The Sweetest Thing

Heating Up

the days of 90+ weather
are not a welcome site
I'm burning up, I'm dying
I'm ready for a fight

I have a little heater
he keeps me warm enough
I don't need mother nature
flaunting, showing off her stuff

the humidity was worse
thank God there's no more rain
but this heat is killing me
it's becoming quite the pain

so I'm ready for my son
I'm ready to be cool
but I'll survive a few more weeks
so auntie can win the pool :-P

Showerd with love...

...and, of course, cake!

San Diego

Levi and I were able to take one last trip before we became a family of three. We visited Levi's best friend and his wife, toured the aquarium, took a dinner cruise and while Levi went off to ride dirt bikes I got to go shopping and...the Glee concert! (squeal) It was so much fun! I could not have asked for a better quick get-away for us before we welcome our new little buster. Here are a couple pics from our dinner cruise.

This is while we were passing under the Coronado Bridge. The "legend" is that if you kiss the one you love while passing under the bridge you'll have eternal love and happiness.

This is a picture of a ship at dock and it had red, white and blue twinkle lights strung across it. So beautiful. (You can't really tell from the picture :/)

The Bump

To everyone who has been asking for a pic, I finally remembered to take one!

The Times, They Are A Changing

I can't believe that the little buster will be here so soon. Feels like it was just last week that Levi and I found out and were keeping this special secret to ourselves. Now I am past the halfway point. I feel lots of movement these days...he kicks me randomly, turns or tumbles when I finally try to relax and lie down at the end of the day...almost like he is saying, "mom, look what I can do!" I love it! He moves lots when I drink lemonade and he LOVES reese's peanut butter cups; he moves a bunch when I eat them. I cannot get enough of those and artichokes. :)

I keep wondering what he will look like or what his little personality will be. Will he have light or dark hair, will he even have hair when he is born, will he have my smile or Levi's, whose face shape will he have... The most amazing and special thing to me is this bond between Levi and I knowing that we have created this little person. I never knew my heart could grow and fall that much more in love with my husband, but it has and I find myself overwhelmed with joy. So overwhelmed with joy. I find that somehow through this process a peace has come to me and the worries that I once had are meaningless. All that matters is this family that I have with my husband. Of course there will still be worries and concerns - but different from those a year ago. Different from those 6-months ago. Just different - a difference I am anxiously and completely willing to embrace.

Crooked Angel

About three weeks ago I pulled out all the boxes labeled Christmas. I was so excited to decorate for the holidays because last year I didn't. I had the the next two hours planned....

Levi with his controller in hand played PS3 while I put up the tree - supervising me as he put it. I had no Christmas music to get my feet tapping, no Silent Night to sing along with (even though I cannot hit the high notes), just me, a tree and the call of war. : / I should have known this was not the end of it.

After setting up the tree, wrapping lights and decorating the tree I was done. Three weeks later, I have a crooked angel, a strand of lights has gone out in the middle (kind of middle), and the presents under the tree have been attacked by the silent and stealth ninja kitty. To top it off, we received handcrafted glass ornaments from Levi's parents two years ago and I refuse to take them out of the box because I don't want to them to break...so they are on my tree...still in the box...and Levi loves to make fun of me for it. Somehow it all seems fitting...as with life, just when you think everything is set in order you get another curve ball - or in this case a strand of lights going out. ;) No matter what, this will be a wonderful Christmas with an ill-lighted tree, a boxed ornament and a crooked angel.

Merry Christmas!

I'm in Love...and so is my Husband!

With eachother? Well sure if we want to get technical. Levi has found love with his new PS3 game Call of Duty: Black OPs and I am in love with my Kindle (gifts for our anniversary). I didn't think I could love something this much, but I absolutely love it. (And I kind of feel weird, like the Jetsons.) I figured it would be just like reading any other old book, well...it is. But it is super convenient. I know most of the adoration for this item is the novelty of a new toy. So next month, I'll just have to love my husband again. ;) But now you know, if you can't get ahold of the two of us it's because we are in love.

Puzzle Pieces Welcome

Sunday Levi and I helped move his grandparents into their new home. They made the move from New Mexico and this was the first time I had the pleasure to meet them. I loved seeing and learning about this part of my husband's life. We are all made up from the life experiences we have endured, and the people who have come into our lives. We each are a puzzle that can, from time to time, feel as though we are missing the pieces that make us up. Meeting Jim and Emily, having them close is like watching another piece of the puzzle that makes up Levi come into place. Sometimes those pieces are ragged from wear, from the long journey they had to manage to finally be combined so that the complete work of art can be revealed. Sometimes those pieces fall into place with ease and are immovable from the moment they find their home. Sometimes we have puzzle pieces that are small, reserved for those people and events that come and go from our lives quickly. Sometimes the pieces are large, taking up real estate and filling the holes of pieces long gone. And then there are pieces that have been in place since birth; too large to be replaced by anything else than the original.

