Long time no Blog!

I cant believe it has already been almost 2 months since my last post! Sorry guys, there has been many things going on. Well, one more week of class to go and so far I have finished everything in my path. Erin has come back to school with a BANG! I absolutely love this class and have learned a lot.
Second, the divorce is going full steam ahead. Nick and I have been pretty amicable through the whole thing and I am finally moving out February 1st, which leads me to a rant: Packing sucks ASS! No wonder people just stay where they are rather than moving every couple years. Yikes, what a chore! I am moving slowly but surely, downsizing as I go. It is amazing how one person can accumulate so much crap in a 5 year period of time. I had 2 whole cabinets filled with JUST candle stuff. Candles, candle holders and miscellaneous candle accessories (don't ask)! Just candles! How did I acquire so many candles? I have no idea. Buy buy buy, that was my mentality I suppose which is why I am broke now. Go figure, but I have enough candles to supplement my heating bill. I will live in the poor house but will have many many pretty candles there.
Thirdly, I found a cute place to rent in downtown Antioch, about 2 blocks from the water. Maggie and Gabby and I are very, very excited to move there and start our new lives. Work is going decently, plugging along. Hours are tight and so is money but at least these two jobs should take me through the Holidays and then we will have to see where that goes.
But so far I have had a decent couple months. I have spent time with Tara when she was up from Los Angeles, spent time with my best friends and some new friends. Have spent a lot of tie exploring San Francisco, which has been fun. Been to a couple more hockey games and managed to avoid the jumbo tron. So another victory for me!

More to come with in he next couple of weeks. I will let you know how school ends and how the BIG MOVE goes. Ugh...that I am dreading....

Hockey Season Returns!

Good news: Hockey is back on! Those of you who do not already know, I have become obsessed with the sport ever since I discovered Stockton's minor league team, the Stockton Thunder. Obsessed is a little harsh, more like a really BIG fan. It is close and cheap and the boys are hecka cute. What more can a girl ask for?

Bad News: My hockey game partner from last year was Nick, so obviously we are not attending any games this season, but luckily for me, Brandon came through like a champ!

My friend Brandon and I set out for our hockey adventure this last Saturday night, expecting mucho crowds since it was the official "home opener," only to be disappointed when we arrived to no crowds and 2 hours early! So after waiting and finally being let into the beautiful arena, we found our seats....right behind the visiting team, 2nd row behind the GLASS! It was awesome! And right at center ice no less! The grandeur of opening night was complete with fireworks on the ice and a National Anthem performed with electric guitars, a la Jimi Hendrix. Well sadly, we are both idiots and neither of us remembered to bring his or her camera, but it was definitely a game to remember. Brandon experienced Stockton fans (loud, obnoxious, etc.) and Thunder Ale (a quick favorite) and the joys of being surrounded by drunk fans! I truly love being around the drunk and disorderly people because it just takes the energy up a notch or 7! I had one EXTREMELY strong Vodka Tonic courtesy of the fine bartenders in the bar and had to have Brandon drive my ass home! Oh the joys of local sports.

We are going again November 16th, in case anyone wants to join us...but be forewarned, the drinks are stiff and so is the competition!

Mid Terms? CHECK!

Well, ladies and germs my first semester back at LMC is officially halfway OVER! Wow, I almost forgot what it was like to write 7 pages of bullshit for my mid term paper. It is true that if you "don't use it, you lose it." Very true in my case. I struggled with 2 pages, let alone stretching out 5 more pages. By the end of the week I was so over the paper, that I don't expect a very high grade at all. I lost my steam. But overall I am fairly satisfied with the result.

10 weeks done, 8 more to go!!!

Back to Life

Momma and her babies!

Enjoying the sunshine on the river.


Jerimiah, fishing and paddling at the same time!


A lot of time was spent playing Fooz Ball. He won 100% of the time.





Well, we are back. It was a wonderful vacation and exactly what my body needed. Besides the 5 pound weight gain, it was a very relaxing and much needed break. The house was stunning and I had my own balcony so I could wake up to the river each glorious morning. Glad to be back in my own bed though, and having my babies back with me!

Vacation Time!!!

