Dancing with the Stars - Night 2

Everyone's dressed to impress tonight on the 2nd night of the new season of DWTS.
Joey, Laila and Ian hold the top three spots after last week, but that only costs for half of their scores. Last week's scores are combined with tonight's scores and with the audience votes, we'll find out Tuesday who will be the first to go home.

Tonight's dance is the quickstep for the men, and the mambo for the women.

"Has the most potential" Apolo and Julianne were up first. Apolo looked pretty sharp in that suite with a pink tie which matched Julianne's dress. Their footwork was great and seemed to be right on step with each other. Their chemistry was evident! They did a fantastic job... much better then last week! It helps to have more practise time! They recevied a 26 out of 30 from the judges tonight.

"Barbie & Ken" couple, Shandi and Brian were next. Since Shandi is a former Miss USA, she definately knows how to strut her stuff with this sexy dance. I didn't necessarily like the song they danced to but Brian chose some great steps that went well with the rhythm. They don't seem to have great chemistry either, which probably hindered them from being 'sexy' with each other with the dance. They didn't impress the judges tonight. They received a 20 out of 30 this week.

Clyde & Elena are next to dane and they did some pretty fancy footwork. They danced to 'Your Love is Lifting Me Higher" which is a great song to dance quickly to. Their height differences didn't seem to matter at all, and almost worked to their advantage. One judge said it was "David and Goliath again creating history and making music together." Despite the great performance, the judges still found some flaws in their dancing. They scored a 18 out of 3o.

Leeza and Tony are up next. She celebrates her 50th birthday tonght too. Leeza was ready to "shake her groove thang" in this dance of "attitude" Don't know that song, but Leeza seems to be having a lot of fun with it. Both her and Tony's facial expression shows that. They had fun, and that's what counts. They scored a 21 out of 30.

Ian and Cheryl are next. Cheryl has yet again gotten another great partner. Ian's charisma and joyfulness stood out in this fun little quickstep. Ian is quite a bit taller then Cheryl but they moved so well together. Cheryl must have gotten used to a tall partner from last season (Emmitt Smith). LOL They were solid and had fun. They scored a 22 out of 3o.

Paulina and Alec came next and had a lot of work to do after a disappointing first dance. they danced to "La Bamba" which seemed to help with the Latin feel of the dance. Despite that, Paulina was taking the steps half-way and didn't seem to be enjoying herself. She was very stiff in her postioning, which could have been because her natural instinct is to be graceful and elegant - as a model. They scored a 21 out of 30.

Billy Ray and Karina try to make a comeback after last week's disaster. Karina's got her hands full with this joker. In practice he was singing "don't break my frame, my achy breaky frame". LOL. They danced to "Ring of Fire" and Billy did pretty good with keeping up with Karina. He forced it a bit and was too intense with his expressions. His black suit was nice though - he had a glittery guitar on the back and red satin on the lappel and on the pocket. He was voted most improved - but he couldn't do any worse. They scored a 21 out of 3o. A big improvement from last week.

Heather and Jonathan were next. Dancing to "Mambo Italiano", they had fun with this dance. There was a lot of shakin' goin' on and she kept her leg on again! She let lose really took some risks with some of the moves. They got praises from all 3 judges! Their score was 24 out of 30.

John and Edyta are up next. John was surprisingly very good. He looked handsome in his tux with tails. They danced to "The Lady is a Tramp." They put a karate kick in the dance which was quite unique. He moves pretty well for a old guy. They received a 21 out of 30.

Laila and Maksim were next. The girl still has some bicepts! Time to light the dancefloor on fire. Laila had the moves, the attitude and the fancy footwork that made this dance Hot! Hot! Hot! There is some real chemistry with these two and it is evident on the dancefloor! They scored 27 out of 30.

Joey and Kym were last, but certainly not least. Joey looked rather dapper in his tux with tails. His tux tails had his initions on them. He's definately one of the joksters in this competition. They did a bit of acting along with their dancing. They danced to "Tell Her About it". He did some quick footwork but I wasn't sure if he was right on the mark or not. He's a definate fan favorite. It was another strong performance and the judges were pleased. They scored 24 out of 30.

It's going to be a tough competition this season! There a lot of great dancers!
The top three after both nights are Layla, Joey and Apolo.
The scores tomorrow. Stay tuned!

David Carr says goodbye to Texans

In a not so surprising turn of events, the Houston Texans released QB David Carr today. I'm so sad, I'm in mourning, but am hopefuly in the possibilities that he may be returning to CA. For those that know me, you know that I follow David very closely, as he is a fanominal athlete and also a Fresno State alum.

According to the press release on their website, they acquired former Atlanta Falcons QB Matt Schaub, and giving him starting position, in hopes of turning around the season. Although it's probably a logical move, they have invested so much in David, and he in them. He wasn't given a fair chance to perform to he full capabilities with a front line that could not keep him safe long enough to prove himself.

So, the next chapter of David's NFL career begins. Where he goes, no one knows yet... but I'm hoping and praying its CA. ( just not to Oakland!!) :-) When he finds a new home, I'll have to change the jersey on my bobblehead doll. Just hope its not a Raiders jersey!

Texans Press Release

A New Season of Dancing

Last night was the premiere of the new season of "Dancing with the Stars." There's quite a range of stars in this season's competition. Here's the rundown:

IAN ZIERING (Bev. Hills 90210 fame) and partner CHERYL BURKE started the night off. Although I missed their opening dance, the scores showed that they wowed the judges and the crowd. Cheryl has won the last two seasons so Ian's got some big shoes to fill!

HEATHER MILLS (the ex. Mrs. Paul McCartney) and partner JONATHAN ROBERTS. She has a prosthetic leg so she should be interesting to watch. She gracefully danced around the floor with ease. Her one suggestion from the judges was not to worry about the leg coming off so much, and that she needs to stay relaxed in her upper body.

Supermodel PAULINA PORIZKOVA is partnered ALEC MAZO.

BILLY RAY CYRUS and partner KARINA SMIRNOFF did a dance to this song "I Want My Mullet Back" which obviously was a gag making fun of Billy Ray's past persona. :-) Karina wore this ugly mullet wig, which Billy Ray was 'suppose to' tear off at the end of the dance. It kinda got stuck to Karina and didn't come fully off. It was quite amusing. I think they got the lowest marks of the night. Doesn't look like Karina will be going to the finals this season. HA, HA!!

TV/radio personality LEEZA GIBBONS danced with partner TONY DOVOLANI. She was elegant and flowed across the dance floor. As with Heather, she danced beautifully but according the the judges, was a little tense in her upper body.

NSYNC member JOEY FATONE and partner KYM JOHNSON got down & boogied with their fox trot last night. It was Saturday Night Fever all over again! :-) They did a great job, and despite Joey's mic pack falling out, they danced very well.

Undefeated World Boxing Champion LAILA ALI (daughter of boxing great Mohammad Ali) danced with partner, MAKSIM CHMERKOVSKIY. I didn't pay much attention to their dance, but did notice that Laila is still incredibly built!!

Cheers star JOHN RATZENBERGER partnered with EDYTA SLIWINSKA. He was a last minute replacemnt and had a lot of catching up to do. They did a wonderful job and I think ole John impressed a lot of people with his sleekness and style.

Miss USA 2004 SHANDI FINNESSEY partnered with BRIAN FORTUNA. They danced well, but nothing too impressing.

NBA Hall of Famer CLYDE DREXLER and partner ELENA GRINENKO. This one is an interesting matchup as he is 6ft - something, and she's a tiny 5 foot - something. Despite their height differences, they danced well together.

Last a certainly not least, Olympic speed skating Gold Medalist APOLO ANTON OHNO danced with partner newcomer JULIANNE HOUGH. Apolo is actually in training and recently won a speed skating event in Europe. Julianne traveled with Apolo and tried to get in as much practice time as possible. They did look not fully put together when they danced but they worked well together. Apolo will definately be a favorite as the competition goes on - providing he can get in some more practice time.

There's some good matchups and lots of hilarity for sure. All the couples get 1 more chance to dance next Monday night, before the final votes are tallied and announced.

In God's Time

The attempt to concieve a child is a sometimes pain-staking and requires a lot of patience.
For the first few years of my marriage, both Troy and I decided to focus on serving and have some good 'couple' time. Little did we know that when we decided to try for a baby, that it would be tough and would take nearly 7 years.
I am now 34 and can thank God in his promise to bring us a child!
I am pregnant!!
Although it's still early, it is such a blessed feeling to have a living being growing inside me.
I'm 6 weeks along, and due sometime in November. I've been feeling ok so far. No morning sickness, thank goodness! I've been more tired then usual, and have been suffering from a minor case of acid reflux which I found is common in pregnancy. I first had no appetite, now I'm starting to get that munchie feeling more often.

Our families were extremely excited, as are we. Although we're still in a little bit of shock, it's starting to sink in that we'll have a little 'Root' soon.

It's been a long time coming, and many people including ourselves has been praying for us for the many years we struggled. I will constantly thank God for His wonderful timing. Eventhough I sometimes don't understand why He plans things at certain times in my life (like now) I trust in Him and am obedient to what He wants for me.

