Things I am thankful for....

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I thought I'd list some things I am thankful for (I might be too busy the next few days to blog, so you get it now!).

I am so incredibly thankful for:

1. My darling handsome husband, Johnny. He works so hard to provide for us everyday, and he never complains. He takes me wherever I need to go, and makes sure I have everything I want and need. He is an incredible man, and I am sooooo lucky to be his wife! I can't imagine life without him.

2. The sweetest most beautiful precious 4 year old girl, Miss Ella Ireland. She is my heart, my inspiration, my greatest joy, and I am so proud EVERYDAY to call her my daughter! She just amazes me with how smart and independent she is. She is 100% daddy's girl and 100% mommy's girl! I have never known this deep of a love until I had her. She makes me laugh all the time, and she makes the funniest faces of any child I have ever seen.

3. My sister, April. We may not always see eye to eye, but I love that I can call her anytime and tell her anything. When I need advice on anything, she is the first person I call. I know she will always be there for me, as I am for her. I am lucky to have her as my sister, and ever luckier to have her as my friend.

4. Chocolate. 'Nuff said.

5. I am so thankful for the opportunities in my life that I have gotten to travel and see different parts of the world. I have been to Europe and the UK 3 times, and for as long as I live, I will always treasure those times. I love that I married a traveler- we both can't wait to take Ella on her first big overseas trip!

6. My parents for never giving up on me. I know I wasn't the most pleasant teenager (and kid, and young adult!) to be around, and if I could go back in time and do it all over again, I would in a heartbeat. I would be a much better kid if I had the chance to do it over. I can't say I am sorry enough for all the bad times, but I am so lucky that they never gave up on me, and they always loved me, no matter what.

7. I am so thankful to live so close to NYC- one of the most amazing and incredible places on earth! I love how diverse this area of the country is. To have a huge variety of people from all over the world living in our neighborhood is pretty cool.

8. My mother-in-law and father-in-law. Truly two of the most generous, kind, loving, and understanding people I have ever met. From the first day I met them, they treated me like a daughter. I can't say enough great things about them. They are true angels on earth. I could not be more blessed then to have such amazing people in my life!

9. My on-line friends. I have met some incredible and inspirational ladies from all over the country (and one in Paris!). They are always there for me to pull me out of a rut, always there to talk to and compare parenting stories, and they never judge me. I love them all, and couldn't ask for better people to know. I have met some of these ladies in person, and the rest I hope to meet in person one day!

10. My grandma. From driving me and my brother to Mount Rushmore, to driving me and my daughter to the shopping mall, she has blessed me in my life far more then I ever give her credit for. I look forward to spending time with her every year, just as much as I look forward to all of her baked goodies :D! I thank her for being such a wonderful grandma. She is the only grandparent I really got to know, and I am so lucky to have her in my life!

Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

When will September end?

Oh wait, it already did. I can't believe we're in November. Where does the time go? I remember growing up, and Christmas taking F-O-R-E-V-E-R to arrive. Now it's just around the corner, and pretty soon it will be 2009. I just got used to it being 2008.

We had a pretty uneventful weekend. I haven't stepped foot outside since Friday night, after taking Ella trick-or-treating! I am a total homebody. No place I'd rather be then in my home with my surroundings. Well, maybe Europe, but since I can't have that, I'll choose home. I have never been an outdoorsy person at all. The only outdoors I like is in the car on the way to the mall. If I don't have a place to be, I will stay in my home for as long as I can. Maybe I am turning a bit anti-social ;). I have just never been one with nature. I can't imagine camping. Sleeping outside with the bugs and spiders and other creepy creatures has never been on my must-do list. We bought a big tent a few years ago, and have only slept in it one time..... in our livingroom! I know Johnny likes camping and hiking and outdoor stuff, and I always tell him to go right on ahead, I'll either be shopping or home. I wonder what Ella is going to end up like. A hermit like me, or someone who likes to get out like her daddy, lol.

