Playing catch up

Honestly can't remember when the last time I blogged was. I've been busy but also have been sleeping a lot. Kind of wishing I was a bear so that I could hibernate. Wouldn't that be nice. :D

On to Thanksgiving. To say the least it was one of the nicest ones I've had in a while. I was with my family and it was just so..how do you say, it was fabulous and I felt all warm and cozy the entire time. Took my sewing machine over and created a few projects with my niece. Of course I didn't take pictures, forgot. I got to spend it with both of my boys. It's hard having big boys, even harder having to share them not only with their dad but now the oldest has a g.i.r.l.f.r.i.e.n.d who is also requesting his presence at her family events. Yeah it's not fun, but I know some people are saying let go, I am saying NO. I'm not ready. Oh the food was totally to die for. My sister Veronica did all the cooking and everything was just perfect.

Thanksgiving 2009 - Me with my boys

Thanksgiving 2009 - The Family

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Las Vegas Half Marathon

Not sure how I did it or maybe I had nothing to do with it, but Mark completed his first half marathon with me - The Inaugural Las Vegas Rock n Roll Marathon.

27, 600 people participated in this race. There were showgirls, Bengal tigers, skydivers, and fireworks, all this at the start line. I've done quite a few Rock n Roll marathons, but never had I see all this go into a Start Line spectacular kind of show. It kind of makes sense now why they are pushing the price of the marathon up. Would I do it again, maybe - but for $150 I'd have to think about it. The course it self was awesome, it was a flat and we totally ran on Las Vegas Boulevard the whole time. I have driven the strip before but you miss a lot when you drive it. I was like oh I didn't know that store was there or better yet where did that hotel come from. The best part was the drunko's on the course cheering us on. Not sure what was funnier the crazy people who were up at 4:00 am getting ready for this race or watching people come out of the casino's with their beers cheering us on. You CAN DO IT...YOU CAN DO IT ALL NIGHT LONG. I was like...Wrong movie. LOL.

Committed To Cure Cancer. My friend Christy asked us to wear blue shirts with the quote on it in honor of her aunt Drena, unfortunately her aunt lost her battle and passed away on Friday.

Race Photos - the funniest ever and oh so cheesy.
I've made fun of my friends, crossing the finish line with your man and holding hands..really? BARF.
Yeah look at me. SO CHEESY!

To top it off..I wore leg warmers. I swore to take them off as soon as I warmed up. Umm.. it never happened. My sister called me Rainbow Bright I laughed and said Really? So I guess looking at the photos, yep I had Rainbow Bright Legwarmers on but at least I was warm.

And more cheesy photos. I woke up on Monday and saw Mark's medal hanging on his side of the room. I was like look at him so cheesy and yet totally adorable at the same time. So below are our his and her's medals. He has a lot of catching up to do. According to him this is his first and last half marathon..yeah I don't think so.

7 more business days and counting...until I am on vacation AGAIN. 2 weeks of catching up on my scrapbooking. Yeah imagine that. al le al le Alleluia.

By the way..totally found myself dancing in the grocery to those darn Christmas carols. My feet were moving my butt was doing this wiggle action.. does this ever happen to you? Hahaha yes I crack myself up.

80's Prom

My marathon team held an 80's prom fundraiser a week ago. For a month before the event all we did was talk about what dresses we were going to wear. LOL. It was such a fun night. I can't wait to do it again. Because I seem to have nothing to say lately I'm all about posting pictures. Here are some of my favorites of the evening.

Rachelle, Chely and me. :) Gosh and to think I am the old lady in the group. LOL..

We even set up an area for photos. Our very own 80's prom backdrop. It was so cool watching everyone go over and take group shots.

And after a long evening dancing I kicked off those heals and pulled out my slippers. :)

I'm ready for another night of dancing and talking about what races are next. It's an addiction. I'm over it, I can't go to rehab for it... and the thing I am most excited about.. I have a Garmain Forerunner 305 on it's way to me. Yeah now I really feel like an elite athlete. In scrapbooking terms..It's like buying a Cricut (which I don't own YET). Yeah cool stuff huh like that.

