Soba

I haven't had a dog since living at home and I've been wanting a pet for who knows how long...and now that I'm home more it makes sense to have a dog :) A former student/family offered me a teacup poodle from their recent litter and I couldn't resist (after asking Adrienne of course!) Anyway, I've had Soba for about a month and he's been a lot of fun....usually a good boy....we're working on the potty training still though!

I was getting ready to do laundry and came back out to find him on my sheets...he might be a little spoiled!
Bella and Ellie like when he comes over (Bella is getting over her fear of him and Ellie calls him Hoba)
Ellie and "Hoba" she seems to think he's hers and cries when anyone else holds him
He wouldn't stay still for pictures...

New Year's Eve

Apparently it is important to sleep out on the Rose Parade route once in your life...it wasn't quite what I had envisioned based on the Christy Miller series, but fun all the same! We started off our adventure by bringing pizza to some of Adrienne's family who had staked out our spot that morning and we all took turns keeping it "safe". Cheryl had brought the girls for a trial run and we had dinner together at Islands and then she checked out the spot so she would be able to get back in the morning. We had company until about 9pm when it was officially Adrienne, Kristen, Kelly, and I's watch for the night. It never got too cold which was nice, but I have to say I'm past the age of staying up all night (although I slept more than I thought I would!) and it wasn't SUPER crazy...church groups on either side helped! Although, I did witness my first arrest...not sure for what, but part of the adventure :) We survived until morning...only had to brave the scary port-a-potty a couple times (there was a line by us ALL night) and we'll just say it involved some people picking the locks/breaking and entering going on. The parade was fun and I've
never been so excited to go home and shower!

Early on in the evening

Our slightly homeless look around midnight

Camping out
Bella and Ellie enjoying their breakfast


LOVE her!

She was waving back to the floats...how cute is she??

It had been a LONG night...Ellie is looking fresh and cute though!


Bella is quite handy with the camera
Seriously, can she be cuter? She was saying look Auntie, hat, hat Auntie...melts my heart when she repeats Auntie over and over whenever she sees me!
Sierra Madre's float - they had it on display in the middle of town after, it was cute :)
I LOVED the origami dragon!
Cal Poly always does a good job

Bella wanted her picture with the skater and the helper...who knows about that man, it made us all laugh though!

Jackie Chan was on one of the floats...apparently it was a big deal that he got stuck in front of us, they offered to let him off, but he stuck it out - such hard work ;)
Japan!! made me happy!

Holiday fun :)

I think this Christmas I managed to any and all holiday things to make up for missing so much last year! I went and saw lights 3 or 4 times, a Christmas party, friends, relatives, the works :)

Cheryl, Adrienne, and I even went to the Americana for the fake snow - it was pretty all decorated and we were waiting for the trolley and all these people started gathering....apparently we had found the snow spot and didn't know it!

The giant chandelier above the middle of the street was kind of funny



My silly girls finding the most obnoxious things to try on....I put on some hideous shoes that made me almost as tall as Adrienne!
I went to see the Grinch at Pantages with my parents on Christmas eve day - fun! and that night we went to PazNaz for their service - may have been the best I've ever been to. We spent Christmas at my aunt and uncles house and then on th 27th Adrienne and I trekked up to Atascadero for a few days

We went to Pismo with Kevin
Went on a hike at Bishops Peak....yes, me too :)
For those of you city people - this is called wide open space....there's lots of it in SLO county
We made it ALL the way to the top!


Overall, an excellent series of events and now I'm back to school!

Oh Christmas Tree

I'm on a mini blogging roll...I've missed having things to blog about...but I don't know how exciting my statistics class is to anyone or that I've become domestic goddess or that my income lately comes entirely from tutoring (which I have to say has the potential to keep the bills paid!) Anyway, back to the blog at hand :) So growing up we always went to the tree farm and Dad was sure that I looked at every tree in my search for the perfect one...well Adrienne and I decided it would be fun to cut down our tree this year. What a change from our 100 yen tree that the TV dwarfed ! hee hee :) So I did a little bit of googling, because I have NEVER seen a tree farm in the middle of the city! So I found a website that lists all the tree farms in the state listed by county and there happened to be one in Claremont and another in Rancho Cucamonga! Adrienne printed directions and a coupon for one of the farms and away we went...it was like a tour book day minus the turn right at the gas station directions! We arrived at the first farm with no troubles, unfortunately all the trees except for the ENORMOUS trees had all been reserved, who knew this would be so popular?

Too small...maybe next year!


TOO BIG...where do you think we live??
We set off to find the 2nd farm...and got a little lost...apparently we (I mean Adrienne) had looked up the wrong address, I tell you, that girl needs a GPS! We re-looked up the directions on her phone (wish we could have done that in Okinawa a few times!) and off we went again and found it! This farm was MUCH bigger and we got to tromp around looking for the perfect tree - it was hard with so many choices!