It's almost 3 am here, I better get to bed. Ella has half days at school all this week, so I have to pick her up by 12:30 sharp, so that means I have to be awake and functioning by then :)~~

Pumpkin Patch!

Ella had a fieldtrip to the pumpkin patch last Friday, and I got to go along with her. I didn't get the best pics because it was SO flipping bright outside, but I got some cutiepie ones.

Tonight, we're taking Ella to the Barnim and Bailey and Ringling Bros (or whatever it's called) Circus! She is SO excited, and it's been a great tool to hold against her when she has misbehaved this week :P. Yes, I am one of those moms who threaten to take things away from her when she is being naughty, but ofcourse they are only threats. I am such a sap that I hate disappointing my baby, so she gets away with alot (insert embarrassed bad mommy smiley here), but once in awhile the threats work, muhahahahaha!

Ella is going to spend the night at her grandma's tomorrow night, and she'll spend the day there tomorrow. Johnny is going to a Red Bulls New York soccer game, and I might go with him. I do have a ton to do here, so I may just end up hanging out here by myself to get some of it done. I'll see how I feel tomorrow, I guess.

Have a great weekend, and I am sure I'll blog again before Monday :)

To the BEST person in the World!

I have been meaning to post this for awhile, but I just don't want to sound too cheesy or sappy. But I am going to anyway. I married the most amazing incredible man a girl could ever ask for. I fall more in love with him everyday, and I can't imagine my life without him. He deserves soooo much credit, and I rarely ever give him any. He treats me like the Queen that I am (Drama Queen, that is), and he treats Ella like the Princess that she truly is! He is the most selfless person I have ever met.

When I see him play and interact with Ella, I can't help but feel a bit emotional and proud. She is a daddy's girl 100%. He baths her for me all the time. He reads to her almost every night before bed. He plays Playstation 2 games with her. He takes her on walks to the park or out front to play. He is absolutely the best daddy!

He brings me home Starbucks drinks anytime I ask, and even at times when I don't ask. He lets me sleep in on the weekends, both days. He'll drive me to the mall, even when he hates the mall with a passion. He busts his butt for us, and I can't thank him enough for all he does. He puts Ella and I first, and he always has.

Before I even met him, I knew I was in love. We met online on a European travel website. I was planning my first trip to Europe in April 2000, and joined the travel forum he was already a member of. It started with just chatting in the site's chatroom. Then we starting chatting on AIM (AOL instant messenger). Then we exchanged phone numbers and started calling eachother. I knew he was something special, and I couldn't wait to meet him. He flew out to San Francisco (I was living around San Jose at the time as a live-in nanny) in Feb. 2001. We spent the weekend together, and I knew for sure that my feelings fro him were true. Then in March 2001, we both flew out to New Orleans for another fun weekend. It was that trip that I told him I loved him. We were at the airport, ready to catch our seperate flights home, and I looked him in the eyes and told him I loved him. He looked at me, and replied "Thank you". LOL, I still make fun of him for that :).

At this point, we were still friends, and that is all he wanted to be at that time. He didn't know if he wanted a long distance relationship or how that would even work out. He crushed my heart a few times, but I was persistant ;). I then flew out to NYC in May 2001, and we spent another weekend together (I stayed with my friend Sonya, we also met on the same travel forum- she lives in Brooklyn!). After that trip, we didn't see eachother until early December 2001, when I took a live-in nanny job in New Jersey. I figured I was so in love, and if he wasn't going to come to me, I'd have to go to him. So I did! But I only lasted about a week and a half at this job, it was terrible. I quit on the spot on night because the mother was too uptight and nutty. I was SO glad to get out of that situation, but I really had nowhere to go. So Johnny came and picked me (and my suitcases!) up, and took me to his parents home, where he was still living. Staying 1 night ended up being 2.5 months, and we decided to get our own apartment (still just as friends). His parents were so accepting of me from day 1. Honestly, I have the BEST inlaws a person could ever ask for, they are INCREDIBLE!!

