Thursday, December 24, 2009

the twelve days of christmas

1) on december 8th, abc aired "a charlie brown christmas", my favorite holiday tradition by far! airing during prime-time hours since 1965, this animated special inspires me to find my own true meaning of christmas each year. i am pleasantly surprise that despite the religious connotation of the movie, it still airs on national television for over 40 consecutive years.
2) on december 12th, we had our very first tucci christmas event for our learners. all of our families were invited to attend to take pictures with santa. vicci was extremely generous and purchased gifts for all of our learners and even their siblings. it was definitely a success and i hope to see it become an annual event!
3) on december 24th, the north american aerospace defense command begins tracking santa claus' journey as he leaves the north pole to deliver toys to children all over the world. children can watch video clips of santa's travels, and anxiously await his arrival to their cities.
4) on december 1st, ryan took me to the same tree farm we went to last holiday season. we picked out a 5-foot douglas fir, perfectly trimmed and shaped. since we did the usc theme, i decided to switch to a lakers color scheme (they're having a better season anyway). i strung popcorn for 3 hours but loved every minute of the decoration process!
5) on november 23, kuma had surgery on her back paw to remove a tumor. cindy's been taking extra special care of her, including making a sweatshirt to keep her warm this winter season.
6) on december 16th, marianne gave birth to her and fritzi's daughter, lucia. weighing 7 pounds 5 ounces, measuring 20 inches long, mare decided to deliver her naturally, without an epidural. she sent me this darling picture of her in a stocking on christmas morning.
7) on december 24th, we received a care package from the lannons filled with hawaiian treats. i snagged the lemon bars from the cookie basket!
8) on december 24th, cindy, jacob, dj, zoe and i had fun playing with the special effects on photo booth app on my macbook. i've played around on it before but have never laughed so hard with the results.
9) on december 30th, melanie gave zavey my christmas presents. he has such an affection for horses. i'm so happy he didn't already have the toys i got him.
10) christmastide, commonly known as the twelve days of christmas or yuletide, is the period between christmas eve and january 5th. between christmas, dj's birthday, new year's eve, rommel, dad and cindy's birthdays, there are numerous things to be happy for.

Monday, November 30, 2009

love actually

1) nyac and milo are two otters from the vancouver aquarium. they are engaging in a natural instinct called “rafting” that keeps otters from floating away from each other in rough waters.
2) last weekend, ry and i went to sacramento to visit kaitlen. i love how it was ryan's suggestion to go see them. kaitlen is by far the best infant i've met! jill was able to hand her over to me without her hesitating or whining. ry said it was the longest he was able to hold and play with a baby. she's an angel.
3) i've mentioned these edamame keychains before. nagata and i cleaned out a few vendors in hong kong, spending about $1 per knick knack. i gave a green one to peyton and a pink one to zoe. they absolutely loved them! nice to see that joy can be spread by simple things.
4) i never realized how sweet and soothing colbie caillat's voice was. i think her song fallin' for you is just too precious! i especially feel grateful that after over four years with ryan, this song can still make me feel the butterflies in my stomach.
5) on top of loving the apparel and trinkets at anthropologie, i am fascinated with the design and decor of the store. this caught my eye - an ostrich intricately formed out of paper.
6) our prius came with complimentary satellite radio on xm for three months. i love that there's an oprah station on there! i love listening to previous shows, as well as catching the gayle king show. there's something that i find so comforting about hearing a familiar voice while i'm driving.
7) jill has thrived and shined in the entire state of motherhood. she amazes me on how she has the ability to balance a demanding career as well as making note of all the little steps kaitlen makes on a daily basis.
8) vanessa's boyfriend won a raffle to host a shopping party at the sports basement in sunnyvale. ry was able to snag a new snowboard that originally was priced at $500 for 50% off, and i bought this snazzy outfit. i'm sure i'll be spotted quite easily on the slopes!
9) i completely agree with this quote...i am thankful that at least four years of my life has not been a waste of my time.
10) here is a researched fact about love: having a romantic relationship makes both genders happier. the stronger the commitment, the greater the happiness!

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Monday, October 5, 2009

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Sunday, August 16, 2009

they just wanna...they just wanna

1) mel and i having a little too much fun with theresa's gifts.
2) the first shot of the night.
3) me and mel with theresa and her sister-in-law, janice.
4) banana/penis game results.
5) heading out to the strip.
6) theresa being a good sport and following through all of her bride's tasks which includes obtaining a dude's sock and getting another guy to take his shirt off.
7) dancing on the floor.
8) dancing on the booth.
9) our pics ending up on wynn's blush website.
10) reconnecting with dear old friends - theresa, melanie, sabrina, annalisa, and jocelyn. and meeting some amazing new friends - rebecca, the twins, marie, janice, lyn and lisa!

