Highheels and Hiccups - welcome!

Knott's Berry Farm

2010-04-12T20:16:00.001-07:00

My parents bought our family season passes to Knott's Berry Farm and we are having a blast taking the girls. They are at that magical age where I am getting such a kick out of watching them experience all these new things (rides) for the first time. C isn't quite ready to take the step of having her photo taken with Snoopy but she was able to manage a high five...maybe next time she'll build up the courage...and G is quite the little dare devil on some of these rides, they get my stomach, and we're just talking Camp Snoopy ;-)

Happy New Year!!

2010-01-12T15:25:00.001-08:00

This new year we continue to praise Him who all blessings flow. Psalm 33:20-22 " we wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield in him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you." We are still waiting for the courts to begin the adoption process for our girls. We are still waiting for some prayers to be answered. We are still... Praising Him for who he is and all that he has done. We praise with the assurance that our sins are forgiven by the Lords love, mercy and grace. We praise even when we do not feel like rejoicing because we have hope, peace and faith in Him. We continue to strive to live as Jesus lived and love as Jesus loves. Last year brought trials and victories and we have seen enough to know that there are answered prayers waiting to happen just around the corner! We pray that all who visit this blog know the same peace as we do. May this year be full of peace that passes understanding for us and all of you.
God Bless

Gigi's 3rd Birthday

2009-10-05T15:52:00.000-07:00

I can hardly believe that we have celebrated Gigi's birthday two times already! (She's three but we had her before she turned two). Boy time flies. It was so fun having all our friends/family hang out at the house celebrating her special day! She was in heaven being the center of attention in her cupcake dress, custom made by Grandma. Traci was the master mind behind the adorable cupcake theme making a happy birthday banner and "cupcake" party favors and our incredible neighbor, Auntie Dee Dee made the mini cupcakes and special huge Cupcake cake for her birthday. What an amazing outpouring of love this little girls was showered with for her special day.

Happy Father's Day

2009-06-22T10:48:00.000-07:00

Like any good holiday we were booked to the gills with places to be...I was a part of drama at church for the first two morning services. I managed to sneek over to Heritage to get Greg a gigantic cinamon roll which he requested for breakfast. We then headed over to his parents to wish his papa a happy father's day...how did I manage not to get a picture of him?? That was cut short by having to be back at church. We quickly stopped at my folks to give dad a hug & kiss (we celebrated with him on sat) Greg had to run sound and I was on praise team. Halogen had a bbq afterwards so that's where we had dinner. Came back home and literally crashed into bed. I'm not sure how relaxing Father's day was for Greg but he gets to really celebrate it next week mon - a full day of golf - kid free.

Dirty Dancing

2009-05-22T23:16:00.000-07:00

Me, Lola & Dee Dee

Me & Dee Dee inside the pantages (trying to get a shot of the set behind us)

I was an honorary family member on Sun with the Bonfield girls.

My neighbor Dee Dee invited me to go along with her family members for a girls afternoon out to the theater and dinner. We saw Dirty Dancing at the Pantages and had dinner at Tony Romas all compliments of her sweet mama Lola.

We had a blast...the dancing was amazing and the set was like none I had seen before, it used a lot of techology for the backdrop - I don't want to say too much lest I spoil it for some of you that might be going to see it.

It's always fun to have a girls day out!

Cotillion End of the year Party 2009

2009-05-20T10:03:00.000-07:00

The amazing menu (my entree of choice - yeah, that would be the lobster!

A cohort in crime - Christie & me

hmmm...what could this be??

I've flipped for the Flip

The girls- Nicole, Rebekah, Gena & Christie

Yup...it's another post on our Cotillion party...seems like I just did this for last year.
Boy time flies. Once again, I overindulged with amazing food,

Ah, my yearly fix of Lobster!

The staff is like little kids at Christmas guessing what goody could possibly be in those red polka dotted bags....

drum roll....

Flip video cameras!!!

I was so excited because I've been wanting to do more video of the girls but our camera isn't the easiest access and I'm always out of tape or battery or whatever. With the Flip it's all digital, I can upload it to my laptop, edit, add music, it's amazing. So thank you to the Martines for always making the dinner so memorable and the working experience so enjoyable!

Foster Family Fun Day!

2009-05-16T14:17:00.000-07:00

The faith based community in Long Beach put together an amazing event for foster familes and prospective families with booths, food and lots of activities for the kiddos. Gennary had a blast from cotton candy & sno cones to getting her nails painted in the "princess for a day" booth. A big thank you to all the volunteers who spent time out of their sat to celebrate these amazing children and their foster families!

Free Methodist Conference Ordination

2009-05-16T14:04:00.000-07:00

Izzy & Audrey w/ Audrey's grandparents

I am proud of my honey!

Audrey & me

Jervaun & me (Jervaun was a former Mrs. CA - she actually crowned me and she happens to be a missionary to Ethiopia with her family, what a small world!)

Carlos (our worship leader), Sandy (children's ministry), Fern & Greg

Greg and I took the girls to stay with his sis in Menifee this week for Greg to attend the annual FM conference. Izzy (our pastor) was being ordained and Greg was recieving his "official" certificate as a LMC (Licensed Ministerial Candidate) They had a wonderful service for the ordination and we are so proud of Izzy for the amazing amount of work he's put into getting this far.

Mother's Day 2009

2009-05-16T13:47:00.000-07:00

Me and my girlies

Celebrating my Mom

Celebrating Greg's Mom

I love my stepping stone!

Two precious handprints that made me a mommy!

I cannot believe that I have officially celebrated my second mother's day! What an amazing journey this has been. Greg was the mastermind behind my day of pampering as the girls are just a tad too small to even understand what mother's day is about...all in time right? Not only did I get time for myself to do "whatever" (which doesn't happen all that often) he completely cleaned the house for me and had the girls make me a special stepping stone for my garden with their handprints. That was the sweetest thing b/c Greg knows how sentimental I am. We had the chance to BBQ with his family, did a pit stop at mine and then enjoy the evening at Halogen (our church) for a special mothers day service. All in all - a wonderful day! Happy Mother's day to all you special women out there who provide love and nurturing to others whether those "others" came from your belly or your heart you are true heroes!

World Figure Skating Championships

2009-05-08T23:34:00.000-07:00

Last month Greg took me to the Staples center to watch the World Figure Skating Champions Exhibition. This was actually my Valentines day present from him. Most people don't know that I spent many many years as a figure skater myself and had hopes (like every little kid in these types of sports) to go to the Olympics. Obviously, that never happened but my love for the sport hasn't died. So, for Greg to sit through an entire afternoon of skating was truly a gift of love for me...and when all was said and done I think he had a greater appreciation for the sport. It is definitely more impressive in person than t.v.

My Fair Lady

2009-04-17T09:15:00.000-07:00

Last night Greg and I were treated to dinner and a show at the Curtain Call Theater with my parents. They love to treat us to something for special celebrations so this was our anniversary present from them. Good food and a great show with a night free of kiddos - now that's a treat!

Fist visit to the Dentist

2009-04-16T09:36:00.000-07:00

"Hey, this place is pretty cool!"

This isn't my idea of a good time

Daddy daughter xrays

You know how you feel about the Dentist as an adult so you can imagine wondering how two little girls are going to react to their first dental visit.

Well, it went great!

G was so good she even let the dentist take x-rays, something he said not many 2 year olds let him do.

While she loved him checking out her teeth, C wasn't so sure it was a good idea..but she made it through.

So the verdict of our visit -

One big cavaity that G's going to need filled,, ugh!

At least visit number one was successful. Here's to sedations and cavities filled at visit two...to be continued.

She's One!

2009-04-16T09:23:00.000-07:00

Grandma made special cupcakes for her very first Breakfast birthday party.

It's hard to believe that a year ago Greg and I brought home a beautiful tiny little baby girl straight from the hospital. We had no clue how long we would be the parents to this precious little one but we committed to love her as our own no matter how long we would be graced with her presence. Here we are one year later, with a spirited, loving little girl who brings us so much joy. Happy Birthday Baby!

So I stink at blogging

2009-03-03T14:36:00.000-08:00

My girlfriend Traci, who only has the world's cutest blog and is just good like that (ps she designed my header) sent me a harsh note that it's march and I still have "meeting Santa" as my "latest" blog. So here's to you Traci...I updated my blog. And I'm stealing our spa picture....

We were able to steal away for a few hours, thanks to our dear hubbies taking care of the kids to get a little pampering from Burke Williams. All I can say is yum.

Meeting Santa

2009-01-05T17:18:00.000-08:00

So, the first time G met Santa, let's just say it was not a good first impression. Since then I had two weeks to pump her up on everything Santa before our Foster Family Agency Christmas party where Santa was to make a debut.

