Dream It, Do It!

Teriyaki Chicken Meatball Kabobs

2011-07-31T21:53:00.000-07:00

I've been shopping more at Costco and hitting the deli section and have found some great dinner ideas. One of my favorite is the Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs. They come already cooked, you just need to warm them up.

These are great on the grill or broiled. I took some skewers, added pineapple and red onion, then brushed some teriyaki sauce on it before cooking. These I broiled for 10 minutes on one side, flipped and cooked for another 10 minutes

They go great on steamed white rice and with some grilled sweet corn. Perfect easy, quick, summer dinner!

Flip Flops Make You Fat!

2011-07-26T21:01:00.000-07:00

I was going to just let this go and not blog about this, but a week later it is still bothering me and I feel like I just need to blog about it and see if I'm the only one who goes through this.

Last week I went to my regular OBGYN appointment (TMI free post, no worries.) I hate going to the doctor, especially the lady doctor. Girls, I know you'll agree with me that none of us look forward to going to THAT appointment. After disrobing I folded my clothes neatly, strategically hiding my undergarments on the nearby chair and sliding my flip flops on the floor underneath. I waited an indeterminate time, sitting on the examination table in the teenie, tiny, embarrassingly small hospital gown for the doctor to arrive.

She arrived and introduced herself (first time seeing this doctor, at the medical group I belong to it's a revolving door of physicians) and then started right out of the gate about my weight. Yes, I'm fat. I've been fat all my life. In fact I am what the medical community likes to call morbidly obese, but I prefer what the fat acceptance blogosphere affectionately calls "death fat". I do expect some mention about my weight when I go to the doctor. It's one of the reasons I hate going.  But keep in mind I'm at the OBGYN, not my regular primary doctor. I'm here to get my lady parts checked and I'm out of there. But no it wasn't that simple. First she looks down at my flip flops and says "Well there is part of your problem right there, you're wearing flip flops. You need tennis shoes so you can WALK WITH PURPOSE". Ok doc, hold it right there. There are several reasons why I wear flip flops:

1. It's the middle of summer and they are cute.
2. I just got a pedi and how else am I going to show off my toes without going barefoot?
3. I had major surgery on my Achilles heel two years ago and it hurts to wear tennis shoes
4. They are comfortable to walk in without pain.
5. You are my OBGYN WHY are you looking at my footwear?!

No worries, I don't only use flip flops. I do use backless (mules) tennis shoes from time to time.

I didn't actually tell her all of that but I did tell her about the surgery and I couldn't help but think that if she checked my medical chart in front of her she would have seen that. She would have also noticed that I have lost 25lbs since my visit last year (especially since I was just weighed by her nurse 10 minutes ago), which I mentioned to her.  I told her that I go to the gym and swim several times a week and have been "walking with purpose" as often as I can.  You would think that would be the end of the lecture, but no. She continued to ask me if I wanted to be around and healthy so I can take care of my children. She thought I should be doing a more strenuous exercise then walking or swimming. I should take advantage of the workshops on weight loss that my medical provider offers. She asked me what I weighed when I was 18 because that is most likely what my natural weight should be (HUH?), and even though it would still be considered overweight, it would be much better to be that weight then what I am now. Weight loss surgery, is it something I have ever considered? She can give me literature on that. She mentioned my blood pressure is good, my blood sugar and cholesterol is all normal, but yet I was getting a 20 minute sermon from her about how I must lose weight. Honestly my head was spinning. And she had not even done my exam yet.

I left the Dr.'s office feeling pretty defeated and that no matter how much weight I would ever loose, it would never be enough unless I met the medical standards. After I snapped out of my funk and crying on my husband's shoulder, I gathered my thoughts. I'm not unreasonable and expect the Dr. not to say anything about my weight. But once I told her that I lost weight that year, it would have been encouraging to hear that whatever you are doing keep on doing. You've lost weight and all your vitals are good.   I am not on a diet and I don't want to be. I have spent my entire life being on every kind of weight loss program. Right now my focus is being healthy, feeling good and yes, I do want to be around for my family. I don't need Dr. Obvious to tell me to eat less and exercise. I know that. I don't get how she would expect me to run or do Zumba when that's not an exercise I would ever stick to. I love to swim. Isn't that better then doing nothing for an hour?

As far as "walking with purpose" I can do that with my flip flops. I walk at the mall with purpose. I walked all over Hawaii and on the beach with purpose. I walk my puppies with purpose. When I'm at Disney, look out, I'm walking with purpose. As long as it's under 80 degrees, I'm walking with purpose! Because of my heel surgery, I found out what it is like to not be able to walk, so now that I finally am able to it is with purpose.

New Layouts

2011-07-24T13:33:00.000-07:00

Thought I would share a few layouts I did recently of our trip to Hawaii. Today is a lazy Sunday and I hope to make get a few more done.

Face lift for my Blog

2011-07-22T12:27:00.000-07:00

After returning from our much needed vacation from Hawaii, I have given my blog a little refirb and HOPE (I'm gonna try really hard!) to post at least 3 times a week. My posts will consist of the following:

1. Disney news. There is always something exciting going on at Disney!! When you call the Mouse, I answer so I know a lot of what is going on at Walt Disney World and the Walt Disney Company. I am looking forward to going to the D23 Expo and sharing what is going on from there and I also hope to be more involved volunteer wise with the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco. That place is amazing and if you a Disney fan you need to plan a trip to go there. TRUST me, you will looove it!

