Honda US Open in Huntington Beach

WOW, talk about crowded...we went down to the Honda US Open (Top Surfer's, Skateboarder's, BMX, and Motocross) all compete for big $$$$$$$. They had live bands, booths, giveaways, it was PACKED! I decided to take some pictures for those of you who live too far away, hope you enjoy the beach party! Make sure you double click each picture to get an up close view (puts you right in the action!LOL!)







Rescue in Progress (Strong Riptides)











RESTAURANT AT END OF THE PIER

IT'S PEACEFUL UNDER THE PIER!!

Life Baggage...Clean Your Closet!

I have been planning to go through my closet and get rid of ALL the clothes I never wear. This can be a problem because I always think, "No not this, I might wear it again." Time after time and my bag ends up with just a few things in it, my closet is still a mess.

I also have a couple drawers next to my nightstand, they are overflowing with JUNK! Don't think this is a recent thing, when we moved 5 years ago, I was going to clean it out, shred the papers, get rid of old prescriptions...but I continue to just shove it closed, no one can see the stuff inside anyways, I'll get to it later.

This got me thinking, how many of us go through life carrying years of inner baggage...hurt, anger, insecurity, pride, jealousy...from place to place? We think that moving, hiding, cleaning the outside, pretending, will make everything okay. We wonder, "Why do I not feel better inside? It's been so many years since THAT happened! Whatever your THAT is, you still carry it around inside. Just like my closet and drawers, I can hide things by closing the door, but deep down I know it's there and it weighs me down.

I have some areas that need cleaning, people I need to forgive, insecurities, self doubt, anger and many other things to overcome. I have slowly been going through my inner "CLOSET" and "DRAWERS." We often find ourselves in the same problems and situations, over and over again, because we never get to the CLEANING process...running, hiding, and denying is much easier. We will never truly be free until we take a look at what we have been hiding behind our closed doors.

Start with something small, (hold your tongue when you want to let someone have it, smile when your feeling sad, don't gossip about others for a whole day, walk for 30 minutes today.) Changing the little bad habits, one day at a time, will help you to slowly get to the bigger things (forgive someone who doesn't deserve your forgiveness, forgive yourself, apologize to someone you owe an apology to, trust others, overcome self doubt, fear and anger) one drawer at a time. It isn't an easy task, obviously...you've been carrying it around for years. Yes, I know it can be VERY painful! Why not find a way to get rid of the trash buildup, it gets harder and harder to stuff your drawers closed. Things start to stick out of the sides, top and bottom. Stop blaming others and get to YOUR cleaning! YOU deserve the best...you can start fresh, one small drawer at a time!

Bloggerception...

Bloggerception is real and you probably have it too! I used to go through my day on auto pilot. Wake up, shower, throw my makeup on, pull my hair back (if I'm feeling extra spunky, curl it). Grab a quick bowl of oatmeal, eat standing at the sink, toss the bowl in the sink and run out the door. Drive to work, making a mental checklist of all the things that I needed to do. Halfway to work wondering how I got to the freeway, I don't even remember the drive there. Hope I didn't run any red lights...DEFINITE auto pilot! Work, go home, run the kids around, make dinner, sleep and start all over again. That was BEFORE I entered the Blogosphere.

My days are completely different now! I wake up and immediately start to think, "Hmm, what can I Blog about today. I get in the shower, making a mental note of any mishaps, slipping, tripping, no soap, shampoo etc. Everything is a potential story. Putting on my makeup can also be interesting, depending on what happens. Eating and running out the door can be a whole adventure that might be funny. Yes my BLOGGERCEPTION is on HIGH ALERT. Driving to work is no longer, "Who am I and how did I get here?" It's all about stalking, staring and watching everyone and everything...you never want to miss that perfect story (i.e. the guy with the parrots on his fingers as he drove to work).

Yes, before Bloggerception I would have missed this! My perception has increased, making me feel ALIVE, I am no longer, robot lady. Work also is a great adventure, never missing a single thing (and I am not a detail orientated person). Kids, hubby, friends, sisters, parents...no one is off limits to my Bloggerception.

