Friday, January 30, 2009

25 random facts about me

Today I was tagged by a friend on my facebook account to write 25 random things about myself. I have enjoyed reading everyone's list so much, I decided to post mine here and encourage you all to post or email yours. It really was a thought provoking experience!

My List:

1. Writing is on of my passions. For as long as I can remember, I have loved penning short stories and poems. I have 3 half written books that may or may not ever be finished because of my own fear of failure. I am my own worst enemy.

2. I am by nature a creative person. I always need to have a creative outlet. I believe this is the main reason why I became a floral designer.

3. I love photography! Being able to capture life as I see it for others to enjoy has a great appeal to me. I'm not very skilled at the art yet, but I am trying to study and practice so I can master it!

4. I am an only child. I have often joked that my parents did it right the first time!

5. I grew up living between my Grandmother and Great Grandmother's house! It became my ideal standard of living for all children. I have a strong sense of family that also applies to those that are family by choice not birth!

6. My favorite color is green because it's the color of Jon's eyes!

7. I am a cat person, I but I love dogs too! I believe a dog gives it up too easily where a cat makes you work for it! Since I have always lived life on my own terms, I appreciate the fact that a cat does too!

8. I love to read! Books ignite the imagination! ( Yes, I have even read the Twilight series and loved it! Who do you think got Kami to read them after months of prodding? If I'd only known I would create a monster...)

9. I own a sewing machine but could neither thread or operate it if you put a gun to my head! (Now if I can use a glue gun, stand back!)

10. I love to walk on the beach early in the morning when no other people are there. It is very Zen.

11. I have 7 children between the ages of 3 and 21. The youngest is a set of boy/girl twins. All the boys have a name that begins with a J, and the girls have names that begin with K. Birth order is girl, boy, girl, boy, girl, boy girl! What can I say, I like things organized!

12. I love to roller skate. I'm actually pretty dang good at it too!

13. I have been in love with the same person for over have my life. I believe this to be one of my greatest gifts!

14. I love Mr. Potato Head. I collect parts. I even bought 3 boxes of Disney pieces at Disney World, but still wanted more. Thank goodness for Ebay!

15. My van says soccer mom on it, but not one of my children has ever played on a soccer team. Go figure!

16. I am blessed to know and Love a LOT of people, but I can count on one hand the number of true friends I have that really know me!

17. I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up! (If I ever decide to grow up!)

18. I am certain that a goodly portion of my blood stream contains diet coke. It's the breakfast of champions!

19. I love the theater. There is no other experience in storytelling than can compare. I miss the days of CYT (Christian Youth Theater) with the kids. Our whole family was involved. What gifted experiences we had and treasured friends we made! Good Times!

20. I was a professional mime for a period in my life. Getting paid to clown around was awesome! Sadly, Kami's fear of clowns ended my career. As her mother, I simply could NOT be anything she feared!

21. I hate being cold. As a multi-generational native of California I believe it to be part of my heritage. You can take the girl out of California, but you can't take the California out of the girl!

22. I once toilet papered a Honda Civic with over 100 rolls of toilet paper! (Sorry Guy!)

23. I am the type of friend that will hold your hand and cry with you when you are down or make a mistake. However, when the tears are dry, I will give you crap about it for the rest of your life! (Right Hester?)

24.I have a sharp wit and a dry sense of humor. I look for humor in all things! If you can laugh or cry, I will always choose to laugh! I usually laugh at myself! (It's just such a great constant source of raw material!)

25. I love music. I have varied taste. In my car CD changer I currently have Sinatra, U2, Rush, Rascal Flats, and the Across the Universe and Twilight soundtracks. As we speak, I am listening to jazz trumpet but it will quickly give way to the Doodlebops if the twins get their way!

And..bonus #26. I love to dance. I currently have a bet with my husband that if I achieve my fitness goals before he does his, he has to take swing dance lessons with me! So, I'm off to the gym now! Have a great day!

~K

Friday, January 9, 2009

Our New Year's Trip to California

San Diego is such a great and ecclectic city. There is SO much to see and do that a one week trip is never enough to take it all in. Our family has too many favorites. Most of our time this trip was spent visiting those people near and dear to us that we love and miss VERY much. However, no trip to California can be counted complete without seeing the ocean. Thankfully, we checked it off our list when we visited the USS Midway Aircrafter carrier museum on San Diego Bay. Next trip we hope to go to LaJolla cove and the Children's pool. Here are a few pictures from our trip. Some people didn't get captured by my lense this trip, but I WILL get them next time! (AKA Nana, Gram, Billy and Alicia, Toni and the Segina's!)
The Coronado Bridge and the San Diego skyline are two things I love to see! They remind me of my college days downtown. Horton Plaza is a sea side mall right near this point! I LOVE hanging out there!

A day in the life of a San Diegan is always complete on the bay. The sites and sounds are one of a kind! (So is the food! Can you say FRESH shrimp!)
This is our nephew Kaden! He is 2 days older than the twins! They all had a great time playing together and touring the USS Midway. Kaden loves planes so much I didn't get many pictures of him. He was on the run!
Jonah enjoyed touring the bridge of the USS Midway. Seeing how our military lives onboard ship was amazing. I could never live in close quarters like that. I'd go nuts! (Or even more so LOL!)
Jared enjoyed San Diego Bay. The ocean is one of the hardest things to leave behind when we moved!
Kayleigh, Tiffany, and Kaitlin posed with the worker cutouts onboard the USS Midway!
We went to the USS Midway museum on San Diego Bay. Kaitlin and Kloe hung out with Jennifer. (Kaitlin's BFF and Tiffany's big sister!)
Kayleigh is in LOVE with wild cats of ALL kinds. She was excited to see this real one in our hotel lobby!
We had a great time feeding the ducks at a pond near Toni's house. Over the summer the kids caught a HUGE toad there, but we had no such luck this day!
The kids had SO much fun just hanging out with their friends! Kayleigh and Tiffany (her Cali BFF) were inseperable the entire week!
Jonah had a great time holding and playing with his cousin Lucas! Baby Luke really liked him!!!
Niklas avoided me like the plague anytime I was holding a camera! He is my BFF Toni's oldest Son! (Kayleigh decided she would marry him someday when they were both 4!)
Alexander is Toni's middle son. I think he should have been named Casanova! Seriously, this kid is such a lover! He must of given me 1000 hugs a day, and he is ALWAYS flirting w/ the girls!
Liam (Toni's youngest) and the twins are only 2 1/2 months apart in age. They had so much fun!
Kloe loved the water water at tubby time! I think she may have even won, but don't tell Liam!
Toni's macaw Romeo is family to us as well. He loves our daughter Kami (pictured with Jon) as much as he loves Toni! Maybe it's because they look so much alike!