Christmas Wrap-Up

Just like that, Christmas 2009 is over! Although this year was definitely not like any other. Christmas Eve was fine, Kelly had to work that afternoon and evening. So, I ran some last minute errands and snuck in a mani/pedi. Then I spent the evening prepping a yummy Christmas breakfast to have ready for Kelly when he got home. Well, the intention was there, but by 5 a.m. Christmas morning I was sick. I woke up on my 33rd birthday with the stomach flu. So, I spent the rest of the day on the couch. What a great birthday/Christmas, huh? By night time I was starting to feel better, thank goodness!

December 26 I finally managed to get out of the house. Kelly and I met my Nino and Aunt Diane at Babies R Us to look at some nursery furniture. We then went over to my Uncle Max's house for his birthday/family Christmas gathering. I went with my can of chicken noodle soup, but at least I was feeling much better and was able to see my family.

By Sunday I was back to eating again. Before going to South Coast Plaza, we went to Bergstroms to look at some more furniture. We found a crib and changing table we liked, so that will probably be the one we end up with. From there we celebrated my birthday with lunch at The Clubhouse and walked around South Coast. We ended the afternoon by saying good-bye to my Nino and Aunt Diane as they headed to the airport to fly back home. At night, Robin and her boyfriend Pasqual came over. Robin brought my birthday cake she made for me, we went out to eat and then played one of the new board games we got for Christmas.

Since I was cheated on my birthday, I celebrated again on Monday. My mom took Kelly and I to The Melting Pot for lunch. It was yummy and I ate way too much! Now it's back to the swing of things and getting ready for the nursery. My mom and I spent the day yesterday working on the office. Although we worked all day, I feel like I have so much still to do. Oh well, I better get off the couch and get back to it...

Our Christmas Photo

Well, most of you will see this when you receive your Christmas cards. But I still thought I would post our annual Christmas photo. It's so weird to think that next year's photo will include our little man...I can't wait! Not much has been going on in our lives. All our time has been consumed with work and getting ready for Christmas. As I write this, two days before Christmas, I still have not finished wrapping Christmas presents. Thank goodness this is my last day of work until January 4, 2010. Woohoo! I wish I could say the same for Kelly. At least he's getting a three-day weekend starting Christmas morning.

The biggest chore I hope to accomplish during my week+ off of work is to start getting the baby's room ready. I need to start with organizing the office so I can move some items from the guest room/baby's room into there. Once that's done, I plan to get Kelly to rearrange the furniture we're going to leave in the room. We're also going to pick-out a crib and changing table. I already have my eye on a nursery theme, so I just have to nail that down and then we can go pick out paint color(s). We're hoping to just hire someone to paint the room and get it done quick! Oh, I'd also like to start registering. After typing all that, my list is pretty ambitious. Oh well, stay tuned to find out what I really get done!

It's a Boy!

Kelly and I found out late last week during my ultrasound appointment. So yes, Kelly was right, he won! But it's okay, it's so cute to see him already be a proud father. The photos here are from that appointment and they mark my 19th week. I can't believe how fast it's gone by. This week is my 5 month appointment...I'm already half way there. Guess we better decide on a nursey theme and name pretty soon.

Last weekend wasn't too eventful. I went to the last USC game of the season with my family. The best part of the day was that I got to have breakfast at Philippe's. Needless to say, I'm glad the season is over and I'm looking forward to next season...there's nowhere to go but up. On Sunday we got together with Kelly's family for Alexis' (our niece) Christmas dance performance. It was so cute to see the little girls dance!

This coming weekend I am going to focus on finishing my Christmas shopping. I was able to get a lot done during Black Friday, but I still have a few items left to pick up. Maybe I'll even start some gift wrapping?! Afterall, there are only 16 days left until Christmas...

Happy Thanksgiving Weekend

I can't believe how fast a four-day weekend goes by! But here's my attempt to recap it all. For me it started Wednesday after work when I went to my mom's house to bake pies. We made three sweet potato pies and a pecan-cranberry pie. The sweet potato pies came out wonderfully, the pecan-cranberry was a different story. It was my Nina's recipe and my first attempt at making it. The pie tin I choose was too small/shallow and the filling practically spilled all out. Luckily my mom had put the pie on a baking sheet, but the kitchen was filled with smoke as the sugar burned in the oven. I've learned my lesson, if I ever make it again. Everyone ate it at Thanksgiving and were nice about it, well my did Nina comment that it didn't have much filling.

