October is Birthday Month

As I mentioned before, October is the month for birthdays...


On Thursday we celebrated my dad's birthday with one of his favorite foods - Carne Asada and Chicken Tacos. My brother grilled the meat and we had a nice spread of different kinds of salsa's, rice, beans since my dad has a big taste for Mexican food.

After dinner we roasted my dad and laughed so hard we cried.



My Gramms gave my dad a chess set that my Gramps had custom made in the 60's and taught my dad to play chess.


::

My brother Peter's birthday was last week. We celebrated and went to one of his favorite restaurants - Thai Chili Restaurant. Our family is big on Thai food. We looooooove it! After dinner we had cheesecake, weird combination - Cheesecake and Thai food.



(Peter loves Spongebob)

My sister's birthday isn't until tomorrow, but since our week is so hectic, we did a mini celebration at the park. Just the siblings and a couple of friends. I made mini egg salad, BLT, tuna salad, and ham & cheese sandwiches. I also threw together a red potato salad. Yum! We got a little camera happy... lol.


(laughing at mad libs)

(cousin Eileen and I)


(Being silly!)


(Birthday Girl and me)

Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday

As you can now tell, this is the month for birthdays in my family. Today is my dad's birthday.

Over the years, celebrating his birthday has gotten more and more low key. The birthday gift buying is so difficult! How do you buy something for someone who has everything that you are able to afford? lol. This year my dad asked for nothing... almost nothing. He said, "I don't want any gifts, just be nice to me." LOL Because, if you must know, his kids are cruel to him every other day of the year. Ha!

(Dad-Center)

A Tough Nut to Crack

Can you smell the Fall air?

Sunday morning was crystal clear, beautiful and crisp! Perfect Fall weather. The sun was shining, there was a nice breeze with a slight chill in the air, between 65 - 70 degrees. Just as Fall should be in Southern California.

We have several different kinds of trees in our yard, a few actually have things that you can pick off. Our home was originally the main house on orange acres many years ago. Almost every house has an orange tree in their yard. Our tree is an orange/lemon tree. Very unusual looking fruit with an even more unusual taste.

We also have an avocado tree that doesn't bear much fruit since it is overshadowed by a three story pine like tree. No sun means no avocados.

(macadamia tree)

One of my favorite trees is our macadamia tree. Every Fall/Winter, the tree drops Macadamia nuts all over the yard. One of my mom's favorite things to do is to gather all the nuts in baskets for cracking or to give away, shell and all.

A few facts about this tough nut:

• Originally from Australia and now moved to Hawaii
• Macadamias are highly nutritious nuts. They have the highest amount of beneficial monosaturated fats of any nut
• Macadamia oil is a desirable ingredient in cosmetics, especially skincare.
• Macadamia nuts are toxic to dog.
• Macadamia nuts are often used by law enforcement to simulate crack cocaine in drug stings. When chopped, the nuts resemble crack cocaine in color.

::

It was so nice on Sunday morning, I decided to spend some time outdoors and crack nuts to roast.

Cracking a macadamia nut is no easy task. I have proof of it on my bruised hand. This is the reason for the high price of this particular nut. The shell is so thick that a special nutcracker has to be used, even then it is a slow process and way too expensive. I use a large brick and a ton of patience.

You can see from the picture on the left, the shell is thick and hard as a rock. This was cracked with a few hits of the brick and still... the nut is enclosed.


It took me about an hour and a half to get a good amount cracked and ready to be cleaned and roasted. Since it's still early Fall, quite a few of the nuts weren't separated from the shell, white in color, these had to be thrown out.

A Macadamia nut should be a buttery color and soft. This is when they are ripe and ready to be eaten.

I cleaned all the excess shell and dirt off the nuts and placed in the oven to be roasted. They smelled so gooood!

After about 17 minutes of roasting, the nuts were hot and ready to be tasted jarred. If the task wasn't so back breaking, I would jar these and give them out for Thanksgiving gifts.

After yesterdays morning spent cracking and feeling the after effects today... I think I'll just buy the nuts for too much money in the store!

