New Car Smell

R.I.P. my little VW GTI (formally know as "the rice rocket" even though it's a German car). I loved shifting your gears, rolling around on your gangsta rims Justin had to have, and fitting into the tiniest parking spot. I'll never forget the first day I got you and we zipped up to LA and went out on Sunset. But, your two doors are too annoying and a it just won't be practical or particularly safe once Jackson is in the backseat.

Welcome home my new mom mobile, my VW Touareg. You are so nice and high off the ground, have cool lights in the front, all wheel drive, white with leather, and have 4-doors. The sound system sounds great and I still feel cool when I drive you even though you are technically a mom-mobile in my eyes. And to top it all off, you have an amazing new car smell and only had 7 miles when I first got behind the wheel. I love my new car! 

Michael Jackson and Dirty Dancing

Last night (Friday) I drove up and got Dett (Kristina Dettwiller) and we went to Casa Vega for Mexican food then I begged her to take me to the Michael Jackson memorial at his star on the Walk of Fame in Hollywood. Still can't really believe MJ is dead. The radio played his songs the whole time I sat in traffic, and Power 106 even had a tribute song made already by Puffy and Chris Brown. 

Oh....Hollywood Blvd....I love all the freaks down there, and with all the MJ fans, it was EVEN better people watching. We both got an amazing Michael Jackson tribute T-shirt for $10 and tried to wait in line to see his star but there were thousands of people there and we just didn't have enough time. 

Then we were off to the Pantages to see Dirty Dancing. I have always loved the movie, even though it seems to get cornier every time I watch it. The play was exactly like the movie and had a great set, but it was totally cheesy and a bit long (3 hours). For those of you were have been pregnant, it is not particularly fun to sit for that long. :) The grand finale was the best as Johnny (Patrick Swayze's character) came busting through the doors and stormed through the audience to jump up on the stage and say, "Nobody puts Baby in a corner." And yes, (Natalie especially....) the lift was amazing! Great night! 

8 Months Today

Today marks Week 32! Crazy how this whole pregnancy thing seems to last forever, like it's been forever since we found out right before Christmas, all the while it has just flown right by. Justin got me this shirt at Big Belly Deli when he went to lunch, he actually tried twice to get the shirt. He's being really cute lately, he even went to Barnes and Nobel yesterday to get expectant father books all by himself. I'm teaching summer school and surviving. I'll keep telling myself that it's not that bad and it will go quickly till July 22nd. Right? I only have 3 more waitressing shifts too and I'm retiring my apron. Life is changing already! 

Congrats to Keri and Greg on the arrival of baby Makena! 

Justin's Garden

At the end of April Justin's thumb started to turn green and he took over the backyard, planting trees and creating a garden in the corner of the yard. He may have been overzealous planting tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, herbs, green beans, and more in one small space...but this is our first garden and a learning experience. The cutest thing he planted just outside of the garden is a Big Mac pumpkin that can grow to be 100 lbs. He wants to put Jackson in the Jack-o-Lantern for Halloween. Get it....Jack-o-Lantern....and our neighbors have a big haunted house each year so we're trying to be all neighborly and get in the spirit this year. 

Well no plant of normal size is good for Justin, so he's been feeding them steroids and watering often. They are starting to take over our yard. The pumpkin is spreading its vines across the yard and seems to grow by the foot each day. It's cousin the squash was doing the same, so Justin yanked it out yesterday with a few green beans. 

I think it is the cutest thing to get all domestic at our new house. I saw a rat scurrying up the wall the other day, and although it's not eating anything, Justin got two rat traps yesterday. This morning he checked trap number one and...no rat. Trap number two had been snapped! So the poor rat took the cheese bait, and then the trap snapped on his head and flung him into the garden. Needless to say...a dead rat is in my garbage can this morning. 

So here's a garden update. Pictures go from end of April till June 19th.  I'll make sure to show off the pumpkins this fall too. 

Stop....Shower Time (like Hammertime...get it??)

I am a VERY busy girl this week with wrapping up my school year (i.e. report cards/cumulative files/class DVD/throwing a promotion ceremony/cleaning up my classroom/prepping for summer school)--I may explode, but I did have a fabulous weekend.

Thursday: Shower at my school during recess...awesome cake and $100 to Target 

Friday: My Room Mom Brooke threw me an End of the Year Party / Baby Shower at the park across the field from my school. Loads of gifts, the swing I'd been eyeing off my registry, and $$$ for an end of the year present we will be putting towards a nice camera. I have Justin shopping around already.

Saturday: Ruppy threw me an AMAZING shower at her house. She decorated her front yard so cute and invited everyone I know from teaching for the past 5 years at Perry Elementary (just girls). We played games, had salad and mac' n cheese and I opened many gifts. I really can't get over how VERY spoiled this little baby Jackson is already. 

