I've Been Tagged....

My sister in law Natalie tagged me so here it is.....

Jobs I've had.
1. Nordstrom
2. Law clerk at Smith & Chapman
3. YMCA after school program
4. Mom


Places I've lived.
1. San Diego, CA
2. Los Alamitos/Seal Beach, CA
3. San Juan Capistrano, CA
4. Huntington Beach, CA
5. Chino, CA


Food I love.
1. Italian (from Italy)
2. Mexican
3. Homeade Mac & Cheese
4. Jack in the Box tacos (yum)

Websites I visit
1. People.com
2. Blogs
3. Craigslist
4. Los Angeles Police Federal Credit Union


Places I'd Rather Be
1. Italy
2. Virginia
3. Vegas with Nick
4. Spending Money

Movies I love
1. Love Actually
2. Just Friends
3. Transformers
4. Any Jane Austen movie
5. That Thing You Do

Shows I Watch
1. Friends (still)
2. The Office
3. Beauty And The Geek
4. Most HGTV shows
5. Iron Chef

People I tag
1. Laura Hathaway
2. Kalli Monroe
3. Vicki Zuniga
4. Jennie Burke

100 things about.....

Ok so I saw this on someones blog and I'm going to attempt it. Here are 100 little tidbits of knowledge about me.

1. Born July 3, 1978 in Salt Lake City, Utah

2. I am the oldest of 7 kids, 6 girls, 1 boy

3. My favorite color to wear is black.

4. My favorite colors to decorate in are taupe and shades of green

5. I hate milk

6. I moved to Seal Beach/Los Alamitos when i was 6 and lived there till i got married

7. I didn't get my license until i was 18

8. I worked at Nordstrom

9. I got married in the 2nd grade to Josh LeClair(until the recess lady broke up the wedding)

10. I played the flute and violin in junior high.

11. I play the piano still.

12. I had acrylic nails from the age of 13 until last year.

13. I don't like ice cream and most deserts

14. I love see's candy

15. My first car was a Chevrolet Celebrity Eurosport, ( good memories )

16. I have hypothyroidism (it runs in my family)

17. I love romantic comedies

18. I hate horror of any kind

19. I was in choir in high school

20. In my senior year i cut my hair in a pixie cut, (apparently not a good look for me)

21. I don't like pets really, including my dog. She's nice to look at but i don't care for slobber

22. I l ived in San Juan Capistrano for the first four years of my marriage.

23. Married Nick Garces July 17, 1999 in the LA temple

24. We had dated for 2 years before we got married

25. I met nick when i was 18 and had a missionary

26. bought my first house with nick before we were married (shock) no we didn't live in it until after

27. I traveled to Italy in 2001 for three weeks (dying to go back)

28. Never been on a cruise ( hoping to change that soon)

29. Love to read

30. hate to clean my bathrooms, but i do it anyway

31. Love to vacum. I do it almost every day, the whole house

32. Wish my family didn't move to Virginia

33. Worked for a law firm as a billing clerk for many years.

34. Was going to school to be a court reporter at one point

35. Favorite food is italian and mexican

36. Shopping is an obsession of mine

37. Water is my favorite beverage, lemonade and dr. pepper a close second
38. i've never had braces
39. I've been pulled over a couple times but lets face it, i'm married to a cop, i didn't get the tickets

40.I love watching live sports

41. I love to scrapbook, make cards, sew, and decorate

42. My dream job is to be a wedding planner

43. But i'm going to school to be a nurse, like my mom

44. I am a good parallel parker

45. My favorite perfume right now is Dolce & Gabana Light Blue

46. I have a water phobia, i can't put my face in it.

47. I am obsessed with my blog and everyone elses

48. I am equally obsessed with the gym right now, i even have a personal trainer i meet with
twice a week named Atavio. I am there at least 5 days a week usually more. I'm going to be hot again

49. I love wienerschitzel, del taco and wahoos fish tacos, and jack in the box tacos.

50. I don't especially like to cook

51. I am married to a hottie and my best friend

52. i have great girlfriends

53. My favorite show right now it Beauty and the Geek and Rock of Love with Brett Michaels

54. i gave up oprah in the last few months

55. i don't have a middle name (shame on my parents)