We made ornaments, ate food, talked with other foster families and then the big moment arrived...Santa...all the kids sat out front and waited for their turn to sit on Santa's lap. The younger ones went first...which meant G didn't get to see how it was supposed to be done. So, I sat her down and as they say a picture speaks a thousand words....

Sheer panic

He has gifts???

Hey this isn't so bad...

Little C was just oblivious to the whole thing...hey where are my socks mom???

Birthday Freebies

2009-01-05T17:02:00.000-08:00

I often check out other blogs for deals and freebies and a good one I recently came across has access to all the different freebies one can get on their birthday or just for signing up to their e-clubs. Many of them are for restaurants etc...so it's worth checking out. With the economy these days we could all use a freebie here and there. Enjoy! (click below)
Freebies 4 Mom: Birthday Freebies *January Update*

Cruisin through Naples

2009-01-05T16:16:00.000-08:00

There's an area in Long Beach called Naples that goes off the hook every year with homes that decorate up the hilt. We spent the evening with our friends Meredith & Horacio and their little guy walking the canals and enjoying the festive atmosphere.

Rugrats

2009-01-05T16:12:00.000-08:00

My sister came down with all her chillin's to see us for the holidays...I love seeing all my little nieces & nephews...and they absolutely adore Greg...as you can see.

Time to deck the Halls

2009-01-03T12:12:00.000-08:00

The day after thanksgiving I was so excited to put up the lights because this year we have a little one that I knew would be excited to see them. Greg pulled out the numerous Christmas boxes stashed away in the garage and G and I made sugar cookies and hot chocolate with tiny marshmallows. We pumped some Christmas tunes and watched as Daddy Greg decked the house. Did I mention...I absolutely love Christmas!!

Halogen Thanksgiving

2009-01-03T11:57:00.000-08:00

This year the Sun. after thanksgiving our church Halogen decided to do a different kind of service. We decided to have an all church Thanksgiving dinner, which was really fun to sample everyone's different side dishes, and share what we were thankful for. It also happened to be the first Sun. of Advent and Izzy (our pastor) asked Greg and I to do the advent reading on HOPE. I love the fact our church is such a tight community, it truly feels like family.

Thanksgiving 2008

2009-01-02T18:00:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving was spent at Greg's sister's home in Menifee. We enjoyed relaxing the entire day at their home indulging in good food and family time. Denise, Greg's sister, had us each go around the table and say what we were thankful for each person. While it took a bit o' time, it was very worthwhile...it was a day that will not be soon forgotten.

Mamma Mia

2008-12-07T09:52:00.000-08:00

So we recovered from our June road trip with the girls and felt we were ready to venture off on another adventure not too far away...Vegas. Izzy & Audrey took the trek with us and we packed up for a mere 5 hour drive (which turned more into 8 hours when you have two little squirmies riding in the back seat). My dear friend Judy (aka Mrs. Nevada Intl) made arrangements for us to all see Mamma Mia and not only that, hooked us up with the most amazing suite ever at the Palazzo - the newest addition to the Venetian. Our room was absolutely spectacular...if any of you have experienced the Venetian, the rooms are actually suites with a step down living room area. Greg was in heaven with 3 flat screen t.v's (one in the bathroom too!)

Judy's daughter's graciously offered to babysit the girls while the 6 of us decked ourselves out for an evening out. Mamma Mia was super fun. Gotta love the music of ABBA. Afterwards we indulged in the best ice cream cake, compliments of Judy, at her house and had a good time catching up.

The next day, Greg and I took the girls to MGM to see the lions. "G" just loves lions so that was a complete hit not to mention all the lights and activity in and of itself.

On the ride home we stopped in a small town called Etiwanda - love this place, fabulous shopping and sooo cute. Anyway, they already had a Christmas village, tree and Santa's workshop so I figured this would be a great time to introduce G to Santa. My fun plan backfired as she literally ran out of Santa's workshop screaming
"No Santa, scary Santa, Bye Bye". I'm quite sure adults within the mile could hear her. I guess it would be rather strange to have your parents sit you on the lap of a complete stranger dressed in a big red suit with a huge white beard. Someday she'll appreciate it ;-)

Day 15 -18 of Thanks

2008-12-03T14:15:00.000-08:00

Day 15 - Fireplaces: We've finally been getting chilly enough weather to warrant putting a log in the fireplace. I absolutely love the fact our home has a fireplace and every year I await the time when we can start it up. I'm thankful for the coziness and warmth of our fireplace.

Day 16 - Babysitters: This year we've learned how grateful we are to have babysitters ;-) Actually, our babysitters our needed out of necessity so Greg and I can go to work and not so much for fun (meaning getting a sitter for a date night...at least we're not to that point yet) Greg took so much time off when the girls first arrived that he's playing catch up with work and since we both work the same evening shift it has been a blessing to have dear friends and family willing to watch the girls. A huge thank you to those of you who have helped us out tremendously this year!!!!

Day 18 - My wardrobe: If you've been around me lately you've probably heard me complain that I can't stand my current wardrobe and want to re haul the items I have. How blessed am I that I can even make a comment like that. During this time of reflection, I am reminding myself to be grateful for what I have. To so many others, they'd love my wardrobe {as a friend of mine reminded me}...so I am grateful for what I have and not what I "want".

Day 10 through 14 of Thanks

2008-11-28T15:16:00.000-08:00

Ok ok, so I stink at keeping up on my blog, what can I say...so I'm compiling all my missed days so I can be up to speed for once on my "Day's of Thanksgiving" posts.

So here goes...the abridged version that is...

Day 10 - Fall leaves So unfortunately being in So. Cal we don't have the splendor of the leaf colors like other states. But, every now and again there are certain trees that understand the need to change color and allow us So Calians to experience the seasonal change.

Day 11 - Freebies - So those of you close to me know that I am a crazy couponer and always in search of the best bargain out there. Well, free seems to be the best I can do and I love that CVS, Walgreens, & Rite Aid are continuously throwing free things my way. I'm grateful for those extra freebie blessings.

Day 12 - Hand Me Downs Both my sister and my sister in law have blessed us with an abundance of the cutest clothes ever from their kids. I felt like a kid at Christmas going through one cute out fit after the next!!Thank you sis's for sharing the love!

Day 13-My new camera Yes, it's true, we've finally purchased a new camera. And thanks to my sis in law who hooked us up, we were able to get an even better one for a steal. I'm so excited to getting back to posting pics instead of having to do all this writing on my blog ;-) j/k

Day 14- Foster Family Agency - Koinonia I am so grateful for an agency like Koinonia that provides us with the support we need as foster parents. They have been a blessing to us this year with both sets of girls and have brought us the biggest blessing this year - our daughters.

Day 9 and 10 of thanks

2008-11-20T09:47:00.000-08:00

9:Health
We made it this far {since all our other crazy episodes with the girls several months ago} with no colds, flus, fevers or any other type of sickness...up until last night. I realize how grateful I am for health when this morning I awoke dead tired after being woken up, oh, I don't know, 5 times last night, with crying, coughing, sneezing and runny noses {from both girls}.

10: I'm grateful for all my free Rite aid cold remedies from last month b/c they're sure coming in handy ;-)

Day 8 of thanks

2008-11-18T23:34:00.000-08:00

My BFF {he he} Traci. I happened to finally stop by her blog and again am reminded of what an amazing women she is. If you haven't already, check out her blog, Milk and Honey and you will be blessed by her insight. I'm trying to encourage her to write a devotional or just plain write anything at all b/c she's so dog gone talented but alas we'll just have to be content with her blog for now. Here's to an amazing woman that I am so proud and blessed and very very grateful to call friend.

Day 7 of thanks

2008-11-18T23:28:00.000-08:00

So....I'm a bit behind - doesn't mean I'm any less grateful :-) just a little behind...perhaps I'm going to have to briefly "list" what I'm thankful for and leave it at that instead of trying to be profound {not that I'm all that great at being profound}.

Today, I'm grateful for the crazy weather we have here in So. Cal. It's the middle of Nov. and we're having record temperatures of 90 plus degrees. While most of us are grumbling that we'd really like to have some cooler weather so it "seems" like fall, I have to admit it sure beats dealing with blizzards and shoveling snow from driveways. Not that I've ever experienced either of those but I can just imagine. Here's to still be able to wear tank tops and shorts...don't be jealous.

Day 6 of thanks

2008-11-06T19:27:00.000-08:00

My job
Greg was doing just a little bit of whining about having to go to work today...ok that actually happens just about everyday...and I find that I do the same thing. Most likely we're not alone in the fact that there is a bit o' grumbling before heading out to the workplace.