Off to finish my work. I should be on vacation but came in today to do some testing. I was hoping to be gone by now..but nope! oh well. My vacation officially starts the minute I walk out those glass doors. :) AAAHH I can taste those margaritas already.

STMC #111

highest_mountain, originally uploaded by suzbucket.

This past week was veteran's day and got me to thinking..where are those boot camp pictures I had? I found one and it happens to be one of my favorites. My parents did all they could to come to my graduation in Parris Island, South Carolina. A lot of the other girls didn't have family there but I had my parents. For me this was a dream..to be called a U.S.Marine. A lot of people didn't think I'd make it but I did.. and for that reason I used the lyrics "I have climbed the highest mountain" from this week's Scrapping the Music challenge.

Thanks for looking . . .and by the way this picture was taken 21 years ago..oh my.

almost Halloween

I had an idea for a costume. Mark had another idea. He wants me to dress up as the Corpse Bride and he wants to be Victor. UUmm... so I asked him.. does this mean you finally want to marry me? He looked at me *LAUGHED* and walked away. Yeah.. Yeah..

We sat down to watch the Corpse Bride to get some ideas on the costume. My son Josh walked over and sat down to watch the movie with us. aaahhhh I just love this boy! I sat in the middle, but closer to Josh (Mark was on my I don't like you very much list), and the 3 of us just talked and laughed. Mark had his arguments, see Victor doesn't marry the Corpse Bride he marries Victoria. Josh suggested I dress as Victoria instead.. lol. Mark can't win and never will. LOL.

I'm so not ready for Halloween. I've waited for it so long that now that it is coming up I am so falling behind on everything. Tomorrow is my office Halloween party. Participation is low and well...I am hoping for the best. Crossing my fingers and hoping it's successful.

Have a great Halloween... :) bucket

Scrapping the Music Challenge #109

A new pair of socks called for a new set of pictures :) Thanks for looking.

Prom, Yogurt Land, and mud..all makes me very happy

Camp Pendleton ASYMCA Mud Run was so much fun. As you tell from the before and after photos it was a blast. I ran with my friend Kelly...KELLY LOVE YOU GIRL!!! She had me cracking up. In June when I did he race we had Marines helping us over the mud pit walls..this year there were none. So Kelly, being the giant that she is, jumped over the regular sized wall. Me being the munchkin that I am jumped over the wimpy wall. Well hey what can I say... it was still a lot of fun. My favorite part was watching Kelly climb up a mud wall (it is referred to as "Tiny") I looked up saw her sliding down, I laughed so hard and then I started sliding down. It really was the most fun ever.. it's one of those.. you had to be there.

Have I mentioned that Pinkberry was my sweet escape. Whenever I wanted something sweet and cold I'd go to Pinkberry and get my Green Tea Pinkberry with Kiwi, pineapple, and Mangos. Ohhhh Pinkberry how I miss you..but there is a new guy in town and his name is Yogurtland. He comes in various flavors (lick, lick, suck, yum - get your mind out of the gutter.. ) and the toppings ooohhh yyyuuummm... Yeah Yougurtland is my new sweet escape.

An 80's PROM

My marathon team is having an 80's themed prom fundraiser!!! Imagine how much fun this will be! It was an idea one of my former teammates came up with (Thanks Suzi) but we just never pulled it off..either time constraints or just to busy.

As I was running with one of my current teammates (Rachelle) I told her about it. We talked about it and now it's happening. November 14! If any of my local friends would like to attend please let me know. Its our first Team Prom and I'd love to make it a success.!!!

next.............

