Friday Photo Flashback

I started "Friday Photo Flashback" because I have so many pictures from my PRE-digital camera days. I thought it would be fun to scan them and share them here with you. I'm having so much fun doing this, that I would love for you to join me, too! So dig out the photo albums and put your scanner to good use! Don't forget to link up so we can all visit and comment on each others blogs!

This is me (on the left) and one my best friends Ethel in 1994! We were visiting my sister in Hawaii, and it was one of the best vacations I've ever had! Here we are at a Luau, and as you can see, we had our plates full!! LOL! Ahh...good times!!!! Love you, Eth!!!

Wordful Wednesday

I was in desperate need of something new to make because my family is so over my baked spaghetti!

I have a friend who posted pictures on Facebook of her gumbo ingredients, and I figured it looked easy enough to make!

I started Googling gumbo recipes, and I came across Paula Deen's one on food.com!! I was excited while I was shopping for some new ingredients, but I was even more excited about how easy this recipe is to make!!

The only thing I added were red potatoes, and creole seasoning.

It is DELICIOUS!!!!

For more WW, click here!

My Happy List

I totally forgot to do my "Happy List" last week, so I'm totally HAPPY that I remembered today!!

I'm so HAPPY that my son, Eli, is competing in a speech meet next month! I'm very proud of him! He's got The Gettysburg Address down pat!

I'm so HAPPY that all my kids ended the 3rd quarter with good grades!

I'm so HAPPY that I have I Heart Radio on my smartphone!

I'm so HAPPY that the weekdays goes by so quickly..which means it's that much closer to summer!

I'm so HAPPY with my new bathroom cabinet that my friend gave me for free!

I'm so HAPPY that the boy who is courting my daughter is a respectful, Godly, mature, and handsome young man!!

If you would like to share your HAPPY LIST,  click here!

SOOC Saturday

I went to dinner with one of my girlfriends the other night, and we couldn't resist the fondue for dessert!

The mandarin oranges were "okay," but everything else was perfect!!

Wordful Wednesday-Dessert!

There's something so appealing about a box wrapped in white string!

Is it because you know there is going to be some kind of "goody" inside?

Well, that's how I felt when my husband came home with this!

Ooohhh..the anticipation! 

Of course, he doesn't disappoint!! He works in the city, so he is always around the best bakeries!!

For more WW, click here.

SOOC Saturday

What you are looking at are some of the ingredients to my new "venture!" I'll post more about it in the next few days!!

If you would like to join in on the fun, click on the button below!

Friday Photo Flashback

I started "Friday Photo Flashback" because I have so many pictures from my PRE-digital camera days. I thought it would be fun to scan them and share them here with you. I'm having so much fun doing this, that I would love for you to join me, too! So dig out the photo albums and put your scanner to good use! Don't forget to link up so we can all visit and comment on each others blogs!

Here's another oldie but goodie of me and Gabe! This was before we were married, and obviously it was his birthday. This was taken at my mom's place, around 1993!! He would be 22 & I was almost 24 years old!!! And, fyi..his hair wasn't as high as it looks in the picture! LOL! 

Fun In The Sun

This past Saturday, my sis in-law took my little ones to Santa Cruz. The weather was perfect that day!

They had so much fun going on the rides, and playing Laser Tag! By the time we picked them up that night, they were wore out!

She emailed me a few pictures of their day, and I just love how they came out!!

 I can just tell what their thinking just by their expressions in this one! So funny!

Eli (excited), Danny (skeptical), and Veronica (totally unsure)!!!

Looks like they are headed straight into the water!

And of course...boys WILL BE boys!!

Wordful Wednesday

I hope they don't ever discontinue this!

I just found you...

For more WW, click here!

My Happy List!

This is my first time participating in this meme, so I'm HAPPY about that!

I'm HAPPY (and excited) that I'm going to try the 90 day health challenge! I'm sure most of you have heard about it!

I'm HAPPY that there's only a little over 2 months left of school till summer break! I work at my kids school, so when they're off, I'm off!! Yay! No more schedule!

I'm HAPPY that my older kids are at that age that they can babysit their younger siblings! Hubby & I have been able to go out on dates again! So nice and refreshing!!!

I'm HAPPY that we had the extended coverage on our iMac, so it's working like new again! I couldn't imagine paying +$700 just for repairs!!

I'm HAPPY that my kids are happy and healthy! Thank God nobody is sick right now!

Oh...and I'm extremely HAPPY with the Revlon Pedi Egg I recently bought!! I am no longer self conscious of wearing flip flops!!! It works GREAT!!!

Do You Know The Way To Monterey...

I hate to brag, but we've been having some beautiful weather here in Northern California.

I'm talking..shorts/flip flops type of weather! You know, the kind where you think going to the beach is a great idea!

My sister in-law had our three little ones at Santa Cruz on Saturday, so my husband and I wanted to take full advantage of this "free day!"

We decided to drive down to Monterey and just hang out there for a few hours!  I love driving down the coast, and just taking in the scenery. Plus, I love walking along Cannery Row, and visiting Fisherman's Wharf!

We ate at this cute restaurant called Louie Linguini's, and the seafood was really fresh! I had a yummy crab sandwich!

And there was no way my husband was not going to stock up on candy. Especially the taffy!

Look how gorgeous it was!

After walking around Cannery Row for a bit, we decided to drive through the scenic"17-Mile Drive." Of course, with my "motion sickness" I was a little nauseated driving through the windy road! LOL! But, if you are ever in the area, this is a great place to visit!

Scripture Sunday

O Lord, You are my God.
I will exalt You,
I will praise Your name,
For You have done wonderful things;
Your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.

Isaiah 25:1

SOOC Saturday

I have SO missed doing this meme!

And I hope this picture still counts even though I used my cell phones editing software. I just love how it softened this photo!

