Hannah's 1st Birthday

Made this for Hannah tonight. Just trying out some things. I was going to do it more pinks and purples but I wanted to do a Mickey Mouse sheet for our trip to Disneyland. Clicky on the pic to see upclose. Totally cute pics.

No one told me!

I called State Farm today about Heather's insurance and kinda mentioned without meaning anything, that Heather has a baby now and blah, blah, so the guy says, "oh, she has a baby? That changes everything. She's no longer a youth driver, she's an adult driver".

They cut $60 off my monthly bill. I wish I would have known 10 months ago!!!!

I had no idea that I was supposed to contact the insurance company to report a baby!

GRRRRRRRRRRR.

I didn't get paid today :(

Well, I did, technically, but after I paid my bills online and put aside $200 (bare minimum) for gas for the next 2 weeks and $200 for food, my balance was the same as it was BEFORE my automatic deposit. wahappen?

Gas is eating me alive right now. I'm consciencioustly thinking, debating about each place I drive now, trying always to kill two birds with one stone. If I wait to go to Walmart until I'm on my way home from work, I won't have to make an extra stop. I've completely stopped going to AM/PM for gas. They lure you in with a penny less per gallon, but they are the only ones who charge a $.45 cent surcharge for using their ATM machine, so actually, the gas is higher than next door.

This week I had to take kids to Santa Fe Springs so I went to the beach and fetched aluminum cans for 2 hours while I waited for the kids. I made $6.60 in recyclables that went right back into my gas tank.

It's getting desperate.

I've cut back everywhere. My final place to cut back is my car insurance and homeowner's insurance. Both are with State Farm but they are expensive. My car insurance, because Heather got a ticket, skyrocketed to $185 a month for both of us. $45 for me and $140 a month for her. They told me it will stay on her record until 2011! With that, I worry everyday she's going to get another ticket for using her cell or not wearing a seatbelt. I won't be able to pay it anymore. I need to start searching for a lower rate for both the home and cars. Everything else, I've totally streamed. I did look at my AT&T bill today to find that I'm being charged $1.90 to block collect calls. I'm removing that today. No one calls me collect.

And now, all the utilities companies have decided they're raising rates again. Water, trash, electrical. It's insane. I thank God every payday that I bought my home when I did, when the mortgages were low. It's been my saving grace. I would be rooming with someone right now if I hadn't.

hmm...

That tax rebate should be coming this week, but that is just enough to catch up. We really need to get out of Iraq and start putting money back into the economy. It's scary what's happening to America. Thank God, for today, I still have my job.

Well, that's about it for now. Just needed to rant.

Hannah's 1st Birthday

Hannah's 1st birthday was such a nice day. The night before we went to my mom's house for cake, ice cream and presents. She got lots of really cute things. I got her Minnie Mouse earrings and clothes, my mom got her Leap Frog toys, Desiree got her clothes, Mary got her a pink car like Katie's, clothes, Disneyland Dollars, Build a Bear, and I'm not sure what else. Ashleigh's mom got her a dolly and I don't remember what else. I think clothes.

Anyway, Disneyland was so much fun. Katie wore a cute little outfit I got on eBay. She had ponytails in her hair and cute ribbons. Hannah wore a Princess shirt that Desiree got her and her Minnie Mouse earrings. The breakfast was great. We got pictures with Pooh, Eeyore, Cinderella's Fairy Godmother, Minnie Mouse and Chip (or was it Dale?).

Katie and Hannah had fun eating the french toast and anything else their hands could reach. Katie gummed a watermelon down to the rind. She loved it.

The girls have such different personalities but they're both so cute. Hannah is very picky and sensitive. She doesn't like a lot of foods, she doesn't like hats, she was afraid of the characters. Katie is totally opposite. She eats anything, smiled all day long (she reminded me of a senile old lady who wears a grin all day long even though they don't know why). We got adorable pictures of them. The hard thing was that everytime Katie would wake up, Hannah would fall asleep and vice versa. Everyone kept saying how cute Hannah and Katie were.

We went to the House of Blues for dinner and they stuck us outside for some reason. It was freezing out there so that was kind of upsetting, but the food was delicious.

Nemo was disappointing. It's the same old Submarine ride, except they added Nemo footage by putting glass enclosures under the water and projecting the film onto a mirror. They added loud noises and colorful lights when the shark came and it scared Katie.

By the end of the night Katie and Hannah were OUT. They were so tired. It was a nice day though. The weather was perfect, the girls were not fussy all day and we were able to take our time. Anthony, Heather, Ashleigh and Blake got on a few rides while the kids were asleep. The lines were really short.

Anyway, I'll post pictures later.

Kristy Lee is Gone

Well, KLC finally went home last night. I'm sure she's a nice girl and I wish her luck. I'm glad Carly got to stay another week. I would love to see she and David Cook in the finals, or both Davids. Anyway, Elliott was on last night and paid a tribute to his mother. It was sad. Made me cry. Makes me think about losing my own mother. Growing old is sad for those we have to leave behind.

Be my baby

David Cook for the win! WHOO HOO!!!!!!!! He's the only one being original at all this year. And he had man tears because his brother with brain cancer got to be in the audience this week to watch him. awww.

Poppies AGAIN

I had Katie today and I wanted to take her somewhere by myself. I never get time alone with her to take her somewhere on my own. Heather had an old halloween costume that she wore when she was 2 so I thought I would put it on Katie and take her down to the poppies since there are so many more out. I didn't want to wait until the weekend because the Poppy Festival is this weekend. It would be way too crowded, so I loaded her into the car and rushed her down. They close at 4:00 today. Luckily, they were still open at 4:15 and the staff had left so I got in for free. YIPEE.