2. Digital Scrapbooking. My goal is to do AT LEAST one page a week. I love all you can do with digital and now that's pretty much the only way I scrapbook. I of course, like many of you have plenty of scrapbooking supplies still and enjoy making cards and other papercrafts.

3. FOOD Glorious food. I'm always on the search for meals to serve my family that are tasty and healthy, but I have to do it without them knowing..shhhh. I'm going to take a recipe from different food blogs, which there are so many wonderful ones, each week and fix a meal and do a review. Looking forward to this and changing up what we eat, and hopefully put us on our way to eating a little bit healthier.

4. Finally, an occasional post about my amazing kids, because sometimes I just like to brag because they are both pretty talanted and overall awesome. I also have really gotten into Instagram, which I have linked on the side of my blog. If you have an iphone it's a great app to share your photos and to view and comment on others.

I hope you enjoy my occasional blurps in the blogosphere. And now I will dream about my mornings in Hawaii, when I had a Starbucks (in my awesome Starbucks "Aloha from Hawaii" cup!) and read at the beach with just me and my Nook. Mahalo!

Rapunzel at Disneyland

2011-03-22T13:27:00.000-07:00

I'm in a digital scrapbooking mood. Here is a Maggie and Rapunzel at Disneyland. "Let Down Your Hair" Kit by Britt-Designs.

More drama!! Maggie in HONK!

2011-03-18T11:47:00.000-07:00

Maggie has been working very hard on her latest production "HONK" and we couldn't be more proud of her. It's a joy to watch her doing what she really loves. She has a passion for it and it shows! "HONK" is a story of the Ugly Duckling. Maggie plays the evil cat who tries to eat the Ugly Duckling. Yes, she's typecast at 12! She loves to play the villian, and always goes out for those roles. After the two week run the had a little cast party. Her director Mr C. was a dancer in the movie "Mary Poppins" as a chimney sweep and a waiter in "Hello Dolly" along with being in several broadway productions. He told us Maggie was very talented so we'll take his word for it!!

Director Mr C

Cast party cake

Maggie and Cody, Cody plays "Ugly"

More of the cast and friends of HONK!

19/365 Happy Birthday Maggie Kate!

2011-01-21T09:18:00.001-08:00

19/365 Happy Birthday Maggie Kate!, originally uploaded by hellodisney1.

MK turned 12 today! We are so blessed to have her in our lives, she makes us smile & laugh every single day. We are so incredibly proud of the young lady she's become!

7/365 World Champions!

2011-01-07T10:56:00.001-08:00

7/365 World Champions!, originally uploaded by hellodisney1.

Being San Francisco Giants fans and season ticket holders, 2010 has been the best year ever! Yesterday, my husband Leo heard the World Series trophy was going to be at the State Capitol, so hoping to catch a glimpse he showed up early. Luckily there were few fans that at that time and the owner of the Giants Bill Neukom was outside talking to the press. Afterwards Leo went up to him and they took this picture with his Blackberry. I wasn't with him, so of course I couldn't use the picture itself as my picture of the day, so I thought I would take a shot of my laptop along with the latest cover of Sports Illustrated with Giant's ace pitcher Tim Lincecum. The celebration on the cover pretty much sums up how we feel about the Giants being World Champions!!

6/365 Room with a View

2011-01-06T13:17:00.001-08:00

6/365 Room with a View, originally uploaded by hellodisney1.

This is the eerie view from my bedroom window in our new house. When our house was built they were building more developments behind us. The economy took a nosedive they stopped building. There are street lights, streets, and even hook ups set up for the new houses, but they were never built. It's been like this for several years now. I kind of like it like this and hope they won't be finishing up anytime in the near future. But then again that would mean a better economy and I would be ok with that.

5/365 Hello New House!

2011-01-06T13:14:00.001-08:00

5/365 Hello New House!, originally uploaded by hellodisney1.

We are all moved into our new place, now the unpacking begins. I didn't know when I took the picture that Ellie the kitty was watching out of the 2nd floor window. She's probably plotting how she can catch that pigeon on the roof.

4/365 Captain Jack

2011-01-04T17:55:00.001-08:00

4/365, originally uploaded by hellodisney1.

Good old Captain Jack. He's having a bit of a hard time adjusting to our new digs.

3/365 Ellie and her Booger Buddy

2011-01-03T22:23:00.001-08:00

3/365 Ellie and her Booger Buddy, originally uploaded by hellodisney1.

Ellie our 4 month old kitty, completly wiped out after our big moving day. She loves her Booger Buddy (it came as a gift when you buy a box of special "Boogie Wipes") and she can be found carrying it around the house and sleeping with it.

2/365 Good bye house

2011-01-02T14:07:00.001-08:00

2/365 Good bye house, originally uploaded by hellodisney1.

Today is the last night we will be spending at the house we have lived in for 1 year to this date. Tomorrow is the big moving day. Hopefully we can stay in the new house until my Maggie graduates from High School!

001/365 Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T13:51:00.001-08:00

001/365, originally uploaded by hellodisney1.

I'm starting a new project today it's called Project 365 where I will be taking at least one picture a day for the entire year and I will be posting it here on my blog. I feel like somedays I can go days without taking pictures, and time goes by so fast. Hopefully I will be able to document some of my every day life and by the end of the year I will have 365 photos to show for it and make an album for 2011. So join me won't you? Anyone up for the challenge? Today's picture is my Christmas present that finally came yesterday from Vintage Pearl. I love it! Here's hoping you have a happy 2011 and make it the best year ever!

