Hang'n With Harper

Last night was so much fun! My good friend "Harper" (Sarah) is in town from Oregon for a few weeks and we finally got to spend some time together! We met up early in the evening, around 6ish, at The Goat Hill. There were some very friendly men there who showered us with attention...and we loved every minute of it! We hung out there for a few hours eating hot dogs, peanuts, and beef jerky. And we had a TON of fun taking some crazy pictures!

harper is so fun and crazy!We left that place after awhile and then decided we wanted to go play at Chuck E Cheese, however when we got there we realized we had lost track of time and they were closed. So we headed over to Main St. in Huntington Beach and went upstairs to Hurricanes - Sarah danced and I watched :) We were over that place pretty quick, so we went over to Sharkeez (I was on a man hunt). We were getting more attention...it was great! heehee! After our fun-filled evening out and about, we decided to call it a night. It was so much fun! I always have a great time with Harper...she's so awesome! I love you girly! Can't wait to spend some more time with you!!!and then it was time to sleep!!

I Want To Suck Your Blood....

Today I had to go get some blood drawn for some tests my doctor wanted to do. Getting blood drawn is torture for me. Its like my doctor is the vampire and I'm the innocent girl who is in pain having her blood sucked dry!

Anyway, so I take an early lunch, thinking that I will beat the crowd. Unfortunately, everyone else and their mother had the same idea! The place was PACKED! I signed in and took a seat. About 45 minutes later they finally called my name....to check in! I still had to wait another 20 minutes to be seen by the technician to have my blood taken. FINALLY they call me again and I take my seat in the dreadful chair. I put out both arms and kinda chuckle...the tech wants to know what's so funny. Oh, I just know how hard it is for you guys to find my veins, so I put out both arms and then accidentally let a chuckle out, outloud...not sure exactly why, maybe so I won't freak myself out waiting for the pain. She looked a little worried after that and so she checked out both my arms. Yep, she couldn't find any veins. She started pushing and slapping, moving my arm in all sorts of directions trying to see if the vein will pop out. Finally she thinks she found one. I asked for the butterfly needle just in case...its a smaller needle that allows them more flexibility to move the needle around once they break skin (since I know the first poke won't work). So she agrees and goes to find one. She comes back in and gets it ready and taps and pushes around some more to find the vein again. Ok, so she finds it again. She sticks the needle in, and what do you think happens? - the vein is no where to be found! She says I have veins that like to swim...you can feel them until you stick the needle in and then they swim away! My poor arm! She moves the needle around under the skin, poking around trying to find the vein inside my arm - AHHHH, it hurts! She gives up on that arm and decides to try the other one. Same thing on the other arm. She finds the vein, sticks me with the needle, and the vein swims away. She moves the needle around under the skin again trying to find the vein...as she's almost ready to give up she pokes in one more direction and vwalah! - she found it! She was able to fill one vile...which is good enough for me! Since they are only allowed to stick you twice in one visit (like a vampire's fangs!), that would have to do...she wouldn't be able to poke around anymore (thank God!). So now I'm slowly starting to bruise on both arms AND found out that I'm allergic to the surgical tape (I have a minor rash). What a terrible experience this was...at least I only have to do it twice a year!my poor arms match!in this picture the bruising hasn't really started yet (it will take a few days to fully bruise), but you can see my rash from the tape

Duck & Cover

"California is one of the world's most seismically active regions. More than 300 faults crisscross the state, which sits atop two of Earth's major tectonic plates, the Pacific and North American plates. About 10,000 quakes each year rattle Southern California alone, although most of them are too small to be felt."

Today we had a 5.4 earthquake and it was centered in Chino Hills, not far from where I work. We felt it BIG TIME at our office and it freaked me out! I did the whole duck & cover act creating the "Triangle of Life" next to my cubicle. I lived! :) Well, we all did...it wasn't life threatening. But hey, the lights hanging from the ceiling were swaying like a kid on a swing! I'm glad they didn't fall on me! Anyway, we had 27 aftershocks within one hour of the big quake! Come on...do we really need that many? Goodness! I just hope that this quake won't set off the other fault line (the San Andreas Fault - that my house backs up to) and cause the SUPER BIG one that we're due for!
So if having a 5.4 earthquake isn't bad enough, check out what happened to our postman today in our unfinished parking lot out in front of our office:he got stuck in a ditch! Poor guy! He had to switch vehicles to finish out his deliveries and then will have to have it towed later this evening. What a bummer for him! But why was he driving through there anyways? - that wasn't very smart of him at all!

