"I Dream..."

I remember when I first started working at UCSD I would come home overwhelmed almost every night. Not because the work load was too much, but because of the patients...

Today I found out that a patient we have worked with in the past years had lost her bottle to cystic fibrosis.

My prayers go out to her family during this time...I do believe she touched the hearts of all those she came in contact with. 

When a patient remembers you, you know you've done something special to make them remember. 

You don't have to work in a hospital to touch someone's life. It's as simple as a hello or a smile... You never know what someone is going through and sometimes, your warm smile or  hello, can brighten up their day.

Sometimes when you least expect it, they can touch your life and that's why YOU remember them....

Engaged!!!

Congratulations Renee and Drew on your engagement this past Sunday. We couldn't be HAPPIER for you two!!!!

 The Newly Engaged couple

Nay's beautiful ring!

*incline 10, 30min, speed 3.5 *incline 5, 5min, speed 4 *incline 0, 25min, speed 5

 *planks, 5min

calories burned: 725 (on treadmill)

total time: 1hr (on treadmill)

mood: tired but boy do I feel good!

Buyer's Remorse and Fog...

Impulse shopping tends to lead to BUYER'S REMORSE, well, at least it does for me. So what does one do when this happens? Return the things I DON'T need. In return I get my money back, and money back in my wallet/bank makes for a HAPPY HUBBY and I guess a happier ME too! With that said, ALWAYS keep your receipts!

Here's the story...on Saturday I visited Victoria's Secret and bought a gift for my friend. I also decided to spoil myself by getting some makeup from there. I bought an eyeshadow palette, 2 eyeliners and a lip gloss. At the time, I was excited about my purchase, however when I checked out I wasn't excited about the cost!

So I pondered about the things I got and how practical it was for me and of course how it would "benefit" my family. Thinking...thinking hard...head hurts(exaggerated)... So here is what I came up with...

1. How often would I use what I had purchased? Well, considering the fact that my make up staple consists of usually only mascara, in which I haven't used an ounce of in the past month, I guess not that often. Not to mention that none of what I had purchased included MASCARA.

2. How is EYESHADOW, LIP GLOSS and EYELINER useful for Michael, Lilly and Jacob? Michael and Jacob will have no use for any of it (thank goodness, or I would need to worry). Lilly could use the lip gloss occasionally, but 1/3 doesn't win this case.

3. How much money did I actually spend on these 4 items? Money I could have used for something else or saved? I didn't realize that I had spent so much on these 4 items. When I went to return them, I realized I had spent close to 62 dollars on 4 things...oh no, that was not very "thrifty" of me now, was it?

So in the end, I made the smarter choice in returning the make up. And what did I do with the money I got back? Michael, Jacob and I enjoyed lunch together. Nothing grand, just some Greek food at Daphne's in Mission Valley before he took me to work.

Tomorrow we will be taking a trip to ROSS to return a pair of ankle boots that I had purchased a week ago and have now decided, I don't need them. They're cute and all, but I'd much rather take my 14.99 + tax back. Let's just hope I don't get distracted and buy something else while I am there. But if I do, at least I'll have the satisfaction of knowing I have 30 days to return it.

Next topic... shall we discuss the weather now? I loved the weather today, Michael takes me to work every day on the 5 freeway. The drive is always lovely because you can see most of the coast on the way to my work.

There was fog transcending down the valley into the freeway as we drove, it was beautiful. It was still warm, and when I got to work I was only able to enjoy the view from the inside. The fog was thick in La Jolla. I love it, it feels so much more like FALL now...and it gives this kind of eerie feeling, which is perfect given Halloween is just weeks away.

Totally RANDOM but don't mind the little notes at the bottom of my blog. Starting today, I am going to log my work outs at the end of my day. Strictly to keep me motivated! Please share with me some of your work outs I can try so I don't get bored!

Foggy Day....

Jacob boy fell asleep on the way

Foggy Night...

*Incline 1, speed 5, 15min *incline 10, speed 3.5, 5min *incline 4.5, speed 5, 5min *incline 1, speed 5, 5min

Calories burned: 356

Total time: 30

Sundays are the best days....

Fun day...Sunday....I enjoyed watching the kids play with each other after our meetings at church. They seemed content just playing with each other and not to mention throwing grass at each other.

Last Halloween premiered the show, "THE WALKING DEAD." We were hooked right away. Tonight was the premiere of the second season. We had Adam, Trevor, Corey, and Melissa over to hang out and watch the new episode. Elisa, Adam's girlfriend came but then she left because she had to work. She brought her YUMMY cheese ball though...