It's wonderful to be close to family, to have another piece of my husband's life close, another line to his father available. For me it is a way to learn more about my husband by seeing him through two new (new to me) pairs of eyes and two new hearts that hold an abundance of love for him only adding to the incredible love that already surrounds his life, cultivating his puzzle into a priceless masterpiece.

Hello Gorgeous!

Me, no. My new vanity, YES! Not quite new, but updated. ;) Over the long holiday weekend I decided it was high time that I stop looking at my vanity with angst and instead make the changes to it that I could see in my head. Now the only problem...how do I make what is going on in my head translate to the real world? (Levi always says my mind is cartoons.)

Step 1 - channel my inner crafty/decorator/refined stylish self : uh-hum, channel my fabulous friends that are way more crafty than me

Step 2 - buy supplies to give it a new finish

Step 3 - get my sister's old mirror out of storage @ mom and dad's and safely transport to new location

Step 4 - make it happen and happen it did!

I love my new vanity and as all you women out there well know having a place of your own to put on your makeup, store all your cosmetics, nail supplies and all the other items that us women need to stay looking fabulous for our men is simply bliss. (And I painted the chair to match...love my chair!)

Soo...

What do you think?

Cronies

Eclipse...
Once again my girlfriends and I immersed ourselves in the twi-hard, twi-mom, teen, tween and everything in between crowd so that we could be one of the first to see the new Twilight Saga: Eclipse movie at 12 AM on June 30. IT WAS AMAZING! I think this is the best of the three thus far. Don't get me wrong, I love my Twilight and New Moon movies but this one was...fan-freaken-tabulous! This time we did not get in trouble by a group of teens, in fact we were actually asking the teens in front of us to quiet down. Maybe in the past six months since the last movie we have grown more mature...or maybe we have aged enough not to act like fanatics. Probably neither. Before we went to the movie Sabrina had a Twilight movie marathon and hosted dinner which she and Mike made for us. It was fabulous. OM-Gosh, no...it was amazing! They are awesome chefs and I love going over to their house because they make the best food...I feel so classy. :) (Levi still raves about the truffles Sabrina made from scratch!) Mike made us dessert - crepes with berries - they were so good that I had to take a picture. Luckily I thought about the picture before I dug in...otherwise you would see an image of an empty plate to the right. : The movie was great and if you are a fan of the series you are going to love this new installment!

Tiffany...
Last weekend I was so lucky to be able to spend lunch with one of my oldest friends. Tiff lives in Arizona and so we don't get to see each other much, actually we only see each each other when she comes to town. (I need to make it out to AZ to visit her!) It was so good to catch up. She is such an amazing friend and it is always as though we just pick up from where we left off the last time we saw we saw each other. Tiffany is a constant. She never changes, only gets warmer with the years. She is an amazing mother to her two little girls and 10 month old boy. She is one of those friends that you realize how lucky you are when she is right there, but when she is gone it is like a hole in your heart for the void she leaves. I wish I could bottle up a little Tiffany for each one of you so that you would know how wonderful both she and her friendship are. Even though it would be just a little taste of the wonderful blessing I get to experience all the time, you would know what a blessing she is. I am thankful to God for the friends He brought into my life. Without those friends, past and present, and my sister I don't know where I would be. Ten years later, after graduating and going our separate ways (so to speak), Tiffany, Tess and I are still friends. (And by the way Tess you owe me a lunch :D) I love these girls because they are my past; they know me as the person I was and now the person I am. They understand me in ways others can't because they have seen the changes that come with growing up, moving on, and enduring life. They have whiddled their own niche in my soul that no one but that them can fill, and I wouldn't want it any other way. I love my Tiffany (and my Tess)!

The Happiest Place on Earth

Wednesday night I flew into Orlando to meet my parents, my sister and the kids for a vacation.  (My brother actually flew in today.)  It will be a quick trip, no doubt, but it will be so good.  It has been almost a year since I have been able to hug and kiss those kidos...way too long.  Plus it is good to have my sister's company.  She has always been a stability in my life and not having her around these past few years has been an adjustment.  Thank God for Levi.  While he can't replace my sister he is my best friend and takes care of me just as my sister always has. 

It is so amazing how fast the time goes.  Arianna has grown into such a little girl, with a fun personality and a little bit of diva attitude.  I just love her so much.  Antonio has gotten so big and in fact is almost as tall as Arianna even though he is two years younger.  He is such a little love bug and loves to play.  Here are a couple pics from the past few days.  I miss my husband like crazy, but having this time with my family truly does make this the happiest place on earth. ;)

The Price of Victory

Last night was the second night of a two-night tournament for my women's volleyball league.  (We won on the first night and advanced to the second round last night.)  Last night we won the first of our matches (VB is played in matches with the best 2 out 3 games) which advanced us to the championship match.  All the ladies on my team were awesome - diving, falling and just plain hustling around the court so that in the end we won!