Hopefully this day will get better, but most things come in 3's - so that's two...what's next? Oh dear, I shouldn't have asked!...

no goodbyes...its "see you later"

First off...I changed my hair again. I decided to try to get back to my natural color, and also decided to cut the bangs again. So here's the new do.

Ok, so my good friends Jeremy and Krista are leaving tomorrow for Russia. We had lunch today at Vince's and were able to spend some time together before they leave. I will miss you guys, but I know you will be successful on your trip. We are all praying for you and look forward to all your updates. Krista, if you decide to start a blog, be sure to let me know! I LOVE YOU GUYS!! :)

The Set-Up

So here's an interesting story, at least it is for me....

The Set-Up...
Last week I attended a business meeting with my boss and a few other men that we are proposing on a project with. During the meeting, I just happened to glance at the gentleman across the table and noticed he wasn't wearing a wedding ring. First things first, right ladies?!...gotta check for a ring. :) So he was ringless and good looking. So the meeting ended and my boss and I got in the car and the first thing out of his mouth was "So Scott isn't wearing a ring, do you think he's cute?". So funny, that that's the first thing he says to me after a two hour meeting! I just had to laugh. He's been wanting to set me up for awhile now, so he was excited about this. I told him I thought he was cute, but that I thought he probably had a girlfriend or was engaged, or something. So what does he do? As soon as we get back to the office, Jeff (my boss) writes Scott (the ringless guy from the meeting) an email and asks him if he's single...oh and also mentions that if he is, that "he knows someone named 'Jody' who thinks he's kinda cute". Oh my goodness....HOW EMBARASSING!!! Well, to my luck, turns out he is single and responds to my boss's second question "can I set you two up on a date" with "I would be more than happy to go out with her...so what do you say jody, you interested in going out sometime?" (or something to that effect). I said yes, of course, after being totally embarrassed by the chain of emails between the three of us. But hey, its a good story!

The Date...
Ok, so last night was the big night! Scott picked me up and we drove out to Victoria Gardens where we had a very nice dinner at Wapango (he made reservations too). By the way, he's a total gentleman and such a nice guy! Opened doors, made sure to walk on the street side of me, helped me step over a hanging chain across the grassy area by offering his hand...very nice! I think he's the last gentleman left on this earth!! Anyway, we had lots to talk about at dinner, it was very enjoyable. Oh and he scored big points when he gave me his last bite of food because he knew I liked it! How sweet is that!!! Anyway, after dinner we had some time to kill (before the movie was to start) so we stopped in at the Yard House for a drink. After a little while there, we saw it was time to head over to the theater down the way. We got in the car and realized that it was later than we thought...we had missed the movie! It was a big bummer too because he had bought tickets ahead of time. But he was super cool about it...he still wanted to take me to a movie, so he bought two more tickets to a later show! So sweet! We saw the new Batman movie, which was great! I was a little tired through it because it was late, but still such a good movie! So when the movie was over, Scott drove me home. He came in for a little bit, we chatted, played with my dog...and then he decided to head home (it was 2:30am). We hugged goodnight and he was on his way.

The Results...
So all in all, it was a great date! My boss did good with the set-up and was all giddy today when he called me to see how it went! :) I'm lucky to have people in my life who take an interest and care. Thanks Jeff for making it happen.

Oh, one more thing, ya'll know I take lots of pictures...I couldn't go on this big night without having our picture taken! Scott was cool about it too - another point for him! :)

So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, goodbye!

We said GOODBYE to a co-worker today...
Today was Mark's last day with Matlock Associates. Mark was our VP of Construction here at MA and has been with our company for the last 11 years! He is leaving us to venture out and start his own company. We wish you well, Mark!

Going on a Possum Hunt...and I'm not afraid!

Well, that's not all true...I'm a little afraid! But do you remember that campfire song...
I'm going on a lion hunt (echo: going on a lion hunt)
and I'm not afraid (echo: I'm not afraid)
well, I don't remember the rest...hahahaha! :)

