that Aaron? Or Sun and Jin's child?.  And if it was either of the kids... why are they dead?  Why didn't they live on?

3.Did they all have to die twice?  I am sooo confused!

4. Was the island Purgatory?

5.  Were they all just waiting for Jack to finally die to all get together?

6. When Kate said "I've been waiting sooo long for you"  How long was that wait?  How many years?

7.  Rose and the Dentist... when did they die? and how... did the Smoke Monster lie to Desmond?

Details people... I NEED DETAILS!!!  It's driving me nuts!  I'll get over it in a few minutes... and truthfully, that's what I LOVED about the show... all the questions it left me with each week... BUT... now that it's over...
I'd really like to know about 100 more details... to help me feel like it's over... ya know?