Thanksgiving day was as yummy as ever! We got together at my Nina's house for lunch, as we do every year. But this year, instead of rushing off for Thanksgiving #2 at Kelly's family, we were able to just hang out and veg at my Nina's. I missed seeing Kelly's family, since we don't get to see them that often, but it was nice to just chill and overeat my Nina's yummy food. We went to bed early Thursday night since Kelly had to work the next day and my mom and I were getting up early to hit Black Friday.

Yup, my mom and I woke up with Kelly at 4:30 am to start our shopping. Our first destination was Target. They opened at 5 am and we got there just then. I was shocked there was such a huge line to get it, there wasn't one last year. So we just waited for the line to enter the store, and by 5:10 am we were in. We divided and conquered the store and two-hours later we were done! We scored some great deals and I managed to get 80% of our Christmas shopping done. Later in the day we went to Costco, then Bergstroms since they were also having a sale. Plus, I wanted to show my mom the two strollers Kelly and I are trying to decide on. Our shopping day ended with lunch at PF Chang's and a long nap once we got home. And that was the end of my day, I was way too spent to even think of doing anything else.

To keep with tradition, Saturday I spent the day decorating the house for Christmas. Kelly worked during the day, so I cleaned, organized and rearranged the downstairs. My the time Kelly got home, the house was ready for the decorations. We started by hanging the Christmas lights outside, then we moved inside, put up the tree and various other festive decorations. It brought a smile to my face  thinking that next year we'll be adding a stocking to our mantel. We waited for my mom to come over and then we (my mom and I) decorated the tree. Although, Kelly did help me with the garland and put the star on the tree. By then it was time for the USC vs. UCLA game. We didn't go to this year's game because it was at 7 pm, figured it would be too cold and late to go, plus they moved our seats and we had to pay extra. So we watched it from our warm, festive house. The game wasn't too exciting, but the best part was that USC won...woohoo!

By Sunday, I was sick with a cold. I lounged around the house all day hoping to get over it. But I guess by then my body did need some rest...

Week 16 and a Busy One

The weekend started on Friday with my 16 week appointment. Kelly went with me and we got to hear our lil peanut's heartbeat for the first time. We've had two ultrasounds, but have never heard the heartbeat. I have to say, it was pretty amazing! Little things like that make me realize how real it is that we're having a baby. I also booked my survey ultrasound where we can find out the baby's gender. I can't wait...it's on December 3! I also signed up for some baby prep classes. Who knew there were so many?! After the doctor's appointment Kelly and I went stroller shopping. We headed to Bergstroms and were completely overwhelmed by all the strollers. Thank goodness we had a great salesperson who went over the strollers with us and showed us how they open and close. We finally narrowed our favorites down to two, so we'll see which one we end up with. Since we were there, we also browsed the cribs and changing tables. That didn't seem so overwhelming, a much easier choice. So two hours later, we left and headed to Bubba Gump for lunch. A little more shopping and errands, and were were done for the day.

We had another early start on Saturday. We picked up my mom and headed to LA for the USC football game. Our first stop was Philippe's to pick up yummy sandwiches and salads for our lunch on campus. Since it was homecoming, we roamed around campus, ate our lunch and checked out the booths before heading to the stadium. And that's were the fun ended. The game was horrible, and that's about all I have to say. We left 10 minutes early, got stuck in traffic and didn't get home until after 6 pm where we grabbed our suitcase and headed to San Diego. By the time we checked in to our hotel I was starving and exhausted. We just ate at the Denny's across the parking lot and then headed back to the room to crash.

Another early start on Sunday! We had three Pharis/Kotlar birthdays over the weekend so we all got together to spend the day at Sea World. It was nice to hang out with our niece and nephew, but boy was I exhausted. I just don't have the same amount of energy as I used to. But it's okay, this weekend I'm looking forward to peace, quiet and relaxation...

Happy Halloween!

