Rockets Vs. Rowdies

Andrew had a soccer game last night. The weather was perfect. The sun was behind us on the field, and was going down behind us. It was cool but certainly not cold. Grandma & Grandpa came to the game but Manama & Papa did not make it this time. They played the Rowdies again, whom they played before. They are a good team most of the kids are 6 so they are a little bigger than the Rockets. 

This game Andrew finally got to be goalie. I am not exactly sure why she asked him? She has been rotating between a couple kids thus far. Andrew had spoke before about wanting to be goalie. Let me just say what an awesome goalie he is! I was shocked.... Steven stood behind him and instructed him at what point he needs to "attack" the ball. Out of all the shots that were attempted only 1 made it thru. Even that should not have make it but we had a player that decided to kick the ball from under Andrew, and as a result of that, it gave the other team and open space for a shot. Had the other player been in his position, Andrew would have been able to stop the ball, rather it be kicked out from under safety. Anyhow, the coach ran over to tell us & Andrew what an awesome job he did, and asked Steven if he would not mind coaching the next kid behind the goal posts. I guess Daddy did a good job too! And of course, it figures, the time that he gets to do something different, I did not bring the camera. Something tells me that Andrew will be goalie again = )

Friday fill in

1. Halloween and the crisp air are some of the things I'm most looking forward to in October.

2. Sometimes I miss grandpa so much it hurts .

3. I  never thought I would have a new house and that's why there is a saying, "never say never"!

4. When I'm down, I looks to my kids to bring me back up.

5. Home with my babies is where you'll find me most often.

6. A rainy day is good for comfy clothes and good movies.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to Andrew's soccer game, tomorrow my plans include lots of rest and relaxation ( maybe some small house chores) and Sunday, I want to start my week of with a bang!

9 Months now..

Today I had my nine month check up. I am doing very well . I am crawling all over the place, some of my favorite things to do is open and close the TV stand glass doors, but Mama keeps saying "no" whatever that means, I just look at her with my big blue eyes and deliver one of my adorable nose scrunching smiles while flashing my 2 lower teefers ~ she's such a sucker. She laughs and then comes and picks me up and moves me over to my toy basket until I find something else to get into to. I love playing in the room with my brother, we can play together for hours, or until I get hungry or need a diaper change. I am standing strong but not quite walking yet.

Height: 27in

Wight:18 lb 11oz

Happy as can be!

We did not get any vaccinations today, but they offered the flu shot so mama decided it was better to get a head start on that. It did not hurt as much as the last pokes I got.

I've been awarded...

Thank you so much to Gin for the following awards. They are my first, and I sure hope there are more to come!

Janelle Monae’s “Mr. President”

I have been wanting to blog this for some time now, and I decided to just do it! When American Idol ended i was bummed. I had nothing more to watch. Pretty much all the good shows, until fall, were ending. So, I went on a quest to find something to take it's place. I love dancing, so I decided to give " So you think you can dance" a try. I watched it from the auditions, like American Idol, and found the auditions to be amusing. Some of these people were really amazing dancers, so, I decided to see what would come of the show.

From watching the show branched a whole other thing for me - Music. I was introduced to new artists, such as Duffy and Mirah, whom I had never heard of before the show. The music put together with the amazing dance routine's were just amazing to me. It's like seeing a song from a whole different perspective when it is danced to and emotion is put into it, which is a little different than just hearing it come on the radio in your car. Even songs that i have heard that I did not really care for or think twice of, like Ne-Yo's "Closer" and Estelle's "American Boy". So, because of this it put me on a whole new quest for music. Different music. Not the sounds of Britney Spears or Beyonce'. Amy Winehouse different. In my journey, I stumbled upon:

Janelle Monae

Oh how unique this one is - I love it! If you are an open minded person I think you will come to love her short album as much as I have. I purchased it from itunes. It is very Cyber-tasitc! Off of this album there has been one song that has really caught my attention with the message and lyrics. I would love if you would take the time to listen to the song.

"Mr. President"

Listen here

My favorite line is:

"A book is worth more than a bomb any day"

Please tell me what you think of the song, I would love to hear your opinions. And I hope this all makes us think twice about who we vote for. Not based off Gender or race.

Reptile show

Yesterday, I was still not feeling very well, still don't today either. But, rather than lay around the house all day we went to the Reptile Show at the convention Center. Having a scorpion, I have got used to the whole creepy crawly thing, I am sort of warming up to it. There are still limits. This place had tons of reptiles. The majority of them snakes. I mean there were snakes at every singles display. People were wearing them around there necks, waist and arms. There was even a man who had a tarantula crawling on his shoulder *eek*. At the very end we found one display with Scorpions. This guys ( among other interested parties) were allowing this thing to crawl all over him. We have done lots of research on these things and the # one thing people will say is do not handle them. Interesting to watch none the less. We were there for a couple hours. I kinda felt like all Steven wanted to do was to buy stuff for the Scorpion cage, and silly me, I thought we were there to look at the animals.

