The Three Tangs

Eavesdropping at Starbucks

2012-02-01T15:06:00.000-08:00

Confused looking customer: I think I want a grande. That's large, right? Barista: No, grande is medium. Customer: So, tall is large? Barista: No, tall is small. Venti is large.

2 thoughts ran through my head:
*This guy has NEVER been to Starbucks before? I didn't know that was possible!
and
*Starbucks has a really confusing naming system!

This helps explain the reasoning behind the names:
http://hotword.dictionary.com/starbucks-trenta/

There are also some really funny articles from angry people who despise the Starbucks naming system.

And did you hear that Starbucks will soon be serving wine & beer? Weird.

Wow. A whole post on Starbucks. Also weird.

Train of thought

2012-01-30T16:20:00.000-08:00

*This morning was GORGEOUS! On our way to the park I said 'Wow! It is so nice out today. It feels like summer, but it's winter.' To which Natalie replied 'Where's the snow?' ;-) Just one of the perks of living on the central coast. If I'm in the snow - it's because I'm on vacation and I WANT to be in the snow (...but I rarely WANT to be in the snow.)

*I started making calls today about the splash/water park... Umm, this is not going to be easy. I have to convince city counsel members that a new park is a good idea and worth the $$ it would take & get people to sign a petition saying that they want this as well. I was informed that I might want to meet with each counsel member individually so it could be brought to the attention of each one, plus they could give me tips re: how to proceed. I feel extremely unqualified. And overwhelmed. What the heck am I doing? :-/

*I have 4 loads of laundry to fold. Do you know what that means? It means that I've waited too long to fold laundry. And if I've waited too long to fold laundry - then I'm sure there's another load of laundry ready to be washed. What a vicious cycle. Laundry & dishes. Both vicious. I should probably fold the clean clothes so hubby doesn't have to ask me 'Do I have any clean shirts downstairs?' every day.

*We've been watching White Collar. It's a modern day crime show with a bit of an Ocean's 11 feel. I love it. Only red flag - Kelly Kapowski (Tiffani Thiessen) is in it. But, I have to admit, she's actually pretty good. And the blatant advertising for Ford is quite hysterical. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIFySyLynAk

Happy Monday!

Can I do it?

2012-01-27T17:33:00.000-08:00

In August while we were visiting Josh's dad, we went to Central Park near his house in the Bay Area. It was awesome. I actually remember coming to Central Park when I was little and I LOVED it. Lots of shallow water to play in, streams to walk in. As I sat there watching Miss N playing in the water I thought 'I wonder how hard it would be to get something like this built in our town?' We live in a perfect place for this kind of park. Good weather, lots of young families, and not many free outdoor activities provided (and lets face it - people with money to burn...) So I started mulling it over with Josh. It is something the families here would love! However, I know it would be a long and vvveeerrryyy drawn out process with lots of red tape. Do I want to spend a ton of time going to city meetings, looking for people to fund the project, trying to convince a bunch of people in suits that it would be an amazing thing for the kids in this town (when I know they would rather spend it on yet another parking garage...)? I think it's worth it. I do. But this kind of thing could take years. YEARS! Am I dedicated enough for that? I don't even know where to start. It's actually a bit daunting. But, how awesome would it be to have a free place where your kid(s)s (no, this is not a pregnancy announcement) were ALLOWED & ENCOURAGED to play in the water?! True - we do have the beach a mere 15 min from us...but I don't always feel like dealing with sand everywhere (and I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one...)

Anyone have thoughts or tips on how to get this kind of thing started?

Oh - and I would LOVE to add one of those areas that have water randomly squirting out of the ground...purely for the kids, of course. ;-)

Here are a few pictures of Central Park - San Ramon. The pics don't do it justice. And do you see the shade!!?? How glorious would it be to be able to sit in the shade and watch your kid play? Not sure why the parks here are anti-shade. But you can be sure that IF this whole 'water park' actually happens, there WILL be shade. Priorities people. Priorities.

Dentists are evil

2012-01-25T21:47:00.000-08:00

We had to send hubby to Seattle for a few days. We're all a bit bummed. (Who's the genius that thought business trips would be a good idea?) Without any prompting Natalie said 'I'm going to miss you so much Daddy.' Poor guy held it together, but I'm pretty sure it broke his heart. It's amazing what a little girl can do to her daddy's heart. I said I was going to miss him so much too...but I don't think it had the same impact. :-) As we were driving to the airport Josh said 'I used to like going on business trips...' Oh, how things have changed.

N and I have been keeping busy - making forts, painting, hanging out at the dollar section at Target (the girl could spend all.day.long there!!), avoiding naps & dealing with a 'few' time outs. And tomorrow we are heading up to see 'the neighbors'!! (Pretty sure Miss N is going to be extremely confused about what a neighbor is...) We are so excited about tomorrow!!

But today was rough. I lost my wallet. And I had to go to the dentist. I LOATHE the dentist. (Plus it kinda sucks when you go to a new dentist with no wallet - no money, no insurance card.) I have avoided the dentist for 2 years. I actually fear the dentist. Let me put it this way: I would rather have my 'lady appointment' every.single.day. for a year, than go to a dentist ONCE a year. Yeah. It's that bad. The last time I went to the dentist I got nitrous oxide (laughing gas) and it was AWESOME!! So, when I was looking for a new dentist I made sure they did sedation. Well, turns out this guy doesn't do laughing gas...and he couldn't sedate me cause I need to take the drugs on an empty stomach. Seriously?? Just club me over the head!! I don't care how I'm knocked out. I just don't want to hear or feel anything!! So today...I cried (more like quietly weeping as tears streamed down my face.) In front of the dental hygienist. And then in front of the dentist. So awkward. And I totally understand if you just lost all respect for me. Needless to say - I'll be going back when I can be blissfully unaware of my situation. Oh, how I miss you nitrous oxide... So, yeah. I'm a wuss.

On a positive note: some awesome Target employee found my wallet!!

So, in summary: we miss our man. i'm a sissy when it comes to dental work. and Target is amazing.

DATE NIGHT!

2012-01-17T15:43:00.000-08:00

Tonight I get to go on a date with this handsome devil. It's been a while - what with the plague going on in our house & all...
I'm back on my WW points (it is the ONLY thing that works for me!) so I think we'll be going out for some Thai food. :-)
*these pics were taken about a month before we got married. can you tell how much he LOVES taking pictures? ;-)

Contentment & Health - A bit of reality

2012-01-14T13:03:00.000-08:00

About a years worth of thoughts....in one blog post. Here it goes:

About a year ago I was hit hard with anxiety & panic attacks. I had dealt with anxiety & depression when I was a teen and again after N was born, but I thought everything was under control. When I'm depressed & anxious - I eat. And eat. And eat. What can I say? I'm an emotional eater. 2011 was a rough year. I had been gaining weight for a while, but 2011 pushed me over the edge. I was angry for letting myself get to this point. I kept thinking that once I lost a certain number of lbs then I would be happy with myself again. I thought all of this discontent with my body was a fairly new thing - until Josh asked me one day 'Do you really think you'll be happier if you lose weight? You weren't happy with yourself when we were dating or before Natalie was born... I don't care if you lose weight or gain weight. I just want you to be happy with YOU.' Wow. I hadn't realized just how long I had been critical of myself. I look back at wedding pictures and think 'Oh, if only I looked like that again!' And to know that, when I looked like I did 6 years ago, I wasn't happy with my image - I cringe

I keep going back to Josh's question. Will I really be happier when I weigh less? No. I don't think I will. At least not for that reason. Will I be healthier? Absolutely.

I need to stop believing the lies that I tell myself. Josh DOES love me no matter what I weigh. And I need to trust him when he says that. When I doubt him - I hurt both of us. (And I guess the same goes for God. If He loves me and MADE ME - then why should I be critical of his work?) I CAN accomplish the goals I have for myself. But most of all, I need to be content with myself. Right now. Not later.

