Trick or Treater Competition

My aunt and I were competing to see who had the most trick or treaters visit. Here's my list:

1&2 - Minnie Mouse and Mulan (cutest little girls EVER!) - 6:53 PM
3 - Tiger (another cute little girl - her baby brother was in a stroller)
4 - Race Car Driver (tiny little guy - probably the youngest I'd consider appropriate for trick or treating)
5 - Scream guy (can't blame the guy, I blame his unoriginal parents)
6 - Yellow Butterfly (CUTEST little girl with white blond ringlets!)
7 - 9 - Soccer player (boy), cheerleader (girl), ladybug (girl)

It's 9:04 PM and I haven't had a trick or treater in almost an hour. With 9 total, I lose to my aunt's 11. However I had the most number of families/groups at 6. I call a rematch next year when (hopefully) all of my neighbors have moved in!!!

Things I learned:
Face Paint = cool, Masks = not cool
Oskar does not like trick or treaters

Happy Halloween!

Pajama Party of One

Janine and I were chatting about what she was going to wear to work tomorrow for Halloween (I of course don't have that problem as I will be spending the day in my jammies yet again - this is the advantage of working from home). My mention of jammies gave her the idea to wear jammies to work, which then posed the dilemma of which jammies to wear. And thus ensued the following pajama party/fashion show (courtesy of MacBook):




And the winner is:

One of the many reasons I love Janine!!!

The Return of the Evil Car...

Will here. Jenn asked me to "guest blog" about my recent trip to the Lexus dealer. I took my car in to get the service done. This was considered a "minor" service, and the total estimate was $140. Yeah, and this is a MINOR service. Oh, but it gets better...

My brakes were starting to grind a little bit. Mind you, they are the original brakes (pads, rotor, everything) and the car has 40,000 miles on it. So, we did get a lot out of those brakes. However, I did have a feeling that they had met their end. Now, the last time I took the car in, they told me that the brakes still looked good. But, of course, a couple of hours after I dropped the car off, they told me that the brakes pads need to be replaced. No surprise there. However, they also said that the rotors were worn down to a point that they had to be replaced as well. I was NOT planning on that. Then, they also told me that the treads on my rear right tire had to be replaced! Of course, that means replacing two tires. The car has low profile tires, and they aren't cheap. So, after this turn of events, I was not all that happy with my car. I knew that the price tag was not going to be good. So, I started looking at Nissan Altimas online. I really like them, I must say.

After work, I went to pick up the car. The final bill was a little over $1,500! Again, I begin to curse the car in my mind. And I know this isn't the end, because the rear brakes and front tires are still originals, so it's a matter of time until those are replaces. The madness isn't even over yet!

So now, I am contemplating getting rid of it. On one hand, I just put a good amount of money into the car. On the other hand, I will have put even more into it, and the Altima would be lower on monthly payments and maintenance. Still, the Lexus is a really nice car, so it's quite a dilemma.

Recent development - I scratched the rim of my right front tire at a gas station on the way home from work today. It almost matches the one I got at a Carl's Jr. drive thru (see Jenn's earlier blog post about that here). This time, it involved a piece of sidewalk that juts out with no warning. I was trying to get around a car that was filling up in front of me. To the side of the car, there was plenty of clearance, so I went to go around and BOOM, I thought I ran over something, because I couldn't see anything. I backed up and still nothing. So, I just waited for the car in front of me to leave, and when I left, I finally saw the sidewalk turn out in my rear view mirror. I have to agree with Jenn that this car is possessed, and that getting a new car would be good on the wallet, my nerves...and hell, it even might save my life!!

Disco Inferno

What is more horrifying:

What we are wearing?

OR

The fact that I bought my dress at Kohl's this year?

Utter Grossness!

There is dirt and ash everywhere from the wind and fire this week. My mom, aunt, and I are having a house cleaning party tomorrow. Some before photos:

The Grass Might Be Fake...

But the dog did his business there anyway...YAY!!!!

Backyard - After - Ta Da!

Things You Don't See Every Day

Chino Valley Fire Department and friends (other departments) put out a small fire that started behind these homes somewhere in the 1 - 5 mile away range. At least 6 fire trucks headed in that direction shortly before 11:00 AM this morning.

I noticed a relatively small dark plume of smoke when I went out to get the mail and of course had a moment of panic. Then I saw all of the trucks drive by and the fire was out within 10 minutes of that time.

This truck hung out on our corner for about half an hour after the fire was out. Yes, they were hot! :)

Fond Farewell to My Phone

Say goodbye to my old phone with a broken camera...the new one arrived today and I'm back in the discreet photography business!

Backyard - WIP #3

Backyard - WIP #2

Fire in Dairyland!

