Sadness

On Tuesday, we received the sad news that Carlos, H's brother passed away. There are lots of emotions going through our hearts and minds but we remember Carlos as being kind and stubborn. Sure, being stubborn is not usually seen as a positive trait because he could really be frustrating but that's how I remember him but that frustration is now looked on as an endearment because that's who Carlos was. I didn't always agree with him but he was always nice to me and caring.

Carlos spent the last part of his life in Vegas and his visits became more infrequent in the past few years but I remember him wanting to go to the ocean one time. we went to the tide pools and he had a great time scrambling around the rocks with my kids. 

So on Wednesday, the kids and I went to the Redondo Beach pier to find some peace and comfort. I recorded a video and I will always have it to remind me of Carlos and his spirit. 

RIP Carlos. We will miss you yet you are in our hearts. 

OC Fair date

The kids and I go to the OC Fair every summer and always have a great time. It's the perfect size for us to see all the rides, exhibits and FOOD!!

Hector joined in on the fun twice this year and we pigged out. It's even better if we have more friends to share the huge portions. We tried to arrange an outing with friends but something came up so it didn't work out. 

The kids take off to explore which is nice so they don't get totally bored while we go looking at the Parade of Products. I bought my supply of pink jewelry cleaner and had my ring and Hector's ring cleaned and polished.

I caught pokemon at the fair too.I can't wait till next year's fair!

Stockton visit

Wow, this NorCal trip flew by and to end it we stopped in Stockton to visit my alma mater University of the Pacific where I spent 5 of my college years earning my pharmacy degree. It was a great experience where I made lots of wonderful friends and memories. 

Of course, it's changed a little and  I had fun showing the kids around campus. I am still learning editing and working on my steady camera work. Always a work in progress!




Stockton has grown a lot since I was here last which is great although the crime rate is still pretty bad in some areas. We had lunch a some burger joint and cooled down with a some Sonic later that afternoon. 

Summer is winding down with a lot of schools already beginning but our school district starts after Labor Day so that can be a good thing.

NorCal trip: Day 3 and 4

Day 3 was a scheduled college tour of Cal Berkeley. I didn't record any video since it was guided but I  did a shot of the kids at the gate which was used by Pixar for Monsters university. It was a very interesting tour and our student guide had a lot of funny and interesting facts and stories. 

Day 4: we are in Sacramento and not much planned so off we went to see Cal State Chico. We did our own self-guided tour and it's very pretty. 

Day 2 of NorCal trip

After a day of driving up the state, a day in SF exploring we were ready to chill and relax. Linda suggested mini-golf so off we went. Only 2 courses to choose from but there was a big variety of challenges and we all had fun.

I remember loving mini-golf as a kid. 

Day 7: Love your spouse challenge

Travelling!! Hector has opened the world to my eyes and therefore our kids reap the benefits also!
I had not traveled practically at all until I met Hector. I heard that you can tell a person's real personality when you travel with them. Heck, I learned a lot about myself too.

In the end, keep an open mind and wear comfortable shoes! Now, our family loves traveling and we always have great memories. Japan is a special favorite because this is our very international trip as a family with 2 young boys and the Japanese people couldn't have nicer to us.

So the 2nd time to Japan was again very special. Both kids had great times experiencing the different food and shops.There were no meltdowns, no arguments and no injuries! It was nice to be able to enjoy some other sights this time that we couldn't do before and we were able to explore more of Japan this time around.

We share this loving bond and I look forward to spending the rest of my life with Hector.

Note: I may extend this challenge to a monthly basis since I feel I have more to share and learn.

Day 6: Love your Spouse challenge

What I love about Hector and us is how we complement one another. Sure we have our disagreeable moments but we know that deep down, we love our spouse and will work toward a resolution. Sometimes that means, having to say you're sorry even though no one is at fault or forgiving the person/situation. I've learned to swallow my pride and sometimes it's not worth to engage in drama, a grudge or just having a different opinion.

I don't like conflict and who does? But sometimes it's easier to try and get past it for the greater good. Don't sweat the small stuff  (because it's all small stuff).

Day 5: Love your Spouse challenge

Discovered fanpic app. #lakings

A photo posted by Debbie T (@moodybq) on Nov 30, 2015 at 5:08pm PST

I love ice hockey but I owe it all to Hector. One Christmas, I got a 3 game pack to the LA Kings for Hector. We went and it was fun but I wasn't really all that excited about it.
Over the years, the number of games kept increasing and the location of our seats got better and better. I'm not sure when I realized I had this hockey addiction but I'm hooked.

Sure, I gripe about the ticket prices and Hector reassures me that its fine and that we can afford it. Well, it has paid off so much to see the LA Kings rise from a not-so-good team to a 2 time Stanley Cup champion and for us to actually witness the team winning the Cup at home. 

We have another thing to share and love which is pretty awesome to have your soulmate have the same feelings. I never would have thought myself as a "sports fan" but thanks to Hector, I am a hockey fan! 

Day 4: :Love your Spouse Challenge

Our wedding day, November 9, 1996. It took a while to reach this day after 5 years of dating, on and off (mostly on) and we needed every moment to discover our true love for one another. 

This year will our 20th anniversary and it's flown by! Sure we had our tough times and lots of really wonderful times but we managed to work through it all. I can't imagine my life without this man and all that he does for me and our family. 

He works hard to keep give us more than we could ever need. He is generous to a fault and he will always give me love and support. Life is too short to let all that we have to give and offer go to waste. He pushes me to be a better person, in fact he does this to everyone I know. I love him and myself to be the best person I can be and it's due to this guy! XO

Day 3: Love your Spouse Challenge

One of our traits that we love about each other is our love for dancing. I have to be in the mood for it much more than Hector but in the last year, we revived our dance nights. When we first started dating, we went out dancing as much as we could. Really! Like 3 or 4 times a week. It was more a challenge back then because dance music was mostly Top 40 so alternative/new wave was really scarce. Then I discovered techno/dance/electronic music and that kept me happy. Hector is much more flexible in his music dance choices.

Here we are, must have been in 1996 at our first apartment together when we first got married. Hector's secret weapon was his pretty hazel eyes that mostly was hidden behind his glasses but when we went out he would wear contacts and ladies, watch out! :)

We go dancing almost every weekend and now it's easier to find me fave new wave places because it is now retro/oldie music. We have our own favorites and we have lots of fun together which is a testament to our love. Maybe eventually we will start ballroom dancing to keep ourselves on our toes and always keep dancing  with each other.