Thursday, December 25, 2008

Let's See How I Did In 2008!

Here is my new years resolutions from last year. I was really excited when the year changed last year. I thought it was going to be this really exciting great new year. It was a hard year but I think a positive one too. Let's see how I did.....

Monday, December 31, 2007
I will.........in 2008
Continue to lose weight
I'm about 18 pounds lighter, not bad
Get my jewelry in more stores and across the US.
I did get my jewelry in more stores but not across the states, I didn't get to take it that far.
Start and use my face book
I didn't do any styling this year (on a professional basis) by choice so the face book didn't happen
Live in the moment
Always a work in progress. Its such a challenge for me
Be a better patient loving mommy and wife
Eh, I always think I can be better at that. I always check myself.
Read more books that are not only about parenting
I enjoyed reading this year. I still want to read more but I did read a lot more than just parenting books.
Give myself the time I need to do these things
I did give myself time.
Better my soldering skills
Did that!
Love myself more
Doing better at this!
Spend more time with family and friends
Did that!
Let more of the fluff of life go
I think I did this.
Travel a place or two
We didn't travel much. We went to Vegas and on a few road trips but sadly not far traveling.
Save more money
Um we tried but it was a hard year.
Pay off some bills
I don't think we paid anything off but we did lower some cards
Invest some money
I invested $100. in January and that was it. I think that was a blessing with all the market crashes tho.
Be hard on myself in the places where I am weak
And be easier on myself in the places I push to hard
Im always good at being hard on myself and I did work on myself a lot this year.
learn more and grow from it - check!
embrace my happiness - working on it and check!
get on the floor and play with my kids more and remember to do this while wearing lipstick - check!

I will be a fashionably happy mommy in 2008. I think I did a good job at this.

It was a hard stressful year but still I managed to use discipline to get me thru what I needed to get thru and I continue to work hard on my areas that need work. I think this is the first year where I set up some goals for myself, plastered them on the internet and actually stuck to most of them!!
I am proud.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Friday, December 12, 2008

Open Studio


This Sunday, December 14, 2008 from 10 to 5.
My House
6148 Mount Angelus Drive
LA, CA 90042

Please come check out my new designs and have some cookies!

Monday, November 10, 2008

Still in the ring and still a huge dodger fan!




It was a hard year for our family. We nearly lost our dad several times. My Dad lost his brother, my mom lost her cousin, we lost a friend and we lost our cat of thirteen years, Mama. I couldn't find the motivation to build an altar. We wanted to invite our families for a visit but every time I thought about what I might do this year, I would feel deeply sad. In the end, we didn't build an alter but I did make us a nice dinner on Day of the Dead, we did light candles and said we love you Uncle Sev, We love you mama, we love you Frank and lit a candle for each person. Ava was a little bummed out that there wasn't more notice given to her and Breyne and I allowed a few tears to fall that were unnoticed by the girls. Breyne said to me, It was a really hard year but it was a really good one too. He is right. I never thought my Dad would make it to the end of the year much less dress up as Manny Ramirez for Halloween.
You just never know with my dad. His childhood nickname is Leon which means Lion in spanish. You will never hear my dad's brothers or their kids call him by his name, Joe. It's always Leon or Uncle Leon. I don't know why he has this nickname maybe it was some sort of prediction of his future. My Dad has the heart of a lion.

Monday, October 20, 2008

So Ava.......




The other day Ava came home with an award, The Citizen of the Month award. I opened her folder and there it was with her name, her principals signature as well as her teachers. The next day the teacher told me she got to select one person for this award and Ava got to accept it in front of the whole school and they took her picture for the hallway. Breyne and I gush over her and laugh and think..........leave it to Ava, the girl who has loved rules since the day she entered the world. We just got her school photo, she is poised, confident and sits high with a big grin on her face like..............."Ava Miller Future President of America" I wonder what her catch phrase will be?? Needless to say, she is doing awesome, learning so much spanish, has made so many new friends and has yet to drop one tear at the idea of being at school. In fact, she loves it!!
Ruby and I are enjoying our time together and little Ruby Lu is really a fun toddler. We take lots of trips to Amy's playground, I can sit and knit. Swork, I can have coffee and sit and knit and the park where I get to enjoy this little twenty pound fearless girl, slide down the steepest of slides.
It's October, my favorite month of the year. My favorite holidays are approaching. We were said to be the power puff girls and Breyne the professor but as it turns out, our intellect wants to be Lucy from Narnia and Ruby will be a candy corn. I have the house decorated and it looks fantastic. I have yet to build my altar, which is sad because I have the perfect space. It was a hard year, filled with loss and I think the loss has held me back from letting loose. I think I maybe taking a year of mourning the pain is still too fresh to embrace there death. I don't know, maybe it will be healing and it needs to happen but its been a thick year loss. We lost family and a friend and our dear cat Mama. I can't think of adding them to our family alter yet, it feels too sad. We will see. However, we all can't wait for Hollywood Forever, please........come with us.

