Don't ya just love Books?

A few months ago, I had picked up some crochet and knit patterns in a box at Half Price Books. The neat thing is that they are printed on cardstock and are durable enough to survive a trip in a knitting/crochet bag!

Today, I stopped at the store and I found two more boxes....Baby Quilts and Scarfs II... I just love them! Okay, so, I haven't made anything yet...but, I love the idea...
Here is what the cards look like....

Oh, and Half Price Books is also providing coffee to their customers...score! Except, the lids did not fit on the cup I had...and I got coffee on my top....luckily it dried quickly...but, yuck...coffee smell on my shirt! (Turns out the lids were for the "old" cups....don't worry...I made sure they threw out the "old" lids.)

I haven't posted a bathroom update....partially because I have been too lazy to really work on it...but, luckily, Jeff has been busy. This weekend he laid down the tile and grout. I guess he has decided against tiling the baseboards...that means...there will be more for me to paint! The joy....tonight we picked up the medicine cabinet that we are mounting over the toilet and the side-splash for the vanity....I need to see how I like them...it would be much easier to return the side-splash and medicine cabinet instead of the whole counter and vanity!!!!

Life....

Life goes so quickly....This weekend was full of festivities. We had a 3rd and 8th birthday parties, a recovery party and a baby shower!

On Saturday, we went to the Jang's to celebrate Kristen'sa 3rd birthday...Here is her picture AGAIN...she is just too cute....(see Thursday's BLOG re: our Build a Bear Workshop outing)

On Sunday, we were TRIPLE booked....sigh...I know....we are SOO POPULAR!!! Hannah, Neil's "girlfriend" since he was 2 turned 8....(Hannah's older sister went to pre-school with Jordan. Neil, Hannah, Sandy (Hannah's Mom) and Jichan Ron would hang out together while the kids were in school). It was a fun...albeit HOT day at the park...we had to go home and change since the boys were soaked from the water fight....Sandy bought these syringe-like water canons for the kids....and of course, there were water balloons....yes, Jeff and I stayed in the DRY zone...

After Hannah's party, there was a "recovery" party for our friend Nina who underwent surgery for a brain tumor earlier this year. She is such a trooper...Nina is recovering so well...she is walking, talking, and getting around really well. She does have double vision...but, is able to update her Caring Bridge blog daily.

The one party we couldn't make, was a baby shower for Bebe Brisoux. Remember the shoe pictures from my earlier blogs? Nick's brother Alex and his wife are expecting their first baby. I posted a picture of the baby blanket earlier. Well, tonight I went to YOGA and guess what...yup, the baby arrived earlier today. Sounds like the baby came quickly and everyone is doing well...CEDRIC (gotta love that name!).

All of the parties celebrated wonderful events....and we feel honored to be able to share these events with our close friends...one event in particular, I just read about tonight. Our friend CC had surgery for "chiari malformation" last week. It is essentially a defect in the opening of her skull where her spinal cord enters. I am SOO HAPPPY to tell you that CC is recovering well from her surgery and is already on FB....talk about being addicted. She is such a sweet girl and I am so relieved for her and her family that she is recovering well. My love goes out to her. (BTW: She is Neil's girlfriend also...although she is abou 19 and I don't think she is going to wait for Neil....but, he doesn't know that. He called her a while ago and read her a story...I think it was from his reader....sigh....)

So, please, everyone...please celebrate your life....so, many things can happen...both good and bad...and we have to celebrate the good and help each other pull through the bad....

Love you all!

Mets 8, Giants 6 :(

Jeff and Grandpa were suppose to go to the Giants/Mets game tonight. BUT, Jeff suggested that we get 3 View Deck seats, and the boys and I could join them...okay...unfortunately, I checked the weather AFTER we bought the tickets....

Here is Grandpa, Jordan and Neil... We didn't realize that it was Japanese Heritage Night...and look who we bumped into....Lauren! We were hoping to call my Dad...but, they were ignoring my phone call...YES, Jordan is taller than his cousin....um, I won't tell you how old she is...but, she graduated from Cal Poly - SLO last year...and I think she was buying beer....

It was a little cold in the View deck....the boys stole my scarf for a part of the game....

This is the view from our seats....Jeff and Dad were sitting WAY DOWN ACROSS from us...

This is the VIEW from their seats....our seats? Top deck...2nd from the right....We need to take the boys to more baseball games...they wanted to know more about the game...like how do people get food when there is no halftime? Other questions/comments? "I'm hungry"...we just ate before going into the City..."There goes the DIBS man..." "Hey! That's the Warriors Chant" (Let's Go Giants....) "What's the "B" "S" "O"?" Sigh....I traded seats with Jeff at the top of the 5th....of course, most of the questions came from Neil

I haven't been to a Giants game in years...I had forgotten how beautiful the park is...and I like the scoreboard with all of the "stats" for the hitters...sigh...okay...maybe we can go to another game...in the day...when there is sun and no wind/fog/cold....