Camp Pendelton's ASYMCA Mud Run..... Yes another mud run and yes I love to get dirty. Earlier tonight I was going through my running gear trying to figure out what costume I wanted to wear. So I decided on Little Nicky's sister. I love the whole "Being Evil Ain't Easy" brewhaha

I know, I know little Nicky didn't have a sister but i can pretend right. So I went to Michael's got me a black t-shirt, got the socks and devils horns at the Halloween store next door.. Now I am set!!!!

Here's hoping my shorts stay on and that my socks don't cause blisters. ;)

On the scrappy side, I have been scrapbooking but my layouts are incomplete. LOL. Bad habit of mine but I'll get there.

On to Halloween..... uumm... I can't decide on what i want to dress up as. For work I am dressing up as a Vampire. For the actual day of Halloween... uumm... I can't decide between Pippi Longstocking and a made up costume representing Day of the Day. I have a tutu... that is it and that is what i am working with. This should be interesting.

aahh how I love pictures

Saturday Morning -

Who loves running? We do? Maybe. Of course we do. We do it because we care, we do it because we can. Each Saturday morning it's a ritual for us to smile at each other and say.. "Are you ready?" For me it's always amazing to see them cross through our tunnel of love, waving their arms up in the air and doing a WOO HOO I did it. I am so proud of them and so proud to call them my teammates :)

Sunday Morning -

Long Beach Half Marathon: the course was awesome and the weather was perfect. I was a little afraid since I haven't been doing any long mileage training, but in the end I pulled it off. See those amazing ladies below, it was their first time running a half marathon. I think they got the bug..the marathon bug. :)

Someone get me a pen, I have a letter I want to write.

Dear BrightRoom Photography,

Why oh why must you take the most unflattering pictures of me while I run. Next time you insist on taking my picture please allow me to brush my hair, adjust my fuel belts, and put on some lip gloss.

Thank you.

Monday Morning -

So who does this? Who goes to Disneyland after doing a half marathon? ME! Me! and me. LOL. I spent the day with my friend April and her family for her and her nephews birthday. I just love seeing this place through the eyes of a child. I had a blast hanging out with Emily (age 10) and knowing I can act like a big kid and she would think it's totally cool. I've got my season pass... lets do it again!!

And with that I have tons of photos to scrapbook but no time to do it in. This weekend is shot... I sit here and wonder when did my life get so gosh darn busy. I need to start scheduling weekends to myself. Looking at my calender... uumm... I have a few days off coming up!! UUmm.. I'm loving it.

Say hey.....

Michael Franti & Spearhead : Say Hey Music Video

I'm sitting here in the dark and I can't get this song out of my head. Songs do that to me. I love Michael Franti, saw him in concert at the Hollywood Bowl and totally fell in love with his music. Thinking I may do some scrapbooking tomorrow night and incorporate the lyrics into my layout.

I'm off .. I need sleep but can't sleep. I have major insomnia and this is not fun at all. :( Lets hope counting sheep works.

Where do I start?

I know it's been awhile. I have an excuse...really I do. Let me come up with one and I'll let you know what it is. :)

First off Inspiration Unlimited....can you say AMAZING!! I've been to bigger scrapbooking events and I've been to smaller ones, but lets just say this one is just the right size.

The teachers: Janna Wilson, Layle Koncar and Teresa Collins, our cruise director Ginger Nelson really know how to throw a party. Not to mention our add on instructors Stephanie Ackerman and Tammy Mitchell.

It was a weekend full of inspiration and full of laughs a little bit of gambling mixed in with a little drinking...can't ask for anything better then that. :) Below is a slide show of some of my photos of the event.

The projects were awesome and totally gave me some new ideas. I haven't put pictures in all my projects yet so here are a few.

This book here was a mini class with Teresa. I love it! I looked for various photos of Mark and I and went at it. As much as he complains and bitches and gets on my nerves I know he likes to be scrapbooked into my projects.


The following layouts are the classes Janna gave us. She is so creative!!