If you have any helpful pregnancy tips, I would love to hear them.

Bright, Sunshiny Day!!

I can see clearly now,the rain is gone....

It was pouring rain this morning as a huge rain storm passed through CA today, but now it's a beautiful sunny day!

I was just thanking God for the sunshine,and the rain (because CA needs it!!)!

I can only image how beautiful the snow-capped Sierra Mountains are going to look on my drive home. I may have to take a picture if its clear enough.

The rain washes all the dirt away, cleans up air, and makes everything fresh and new. I love the smell after a good rain! So also God cleans us of all our dirty sins, habits and human desires. As the rain cleans and refreshes, so does our God!

He makes ALL THINGS NEW!!

Do I look smarter?

It's official - I am a college graduate!!
On Saturday, I took part in my online university's graduation ceremonies celebrating those who have graduated with their Associates degree! To top it off, I graduated WITH HONORS!!
I'm so proud of myself and all the hard work I put into it. It wasn't easy but will be well worth it come next year with I go through ceremonies again - but this time for my BA.

We had a great speaker, DeWitt Jones, who is a photographer with National Geographic. He had such insight and brought up some great point.
Point 1: Vision and dreams are every bit as important as our skills. Not the dreams we have when we sleep; but our goals of what we imagine ourselves doing and becoming. Without a dream to work toward, the skills could be meaningless. We must always be inspired by our dreams.
Point 2: In quoting my absolutely favorite movie, Dead Poet's Society, DeWitt spoke of "Carpe' Diem", or Seizing the Day! We must make every moment count, not wait til a better time to accomplish our dreams - for that time may never come.
He had a quote that still stays with me, and was so insightful... "Don't believe it because you see it.. See it because you believe it. "
He also mentioned that we should see problems as opportunities to see something from a different point of view. That's a very intersting concept to me. When you begin to see those problems as opportunties, you "lose your fear of failure and setback."
Wow!! That's a great way to see it!
To sum up his talk, I'll leave you with this one thought, from Mr. Jones:

"See the Extraordinary in the Ordinary."

It opens up a whole other world when you do!
Carpe' Diem, my friends... Carpe' Diem!!

NASCAR

The Daytona 500 is the first NASCAR race if the season and the Superbowl of racing! Although I'm a fan, it usually doesn't hold my attention during the whole race.. but this one was very exciting!

I especially wanted to see this year's Daytona because of friend of mine, Vincent Strader, is the artist who painted a memorial portrait of the late Bobby Hamilton Sr., which was presented to Bobby Jr. this last week. They didn't show the portrait presentation, but did have a great tributee to Bobby Sr. Bobby Jr. didn't run in the 500, but was on hand to receive the special presentation earlier in the week. Vince's brother, Tommy, is a partner in MotorSports Fine Art that presented it to Bobby Jr.

So, the race was full of exciting turns, and many accidents... including taking fan favs Dale Jr., last year's Daytona winner Jimmie Johnson, and Jeff Gordon out of the race. That wreck, which happened with only 3 laps to go, put Mark Martin in the lead. Kevin Harvick snuck up at the last 1/2 mile and inched his way passed Martin for the win. I was rooting for Martin, but was also glad that Harvick won. Kevin Harvick is Bakersfield born and raised! It's good to see some Valley blood win a big-time NASCAR race!! Way to go Kev!! Another accident had happened in the back, and I think Martin expected the caution to come out, which would mean that he would have won under caution. It looked like he slowed up just a bit, which helped Harvick sneak past him for the win. This would have been Martin's first Daytona win, in the many years that he's been racing.

The whole race, I was on the edge of my seat. Most of the cars going at speed of 140 mph, I couldn't believe how close, almost touching, these cars would get to each other. One false move, and WHAM!! An accident happens, which we saw many times during the race. I thought back to the many times I've seen someone going at high speeds down the freeway, or are so close to hitting my bumper, I start to slow to try to get the person to pass. Of course, we're not going 140 miles per hour, but still... one little bump could send us into a tail spin.

BTW- If you want to check out Vince's art, make sure you check out this pencil drawing he did of my parent's for their 50th wedding anniversary. It was awesome!!

L-O-V-E NEVER FAILS!

Love never fails!
Nothing more needs to be said.
I fall more and more in love with my husband every day!

Happy Valentine's Day, honey!
I love you!!

L-O-V-E is protective

Love always:
protects - Troy is my great protector.
trusts - Troy is a very trusting person. We trust each other fully! He's been burned by trusting some people so much, but yet he continues to give people the benefit of the doubt and trusts them. In business, there is always a level of trust... very few businesses trust fully unless they have a written and binding agreement. In our case, that binding agreement was our marriage license, and the sacred vows we took on July 22, 1995, and again in July 22, 2005, ten years later.
hopes - Troy hopes for me, and I hope for him. We want each other to be happy, and we try to please each other in the best ways possible. Sometimes its hard because we are both too easy to please sometimes. We both say, it's a good AND bad thing sometimes.
perseveres - I have never seen anyone persevere more then my dear husband. He's worked hard, and continued through a lot of failures to become the man he is. He still endures a lot of criticism and doubt from others, but he believes in himself, I believe in him, and he KNOWS that he's doing the right thing in his career choices and in life. We may not be the richest financially, but we are rich in love, commitment and in happiness!
I couldn't be prouder of that man of mine!

I love that man of mine!

L-O-V-E harbors no ill-will

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

Troy is in no way mean spirited! He's a wise-cracking prankster but he does not wish any ill-will on anyone, no matter how much they've hurt him.
He's been hurt a lot, but he forgives and rejoices in the lesson learned from it.

I love that man of mine!!

L-O-V-E is selfless

Love is:
It is not rude: Troy is definately not rude, unless he's making a joking comment, and usually toward someone who he knows will take it well. He's a teaser, but in no way is he mean with his teasing.
It is not self-seeking: As mentioned before, Troy is always trying to please everyone else. He's a little self-seeking when it comes to the tech toys he wants (like most techies) ... but he rationalizes it and we talk it over first before making any purchases.
It is not easily angered: Troy gets frustrated with situations when they don't go right, but he is not easily angered. It takes a lot to make him angry, which I've only seen a few rare times.
It keeps no record of wrongs: Troy definately forgives... not sure if he really forgets totally though. Who really does? The thing I like about my dear, loving husband is that he doesn't bring up the past mistakes or hurts as a defense.

I Love that man of mine!

L-O-V-E is patient

As Valentine's Day draws near, I wanted to put m thoughts down about the word 'LOVE'.

There are 484 references to the word "Love" in the Bible. (reference: bibleresources.bible.com)
There are numerous songs written about it.

Perhaps one of the most known scripture about Love is : 1 Corinithians 13:4-8.
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8Love never fails.
I'm going to break up the verses and talk about how my wonderful husband lives by these verses.

Love is patient: In this past year, Troy has been very patient with me. Through my journey in going back to school, he has allowed me the extra time to focus on my schoolwork. It's taken a lot of free time away from us being together, but the way he looks at it, the temporary inconvenience makes us cherish the weekends much more, and will be well worth the wait once I'm done with my degree!
Love is kind: Troy is one of the most kind-hearted people I know. He is always trying to please other people, despite his wants or needs. He's got a some-what generous heart and loves being of service to others.
It does not envy: He is not one to become jealous or envyous of other people. He knows he's been blessed with the life's he's had, and God continues to bless him... and us.
It does not boast: Well, he does boast a bit, but he's proud of what his hard work has accomplished... and so am I!! He boasts in a 'matter of fact' sort of way, not the 'see how great I am' way. He is quick to thank God for allowing him to accomplish what he has.
It is not proud: I guess we are all prideful in some sort of way... Troy does not allow pride and ego to get the best of him. He is proud of the man he has become and He remains humble in knowing he still has a lot to learn. I am very proud of him as well! He has sacrificed a lot, and endured a lot criticism from others. He has stayed faithful, become a stronger man of God, and knows that hard work may not bring total success, but brings satisfaction in the attempt!

I love that man of mine!!

It's raining, it's pouring......

Ok, it's not exactly pouring, but it is raining.
I'm sitting at my desk at work, looking out my window (not getting anything done-so what's new?) and watching people pass by with umbrellas. It's been gloomy all day and it finally started raining shortly after lunch.

We were beginning to see Spring on the horizon with warming temps, but nope.... false alarm. :-(

Have you ever caught yourself spacing out, watching the little drops of rain hit the cement? I'm catching myself doing that now. I NEED SOME COFFEE!!

I still have an hour left to go before I go home. I guess I should get some work done today.
Hope we have a dryer tomorrow.

Graduation is here

I officially started back at school on January 1, 2006, after many, MANY years of being out of the college mindset, and in the workforce. I decided to go back to school, allbeit online, to finally accomplish something with my life.

In about 2 weeks, I'll see the first half of that dream come true. Time has surely flown by!! On February 17, 2007, I will graduate with my AA degree in Business Administration and be well on my way to a BA in Graphic Design.

What would've taken me too many years to accomplish the conventional way, I'm doing in 2 years the more technologically-minded way! If you would've asked me when I graduated from high school that I would eventually drop out of community college, then go back years later taking classes online to get my degree, I would've told you you were out of your mind. But, here I am today, finishing my first goal, and well on my way to my second - my B.A.!

