I am a Godmother! Not the one that turns pumpkins into carriages!

Whew. What a whirlwind month February and the beginning of March have been. Wedding planning, birthdays, trips and baby showers. Last weekend I went to a bridal show to look into florists for my dear friend Hope's upcoming nuptials in October and went to our friend Shannon's baby shower where I took many photographs as seen here. I had posted before about the baby shower that my mom, aunts and cousin's had been planning for my newest cousin Amy and her new baby girl. In December she was put on bedrest and had little Miss Charlotte premature, so we had to wait to put on the shower but if you wanna read about planning and projects please see Babies, Babies, Babies or Invites, games, and music! Oh My!. My mom and I made some crafts, and my cousin's hubby (who works in the special effects department on CSI Miami) made a wooden closet/toy chest at work to put all of our gifts in. Well all of our hardwork and planning came to fruition this weekend as the shower was held at my Aunt's home in Hermosa Beach. It was a beautiful day with 80 degree weather and not a cloud in the sky. My mom and I woke up extra early to get everything ready, which wasn't very much since she and my cousin had done most of it already. We got ourselves ready and headed out the door. Once we got to the shower we set up, threw the food in the over and awaited the arrival of the guests. We ate lasagna and cheesecake, played some non traditional baby games, and giggled while we watched as the father (my cousin Anthony) opened all the pink gifts and tried things on. Before we knew it it was five o'clock. We packed up our stuff and went to say our goodbyes. As I went to hug my cousin he whispered in my ear that he wanted Darin and I to be his daughters godparents! I was completely taken aback and didn't expect that. I started to tear up and told him of course we would!

On Sunday, even though I was still exhausted from the shower and Darin was tired from partying it up with his coworkers the evening before (neither one of us are spring chickens anymore) we packed up the pup and headed over to my grandma's house to visit our goddaughter. (and the rest of the family too) I was surprised as to how well our pup took to the baby, even though she is seven weeks old, she is only 8 pounds and still teeny. Whenever the baby got fussy, Shelby got very upset and wanted to know what was wrong with her. She would sniff her head and hung out near her the whole time, it was very cute. I always knew that Darin was good with babies, but little Charlotte just loved him and he her. She is so precious, but I could just be biased. We ended up going shopping and getting little Charlee and glow worm and some clothes that said "Mommy" on them for my cousin Amy, you see she was feeling left out because all the clothes said daddy or grandma on them. We went back to the house and had some dinner and chatted some more. We asked when the christening was going to be, and they said sometime in June. I cannot wait to see this little precious child grow up! It's just too bad that they live 4 hours away. We will just have to make trips up and down to see each other.

Diaper Cake

Baby Charlee on Aunt Bev's Lap

Our Gift to Charlotte

Thank you gifts

Mom holding Charlotte

80 Degree weather, a perfect beach day.

Yummy Cheesecake!

Opening the gifts

Amy

Anthony opening one of the many pink gifts

She wanted to talk and touch the camera.

Cousin Caitlyn and Charlee

More conversing....such an intellectual!

The Closet was overflowing! Typical girl! Hehe

Some Days

There are some days when words cannot express my emotions. Some day's when I feel under attack from every angle and cannot seem to change the mind of those individuals that are taking me down one statement or action at a time. I beg and plead to be left alone, I need my solace to be able to combat the demons in my head. I know that's selfish, but it is how I deal. My defense mechanism is to shut down. If I don't create emotions then I can't be hurt by them or hurt others with them. I become like a zombie, but how fair is that to the people around me. People who care, but in my time of utter selfishness cannot see past my own misery. As they say, misery loves company, but I don't like to bring people in. I like to stay, alone, in my own head. Then I become angry, and take things out on those who are closest to me. Why? I don't know. Little nitpicking turns into enormous drawn out blow ups, for what? Nothing. I try and try to be different, better. Sometimes I see the change, and others I see the past. Rearing it's ugly head right in front of me. I guess it's something I need to work on.

I'm Sorry

Freedom 90 - George Michael

Ok so I officially feel old now that I realized this song was released in 1990, but here is one of my favorite songs of all time! And a video where the star doesn't even appear! Enjoy!