I actually messed up on this layout. I'm a dummy and I just started cutting and cutting away and in the end I couldn't go with the original layout. My fault for going ahead and not reading the directions. Either way I like it and the flowers... who knew a heart punch could have so many uses??


When we started putting this layout together I called to Ginger and said..DO YOU SEE WHAT I SEE?? She was like HUH?? i said DISNEY!! Look at it!! OH YEAH. I was a little hyper got excited and a new Disney layout was born. :)


and this one totally called vintage to me. I found a picture of my mom and my aunt and threw it on here. i am loving this flower technique!


This one here was Layle project. I haven't added pictures to it yet, hopefully soon. I'm thinking my next free weekend is maybe..in two weeks.


Tissue flowers!! This belongs to the book Teresa taught us. So much prettier in real life. I haven't put pictures in that book yet either. It's a friendship book..and to be honest I have so many friends that I want to add to it... now to chose all my photos. :)


If you want to join in the fun next year I totally suggest signing up as soon as the event opens up. Right now it's only open to those that attended this year. It will open up next month to everyone. Keep an eye out on Teresa's blog for the date. If you go to her blog you can also see the list of the new instructors for next year. And we will also be at a nicer resort Green Valley in Henderson. SO EXCITED..I'm going to try and go a bit early and enjoy some R&R before the event.

Besides that I've been really busy. yeah I know the story of my life. I have the Long Beach Half Marathon coming up on Sunday (10/11) and then I have the Camp Pendleton Mud Run the following Saturday. hhuummm but you know what I love it. It's an addiction. A bad addiction. I've signed up for too many marathons lately. Not sure what got into me. Think I am sick in the head. LOL. So far this is my schedule.

Long Beach Half Marathon (10/11)
Cam Pendleton Mud Run (10/17)
Santa Barbara half Marathon (11/7)
Las Veas Half Marathon (12/6)
13.1 Marathon - Los Angeles (Brand New) (1/10/2010)

That is all I have signed up/paid for.

BUT.... that isn't all.
I still need to sign up for Surf City Half and that one is in February (2010). hummmmm and some of my friends are going to do the Los Angeles Marathon in March. Do I really want to run 26.2 miles - this one isn't a half. I've done it twice. I know I can do it. Humm I have to think about it.

and with that I am off. Oh...did i mention I am going to DISNEYLAND on Monday!! Yep after I run a half marathon on Sunday I will head on out to Disneyland on Monday. Like I said..I am crazy in the head. :) I can't wait!!

YAWN..good night.

It's a joke right...seriously

I'm not a bad person. I'm good, I swear.

There are things that happen that are beyond my control. For example a bird shitting on me or me stepping in dog poop... as they say SHIT HAPPENS.

First let me explain. I live on the same property as my parents. For the most part it's OK. They drive me a bit crazy but they are my parents and I do love them. There are times where I have come home to find strangers sitting in my house with them. Oh Hi Mija.. this is cousin so and so and they are going to spend the night in your house. EXCUSE ME? Yes they are here visiting and we are wondering if they could spend the night..asking me this in front of the people..can I say no??!!! Yeah if you know me..I just smiled and swore it would never happen again. After these said cousins left the house I was going to have a word with my parents. Never happened. It's like this, I like to see my parents happy and for the most part I try and I mean TRY to be a pretty good daughter. My problem...I NEVER SAY ANYTHING.

So fast forward to tonight. I was out having dinner with some of my friends/teammates. I had 2 missed calls and 2 voice mails from my mom.

The first message "Mija, where are you? I need to talk to you. Call me back right away."

The second message "Mija, it's mom again. What time are you coming home? I need to talk to you?"

Well that sounded pretty serious don't you think? So I call my mom back.

Mom: "Mija where are you?"

Me: " I went out with Mark?"

Mom: "Where did you go?"

Me: "Mom we went out to dinner with friends."

Mom: "What time are you coming home?"

OK so now I am like what the heck is going on!!