56. I love pedicures

57. I love going to church every sunday

58. Gave birth to Sydney Aileen on November 22, 2000

59. Nicolas Alfred Garces Jr. came May 1, 2003

60. Followed by Sophia Lauren on August 25, 2006

61. My kids are the cutest kids ever

62. My husband used to do private security for Puff Daddy, and Kobe Bryant

63. I know how to drive stick

64. I went to Hawaii on my honeymoon

65. I own a motorhome and a boat that i love to use

66. I was a cheerleader when i was younger

67. Nick and I want to adopt a baby of another race, a feeling we have

68. Love to eat macaroni and cheese with my kids

69. I like tator tots over french fries

70. I have had 9 cars since being married.

71. I love getting the mail

72. I have a crush on Nick Lachey (i was a 98' degrees girl)

73. I love homeade chocolate chip cookies.

74. I make a mean rice krispy treat

75. I love to eat at PF Changs with my girlfriends for a girls night out

76. Nick and I love to go to concerts, our last was Depeche Mode.

77. Don't really have a favorite kind of music

78. I love broadway musicals, I have seen at least 20 or more

79. I love to shop at Target

80. I had a boyfriend my junior and senior year of high school, he thought we were going to get married.

81. I love a great haircut

82. I make lists, (nick hates it)

83. I am not spontaneous

84. I don't enjoy gardening, i don't like being dirty

85. I hate long car rides, i prefer flying

86. I love surprises from my husband

87. I love my boots i bought in Florence, Italy

88. I love to dress up on Sundays

89. I love to go to weddings

90. I hate the low waisted jeans but love long shirts

91. I hate the heat and love the cold

92. I love to shop for baby clothes

93. I am addicted to designer handbags and sunglasses. Nick is taking me to Louis Vutitton for my 30th next year and I can have whatever I want. i have loved LV since i was a little girl.

94. I don't like being pregnant

95. The Wicked soundtrack is in my cd player in my car right now

96. I love jewelry right now

97. i could watch "Just Friends" with Ryan Reynolds and Anna Farris almost every day. I love
that movie

98. I love to sleep in, i am not a morning person

99. I bite my fingernails

100. Last but not least, I love being a wife and mother most of all.

She Climbs, She Walks

Tonight after Sophie's bath she starting climbing up on Nico's rocking chair and I just had to snap some pics of her. Don't mind the messy toy box next to her that is Nico's attempt at cleaning up his toys.

Step 1: Climb up into the chair,
Step 2: Turn around
Step 3: Sit and smile
Step 4: Slide out of chair.
Then she decided to take a little walk.
Here I come mom

And one more step
And down she goes. We'll keep working on it.

Nick & The Emmys

Ok so I said I would list all the people that Nick met at the Emmy's last night so here it is.

Dennis Leary
Rick Fox
AC Green
Felicity Huffman
Sally Field
Kimora Lee Simmons
Keifer Sutherland
Minnie Driver
Tracy Morgan
Glenn Close
The Cast of Grey's Anatomy
The Entire Cast of The Office
Some of the cast of Heroes
Jennifer Love Hewitt
Jamie Pressly

a couple things

So I thought I would combine a couple things into one today. First is a funny story that happened at dinner, second is my disclaimer about the LA Fair and third is a tribute to Steve & Natalie who celebrated their one year anniversary today.

First things first.

Ok so today Nick had to work and his detail was the red carpet at the Emmy's. I'll let you know tomorrow who he met. So since Nick wasn't going to be home his wonderful mom invited me and kids over so I didn't have to cook. She made us a wonderful dinner of salmon, baked potatoes, corn and watermelon. I made my kids plates and told them that they could not have a popsicle for desert unless they ate all their food. Well Nico decided he didn't want to eat all his fish and got up from the table and played with his toys.

Well Dorian, who is my mother in laws husband, started to lecture Nico about all the starving children in Africa who had nothing to eat, and blah, blah, blah. You get my drift. And Nico in all his infinite wisdom waited until Dorian was done, looked at him and said.