This is my youngest daughter waiting to see the doctor for a possible ear infection! Turns out, she didn't have one...thank God!

If you would like to join in on the fun, click the button below!

Friday Photo Flashback

I started "Friday Photo Flashback" because I have so many pictures from my PRE-digital camera days. I thought it would be fun to scan them and share them here with you. I'm having so much fun doing this, that I would love for you to join me, too! So dig out the photo albums and put your scanner to good use! Don't forget to link up so we can all visit and comment on each others blogs!

1978

Doesn't this have the 70's written all over it? From my mom's huge glasses, my dad's shirt, and to the sales guy's ensemble? So retro!

Can you believe I am the one who took this picture? I was probably around 9 years old at the time, and my parents were shopping for a Kodak Polaroid camera. I'm assuming the sales guy wanted to show how easy it was to use by letting me take the picture.

My dad was always into the newest gadgets, so having this picture does not surprise me at all!

Pizza Pizza!

Doesn't this look scrumptilicious??!! It was! It was our first time at Tony & Alba's, and we ordered pizza and pasta. The pasta was so-so, but the pizza was totally worth it.

Here is the Margherita Pizza!! The mozzarella was so fresh!

And this was the Vegetarian! The artichokes were perfect! And it had just the right amount of garlic!

I Heart Faces Photo Challenge-Beautiful B&W

For this weeks challenge, I knew I wanted to use one of the pictures of my daughter. I love her "self portraits" like most teenagers do of themselves these days!

If you want to join in on the fun, just click the button below!

A Mini Living Room Makeover

I am by NO MEANS an interior decorator, nor would ever claim to be one! I just try to get ideas from all over the internet, and other people's blogs! It amazes me how creative people are! I totally don't have one ounce of a creative gene in me!

With that said...

We recently bought new living room couches because the ones we had were super uncomfortable. So much so, that we hardly sat on it. I know, weird!

My husband had his eye on these leather couches he saw at Costco a couple of months back, and had his mind made up that those were the ones he was going to buy. He has also wanted a recliner so he could claim it as "his chair." Ok, honey!!

I was glad that he did because they literally feel like you're sitting on the most comfortable bed! All you want to do is veg out, or fall asleep on them!

Of course, with the new couch, I had to buy a few new accessories. Nothing major, but I did score some great deals at Big Lots & Tarjay! 

For instance, I got the area rug at Big Lots! I believe it was under $40 for that! I love the little hint of blue in it, too!

  

I got the white pillow at Tarjay, and the beaded one at Big Lots!

The brown one pillow is from Big Lots, the mustard one from Tarjay, and the blue one from Wal Mart!

I love my lantern, too! Got that from BL!!

I also redid the shelf that is above the love seat. On the far left are candle holders, but I got the idea from someones blog to put those woven balls on them. I got all that, plus the cross from BL! The printed Subway Art I got from this blog! So easy to do!

A framed picture of my kids, and another "woodsy" item I got from BL as well!

Here's my husbands Archie Bunker recliner! It is sooo comfy!

And don't mind the white primer on the wall! My husband has to buy more paint for that!

Scripture Sunday

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. 
 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.

Isaiah 55:8-9

What The Pho?

My husband and I had a random "date night" a couple of days ago. I think those spontaneous moments are the best!! We just had to buy pizza for the kids, and they were happy campers! I can't even begin to explain how nice it is to have this new found freedom! We already have built in babysitters!

I surprised myself by telling my husband we should go get some Pho (Vietnamese soup pronounced phu). It's always my last choice of where to eat, but they do have some other awesome dishes! And, it is one of the best Pho places around!

Let me tell ya, you appreciate a nice, quiet meal once you have kids. No rush, no mess, and no worrying about anyone else!!

My husband tried this particular soup for the first time. I don't remember the name, but it had some interesting "parts" in it! He did say it was tasty...AND the last time he orders this.

I play it safe...all the time! Barbeque pork, and barbeque shrimp over rice noodles.

And after our hearty meal, we drove over to Foster's Freeze to get sundaes!!! That's my hubby, while I sit in the truck!!

 

Friday Photo Flashback

I started "Friday Photo Flashback" because I have so many pictures from my PRE-digital camera days. I thought it would be fun to scan them and share them here with you. I'm having so much fun doing this, that I would love for you to join me, too! So dig out the photo albums and put your scanner to good use! Don't forget to link up so we can all visit and comment on each others blogs!

 Repost from March 2009!!

1998

This was one of my absolute favorite pictures of my two older children. There is just something about a picture of a baby in diapers! I also loved my daughter's little pixie cut that she had back then! She would always get compliments on her hairstyle! In fact, they still get their hair cut by the same gal! They are only 10 1/2 months apart, and EVERYWHERE we went, people asked if they were twins. Because they are so close in age, they have always been inseparable. Looking at this picture brings back so many great memories!

Blogging Hiatus!

Whoa!

January 8th was the LAST time I've blogged?

I didn't anticipate such a huge gap, and this has been the longest I've ever gone without blogging.

It's not that I had a lack of things to write about..it's just that I probably lacked the motivation to sit here and write up a post!

Well, my iMac did take a dive in the last month, so I'm thankful for the extended warranty we had on it! I think having an almost brand new computer has inspired me to get back to blogging!

Bad thing is, I didn't back up my pictures or music, so I'm a little bummed about that!

But, no point dwelling on that! I'm just glad to have a computer!

Great new changes, too, on the home front.

Hubby accepted a new job offer last November, so that has been a huge blessing!

Got new leather couches for our living room! LOVE THEM!!! 

My husband also got "Coach Of the Year!!"

I'm sure there's more, but I'm drawing a blank! 

Still need to catch up on a food meme that I joined in January!! Look forward to that!