Monday, September 29, 2008

Bye Bye September










September was a very big month for our family. Ava started kindergarten and turned five. Breyne had his birthday and Jenny and Felix tied the knot! Ava also auditioned to dance with The California Contemporary Ballet Company. It's been an emotional month for me. Im very delighted and very heart broken over my growing daughter. Breyne and I are blown away by our girls. I remember the second week of school, it was Monday and I had dropped Ava off at school. I cried all the way home then text Breyne, "Its so hard to drop her off and watch her walk away. I feel sick to my stomach". He replied, "I do too, I keep looking at her baby picture in my phone". The school pictures are Ava leaving for her first day. In the picture of her and Breyne, she had just told him she was nervous and he was telling her he was nervous too his first day of school. Her birthday party was a hit and that little picture of Ruby lu is her looking at her daddy's birthday cake. She calls it "happy cakey" too cute!! Jenny was gorgeous at her wedding and her wedding was beautiful. Ava did an awesome job as flower girl more photos of that to follow soon.........

Friday, August 29, 2008

Happy 18 Months Ruby Lu










On the 17th, Ruby turned 18 months. We have a family tradition of the four of us having dinner and cupcakes on the girls half birthdays. We also give them a couple of little presents, its a sweet deal. This year, our party was a bit bigger. With the year being so rough for Papa and Grandma, we invited them in on it and they invited Auntie Lisa and Gigi. It was bigger and fun and Grandma did the cooking, score!
Ruby enjoyed some snacks with Papa and Gigi while we prepared dinner. Ava played on the computer and Auntie Lisa and Dada did a little of everything. It was a fun day at Grandmas house.
At her 18 month check up, Ruby is weighing 20 pounds 7 ounces. Her height and weight is in the 10 percentile. She is a lucky girl with a very fast metabolism. Her favorite things to eat are sugar and condiments. Yep thats what you read, sugar and condiments! She'll eat the healthy stuff too but she will ask for a cookie several times a day and if she catches you dippin something, be prepared to share.
Our blossoming firecracker, loves her grandma, mama, dada, sister and animals. She also adores Ava's friends Lulu (who sadly moved but Ruby says her name all the time) and Carmela. Ruby calls her Karma. :) She loves the Boo Bahs, shoes, Paint, preferably on her body, mouth and hair and babies.......!! She might hit and kick but she also hugs and kisses a whole lot! This little chicken in soooooo easy to love!!!!!
I forgot to mention purses. She loves to hold a purse blow a kiss and say bye bye baby! She's used to me running out to get Ava. Ruby can say many words and her favorite sentence is "there it is." I love it, when she likes something she will say "der it ish" so cute!! She often says side for outside, cookie, muk (milk) leths go (lets go) and "go?" for where did it go. She makes these adorable little expressions like her hands up in air and says go?go? or her hands over her mouth with her jaw dropped open, for when she drops something like.....oops! When I am holding her and she wants to walk, she says "cock, cock". Just typing this gets my blood going. Our little chicks have my heart beating heavy and hard. Lucky us.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

More really deep thoughts by Ava Miller


Its dinner time, we are eating breaded chicken, broccoli with scallions and rice. Ava looks up at Breyne and I with a piece of chicken on her fork. "Why do animals have to die just so we can eat dinner? I want chickens alive and fish swimming in the ocean. I don't want to eat them anymore ( she's fighting back crying now) I only want you to make me tofu for meat." We explained to her that as long as she's young she's going to eat meat from time to time because we do but we will definitely give her more tofu when we can. She wasn't fully pleased but her mind was eased a bit and she refused to eat anymore chicken that night.
Ava Miller, Environmentalist/Philanthropist/Animal Rights Activist.............

