Weekend Madness

First things first... apologies for my lack on entries.

Driving home for the weekend is usually for one event stretched out to me hanging out the house lounging and relaxing not worrying about school.. this trip home was planning planning more planning and go go go. Friday was Amber's first baby shower.. we through a small get together for mainly David's side of the family and some close friends that do not attend Bethel. I got there a little earlier to help set up...pink pink and more pink was all that was around me.. it was adorable. We had yogurt par fee, French toast casserole, mixed fruits, mini beagles with a variety of spreads, it was all so elegant yet simple. We had about 25 guests, so it was a nice small gathering. From the conversation of life to the crazy story Aunt Lisa getting chicken pox's while pregnant..it was all an adventure. With laughter from watching all the women smell the 'dirty' chocolate diapers to some guest guessing twice the size of our dear Amber's belly... a day with the girls was one well needed.


Later that day I went home to celebrate Brejenae's 8th birthday.. she got a new beach cruiser so we got her a helmet so I would be able to spend some quality time with her and take her on a bike ride. When I was younger my cousin Amber used to take me on a ride whenever we had a family event over at Grandma's...she would always ride grandpa's old maroon bike and I would always ride the kiddy one. She would take me the long way so we could hang out longer :) We always ended up at the "Lock and Key" shop.. random i know.. but it was the only place that gave us a structured layout to teach me the figure 8 on a bike. We would be there forever.. always loosing track of time and getting into trouble when we returned... I remember those bike rides and always smile.. I wanted that with the girls, and Bre was finally old enough to do that.. so I jumped right on it to get one on one quality time with her. We took her to Toy's R Us to let her pick out a helmet.. it was blue with white flowers, matched her bike perfectly.. then we head off... we rode through the streets making funny faces, laughing at the fact that we were sliding off our seats due to the amount of sweat coming from unwanted places.. sorry TMI... just when I thought it would be time to head back she said.. "No, Im having to much fun with you to go back.. I dont want to share you.." so yah my heart broke and I kept on peddling. ::LIGHTBULB:: I had asked her if she had ever been on the overpass to wave at the people on the freeway, her eyes lit up and quickly answered "NO!... Can we go!!" So that was our adventure.. it was a blast watching her smile made all the sweat, noodle legs worth it.. quality time with my girls mean the world to me... i just cant wait to do it again.. and bring Jae along when she is old enough.


After Sunday, the day of rest...it really meant it after this weekend, Monday we started to prepare the Lugo's house for Jon and Christine's Engagement Party. With much preparation and time and money the new backyard looked AMAZING and was finally ready for the party!! Details were so subtle but made the biggest impact; hydrangea centerpieces places onto round mirrors with pink and green tea lights, perfectly placed napkins with silverware tied together with curled ribbon and lights hung on the patio and in the trees. After saying I cant believe all the work that we has been put into this just for an engagement party after it was all done, I wouldn't have wanted to see it any other way. With guest arriving, food being served the event was amazing. Family meeting Christine for the first time, while we met hers as well.. the joining of two families. With many smiles, laughs and kisses, I am so proud of my cousin and his finance.. watching them only makes me want to love harder. I cannot wait till it is my turn.. and I think we all know I want it to be my turn..lol.. but when it is my turn I want to be just as in love as the members of my family who have set out amazing examples for us to follow!

These are the 'His & Her' Tool Boxes that were custom made by Me :)

The ol' WHS gang with a side of Becca, Kyle and Amanda

..and here are some detail shots from the whole day

Congratulations again to the soon to be Mr. & Mrs. Lugo II

Mamma Mia!