We finally picked one and went to find a worker to see what we did next - apparently we're not allowed to actually cut it down ourselves...I think that was a general rule, not a judgment on our ability to use a saw. Jamal cut down our tree while I got the car and then he just tossed it on top...let me tell you, we were wishing for some bigger muscles later on! We then had to tie down the tree ourselves, apparently it's a liability to do it for us!?!? Sigh....


Let me tell you, it was really hard and I worried about the tree the WHOLE way, which is at least 30 miles...we even stopped once to check it and every once in awhile we would open the sun roof and Adrienne would say, "It's still there!" "Has it moved" " ummmm, I don't think so" She finally learned to just say No! so I would stop worrying.
Once we got home we had the lovely chore of hauling it up the stairs...



And then getting it into the tree stand...it got stuck and then we couldn't get it centered and....OY
Finally up and ready for decorations! Yes, there is a SLIGHT lean....but not bad for a couple of rookies
All done and we're ready for Christmas!

Jen's married!

This is SOOOOOOO outdated, terrible blogger that I've been BUT... One of my dearest friends from college is now married! I couldn't be happier for her and the whole thing was absolutely perfect...not that I would expect anything less from Jen! Sorry the pictures are backwards :)

They left the reception after dark and the sparklers were sooo much fun!

Jen and I - my 7th or is it 8th time as a bridesmaid? I was reading why they say 3 times a bridesmaid, never a bride - apparently it used to be thought that bridesmaids were to ward off evil for the bride and that in the process they absorbed some of said evil and after 3 times as a bridesmaid they had absorbed too much evil to be a bride....maybe after 6 it works in reverse! ;)
The very lucky groom with all the girls!
Yea for good friends!

These dresses caused a bit of heartache....let's just say they came a bit big for all of us! I'm thinking of shortening it and wearing it again...yes just 8 dresses, not 27....but actually I think it would be a fun dress shorter and with straps - might have to try!
Jen and her mom
The reception began at sunset - sigh....I miss living in SD
Whenever I'm in SD I try and go to Shelter Island and watch the boats - I took a burrito from Santana's, my homework, and a book - felt just like I was back in college again (oh wait, I am!)
The girls after our pedicures...my 1st back in the states...not as fancy as mine in Japan, but fun!

Apartment (belated)

Goodness, I added these pictures a billion years ago and never wrote or posted...so Adrienne and I have been living in Sierra Madre for 4 months now...but here's our cute place :)

My Ryuku glass lamp...I never got to show everyone before when I bought it...wishing I could head to the glass factory...my habit needs a fix!
My room - same ole same ole, with a new valance...there was a curtain rod so I had to do something with it!
Kitchen...with a stove!
Our glass collection (some of it!)
Bathroom...
the shelf that we put up in Adrienne's room...with NO help! Go us!
Adrienne's room
Our cute little wall stickers and picture collection!
The Ikea table that we put together one Saturday :) and our Japan valance!
The living room...and the TV that almost didn't make it up the stairs

A bit more traveling :)

So I went on a little trip a couple weeks ago to see Aimee, Kevin, and Jameson (cutest boy in the world) and then went on to see Jen and meet the fiance Jason :) Had a great time hanging out with Aim and the family...we did um, nothing really :) normal life stuff - baked, sewed, cooked, ate, played with Jameo, movies, errands, TALKED! It was just a good visit and I might be in love with Jameson...as Auntie I don't play favorites but the kid makes it hard!!

He managed to snag 2 cookies until Auntie caught him with the little grin!

He was helping me unpack...he also put some of his clothes in later...I think he wanted to come home with me! After nap every day he would wander into my room looking for me...melts my heart!
Here comes trouble up the stairs!

He'd ask me to read...not anyone else (I'm gloating!) A boy after my own heart with his nose in a book :)
Ohhhh I could just kiss him!
2 of my favorite people :)
My future stylist

I babysat one night and Jameo wouldn't go down...and then he crashed out on the couch
The PJ's we made for him...not bad :)


I got to see where Jen has been for the last year...I went to Japan and she headed to Kansas and now I'm going to be in her wedding soon :) Ahhh fun - met and like Jason, got to see "the dress", ran wedding errands, ate yummy food, hung out and talked, good times!
We went to a farm...there was a petting zoo
this is where you washed your hands (we're not in LA anymore Toto!)
This picture just reminds me of the movie The Prince and Me and the lawn mower races - I was so mad to discover that WI didn't have any...but Kansas has the kid version!
The happy couple and I :)

It was super funny on each of my flights I got to talk to people about Japan - Okinawa came up RANDOMLY in conversation twice! The whole trip needless to say made me happy...and now I'm back in CA, completely unpacked, mostly decorated in settled in the new place :) I'm registered for class and looking forward to September!