Holla!!

OMG...45 minutes!!

Anniversary Sale!!

Yay...scrapbooking!!

Little by little, I've been doing some scrapbooking...here are some things I have been working on...

"bliss"

a layout of me and Amina at Village Walk in Eastlake...I love this photo of us...as I was thinking I was going to shoot a cute photo of us...Amina purposely closed her eyes to be funny...that girl!

"who I am"

I love the sassafrass paper...and I love this little owl...too cute paper!  This is a layout of who I am right now...someone who is so thankful...

And lastly...this was a quick 30 min project I did for my son's class.  I think I might have went a little over the top...LOL.  It was a homework assigment for parents.  The assignments was, in a million words or less, to tell Ms. Martin about our child.  Well...I can't just write it down....I need to express myself with patterned paper, cardboard, tags and glue...LOL  crazy I know....

First Day of Discovery

Lots of photos to post today...all my kids are back to school!  Yay...back to a routine!!  It was a fun and hot day.  I love the first day of school...new beginnings, new class, new teacher, new CLOTHES, and a fresh start!!

 

The first day at Discovery is a huge event...so many parents are there, and all the teachers do funny skits to introduce themselves.  We look forward to going...and we are so excited about our new teachers.   

Here is Jeremy with his new teacher Ms. Martin.  He has his eyes closed because he was rolling his eyes thinking..."oh no, not a picture!" 

Amina is now in the 4th grade...but we couldn't start our first day without stopping by to say hello to Mrs. McLaughlin & Mrs. Kelley...

And here is Amina with Mrs. Ferguson and her friend Meghan. 

Amina and Demi are in separate classes for the first time.  They have been together since preschool.

Check out CaseyLee.  It was his first day of Preschool...this is Demi's little brother...he is too cute!!

 

My sweet friend Brianna...she's a scrapbooker too!

And our other cute friend Paulina, Amina's classmate & my friend Gaby's daughter. 

Another picture of Jeremy, but this time with his eyes open.  Gosh he is just growing!!  He looks like a young man here...I am missing my little boy.  He's now a big 6th grader!

Dalena actually started back yesterday, and when you are in middle school, it's uncool to show up on campus with your parents...so no first day photos for her.  But here she is enjoying a Starbucks Treat.

So at the end of our day...right after that picture of Dalena was taken, we picked up Jeremy and Amina from DASH and went to the girls's doctor appointment.  It was just to update their shots...what a fun time that was...LOL...talk about drama!

Wishing everyone at Discovery a great school year!! 

xoxo

gina

Happy Sunday

So I am home alone...the kids are with my sister, and Mario is working all day.  Well, I'm not totally alone...Rocco is home with me keeping me company.  I enjoyed a nice quiet morning...went to church...great message today.  Came home and made some lunch.  Its funny how I'm always wishing I had some time to do things with out having anyone around...but now here I am, a little bit lost as to what to do with the rest of my afternoon.  Tonight I'm meeting my friends for dinner here...one of our coworkers is leaving...and we are sooooo going to miss him...but he will be close by because he will at H&M.  I really should be doing some laundry or scrapbooking...k...off to enjoy the rest of the day..

xo gina

***update...here are some photos from Sunday night...so much fun...***

Clarinda & Ray Charles

Ray Charles & Rob

Justin, Me and the Jade Martini (and someone in the background trying to be all up in my picture).

Ray Charles and the "We will miss you dearly..." card

Gemielle, Justin and Me

It was so funny...the "Going Away Party" turned into a "Faux Birthday Party"

What a fun night we all had...and Ray Charles...we are going to miss you at the Ranch!! 

My Cosmo Girl

A couple of months ago, my little one, Amina...won an essay contest about "What My Smile Says About Me."  She was one of many winners.  Her prize was to be part of a real live photo shoot (hair, make up, limo, stylist).  She had a blast.  Here is a little video of the event:

The Superdentists Self Esteem & Smiles Magazine Event

And here is the ad that will be featured in Seventeen and Cosmo Girl (I think the August or September issues...)

