Guess who's back in the muthatruckin house!??

I tried to caption this picture "We're Baaaaaaaccckkkk!" on my Instagram while tagging us at the game, but due to the University of Phoenix stadium not having free wifi (WTF), I could not reach an Internet connection in time to upload my pic and tag myself there. Poor us :( #2012problems

There isn't much more, but go ahead and enjoy the rest of what I managed to document before complete inebriation.

Mel & Val

Buds & Birds

Twinning!! 

Group Hug!

P.S. So now I know why I don't remember leaving the stadium on Friday night or not even knowing about a shooting, I checked my bank account and realized I spent over $70 on beer that night. Yup, those $9 beers are mind erasers. Watch out world!

No Matter How Far Wrong You've Gone, You Can Always Turn Around

So I came upon a friend's Facebook status that was quite inspirational to me and I felt the need to share it.

So today's lesson was this: I don't have to be happy with someone to help them. It is my responsibilty to help others. When I was driving home from my "errand" I wanted to cry - not because of anything bad but rather because I rememeber how many people helped me before I got sober (they didn't trust me) but they still helped me. So, is it not my responsibilty to pass that on to someone else? Of course it is. I am grateful to be sober and to have loving friends in my life and what I want these people to know is that there is Hope! That despite their best thinking and actions - there are people who care and who will help! I hope they get the message and I hope they get this deal. But today I get the message and I am willing!!! -K.W.

I have never struggled with a drug addiction myself or maybe you haven't, but I'm pretty sure we all know at least one person who is that is near to our hearts. I don't know what her "errand" was in this status, but this made me realize that we should never give up on those who are struggling with addictions. I personally know how it feels to be emotionally drained from someone who struggles with an addiction, and how you reach the point where you want to just give up on trying for them because you feel like they are not trying for themselves.
Don't do it, don't ever give up on them. It is our responsibility to love, support and believe in one another.

Over the last month, I've been through some experiences that made me realize we're only here for a certain amount of time. Use your time doing good for others and never stop believing that people cannot turn their lives around no matter how far they've gone down the wrong path.

Life can seem meaningless if we have no one to love us, so love those in need like there's no tomorrow.

PostSecret.com

For my sister in law who always gives me crap about my shoe collection

instagram marriage

My sister is such a silly goose. Last weekend we were hanging out at her house sitting in the living room not speaking to each other, totally dazed into our iPhones and having a grand time.
I was browsing through my Instagram when I squealed to her "OMG I totally have an Instagram boyfriend! He likes to converse with me on his pics & he's super hot!" to which she replied "What? Who?"
I then showed her his pictures and seeing how good looking he was she said "He's not real, and look, he is following nothing but girls". Then I told her "Geez, hater! I'm not seriously trying to date this guy, that's why I said Instagram boyfriend.... Plus he lives in California, and I already stalked him on Facebook, so he is in fact REAL."

I don't know how she doesn't already know that I use the term "boyfriend" loosely when talking about men on the internet.... and Mark Wahlberg.

ps. Follow me for the shittiest pictures you've ever laid eyes on 

So True

Give Your Children

What they need...

Teach them to EARN what they want.

flikr

Happy Birthday To You

To my Father & my angel in heaven, David Pacheco

1.5.1960 - 7.28.2005

Flickr

Best part of my weekend...

The Red Sea chanting "LARRY!! LARRY!!" 

It was probably the best way to end our season even when we didn't make it to playoffs. Larry Fitzgerald is my hero!

My nephews Rudy & Zavion

Happy New Year!!

A wish for me & a wish for you

Under The Influence

A while ago I had dinner with an Aunt & Uncle of mine and my Uncle said something to me that has been hitting me hard lately and making me reflect upon myself and the life I'm living.  He told me that I have a very special gift... the gift of Influence. He said that he sees me as a very influential person because my personality draws people to me. He also pointed out that I have a choice to make, the choice of what kind of influence I am going to be.

