HE SAID:

Hey Honey, I just wanted to wish you the very happiest of anniversaries today! I have only learned what life really is being with you all these years. I have not lost one ounce of love for you because it grows every single year. I never want you to think that I don't love you because nothing can separate me from you. Have a wonderful day Sweetie! I hope you really like what I got for you!
(copied from an e-mail)

SHE SAID:
this exactly why i love this guy and i never wish i was married to somebody else. he has remain faithful, loving, thoughtful, respectful and supportive. he always let me Be. him and i might not concur on everything life in general but i can still have my own opinion and he listens. i can't imagine life without him and i don't want to find out. i know he would lay his life for me... and i know he'd be there always even in my death bed. i don't regret vowing "i do" to him 13 years ago.

i love you, too Joey!

where was i???

DaY 11



DaY 12



we had to get some groceries and while checking out, Gabby just had to keep up with the tabloid. i think she had to know about the latest gossip: Life after Jessica Simpson: Nick and Vanessa.

day 13



day 14






contrary to what her t-shirt says, she voluntarily asked corn dog for breakfast and voluntarily participated in our annual cookie decorating night.

also, today as usual Joe insisted of having me cut his hair and i fought it because i just knew that one day i'm gonna have this "accident" so lo and behold, i made a spot. i was rather upset and i cried while Joe was calm and collected. after all, he knew anyway that i'm not a professional so he wasn't all that upset. so i ended up cutting his hair way too short which in the end, he totally loved it and no one could see "the spot". here's the evidence.



DaY 15

i should have put Gabby for a nap this morning before i attempted to take yet another picture for this project of mine: photo a day. i thought the change of location would have help (we went to Sisters)... and i should have known better.... that place is never for little children. must say i was still proud of her for she didn't destroy or demolish the store so.... that was "okay".

this was one of the better takes... gotta say though, i'm in love with her shirt. i have been eyeing that shirt since forever. i got it for today's session.



but over all, the biggest news i got today... well, i got to talk to my photographer: the talented Jaymee.... i have just recently met her... she takes great photos and she scrapbooks: what a coincidence?!!? i have never seen any of her work before until ToDaY but somehow i was convince that she's got that great photographer's eye. when i went to see her weblog for the first time... i felt like shouting it out loud: FiNaLLy someone who can take "MY" pictures right. such an awful long story but to make it short, i am so thankful to the God Almighty that He made a way for me to get a hold of her, because you see, you imaginary readers out there, i lost her contact information... so today was a big day for me personally. i am absolutely looking forward to do business with her.

feeling like posting an old page:



... i frantically created this for Becky Higgins's sketch then i didn't get to scan it on time. i know, how annoying but it was still fun.

DaY 7



DAy 8



DaY 9



3 days has past and i didn't fail. this is getting to be a little difficult and i promise myself to "work hard".

..... i know i can, i know i can... i know i can: yea, i'll just keep telling myself that.


Day 10



nothing exactly exciting today, we were just patiently waiting for Big Sis' ballet class to be over. kind of nice that they have books in the lobby, it sure keep the little one busy. although something that is starting to concern me, i am running out of clothes for Gabby to wear "everyday"!!! i don't want her to wear the same clothes for this "photo a day" thingy.. that would suck, you know?

DaY 4:



DaY 5:



.......are now a thing in the past.

dAy 6:

was a full day. i can't even think of what to say. i'm so drained, exhausted and sleepy. we spent most of the day at my friend's kitchen. my God, i really can't think of what to say................. i am aware that most of the time my grammar isn't always that great but i can almost always muster out something.

uhhhh..........(tapping my fingers... digging deep in my brain)

we made gingerbread slash graham crackers christmas houses. this was our 2nd year and we are sold, we are definitely going to do it again and again and again. my friend Julie made this ultra tasty beef soup and that's what she exactly made a year ago. i am going to request her to make that soup again next year. i'm pretty sure i devoured the whole pot.

we finished all the houses considering that it was truly a jungle out there. it seemed like we had monkeys swinging back and forth between the kitchen and the living room. you do the math: i have an eight yr old boy, an almost 2 yr old little girl and Julie has a 3 yr old little boy and a 17 months little girl. but Julie and I toughed it out with them and relished every minute of it. even plan to be ambitious on our next gingerbread party next year> thinking that maybe we can incorporate real christmas lights.



we went home and our little village made it in one piece. we had an hour before we took off again. packed a bowl of noodles for her to eat in the car. this time we headed to Maikee's karate class. swung by at Ben Franklin and finally bought a star for our christmas tree. then we stayed at Hastings for the rest of the time. i love going to a bookstore and so does everyone in the family. i think especially Gabby, and when Gabby crosses her legs when she "reads", that means it's really a "good reading material". everything around her becomes a blur, nothing exists anymore but it's just her and her reading material.