In 2 days I leave for 7 fun filled days lounging on the Russian River! I can hardly contain myself. I am leaving Maggie at home with Nick for the week and that is giving me some serious anxiety! I hate being away from my babies and with Nick being gone every night, I have a feeling I will come home to very skinny animals. But mommy needs a break. I have not slept well for the past couple of months understandably and I think sleeping in a big bed listening to the sounds of the river might just help me. It is time for me to think about my own sanity and this vacation could not come at a better time!

So for the next day and a half I will be running around finishing my preparations for the trip. I will make sure to take lots of pictures to post for everyone. I am hoping the house will be better than last years trash heap! From the pictures it will be stunning...Can't wait!!!

First day of school...

Well last night was my first day back to campus in almost 7 years! Needless to say I was nervous about going back especially since the last time I was there I was in my early 20's. It has changed a lot but there are some really good additions. For instance, all the smaller parking lots are now covered. Upon investigation, I realized not only do they serve the purpose of covering and protecting cars but they are also solar panels for using natural energy to power the facility. Great change! I felt trepidation about my class because I did not know where it was located and I did not do a prior "drive by" but I found it first thing without wandering around like an idiot. My class is "Race, Gender and Ethnicity in Film and Popular Culture" and already after 1 class I am fascinated! Great teacher who is enthusiastic and really enjoys what she does and even though I am the second oldest student there, I had a great time. It feels so good to be back in school, I know it sounds dorky but it feels wonderful!

So today is my birthday and all in all, even with all the drama that has been happening lately in my personal life, it feels good to move on to another year, feeling confident and in control of my life.

Next up...A's game on the 30th and Swing class resumes in September...hopefully my partner Jerry joins again!

Tower of Power

Gabby recently acquired a new play tower from my boss Andy. Needless to say, she was VERY excited! And I am too because now she might stop bugging me for 2 seconds...

School Days!

Well everyone...I am going back to school. Starting in August I will be attending the Los Medanos College extension in Brentwood to finish my AA degree. Turns out I was a lot closer to finishing than I thought. And come to find out, that not only will a get my general education AA but an AA with a focus in Arts and Humanities! So my degree will have a little more distinction to it. Then I need 2 more classes to get my Fine Arts degree as well. If I push myself I can be graduating in a year or so with 2 degree's. This has been something I have thought about for quite some time and being that I have spent so much time on classes already, I did not want them to go to waste. Wish me luck!

It is the End of an Era...

Well I realize that I haven't posted in a long time. This fact was brought to me lately by Maryann who checks in periodically. Things have been very busy for me lately. For those friends and family who don't know by now...Nick and I have split. I have been living with my mother for the past month but will soon be relocating back to Brentwood. This is a pretty mutual decision and though many tears have been shed (on my part) I do really feel this is for the best. Nick and I have been together since 1999, so this is a very hard transition for us. We love each other but we just can't seem to get it together after all these years. For the next couple months or longer we will still be sharing the same house which should be interesting but at least Maggie and Gabby will be happy having mommy and daddy under the same roof again! So in case anyone is trying to get a hold of us, definitely try the cellular phones first. Thanks for all the love and kindness to us both over the past month and I hope to see some of you soon...

Netflix Rocks

As many of my readers know, I am a Netflix junky. I watch between 2 and 5 movies per week. Sometimes I sit down and watch them and sometimes I multitask while viewing. This weeks latest picture was the new release of "Definitely, Maybe". I always appreciate little sayings that are contradictory in itself. My favorite being "consistently inconsistent", but I digress. Back to the movie, it was one I really wanted to see in person, but my movie partner Nick flat out refused because A) it was by the creators of Love Actually (a movie that I have subjected him to so many times he knows all the characters names and yet still does not like the movie) and B) it is from the writers of Four Weddings and a Funeral and Nick thinks British people are full of themselves. Hey, I didn't say I agree with him! So I was forced to wait til DVD release. Low and behold I received it the first day it came out and excitedly ran home and popped it into the DVD player. Wow...... what can I say. Kinda disappointing? maybe. Definitely, maybe.

First of all, I don't think super cutie frat boy Ryan Reynolds can hold a movie by himself. Though nice to look at he seemed to mock the whole movie he was acting in! And the "love interests" were all kind of boring to me. With the exception of Isla Fisher who's hair is so beautiful I just stare at it jealously. I waited months for this one and maybe the hype got to me, but it was somber and really slow and dare I say boring? I had to force myself to stay up until 11pm to finish it because I wanted to put it in the mail this morning.