The reason this has been hitting me so hard lately is because I've realized who I have this influence over, my Family. And yeah, I guess I do have an influence over the family that is my age or older, but I feel like my target audience is my younger family, especially one younger lad in particular... my 13 year old brother Noah. Noah is the little brat that stole my sunshine and took my throne as the baby of the family, but we have a 12 year age difference which makes his childhood way different than the rest of mine & my siblings. He's now at the age where he takes everything in around him and is going to pretty much shape his attitude and outlook on life. Before my Dad passed away, he gathered my siblings and myself and told us we all had one common responsibility now: Noah. That no matter what we were all responsible for his well being. And now that Noah isn't such a baby anymore, I feel that I need to start getting my shit together so I can be a good example for him since we are the closest in age and he looks up to me.

This new year of 2012 I am challenging myself with many goals that I intend to accomplish. Goals that I've thought about but never even tried to accomplish, goals that I've slightly tried to achieve, and new goals that I've never had the guts to push myself to mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. My life is going to take a big turn soon. All I can pray for is that I have enough strength to keep pushing and that I continue to have my friends & family support me and keep me focused. The motivation to better myself and my family, that pushes all of my individual goals for this new year is very clear to me now:

Lead By Example

Be the change you want to see in the world - Mahatma Ghandi

I hope you all have at least one fabulous resolution for the new year too & make it your bitch! 
Cheers to 2012 friends :)

Birds of a feather flock together

Whoops, should've posted this earlier since it's almost the new weekend!

Last weekend was fabulous! Company Holiday party at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge then Cardinal domination on Sunday! Friday was a blur and Sunday was freezing cold! My niece swore it was snowing, I was too occupied with my hair blowing in a million and one directions.

So here are some pics from this beautiful weekend. Enjoy :)

On our way to tailgate! My #1 fans!!

My newly recruited Cardinals fans :) Tara & Sierra

Posted in the Red Zone

Lanae & Cardinals mascot, Big Red

Birds of a feather flock together.

Just another beautiful day in the AZ from the hotel balcony

Holla for a Dolla!

I love the dollar store. So much junk in there you never knew you needed until you see it's only a buck! Yesterday I hit two different dollar stores and have amusing stories about each of them.

Dolla Holla Mission 1: Christmas decorations for office
Since we are being forced to have some Holiday office cheer this year, I was instructed to go get cheap decorations to spiff up my lobby because having a tree wasn't enough. So a coworker and I hit Dollar Tree and the main thing I was in search for were a couple of boxes of cheap lights to hang around my desk. I see the lights they have and on the box it said 5.1ft so I figured two boxes would be plenty. When we return to the office, I unravel the lights only to find out I've been bamboozled. I asked my coworker how tall I look and she says about 5'4 to which I reply "Well apparently I must be as tall as Lamar Odom to the Dollar Tree". Cot damn lights are only about 3 feet long and there's 2 feet of just cord and to top it off, there's no damn connector at the end to hook up another set. These kinds of details should be specified!! I guess that's why they're only a dollar.

Dolla Holla Mission 2: Help my niece combine a Secret Santa gift for under $5
My Secret Santa niece needed some help on what to get her friend for under $5, so I told her we'd go to the dollar store and make a little basket of gifts. We picked out nail polishes, nail polish remover, cotton balls, and nail files and put them in a cute Christmas bucket, boom. 5 bucks. During our hunt, we stumbled upon the Dog section with food, treats, leashes and then... stripper dog clothes for small dogs. Seriously. There were cheetah prints, sparkles, glitter and SHEER shirts. Does a dog really need a sheer shirt with zebra print and sequins on it so you can see through it and think to yourself "That is one sexy little bitch"??? Actually, does anyone really need a shirt like that? The answer is no. So needless to say, my sister and I couldn't resist but to buy 2 of these outfits for her Chihuahuas (which are like my children) to help them stay warm in their doghouse. I know what you're thinking, and the answer is YES! Of course we did a family photo shoot!!