Me: "In a while, why?"

Mom: "XXXX(name not provided to protect the innocent) has a table do you want it?"

Me: "Table? for what?"

Mom: "It's a real pretty table for your living room. Do you want it?"

What I consider pretty and what my mom considers pretty are two different stories.

Me: "Huh? Mom what if I don't like it"

I wanted to make it clear before I even saw it that I may not like it and prepare yourself and don't get mad. Like with clothes she always tells me, just try it on and if you don't like it it's OK. Trust me it's NEVER OK.

Mom: *heavy breathing through her nose* "Well once it's in your house you can do whatever you want to do with it!"

Me: "Well if I don't like it I am going to sell it at the Teams next garage sale."

Mom: "WELL... I am going to put it in your house and then you can do what you want with it."

ARGH... why didn't I say no??? ....see picture below.

It's a joke right? I have a pretty big living room and I can understand where my mom "might" think I would like this table.

I came home walk right to her house and said "OK mom where is the camera?? I'm on candid camera right? It has to be a joke! Why would you put that thing in my living room?"

She looked at me really sad and said, "You don't like it?"

No offense to anyone who likes this style of table but it's just not me. It is literally a 4 foot x 4 foot table. Maybe even 4.5 x 4.5 table. I don't know what my mom was thinking? Do I like it?? HELL NO!

I am still looking for someone to jump out of a dark corner and say... "SMILE YOU'RE ON CANDID CAMERA." It hasn't happened yet. What were my parents thinking? ...but..let me tell you this isn't the first time something like this has happened to me.

If you happen to like it and want it..email me. it's yours FREE...

huh....

as if I could wait until I got home...yeah right.
During my lunch break I played with my digital downloads. I love these new kits!! Here are a few things I did.

Solitude - some of my friends think I am a little strange (or maybe it's that I'm too old) but I love stripped socks! I love to walk around the house in shorts and knee high stripped socks....anything wrong with that? I don't think so. Would my boys go out in public with me dressed like this? Probably not. To be honest I only wear them around the house anyway...so yeah I am not ready to be locked up..not yet anyway. ;) So for now here you have it, my two favorite things in the world - my converse and my stripped socks (original color leprechaun green).

aaahhh love the boys..all three of them..well most of the time at least. Kind of sucks being the only WOMAN in my little family. They like to boss me around, but like I tell them I might be small but watch out I'm a former Marine and these hands right here are registered weapons. LOL. I wish.

STMC # 102 - Wake me up when September Ends

summer_has_come, originally uploaded by suzbucket.

Technically Summer is coming to an end... =( but thought I'd reflect on one of my best summer days. Food, carnival rides, cupcakes, and can't forget the giant hot dogs.

blah blah blah

Wake up, come to work, put on a happy face, I am here way to early. I decided to kill some time and play Bejeweled on Facebook. I really...really dislike this game. It is so darn addicting. The colors, the sound, it all sucks me in. In Yoga class I laid down, closed my eyes, all I saw were these bright squares and me in my head trying to create groups of three with them. Like I said the game just sucks you in. I've never been a big video game fan...but look at me now.. Like I said I really...really dislike this game. And since I was here so early today I decided to do some digital art kit shopping at scrapartist.com. All I wanted was some grunge looking frames. Really that is all I went in looking for, nothing more. I swear I wasn't going to buy anything else....then.... *sigh* I saw these digital kits. LOOK AT THEM!!! So me don't you think??

Graffiti Girl

Adelaide And Amelia

I have purchased other kits from the artist, Christine Honsinger, and have totally loved them. UUUMMM... I have ideas spinning in my head... aaahh how I miss my digital art.

and with that I am off.... it's time to clean my desk and get to business.

Weekend fun

OK take 2. I started this post yesterday but never got a chance to complete it. Crazy Busy ..that describes me right now....on to my blog post..........