Freedom 90'

I won't let you down
I will not give you up
Gotta have some faith in the sound
It's the one good thing that I've got
I won't let you down
So please don't give me up
Because I would really, really love to stick around

Heaven knows I was just a young boy
Didn't know what I wanted to be
I was every little hungry schoolgirl's pride and joy
And I guess it was enough for me
To win the race? A prettier face!
Brand new clothes and a big fat place
On your rock and roll TV
But today the way I play the game is not the same
No way
Think I'm gonna get me some happy

I think there's something you should know
I think it's time I told you so
There's something deep inside of me
There's someone else I've got to be
Take back your picture in a frame
Take back your singing in the rain
I just hope you understand
Sometimes the clothes do not make the man

All we have to do now
Is take these lies and make them true somehow
All we have to see
Is that I don't belong to you
And you don't belong to me
Freedom
You've gotta give for what you take
Freedom
You've gotta give for what you take

Heaven knows we sure had some fun boy
What a kick just a buddy and me
We had every big shot good-time band on the run boy
We were living in a fantasy
We won the race
Got out of the place
I went back home got a brand new face
For the boys on MTV
But today the way I play the game has got to change
Oh yeah
Now I'm gonna get myself happy

I think there's something you should know
I think it's time I stopped the show
There's something deep inside of me
There's someone I forgot to be
Take back your picture in a frame
Don't think that I'll be back again
I just hope you understand
Sometimes the clothes do not make the man

All we have to do now
Is take these lies and make them true somehow
All we have to see
Is that I don't belong to you
And you don't belong to me
Freedom
You've gotta give for what you take
Freedom
You've gotta give for what you take

Well it looks like the road to heaven
But it feels like the road to hell
When I knew which side my bread was buttered
I took the knife as well
Posing for another picture
Everybody's got to sell
But when you shake your ass
They notice fast
And some mistakes were built to last

That's what you get

I say that's what you get

That's what you get for changing your mind

And after all this time
I just hope you understand
Sometimes the clothes
Do not make the man

I'll hold on to my freedom
May not be what you want from me
Just the way it's got to be
Lose the face now
I've got to live

Baby Anthony

Last weekend was a whirlwind. Not only were we busy signing the many documents it takes to buy a house, but I also had free tickets to a bridal show and a baby shower to attend. On Thursday before the shower, my dear friend Shannon's mother LeeAnn emailed me on Facebook. She asked me if I would be able to take photographs at the shower so she would have to worry about it. Because we have the equipment and I like to take photos I of course said yes. The three of us met for lunch on Friday, and enjoyed some pre-baby shower down time. The rest of my Friday was spent doing laundry and relaxing, as was my Saturday. I knew that Sunday was going to be a whirlwind.


I awoke on Sunday at the way too early hour of 6:30. I mean c'mon body, what is up with this early start thing? I cannot seem to sleep in anymore. Anyways, I got up, puttered around the house and then got ready. Like I said, I had received free tickes to a local bridal show and I invited my friend Hope and Amanda to join. Hope is getting married in October and she still needed floral inspiration and a florist to boot. So we wandered around, got to talk to some great vendors and got some great ideas! We had some mimosa's and I even ran into my wedding coordinator from my wedding. Santa Clarita is such a small big city! At 12:30 I bid my farewell to the ladies, even though I would see them at the shower, and headed over to Casa Anthony. A team of Cummings (mom's family) and Anthony's (dad's family) were running around getting everything ready. Games, food and drinks galore! There was lots of laughter catching up with my old friends and introducing my new friends to them. Trevor and Amanda we doing a good job of keeping Hope and I very entertained, and then our wonderful friend Nicole came late from work and got in on the action too. Little Baby Anthony made out like a bandit and will be a very loved child! Please enjoy the pictures that I took for the shower. Weddings and babies are the theme of my year! 2011 is turning into a wonderful year!

Another One Bites the Dust

So, two weekends in a row Darin and I got to cross things off our 2011 bucket list. With the house closely looming, we decided that we needed to get away with the pup and go do something. Ok so that's not entirely true, Darin is a diabetic and he had made an appointment with his Endocrinologist on President's Day months before, and because that holiday is a paid one in my office I thought that it would be nice for us to make the trip a family outing. So Monday morning bright and early we packed up our stuff and hit the road to San Luis Obispo at 8am. I know, why SLO? Well you see his sister goes to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. When she discovered this doctor (she is a diabetic too) she told Darin how wonderful she was and Darin decided to switch and start going to her. The drive isn't too bad, and the scenery is wonderful.

