Isabella's Giraffe Habitat Project


She had an 11-page handwritten report to go with it complete with bibliography and table of contents and a beautiful powerpoint presentation all done in school. Ian and I went to her open house last week. Her teacher used her powerpoint presentation as an example to show.

Soul Bossa Nova

A cute dance number featuring "Austin Powers". Performed at Dinosaur Caves Park on May 17, 2008.

Shop Around

A new dance number just recently finished. Shown for the first time at the Strawberry Festival in Arroyo Grande. Please excuse the quality...I was not close to the front.

A Solo Broadway Baby

As promised...Isabella's solo performance

Busy May

This month has definitely been one of my busiest and the month has not even ended yet.

My busy month of May commenced with a drive to Union City during the first weekend. Simply Grateful for a chance to get together and engage in delightful conversations with great friends.

Upon return to Pismo I was ecstatic to finally finish my cabinet painting project. Then there was the wonderful times fellowshipping with my friend Tessie.

The completion of my cabinet painting fueled the onset of long desired decorating projects...hence, the "busyness" (i.e.: calling for and setting up appointments for quotes, attending a Home Expo, shopping:)

Then there was Isabella's rehearsals and performances. She had 3 shows this month, 4 if we were to include the "end-of-session show" of her Taking to the Stage acting class (a show of all the acting games they played throughout the 7-wk session). Not to mention her big school project involving a diorama of giraffe habitat. Thanks to my scrapbooking paraphernalia...most especially the papers came in very handy. She did her own report at school including a powerpoint presentation. I can't wait to see it during open house next week (another entry on my not-over-yet May calendar). Oh and there was her school's 3rd graders music show last week. I think that sums it for Isabella.

As for my own personal appointments (besides the decorating frenzy), There is my dental issue. A dreaded item on my list. The dread stems not from the possible physical pain but from the impossible cost. Almost a thousand dollars for a root canal! not to mention another grand for a crown! That's an expense I'd rather put on my dated kitchen. Oh well, so I "canvassed" the most reasonable dentist in the area. I found a very nice dental office offering a discount to cash paying patients. Unluckily, come to find out after my second appointment, the dentist can't get to my canals. Thus, requiring a referral to a specialist...an endodontist (who of course charges more and does not offer cash discounts). So not only am I back to square one, I have to pay more moolah. All that time and anesthesia... wasted.

Despite all that I am choosing to stay happy. And boy am I happy...I love God and He loves me. Well you think that sums it up for me? Not.

There is my car issue. The engine light went on and the van started driving "funny" or should I say more like "scary". It had bursts of power then it slows down. It felt like I was riding a horse:) So on to calling reasonable shops. Found one! I was lucky to schedule a Tuesday appointment when Phil is home to drive me around. Like I said God loves me.

So you think I'm done for the month? Well guess again...there is my new dance class. No, not the body jam class at the gym. As if I'm not busy enough, Tessie and I enrolled in the adult jazz class at CDMA (we will be performing at the Studio Show on June 29th). The group has been working on the dance and they are almost done. We are confident we can catch up (or I should say at least Tessie is). O.k. I'm done for now....time for my loving family and my loving God.

Church Tower Verse

Across from Ian's school is a church with a tower featuring a bible verse. It is a nice reminder to read my bible while I wait for Ian to come out after school. Today I took a picture of the tower from my car while waiting for Ian.



John 3:5
Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit."

and here's another verse directly from Jesus about our salvation

John 3:16
"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Home Projects

...are keeping me happily occupied these days. I finally finished painting the kitchen cabinets and installing knobs. I am now on to drapes and granite shopping. Thanks to a willing son who is able to assist as needed (i.e. putting back kitchen cabinets and cutting the rod). Isabella and I attended a Home Expo over the week-end at the Madonna Expo Center after her successful show at Dinosaur Caves Park where she performed a solo number for Broadway Baby (stay tuned for the video). Then we finished the day with some shopping at downtown SLO. I got my first estimate for granite countertop at the expo. I am thinking of a black granite called Uba Tuba and possibly travertine backspash. I can't wait to have it installed. It should complement the newly painted cabinets quite nicely, I hope.


Well, here are some before and after photos of my recent projects.

Before photo of kitchen

After (for now...before the granite countertop)



Before photo of family room/kitchen dining area



After




It feels great checking off "to-do's". Besides the kitchen cabinets, I was able to check off traffic school, which I did over the internet (for my speeding ticket from spring break:)), ; and my dreaded dental appointments (dreading not the physical pain but pain from the cost:))
Stay tuned for more home projects:) I have quite a ways to go and I am looking forward to it all.

{Simply Grateful}

  • for safe drive to/from Union City
  • for a chance to get together and have delightful conversations with great friends
    splendid dinner at Kioku Sushi with birthday girl, ate Cecile, the epitome of 47 at its best...inside and out
    glorious lunch the following day at Gerry's Grill with another beautiful friend inside and out, ate Janette.
        fantastic lunch with Tessie who took time to visit me yesterday for a chance to fellowship and help me get moving on my to do list (dental appointments and kitchen countertop; she called dentists and granite shops)
        • for finished kitchen cabinet painting...one big to-do project finally checked off...feels soooo good.
        • for a very nice new laptop (purplely pink complete with swirly flower designs)...perfect mother's day present.