It's been a challenging and time-consuming ride, but well worth the effort to say I have a degree. With the help of friends, coworkers and a VERY PATIENT HUSBAND, I have been able to achieve these goals!

I would most definately suggest an online education to anyone who is wanting to get their degree in the shortest amount of time, going back after being out of school for awhile, and still hold down a full time job. It's especially good for stay-at-home-moms and in-home business owners that want to increase their education, or start over. I have enjoyed getting my online education so much better then sitting through classes. I have met some great new friends in my classmates and have learned so much more this way as I would have right out of high school.

At first, I thought that dropping out of college was a failure in my life. I know now that God had a specific plan for me and there was a reason for me to wait on my education. Looking back at it now, I see why. God chooses our path for us, which may not seem right to us... but He is our guide and will turn out to be just another journey to build our faith and our character. He gives us trials and "road blocks" in our life's journey to help us grow as people and as His children. It is through these "road blocks" that we run to Him for guidance and He shows us the way.

I've heard a great analogy that sums it up... Our life is a grand puzzle, and each struggle we face is just a puzzle piece that God sets in place to slowly finish the picture - our lives. We only see each piece as we face it, but God knows what the picture is going to be. I trust Him to keep putting those puzzle pieces in place, I hope and pray that I can be obedient enough to learn from each "road block" He gives me!

"Be Patient... God is Not Done With Me Yet."

A Christian alternative to MySpace

The thought was good one, but little did the creator of MySpace know what kind of effect it would have on today's society. By the rapid influx of people adding a profile to the MySpace community, it is obvious that people are starved for a connection - even its through text messaging, emails and blogging.

Yes, I am one of the millions who check my site frequently for any emails, bulleting boards and new songs from my favorite artists. I am very picky on who I choose on my Friends list. I have to know them, be an obvious, dedicated believer in Christ, or a Christian music artist now in or trying to get into the industry.

Many people I know in the Christian community have used this ridiculously popular site to minister to people... a few have even gotten hacked once or twice because of their ministry. I use it as another way to keep i touch with my friends and family who I don't see or talk to often.

Finally, there is an alternative way to network with others around the world, keep in touch with friends and family -- and all without the constant berage of Victoria Secret and Singles ads that are displayed on the site. Needless to say, I could do without those, as well as the very provactative pictures on some of the profiles.
ShoutLife.com is a new website that is specifically for the Christian community. Membership grows by the day and you can share openly with other believes and join others in groups with like interests. I've been on ShoutLife for a couple of weeks now and I love it so much better then MySpace. Of course, it hasn't gained a lot of popularity yet, but with a little prayer and word of mouth spreading like a California wildfire, it will grow momentum on that M.S. community and offer an alternative to people who would rather not be subjected to, or tolerate the expicity images that M.S portrays.

ShoutLife.com. Check it out!

It's chilly in them there hills

You know its cold when the water in the gutters even freeze.
You know its cold when the pipes freeze so much, you lose your water.

This weekend has been the coldest weekend that the San Joaquin Valley has had in many, many years. While the mountains are being pounded with snow, us here in the Valley are just getting the cold air.

While fruit growers are concerned about keeping their crops from freezing, the usual folk like us are trying to stay warm, raising our PG & E bills and hoping that our pipes don't burst.
We actually had one of our pipes outside burst and out came all the water. It was one of our outside faucets which we don't use. Luckily, we were home, it was during the day and we were able to shut off the water and fix the problem in a matter of a few hours. Troy rushed out to OSH, bought a few stoppers, some pipe glue and some pipe cutters. We were a bit challanged trying to open the clue and primer. After some prying, we finally got them open and endured the cold to fix our problem.

It'll be another cold night tonight with a low of 24 degrees. If it were raining, we'd get snow... IN FRESNO!! All we've gotten since I've lived here is just hail and 'slush', no actual snow. If I go up the mountains about a 1/2 hour, it's another story. We'd need snow chains to get up the hill and the land would be covered with a beautiful cover of powdery, white snow!

Needless to say, I'll be bundling up a bit more tonight, and hoping that no more pipes burst.
:-)

Some of my favorite pics

Pictures from our recent trip to Disneyland
I've always loved the picture of Walt and Mickey Mouse that stand just in front of Cinderella's cancel. The gentleman picture with me and Troy is a legendary jazz singer who is the only surviving foundation member of the jazz group Walt hired to play in Orleans Square. It was a pleasure and a privilage to meet this amazing man who is still doing what he loves.



Some cheesy pictures of me and Troy. As dusk hit, the lights of the castle came on and it was truely magical!



When the lights go down, the fireworks come out and it's quite a spectacle. I was lucky to catch some decent shots.





And Knotts Berry Farm for New Years Eve.
Troy and I take a picture in a Christmas sleigh. Our friend's Larrin and Christina hug a tree. Inside joke but it was so cute! Larrin celebrated his 21st birthday with us that day.



We got to see our dear friend's, Becca, Alyssa and Lauren Barlow of BarlowGirl (along with their wonderful parents)!! We were blessed to celebrate the end of 2006 and the beginning of 2006 with them at this incredible event (which we DID NOT have to work!!) As we clicked down the clock to 2007, those gathered worshiped and prayed for God's Will in the new year!



A fun time was had by all and I'm hoping to make it a tradition to go back to Disneyland every year for the holidays. The lights were amazing and beautiful!

Ringing in the New Year

Welcome to January 1, 2007!!
We had a wonderful New Years Eve and hope that you had a safe a fun one as well!

Troy and I spent five days in L.A. going to Disneyland and Knotts Berry Farm. The reason for the trip, besides to get away, is because Knotts Berry Farm hosts a praise night every year on new years eve to ring in the new year with some great Christian acts. This year, my dear friends, BarlowGirl, were performing so we wanted to go see them and the other awesome acts that performed (Telecast, Stellar Kart, Sanctus Real, Aaron Shust and Tree 63). We took advantage of my week off of work and school to go on a much needed vacation... without having to work the concert.

We first went to go see the Barlow family as the girls got set to go on stage. It was a wonderful reunion and they all looked great! The show was awesome and we spent a bit of time back stage catching up... then off to see the park and check out the other bands. We ended the night with Tree63 and an awesome time of worship. We closed out 2006 singing 'Blessed Be the Name of the Lord' and started 2007 in prayer together in hopes that God will do great things with us this year. It was an amazing time and I can't imagine a better way to spend New Years Eve. We may need to begin a tradition of going every year.

We stayed at the Knotts Berry Resort, which made it convenient since we'd be out late. The resort offered shuttle service back & forth to Disneyland as well so we spent 2 long days at Disneyland and California Adventure. This was the first time we'd been in CA Adventure and sadly wasn't too impressed, although there was a few neat things we did like. The Aladdin show is a must-see (the genie is hilarious!!) and we (mostly me) practiced our cartooning talents as we took character drawing lessons from a real Disney cartoonist. We drew Minnie Mouse and mine wasn't half bad.... Troy's was... well... we know drawing isn't a strong point of his. ;-) One of the days in Disneyland, we took the 'Walk in Walt's Footsteps' tour, which was 3 hours of interesting facts about Walt Disney and his dream for the park. There was so many facts that we had never known and had were very fortunate to be able to ride in the Dineyland train's special VIP car, which is never done with tour group. We went to places where most visitors can't see. We enjoyed the tour, had a great tour guide and they provided a most delicious lunch.

The parks were decorated for the holidays and everything looked so beautiful. Main Street was aligned with garland stringing from one storefront across to another. Once the sun goes down and the lights go on, the view from the big Christmas Tree down to the castle was just magical. What else would you epect from Disneyland!!

One highlight of the trip was the fact that we only had to wait about 20 minutes in line for the Pirates of the Carribean ride. For anyone that has been there recently, you know that that the newly remodeled ride to incorporate the movie (including the deliciously gorgeous Mr. Depp) usually has an hour or 2 hour long line.

Pictures will follow once I download them (there's a lot to download!!)

Merry Christmas!

May the Lord Bless You and

Keep You This Holiday Season!

Dancing with the Stars Tour

What can I say, the tour was just as fabulous as I imagined it would be. The only regret is that we didn't get a table by the stage. The lucky people who got table seating was able to be right up there by the action and even interacted with the Stars!
Ok, let's get the negative comments out of the way! Ms. Karina was sportin' the short bob that she had on the show for a few dances. I couldn't tell if it was a wig or if she cut it but it looked awful!! I think the other thing that was a damper on the evening was the number of people coming in late (VERY LATE) and somewhat building a wall making it difficult for us to see the stage. The worst part about it is that up to a full hour into it, hords of people were STILL COMING IN!!! I almost asked the usher to have them wait til in between numbers, as not to disturb us. I don't know if it was annoying to anyone else, but to me, Troy and his mom & step-dad, it was!!
Now for the positive:
The dancers were wonderful, the costumes were quite 'interesting' with many of the costumes being those worn on the show.
Drew Lachey and Joey Lawrence sort of co-hosted most of the night, and the other celebrities would chime in to introduce the next dancers up. Joey McIntire (Joey-Mac) was a goof ball and joked around with Joey L. a lot. Joey-Mac also sang a few songs from him new album (CD). In my opinion, he's still a good singer, but was better in his glory days of NKOTB. He has grown up a lot and has an older sound...but he's still a cutie!
The most precious part if the night was when husband and wife, Harry Hamlin and Lisa Rinna danced the waltz together. While Lisa did a quick change from her previous number, Harry preceded to tell us about the day they were married and how much he so loves his wife. As I said, it was the most precious part of the night.
As we were walking out to the car, we were all discussing where'd they be next and if we could catch another show. I never knew I could have so much fun watching people dance. Of course, it did help that they included some fav celebs but the choreography was amazing and definately had the 'wow' factor!