Blog Funny

Today is my brother's 27th birthday. I cannot say enough about how much I admire him. His love for God shines and his hunger for more is evident.

He's been a busy guy this past year. His band Down to Earth (D2E) has been traveling and doors have opened for them. He became a licensed minister with the UPCI and is currently in classes for ministers in our district.

He is a wonderful husband, son, brother and one of my best friends.

I think he is incredibly talented and sincere in his service for the kingdom of God, something that a lot of people miss.

I wish you an incredible birthday with lots of cheesecake!

I love you, Pedo!

Saturdays Events & Then Some

::Wedding::

I had a busy weekend! Friday night I removed leaves and thorns from who knows how many roses and worked all morning Saturday putting together decorations for a reception. My Pastor's eldest son got married on Saturday, a little bittersweet since he is like a little brother to me. The wedding was beautiful, food excellent and the decorations so chic. He married a beautiful girl that recently moved to our church. Below are a few pictures that I took...

Groom's Cake

My Pastor's youngest - Colton (aka Coco)
Beautiful Bride - Kaitlyn

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

::Candy Kid::

My Nephew, Cristian, came over on Saturday night to spend some time with his aunties and Nana. The kid is a riot. He is so entertaining, endless entertainment!

This may be Cristian overkill but I can't help but share his antics that make me laugh so hard i cried.

:Singing with Auntie Cat aka Auntie Cacky aka Nana aka Meow:


Cristian has his own names for everyone. He had trouble figuring out what to call my sister, Catherine. He would say Cacky and sometimes Nana. To make it easier on him, we told him to call her Cat but he kept saying, "meow". LOL

::

My mom always has candy in her purse, pockets, anywhere she can hide it. All the kids at church know that Nana will always have candy, "Candy, Nana, Candy?

Cristian found her stash of candied mints and of course, Nana couldn't resist his, "pweee".

:BOOK :
I just finished book three of the Lowlands of Scotland Series by Liz Curtis Higgs. I cannot say enough about these books. I am so late in reading these and wish I hadn't put it off. Incredible story based on the biblical account of Jacob, Rachel, and Leah. If you haven't read these yet, I suggest you click here and buy ALL four. I am waiting for Book 4 to show up on my doorstep...

God's bigger than Brain Tumors!

What would we do without God? Where would we be? I feel sick just thinking about those that don't know Him. Not knowing Him, feeling Him is something that I never want to experience. How do people turn their back on this God who is faithful and loving? I can't imagine life without Him. In the good and the bad, He proves Himself faithful and true!

I have no doubts in God's ability to heal. I have no doubts in God's ability to provide. He's never failed me and I know He never will.

Right now, I am leaning on Him for strength and comfort. I am trusting, and sometimes begging, for His healing power. To be open, I sometimes find myself asking God why? Why my mom, she's been faithful in serving You and those around her. The only thing that keeps coming to mind is, why not her?

Yesterday my mom and I went to see a renown brain surgeon who used to be head of neurology at UCLA. He's performed thousands of surgeries on pituitary tumors. People from all over come to California to have him perform their surgeries. I was confident that he may have an answer for us, something different and not so grim.

We waited in the John Wayne Cancer Institute, funny thing that it was called John Wayne since everyone close to me knows that I have this quirky thing with John Wayne, "John Wayne says..." "John Wayne is...". The nurse came and showed us to a room and we waited... and waited... I took some pictures of myself in the big metal light, trying to make the time go by a little quicker.

A doctor that works with the surgeon came in, he looked like Henry Mitchell from Dennis the Mennis. Nerdy and young. His first remark once introductions were made was, "This tumor is very bad and nasty." Oy. He told us that it was risky to remove but there was no other way. Other pituitary tumors could be treated with medicine, but this one could only be treated with surgery. The shots that she takes three times a day were only holding the tumor at bay. Keeping it from growing and feeding itself. The only way to treat this would be to have fifteen sessions of radiation, then surgery that would remove 80 - 90% of the tumor and then radiation again. I was not thrilled when he left to get the surgeon. I felt scared, angry and helpless, on the verge of tears, but I had to hold it together for my mom who was just bummed. She grinned and joked with the doctor the whole time and giggled when he checked her nerves for any damage. You would think I was the one with the tumor and not her.