Have any plans for tonight? Kelly and I decided to stay home, watch the USC vs. Oregon game and hand out candy to the trick-or-treaters. We always enjoy seeing the kids in their costumes. This year Carson will wear his USC jersey as his costume. He always wears it for good luck during away games and USC needs all the good look vibes they can get. As excited as I am for tonight's game, I'm super nervous about it too!

Another reason we're staying home tonight is because Kelly needs to take care of his stitched-up hand. Yup, we had an exciting night at the emergency room on Wednesday after Kelly sliced his hand with a broken glass bowl. He got four stitches in the web of his hand and now has to make sure he doesn't re-open the cut by using his hand. Oh, Kelly! On the bright side, he's off of work and it's nice to have him home.

The only other excitement this week was my quick trip to Phoenix for my Nino's retirement party. It was so much fun hanging out with all my uncles and Nina and being able to celebrate my Nino's career. So honored to be part of it!

We're Having a Baby!

What else can I say? Kelly and I are excited, nervous and can't wait to see our little addition! I can't wait until April 30, 2010 when I can actually hold my baby in my arms. Just seeing the ultrasounds gets me excited, I can't believe I have a little being inside my body. The ultrasound picture is from my 12 week appointment I had this week. So, am I forgiven for taking some time away from the blog? I just feel like my life has been turned upside down. Reading baby/pregnancy books and blogs, exercising and resting have been taking up my time when I'm not at work. Oh, and our weekends have not slowed down either. I'm just glad I'm finally feeling better. It's so much easier to to keep up with life when I'm not constantly nauseous. So, needless to say, our blog will be taking a turn. We'll still keep you up-to-date with our lives, but we're also going to keep you posted as our baby progresses. So hang in there with us...

Like I said, this weekend is no different. This afternoon Kelly and I are taking Alexis, our almost 3 year old niece, to Disneyland for a few hours. She has never been, so I'm so excited to see her reactions. I hope she has fun! Tomorrow is the USC-Notre Dame game. That's always a nervously, exciting game to watch. Then in the afternoon we're going to celebrate my god-daughter's 17th birthday. Then on Sunday I'm going shopping with my mom. Not for me, but for her. She's looking for a dress to wear to my Nino's retirement party. And if we get done early, we just might drop by Disneyland again. I told you, busy, busy, busy!

Rush, Rush, Rush

You'd almost think I was back in college again! I spent last Sunday and Monday at the Fullerton Sigma Kappa house (my old chapter) helping them out with recruitment. It was so much fun to see all the girls and refresh my memory on all the madness that goes on. To add another dimension, my cousin Robin was participating in Fullerton's recruitment. I loved talking/texting with her all weekend finding out how she was liking it and which sororities were her favorites. Secretly, I was wishing she would pledge Sigma Kappa, but I did not tell her that. It's too big of a decision and I did not want to influence her. But needless to say, she ended up pledging Sigma Kappa. Woohoo...there's another Sigma Kappa in the family! I'm absolutely thrilled for her and excited for us to share this special bond.

Being back at the sorority house brought back so many fond memories. I truly enjoyed by college years, thanks to Sigma Kappa. I was so luckly to be part of such a great sisterhood. And seeing the girls rush around frantically during recruitment made me relaize that I probably didn't appreciate it when I was an active memeber. It's amazing how many things we take for granted when we're experiencing it, but appreciate it when we get to reminisce.

This coming weekend, I will be at the UCI Sigma Kappa chapter helping them with recruitment. They are a brand new chapter and this is the girls' first time going through formal recruitment. Did I also mention I'm one of their recruitment advisors? Yeah, luckily there will be ladies from national headquarters helping us out too. It's bound to be another exhausting weekend, but absolutely worth it!

Football Season Has Arrived

One of my favorite times of the year...when USC football starts! This past Saturday was the first game and it was at the Coliseum. It was fun and exciting, but terribly hot! In my 25+ years of attending USC football games, it has never been that hot. Let's just say, by halftime all the vendors were sold out of water, lemonade and frozen lemonade. It was terrible. But as a loyal fan, I stuck with it and stayed until the very end. I was so glad to see the new quarterback, Matt Barkely, do well. The first quarter was scary, and all I kept thinking was...it's going to be a long season. But then the jitters went away and the last three quarters were awesome. The next game is this weekend at Ohio State. It's going to be a good one! College GameDay is broadcasting from there, so you bet I'll be watching at 7 am. Fight on Trojan fans!