I ended up taking a nap because I was so tired. I have trouble sleeping lately, it doesn't matter how tired I am, I will lay down on my bed, close my eyes, but I can't seem to fall asleep...I think I finally fell asleep just a little before 4am. This is not functional when you have to get up, get two kids ready, plus get myself ready for Church. Thank goodness I have an amazing husband to help me get them ready. Even if he doesn't get them ready, he always makes sure the diaper bag is good to go and scriptures are close by so we don't forget them.

But at the end of the day, we enjoyed the show and each others company.

Always Sunny in San Diego...at least for TODAY...

I love the weekends...because I'm off and I get to enjoy doing things with my family and ME time too...

Today we went to a birthday party for Kalani. I love his mom, Terri, she is one of the sweetest, strongest, loving woman I know! I can talk to her about ANYTHING, and she understands and doesn't judge me. I love, love her!

The party was at Bird Park in the North Park/Balboa Park area, I never knew it was there until today. It's beautiful!

We got there before the party started to drop off the grill for Terri and then left to get some lunch with Michael, Jacob and my sister, Lin. Lilly stayed with Terri's girls, Karla and Kali. They love to play with each other. We also picked up a gift for the birthday boy and the birthday mom.

Classic example, Mikey can fall asleep in any position...we got to the park, he put the grill together and took a nap with Jacob...

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Mommy and LillySwinging away with Daddy

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When we got back we had cake, Mikey and Jacob took a nap, and then we helped Terri pack up...

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Nap time part two...

They were both snoring too...hehe

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This is my favorite picture and moment of the day...

My camera captured the sun rays only in this picture

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The beautiful blue sky behind us, such a beautiful day!

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Karla playing with Jacob

Love this picture of them and the ball in the air...
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Karla and Lilly

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Beautiful Day in San Diego...

I always visit GOODWILL on Saturdays, if I'm having a good morning I'll go there during the week before work. It's not as crowded during the week either. Melissa was supposed to come with me, but she wasn't able to so I went alone.

I got some cute dresses for Lilly and some pieces for me.

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The Juicy Couture dress I found for Lilly

It's too big for her right now and it's not short either, she just pulled it up as I took this picture

All in all, today was a good day...

Then Church tomorrow to start off the new week...doesn't get better than that...

Thrifty...

When I was little my dad would always take me thrift store shopping with him, and he'd let me and my sister pick something out during every trip...sometimes I would wonder why he'd always take us to the thrift store and never to the mall...but now that I'm older I am so grateful that he did...

Of course as I got older he stopped taking me, but as soon as I got a job sophomore year and started driving, I started shopping at thrift stores again. I was bummed when they took away the SKILL CENTER thrift store in La Mesa. That was the best one, 3 stories of goodness. I wish it was still around, I remember that one the most because my dad would pull out his change as he checked out and let us get boston baked beans out of the little candy machine. Makes me a little emotional just thinking about it...

So now if you were to ask me where I got something, I would tell you the thrift store. I love finding things for a deal. I rarely or NEVER buy anything full priced. I always tell myself, it'll go on sale soon and then I can buy it, and if it's not available anymore then it wasn't meant for me.

I don't care if something is no longer in style. If I like it and it fits and I think it looks good, I get it.

I've noticed that things at thrift stores aren't priced as cheap as they used to be, a few years ago clothing and shoes were priced at 1.99 to 3.99 a piece, nothing over 5 dollars but now I've noticed their prices have gone up and I think it's because thrift stores are popular now.

I am an addict. It doesn't help that there is a GOODWILL right next to my house. I can walk there in less than five minutes, that's how close it is. I probably go there at least once a week, and when I do go, I can spend hours in there looking for stuff. Sometimes I go back through the aisles a few times because they often put more stuff on their racks.

Sometimes I find stuff that is brand new with tags still attached. I found Lilly a Naartjie dress for 3.99, brand new with tags. The tag read it was selling in the store for 29.95. I was proud of my steal. She got compliments about it at Church. I went back a week later and saw more of them there in different colors so I bought her another one and I bought one for a friend at church that just had her baby.

I love coming home and googling my finds on line. I feel so proud when I find out I got something that was really expensive for so much cheaper. 20 dollars at the thrift store is like 100 dollars at the mall!