Anywho, Andrew has this big plastic rattle snake, we call him "Banana's", he's yellow. As soon as we got home he went and got the snake and was wearing it around his neck all night, just like the guys he saw at the show. He was feeding it his little tiny snakes. I did not have the heart to tell him they eat mice.

Where were you on 9/11?

I am writing this blog because I read a fellow blogger and she had posted the same kind of post. She wanted to know where all the readers where on 9/11. So, to answer her, and just to share , here is where I was.

My then b/f ( now husband) were talking about moving in together. Things were not great with my parents, So, I decided to stay with a friend until we found our place. I remember the first whisper of it, I was sleeping, and my friends b/f had calls and asked for Jody, I said she was sleeping I would have her call when she got up.. I do not remember if at that time he had said anything. he called back a second time and said you guys really need to get up, go get Jody, turn on the news. I had to work that day, Jody was off ( we worked together ) I got Jody we turned on the news, I eventually for ready for work. I do not know why it did not even cross my mind to call the mall to see if they were even going to be open, I could have saved myself a 45 min drive. Trust me, I would have rather of not driven to work. There was something about that day. It did not feel like a Tuesday, and the air was not crisp, there was an eerie feeling. I was walking thru the mall to the store, and I heard on one of the security speakers they were locking all the doors. I called someone, I think the area manager to just let them know ( naturally the mall was closed). I headed back changed into sweats and I remember cuddling with a blanket all day watching TV. Words could never describe what one felt, let alone the people out there that were loosing a loved one minute after minute as this disaster unfolded. I am blessed and grateful to have my family. And God bless the families today they live without there loved one that has gone missing over 9/11.

Where were you 9/11?

Another venomous friend?

NOT! I have to draw the line somewhere. It's bad enough we have a scorpion. Tonight we get a call from our cousin around the corner who had found a snake in their driveway. And since we have frogs, coyotes, rabbits and skunks around these parts, of course we are going to have snakes too. Steven headed over to check it out and sure enough it was a baby rattle snake. Nice! Those things are more venomous than adults. When they bite, they do not know when to release or when to stop releasing venom, which means large amounts could bring a person to death sooner making getting to a hospital fast crucial. And my husband is running around the corner to get this thing - crazy!

I took some pics of our very temporary friend who was safely released in a very open field where he is sure to catch some yummy field mice.

8 months already!

SF Zoo 9/6/2008

Saturday was an amazing day. We decided last minute to take a drive to SF. Before leaving we decided to go to the Zoo. I have never been to the SF zoo myself. We left the house about 11ish and made the drive. For some reason it felt longer than I had last remembered it to be. I generally can get to SF in a little over an hour.

it was a pretty nice Zoo, bigger than Sacramento's. And much more expensive. You have to pay for parking at this zoo, you do not have to at The Sacramento. They selection of animal's was a bit bigger. Lunch was 32.00 ( I could have got a steak dinner for that)

I must mention I will be getting a ticket in the mail as Steven, for the second time, went thru the fast track lane. I get so pissed because the lane clearly said fast track and he got me a ticket another time driving down there for gong thru. I told him just to slow down and stay where you are. There was so much traffic at the toll. He is always such in a hurry and tried to get in the shorter lanes. As he takes off he says " see, know body is even over here.. as I shake my head and say because they aren't supposed to be. Now the car is registered in my name, so of course the ticket, for the second time, will be on my record. Something that is only supposed to cost 4.00 will, I'm sure be triple or more. I was so pissed I cannot even tell you.

Anyways, the weather was perfect, the drive was beautiful and it was an amazing day out with the family!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Rockets Vs. Rowdies 9/5/2008

Andrew had a game on Friday evening. It cooled down just in time and luckily we were on the field that had the shade. All grandparents were able to make it and Auntie Shantie and cousin Emma too. We made an evening out of it and headed to Strawhat for pizza after.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Blog Trip Day 4: Shop til you drop

Sacramento has some decent places to shop. There are 4 main placed for me that I head to depending upon what I am after.

We have Arden Fair Mall, where I worked for years


For some outdoor shopping you can visit the Downtown Plaza


If you want to make the trip you can visit the Roseville Galleria


Last, but certainly not least there is one of my favorite's, the Folsom Outlets

Blog Trip: Where to eat!

Now this is probably going to be my favorite topic to share. I LOVE food. I am surprised I am not a blimp, honestly.

The Crepe Escape: 3445 Freeport Blvd. Sacramento, Ca 95818



I will start with the newest place we found that I LOVE. They have breakfast, lunch and dinner. But my favorite thing to go for is the Crepe's. Most enjoyably the Strawberry Nutella. It's on the dessert menu, however, I think it makes a fantastic breakfast. The above picture is pretty much what it looks like but with blueberries, fold it over and it is topped with whipped cream, drizzled with Nutella and strawberry. A Must try.

( the next one I am going to mention is not "food" but since it is just a block down I wanted to share)

Freeport Bakery: 2966 Freeport Blvd. Sacramento, CA 95818

This place is a required stop for B-days. We love the cakes and they never disappoint. A must stop for any person with a sweet tooth. The champagne cake is one of my favs.