Happy Birthday Kelly!

Yup, it's that time of year again. Kelly had to work this morning, but as long as he doesn't get held-over (fingers crossed) we are going out this afternoon to celebrate. I'm not listing any details because it's a complete surprise for him. But trust me, I will post photos soon! But I did try to make Kelly's 4:30 am wake-up call special. Last night, once Kelly was fast asleep, I posted sticky-notes with birthday wishes in places he would encounter as he's trying to get ready/leave for work. I also made a big "Happy Birthday Kelly" sign and hung it on his side of the bathroom mirror. No way he could have missed that as he was getting ready for work! I just really wanted him to start his day with a smile!! Happy Birthday Honey, I love you!!!

NO DOUBT!

So last weekend, Carrie, Valerie, Robin and I went to the No Doubt concert at Verizon Wireless. We are all No Doubt fanatics, so we had such a great time! Honestly, this is my favorite band of all time. I remember back in my freshman year of college (1995-96) hearing I'm Just a Girl and making it my anthem for the year. Then going to see their very first big arena tour for Tragic Kingdom. My sorority sisters and I all piled into a car and headed to Universal Amphitheater. Since then, I have yet to miss a tour! So, enjoy the photos and re-live the concert. And thanks a bunch to Carrie for hooking us up with such great seats!

Where Did July Go?

This past month has been so much fun, that I haven't had time to post anything! I feel like I've done so much, I don't even know where to start. Let's go back to July 11 when Lisa (my sister-in-law) and I went to the Duran Duran concert at the OC Fair. I grew up loving them, and it was first time seeing them in concert. We had a blast and it was nice to have a girls' night out. The following weekend, Kelly and I went to the California Wine Festival in Santa Barbara. It was totally last minute, but we had a blast! We discovered some new wines and ate at Enterprise Fish Co., a Munoz family tradition. We're looking forward to going again next year. Then the next day, July 19, we celebrated our cousin Luke's baptism and got to catch up with my family. From there, I packed my bags and headed for a work conference at the La Quinta Resort. I was there all last week and had so much fun! I was on the conference planning committee, so not only was I busy running the event, but I got to catch up with colleagues and let loose in the evenings. It was definitely a nice break from work, where I could actually learn things and make connections to further my career.

So that brings me to this past week. Like every time you're away from the office, I came back to a boat-load of emails, voicemails and work. But I got caught up and am ready for the weekend. Speaking of the weekend, I'm starting August off right! Tomorrow I'm going to the No Doubt concert and on Sunday I'm catching a musical with a girlfriend. It'll be a fun, action-packed weekend with the girls. I'm hoping I'll run into Kelly sometime...hehehe.

Happy July 4!

So the greeting is a little late, but we were sooooo busy this past weekend! Kelly actually had the entire weekend off of work, so we really took advantage of it. We began our 4th of July celebration at the Anaheim Hills Doggie Parade at Canyon High School. We entered Carson in the Yankee Doodle Dog category. He didn't win, but we he had a good time socializing with the other dogs. The competition is on for next year though! Kelly and I are already working on his outfit. From there we headed to my aunt's house for a bbq and swimming. The weather was perfect for being in the pool and getting a tan. Once it started to cool off, we headed over to Kelly's sister's house in Orange. Her street has a block party every year so we went by to see the kids and even got a glimpse of a few local firework displays. The photo is from the fireworks at Anahim Stadium. Needless to say, our 4th of July was fun and jam-packed, we were exhausted by the time we got home at 11 pm. I'm looking forward to next year, who knows what we'll be doing...

Love Apple...Really Mad With the Store

So my mom and I joined a marathon training group over the weekend. We joined along with my Aunt Sylvia and Cousin Matthieu, who just finished the LA Marathon. I didn't join to run a marthon, rather just to get another day of exercise in. Of course now I'm thinking about doing the Long Beach 1/2 marathon...we'll see. But back to my Apple story. So after walking 3 miles up and down hills, I realized just how bulky my classic iPod is and that I would never need a majority of the songs and movies on there while training. And my mom does not have an iPod, so when I'm walking she'll try to talk to me, eventhough I have my headphones on. Kind of disruptive to my groove, but oh well. So I thought, let's go get iPods!

