From our rose garden

Exhibition name: Gold Medal. Registration name: AROyqueli
Class: Grandiflora, Hybrid Tea/Large-flowered.

Picture taken 4-30-2008 one of the many rose bushes from our garden.

(I will post more pictures from our roses garden in the near future).

I got tagged by Liz

The Game Meme Rules:

The rules of The Game get posted on the beginning. Each player answers the rules about himself/herself.At the end of the post, the player tags five people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they’ve been tagged and asking them to read his/her blog.

What was I doing ten years ago?

I was married to Shutter Eye/Ian, living in Woodland hills, California. And I was heavily into martial arts 5 times a week, playing softball at least 3 times a week, breeding some exotic birds, etc.

Snacks I enjoy:

1. Fruits that are in season.
2. Veggies (especially baby carrots, bell peppers, celery, cucumbers & tomatoes)
3. Gourmet Cheese (portion control or not =P)
4. Home made cupcakes, muffins & scones (portion control or not =P)
5. Home made cookies (portion control or not =P)
6. Nabisco variety snack, 100 calorie packs


Things I would do if I were a billionaire

1. Make sure my parents were debt free and well taken care for the rest of their lives.
2. Trust fund for our children.
3. Like Karen & Liz, I would fund our children education as well as our grand children's.
4. Trust fund for our children. Every year fund our favorite charity.
5. Buy some land, design and build our dream home.
6. Travel around the world with family & friends.
7. Every year fund our favorite charity.


Three of my bad habits

1. I still have a tendency be pack rat of books & clothes.
2. I have a tendency of over pack for trips.
3. Not allowing myself enough me time. (Work in progress to fix that).


Five things on my To-Do list today

1. Reorganize our clothes to either keep or to donate to charity.
2. Labeling circuit breakers
3. Plant our 2 new roses in the backyard.
4. Me time (reading)
5. Find one new recipe for Bake goods and one new recipe for dinner to make for this week.


Five places I’ve lived

1. Hawaii
2. Novato, Marin County, California
3. Virginia
4. Woodland Hills, California & Pasadena, California
5. Puerto Rico


Five books I’ve recently read or I'm reading

1. Water for elephants by Sara Gruennormal
2. Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenids
3. Losing it: And gaining my life back one pound at a time by Valerie Bertinelli
4. Forks, Knives and Spoons by Peri Wolfman & Charles Gold (History)
5. The everything toddler book by Linda Sonna, Ph.D (Currently reading)


Five people or communities I’m going to tag:

Donna
Roberta
Wendryn
Dee dee

And to anyone wants to, feel free to e-mail me.

Karen & Liz - Thank you

Tea time

Dee Dee & Sarah Pictures taken 4-25-2008.


Sarah's Salmon Patches, Angel kisses are fading.
11 pounds 15 oz. this week at her doctor's office this week.
5 months, 8 days old

It's goofy boy

Hello, can you see me?

Pictures taken 4-25-2008. John at 2 years, 1 month, 7 days old.

(I know this picture isn't in focus, but I couldn't bring myself to delete either).


Question: Having a bad hair day or just being goofy?

Answer: Just being goofy usual . =)

Angeles Crest Highway Sunday Drive

Pictures taken 4-20-2008 Angeles Crest Highway

Angeles National Forest is one of our many favorite places to be at.


This is NOT at Disney.... =P


Absolutely gorgeous day!

"Life is a highway" tune is playing in the back of my mind. =)


Road marker at the tunnel below this photo.


It's hard to believe it's been 21 years now, since Steve first took me up here to the Angeles National Forest.

Well soo long for now, I'm going to just kick back, enjoy the rest of ride with my family.

Thanks for visiting.

Let's play in the snow

'
Pictures taken 4-20-2008
John is all ready to make some snow balls.


John and Daddy/Steve very first snow ball battle.
John throw a snow ball at Daddy/Steve. And...


it's a hit! One score for John!


Oooh John, where are you going?


John eats snow...
Daddy was aiming for John's chest and accidentally hit John's face instead.


Game over. It's a tie! Yippie
Time for road trip.

Angeles National Forest

The Chilao Visitor Center Pictures taken 4-20-2008.


Another angle of the Chilao Visitor Center.


West Fork Ranger Station (Cabin roof in the middle of being repaired).

Built in 1900 alongside the West Fork of the San Gabriel River and north of Mt. Wilson, this historic cabin was the first ranger station built in California with federal government funds $75.00.

In the late 1920's new roads into the mountains changed both the method of travel into the forest and the choice of the main travel routes, leaving the cabin in a relative isolation. The cabin was moved in the 1983 to protect the building from decay and vandalism.


Sweet Sarah at 5 months, 4 days old.


John & Monkey
Our next adventure for today is finding some snow to play in.


*I will post more pictures here later this week.

Pasadena, C.A. Sidewalk stamp also known as Art stone

Picture taken with my Sprint camera phone April 18, 2008 during our walk with our friend Dee Dee.


J.A. Covey Contractor, stamp on concrete found at El Molino & Rio Grande.

Another concrete stamping photo. =) Definitely more interesting than our previous post on concrete stamping finding.

Will continue to find more interesting markings, stamping.
Found this interesting link on the history of sidewalk stamping, also know as Art stone.

"The life you are leading is simply a reflection of your thinking."

-Doug Firebaugh

Any day we wish we can discipline ourselves to change it all.

Any day we wish we can open the book that will open our mind to new knowledge.

Any day we wish we can start a new activity.

Any day we wish; we can start the process of life change.