However, during one of our grumble sessions, Greg pointed out how incredibly blessed we are with our particular jobs. Our jobs have allowed us to be foster parents, to be home owners, to be able to vacation, to have time to pursue outside passions...and while we might complain about having to go to work we are both so grateful that God has blessed us with our jobs.

{The picture is of our missions team in Mexico last year. Greg (in the red shirt) and I were able to take a week off and help build a much needed bathroom - they previously had a hole in the ground with four walls around it - ah yes, an out house.}

There are a number of people at our church who are wrestling with trying to find jobs... and our church has been praying a season of work for our congregation. It convicted me to be ever so grateful for the work God has given Greg and me and the fact it has allowed us to do so much. So many others would be delighted to be heading out to jobs... period.

I am grateful for my job.

Day 5 of thanks

2008-11-05T19:06:00.000-08:00

Homemade Baked goodies
So I know what you're thinking...what a random list of things you are thankful for. Obviously, this list isn't exhaustive and it is definitely not an order of the things I am most thankful for...it's just a time for me to reflect on whatever happens to pop into my mind at the moment.

And at this moment, I'm eating homemade scones.

Just about on a daily basis my mom bakes something. Literally. From muffins, to cookies, to todays fare - cherry scones. And my mom doesn't cheat a recipe. She does it the very old fashion way, from scratch. Even her frosting is always...from scratch. No store bought goodies from her home. And it made me think how I'm usually rushing from one thing to the next and only have time to "buy" the goodies for my family instead of baking them. On the rare occasion that I do bake I derive such pleasure from the aromas that fill my home to the smiles on the faces of those devouring the sweet treats.

I'm so grateful for a mother who delighted in putting the extra time and effort to make things for her family...and she continues to do so. What a blessing to have my mom just a few short blocks away so my kids {and me too} can still get the homemade goods {even if it's not necessarily me that baked em'}

Day 4 of Thanks

2008-11-04T15:49:00.000-08:00

Freedom
Today is a big day for Americans as we choose the next leader of our great nation. I am grateful that I live in a land of democracy that allows the people to govern. I am thankful for the freedom to worship as I choose, to have rights as a woman, the ability to turn dreams into realities.
The freedoms we have have been paid for with quite a sacrifice from the men and women who have served our country and to them I am forever grateful for their protection of our freedoms.

Day 3 of Thanks

2008-11-03T15:05:00.000-08:00

Church
In reflecting back on today I am so blessed to be a part of a church family like I have at Light & Life Christian Fellowship- Halogen. Today at 11 Greg played bass for the very first time at our bilingual Spanish service "Norte". Here I walked into a service where I virtually didn't "know" anyone and by the time service started several different people were holding the baby and helping me with G. Later that evening Greg's sister came to the house to visit us and babysit the girls so Greg and I could sit together through service (a rarity for us since one of us is usually doing something during the service).
We are so blessed to have our church family. They have been an incredible support to us and I am so grateful to have an extended family I can go to for anything.

30 days of Thanks

2008-11-02T15:43:00.000-08:00

{As I was wandering others blogs I noticed a few people started what they called "The 30 days of thanks" post. I find that I often get so busy I tend to forget what I'm truly grateful for...so for the 30 days of Nov. I'm going to try to commit myself to blogging about what I'm grateful for (so I'm starting on day 2 but better late than never.}

Baby's Laughter
My husbands sitting on the couch practicing bass guitar {yes, he just picked the thing up and managed to figure out how to play in a day}. Sitting across from him is our littlest one {9 months old} and she's literally giggling with delight. I can't help but smile with every squeal I hear. It reminds me of the wonder of life through a little one's eyes and to allow myself to laugh with abandon and be more childlike.

Happy Halloween!

2008-11-01T14:02:00.000-07:00

...from one cute fairy...

Charthouse, Redondo Ca

2008-10-30T14:11:00.000-07:00

So I finally had the time to upload pics from an old digital camera of mine from celebrating my birthday. Greg treated me all day long starting off with planning babysitters for the girls so he could take me first to get adjusted (everyone needs a little spine alignment now and then), massages, pedicures and a romantic dinner overlooking the ocean with my favorite food - Crab & Lobster. I've never been to the Charthouse in Redondo Beach... it was delicious food and the service was wonderful too. Greg requested a table looking out over the ocean. I forgot what it was like to have a whole day to myself ;-) Thanks honey for making the day so special for me!

Bounce houses and birthdays...

2008-10-24T22:54:00.000-07:00

So my BFF {;-)} Traci threw the cutest "Construction" party ever for her 3 year old foster son. Check out her blog for great ideas and the cutest cake ever (he, he, I'm patting my own back Traci)...but seriously, it was an adorable party and as you can see even the adults got in on the fun of the bounce house...who says bouncies are just for kids???

It's been a long time...

2008-10-24T22:37:00.000-07:00

so I have completely neglected my blog for several weeks and you might have thought I'd given it up entirely but alas, that is not the case. I guess when you don't have a camera (yes I'm still waiting to purchase one) there's not as much rush to hit the computer to show off the fun pics...a lot has taken place over the past several weeks...we had a birthday bash for G with our family and friends, I turned thirty something ;-)(34)...we went to court for the girls...that will be a whole post in and of itself but long story short the judge has extended reunification services for another 6 months so the saga continues, I went back to work for cotillion - but just on a very part time basis...about two nights a week. Greg's still working to the bone to catch up on lots of missed hours back when we first got the girls and he had to take off so much time...we now have a two year old and a soon to be 9 month old who has just learned she can take off - yes, she's crawling and hoisting herself up in her crib and on just about anything else she can pull herself up with...so there's a lot more but I'm tired and I felt just a twinge of guilt for being such a bad bloggy blogger....here's to getting a camera soon and back on the road to more posts.

The terribly terrific twos...

2008-09-08T15:37:00.000-07:00

"G how old are you?"

Exuberantly yelled "T-W-O"!!!

And it only took two times singing the Birthday song for her to get it down pat. At night we can her her singing it to her self.

Oh to be two.

6 months...

2008-08-30T23:11:00.000-07:00

and counting. Aug 12th marked 6 months of having our two foster daughters with us. When I look back it seems not that long ago we received the call to pick up G from another foster home and her brand new baby sister C from the hospital.

It has certainly been quite a journey...here's a very brief {or not so brief} recap.

Two babies with no manuals. So we had a three week crasher course with our previous foster daughters, two toddlers. But we truly didn't expect that just four days later we'd have a 17 month old and a brand new baby. Most people get 9 months to prepare for one and we had 24 hours to prepare for two!

What an amazing group of friends and family we have. People blessed us with so many of our immediate needs from clothes, to cribs, to meals provided for two full weeks!!! Oh, how I understand the need for meals now - thank you Long Beach Grace Brethren, John and Alicia for facilitating that for us. We don't attend that church, we just have some wonderful friends that attend there and yet perfect strangers put out all that time and effort to bless us with meals.

Soon after the arrival of our bundles of joy, we started in on what my sister started coining "the plagues". It seemed that one thing after the next kept occurring. Mind you I was still working full time, traveling for Mrs. Int'l and trying to be a domestic goddess {note the word trying}. Praise God for Greg's flexible job and for the fact I have the most wonderful hubby in the world. Without going into too much detail he became mister mom for the first three months and had to go to battle with much of the following that occurred.

Overcoming Lice. Yep that's right folks. Not only did we become parents overnight but we also were immediately introduced to what I believe is one of the nastiest little {no pun intended} childhood bug. Little did we know the oldest was a card carrying member until two weeks after we had her and noticed the proverbial "itch". Praise God for NIX and RID and all the other products out there to defeat the little buggers. And now we know what the term "nit picking" is all about ;-)

Scabies. Oh yes, you've read correctly. Just as the Lice retreated the scabies crept in...we noticed these fabulous little buggies when putting on her shoes. Since I was already a freak about every thing being sanitized after the Lice incident we fortunately didn't have to worry about the spread of scabies and were able to treat that overnight.

Bronchitis, Upper Respiratory tract infections,RSV, Asthma & ear infections. Talk about just getting every childhood disease out of the way. At this point Greg and I felt we'd experienced more stuff than our counter parts with grown children. G got Bronchitis and an Upper Respiratory tract infection which of course spread it's way to every member of our family including the baby...which hers led to a case of RSV. Just when we were pulling a solid six hours of sleep a night with her we had to start waking her up for two different inhalers every four hours.

But even with all these unpleasantness's, I can honestly say, we have enjoyed every moment {ok maybe not when we found out about the lice} with these two precious ones. From G learing so many new words and pulling her hysterical facial expressions when she's excited about things to little C's every first. First smile, first coo, first time rolling over, first time sitting up, first solid food feeding, first haircut.

