Let's start on Labor Day weekend. I didn't have any big plans, but I went to the G-Ma's house in Apple Valley on Sat with Buster. While we shopped for curtain material (the G-Ma re-decorates at least one room every 6 months) I received a call from my aunt Dodie... I smiled when I saw her name pop up on my phone because we had been indecisive regarding our attendance for our family reunion that was to be held the following weekend and were doing the whole "if you go I will, if you don't I won't" game. Her dilemma was studying for school, and mine was Buster and home problems. My smile quickly faded when Dodie told me that my great-aunt Titi (a.k.a Maryland) passed away on Friday night from a massive heart attack. She died instantly. This was sudden and a complete shock to us all, especially to her immediate family. She was actually supposed to host our family reunion. We no longer had to decide whether we were going, instead we made plans to attend a funeral. Being in a huge Hispanic family is great, but as I get older our family reunions are occurring each year at someones funeral. She was a great woman and will truly be missed.
On Sunday of Labor Day weekend I received a surprise visit from my aunt Marion and uncle Luke, with my little cousins Nathan and Samantha. They brought over pizza and we watched a movie after we stuffed our faces. Little Sam, who started Junior High in September, made a point to say how fabulous she thought my apartment was when she came in. This little charmer is wise beyond her years!! Thanks for the love Sam! That night Neal came home and we faced our differences head on and mutually agreed to take the pressure off ourselves and just be friends - that is what we are best at. Thanks for a great year and a half Nealy!
Monday 9/1....the long awaited season opener for the UCLA Bruins against Tennessee!!! We have been waiting a long time to kick off the season with some tailgating and cheering our team to victory! Aunt Dodie came to the rescue and volunteered to dog-sit Buster Rhymes and I was off to the Rose Bowl. I met my dad, my brother, my uncle and two cousins, and some family friends there. There was no way I could catch up on all the beers they had all had, but being with my pops and my brother after an emotional weekend was just what the doctor ordered! And even though the mood was a bit somber, my dad told me that he proposed to his girlfriend of two years on Sunday night!! I was ecstatic! I couldn't have asked for a better woman for him! Game time: It was a hot day and the Bruins put up a great fight and stayed with the favored Tennessee and even forced the game into over-time. With a field goal late in OT, we WON!! It was an almost 5 hour game, but hella worth it!! What a great way to end that Holiday weekend!! U-C-L-A!
Thursday night was the Rosary, and Friday was the funeral. Of course, seeing distant family members is always nice, even though the terms were somber. Friday after the funeral 6 of us went to lunch at Claim Jumper's....it was nice to end the day together. After we had left the funeral my Nina invited some of the family over to her huge house in Whittier for a "mini family reunion" on Sunday. Saturday I rested and Sunday Buster and I hit the road to Whittier for his first bar-b-que! This was the day we were all supposed to reunite at Aunt Titi's house, and it was so full of joy, it was like she was there with us! Buster met his grandfather for the first time and his cousins Ginger and Rogan! He had sooooooo much fun!!
Buster and Grandpa!
Buster and Ginger!
Buster and Rogan!
He slept all day on Monday! During the hot September months he enjoyed sunbathing after eating breakfast in the mornings.
The following weekend we were back to Whittier for my cousin Krystal's 24th birthday bar-b-que. Although the Bruins were brutally shut out that day, Buster and I had no shame representing!
Happy Birthday Cuz Krys!!
During the week Buster tried to give mommy a break and help me out on the computer with work...he's such a good boy.
This work stuff isn't what it's cracked up to be, I'd rather nap!
Later that week, Buster met his uncle Jarred for the first time. My brother came over and I made him dinner. He's still alive so I must not be that bad of a cook!
That weekend we headed back to Whittier to scope out some apartments in La Habra (that is where I wanted to move originally, but my plans have since changed), AND to go with the family to Mission Viejo to have dinner with my dad's fiance's family. The two families became one that night as my dad told the story of their relationship and presented Hamida with a beautiful ring. Needless to say, my eye make-up was a mess! Congratulations Pops!!
The following Thursday 9/25/08 - I took away Buster's manhood! All you men, stop squirming in your seats - he's a dog!! :) It was heartbreaking to see him all drugged up when I brought him home and just want to sleep on my lap. But he did great and took little time to recover and be back to his playful self. The E-Collar was more damaging to me than it was to him, I took it off after two days. The cuts and scrapes were too much, lol. The vet was hesitant since he would only be four months in a week, I said he's fine - cut 'em off!! I was just hoping it would help calm down this hyper-active puppy. lol
We went to G-Ma's that weekend for some TLC and rest. ;)
The following weekend 10/4/08 was Jimbo and Mitch's wedding!!!!! It drizzled that day for good luck on an already destined relationship. The church ceremony was wonderful with the beautiful bride and her handsome groom taking their vows. We headed over to the country club where the party began!! Yes, I should have gone to McDonald's between the events because the wine didn't wait for dinner to be served to kick in. lol. I had a blast and so did everyone there! Great job to everyone who put this lovely day together, I was honored to be there!