We all live in a..

2010-09-27T13:34:00.000-07:00

Yellow Submarine! I was so excited to make cupcakes for Maggie's drama troupe cast party for "The Little Mermaid & The Yellow Submarine". Maggie played Polyurethane Pam, the evil sea hag. Here you can see her conjuring up the "Blue Meanies" on Sgt. Pepper & the Little Mermaid.

You can see my inspiration for the cupcakes, was of course the Yellow Submarine!

Thanks so much to The Cupcake Blog for featuring my cupcake on their blog today! They were pretty to look at and really tasty too! A big hit at the cast party. Great job Fairytale Town Troupers!

Make it Work!

2010-09-21T09:33:00.000-07:00

Can I just say I love Tim Gunn? I always have. I like to imagine that he was my classy, fun, gay uncle who would come over occasionally to clean out my closet ,be my fashion consultant, and just hang out and have cocktails and dish. I've always enjoyed him on Project Runway, in fact I think he's the best part of that show. Without him it would be unwatchable.

I just came across a wonderful post by Big Fat Deal "Tim Gunn is a National Treasure" which just warmed my heart and make me love him even more! While out promoting his book and during an interview with Perez Hilton he said the following:

If I were to do a clothing line, it would be for sizes 16 and higher. Because I really believe that those women are truly a neglected population, and when I visit department stores and I go to the shop that’s called “woman,” I am horrified! Horrified by the awful, degrading, disrespectful choices that women have. It is mind boggling. I mean, selecting these gigantic prints, and it’s… I mean, who wants to look like a couch?

Bravo!! It's nice to see someone in the fashion industry who has style and taste is looking out for us fat gals. I look forward to seeing your size 16 and higher clothing line soon, I hope you do it because I think that's the next step in your career, Tim Gunn! Make it work!

Meet Ellie the Kitty!

2010-09-19T15:59:00.000-07:00

Let me introduce to you, Ellie, the newest member of the family! A couple weeks ago, Leo called and said he the kids at his school had found a kitten in a box on the playground and the box had UNO GATO written on it. He asked me to come pick up this kitten and bring it to the shelter since, animal control would not come to the school to get it. He knew he was in trouble because once he handed her to me there was no way I was taking her to a shelter.

Poor baby looked so sick, her eyes were just about shut with goop and she was just a mess. Even so, she was acting as though there was nothing wrong with her with the expception of an occasional sneeze. The minute we put food in front of her she chowed down and drank water with no problem. We took her in later that day to the vet, and she weighed 1lb, but did have an upper respitory infection and of course covered with fleas. The whole time she was purring, so happy to just be held, even when they took her tempature..and you know how they do that! Many $$ later (she's our million dollar kitty) we left with meds and cleaned her up real good and she's been thriving and getting along with our other cats Stitch and Captain Jack. We just took her back for a check up and she has gained 14 oz. and is recovering nicely.

Now we are up to 3 cats, and I feel almost like we should be on the show Animal Hoarders! As for names, I turned to my Twitter friends for some Disney suggestions. I was leaning towards Lilo since our other cat is Stitch. We also thought about Dora (non Disney), since she was found at Leo's school and their mascot is the Explorers. My Twitter friend Lynnette (who is now Ellie's Fairy Godmommy) came up with a wonderful suggestion and it just fit. Ellie from the movie UP! If she was human, I can hear her talking just like her! Life was an adventure to Ellie and well, she looks just like her.

We are in love with our sweet Ellie! I know she will bring us lots of joy for many years to come.

Am I Cute or What?

2010-08-20T21:10:00.000-07:00

I'm loving the new Scentsy Warmer I decorated with Tinkerbell scrapbooking rub ons! A little surprise for MK, so she now has her very own warmer in her room. Her favorite scents? Cherry Limeade & Ocean. Scentsy has a whole line of warmers that you can decorate yourself with your own rub ons or we sell theme packs so you can make the perfect gift for that special someone. I love the variety of theme packs, from baby to edgy skulls, there is something for everyone! Just a reminder, if you order in August you get 10% off most items. I can't wait to show you what is coming up new for Fall/Winter very soon. New scents, warmers and plug ins!! All ready to make your home festive for the holidays and the perfect gift, everyone is going to want one!

Snoop Dogg Meets Ondrya Wolfson

2010-08-04T19:28:00.000-07:00

My mind wanders alot. I think about..how did I get to be so old? 42 was ancient to me when I was a kid.I think about when our generation are going to be senior citizens. Are we going to have dance parties and line us all up ala "Soul Train" and we each shuffle down the middle with our walkers. Won't that be a site??!! Go Sally, Go Sally, Go Sally ..that, that, that, that, that girl!What happens when rappers get old? Is it going to be like the old rockers..still getting up there and doing their thing? Is Snoop going to be like Sinatra and still singin the "oldies" when he's in his 70's? Can you picture it? "It's like this and like that and like this ya'll" Is Eminem still going to be angry, or will he mellow with age? Is that what they are going to play at the old folks home??Last night in the car the song "Valley Girl" came on. I hadn't heard it in so long it took me WAY back. I was all excited and turned it way up and my son looked at me like I was crazy.