If you can catch it coming to your neck of the woods, I would give it a perfect 10!!! GO SEE IT!!

Ramblings & such

It's been awhile since my last blog. What on earth have been up to??
Well, since it is holiday season, I've been doing the norm - Christmas shopping, going to holiday parties, and making plans for a vacation. I've been going nuts trying to find that right gift for family. I've just about gotten everyone taken care of.

I went to my department's Christmas party tonight and Oh My Goodness, the White Elephant gift exchange was SOOOOOO funny!!! I was the lucky recipient of the most hidious-looking glittery fish ornaments (which will definately be making a return next year!) and a small monkey puzzle. Needless to say, my gifts were safe. There was some pretty awful things given this year. Along with mine, there was a pair of gold sequence boxer shorts which first appeared last year. Awkwardly enought, our Vice President of the deparment was the lucky winner! Another quite 'interesting' gift was two bobble-head dolls (a boy and girl) with very strange features.

On the vacation side, Troy and I will be heading south to the Disneyland and Knotts Berry Farm for some much needed R & R the week between Christmas and New Years. We're really looking forward to our break. It's been a busy year of work, school, church activities and concerts so we need some 'together time'.

So, tomorrow is THE DAY!!! The Dancing With the Stars tour comes to Fresno. I'm looking forward to it and know it will be so much fun!! Stay tuned for an update.

May God bring all of you grace and peace for a Blessed Christmas!!

I've been tagged

From the prompting of my dear friend Malia, I have to come up with 6 wierd things about myself. Hmmmm... I'm sure any one of my friends might be able to come up with WAY more then 6.

1. I like watching movies over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over... (you get the picture.)
2. I like watching commercials. Yes, believe it or not, I find some commericals fascinating. Blame it on my Visual Litearcy class, which has been analyzing colors, designs and reasons behind the ad campaigns.
3. I'm a people watcher. I'm an observer and like just watching how people act, react and respond. Especially kids. They are so amusing.
4. I'm a computer-aholic. Do they have an C.A. support group I can join?? I'm on a computer all day at work, come home and get on my laptop and do homework, check emails, write blogs, check out my MySpace, surf the local news, play games, etc. I can't seem to get enough.
5. I take my pillow with me on ALL overnight vacations. I guess you can kind of call it a secuirty blanket sort of thing. I sleep better with it. It's traveled with me all over, weekend trips to Santa Cruz, Concert festivals in Montery and Qunicy (in the middle of nowhere northeast of Sacramento, northwest of Reno) and have flown with me all the way to NY, MD, VA and FL.
I think I've only left it behind twice that I know of and I was so miserable without it.
6. I've always dreamed of being on broadway in New York, or singing a concert at the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall and the Sydney Opera House... but yet I'm scared to death to sing solo in public.

Ok, here's a bonus that I just thought of....
7. I work on a college campus I've never attended, yet am taking college classes online through another university.

If you feel so inclined, consider yourself tagged! Let's keep this baby rolling.

Let the crazyness begin...

Update: I just checked Ebay, and not only is there one for $30k, there's a few up for bid for $1 million!!! 1 MILLION!!! OMG!! It's actually quit shocking that anyone would even consider paying that much just to get a game that will be out dated in a year. How greedy people have become. One of them listed for $1 mil says it will benefit the Boys & Girls Club. Sure it will! ;-)

----------------------------------------------------

The day after Thanksgiving... also known as 'Black Friday'.
I didn't dare go out into the crazyness today. In fact, I am going to try to affoid the malls at all costs from now til after New Years.

I was thinking though, could it have even compared to just about a week earlier when the whole world went crazy for the new PS3? From reports in Fresno, hundreds of people camped out in front of stores for a chance to spend $700+ for a PlayStation 3 (not including all the games). The one problem... most stores only got a few dozen and when they ran out even before stores opened, riots began which led to many arrests. Latest gossip is that there's a PS3 on Ebay for $30k!!! Someone has to be totally out of there mind to buy a PS3 for that much!!!

So, what's on your shopping list for this Christmas?? Before you dare the malls, make a list, plan your trip and pray for a safe trip!
Good luck!!

On your mark.... get set.... SHOP!!

Just remember one thing though. Christmas isn't about the shopping (despite what retailers may want you to believe), the gifts or even about Santa Claus. It's about celebrating the birth of our precious Savior, Jesus! Keep in mind the Reason for the Season!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope all of my friends out here in blog world have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Enjoy this special time with family and friends and most importantly give thanks to God for all that He has given us.

Many Blessings to you All!

And the winner is.....

CELEBRATE & PARTY!!!
Emmitt won the 'Dancing With The Stars' Finals!!

Hooray! I'm so happy!
It was a tough competition coming down between Emmitt and Mario but I think the better man prevailed!

Mario and Karina will sulk for awhile but OH WELL!!! :-)

Can't wait to see the gang dancing on tour in December!
It was an exciting season! Can't wait til next year!

The Finals... The Hero... or the Heartthrob??

It comes down to 2 - Emmitt Smith and Mario Lopez.
Each couple did 3 dances and it was tough competition.

Both did the samba for their first dance.
Emmitt and Cheryl had it goin' on tonight! Emmitt's fancy footwork had to be because of his fancy shoes!! They got a perfect 30 from the judges! Yah!!

Wow! I do have to say that Mario and Karina were amazing too! Eventhough I'm not too keen on Ms. Karina, she does know how to dance!! They walked away with a 29 score.

For Dance 2, Emmitt & Cheryl did the Mambo. They've done this variation before but heightened it to a more defined level. They missed the perfect 30 by only 1 point last time. This week, they got their perfect 30!!!!

For dance 2, Mario and Karina did the Paso Doble'. Although it was a nice dance, I don't think they did so well this time. Despite my thoughts, the judges gave them 30.

The Freestyle - No Holds Bard!!

Emmitt & Cheryl danced to 'Can't Touch This' by MC Hammer. Again, Emmitt has some shiny looking shoes on. His dance moves were by far, outshined!! They both did some fancy footwork and it looked just like watching Hammer's music video. All I can say is WOW!!!!
I demand a recount though - they only got a 29 on this one!!

Mario & Karina danced to "It Takes Two". Get Down & Get Funky with Your Bad Self!! What was up with those robot moves though!! I did see Karina mes sup! HA!! The judges seemed to like it and gave them a perfect 3o.

It's not up to the voters!!
VOTE FOR EMMITT!!!!!!!!!!!!

Semi Final Results

So last night was a critical night in the finals... and I missed it. :-(
Troy surprised me with a date-night last night to Roger Rocka's Dinner Theatre to see 'Grease'. One of my favorite movies, and the group performed it well - allbeit a little different. Overall, a good time was had by all and we laughed a lot!

During intermission, I phoned my mother-in-law (another DWTS junkie) to get the results and I was saddened to her my beloved Joey was voted off. SAD DAYS!!! Maybe I'm glad I didn't watch, I would've been crying so bad. From the sound of it though, he took it all in stride and left proudly knowing that he'd come so far. I'm not too sad anymore though, because I'll see him in December on the tour. :-) Yah!!!

I tried to log on to abc to vote for Joey but I was running into so many problems accessing my account. It was so frustrating... my password would not work.

Now, it's down to Emmitt and Mario and I can't wait to see what they come up with next week.
The saga continues.......

Semi-Finals Round

"It Comes Down to Two Bald Heads and a Pair of Dimples"
The competition is definately heating up and each couple looked great tonight! The dances were fabulous and each one of the guys brought on their hot & sexy side.

Mario & Carina: received perfect 10's across the board for their first dance. They did a waltz, which was a stumbling block for Mario earlier in the competition. It was a gutsy move but apparently, it paid off. Their 2nd dance, the ChaCha, was fun and energetic. Mario channeled the Michael Jackson within him and did a great job. The judges really nit-picked the dance though.... despite the nit-picking, they still came away with a 29.

Joey & Edyta: I wish I could've been at Disneyland when Joey and Edyta visited. I actually liked the dance they did there better then their first dance tonight. Joey looked adorable in the sailer outfit and it was so neat that he dedicated it to his grandfather. Another near perfect score.
Dance 2: the Rumba - WOW!! Hot & sexy Joey!! All 10's for them! YES!!

Emmitt & Cheryl: Their waltz was amazing! Elegant and smooth. Almost a perfect score! Dance Their ChaCha was HOT, HOT, HOT!! Get down and get funky with your bad self! Emmitt was having a ball and it showed! They got perfect 10's!!!