Happy Holidays!! Love Cocoa, Chapo & Gina

Inner Dialogue

Whenever you think to yourself, does your inner voice always sound like your normal voice? My imagination tends to get the best of me when I'm thinking and I noticed that my thoughts seem to have different accents whenever I think about certain situations in my head.

When I'm gossiping with Daria on the gangster, I always have this heavy New Jersey accent flowin' through my head and I imagine myself sitting there chompin' on a piece of gum so loud that she can hear it through her computer. You know, just like classy ladies on the East Coast would trash talk people.
i.e. Me: I'm SHORE she will have some'um bad to say about her. I mean, who doesn't she say anything beead about? *smacking gum loudly*

My funniest inner dialogue is when I'm chatting with my cousin on the gangster. It's like a mix of a straight up BonQuiQui hoodrat fresh out of the Compton projects and a valley girl straight outta the Scottsdale Fashion Square mall. Read on:

me: knee garowwwwS: What is up foo! Sooooo you missed out on the crazy bill debate at Texas last night

  ur mom was getting gansta with the waiters bcuz they put everyones tab together and gave us a pen to figure out who got what. It was pretty hilar!

me: oh em gee, thats why i hate going out to eat with everyone!

  and yeah, wtf is their deal!? they always split it!

S: I know. It was craziness. We didn't leave there til 1040!!!

 me: daaaaaang! i hope you guys didn't tip!

S: They included the tip in everyones total.

 me: oh shit thats right, i would've complained!

  throwed some bows in that bitch then square danced on the table and said YIPPEE KAY YAY MONKEY MAN!

 im having a sugar rush!

 S: lol. I think ur mother drank too much when she was preg with yo crazy ass!

 me: seriously!!!!!!

  I so sorry fo yo moda

 S: Speaking of drinking Its NIKOLAS Bday officially todow!! Lets get wasted!

 me: HELLS YES! FROSTING WASTED! So what time are we making cupcakes?!

 S: I get out at 6 so like 645?

  And I got wine foo.

 me: wine makes me sleepy... and whinny

 S: U make me sleepy n whinny

 me: exactly! Cause I'm sooooooooo smooth ;) ;)

 S: Umm not really. cuz ur boring!me: yo face is boring!

 S: Sooo. Where r u and the hubby going for your date?

  

  me: Ew. Grosssssssss

 no husband or ex husband of mine will ever have "corn rolls" unless it's muthafucking T.I.

  Anyways, we are going to a romantic lil pizzeria in downtown Glendale followed by romantic drinks at Pinks cabaret the strip club, jk

 S: lol, Seriously u come up with some random shit!

 me: lol! don't hate

 S: I dont know about youme: well know dis... I am your fatherrrrS: Wow

Sheck it out!!

Blog by my kick butt Fam

verballyattackedbysak: We Are not The Same..Im a MuthaF*kin Alien

The Cutest Thing I Heard This Wknd

Twins to my Sister: "Mommy, mommy! Hold me! Hold me!
My Sister to Twins: "Ughhh! Why do you guys act like this!?"
Sergio: "It's because we love you!"
My Sister: "Aww ok! Come here!!"

Sergio & Simon

We're in our TWENTIES!

Recently my best friend's favorite saying is "but we're in our twenties", like if we're supposed to have it all figured out by the time we're 25 and not be making stupid decisions, especially about men. I told her we should probably cherish it while we can before we hit our 30's and her response was : "WHAT, you're crazy. We're gonna be freaking fabulous in our 30's, hubby's and kids and we're still gonna look fly".... So that means now is the time to make all of our mistakes and be stupid cause we're going to be boring and miserable with offspring clinging to our legs at every.second.of.every.day.
Well at least that's what she thinks, I'm not making myself any promises for my 30's with the whole Hubby & Kids package.