Hamburgers anyone? It's 4 in the morning and the hubby and I woke up to smoke smells. We turned on the news and found that there's a fire about a mile away smack in the middle of dairyland. Please note that the fire hasn't made the huge Channel 7 map yet, but it was listed on the ticker on the bottom.

Update - the Ontario fire made the news!!! For more info click here.

One of the stupid reporters in Canyon Country made reference to water dropping overnight: "They were going to perform water drops at their own discretion. I'm not sure if that was done overnight or not. But they said that those water drops would resume at daybreak". Totally lost brain cells right there. But in her defense she's standing out in the wind inhaling smoke.

4:00 PM update - YAY all of the Ontario fires have been contained!!!!

Wind Update

This tree is across the street at the park...no that's not rain or snow, it's dirt!!! It's raining/misting DIRT!!!








This is the poor little tree at our neighbor's house. He's not home.









This is our front porch. Please keep in mind that it is sheltered from the wind.


Our little tree that the hubby saved is still holding on!

Backyard - WIP

WINDY!!!

For those of you who don't live in So Cal, it's crazy Santa Ana Winds Season aka Fire Season and half of the state is on fire. The news of course is only showing coverage of the fire in Malibu (which is on fire pretty much every October, but that's where all the rich people live).

This morning when I was opening the blinds, I noticed a poor little tree flapping in the wind. The top safety harness (as I call it) broke off of the support pole, and the poor tree was bending almost 90 degrees. I sent the hubby out to fight the 40 mph wind gusts and reattach the safety harness. Yes I took the picture through the screen safely inside. :)

So far so good, the little tree is hanging on!

Now We Are Safe

The wonderful Ellen Helen came to visit me this evening (aka came to babysit me) while the hubby went to bowl a tournament. USC won earlier today so she was in an extra good mood. She brought the extra "touchdown" cookies for me to eat too!

We watched the Indians lose miserably to the Red Sox (sad!) and did some MySpace research. Since the game was so pathetic, we spent at least 2 hours on our MySpace research. It was VERY entertaining and enlightening.

After the game, and after we ran out of people to research on MySpace, EHW was hungry. I'd polished off about half of the cookies, so I wasn't. She wanted Del Taco so off we went. Technically that was a violation of my rules of recovery, but it was only a short drive of about 3 miles or so. EHW drove her rental car (Nissan Sentra).

EHW drove like a 16 year old taking her driving test so as to not cause my head to fall off. Literally drove 5 mph UNDER the speed limit, hands at 10 & 2, looked all ways before turning or proceeding through an intersection, avoided speeding cars, and stayed in the right lane as much as possible. She drove so cautiously, that a car with an electric wheelchair strapped to the back PASSED us. Fun times!!!

In case you're wondering EHW ordered: bean & cheese burrito with green sauce, 2 soft tacos, and nachos. She ran out of cheese, so she didn't finish the chips, but overall, ate like a fat kid as she likes to say.

Other fun things E.H.W. said tonight:
"They have 10 points already.......................Wait I mean runs."

"LIMH = laughing in my head, you didn't really LOL. "

"What's E-bone-ite?" (She read this on the hubby's shirt when he got home from bowling - shirt reads Ebonite).

Happy Cows Come from CA...

Dead cows come from Chino Hills. You've gotta read this!

I am perplexed by a few things:
1) How both a cow and bull ended up on the 71 freeway - yes the freeway is surrounded by cows but there are steep embankments on either side at this part. Maybe they were strolling along at 4:00 AM and just ended up at that part? Maybe the cow and bull just wanted some alone time?

2) How'd you like to be the truck driver that looks ahead and sees 2 cows in the road? It's only 2 lanes each way at that part so the driver had to hit the cow or swerve off the road and down the embankment (which apparently he ended up doing anyway).

3) I live in dairyland (Chino) and have often feared running into a cow...now that it's happened, I will no longer be driving down certain roads unless it's daylight and I have maximum visibility.

Backyard - Before

I understand that my backyard is small and is really a side yard, however we're going to turn it into a nice little patio complete with BBQ with a little patch of (artificial) grass for our little dog. Trust me when I say that the front yard and park across the street made this small sacrifice completely worth it!

These are the before photos. Construction began today - actually it was demolition and grading today. I'll take photos of the progress as it gets completed.

Crazed Cat!

Apparently my cat has lost his marbles today. He's been picking fights with the dog (who is NOT amused), messing with the blinds in the dining room, and knocking stuff off of my TV Tray. He knocked off a Sharpie and then spent 10 minutes playing with it. He's currently behind the couch causing a ruckus.

Edible Arrangements ROCK!