Considering its the women that are the professionals in this competition, it makes the men look good! It's a close race and I hate to see any of them leave tomorrow. It's up to the voters now.
Results tomorrow!

Got tics?

I do!!!
I am not the proud owner of 4 tickets to the Dancing with the Stars Tour coming to Fresno's Save Mart Center on December 20, 2006!! I'm so excited!!!
That made my weekend!!

Dancing... on Tour

OMG!!! I'm absolutely so excited right now!!!!
I just found out that Dancing with the Stars is going on tour and one stop on their tour is FRESNO!!! Woooo HOOOOOO!!!! I'm so excited!! They will be dancing their way into the Save Mart Center on December 20.
Among those on the tour is:
Harry Hamlin
Lisa Rinna (you know, Lisa and Harry are married)
Drew Lachey (winner of Season 2) with partner Cheryl Burke
Joey McIntire (from New Kids on the Blcok! What a cutie!!)
Willa Ford
and............. (wait for it.....)


JOEY LAWRENCE with partner Edyta!!!!!!!

I guess that means that win or lose in Season 3, Joey is still a crowd pleaser!! :-)
I k now he surely pleases me!! :-)
I'm dancin' my little happy dance.....

Dancing With the Stars - Semi Finals Here They Come!

I had mixed emotions about each couple's dances this week. It seemed like each dancer had one great dance, and one not-so-great dance on Tuesday's show. I guess you chop it up to the Halloween theme on Tuesday night. I'm really proud of Monique for holding her own with the tough competition with these boys. She finally got her 10's. I thought it was so cute how in tonight's re-performance for the judges, Monique's partner, Louie, wouldn't let her off the ground. It was cute, and funny. I have to confess that Mario and Karina are starting to bug me. Karina's drama queen attitude during their rehearsals are over the top. Although I still think Mario is most adorable, he knows it, and he seems to be using those dimples of his to keep the female viewers screaming for more - and they are. Joey looked hot last night, but with those fangs were a bit much. I was impressed with Emmitt and his smoothness. He showed style and class in his dances and in spite of his size, he danced well. He's gotten a lot of comments about him not being able to move like Joey and Mario because he's such a big man. I still held his own. Let the Semi-finals begin! The finalists are: Emmitt & Cheryl, Joey and Edyta (YES!!!), Mario and Karina. Which means that Monique and Louie was voted off. She has grown so much in the last few weeks, and I actually hate to see her go. Louie's encouraging words almost made me cry! The insecure girl spreads her wings and flies away a confident, beautiful woman! Way to go Monique! One question though... who let her momma on the stage!! LOL

Kids these days

My observations from last night Halloween escapede was quite interesting.
Troy and I hung out at his mom's house giving out candy to what we thought would be neighborhood kids.... but to our surprise, there were kids coming from all over that somehow got into the gated community to trick-or-treat for candy.

Although we had kids of all ages, it was actually the older teenagers that were fun to talk to and actually said "Thank you," "Have a nice night," and other pleansantries. The younger kids grabbed their candy, hardly saying a word to us, and ran off. There was even a few boys that dug their hand into the candy and ran out with a big hand-full of candy, to fill their bag. I think I even saw a few kids sneak through twice to get treats.

In our neck of the woods, treak-or-treaters got a late start (6:30 pm) and continued on until close to 9 pm. We were outside for most of that time but it turned cold outside so we all went in. Plus, 8 pm came and it was time to watch "Dancing with the Stars."
(My review will follow after tonights results show.)

Hope everyone had a safe Halloween and don't get too sick on all the candy. :-)

Dancing with the Stars

I don't know if anyone has been following this show, but I've been hooked on it for the past few weeks. It's a tough decision to root for Mario or for Joey. They're both so adorable! Although Karina (Mario's partner) isn't the best 'people person', I like their chemistry. I think the best couple would have to be Emmitt & Cheryl (I like her name!!) and Joey and Edyta.
When Joey and Jerry made the bottom two last week, I held my breath...hoping "please don't vote Joey out, please don't vote Joey out..." I nearly had a heart attack when they announced they were both staying, thanks to the sad departure of Sara Evans.
This week, they both rocked but someone had to go.
Tonight, Jerry and his partner was sent home. Although he wasn't much of a dancer, I do have to say that I have been impressed with seeing the personable side of Jerry Springer, instead of the slimy talk-show host he once was. There's much more to Mr. Springer then anyone knew.

So next week, it's down to Mario, Joey, Emmitt and Monique.
I'll be watching closely!

Not So Happy ''Dogs

What's going on with my Fresno State Bulldogs??

They can't seem to win a game since their first game against Nevada.
We have not only lost, but lost by a lot!! What starts out as a great beginning with some exciting first runs, ends up in very disappointing losses.
I guess you can say we're in a 'rebuilding year'. After most of the high performing players all graduated last year including our star QB, Paul Pinegar, this year's team is left with a few remaining superstars and up & coming stars to be who haven't reached their full potential yet.
At the beginning of the season, the team looked promising with two great quarterbacks vying for the job as first position.
We have a week off, before we face undefeated Boise St. on Nov 1.
I pray that something will happen in this next week that will pump up our guys and encourage a win against some of the toughest teams we still have yet face this season.

Harvest Moon

Last night was the beginning of the 'Harvest Moon'. The time when the moon seems bigger and brighter. Long ago, farmers relied on the moonlight to harvest autumn crops. For this part of California, which is mostly ag land, this was especially true. A bright full moon—a "Harvest Moon"—allowed work to continue into the night and the days seemed to get longer.

Last night I wasn't able to see it clearly as it was a bit cloudy. Tonight it was clear and I couldn't help but notice the bigger and brigher moon lighting up the night sky. I wanted to get a picture of it with my camera phone but all I got was nearby lights. I found this 2003 picture from nightsky.com and though it was pretty close to what I saw tonight.

It was beautiful!!
Thank the Lord that He gives us light to see in the darkness!

Goodbye summer... Hello Fall

Say goodbye to Summer...
Goodbye shorts
Goodbye bathing suits
Goodbye my pittiful attempt at tanning
(I'm a white girl - I can accept that now! I CAN NOT TAN!!!!)
Goodbye hot sweaty, 100+ degree days
Goodbye fans (Troy is saddened while I rejoice!) :-)

Say Hello to Fall!
Hello comfy blankets
Hello warm sweaters
Hello electric blanket (agin, Troy is saddened while I rejoice!)
Hello winter rains

As I was driving home from work today on this overcast Monday, I noticed the sun's rays beating through the clouds. I was reminded of the awesome-ness of God. Eventhough the clouds darken the skies, the light still finds a way to shine through. I was reminded that we are the light in this dark world.

Is your light shining? Or is it dim?

"Let your light shine before men so they may see your good works and glorify the Father, which is in Heaven." Matthew 5:16 NIV

Searching for something.... but what?

Have you ever found yourself doing a lot of soul-searching... but don't know exactly what your searching for?

I have found myself burdened with a heaviness that I don't know exactly why or how.
A spiritual war is going on inside, not only me, but many others that I know.

God is calling me to pray, and pray hard... but for what... He has not revealed. I MUST obey!

I have found sollace in scripture and in praising Him through music, which has been my main source of worship.

With all the goings on in the world, I feel compelled to really drop myself down to my knees and submit myself to prayer, letting humbleness fall upon me and speak to me through the silence.

My needs, my desires, and my will aside, I am but a servant doing His will on this earth, until He calls me home.

When you bow down before the Lord and admit your dependence on him, he will lift you up and give you honor. -- James 4:10 NLT

Remember 9/11

Five years ago today, our world was changed forever! Five years ago our outlook on security and freedom also changed! What were you doing when you found out about the attack on New York City and Washington, DC?? I have always loved the Lee Greenwood song, "Proud to be an American" which makes me cry every time I hear it. It's meaning is more powerful now, then it has ever been!

Where were you on that day??
I remember getting up that day, to get ready for work. I turned on the television and all over the news was special reports of the tragic events. I was horrified to see the second tower go down, and hear about the crash at the Pentagon. I was in awe and deeply saddened. No other national event effected me as much as this one, as I'm sure it did for others. I mourned for those that were in those towers, those that were on those planes and the especially the families of those who died. They had no idea they'd never see or talk to their loved ones again.

Two genlemen among those lost were Fresno State alumni, so it especially hit the campus hard. One was an employee of the Pentagon, the other was one of the brave men who took on hijackers on Flight 93 that crashed in Pennsylvania. To say the least, I went to work that day in a very somber mood, and no one was in the mood to work. We found a television in storage and turned on the news.... and watched the events happen all day! We watched, we cried, and we prayed as we saw the events unfold. Let us remember the thousands who died that fatal day in New York, Washington DC, and in Pennsylvania... and especially those firefighters, police, and other volunteers who risked their lives to save any survivors lost in the rubble.

I will never forget the strong sense of patriotism that it took for those on flight 93 to give up their lives to save our nation by diverting the plane to a less populated area. May we always remember those who died that day, and their families they left behind. May God constantly remind us of the cost of freedom! We may not agree with what our President has done, but it is because of the men and women in our military that give us the freedom to enjoy the life we have.