The party table!!!
Alas! Buster Graduates from Puppy class on 10/8/08! I am so very proud of him...and me! It was a lot of work...but totally worth it!! Our Trainer informed us of his actual breed - He is a Chihuahua/Dachshund mix! I LOVE weiner dogs! Isn't he so adorable posing for the cam?! :)~ He gets his shyness from his mama.
Buster with his Trainer Lorrie...
Family photo time to celebrate! :)~
The following weekend was my first weekend away from my Buster. I went to Eugene, OR to watch the UCLA Bruins lose to the Ducks in 40 degree weather. The hospitality was pretty much non-existent. I found out real fast that not only does this small town not have much to do for being a college town, but they don't like visitors...ESPECIALLY from the opposing team. Even as I was leaving at 5am on Sunday morning the airline decided to give me hell...let's just say it wasn't a good trip, to put it kindly! (Hence, no pictures!) My reuniting with Buster at Aunt Dodie's made everything better though.
On Tuesday 10/14/08, my newest baby cousin/son Hunter Rowan Gonzalez was born at 5:00pm weighing in at 8.4lbs! He is perfect. The new mother of THREE, my aunt Lilia had a fast delivery drug free - what a champ! I went to see baby Hunter on 10/16 after having dinner with my brother to celebrate his birthday...but I of course forgot my camera! :( The pictures on my phone don't do him justice, but I will be going back to see him this coming weekend and promise to post some great 1 month old, make your heart melt pics! :)
I took the G-Ma to her cousin's funeral the next day and spent the rest of that weekend researching apartments in Chino Hills, Placentia, and Fullerton. I found only a couple of prospects and went to visit them a few days later. I didn't like any of them. I wanted to be in a central location to all my fambam, and near a community college so I can wrap that up. But I wasn't feeling the area's. I called my pops frustrated and he told me to check out in Orange County near him in Mission Viejo. I laughed saying the rent was prob too high for my budget, and he being his rational self told me just to try it. Well, I did and by that Saturday I had found a place! Buster and Grandpa went with me to make sure it was a good place. :) Buster loves his grandpa and I am excited to live close to my pops again...I can go over his place for dinner when I'm poor. I actually got a great deal in Lake Forest. Watch out OC...here comes a Whittier girl!!
11/4/08 - We witnessed history!!! What a day....Record voter turnout, the country overwhelmingly voted in an African-American President, and liberal California gave more rights to chickens than they did gay's. I have been a Barack Obama supporter since his campaign started. I appreciate his value's, admire what he stands for, and am refreshed by his youth and modern ideas to bring this country back to being the world leader. Being owned by China has taken away from our leadership in the world just a tad bit. :)~ Towards the last few months I became extremely passionate about this election, and when I woke up on that Tuesday morning I felt like it was my birthday! I didn't expect to know the final results until late that night because of it being such a huge turnout and such a controversial election. So, when I was sitting in my living room watching John Stuart and Stephen Colbert on Comedy Central announce Obama was our President Elect at 8:00pm PST, I jumped to my feet and ran into my office to watch CNN because I just wanted to hear it again!! WOO HOO!!!!! I cried tears of happiness, hope, and RELIEF!! Good job America, you finally made the right decision!! I will never forget the emotions that ran through me when he gave his flawless victory speech.... I am so proud to be an American and to have "change we can believe in!"
Well, I hope you are still awake...I told you we have been busy! ;)
More to come, and I promise to not let so much time go by. :) Thanks for following!
2 comments:
I nearly had a heart attack when I saw your blog had been updated! What makes you so sure anyone but me and Michelle are reading your blogs? haha! Thank you for the updates! I love to know all the details of your life! Sorry about the deaths, but congrats on the baby! It's the circle of life! Welcome to Orange County! I guess that means me, you and Crystal can hang out again soon! Give Buster a big hug for me, I need to meet that little guy! He's kinda my family still! Miss you bloggin, don't wait so damn long again!
You sure talk a lot! =] just kidding. (kind of) So a lot has happened over the course of 2 months and I must say, the best part was Mitch and Jimbo's wedding! What a magnificant couple!
You've had a roller coaster couple of months.. I'm glad to hear things are finally mellowing out. (until our phone conversation just a few minutes ago) Let us know if you need anything. You know we're always here for you!!
And congrats on the new cousin!! That's awesome! =]
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