Thank you Dad, for teaching me to be thrifty even though for a few years in my life, I didn't live that way and wanted more than I could afford. Thank you for telling me you got your shirt for 1 dollar and your pants for 2, and telling me you had to haggle to get your shirt for a dollar. I love you Dad.

Who would have thought, as I am sharing how much I love thrift stores, it got me thinking of my Dad and remembering my thrift store adventures with him.

Here are some that I've been to:

*Goodwill on Home Avenue (the best in my opinion, my favorite one)

*Goodwill in Santee

*Goodwill in Point Loma

*Goodwill in Downtown (this one has an awesome bookstore that Mikey loves)

*Goodwill in Mira Mesa (it's newer, but smaller than the other ones)

*UCP Thrift store in Lemon Grove and in City Heights (formerly known as Children's Hospital Thrift Store)

*Whatever Boutique in Grossmont Center and on El Cajon Blvd (they have a resale section, I love it, you can get some designer stuff for a steal)

*Bara's Thrift in Clairemont

*Baby Trader in La Mesa

There are so many other ones out there, I need to explore them all!


Lilly in the dress I got her from Goodwill

THE END

for now....

October

Where to begin...I am so bad at keeping up with my blogs. I used to be able to blog much more often when I was using XANGA but then again, I wasn't working when I blogged then. I hope I can keep up with this more often. I've thought to switch back to xanga, but it's not as easy to navigate and work as blog spot.

So to start off, Lilly turned 7 this past Sunday on October the 9th. I can't believe it's been 7 years since we gave birth to our little girl. Now that she is 7, we can't even call her our baby girl anymore without her correcting us and telling us that she is not a 'baby' but a 'lady' now...my goodness...such sass...We celebrated with a little party for her at Azalea Park up the street from our house. It was nice and she enjoyed playing with her cousins and friends.

Yesterday, I went to get my eyes checked at UCSD's Shiley Eye Center to get a new prescription for contacts.

Well, instead of just getting a new prescription I was given this diagnosis, an unexpected one: SUPERIOR HOLE OD WITH CUFF OF EDEMA, POSSIBLE SHALLOW DETACHMENT ...in english please?

I guess the best way to put it was there was a tear in the retina and it was collecting fluid underneath and it could possibly cause my retina to detach from my eye.

At first I didn't understand what the big deal was all about until she explained to me that if the retina was to detach completely I would go blind in my right eye. Now who wants that? 

Dr. Ho told me I needed to see a Retina Specialist right away and she told me there was one at Shiley I could see right away, but because I have Scripps Health I had to take my referral to them, but she told me as soon as they saw the dx, they would see me right away, WRONG! 

I spent the whole day, took of work unexpectedly only to keep hearing, "The request has been marked URGENT and we will call you as soon as we hear back." I never heard back yesterday.

I was only even more frustrated to find out after I called Scripps today that the auth had been approved for me to go back to UCSD. But what could I do? Just get over it and get it taken care of.

So I went in and saw the specialist today at UCSD and they took so many pictures of my right eye that I thought if the detachment doesn't cause me to go blind, all these flashes just might...hehe

I am so impressed at how fast and efficient the opthalmologist and his staff were.

They looked at the pictures then looked at my eye and took me to the "laser" room where they repaired the detachment with a laser in less than 30 minutes. Everything happened so fast I didn't have time to be nervous about the procedure. They numbed my eye in between the treatments and the only thing I didn't like was the pressure from the suppressor they used to keep my eyes opened.

I had the day off today for Lilly's open house so everything worked out...I came home took a nap, woke up like someone had stabbed me in the eye cause the numbing solution wore off. I took some advil and headed off to Lillyanne's open house. I wasn't going to let anything prevent me from seeing my child's progress in 2nd grade. 

I'm so glad I went, Mrs. Kemp told me Lilly is one of her advanced readers, already reading at K level when they are supposed to be at an H. That made me so proud. However, she did state that Lilly gets distracted easily and that does cause her to fall behind when it comes to following simple instructions.

Also I told Mrs. Kemp I was a little concerned that Lilly might have dyslexia because she forms her letters backwards. She reassured me that it is normal but if she still does that at third grade to get her tested. 

I am having Lilly test for GATE, I am excited to see how she does.

I am just so HAPPY that October is here, I was going through some rough patches the past few months but now that the holidays are fast approaching I am just so excited to share these moments with Michael and the kids. Between me working and Michael at school I feel like we haven't been able to spend much time together. I know we live together, how can that be possible? Trust me, it is! But we are making the best of the moments we do have together, like today.