Love Ink

You may know that Ray and I decided that our wedding gifts to each other would be the forever kind...

Tattoos! :) (And no, not matching ones of each other's names.)

Mine took a couple sessions and Ray's took maybe 4, but they are now complete (for now) and I thought I would share some pics.

Closet in Progress

First off, let me admit that I actually wrote this post hours ago, but then it took me all day to find my camera (side effect of home renovation in small space = chaos). Finally the camera has been found and the photos uploaded for your viewing pleasure.

Lucky for me, Ray is an engineer and a planner when it comes to a few things - home reno being one of them. He had a fully functional blueprint with front elevation for the project before we started. I loved that - not only because it was helpful, but also because for once I did not feel like the Nerd half of the couple.

The beginning stages: removing moulding from pocket doors

Our helpers at it again

Framing & Drywalling

MuddingThe current state of our closet (notice lovely upper storage)

Special thanks to my dad who traveled from Chicago for the sole purpose of working his tail off and sleeping on our couch for 4 days. Without him, we would probably still be framing...

Mouse Trap (skip this one, Mom)

So, we live in an old house with lots of spaces for mice to sneak in. Both of our downstairs neighbors also have cats. That gives us odds of about 100% of having mice in our place (sorry, Mom, I told you not to read this!) Our big oaf dogs are only good for alerting us when we have a mouse in the house, not actually preventing the mice from entering nor catching the mouse once entered. We have tried humane traps, electronic deterents, inhumane traps... but these mice know better. I know this and generally accept is as a necessary byproduct of the old house. As long as they don't surprise me or appear in my bed or something I am kind of ok with the mice scurrying under the cabinets and such.

Well, I think we had a sickly or disabled or otherwise confused mouse this past weekend. Normally they are very fast and keep hidden, but Feeble Mouse went straight into the middle of the bathroom floor, crawled over my dirty clothes, over the bath mat and got caught in the shower curtain. Maybe it didn't notice the 2 cabinets calling for it to escape under. Anyway, this qualified as surprising me (I was standing on said bath mat) and I screamed and jumped onto the tub edge when I saw something furry coming my way (a reasonable response, I think). Feeble Mouse just sat there looking surprised, too. Where was mouse-stalker Ikaika when I needed him? After years of him stalking mice around the house and hours spent with his whole front half under the kitchen cabinets trying to capture the mouse... he was worthless in the moment of truth.

Fast forward to the next day: Feeble Mouse continues his dangerous escapades into the middle of the floor, but this time Ikaika finally catches him! Kai pounces, but didn't hurt the mouse and then with the mouse between his paws and under his mouth, Ikaika just sniffed him (further convincing me that Ikaika is an even bigger wuss than originally thought). The mouse escaped, but was slow (and stupid enough) to get caught by bucket-yielding Ray. Ray released him into the backyard, but I have little hope that the poor thing will make it long. Ah well, our house is again mouse free for the moment.

Babies, babies, babies...

Our youngest niece was born March 3, 2009

Anais Diwa

6 lbs 12 oz

Congrats Lisa, Drew & Big Brother Basi!

*photo shamelessly stolen from www.ranthonyjuachon.blogspot.com*

In other baby news, Traci & Tom found out they are having another BOY! Here is a photo of TJ & me with Big-Brother-to-Be Jack last summer. Aw, wish they were closer... :(

Tahoe Fun

Earlier this month Ray and I went to Tahoe with some friends for some hang out. We played Rock Band, went sledding, ice skating, bowling... here are a few pics:

Life is precious...

There are a few things that have happened lately that have made me more conscious of what I have and more aware of how fragile life can be. This has been on my mind for a couple of months. Then since this past weekend it has been weighing even heavier.

Most of the time I take my health for granted. Sure, after I have a cold I appreciate feeling good for a little while. I am talking about the big stuff – the fact that my heart pumps blood and my lungs work correctly and my immune system fights off the “bad stuff” on a regular basis. Lately, I have had some interesting health problems that have reminded me how vulnerable my body really is. The finger smashing, the food poisoning, more dysplasia... all of it together has just shaken me up a little bit.

But this past weekend drove it all home. A friend of ours passed away. I just got home from her funeral. Her name was Rachael and she was in a car accident. It was raining really hard here and they lost control of the car and hit a tree. She was not a close friend of mine, but she was a close friend of a lot of our close friends. She went to high school with Ray - he has known her since he was 14 and she also dated one of our good friends (Steven – he did the cord at our wedding). My memories of her are so full of life: camping and drinking mimosas in the morning and laughing around the fire. I keep thinking I should reach out to her because my heart knows that something sad happened and then my mind reminds me that she is not here to reach out to. And my heart breaks for her boyfriend that was driving the car who has also been friends with Ray for years. They were in the process of moving in together and planning to spend their lives together. He had only minor injuries and now has to face life after losing someone so precious to him. He is not doing so well, as you would expect. If he crosses your mind, pray for him.

I am so grateful for everyone that I have in my life. I love you guys.

NYE 2009 in Tahoe *pics*

Yay! More catch up photos...

http://ranthonyjuachon.smugmug.com/gallery/7186680_6w7tW#P-1-20

And a few I like best:

Tahoe sky *swoon*

The hit game of NYE (thanks H&M for the hours of fun!)

Who taught Basi this move? My guess is a) Uncie b) Drew or c) Ray...

So precious

QT for Mela & Lolo

Bowling ball & bowling ball belly