Away from Fantasy Island and in my opinion, my twenties seem to be nothing but a "Trial and Error" life stage. We're legal adults with child thoughts and actions. And we're learning that our actions and decisions have life lasting consequences and only we are responsible for them. We're learning that being that independent adult we've always wanted to be, isn't 100% awesome as we thought. Sure we can stay up as late as we want and drink as much alcohol as we want, but we have to get up for WORK the next morning because we are now paying for our own shit like cars and homes if we'd prefer not to be homeless. The paycheck you get from your awesome job is only glorified for a few days, till more than half of it goes to bills. Then you gotta learn how to stretch out the little of that check that is left, for two WHOLE weeks and manage to go out and do something fun but not too pricey. Oh yeah, that credit card you got approved for when you were big & bad and 18, should probably be paid on time and more than the minimum payment if you ever want credit to get a place of your own or a nicer car than the hooptie your parents bought you when you were 16 that is now 12 years old.

Recently, another friend and I were chatting about how being responsible sucks and makes us poor, so I told her "We're gonna look back at us one day and laugh at how poor we were... Hopefully that day is Friday aka PAYDAY!" Which seems like it's every other week I feel that way. I've learned moving in with friends isn't always the best idea like everyone says... especially when your roommate doesn't pay their rent which then results to shit credit. I'm learning that sometimes super cute shoes are more important than a week's worth of lunch food, especially when you're trying to diet (do the math people). I've learned that we cannot eat all the junk food we once did, now we have to count every single calorie. I've learned that guys can gossip just as much as girls and it takes most of them longer to mature than women. I've learned that there's just some guys that you should stay far away from, but you won't because Danger is your middle name. And I've learned that being in our twenties, we're old enough to know better, yet we're young enough not to care.

Hey, we're in our twenties, it's all good! At least we'll have memories to entertain our thirty year old brains with.

Good judgment comes from experience. 

Experience comes from bad judgment.

- Jim Horning

Conversations between my niece & I

...Waiting for our Hot & Ready pizzas

G: Nae, get the money out of my wallet in my purse
L: *opens my purse*
If I can find it with all this JUNK in here!!! It's like your car!
G: You know what, I'm messy. My purse is a mess, my car is a mess, and my room is a mess. I'm 25 and my life is a big mess.
Boo hoo for me, now get the money!
L: Your bathroom is a mess too.
G: Well you know what, I'm an adult. I can do what I want. If I want a mess, I'll make one and you know what, no one is going to yell at me.
You get beat if your room is a mess, so take that kid!
L: Tia Nikki will probably yell at you.
G: True... You're sitting in the messy back seat from now on, no more shotgun for you.
L: WHAT?! I'm TEN, I can be in the front.
G: So what, I do what I want! *stick my tongue out*



... On my way home from work

*phone rings*
G: Helluuuuu
L: Tia.... Guess... What!?
G: Who's pregnant??????
L: Huh??? ... Whatever, we.. got... Just Dance 3!!!! Turn around and come over!!
G: Dangit, I just pulled up to my house, why didn't you call me 10 min ago!?
L: Just come over!
G: Ok let me change into my gear, get ready to get schooled on your own game sucka!
L: BYE!


Go ahead, call me immature...
I'll just stick my tongue out at you! :p

Moving On

 "There's nothing half so pleasant as coming home again."

Margaret Elizabeth Sangster

This weekend, my Sister will be moving out of the home she has built for the last 6 years. I was living with her at the time when she moved into the house, and I remember our first day there like it was yesterday. I even remember recording bits and pieces of that day on a video camera that belonged to my boyfriend at the time. We had a bunch of family members over to help with the move, we used my Uncle's diesel work truck to get everything over in one load and I even got a job down the street that first week there which made our new home that much more exciting. Even though I don't live there anymore and it's just my Sister and her family who have actually been living there day in and day out, the house has been a home to our entire family the last 6 years. There's been numerous barbeques, birthday parties, Christmas Eves, Thanksgivings, and Halloweens in this house. Where all of our family & friends were always welcome even when my Sister and her family weren't there, like recently when she was driving back from Chicago and we all made ourselves at home and hung out waiting for them to get back.