Overall rating:
2 popcorn's out of 5

Random Facts about Erin

1.) I have never mowed a lawn in my life. Not that I am too prissy or have been banned from it, but I have never gotten the opportunity. Growing up my mom loved her lawns and never wanted me to "screw it up" which I probably would have , and now that I have my own lawn, I can't start my lawn mower because it is a big ol' dinosaur! But hey, it keeps chugging along...no?

2.) I try so hard to be graceful and light on my feet but most of the time I feel like one of the dancing hippo's in Fantasia.

3.) I love making To Do lists. I get a lot of satisfaction when I get to cross off a task!

4.) I love 80's gay pop music such as Erasure, Pet Shop Boys, Yaz,etc.

5.) I still get teary eyed and excited at the end of ET the Extra Terrestrial when the kids are on their BMX bikes running from the feds and they start to lift off the ground and fly through the air over the forest. My heart still jumps up into my throat!

6.) I am quite Obsessive Compulsive. Example: if I don't make my bed in the morning I think about it all day until I get home and make it again just to undo it to go to sleep.

Wow...this says VOLUMES!

Amy Winehouse
Out of Control Talent

Talent, talent, talent, baby! Overflowing with talent, almost to the point of just not knowing where to put it all, MAGGIE is Amy Winehouse!
Mmm-hmm, you go, girlfriend! With a voice that stops hearts and moves souls, MAGGIE's soothing sounds and funky furstyles are taking the animal world by storm. Perhaps a little overwhelmed by all of the attention, MAGGIE can occasionally get herself into a little trouble, but it's nothing she can't dig her way out of with help from her loving friends and family. Her flamboyant lifestyle receives a ton of attention from the media, but her shooting star talent keeps MAGGIE in the flow and on the go!

Miss Gab is back in action!

Vet Visits: 2
Carpet cleaner: 3 bottles
Vomit stains cleaned: 26

Spending $425.00 for Gabby to take a shit....priceless

Indiana Jones review

Let me be the first to say I did not expect much from the lastest installment of the Indiana Jones movies. In my opinion, they should have just left well enough alone. I love me some Harrison Ford, but I really thought he may be getting a little old to don the fedora one more time. Well I was sorely mistaken. Not only was he as handsome as ever (love the facial scruff)but they brought back MARION RAVENWOOD! My favorite heroine of all the movies. She was the only one to fight back and kick a little ass. Well she did not disappoint. She was as feisty as ever and the chemistry between Indy and Marion was undeniable. Plus Shia Labouf is in this movie and not to sound too pervy but YUUUUUUMMMMMMERRRRSSSSSS! That boy can ride a motorcycle like no one's business! Besides some slight instances of ridiculous, such as a Tarzan-esque segment and a killer ant scenario, a good time was had by all. I jumped, I screamed and laughed the entire time. Even Cate Blanchett's terrible accent couldn't distract me.

Rating: 4.5 Popcorns out of 5.

Love you Jen!

I just finished Jen Lancaster's new book "Such a Pretty Fat" and may I say: I have such a fondness for overweight, sarcastic, narcissists! A bit of camaraderie maybe? Call it what you will but in her own way, she is making the whole world better by laughing about subjects that we all hate and all of us experience. This time we find Jen battling weight loss. Oh the hilarity that ensues, including wanting to slap her Weight Watchers Leader and ditching Jenny Craig because they won't listen to her. In previous books she makes us laugh about her family, her very Republican husband, her 2 psycho spoiled dogs, her hatred of her pesky neighbors and her unemployment. Highly recommend her website: www.jennsylvania.com and other books: Bitter is the new Black and Bright Lights Big Ass.

rating: A you will stay up all night just to read one more chapter!

The gift that keeps on giving!

Taking Gabby to the doctors today. Last night she barfed on our bed...while we were in it. ICK! Nothing like waking up to the bed shaking at 4am because a cat is about to barf all over you! Ahhh the joys of having animals... It is almost a sense of serene calm......

Sniff Sniff.....

The Office finale was last night. It did end with a "bang" though. Go Dwight! No more fun and highjinx til next September.

Oops.....

Lawn Trimmer: 1

Erin: zip

Too Cute...