This morning I woke up to an injury.  Somehow during one or both of the matches I did something to my knee.  It was a crazy pain I have never felt before...what a nice reminder that I am no longer 18 and invincible.  I can walk with a slight limp but bending my knee is not something that is getting done today.  What a bummer.  I am hoping that it is just a strained tendon :| Levi and I are both a little nervous that I could have torn something.  If that's the case this will put my VB days away, for a little while at least.  It was worth it! :D Those games were so much fun and the team we played in the championship match was a group of younglings.  They were easily 18-20 year olds that did not give up or quite.  It was a great win and my injury is simply the price of victory!  I'd do it again in a heartbeat. ;)


A quick update...
I know some of you have been wondering about our Champers and I am so sorry that I have neglected to update you.  He is doing so much better and in fact is back to his old self.  He jumps like crazy when he thinks that we are forgetting him, his tail goes a million miles a minute when he sees Levi and he is very quick to let us know when he is hungry - which is always.  The whole ordeal with him being sick was so hard because he is our "kid" and we could not imagine our family as complete without him.  Thank you all for your loving words and your prayers. 

More to talk about

As if you couldn't get enough of me....

I have started a second blog called The Writer's Page. This blog will be dedicated to the evolution and refinement of my writing as a craft. Some of the entries that I have posted on this blog will be moved or copied to the new site, but you will also get a chance to read other pieces of my work. Those of you who have known me a long time will recognize some of these pieces as I will publish them publicly for the first time. Other pieces no one has ever seen and so they will be new to all of you. As I continue to hone my writing skills and create new stories or poems I will share those on my Writer's Page blog. Join me on my new blog and keep up to date with my career as an amature writer. ;)

The David Family Adventure blog will still be updated with the adventures of our family and the silly to serious events that make up the David's.

Tis the Season!

I love this time of year! I absolutely adore the weeks that follow Thanksgiving before Christmas. The lights around town, the Christmas music, the joyful feeling you have when shopping. Sometimes I meet a new friend in the long line I am waiting in - a friend for the minute, if you will. It is a connection with another person, trying to make their way through this crazy, upside down, joyous, and funny life. Life is so much better with a friend, even if it is a friend for the moment. This time of year truly is amazing and if you look closely you will see miracles all around you. They are subtle and small but they exist.

I thank God that I know love, feel love and that I am capable of giving love because there is far too much hate in this world and people who are incapable of knowing, accepting and feeling love. I try to spread that gift even on a small level with every person I meet because you never know when your momentary friendship will be someone's life line.

With joyful hearts experience the love we were created to know and spread the wealth! Don't look at life through the goggles of obstruction, enjoy it with the heart of love. Laugh too much - I am going to earn every one of my wrinkles from laughter and not from frowns. Love fully - there is no limit to the abundance of love we are capable of giving or receiving. Live with every breath you take - you never know when it will be your last.

For this season and every, if you are reading this know you are loved. :)

The Twilight Saga: New Moon

This morning at 12:01, after what seemed like a half hour of previews, we saw New Moon. We got to the theater at 9, waited in a line that had already wound itself through the theater building and were allowed into the theater around 10:30. After all the wait and anticipation finally the movie began!

Definitely worth the wait and so much fun to go and see one of the first screenings. I don't want to give my review because I don't want to sway any one's perception of the movie before they have the chance to see it. I will say that the graphics, as you have probably seen in trailers with the wolves, really are amazing. The soundtrack is great too. I need to see it again because there were so many swoons or screams at certain scenes that I missed lines. If you are a big fan of the books it is worth seeing in the theater. If you have the patience it's worth waiting for it to come out on DVD. As with anything when there is a lot of hype, the chance that your expectations will not be met is there. I left the theater having a small amount of that feeling, but I have also been so excited, following the fans sites, and soaking in every interview the stars had for such a long time that my excitement was beyond control. Still a great movie, still a movie I will see again and still a movie I will buy on DVD when it comes out.

Two Days!

In exactly 54 hours and 11 minutes I will be seated in a movie theater watching New Moon! I am such a dork I am following all the cast appearances this week on the shows, watching the fans sites like crazy and starting to countdown (I am turning into my mom!) to showtime. I am so excited and I absolutely cannot wait. I think I will be on such a high from the anticipation that I will probably fall asleep when the movie is about to start. Wouldn't that be my luck. Now we just have to make sure we all get to sit together. :/

This one's for the boys

The new "Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2" XBox game came out on Tuesday. Levi has been so excited for this new game for so long that I had to give a little shout out to the boys. I've tried playing a version similar to this before with Levi and find that I can only make my guy turn in circles starring at the floor. Needless to say, I don't play this game with Levi anymore. This has been a highly anticipated and much coveted game. So, in recognition of the game and Levi's excitement, I am inserting a link to the trailer. You have been officially called to arms.

Tickets

It is official...we have our tickets for the midnight showing of New Moon. (When I say we, I mean the girls and I - Levi does not get nor want to be a part of my obsession.) We are braving the possible weather and the crazy tween and teen mob to see the midnight showing. While I am not looking forward to the overzealous crowd I do know the bar just happens to be right next to the theater - this could be a pretty entertaining night. You're only as old as you feel! ;)