Claim Jumpers: 250 Harding Blvd. Roseville, Ca 95678


The food and the service is outstanding, It is a nice drive, so when we eat there it is an all around treat. We have given a 20.00 tip here, never anywhere else!

Dos Coyotes:: 6450 Folsom Blvd. #110 Sacramento, CA 95819



I just love this place, the meat is tender, they are very generous with proportions , and the sauce they drench the burritos in is fantastic. It's not my mother n laws mexican cookin but certainly will hold me over until the next pot of posole.

Islands -Fine burgers & drinks:2455 Iron Point Road Folsom, Ca 95630

I just love the burgers here. The are large and juicy and they have such an awesome variety to choose from

KILAUEA
Jalapeno & black pepper crusted burger
w/pepper jack cheese, chipotle aioli, lettuce,
tomato & seasoned red onion strings

HAWAIIAN
Pineapple, teriyaki sauce, lettuce, tomato,
onion, swiss & mayo

PIPELINE
Chili, cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion,
pickles & mustard

Those are to name a few. And no burger here is complete without a basket of there fries which come complete with a salty seasoning.

I could go on and on, but I will end it with this, I am sure you are hungry by now =) Time to get my taste buds going as I check out some of your favorite places to eat.

Blog Trip: Gas!

2 months ago, I would cry when going to get gas, 2 weeks ago, I would cringe, today, I can at least rest my shoulders as we see a slight relief at the pumps. It still hurts some, like most families, we have 2 cars, which means 2 gas bills. Thank goodness we do not have an SUV or van, which I would never buy anything larger than a small van or midsize SUV ( like a CRV or Escape). 2 months ago I was blessed with the opportunity to start working from home. I call it just that too, a blessing. So, I only put enough gas in my car for what I need around town 10 here and there. My husband on the other hand, refuses to use anything less than premium, so I still hate seeing his gas receipts. Luckily he does not work far from home nor does he ever fill up his tank.

Recently I paid $3.71 at the corner Costco. I hate having to go anywhere else because Shell, on the other corner, is 3.89 for Regular.

As much as I would love to start a debate about gas prices, I won't. Thanks for stopping by, hope to come see you!

Labor days...

Thought this was a very cute idea I found this on my blog trip - see it is working already!

How long were your labors?
Kid #1 – 28 hours ( if you want to even call is labor)
Kid #2 – 0 Scheduled csection

How did you know you were in labor?
Kid #1 - Water broke
Kid #2 – N/A

Where did you deliver?
Kid #1 & #2 - At the hospital

Drugs?
Kid #1 -Yes
Kid #2 -Yes

C-section?
Yes.

Who delivered?
Dr. Zilensky. Amazing Dr. at Mercy San Juan ( Sacramento, Ca)

Last minute trip.. jump in and buckle up!

I've decided at the very last last minute to join the road trip, besides, last minute trips tend to be the best right? Sure hope so...

First off, welcome to my blog. I began blogging over 2 years ago. It is the only form of journaling I have stuck with. I cannot tell you how many old journal's i have that start with something like " I am really going to journal everyday this time" and there is sits collecting dust somewhere. I thank my cousin's Andria and Kristie for this addiction. You can find their links under my "familia" blog roll I am sure they would love for you to stop by and say hi..

Now, about me =) My name is Joan am 26 and have the privilege of being the mother of 2 amazing boys, Andrew 4 ( 5 in November) and Luke 8 months. I have been married for 4 1/2 years and have been with my husband for for almost 9 years. He is my everything. It is an amazing feeling still being desperately in love after a 9 year relationship. We recently purchased our first home in Rancho Cordova, Ca ( within the Sacramento county), we moved in last December and delivered Luke a week later. It was the craziest time in my life and worth every hair lost. *wink* I have an amazing family, small, but amazing, and have married into the the best gang of n-laws a gal can ask for.










Aside from being a full time mom, I work full time for Apple Computer ( I am truly blessed to have an Apple badge ). I enjoy taking day trips, going to the beach, trips to the city ect. We have an endless amount of cousins, so the majority of our time is celebrating Birthdays, baby showers or baptisms. We have something going on almost every weekend, in addition to soccer or the other random things we do. We recently joined the school community as Andrew started Kindergarten last week.

When I am not doing mom duty or dedicating my fingers to my work. I enjoy scrapbooking. I am trying to get back into it, I fell into a slump with the big move and having a baby. Blogging and scrapbooking are my outlets, they relax me and allow me to forget about anything that i s consuming my mind and causing stress.My husband and I love movies. Recently, we have seen Tropical thunder and Dark Knight. It is not often we go to the movies, but we have a nice Library of movies in our home. We generally wait and buy them, which is much cheaper.

So, to sum me up, I am married with 2 kids ( oh yea, 2 dogs and a scorpion ) Love god,my job, and family. and For entertainment love movies and trips. I self indulge with my blogging and scrabooking ( and the occasional pedicure )

Thanks so much for stopping by, leave me a comment so I can be sure to come visit you!