It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Happy Holidays everyone!! As I write this..."Jingle All the Way" is on the tv, (It is Cassi's all time favorite Christmas movie and I get a kick out of our governor in red tights!) the cookies are baked, all the presents are wrapped and I am ready for the partying to start!

I am posting a ton of pictures from around the house. Cassi and I have many special ornaments on our tree and to us it is the most beautiful tree ever. It is artificial and has two different areas that don't light up so we had to wrap lights around it this year and it's a skinny little thing but it's ours!


Rudolph in his teens...

Santa sure looks tired!

I am especially partial to homemade ornaments. Cassi made this a few years ago and when I brought it out this year...the clay is still wet. This is probably my favorite ornament on the whole tree!

Another homemade ornament from Cassi's preschool days.

I had to explain to Cassi that this is an ornament from when I used film...and then had to explain what film was...go figure!

Since we are huge Disney fans...Disney is represented in a large way!

I took the next two images while we were decorating the tree. Unfortunately, quite a few of our ornaments were broken because of poor packing last year so I need to be a lot more careful this year. There is something pretty about all that broken glass to me.

I love the snow and so we have many snowmen on display.

I love shallow DOF and spent some time playing with the lights from the tree and decorations hanging from the chandelier.

I was afraid the princesses would fall off our flimsy tree so they are above my computer desk for now. They might just have a permanent home there.

Angela buys me the annual ornament from the Hotel del Coronado every year and each year they get prettier and prettier. This year's hasn't arrived but I can't wait to add it to the tree!

I always joke that we have a "boy" tree because it is predominately covered in balls...so I decided to make her a little more feminine by adding Cassi's bright pink Santa hat to the tree as a tree topper. I think it is the perfect touch!
Each year we buy ornaments from the "St. Judes Foundation." I can not even imagine how the parent's of sick children deal on a day to day basis and so I try and donate when I can to St. Judes. I am truly blessed to have a healthy child and thank God everyday for it.

Another Cassi handmade ornament made with her hand print in first grade.

Last year's Hotel Del Coronado ornament.
Our stockings are hung...

We have been blessed to have the real Santa come to the studio every year to visit and Cassi has the same pose with Santa since she was 2 (7th year this year!). I am amazed at how much she changes...and how little he changes. He really is timeless and I love these pictures each year!

I had to share my guinea pigs with all of you. This is Daisy Rose and we have had her for 2 and a half years. She is such a blessing to have around. I did not want a pet at all but Cassi really wanted one. I told her she had to be good for one month in class (She is a real talker!!!) and I would consider it. And she actually accomplished it. AND I think I love this pig more than her!
This is Sugar Baby. Cassi and I stopped at the pet store and absolutely fell in love with it. I couldn't resist but did not want another pet because I couldn't afford to buy the stuff required to bring another pet home so we went home without her. I could not get her cute face out of my mind and I asked God to give me some sign that we should go get her.

That day...I was cleaning my car and found $200 in a pocket behind the passenger seat. I know it sounds crazy but we were doing proms week after week and I must have taken my earnings and stuck it back there. And there was my sign.

I called the store and we went and brought her home with us that day. She is a complete stinker and has such a great personality. Sugar has cowlicks all over her body and her crazy hair goes with her disposition.

I probably will not post again before Christmas so I hope you all have a blessed Christmas and Santa brings you everything on your list!!!!

Enjoy!

It's my Party...

We celebrated my twin sister Diane's and my birthday this weekend at my youngest sister Darci's home. Her husband Don and her were gracious enough to throw a Western themed party for us and I think everyone had a super time. The image above is of my sisters and I before the party began.

This is my sister Darci in purple and her husband Don on her right. The sheriff (we were in Lakeside!) showed up and threatened a citizen's arrest if they had to come back but luckily we didn't have to bail anyone out.
This is Debbie and Anna who we frequently go to country concerts with. Anna is getting married in August and I can't wait to photograph her wedding!
My nephew and his delightful girlfriend Aisha.
My twin sister Diane and her husband Johnny Cash (Brian)

I have no clue what song they are dancing to...

That would be my niece Amanda in the middle. I love this picture!
My nephew Steven and his friend (my coworker too!) Sam...
Anna on the mic...

We all had such a great time and anyone who is reading this who was there...thank you for sharing this night with us...we are blessed to have such wonderful people in our lives. Many of the people there we have known since high school and beyond and we have shared our lives together. Thank you for being the amazing people you are!!

Thank you also Darci, Don, Diane, and Brian for making this birthday special for me. You are the best!!!

On to something else...

I shared this website (Paperbackswap.com) a while back (June 11th) because I had just found the site and thought it might be something I would use. I have continually used this site over and over again. You post books you have in your home and when someone would like that book...you package it up and mail to them. Once they receive the book, you receive a credit to order another book from any other member.

This site is amazing and I have ordered books for myself, Cassi, my family and not once has the book been sent to me in bad condition. They track every thing and I found the statistics regarding how much I use this site amazing...

Here is my account as of tonight...

