2.28.11

Thick frost and a thin sheet of ice on my windshield this morning. It was the first time I have ever had to use the defrost to actually defrost the windshield, it's usually just used to de-fog. Man I love winter!

2.27.11

Omnomnomnom

2.26.11

Tonight I made miss Keira a no-sew Fancy Nancy blanket. I absolutely LOVE the Fancy Nancy series and even though Keira is a little young for the books (shes 18 months), I think she will grow into them soon. This was the first time I did a no-sew blanket. It took me roughly 3 hours to do the whole thing. I took a few breaks because all of the cutting with scissors was killing my hand. It certainly made me appreciate my rotary cutter so much more. The knots were pretty easy to tie and I was able to get them all pretty even and looking the same. It turned out great and I can't wait to see my sweet monkey on Monday and give it to her. The weather has been super cold lately too. It snowed! it was mostly hail and sleet here, but just up the road in Burbank it snowed enough to make little snowmen. It also snowed pretty good in Ojai (where my family lives).

2.25.11

This is an old train case I have that I still keep some beauty supplies in. I tried to remember the time when I thought this accurately depicted Hollywood, but I'm pretty sure I always knew she was a hot mess.

2.24.11

Finally have this on my wall and not on the floor leaning against the wall. Only lived here 4 months. Nevermind the crappy photo. I was testing some camera app on my phone. It sucked and I uninstalled it, but unfortunately this was the only photo I took that I did not delete from my phone. I almost certainly would have but it was likely overlooked. I've been sick the past couple of days so I have really been out of the house so you get stuff I can get pictures of from my bed. ENJOY MY AWESOME LIFE!

2.22.11

New glasses case next to my old glasses. Finally have them in a hard case, maybe they will last longer than pairs I've had in the past. Sad to see Borders closing, but loving the Everything Must Go sales!

2.21.11

I love the wordless cartoon instructions on the front of all the Ikea products.

2.20.11

The clouds breaking. The storm clearing. Expecting another one next weekend.

2.19.11

My mom found an ad to adopt this super cutie. The guy was in LA, not too far from me. My mom and I hopped in the car and headed to see him. I'm so glad she was staying with me this weekend. I just fell right in love with him. His name is Max, and we adopted him. It was pouring down rain but we decided to call my grandmother and give her the news that we found a dog for her. We brought him first back to my place and he fit in really well. It started to become difficult for me to think about giving him up. Just a few hours and I was already super smitten! Well, we drove up to Ventura, stopping at a petstore on the way to pick up some much needed supplies and then took him to my grandmother. Max is the sweetest pup, and even though hes living with my grandmother he will always be partially my dog. I can't wait until the next time my grandmother goes out of town and I get to dog sit!

2.18.11 (with bonus photo!)

Disneyland for my birthday. It was rainy, but not actually raining while we were there. Decided to make it a very short trip and only stayed a couple of hours. It was cold and windy and surprisingly more crowded than we anticipated. It was fun though. We didn't do all that we normally do and we did some stuff we almost never do. I felt really good. It was really nice to continue feeling peace as I had throughout the week. I really think its the rain. A lot of people get really sad with the rain, but I like it most of the time.

The second shot I took while driving home. I didn't like watching all of the traffic so I reclined my chair back and I watched the rain hit the windows. I snapped a few shots of the trees and just love the way this shot turned out.

2.17.11 (+ Bonus photo!)

Still in relaxation mode. Glad to be away. I couldn't pick just one photo, so I had to put two. Neither are exceptional, photography wise. This year is more about capturing photos that represent my days, and if I can make them artistic too, awesome, but if not, I just want to capture something so I can look back and be taken right back to the moment. The top photo is a very typical morning with the kids. Cooper glued to the TV and Miss Keira being a silly monkey. They make me unbelievably happy. The second photo just captures what I love. I don't even know how to describe it. I love the rainy weather, I love clouds, I love that area of Oak View that just seems to be back roads middle of nowhere. Peaceful and quiet. Love it even more in the rain.

2.16.11

I needed away. I needed to get out of LA. As luck would have it, it was raining. I went up north to Ventura. I love Ventura in the rain. I stayed at a cottage down by the beach. Looking out of this window I was fascinated by this house. It was only much later that I realize I had been there so many years ago. It is weird to look back on the roads you've been on in your life. This was a really great day for me, and a much needed peaceful night. This picture isn't of anything spectacular but it reminds of something that makes me feel a little peace again.

