Picture OVERLOAD!

This my friends, is what I got at WAL-MART! I wouldn't have bought a fleece Obama blanket, I think it's a bit cheesy (coming from Walmart of all places!) but I knew it would really be funny to put on Dad's bed, so I HAD to buy it. My Dad, as you can probably imagine, is not an Obama fan. In fact, pretty much anything different does not go on dad's "awesome radar." Dad's awesome radar picks up on anything that includes buffets, Ford trucks, DVD's, "good deals," steak, cigars and white people who eat meat, drive trucks and enjoy going to buffets. Wow, that just about sums him up. haha...

I'm thinking of redecorating his room in red, white and blue and framing Obama's picture, along with a picture of a same sex, mexican-immigrant couple, that is ordering a tofu dish from a drive thru in their hybrid car. I love my dad, but we do not see eye to eye on politics, at all. He labels me as the "crazy treehugging feminist," because I don't think it's fair to call all Mexicans "illegals" (because they're NOT.) or because I enjoy Thai food, go to college, and prefer small business to big-box stores or perhaps it's because I think Guantamo Bay needs to be closed. Hmm.

Anyway, off my political soap box. If I didn't lose half of my readers here, it will be a miracle- just look at the pretty pictures!


So, Chris, Whitney, Angela and I went to Big Bear a few weeks ago. Angela only went so I would go, because as many of you know, I hate going down big hills while relying on my own skills of balance, (doesn't work, I fall way too much). So, while our buddies hit the slopes, Ang and I went to a yarn shop in Big Bear and I found enough yarn to carry me into the next century, and then we hung out at a wonderful cofffee shop, shopped and at at Quizno's..yes, Quizno's....ugh. haha
Isn't she cute? Literacy is fun-damental!
Where Angela and I hung out while Whit and Chris hit the slopes. I got a Campfire Latte at this little coffee shop, we knitted, read, and enjoyed my score of yarn from Big Bear's HUGE yarn shop. Fun times!
Yousofunny.
Food after snowboarding, skiing and haha, shopping all day! Lake Arrowhead.
Whitney and I after eating at Lake Arrowhead


Over the Martin Luther King Jr. three-day weekend, I was invited by my school to attend a Social Justice Summit. The SJS retreat was from Friday to Sunday and was at a really nice hotel in Escondido- the food, may I mention, also nice! We first met up on Campus at the Clarke (which is an activity center and gym) and began some activites. We made a "quilt" with pictures that displayed our heritage or our lives, and things unique to us. We played a game where in a giant circle, you step in if you identify with something the group leader says- "I am Christian," "I am male," "I am gay," "I am not sure what I am." etc. This was to let each other know how diverse we are, and to be proud of whatever we are- it was really powerful to see people be brave about their identities!

Over the course of the weekend we did many activities about prejuidice, discrimination and how to combat inequality in our own communities and our lives. On one night, people shared powerful stories of how they had been discriminated, or how they had perpetuated discrimination in their lives- it really affected me. I suddenly was able to relate to people I previously had dismissed as "different."


THE BUS! Our school provided transporation from campus to the retreat...Is it weird I find it awesome my school has a bus that looks so shiny and new?
Cush digs at the Cougar Den on Campus- the first part of the of the Social Justice Summit...Isn't it nice lookin? Check out the cougar picture, I dig it!
Dancin'!
Our social justice quilt- every person got four patches to design about their life and what they believed in!
A really interesting activity about social justice- Can you build a tower with angel hair pasta and small marshmellows?
That is the LGBT focus group from the SJS I went to- Our goal will be to raise awareness about the resources on campus for Social Justice and break down walls that alienate people in the LGBT community!
Kevin and I at the Social Justice Summit! He loves Twilight too!
We are so cool...hangin' out at Whitney's house- wearing her Dad's hat. (Her dad was just Installed as Master of our local Masonic Lodge- and instead of a Top Hat, he got a joke Viking hat)
I caught the flash!
Angela wearing Whitney's Dad's "hat" and stufff...fun times!
This, is a Tommy's chili dog. It is amazingly delicious. Dad used to take me to Tommy's in Whittier all the time, Chris and I stopped at one and I had to break my own moral code..oh well!
Double-fistin it! Chris loaned me his for this picture, I didn't actually chow on two.
This is how the pugs spend their cool Socal days, in front of the heater with something to chew on. awwwww.

"Is There a Theme?" "The Theme? 2009?"

I held a New Year's Eve Party again this year, and since I've had two themed parties for birthdays, everyone wanted to know if there was a theme...I said, "The theme? 2009?" Genius. I could make millions.

There was lots of good food- Lil Smokies, Artichoke Dip, Stuffed Mushrooms, Chips and Salsa, lots of champagne, and yes, a root beer keg!



I luffs crepe paper.
(this was my second attempt at a picture...not very good at picture taking)
(my very tall friend)

ROCK BAND!!!







(
(aren't my friends adorable?)
(silly picture of me!)
(what is jared doing?)

I hope everyone had a wonderful New Year and your 2009 is a fabulous one! Here's a toast to you!

