Easter 2010!!

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Our 2nd Easter Egg Hunt...
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Look at my Cody, holding his Easter egg box & running through the grass...it's like a scene out of The Sound of Music...
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Disneyland Part 2

We decided to stay at our favorite little motel by Disneyland & spend the next day at California Adventure.

We went to lunch at a place we've never tried...Ariel's Grotto! It was a very nice change from all the junk food. It's a bit on the pricier side, but you get to order from a menu and they have cloth napkins!!

As you can see, I was a little excited...
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All the pretty Princesses came to our table to meet Madison, and she loved every minute!!
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Aurora was her favorite. She just stared at her for the longest time. I think it must be all the pink...like mother, like daughter.
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A few pictures I took from our table...
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And finally, Prince Charming himself...
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Say Cheeeeese!!!

As I said...I celebrated the start of my "vacation" at Disneyland...of course!

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I would live in this castle if I could!
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Standing in line at the bakery...
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Daddy & Maddie...
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My babies...
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My silly dude...
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Me & my people...
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Snow White's Wishing Well...
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The carousel...I thought Maddie would love it, but she was not amused at all....
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In more current news, Cody bought me a new macbook!! I love it...but this is my first time ever having a mac. This is my first time blogging on my new love, and it's definitely going to take getting used to!!

What was on my mind today...

Food. Like how it's made, processed, industrialized. Childhood obesity. I saw Food Inc. a while back, and have been reading the book for the last week. A lot of really bad things have to happen so that we can eat. Aside from how the animals are treated, even our fruits & vegetables are sprayed and treated and chemicalized.
I've decided to make some changes around here. This happens from time to time when I read a new book, or see something on TV. Cody usually rolls his eyes & waits for the ideas to subside. I think this time it is different. I think it's really important for our family to eat healthier.
So I'm going vegetarian. I haven't eaten meat in 9 days now. I wanted to wait a week to say anything here because, well you know, in case the ideas did actually subside. I'm proud of myself, and I feel great, and I definitely plan to try to keep this up. **If by chance I am eating a cheeseburger the next time you see me, I did say TRY**
I also plan to start buying less processed and more natural food, and a lot more fruits and veggies, and I plan to buy as much as I can locally. And I plan to
(gasp) cook more healthy & meatless meals at home! I've been inspired to make a difference, at least in my house. If I can put a little health food in Cody's life, I can do anything. He is the guy that lives on Mountain Dew, Ramen and Beef Jerky.
Wish me luck!

Happy Birthday Jennifer!

Ok so this post is a little late...aren't they all?

March 27 we went to my best friend Jennifer's birthday dinner. The restaurant is called El Cholo...they were supposed to have the best margarita in the world. I don't think they do...but I'll be on the lookout for who does!

Anyway, here are the pics!

Jennifer and her boyfriend, Pat...
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Singing Happy Birthday...
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Flan?
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Girls Pic!
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I bought her a cute little Juicy BFF necklace...she loved it!
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I think this was the 15th birthday I spent with Jennifer, and I had a great night. And even though the margaritas weren't the world's best, I still managed to drink about 3. Here's to 15 more birthdays, Miss Jennifer!!

It's getting a little heated around here....

The following are excerpts from an email I received last night, in response to my healthcare blog. WOW.


"The reason I commented is because you tried to make me feel like SHIT for being on medi-cal, and that you're above me. For a minute there, I believed it. Until I realized you shouldn't be complaining about taxes AT ALL. I'm a pretty good mom, I do the best I can, and YES I stay at home with my daughter and I LOVE IT. If the best I can isn't good enough for you or you want to judge me and call me a bad mom, that's on you. Sounds petty and bitter to me. By the way, we have a thousand dollar bill pending from Kaiser that medi-cal won't cover for, and I'm personally cut from it. We've also taken the food stamps (that they MADE us apply for because we applied for medi-cal) and bought our friend's dad (who is handicapped and can't work) groceries for the past 3 months. Does that match up with what you pay for private health insurance? Or wait, I bet it's not good enough for you."

"You are not good people."

"You know who you are? Since you're calling me out on shit, I'm gonna call you out too. You're the type of person who feels they've done their part by re-posting a desperate plea to adopt shelter dogs, as you sit on your computer with your teacup yorkie, with another tab up bitching and MOANING about where your nonexistent taxes are going, because god fucking forbid you have a friend who needs medi-cal. How dare YOU actually step up and foster a dog yourself, or risk getting a *gasp* flea on your thigh.
Because you are better, bigger, and badder and more blessed right? You are ABOVE dogsitting, too talented, just too damn.. PERFECT. One thing I can say completely DIVIDES you and I? I work cleaning floors, moving heavy ass equipment and painting huge office buildings for a construction company for a year to pay my rent. And you know what? I wasn't above it.
You make more money, you pay for your insurance, you are a perfect wife, mother, sister, daughter, you've got the latest gadget, the best handbag, louboutin shoes, the perfect life...
But you are one of the most superficial, empty people I know, and the last person that wrote such an assassination blog about me was a devil worshipper. Be better than that and maintain this perfect persona, and stop stooping to low levels if you are to withhold the crown.
You float by in your ship of right while everyone paddles in their sea of wrong."