"yeah, so what" and then kept repeating it as Dorian kept trying to get his point across.

My mom in law and i could not stop laughing because here was this 4 year old telling Dorian, so what. Just a funny little moment for me.

Ok Second.

Here is my disclaimer about the LA Fair.

My friend Laura and I went last night for a girls night out and here is what we learned.

1. When you get off the freeway and traffic is already backed up for at least a mile, turn around and go home. That was our first mistake.

2. Do not go to the fair when you are trying to watch what you eat. Our second mistake. (fortunately all the grease there disgusted us and we didn't eat anything)

3. Do not go on a Saturday. Every lowlife and their mother are there. Mistake number 3.

4. Do not start talking to the venders in the shopping pavillions, you may grow old there. #4

5. You do not belong at the fair if you are wearing normal clothes. and by normal i mean modest. I can't tell you how many hoochies and their skeezy boyfriends we saw, also entered mingled with hillbillies. Do you see our mistake pattern going here. #5

6. Spending $15 dollars to view all of this loveliness, not priceless, but a waste of 15 good dollars.

So my advice is go to Victoria Gardens instead. Enjoy some good shopping and then hit up the Spaghetti Factory for some good food. That is how we ended our evening after wasting too much time at the LA Fair.

Ok here is my tribute to Natalie and Steve.

Happy 1 Year Anniversary!!!!

Here we all are, 'one big happy family. Minus Tommy and Jayme's girls, they weren't there. So the mexican gentleman is Nick's dad and the man to Terri's right is Dorian her now husband.

How cute are they? to be so young and in love.

Ok so right before the ceremony the photographer snapped this shot of the boys sneaking into the bathroom for a little potty party. Notice Drake giving the thumbs up.

My little cute ring bearer.

Adorable flower girls, they were so excited to walk down the aisle and drop rose petals.

Brotherly Love.

A cool uncle Steve with all of his little guys that love him to pieces.

Lia Sophia

Earlier this week I attended a Lia Sophia party for my sister-in-law Natalie. This has been my second show since I hosted one with my mother in law a while back. I can't tell you how much I love this stuff. It makes me feel pretty when I wear it. I was never a big jewelry person. I wore my wedding rings and usually my diamond earings and Tiffany bracelet. But now I match outfits to my new bling. And I can't wait to get stuff I ordered.

So here are some pics from the party.

From left: my mother in law Terri, Mindi Cluff, and my sister in law Natalie
Our Lia Sophia Rep. Sherri Jackman, mother of Mindi Cluff and mom of Rick my brother in law. (confused: let me explain, Marissa jackman is my sister in law, nick's sister and wife to Rick son of Sherri and brother of Mindi, it's all a little confusing how it's all entangled together. Marissa is a Lia Sophia rep in Utah and did my party and Sherri joined from Marissa. Got it!)
And here are the girls Sherri, Mindi, Me (of course) Jayme and Natalie, both my sisters in law. Natalie's mom and sister were there also but had left when we took this pic.

We had a blast looking at wishing for bling, gabbing like girls do and eating things we shouldn't.

Sunday Best

I snapped these pics of the kids on Sunday before church. I just thought they all looked so darn cute in their Sunday Best. Why do they look so angelic in pictures and if people really knew the backstory they would know that they were all crying and yelling at me because I wanted to take their picture. Nick calls me the Japanese tourist because I take the camera everywhere and make them pose for pics. Oh well.

I put one of Sydney's giant bows on Sophie's head and I loved it to pieces. I think I'll put giant bows on her head every week now. I love her sweet little face. But she never looks at me when I take pictures, I guess she really is her father's daughter.
And he is just the cutest little man I've ever seen. I is so darn adorable. I just wish his good looks came with a good temper.
I tried to get one of just Sydney but she wouldn't let me. I'll try again.

Photographer

Does anyone know a good photographer? I want some original pics of my kids. Not just sitting in front of the camera smiling. I want some candids, black and whites, sweet expressions of their love and affection for each other. If i like them enough they might very well be our christmas cards this year. I want the kind of pics you look at and go wow, those are great. Anyway if you have any suggestions I would love them.

