Gum & Fur

I may not have kids but it sure seems like it with Blue. I came home from work one day to find gum in Blue's fur. Mom and dad said he had been rolling around in the grass outside. I tried giving him a bath and it wouldn't come out so I had to cut his fur. He isn't happy about that.

Petsmart

Petsmart Update:
I have been an employee for Petsmart for a year now and recently I was asked to be a supporting manager at a new store opening up in Phoenix. After debating and being tempted by a huge salary increase, I decided to stay where I am. I like my co-workers and the store I'm at right now is close to home and I can get there in less than twenty minutes with traffic.

This is Matt, my general manger until recently...he got a promotion and is no longer with us at the store.

My Birthday Presents

These are some of my birthday presents

Mike got me two new dolls to add to my collection
This one is a Scarlet O'Hare doll from Gone With The Wind


This is an Eliza Doolittle doll from My Fair Lady


My Tia Ade gave me two of these dishes and some colorful pasta


My Tia Tonia and Tio Freddy gave me this vegetarian cook book. Mike said, "What are you trying to do to me? Now she really won't want to eat meat." :)

Normally when we eat in I'll cook and if Mike wants meat then he has to cook it :)

Carlos' Farewell

Carlos, my brother, is being sent to Afghanistan in September. He has already left for training in Washington State and will be gone from 12 - 15 months. This is his fourth time being overseas in that area. Before he left for training he came home and we had a pot luck for him.

Luke (Carlos' best friend) and Carlos playing guitar


Tia Joyce holding Kordilia Lynn (Tonio and Leslie's baby girl)


Me holding Kordilia Lynn


Carlos' dog Zoey


Tonio and Carlos playing guitar

Amber's Babyshower

Guess how big?


Julian


Can you find your shoes and put them on in less than a minute?


Amber's dad


Greg trying to put a cloth diaper on a baby doll


Joe


This will be a great prom night picture lol :)

Blue is feeling better

You know Blue is feeling better when he buries himself in my covers

Shopping

Mom and I had fun shopping for Leslie and Amber. There are a lot of cute clothes at Babies R Us and some that are not so cute.

I decided to get this diaper bag for Amber.


I had to get Leslie these outfits for Kordilia...I love Pooh and they weren't all pink :)


Mom got this outfit for Amber's baby...complete with pink sunglasses.

Stress???

Apparently Blue has separation issues. The vet put him on a home cooked food diet for about a week and a half. That meant white rice, boiled chicken, lean ground beef, pasta, cottage cheese, pet grass, and chicken & rice soup was all he could have. While cooking one of his meals I looked down at him and said, "You know I don't cook for just anyone."

Look how pathetic he looks.

~Our Summer Vacation~

Back in February for Valentine's Day, Mike surprised me by purchasing two roundtrip tickets to Chicago. I had been telling him how it had been four years since I had seen my family there and I was missing them. So to celebrate our one year anniversary he made a wish come true. We even convinced my mom to join us after she was done with school. It didn't take much convincing and we were able to get her a ticket on the same flight back. We stayed with my Tia Tonia and Tio Freddy. The first day we were in East Chicago we had dinner at my Tio's and watched the Season Finale of Dancing With The Stars. The next day we went to Merrilville to visit my Tia Virgie and Uncle Ram. We took them to Olive Garden for dinner and went back to their place for my favorite part, chatting around the table. We then headed to Michigan the next day and stopped in Sagatuck for lunch and walked around.

I had to take this one for my dad :)


This is in a small garden on a corner


The tullips were so beautiful!


Last time I was in Sagatuck there was a different statue than this one. I think they are both nice to look at.

Greenville, MI

Mike and I spent Memorial weekend at his parents cottage in Greenville Michigan. His sister Kris owns one near them too so Mike's niece and nephew came over during the day. Mike's parents bought a Wii while we were there. I had never seen one or used one before, but it was fun. I liked the bowling game. Mike teased me because when I bowled I did a little hop and ended up getting a strike everytime.

Mike playing boxing on the Wii


Tyler


Sara playing the Wii


This was taken on the lake by Kris' cottage.
Sara and Tyler

Sara is very good at the row boat

I let Sara use my digital camera and she took this beautiful picture.


Kris and Jim's cottage


left-to-right: George, Jim (Mike's brother-in-law), and Mike


This one is kind of hard to see but it is Mike's Aunt Louise and Sara spelling their names with sparklers.


Tyler experimenting with a sparkler and the lake.


Me and Mike


Hugh and Diane's cottage (front view)


(back view)


(back view of cottage)


Mike's dad Hugh caught a bass with a kids fishing pole.


Mike's Aunt Louise and Sara on the paddle boat


I had a great time and got to meet some of Mike's friends. It was nice to sit and relax during the day outside and enjoy the weather. Thank you Hugh and Diane for allowing us to stay with you.

Chicago

When we came back from Michigan we went to my Tia Virgie and Uncle Ram's house for dinner with some family members.

Uncle Ram and Lucy


cousin Al and Doug's wife Stephanie


Al and Tio Freddy


This is my Tia Tonia and Uncle Freddy's cat Sophie.


I bought some cat milk for her at the Petsmart there.


Mike bought three tickets for us to go to the Cubs game on my birthday. It was my first time inside Wrigley Field.


Soriano




Fukudome




My favorite Cubs pitcher... Kerry Woods




Mike and me at Wrigley Field


Every Cubs fan oughta know who this statue is :)


It was so cold that day that even though we were wearing layers we had to buy a Cubs blanket.


Tia Tonia and my Mom


I'm calling this "Our Funny Vacation Picture" :)


Luckily a guy walking by saw us laughing and offered to take a picture.


Mike and I went to the Planetarium
They had this board that you can stand behind and take a picture.


Chicago's skyline is changing!


I got board waiting for the train to come so I decided to play around with my camera :)


This was my Tia Virgie and Uncle Ram's old house. I had never stayed anywhere else before when visiting and this time it felt awkward not to be inside that house. The place they are living at now is very nice and they get a lot of benefits from living there...but I will miss this house and the memories.


This is the house my Mom grew up in on 151st St.