That was the first time I have EVER posted my opinion on anything controversial, and this is what happens. I stand in amazement at the nerve of some people. Let me tell you a little about this girl...first of all, I met her when we were both pregnant, and she had a cigarette hanging out of her mouth. She is the most dramatic person I've ever met, and always has to argue with someone about something. She's constantly shopping, clothes, makeup, you name it, but can't seem to pay for her own healthcare, and is on foodstamps. And most recently was bitching about having her Juicy Couture purse stolen, and her foodstamp card was inside. Hmm....

Healthcare & Government Assistance....

Ok, here I go...you're in my space now, so if you don't like what I have to say...there is a little red box in the upper right hand corner of the screen...click on it.

I feel like the older I get, the more I lean toward the republican political party. Strange, because I never would have guessed it, and I definitely don't view it now as a bad thing.

I think it mostly comes down to money. I may have taken a year off to be with Madison & spend more time with Dylan, but before that, I worked my ass off for everything I have. Nothing has ever been just handed to me. I've worked for the most part since I was 15. Which means I have been paying taxes since I was 15. A lot of taxes. The more money you make, the more taxes you pay. I realize this will never change, and that part of that money goes to good things, but...some of it doesn't.

I also want to mention that I had Dylan when I was 23. Not too young, but a little. I was unmarried. But I knew what having Dylan meant, and I took full responsibility. I went back to work full time when he was 6 weeks old. He & Madison have always had health insurance...that I have paid for. I have never been on medi-cal, or any sort of government assistance whatsoever. Yea, I guess you could say I am proud of myself. I was taught to be a strong and independent woman.

Lately I see it more and more...women who have children, (not all women), who call themselves stay-at-home moms, but in all reality know that they cannot support their children on a one income family. Most of these women I've come across lately are not in their early twenties, but their early thirties. They think they are doing their children this great service by staying home, but in actuality, they are being selfish. They collect their food stamps, and their government health insurance, and talk about how hard it is to be a stay-at-home mom. I'm pulling the bullshit card. While you are staying at home, real good moms are out there working for a living and raising their kids, without help from anyone. And to top it off, these real good moms taxes are paying for welfare for the other mothers who are too lazy to go out there and get a job. Maybe this sounds mean, but I can't deny it anymore. It's disgusting. Why should hard working taxpayers be forced to take care of people who aren't willing to step up and take care of themselves?

I voted for Obama. I was happy with my decision. Hell, anyone would have done a better job that George W. Am I happy with this healthcare plan? Nope. There are good points, but overall I think it's a bad and expensive idea.
I had to take my daughter to the emergency room about a month ago, because she had a really high fever. I stood in line next to a woman who had medi-cal. Some differences between our experiences? We both had the same waiting time. We both got the same treatment. I had to pay $100 copay...she didn't have to pay anything. My taxes are paying for my children's healthcare and hers. Fair? I don't think so. I've never asked anyone to help me pay for my $300 a month health insurance, so I don't think I should be forced to help everyone else.

In my mind I have been justifying my recent lean to the right by thinking it's just something that happens when you grow up. You stop thinking about everyone else, and you start thinking about how to take care of you and yours.

There are still a whole lot of issues that I strongly lean left on, but money will never be one of them.

I'm stepping off my soapbox now, but let me know your thoughts...both good and bad. I'm always open to other views, and things I don't know about. It's all a learning experience!!

Flutter By, Butterfly!

About 2 weeks ago, Dylan brought home a caterpillar from Kidspace Museum.

For the last 2 weeks, our family has been watching this little guy grow and change. First, it ate all the food in the little container, and got super fat. Then it went to the top of the container and hung upside down, then it turned into a chrysalis.
I was expecting it to take longer, but I noticed when we came home from Disneyland, it had turned into a butterfly!! I was excited, but I already knew the hard part was coming up. Dylan had looked in on butterfly every day, and now we have to let him go.

Today after school, we took the container outside, opened it up, and let the butterfly out. At first he didn't go, but when he did, it was !! He flew around us for a few seconds, and then up into the trees, and he was gone. Then Dylan started to cry. He thought he wanted to keep him as a pet. I had to explain that we did the best thing for the butterfly by letting him go. After our talk, some tears, and a grilled cheese sandwich, I think he felt a little better.