See you in the old folks home Ondrya Wolfson. Like gag me with a spoon.

Feeling a Little Nostalgic

2010-06-28T14:09:00.000-07:00

I was thinking about why I was such a Disney Nerd, and how I have passed this Disney Nerdiness on to my daughter. Other Disneyphiles such as myself I am sure agree. It's about the feeling that you get while you are at a Disney Park. When you are not there are always chasing that Disney high. Thinking of things that remind you of the being there. The smell inside of Pirates of the Caribbean, the chills you get when you see the castle the first time walking in the park, the warm feeling you get when you are with your own children and get to experience it through their eyes. The memories you get to bring home, and with me being a scrapbooker getting to relive them and enjoy them over and over again. The excitement as you plan for another trip, counting down the days.

As a child, I was fortunate to be able to go to Disneyland at least once every few years. These were some of my favorite childhood memories because my family was together and everything was right with the world. As I got older and spent time as a teen there, it was an escape from what was going on around me. As an adult the minute I stepped on Disney property I was able to forget all my troubles, and for at least a few days I could live in Fantasyland.

I began to find there is so much more to Disney then just the parks. There is the whole culture over the years and this fascinated me. From the animation, to the music, the movies, the merchandise, the food and Walt Disney himself. I was intrigued with cast members that worked with Disney to create help create these wonderful memories for guests and worked with Walt Disney to build what we now know as Disney. And of course the details. Mickey doesn't skimp on the details.

Luckily I came across an opportunity that was perfect for me. I finally got to be a part of the Disney team. After visiting the Walt Disney Family Museum, I realized how lucky I was to be even a small part of Disney and how really proud I was. I love being able to help with Walt's dream and if I can make one guest smile and feel the magic like so many others did for me growing up, then it's all worth it.

That's me with the hat on visit to Disneyland circa 1971 with my family.

Wish I was here..

2010-05-19T18:05:00.000-07:00

One of our favorite spots on earth is a little town on the coast in Northern California called Mendocino. It is reminiscent of an old New England whaling village. This was one of the very first getaways Leo and I went on as a couple and we like to visit at least once a year. I wish I was there RIGHT NOW. The weather is always overcast, which is just perfect to me. You know you are getting close when you can smell the lavender and the ocean . We like to make a stop at the local Irish pub and have a Guinness and Dirty Martini before we head out to our cottage.

Once we arrive at our destination, the Sea Rock Inn, we just soak in the beautiful scenery and relax!

After a relaxing night, we wake up to the sound of waves and gulls then enjoy a lovely breakfast while overlooking the bluff.

I'm looking forward to our next visit, I hope it's soon.

D23

2010-05-02T20:14:00.000-07:00

I was at my great aunt's funeral and I reconnected with a distant cousin that I haven't seen in a long time. We got talking and it turns out she was a D23 member and invited me over to take a look at her Disney room and all her magical treasures! My jaw dropped when I saw her Steam Boat Willie, he was HUGE! She had several Giuseppe Armani figures that are just beautiful, exquisite pieces of art. Snow White and the Dwarfs and Pinnocchio , but by far the most lovely was the Beauty and the Beast figure pictured here.

She had many pins that were framed and arranged around the room. Her latest find were the Vinylmation collectibles since being a member of D23. I was loving every minute and taking in every detail of what she was sharing with me. I think I have a new Disney buddy!! As I was leaving she was so kind to gift me my first Vinylmation. It was available to D23 members during the first expo in 2009. Thanks Jane! This really made my day. I have a feeling he won't be my last.

So guess what I asked DH for Mother's Day? A membership to D23.

And yes, I am kicking myself for not becoming a Charter Member.

For more info on D23 go to : D23 Official Community for Disney Fans
For more info on Vinylmation go to : Official Blog for Vinylmation

ETA : I did get what a wanted for Mother's Day!! Thank you to my wonderful family!!

My favorite Disney photo

2010-04-28T14:51:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things to do when I'm at the Disney parks is take pictures. This picture is one of my all time favorite. Leo and MK were riding the Teacups at Disneyland and I was clicking away when I noticed this couple. I was so pleased at how the picture came out. I love how the woman has her hands up with reckless abandon, laughing and the gentleman has a huge smile on his face. It pretty much sums up what Disney is all about. Something about the Disney magic that takes over you no matter what your age.

Kim Possible

2010-04-23T12:04:00.000-07:00

On our last visit to Epcot,Maggie had a blast doing the Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure. It’s an ultra interactive quest at Epcot based on the Disney Channel animated series, Kim Possible. She got to transform into a secret agent, join Team Possible and help save the world from super-villains with the help of a high-tech "Kimmunicator". Maggie’s mission (if she chose to accept it) sent her to England where she defeated the villian and saved the world! She was so focused and she took her job very seriously. Out of everything we did in Epcot this was by far her favorite! She wanted to spend the entire day looking for villains.

Go Wickless!!

2010-04-16T22:32:00.000-07:00

My latest venture! Scentsy. I know what you're thinking. Another home consultant gig Marianne? It wish I could say it was a hard decision, but it wasn't! I absolutely love this product and I would not at this time of my life especially, get involved with something that I wasn't completely passionate about. I simply don't have time for that.

As a candle addict, I purchased a couple of Scentsy warmers after reading about them online. I opened my new warmer and was pleasantly surprised at how pretty it was and the excellent quality. Then I added a couple of scent bars plugged it in and I was sold! It was better then any candle I had ever purchased, it made my house smell wonderful and even my husband really liked it!