Driving through the country and next to the beach is so calming that I was too busy looking out the windows and before you knew it the 2.5 hour drive was over. Darin went into the office and Shelby and I decided to take a walk. Once Darin was done, we hopped back in the car, en route for Solvang, CA. I had been there as an adolescent, but Darin hadn't. I remembered it being a cool place for photos and food, so it was perfect. Here's a little background on the city:

Named by Sunset magazine as one of the "10 Most Beautiful Small Towns in the Western United States," Solvang's rich heritage dates back to 1911 when adventurous Danish-Americans traversed the plains from Iowa to establish a settlement in the golden state of California. They purchased 9,000 sun-drenched acres of the former Rancho San Carlos de Jonata and situated their new community adjacent to the historic Old Mission Santa Inés. To preserve and promote Danish culture, the founders constructed a Danish folk school and church (the building now houses Bit O'Denmark Restaurant); then built Atterdag College, which opened in 1914 and educated through 1970 (now the site of Solvang Lutheran Home). Founded by Danish immigrants in 1911, Solvang boasts authentic architecture, thatched roofs, old-world craftsmanship and traditional windmills. Over 1 million visitors come each year to experience the northern European culture, cuisine and unique boutique shopping. 

"Danish Capital of America". It was not until 1946, after the end of World War II, that promoters of the idea of a "Danish Village" were finally able to move ahead with plans to redesign the existing facade of the town, and to mandate this style for new construction.

We arrived, found some parking and decided to get something to eat.  We went to this quaint little restaurant called The Little Mermaid and ordered some sandwiches. They weren't too keen with the dog, so we found another place to eat our food, and then decided to walk the city. Darin is a budding photographer, so I thought I would just take in the scenery with our pup and let him do his thing. We wandered around looking at all the cool architecture, and people watched. Because we had the pup, even though some stores had dogs welcome signs, we did not go into any stores and shop. It was very crowded as it seems many people had the bright idea to take the three day weekend up in this village.  I wandered into a bakery to try and get a danish, but after 10 minutes of trying to decide which one to pick, I just gave up. I didn't need all that sugar anyways. We people watched some more and wandered around outside the Hans Christian Andersen museum, but around 2:30 the rain clouds started to loom ominous and our bodies were screaming at us for being up so early after too much the night before. (we had a birthday party we attended) All in all it was a good trip.

Stereo Love - Edward Maya & Vika Jigulina

I have decided that with their being so many great songs; past, present and future that I was going to post weekly with a new or old song that I have fallen in love with. I will try and post a video, but if for some reason I can't find it I will just post the lyrics. Today I am featuring Edward Maya and his song "Stereo Love"

When you're gonna stop breaking my heart

I don't wanna be another one

Paying for the things I never done

Don't let go,

Don't let go

To my love.

Can I get to your soul?

Can you get to my thought?

Can we promise we won't let go?

All the things that I need

All the things that you need

You can make it feel so real.

Cuz you can't deny

You've blown my mind

When I touch your body

I feel I'm loosing control

Cuz you can't deny

You've blown my mind

When I see you baby

I just don't wanna let go.

I hate to see you cry

Your smile is a beautiful lie

I hate to see you cry

My love is dying inside

I can fix all those lies

Oh baby, baby I run, but I'm running to you

You won't see me cry, I'm hiding inside

My heart is in pain but I'm smiling for you

Can I get to your soul?

Can you get to my thought?

Can we promise we won't let go?

All the things that I need

All the things that you need

You can make it feel so real.

Cuz you can't deny

You've blown my mind

When I touch your body

I feel I'm loosing control

Cuz you can't deny

You've blown my mind

When I see you baby

I just don't wanna let go.

When you're gonna stop breaking my heart

Don't let go,

Don't let go

To my love.

I hate to see you cry, your smile is a beautiful lie

I hate to see you cry, my love is dying inside(x3)

I can fix all those lies

Oh baby, baby I run, but I'm running to you

You won't see me cry, I'm hiding inside

My heart is in pain but I'm smiling for you

Oh baby I've tried to make the things right,

I need you more than air when I'm not with you,

Please don't ask me why, just kiss me this time

My only dream is about you and I