Being as impatient and impulsive as I am, that Saturday evening, about 30 minutes before the Brea Mall closes, we headed to the Apple store. First off, I was surprised how packed the mall was and couldn't understand why. Then I realized it was Father's Day the next day. I haven't celebrated Father's Day in over 15 years, so it's really off my radar. My mom and I entered the mall through the doors next to Red Robin. As we're walking toward the Apple store, I see there is a line two stores down. That's okay, I was willing to wait in it. So I approach the line, and as I'm about to get in it, an Apple store employee informs we that I cannot enter the line, the line is closed. "What?!" I got some story about there being more people in line then the store can service before closing time. "WHAT?! I know exactly what I want, 2 iPods. I don't mind waiting." I got denied a second time. Then my mom stepped in and told the employee "then we'll just go and spend our money somewhere else." And that's exactly what we did! We bought our iPods the next day in Yorba Linda...they got our sales tax dollars.

Now there are many things that bothered me from the whole Apple store situation. First off, what ever happened to customer service? I got shooed away for trying to spend money! Secondly, retail is crying about no one spending money. Well, I tried to spend money, but Apple store would not let me. And lastly, I know for a fact that the City of Brea wants and needs every last penny of sales tax revenue. Heck, they're even running a "Shop Brea" campaign to encourage visitors and residents to spend money in Brea. So, that's what I was trying to do! Sorry Brea, I tried giving you my sales tax pennies, but your Apple store wouldn't let me...

Robin's High School Graduation

Last Thursday, June 4 my 'lil Beenie (Robin) graduated from high school. Kelly and I were so lucky to celebrate with her and be there to see her actually graduate. What could make me prouder? She's going to Cal State Fullerton in the fall...my alma mater! I can't believe this soon-to-be college student was the same little girl I used to babysit and play with. It's amazing how fast time flies by! We love you Robin!!

Happy Anniversary To Us!

Yup...it's number 4! We just got back today from spending a few days in Temecula. We stayed at Pechanga, gambled, went wine tasting, had a couples massage and even saw a comedy show. We really fit a lot in to 3 days. But the best part, was just being able to spend time together. We took a few pictures, here they are...can't wait until next year!

Sorry...again!

I have no idea why I have been such a flake lately! Life has been busy, but that's no excuse. I promise to do better! Well, happy Memorial Day weekend...one of my favorites. To me, it signals the beginning of summer and it's also the weekend Kelly and I got married. Our actual anniversary is on May 29, this coming Friday. But 4 years ago, it fell on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. This year we're celebrating in Temecula. We'll be staying at Pechanga for 2 nights, and wine tasting. We're having our annual dinner at Summit House on Saturday with my mom, she's been wanting to eat there for a while now. Well, we'll take some photos in Temecula and during dinner at Summit House and post them. This blog is making a come back...

So Sorry...

I have been such a flake! Life has just been so busy. Between work, boot camp after work two days a week, and Council meetings, I feel like I'm hardly home. And the weekends aren't any better. Kelly and I finished our home improvements, and thanks to my mom, we cleaned up and put the house back together. I'll have to post some pictures, I just haven't taken any. My mom is now undergoing a total remodel of her house. And guess who's helping her pick everything out? Yup, that would be me! I've spent the past few weekends shopping for tile, windows, carpet and paint. Her house is still a work in progress, and will be for the next few months, but it will be totally worth it once it's done.

But Kelly and I have also been able to sneak in some fun time. We went to Knott's Berry Farm with our niece, nephew, Kelly's mom and sister and our friend Melia. We had a blast hanging out in Camp Snoopy. We also had a double-date night last weekend with Lisa and Tim. We went to dinner at Jojo's, caught a show at the Brea Improv and walked over to Golden Spoon. It was all Lisa and Tim's idea, and we had a great time. Nothing exciting for this weekend, but my mom and I will be in New Mexico next week to celebrate my Nino's birthday. I'll catch up with you once I get back. I may even take some pictures!