Sunday: Although I had to work but...the Lakers won!!!!! I get my husband back! That is after he goes to the Laker Parade through LA tomorrow. 

It's busy around here, but the doctor said Jackson is measuring perfect and even asked if I had been eating. Ha ha ha ha ha!!!!! She doesn't know I had 5 cupcakes last week. :) Now I start going to the doctor every 2 weeks. And tonight....I'm off to a prenatal massage. Heaven! 

Lake Havasu...Pregger with Pasties! J/K

Last weekend, after much thought, I decided to join the boys on a trip to Havasu. Our friends Colby and Shalene have a mobile home and 2 boats out there and Dave drove so I decided we may as well get away now before we have baby Jackson in tow. We left after the Lakers game on Friday and got in late. 

Saturday we woke up and had McDonalds for breakfast (Justin's favorite), went to the pool while Colby got the boat ready, then hit the boat. Colby has a 28 foot Skater boat, which goes WAY too fast. I even had my sister Shelby google if it was safe to ride in a fast boat when you're pregnant because I got paranoid. I always got the front seat though which was a nice perk to being preggers. We drove down river to the sandbar which is so crazy. I would never take my kids there (even though Christian Dave's 15 year old son was with us), but all the river folk took their kids there....I think I saw 3 little babies in the 105 degree dry heat. I don't think I really fit in this time at the river with my big straw hat, seahorse big girl bikini, and bump. The girls were super skanky and we even got to see some nudity, pasties, 5 person beer bong, roided out guys, LOTS of plastic, and a lesbian show. Hmmmm....... Christian was my NA buddy, I even got Busch NA at the gas station because the river is not the same without a beer, but I think I drank 2 all weekend since they looked just like regular beer and I couldn't bring myself to look like the pregger chick drinking beer. Lots of water, sunscreen, and spray misting going on. We stopped by the river bar Naked Turtle in Havasu after the sandbar and got some nachos, then went home and then out to the Javelina Cantina for Mexican Food. Colby and Justin went out at night, but Dave, Christian, and I just went home because we were wiped out.

Sunday the boys talked me into staying an extra night, so we had a relaxing day at the river. We did NOT go to the sandbar this time we went farther up to Mobai Beach and to new bar named the Pirate's Cove. We had salad and pizza and met up with Heather and her friends and family who were in town too (she works with us at Savannah's). We went down the river to "Cooter Canyon" and we just had snacks and were the only ones. We even saw a big horned sheep and some wild mules. Sunday night we got dinner and chocolate malts and it was a much better day. I didn't feel so out of place like I did on Saturday.

Monday we hung out at the pool and left around 1 p.m. We got home with time to relax and get things situated for Tuesday. A big thank you to Christy who got things together for my sub on Monday so I could truly relax....it was an appropriate sick day and almost the last of our road trips besides up to Fresno for Ashley's (my cousin) July 10th wedding. 

Slim Cheryl (my mom)

After a long tax season break from seeing each other, my mom finally had time to come over from Scottsdale for the weekend. She brought her two Maltese puppies Rocco and Barkley and hit the road. On Thursday I drug her along to a school board meeting to recognize the HB Teacher of the Year (the hot PE teacher from middle school got it...maybe another year for Christy and I) and we had pizza and a Lakers game. 

Friday Mom came with me to school and I put her to work on our end of the year scrapbooks and "Grandma Cheryl" got to be the Royal Reader twice, of course reading "How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight" for Dinosaur Week. Friday night we were pooped, shopped around at IKEA, and to tell you the truth got McDonald's Drive-Through and it was amazing.

 Saturday I had to work for a bit since it was the AVP Volleyball Tournament directly in front of my restaurant all weekend so Dett came down in the afternoon to hang with mom. 

When I got off the girls picked me up and we went out for Mexican Food. I'd been trying to sell my futon for awhile so we'd have it out of the nursery/house and while I was at work the people came to look at it and wanted to buy it. Yeah! Craigslist is super shady and 2 people tried to do the same scam on me...over a FUTON. But...I made $150 off it so that's the best part, even though mom went from a bed to the couch. :) Dett helped carry the futon to the guy's truck and with each step her dress got lower and lower cut.  I was laughing so hard, I think I almost made her drop it. When we got home from dinner I put mom and Dett to work carrying furniture from the garage to the nursery while I directed them. They worked so hard, so I have to give some of the credit to Mom and Dett for the nursery's cuteness. Dett rocked me in my chair (Ha!) and then left to meet her parents in Solano Beach. Mom and I relaxed and watched the Lakers again. 

Sunday I had to work again, and mom had to hit the road. It was a fantastic weekend and I just love how I can totally relax with my mom and it's like we have had no time apart. I miss her so much between visits and actually tried to convince her to just move over here to HB. She'll be a great grandma because she has been an amazing mom. XOXO