Found this little gem while "busy" at work....

see more cute dogs and puppies

Awww......



see more cute dogs and puppies

Our Little Corner of the World

4 years ago, Nick and I bought and moved into our first home. Now with Sunny and Jerimiah buying their first house, it has brought up a lot of fond and painful memories. Painful by means of the amount of work and headaches, and fond because it was a very liberating and educational experience. I was not working at the time we moved in and with Nick gone 10 hours a day at work meant that my days were filled with packing and unpacking and cleaning and cleaning and cleaning. It was exhausting, and at the time I had my little VW convertible. I moved 90% of the house with that little car. I had rocking chairs and lamps hanging out of the roof and plants and dishes packed into the back seat.

But I was in love....and still am, with my house. It is perfect for us. I knew from the moment we walked in that we would live there. It was a feeling that it just fit. I had visions of the backyard being filled with people and barbeque's, sprinklers and tiki torches, azalea's and lawn chairs...

Never would I have known the amount of work that lay ahead of me. I was concentrating on the inside of the house for the first few months but by the time we were done unloading and settling in, it was time for YARDWORK. Oh the dreaded word. I love potting and gardening but those words have nothing to do with anything when you are landscaping a blank canvas. Never mind the fact that my yard is relatively huge for a tract home. And the backyard was just a nice big pile of dirt and when it rained....MUD. Images of me standing on top of a shovel while digging sprinkler trenches because we have clay soil and nothing penetrates it. The Scholar Tree falling on Nick when he was planting that, the broken wheelbarrow, that still has a flat tire till this day. The metric tons of bark and potting soil....but regardless, we were in love with our house. And still are.

Nowadays, the walls are painted and the lawn is green and though we still have more to do, it is still our little corner of the world, and soon enough Sunny will experience that same feeling. Above is the BEFORE picture of our front yard when everything was small and young, and below is the AFTER of our backyard after all our labor.




Still to come: An awning for the main part of the patio, and possibly a vegetable garden, more work to the side yard and a clothes line because I hate using the dryer in the summer.

It's Official: Summer is on it's way!

I know this because Nick has let me know his "car show" schedule. This summer will be jam packed with shows and events featuring Nick's non air-conditioned car and his sweaty sidekick wife who will no doubt get stuck to said non air-conditioned tuck and roll upholstery at least 19 times. Don't you just love the smell of burnt skin in August??? Yummers.

Thanks for the inspiration Shrek!

The other night while watching Shrek on TV, I heard a little gem of a line: "Donkey, you are going the right way for a smacked bottom!"

So I say this: "MAGGIE, YOU ARE GOING THE RIGHT WAY FOR A SMACKED BOTTOM!" And after last night's Opossum WWF Smack Down episode, the bottom smacking will commence quite soon. Don't get me wrong, my fur-kids mean the world to me, the meaning of my existence, my light at the end of the tunnel, etc. But once they wake me up 3 times during the hours of 1:25am and 3:45, Mommy becomes a bit patience-challenged. Tired Erin + opossum killer wannabe Maggie = Jake the Snake vs. Hulk Hogan circa 1989. Lots of under eye makeup and a "closeline" in Maggie's future!

Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting

Oh where to begin on this weeks entry????? Well let us begin with Saturday morning. M good friend Colleen was throwing a baby shower for her daughter in law. I being a generous and loyal friend offer my flower arranging services. I arrive 9am on Saturday morning for the Farmers Market and gather the flowers and head to the shower site. Upon leaving notice there is a nail in my tire and it is almost entirely flat. In a panic I limp it to the nearest gas station where I fill it up with air so I can get to the nearest tire repair station.



Unfortunately the nearest "repair" station seems to be my good ol' faithful enemy...Walmart. Ugh...rendered with few choices I reluctantly walk in and ask for a tire repair, and begin the waiting process. I shop, browse, shop and browse. An hour goes by, I check in and they say I am the next in line. Another hour goes by and I stomp my way back into the customer service area and they tell me the lug nuts have been over-torqued and they cannot fix my tire. They could not have told me this 2 hours ago? In my fury I vow to never again shop at Walmart. And from previous posts on this blog you can see why. Late for a much needed hair appoinmen and frustrated beyond belief I make my way to another tire place right down the street, and they welcome me with open arms. Not only did they fix it for me in 20 minutes but they do not charge me for it, my only payment is to promise to never again take my car to Walmart. Well Tredshed on Railroad Ave...you have a customer for life. And not bad eye candy I might add ladies.