Anyway, there's the evil possum that keeps lurking around my backyard at night. It has chased my little Annie around twice already (at least twice that I've seen) and I'm afraid she's going to get eaten. So the first time I saw this evil creature was on Saturday night. I let my cute little dog Annie outside to go to the bathroom before bed and I heard this whining and crying outside. I ran to the door and see Annie running for her life, being chased by the enormous ratty creature! So I opened the door letting her run in and quickly closed it, but not in time...the possum's head was caught (thank goodness!). It broke free and then started to climb through the hole in the screen (where the cat usually goes in and out) and so I slamed the door in its face. It didn't get in!! :) So Annie was still whimpering and I was shaking and I didn't know what to do. There was really nothing I could do at that point. Anyway, Sunday came around and I spent some time with family. That evening while I was hanging out at my cousin's house, Don offered to let me use his BB gun. He showed me how to load it, shoot it, etc (I practiced on a lime in the trashcan!). So I took it home, hoping I wouldn't have to use it. Well, tonight that EVIL possum came around again!! I first tried to scare it off while watching the encounter through the window, but knew I couldn't wait any longer...Annie was trying to fight it off and I didn't want her to get hurt. So I got out the gun and opened the door. I called for Annie to get out of the way, and she moved a little bit, but not much. So I just had to do it...I aimed for that thing and SHOT! Well, seeing as I've never shot any sort of gun in my life, I of course missed! But at least I scared it off! Annie came running inside and the possum went running across the yard. So it was gone for the night (well, into the neighbors yard where their dogs were yelping, but I wasn't about to go chasing that thing)! So, wish me luck for the next time it comes around, hopefully I'll have some better aim. Maybe I should practice...
(to be continued - hopefully with a dead possum and a happy ending for me and Annie!)

spending time with family

HYDE GET-TOGETHER

cousins
I had a great time the last two days visiting with my extended family. Sunday we all got together because my cousin Lisa and her daughter Charis flew into town from North Carolina for a visit. Her son David also spent the day with us, but later that day had to go back to his base. So the day started off eating some yummy fried chicken for lunch (eating is always a good time - hahaha!). We sat around and talked for awhile, catching up and such, and then decided to head out on a walk (outside the mobile home park where my grandparents live) over to the local stores around the corner. We went into the Exotic Birds store where the birds are out in the open and you can pet and hold them...kinda cool! I was a little afraid, not sure why, so I didn't hold any. I just enjoyed watching everyone else and took some pictures of them.David with the birds...
After shopping we went back to the house and spent some more time just catching up. Later that night, after we left G&G's house, I hung out at Cousin Cathy & Don's house for a few hours. Um, yea...they had me trying new foods! For anyone that truly knows me, you know that I'm a picky eater! So this was scary for me! heehee :) Ok, so from Don's garden, I tried some fresh tomatoes, and a raddish. Then Cathy made this stuffed chicken breast with broccoli. So are you wondering how it went? I liked all of it! :) Kinda crazy!!!!

HOLLYWOOD & VENICE

So I took a 1/2 day at work and decided to hang out with my cousins out in LA. The younger girls really wanted to go see Kat Von D's tattoo shop, LA Ink, so we spent the day doing all the fun tourist stuff out there. They got to see the Hollywood sign (which Charis said was more exciting for her than seeing the Eiffel Tower - surprising!), Grauman's Chinese Theater, and the Hollywood Walk of Fame:doesn't Robin look like Seth Green?Charis & Evan "Best Cousin Award"Lisa at Billy Graham's star

Then we were on the hunt for LA Ink (High Voltage Tattoo). We found it and the girls were so excited! We parked the car and took a few pictures in front of the building...and then got a tip that there may be a few of the artists behind the building. So we headed back there, and sure enough...the girls were able to take a picture with Corey Miller and Kim Saigh(two of the artists from the tv show) - they also thought that Pixie was there, but she didn't get up to take a picture with the girls. Evan was so happy...it was the best part of her day! :) Cathy - Lisa - JodyCharis - Corey - Kim - Evan

After the excitement of Hollywood, we headed towards Beverly Hills. We hopped out of the car and took a few pictures in front of the sign and then drove through the expensive neighborhoods, keeping our eyes peeled for famous people out and about. We didn't get to see any, but we did see the Osbourne mansion!Evan & CharisCathy & JodyLisa & Christy

Next, we went shopping on Rodeo Dr. Unfortunately, we couldn't afford to buy anything...but we did see some paparazzi - again, no luck seeing anyone famous.
Last thing we did in the LA area was go to Venice Beach. We walked around, did some shopping, saw the hunks at muscle beach, the girls (Charis & Evan) got henna tattoos, I got some yummy funnel cake, and then it was time to head back to our hometown.
We finished off the fun-filled day with dinner at a Meditteranean restaurant in Claremont. I was a little nervous to try the food, but I really did enjoy it a lot! Cathy and Christy are good at getting me to try new foods! I'm sure I'll be eating a lot more foods than I ever thought I would now that I get to spend more time with them :)

Anyway, it was a great day (and weekend)! I'm so glad that I was able to take some time off of work yesterday to spend time with the girls. Its not very often that I get to see Lisa and Charis, so that was especially nice! Thanks girls, for letting me hang out with you guys yesterday! I can't wait for our trip to NY next year! Let's get planning!!! :)

Pageant of the Masters

Pageant of the Masters
Laguna Beach, CA

Ok, if you haven't seen the Pageant of the Masters before, you MUST go! It is so awesome! This was my fourth time going and it was so GREAT! Its so amazing to see human art!