How humbling to think God gave us the responsibility to take care of his two little daughters even if it might only be for a short while...and to see all the things I've been able to experience with them that their family has missed out on sharing.

Which leads me to the end of reminiscing on our journey and looking forward to the future. I don't know what the future holds in regards to these two babies. I sometimes wish I could just get a glimpse from God to know if they'll be mine forever or if someday in the near future I'll be handing them back to their bio mom. I'm forever asked "won't that be tough?, how are you going to do that?" and I guess my only answer is "Yeah it will break my heart and I don't know how I'll do it". But that's just it...I won't be able to do it on my own but I do know that God is going to help us through whatever ends up playing out. I've entrusted my heart to him and I have to believe he loves me enough to protect my heart no matter what the outcome.

This Oct. will be a court preceding determining the next step in the future of our girls. Please be keeping our family in your prayers. How to pray? That God purely would protect them, no matter where they end up for life. Would we want them to be ours - yes. Do we want their family to get better and be whole again? - yes. I have to trust that God's will and his eternal perspective on things will be better than any will I could try and force on the issue... so for now {and hopefully always, although it's daily practice for me} I'm trusting Him!

Feliz Cumpleanos Senor 33.....

2008-08-27T20:31:00.000-07:00

So, I'm a bit late on this post but he deserves a shout out for his birthday and that's my main man, Greg. Aug 9th he turned thirty three and I always let him know the instant he rolls over to wake up on his birth-day that, yes, we are the same age...even if it is only for a mere two months.

Hosting at the Kodak Theater

2008-08-11T23:51:00.000-07:00

Sunday, Aug 10th I hosted the "Best New Talent" awards show at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles. Originally, I was scheduled to emcee the California Int'l pageants but when Eddie (director of Ca pageants) found out that I had been asked to emcee this show on the same day as his pageants, he graciously found another emcee, Tanya Hutchinson (who just won "She's got the look") and former Mrs. Ca.

I co-hosted the show with Steven Hill, from Real World Las Vegas & host of "Say what Karoke". We had a lot of fun improving our way through a very tough show. Needless to say when you are dealing with a live awards show where there isn't a way to rehearse you can expect a fair share of improv.

Melis, the stylist for Cat Deeley, let me borrow a beautiful cobalt blue Grecian gown and my dear friend Crystal stayed with me backstage helping with makeup and hair.

I had never been in the Kodak theater before...I'd only seen it on American Idol so it was a great experience to be the Host on that stage and in such a beautiful theater. I'm waiting to get some pics from the show and will hopefully be able to post them in the next few days.

After the show I was approached by a company to do an infomercial in the next few weeks so stay tuned to see how that all goes!!

This is a picture from a previous year I hosted the show with "Soul Train" host,Dorian Gregory at the Century Plaza.

Good times, good friends

2008-08-11T22:40:00.000-07:00

It's not often Greg and I get the whole day to play but this past week we had just that. My parents offered to watch the girls and Greg and I headed down to San Diego to hang out with my dear friend Judy and her husband Terry. I met Judy at Mrs. Int'l the year I competed, she was Mrs. Nevada, and long story short, she's a friend for life. She was a constant support throughout my year, sending me the cutest notes and goodies as well as a listening ear to hear about what's happening with our family through the foster care process.

So Judy and her husband had a wonderful opportunity to take a little vacay of their own in S.D. and there was no way I was going to miss an opportunity to see my friend live and in person.

We had a fabulous day doing nothing but relaxing on the deck of their condo over looking the ocean, walking the pier, watching the sea lions, and enjoying a yummy dinner at the Cheesecake factory.

I wish I could designate everyday to be a "friend" day and just have the opportunity to soak up each one of my friends. I realized how busy I tend to make myself and how important it is to slow down and enjoy those around you.

A Reason to Celebrate

2008-08-08T00:48:00.000-07:00

Our friends Andy & Sandra celebrated their 10th year anniversary with friends and family this past weekend. The celebration began with their baptism in the freezing cold Pacific (ok maybe not freezing but definitely cold!) Then the party gathered at Deb & Larry's home (our pastor's right across from the beach) for the renewal of their vows. Sandra looked absolutely gorgeous (you wouldn't have known she was previously dunked in the ocean) and the vows were so sweet...who knew Andy was such a romantic ;-) The night was capped off with a variety of delectable sweets and fellowship. Congratulations to being a wonderful example of what marriage should be!! Here's to 10 x 10 more years!

About that Bear...

2008-08-03T00:24:00.000-07:00

So for those of you who somewhat follow my blog you might have remembered a post from our Yellowstone trip about Greg desiring desperately to see a bear, (ok i wanted to as well). Five days into our trip, no bear and then came the 6th day and with it a whole bunch o' bear. Come to think of it we saw all kinds of animals that day, moose, coyotes, wolves, rams, mountain goats, but the best were the bears. Eight to be exact. We literally saw just about every type you could which is truly unusual. Our first spotting was a black bear which literally looked like a spot it was so far away. The second however was the closest I have ever come, with exception of our fabulous San Diego zoo. The third and fourth were two brown bears right off the side of the road. The sixth and seventh were a mama bear and cub up the hill off to the side of the road...and the eighth was a grizzly running across an open field. It was so amazing to see these bears and with each sighting Greg and I dashed from the car to get our fill of pics and videos. Greg was a very happy boy needless to say. I guess all that praying for bears didn't go unheard.

Program Book Cover

2008-08-03T00:15:00.000-07:00

The long awaited pictures I took back last Sept are finally a reality. The cover shot was kept a secret until pageant week...so here it is folks...thank you Clay Spann for making me look like a cover girl...and speaking of covers, Mary Richardson also put this cover shot on the second page of Supermodels Magazine. Fun stuff!!

And the winner is...

2008-08-03T00:10:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to Laine Berry the new Mrs. International. She will champion Go Red for Women as her platform for the year. It has truly been a wonderful journey to hold the title of Mrs. International for the year but it was nice to relinquish it to a woman that I know will promote her platform passionately and use this year to make a difference. I know that might sound trite to those of you not familiar with pageants but I have to say that pageants have truly given me a voice piece to promote causes dear to my heart. I know that more awareness has been brought to Heart Gallery because of the opportunities I had as Mrs. International. So that all pressing question that I keep getting from people - are you going to do another one?? Let's just say my newest title that will be occupying me for hopefully the next 18 years is "Mommy" ;-)
Pictures: These are all the formers with the newly crowned Mrs. Int'l -Laine

Prelim night at Mrs. Intl

2008-08-02T10:14:00.000-07:00

I have a few other posts I want to add about my week at Mrs. Intl, however, I'm waiting for pics to be emailed to me. At some events it was nearly impossible for me to take pics so I'm relying on those who did to send them to me. So at some point they will be added. Fri night was Prelims where the ladies all compete on stage in fitness & evening gown. I made two debuts on stage, first to give a short recap of my year and finally to present the photogenic award. I've never been able to feel so relaxed at a pageant - normally I'm either performing or competing ;-) Greg and I had a private box to watch the show and I have to admit I was very glad to be on that side of the stage. Congratulations to Laine Berry, photogenic award winner.

WGN talk Radio, Chicago

2008-07-28T10:28:00.000-07:00

This afternoon I was on the Steve Cochran show on WGN Radio. For those of you who haven't been to Chicago, the studio is right on the corner of The Tribune Tower, a Gothic building located on Michigan Avenue. WGN Radio (720 kHz) broadcasts from the building, with ground-level studios overlooking nearby Pioneer Court and Michigan Ave. As you can see from the pictures Greg and his parents came down to watch (and listen)- they actually have a speaker system that projects the show into the plaza so passer byers can hear it. When Dan, the interviewer found out that Greg was outside he insisted he come in and do the show with me. Reluctantly, Greg came in and we had a blast! They even put us on for two segments of the show talking about Go Red for women, Foster care and what it's been like for Greg being "Mr. International" :-)...of course the crown was tried on too.

Union League Boys and Girls Club

2008-07-24T14:33:00.000-07:00

The new PR firm is doing such a wonderful job of keeping me very busy this week at Mrs. Int'l. One of the appearances was speaking at the Smart girls program at the Boys & Girl's club on the west side of Chicago. I truthfully can say I have never gotten such a reception as these girls gave me. You would have thought Julia Roberts came into the room. I was able to share some encouraging words with them and hopefully inspired them to continue pursuing their dreams. Of course the crown made quite an impression and each lady tried in on as it was passed around the room. I think that's my favorite part about the crown - letting little girls try it on b/c the look they have when they are wearing it is priceless. After that we made crowns which they each decorated and insisted I autographed...I always think inside "who am I" that they would want my signature but the teacher said they rarely get visitors at their club and this was really special for them. I bet they didn't realize it was truly special for me too!

