The patriot in me

This post is a little early, but I won't be around for the 4th to post anything so here are few things to get you in the mood for the holiday. Finds from etsy. Love them.

Seen here

Seen here

Seen here

Hotness

I am pretty sure Eric owns all three pairs of those kicks.

Happenings

We've been busy. I don't seem to go to bed until 11 or later and yet I still don't have a second to sit and blog. Here is a little catch-up. Oh, and there are new pics of my lego man if you are a google reader.

Cohen's new favorite game: Stack the sodas until they fall and explode all over the floor.























We went to Corona Del Mar beach and had a bonfire with Eric's dental school classmate that was in town. The boys were so tired. I don't think I have ever heard Ethan ask to go to bed. I think it took all of 2 minutes for both of them to be asleep once they were in the car. It's so great that my parents live right there so we can store beach chairs and all the necessities and just walk to the beach.












































This weekend we are headed up to Sequoia National Forest to go camping. What a chore that is getting ready for. I'm still not ready but here I sit. I figure I should do a little blogging since we will be in Tahoe for a week after the camping trip. We are going there with my family for a the annual 4th of July reunion. I am excited - it should be tons of fun! Until next week...

Ikea Hack

Check ME out!

We just got a job and I'm already thinking of retirement.

40 years from now... I could rock the stripped black socks,
but I don't know about the pink hat.

What are the odds?

Well, my hubby has a job! Can you believe it? I never really thought this day would come. Since Eric and I got married in 1999 I have been a full-time student's wife. That's 9 years of undergrad and grad school. There have always been pluses and minuses to being in school.

Pro: Two week vacations at Christmas
Con: Being strapped for cash at all times
Pro: Two week vacations in August
Con: Having to travel during our vacations
Pro: One week vacation in March & July
Con: Being away from family
Con: Never seeing my husband
Con: Stress, I could go on...

I guess the bad out-weigh the good. We were always blessed as students though. Thankfully, we always had really nice places to live, cars that cooperated with the tough Utah & Wisconsin winters, a good school that made Eric a great dentist, good wards, and families that supported us along the way. Though there were struggles and set backs along the way things always managed to work out and more often than not, in our favor. Take Eric's new job for example. First and foremost, we live in one of the most brutal places to commute. If you have to commute - you are pretty much screwed. Not only because of gas prices but because of the traffic. Eric's new job is seen here (B). We live at (A). 1.4 miles. Instead of Eric looking for a new car at this point he is planning on a buying a bike. Nice.














Eric's boss is a great guy. He's LDS and went to UCLA. His family has known Diane's family for a long time - interestingly enough, Dr. Penrod's mom visit teaches Eric's grandma. I think the two of them will mesh well together and Eric will learn a lot from him. He runs a really busy practice and knows his stuff.... so much so I won't need to work in the front office. Ever. His first day is July 14th. Can't wait!

My little man

I took this picture of Cohen the other night at the beach, and there is just something about it that makes me think this is what he will look like in 15 years. I think he looks really mature for some reason. Little tough guy. Maybe it is the haircut. It is definitely one of my favorites of him.

The Irish had bad luck tonight.

Eric and I got to go to the game tonight because the fool that won the Ebay auction (for Ed's season tickets) for them never paid. Thank you ED!! Mister lame ebayer missed a good game. I was very nervous at times but the Lakers managed to pull it off. Now, if only they can make it to a game 7. I guess the color scheme will have to stay until the season is officially over.

There were some other bonuses that should be mentioned about tonight's game. I touched Matt Damon. That was fun. He was being attacked by the paparazzi after the game and totally random fans were coming up to him, making him pose for pictures he did not want to be posing for. I feel bad for celebrities, that would drive me nuts. I was also within inches of Zach Braff and his Scrubs co-host Donald Faison, Michelle Kwan, Larry King, Anthony Kiedis, and David Spade. And don't forget "Kevin"..........
















Braffy















A horrible picture of Matt Damon.
Iphone's need better cameras.
Poor guy was wearing a Celtics hat.

My last ditch effort...

....to support the Lakers.

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to Eric,
aka Rico, aka DaDa, aka EBB, aka Love bug,
aka Doctor Brown, aka Eazy, aka the Total Package.
Thank you for being such a caring, hands on, patient, amazing dad to our two boys - they love you tons!

I can't bear to watch.

Devastated.

Today marks 9

Tonight Eric will be celebrating our anniversary at the Laker game with his brother Dean. I will be at home watching the game with the boys. Fun times. Ed has season tickets or else they would never be able to afford the kind of prices these tickets are going for. Here's some pics from Tuesday's game that Ed & Diane went to. Thankfully, they won. They better do so again tonight or it just might mean an unlucky year ahead for Eric & I.

