Early Morning

This morning our alarm went off at 5:45 am. Why so early you ask? Well Steve has started his morning workout regimen and I had to be at the airport at 8:00 am. While we were rolling out of bed we heard a loud boom. We both looked at each other puzzled. Earthquake? Plane crash?Steve ran to our bedroom window and peered outside. A flash of light raced across the sky and then was proceeded by a loud roar. Thunder and lightning in So Cal? A few minutes later, another flash of light and a loud bang. Like a little kid I opened the slider and went out to watch from the balcony. Steve makes fun of me because I get so excited over the weather. In Texas I would watch the Weather Channel (TWC) religiously and if there was a storm outside I would peer out the window pointing out every lightning bolt. The storm this morning was short and the sky cleared before sunrise. Maybe I'll go back to school and become a meteorologist.

What's Up?

Hello everyone. Jenn is insisting that I write this new entry so I am doing this to stop her constant begging and pleading. She says that everyone likes it when I write in our blog. I ask her who likes it? She says everyone. I just roll my eyes because I know that is just her way of trying to get me to do this. I remember when I was young and Mike and I wanted to have Mom or Dad get us something. I would tell him to ask and he would say no, you ask, you are better at it. I knew that wasn't true. I knew that Mike just didn't want to do it so he would make it look like I had this secret magic touch with Mom and Dad that no one else had. Kind of the same trickery on Jenn's part to get me to write a blog. Well, I'm a good guy so I say Okay, I will do it. Anyway, I think we are about done here. Hey, that wasn't bad at all.

Jenn and I are just plugging along here. We are getting settled into our new place. We love where we live. We are both close to our work, shopping, restaurants, and the beach. Although, beach season is winding down. In Orange County there is always something going on. I guess it is easy for us to go and do something because we don't have any kids. So we are taking advantage of that now before we start trying to have little ones.

So that's about it for now. Nothing really new going on except like everyone else we are waiting to see what is going to happen with the economy, the war, and the upcoming election. I was thinking about Kevin, my nephew, and how he has just returned from his mission. When I came home from my mission in 1991 we were in a bad war and the economy was so bad that we went into a recession. Now, 17 years later, our country is at war and the economy is on the brink of destruction......again. How sad that the leaders of our country have not learned anything from the mistakes of the past. I don't want to get started with a whole political thing here so I will leave it at that and just say that it is a weird coincidence how things happen. Now I feel old after typing in 1991. Take care everybody and we hope that you are all well.

Steve

End of Summer BBQ & Pool Party

Yesterday Steve's boss hosted a BBQ and pool party at his beautiful home in Ladera Ranch. It was sooo much fun! The food was catered by Newport Rib Company- Steve was in heaven! I was able to meet most of his coworkers and their families. Steve is a lucky guy, he works with some great people.

Most of the Home Financing Crew

Mike, Eric, Anthony, Jeff, Steve & Fred

Us

*Sorry pics are blury. I dropped my new camera and I have been using my old one :(

Girls Night Out

Last night a group of us girls went out to dinner at Habana to celebrate my friend Rebeca's 29th birthday(right). It had been a while since I had a girls night and it was sooo great to see everyone-Rebeca, Kamie, Eileen, Jamie, Debbie. Not to mention the food is delish! I had the plantain crusted chicken breast, yummy! Habana is in Costa Mesa in the “Anti-Mall” a hip, eco-friendly outdoor mall. Inside the restaurant there are round metal candelabras hanging from the ceilings and "trees" of votive candles. We need to have GNO every month!
Happy Birthday Rebeca!!

Under the Weather

First Steve. Now me. Last Friday Steve came home from work not feeling well. He had a cough, stuffy nose, body aches and couldn't stop sneezing. He never gets sick. Monday morning I woke up with the same symptoms. Not the way I wanted to spend my last week of freedom.

Back To Work

I have accepted an offer to work for Knowledge Learning Corporation as an Assistant to the Regional Vice President in Southern California. KLC owns all the KinderCare Learning Centers, Knowledge Beginnings Child Development Centers, Childrens' Creative Learning Centers and partners with schools nationwide offering extended learning programs. I will be working out of their Rancho Santa Margarita location, which has both corporate offices and a KinderCare Center. My first day is September 15th and I am very excited to get back to work!

Labor Day Poolside

We spent Labor Day relaxing poolside with my parents. My Mom and Dad are in town for a few days visiting family. They drove down with a car full of wedding presents from our reception in July (we couldn't fit them in our car). It felt a little like Christmas! Now I have new toys to use in the kitchen.

Steve and I have officially moved into our new place in Irvine. I'll post pictures of the inside after our furniture arrives. Here are some pictures from yesterday.

View from our balcony

Dan and Alice
Steve and Dad
Master Griller
Dad reading the sports section

Whoo hoo!

Steve surprised me with tickets to see Jack Johnson tonight at the Irvine Verizon Amphitheater! My brother and I took my mom to see him in San Diego for Mother's Day a few years ago and he was great. I love his music and he's such a handsome fella!

Happy Sweet Sixteen Kelly

Today is my little sister's birthday. She is 16 years old! Wow, time flies. I remember the day she was born. I was so excited to have a new baby in our home. We are ten years apart so she was my real life baby doll. I would dress her, change her, comb her hair, and rock her to sleep.

Now she is a junior in high school and will be driving before you know it. Then it's off to college. I am so proud of her and all her accomplishments. She is intelligent, witty, beautiful, caring, and the BESTEST sister ever! I wish I could be there to bake you a dozen birthday cupcakes, but here is a picture of what they would look like---well sort of.
HAPPY 16th BIRTHDAY KELLY!!!

Goodbye Cedar Glen

It's official we are moving! We signed a lease in Irvine and will be moving this weekend. For those who were unable to visit us in Lake Forest, I have posted pictures of our first place.

I will miss watching tv on the old "big screen".

(Not shown but the condo came furnished with a massive tv)

I will miss cooking in the open kitchen.

I will miss our large closet. Actually Steve will. He has more clothes and shoes than I do.

I will miss the gerber daisies and the smell of rosemary in the "backyard".

I will miss the small Smurf bathroom.

I will miss hitting the snooze button over and over again in our bedroom.

I will miss our pool view.

The condo was partially furnished so I am excited to move into our new place and start fresh. Time to break out my interior decorating skills. Suggestions and ideas, anyone?