2.15.11

This cutie's name is Koala. He is at the Humaine Society in Ojai. My mom, grandmother and I visited today to see about adopting a dog for my grandmother. We just loved this little guy but we are third in line to get accepted so the chance we will get him isn't great, but he sure is a sweet pup! He is also a local celebrity. The play 'Annie' is currently playing at the theatre in Ojai and Koala is in the play.

2.14.11

That sounds about accurate. Happy Valentines Day.

2.13.11

Birthday presents from my amazing friends! It's all so beautiful I am so excited to have new jewelry. The cupcake is from Amanda and its a delicious raincheck for more baked goods to come at a later date. the peacock feathered earring is so beautiful and soft, I can't wait til the next time i get all dolled up so I can wear it! KJ and Tabin gave me the necklaces which was something i needed! I wear and have worn the same necklace for the past 5 years. I love it and I will probably continue to wear it, but I LOVE having variety. Most of the necklaces I own are real fancy or heavy or really only go with certain things, but these I can wear with anything. Im wearing the black heart with black beaded chain right now. All of the gifts are setting on top of a beautiful gift back Amanda gave me.

I had such a great birthday. God has blessed me with some extraordinary friends and I feel truly blessed.

2.12.11

Zombie prom! This makeup took about 5 and a half hours from start to finish. There was a lot of drying time. I also did my chest and part of my arms as well. This was all done with liquid latex, toilet paper, paint, oil makeup, fake blood and regular make up. I had a super blast and I was the hit of the night. I must have had 20 people asking to take pictures with me and another dozen or so to take pictures of me. I was also given a business card for a guy who makes zombie movies, was told by 3 guys that they loved me, and voted honorary Prom Queen. I likely would have won actual prom queen, but while I was outside talking to the guy who nominated me, inside they were holding the contest, and since I wasn't inside and on stage I wasn't in the running. The lead singer AJ of the band Saint Motel, who threw the Zombie Prom, said I have to come back next year and go for the prom queen title. It was a fun night, great music, met a lot of great people and I got to see my super amazing friend Cerissa. Never thought I'd receive so many compliments while looking so hideous.

2.11.11

My bling bling ring that received compliments from Chad Lindberg tonight. Score +2 awesome points for Chad.

2.10.11

2.8.11

It's the eye or the tiger.

2.7.11

The time is now.

2.6.11

2.5.11

2.4.11

This is the memo board/key hook next to the front door. Yesterday I posted a envelope I needed to get mailed to the board and wrote a note to my roommate Jess. I asked if on her way out she would drop the important letter in the outgoing mailbox. I knew she was leaving the house early and I didn't want to forget. I woke up to find that note left back. In case you can't read it, it says:

Xi,

I saw the letter was for "Jessica" so I opened it, then realized it wasn't for me so I fed it to some stray goats

-J

Xi is my nickname. This chalkboard was initially purchased for serious messages for each other but it has turned into something far better. The first message was something along the lines of "Jazz (her nickname) is fucking Matt Damon" then she changed it to "Xi is fucking Ben Affleck" then I changed "Ben Affleck" to "Awesome" so it said "Xi is fucking awesome"... It kept going on from there. Id come home to find a word or two has been changed then when Jess is gone I would change it to something insulting her. Before I had to erase it to write my serious message about sending out the letter the last thing I had written was "Christi hates blimps" and then I came home to find "Christi LOOOOOVES Blimps (thats why she's getting 3 of them for her birthday!)"

The moral of this story? I love my roommate. Also? I just bought a gigantic dry erase board for the apartment. I can't wait to see what kind of useless insulting crap we write on that.

2.3.11

Random unexpected puzzle piece in the mail has inadvertently thrown me into a global scavenger hunt.

2.2.11

This is the fabric that will eventually be my bathroom curtains.

2.1.11

I can't even explain this picture. I can only laugh.

1.31.11

Parenting fail. This is a child sitting at the bar in the restaurant which I'm still fairly sure is illegal for a child that age in a restaurant filed with other places to sit.