I've been hacked

Apparently, I need to sign out of my google account or change all my passwords that Eric knows because I woke up with this scheme on my blog. Did I ask him to change the colors of my blog, NO! I guess he couldn't think of a good reason to come to bed at 1:30am so he decided to stay up and mess with my blog. Rude.

If you are just now seeing my page (9:30pm Pacific time) then you have missed the mess Eric came up with.

Drink up

If any of you out there know my husband, you know that he is in what I call a "wanna-be-fraternity" (being the Greek that I am I can call it that) that he and his friends invented at Ricks in the mid 90's. They call themselves the Maveriks. Eric even started that website for them so that they can all keep in touch. Many of them read this blog, without commenting, because they think they are anonymous, but I know who you are. And many of their wives have their own blogs, which I read (sometimes), without commenting (most of the time), because I think I am anonymous, which I AM!

They stole their name from the conveinence store Maverik (who came up with that I have no idea). A place I was unfamiliar with before meeting Eric. I was however, familiar with the mug he had that must have held about 2 liters.  The thing was huge. And when filled with drinks such as Mountain Dew or Coke, could contain upwards of 1500 calories per refill. Good thing Eric was studying to be a dentist - he didn't need to worry about all the decay he was generating from the soda he was drinking.

So the other day when Eric emailed me this picture from his treck to Wyoming, I have to say I wasn't surprised to see it.


A Maverik mug that holds 100 ounces. 100. That's 28 ounces short of a gallon. A GALLON. Can you even imagine drinking that much soda in one sitting?  How many times a day do you think the store employee must have to switch the soda syrup thingy... it must run out after 3 fill ups.  

E: Jos, I'm headed to Maverik, do you want anything?

J: Um, sure, just get me a medium diet coke.  

E: K

.....15 min.....

E: Here

J: WTH is this?

E: Your medium diet coke.

J: This is 82 ounces.

E: Yah, well the large is 100.

J: What is the small?  64?  A cool 2 liters?

What is taking me so long?

Things I thought I would have done by now....

Chinese Chicken Salad, hold the Mandarin Oranges (gross)

Mani & Pedi

#2, grilled onions.

Newport Beach temple

Severe sunburn

mishmash

I have truly found no joy in blogging lately. Will someone please tell me why there seemed to be so much more to say when I lived in WI? It's not like I have this totally different life in CA now. True, I live about 3 minutes from most of the Real Housewives of Orange County, but that doesn't mean I now spend my time as they do. Actually, since Eric is unemployed I have been hired to purge my FIL's law firm with the help of Diane. To tell you the truth, I think I have been purging/packing/organizing/boxing for the past 3 months straight. At least this time I am paid to do it. 

We have managed to do a few things to add a little life to the boys' day. 

These are all really random... 

Fashion Island

San Onofre bluff

Today Ethan went swimming in our pool and was terrified to get in.  I don't know why he is so afraid of the water, but he would not let go of Eric.  Actually, I do know why - I blame Eric because about two years ago when we were at a waterpark in Wisconsin Dells he sent Ethan down a water slide before there was anybody ready at the bottom to catch him and he FREAKED!!  I don't blame the kid.  He didn't know how to swim and he just got pushed down a water slide.  Great Eric.  Now he is going to hate going in the pool all summer.

Then there is Cohen on the other hand who will jump off the ledge of the pool without a second thought.  

Anyone out there know a magic remedy for getting kids to like to swim?

More legos

Here are a few pics from the other day when I happened upon some of Ethan's latest Lego creations. 1. Mr Skeleton, hanging on for dear life by his feet, but still able to aim the gun at his enemy.

2. The cast from Indiana Jones (though some body parts have been switched up) safe and sound in the belly of the lamp. Maybe hiding from Mr. Skeleton....?

Gooo speed racer

Cohen is hyper-speed.

Grandma's Green Thumb

Diane loves to garden, and I, well, I not so much. I have a lot to learn about plants. I have always been very hands off when it came to the plants Eric brought into the house, mainly because I would probably kill them all. Eric gets it from his mom, who gets it from her mom. Gma Bishop's and Diane's hibiscus bushes are in full bloom. Supposedly, these flowers have a life of only 2-3 days. Aren't they pretty!

Cohen was even getting into the planting...naughty baby.

Truth be told

I never for a moment thought I would miss all the crazies from the Milwaukee fast & testimony meetings...until today.