Had a Bad Day

where's that david powter song when you need it?

i wasn't my jolly self today, and it sucked! i had such a negative vibe, attitude, and outlook towards people and things that i was on the verge of crying at work. i don't like feeling that way, nor do i like being around people who are like that, so to have that ugly inner monster come out of me was very disappointing. of course there was a reason for me feeling like that, but i'm not gonna go there in fear of losing my blog spot by using too much vulgar language...yeah, one of those reasons.

after coming home, napping, and having yummy spaghetti for dinner i feel somewhat better. i'm looking forward to sleeping it all off, and waking up to a new, bright, and sunshinier day tomorrow. all hell will break loose if it's not!!

i need a hug.

The Special Child

i am so proud to say that i am the niece of a children's book illustrator! my awesome uncle, bobby rios, drew the pictures for a book called the special child. he's always had an artistic talent, and i'm so glad that he finally got the credit and recognition that he so deserves. to honor the publication of the book, my family, as well as the author's family, joined together for a book-warming party. when it came time to distribute the books and have them signed, you could just feel the excitement in the air from everyone in the room. i patiently waited to receive my copy, and once i did, i just about peed my pants as i watched my uncle sign "to my niece" followed by his signature...it was awesome!!

because the book is about a little boy with cancer, proceeds will go towards cancer research--so go buy your copy today!

GO BULLDOGS!

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?!

yeessss! football teams around the nation are getting ready for some blood, sweat, and tears. a new season is upon us, and in just a few more days, i can FINALLY watch my fresno state bulldogs play against rutgers for their season opener. after ending last year's season with a 9-4 record, the 'dogs are hopefuls to win the WAC this year, and possibly *fingers crossed* make it to a major bowl game. with our returning qb, tom brandstater, and some other outstanding players, like my hometown boy, #85 bear pascoe, i have so much faith that these boys can pull it off. coach pat hill has done an amazing job in putting fresno state's name out there, and has put some big names on their schedule (USC, OREGON, UCLA). "anybody, anywhere, anytime" is his scheduling philosophy, and it's a pretty darn good one. he'll take on anyone which is what i love about him! he's been so dedicated to fresno state for the past 11 seasons, that it's come to show how big of a heart he has for the game, his players, and most of all the valley.

two non-conference powerhouse teams that they will face this year are WISCONSIN at home, and UCLA on the bruins' turf. i am so happy to say that i've got my tickets for both of those games, WOOHOO! i have to mention that they will be televised, so look for me! i'll be wearing bulldog red...i know, so will a gajillion other people, but just do it! i just hope i'm not sitting next to some dumb ass people who are only there to get drunk and act stupid. um, excuse me, but that's what the tailgate party is for. come game time my eyes are focused on the field, and not on the beer man (which works out because bulldog stadium doesn't even sell alcohol inside the gates). but back to the point, i am just counting down the days, until the first home game, when i can hear the bulldog fight song and the roar of the red wave going around the stadium...GO DOGS GO! FIGHT DOGS FIGHT! GOOOOOOO DOGS!!

Just Do It!

i can always rely on nike to come up with some pretty freakin' good commercials. in honor of the games in beijing, they came out with a few ads that captured amazing images and tied them with some great songs that fit perfectly with them. being a huge fan of sports and The Killers, i was pretty ecstatic to see nike put them together to make this amazing commercial:

Love Is...

i got the cutest email at work today. a group of kids were asked what love is, and some of their answers just amazed the heck out of me. some adults couldn't even give you a sensible answer. heck, some will probably even run out the door! but ask a child and see what they tell you...it might just blow you away:

"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love."

"When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth"

"Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other."

"Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs."

"Love is what makes you smile when you're tired."

"Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK."

"Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss."

"Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday."

"Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken."

"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford."

"Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day."

"When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you."

and my personal favorite...

"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen."

this one totally reminded me of my grandma's house. when we get together for Christmas or for any other holiday/celebration, i can just sit in one spot and listen for hours to everyone chattering and laughing away. it warms my heart and just puts me at ease. those are the moments i live for and will forever keep close to my heart.

The Lone Hiker

today was one of those days where i needed to get out and be alone. i decided to do something different (other than shopping) and went on a nature hike through the woods of big basin state park, AKA my backyard. i must say i am very privileged to live with the pacific ocean on one side and the santa cruz mountains on the other...it can't get much better than that.

it was already late morning and the fog hadn't quite lifted yet (yes, we have fog in august). it actually lingered around just about the whole time i was out there, which made the hike that much more pleasant. walking on the trails was purely mind clearing. i've had a lot on my mind lately, and this was the perfect way to clear my thoughts. i was surrounded by nothing but tall, beautiful redwood trees, birds chirping, fresh air, and the soft flow of a nearby creek. i had no idea how far i had walked, nor did i really care, i was just enjoying every step of the way. there's so much more of the park that i want to explore (like the waterfalls that i've heard so much about), but seeing how i wasn't prepared to walk another 5 miles without having the hiking necessities, like a backpack with water, snacks, toilet paper (you never know!), and whatever else you could think of, i decided i would have to save that hike for another day.

for your viewing pleasure:

BFF's

"the best accessory a girl can have are her best friends"

i am so thankful to have 3 girls who i consider the bestest and greatest "accessory" anyone can ask for: shannon, rebecca, and naomi. i love to scrapbook all of our fun and crazy times together, but this time i cheated and created the pages online. it's just a quick little slideshow to show how lucky i am to have them as my bff's. i don''t know what i'd do without them (besides not LOL as much).

Make a Smilebox slideshow