Mrs. International Week

2008-07-23T23:47:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, you won't see very many pictures of my week due to me completely destroying my digital camera right before I left. I forgot to take the camera out of the baby bag and the spray sunscreen cap came off and just sprayed its little heart out all into my camera and the rest is history. We didn't have enough time to go out and buy another so Jay & Tre loaned us their brand new camera (what true friends they are) although they did mention it was totally under warranty so not to worry if we broke it ;-) Being that it is much larger than the little one I had, I wasn't able to tote it everywhere with me so I'm relying on others to email me their shots and I'm ordering some. With that said, enjoy the few I did take.
Pictures: I had to take pics of these beautiful bouquets b/c I wanted to remember them and the wonderful people who gave them to me. When I arrived in my room there was a wonderful bouquet from Mel & Mary, the directors of Mrs. Int'l. Mrs. New York, Lori, sent me such a sweet bouquet to congratulate me on a great year. These ladies were truly thoughtful and I had a great time getting to know them. Mary and I took a picture in the Lobby next to the banner with all the contestants pics. We took a group photo in front of the theater before heading to our dinner party that evening.

Chicago here we come!

2008-07-23T23:30:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it has already been a year and my time has come to bid adieu to my title of Mrs. Int'l. Our dear friends Izzy & Audrey became certified as respite care providers specifically for us so we could rest assured that our little girls were well taken care of and able to stay in their own beds each night while we were gone. What a blessing they are to do this for us!
Every now and again, Greg enjoys watching those travel/food channels with the top 10 destination deals...well, on one such episode it was all about top hot dog destinations, and being that Chicago is known for its hot dogs, Greg took note of where we "had" to go. After we deplaned and picked up our rental car, Greg had the address plugged into the Magellan and we were off to find Superdawg. Thank goodness for GPS because we found it no problem. And in case you were wondering if those shows do an accurate job of listing the tops in their category...yes, it was Super! (So good, we stopped there on the way out...but that's for another post)

One final appearance

2008-07-08T21:40:00.000-07:00

Other than my upcoming week at Mrs. International which is less than one week away...I had my final appearance as Mrs. Int'l at a "Go Red for Women" luncheon in Los Angeles. The day was filled with an expo where I had my finger pricked to find my "numbers" - cholesterol, LDL, BMI, etc...there were booths offering heart healthy samples of snacks and pamphlets to inform of heart disease being the number one killer of women. After the expo, I was invited to be a guest at a wonderful luncheon, along with my mom and Eddie Peterson, the director of the California Int'l pageants. They had several inspirational speakers but the one that truly stood out to me was a young lady (17 yrs. old) who suffered from a stroke at age 15. She had insight beyond her years and gave an amazing recount of her story. Kate Jackson (former Charlie's Angel) also spoke as she also faced a major heart surgery. It's been a pleasure to partner with the Go Red Campaign...I've definitely learned a lot myself and encourage you to visit the American Heart Association for more information on a Go Red Campaign in your area.

Snow in June???

2008-06-20T00:07:00.001-07:00

What I can't wrap my brain around is the fact it is June 6th and it's snowing! The morning started out looking a bit bleak, then in began to rain, which turned to hail, which turned into sleet, which turned into snow, which continued to fall and fall and fall until everything was pure white! G was absolutely fascinated with the snow. We had to run out and purchase snow boots for her because I was under the impression it was summer when I packed.

Geysers and wildlife

2008-06-19T23:56:00.000-07:00

The landscape here is dotted with steaming geysers and herds of Bison & Elk. We can't get over how many Bison there are...everyday we run into Buffalo traffic, literally. It takes anywhere up to 15 minutes to wait for them to cross the road. One of the neat parts about being in Yellowstone this time of the year is seeing all the newly born babies...to date we've seen the baby moose, elk and bison...super cute!! We even had a Bison and her baby stop in the middle of the road to nurse, now you don't see that every day. Unfortunately, due to the extreme cold, (ok, 32 is extreme for this So. Cal. girl) the geysers are hard to see b/c of all the steam. I remember seeing crystal blue sparkling pools in the past. One thing remains the same - that all familiar smell.

Wow there's a lot of snow...

2008-06-19T23:39:00.000-07:00

So as we were driving through the park to get to our timeshare we kept marveling at how much snow there was...even some of the lakes had a thin sheet of ice still on them. We thought it must have been a really bad winter...little did we know...to be continued!

We've arrived...

2008-06-04T10:56:00.000-07:00

After close to 20 hours in the car we have finally arrived at our destination. Much has changed but much remains the same too! One can really see the devastation that the 88' fires had on this place. Lots of burned out areas but the new trees are making a comeback. Already we have seen quite a bit of wild life...Elk, Bison every where, a mother Moose and her baby, a Bald Eagle...but of course our mission for Greg's sake this week (cue drum roll) to spot a bear. We'll see about that. Our time share is beautiful, it's right outside the entrance to West Yellowstone. Tomorrow we're off to explore the park.

Pictures: We stopped in Jackson Hole, this was one of the spots our family always stopped in our way to Yellowstone. This place has really changed...I can't say it's a "Hole" any more...they've really built up the area around what they now call the "historic" district. Is it right that I've been around long enough to go back to a place from my child hood and it's now being called historic? It was good to see the familiar arch ways and experience the fun with Greg and our little family.

Day #2 - On the Road Again...

2008-06-03T19:07:00.000-07:00

We woke up, packed and hit the road for another jaunt...7 hours this time...only it's been quite a bit longer. On one of the long stretches of endless road, we were held back for an hour while a burning semi was being removed. We also had to take a good hour pit stop at Cracker Barrel so G could run around and C could be fed. We're off again and should get to Bear Lake before 10 pm (hopefully ;-)
For a while Rachel, Jason and their kids were caravaning with us and we stopped of at the Chevy station for a little DQ...here are all the nieces and nephew (minus little C) on the big rocking chair. Traci & Tami, do you remember stopping here on our way to Colorado?? How funny that we happened upon it again!

Our Trek to West Yellowstone...

2008-06-03T11:57:00.000-07:00

Call us crazy...we're taking an 18 hour road trip with the babies! Not all at once of course. We're taking three days to get to our ultimate destination, Yellowstone Nat'l Park. Yellowstone holds very fond memories for me. As a child my family vacationed here every summer. Greg has never been so I'm especially excited to share this bit of my childhood with him. We were able to get permission to take the girls with us so they wouldn't have to be disrupted and put into respite care. It definitely was an experience packing for two babies and making sure we had everything we'd possibly need...We rented a mini van so we'd have plenty of room and my parents are with us, which has been a true blessing. They sit in the back and entertain the babies while we navigate the roads. So, today our destination was St. George, Utah...about a six hour trip. Our fabulous friends let us borrow a computer connection to keep us on line while on the road, so here we are driving and blogging. I actually might keep up on the blog more b/c I'm detained to a seat for so many hours. The girls are doing great, sleeping for the most part...and praise God for Baby Einstein dvd's...G absolutely is fascinated by them which helps when she starts getting a bit antsy. Tomorrow...Bear Lake, Utah...
Explanation of the picture...I have been known to be the rescuer of all animals from tarantulas and crows to your domestic dog and cat. For some reason, they seem to seek me out. I guess today was no different. We were just about packed in the car to go when two pit bulls meandered down the street and the one just hopped right in the car and sat in the drivers seat. Fortunately, they were incredibly sweet dogs that just wanted to go for a ride.

Yeah for Disneyland...

2008-06-01T17:19:00.000-07:00

A simple thing called Gratitude...

2008-05-31T22:25:00.000-07:00

Thank you to Pamela, Mrs. South Dakota and Kimberly, Mrs. Alaska for sending this clip out...such a simple thing and yet so important...

A day in D.C.

2008-05-25T00:46:00.000-07:00

Being that we are in this wonderful era of technology I did a little weather researching for my trip to D.C. to "pack appropriately"...well, unfortunately all the technology in the world is not fool proof when it comes to weather...and the "78 sunny skies" was not to be. Needless to say, I didn't pack anything remotely warm and found myself freezing my tush off as Greg and I were walking the Mall. I finally got to the point where misery was setting in and poor Greg was getting the brunt of it (notice I'm wearing his jacket and he's wearing short sleeves - go figure!). We rushed to Union station where I proceeded to buy a turtle neck and thick sweater so we could head back in to the elements and enjoy the rest of our day. Once I donned my final defense against the cold - five dollar gloves from a street vendor - we continued our tour of the monuments and the memorials. Lots of walking but so many incredible things to see. We're definitely going to have to go back b/c we didn't get a chance to do any of the museums. There's just too much to see & do.

