Rose Parade floats -- 2006

Rob & I had an opportunity on Friday (12/29) to see some last minute details done on a few of the Rose Parade floats out in Duarte, CA. Some of the cities involved that we could remember were Palmdale, Duarte, Ontario, and Oklahoma City. Despite all the scaffolding, each float was a work of art. One of my favorites is the float with butterflies... On it, there will be four waterfalls. Volunteers told us that the float, in full extension, would be at approximately 36 feet high (one of the highest in parade history). So, when you watch the parade, keep a look out for some of these! :)

Season's Greetings!

It's Christmas eve... All the shopping has been completed... The presents have been wrapped... Things are starting to calm down in our household as our family gathers together to celebrate this holiday... So, I wanted to wish everyone out there a

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

So, cherish this time with your family and friends... And enjoy the season!!!

A little bit of something...

Look what I got over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend from my boyfriend, Rob.... It's not quite an engagement ring... It's a promise ring! So, by this time next year, I will be engaged. :) It's a step forward in our relationship - which has had it's ups & downs over the months. It may seem like we're rushing things, but just remember... It is just a promise ring. I definitely am looking to the positve aspect of things to come... :)

Snyder Family's Annual Halloween Party

Jamie and her family held their annual Halloween party at Tony & Heather's house in Glendora by hosting a housewarming party as well. As you can tell I didn't go picture crazy this year... But here are some of the pics that I did take... :)

Rob dressed up as a 'Covenant Tyrant'

Pam as a "Baby Girl"... Think she's got the drink confused here! ;)

Jamie (Helle's Belle) & me (Midnight Priestess)

Beautifully stated...

I received the following as an email from my best friend, Jamie... Thought I'd share!

As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn't supposed to ever let you down probably will.

You will have your heart broken probably more than once and it's harder every time. You'll break hearts too, so remember how it felt when yours was broken.

You'll fight with your best friend.

You'll blame a new love for things an old one did.

You'll cry because time is passing too fast, and you'll eventually lose someone you love.

So take too many pictures, laugh too much, and love like you've never been hurt because every sixty seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back.

A Family Visit

I haven't seen my cousin and her family from Palmdale in six months. I took a few pics of her kids... One of them is my nephew, Logan, dressing up as a doctor. Isn't he adorable?

Dance Dance Revolution

My cousin's 3-year-old, Logan, wanted to try out DDR -- just like everyone else... Here's a video clip of him trying it out!

Bella & "Fireflies"

My bird, Bella, seems to be a big country fan -- in particular, Faith Hill. She seems to enjoy singing to Faith Hill's "Fireflies" whenever she hears it. Here's an example...

Megan and shoes

Megan has this sudden fascination with feet and/or shoes... Take a look and see what she does with my feet.

Megan's Day

Here are the five stages of Megan's afternoon... (From from left to right) She went from having a pouty face... to a crying face... to a tantrum... to getting a timeout.... and finally falling sleep... Sad, isn't it?

Megan pictures

I wanted to share some of the pictures I had taken of Megan since I started babysitting her! :) 

Megan in a whirlwind...

Here's Megan getting her afternoon workout by playing "I'm gonna get Marissa" by running around the coffee table!

Yahoo! Time Capsule

Yahoo! has started a time capsule to show future generations what our world and lives were like up until 2006. So, between now and November 8, Yahoo! would like everyone to contribute their pictures, sounds, videos, writings, and drawings to the time capsule. Anything contributed will be used as historical data, and will be placed in the Smithsonian Folkways Recordings in Washington, D.C. In addition, Yahoo! will ask you to choose from seven organizations so that they can donate $100,000. The following organizations are:

• World Wildlife Fund (climate change)
• International Rescue Committee (refugees)
• Grameen Foundation (poverty -- microfinance)
• Unicef (basic education & gender equality)
• One.org (health -- AIDS)
• Seeds of Peace (peace)
• International Child Art Foundation (visual arts)
  
  

So, please visit the website below and contribute to this time capsule!
http://timecapsule.yahoo.com/capsule.php

Everyday changes...