Here are the reasons why I joined:

1. Awesome product that makes my house smell great
2. Options of having home parties or selling product on the internet
3. Opportunity to share this fun product with others and make a little extra money on the side
4. 80 + different, delicious fragrances and a fantastic variety of warmers, plug ins and other products

Of course if you would like to host a party there are some awesome Hostess rewards that you can take advantage of. If you prefer to order online, and you have any questions give me a call. I'll be happy to assist. If there is a particular scent you are interested in I can drop by or mail a sample. Go ahead and take a look at all of fun warmers and plug ins.

Please sign up for my monthly newsletter so you can always be the first to know about all the latest styles and scents.

Soon you'll be relaxing and enjoying your very own Scentsy products. Doesn't that sound great?

Disney Autograph Book.

2010-04-15T19:04:00.000-07:00

I lost my USB cord for my camera and I have tons of pictures from Walt Disney World. I finally broke down and bought a new one. Here are some pictures of the autograph book I made for Maggie to take with her on our trip.

The characters really enjoyed looking at it while they signed it always asking Maggie if she made it! The most excited was the CM that was with the UP characters, as well as the UP characters. They made a HUGE deal out of it and spent extra time with her signing and fooling around. I think DUG may have licked her a few times.

Pure Imagination

2010-04-11T15:13:00.000-07:00

I heard this song on a commercial this morning and it immediately brought me back to when I was about 7 years old. My mom would drop my brother and I off at the movie theater while she would go shopping. Back in the day there was just one movie playing in the movie theater. My favorite snack was a big ol dill pickle and a Coke. The movie, "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" and this song just reminds me of being a child and carefree. I really felt in this movie I was there with Willy Wonka, touring his factory. Something about Gene Wilder. He was odd, but at the same time something about him was comforting. I knew all along he would take care of Charlie in the end. It was in his eyes, a certain look. Gene Wilder was a genius that way.

I did of course see the remake "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and usually Johnny Depp can do no wrong in my book. But he could not match Gene Wilder's Willy Wonka. I enjoy watching the original with my kids and it has always been a favorite in our household.

When I hear this song I wish I could be a little girl again, just for a little while.

Come with me and you'll be In a world of pure imagination.

Faces of America

2010-03-23T20:35:00.000-07:00

I happen to come across this wonderful television program called "Faces of America" on PBS. Henry Louis Gates, The Harvard scholar turns to the latest tools of genealogy and genetics to explore the family histories of 12 renowned Americans. One of them was Stephen Colbert, I just love that guy. They were able to go back to the late 1600's for some of them which I found amazing!! Can you imagine finding out one of the your ancestors was an original founding father of the United States? I found myself yearning to know something, anything about my history. How long have my ancestors been in America and where did they come from? Did my one of my grandfathers fight in World War II, and was one of my great grandmother a Suffragette??

Unfortunately, I wouldn't know where to start and who to ask. I am adopted and not much is known about my background. My adoptive parents are Portuguese and I was raised with many of the traditions and learned about the food , music and how my grandparents came from Portugal. While that is all very dear to me, and I will always cherish those memories, it's not really my heritage. I really don't think about being adopted too much because it was at birth and it's always been part of the story of how I came to be. My family is my family and I don't lack anything...except. Where I came from. I really don't have a desire to meet my birth parents. They did what was best for me at the time of my birth. If they wanted to ever meet me, I figure they would have by now. I just really want to know about my background, my ancestry, my roots. I feel like a little piece of me is missing sometimes when I think about it, or when I see a show like this, or see a heritage scrapbook page.

Maybe someday I will do something about it. Funny enough, my husband is adopted as well. So my daughter is pretty much in the same boat that we are! Not sure if there would be a way of doing it, without disturbing my birth family. I'll have to look into it and get back to you.

If you have time, this is a great show and worth watching. Makes you think about all the wonderful, hardworking, amazing people that made our country so great.

Some of my recent creations

2010-03-17T11:19:00.000-07:00

The program I have been using is Photo Shop Elements. There are many wonderful sites online with tutorials and wonderful digital scrapbooking goodies for sale. My favorite site to shop at is Scrap Matters. My shopping cart is always full there. OH, did I say digital scrapbooking was more cost effective then old school scrapbooking? I didn't think so!! My favorite site to hang out is Mousescrappers. It's mostly Disney themed scrapbooking and they have some great challenges that always get me motivated. Share some of your favorite sites with me!

Well hello there!

2010-03-17T11:05:00.000-07:00

Time to dust off the cobwebs, and update the old blog!! We have been busy moving as of the first of the year and adjusting to our new schedules and our new digs. I do miss our old house, it was so pretty, but I do like living in our new town much better. The children are doing really well in school and I've been busy working the phones for the Mouse and being Mom's Taxi. Honestly I'm thinking of painting our car yellow and putting a meter in it!

I hope to be posting more photos as I am trying to be more diligent with my photography. I'm feeling like time is moving so fast sometimes, that life is passing me by (thank you Ferris) and I need to stop enjoy the little things, which include photos of my life..and yes, even me.

Since the move I've scaled down my scrapbooking stash. I still enjoy it from time to time, but I find myself enjoying digital scrapbooking more. Less mess, I can do it anywhere, and it doesn't take up so much space. I thought I would share just a few of my latest layouts.

