Trip to Mendocino

I've only been able to get a few pics up of our Anniversary trip to Mendocino County...here's a preview. I still have some picture stories to tell once I get those downloaded.



Stopped to take this pic on the drive up

Fern Forest on the property where we stayed

View after walking out of the forest

Trail down to the beach

First beach view

Relaxing on the property

Property that we stayed at.

Beach view

Relaxing view

This place is a MUST SEE!

Closing Chapters

I received the news that I was waiting for mid afternoon on Tuesday. I have to admit that it wasn't a shock, I was expecting it. It did however signal finality, closure to a long ordeal that I had prolonged forever.

I'd imagined this moment for years...how happy and free I would feel. The burdens would be lifted, I would be okay again. However, something was different. I was relieved that it was done and I was happy for myself and my family. But I sat alone trying to pinpoint why I wasn't ecstatic. This is the final chapter of a LONG story. I should have been going crazy with the excitement of being DONE. You see, this "thing" that I've been dealing with was also going to cause hurt for someone else.

Over the years and during my many struggles as a single mom, and dealing with the pain of my first husband cheating on me, I've learned to have empathy for others. I constantly put myself in their shoes. My moment of joy was no longer complete...I knew that someone was seriously hurt and I felt bad for them. It wasn't something done intentionally, it was the unfortunate residual fall out of this "thing."

I wish I could help them feel better. Let them know that I'm sorry they are hurting and that time & God heals all pain. These aren't just words, I know this because of all that I've been through and the change that's occurred in my life.

As I write this final closing chapter, so many emotions are racing inside of me. I hope that through the joy, pain, sorrow and new beginnings, everyone will emerge stronger, and closer as new relationships begin to form.

GOODBYE OLD BURDENS
By: Lisa Petrarca

Goodbye to my burdens & pain
I've carried you around with nothing to gain.
You've broken me down
Pinning my soul to the ground
While I was unable to make a sound

Wanting to cry out with shame
With no one but myself to blame
Holding it deep inside
Running fast to push it aside
Waiting for the day that I could confide

Goodbye to my burdens & pain
I can now start to explain
Peace of mind I will finally obtain
No longer will I be held by this chain
A new beginning I will now attain

GOODBYE TO MY BURDENS & PAIN

Patience...I Need More Patience

I'm so mad right now...my photo loader is messed up & I haven't been able to upload any of my pictures from our anniversary trip to Mendocino. I've really been trying to work on my patience, but the computer stuff just really ticks me off! Speaking of patience, I had another action packed weekend. My sister (April), brother in law (Tyler) & their 4 kids are down from Utah. They needed me to babysit the kids on Friday night till 1:30 a.m. They are all really young & baby Tyce is still breastfeeding, (not a good thing for the potential babysitter).

My Lil' Sis & Brother In Law & The Kids

Dylan

Brayden

Zoey

Tyce

How cute are they?!?

As you can imagine, Friday was a little crazy. I also had my step-daughter Tasha's 21st birthday dinner. So I rushed home from work to make the Taco's & a cake before the kids got dropped off. Luckily I had lots of helpers...Tasha, my boys & their girlfriends were helping with the baby, who wasn't too happy all night.

Saturday we took the kids to the beach & I got some really great shots under the pier. It was such a cool day. When we were walking on the pier, there was this huge Pelican just standing on the rail. People were gathering around it & inching their way up pretty close to take some pics. My niece & nephews were really brave and just walked right up there. I'll post them too if I can get my I Photo to work!

We walked a little further and there were two dolphins swimming by. At the end of the pier there was another Pelican just walking around checking everyone out. It was so weird...I've lived here forever & have never seen Pelicans just hanging out like that. Next a helicopter flew really close to the water, right by us...the kids loved it! The waves were HUGE, it was sunny & warm. What a perfect day.

We stayed a little too long & rushed home so I could make another cake & then head out to Glendora for my sister Stacy's birthday dinner. She turned 47 & of course I had to make sure I put on all 47 individual candles. Everyone was cracking up because it looked like the whole thing was on fire. She blew it out in one breath...we looked down & the candles were all little nubs melted into the frosting...YUM!

Sunday it was off to church first thing in the morning, out to lunch with everyone afterwards & then home to get ready for the end of the year football banquet (this is always a 4hr. event). Finally got home at 8:30 tonight and tried downloading my pics...NOPE not gonna happen!

Patience...I definitely need more of it...or to try to find some way to slow my life down a little bit.

New Beginnings

We had the most amazing time on our anniversary trip to Mendocino. That place is gorgeous! I'll be posting the pictures this weekend...there's sooo many of them that it's going to take me a while. I have a couple of funny story's too. But I want to post the pics to go along with it so you can get the full effect.

Today started a new beginning, I have some things that I've been dealing with from the past lately. This morning I had to meet with some people and I was really nervous because it's kind of an awkward, but necessary step to fix some issues that have been hanging over my head for a long time. Before I left, my stomach was killing me. I just didn't want to have to face any of it.