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Ava's growing up.....


I've been cleaning out my house. Donating what I can, throwing away what I should. The other day I came across this canvas I had started painting way before Ava, probably around seven years ago. I should have taken a before and after picture but didn't. Basically it had a green back ground, face and black poofy hair. I got a hold of her this weekend and pretty much repainted the whole thing, back ground, skin, hair, the only thing that remained the same was the eyes. I am going to give this to Ava for her birthday.
Im really happy with the way she came out. I tried to style her up to Ava's wild imagination. Colored hair of course and its gotta be her favorite color, purple. Lots of jewelry and little tokens that say Ava at this age, the bangs, the chicken scratch five on the t-shirt, the jewelry and teenager fashion flare. I feel its the happy medium as I have been battling those horrible Bratz dolls. I don't even like the super slutty barbie dolls. What happened to little girls being little girls? Ava and I have an agreement, she can play with baby bratz and angel bratz, they are actually kinda cute. I still say no to the hooker bratz. I mean parents do need some guidelines after all. She seems quite pleased knowing she can have that kind if she wants. Its really a win win situation because we pretty much avoid target now, and if I go, I am saying no to toys. It's so crazy, she always got a toy when we went to target and we went all the time! I am putting a stop to that bad habit, I donated so much money in those target toys.
I'm happy with my painting. She's a fashion girl which will make Ava happy but she doesn't look like she belongs on Sunset. ;)

Sunday, July 27, 2008

See! See!


Today Breyne and I had a free afternoon. That rarely happens so we didn't know what to do with ourselves. This summer we aren't really running the air. Only at night time because we have very hot babies that will wake up crying dripping in sweat unless the house is 72 degrees. It was pretty hot today and we didn't want to be home. We couldn't figure out where to go. I thought it was too late in the day to drive down to the beach so I suggested we check out the Americana. Everyone seems to have been but us. Then I thought about it, its new, its in glendale and its Sunday. No thanks! However, something along the lines of the mall felt right. Odd, I know, I hate the mall! So I suggested Santa Anita because of the carousel and play area. We got there, the parking lot was packed, I was nervous and kept saying to myself.....what are you doing, you hate the mall.
So we get in the mall. The spongey play area is packed. Ruby seemed to be over whelmed by it. Ava said the big boys were too scary and I saw across the way, they were doing ear piercing at Claires. I've been very anti ear piercing since our experience with Ava. I was torn because I know that piercing is the most effective if you do it when they are baby and its less scary too because they are unaware. I've been leaning more towards doing it lately and Ava told me she wasn't ready. Yesterday out of no where, she said, I am ready to have Ruby's ears pierced. So I told Breyne, lets go get Ruby's ears done. He said, Im not going to watch her cry, I'll take Ava to the carousel. Off we split, carousel and claires. There was a girl getting hers done first. She was a pro, smiling acting like it didn't hurt at all, she was great! I'm a bit nervous, Rubys having fun, we pick out here earrings, Rubies of course and its our turn.......
It seemed like the girl was taking forever, of course it was my nerves and she was just making sure she was doing a good job. She was the assistant manager, she was very kind, professional and said Ruby's age and younger were the best times to do it. Yes, confirmation! After she sanitized everything, she marked Ruby's ears with marker and had me double check them. She was very particular and marked the left ear, three times (hence the larger purple circle you and see around her earring).
The whole time Ruby's is just kinda going with the flow. The she put the first one in, Ruby glared up at her and gave her a look like.....wtf!?!? The second one, she cried for a second then the girl gave her a lollipop (her first one ever) and Ruby accepted it and started dancing. Since then, Ruby has been touching them and saying "see, see". She loves them!! Thats the last thing she said tonight......"night night mama (pointed to her earring) see"
I am so glad it went so well and I am so happy to see earrings on my little baby. They look lovely and she won't have to worry about ear wholes that close up when she's older.
And as far as hating the mall, I am over that! We had so much fun! Malls are fun when you have kids, the carousel is magic!