Road trip - Annapolis, MD

2008-05-25T00:40:00.000-07:00

After I judged the Mrs. Maryland pageant, Greg flew in so we could spend some alone time together and tour the area. On our road trip to D.C. (our final destination where we were headed to stay with friends) we stopped in Annapolis to see our nation's first capital. It was a drizzly day -it ended up the majority of our trip was chilly and drizzly but we loved the quaintness of all the buildings and the sheer history found around every corner.

Mrs. Maryland Pageant

2008-05-25T00:30:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, it's taken me forever to post...can I blame it on the kids ;-) I seem to be doing that a lot lately. At the beginning of April I traveled to Maryland to judge the Mrs. Maryland Int'l pageant. It has been a lot of fun traveling to these different states and getting to spend time with some of the ladies I competed with last July in Chicago. Sherry ran a wonderful pageant... great contestants and I throughly enjoyed my time. Greg flew in after I was done with my "responsibilities" and we had ourselves a little vacation - we needed it after all that has gone down the past few months. Those will be stories shared on another blog post.

Adoption workshop in Texas

2008-04-12T16:09:00.000-07:00

For those of you in Texas that read my blog and might be interested in a great adoption seminar and workshop this is one to look into:

Adoption Ministry Mini-Workshop & Seminar
Connecting resources with East Texas churches
www.purereligionjames127.com
Pure Religion will host an event focused on better understanding the needs and processes involved with adoption, orphans and children living in the foster care system. This free mini-workshop/seminar is designed for enhancing the lives of these children through churches. Not everyone is equipped to foster/adopt, but everyone can help. The workshop will include complimentary coffee, snacks and literature.

Saturday, April 26th from 9:00am to 12:00 pm (We're anticipating 300 guests so come early for a good seat.)

Colonial Hills Baptist Church. 7330 S Broadway Ave, Tyler, TX 75703 (All denominations will be present.)

Michael & Amy Monroe, leaders of Tapestry at Irving Bible Church, will be leading the seminar. Their insight into an already successful church adoption ministry in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area is extraordinary. About Tapestry : "From the time this community began in 2000, we have focused on helping children and families as they travel the adoption or foster care journey. While all who have been touched by the miracle of adoption share a common bond, each journey is unique and presents its own joys and challenges" www.tapestry.irvingbible.org

Session A (9:30 to 10:45 pm):
Exploring the Possibilities - A Discussion About Domestic and International Adoption and Foster Care Ministry in Your Church. Facts, statistics, benefits & available resources. (Michael & Amy Monroe, Tapestry/Irving Bible Church) Designed as an interactive discussion about how some churches are living out God's heart for the fatherless in the adoption/foster care ministry areas.

Session B (11:00 to 11:50 pm):
Breakout B-1: What, Who, Where, When and How - Starting an Adoption/Orphan Care Ministry in Your Church ~Designed for churches that are just beginning to consider how to start a domestic or international ministry.
Breakout B-2: Practical Ideas and Resources for Adoption and Foster Care Ministry in Your Church (Michael & Amy Monroe, Tapestry) Designed for churches that are just beginning to start or have already begun an adoption or foster care ministry.

GRAND OPENING::::::

Pure Religion, JAMES 1:27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

A Project of East Texas Heart Gallery

Pure Religion, JAMES 1:27 will be on display marking the grand opening of this faith based recruitment effort. Heart Gallery has created a unique traveling exhibit that is designed explicitly for churches. Heart Gallery designs a maximum 3-week tour, a speaking schedule, materials for bulletins and/or hand-outs and a follow-up meeting for interested congregants specifically for each church. The ease and beauty of this exhibit make it the perfect system for a congregation to learn about the needs of these orphans. Pure Religion bookings will be taken at the workshop. (You do not have to start a ministry to book Pure Religion at your church.) www.PureReligionJames127.com

Available resources include: Many, many helpful volunteers, Azleway, Tapestry, Faith Connection, Mission Tyler, (CASA) Court Appointed Special Advocates, CPS Community Partners, Child Welfare Boards, Family Court Judges, United Way, Heart Gallery, Council on Adoptable Children, Foster Parent's Associations of East Texas, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, Texas Baptist Home for Children and Forgotten Children's Orphan Ministries.

This will also be a great opportunity to meet and connect with resources as well as others in East Texas that are already involved in orphan ministry. Please e-mail the names, church/organization and your specific seminar interests to: PureReligion127@gmail.com or call 903-521-4570 (Denice Grugle) Invite anyone who would benefit.

Sandy Stuck & Denice Grugle - Volunteers

Mrs. Arkansas International Pageants

2008-04-01T17:22:00.001-07:00

For those considering Adoption...

2008-03-29T16:24:00.000-07:00

If any of you in the So. Cal area are interested in an adoption workshop the following may be of interest to you.

FamilyLife's If You Were Mine provides a relaxed, non-threatening environment where you can consider practical information about adoption from an objective and biblical point of view.

Find answers to questions such as:

* Is adoption for us?
* How does the adoption process work?
* How do we choose an agency that's right for us?
* Can I really love an adopted child?
* Can we afford adoption?

Join us Saturday, April 19, 2008, at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, CA from 8:00 a.m. to 1 p.m. The cost of the workshop is $20 per person.

To register, go online now or call 1-800-FL-TODAY (1-800-358-6329).

An outstanding workshop for any couple considering adoption. FamilyLife's If You Were Mine adoption workshop offers practical, biblical information to help couples overcome the misconceptions and fears about adoption.
-- Steven Curtis Chapman, Christian Recording Artist

Mrs. Idaho International Pageant

2008-03-28T00:55:00.001-07:00

I had the opportunity to judge the Teen/Miss/Mrs. Idaho pageants this March. While it was nice to sit on the "other side" of the stage, I have to admit it is really difficult to judge! Autumn put on a wonderful pageant and we judges we're treated in true style. It was great to see Vicki again, Mrs. Idaho Int'l...just two days before the pageant her ear drum ruptured but she was such a trooper and made it to the events without anyone being able to detect anything was wrong. I also spent some time visiting the Children's Hospital and signing autographs for the kids. Talk about troopers, even though some of them were very ill they still put on smiles for me when I came in to visit.

Lakewood Mall Heart Gallery

2008-03-25T10:01:00.000-07:00

On Feb. 9th the Lakewood Mall hosted the Los Angeles Heart Gallery. It was a great event complete with the gallery, Jazz Angels, 94.7 the Wave Hosts, a booth for children to make Valentines for our Foster children and vendors giving out free stuff from CPK, Helen Grace, etc...I helped organize the event with Stephanie the director of Heart Gallery and we both spoke along with several Foster families that adopted. CNN reporter Ron Roberson came and covered the event and also had me on his radio program the week prior to advertise the event. The gallery remained up in the mall for the next few weeks and was a great success!

Happy Easter

2008-03-23T12:53:00.000-07:00

He is risen!! He is risen indeed - May you and your family have a blessed Easter.

Go Red for Women - Minnesota

2008-03-01T13:23:00.000-08:00

I'm lucky enough these days to post pics..more info about this event to come...

An evening with friends.

2008-02-22T14:43:00.000-08:00

Every Christmas I go all out and cook my traditional Prime Rib dinner with all the fixings...well, Greg works with a bunch of guys down at the ship yard and brags to them about how good this particular meal is...he convinced me to fix up the same meal for a few of his friends just two weeks after I finished doing it for Christmas. There's a reason I only do this once a year...it's a ton of work. We had a great time though and the food was fabulous especially with George's addition of Lobster-my favorite! He brought fresh lobster tails and gave me a quick lesson on an easy but scrumptious way of cooking them.

What lack of sleep can do...

2008-02-22T14:36:00.000-08:00

Greg and our 17 month old were in the bathroom doing the laundry - where our washer & dryer are located. She was a little nervous about watching it spin around and I could hear Greg coaxing her to take a peek, as I turned the corner to encourage her that it was ok I noticed something bright, pink & shiny swirling around in the laundry....my cell phone! I panicked to open the door of the washer but to my dismay I had child locked it so I had to wait the "eternal" 3 seconds to stop the cycle and rescue my poor phone. It seems to be doing ok...shorts out every now and then but it just needs to hang in there until April 1, the magical day when our contracts are up. See what happens when you're just not fully awake.

Oh so Wicked...

2008-02-22T14:29:00.000-08:00

Greg's Christmas present to me was taking me to see Wicked at the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles. We absolutely loved it! It is such a fun show and if you haven't had the chance to see it you must take the opportunity if you get a chance.

On her way to Miss America...

