Halloween at Work!

So, we had the annual mandatory Halloween costume party at "the developer" again. This year, the Public Affairs Dept was determined to win...sadly, we did not. However, we believe it's because we have the smallest department, not because we didn't have killer costumes. AND we should have gotten extra points for dressing up as a Chino icon. What were we, you ask?! The Prison City Derby Dames...the Chino women's roller derby team! I was GLAMazon, Boss Lady was BreakHer Babe, and the Assistant was Aztec Queen. What do YOU think of our costumes???

The Derby Dames

The Assistant's daughter is a makeup artist and taught her how to put on bruises and tattoos. Fierce, aren't we?!
I even got a tatoo on my back!
My sister helped us out by putting our faces into pics and then I made posters and "tickets" which I placed all around the office! Everyone LOVED them and thought that they could have been real!
Boss Lady really loved this one!
Ya, I totally posed upside down for this one...ha!

Our Team!

Where was I?

My friend Kelly did this on her blog and I thought I'd follow along!

Fifteen Years Ago
In October of 1993, I was about to turn 17. I was a junior at EDHS, heavily involved in dance team, church, hanging out with friends, and thinking about college somewhere far far away! I drove a super cool red Nissan truck with no power steering and a hydrolic clutch...we'd take that truck into all sorts of adventures, and I can't even count the amount of times friends and I would pile in, and jump the dip on Bastanchury and Rose to see if our heads would hit the roof!

Ten Years Ago
In the fall of 1998, I was already living in DC! I graduated early, was living in Arlington with Robin, working on Capitol Hill, and making all sorts of new friends. Angie was living in NYC, and we talked on the phone nearly every day thanks to the Federal Government. Ha! I was attending McLean Bible Church with Keirsten and finally found my groove! I was also a lot heavier, had terrible fashion sense and BLOND hair!

Five Years Ago
I was working at the Toll Roads in the job that I thought was absolutely perfect for me! I had been in my condo for a year, drove a super cute black convertible, and had made some amazing friends! I was a volunteer in Student Ministries at Mariners Church and went every Sunday with Krissy-pooh! I was still dateless, but much happier with myself - I had brown hair (finally!), contacts, wore makeup and color in my clothes, thanks to Jennifer. Ha! My brother and Shannon had just been married that summer, so we'd been in Santa Cruz and Hawaii before that! It was a really fun year!

That house was NOT my project!

As my friend Steve said there were 2 very noticable things about that house...the overwhelming smell of weed and a giant stack of porn in the bedroom. My dad laughed and said he thought the house was "futuristic" when it was built in the 50s and agreed with me that if we pushed on it real hard, the whole thing might fall down.

The process continues...

Thinking and praying because...

...I may have found my "project." Many of you know that I love working on my house (teeny tiny condo) that I've had for 6 years and I've been determined to find a home to restore. Well...I may have found the one. Stay tuned and pray for my decision, if you think about it!

Joshua Radin

I think I've already professed my love for Joshua Radin on my blog in the past, but I feel the need to do it again. I'm working from home this morning and I just downloaded his second CD, Simple Times...it's genius. His songs are filled with beautiful harmonies, gorgeous guitar melodies, and a soft and raspy voice. I can listen to the songs at work, in bed, when I'm reading, or even entertaining. If you haven't already, check him out: www.joshuaradin.com.

My birthday is November 5, and he'll be at the Anaheim House of Blues on November 9. I think I'll buy myself a present and go and see him that night, so if anyone wants to join me, I'd love the company!!!

Netflix

I've been a hold out for Netflix all along because I figured I had cable and TiVo, and let's face it, I already watch WAY too much TV. But I finally caved two weeks ago for a trial run. So far, I've had three movies delivered and it's SO flipping easy! I love that I can choose from so many DVDs! I grabbed Made of Honor, National Treasure: Book of Secrets, and something else already. I also just got a friendly email telling me that Pride and Prejudice will be delivered on Saturday. How rad is that?! AND, I'm not ashamed to admit that next up in my queu is Anne of Green Gables. : )

Life is grand with Netflix and I'll mock it no longer.

The Buggie came to visit!

Last weekend, Greg Bug (and Danny) came to visit to go and see Buddy's race. When we got to the racetrack, she was already there, hanging with Grammy. We played for a while and later went out to dinner. On Sunday, I spent some time over there with them, too. My love grows for this precious little girl more and more each time I see her. She's verbal now and it's just hilarious to see how she's starting to view things and ask questions. When she cries and wants to be held, she says "hold you", which totally just breaks my heart and melt even more. Here are a few pics of my adventures with my niece.

She thinks it's funny to steal my sunglasses

She gave cuddles to Carlee's baby/belly
She ran around and played chase with cousin Bryson (who is just a year older than her)
She loves to brush her teeth...or maybe she really just loves the minty toothpaste
She LOVES to eat
She LOVES Grammy and to say CHEESE
She likes Nemo, or as she calls it, Meemo, and cuddling
She LOVES eating Daddy's spaghetti, even when he's not done with it

Fun weekend

Friday night - drinks and nachos at Las Brisas with the Fitzgeralds and Barbie. then swung by Barnes & Noble, bought some books and read with a glass (or three) of wine on the couch till nighty night.


Saturday - met the Elefante's bright and early and headed into LA for the USC football tailgate and game. ate way too much, enjoyed beers, saw an old friend from the Schwarzenegger days. went home, got ready and wento to dinner with the Venegas' and Dana and Scott at some swank new place in CdM...very tasty. drank champagne and ate an INCREDIBLE creme brulee.


Sunday - went to lunch with girlfriends from HS and their children....yes, children. they all had them. we ate at the Rainforest Cafe and I'm SHOCKED that kids don't crap their pants in fear... swung by my parents house, lounged for a bit with them and Miss Kitty. grabbed a beer with my friend Matt in Fullerton, then swung over to the Fitzgeralds for dinner and more champagne and lots of Little Baby J.


So as you can see...my weekend with filled with friends, food, and booze. While it was great, I didn't clean, take in my drycleaning, buy stamps, or groceries...basically I avoided any of the things that I needed to do, but do I mind one bit??? Nah!!!

Clare, Matt, Little Baby J, and me

Financial Advice in a Scary Economy

If you had purchased $1,000.00 of Delta Air Lines stock one year ago you would have $49.00 left.
With Enron, you would have had $16.50 left of the original $1,000.00.
With WorldCom, you would have had less than $5.00 left.

But, if you had purchased $1,000.00 worth of beer one year ago, drank all of the beer, then turned in the cans for the aluminum recycling REFUND, you would have $214.00 cash.

Based on the above, the best current investment advice is to drink heavily and recycle.

It's called the 401-Keg.

I'm a DUMMY!

My cousin Carlee (who is more like a sister to me, as many of you know) has had a blog for a long time...and I didn't know about it, or more likely knew, and then forgot. So, as you'll notice, she's a new link in my "pals" section...let the blog stalking begin!!!