I recently left my job of almost five years to try "experiencing something new." I am currently helping a friend of mine start his fitness-training center over the next few months or so. In the meantime, I have offered my babysitting services him and his wife since they are unable to have their little girl in daycare because of her heart condition (doctor's orders). This definitely is a different experience for me to go through. I am adjusting from a job interacting with 30+ people a day to spending about eight hours daily to watch a very active 19-month-old baby girl. It is definitely a shock to one's everyday life. I absolutely love what I am doing, but my people interaction skills have changed. I have the "Jack's Big Music Show" (on Noggin) theme song running through my head day and night. My brain used to be concerned about getting progress reports and treatment plans sent out to doctors' offices or making sure a patient was progressing properly in their rehab program. Oh, it is a shock, but I am getting used to it...

Another change that I am going through is that my boyfriend and I have decided to move in together. It has been an adjustment dating somebody new, especially since I spent so many months being independently single. He is not moving in until sometime in January or so, but I have been spending a lot of time with him at night. It definitely is an adjustment when he is the last person I see before I sleep, and the first one I see when I wake up. I have had some difficulty trying to share my space, but I am trying to adapt. I have needed some time on my own to figure things out. I definitely am not regretting any of the decisions I have made over the last few months, but it is something I will get used to. I know it takes time, but it is definitely frustrating.

All I ask is that my friends do not forget me when they are in the outside world.... Drop me a line every occasionally!

A weekend getaway...

This last weekend, my boyfriend & I spent a brief getaway from family and friends. It was a much-needed time for just the two of us. Since we have started dating, it has literally been a whirlwind time. We never really had our first official date until Saturday because of busy schedules and many changes in our lives. Therefore, Rob & I decided just to spend some time hanging out in Pasadena. We went out for lunch at The Yardhouse in Paseo Colorado, and then followed that with a movie. We saw Jet Li’s “Fearless.” If you are a fan of Jet Li’s, this is a good movie to watch. Just make sure you enjoy subtitles since the entire movie was spoken in Chinese. Other than that, a majority of our time was just spent having some much needed quality time together without the interruption of family or friends bothering us.

Anyway, I would say that we had lots of fun together. I look forward to having many more of these types of things in the future. We both can say that we returned home a lot more relaxed and rested than any other weekend we have had together! :)

30-years-old and counting...

It has been a week since I celebrated my 30th birthday at Disneyland last Tuesday...

I have not quite reached the "I'm freaking out 'cuz I'm 30" stage yet, but I'm quite surprised that it didn't quite overwhelm me like I thought it would. I think that I accepted where my life has taken me so far, even before the thought of the 'big three-O' ever crossed my mind. I did make a few goals for myself a decade ago of things I would like to have accomplished by the time I turned 30. They included pursuing my graduate degree (which will be completed over the next few months), becoming a world traveler (even if it meant spending a few weeks in Europe), falling in love... Being in love... Having someone to love... Being loved in return (I love Rob!), and just being content with what life and God had to give me. I know that I am not quite married with kids yet, or have stepped off a plane and experience the New York life as a single woman.... However, those little things can always be accomplished someday...!

All I can say is that I am happy with the way things are going so far... I am surrounded by family, friends, and my true love.... What else can I ask for? :)

My last days at the Fort...

It's been about a week & a half since I spent my last day working at Fortanasce & Associates. It has been an up & down type of year over the last couple of years, but overall, I'd like to say that I have walked away with many memories that I will always cherish. I will take my experience working with them to heart as I open new doors in my life, career, and whatever else that might cross my path.

So, I thank Michael Fortanasce, Christi Park, all of my fellow co-workers, and many of the patients I have helped care for (and a few who I have made friends with) for giving me the experiences and opportunities that I had encountered working there for almost five years!

