Just Showing Off

Cheyanne age 9

Heather age 6

Heather & Cheyanne

Cheyanne & Heather

Just wanted to show off my girls in their Halloween costumes this year. I know it is early but we went to a Halloween party at the school and they are the two most beautiful witchy poos and pirates around so I couldn't resist showing them off.

We hope all is well with everyone and Happy Halloween!!!!

Love ya!

Hello again

Delci, Noah, Aurora & Heather

Heather & Moe

Cheyanne & Lucky

Todd (this one is for the ladies) :)

Well it has been awhile, but I try to live by Thumper's doctrine, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say nothing at all." I haven't had much nice to say lately so I have been in hiding. :) October is almost over and I can't believe how fast this year has gone. Heather just turned 6 a couple of weeks ago and she is acting so grown up now. We got her a camera for her birthday and she goes about taking pictures of everyone and everything in the house. Thank God for digital cameras I can't even imagine how much the bill would be for buying film and processing it on an old fashioned camera.

I still haven't found a job yet which is getting pretty tough. I really miss my old pay checks BUT somehow we are getting by. Every month when I pay the bills I am just happy that we sold our house and were able to payoff some of our stuff before I lost my job otherwise we'd be in a world of hurt right now and Todd would be riding his beach cruiser up the 15 freeway every morning.

Todd spent last nigh tearing apart the old Harley almost completely down to the frame (I helped but only a little). Once we get the last stuff off of there I think we will be stripping the paint and sanding it down ourselves and then we will probably do the paint ourselves. We've watched OC Choppers enough I am pretty sure we can do this :). Of course if one of our lottery tickets is a winner we won't be trying our hand at motorcycle painting.

I am posting a couple of pictures here from Heather's, Noah's, Aurora's & Delci's birthday party a few weeks ago. It was fun and the kids seemed like they had a blast. Til next time Love ya all.

Beyond My Comprehension

http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/09/12/1382073.aspx

I just read an article on MS NBC regarding an "honor killing" that happened approximately six weeks ago in rural Pakistan. I really thought I was going to throw up after reading this, not because of the graphic detail but because after reading it I was stunned. Usually I am pretty numb to the goings on of the world, I read the news, watch the news etc. with a cool detachment, every atrocity seems to blur together BUT sometimes they don't. This article did everything, gave me the chills, made me cry, made me sick, everything.

How can a father do that to his own daughter? Does he grieve afterwords? Does he miss them? How? Maybe I can't see it because I was blessed by many great men in my life, my father, step father, grandfathers, husband and many wonderful male friends are how I have based my beliefs. I know people can be ugly, I have seen my fair share of yucky people in my life BUT this takes the cake.

They call it "tradition", they call it "honor", I don't think so. I think its sick and I've seen honor before this isn't it.

Ahhhhhh! Gotta Vent Read at Your Own Risk

So I was honest, the unemployment form said "did you start any school or training?". I checked yes, don't ever do that with out consulting a professional. The EDD in their infinite wisdom have not sent me my check and called me for a phone interview so they can determine if my going to school will affect my ability to to look for and obtain employment. I spoke with the lady she was very nice BUT she asked a bunch of questions ranging from when I go to school, how many classes I was taking, how much money I have spent, am I looking for work, how can I work and go to school at the same time and then "the big one" would you drop your classes if you were offered full time employment. Patiently I explained that it is an online course, I don't have set time to finish as long as I finish this semester in a year, I do it on my own time which is the whole reason I am doing this course instead of going to Mt. Sac, blah, blah, blah..... "OK Miss Fisher we will let you know in 7-10 business days if you are still eligible for employment benefits". I am not very happy.
I want a job. I want a full time job with benefits. I want to work, I look for work, I would accept work if offered and dang it I have worked since I was 16. Shouldn't I get a little respect here? Shouldn't I get the benefit of the doubt and they talk to me before they stop my check? By the time they make their decision I will not have received a check for a month. Now, I am thankful for the little bit of money I get from unemployment but it is nothing compared to what I was getting when I was employed. Of course I want to work I can't live off of unemployment forever, we are barely making it right now.
I am so frustrated. I have sent my resume out all over the place, most people don't even send anything back. Its posted on Monster, Cal Jobs, Hot Jobs, Indeed and Career Builder plus I am now the member of all of these employment sites and more. I call people in the phone book and try to use my connections for anything. NOTHING. So I am going to school and also applying for entry level jobs in that field, hoping. The only thing I have got is the offer of a part time, temporary job that I can't start until January and will last until March.
Being unemployed stinks, I miss the purpose of waking up in the morning and the fulfilment of getting a check for a job well done. I am a hard worker and although I have enjoyed staying with the kids this summer I am jealous because they started school and now have a purpose to their day.
OK, I guess I am done. My apologies to anyone who reads this but you gotta vent somewhere and its better than on Todd or the girls. You don't have to read it ( a little late now I guess if you read this part you must of read the whole thing). I hope everything is well with everyone, love you all.