Maggie singing "Popular" from Wicked

2009-06-08T21:52:00.000-07:00

Captain Jack

2009-03-08T12:49:00.000-07:00

Maggie took this wonderful picture of our beloved kitty Captain Jack. It brings me back to when I used to watch Sesame Street and my favorite little song they used to play. I couldn't believe I looked for it it on Youtube and it was there!! Does this bring you back?

Day after election day!!

2008-10-07T22:57:00.001-07:00

Senior!

2008-10-07T13:31:00.001-07:00

Brandon is doing really well so far his Sr. year. I can't believe he's almost 17. He's been planning for his future after high school. After his trip to Korea he was definitely bit by the traveling bug. He wants to go back and visit Japan and other parts of Asia. I'm hope that he can do a ton of traveling, something I wish I would have done more of when I was his age. Keep up the good work Brandon, I'm very proud of you!

Defying Gravity

2008-10-07T12:43:00.000-07:00

WICKED in San Francisco!! Maggie and I were able to go to a party in Union Square to welcome Wicked the musical back to the City. They gave away all kinds of Wicked swag.. cookies, lip gloss, GREEN sun screen, Wicked water, and a plethera of good stuff. They had a Wicked singing contest and MK was ready to sing "Popular". She was the first out of 20 other contestants of all ages. It felt like American Idol when they were going to announce the top 3! They called the other 2 girls first, then Maggie!! I of course knew she was totally awesome, but I was so glad to see the people at Wicked did too. She ended up being runner up and won a t shirt and CD. The girl that won got tickets to an upcoming show. She was SO CLOSE and I was so proud of her. She belted out that song in front of all those people in Union Square. I have it on video, so I'll get that up for you all to see soon.

After the competition we got to see the main actresses of Wicked sing and then we got to meet them and get autographs. Of course MK had to get her face painted green just like Elphba. We hope to go see Wicked again next spring and we highly reccomend you to go RUN and see it too!!

Humpty Dumpty COOKIES

2008-10-07T12:10:00.000-07:00

Maggie had a wrap party for the Fairytale Town troopers and we made fun cookies for everyone! How do you think we did? I think it looks alot like Humpty!! It took FOREVER but it was fun and I have this big tub of different cookie cutter shapes that I can't wait to try. They were very tasty and a big hit at the party. The director gave all the kids little Humpty Dumpty bobble heads for participating.

My SUPERSTAR!

2008-07-28T08:19:00.000-07:00

Maggie as Annie. I'm soooo proud of her, can you tell?

Cupcake Envy

2008-07-25T14:28:00.000-07:00

It all started a few years ago. I was in Washington D.C. with Leo. He had a conference and I was exploring the city. One of my favorite places to go was the Smithsonian Museum of American History. After a wonderful day of exploring this amazing place I was going to meet Leo at the cafeteria in the basement at the Smithsonian. I wasn't hungry for dinner, but I thought something sweet would just perfect. Then I saw them. Beautiful fluffy baby blue cupcakes. Quite simple, just buttercream frosting and a vanilla cupcake but it was divine. The best cupcake I have ever had.

Since then I have been on the search for perfect cupcake and I have not found it yet. To my delight I have recently discovered some wonderful blogs dedicated just to cupcakes. One of my favorites is I Heart Cuppycakes. She has a wonderful variety of different flavors such as Creme Brulee and Midori Melon Mojito Cupcakes AND she shows you how to make them. She is also on a quest to figure out the best way to ship a cupcake and I'm thinking of trying that out to see if it works to send to some friends back East. Another fun site is Cupcakes take the Cake, showing wonderful tempting photos of cupcakes from bakeries and kitchens from all over. My favorite are the ABBA cupcakes in honor of Mama Mia! (which I am listening to this very moment. I LOVED the movie it was so much fun and makes me want to run away to Greece!) 52 Cupcakes has great decorating ideas, really clever!! And of course after all that you are going to need Cupcake Rehab..YES, YES, YES!!

While Leo and I were in San Francisco last weekend we came upon Kara's Cupcakes. We tasted the Sweet Vanilla, Java and Banana. They were very good, but not as good as my D.C. cupcakes. I thought they were rather small, especially for the price and I was a little dissapointed with the lack of variety. The fondant flower on the top of the cupcake tasted really weird. I have never tasted fondant before so maybe that is the way it's supposed to be.

So I thought maybe if I can't find the perfect cupcake maybe I'll have to bake them myself. I have always wanted to try a Red Velvet Cake. I think it might be more of a Southern thing because it is something I have never tried. I found this receipe Mom's Red Velvet Cake/Butter Cream Icing and I have to say it turned out pretty wonderful. Of course I made cupcakes instead of the cake. You actually need 2 oz of red food coloring and I only had one so next time I'll have to try 2. I subsituted 1 oz. of milk for the food coloring so it wouldn't be dry. Leo and I ate most of them. The kids didn't like them so much because they were "different" and not the traditional chocolate or vanilla. Next time I'll have to do Chocolate for them. So what do you think? Do you like my pretty cupcake? Still not the perfect cupcake, but I'll find it again if I have to hop on a plane to D.C. to find it!!

This guy makes me happy.

2008-07-25T00:35:00.000-07:00

Where the Hell is Matt? (2008) from Matthew Harding on Vimeo.