A night out with the girls... and Jarvin (hes one of us, and he loves it). Realizing that I only have less than 2 months with my girls, I strapped the belt, spend some of my last dollars to go see Mamma Mia with them... it was worth EVERY penny spent. Not only is ABBA one of my favorites, but now Mamma Mia is added to it. We sang, we cried, and most of all we laughed.. we laughed a lot. Amanda was hysterical to watch... she held back so much from standing up and dancing through the isles to every song. While watching it we found out that we are almost JUST like the characters... Me=Donna, Amanda=Rosie, Marlena=Tonya (even though she really wasnt she got stuck being her cause the others were too much like Amanda and I)

During one scene I started to cry.. realizing that in two months, two of my favorite girls will be MILES apart from me. The song Chiquitita playing said all the words I have ever felt for these girls and will always feel for them...(here is the part that says the most)

Chiquitita, tell me the truth
Im a shoulder you can cry on
Your best friend, Im the one you must rely on
You were always sure of yourself
Now I see youve broken a feather
I hope we can patch it up together

Sooo.. after the movie we went back to Amanda's to run the excitement out of us and listen to a million more ABBA songs as well as watch the ABBA Gold movie.. While doing so Jarvin was able to snap some shots of us..see any resemblance???

My Last Round

Summer break is over and school has once again started...only this time, its my last time :) FINALLY im in my last session at brooks. Once this is over, never again will I attend a pointless GE class and never again will I argue with Financial Aid... but then I think of the other MILLION things I will miss. College was a blast.. freedom of not being able to work, and getting a loan check every few weeks (forgetting that I will someday indeed have to pay it all back). And the friends I have met while here.. wow am I going to miss them, even though most all of them are from either Nor Cal or somewhere close in California.. still just being in the same atmosphere and seeing eachother mostly everyday is going to be such a change when we all go our separate ways. I know we will all stay in touch, but its still so different. Then the tiny things that don't matter, but make the biggest difference... The Habbit, Something Fishy, The Spot, and of course the one and only Freebirds.. how these restaurants will be missed.

But then again.. I look into the next 5 years of my career, and I get excited.. really excited. I am honestly ready for the job scene, im ready to get to work and photography a million weddings. Im so ready for it!! Finally ready to get paid for shoot instead of paying for them... But most of all I cannot WAIT to be back in San Jose. It has killed me since the day I left not living there. I am so a Nor Cal girl. People don't understand the difference between the two.. once you move down south.. you get it!!! Just ready to be back with my family, Danny and most of all my friends.. so many who have grown up so fast in the past 3 years, getting married, having babies.. and i missed so much of it.

So look out world.. im almost out!!!

Kyle Stephen Smith

HAPPY 18th BIRTHDAY!!!!

I cant believe its that time.. I feel so old. I can remember back when I thought he was the most annoying little brother and person in the world.. and now, I dont know what I would do without him. Through the years we have grown more and more, and like I just said..if I didnt have him in my life, I might not be able to get through half the things I do. He is the funniest person I know..and no matter what the situation is.. he is ALWAYS making people laugh.. including me...dont believe me.. check out his National Anthem video (http://youtube.com/watch?v=Te1iXf8lcV0).. I guarantee you will laugh harder than ever.

So this morning we woke up at literally the butt crack of dawn...7am (so it might be normal for you, but thats early for me) and we took him to breakfast at Stacks..of course :) He had to work today.. on his 18th birthday of all days...but he said he had fun. He works at the church in the children's summer program and they are always taking them on field trips, so today he got to take them to The Jungle and got to play games all day.. so I guess that beats sitting at a desk. But now he is off with his girlfriend to an amazing dinner in Capitola..wish I could have gone, its one of my favorite restaurants... Shadowbrook. There is so much history at that place for our family, its where my dad proposed to my mom.. so now we all do our romantic couples dates there to carry on the romantic tradition.

So it was quite an early morning, but well spend. I am just glad I have him in my life and was able to be home to celebrate another year of life with him..I love you brother :)

Back on the Mainland...

Man did that week in Maui fly bye too fast. Going from 13 or more days to 7 was really hard, but we had a blast. Lazy mornings, tanning afternoons and eventful nights was what we were all about this past week. Didn't really do much of anything but hang by the poolside and eat amazing foods..lol.

When I am in Hawaii I feel at home. I have decided that in 5 years if my life doesn't play out the way I have pictured, as far as my career... Im heading to Maui. There are so many photography opportunities there...Kiosks in the mall with Family Beach Portraits, Hotel Family portraits and even Luau portraits. There are so many places I would be able to fit my nitch in, just have to get there.

These are just a few pictures to make you a wee bit jealous and to maybe entice you to go if you have never been :)













until the next time...Aloha Maui!!