*Spark People*

Over the last few years of working full time at a desk, and not doing much activity, I've gained a few unwanted lbs.. 15 to be exact! I do not have a weight problem by any means.. but I wanted to take charge, live a healthier life and lose the extra weight at the same time.. So in comes Spark People.com.. I love this site! I signed up last week.. what it does is allows you to track your daily calories/food intake, daily fitness minutes and calories burned, water intake and so much more. If you choose it will build a daily menu along with a grocery list, a workout routine, if you dont know where to start.. like me! And so so so much more! So if anyone has the drive like I do to lose the unwanted weight and/or just learn how to live a healthier life, join people with the same goals as you, have questions about almost anything health or diet related, read articles, join teams, blog about your journey, create a sparkpage; find a buddy; track your calories, fitness, weight, inches.. pretty much everything.. I highly recommend this site!

Since joining the first of this week.. I have already lost about 3 pounds... I've worked out 4 times this week (which is huge for me!!), and I've completely changed my views on diet and exercise! I'm determined to have the bikini body this summer that I've never really had before! If anyone would like to join me, it's FREE!! All ya gotta do is just join, and put it to good use!! Hope to see some of you there!!

San Francisco

Rich and I had an awesome time in San Francisco!! I flew in on wednesday night after work and we headed straight over to the hotel.. got all checked in, and then headed out for our New Years Eve. We were staying a block away from a street that had a few different bars and such, so we hung out at a few of those before deciding to treck through the bridge plus a few more blocks to get to Chinatown and Little Italy.. We were having an authentic Italian meal when 2009 rang in!

The Next day we headed down to Pier 39 to hang out for the day.. we went to the Aquarium of the Bay (I wasnt very impressed), Little gift shops, an Irish Pub, Boudins Sourdough Bread Factory (They have the very best soups in bread bowls... YUM!!!), then to Fishermans Wharf where Rich had to get a seafood cocktail (I dont eat much sea food so I was pretty grossed out the whole time!! haha). We spent all day walking around and just being tourists! It was fun!!

Friday we drove through the City and through all of the bridges, Rich took me across the Bay to Richmond where he works sometimes. We mostly just relaxed that day.

Saturday we headed out early to Napa Valley which is a little over an hour away, for a Wine Tasting Tour. We went with a tour called Platypus Tours... I highly recommened them! Our driver was awesome, she called us her "Platypeeps", cute huh?! We went to 5 different wineries, Jessops, Reynolds (the orange kitties name is Burt Reynolds), Hagafen, Rutherford and Andretti (Mario Andretti's Winery); We met all of the winery cats and dogs, Tasted alot of yummy wines, and had a little picnic lunch. By the end of the tour everyone was falling asleep on the tour bus, I guess they tasted a little to much! There were 9 people on our tour, and we became friends with pretty much everyone! It was great!

I had an amazing time with my Richie! We still have many things we want to do there, but didnt have time for.. I guess we'll just have to go back soon! I Love San Francisco!!

Here is a slideshow with some of the pictures! Enjoy! :)

A Little Update

Since Thanksgiving, alot has happened! Some good and fun, and some bad and sad! So on December 4th, my work announced that they were immediatly doing a layoff, everyone was soo nervous and scared that they were to be let go! When it came my turn to meet with the "Big Man" I was soo nervous.. but it was good news.. I got to keep my job. All in all, they let about 20 people go (there are really only about 80 people in my office so 20 was alot). I lost alot of friends and was very sad to have to see them pack up their desks, and leave. Then the next day which was Friday, I got a headache, and I've had one about every day since then! No Fun! Headaches are the worst!

This last weekend, we had the kids gingerbread decorating party at our house! Rich and I got to decorate a house too! We had fun! So here is Rich bein silly, and our Gingerbread house!

Now on to more sad news... Rich wont be home for Christmas! He signed up to do an academy that lasts for 2 weekends, the first weekend is this coming weekend, and the 2nd weekend is the next, after Christmas. The academy is held at the College of the Siskoyous (Which is far from our home) so he'll be staying there for the week in between. I'm sad, but at the same time I'm excited that he gets to do this, and will be getting a certification that he needs to get the job he wants! I'll be flying to Oakland on Dec 31 to meet up with him! We will be spending the next 5 days (31st through the 4th) in San Francisco for New Years! I'm super excited!! It'll be a great time! I'll post pictures as soon as we get back!