If you call cleaning fun..then I had a blast this weekend. I finally got all my stuff moved over from my old scraproom to my new scraproom. The new room is actually a lot larger then the old one.I still haven't finished cleaning..but I am in no rush. As long as all my stuff has been moved over I will eventually organize everything. I just have to figure out a way to get Mark's weight set out of the room. Any ideas? and umm... if I could get his computer out of there too that would be great. Actually if I could just get Mark out of there that would be even better. Poor Mark he doesn't know what he got himself into when he agree to share an office space with me. Remember Milton from Office Space, how eventually he is stuck in a room with with no walls, nothing but his swingline stapler.hahaha

Saturday morning I went on a small run with my team over at Santa Monica Beach. I swear I run with the best group of women ever. Group 5 is #1.... I'm the (insert the loudest laugh ever) pace group leader. It's more like they lead me, but it's awesome you know. I always chat about silly things and in the end it's like..hey we just did 6 miles how do you feel? It's always a wow moment. First 6 miles is always good, 10 miles is always better, 15 miles getting there, 20 miles is always the best. Can't wait to reach that milestone with them.

Saturday night I did something totally out of my comfort zone. I had received a facebook invite for a Calavera Fashion Show & Walking Altars fundraiser. Something different and totally called my attention. I convinced my cousin Espi, my sister Diana, and my new roommate/little sister Uri to join me. We drank some home made Sangria, ate some vegan Tamales and enjoyed some wonderful live music. All in all it was a great night! I can't wait for the fashion show now. For a special treat they brought in some artist from last years show. The costumes are amazing. I just can't imagine all the time it takes to create one of these. You'd have to see one of these in real life to know what I am talking about.

Sunday Night we headed out to Howl at the Moon in City Walk for Mark's cousins birthday party. I had never been and really enjoyed myself. I was telling a friend that all I got was one margarita .. because I am getting old and can't hold my liquor. LOL.

Monday.... all I wanted to do was lay in the pool. I had so much to do at home still that I didn't get a chance to head in there until something like 4:00 pm and by then it was getting chilly. =(

Well let me rephrase that...chilly for me. If it's 100 degrees outside but the wind is blowing and I'm in the pool, wet, then it's chilly for me.


So it was just me and my pear cider hanging by the pool. I wanted to freak my mom out and let her think I was drinking straight out of the bottle... lol it worked. I said Mom go ahead take a swig from it, she looked at the bottle and laughed because it was cider.

Work is work. Changes are still happening and Iam thinking that maybe a bottle of cider isn't going to cut it anymore. I'm going for the hard stuff . . Boones Farm =)



Good thing, the weekend is almost here. Looking forward to some Margaritas and Taco's at my friend Anna's house this weekend. Saturday I am heading out to San Diego for a friends 40th Birthday. But before all this...looking forward to my butt kicking workout tonight.

Tuesday = Time to create

I'm not sure what has come over me today, maybe it's the stress from work but I came home in the mood to create.


Scrapping the Music Challenge # 101 - Mr. Blue Sky


What a fun song!!!! Here is my submission for this weeks challenge. Check out my alphas, brought to you by Mustard Moon! I found them the other day while I was cleaning out my scraproom. I am still finding some hidden treasures amongst all this mess. Pictures are from an evening out with friends. Love these women to pieces!!

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A Gift....for Anna. =)

I've talked about this camera chipboard book before but here it is complete. Instead of using chipboard inserts I used some plastic I had laying around. I don't even know where I got it from...like I said I am finding hidden treasures.

All of you attending Inspiration Unlimited can purchase your book here -> Camera Book.










I kept it simple but I really like it hope she likes it too.

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and then because I was bored.....

I own one of those alterable coffee tumblers from Starbucks. I haven't changed the insert in maybe 2 years ago maybe, so I decided to change it today. I have this really cute Rusty Pickle paper (Accent Girl) that I've been itching to do something with.









and that is it...going to bed now.