Once the surgeon came in he brought a photocopy of her MRI, I had yet to see the tumor. He pointed out things that we already knew, size of a golf ball with fingers going into her blood vessels and arteries, wrapped around her main artery and attached to her pituitary. What a mess.

My mom will be making a decision in the next few days. I catch myself thinking the worse and then remember that what the doctors and surgeons say is NOT final.

I feel strongly that God will heal her. I believe He's setting it up and He's just asking us to trust Him. Or I might say, asking me to trust Him! lol. I can never take for granted the peace of God. I am blown away when He shows up and there's a genuine smile on my face and the faces of my family. We trust Him. Completely and with our whole hearts!

I believe with everything in me that He will work a miracle in our midst. The Lord is my light and salvation. Whom (or what) shall I fear?

Meme, Meme, Meme

Jenster at Jenster's Musings did a meme and tagged whoever felt like doing it. Since I've been blank these past couple of days, I decided to join her!

Ten years ago I was:

I was in high school. Awkward and couldn't wait to be eighteen. I wish I had listened when I was told, "don't grow up too fast!".

Five things on today's To Do List:

• Work


• Play


• Work


• Play


• Teach a bible study tonight

A snack I enjoy:

Bananas and PB

Things I would do if I were a millionaire:

Everyone seems to be a millionaire in Orange County, If I had my very own million I would open a restaurant by the beach, help my extended family and give much more to my church!

Places I have lived:

Southern Cali and... Southern Cali.

I'm tagging Purely Sony, Queen's Castle, and Nana's W-o-r-d'-s.

My First Attempt!

I've been making my own headers for my blog and have not been happy with most as most of you know. I shopped around and found most professional designs to be over $75! With the number of times I change my blog around... that was not an option. I've been wanting to design a better header for months but just never sat down and figured it out.

I did it today! Check out my first (rookie) attempt at a header design for fall.


I made this one for fun... I'm not a fan of too much orange, but I thought this was cute. My sister had a doll when she was a little girl named Chatty Cathy. My brother and I call her this because she loves to talk!

I want to know what you think!

UPDATE: I've been playing down with all these different options. I'm no professional, but it's so fun! I updated my mother's blog and sister-in-law. Check them out!

The Phantom - A Night at the Dinner Theater

We had a girls night out last night, my mom, grams, sister, and sister-in-law went to see The Phantom at a dinner theater that we frequent.

I've never seen a show quite like this one and didn't know what to expect. It was opening night and there were some technical issues with the backdrops moving like they should, but all in all I liked it. The story line is heart wrenching and a little on the scary side, every time there was a rumble I'd scoot down in my seat.

The singing was good and of course the food was delicious! I had prime rib and my favorite dessert there, custard. So. very. good.

My Gram has been down the past couple of weeks, losing the love of your life for 60 years is no easy thing to bear. She enjoyed herself and gave a standing ovation at the end and had her picture taken with the Phantom. =)

Coming Back

There's been a different feeling in the air these last few weeks... a feeling of preparedness. Getting ready for the fall, sending the kids back to school, getting back into a routine, no more prolonged vacations, no more beach outings, no more swims... things are changin'.

I've often felt the change in my own life when God begins to stir things up. His voice is so soft at first that I sometimes miss it. Okay, not sometimes, let's be truthful here, 95% of the time. There's just way too much noise today. Too many distractions, too many of life's loads to carry. We often go throughout our day with no ear to hear, no clear mind to comprehend, no focus to see.


My brother and his band, Down to Earth, performed this past weekend at an amusement park and they did an incredible job. He wrote this beautiful song with some help from my sister called "Coming Back". My brother is a minister, an accomplished drummer, guitar player, and singer. My sister has been writing songs for years and it seems that my brother is picking up that skill as well.

