Road Trip to So. California and Tijuana, Mexico! July 2011

We had only planned to go for a weekend to drive to Tijuana, Mexico for orthodontist (better than most in U.S. plus cheaper, not to mention my friends car takes natural gas- much cheaper to drive) and for Lil get-away vacation that ended up being almost a week.

We went to a few museums as well as China Town in L.A. and hung with a friend (through my sister Ashley) that let us stay with him 2 nights. He took us to Newport Beach and to see the final Harry Potter Movie. Yay!

I have posted tons of pictures from the trip!



Chinese Food in Las Vegas! Yum.

A Fun Day At The Lake! July 2011

We decided to spend a day at the Lake like we use to love to! Soakin' up the sun and relaxin' for a day. It sure was nice. Ashley, my sister moved back from California after living there for not quite a year so we decided to up and have a day to ourselves like we use to. We took some silly pictures while we were at it!

Kenzie's big brother!!

Kjori and Kenzie

Kenzie has an older brother I've known about but we've never been in contact with up until this year! We were lucky enough to get ahold of his mother just with the little information I had about them since I was first pregnant with Kenzie. I had asked for their info from her father in case Kenzie wanted to find him one day in the future. I guess they'd known about us since the kids were 3 and 2 but our info wasn't given to them for them to find us.

The kids are one year apart. Kjori is 11, born Dec. 21, 1999 and Kenzie is 10, born Dec. 12, 2000! It has been fun meeting him and his family and letting the kids actually get to know each other for at least the last half of their childhoods! They look so much alike! You can definitely tell they are brother and sister. Kinda crazy silly heads too. Just look at them in the picture ! Funny kids. They were playing video games after a fun night of bowling.

Below is a picture of me lately and my sister Angela's dog Roxy.

Getting back to blogging...

Ok so after getting behind on my blogging a few years back from heart problems, heart surgery and recovery you'd think I'd be right back at it right? Heh, well think again. I have somewhat recently found out I have a hypothyroid as in it isn't working as quickly or as well as it should. The thyroid has to do with much of the body systems especially the endocrine system. Trying to stay active has been rough and my immune system along with the metabolism has been affected. So I have gotten sick often, more than most people. Usually a common cold turning into an ear or sinus infection, bladder infections. JOYS LOL. Now that my medications are starting to regulate my thyroid this problem should go away. I have noticed quite a change in my energy level already!! I have noticed I get down somewhat easy because I was so use to being able to do all I wanted, work, school, be a single mom and no problem or so it seemed to others and I was always upbeat. Feeling like I haven't been able to snap back just like that was already rough from recovering from heart surgery, so this has just been more of a set back. It could be much worse and others have it harder and I am so grateful for my life and the people in it don't get me wrong. Sometimes though, hiding and pretending everything is honkey dorrey when it is not entirely is just about like lying to oneself and others. So we might as well feel the pain and/or anguish of it and let it takes us for a little ride til it is done with us so we can feel whole again or closer to it.

I am still in school at Axia College of University of Phoenix. I could be done by now but breaks here and there and such have come up like things in life do at times. I am getting close though! I still have my math classes to take, that I've put off to the end. Something that would have been nice to get over and done with but ah well.

I am in between jobs and looking for something that will be flexible enough for me being in Kenzie's life especially during the school year to help her with homework, spend time with her, get her to bed on time, etc., as well as at least get me by for the time being while I'm in school still and still working on building strength physically and endurance. I have only worked full time during holidays at Edible Arrangements when I'd help , at my mom's store when I worked for them for a while. I've worked at Jimmy John's sandwich's, Sears and like I just mentioned Edible Arrangements since my heart surgery trying to find something that I can do to build upper body strength (sitting jobs or driving far would cause muscle spasms and such) and still have time for school and Kenzie. So I'm still looking for what seems best for me for right now in my life.

I've thought about being a correctional officer or even animal control officer, and the guy I have been dating has mentioned that I should go train to be a police officer but I just don't think right now I'm ready for that. Possibly in the near future. It sure has been a humbling experience and realizing that any job is better than none, yes even fast food jobs. I still get emails and calls from insurance companies that see my resume online that shows I was a life insurance agent at one time. I wish they'd realize hey there is a reason why I am not doing that anymore and I'm not looking to do it again with a different company. I loved it but I was not around enough for my daughter and time I've learned especially in her younger years is more important that lots of money. One parent less is rough enough for her I'm sure so I try to be in her life at least half as much!

Kenzie will be in 5th grade this coming school year. It seems so weird I have a 10 year old daughter!! A few more years and she'll become a teenager !! AUGH! LOL . I haven't been able to get Kenzie into dance or tumbling or even any sports since my heart surgery for lack of funds but lately we've gotten her into voice (singing) lessons! Her teacher is a girl I grew up with who was taught by the same teacher as Haley from Paramore and she is signed with David Archuletta I believe is what she said. She goes back and forth to Nashville (TN) often and says I should go with her sometime in the near future. That would be so great! Oh and now Kenzie is getting older she has decided within the last year she longer likes Hannah Montana! LOL . I watched it so much I started acting, overacting like her and she already was over the top on those shows. EEK . Haha Kenzie had a thing with Twilight and Robert Pattinson, but now says she's not so into it anymore. This past year she's really gotten into Harry Potter though.

I'm so happy it's summer! I can't wait for the good times that await! I hope to keep up on my blog at least somewhat more now! I hope everyone's summer turns out fantastic!!