....... then home again, home again. we are all home including Joe. Mike slapped the Garfield movie and Gabby is getting a kick out of it. i've never really seen her loving a movie like that. she's just besides herself. laughing her little guts out.

all right.... another day, another photo.

DaY 3:



Gabby joined with me in the shower this morning. then took this day 3 picture of baby right after she was dressed. she was just chilling out flipping through the kid's book then she sees me grab the car keys. she immediately knew that Momma was looming in the corner ready to take off. it was heart wrenching to watch her cry as i left for work this morning. a few years ago when my friend Becca took me to Missoula to attend Lisa Bearnson's seminar, Lisa mentioned about her kid who wouldn't leave her alone. i can remember thinking: that's buncha crap, your kid won't leave you alone? now looking back to that seminar, i could have easily comforted Lisa: i can feel your pain
nowadays, it's very impossible for me to go to the bathroom without her tailgating me or forcing me to put my pants back on. i can't even go to the bathroom first thing in the morning without her waking up the whole house. although i think it's an honor, really, to be her favorite in the family, but sometimes it gets to be very stressful. however, i'm going to relish it because she's the Last One. i could hardly wait to get home this afternoon to see her, not that i didn't want to see the rest of the family: don't get me wrong.
now she says: KARGA when she wants to be pick up. that literally means CARRY slash pick me up. she's getting to be a bit heavy nowadays. becoming a big girl.

DaY 2:

another day, another photo.

although she can be such a stinker, she's an EvERYdaY winner no matter what.



church ended waaaaay early than anticipated today (......so the staff can load up for the choir) me and the kids opted to stay in the church and waited till it was about time for lunch. boy was it exciting to watch the wall paint dry? almost literally. then headed out the door and locked the building behind. made a brief stop at Albertsons: the one adjacent to Central Avenue. enticed by the presentation of their deadly sweets, just had to grab some cream puffs and some kind of cake parfait. then spent an hour at DQ restaurant (just had to say that), thus the picture above and this below and another below this


after consuming his wild buffalo, i didn't think watching me: the crazy lady with the camera was all that exciting to him. let me tell you, he was waaaaaaaaaay ready to vamos.


and just when he thought spending an hour at the boring DQ was more than he can take, i just had to stop at Ben Franklin of course. i just needed to pick up ONE thing from the store but amazingly took me a good 30 minutes. when we finally left West Park, i made an announcement to Maikee in the car, that we are going to visit a friend. he was almost disgusted by the thought of going yet another place before going home when i told him we were actually going to see Deb: the human of dear Molly the dog, then he immediately had a change of heart and had a little bit better disposition. that's how we finished the rest of our day, spending such good visit with my friend Deb. i helped her around the house, talked and enjoyed her company. looked through the photos she took when she and her hubby went to visit their daughter in Germany. i was particularly impressed with my almost 2 year old Gabby because you see, she didn't tear up Deb's crib into pieces. Gabby immensely enjoyed the presence of a canine. i find it very healthy for my kids to interact with an animal..... it's therapeutic somehow. well, just visiting an old friend today was therapeutic in and of itself. i have a little theory that if you want to keep old friends, must invest few minutes to check up on them. the nice thing about not working so much this season, i can again visit her.

it's oFfiCIaL....

TodAY's the first day of December thus the count down of Gabby turning 2 has begun!

here's our DaY 1: the only decent picture i could capture of her. she's been so difficult to photograph lately.





but i won't let that bug me down because.......

(let's song along with Alley and Aj)



THERE'S a special kind of feeling in the air It only happens at this time of year
When everyone is filled with love and cheer
'Cause that's what matters

Pretty paper boxes tied with bows
Walking in the sun or in the snow
We can feel the excitement growing, growing

It's the greatest time of year, and it's here
Help me celebrate it
With everybody here, friends so dear
Let me simply state it
Joy to the world and everyone
Lift up your hearts and feel the love
It's our favourite way, to spend the holiday
Yeah

We can get all cozy by the fire
Turn the music up a little higher
I don't think that I could ever tire
Of being together

Decorate the tree, hang mistletoe
And stand by me

It's a picture perfect moment captured
Memories that we'll have after

It's the greatest time of year, and it's here
Help me celebrate it
With everybody here, friends so dear
Let me simply state it
Joy to the world and everyone
Lift up your hearts and feel the love
It's our favourite way, to spend the holiday
Yeah

Spend the holidays...

It's the greatest time

It's the greatest time of year, and it's here
Help me celebrate it
With everybody here, friends so dear
Let me simply state it
Joy to the world
Joy to the world
Joy to the world
It's the greatest time of year
It's the greatest time

It's the greatest time of year, and it's here
Help me celebrate it
With everybody here, friends so dear
Let me simply state it
Joy to the world and everyone
Lift up your hearts and feel the love
It's our favourite way, to spend the holiday