As we continue to protect our country so that another tragic day as 9/11 never happens again, please pray for our country, our troops stationed abroad, and most importantly, pray for our President! If you would like to pray specifically for those still deployed, please visit KLOVE Radio's Wall of Prayer to pray for those currently serving, or add those that you know to the list.

Ducks beat the Bulldogs 31-24

What was thought to be Duck season in Fresno, turned out to be a tough battle, The mighty Ducks of Oregon State proved their toughness on the field with outscoring the Bulldogs 31-24. It was a tough loss for us Bulldogs but our boys did play hard and most of the game was spent being tied.
The stadium was packed as we all cheered on the 'Dogs each of the four LONG quarters. The game was aired on ESPN2, (which apparently I made my television debut on for a brief second) so the whole nation (or those interested in seeing this tough battle) saw this hard faught battle.
In the end though, the only thing that counts in the rankings our the numbers in the W-L area.

The Bulldogs have a tough road ahead as they have mostly away games this year. Our young team fight hard and will definately make us die-hard Bulldog fans proud!

Go Dogs!!

So Long 'Crocodile Hunter'

The world (and especially the Aussie community) mourns the sudden passing of Steve Irwin, famously known as the Crocodile Hunter. He wrestled with crocs, and wrestled his way into our hearts with his enthusiasm and excitement for wildlife. I'm not sure I'd be too excited being so close to a crocodile, snake or any other dangerous animal. He gave people a great knowledge and appreciation for wildlife that is mostly misunderstood.
You would think since he worked so much with wild animals, he would have met his death by croc... but instead God chose to take this loving soul by stingray. We lose a beloved conservationist, teacher and entertainer. I pray for his dear widow and his children at this hard time.
Here's the story from Associated Press if you have not heard about the tragic accident yet.


CAIRNS, Australia (AP) - Steve Irwin, the hugely popular Australian television personality and conservationist known as the "Crocodile Hunter," was killed Monday by a stingray while filming off the Great Barrier Reef. He was 44. Irwin was at Batt Reef, off the remote coast of northeastern Queensland state, shooting a segment for a series called "Ocean's Deadliest" when he swam too close to one of the animals, which have a poisonous bard on their tails, his friend and colleague John Stainton said. "He came on top of the stingray and the stingray's barb went up and into his chest and put a hole into his heart," said Stainton, who was on board Irwin's boat at the time. Crew members aboard the boat, Croc One, called emergency services in the nearest city, Cairns, and administered CPR as they rushed the boat to nearby Low Isle to meet a rescue helicopter. Medical staff pronounced Irwin dead when they arrived a short time later, Stainton said. Irwin was famous for his enthusiasm for wildlife and his catchword "Crikey!" in his television program "Crocodile Hunter." First broadcast in Australia in 1992, the program was picked up by the Discovery network, catapulting Irwin to international celebrity. He rode his image into a feature film, 2002's "The Crocodile Hunters: Collision Course" and developed the wildlife park that his parents opened, Australia Zoo, into a major tourist attraction. "The world has lost a great wildlife icon, a passionate conservationist and one of the proudest dads on the planet," Stainton told reporters in Cairns. "He died doing what he loved best and left this world in a happy and peaceful state of mind. He would have said, 'Crocs Rule!"' Prime Minister John Howard, who hand-picked Irwin to attend a gala barbecue to honor President Bush when he visited in 2003, said he was "shocked and distressed at Steve Irwin's sudden, untimely and freakish death." "It's a huge loss to Australia," Howard told reporters. "He was a wonderful character. He was a passionate environmentalist. He brought joy and entertainment and excitement to millions of people." Irwin, who made a trademark of hovering dangerously close to untethered crocodiles and leaping on their backs, spoke in rapid-fire bursts with a thick Australian accent and was almost never seen without his uniform of khaki shorts and shirt and heavy boots. His ebullience was infectious and Australian officials sought him out for photo opportunities and to promote Australia internationally. Irwin's public image was dented, however, in 2004 when he caused an uproar by holding his infant son in one arm while feeding large crocodiles inside a zoo pen. Irwin claimed at the time there was no danger to the child, and authorities declined to charge Irwin with violating safety regulations. Later that year, he was accused of getting too close to penguins, a seal and humpback whales in Antarctica while making a documentary. Irwin denied any wrongdoing, and an Australian Environment Department investigation recommended no action be taken against him. Stingrays have a serrated, toxin-loaded barb, or spine, on the top of their tail. The barb, which can be up to 10 inches long, flexes if a ray is frightened. Stings usually occur to people when they step on or swim too close to a ray and can be excruciatingly painful but are rarely fatal, said University of Queensland marine neuroscientist Shaun Collin. Collin said he suspected Irwin died because the barb pierced under his ribcage and directly into his heart. "It was extraordinarily bad luck. It's not easy to get spined by a stingray and to be killed by one is very rare," Collin said. News of Irwin's death spread quickly, and tributes flowed from all quarters of society. At Australia Zoo at Beerwah, south Queensland, floral tributes were dropped at the entrance, where a huge fake crocodile gapes. Drivers honked their horns as they passed. "Steve, from all God's creatures, thank you. Rest in peace," was written on a card with a bouquet of native flowers. "We're all very shocked. I don't know what the zoo will do without him. He's done so much for us, the environment and it's a big loss," said Paula Kelly, a local resident and volunteer at the zoo, after dropping off a wreath at the gate. Stainton said Irwin's American-born wife Terri, from Eugene, Ore., had been informed of his death, and had told their daughter Bindi Sue, 8, and son Bob, who will turn 3 in December. The couple met when she went on vacation in Australia in 1991 and visited Irwin's Australia Zoo; they were married six months later. Sometimes referred to as the "Crocodile Huntress," she costarred on her husband's television show and in his 2002 movie.
Copyright © 2006 The Associated Press

One interesting second day

Day two of new school year on campus had a very intersting start to the morning.
Apparently, after an attempted bank robbery around 8:30 am this morning, two men took off in a car, running from police. They led Clovis (CA) PD, Fresno PD and University police on a chase through a main street on campus, to an apartment complex near by. The suspects ran into one car, and shot at police, injuring one. They ditched the car and ran into a nearby apartment. They eluded the cops, now including the SWAT team, CHP, and helicopter teams, by running through many of the apartment complexes in the area.

Campus was still business as usual, although people could only get onto campus from the far side of campus, which made traffic incredibly busy. A few elementary schools and a high school in the area were on lock down as the cops searched for the two suspects.

By 2 pm, one suspect was caught, the other was still on the run.
By 5 pm, things had quieted down, but the streets surrounding the area was still closed off to traffic, This made trying to leave campus for the day VERY DIFFICULT! It took me 20 minutes just to get through the stop-and-go traffic to get to a street where cars are going more then 5 miles an hour.
Apparently earlier tonight, the 2nd suspect was caught.

I'm sure the day's excitement will be the topic of water cooler talk all over campus!
On to another day!

Run Forrest! Run!!

Run Fah, Fah away!! At least, that's what I'm so tempted to do today.

It's the first day back for students at Fresno State University.
The first day (first week actually) is a madhouse and packed full of lost students who haven't a clue where to go. Besides being 10 minutes late to work this morning because of the increased traffic around campus (and I left the house earlier too expecting a delay), the first week of classes is hopping with activity. The start of a new school year does mean one very important thing, which I'm excited about... FOOTBALL!!
And better still.... FRESNO STATE FOOTBALL!!
Their first game is this weekend! GO DOGS!!!

Some things to look forward to (well, not really): The line for food is longer, as is the line in the bookstore (where we can grab our snacks). I try to think back at when I started college, and the chaos I experienced and feel somewhat sorry for students during this first week. That feeling only lasts... about a second. :-) ha, ha.

I miss summer time on campus:
THE QUIET: with no students on campus, it's nice & quiet. Peaceful & relaxing.
Now, there's hussle & bussle of the lunch rush, and there's loud music coming from 'the pit' (the lunch area where people hang out).

THE SUMMER SCHEDULE (7 am - 3:30 pm)
It was nice while it lasted but all good things must come to an end, eventually. Although it was difficult to wake up early (all who know me KNOW that I am NOT a morning person), it was so nice getting off at 3:30! It almost made getting up early worth it! (ALMOST)
Now we're back to 8-5 and the afternoon drags on for what seems like forever!

EASY IN/OUT AT THE BOOKSTORE: grabbing snacks from the bookstore was easy and fast during the summer. what took just a few minutes to grab your favorite candy and soda, now takes at least 10 minutes due to the increase of students.

I'm not one for big crowds... maybe that's why I'm taking classes online. :-)
Oh ya, I am now a 'sophomore'!! Yah!! Five more months and I'll have my AA degree done! Wooo hooo!! Online education is so much better! :-)

Pray for my sanity during this chaotic and trying week! I hope I make it! :-)
Go Dogs!

It Is Finished... the 'walk' that is....

The walk was trecherious but Christian stayed the course and made it to the border. Despite a few delays, he made it in too weeks, and has gained so much more faith after what he encountered. I am proud to call him a friend and brother in Christ! Here is his adventures in his own words... (it's a bit long but well worth the read!)