I'm going to have to 'reprogram' my thinking - how I see food, what I see when I look in the mirror, how I think others view me.

So, my goals this year are contentment and health. Not exactly easy.

My white blood cells are on vacation - so I'm on the couch.

2012-01-06T16:57:00.000-08:00

I'm beginning to feel like a bit of a leaper. November brought bronchitis and a sinus infection. December brought the same. January decided to mix it up a bit with Shingles. I'm starting to think I should take bets for February's illness.

I'm having a hard time. I know that sounds silly because people are going through much worse, but it is so frustrating. I want so badly to be able to take care of my family. That's my job - and I can't do it properly right now. Poor hubby has to work all day, then take care of everything when he gets home. I know it's hard on Natalie too. I desperately want to get back to our routine. I guess I'm just learning that I don't have control (although I'm ready to say 'Ok Lord. I get it. I'm not in control. Now can I get better?' ...is that horrible?) So, if you're the praying type, I'd love some prayer for a quick recovery. :-)

On a more positive note - here are some random things I've learned over the past few months while being sick:
*I am incredibly grateful for family that is nearby and ready to help out...a lot!
*Stoned Wheat Thins are quite delicious.
*I would much rather have bronchitis than shingles.
*My kiddo loves me! I guess I don't really see it that much when I'm healthy 'cause I'm always around her, but when I'm sick she runs to see me after being away all day and cuddles with me on the couch. Apparently absence makes her heart grow fonder. :-)
*My husband is amazing - works all day, comes home to a disheveled house & no dinner, plays with the kiddo, puts her to bed, cleans up and finally collapses on the couch. The man definitely deserves some time off when I am 100% again!
*Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution is awesome! If you haven't seen it, you need to. It's on Hulu.
*You can go through Gone with the Wind pretty quick when you're sick.
*I enjoy the British mini-series. Who knew? Daniel Deronda & North & South. Loved them both.

Facebook & Santa Cruz

2011-12-29T14:27:00.000-08:00

It's been awhile since my last post, but since I'm just sitting here on the couch attempting to be a good patient while I recover from bronchitis AGAIN, I figured I had the time.

Are you ready for lots of rambling? If not, then just skip to the pictures. ;-) Here is goes: Facebook. It's crazy how addicted I am to it. I get on the computer to look up a recipe or check email and I automatically go straight to FB. I've never had (done?) crack, but I assume that FB is like crack for non drug users...but I digress. I waste so much of my time with it. I actually find (and my husband has pointed out) that I am much happier when I haven't been on FB in a while. I get so caught up in the drama & details of everyone else and I even let it affect my mood. 'Why in the world are they saying that!? It's not even true!' or 'Look what they get to do. Wish I could do that.' It's sad, really. I could be spending time playing with my daughter (the cutie on the trampoline!) or having a conversation with my hubby that DOESN'T revolve around someone else's status update. I'm not saying FB is a bad thing, it's just not a healthy thing for me at the moment. I hesitate to say that I'm calling it quits with FB because I don't know if I have the willpower to stay away...but I know that if it has that strong of a hold on me it probably (definitely) isn't good for me. I think my daughter, my husband, the house and my mood would greatly benefit from me saying Good-bye to FB.
Are there things I'll miss? I'm not sure. The people I have real, honest relationships with will continue to stay in touch - and there's always e-mail or phone (eeek, that means I'm going to have to start being a phone person. i hate the phone.) And all the others?? Let's be honest. If you were to run into every 'friend' you have on FB - you would probably only talk to 15%. Or maybe that's just me. All that to say - I think I'll be happier and more content without FB. I'm tired of comparing myself to others.

On a lighter note: We went up to Santa Cruz for a few days before Christmas. It.was.glorious! Lots of time with the neighbors (and yet, still not enough time) and I had a very relaxing walk by the harbor & lighthouse. The camera is still pretty new to me, so it was fun to play with the different settings. I got to people watch, watch the sunset & spend time alone. It was glorious! Thanks Josh for urging me to get out of the house. :-) Here are a few pics.

The Awesomeness that is goop

2011-09-14T17:02:00.001-07:00

Before we had Natalie - I was a preschool teacher. Math and science were (ARE) like foreign languages to me, but preschool I can understand! Glue, paper, stringing noodles together, playing with playdough, only having to count to 10 - 20 tops! Now that Natalie is preschool aged I started to pull out all the craft supplies and idea notecards and it has been SO fun! The other day we made 'goop' with cornstarch, water & a bit of food coloring. I love goop because it's a sensory activity, you can get messy, and it's easy to clean up. This is one of our outside activities - all you have to do to clean up is spray everything down with water. :-)

I made a list of activities at home & activities in our community and it has saved me many, many times! If I don't have something down on paper I will NOT remember! So, whenever we're looking for something to do I just pull out the list. :-) I can get a little particular when doing projects...and then I have to remember that Natalie is 2. (But seriously, why do you need to color on MY awesome stick figure/tree/flower picture when you have one of your own?? I'm making a masterpiece!) Natalie and I went to the Dollar Store and picked up a few things to keep in our craft drawer: more stickers (they go fast!!), cotton balls, coffee scoops for the sensory table and shaving cream (for when I'm REALLY brave)! Today is a crayon & sticker day...I'm not feeling particularly adventurous.

...and I'm back.

2011-09-13T15:07:00.000-07:00

After almost 2 years - I'm back. We'll see how long it lasts. ;-) This blog won't always be sunshine and roses, but I am going to do my best to be honest and real.

Moving on...Miss N is almost 2 1/2 now and we're back living in the town where we got married. We greatly miss our amazing neighbors!! It was awesome having people around us that could make me laugh, be there when I needed to cry, and be brutally honest with me - not to mention all of the playmates Natalie had. However it's great to be 'home'. I didn't realize how much I missed this place until we moved back. Slower pace, no traffic, so many familiar faces. :-)

Things that make me happy right now...

2009-11-19T14:56:00.001-08:00

*Whenever I see Josh with the Snuggie on.....CRACKS.ME.UP!!

I love this guy!!

(I got it to wear as my Halloween costume, but chickened out...)

Here he is demonstrating how easy it is to talk on the

phone and stay warm and cozy at the same time!

*Natalie's smiles!!! She smiles A LOT. Especially at

daddy when he comes home, whoever gets her out of her crib,

Grandma and Papa when she sees them on skype, and

anyone who will look at her when we're out and about...

*And seeing these two together!! I love it! =-)

Also on the list:

*my slippers (even though Josh says they look like grandma slippers)

*Trader Joe's chocolate (always on the list)

*watching Natalie copy something we do (so cute!)

*looking forward to seeing everyone at Thanksgiving =-)

Thursday's Recipe Rodeo

2009-10-15T15:40:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe through Yahoo recipes and it is a favorite in our house!! For more wonderful recipes visit my friend Nini's blog every Thursday. This week's Tortilla Soup is particularly delicious!!

Marinated Tomatoes with Linguine

1 lb linguine (or other long pasta)

6-8 small tomatoes

1 clove garlic (chopped or crushed)

1 T chopped basil

6 oz grated fresh mozzarella

olive oil to cover

salt and pepper

Bring a small pot of water to boil and submerge tomatoes for 30 seconds, then remove. Slit the skins with a knife; they should slip off easily. Halve the tomatoes and remove the pulp and the seeds. Chop the tomato flesh.

In a large serving bowl add the tomatoes, basil, garlic, and olive oil, salt, pepper to taste. Allow to marinate for at least 30 min, longer if possible.

Cook the pasta until al dente in salty water. Drain and add to the tomato mixture along with the grated mozzarella. Toss well and serve immediately. Serves 4.

Blog help please!

2009-10-09T21:41:00.000-07:00

I just realized that the last post has an error and I can't figure out how to go back and fix it. Any help would be appreciated!

