Caiden Signs! - The video

Every night before Caiden goes to bed he picks a story and we read it together. Tonight he picked a story that had sign language. He was doing so well with it, I thought I would record a few of the signing words he knows. Here's my first video of Caiden on the blog. Hope I did it right, and I hope you enjoy. Isn't he the cutest? :P

More Pics of Mr. and Mrs. Ryan Andriese

We Now Pronounce You Husband & Wife...

Today I went to one of my best friend's weddings. Jen Coie finally married the boy she has been in love with since high school...Ryan Andriese. It was absolutely gorgeous. They got married in Newport Beach on the yacht, Destiny - a perfect name for them. The whole day was beautiful, and Jennifer was absolutely stunning. Well, see for yourself. :P

New Glasses- A tribute to the past

I've always loved going to the optometrist. I think it's because every time I leave there I can actually SEE!! I remember the first time I left Dr. King's office after getting glasses. I was shocked that trees had such detailed leaves. I could actually SEE the leaves on the trees. It was impressive.

As much as I love going to the optometrist, my least favorite part of the visit is picking out the new glasses. I mean, at this point in my adventure, the doctor has already asked me a million questions as to which lens appears better and whether I see one line or two lines, they have stuck my head into this contraption and asked me to push a button every time I saw a light, and they have spit air into my eye (I STILL don't know the reason behind that torture test). Then to top it off they lead you (as those like me who are poor of sight have to be led because they have either confiscated our glasses or contacts to clean them). They then expect you to pick out glasses that you can't actually see because they have your contacts or other glasses.

Anyway, the last time I got glasses (4 years ago), I found the perfect pair of glasses. They were cute, stylish and made me look a bit like a 1950's librarian (which I am ok with). Well, this last visit to the optometrist was less than thrilling. They told me that I am wearing my contacts too much and I need to start wearing my glasses. I guess my eyes are not getting enough oxygen so my body has decided to help out by making pretty, red blood vessels (nice). Dr. King said this would continue to happen (and he used some scary medical term that I forgot 2 seconds after he said it) until my eyes got a break.

Fine, I thought. I will get new glasses. I tell them I want the same frames as last time, at which time I am told they have been discontinued. *sigh*/ Of course, it's hard enough to find a pair of glasses you like and then when you do they discontinue making them. Swell. Anyway, I just got my new glasses today. They are the ones on the right. The jury is still out on if people like them. Josh at work (my lead) likes my old ones better, as do a few others, however some people at work said I look more academic. Whatever. I guess I'll leave that up to you. Which do you prefer?

Lack of Sleep = Embarrassment

Ok, so Tuesday and Wednesday we had an Ops Review at work. This is where the entire management team gets together, including the Vice President and Director to share the results thus far, as well as to discuss strategies and strengths and weaknesses. There tend to be very few breaks, and the time together is jam packed of presentations, discussions, and basically a LOT of work.

Well, to be honest, I haven't been sleeping very well. Call it a case of insomnia or something, but I have been a creature of late that doesn't see the underside of her eyelids - at least I haven't for very long.

Now for those of you who know me, I am NOT a morning person (that is the understatement of the year), and I need my coffee in the morning. (*My name is Melissa and I am a Coffee Addict* - crowd says, "Hi Melissa"). A morning with no coffee is a bad combination, especially when morning people(really annoying, peppy people) inhabit my space on these unusual days. Anyway, so this particular morning (I would say which morning, but remember I have not had any sleep and I don't remember what I wrote two seconds ago, nevermind what day it was when this story happened) I had not had my coffee yet. I arrived late to work, as my newly potty trained (in-process) son had a slight mishap which caused a delay in our schedule.

Knowing that I am already late for work, I cannot possibly stop and get coffee, so I do the unthinkable....I go to work WITHOUT coffee. I know, I couldn't believe I did it either, but there it is. Halfway through the first presentation I found myself fighting the urge to explore what the underside of my eyelids REALLY look like (translation: I was falling asleep).

Seeing that the VP was sitting directly in front of me, and my director was off to my left I thought it best if I discreetly excuse myself from the meeting and find some much needed caffeine. I wait for a break in the conversation until I feel it is the appropriate time to make my move and get up and head for the coffee. My mind is consumed with thoughts of coffee, as I head for the door. I'm feeling proud of myself as I saunter towards the "open" doors and out to the lobby for my fix. But lo and behold, my head and hand strikes something hard, and a loud smack echoes through the now quiet room. You see, the doors were not open as I originally thought. The doors to the conference room are glass doors, so in my haste to get my coffee I walked straight (and proudly I must add) into the glass doors.