She is all grown up...makes me happy and sad....

Here is the winning essay...

What My Smile Says About Me

 

Hi.  My name is Amina Lovato.  I am 8 ½ years old.  I come from a family of 6. There is me, my dad Mario, my mom Gina my older sister Dalena, my older brother Jeremy, and our cute little dog Rocco. 

          My smile says that I’m a happy person.  I like to smile when I do something good or when someone does something nice for me.  I smile when it’s a sunny day and when people are having fun.  My smile says that I love my family.  I love when we spend time together.  My smile says that I love school and I smile because I love my teachers. 

My smile says I have nice friends named Demi, Courtney, Matthew and Meghan.  My smile says I love to play teacher.  I pretend that I am teaching my own class.  And I smile because it’s fun.

I smile because I love Hannah Montana, cheeseburgers and French fries, and listening to my iPod.  My smiles says that I love to play dress up with my friends.  And I love to spend time reading a good book.  

And most of all, I smile when someone is smiling back at me.

xo gina

Happy 4th...SURPRISE!!

What a fun 4th of July we had!!  It was a nice hot day here in San Diego.  Worked a half day in the morning and then off to Jos's 40th Surprise Birthday Party.  It was so great to have all my friends and our families togehter.  Jos was totally surprised!  Mary organized for all us to make a scrapbook page for her, and then put all the pages in one big scrapbook.  It was such a nice gift.  Here is a photo of all of us...oh wait...where is Eileen?  Hmmmm..... 

 

Here she is playing "Street Fighter" or something like that...but look, she had time to pose for a photo....

It was such nice afternoon!!  Happy 4th of July!! 

I'm thankful...

So this is what 39 looks like (almost 40)...

I don't think I ever thought what life would be like as I approach my 40s.  I'm actually excited about it...but most of all I have so much to be thankful for...

I'm thankful...

1.  that I own a house.

2.  that my family is together and healthy.

3.  that I have a husband who is a great man and wonderful father.

4.  that my kids love me so much.

5.  that we have Rocco.

6.  for my Yukon, even though $45.00 only gets me to half a tank.

7.  the awesome company I work for!!  I love my job!

8.  for all my super fabulous friends!!  I'm so lucky to have the best girlfirends in the world!!

9.   for Jenny...I've lost 22lbs since March...yay!!

10.  for this place...and how they have helped me with my relationship with God.

It's so easy to get wrapped up in what you want and what you don't have sometimes.  Or even when you are having a bad day and think that everything is going wrong.  Whenever I find myself in that situation, I just stop and think of how thankful I am.  About a year ago, I was in such a different place.  I am so thankful to be writing this post.

xo gina

Want some free scrapbook stuff?!!

Yay!!  I'm scrapbooking again!  Here is a layout I just did last week: 

This is a picture taken of Amina last year at Balboa Park. 

Used:  K & Company Paper, Heidi Swapp Chipboard, Making Memories stickers, DCWV rub-ons, Martha Stewart tag, and paint by Folk Art.

Now for the free stuff...it's been forever since I've posted.  So I'm not really sure who is out there reading this.  But if you are interested in some free scrapbook stuff, leave a post and I will draw names and choose 3 winners on June 30th.  Thanks for stopping by!!

mariskahargitay

OMG...watched the Love Guru last night  with Eileen and Clarinda. 

So funny!!  Justin looks crazy!!

 

Aloha! I'm back...

It's been forever since my last post.  Over a year ago...well, I'm back!  So much has happened over the last year...my kids are getting older...Jeremy is super tall and so is Dalena.  They are both taller than me.  Dalena is starting 8th grade, Jeremy will be 6th grade, and Amina will be in 4th grade.  Time truly flies by!!

So my husband just turned 40 last Thursday!!  Can't believe it...I'm next!! 

And Father's Day was on Sunday...Happy Father's Day Dad...OMG...we look so much alike.  LOL  Well I'll be back soon!