MK's Performance

2008-07-22T16:42:00.000-07:00

Our little drama queen has been quite busy this summer! She was in a production of a montage of "Annie" and she played Annie and she also is part of Fairytale Troupers at Fairytale town in Sacramento.

Annie was a one time only show and we bought the DVD and are hoping to get that soon so we can post it online. They didn't allow any photography in the theatre so they could sell DVDs..haha. It was a recital from her dance academy. She was amazing. There were over 30 different performances and hers was the only performance where they sang and she was the only one with a solo. There were about 500 people in the theatre and she came out and belted out her solo and didn't look one bit nervous. I was so incredibly proud of her and I just wanted to yell 'THAT'S MY BABY!!". I was blown away. My aunt,mom and in laws came to see her and were equally as proud.

Her role for the Fairytale Troupers is Witch Beth the evil witch of Fairytale town and sister of Queen Elizabeth. The play is Happy Birthday Humpty Dumpty and they do it on a wonderful outdoor stage for the children at the park. It runs every Sunday through August so if you're near Fairytale Town in Sac stop on by to see her. Again I am amazed about her professionalism and seriousness of her playing her part but yet she has lots of fun. I think one of her favorite things is when the children come on the stage afterwards and talk to her and take pictures. Keep watching my little superstar! It's very hard not to be a stage mom, but when you know your kid really loves it and has the talent you don't want to hold her back!

10 years!

2008-07-22T15:55:00.000-07:00

Leo and I celebrated our 10th Anniversary on July 18th in San Francisco. The plan was to go to the Giants game and then to dinner. We HAD TO GO to the Giants game because it was Crazy Crab bobblehead day. After the game we introduced Crazy Crab to some of the wonderful sights in SF. I have never seen Leo so excited about anything. He loves that Crab. You see..Crazy Crab was the official Giants mascot back in the 80's. Crazy was really the anti mascot. Cheering that the Giants SUCK! when indeed they did. It became a tradition to hurl objects at poor Crazy Crab if you went to a game. Crazy Crab was retired in 1985 and this game was one of the first times this legendary crab has been seen. Now there is an underground movement called Rehab the Crab to bring back Crazy and replace the current mascot Lou Seal. After all the fun with our favorite crab, we went to our favorite restaurant in the City, House of Prime Rib, and had the BEST prime rib and dirty martinis. Ahhh..what a great way to spend our 10th anniversary :D. Me, Leo and Crazy Crab.

Back from the Magical Kingdom

2008-07-03T12:20:00.000-07:00

We are back from Disneyland and it as always was quite an adventure. I had a few issues with my feet because of terrible blisters (I wore Crocs that were well wore in, I think it was because of the 105 heat) so I got to experience the Magic Kingdom via scooter which was slightly embarrassing, but after a while I got over it and just enjoyed myself. A lovely lady in line for scooters kind of put it all in perspective. She always uses a scooter because it makes her happy and if she didn't have one she would be awfully cranky after walking so much and when mama isn't happy no one else is. She also said that she had a wheelchair and it was all fun and games for the first 15 minutes and after that the kids just abandoned her so the scooter was the way to go!! Now I'm not gonna lie, I enjoyed having the freedom of zipping all over Disneyland and California Adventure! I wouldn't do it again though I think unless absolutly neccessary. It was VERY hard to manuvour through the shops. So I had fun, but my heart wasn't into our Disney adventure as it usually is. I was dissapointed with myself, but my wonderful family bore with me and wouldn't leave me behind!! A couple photos of the kiddos. Of course it's too much to ask for them to sit still and take a decent picture LOL! MK was very adventurous and went on all the rides even the Haunted Mansion! She liked them all EXCEPT Indiana Jones which she thought before we arrived she would be riding 4 or 5 times at least! She was pretty scared poor thing. She did enjoy the Indiana Jones show which was so so but she did get chosen to be in it which was fun. It was funny we pretty much knew she would get chosen because she always does. I'm not sure how she does it!! I think our next Disney adventure will be to Disney World hopefully in the next year or so. I will have better walking shoes for sure!! But as usual I always have a feeling of forgetting all my troubles when I am in the Magic Kingdom. It's a great escape from reality for a few days.

Look out JT here comes the RAIN!

2008-06-20T00:12:00.000-07:00

Before Brandon left for Korea we learned about a new pop star named "Rain" who is HUGE in Korea. As I was watching my nightly Colbert Report I learned that Stephen was competing with this kid named Rain for the #1 most influential person for Time Magazine. So of course Stephen called him out and challenged him to a dance off! Well what happened was hilarious to say the least. Check out the Rain Rivalry. If you have a few minutes watch Singing in Korean and Dance Off. I have to say I was impressed with Rain and of course Stephen. Who knew he could move like that? Rain is a little hottie and the boy can dance! Brandon brought me back a Rain CD from Korea and he said that Rain was EVERYWHERE! On TV, in print, and billboards all over the country. I am enjoying my new CD. He has a very soulful voice and is entertaining in a way that you don't even mind if it's in Korean and you don't understand a thing he's saying. Most of his songs do have some English in them. Here's his video. A little cheesy sure, but I enjoyed it.

He's HOME!!

2008-06-17T20:38:00.000-07:00

Brandon returned home today from a 2 week trip to Korea! His Korean grandmother took him and his cousin Jessica. I was sooo excited for him to have this opportunity and it seems like he had a really wonderful time. He even talks about going back maybe for a few months and possibly teaching English with his cousin maybe after he's out of high school. I think this trip is just what Brandon needed. I'm so proud of him, he took some really great pictures. He also was very thoughtful and brought us all something special from his trip and I know he put alot of thought into it. I'll share some pictures of the goodies in another post.