2008-02-22T14:15:00.001-08:00

So, bear with me as I go back in time and start blogging from last month...I'm finally settling into the swing of things with two babies. I'm becoming a champ at major multitasking during nap time;-) A few weeks before Miss America, Melissa (our current Miss California America) spent some time with me to add some last minute wardrobe to her collection. I know how blessed I've been with so many people who have loaned/given and helped me on my way to pageants with all the items I needed...so it was a pleasure to be able to do the same for a wonderful girl like Melissa. If any of you saw the Miss America Reality Check on TLC you can see the transformation they did on her...super cute hair cut. I'm proud to report she made it to the final 6! Congratulations Melissa!

Welcome to infanthood....

2008-02-18T21:12:00.000-08:00

So, I know what you're all thinking...I've completely fallen off the face of the planet never to blog again. I am alive and well and incredibly enough still standing on two feet. Here's an ever so quick update as I have two sleeping babies and watching precious moments of a nap time evade me ;-) On Feb 7th our two girls we were initially placed with were reunified with relatives. It was sad to see them go but we are happy they are with people who love them and will be able to give them the care they need. So, we thought we'd take a bit of a break before opening our home to another sibling set...after all we were only "planning" on taking one at a time. Well, so much for plans on Feb 12, just five days after we said our goodbyes, we said hello to two more sisters. This time they're itty bitty ones....the oldest is 17 months and the youngest, well, we picked her up from the hospital at four days old. It's been many sleepless nights, with lots of feedings, diaper changes and a cold to boot. But, I feel honored to be entrusted with two of God's precious little ones. Long Beach Grace Brethren put together a list of people who have been delivering us dinners and making sure we are able to transition as smoothly as possible. Again, I wish I could post pictures of them, but alas, not allowed....but we love visitors!!

Welcome to toddlerhood....

2008-01-22T22:47:00.000-08:00

Well, it's official. Greg and I are parents. And not just with one...but two girls! We received our first foster placement last week....and as you've noticed no new postings since new years because we've had our hands full. The girls will be turning 2 and 3 years old in a few months so we've been dropped right in the middle of the wonders of toddler hood...and it's exhausting! I seriously can't remember ever being this tired and just falling into bed. But it's all worth it with the amazing smiles and hugs I get every morning and the giggles all day long (minus a tantrum here and there ;-) I guess it's all par for the course. Unfortunately, I won't be able to post any pictures of the girls due to confidentiality laws and privacy for their situation. Being that we are strictly fostering them at this point means there are certain guidelines we have to follow to be certain that they are protected...and since my blog is "public" I have to follow them here too. So, you'll just have to stop by if you're ever in the neighborhood to meet them in person. Keep us all in your prayers...and put in an extra request for some sleep ;-)

Happy New Year!!!

2008-01-01T17:40:00.000-08:00

We arrived home from the wedding to find our dear friends Jay & Tre ready to ring in the new year with us...we knew they were going to be there and were prepared for several other people but alas the cold bug must have visited everyone else b/c they all ended up bowing out. One of our neighbors we just recently met came over and our small but mighty group rang in the new year with true style...ok we were in sweats and jeans but we had fun none the less.

Anthony & Connie Lema's Wedding

2007-12-31T14:29:00.000-08:00

Make a scrapbook - it's easy!

Greg and I attended the wedding of a good friend of mine, Connie Leamon & Anthony Lema. Connie and I go way back to my Miss America days. She was a local director back then and was a travel chaperon for me at different events. We always had a blast together and have some great memories (ie...locking Connie's keys in her jeep and being stranded, to name just one instance ;-) It was a beautiful ceremony complete with bagpipes and just a "little" wind...the Santa Ana's showed up...but the goal was accomplished none the less, and Connie is officially Mrs. Lema. I'm so happy for the two of them and wish them many wonderful years to come. What a great way for them to start 2008 (it was a New Year's Eve wedding). The reception was like a reunion for me, seeing so many dear faces from my pageant days...I captured just a handful in my slide show. It's always so good to catch up with my "extended" pageant family. Be sure to click on the very small arrow on the right hand side of the slide show for more pics. Enjoy!

Holiday Theme Winner

2007-12-25T17:47:00.000-08:00

My parents have been decorating the outside of their house since I can remember and have won various awards for their decorations. This year they won the "Best Theme" award...you can see why. My father made all of the signs, he's so talented...I can't tell you how many people stop to take pictures of their home and ask where they bought the signs. Maybe some day I'll coerce him into making us some...one can hope ;-)

Chrismas Dinner 2007

2007-12-25T13:13:00.000-08:00

Greg and I celebrated our fifth annual Christmas Dinner that we prepare for our family. Every year it's the same awaited menu of Prime Rib, Sage-Gratin potatoes, green beans, Grandma Van's famous pearled onions, onion tart with salad, and boysenberry, apple pie & ice cream to finish it off. Every one was well stuffed and had a wonderful time ending Christmas day this way. Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve with family

2007-12-24T12:59:00.000-08:00

Typically, Bill, Dee & Family spend Christmas in Colorado but this year we had the chance to see them Christmas Eve before they left for Hawaii, for Billy's basketball tournament. We spent the evening at mom & dad's eating and exchanging gifts. Bill & Dee got us a sweet pair of sun glasses from Bill's new company SALT. We love em!

Camp Pendleton Christmas Party

2007-12-20T15:50:00.000-08:00

Make a photobook - it's easy!

I had the opportunity to join Cypress Church in throwing a Christmas party for the Marines at Camp Pendleton. I was asked to kick start the event with the National Anthem, of which I am especially honored to sing for these types of events. I also had the opportunity to join in the Church's band and sing an array of songs from "Sweet Home Alabama" to "Silent Night". It was fun seeing they guys having a good time eating plates full of smoked turkey with all the sides, checking out the Corvettes that were brought for display, and taking part in some games we provided...and they were competitive as I'll get out...should I be surprised? ;-)
When there are 130$ gift cards at stake that certainly upped the ante. I judged a singing contest, and cheered them on in their Santa Sleigh race course. It was a wonderful afternoon and was a blessing to share the Christmas spirit with so many who won't get the chance to be with family during this time.

Knott's Berry Farm

2007-12-19T15:19:00.000-08:00

Make a postcard - it's easy!

Every year since I can remeber (with the exception of a few misses) my family would go to Knott's Berry Farm for us to meet Santa and walk around the Christmas Craft fair and see either "A Christmas Carol" or "The Gift of the Magi". While I no longer go to sit on Santas lap, Christmas doesn't seem complete with out following the tradition of heading over to Knott's to see a production in the Bird Cage theater or walk around with family. Dad and I even went on Ghost Rider, a wooden rollercoaster that felt like our heads were going to be snapped off around each turn. We both got off the ride and reminded each other that we probably shouldn't be doing that kind of stuff at our ages ;-0

Another Cotillion Christmas...

2007-12-17T16:20:00.000-08:00

Can't believe I'm already posting another Cotillion Christmas...seems not too long ago I wrote about last years party. As is typical with the Martines, they went all out and splurged on giving us gift certificates to Burke Williams Day Spa...along with a bottle of Champagne and glasses to boot. I'm looking forward to six yummy weeks off from work!! Although...I have a feeling it's going to be a filled six weeks of whatever I can possibly pack in...that's just how I am ;-)

Reliving the Glory Days

2007-12-17T16:12:00.001-08:00

Greg and I attended his former High School's Baseball fund raising Banquet. It was fun to meet Greg's old coaches and players from his time at Millikan. Throughout the room they had different CIF games from different years being played and it was cute to watch Greg watching himself at age 17 ;-) He was quite the ball player...

Let the decorating begin

2007-12-02T16:30:00.000-08:00

Ok, ok...so it's not exactly the weather for snow here, although it has been pretty dog gone cold (for So. Cal standards) The day after thanksgiving, Greg and I pulled out the lights and began to transform the outside of our home into its more festive self. Since these pictures were taken we've added even more...but you get the idea. And...no, the reason we are with out a lawn is not due to the severe drought conditions...we're still in the process of installing our sprinklers and seed. Happy Decorating!

Chinese Bible Missions Church of Los Angeles

2007-12-01T13:07:00.000-08:00

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Last Sat. I had the opportunity to teach a four hour class to College students from 10 different campuses around Los Angeles (ie. USC, UCLA, Cal Poly Pomona). We started with dining manners and enjoyed a three course meal together. After that I spoke about proper dressing and explained the 7 different "dress codes". We wrapped it all up with an hour session on ball room dances. I taught them Cha Cha, Fox Trot, Swing & Waltz. Even though we were not even close to having even numbers of men & women (there were @ 45 men, 15 women)...it still worked and we all had a great time.