My work sent me an Edible Arrangement on Tuesday...which happened to be Boss' Day and the same day that the hubby's work got him an Edible Arrangement for Boss' Day.

Needless to say we have fruit coming out our ears!!! The good part is that it's pre-cut so I can just help myself in the fridge. His arrangement included chocolate covered apples which were AMAZING!!!

The Price is Right

I watched The Price is Right today with its new host, Drew Carey. Not bad. Drew seems a little uncomfortable around the CRAZED contestants, yet that's what The Price is Right is all about. They haven't renamed the Barker's Beauties...but I'm suggesting Carey's Cuties or Drew's Divas. I think he'll do well as the host once he settles in.

Reasons Why I Love My Husband's Work

Some points of clarification:
-The Hubby aka the Bunny returned to work today after spending 2 fun filled weeks at my "beck and call"

-He started the tradition of "decorating" someone's office when they were on vacation at his work

-He recently dressed up at work (along with the rest of the managers) in 70s attire to kick off their employee appreciation dinner

-Someone at his work spent a LOT of time cutting out bunny ears and photos of the Bunny in his 70s attire

-I LOVE THIS!!!!!!! Thank you!!!!!

Medical Math

Rachel came and visited me yesterday and we thought of a fun blog topic - "Guess the total of Jenn's medical bills". Now not everything has been billed yet, but we thought it would be fun if everyone made a guess...perhaps I'll even dig up a prize for the winner.

Items to be billed June - December 2007:
2 CT Scans
5 MRIs
3 Office Visits with neurosurgeon
3 Office Visits with regular doctor (pre-op physical, staple removal, follow-up/release to return to work)
1 Brain Surgery (I was under for 6 hours and spent an hour in recovery)
4 days in hospital (2 as ICU patient and 2 as a regular patient, though I did stay in the ICU room)

For the purposes of declaring a winner I will only be calculating charges for the items listed above. Make your best guess now!! I should have most of the amounts within a few weeks but I won't be able to get a final total until January though.

Follow-Up on the NASA Shampoo

I introduced you to a cool product a few weeks ago. Unfortunately there was one thing I failed to consider - NASA Shampoo does not allow for weird crusty stuff like blood or sealant. So I didn't use it.

Margot was a WONDERFUL friend and washed my hair in her sink with baby shampoo using extreme caution so as not to get the incision wet.

Once my staples came out, I showered with baby shampoo which I have to use until the end of the month.

Should I find a time to use the NASA shampoo, I'll be happy to review it at that time. Otherwise I love washing my hair too much not to.

I wanna be a cat!

They lay around all day and nap. People take care of them and feed them. Oh wait...that's what I've been doing since my surgery... :) (How fat is my cat getting?!)

Why you shouldn't always read signs...

When arriving at the hospital last Tuesday VERY early, I was leading my entourage to the front door where I had entered several times the prior day. It was not until this approach that I noticed the lettering on the window next to the automatic doors.

I was scheduled to arrive at 5:30 AM, but because my mom is always at least 15 minutes early everywhere she goes, we were arriving at approximately 5:10-5:15 AM.

When the door didn't budge with my approach, I groaned, turned around to get the camera from the hubby and then took this picture. As I inched closer to the sign to maximize the size of the text for easy viewing on my blog, the doors slid open.

Darts & Smart Wives

No, I'm not suggesting that anyone throw them at the back of my head (although I can see how that might be tempting). Since the hubby and I have been holed up in Colorado, he's taken to playing darts with Aaron several times. Today as I was attached to the laptop (I MUST be feeling better!) he went out to throw them by himself.

I was chatting with Bianka on AIM:
JennAnn (4:04:03 PM): i think willard is finally going to hang the dart board when we get home
JennAnn (4:04:22 PM): he's been playing darts with Aaron and now he's throwing them in the garage by himself
JennAnn (4:04:42 PM): shoot he might go all out and organize the garage while he's at it!
Bianka (4:05:27 PM): THAT would be nice!

JennAnn (4:11:43 PM): willard walks in from the garage and says "i think i'll have to hang the dart board up when i get home"
JennAnn (4:11:51 PM): i just pointed to what i wrote
Bianka (4:12:23 PM): lol
Bianka (4:12:27 PM): Wives are so smart

Random Pondering of the Hubby

We were eating brunch at the Ontario Airport Saturday morning at Applebee's when Will shares this pondering...

Hubby: "Why isn't cantaloupe a melon?"
Me: "What?"
Hubby: "There's watermelon, honeydew melon, and just plain melon. Why not cantamelon?"

This is the guy you've all come to love (if you didn't already)! :)

These are the reasons I love him. Sorry there are no photos...the cell camera is still broken :( I'll send the hubby out to have it fixed after tomorrow's mass-texting.