Fast forward a few hours and I am home with freshly cut hair, no more trimming my split ends off at work. Nick and I are anxiously awaiting the hockey game later that night. I might add that we are completely obsessed with hockey right now and have attended 3 games in the last month. Anyway, we leave the house at 5:30 to make our way to Stockton, for a game that starts at 7:30pm. Being it was Bobblehead night I wanted to ensure we had fab seats and plenty of time to see the warm ups. Boy...Saturday was just not my day. We arrive a hour ahead of time to be told that they are almost sold out and the only seats available are 5 rows from the top of the stadium. Once again...ugh. Well I realize shortly after that the reason they are almost sold out is the insane amount of children that are in attendance. Those who know me well know that though I love my friends' children and baby cousins...me and children don't mix that well. They annoy me to no end, and being childless by choice has earned me the right to bitch and complain about them all I want, thank you very much!



Well the Stockton Arena has not only decided to give away bobbleheads but also to welcome the Girl Scouts of America (oh swell) and the Big Brothers and Big Sisters (double swell). Guess who got seated right behind me? That's right folks, all the kids I can handle. Not only them, but their Game Boys and cellphones and all the bells and whistles.



I am a bitch I know this, I am 30 years old and I have paid my dues and have the right to be a bitch. I paid $32.00 to sit 5 rows from the top of the arena and now I have to be annoyed by troubled children. Fine, good organization, keeping the kids "straight". doo-gooders, blah blah blah...I am driving the bus to hell, WHATEVER! They bug the shit out of me. I am a whole other person at the games, I like to yell, cuss and on occasion...spit. And I feel guilty about doing such things with children present. Not that their parents are any better than me but I still have a problem with calling the other team "a bunch of bitchy pansies" when little tikes are around.



Well, since we went, they won of course as they do every time we go! A great time was had by all even after I complained the entire time. Like I said...I have earned it. I am a woman and reserve the right to complain when things do not go her way. Poor Nick.... what a trooper, he just kept trying to feed me popcorn the whole time so I would stop talking about it.

My New Obsession....

They are so cute, and have tuck and roll pleats on some! Mucho Bonita!

www.trophyqueen.com

Bat Rays...

Sunny took a picture of one that washed up on Stinson sand...and then there is the Bat Ray in action....oh boy. This non-harmful species swims underneath your pretty little pedicures when you go in the ocean. Don't look down folks!

American Idol

Cute Aussie "American " Idol Guy

Hair Swinging Annoying Pouter

Is it me or is everyone on the show this year an idiot? The guys....ick. Yeah, okay, they sing well and all but the only one who is remotely cute is the 29 year old Aussie who is not even "American!" And don't get me started on the girls.... they all look the freakin' same! Except for the "rocker nurse" oh brother.....just the moniker is enough to make me not like her either. everyone is bugging me on the show this year, especially the flamboyant gay guy Danny...If he swings his hair around and pouts his lips one more time...I am gonna SCREAM!

Stinson Beach

This was the view from our back door!

The familia on the search for shells!

Me investigating the inner workings of a starfish...

Happy 56th Momma!

Our last day!

As most of you know...every year for Momma's birthday we have gone to a beach to celebrate for the weekend. Well this last weekend we went to Stinson for a weekend of fun and surf and escape. Did not go exactly as planned. Nick got called into work Monday and Tuesday so he only was able to join us for Saturday and leave Sunday. "Oh well, I will still have fun" I thought...Uh, not so fast Miss Erin! BAM, I get the flu the first day I am there! We unload and all the sudden I have to lay down to rest. I woke up the next day after my mommy checked on me all night because my fever had spiked. Oh swell.....Happy Vacation!

Weiner Poopie...

This lady actually alerted the news people for this HOT story....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUJ4es4cYIU

Just when I thought I'd seen it all...

A shame to naked men everywhere:

http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/article.html?in_article_id=65993&in_page_id=2

Goodbye Swish....

It is a sad day for all Oakland A's fans. As of last night, word spread their management traded our beloved Nick Swisher. The heart of our team of misfits. Now whose ass am I going to stare at during baseball games? How stupid....and yet so lucky for those female White Sox fans. We will miss him so much....