The costume didn't work. It was so windy. Everything was blowing away. I had a bag and I had to run after it a few times. The blanket wouldn't lay straight. It just crumbled into a ball. Everything was blowing away. UGH!

The pictures still came out cute, but not as cute as I had hoped. Her outfit was blowing up and folding. I didn't have time to find a black shirt so I just put a yellow onesie on her and her dad's big black socks..LOL. I just didn't want her legs to get scratched from the weeds.

I still had fun. On the way back we saw the sheep that Anthony got pictures of Hannah with. The shepherd was just herding them back in when we got there so we got a few pictures.

Desiree wants to take David again. She should. There are TONS more than when we went at Easter. His pictures are cute though, but it would be nice to get a couple more pictures before they go away, especially with her and Cody and David. I think they will start going away soon.

Alphabet Soup

Katie was getting ready to go to the Getty's Museum this morning. She loves her new bath toys, but she seemed to enjoy chewing on the toothpaste best of all. I realize I need to get her bubble bath. I don't know if she's had any before but I think she would like bubbles.

My Destiny

Aunt Marge is my destiny. In more ways than one. I am a twin to her when she was my age. She lives alone now, with no family at all. All of her siblings have walked out of her life and it seems as though I will be the same in my old age. I never understood it growing up. I still don't. She is in the center. I am the smaller pics. Life is strange to me. I'm sad.

What's the buzz?

I had Katie yesterday while Heather was at school. We had so much fun together. She played for hours all by herself. She was so good, just playing with her toys, going from toy to toy.

In the evening, she was reading this Winnie the Pooh book. It's electronic and plays music and things. It teaches colors and tells a story. When you push a bee, it says, "I'm as busy as a bee....bzzzzzzz". Katie thought it was the funniest thing and then she started saying "bzzzzzzz". She kept buzzing and then laughing. It was so adorable.

I took a couple of pictures of her while we were outside. She's getting used to the grass now and isn't as fussy when I put her on it. She used to cry when I would sit her on the grass. Now she just kinda touches and wonders what is going on.

She has this new thing now where she shrugs her shoulders. It's cute. She does it all the time now. You can sort of see her doing it here:

Sunday

Today I had to start back to working Sundays. I take Billy and Jacob to see their mom on Sundays. I've been doing it since last August. I was transporting them to El Monte, but now their mom is in Santa Fe Springs--close to the beach. I love the beach and I have 4 hours to wait from the time I drop them off until the time I take them back home so I headed to the beach.

Seal Beach is my favorite beach. It was cloudy today and sorta cold but it was still relaxing. I walked down Main Street, into all the shops and then walked along the shore. I watched some surfers for a while and just enjoyed being by myself. I love the quiet of the beach and the time it gives you to think.

I walked near the rocks and found a good spot to relax. It was overcast so the pictures were dark, but it was just enjoyable to walk along and look at all the beautiful homes. I wished so many of them were mine. The picture above reminds me of a fake television scenery, like from a soap opera.

After work I went to my mom's house. Heather was there with Katie. I helped my mom set up her iTunes so she could download music to her iPod.
Desiree got David a swing set so they were in the backyard setting that up. Katie and David took a bath today. They had bath paint. It turned the water red. Mary gave David and Katie the same hairstyle, slicked to one side. lol.

A little while later, Hannah came over. Katie and Hannah played together. They are becoming toddlers. It's so cute to see them together. They played with the magnets on the refrigerator. Hannah is crawling all around now. Pretty soon they will both be walking.

Katie was so tired. I felt bad for Heather. I know she's going to be cranky all night. Katie had a fun day today.

3 miles today

I went to the gym today and committed to 3 miles. I've really gotten off track and have gained so much weight. I'm really unhappy with myself right now. I'm home alone so much that I have nothing to do but watch t.v. and I guess it's starting to really get me down.

Anyway, I ran/walked for 3 miles and feel like I got something accomplished. My goal is to try to do something every day.

Does anyone read this?

No one ever leaves posts or responds. I put up adorable picture of Katie and no one ever comments them. Same thing on myspace. It's kinda mean. I try to comment on everyone's pictures, afterall, that's why they are posted.

Anyway,

Relaxed today. Cleaned the yard. I'm learning that my family is getting smaller and smaller so I'm learning to deal with it. Becky, Debbie, Tony and my mom all basically walked out of my life, so I'm kinda like an only child now. I'm just getting used to it.

Maggot or grilled onion?

I went to Mi Ranchito today, in Lancaster, to get a burrito. I was driving and starving and had just come from L.A. and didn't have cash so I went to the drive through. The burrito was not very good, but anyway, as I was almost done with it, I found something on the tortilla that I first thought was a piece of rice, but then when I looked closer, it was transluscent and had a brown head and anyway, I am not sure if it was a maggot, but I am praying it was a grilled onion. Needless to say, I got sick to my stomach and I started throwing up. I have been sick ever since.

Katie Beans

She's is becoming so fun! Last night she was here until 9:00 and we just played silly things together. She is so funny. She was sitting on my back and cracking up when I would lift her up by getting up on my knees. She loves to pull my hair. She was walking all around with her little shopping cart and trudging along super fast. She's starting to play by herself now and she has a great personality. I love playing with her.

She makes my heart happy.