Oh, and the chicken recipe that I posted last time needs to be changed...the first ingredient should be GREEN ONIONS, not green beans. Must have had green beans on the brain. =-)

Thursday's Recipe Rodeo

2009-10-08T16:34:00.000-07:00

My friend Nini posts a new recipe every Thurday and has encouraged others to join in - so here we go! Make sure to check out Nini's blog for some amazing ideas (and pictures of her adorable children!!) and think about joining in the recipe sharing! Let me know what recipe's you've been enjoying.

I got the following recipe from a Weight Watchers Cookbook and changed it just a bit. I love it served with a bit of rice and some garlic sauted green beans. Yum!!

Grilled Szechuan Chicken

1/2 cup chopped green beans

1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce (reduced sodium)

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon garlic

2 teaspoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon fresh ginger

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

4 (6 oz each) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Combine first 8 ingredients into a large ziplock bag. Add chicken; seal. Marinate in fridge 8 hours or overnight, turning occasionally.

Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade.

Grill approx. 5 min on each side or until done.

Serves 4

Enjoy!

Job Description

2009-09-30T15:00:00.000-07:00

I was just joking with Josh about something that was in my "job description" and he told me that should be my next blog post. So here you go.....

Job Description: Mother and Wife

Must know how to:

*cook (at least better than your husband)...and not just cook, but plan out meals and grocery shop as well!!

*clean

*separate, wash and fold laundry (preferably before husband casually asks "are there any clean clothes?"

*multitask (this is a must if you want to get ANYTHING done!)

*sucessfully pull off the carseat to crib transfer (I finally pulled this one off today!)

*differentiate between "I desperately need your help" crying and "I'm exhausted and need to go to sleep" crying (actually, this is also in the job description for husbands. it is essential in dealing with a woman!)

*improvise!!

*shake off "helpful suggestions" from random people in public

Must not be embarrassed to:

*change a baby's diaper WHEREVER necessary

*talk like a complete idiot in order to keep baby happy

*walk out of the house with slobber/spit up/drool on your clothes (because lets face it, if it's not on your clothes already, it will be soon)

*know the entire 26 min of Baby Bach (and be able to hum along...)

*refer to yourself as "mommy", even when the child is not present

*accidentally refer to your cat with your child's name or vice versa (NO, I've never done this. Why do you ask!?)

What am I forgetting?? =-)

Look who's coming to visit!

2009-09-30T14:56:00.000-07:00

"Auntie" Julie is coming to visit this weekend and we can't wait to see her!

O'Neill Catamaran

2009-09-29T13:57:00.000-07:00

Josh and I were able to spend to Saturday afternoon on the O'Neill Catamaran with Josh's coworkers. The weather was PERFECT! I mainly relaxed on the net/mesh area on the front of the catamaran that is directly over the water. It was so relaxing and the views were amazing!! I hope to get the chance to do it again someday. A BIG thank you to my sister for taking such good care of Natalie for us! Enjoy the pictures.

Hanging out on the front of the catamaran

(You can see the netting behind us)

You can see a ton of birds diving into the water in this picture...

must have been some yummy fish in the area

Beautiful setting sun

We went directly past the Boardwalk. It was

so fun to see the whole thing from the water!

The lighthouse as we were coming back into the docks.

The usual self-portrait!

Talk like a pirate day

2009-09-25T14:26:00.001-07:00

So, last Saturday was "Talk like a pirate" day - yes, it's a real day!! Josh's brother was in town, so we got a babysitter and headed over to a pirate themed mini-golf place! (Oh yes, and we also saw "The Informant" with Matt Damon - a personal favorite of mine. The movie was AWESOME!!)

The duel

Shark attack!!

Climbing up to see the pretty starfish

(aka looking ridiculous)

Turtle and Fish

as interpreted by Josh and Nathan

"Hey! Take your hands off of the booty!!"

I was the big loser of the game =-(

Did you do anything special on "Talk like a pirate" day? =-)

Beautiful day at the park

2009-09-21T15:04:00.000-07:00

This morning Natalie and I headed to a local park to play and explore. We had a great time hanging out on the sand (on a towel...I'm not ready to deal with sand in the mouth...), playing on the swings and walking around. I even got a quick video of Natalie laughing on the swings! And to top it off - we got to meet up with Josh for lunch! It's been a great Monday!

Tonight I'm attempting to make fresh Vietnamese spring rolls. (I'm cheating just a bit though - since I bought the dipping sauce from a local restaurant.) We'll see how it goes. =-)

Bath time

2009-09-13T19:54:00.000-07:00

Natalie still loves her baths!! She only cries when we take her out. Hopefully she'll love the pool just as much!

Playing with her ducky

In the monkey towel Aunt Jennie made

Rice Cereal!

2009-09-13T19:43:00.000-07:00

Today we decided to give Natalie her first taste of rice cereal. She seemed to enjoy it since she kept moving toward the spoon as it came near her. Not a whole lot actually stayed in her mouth, but it was a start!! It was so fun seeing her experience this for the first time. =-)

The joys (and guilt) of mommyhood

2009-08-24T14:28:00.000-07:00

So, I normally keep this blog pretty light, but I've been thinking recently of all the guilt that can come with being a mommy. I'm sure most of you have been through this. There are days when I wonder if I have played with Natalie enough, if I should have read her more books, talked to her more, held her more. At the same time though, she is perfectly happy hanging out on her playmat - just talking to herself or grabbing her feet, and I love that she is able to entertain herself! But then there are times like this when I'm sitting at the computer or doing chores (that I'm sure could wait...) and wondering if I should be down on the floor with her. Does it mean I love her any less? Am I a bad mommy for not playing with her as much as I could be? Will she be emotionally scarred later in life because I didn't play with her all the time when she was a baby or not "smart enough" because I only read her 2 books today? I know it seems silly, but that is what is going on in my head. And I don't want you to think that I just ignore my child all day - we talk A LOT throughout the day, I play with her and read books to her. We sing silly songs and listen to music together.

Despite all of that going through my head (and all three of us being sick) the past couple of days have actually been really fun for me as a mom. Hearing Natalie talk, watching her rough house with Josh, hearing her laugh and explore everything around her is amazing!!!

Here are a few shots of Natalie enjoying the beach:

Bonfire

2009-08-17T14:36:00.001-07:00

Our friend Scott was in town and invited us to stop by for a bonfire! It was Natalie's first and she seemed to do really well. I just realized that we didn't get any pictures with Scotty. =-( Scott, if you're reading this - we had a great time and look forward to hanging out again...hopefully soon!

Josh is apparently trying to tell me something...

perhaps he was a bit annoyed that I kept asking Scott to take pictures of us...

Hanging out in the bumbo and gumming her toy! =-)

Family picture - not sure what Natalie is looking at

You can see a helicopter in the background. They have been around

quite a bit - bringing water to the nearby fire. We can actually see them

from our kitchen window. The fire is 68% (?) contained now and it is

a lot less smokey here today. Maybe we'll venture out for a walk after

little miss wakes up! Have a great Monday.

Growling and new toys!

2009-08-17T14:22:00.000-07:00

I never realized how fast kids go through toys - which is why I'm glad I discovered the used children's store (for used clothes, toys, furniture - not actual used children....)!! Here is Natalie enjoying her latest toy and demonstrating her growling. She is quite loud - although the video doesn't do her justice!

Almost 4 months

2009-07-21T16:55:00.000-07:00

Natalie is almost 4 months old! Here's what she likes to do:

*ride in the stroller like a big girl (no carseat)

*talk, talk, talk. She is usually the loudest one at our mommy groups, just hanging out and babbling away!

*laugh in the bouncy chair while daddy spins around and around

*wake up in the middle of the night! (WHY NOW???)

*sit up while supported (on the couch, holding onto mommy and daddy's hands)

*chewing on her fingers

Here are a few pictures of her doing what she likes!