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Thursday, April 30, 2009

Thursday, April 9, 2009

do it yourself

1) i stumbled across this website that has step by step instructions paired with photos on how to make a tasty lasagna. in addition, there are specifics about how to cook it perfectly to give as a frozen gift. many a time have i searched for such recipes to give to new parents, a friend who's been ill or injured or your typical bachelor/bachelorette who needs extra help in the kitchen.
2) michael singer is a photography with a website titled visualnotes.com. this picture was in his april archives.
3) this ornate, magical cake almost looks possible to create with the visual provided.
4) apparently, there are everyday spices that may improve your health and mood. for instance, cayenne pepper has traditionally been used to improve circulation and to treat pain. furthermore, it can help to lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels. spices that i use quite frequently are ginger (to aide with digestions) and peppermint (to relieve headaches).
5) JH created a the website cardboardlove.com. his inspiration was quite similar to mine in developing this blog. "in general, i am a pretty negative person. this project has been a chance for me to focus on the positive for a change." a good cause with pleasant thought of love.
6) the fontenelle house built in 1912 has since been restructured into 7 2-story lofts in 2004 located in phoenix, arizona. i just love the exposed brick and ductwork, high ceilings, hardwood floors, granite slab countertops, and wood beam ceiling. a dream house indeed.
7) each of these convenient kits priced under $5 contain a quick remedies for ailments such as allergies, insomnia, headaches, blisters and scrapes.
8) bright and adorable bumblebee cupcakes constructed out of sliced almonds and chocolate covered raisins. perfect for the spring.
9) intriguing umbrella art installation at island six studios, moganshan road, shanghai.
10) not to take anything away from my closest friends in the bay area, but i have been living on my own up here for nearly 8 years now. it's easy to take the road of independence by not asking for help regardless of the circumstance. whether it was hiring movers when i lived in my own apartment or spending a new year's eve contently alone or lifting things half my weight, i've always took pride in doing things myself. i have gotten better at asking for help in the last few years though. that's something i'm still learning to accept as a gift rather than a sign of failure.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Monday, March 2, 2009

Friday, February 20, 2009

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

whistle while you work

1) if you can't figure out a reason to smile, here are ten: smiling makes you attractive, is contagious, changes our mood, relieves stress, builds your immune system, lowers your blood pressure, releases endorphins, lifts the face thus making you look younger, makes you seems successful, and helps you stay positive.
2) i came across this cute cartoon while i was stumbling. it's been a while since i've missed someone like this. i guess that qualifies as a happy thought.
3) kimya dawson sings a few songs on the juno soundtrack. i was listening to tire swing today. her soothing voice, lighthearted lyrics and playful whistling makes this song one of my favorites. i especially love the line: if i'm a spinster for the rest of my life my arms will keep me warm on cold and lonely nights
4) besides the amazing photography of this picture, it makes me smile because it reminds me of a childhood memory with my brother. for some reason, he had this urge to throw a gallon of milk at me to "catch". it, of course, fell straight on the carpet. the smell of spoiled milk lingered for months, but the reminiscence lives on for years!
5) wilhelm staehle created these postcards for his silhouette masterpiece theatre. this one makes me laugh.
6) my hair is getting longer than i usually let it get. this picture of nicole richie is my next inspiration.
7) i've been working with cynthia on cases since august now. officially, she's in her late 50s but with her energy, charisma and creativity, you would think she was fresh out of college. our job isn't easy...we dedicate so much of our time in training new staff who more than likely don't end up sticking around. her enthusiasm is contagious. not only do i enjoy working with her, but she has provided me with such wisdom in dealing with life in general.
8) there's something about circles and jewelry that always catches my eye. circles represent eternal totality as well as the feminine spirit. still trying to figure out how that relates to me.
9) i found this popping edamame keychain on thinkgeek.com. the pod contains three beans. the middle bean has 12 random faces that display whenever you squeeze the bean.
10) i didn't complain so much about my job when it was more about the kids and not so much the everyday dealings with administrators and parents. there are days when my job frustrates me but when you're living in a world where companies are laying off hundreds at a time, a steady job is definitely something to be happy about.

Monday, February 2, 2009

Saturday, January 31, 2009

Sunday, January 25, 2009