Friday Photooooo

It's summer vacation. Which means I can do stuff like thisss...

Kind of in love with it. It's super subtle indoors. Looks SWEET in the sunlight.

Too bad it'll have to disappear in August. Sads.

Happy Friday!

Happy Birthday

I haven't done birthday posts this year. And I'm really not about to. But today is different.

Last December my aunt passed away. Today she would be 49.

My aunt was a people person by nature. She had friends and she had her cousins (who all grew up together so they were all best buds). There were stories she would confess to, and then there were the stories she wouldn't. Those are still a mystery to me. :)

Judie loved music. Actually, that's probably an understatement. She knew all the popular, current bands. And that never changed, she knew the popular stuff up until she passed away. Give her a lyric, she could name the song title and the artist. That was just her.

When I was little she spent a ton of time with my brother and me. She let me wear her McDonalds uniform when she came home from work. She taught me to turn her stereo on and off. She had us over for sleepovers all the time. She also tortured us with stories about the cucuy (the Mexican version of the boogeyman for those of you who didn't know). She was the fun aunt.

The last five years or so were rough. As much as she loved people, you couldn't tell that was her nature because she sadly let alcohol get the best of her. She had good days and it was just like the old Judie. She still cooked for me when I came over from college (I attended a college just around the corner from her and my grandparents). We were still close when she allowed it.

I've spent a lot of time with her daughters since she left us. They're twins, juniors in high school. And it's funny how much of her I see sometimes. The other day we were talking about her at lunch because I had talked to them about getting a tattoo in memory of her. I shared a quick story that they didn't know, but they liked hearing. So I thought I'd share it today because I like to think about it too.

Here's a shocker for y'all: hubby and I met online. We talked for about a month before we decided to finally go on a date. Here's the big shocker: we didn't exchange pics or anything. So our first date was pretty much a blind date. I was OBVIOUSLY nervous. I had already told Judie about my date and about an hour before the big date was supposed to happen she called me. She asked me the obvious questions: was I nervous, where were we going, was I excited... then she grilled me and made sure she knew where I would be. In one conversation she was a best friend and a protective aunt. She even offered to go to the restaurant we were going to so she could spy and rescue me if he turned out to be creepy. haha I loved that. I felt so much better when I got off the phone with her. She was the last person I talked to before I met my husband. And she was the first person I called when I got home and gushed over him. :)

That will always be a special memory for me. Even with the turbulent years so recently I still think of her supporting me and being there. So tonight our family is getting together for dinner. And even though there's a decent chance some people will want to bring the drama, I'm blocking them out and thinking of Judie.

Love ya Judie. Happy birthday.

Um, YES (or I Can Die Happy)

So y'all know I watch soaps. Have watched soaps going on... what, thirteen years? Maybe only twelve. Have been faithful to All My Children and One Life to Live. Then they went and cancelled my soaps on me and I spit fire in ABC's general direction. Bad thoughts, angry words... you got it.

Well, none of my closest friends watch soaps. I'm all alone in my loss.

Or I was.

A parent of one of my students is a HUGE fan so we've been suffering together and angsting about how they'd better end it the right way OR ELSE. In the middle of one of our gushing/dreaming/venting convos I mentioned how the only way I will be happy is if they bring back Leo (*sigh*). Josh Duhamel (a.k.a. boyfriend) played him about ten years ago. He "died" (you know soaps) right around the time hubby and I met. There were tears involved (from me) and I have missed him ridiculously ever since. When I mentioned his name to Tina, she gasped and said, "You just gave me chills! Yes!!"

We can die happy with the ending to our soap opera. Oh Leo... I've missed you.

Monday Photo???

I've been laughing for a couple days. Now let's remember, I'm an Oakland A's fan. I love my green and yellow. I love those guys. I was raised to be a fan in the days of Dennis Eckersley, Ricky Henderson, Jose Canseco, and Mark McGwire. I watched the Battle of Bay series in 1989. I remember the quake knocking out the feed and my dad and I thinking, "WHAT the heck???"

All that to say, I am a huge fan. But I am allowed to root for the Giants from time to time.

Hubby is a MASSIVE Giants fan. They got into the series the year we met, but didn't win. He was lucky I'm a baseball fan. Because most girls wouldn't be happy with their boyfriend of three weeks wanting to stay in to watch the game. But anyway, over the years I have rooted for his team. Except during interleague play. Then it's just ON.

So I have a couple Giants shirts now. And the other night we were discussing some of their players and I popped up with, "I like Andres Torres."

Hubby: "Why? If you like him let's get you a jersey."

Me: "Because his name is fun to say. Andres Torres!" (Yup, I pronounced it all crazy.)

Hubby: "Really? Well, at least he's good too."

Me: "Yeah, he's been doing great... okay and I like his butt."

The LOOK I got from hubby was great. But seriously, check him out here. I got this picture at the game. Number 56. Also, Cody Ross is pretty adorable.

And there ya go. Class dismissed.

I can't believe I wrote all that to talk about a baseball player's rear view.

Happy Monday.

Friday

SO much to do for school still. Stinkin' state and needing teachers to "clear their credentials." I went to school. I got my degree. My kids and parents liked what I did this year. I say enough with the classes!

Oh well. I spent a good chunk of my day working on school stuff. Hit up a couple thrift stores. No massive scores or anything. :/ I have some definite stuff in mind. Mama wants a makeup station in her bathroom and I know what I need to accomplish it!

Highlight of my day? My at home manicure.

Don't look too carefully, the lines aren't perfectly straight. But pretty darn good for at home. And super fun.

For the weekend: running in the mornings (rain or shine). Maybe some garage sales. More joyous credential stuff. Cupcake order for Sunday.

Hope your Friday was a good one!

Hello Out There

Day one of vacation. And I'm ready to DO something. haha

Went to work this morning to do some cleaning and moving. Ya know, end of the year stuff. Got to have chat time with my brother-in-law who was awesome enough to help me out. (He's single ladies!)

Watched (okay, dozed) through a few soap episodes on the DVR.

And now I don't know what I want to do. I suppose right now would be a good time to work on my tattoo design seeing as how I want to go get it next week. So I guess that can be next. Tomorrow is work-related stuff, but nothing I have to go in for. It can be done from home. Can I just tell you California doesn't make it easy on beginning teachers? Yeahhhhh...

I'm deciding where I want the blog to go this summer. I have a lot more time than normal. I'm hoping to share with you the projects that I decide to do (there are a few on the list). And more pictures of the furbabies (even though I'm not Sookie's biggest fan at the moment). We'll see I guess.

Thanks for sticking around with my desertion lately. I'll be back more often now. :)

Wow

Last day of school already.

Here's hoping my kiddos don't make me cry.