Happy Birthday Mama!

Kelly, Carson and I want to wish my mom a very happy birthday. You're the best mom anyone could ask for and we truly value all your support, help, advice and love. I'm so happy I get to spend the day at Disneyland with you today! Stay tuned for pictures...

Nothing Went as Planned

Nope, nothing got done this weekend like we thought it would. But that's okay, we had a better time than we would have if our house was "under construction!" We put our home improvements on hold until next weekend (keeping my fingers crossed) because we still need to buy all the materials. Hopefully that will all get done tomorrow and the painting can get started either Friday or Saturday. So instead, Kelly and I went to a Pharis gathering on Saturday to visit one of Kelly's cousins who is visiting from Denver. We only stayed for a little while because Kelly had to go to work, but my night didn't end there. We brought home our 2 1/2-year-old niece Alexis for her very first sleep over. We had a great time! Alexis and I went shopping at Target and cuddled on the couch with Carson to watch cartoons before we went to bed. And in the morning we ate breakfast, watched cartoons, read the newspaper, took a bath and put on the new outfit we bought at Target the night before. I was sad when I had to take her back home...I can't wait for the next sleep-over! So after we dropped Alexis off at home, we headed to Judy and Mike's for Joshua's birthday. We ate, played pinball and visited with friends. Now we're back home getting ready for another week. Hopefully the next time I post I will be telling you about the home improvements. Have a great week and Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Getting Ready for Home Improvements Part 2

Yup, part 2...the last part...of our home improvements start this Saturday! We're getting new baseboards installed throughout the house and painting the downstairs. This past Saturday my mom and I met our contractor to pick out the baseboards...Kelly was sleeping, but I brought back a sample for him to approve. But who would have known there would be sooooo many options! But once I saw the right one, my mind was set. I also finalized the colors for downstairs. Yes, I said colors...we're going to use three shades of tan/brown. I am so excited, I can't wait to post pictures once it's all done! But until then, we're packing up the downstairs. That's gotta be easier than clearing out the closets before we had the carpet installed!

This past weekend was busy, but fun catching up with family and friends. On Friday, Kelly and I went to our niece Alexis' dance class and then dinner with the Kotlar's at Watson's. Alexis is just adorable at her class, I'll have to take pictures next time we go and post them. On Saturday, we celebrated our little cousin Joshua's 1st birthday. We had a great time in Woodland Hills catching up with my family, but thanks to the wonderful LA traffic, we barely made it home in time for Kelly to go to work. Then on Sunday, I had a fun girls' afternoon at my friend/hair stylist's baby shower. Then I came home and cooked dinner. See...a busy, but fun weekend!

Our Amazing Mexican Cruise

Yes, we made it back from our amazing vacation in Mexico. We had a wonderful, relaxing time...it truly was a vacation. The cruise ship was beautiful and the food was absolutely yummy. We loved all the ports we stopped in, but our favorite was Ixtapa...we can't wait to go back. There weren't many opportunities for shopping, so instead we snorkeled, visited plantations, and played on the beach. But we did come home with nice winter tans! Now it's back to reality...I still haven't found my routine...we can't wait until our next vacation.

Bon Voyage!

Yup...we're outta here! Today Kelly and I leave for a 9 day vacation. We haven't had a vacation longer than 3 days in over a year. With Kelly's new job starting last year, he was either at the academy or busy working. But as soon as Kelly got his vacation days, we knew exactly what vacation we wanted to take. In just a few hours, we're driving down to San Diego, boarding a Carnival Cruise Lines ship, and heading down to the south of Mexico. Our ports are Acapulco, Ixtapa and Manzanillo. We've never been down there so we are looking forward to exploring new places. We're also looking forward to relaxing and taking in the sun. We'll post pictures when we get back!

Happy 1st Birthdays!

This week was Jack's and Reese's 1st birthdays. Jack (Ray & Jill's son) turned one on February 4 and Reese (Carrie & Robert's daughter) on February 5. I can't believe an entire year has gone by! They both had birthday parties and I was able to go to both. Jack's was last Sunday and Reese's was yesterday. I got to help Carrie with Reese's party, so that was especially fun for me! Here are some pictures from both birthday parties and the new 1-year-olds...we love you Jack and Reese!