I Joined A Gym!!!! YEAH!!!

Ok so I was sick and tired of being the same weight that I'm not proud of and I'm sick of a saggy stomach that is stretched out from having babies and I hate that my inner thighs touch now, and I am starting to get flabby arms and a flat butt. Need I go on. All us moms know what I'm talking about. I want to weigh less then I did when I got pregnant, a lot less. Basically I need to take me back.

So I joined a gym. My friend Laura (who is in my same boat) and I joined LA Fitness and we are going to stick to our plan and encourage each other on. So today was our first day and we survived. It was actually fun to go with a friend, someone to talk to and who understands. It was a little intimidating looking around at all the fit people there. So it was good to have a partner there. Next week we meet with a personal trainer to get us on the right track. Our goal is to go 5 days a week, monday thru friday. The great thing about this is that we enrolled in the child care so we can always take the kiddies and put them in there. And Sophie and Laura's Kourtney loved it. They were laughing and having a great time.

So as we go I will keep you updated on our progress. Our goal is to look like these women. LOL. No, we really don't want to look like men.

Second Grade

Sydney started the second grade yesterday. I can hardly believe it. How has time gone by so fast. When did I become old enough to have a 7 year old? It's like you blink and years just shoot by. I can remember so vividly this time last year and having a brand new baby at home and now she's 1 and starting to talk. It seems so slow going while you're in the throngs of it and then you look back and can't remember how you got where you are. I guess that's why they say childhood is fleeting.

I need to start taking deeper, slower breaths and take in every moment. So in a year I can look back and laugh and smile at the small wonders of my children. Everyday is so infinately special. A day I will never get back. A day I need to bask in at every moment and turn. Not just with my kids but with my wonderful husband. Take every chance to tell them all how much I love them.

Ok, Ok, I'm getting all sappy here. Enough of that here's some pics from yesterday. Sydney can't seem to keep her eyes open for any picture I take so oh well.

And the others are of Sophie enjoying her favorite food. WATERMELON!!!!! Love it. Love it. Love them.

I was trying to take another picture of her and she started throwing a giant fit and threw herself onto the table so I could snap this pic.

Kevin & Taylor's Wedding

On Saturday we attended the wedding of Nick's cousin Taylor. She married a great guy named Kevin Pennington. It was a beautiful wedding just really hot. They got married at the Coto de Caza countryclub (where Kevin's parents are members) and the ceremony was outside at 5:30 facing the sun. At one point during the ceremony i was licking the sweat off the top of my lips that was dripping down my face. (sound gross, well it was)

Taylor and her Dad Todd, (nick's uncle) as they walked down the aisle.

Nick and I after the ceremony a little sweaty, I couldn't get him to smile right for at least 5 pics.

Taylor and Kevin as they were being announced. And uncle todd saluting the camera. Nick's uncles are crazy.

Nick and his brothers Stephen and Tommy after sweating on the dance floor.

Nick and Stephen. Nick and his brothers were out of control on the dance floor. I felt sorry for anyone who tried to dance around them.

Nick's Grandma Ardi and me. She is like my grandmother since I lost mine many years ago.

Nick's sister Marissa and one of my best friends and their cousin Leah.

My sister's - in - law. (from left:Natalie, wife of Stephen, Marissa, Nicks sister, me and Jayme, wife of Tommy) I love these girls. They all crack me up.

The girls again this time with our mother in law Terri. Only she is Marissa's mother. She is awesome, she does so much for us.

Nick's mom Terri and all her kiddies. Only Stephen would not take a serious pic so this was the best one.
Kissing my hot hubby, Nick hates to take pictures and I hate to dance so I told him I would dance with him if he would take pictures for me. It worked.
Ok so funny story. On the way home we hopped on the toll road at Oso Pkwy. only to realize that we didn't have enough change and it had to be exact change. All we had were $20 bills. And we needed $.75 so the top pic is Nick (if you can see him) looking for change on the ground. And I was turning seats over in my car for change. The bottom pic is Nick victorious, he found exactly what we needed to get through the toll. I'm susre we looked pretty funny on the side of the road looking for money.