Friday, July 25, 2008

Rest in peace Randy

Several months ago, my sister sent me "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch and like many people, it took my breath away. I found him remarkable, selfless, inspiring. Since then, I had kept up on his blog. I was curious about him as a person and was also following him because of his Cancer. My Uncle passed a few months ago from Pancreatic Cancer. It was shocking how fast it took him. While reading his blog, he was very moving, constantly staying positive and very detailed in his information.
Until yesterday, there hadn't been a new post in over a month. Last nights post was written by a friend saying he was on hospice now. That was sad to read. Today, I couldn't stop thinking of him so I went on his blog again. I wasn't expecting to find a post, I just wanted to reread his old ones.
Sadly, today I found a new blog stating he had passed on today. I am very sad. Happy for him that he is no longer in pain but sad for the world that we lost such a remarking being.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Yay for me!!!!!!


So as many of you know, I have been exercising regularly since January. Ashley and I were walking the rose bowl once a week and then I would walk with someone else or by myself two other times a week. This was fun and I felt better but I didn't see any weight coming off. So Ashley and I decided to try pole dancing. It was fun, lots of fun...........it got Ashley pregnant!! After completing level 1 and I lost my partner due to pregnancy, I kept going. I am now in the middle of level three and we are preparing to go upside down on the pole, yes I am scared!
The classes are getting harder and harder and even though I go two to three times a week. I felt like I could really use the practice at home. This shit is hard!! I bought a pole. The plan was to put it in our playroom, where all the mirrors are. The pole is held up from the pressure that is applied from the floor to the ceiling, our play room ceiling was too soft and Breyne couldn't get it to tighten correctly, so we moved it into our room. Yes, we have a pole in our room!! Pretty Pamela Anderson of us, right? I felt a bit shy and kinda scandalous about it but I reminded myself that Sheila Kelly has one in her room and she's not trashy. Besides, doesn't every one get a little down and dirty in their bedroom anyway?
So today, the pole went up and I gotta a good work out. When I was done, I thought I would do a measurement check. (We threw the scale away, best advice I ever got!) Since May 11, I have over all LOST 13.25" OFF of my body!!!!! I am so HAPPY!!
On a sad note, today I also had to say good bye to my very dear friend, Ashley. She and her family are moving up north to fulfill their dreams. I am going to miss you sister!!! XOXO

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Happy 17 Months Ruby Lu!!






Today Ruby is 17 months. She weighs 20 pounds and is starting to out grow 6 to 12 months t-shirts. Yay Ruby!! Our little one is very talkative. She says "leth go and coooo-kie" all day and every day beginning at 5 a.m. My little one is a sugar addict. I never let Ava have sugar at this age, not even birthday cake. Yeah, Ruby had reeses pieces the other day at Wall-E. Part of me laughs and refers to her has my little ghetto baby and part of me is like....oh no, hope her teeth will be ok. I think they will. We brush them often. Like Ava, Ruby is totally male crazy. Today we went to lunch while Ava was at art camp and a man winked at her. She tried to do it back and spent the rest of our time there doing all she could to get the man to look at her again. She does this daily. Ruby has friends, Max, Nico, Maggie and recently has discovered Mannex (his older brother is Seth, Avas friend). She is a social girl who wants to be out and about all day long. Roo roo, as we call her, is loving and feisty. We don't have to worry about her much and like Breyne says we get to worry about Ava less because Ruby's got her back. She's teeny yet strong.
These photos are of Maggie and Rubys play date. Maggie came to see Ruby a few days after she was born, she brought us cooo-kies. Maggie was exactly three months old. :)
Every night Ruby likes to help me cook dinner, she mixes and stirs.......

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

The Graduate












She did it! She spent two and a half years at the Garden School and loved every moment of it. There were times that were harder for me to be there but what kept me going was how much she loved this place. I remember having a fear that a social cirriculum/play based school would do her a disservice in some way. I was very wrong, she started swimming on her own as well as reading!! All in one weekend! Avas made some huge leaps these last few weeks. We are so proud of our little super star!!

Monday, June 16, 2008

End of Year Ballet Review









Ava had her end of year ballet review. She started ballet at this studio this spring. It was really cute. We got there at 5:30 so from about 5:30 until about 7:00 (her bed time), she sat in another room with her classmates and other dances. She was so thrilled there was teenagers with her, gasp! She got to watch everyone warm up and practice. She loved the hip hop class.
Breyne and I sat patiently and I kept checking on her in disbelief she could survive without me. I can't believe what a big girl she was and she did her dance so well!!!!!!!
She got a purple ribbon for completing her class. This summer she is doing Fairy Tale Ballet day camp and in the Fall, she is taking more ballet and hip hop, aww yeah!