Talking up a storm

2009-07-20T16:46:00.000-07:00

Here's our little Natalie talking away....she's usually not this quiet, but she's a bit too young to learn how to use her "inside voice!"

PRETTY. DARN. CUTE. =-)

2009-07-01T19:36:00.000-07:00

Um, yeah! We think she is pretty darn cute!! =-)

Enjoying the Boppy

Look at her cute feet crossed!!

SUPER cute! Enough said!

Mommy/Daughter Photo Shoot

2009-06-23T21:17:00.000-07:00

For Josh's first Father's Day I wanted to get some photos of me and Natalie for Josh to have at work. My awesome neighbor Nini was kind enough to take some beautiful pics of us!! Thanks Nini! =-) Here are a few of my favorites. I love the pictures of Natalie with the sunglasses she got from Daddy on Easter.

She loves her daddy!

2009-06-17T17:11:00.001-07:00

And her daddy loves her!!!

Natalie and I took a trip down to SLO last week and when we got back Josh was SOO excited to see his little girl! =-) It was so sweet to see how much he missed her. He is an awesome daddy!

Natalie is now:

*enjoying her hands - staring at them, licking them, putting them in her mouth

*extremely close to rolling over

*talking like crazy (ok, so it's more like babbling...)

*doing MUCH better in the carseat =-)

Here are a few pictures of daddy and his girl hanging out together.

A wedding and date night

2009-06-01T14:57:00.001-07:00

Here are a few pictures from a wedding we went to last weekend. It was at a beautiful vineyard in Livermore and the wine was so good Josh and I decided to buy a few bottles!! =-) Natalie was a trooper (and so were we...let's just say it's slightly more difficult to go to a wedding with a baby. Jennie - I don't know how you made it to my wedding with a 9 day old!!!)

Family picture!!

Josh "feeding" me while I feed Natalie!

She actually fell asleep in the Bjorn

(that 1/2 hour of screaming she did at the

beginning of the trip must have worn her out!)

Amy and her dad walking down the aisle

DATE NIGHT!!!

Josh's mom comes and watches Natalie one night a week so the two of us can get out of the house together! It's AWESOME!! Thanks so much Lauri! We REALLY appreciate it. =-) Here are a few pictures of us hanging out by the beach one night.

The many faces of Natalie...

2009-06-01T14:52:00.000-07:00

Just plain cute

If she can learn to master this face we may never be able to say no to her!

Super happy!!

The "Seriously? Another picture?" face

2 months old!

2009-05-27T16:13:00.001-07:00

Here are a few recent pictures of our 2 month old. As you can see our little Natalie loves to smile! She is learning how to hold onto her rattle and she likes to put her hands up to her mouth and lick them...the girl loves moving her tongue around!

Natalie's Drawing Skills

2009-05-10T15:48:00.000-07:00

Here's a video of Natalie - one day shy of 7 weeks old - already drawing pictures on her own!! This is what she made for me for Mother's Day. =-)

Josh brought me an iced vanilla latte and yummy bagel sandwich from my favorite coffee place this morning and he is going to make me dinner tonight! It's been a great first Mother's Day.

Happy Birthday Caitlyn!

2009-05-02T10:06:00.001-07:00

Happy 7th Birthday Caitlyn!! I can't believe it has been 7 years since you came into our family. We love you and wish we could be with you on your special day! I hope you can come visit us this summer so we can catch sand crabs, play Wii and eat ice cream together. =-)

Lots of love,

Aunt Stephanie, Uncle Josh and Natalie

A few of my favorite things to do with Caitlyn:

*play on Photo Booth and make funny faces for the camera

*go to the park

*watch her dance

*make projects

*laugh together

One month old!

2009-04-23T16:33:00.000-07:00

Little Natalie Grace is now a month old! She started giving me smiles 2 days ago and I just about melted from the level of cuteness!! Other things new in the life of Natalie: she is eating like crazy, in now 9 1/2 lbs, is starting to coo and make other cute sounds, and enjoys looking at her books! We LOVE our little girl!

Here is a video Josh put together (WARNING: there is poo footage...sorry.) I'm guessing this will only be of interest to family. =-)

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T14:35:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter everyone! I woke up this morning to Josh and Natalie hanging out on the couch and 2 Easter baskets sitting on the table...one for me and one for Natalie. Apparently when Josh told me he went to some coffee place the other day to relax and read, he wasn't telling the truth. He was really out shopping for us girls!! Josh got me some gift certificates so I can get pampered and some candy. He got Natalie some very cute accessories!! We even dressed her up today in her very first dress from Paul and Kathy!

Natalie's Easter basket and

sweet card from Daddy

Awesome accessories Daddy bought

Daddy and his girl

All dressed up

"Wait! I'm not ready!"

"No more pictures please."

"Fine, I'll smile!"

Two weeks old

2009-04-09T11:53:00.001-07:00

Natalie is more than 2 weeks old now! She still has her days and nights a bit mixed up, but other than that she is doing really good!! We went to a new mommy group and a new mom support group this week. Natalie did great. She slept the entire time, except when I woke her up to eat. It was great to get out and meet other people going through the same stage that we are.

She is beginning to have more awake time now, which is fun for me and Josh to see. I'm looking forward to seeing her smile on purpose, but even the accidental ones are REALLY cute!

I should probably wash some bottles and straighten up a bit while Josh and Natalie are asleep....but instead I think I'm going to watch a little "What Not To Wear". Speaking of "What Not To Wear", I think I'm getting pretty close to the nominees on the show. All I seem to wear these days are my comfy pants and a tank top and then I throw my hair up in a pony tail. Oh well! Enjoy the pictures. =-)

So peaceful

"Pay no attention to my baby acne!"

In her cute pink outfit...notice the sleeves are

3/4 length on her. Wonder where she got the

long arms from!??

Daddy/Daughter time

My new little family =-)

2009-04-04T20:21:00.000-07:00

Josh and I have really been enjoying the last few days as a new little family. Natalie is having more awake time and we are getting out of the house everyday! She has already changed so much since she was born. Josh is an amazing daddy and husband! He has been taking the night shifts with Natalie so I can catch up on sleep and I take over in the early morning so he can sleep. I think we make a pretty good team. =-)

Me and my baby girl

Our friend Scott took this today

when he was visiting

(when I look at this picture I think

"Who in the world does

she look like??")

So serious!

Wide awake!

First Bath

2009-04-02T11:30:00.001-07:00

Our little lady had her first bath a few days ago and really seemed to enjoy it. She only cried when we took her out and dried her off! =-)

"Ooo, this is nice!"

"I love my hands!"

"What the heck mom? Put me back in the warm water!!"

Clean, swaddled, and fast asleep!

(Check out all my dark hair!! Where did that come from??)

Natalie seems to know what she likes and what she doesn't and has no problem telling us. (Sounds a lot like me actually...)

Likes:

snorting (yes, she's a major snorter!!)

eating

laying on mommy and daddy's shoulders

walks (for the most part)

Dislikes:

being swaddled in the middle of the night

...pretty much anything in the middle of the night actually

getting out of the bath

Natalie Grace

2009-04-01T13:23:00.000-07:00

A very tired Daddy - hours after Natalie was born

Natalie (a few hours old) with Aunt Jennie!

Going home

Snuggling with daddy

Our new family!

Hi All! As most of you know our daughter Natalie Grace was born a little over a week ago on Monday the 23rd of March at 9:49 pm. She was 7 lb 12 oz and 18 1/2 inches long. She has a full head of dark hair, her daddy's long feet and mommy's face. =-)

I'm not going to get into the labor story right now - not quite ready to relive that trauma quite yet!! Let's just say my water broke, they induced and it went REALLY FAST!

Place your bet!

2009-03-20T14:47:00.000-07:00

Now is your chance to place your bet on when Baby Tang will make his/her appearance. Our due date is March 26th, but who knows when baby will come! I'll try to come up with an awesome prize for the winner!!