It has been so cold here! I know that it doesnt snow in Southern Cali, but we sure do get cold rain! Im so glad that I dont have to drive in the snow anymore! I like the rain.. but dont like being cold! I love to be snuggly in my warm bed.. not sitting at my desk next to the cold window! Here is a picture of Rich and I when we went fishing a few weekends ago.. we were freezing.. and we didnt catch anything! Darn it!!

Thanksgiving 08

This year was an awesome Thanksgiving! After work on Wed, Rich and I headed out to brave the LA traffic to get to my sisters house before Thursday.. It usually takes about 7 hours to get there, but this time it took 10 hours! It was craziness! Once we got there, everything was perfect! We started out Thursday by having a tea party with my sister, nephew, brother in law, and a couple of my sisters close friends.. It was fun!

We then just hung out until it was time to heat the food (we ordered all the fixins from an upscale organic market). Everything was delicious! And is was so gourmet and easy! Thanks April and Travis! After dinner, April, Rich and I all went out for a night on the town in Sacramento. We went to a venue called The Park, it was fun! We danced, and talked, and laughed and had a great time! I forgot my camera, so there are no pictures of that event!

Aizik, Rich and I took a drive up to Apple Hill on Saturday Afternoon. It was great to get to spend some time with my nephew Aizik, he'll be 10 in January, and he's the sweetest thing! We stopped at Rainbow Orchards and had Apple Cider and Apple Cider Donuts, then we went on the the Jack Russell Brewery, they make my favorite beer, so I had to stop and sample some! Aizik and I also stocked up on honey sticks!

I'm so grateful that my sisters and I are so close, we're not really close in distances, but close in the heart! I love them so much, and I wish that I could see them regularly! If you have close family near by, dont take them for granted.. I hope everyone had a great holiday, and I wish everyone a Merry Christmas.. even though.. this year, Christmas is going to be a little bit different for me than in years past.

Tide Pools

For my Biology Class we were required to visit the tide pools here in Dana Point. I've never been before, so I was really excited!! The weather was perfect, the tide was low so we saw alot of neat creatures.. however I did slip and fall right now my @$$! Needless to say, I've been walking like a goon, and staying full of pain relievers since yesterday. Here are some pictures that we took with the awesome new camera! Enjoy!

PS: I cant wait for Thanksgiving! We'll be spending it in Cameron Park, CA with my sister April and her family! I'm so excited!

Benefits and Such

So through my work, I receive insurance benefits! It's so wonderful to feel like I am protected and covered when I'm sick, or need my teeth cleaned, or just getting the good ol' yearly check-up. This week is open enrollment for the new plans and new year.. and I'm electing to purchase additional life insurance... can I just tell you how hard it was for me to choose my beneficiaries?! I mean, come on.. how hard could it be, right? Wrong!! I about cried everytime I thought about it!! What if I dont add him, or her.. will they feel left out, or betrayed? Should I leave it to one person, or should everybody get a chunk? Then it makes me thing about my death.. if I were to die sometime in the near future, it would probably be by a terrible accident of some sort... then I cry more... but I finally came to a conclusion.. I feel I did the right thing.. and I hope that none of you that I elected to be beneficiaries get paid... cause that means I'll no longer be around... sad thought, I know... But it's reassuring knowing that my loved ones will be taken care of... since I am the baby of the family and all..

Here are some cute pics from the younger days... way younger days..

Daddy and his girls! (Ahh.. the 80's)

Mommy and her girls!! (+ my grandpa's arrowhead collection, and antelope head)

Playing dressup in the halloween costumes..

I love you all! You're my best friends and I couldn't ask for a better family!!

Halloween Night

Yesterday was Halloween! Work sucked, Rich and I were both in rotten moods all day long! So after worked we decided to have dinner at Chipotle.. when we got there, a few people were coming out and said really quickly "Free Burrito's if you have foil on you" as they handed us a wad of foil! SCORE... Free dinner for both of us! Thanks people!! That made things a little better... once we got home it was time to get into costumes! Mine was really easy, I had ironed "CARANO" AND "ELITEXC" onto an under armor shirt, So I threw that on, with a pair of Rich's muy tai shorts, pulled my hair up into little ponytails, and put Rich's hand wraps on.. That was my costume! I went as Gina Carano, a female mma fighter, she is also on American Gladiator.

Rich went as a "Handsome Devil", and boy did he pull it off!! He looked so slick in his suit, with his beautiful red tie, and devil horns! We had alot of fun with good friends!

I have to throw this one in, our friends Courtney (him) and Toni (her) went as Juno and Bleaker! They looked so cute! I love it!!

I hope everyone had a safe and fun Halloween! I can't wait until next year!! Yah!