We can do it immediately, or next week, or next month, or next year.

We can also do nothing.

We can pretend rather than perform. And if the idea of having to change ourselves makes us uncomfortable, we can remain as we are.

We can choose rest over labor, entertainment over education, delusion over truth, and doubt over confidence. The choices are ours to make. But while we curse the effect, we continue to nourish the cause.

As Shakespeare uniquely observed, "The fault is not in the stars, but in our selves."

We created our circumstances by our past choices. We have both the ability and the responsibility to make better choices beginning today.

Those who are in search of the good life do not need more answers or more time to think things over to reach better conclusions.

They need the truth.

They need the whole truth.

And they need nothing but the truth.

We cannot allow our errors in judgment, repeated every day, to lead us down the wrong path. We must keep coming back to those basics that make the biggest difference in how our life works out. And then we must make the very choices that will bring life, happiness and joy into our daily lives.

And if I may be so bold to offer my last piece of advice for someone seeking and needing to make changes in their life - If you don't like how things are, change it!

You're not a tree.

You have the ability to totally transform every area in your life - and it all begins with your very own power of choice.

"Carpe Diem"

To Your Success

Anniversary party count down

Video clip after our Hawaiian wedding ceremony on Paradise/Maui on December 10, 2003.

On Sunday, December 14, 2008 will be celebrating our 5 year wedding anniversary party Hawaiian style with family & friends.

Invitations will either be e-mailed or snail mailed end of October 2008.

Sorry about the quality of the video. Youtube wouldn't accept the higher quality video. Thank goodness our original copy of our wedding video is much cleaner than on youtube.

Cinema 21 Theater, Pasadena, California

Picture taken 4-14-2008. Originally named Washington Theater.

Historic WASHINGTON THEATER - Cinema 21 Building 800 East Washington Blvd
Designed by Clarence Jay of Altadena & built in 1925, this two story brick Spanish Colonial Revival building represents a prominent historic architectural presence near the intersection of E. Washington Blvd. & North Lake Ave. The building is scheduled to be renovated.


Today we actually stopped to show our children one of the Theaters that Daddy/Steve used to go as a child here.

39 years later...

Picture taken of me sprint phone camera April 14, 2008
It's me the tree huger... No, I mean the tree lover. No, no, the nature lover. =)


I am carrying at about 35 to 40 extra pounds, but I am still someone special and beautiful inside and out. Repeat..

Getting through childhood, adulthood,
and old age can be challenging without

volunteering to be your worst enemy.

Thank you Steve, family & friends for all of your support and being there for me.

BARLOW GIRL LYRICS

"Mirror"

Mirror, Mirror on the wall, Have I got it?
'Cause Mirror you've always told me who I am
I'm finding it's not easy to be perfect
So sorry you won't define me
Sorry you don't own me

Who are you to tell me
That I'm less than what I should be?
Who are you? Who are you?
I don't need to listen
To the list of things I should do
I won't try, I won't try

Mirror I am seeing a new reflection
I'm looking into the eyes of He who made me
And to Him I have beauty beyond compare
I know He defines me

Will be back

Soon! With more pictures, etc...

Another lovely day at Descanso Gardens

Pictures taken April 6, 2008 at Descanso Garden.
Banshee in the kitchen.


Yay! John absolutely love the Banshee in the kitchen!


Clearly you can see that Sarah loves the listening to the Banshee in the kitchen.


Jodie/Mama & John.


For more information their upcoming shows or listen some of the Banshee in the kitchen on myspace.

We look forward in listening to their music/CDs at home, vehicles, etc. =)


Steve/Daddy & John


hmm...


John balance on this small wall.


Arborist in training.


John admires the majestic oak tree.


Here comes John.


John carefully inspects the railway...


It's almost closing time

Time for us to head home.

The letter E

Picture taken with my sprint camera phone.

While walking with a friend the letter E engrave in the sidewalk & found a few more up on El Molino. Interesting...

Descanso Gardens and music

"Queen of the night" tulips. A velvety, deep black-maroon in color.
Taken 4-5-08 at Descanso Gardens.


Tulips are one of my favorite flowers.


While admiring these lovely tulips, I couldn't help, but think about my heritage that I am a part of.


We will be returning to Descanso Gardens tomorrow with our camera for another stroll in the gardens.


Robert Earl Longley a.k.a Robby Longley picture taken 4-05-2008 at Descanso Garden.

For more upcoming shows & listen to some of Robert Earl Longley music on myspace.

Not once we regretted purchasing any of Robby CDs. That's just how good his music is!

Let's go, go, go to Washington Park

Pictures taken April 4, 2008. Sarah with Monkey.


John standing next to the coolest umbrella.
Daddy & Mama can we take this umbrella home or buy one for our backyard please...


John cooling off.
We wouldn't mind owning one of these umbrella for our backyard.


Monkey on stand by...


John at 2 years, 17 days old.


Good times!


Sarah looking at Mama and the playground..
Sarah - Just think someday you get to play like your big brother.


Playful design wrought iron fence.


The play ground at Washington Park, City of Pasadena, California.

One of many parks we like to visit/play at.


Okay, snack time!


I could just picture myself reading on that bench.


Picnic area.


So many choices.. (Closer view of some of the picnic tables)

Another area with picnic tables to the right.


Pasadena City did a fanatic job of remodeling, landscaping this park.

Well, it's time to head home. I wish that I had a little more time today to take more pictures around this park. I'm sure the kids wouldn't mind coming back here to visit, play.