All in all, we learned from this experience and we all thought it was awesome!!

Monday, Monday...

The day is finally here! I haven't looked forward to a Monday like this in a long time!
Why, you ask? It's my last day of work for the crazy lady!!

You would think that today would have been spent just tying up loose ends and cleaning out my desk, but noooo. Crazy lady hasn't hired a new person yet, so they wanted to make sure to fit as much work as possible into my day, to make up for the rest of the week. Why haven't they hired a new person, you ask? Oh, probably because I was right when I told her that what they pay is no where near the going rate for that position. Or maybe it's because I'm so amazing at my job, that they can't find someone good enough to fill my shoes! Either way, I finished everything they wanted me to, and still managed to leave by 4. I drove home with the windows down & the music up & a big smile on my face, because I'm free...

Happy Birthday Hailey!!

My best friend, Miss Jennifer, had a birthday party for her little girl Hailey. Miss Jennifer is what all the little kids call her...she's a teacher.
So of course this also means that there are crafts everywhere!!

They made sand art...
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Had their faces painted...
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And Jennifer helped the kids tie-dye t-shirts...
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How cute is that?!....
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Wow, what a long day!
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Great party Jen!

Open House

Today was Dylan's Open House at school. Which also meant that I got to leave the horrendous place called work early!! Double bonus!!

I love going to open house & seeing all the work the kids have done. I usually volunteer in the classroom, but since I've had this job, I haven't been able to do that, so I feel like I've missed a lot. Dylan loved walking me and Grandma around, showing us all that he's done. He kept asking me, "So did you love open house, or just kinda like it?". He's so cute. After the open house, we went to the book fair in the library. I remember book fairs from when I was a kid, and I think I still love them just as much. I bought Dylan a new book to read, which had nothing to do with Pokemon, which didn't make him very happy. McDonald's cures everything...trust me on this.

Good night!

6:28...Tick-Tock....

As I sit at my desk at 6:28, with an empty inbox, my mind wanders to how I will spend my approximately-five-weeks of unemployment.

Of course the first thing I intend to do is spend some family together time...at Disneyland...of course!! So we leave next Tuesday morning, and will have 2 full days of Disney-Fun!

I think I'll also try to volunteer in Dylan's class a few times...take Maddie to the park to play on the swings...and read a book. It's so hard to find time to read when you have a job and 2 little's to take care of!

Oh, and last but certainly not least...SPRING CLEANING!!

Maddie Pics - January through March...

A little photo update for ya!

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I know...too cute for words, right?!

Curiouser & Curiouser....

Today we spent the day with Nani Sonia. She's been on vacation in Argentina for the last 2 weeks, and we missed her dearly!! Of course she missed us just as much!

We picked her up and went to lunch & walked around Old Town Pasadena for a while, then we picked up Dylan and went to see Alice in Wonderland. I have been impatiently waiting to see this movie, and I thought it was great. I am the biggest Johnny Depp fan, and I think he is amazing in everything he does. Dylan on the other hand, fell asleep halfway through the movie. It was so cute, his 3d glasses were sliding down his face, and his mouth was wide open. I wish I could've taken a picture, but I didn't want to be that lady in the theater. Take my word for it...hilarious.

I'm home now, hanging out with my hubby watching The Princess & The Frog. Cute.

In other news...could Jesse James be more stupid? Cheating on a woman like Sandra Bullock with a woman like that?? She poses for Nazi photo shoots & has a tattoo'd forehead, for crying out loud!! I absolutely despise cheating, but what I don't understand is why people don't realize that you're supposed to cheat up. Which basically means...there's a chance you're going to get caught and get stuck with whoever you cheat with, so shouldn't that person be a step up from the person you're with now?! I'm just sayin...

Oh, how I missed you!

It's been too long since I've blogged.

I've spent the last 2 months working harder than I have, well, almost ever. That awesome new job I landed in January turned out to be not so awesome! I've been working 10 hours a day, doing way more than a certain crazy lady hired me for...for about 1/2 the pay I deserve. Such as making sure her buttons are sewn on her expensive dresses correctly....or watching her puppy while she is in staff meetings. What's that...you thought I was an accountant? Well, I am. This is why I have given my two week notice, and I am taking my life back! Fortunately I will be starting a new job in May (a very awesome new job, that I will not leak to the public until I am actually there)....so this is actually more like a 5 week vacation.

I'm not sure exactly what I'll do with my 5 weeks, but I'm sure blogging will be involved! I'm thinking of broadening my blog to not only what the family is up to, but also my thoughts & opinions on gossip & current events...you know, like health care reform, and Sandra Bullock!! Apparently people don't like my opinions on Facebook, seeing as how I've been deleted as a friend for my thoughts on welfare. So I'll keep my opinions off of FB and back to my blog!