Here's what you need to guess:

Gender

Birth Date

Time of Birth

Weight

And here is a picture of me at 39 weeks...if that helps in your guessing!

SLO Baby Shower

2009-03-16T12:16:00.000-07:00

I'm now 10 days away from baby's due date! Part of me is thinking "How can I possibly be a mom in 10 days (+ or - a few!)" and part of me is thinking "10 days is too long!!" We'll see how long it actually is until baby arrives, but until then we wait....

Here's a few pictures to tide you over til then.

Our beloved Sushi enjoying "her new bed"

aka baby's changing pad. She has also been found

fast asleep in the Pack n Play.

Sushi is in for a VERY rude awakening!!

What my dad and Josh decided to do during the

baby shower! Speaking of which, does anyone know

how to get grease and car fluid out of clothes??

Me and the little one

We love to go everywhere together!!

With my mom =-)

Me with my wonderful shower host

Jill

An adorable onesie that I can't wait to use

The shower game involved making playdough

babies behind your back. I though they were

hilarious!! Dionne's green legless baby won,

Traci's yellow gender specific baby was definitely

runner up!! I knew the preschool teachers would win!

My mom's is more of a turtle in my opinion

(pink one, bottom middle!)

Traci and Dionne - I miss working with

these ladies!

Dawn's handmade hooded blanket

Trav and Emma Visit!!

2009-03-12T18:16:00.001-07:00

Our friends Travis and Emma came for a visit from WA. It was the first time Josh had met their little guy, Joey, and Joey was constantly walking around looking for Josh and kept saying his name! Too cute. =-) Josh also taught Joey how to Kaa. Oh the tragedy!

A tiny college reunion:

Josh, Steph, Emma, Trav, Joey, Dave, Vienna and Scott

(Josh, Trav and Dave were all roommates in SLO)

Joey's first trip to In n Out

Trav loving life while eating a double-double

Valentine's dinner out

Bay Area Baby Shower

2009-03-08T18:24:00.000-07:00

It's been quite a while since I've blogged, so I need to play catch up! Here are some pictures from a baby shower my Aunt Chris threw for me up in the Bay Area at the beginning of February. I had such a great time catching up with family and friends that I hadn't seen in a while! Please be praying for my Aunt Chris as she is in the hospital and the doctors aren't quite sure what is going on. Thanks!

Me and my God sister Julie

(She came all the way from socal for the shower! Thanks Jules!)

My niece Aubreigh with some yummy cake

The beautiful cake for in honor of little baby Tang

My oldest niece Caitlyn with the monkey towel

that her mom (my sister) made for baby

Me and the guest of honor

Baby Tang

Mommy question

2009-01-16T16:36:00.001-08:00

To all those mommies out there:

Is a rocker-glider something I can't live without or totally unnecessary?? Let me know what you think.

30 Weeks

2009-01-15T17:02:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm 30 weeks along now and getting larger and more emotional. I just can't imagine being a mommy. I have days where I break down crying (mostly days following our birthing classes), and days where I get into cleaning/organizing mode (am I nesting or just trying to get things done while I can??) I have such a range of thoughts...."I can't possibly give birth", "I can't wait to meet this little one", "Will I be an ok mom?", "Josh, what are we doing?????", "I love my little one already!"

We got to take a tour of the hospital the other night and it was VERY nice. Josh kept saying, "WOW, this is nice. It doesn't even feel like a hospital!", while I was thinking "Yes, it's nice, but I still have to birth a child here!!!!"

I think baby is going to have such a fun personality and can't wait to see who he/she looks like! Baby is super active and super strong. I was told to start a kick count and baby is suppose to get in 10 movements in 2 hours or less....my smart little baby only needs 5 minutes to get those 10 kicks in (yeah, my baby is advanced!!)

We are supposed to have a few visitors over the next month which will hopefully make these next weeks fly by. We shall see. Hope everyone is doing well!!

With one of the flowers I got from Josh on "Wife Appreciation Day"

Me and baby at 30 weeks

Nutcracker and baby's crib

2008-12-28T17:26:00.000-08:00

So, apparently I'm a bit behind on this whole blog thing....here are just a few things that I have been up to:

Here is baby's new crib. Josh put it together today!! I love it. Thanks mom and dad!!!! =-)

Me and Caitlyn after her performance in the Nutcracker.

With my sister Jennie.

Making Christmas cookies with Caitlyn and Aubreigh...they were much more creative than I was.

Baby and I at 26 1/2 weeks.
I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!

First baby purchases and 22 weeks

2008-11-20T17:54:00.001-08:00

We have received a few gifts from friends and family, but so far I hadn't bought anything for baby....until last night. I got baby it's very first book "Mommy's Best Kisses"...so sweet. The shoes I need a second opinion on: Do you think they could pass for boy OR girl shoes? I think they are ADORABLE, but it is so hard to find something that is gender neutral.

And here I am at 22 weeks. I seem to have popped overnight!! Baby is continuing to kick, but so far I am the only one to feel it. The kicks have been strong enough at times to feel on the outside of my belly, but baby doesn't like to cooperate with daddy! Hehe!!

Other fun news:

-We just got the pink slip to the Corolla! Yay. One car paid off, one to go!!

-Josh has declared Thursday's "Wife Appreciation Day". =-) Last week I woke up to an iced vanilla latte in the fridge and a rose on the counter. Today I woke up to a perfectly clean kitchen-dishes done, counter cleaned off and the dishwasher unloaded (and I know he HATES to do that!) So, yeah....Thursday's are pretty awesome!

-We are hosting Thanksgiving this year. My parents are coming to stay with us, Josh's sister and fiance will be coming and possibly Josh's dad and his wife. So, we will enjoy the company, lots of yummy food and maybe some Wii! =-) Jennie- tell Caitlyn that I'll bring the Wii up next time I visit!! She hasn't tossed that poor cow in over a year.

Half way there!

2008-11-12T17:30:00.000-08:00

Here's my 20 week preggo picture. It's not the best, but it's the only one I have. =-)

We had our 20 week ultrasound last Friday and it was lots of fun to see our little one again. This ultrasound was much different than the one we had at 14 weeks. At 14 weeks, baby was nice and calm and was more than happy to pose for a few pictures. However at 20 weeks baby was moving and grooving the whole time!! =-) It was really cute. We got a little wave at the beginning, but our little one was not up for sitting still for a picture. For those mommies out there: Did you find that an active baby in the womb meant an active child once they entered the world? If so, then Josh and I are going to have our hands full. =-) I look forward to finding out. In the meantime I'll just enjoy the punches and kicks I get from little baby Tang!!

What will I do with myself?

2008-11-12T15:24:00.000-08:00

Between the stress and getting sick on and off it looks like I'm finally going to put my two weeks notice in at work. I have had a cold for the last 3 weeks now and I know the stress has taken a toll on me as well. Josh finally convinced me this morning that quitting is the best thing for me and baby. (Yeah, he has been asking me for a while now to quit.) I'm home sick today (...again), so it looks like I have to confront the boss tomorrow. Yuck. I'm dreading the conversation.

I think what I'm more concerned about it what will fill my time in the days and months to come once I'm not "working". Time will tell. Let me know if you have any suggestions.