2008-06-15T23:27:00.001-07:00

We are getting ready for a trip to Disneyland in a few days! I can't believe it's been 2 years since we have been to the "Happiest Place on Earth!". We waited way too long. I was looking back of some of our pictures from our last trip and I thought I would share. ENJOY!

2008-06-15T20:24:00.000-07:00

I think this profile would look GREAT on a coin. Just sayin.

Astound Yourself Today!

2007-10-08T16:23:00.001-07:00

I love the quote on this card. It always makes me wonder if I sell myself short sometimes thinking I can't do something for one reason or another. So go ahead and surprise yourself today and do something you don't think you are capable of. You just might astound yourself.

I'm Bringin Sexy Back!

2007-09-30T11:37:00.000-07:00

My girlies and I finally got to see Justin Timberlake after he cancelled earlier this month. It was FANTASTIC!! That is how I expect to be entertained when I go to a concert. I was not dissapointed. He amazed me how he kept his energy level up for 2 hours and still sang and danced fantastically!! Damn what a hottie. He didn't see us in the crowd otherwise he surely would have invited us old broads back stage. My mom was wondering why I was going to see Justin since I am almost...eeehemm...40. Aren't you a little too old for that? Heck no mom! I certainly don't feel 39 so why do I have to act it. And what..a 39 year old can't enjoy watching a 25 year old pop star? If it's good enough for Demi..it's good enough for me!! Timbaland was awesome too!! He did a great mix in the middle of the concert with a bunch of old and new songs and had everybody in the place bouncin. Great time with my friends and JT!!!!

I've been tagged!!!

2007-09-22T13:01:00.000-07:00

Whooo hooo! My first comment and I was tagged by Girls Beaded Socks...THANKS!! I need to reveal 6 things about myself and then tag 6 other bloggers. Here goes..

1. I am adopted. I was when I was 2 weeks old. I don't know much about my birth parents except my mom was Irish and my dad Italian. I still think maybe someday I'll meet them. My husband was adopted as a baby too.

3. I have a almost 16 year old son and a 8 year old daughter and they couldn't be more opposite. My son is dreadfully shy and quiet and lacks self esteem and my daughter couldn't be more full of herself and loves to talk and preform in front of anyone and will be a movie star someday..so she says. Both of my kids are extremly smart, talented and beautiful! That's right I'm a braggin mom....what of it?? BTW...I am not a Nascar fan..my father in law is if anyone is curious. We were at an event with him.

5. I survived the 89 earthquake in San Francisco. I worked downtown SF and was stuck there all night I had no way of getting home. One of the scariest days of my life!

6. I'm fat and I don't care what anybody thinks. I know I will never be a size 10, nor do I want to be. I know I can always strive to be healthier, but size is no longer an issue for me. I am what I am and I'm tired of spending my life fighting it.

Here are the bloggers I tagged! Can't wait to learn a little bit more about them.

Bellacolle

Island Crafts

Lady Crow Miller Photography & Paper

Island Blossom Boutique

Georgeanne's Handcrafted Baby Accessories

Purple Daisies

Got Wine??

2007-09-22T12:52:00.000-07:00

Do you ever go wine tasting and after the third stop or so things get..well a little fuzzy?? You can't remember which wine you liked the best and where it came from? Did that wine go well with chocolate or lamb? I was inspired after many wine tasting journeys to create a book that you can keep track of the wineries you have been to and what the wine tastes like and even a spot to put the label of the wine you tasted. A perfect holiday gift for the wine lover on your shopping list!! Goes will with a bottle of vino. Available at my ETSY shop today!!

My Jar of Buttons

2007-09-13T23:30:00.000-07:00

Don't you love my jar of buttons? I put them all in an old Mason Jar. They remind me of when I was a kid. My mom had a Folgers can full of buttons. Opening the lid I could smell the coffee still ahhhh...to this day one of my favorite smells. My little hands would dig inside the can feeling the buttons between my fingers. Mom had all kinds of really cool buttons. Different textures and colors. I would take them all out and sort them by colors and by size. I stayed occupied for hours! Funny my mom never really sewed so I'm not sure why she had all those buttons. It's a great memory for me just the same. Seeing them in a jar on my desk makes me smile. I love my jar of buttons.

My first post!

2007-09-11T18:00:00.000-07:00

Alot of things have transpired this past year and sadly not most of them good. Don't worry I won't bore you with all the sorid details..lol. I'm looking forward to the fall and "turning a new leaf"in my life. It can only get better. Here is a good start! I hope my blog can inspire others to scrapbook OR maybe get them to love my papercrafting products and send them to my Etsy shop!

A little about myself. I love to scrapbook and I have been since my daughter was born 9 years ago. I have been involved with the scrapbooking industry since then. Currently I am creating speciality papercrafting items such as cards, mini albums, and scrapbooks. I do alot of custom work for many different types of customers and I LOVE what I do!

On my blog I hope to feature my latest projects, feature some of my favorite things on the web, review different products, share my thoughts on today's events (I'm a sucker for celebrity gossip), talk about the latest reality TV show, or whatever seems to be on my mind at the time!

Sit back and enjoy the ride.