So it all started with the question asked in a myspace survey would you walk 100 miles to spend 20 minutes with the one you love?.my answer was of course!.but when would that ever really happen? So for the next month the question swam around my head and through my heart. Well, when the idea was finished it turned out to a 350 mile trek through the bottom half of California into Mexico. Pretty far away from the initial question...huh? ;)

So it starts out that Monday morning after prayer at the church office. Was I ready and prepared for this huge adventure? Heck no!!!! I practiced walking maybe once a week with the longest walk being about 25 miles. But I figured that I wouldnt be doing this on my own strength alone anyway. I could time my walking from practicing on the treadmills at the gym. Noting that when I took a longer stride it felt like this and when I took a shorter stride it felt like that. But in doing that I was able to figure out who many miles and hour I was walking. My slow walk is 3 to 3.5 miles an hour and my fast walk is 5 miles an hour. So if you were ever asking how I came with the actual miles it was by this mile per hour calculations plus the distances stated on maps taking in other conditions and factors. My goal was to make it in 10 days. That would have been 35 miles a day which would be 3.5 miles an hour for 10 hours.


So I was off. My friend Christy wanted to walk me out to Hanford the first day as a commitment to Jesus herself. Well first day was a late start and a lot of getting used to the pack that weighed about 35 pounds (before the walk I never used a backpack). Well the first day was no more than 30 miles and I was dying! It was hot and in the country there is no real good place to rest and get water. Christy had developed blisters already and it wasnt looking very promising that I would even be able to finish. But at a certain point between fowler and Riverdale we called Christys mom to come and pick us up. I stayed the night at my good friend Lindseys parents house. I was so sore and achy. But I pressed on.
I woke up and got a little earlier start for the second day. I was sore and my hips really were bothering me. But I knew that if it would even be possible I would have to push through the pain. So I start to walk down the country roads of Riverdale and through Lemoore and find that it is not a very good idea to think that I could walk to Bakersfield due to the fact that there is nothing in the middle of Lemoore and Bakersfield. Well I walked for about 8 hours at a really slow 3 miles an hour (some times even slower than that!) It was approximately 20 miles I walked until I couldnt walk anymore. That was only 50 miles in only the first 2 days! I would never be able to make it at that rate of pain and slow walking. So I catch a ride with Christy to the coast. I think that it would be a good place to start in Pismo, but then realize that it is actually farter than I thought. So after working out the necessary miles needed to make the 350 miles I come up with Goleta.

So I slept in Christys truck and start to hit the road at about 9 am. My legs felt a little better but still hurt but at least it wasnt hot there. So I walk. I walk with only stopping to get Gatorade a few times and to maybe sit down for a few minutes to take the pressure off of my feet (which are hurting so badly). But I walk until 11 pm and I am so exhausted. There was a time when I knelt down on the bike path that I was walking on and asked God to give me a hand and send an angle or something to get me to a place that I could sleep safely. (I didnt plan on any place to sleep from then on out) I hear the still small voice tell me that it is only a little way more. So I keep on, trusting that He will provide. I finally come out of the bike path and see that I am walking through a camp ground in Ventura and there are plenty of picnic tables for me to sleep on. So I set up my sleeping bag and sleep on top of the table. The bag is warm and is feeling so good, my feet are throbbing and my legs are swollen. I went to sleep, but was constantly worried that someone would come and tell me to leave. But they didnt.

I wake up at 5 am and start to walk again. From my map it looks like I will be able to walk from Ventura to Santa Monica. But after walking for 13 hours I realize that the map is going off of the 101 freeway and I am walking on the 1 that goes along the curvy coast. So the 45 miles that it said was actually 70. I didnt even make it to Malibu! So I stop to eat dinner at a campground that is on the beach and I talk to a really nice life guard about how far it is to Malibu and Santa Monica, she tells me that it is 40 minutes in a car to Santa Monica and that there isnt much between there and Malibu. But she tells me that I can sleep on the beach behind the lifeguard house. So I do that an I sleep a lot better than on the table the night before.

I wake up the next morning at 5 am again and I use the shower that they have for the lifeguards and it feels good. The water is warm and I am clean. What a feeling. My legs and feet still hurt but after taking showers they always seem to get a little better. So I am off. My goal is to get to the other 45 miles to Santa Monica. So I leave at 5:45 and I am off, things are going pretty good and I am able to get into Malibu fairly easy and I am able to go to the starbucks to eat and charge my phone and ipod. (I was given a $100 gift card from my friend Karen (thanks again Karen it was a life saver)) so I keep on and I find out that Malibu itself is 27 miles of a coastal view! Not a sign that I want to read as im walking through. But I make it and I am about 3 miles away from Santa Monica and I am dying! My legs dont want to walk anymore and my head is questioning the whole thing too. I am broken and I want to go home. I take the bus into Santa Monica to avoid the windy and dangerous roads. I get off the bus and I walk a little way to eat a whopper at burger king. I call Christy to see if she will come and pick me up. I was beat down and really wanting to just quit. I was 175 miles into the 350 mile walk and I knew that I couldnt really go on too much longer the way that I was. So Christy said she was on her way. Now I only had to stay busy for 4 hours till she got there. I walked over to a street show on the promenade and then a guy walks up to me and asks me if I want to change the world. I dont feel like talking at this point and I am like what is he selling. But I see on his card that he handed me that he was there to ask me about God. So I got excited and opened up to him a little. It turns out the he walked to this place from Santa Barbra just like I did and even stayed at the same spot behind the lifeguard station. So I went up to their office and started to watch their Bible lectures. It was like a scene from the Matrix. I was really amazed at how God reached out and grabbed me in a time of weakness. Then the guy came and asked me if I needed a place to stay that night and I was really excited to see God working. So I told Christy to turn around and that I was going to keep going. So I continue to watch these lectures and they are eye opening. There were a few times that the guy would say a few things that were not correct but I gave him grace and figured that he just really wasnt good at talking about the Bible. So I watch these videos for a while and I get really excited about continuing the walk. I go to the apartment where they house their missionaries and I shower and sleep.


We wake up at about 7 and pray and then they took us all to a park and we looked at the Hollywood sign (not anything I would like to spend any time going out of my way to see?) and then they took us back to the office. He says that he has more video to watch before I leave and so I agree and continue to watch these videos. I ate with them and watched videos all day. I figured that it was too late to walk that day but would be able to get a good start the next day. There where a few things that I was wondering why they were hiding certain things about who came up with this information and what this nonprofit organization was. But I didnt pay much attention to why they were hiding it, just knowing that I would find out soon enough. So I find myself in the same predicament again where I didnt have enough time to continue on that day but I would definitely have enough time the next. By this time I was really finding myself confused with the whole program. I knew that they were going to sell me something or do a totally bait and switch but I wasnt sure what was really going on. I did know that they would say one thing and do another, but nothing that was too crazy. Again I gave them grace. But that night when I got back to their apartment I saw a glimpse of the side I thought they were hiding from me. They wanted to watch a movie (it was 5 girls and the guy and I). I dont watch movies too much anymore and I fall asleep during them anyway, so I was just looking for a polite way to excuse myself to go to sleep. I was texting a friend and I could feel that it wasnt ok with the lady who was apparently in charge. She tried to close my phone as I was texting. It was rude to me but I know that I was being rude to her in her eyes as well, so again I gave her grace because she wasnt American and we were playing by different standards. But that was enough for me to dismiss myself and go to bed. I went to the room and texted Christy that they were acting really weird and I was expecting for them to the switch the next day. The guy came in to see what if I was ok, I told him that I was tired and was going to sleep. I was planning on leaving in the morning and not coming back the guy came in and in his awkward way of talking and laughing out of nervousness and nerdy ness he tries to present me with a final condition of the video lecture series that after he got to the point that I was that he cut all of his hair off as an offering and said that they (who the heck is THEY?) thought that I needed to cut my sideburns. I was like oh boy.here is the switch, and I say to him.let me pray about it. And that is the way we left it. I go to sleep praying that all of the mayhem that I have stuck in my head be cleared out. Something had compromised my judgment and was affecting my ability to hear God speak to me.

So in the morning I was ready to bounce and I did not want to even find out what the switch is going to be but I dont leave for some reason. I go up and I sit with the guy and I say to him here is the deal. Obviously you are going to want me to commit to something and I am not and will not commit to anything until I go and talk it over with the people that I trust. And I am going to be leaving now nerdy guy says well you didnt get to see the final video and asks me if I want to watch it. I am thinking I am curious what the heck they are even getting all weird about and they claim to be doing everything for the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So I watch it. And the part that bothered me the most was that I couldnt find a problem with what they were saying. I spent all of that time watching video of what I thought was an interpretation of the Bible but was actually just a series of videos that set the stage for a man to come in the name of Jesus Christ but didnt truly show that same power or heart. But I was brain washed and I was not sure of what I was even thinking. So I am watching more videos and I am trying to find all things wrong with all of the things that I have been shown. I have hundreds of things that were red flagged but I still wasnt able to break out. It was a text message from my friend Karen that allowed for me to regain my true focus and direction. She asked me what she needed to pray for me. I told her that I needed revelation and affirmation. A few hours later I get a call from a good friend whom I trust. He said that God gave him a word for me and that I was in a dangerous spot and the hidden things were the spirit of the antichrist. That was all I needed to hear and I was ready to jump out. I went back with them that night and then the true colors showed. Nerdy dude said that now he could take the books out and he didnt have to hide everything anymore. Jesus is all about bringing all things into the light! Not hiding them. I was going to not run from this but walk right through it.