This song is anointed and ministers to me right now, the need to come back to the basics of living for God. We spend so much time trying to change the methods and improve, yet we lose the basics.

I'm sure this video will touch you as much as it's touched me. Enjoy!




For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd... I Peter 2:25

She's just so funny

My sweet, funny, crazy cousin Eileen is very close to me; more like a sister than a cousin. She is my oldest cousin and always, always has some funny story or incident to retell. As you can see from the above photo, which I hope I won't get killed for posting, there is never a dull moment.

I must share some things that happened this week that involve her. I am actually sitting at my desk at this moment, laughing so hard that my stomach hurts and I believe the girls outside my office may think I've gone crazy.

This morning she forwarded an email that she sent to the marketing team for the high profile company that she works for. She made an error on a form and said, "Sorry for the incontinence or confusion." In other words, she was saying, "Sorry for the bodily excretion disorder or confusion".

Earlier this week, she was telling a story about her mother dealing with her phone service. My aunt is a no nonsense kind of woman. She'll tell you what she thinks, no holding back... but she was unsure on this call.

She was on the phone with a representative that wasn't being very helpful, my cousin was in the background telling her, "Mom, their phone service sucks!", My aunt continued trying to talk to the phone service, but was getting no where. "Mom, they suck!", my cousin repeated. My aunt then said in the mouthpiece, "Ma'am... ma'am...uh, my daughter says that you suck." Yes she did.

There have times that she tells a story that makes me laugh so hard, sometimes at her, sometimes with her. Ha ha ha! She's the wild child of the family, I refuse to believe that I am, and she always goes for the shock factor. She's worn two different shoes to the office, she's fallen in front of people and laughed like crazy, she's jumped out of closets in her birthday suit and one time, while practicing her Spanish as a teenager, she hollered after the Spanish pastor of our church, "Adios viejo!" - English Translation: "Goodbye old man!"

She takes the cake for the funniest person I know. I get myself ready whenever I hear, "Deb, I have something funny to tell you!", as she laughs hysterically.

The Morning of September 11, 2001

I can vividly remember the morning that the planes hit on September 11, 2001. I was eighteen, fresh out of high school and enjoying the fact that I could sleep in, for a short time at least.

The phone rang before everyone was out the door to work, the unbelievable had happened. I remember overwhelming fear and helplessness. I didn't want anyone in my family to leave the house. I thought that things were going to go downhill from that point on.

My mom took us to the church to be with other church family that were shaken up. Business evacuated and closed for the day as we all watched the mystery unfold. That evening we stood with our neighbors and lit candles for those lost.

Life really had changed, but we revolved with it. Do you remember what was different before the morning of September 11th?

Today wives, husbands, mothers, fathers, children, friends and collegues remember their loved ones and those that they spent day after day with. Forever gone from them.

Jelly Legs, Fighter Jets, and Babies

Have you ever been so afraid that your legs turn to jelly? Wobbly, no strength legs? Just skin and jelly bones. Never has that happened to me... until last night.

My sister, SIL and I were watching a movie, relaxing after work before our WW meeting, when we heard a rumbling. We looked at each other not moving. The rumbling got louder and louder and we jumped up and started screaming. I heard my sister screaming something about a plane crashing and I took off. We were yelling but couldn't hear each other. My first thought was, this is it, and then blank... no other thought but to hide. I can't hide because the plane is bigger then this house. I immediately started looking for someone to hold on to when the rumbling started subsiding to the point where I could hear my SIL screaming from the front yard that there was a jet.



Now let me tell you, we've had fighter jets go over a couple times a year since the path to and from bases are above our home, but never has this happened.

Once outside, I could see the jet in the distance. I felt my legs starting to give out and my chest getting tight as I fell on our porch bench. Dramatic? I would say so if I had not just heard and felt the rumbling. My body was shaking from the nerves and the fear that I had just experienced. I managed to get my jelly legs to work to check on my dad and my mom who had been out walking. Neighbors came out of their homes and stood on the front lawns looking up. I called my brother who was on the freeway 5 or so miles away and he said that the jet had just flown over. I called my younger brother and as I was on the phone with him, another one was coming. I knew what it was but still my heart began racing and my hands shaking. I ran out to the front yard to see it go over. My poor brother didn't know what was happening, all he could hear was, "Their coming back!", "Oh, Jesus!", "I'm scared", "Look at those missiles!!" lol.