All of Johnny's friends and family just assumed that we were boyfriend and girlfriend, so I asked him one day if we could make it official, and he said yes! We dated for awhile, then we got engaged in August 2002. Married March 15th, 2003 in Las Vegas, then had our sweet girl exactly 10 months later (Jan. 15, 2004). We took a trip to Ireland in Nov. 2002, and that was our first trip together internationally. That was also the inspiration for Ella's middle name.

Johnny has stuck with me through my depression and mood swings. I've put him through hell, and he has never once left my side during an arguement. He is the most mellow guy I have ever met, where I am usually not so mellow. He is just an amazing man, and somedays I wonder why he hasn't left me yet. He truly deserves so much better then me, but I thank him for loving me through thick and thin, and never once giving up on me. Many times in the past I felt like giving up, but I am so glad I never did. I love Johnny with all of my heart and soul, and I can't even begin to imagine life without him. He is my savior, my soulmate, the love of my life, and the father of our beautiful Princess. I love him more and more everyday! I wish everyone could have a Johnny in thier life. He is so special, and I am so proud to be Mrs. Johnny Lopez!

Religion and Faith

I have struggled my entire life to find where I actually fit in. When I was 17, I followed the LDS religion. I think I did that more to fit in with my peers and surroundings, more then I did it for myself. But now, several years later, I still feel "stuck". Religion isn't a part of my marriage, for I married an Athiest. But the handsome Athiest I did marry is the most wonderful person in the world who respects me and my views. He knows I'm my own person, and if I want to join any certain church, he is fine with that. He knows I am raising Ella to believe in God, and he respects that. But is it enough for her just to tell her that there is a God? I feel like I am missing out, and therefore, so is she. Johnny's mom goes to church on Saturday evenings for mass, and has brought Ella a few times.

I guess I need to decide on what religion I want to be, but that is difficult. I don't believe that there is a hell. I don't believe that there is just "one" true church. I don't believe in fasting for any reason- it just isn't healthy for you! I DO believe in Jesus Christ. I do believe that everyone deserves forgiveness for thier sins. I do believe in ghosts and spirits, and would love to "meet" one someday. I don't understand why good people die young. I don't understand how people that claim to love Jesus and follow certain faiths can be so cruel to non-believers. We are all God's people, what makes someone else better then me? I don't understand how Political leaders in any country are fine with seeing human beings struggle so much financially and medically.

I doubt there is a true church for me, maybe I can just make up my own religion. Would anyone consiter being baptised into the church of Brandiism? And by baptised, I mean sitting in a sidewalk cafe in the middle of Paris, sipping a cappiccino, and catching up on celebrity gossip with a good magazine. My church, my rules :). Wanna join?

Back from the Non-Living.....

Did anyone think this day would ever happen? It's been almost a *gulp* year since I have blogged last. Not that a ton has happened. But some has :)

Ella is in her 2nd year of Preschool, and is so-so about it. She tends to cry in the mornings when Johnny drops her off, but the tears don't last long. Hopefully that will stop soon, once she gets used to her new teachers and routine. She has a male teacher (with a female assistant teacher), and I was a bit leary at first about it, but I am fine with it now. Mr. Raphael is a great teacher, and I know Ella is in safe hands. Both her teachers are Spanish speaking, so I am SO happy she'll be learning alot more spanish this year. Her 2 teachers last year didn't speak a word of spanish, so this will be great for her.

Johnny FINALLY got his promotion and raise approved last July, but ofcourse he hasn't been paid for it yet, ugh. But I am grateful for that big step. Hopefully the money will come soon, we really need it.

Me, I am just the same, but a bit more happy. I have been on an anti-depressant, so I am not quite as low as I was the past 31 years ;).

I read my mom's blog everyday, and I look forward to reading it. So she is the inspiration for starting mine again! I promise to make a great effort in keeping this up. I have no excuse, I have plenty of time :D. The Amazing Race and the season premeire of Dexter start tonight, so yeah for awesome TV!