I'm starting to feel a bit better today (don't know if that has anything to do with my decision to quit!??) and Josh and I are looking forward to a nice dinner at home together and a board game. =-)

Confession

2008-10-16T12:50:00.000-07:00

I have an addiction. I can't seem to stay off the computer. My house is a mess and I have NO excuse. I don't even go to work until 2pm, yet the internet and all the lovely blogs take up my time. I called Josh and asked him to take the computer to work with him tomorrow so I wouldn't be tempted to sit around all day, neglecting the things I actually need to do. So, I have at least admitted that I have a problem and reached out to my hubby for help with my yucky addiction. =-)

A not-so-cute preschool story

2008-10-13T17:33:00.000-07:00

I just got home from work and I'm a bit peeved. I'm supposed to stick to the mellow, easygoing stuff at work right now (per my boss) and avoid the confrontational children (since I cannot pick them up and remove them from situations....that sort of thing.) However, today a child decided to follow me around and hit me. I tried to ignore the situation, hoping the child would stop, but then it became necessary to take an object away because they were hitting me with it. It only got worse from there. Everywhere I would go, the child would follow - then proceed to hit me again and scream. The mom was there (throughout the entire process) so I finally went inside to mom and told her that her child was hitting me and screaming and that I needed her to come out and take care of him. She came out for a bit, talked to the child, then went back inside. I decided to hang out with the mellow kids who were coloring and he comes up to tell me something....I acknowledge him and he KICKS me!! That's when I grab him by the hand and bring him to mom. NOT COOL!! I don't get an apology or anything. If I was the parent I would have been SOOOO apologetic. I understand hitting is acceptable at the child's home, but completely unacceptable in my mind. This is not the first time this child has hit/kicked/screamed at a teacher and I doubt it will be the last. I am just shocked at the way mom dealt with it. I still stick by my idea to have a tip jar at the preschool!!! You know, for when kids are...well, this way. I mean, waiters and waitresses get tips...why not the people that take care of children all day??? Sorry that this has turned into a rant. I really do enjoy my job and working with preschool kids, I just get frustrated when things like this happen. It makes me wonder how I will be as a parent.

On a lighter note, today I received two special presents from some sweet girls at the preschool. A leaf shaped like a heart and a pumpkin picture. The picture is at the top for your viewing pleasure. Apparently pumpkins can be royalty too!

Funny kid quotes

2008-10-09T12:04:00.000-07:00

I haven't really said much to the kids at work about baby, but every once in a while it comes up (like when they try to jump into my lap or head butt me in the stomach...yes, that has happened). It's times like these that I need to let them know that I have a baby growing in my belly and they have to be gentle. Here are some of the funny questions that I have received:

Boy: "You have a baby in your belly? Can I see how fat you are?" Charming.

Girl: "Does everybody have a baby in their tummy?"

Me: "No."

Girl: "How does it get there?"

Me: "You should ask grandma that question."

I love their questions! They crack me up sometimes (although I try not to laugh in front of them.) I'm sure there will be many more the bigger I get.

Introducing Baby Tang

2008-09-28T20:32:00.001-07:00

HOW CUTE IS THIS?????
Here is baby at 14 weeks!! The dr.'s appt went really well and everything looks great at this point. =-) It was quite reassuring when the dr came in and asked us why my midwife sent us over and when we said "Parvo" he responded with "Is that it?" There were quite a few pics taken of little baby, but this one was the most clear. You can even see his/her profile!! Josh has already had 2 dreams that baby is a boy, but who knows, maybe my Aunt Sue Ann is right about baby being a girl!?

We took some time to look at baby names today....boy, that is hard!! Most of the names I like, Josh doesn't and most of the names Josh like, I don't. We still have plenty of time to decide, we'll come up with something. Anyone have name suggestions??

This and that

2008-09-22T20:45:00.000-07:00

Let me begin by answering some questions about the last blog:

The whole midwife thing...

Yes, we are using a midwife this time around, BUT that does not mean a home birth or all natural birth by any means (not in my case anyway.) I like knowing that I'll be in a hospital where there are trained medical professionals and they will be able to step in if anything goes wrong. I also like the fact that pain medication will be readily available if I so choose. I talked to a few people before making the decision of a midwife over an OB to see what their experiences were. I decided to go with the midwife this time for a few reasons 1) I was told they are able to spend more 1 on 1 time with you 2) I want to have a woman this first time around....figured it would help me ease into the whole "There goes my dignity" situation 3) I was told that the dr I would have seen is a little bit on the technical side (not a great bedside manner) and 4) Josh was fine with whatever I decided.

Parvo side effects on Baby...

So, like I said, it looks like we have a very high percentage that baby will be just fine, but here are some of the possible complications due to the fact that I had Parvo.

*higher chance of miscarriage (about 4% more)

*anemia in baby (possible blood transfusions??)

*something called hydrops (?) where fluid can build up in baby

That's what we have been able to find through a bit of research, but we'll learn more at our appointment on Friday.

Anyway, I've been feeling ok....just tired. I had a few days where I had a TON of energy so I thought maybe the 2nd trimester had really kicked in....but no. I am also starting to discover the joys of heartburn. =-) If only I can get Josh to stop stealing my Tums. Do any of you mommies out there have any good tips for the 2nd trimester???

Oh, and how can I forget. This weekend Josh and I went to lunch with some friends and got to see a bit of a surfing contest, then went to see Burn After Reading (stange, but so funny). Upon returning home Josh told me.....here's the good part....that I could take a nap while he went to the laundromat to do our mass amount of laundry!!!! Yeah, he's awesome.

Little lime baby

2008-09-18T13:02:00.000-07:00

I'm now about 13 weeks along and we got to hear the heartbeat on Tuesday. =-) Baby is about the size of a lime. (Sorry for the unattractive picture, but I wanted you to see that I am starting to get a bit round.) Right now I love my maternity pants....ahhh, the stretchy goodness.

Josh and I had a bit of a scare on Monday as my midwife called to inform me that one of my lab results came back showing that I had parvo (no, it's not just a dog disease) either right before I got pregnant or sometime during the first trimester. They knew I was at risk for this since I work with preschoolers. I was at work when I got the call so I was thinking, "Great! What else are these little kids going to give me!?" So, I pretty much freaked out. She said there could be complications or it could be perfectly normal, but I needed to go get my blood drawn again and see a Perinatologist (dr who deals with higher than normal risk pregnancies). Anyway, it looks like the odds are for us (80-95% chance that nothing will be wrong). We see the Perinatologist next week. Pray that everything will come back normal....and that I won't get any more fun germs from the kids at work.

My parents are in town for a bit visiting some friends who are camping nearby, so it's been nice to have the company. I'm looking forward to having the day off tomorrow so I can spend the day with them....unless I get called in to work. Have a great Thursday!

Yippee!!

2008-09-12T20:20:00.000-07:00

I get to see him tomorrow night!!! Sure, he'll be jetlagged...but at least he'll be with me! =-)

Return of the Pumpkin Spice Latte

2008-09-10T21:00:00.001-07:00

My mom was here for a few days and it was awesome. She got so much done around here that I have been putting off. Our back room (that will eventually be baby's) has been filled with boxes that Josh and I shoved back there so we wouldn't have to look at them. Then my mom comes and unpacks them and reorganizes in the 3 hours that I'm at work!! And as if that were not amazing enough.....she made me a wonderful dinner of Bratwurst and Potato Pancakes...Josh isn't the only one getting amazing German food! Yummy. Thanks mom. I usually only get this for my birthday dinner. =-)

The next day was not so fun for me. I had to get my blood drawn and I tend to get all worked up and nervous before hand. I was doing pretty good until the lady said, "Hm, it's not working." Are you SERIOUS?? Don't tell me that!!! So, then I start getting all light headed and dizzy. I had to put my head down and they brought me water and gave me a cold towel for my forehead. (Awkward.) They had to move me to a bed so I could lay down. They then proceeded to stick a larger needle into my other arm (yeah, that didn't feel so good) and take 5 viles of my blood. Soooo glad that is over. However, if I can't even handle a little blood being drawn, how am I going to deliver a baby?? The rest of the day was fun. Mom and I went to the mall and looked at all the cute baby stuff.

Today we went to Target before she went home and I went to work. More fun times looking at baby stuff and just enjoying LOTS of time at Target!! Oh, cute story...well, I think it's cute. At work I asked one of the boys if he thought I was having a boy or a girl. His answer was, "A boy. He's going to be a crime fighter like me." WOW, who knew I had a little crime fighter in there!!