To end a very nice evening...we stopped in Oakland Chinatown for noodles and rice plates...quite yummy...I still love Sun Hong Kong...although it has changed it's name...brought back memories of the old Ingres days...sigh....

It's a Princess "Rainbow" Bear!

Tonight I finished my Mini Garden Ornament....isn't it cute....a little too much...but, I think I found a way to use up some seed beads! hmm...I'll have to do some digging in the Christmas boxes... Today, Kathy and I "skipped" out on our Pilates class to do something even more fun! We took Kristen to Valley Fair to visit Build-A-Bear Workshop! Jeff, the boys and I gave Kristen a giftcard to BABW...and I think she had fun...

Let me introduce you to "Princess". She has on a floral dress...pink leggings and some awesome pink sunglasses. She isn't wearing her shoes...and she has some frog pajamas for tonight.

Aren't they both sweet...and yes, Kathy said it was "ok" to post her picture....

yippee!!!!

OK...some people know about my "self-imposed" purse restriction. It started some time last summer...when Jeff noticed a wholesaler rep's purse. He said that I would really like it...he asked what kind it was...PRADA....HA HA HA...then he made some comment about if I didn't buy a purse in two years...I would have enough money for a PRADA purse...yeah, right...but, a challenge is a challenge...

But, please note...it is a "purse" restriction...nothing in the word "purse" says shoes...since Jeff bought a toilet for me for Mother's Day...I decided I would buy myself a pair of shoes...I had to buy something from DSW (I love that store!)...because I would receive an extra 500 points...gotta work towards those free shoes! Aren't they cute? My favorite color...purple and some blue... Remember that order that Auntie Patti and Uncle Haruki picked up for me? The kit was for a mini ornament...I had a few problems last night...but I spoke to Trisha from DACS and I was able to make the base tonight....while watching LOST...OMG....next season is the final season!

Tomorrow night I will embellish it. It's called "Mini Flower Garden Ornament"...it's really tiny....but...so, cute! Stay tuned for the final product tomorrow....

Well...I gotta get some sleep...big day at Build a Bear Workshop with Kathy and Kristen! I can't believe Kristen is going to be 3!

Aloha and AUGH!!!!

Let's start with "Aloha". Jeff's Auntie Patti and Uncle Haruki went to Ko'Olina last week, and one of their many adventures to find Jeff's "favorite eating spots" took them to my favorite bead shop in Hawaii....DACS BEADS.


I called in an order and Auntie Patti picked it up for me....below are a few samples of some charms and clasps that I needed to restock on.... I saw this Mini Flower Garden Ornament kit on Alethia's website...thought I would give it a try...I started it tonight...but, I think I did something wrong...so, I took it all apart...I'll try again later.
To my surprise (and delight), Auntie Patti and Uncle Haruki bought me some beads...hmmm...I guess they just lost the job of bead courier...sigh....Aren't they pretty? The ones on the left are little sushi/musubi beads. I have a few of these...so, I guess Auntie gets a new bracelet...hee hee...

Bathroom update: Yesterday I painted primer...today the color! I know...whooo...sooo... exciting...not! Jeff did buy the toilet that I wanted...he said it was my Mother's Day present...HAH...Julie, that tops your frying pan!
Now for the AUGH....we have been having a little problem with Jordan and homework....so, I have been going to school during the 10 am recess to make sure Jordan is working on it. Today, we ended up cleaning his desk while we were looking for his Spelling/Vocabulary packet that he was given YESTERDAY....I "confiscated" origami paper, MAGIC cards (trading game) and Bakugan cards. Some of the stuff I threw out was a box full of pencil lead....not the mechanical pencil...wooden pencil lead...and tons of recycling...we did find some assignments that he didn't turn in....he ended up doing those assignments twice because he couldn't find it in his binder....AUGH!!!

More AUGH that I just found out about: My brother Dean needs to have his kidney stones zapped again...this is always an ordeal since he is "developmentally delayed"...and his bout with colon cancer about 6 years ago has him very nervous about hospitals....and my mother's other "child", her Pomeranian needs surgery. Turns out that her bones are falling apart. She needs to have her right knee and both hips realigned.

Sigh...when will this year end? Actually, I'll be happy with the school year...then I can sleep in a little....

Mother's Day

We celebrated MY Mother's Day on Saturday. Jordan stayed up until midnight on Friday night working on his James and the Giant Peach picture book report and then he woke up at 7 to work on it on Saturday. Due to his efforts, we were able to leave around noon for SF.

We ate in the Cellar at Macy's and then did a little shopping. Jeff picked up his coats from Jos. A Banks, and then we headed to the Wharf for dinner.

Isn't the fish cute? I had crab cakes and A LOT of rice....too bad we missed the fireworks show...but, Jordan had to finish up his book report. Sunday morning the boys woke me up with their presents...and breakfast....Dad made sure to record the event for our blog...gee...thanks Dad...I didn't even get to brush my hair....breakfast? Corned Beef, eggs and rice....leftovers from Friday...hee hee...