Unseen 2009

Below are some pics from 2009 that never made it on the blog or Facebook. Thought I would end the year with them on the blog, so I don't feel like they were wasted. I was just thinking back to the time before digital cameras...when you would get a roll of film developed and 2 days later and $10 later you would hopefully have 2-3 good shots and the rest would be horrible. Good Times.

Oh Samantha...life is rough huh?

Little Man likes to relax in some of the most random places.

Lovely Ladies!

Me & Erin

Man, Twin looks real happy for getting choked out by a crazy person.

Me & Roy at the Galaxy v. Houston Play-off game!

He loves to sleep on Kirk's laundry for some reason.

It's never too cold for flip flops in Southern Cali!

I don't know what Anti Monkey Butt is...but it was worth capturing with the twin & pops!

It's the Michelin Man. No wait, it's the State Puff Marshmallow Man. Nope...it's Isaac O'Bannon Bower in all his glory!

Happy New Year People!!!

The Annual Martin CPK Visit

Pretty much once a year Carrie & Corey visit from PA and we end up at CPK...and why not? It is FreePK and we all gotta eat! Tonight we all met up in Seal Beach and had a great dinner. I really wish the Martin's lived in Cali, but at least when we do get to spend time with them, it makes the time spent that much better! Here are some pics from the night o' fun.We should take this group on the road...I say the 8 of us should go on a vacation together in the next year or two.

I love these girls so much! We have spent so many years together, so many memories.


The Bean! Noa is seriously one of the easiest kids to love on. So much to squish!

And of course...one of my all time favorites. I swear Isaac is such a handsome little man. Pye, you guys better stay in Cali!

Mercy & Grace

Lately I have been having awesome joyful days and then crappy low days and I can't seem to find the happy medium. I mean, I am blessed, truly blessed...but there is pain, sadness and worry still. Not that I am surprised by that, THAT is life on earth. Joyful and tragically flawed at the same time.

This Christmas season snuck up on me big time and I can't believe we are about to start another year. I have excited anticipation for this coming year because of our trip to Europe and after that beginning to try to start a family (baby and bulldog). It is bittersweet though because I am also fearful. Fearful of things getting worse and worse in the economy, in the war and in the world in general. Fearful of loosing loved ones.

I am tyring to remind myself that it tends to be in the lows of life that you can truly learn, not necessarily the highs. The lows can change your character for the better, draw out compassion and strength you never thought possible. I will face this next year with the hope of joy and the trust of God's Mercy and Grace to get me through the lows.

“I do not at all understand the mystery of grace - only that it meets us where we are but does not leave us where it found us.” - Anne Lamott



Lyrics...

Am I unfit for You
Remember me, the one who turned from You
I come in rags tattered by the Fall
And all the earth, a witness to my crime

Mercy, weep over me
Let Your tears wash me clean
Majesty, be merciful with me
For my eyes have seen Holy

Hear my prayer at night
Let the morning find me alive
For I am tired and weakened by the Fall
Let all the earth bear witness to my cry

Let the Amen sound from Heaven as You lift my soul
Let the Amen sound from Heaven as You lift my soul
Let the Angels sound from Heaven, Holy is the Lord

Bold Move Sir!

The following story did just take place, it is not a joke...

Our office is filled with sweets during the holiday season with treats all over the place from our vendors, not to mention we are working on revising our Red Velvet Cake frosting and a new Butter Cake dessert. So today (after I already had a nice burger and fries from In-n-Out) I was given a whole Red Velvet Cake to take home with me and Butter Cake to eat in the office later today. As I was walking out of my office, our SVP of Procurement was putting out a HUGE plate of assorted cookies and asked if I wanted any. Rick (who I have mentioned before - April 23rd Blog Post) walked up as she told me "Julie, have some cookies."

My response: "Oh no, I am still full from lunch and am waiting to have some butter cake later this afternoon. If I eat the cookies too I am not going to be able to tuck my muffin top into my jeans anymore!"

Rick interjects: "It's gonna go straight to the middle" as he says this he pokes my stomach.

Yes PEOPLE, he was so bold...went right in and made contact with my belly. I had no words...and I still have no words on how to react to that one. [NOTE: the touch was very brief, was in NO way sexual and he has told me before that I am tiny, so I do not think that he was calling me pudgy in any way.]

I can't tell if I am was more speechless because he touched my middle and that is a place not many people touch or if it was because I was so brutally and quickly reminded of how my middle has become more "soft & robust" than it has been in the past. Would I have been as taken aback if he would have poked me and hit rock hard abs? Probably not, I would have probably responded with...oh yes friend, that is steel you just poked!

F&B

On Thursday my boss Brian (the one in the hat) took our Food & Beverage Department out to dinner and to a King's game. You may be thinking to yourself...I did not know Erin was in F&B, I thought she was in PR? Well, you are right...she is our PR Goddess at CPK, but according to Brian - He took out the F&B team and our other favorite person at CPK. Which was awesome since Erin is my bestie at work and made the night so much fun.

At Rockin Fish for dinner before the game. If you ever go, I recommend getting a bunch of appetizers to share...they were better than the entrees! Sorry Erin that my fatty head is blocking your beautiful face.

This is us in the suite after Roy, Paul & Juan bought all of the ladies a Kings gift. The Santa hat came in very handy after the game when we walked outside and it was raining. That foam finger is pretty sweet though!

Sitting in a suite for a Hockey game is the way to go for sure. You get a great view to be able to see a play develop from start to finish and you don't freeze your butt off like you do when you are down near the ice! I could get used to the suite life!

Roy, Paul & Juan bought Brian a new jersey to say thanks for the awesome night!

My F&B peeps!

It's Beginning to Sound a lot like Christmas

Because I have a VERY long commute each day I listen to the radio quite a bit and in the last week between KOST and The FISH I have been getting in the Christmas mood. Non-stop Christmas music all the time and to be honest I have realized that the songs that really get me in the Christmas spirit run the spectrum from cheesy 80's to goose bump creating Bebo songs. I decided to share a few of my favorites with you...

I don't care what anyone says...I HEART WHAM!


I sing the Hippopotamus song SUPER loud in my car when it comes on.


Jars of Clay, Little Drummer Boy is always the first song I want to listen to after Thanksgiving! LOVE IT!


Would Christmas be complete without a little Mariah Carey before she went koo-koo bananas?


Because Bebo is my favorite at Christmas, I could not pick just one. I love how some songs really hit home the true meaning of Christmas and why it should be celebrated.




What are some of your favorite Christmas songs?? I am always looking to add to my collection.

Really?

Tonight as I was heading to dinner with my friend Erin I almost plowed into the back of her car in the parking lot...why you ask? Because she decided to stop for a young couple about the cross the parking lot to the adjacent restaurant. What I found interesting about this couple was that the young man was covering the eyes of who I am assuming was his girlfriend, and guiding her carefully across the street. This sparked my interest...why? Because I am nosey and because who doesn't love surprises? He lined her up right in front of the restaurant and whispered something in her ear...then he removed his hands from her eyes. She looked up and started, jumping up and down with a huge smile on her face and turned to hug him with a ton o' joy. I just sat there in a pure "are you kidding me?" stare...

Oh, I'll feed you baby birds...wait for it...

He took her to a super fun surprise dinner at...The OLIVE GARDEN!!! Huh?