In other awesome news......the Pumpkin Spice Latte has returned to Starbucks!! (don't worry, I'm not getting the full caffeine....) Any other lovers of the Pumpkin Spice Latte out there???

Oh yes, and I'm still missing this guy:

He made it

2008-09-06T12:47:00.000-07:00

I just got a call from Josh! We even got to video chat for a bit. =-) That made me a happy woman!!! He made it to Germany. Unfortunately his luggage didn't make it all the way, he should be getting it tomorrow morning.

Missing my man!

2008-09-05T21:00:00.000-07:00

Right now I'm curled up on the couch with my fluffy cat (ok, let's be honest, she's quite large) and missing Josh. Unfortunately for me he is about to board an airplane for a business trip to Germany. =-( He hasn't even been away from me a day (he still had to work today before the flight) and I already miss him terribly. I've even been close to crying. It could be the pregnancy hormones or just the fact that I really enjoy his company. Come home to me soon babe!

Us in Santa Cruz on our 3rd Anniversary

(hence the 3 fingers)

Here are a few pictures we took while waiting for fireworks at the Boardwalk:

I think he might be trying to eat me...

We ALWAYS look at each other like this!

Or is it always like this??? =-)

Luckily this wonderful woman (my mom!) is coming to keep me company for a few days! Thanks in advance mom! I love you!

Oh yes, and today I am 11 weeks pregnant! Getting closer... =-)

The big news!

2008-08-22T12:28:00.000-07:00

Yep! That would be a positive pregnancy test! Josh and I found out a little over a month ago and we are now 9 weeks along. We are very excited (and nervous!) Baby should be arriving late March of 2009. Not sure whether we'll find out the sex or not. Josh is all for it being a surprise, me....not so much. Hopefully I can get the ultrasound picture on at some point. Yesterday we got to see baby's heartbeat and it even wiggled it's "feet buds"!! So exciting to see!!

Happy Birthday Brie!

2008-06-16T10:56:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday beautiful girl! Have fun blowing out your very own candle. xoxo

Love, Uncle Josh and Aunt Stephanie

Moving time

2008-06-16T10:22:00.000-07:00

The movers are here, the house is in disarray and I just downed a Starbucks double shot! I'm feeling a bit jittery!!! Is it the move or the Starbucks???? At least the cat isn't freaking out.....yet.

It's been awhile.....

2008-06-15T15:48:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged for a while because I am a bit overwhelmed by the amount of topics I have to blog about. Does that make any sense?? I really want to write about and show pictures from: my trip to my sister's, the baseball game, Josh's mom's wedding, the preschool graduation and the beautiful fireworks last night at the Boardwalk. See!!?? So much to say..... Oh yeah, and we're moving tomorrow, so I'm trying to go through the stuff that we have collected over the past 5 months and chuck anything we don't need. So, I will try to get all the pictures downloaded to the computer once we are moved and (somewhat) settled in. Hope everyone is doing well. Here's a picture to tide you over for a while. =-) It was taken at Josh's mom's wedding reception a few weeks ago!

I love these kids....

2008-05-26T21:22:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow I'm off to my sister's place to watch these three for a few nights while my sister and her husband head to SoCal on a business trip. I can't wait to spend time hanging out and spoiling (but, not too much....don't worry Jennie!) my nieces and nephew!! I'll post some pictures when I get home.

Fire in the Santa Cruz Mountains

2008-05-22T11:49:00.000-07:00

Please be praying for the families who are being evacuated from their homes in the Santa Cruz Mountains. It is extremely windy out today which makes it even more difficult to contain the fire.

Decisions, decisions....

2008-05-20T15:23:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been getting the itch to teach my own preschool class again. Right now I am an aide and a substitute so I work with all the kids and I don't have to plan for any of the activities. I miss the monthly lesson planning, coming up with new, fun projects and messy experiments to do and having a bond with "my kids". There were times though that were difficult, but overall I really miss it. So, do I start looking for a teaching position and give a year commitment or do I stay where I am? We'll see what happens. I have called 2 preschools to see if they are hiring and they both said to come by and get an application (though I don't think they have any openings at this time.) Oh, I miss my little munchkins and can't wait to see them (and all of my fabulous former co-workers) at graduation!!

Happy Tuesday all.

The sounds of Santa Cruz

2008-05-20T13:12:00.000-07:00

Here are some video clips from bands that we have seen playing in downtown Santa Cruz. You just never know what kind of music you'll hear when you're there!!

I'm not exactly sure what genre this band would be considered, but I like it. Any ideas??

Kuzanga Marimba of Santa Cruz with Move Hoops (they had light-up hula hoops!)

Wonderful weekend with my sister

2008-05-18T17:28:00.000-07:00

Josh and I had the pleasure of my sister's company over the weekend. It was such a fun and relaxing time for all of us. Josh and I are slowly trying to entice my family to move closer to us (not exactly fair since we're the ones that moved away, but oh well!) We had a full weekend of...eating sushi, watching various downtown musicians in Santa Cruz, going to the beach, seeing Iron Man, dinner and drinks at Kianti's, thrift store shopping, looking at the adoptable cats at Petco (poor Josh couldn't get me out of there fast enough), and just enjoying each others company! Come back soon. I miss you already Jennie!!

Me and Jennie on the pier in Aptos...

we both got sunburns =-(

With my hubby in Aptos

Josh and Jennie by the creepy cement boat

Out to dinner at Kianti's

(where we bring anyone

and everyone who visits us!)

Me with my yummy drink

Recent Happenings

2008-05-14T21:41:00.001-07:00

It's been a busy, guest filled few weeks. Here's what we have been up to:

The beach in Santa Cruz with my dad

Lunch with my mom and dad in Capitola

Me and Julie with the surfer statue in Santa Cruz

Me and Julie by the boardwalk waiting for

the men to get the car!

Josh is SO EXCITED about our date night!

A little better....

Oh, come on Josh! How about a nice picture??

Julie's graduation party! Congrats Jules!!

Fun times in Seattle

2008-05-14T21:25:00.000-07:00

The beach with Joey and Emma

Emma and I at Pike Place Market

Joey!

The Thompson Family

Joey and Emma

Enjoying a sunny day

I had an amazing time with Travis, Emma, and Joey! Thank you so much for your hospitality!

Randomness

2008-05-08T19:56:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted in a while because I was going to wait until I uploaded (is that the correct term??) my pictures from the camera to the computer. However, seeing as how I still have not found that cord-device-thingy I will simply post without pictures. I had a GREAT trip to Seattle! I loved all the talks I had with Emma (they meant so much to me Emma! I am so glad we are able to stay in touch despite the distance and our different stages in life!) Joey was adorable and it was great to finally see Trav and Emma as parents. Too cute!

Here's what's been on my mind:

*I have really enjoy watching Home Improvement again (thank you Netflix)! It was funny when I was a kid, but now that I'm married I see a different side of the humor. Tim, Al, Jill, Randy....how you make me laugh (Brad and Mark....not so much.)

*The longer I live in Santa Cruz, the less I find odd about the people here. For instance, today I saw some girl riding her bike. She had this short mohawk that was bright yellow and pink and instead of thinking "Oh my gosh! That girl has a mohawk!!" I found myself thinking, "Wow, interesting colors." This place is growing on me....not that I'm going to get a mohawk anytime soon.

*I love the way the air smells up here! The redwoods just smell so pretty! (Remember how it smelled at Mt. Hermon in the summer Jennie?)

*I have four loads of laundry just waiting to be folded....yuck.

*While I was tying this little boys shoe today I caught him telling me he loved me. When I said, "What was that?" He said, "Nothing....." and quickly walked away. How cute is that??

*We went to one of the best surfing spots in Santa Cruz over the weekend with my dad (my mom came up later that day) and it was gorgeous!! The waves, the flowers all around, the beautiful lighthouse...I think that's when I really started to like this place! Yay! It's finally starting to feel like home. =-)

Happy Birthday Caitlyn!