Reese's Birthday Party

Jack's Birthday Party

Finally Back Home

So did anyone laugh at me when I wrote in my previous post that the tiling in the bathrooms would only take one day? HA...you should have! It took 3 days to get the tile done!! Kelly, Carson and I had to move into my mom's house for the week because our bathrooms were a disaster. We got new carpet on Friday, and we absolutely love it! So tonight we finally get to move back home. Of course, that's after an entire day of cleaning and putting the upstairs back together. Who said home improvements are fun?! We're absolutely happy with the tile and carpet, but are exhausted. We still need to get the downstairs painted and new baseboards put in the entire house. But that's all going to wait until after our vacation. We only have 2 weeks left until we leave for our cruise, and there's no way we're about to start another project! We'll be lucky to get the entire house back in order before we leave. And I shudder to think it will all be a mess again at the beginning of March! But I must keep my eyes on the prize...it will be amazing once it's all done! We'll be having an open house so we can show off our new look. Until then...it's a work in progress!

The Home Improvements Have Begun...

Yup, our home is officially a construction site! On Wednesday our plumbing leak got fixed. Yay, we have hot water again...all the time! I was laying in bed sick all day while Kelly ran up and down the stairs with the plumbers. Thank god for him! But that left us with 4 holes...2 in the downstairs bathroom and 2 in the garage. But those will get fixed today since we're getting the tile installed in the upstairs bathrooms. I was hoping the tile would be done in one day, but it's not looking like it. I'm just happy it's all getting started. I also found out today that we will need new baseboards upstairs because of the tile. So there's another project added to the list! Kelly doesn't know about that one yet. He's sleeping at my mom's house after work. It's way too noisy at home. Carson and I are hanging out downstairs wondering if the construction guys are going to fall through the ceiling! Did I also mention I'm sick? Yup, I caught a cold this week and I've been miserable. Oh well, at least I get to hang around the house today. I'll post some pictures soon...

Not Much Going On

Yup...it's been a low-key 2009 so far...but that's quite alright! So far we've just been cleaning the house...we took down Christmas and have been re-organizing and purging the garage. How fun! Not really, I hate cleaning, but it's something that has to get done. Hopefully next weekend we can start the upstairs. The office is a mess! It's one of those rooms that everything gets thrown into. Plus, I want to get our taxes done early this year since my "tax guy," who is also my cousin Ray, is expecting baby #2 in mid-February. I'd love to get all our info to him before his big "due date." And guess what, all our tax info is somewhere in the office. We're also getting ready to do some home improvements. We're going to get the downstairs painted (living room, dining room, kitchen & bathroom), tile put into the upstairs bathrooms and install new carpet upstairs. We're just going to hire people to do everything, it always gets done faster that way. I'll post photos once things start coming along. But don't hold your breathe, it's all going to take a few months. I'm hoping by March all of that will get off out to-do list.

But we have had a little fun too. Yesterday we celebrated Kelly's uncle's 50th birthday. We only joined the first half of the festivities because Kelly had to work at night, but it was still fun to see the family. And since Kelly worked, I got to babysit Alexis & Jake (our niece & nephew) while their parents (Lisa & Tim) enjoyed the rest of the party, which included a party bus ride to the Irvine Improv for a comedy show. I was more than happy to babysit the munchkins! I enjoy spending time with them and they are such good kids. They make babysitting so easy! We had an ice cream party and by 9 pm we were all in bed watching TV. Once 10 pm rolled around, they were all asleep...including me! I can't wait for the next time I get to babysit, hopefully it will be just as easy.

Happy New Year!

Kelly and I rang in the New Year in Las Vegas this year. We left on Tuesday morning and stopped at the State Line outlets for some shopping before we made it into Las Vegas. We were only there for two nights, but we were plenty busy. We shopped, ate very well, saw Mystere and of course, gambled. Although we can't say we won any significant amount of money. But it was a successful trip because we came back home with some money and new clothes and shoes! And we even made it home in time to watch the Rose Bowl. Happy New Year to all...we're both very excited for 2009 and know it's going to be a much better year!