I was however pleasantly surprised. It was a little uncomfortable, but the people I met with were great. They were both warm and seemed to be very receptive. I actually realized that under different circumstances, the girl would have been someone that I probably would have been friends with. She just seemed like a great person.

Everything went pretty smooth and I left there feeling a bit closer to the closure that I need for myself as well as my family.

Its funny how we build up situations in our minds, making ourselves literally sick, only to find out that it wasn't as bad as we had anticipated.

One step closer...so here's to NEW BEGINNINGS in 2010!

The Countdown-One More Day!

It's almost here...I'm so excited, I only have one more work day this year. We leave on Wednesday for our 10 year anniversary getaway! It's very rare that we ever get away. We have so many kids that we always have something going on. My friend Debbie is staying with us right now since she moved here from Chicago. It makes it a lot easier to get away...we won't have to find somewhere for the kids and our dog to stay.

Here is a picture of some of the places we are going to visit & stay:









How gorgeous is that...I CAN'T WAIT TILL WEDNESDAY! I'm taking three memory cards for my camera...hope it's enough!

Christmas Blues

Do you ever feel a little let down after Christmas? I often feel the Christmas blues. I mean, we spend a whole month getting ready for Christmas, planning, rushing around, shopping, taking pictures, getting Christmas cards mailed out. And them BAM...it's over, just like that! One quick morning of ripping packages open, then sitting back and saying, "Wow, all that time preparing and it's over in 20 minutes (my family is fast present openers!)

Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas and the meaning behind it, but I wish the day would somehow last longer. I wish we had a remote control that you could put on slow motion and spend the whole day opening presents, hit the pause button, and enjoy the look on everyone's faces as they receive the gift they've been hoping for. Then hit slow motion again and let it go on the entire day. Imagine...a whole day of non-stop joy and excitement.

My husbands family celebrates Chrismas Eve (his mom's Costa Rican & his dads Italian) its their Latin tradition. This makes it last a little longer. We went to my sister-in-laws house and ate Costa Rican & Mexican tamales and opened presents. I'll post some pictures later...there's always tons of family members there, it's crazy! We stayed pretty late & then had to come home & finish wrapping our presents, we were up till 2:00 am.

Now that the kids are older I thought they would let us sleep in a little bit. Nope...6:00 a.m., they were pounding on the door to get up to open presents, (4 hrs. of sleep may have contributed to the Christmas blues.) After 20 minutes, my step kids left to go to their moms house to open more presents. That quick...done...as I headed upstairs to go back to sleep for a little bit, I thought, "Another Christmas over...where have the years gone?"

Watch The Elf Dance!

Our friend sent us this Elf Yourself Dance...it's a CRACK UP! I did one for my husband and his kids & one for Elijah. I'm going to add one of me & my kids tomorrow. I wanted to do one with the whole family, but they only let you do five elves...we need 8. Click on the two links to watch the dances:

Petrarca Christmas Ho Down
http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/TlyTIcqNVrqKgFeMWTL3

Elijah's Christmas Hip Hop Routine
http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/egDBUqmY8yTL9xka

I have so much to do and instead of working on that, I would rather post funny dances. I'm going to be soooo stressed tomorrow...finishing everything up. I did get a lot of shopping done today, I dragged my husband out with me. That's always a lot of fun...NOT!

Hope you enjoy the dances! I'll post the other one tomorrow. Have a MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!

Time Crunch

With football season over for Edison, I thought my schedule would free up a little bit. Even though my kids play so many sports & they always overlap...football seems to demand most of my time (I took all the pictures for the Freshman A & B team this year).

This weekend continued to be jam packed with must do's. I had to laugh at my friend Debbie who has moved back here from Chicago and is staying with us until she's able to get back on her feet. I dragged her around with me and my never ending schedule. We were driving home from a dinner party that my boss had on Saturday night and she was wiped out. We spent Friday & Saturday rushing around ALL day. She said, "Man I can hardly wait until Monday so I can relax!" I was cracking up...I was exhausted too and I'm used to being constantly on the go.

Today we went to church in the morning, I had a photography shoot for a family's Christmas pictures right after and then straight to the kids basketball game (they lost by 4). Back to the family's house to review the pictures and then dinner at 8:00. I'm not looking forward to Monday...I'M TIRED!

In the mix of everything else, I've been planning our 10 year anniversary trip. I finally found a really cool place in Mendocino County. I've never been there but the pictures look gorgeous. I found a cabin overlooking the ocean, in the middle of huge Redwood trees (it's been featured on E!, Eye on LA & Channel 2 travel). We'll stay there 3 days and then explore after that.

I always need adventure on every trip, so on the way back we're just going to wing it. Going through little towns, exploring, visiting state parks (Pfeiffer Falls, etc.) and staying wherever we end up. I love just winging it! My husband is a planner & a scheduler, but I think after 2 years of dating & 10 years of marriage, my crazy "lets just go and see what happens" attitude has rubbed off on him. It's so much better not having a plan. When you have preconceived expectations, you always seem to get let down when things don't go exactly as planned.

Even though I'll be stressed the next 4 days...I'll finally be able to relax on our big getaway.