2008-05-02T09:30:00.000-07:00

Happy birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy

birthday dear Caitlyn! Happy birthday to you!

Happy Birthday Caitlyn! I hope you have a wonderful day. I love you and miss you. I wish I could take you out to Starbucks today so we could get our special treats and read books together. Can't wait to see you on Sunday! Love, Aunt Stephanie

Here are some fun pictures I found of us since you were born:

(they were in order, but got messed up...oops!)

Fun in Monterey

Funny faces

Out to dinner

When you were born

(I was SO EXCITED to meet you!)

Aunt Stephanie's room at Grandma and Papa's:

You liked looking at yourself in the mirror!

My pretty flower girl

Holding my hand =-)

I Love You Caitlyn!

My dreadlock rant

2008-04-23T20:08:00.000-07:00

After being in Santa Cruz for a few months now I have seen my fair share of dreadlocks: short, long, curly (yeah, weird right? who would have thought they could be curly?) My questions about dreadlocks are numerous: How does one go about starting dreadlocks? Do you just stop washing your hair? How can some people have dreadlocks that appear to be somewhat kept, yet some have hair that appears to be a mangled birds nest? What inspires one to have dreadlocks? It is these kinds of questions that arise after I go to the SC Farmer's Market.

I realize that there are definite perks to having dreads. You save water and time from not having to wash your hair. You don't have to spend money on pesky brushes or shampoo.

It's not that I don't like people with dreads, I just don't understand their reasoning for WANTING them. Sorry for the rant...

On a side note: I say a girl at Farmer's playing her guitar with a sign next to her that said "Attend the Tree Sit". WHAT?? Do you think she's talking about sitting in a tree to prevent people from cutting it down? Man, I've only heard about that in movies and newspapers!

Off to pack for Seattle! Enjoy the rest of your week. =-)

Yay for vacation

2008-04-22T20:33:00.000-07:00

On Thursday morning I'm off to Seattle to visit our friends Emma, Travis and their little boy Joey! I haven't seen them in over a year and I'm so excited to meet little Joey. Josh will be working, so I'm going solo this time. The pictures are from past visits to Seattle.

Not much going on recently - hence the lack of blogging. I was sick, then Josh was sick. We did watch a few good movies while we were sick. Check them out if you have the time: King of California (quirky and funny) and Dan in Real Life (comedy and a slight tear jerker....or maybe it was just me.....)

Have you seen any good movies lately?

4 About Me

2008-04-14T21:18:00.000-07:00

Josh is working at the moment so I figured I'd blog. I've seen this "4 About Me" on a few blogs and thought it might be fun, so here we go....

4 About Me:

Jobs I've Had:

-babysitter

-receptionist for a pediatricians office

-preschool aide/sub/2's teacher (2's teacher was the most fun and most rewarding so far)

-helped my mom's old boss out with paperwork and odds and ends

Places I've Lived:

-Concord, CA

-San Luis Obispo, CA (93401)

-San Luis Obispo, CA (93405)

-Felton, CA

Movies I've Watched More Than Once:

-The Princess Bride

-The Count of Monte Cristo

-Ocean's 11

-The Bourne Identity

Shows I Watch:

-Everybody Loves Raymond

-Arrested Development

-The Office

-24

Places I've Been:

-London, England

-Belgium

-Austria

-Venice, Italy

Places I Want To Visit Someday:

-Australia

-Switzerland

-Ireland

-the East Coast states

Favorite Food:

-Sour Patch Kids (does that actually count as food?)

-Bratwurst with Potato Pancakes

-Cheesecake

-Strawberries

Music I Love:

-Howie Day

-Rosie Thomas

-Switchfoot

-Jack Johnson

What I'm Looking Forward To This Year:

-visiting Trav and Emma in Seattle (and meeting Joey!)

-Hawaii in September with Josh??

-going back to New Life Preschool in Pismo Beach to watch the kiddos 'graduate' in June

-visiting Grandma & Grandpa and Aunt Sue Ann this summer with my mom (yay for Illinois in the summer time)

Places I'd Rather Be Now:

-In Australia

-Hawaii with Josh

-Hanging out with Caitlyn at Starbucks, reading her stories and enjoying our treats

-Hanging out with Aubreigh at the park

Where I Love To Shop:

-Old Navy

-American Eagle

-Target

-Amazon.com (gotta support the hubby)

Happy Monday!

Wanted: Good home for hippies

2008-04-14T18:31:00.000-07:00

I'm finally feeling better so Josh and I decided to go on a date last night. We went to a pizza and pasta place in downtown Santa Cruz and then to see "Leatherheads". We passed a group of young homeless people on our way to dinner. As people walked by them they were saying, "Do you want to adopt a hippy? I'm house broken, sleep on the floor and all I need is weed." The couple in front of us said, "We'll have to think about it." Being the sheltered person that I am I thought he said "All I need is wheat.", which I found to be strange...then it hit me...WEED! Oh. I suppose that makes more sense considering the circumstances. So, let me know if you're looking to adopt a hippy. I know where to find PLENTY!

The rest of our date was great. Amazing pasta at Kianti's (if you come to Santa Cruz you MUST go) and the movie was good....not great, but good. Josh and I were talking about it on the way home and he said, "I WANTED to like it." That kind of sums it up.

Thanks for reading. =-) Leave me a comment and let me know you stopped by!

What make me happy??

2008-04-10T16:52:00.000-07:00

Things that make me happy:

My husband - Josh

My niece - Caitlyn

My niece - Aubreigh

My nephew - Jacob

Listening to: Jack Johnson, Rosie Thomas, Colbie Caillat......

Talking on the phone to: my mom, my sister, Emma

Thursday's thoughts

2008-04-10T16:23:00.000-07:00

Josh and I got back from SLO last night. We ended up staying an extra day because as soon as we got to SLO I came down with something like the flu. =-( Luckily I was surrounded my people to help take care of me (Thanks Josh, Mom and Dad!), cable...perfect for all the time I spent on the couch, and the dogs (who were more than happy to take tons of naps with me.)

On Tuesday I got to go by the preschool and visit my old co-workers and "my kids". I was so excited to see them and happy to see that they hadn't forgot about me. The kids reminded me that I lived "far away in Santa Cruz now." It's nice to see they were listening to me. I miss them all so much. It was a very emotional day for me. I didn't think it would be that hard going back, but worth seeing all their adorable faces. Josh and I were able to go out to dinner that night and then out to drinks and Cold Stone with our friend Russell. Good times.

I decided to take an extra day to get back into the swing of things before going back to work. Right now I'm having a difficult time deciding where I belong. I feel like I don't belong in SLO anymore, yet I don't feel like I belong here yet. Please be praying that I will be open to new situations and give my control over to God.

What am i doing??

2008-04-03T15:06:00.000-07:00

Well, here I am starting a blog because A) I am new to Santa Cruz and have NO FRIENDS to talk to B) I don't have to work today C) I am avoiding the need to clean the house and D) My sisters wanted me to start a blog.

For those of you who haven't seen or talked to us in a while here's what's been going on:

In February we moved up to the Santa Cruz area for Josh's work (same company Josh was working for in SLO, just a different location.) We were only supposed to be here for 6 months then back to SLO, but we decided to stay. So, here we are. I found a job in Santa Cruz working as an aide/sub at a preschool.

Before I start getting people asking if we had a baby.....no! The third Tang I referred to in the title is our wonderful cat Sushi (see pic below.)

I am homesick for SLO and since we're only 3 hours away Josh and I are going to go for an extended weekend. We will leave tomorrow and come back Tuesday! Yay!! I am hoping to spend some time with my parents, old co-workers and friends!

Anyway, hopefully I'll find some fun things to blog about (as there is always something STRANGE going on in Santa Cruz....and it usually results in me saying to myself "What am I doing here??") Here are a few recent pics.

Me and my niece Aubreigh

Sushi - the cat

Valentine's dinner with Josh