Christmas Rocked.

Hope ya'll had a holly jolly holiday- I know I did! Christmas morning was spent at my home with Chris and his parents over for breakfast. We made Martha Stewart's french toast, and I burned the bacon. Yes, have the girl who doesn't eat bacon try and cook it...... real smart!

In my defense, Chris wanted me to use his mom's bacon tray that you microwave to cook the bacon. I had never cooked bacon any other way than in a frying pan. Well, things were fine until I put in the last batch of bacon, and my microwave did it's job- perhaps too well. Not only did I ruin the bacon, but the tray as well. Oh joy!



The toys to donate- not bad for a college kid huh?

Dad opening the pug ornament, and Bailey warming up her laser vision...she thought we still had bacon to steal.
Monkey, back from the dead! The girls DESTROYED their previously beloved Monk-Monk so dad found another one. They were overjoyed...then they got about fifty more chew toys and were onto the next thing to munch on.


Most random gift ever! That red pug lookin' thing in my hand is actually a handbag! Bailey wanted to meet her new buddy. Vanessa, Chris' mom saw this and had to get it for me!


Vanessa and Chris (wearing the new sweater I got him!)


Dad and I didn't plan to match- it just happened that way!
Pugs say hello and Happy New Year!


Chris and I headed to Balboa park last week- those are my new earrings. Hand made glass beads in San Diego- very cool!

Beautiful Memories

Sadly, after my laptop crashed earlier this year, I lost all the pics from last Christmas- except one that I have of Gram with her shawl on. I went back to one of my old computer, and with my new Hello Kitty Flash Drive, (thanks Santa!) I transferred a bunch of photos- here's a walk down memory lane....


This has to be the most bizarre thing dad ever had us do- but he took us to Star Shots in the Mall and made us look like respectable little children...OF THE 90'S! When else would you dress up two kids in a bunch of tule, fan shaped earrings and fry their hair so bad it would grow back that way?

I think I must have been 6 or 7 in this picture- and it was the first time I ever wore makeup (Jon Bennet right??) but it was only to cover up the scratches on my face from all of my tomboy activities.
Time jump- me in NY summer 06.
Also Summer 06- right before I almost got asked to leave the Hello Kitty Store in Times Square.





Whitney and I at Southern Rainbow Camp at Ponderosa Pines- that is an awesome swing chair! The theme was safari- and it was during this time, that it became well known in the IORG world, that I was the one obsessed with pink. This is an OLD photo! This was after a Rainbow event where we were supposed to wear all of one color, mine, obviously, was pink. Kendra and Ronni, chose the less embarassing route- blue. Notice the Rainbow Brite shirt that I truly wish I still had!!!

This was after I was appointed GWA in 2005 (for the 2006 year). The Past Grand Worthy Advisors bring you to one of their hotel rooms and give you gifts and basically lay out how your life is going to change in the next 24 hours...I was crying and hyperventilating so much, I think this is the only picture that came out from that point in the night. On my lap is the gorgeous dress bag my grandie (the outgoing GWA) made for me- it's lined with Mickey Mouse fabric and I still have it!

I can't tell you how many years Whitney and I helped out with Lemonade for the Avo Fest- but we were not only good cooks, but quite nice sign makers too...this is in my portfolio. (sarcasm much?)

Circa 2004- Whitney and I foolin' around takin' pictures...before trucker hats were cool.
One of my favorite projects- well, this was before Straight from the Heart!! In 2004/2005 I collected donations for a woman's shelter- that was a soft bunny!

This was just before Sai-Han, Whitney and I saw Rent- afterwards I pointed out the irony that Rent is about many things, but a lot about poverty, and after leaving the theatre, there were homeless people sleeping on the benches around the theatre...hmm. Those are the guys that SHOULD be in the play.Gram in 2005 methinks.


Gram's fave Chimichanga which she pronounced "Shimmy-shanga." Hilarious!Kisses for Grammy!
Gram and Benny! She was his favorite lap to snuggle on!

Look how thrilled he was! Couldn't grin any bigger!
I have always had my own style- clunky shoes and all!
I believe this was Christmas 2004- this was my first year without her, and though I was expecting to be really depressed, my wonderful friends and family kept me so busy with fun stuff I didn't have much time to think about it- until now.

But you know, being a bit sad at this moment is okay- it's part of the healing process. I do miss Gram, and along with it comes my missing of Dianne Marshall and Vickie Diem. I have been able to look and and sort through my pics of Dianne and Vickie, but until now, I avoided any pictures of Gram. 2008 meant that all my fun pictures of them are now keepsakes.

I am just now able to sort through Grammy's stuff- and I am telling myself it's okay to get rid of some of her knicknacks. It's hard, but I am doing it and I'm glad I'm forcing myself to work up the courage. I have tons more pictures of her that I've luckily stumbled across, but I will save those for some other day.

I am putting together my photo albums- finally. So, if you read this and you have photos of me, please email them?? I need more photos that werent' taken by me, because lord knows they don't come out. haha.

Happy Holidays- and have a great 2009!