The entire conference room gets silent and then the sounds of the participants saying "ooohhh" and "are you ok". I pause...confused as to what just happened (remember...at this point I haven't made it to the coffee yet, so my brain is still on auto pilot). I suddenly realize that I just walked into a solid glass door. I stop. I consider my options. Can I get out of this? Do you think anyone REALLY noticed? Do I laugh? Do I throw my hand to my head (which really hurts at this point and has a nice big red mark on it) and show that I'm in pain. Well, the only thing I could think to do was to be honest. I said, "well, you can tell I haven't had my coffee this morning". Someone then opened the glass doors for me, and I promptly exited the conference room with what little dignity I could muster.

Thankfully, everyone was pretty good about it. Except for me being the butt of all of the jokes for the rest of the day I think I got off pretty easy. I can tell you that I used the back door to the conference room for the most part as this door is a normal solid wood door. When I did have to pass through the evil glass doors, I paused, made sure they were open and then braced for the impact just in case. :) Moral of the story: Always drink coffee before coming to work on days where you have had no sleep and your son is potty training. :P

The Chosen Underpants

A Very Big Day!!

Today was a very big day in the Bonney Household. Today, marked the first day that I put him in "Big Boy" underpants.I started out the morning making a very big deal out of it. My logic: If I make a big deal, it will be a success on the very first day. After all, my kid is a genius. :P

As we are progressing through the morning routine, we get to the part where we would change his diaper (or HE would change his diaper - as I have already stated...he IS a genius) I bring him into the bedroom and lay out about 10 packages of brand new underwear. I sit him down and explain that today he is a big boy and today he will get to wear big boy underpants. He can wear ANY big boy underpants that he wants...and we do have a selection. We had Nemo, Thomas the Train, Spiderman, Dinosaurs, Elmo, Madagascar, and Race cars just to name a few. I look at Caiden with anticipation, and try to sound as excited as I can.

Caiden stands above the newly packaged underwear in awe. He takes a moment and ponders this momentous decision (and of course I know that's what he is doing because...that's right...you guessed it...he's a genius. How did you know?) :) Eventually (what seems like an eternity for me because we are running late (c'mon you know I'm not a morning person), he picks Nemo underwear. I have posted a picture of the exact underpants that he chose for your viewing pleasure. I am sure that when Caiden is 20 he will TRULY appreciate what a dedicated mom I was to document these kinds of events.

I calmly explain to Caiden the purpose behind the new underpants, and his responsibility (to explain when he needs to go potty so we can safely keep Nemo dry and happy). I understand that my logic is a little flawed as Nemo is a fish and would prefer to be drenched in water, however I explain to Caiden that Nemo does not like to be peed on or well, you get the picture.

Anyway, I quiz Caiden after my lecture. It goes something like this..."Caiden, so where do you go pee pee?" Caiden responds by pointing to his pants. Ok, so maybe I'm not as influential and persuasive as I once thought. I quickly switch tactics and decide to go with repetition. We repeat the mantra, "we potty in the toilet, NOT in our pants" over and over. We do this until we reach his school. I quickly give him a kiss goodbye and remind him to be nice to Nemo. Keep Nemo dry!

After work, I am anxious to see how many pairs of clothes Caiden went through (I brought 4 changes of clothes - I didn't know how many I would need, so I just kept packing). I get to his school and do a little happy dance when I see that he has only 1 soiled pair of pants in a plastic baggy, however my happy dance turns a bit sour when I find out that his school simply gave up after one soiled set of pants. I pick Caiden up to discover that his school has put him back in Pull-ups.

Well, we'll see who has the last laugh. I am now determined to win this battle. After all, when I signed Caiden up in this school they firmly and clearly agreed that they would assist me in potty training. I resolve to never purchase another set of pull-ups for the school again! I intend to send him with another 4 pairs of clothes tomorrow and of course new big boy underpants (Caiden's choice).

A Little Taste Of History

Well, you can't very well go to a city like Fort Worth and not get a taste of the history that encompassed this city. While awaiting for our plane ride back to sunny SoCal, my co-worker Michael and I decided to visit the Sixth Floor Museum. This museum is a tribute to John F. Kennedy, and to the memory of who he was and what he brought to our great Nation. Michael and I purchased the audio tour which details in timeline fashion the rise of JFK and the sudden tragic ending that left a Nation in mourning. They have memorabilia from the time such as the clothing the doctor's wore that fateful day and the newsreporters' equipment. It talks about the investigation and the arrest of Lee Harvey Oswald, as well as the controversies surrounding the case. Along each step of the way there are personal accounts from people who lived it.