The next morning I was praying and dude would interrupt me. They were all in the living room getting ready for their mandatory prayer meeting. They now had out two pictures. One of the so called second coming of the messiah and one of his son. I look at them and he says this is how we really pray. I say you pray to them? and he says yes so I reply well you wont mind if I just pray my own way. He comes back with that is fine if you want to do it in the room. I was all packed up and ready to cut loose. He comes in and says that we can talk. Im like actually im going to do the talking now. I say here is the deal; you say that I need to be prayerful, yet you havent given me 5 minutes alone since I have been here. You say that it was by Gods Holy Spirit that I came to you, yet since I have been here you have been scared that I would leave and never come back. Now what I have to say is that if it is the same spirit that brought me here once it would be the same to bring me back. Now I know that you are doing what you think is right but I dont like nor did I ever like the programs approach to getting people in here. You say that this isnt about religion yet you are offering me one that claims to hold the key to true salvation. Now I am going to leave and go home and talk all of this over with my friends I trust, and im leaving right now.
He says that it is satan that will tell you to never come back. And that the not having five minutes alone is a ploy of the organization. But I should just come and go to the beach with them and have some time of worship with them. And I say im not mad at you, but I am leaving right now and if it was the Holy Spirit that led me here than it wont be any different when I leave.
His reply was but once you hear this god stops talking to you
I say I will take my chances and I walk out. Saying good bye to all of the girls that are chilling in the dark.
So I jump on the bus and go north to the end of the line, UCLA. I get off and I start to walk south. I am so confused as to how I managed to get put in that situation and allow myself to be knowingly manipulated. So I call my mentor Jon Shabaglian and I tell him that I am coming home! He asks me if I had the release from God and I say NO, but this is what happened! I tell him all of that and then he questions me on coming home still. I didnt understand, I wanted to go back home where I could trust the people to help me get back to where I was. But after I got off the phone with him I thought about why I was walking and how I was only half way there. If it was satan in the middle God would be waiting for me at the end. So I walked again. I started walking from Wilshire and Western. I walk all the way to the pch and into long beach. That is 50 miles +. But my head was straightening out. But when I got to Long Beach I was exhausted and I couldnt walk anymore. So I took the money I got out for the train to come home and got a room at an ugly motel. My inner thighs were almost raw and I was achy. I took a shower and tried to go to bed but I was scared of what I had just been witness to the days before. But after getting calls and texts from the loving family that I have back at home I rested easy and woke up fresh. I started out at 8:45 am. I was walking again and I had 125 miles to go. I had found new strength to overcome and I was walking at an unnaturally fast pace. I walked through Long Beach and through Seal Beach and Huntington and Laguna Beach right to Dana point. It was 9:40 pm and I had been walking all day with 2 short stops. I was tired, but I kept going. I saw that I could catch the last bus to San Clamente which would put me at a better place to stop. So after I got off the bus I ate at Carls Jr and then I walked where the spirit lead me. It was dark, almost to where you cant even see your hand in front of your face! I found myself in a place that I had no idea where I was and no way of getting out. But I Held onto Gods hand and trusted that he would guide me to where I needed to go. I had walked 60 miles up to the bus and I found myself not tired in the sense of exhaustion but in the needing to sleep way. I walked about another 10 miles and found myself walking through another campground and after a while I stopped and slept on top of another picnic table. How did I have the legs to walk nearly 70 miles and 15 hours of actual walking? It was only by Gods grace and strength. I was tired and ready to finish what I had set out to do.

I slept for 4 hours and I woke up and was excited to get it finished that day! I continued walking and I found that the place I slept was the only place that I could have slept. There was not another place to sleep till Oceanside, which is not possible to walk to due to the marine base there. So I found myself at a rest area 5 miles north of Oceanside. I needed to get a ride across the base. But that would mean that I would for the first time have to ask someone that I didnt know for something. I sat there for 20 minutes looking for the person that I could ask. When a 50 year old man all tatted up with a shirt that says GOT TATTOOS? on it pulled up. I thought to myself..either that is the nicest guy or a really mean one. Well I rolled the dice and won. Because he was really nice and helped me out. He asked me where I needed to be dropped off and I told him that since he was late to his deal that he could just take me to where ever he was going and I would bus it up town to the right amount of miles. (since the mission was to walk the 350 miles It would take to get from Fresno to Mexico, not necessarily walking every step there). I figured that I had to go about 55 miles and that would take about 13 hours of walking since I was not walking as fast but I would drop off the pack at my friends house that lives about 30 miles away. So I walked from the tattoo shop in national city that is not very far from Mexico, uptown to my friends and then back down. That would put me at the right mileage and time. So I walked to down town. I ate at starbucks and charged my phone for a bit. It was still early since I started at 5am. I bought an all day bus pass because I was going to take the train to down town and my friend would pick me up there. So I feel that my shorts under my pants are starting to chafe and I find it a good idea to bus it to Larrys drop the bag, fix the problem and walk 35 pounds lighter to the finish line. So I go that I bus it about 4 miles and drop the bag but I dont fix the problem and decide that it is only now about 30 miles to go and I can walk fast enough to just hurry and get it over with. Well I walk, and I walk and I walk and I walk, it seems like forever. I had planned on being done at 6pm but found that it was getting close to 6 already and I was still far away. Christy was already on her way down and my phones were dying and I needed to save the batteries. So I turned them off. And I kept walking. Never before did it hurt like this before. It took everything in me to not pull the bus pass out of my back pocket and just buss it closer to the border. But the verse he who stands firm to the END will be saved was my motivation. My whole life I quit everything when it got hard. My whole life I never put myself in situations that required much endurance. I was not born a quitter but found it an easier road to take, so I took it every time. But not anymore, God is REAL and since I know that I will never give up on Him as He will never give up on me! So I kept on. I walked past 6 oclock and I was in sight of the Tijuana hills and I was getting closer. My legs and feet were hurting again and my back was hurting now. I was so close, but I was in so much pain. I was tired of Gatorade, I was tired of my new balance 992s that are the most comfortable shoe ever made (when you dont walk 350 miles in themthank you Kimberly for buying my shoes for me they saved me!!!! Big time!) I just wanted to be home! But I had 5 more miles to go and it seemed to be a million! But I pushed on. I wasnt going to come this far to fall short of victory. So I pressed on and I made it to the train that was going to take me back uptown. But I thought to myself.I said I was going to make it to Mexico and I am still in the US. But to walk into Mexico and to get back out will be at least a mile and will take some time. But I found myself walking up and around into Mexico and around to get back into the states. I was tired! I was so dark from being in the sun for so long and I found it hard to even stand in the long line to get back in. But in those times I knew that I was in safe hands and I leaned in on Him and I was ok. I came back across the border and I found that I had taken so long to get there (going a whopping 2 miles and hour in the end) that Christy was right there waiting for me just out side of the border. Thank God for that! Cause I was freaking tired and I DID complete the mission and I did stand firm to the end. Praise God!!!!!!!!

Update on the Walk

After a week on his faith journey to the border, Christian has reached the half way point. He's doing fine although very sore. When I hear more, I'll post another update.

Please continue to pray that Christian remains safe, and healthy as we continues his journey.

Having the faith and obedience to walk

If God asked you to walk from home to the California/Mexico border, with just faith in His provision and the obedience to just 'Go', would you? It's hard to conceive that anyone would want to actually walk all that way. I barely want to walk a few feet to the mailbox, or change the channel on the TV manually. That's why God made remote controls. :-)

Not knowing where the journey will lead you, or where you will stay from night to night, and just believing that with every step, God will guide your way and keep you safe. That would be a touch choice!

Christian, a 28 year old new believe is on such a journey. He left this morning, not knowing what to expect. With no one to talk to but God, he sets out on this walk to find just what God has in store for his life. When he returns, he also is set to go off to Ireland to attend a seminary there. That is another step of faith for him.

This child of God is an on-fire believer who isn't afraid to stand out in the crowd and listens to God's calling. If we only had the faith that he has, this world could do and be so much more. I've only began to know Christian, but already admire his testimony and his obedience in what God wants him to do. Since he has become a believer, he has 'Lived Out Loud' to coin the phrase from Steven Curtis Chapman. He's become very active in church activities and been a great leader to young adults in our college age/singles group. God is doing wonderful things with this man!

He does one thing that most of us don't do. He listens! I know for myself, I sometimes get so bombarded with the every day busyness that I forget to be still and listen to Him. Instead, I sometimes am giving God the 'laundry list' of wants and needs.

Fellow believers, please join with me in praying for Christian in his journey to the border... the people he will meet and the lives he will change. He is already changing mine by his actions.

I'll keep you updated as I am updated with his journey.