CF

End of the Cool Week

**Top picture left to right; Aurora, Heather, Cheyanne & Noah

**Heather & Todd with her 1st fish of the day

**Aurora with her first little fishy ever

**Noah with "the first fish of my whole life"

This weekend has been great,Todd and I had some fun together just the two of us. We went to dinner at Kings Fish House, YUMMY!!!!! and then went to Friar Tucks to see our friends' bands Pistols and Pesos and Trash Daddy play. Saturday we took the family fishing of course and brought Noah and Aurora with us. Rory caught two little crappies and Noah finally caught "the first fish of his whole life". Sat. night Todd and I went to see another friend's band that he started with Oz Fox (from Stryper for all you old headbangers) it was cool but jeez we were tired. Today we are just kicking it.

Posting some pictures of the kids, they are recent as in yesterday. School starts for the girls tomorrow, no more sleeping in :(. Also I will be starting the second part of my volunteer training at the SPCA on Wed. one more step and I am a full fledged volunteer. I am trying to get some experience in what I want to be when I grow up. Anyways bye for now.

Private message to CC.

Did you really have to point out that we've know each other for 31 years? Do you have any idea how old that just made me feel? Hmmm, no wonder I'm having a hard time recovering from this weekend. I'm not a spring chicken anymore.

CF

Just a Cool Week

"Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny. " Unknown

Just though I would share what a great week this has been so far. I finally after a very long time of searching found an old lost friend of mine and got a hold of him and heard from his mom. These people were like family to me when I was growing up. It's always cool to have your best friend live next door. We did all sorts of things together from Frisbee, bike riding and swimming to having sticker ball fights and making boats out of leaves and floating them with their bug passengers down the gutter. So I am thankful this week for getting back a long lost friend. :)

We also have had some more fun this week than the usual sit around the house stuff. My daughters and I went to Aunt Connie's house for lunch with Connie and Grandma and had w wonderful spread. Connie always makes you feel like royalty when you go over for lunch. She sets her fine china, makes all of the food look so pretty, even the sandwiches are special because you get 3 different gourmet mustard and your bread and meat come on a platter. It's very nice and always makes me feel good and special.

Today we went to the movies with my girls, parents and sister Wendy and saw Mama Mia at the insistence of my parents. It's very funny and I don't think I have seen some of these actors look like they have had this much fun in years. I definitely recommend seeing this one for that feel good feeling. You can't help but be smiling when you leave.

Tomorrow I am going on a date with my Hubey, yay. It's been awhile since the two of us have gone out just us and had some fun so I am really looking forward to it. I don't know what we will be doing yet but since he is my favorite person to hand around with I sure it will be cool. Well that's it for now. Oh and the quote at the top, I don't know who it wrote it, it was just on one of the emails my mom sent over BUT it's a good one to remember. Good night.

Hello!!

This is all new so let us start with hello from sunny & HOT Southern Califronia. We have been doing alot of fishing latley and the girls just caught thier first fish this weekend. Cheyanne (9) caught 4 and Heather (5) caught 2 1/2 all little tiny fishies. Todd and I have been taking the girls fishing every Friday this summer and they seem to enjoy it.

I am still unemployed but have started school for Registered Veterinary Technician and hopefully someday when I grow up it will payoff. We are also still trying to grow our Real Estate company and are getting set up with a few companies to do REO's because that is where the money will be for the next few years. Wish us luck.
Our values have changed somewhat since all of this happened. We had to sell our beautiful North Upland home and are renting for now until everything cools down, then I got laid off. In a way its all been a blessing, I have spent the whole summer with my girls and have never been able to spend this much time with them before. We haven't had the money we used to so we've only been able to do a few things but I love taking them up to San Antonio Creek in Mt. Baldy and hiking around with them. Its helped me realize what is important again and although I sure miss my house its not what holds this family together and we are blessed to have two BEAUTIFUL little girls, we have a good, happy marriage, and lots for wonderful family and friends.

I guess the last 1 1/2 has been a learning experience and an oppurtunity to grow.

We have also realized the silver lining in my sister Leslie's passing. The adoption was final last month for Noah and Aurora and now we know that no one can ever hurt them again. They are safe an sound with Grandma and PaPa and are loved so much. They spend alot of time over at our house also and Todd and I have enjoyed getting to know and developing a relationship with them. It's still hard to know that my little sister is gone, I miss her terribly but it definitely has helped the healing process to know it was something that had to happen for her kids to be safe.

On a lighter note Todd and I had a brief ceremony after church yesterday presided over by Dr. Dale Smith who blessed our wedding rings again. After 10 years Todd's ring was so thin, had a breakage in it and was threatening to cut of his finger so we broke down and bought new rings. It was a nice little informal ceremony, where we stated some of the vows again and had Dale bless the new rings and our family (the girls were there too).

Well I will get going now and will add some photos and stuff at a letter date.