Pageant of the Masters, Where art comes to life!
Ninety minutes of "living pictures" - incredibly faithful art re-creations of classical and contemporary works with real people posing to look exactly like their counterparts in the original pieces. An outdoor amphitheater, professional orchestra, original score, live narration, intricate sets, sophisticated lighting, expert staff, and hundreds of dedicated volunteers have won recognition for the Pageant as the best presentation of its kind.

So I went to the show with two of my girlfriends, Carissa and Kristy. We had a fun night! We arrived early and spent some time looking around at all the art that was displayed and grabbed some food there (because we were starving). There are so many talented artists! When it was time for the show to begin, we found our seats (um yea, in the nose bleed section!), got out the binoculars, and were ready to see the art come to life. It was amazing! It's so unreal to see people walking around, getting into position, and then when the lights hit they look like the real masterpiece! So insane and beautiful!! That's when the binoculars come in...so you can see their faces to see if they blink! heehee:) Carissa was excited when someone would finally blink :) The theme for the 2008 show was "All The World's A Stage". There were portrayals of sculptures, paintings, some live acting and singing...and just plain beautiful artistry!

Anyway, it was a great night and a great show! I can't wait for next year to see it again!

*WICKED*

Tonight my "Bestest" Bethie and I went to see Wicked. It was so great! I love going to things like this and wish I could go more often. Hopefully one day I'll win the lottery and have money to do all the super fun things in life..either that or marry a rich man! hahaha :) Anyway, we started off the evening with dinner at this mexican restaurant called El Compadre. Super yummy food, live mariachi band, great ambiance. It was so good! :) So we finished eating and headed over to the Pantages Theater in Hollywood. When we arrived we found our seats and settled in. Some of my extended family members were there also, it was nice to see them again. So the show was amazing! These people have the most amazing voices ever! I got chills so many times! I wish I had talent like that! No, I'm the non-talented person in a family of talent. Anyway, I digress..... After the show, Beth and I hung out for a bit, took a few pictures of course, and then headed over to the car. We found these cones and decided that we should be part of the cast too! hahaha :) We were just having some fun! It was a great night! I'm tired now...going to bed! - Goodnight! :)

Fair, Beach, and Family

Orange County Fair 2008So I really wanted to go to the Orange County Fair this weekend, so I did! :) I ended up going by myself, thinking that I do a lot of stuff on my own so I'll still have fun. Hmmm, let me just tell you that going to a fair alone really isn't all that fun. Next time I will have to go with a friend! But, I got to eat all the yummy fair food, watched all the different people who had migrated to this one location, and enjoyed walking through the buildings (especially the art/photography building - very good photos in there). Even if it was a little lonely being there alone, it was still nice to get out of the house.
Huntington Beach
After the Fair, I drove over to Huntington Beach and walked around Main St., went into a few stores, walked down the Pier, and then walked on the beach down by the water (um, it was windy and cold, but nice). It was great to be out there again...I miss it so much!!
Family Time
Sunday I tried out a new church out in San Dimas, Christ Church of the Valley. My relatives on my dad's side all go to this church, so it was nice to see everyone. I was able to sit with my Grandparents during the service, and then we all went out to lunch afterwards at Legends.
Dawna matched the benches and umbrellas at Legends with her yellow pants and red hair!

After lunch, my two cousins (Duana and Dawna) and I decided to hang out. We did a little shopping at a cute little boutique and then to our favorite store...TARGET :) A little scary, but I let Dawna drive my car. She only has her drivers permit but she was eager to get more practice in...so since I'm over 25 she asked if I would let her. She did pretty good actually! I was a little nervous when we got on the freeway and realized she had only driven on there about two times...I started looking around, checking the mirrors, checking her speed, etc. But she did great. Anyway, we picked up some frozen yogurt and then went over to Duana's house and hung out having some fun girl time. They are sweet girls! :)


From church this morning: Living Through Loneliness

"Loneliness is...spending your days alone with your thoughts, your discouragements, and having no one to share them with."
Neil Strait

What a man desires is unfailing love.
Proverbs 19:22

14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:14-19

Simple things to help overcome the obstacles of expressing love and decreasing loneliness in the lives of the family of God....
L - Listen when another is speaking
O - Overlook petty faults and forgive failures
V - Value others for who they are
E - Express love in practical ways