In Memory of "Jason"...the fish

2007-11-26T23:34:00.001-08:00

Last night, Greg and I (along w/ Jay & Tre, since they were here at the house) said our last goodbyes to "Jason" the beta fish...as we wished him well on his journey to the great unknown via the swirly bowl. I've never actually known a beta fish to live as long as we had "Jason", thus the need to actually blog about the death of our fish. For my 30th birthday, Greg had surprised me with a Luau theme party and had beta fish in bowls on the tables as centerpieces. Of the three betas I brought home (in separate bowls of course) two died with in weeks/months...but "Jason", as he was affectionately called, lived on for over three years. He will be missed.

Thanksgiving day at Mom's

2007-11-23T17:12:00.000-08:00

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I'm thankful for:
my husband
family
friends
salvation
grandma's pearled onions
little kid's laughter
fried turkeys
the smells of mom's kitchen
pumpkin pie
my home
sitting around a dining table
candles
I could go on...these are just a few off the top of my head...I'm so grateful to God for all the many blessings He's given me...He has been faithful!
Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Thanksgiving at Rachel & Jason's

2007-11-23T16:26:00.000-08:00

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This year Greg and I had two amazing thanksgiving meals...on Monday we celebrated at my sister's home up in Fresno along with her family. We woke up early and started cooking at 8 am. There were so many wonderful sides and her turkey was scruptous...finished up with homemade pumpkin pie. It's not a wonder why we look forward to this day every year. What a feast!

Billy Joel Concert

2007-11-22T11:00:00.000-08:00

Make a slide show, scrapbook, or ecard

Greg and I celebrated an early Thanksgiving with my sis Rach and her family up in Fresno. Two weeks earlier she mentioned there was a Billy Joel Concert in town and "would we be interested?"...Greg is a big Billy Joel fan so I decided to say yes but keep it a surprise. So, we told Greg that Rach & Jay got a babysitter so we could all go hang out (which rarely happens). As we're driving up to the center where the concert was being held, Greg saw the sign..."Hey Billy Joel is here??? I wonder when, that would be fun...oh it looks like we missed it...wait when is he playing? Nov. 19? yeah, we missed it...wait, today is Nov 19!..." At this point I revealed the tickets to Greg and he was completely shocked. We all had such a good time singing along to some old favorites and dancing along to the newer ones. I was sandwiched between my crazy sis & Greg who serenaded each other the whole evening. What a blast!!

Pastor Larry's 50th Birthday Bash

2007-11-11T00:23:00.001-08:00

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Last Sat. Greg and I celebrated, along with many others, Pastor Larry's 50th birthday. Deb did an amazing job transforming their home into the perfect setting to celebrate the occasion...it started off with valet parking, coat check, a catered dinner of prime rib and wonderful fellowship. It was an honor to be a part of the festivities. Happy Birthday Larry!

Tea parties and Top Hats

2007-11-10T21:44:00.000-08:00

My niece, Chloe, spent her very first weekend away from her parents. I invited her over (from two blocks away where my folks live) to have a tea party. She was shy with Greg because its been a little while since she last saw him but as soon as he donned the top hat she was warmed up and ready to go. She was so cute playing the "hostess" of our tea, being sure each of our cups were brimming with tea the entire time. It completely took me back to my childhood, as my mom did the same tea parties with me...teaching me the importance of slowing down to enjoy a cup of tea and the presence of a good friend.

Inspections and classes....

2007-11-10T21:31:00.000-08:00

have begun...we're in the thick of finishing our certification for foster care. Thus, the reason I haven't been the best blogger these days. Two weeks ago we had an inspection from our agency and ended up with a nice little checklist of all the things we needed to get done before our final inspection...in 6 weeks! Just in time for Christmas. Greg's been busy adding magnetic child locks to our cupboards, I'm ebaying stuff left and right to clear out our "spare" bedroom to make room for bassinets and baby gear. I can see why God usually gives 9 months to a typical couple to get ready :-) Last week we started parenting classes through our agency and it is incredibly informative. I actually am grateful to learn what they are presenting...I think it's not such a bad idea for anyone becoming a parent. We are being taught through "Boy's Town". So, I just wanted to give a little insight into what we are gearing up for and ask for your prayers as we anticipate the light at the end of the tunnel in regards to certification and the arrival of a "chosen" child. (The director of our Foster care agency calls her foster kids "chosen" children-I think that's rather appropriate.)

21st Annual Productivity and Quality Awards

2007-10-24T22:37:00.000-07:00

Today was the PQ Awards celebration luncheon held at the Grand Hall of the Dorthy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles. Last month the County of Los Angeles Board of supervisors interviewed our Heart Gallery as a potential top three contender of 81 PQA entries. (We had made it to the top 10 at that point) Here's a brief explanation of the awards as written by CEO William T Fujioka

Each award-winning project represents the finest innovation in County public service. Greater productivity, cost savings, and collaborative partnerships are valuable outcomes of these first class enterprises. These projects align closely to one or more county strategic goals, report significant cost benefits, and show quality improvement. The Awards event celebrates the outstanding projects created by dedicated employees who continue to enrich lives for the people of the County.

While the luncheon was for employees of the county I was very honored to be invited by the commissioners themselves to be a guest at the event and participate in being awarded alongside the DCFS directors Stephanie & Sari. We had an amazing lunch and the presentation of awards was creatively done incorporating Star wars-esk type media videos of the winners programs. While we didn't win the top three awards we were very honored to be recognized as a top 10 program in our county. Chuck Henry, news anchor for KNBC4 was the Master of Ceremonies and I met several key people from our community ranging from the Board of Supervisors to Sheriff Lee Bacca.

Real Fusion

2007-10-18T10:15:00.001-07:00

I had the pleasure of being interviewed by the host of Real Fusion, Devin Delozier and that interview aired yesterday Oct. 17. If you have a chance, check it out at Real Fusion and go to show archive for Oct. 17 if it doesn't come up on the main page.

Working the Runway

2007-10-13T17:46:00.000-07:00

This morning I modeled in a fashion show fundraiser for the Long Beach Center Guild of Ability First. Ability First provides programs and services to help children & adults with physical and developmental disabilities realize their full potential throughout their lives. I modeled clothes from local boutiques and was the "grand finale" with my crown and gown at the end of the show. It was so cute to hear the women literally "gasp" when I came out...that crown is a show stopper and they weren't expecting it :-)

A Rainy Day

2007-10-13T09:34:00.000-07:00

“May you always have walls for the winds, a roof for the rain, tea beside the fire, laughter to cheer you, those you love near you and all your heart might desire.” - Irish blessing.

It's rainy days like this when I'm snuggled up at home (and not running around b/c it's yet another sunshiny day in So. Cal.) that I'm reminded of how blessed I am with family and friends and a lovely home to share with my husband. Life is good!

My hardworking man...

2007-10-08T15:06:00.000-07:00

Greg's on to another house project...installing a sprinkler system & walkway in our front yard. He's already removed all the grass and is now leveling out the yard, hauling away all the extra dirt and roots to prep for installing the sprinkler system. Even though it's in the middle of Oct. its ridiculously hot so I put my gardening hat on him to shade his eyes...he's too cute for actually continuing to wear it! (and probably doesn't appreciate that I've posted pics for all to see :-) I just had to brag a little because I'm so proud of him and all he does to make our house a home that we both enjoy.

Baby Bekah - One month old

2007-10-08T14:52:00.000-07:00

Greg and I babysat little Rebekah today...Kumba had to take her three year old to emergency and at a different hospital Rebekah was being discharged, apparently she had an infection that kept here there for several days. So Greg and I headed to the hospital to pick her up and spend the day with her while Kumba attended to Ruthie. I didn't realize how much babies this young sleep! That was the theme of the day, sleep, eat, and changing of the diaper. We brought her to church last night and everyone had too much fun taking turns holding her. Jason & Traci came over last night to help out and come with us to take her back home - thanks guys for always helping us out when we're on baby patrol.

Encouragement from those who have gone before

2007-10-08T14:10:00.000-07:00

JR Mahon was a guest speaker at Halogen last Sunday evening and challenged us to get out of our comfort zones and love people, all people. How easy it is for us to walk down the street and easily overlook the homeless or those that don't fit into our neatly scheduled lives. If we say we are who we are then we need to invest in loving people, investing in relationships. JR invested in reaching out to foster children and last year he and his wife adopted a sibling set of three. After the service Greg and I had JR, Devin (host of real fusion & one of our pastors), Andy (producer of real fusion), John (Adoption Advocate) and a handful of others over to our house to talk about how we are going to challenge the American church to do more for the orphans. After all, it is a biblical mandate to the church to do such - calling it the only "pure religion", to take care of the orphan and widow. It was a blessing to be encouraged by JR and John and his wife Terry - who adopted 5 foster children- as Greg and I are going through the very process they went through.