There are

1,749,986 books posted that you can swap

I have

sent

54 books

received

37 books

have 22 credits to order books

The books I have sent have:

gone to 27 different states

the shortest distance 12 miles

the longest distance 2,714 miles

the average distance has been 1,753 miles

for a total distance of 150,761 miles

How is that for statistics??

If you are interested in the site...Paperbackswap.com they have a referral program and you can put my name in...Cassiandme...and I think I get credit...I think you also get three credits once you post a few books of your own, at least that is what it was when I started.

They even tell you how much shipping to put on each book and you print the labels right form their site.

Cassi and I put up our tree tonight and inspired by the Baxter's blog ( http://sdohana.blogspot.com/ check out their site...they are local photographers that inspire me with the work they do and I find their blog hilarious to read!!!) I photographed some of my favorite ornaments to share with you. I haven't downloaded them yet but will soon.

So for now...

Enjoy!

Things that make you go hmmm...

One of Cassi's chores is to empty the dishwasher and put the dishes away.

She yelled from the kitchen..."the dishes won't fit...Can you put them away?"
I didn't investigate and let her go to her friend Ashleigh's house.

This is what I found...

I CANNOT undertand why these didn't fit in the cupboard.

Any ideas?????

just one...the last one

This is not the last Hawaii picture I am sharing but the LAST image I took in Hawaii of the LAST time we saw daylight in Hawaii. This was taken from Waikiki beach while we enjoyed one LAST Hawaiian shaved ice before we had to go to the airport.

This is actually my background on my computer totally unretouched or fixed in Photoshop. I still have so many images to share from Hawaii but I think this one speaks to me.

There were many people on the beach because it was a Saturday and EVERYONE stopped and watched this...even the surfers all sat on their boards facing the sunset and enjoying a spectacular moment...almost a spiritual one... I think it is one of those moments you had to experience to believe...a peaceful moment that connected so many.

I understood ohana...

Enjoy!

A few of my favorite things...

These were taken during a recent shopping trip to Fashion Valley.

Somehow this mall just doesn't scream...It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas..." Oh well...So Cal for you!
Cassi's feet were killing! Beauty before comfort!
I love this shopping shot of her!!

I love the Christmas lights!

Christmas is my absolute favoritist time of year. Since I was a kid I have always loved this holiday more than any other. Now when I was younger it was because it also coincided with my birthday but seeing how we choose not to dwell on that anymore...December is still my favorite month!

Christmas is a favorite of mine...

I love everything about the holiday. The music...the shopping...the hustle and bustle..the lights...the crowds...the tree...the shopping...the decorations...the weather...I could go on and on!!!!

I love traditions...

I have tried to instill traditions into my daughters head because the traditions we had growing up still mean so much to me. Every year...

Mom overshops (yes...a tradition I totally uphold!)
We end up at the local WalMart or Target (used to be ToysRUS) at least once at midnight
My parents cut down a tree and Mom loves the tinsel!
We watch all the classic cartoons (Rudolph, Frosty, Charlie Brown, etc...)
When Cassi was younger she LOVED Arnold Schwarzenegger in "Jingle All the Way" and it cracks me up to know he is our Governor now. So we watch that at least 5 times each year!
We take pictures with Santa and I take the SAME pose each year.
I take Cassi to Disneyland for all of the Christmas decorations. This year we had plans to go with Geri and family and I was surprising Cassi. She surprised me that day by ending up with a pretty bad flu and we didn't get to go! I haven't planned a makeup day yet but will have to see when our passes allow us to go!
We go to Christmas mass
My Dad bakes batches and batches of fudge
We go to my parents house Christmas morning and they have mounds and mounds of presents for everyone to open
We drive around looking for lights and on Christmas eve...looking for Rudolph

These are some of the things we do each year and I love it!

Another favorite of mine is the snow.

Someday I want to know what it is like to be snowed in somewhere with nothing to do but light a fire, turn on music and read a book. I told the girls today that when I am old and gray (no...not next week!) I want to live in a mountain cabin, work in some tourist trap like dressing people up and taking old time photos and talk about the weather with all of the locals!

San Diego had snow in the local mountains this weekend and chains were required and the crowds were crazy up there so we decided to go today instead. After Cassi and MacKenzie got out of school we drove about 40 minutes east of our house to the Laguna Mountains and played in the snow for a couple of hours. It was enough time for the girls to get soaking wet, freezing cold, and have a blast!!

After the snow we went to another favorite place of mine...Viejas.

I love that place. I can't help it but I love the sounds of the machines, the thrill of winning (when I win!), the little old ladies banging on the machines, the Quick hits...

but I didn't go there for that.

We went to the Outlets and did a little bit of shopping and watched the "Ice Princess" show they have going on each night. It was really really cold but the music was fabulous and it got us in a Christmasy mood.

Then we went to a neighborhood in Santee that we have been going to for years that has all of the homes decorated. Most of them have a cartoon theme and they get better each year! One family sells Kettle corn and another hot chocolate.

In true San Diego style, I take the top down on the convertible and we drive through enjoying the lights.

I think I have written a novel tonight and I hope you enjoy this time of year too!!