One of my best friends, Jamie, has been in and out of the hospital over the last 4 months. She was first admitted into the hospital back in April, where the doctors weren't quite sure what was wrong with her. She was released, with a pick line attached, so that she could attend her brother's wedding later that month. She did well until she was readmitted into the hospital just a few days later. This time, the doctors believed she either had tuberculosis of the spine or a staph infection. Either way... she spent another couple of weeks of getting medications, then was discharged once the infection was taken care of.

Soon after, in early June, she was admitted again in the hospital. This time, she was complaining of stomach pain. It was found that she had pancreatic necrosis, and only 10% of her pancreas was functioning. She debated for weeks whether to have surgery, and finally had it on July 5. 80% of the non-functioning part of the pancreas was removed, and the doctor wanted to remove more. But she refused... She was released from the hospital on August 10, but returned again last Monday.

Jamie is one of my best friends... We've gone through thick & thin during our short time as friends. She is my inspiration considering all that she's been through (health-wise) since she was a little girl. I miss our chats & TV adventures (no Dr. Phil this year). So, please keep her in your thoughts and prayers as she fights through another battle.

Unsaid emotions...

Why are some things not so easy to let go? I do not know if it is anger, bitterness, or what, but the emotions that I have felt over the last couple of days seem to hover over my head. I do know that for some reason my feelings are so hurt right now (I have literally been on the verge of tears). It hurts so much knowing that my own boyfriend cannot talk to me when there is something bothering him. It makes me feel like I am not a part of his world. Maybe I am being childish about all this, but why should I let him know why I am angry or upset or pissed off at the world? What support can he give me when he will not let me do the same for him?

It is frustrating when I see him, and I can see it in his eyes that something is bothering him. Nevertheless, he always tells me that there is nothing wrong. How am I supposed to believe that? Looking at the ceiling/wall randomly, acting rather distant… not really talking to me does not seem fair to me. I want to be supportive of all and everything going on, but I cannot do anything like that if I am not sure what is going on. I think that over the last couple of weeks I have had more stress with all this frustration than I do from work & school combined.

I feel lost… I feel hurt… In addition, I do not know what to do anymore…

Yes, I have disappeared...

OK, it has been a few months since I've lasted posted. A lot has happened over this time period... I have spent it saying goodbye to an old love, and discovering new adventures with a new one. I was introduced to the new man in my life by a co-worker/good friend back in May. I do have to say that it was an up & down month. I was still in the process of 'letting go' of an old boyfriend (a security blanket the last couple of years) when I met Rob. At the time, I was ready to move on, but not quite sure where I wanted things to go... But before we begin with that thought process, let's start with how Rob & I met, shall we?

We were introduced by our friend, Barbie. Originally, we were supposed to meet in April, but plans were cancelled that night because of a migraine. Anyway, on May 5th (Cinco de Mayo), Barbie & I decided to have a Girls' Night. Well, while sitting at a bar, Barbie called up Rob's best friend. The boys decided to join us. So, we decided to go to 4th Dimensions (a pool hall). We hung out, they played pool, I drank & danced... At the end of the night, all I can remember is just having a good time, and giving a Rob a tiny kiss good night.

So, from that point on, we literally have been inseparable (well, with the exception of a one week period in May -- I freaked out about a few things to be left unmentioned). I honestly feel that I have met my soul mate. He's filled a hole in my life that I felt has been missing over the last couple of months. I honestly don't know where my life would be right now without Rob in it. I know I miss him even though he walks out of the room for two seconds. He definitely holds a special place in my heart.

Anyway, that's why I've disappeared... I've gone through a period where I've had to say good-bye to an old boyfriend... Said hello to a new one... Had ups & downs within family & friends... Final decisions about career choices... I've had many positives and a few negatives the last few months... I definitely know now that I am content with where things are... Thank goodness!