I think the most interesting part of this museum is that it is ACTUALLY the location in which Lee Harvey Oswald allegedly took refuge to wait and carry out his deadly plot. Lee Harvey Oswald waited on the 6th floor of the Texas School Book Depository Building. You can even stand on the 6th floor and look out onto Elm Street and out towards the grassy knoll and imagine the presidential Motorcade driving down the street. It was eerie, but also very fascinating. After Michael and I had finished the tour inside the museum, we took a walk outside to the grassy knoll. It's surreal to stand in a place where something occurred that shook our nation to it's core. They said that within a few minutes 99% of the population of our Country knew that the President had been shot.

Interestingly enough, there is also a Conspiracy Museum located a short distance from the Sixth Floor Museum (although Michael and I did not have time to visit there) which I can only assume asserts that either Lee Harvey Oswald was not the shooter, or that he was not alone. I'll leave that up to you to decide.

Ft. Worth - It's not ALL work

Like I said earlier, I was not exactly thrilled to go to Ft. Worth, but in retrospect, I am VERY glad I did. One, it was a great experience for me professionally, and Two, I got to see some people that I haven't seen a really long time (as well as meet some new people). I have to say that the people in Fort Worth are SO friendly. I love the team out there, and wish I could spend more time getting to know them all. I'm working on my boss allowing my team to meet (in person) the Ft. Worth team. I think they would get along really well...we're all a little quirky. :P

Anyway, we worked during the day, but in the evenings it was all about time to relax, have fun and get to know our counterparts. Below are some pictures of some of the incredible people that I met.

I am counting down the days until we do it again!

A Trip To Fort Worth Texas

So, I was informed at work that I would be traveling to Fort Worth, Texas for business. I have to say that I wasn't exactly thrilled at the prospect of going there. To be honest, I was there about 2 months ago, and it was so incredibly hot that I felt like I was in a perpetual state of melting (not unlike the Wicked Witch on the Wizard of Oz, was that the right show?). The best way that I could have described the heat 2 months ago so that most of you will understand is that walking outside into the heat and humidity of Fort Worth, TX was a lot like riding Mr. Toad's Wild Ride at Disneyland. You know, the part of the ride in which Mr. Toad dies and goes to Hell and they have these machines that chuck hot, humid air at the passenger to simulate hell. That's what Ft. Worth, TX heat felt like to me.

Then there's the bugs. Now, I typically don't mind bugs, but the bugs in Texas have attitudes - and bad ones at that. Simply put, a rather large cricket held me hostage while it continuously jumped at me and made these rather awful noises. When I say jump, I mean like attack jump. Leap, get about 4 feet or so of air and come right for me. It was actually pretty funny in retrospect, but at the time I must say I wasn't amused.

So, needless to say I was less than thrilled at the prospect of repeating my earlier adventure, especially as I would be traveling on September 11th, the 5th anniversary of 911. I chose a direct flight out of Ontario hoping that it would be very uneventful. My thinking, who would want to hijack a plane from Ontario to Ft. Worth? Most people must have had the same kind of apprehension as me as the airport was empty, and my flight maybe had 15-20 people on it. It was great for me, because I got to stretch out with a good book, as there were no passengers next to me.

The flight was actually pretty good, and I'm not much for flying as it hurts my ears. It was very peaceful...the most tranquil flight I've ever had. Initially, my flight was delayed due to thunderstorms, but once we got up in the air it was amazing. There were these really big, gray-blue puffy clouds emitting big bolts of lighting right next to the plane. It was amazing! Like my own personal light show in the skies.

We touched down in Ft. Worth without incident, and I walked out into the night expecting the worst, really bracing for the heat, and to my surprise it was cool. It was actually beautiful. After spending the next few days there I can see why people would want to live there. Besides all of the open fields, they CAN have some beautiful weather. Hmm, I guess Ft. Worth wasn't so bad after all. :P

Excavation Time...The Building of the Pool!

A few days ago marked the groundbreaking excavation for our pool. Dave was nice enough to take a few pictures for me since I was out of town on business. The pool is slated to be completed in time for Christmas!!! Below are a few pictures.

Choose your own Adventure...?

