Wednesday, December 31, 2008

New Year's










I once heard that where you are when Midnight strikes is a prediction of how your year will go.
Ok, since I am a woman of great intelligence, I have lived by this for, like, the last 5 years. So here is it New Year's Eve and I have no big plans.

Know what? WHO CARES?!

My year will go exactly the way it's supposed to. It won't matter if I am picking $1 million dollars off a money tree. That won't help my financial situation. (Unless it's MY tree!)






If I am not with the love of my life, I will not be cursed and doomed in love for 2009.




If my kids are happy at exactly 12 AM, does that guarantee they will be good for a whole year?






Yeah, I didn't think so. Wishful thinking though!



I was raised as a princess. Not just any princess, mind you. I was the princess in the tower, who had her brave knight to rescue her. Who, once rescued, would never have a bad day. Ever.





Divorce was possibly the best thing that ever happened to me. Sad, yes. Complicated, yes. But, it taught me that there is no magical easy answer to anything!



Reality check! :)



I have learned to stand on my own two feet. I am raising 4 kids BY MYSELF. I do not get every other weekend to relax and regroup for the coming 2 weeks. I do not get child support to ease the financial burden. I have no family or church financial backing either.


So, yea Janine. You did it!
My New Year's Resolution? STOP stressing about things I cannot control. Hating my ex-husband will not make him take the kids. Envisioning him dying is not going to get him child support.

(Yes, I know there's a reserved cactus chair in hell with my name on it...)
Complaining is not going to make things easier. There is no White Horse waiting. I need to build my own. Or like the one I have....a 1997 green one with 177,988 miles on it...LOL!
Here's to a NEW year! A NEW chance! Happy New Year everyone! Make it count!

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Back to Our Cali Trip!

First, I have to comment on all the water and trees California has. I have lived in Utah for somewhere around 17 years now. But, no matter how long I have been here, I cannot forget the trees and water of Florida.

Water fascinates me. So do bridges. I even did a whole project on Bridges when I was in 6th grade. (Nerd, I know...) This is a bridge over the Sacramento River in Old Sac.


It's SO pretty!

Notice the trees? lol





The Golden Gate. WOW! I know I already posted a pic of this, but you GOTTA respect that bridge. It's beautiful and majestic. We were driving through the mountains one minute and the next, we rounded a corner and this is what we saw:





I LOVE IT!






This was taken from the Fisherman's Wharf area.

The next day before the rain moved in...






Mmmmmmmmmm, Fisherman's Wharf. The seafood was AMAZING. Coastal people just do not realize how much yummier seafood is BEFORE it's frozen and shipped to us landlocked saps.


The Oakland Bay Bridge. (Or just Bay Bridge to the locals.) It was spooky. If I didn't shave my arms, the hair woulda been standing up. We drove on the lower level, and it was almost reverent. Remember the earthquake in 1989? I was trying to explain to my kids how safe it is now and how much engineering genius went behind making it the "Machine that moves."


Then:








Now:









Yes, that's Aunt Debbie's sweet red Mustang in front of us!

Before we left the Bay area, we walked all over. The Marinas and the sound of the waves breaking on the shore just took me back. I cannot remember the last time I was SO relaxed. I could definitely go back and live where there are bodies of water other than the Great Salt Lake.

Here is my crazy son, Ty, chasing the seagulls. It was funny at first, but birds are EVERYwhere there, so it quickly became obnoxious!










Obnoxious? Ricky THRIVES off obnoxious! lol So, Ricky and Justin joined in on the seagull chasing.









My kids were as fascinated with the water as I was. Poor Aunt Debbie. I think she yelled to them 437 times to STAY OUT OF THE WATER! And another 264 times: DON'T GET YOUR SHOES WET!

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Post Christmas









I hope everyone had a joyous Christmas! Ours was VERY fun and we are extremely blessed! I actually got up Christmas morning and showered. My kids woke me up at 3 a.m. trying to "be quiet." I sent them all back to bed, but I am sure they didn't sleep.
Once I had a few cups of coffee in me, I decided we could do presents. lol
My girls had lots of reactions like this one, but I didn't even think about getting out the video camera!

OH MY GOSH!

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEL!






Jimmy and his kids came over later. It was fun until Jimmy found the Nerf gun.

This dart is actually in motion...towards ME!







Oh sorry Janine!


Um, DUH!



Poor girl is trying to play a game. Geez, Jimmy!





I guess someone else had the dart gun, so Jimmy found another way to torture our kids...



Merry Christmas 2008! Bring on the NEW YEAR!

Hi!

Hi!
This is the coolest dog ever!