WARNING: You do it, I'll notice, be very careful or you WILL end up a VERY INTERESTING, AMUSING, JUICY little story in my Blogosphere world!!

Senior Pictures...WHAT?

Where have the years gone? I can't believe I had to take Jullien for his Senior pictures today!! It was just yesterday when he was crawling after me, screaming outside the bathroom door because I was out of his sight. My sister would say, "How can you stand it?" He wont let you even go to the bathroom!" But...I loved the feeling of being loved so completely and unconditionally. He was always a clinger and even now that he is older, I love the fact that he likes to hang out here with his girlfriend. Never having girls made me wonder if someday I would be all alone in my old age. Well...having a clinger as a son gives me hope!! He talks to me about his relationship, listens to my advice (doesn't always take it) and is always affectionate, giving me a hug goodbye, even if his friends are around.

Today he was all dressed up after his pictures, so I told him I want to take a few of my own, (that way I can send out invitations with some of mine and hopefully save on the portrait package, which costs a FORTUNE!!!) He wasn't too happy about it, complained and said how much I embarrass him, because I always want to take pictures. I just ignored him and made him pose. Okay, I had to bribe him with some ice cream, still works at 16 years old! LOL! I got some pretty good shots, just wish I could afford Photoshop to touch up a bit. I still think they came out okay though...what do you think? Don't worry, give me your honest opinion, you wont hurt my feelings, I take tons of pics so I can get better, any tips would be great.

Don't Cry At Work!

I had a pretty tough weekend, very emotional. It started on Friday at work, I have been struggling with the finance thing again (getting close to the end of the month, no money for groceries or gas right now and another payment is due.) I've been really trying to have faith and know that it'll all work out, but sometimes I just reach my breaking point.

On Friday I was already pretty down but trying to put on my fake happy face. One of my bosses was being kind of snippy all morning. I went in to tell him something and I guess I had a little bit of an attitude, he looked up at me and said, "What's wrong, are you okay?" "Yeah, I'm fine," I replied rather quickly. "No, somethings wrong, I can tell. Do you want to talk about anything? I'm a really good listener. Is something going on at home with your kids, or husband?" He asked with honest concern. "No, I'm fine, really," as the tears started to well up. Now, I NEVER cry in front of anyone, ESPECIALLY AT WORK!! Since my stupid emotions gave me away, I blurted out, "Just having some financial struggles, but we'll be fine." "I'm really good with money, I can help," he said, "Thanks, but we'll be fine." I rushed out and went straight into the bathroom, wiped my face off, regrouped, and went back to my desk.

I went home and cried to my husband, I was soooo embarrassed! I can't believe I broke down. I spent the rest of the evening laying around, took a nap, woke up, watched t.v. and went back to sleep again. Sleep sure does make things seem better, you actually stop thinking of your problems.

The next morning I got up, my son had left to go surfing and grabbed the wrong wetsuit, he needed us to take it to him. This forced me to get up and out of the house. I took my camera and drove to give Jullien the wetsuit. While my husband, Anthony, Jullien and his friend surfed, I tried to capture the moment with some pictures. I walked out onto the jetty's to get a closer shot. I had to be careful because some of the waves were big and I was afraid my camera was going to get wet. This is exactly what I needed to snap me out of my depression. My morning helped me get my mind off of myself...hope you enjoy visiting Newport Beach, CA on a Saturday morning (Double Click Pics For Close Up View).

Anthony (my hubby)

Jullien (Off The Lip)

Wave By the Jetty


Waves Crashing in Front of Me

Feeding Bird

Houses Along Newport Beach Boardwalk

Lifeguards on Duty

The Morning Line Up on the Weekend (it's a battle)

Surfing Has Rules...Must Know This Before You Enter the Line Up...

Jullien and his friend Josh...Good Waves=HAPPY BOYS!