It's 12pm, Friday afternoon (Well, I guess you already guessed that it was afternoon since I said 12pm, but go with it), and I am camped out in a dark office typing away on my laptop when the door to the office opens, and in pops Dave! He boldly tells me to pack up and that we are going for an adventure - and even better an adventure that has been approved by my boss (meaning I get the rest of the day off) :P


Well, seeing that I was assigning accounts to my team (which I dislike doing), I anxiously packed up while Dave provided cryptic clues to what our adventure might be. As we stroll out to the parking lot, I see Dave's truck and my father-in-law's trailer sitting right behind. I quickly deduce (because my years of college and Grad school have allowed me to do so) that we are going camping.



It was amazing. We went hiking, kayaking, had a couple's massage, torched marshmallows over the fire (well, I torched marshmallows - Dave sat patiently and browned them) for s'mores and simply enjoyed Big Bear. It was a much needed reprieve from my rather chaotic life and it was MUCH appreciated. Thank you Hon. I owe ya one! :)

Pole Dancing Runs in the Family

For those of you who may not know. I decided that it was about time to start exercising, however I am not one for the gym (maybe I would have been had I thought of Pam's idea to take a DVD player to the gym). Anyways, I wanted to do something that I felt I could stick to, and that wouldn't make me feel like I was "working out". So, of course I signed up for Striptease/Pole dancing class. I LOVE IT! I am addicted. So much so, that I even got my own pole (Dave installed it in Caiden's playroom). Well, it seems I'm not the only one who has a fondness for pole dancing. Take a look at the below pictures. You know, you can't really blame me...his dad IS a firefighter :P

More Pics of Home Sweet Home!

This is our house in the framing stage


Again, Us standing in front of our front door.















Everytime we went to visit our house, we had to wear hard hats. I couldn't but resist to snap a few pictures of that too.

Our New House!

Dave and I have finally made the move! Out towards Temecula that is. Last May we closed Escrow on our brand new house. It's beautiful. I love it! We got to see it built from the ground up - that was an experience! I am finally getting around to sending out some pictures. (hey, give me a break...we just moved...sort of) :P

This is our house as a slab










This is us standing in front of our front door.















This is our lot (I believe it's the side yard)











Our framed house

Life's a beach with Grandma Susan & Grandpa Lance!

There's no fun like Beach fun. Today Caiden, Grandpa Lance and Grandma Susan went to the beach. They looked at the shops, ate at Ruby's on the pier in Huntington and even saw some sand sharks and sting rays in the ocean. I joined them later for some fun in the sand. Caiden especially enjoyed playing in the sand with Lance, while David went for a quick 2-mile run on the beach.

The day was not without its drama. Right when we were ready to pack up and go 2 lifeguard trucks come racing to the lifeguard station where we were sitting. Plenty of cops followed suit, and a Police helicopter started circling overhead. From what we gathered, an older gentleman was taking pictures of girls on the beach (probably rather intrusively). One guy didn't particularly like his girlfriend being stared at, or having her picture taken. He asked the guy to hand him the camera, which of course the old guy declined. One thing led to another until the young guy got in the old guy's face and then knocked the hat off his head. Of course the cops got involved before the fight continued, but the cops seemed only to be upset with the old guy. They basically let the young guy go, but made the old guy kneel on his knees by the lifeguard station. It appears that they took his camera. Not sure if they kept it, erased the pictures, or took the memory card as we left before the conclusion. We did see them writing the old guy a ticket. Hmm...wonder what happened? Never a dull moment when the Bonney's are around :)

The Boys admire the surf










Grandpa Lance shows Caiden how to build sandcastles











Where's Caiden's Legs...

Bundle of Joy...or just bundled :P

Fishing the day away....



So, I'm going through some old pictures as I am WAYYYYYY behind in my scrapbooking, and I found some pictures of Caiden and I camping. I had bought this really cute jacket for Caiden to keep warm while we were camping. The problem is once it was on him, he couldn't really move.

Well, like I alluded to in my earlier post. I am a bit neurotic when it comes to pictures, and as a new mom I felt I needed to document every moment. Well, needless to say, Dave was none to thrilled, and refused to participate in my attempts to document every second of our camping trip. So, I was left to my own devices. Since Dave was out fishing with the boys, I decided to take a picture of myself fishing with Caiden. The problem is...something caught my attention, and I had to get up and run for something (not sure what, but I'm sure it was important). Anyways, I sat Caiden down in the chair I had been sitting in with his puffy down jacket and mittens. Well, the rest is...well, let's just say the proof is in the pictures.






Oh, and I had to add this one of his Aunts!