I was jittery the whole night and what made it worse is the sirens going off during and right after, we think that people might have had a little too much of a scare like us.

Too much excitement for me! I would never survive in a war zone or on base!

::

My Bloggy Buddy, Katybug, at Watercolor Wisdom or Lack Thereof had a Baby Girl yesterday!

Rainbow=Promise

I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. - Genesis 9:13

::::

God's promises are sure, unfailing, and forever set.

Over Coronado Bridge, CA

"Life is like a rainbow. You need both the sun and the rain to make it's colors appear." Unknown

Memorial Service/My Family

We had a viewing on Wednesday and a service on Thursday for my Gramps. My Gramps was a frogman in WWII. He was extremely proud of his country, his favorite holiday was the 4th of July. He loved books about American history and anything that had to do with our Irish family history. Our family is very involved in politics and government. My Gramps cousin is actually a five star general and was the Vice Chief of Staff of the CIA, this was something that he was so proud of and we are today. My Gramps was always involved in something, he loved to give his opinion on things and always pushed his grandkids to be better.

Now that I followed a rabbit trail, back to the services. lol.

During the color guard ceremony, (I believe that's what it's called, but I could be wrong.), the man playing the trumpet had some technical errors. I couldn't figure out what he was fiddling with until later on when my sister told me that he was trying ot get the button to work.... apparently, he doesn't know how to play the trumpet.

Below are some pictures from the service and family get together afterwards. My aunt lives in Laguna and has this incredible view with ocean breezes that come up the hill.

:::::
After the viewing on Wednesday night, All the siblings and my Gramms went out to dinner and left the "kids" at the house. I say "Kids", because we are all in our 20's and 30's, some married with kids, with the exception of the baby of the family who is fourteen. We decided to head out and get some food together after we practiced "Wind Beneath Our Wings" which my Gramps requested. After dinner, we came back to my Grandparents home and found that it was just my Gramms with all her Grandkids. This has never before happened! She loves to hear us sing, so we settled in the family room and sang for her while my brother and cousin played (my fourteen year old cousin plays by ear and is incredible!)... This night was special in a subtle way, all together, singing a song that my Gramps loved. I'll never forget it.

We took a group picture, something that I wish we'd done with my Gramps.

There will be so many changes in the next few months, Thanksgiving, Birthdays, Christmas... but change is good, most of the time. I can't imagine life without God while going through circumstances such as these.

Through it all He's faithful.

Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds. Psalms 36:5

Wooosh! What a week!

Oh My! It's been an incredibly, crazy, absolutely emotional week. One of the hardest of my life! Losing someone you love so much is never fun, yet that's the plan of God. How blessed to have lived a long life.

I am just ready to go on with living and regular schedules. That sounds harsh, but one can only take so much of ripping emotions. Things just need to settle and the healing needs to begin. Things will never be normal, but life does go on.

I, and my family, are in a changing time of our lives. We've got decisions to pray about and things to discuss, but for now... I'm waiting for the calm from the storm and remembering that God's mercy is renewed everyday.

I need to catch up with everyone's blogs and see what's going on in blogland.

I have some beautiful pictures to post tomorrow or sometimes next week, but for now... I need some sleep. =)

Nighty, night bloggy world.

08.29.08

Gramps,
You'll never read my blog again, I don't know why I am writing to you, but it comforts me in some way.

My life was forever changed on Friday night at 11:15 PM. The impact you had on me will forever be with me.

What will we do without you? I feel at times that I can't breathe or even speak. Something is just not right. I have so many special memories, recent memories of you that are to painful to write here at this moment.

No matter how much I knew that this day would come, it came too soon. I guess I would have never been ready. I have so many questions, yet there are no answers.

I wish we had more time...

Love,
Deb