The "BIG KITTY" Video

I just got this e-mail and LOVED it...so I'm going to share it with all of you animal lovers. Even if you don't like animals, you'll gain a new appreciation for the bond that they share with humans.

http://videos.komando.com/2008/06/26/christian-the-lion/

ENJOY!

WHAT THE ????

I woke up late AGAIN...which means the usual mad morning rush, trying to get my bible study in (definitely helps me get through the day). A few little floor mat exercises, leg lifts, sit ups, more leg and butt stuff, finished by a few stretches for my CONSTANT neck pain. This is how I justify not going to the gym. Then I wonder why I'm getting so jiggly...but do I ever make time for the gym...nooooo, I'd rather complain and keep doing what I'm doing.

Slap on some make-up, throw my hair in a pony, put on an outfit...nope, I look fat, toss it on the chair piled with the mound of outfits that have also been discarded this week. Grab the famous stand by outfit (hmmm, did I wear this already this week, I don't think so, it'll have to do.) I grab a quick bowl of instant oatmeal, scarf it down, start to run out the door with the bowl, oops back upstairs, throw it in the sink. Whew...finally out the door, (bare with me I WILL get to the main point of the story).

I attach the phone ear piece, did I mention I HATE THIS THING! We couldn't afford the fancy wireless ones, so my husband got the kind with the cord that you clip to your collar and NO ONE can hear me so I drive holding the mouth piece close to my mouth, yelling (wait, I could be holding my phone instead...I hate this new Hands Free Law). Driving along in silence, dodeedodeedo, I wish I was home, I need a vacation, I'm driving too fast...remember DRIVE SLOW save gas, what do I need to do today after work, cancel Josh's gym membership, pay credit card...yay, no games, I'm going to take a nap (my radio broke, thus the silence, but my head keeps going nonstop).

I pull up to a light a couple of blocks from work and something catches my eye. I look over into the black, shiny, freshly waxed, brand new black Lexus...WHAT THE ????

There they were, glowing in the darkened window of the car, red, green, and yellow, two of them perfectly perched on each finger of the driver. Two LARGE parrots, sitting happily on the guys two first fingers. He was talking away, don't know if it was to the birds or if he had a wireless earpiece in his ear, but he was blabbing away, very animated. I just kept staring, is this for real or has my insomnia finally pushed me over the deep end? I felt like I should rub my eyes, wipe my glasses and look again. He looked over, feeling my stare, gave a look like, "What are you staring at?" The light changed, he put both hands on the steering wheel with his first two fingers pointed straight out like guns, the birds happily looking out the window, off he drove in his business shirt and tie and his two companions...just another day at the office in Newport Beach, CA. Can you say E C C E N T R I C?

Message to self: MUST GET MORE SLEEP!!!

MY TV DEBUT TONIGHT!!!

Today my friend Warren Boyd appeared on the "Good Morning America Show" to talk about his new show, "The Cleaner" starring Benjamin Bratt, tonight on A&E at 10:00p.m. (check your local listing for your area). The show is about his life...he helps celebrities who are recovering from addiction. He has helped VERY FAMOUS CELEBRITIES...can't really spill the names (we worked with him for a while last summer).

When he first started filming, he wanted all of the boys from the football team to be on the show, (since it's true life and my boys play with his son). He had us come down to hang out and watch the mock football game (you can't tell who my kids are because of their helmets). They ended up using the parents as extra's...now you need to make sure that you don't blink. I will be standing behind the mom and daughter during the football game cheering when the extra point is attempted. I have the platinum blonde hair, standing next to the girl in the hat....PLEASE DON'T BLINK or you will ruin my debut!!LOL!! For those of you with tivo, you don't have to worry, just rewind and freeze the moment...I'm trying to not let all of this go to my head!

All kidding aside, it's an AWESOME show! We were able to see the first episode about three months ago, I can't wait to see more. It is full of action, sadness, joy, love and HOPE...DEFINITELY A MUST SEE SHOW!

Here is the link to "The Cleaner"
http://www.aetv.com/the-cleaner/