This is definitely going to be a bittersweet week helping her pack and see the walls and rooms empty little by little. I'm happy for my sister that she's found a bigger and nice house for her family. Especially since they grew from a family of 5 to a family of 8. I just realized I seem to be having a hard time letting go emotionally of this house because it feels like when she leaves the house, we're leaving all of the memories behind that were made there. From living there during the passing of my Dad in 2005, then moving to San Diego shortly after only to be back home in less than 3 months. When my very first car was stolen from the front yard too and I remember how upset I was when the cops found it completely stripped down. Remembering how I constantly used my Sister's ID to sneak into bars & clubs to hangout with my brothers & cousins or to buy beer for my friends when we'd hangout all night. Where I experienced my first serious heart break from an old boyfriend and having it broke the second time when our dog Petey ran away. When my nephew Rudy was just a wee little new born, to my Sister finding out she was pregnant two more times, the second time with twins. To just every other day when I stop by after work and hangout with her kids playing Donkey Kong or goofing around on the trampoline.

I've had a key to this house since the first day we moved in and now it's time to give it back. I just gotta keep reminding myself that in your heart is where you carry memories forever. Plus I'm sure we're going to make many more great ones in her new home and her new neighbors will hate us just as much as the current ones do.

Tia Gina

Day 3 of no Facebook: not too bad, I've only wanted to navigate there twice today. Yesterday was ridic, I almost quit on quitting!

Now back to my post.
Today I came across this super cute article about the founder of SavvyAunt.com who is a married woman and has decided her life is complete without children because she has enough nieces and nephews to fill that void of children. I was instantly intrigued in what this woman has to say because I don't have any children and I'm not interested in any at the moment because I also have plenty of nieces and nephews to borrow then return when I'm ready to go back to "me time". Although I can relate a lot about what the founder is going through not having or wanting children because she is an Aunt, I have to say that right now I'm not ready for kids but I'm not sure about not having children at all. I would love to have my own asshole children someday when I'm ready for it... Or at least married, because being single and not even dating anyone special at the moment doesn't seem like having a child would make my life anymore special.

I love it when people come to one of my family gatherings and are in complete shock of all the children running around then they turn to me and say "When are you going to have kids?". I swear my Sister has a 6th sense for when I get asked this question because without a second to waste she instantly yells "Never! She can take one of mine". My initial thought to this question is 'Does this family really need more children running around?' then 'I'm not even married you jackoff!' then 'Well I'm half way to 50 and it's clear that no one even wants to marry me, where's the fucking ice cream!?' and then I'm the one full of rage breaking the piñata. Ok that last part I made up, but you get the gist.

For the time being, my heart is complete with all of the blessings I call nieces & nephews. I love how they get excited to see me every time I come around -probably because they always tell me that I'm like a big kid 'cause I'm always willing to do goofy things with them. I also love it that they confide in me for things they aren't so sure in telling their parents about 'cause they don't want to get whooped and they know I'm going to let it slide. The best part of it all is that I can enjoy the company of children as long as I want then when I'm over it, I go back to my "world" of selfishness and negligence. I'm sure when it's my time to have children or if I ever do, I will be fine... as long as I can learn to not to refer to them as assholes. I've had oodles and oodles of experience with kids and I learned CPR off YouTube so we should be golden ;)

"Here's the truth about aunthood. Unlike parents, aunts have no legal obligations. Aunthood is a gift. It's a gift to the children who never suffer from too much love. It's a gift to today's overburdened parents who can always use more hands and hearts when it comes to their kids. And it's a gift to us because it is one of the wonderful things that fills our lives with joy, love and purpose." -Melanie Notkin

Repopulation

I have a theory that my family has some sort of evil demon in their head repeating this very word to them... and they do as he says... whenever he says.

My family is super close and are all pretty much in the same age range. I have 5 siblings and we have 4 cousins that we grew up with living within one mile of us, with so we consider each other brothers and sisters. Growing up, birthday parties were a blast and going out to dinner for someone's birthday was always an adventure. We are still really close to this day and that I am extremely thankful for.

Well now that we're all older, they've decided to have children like the world has been wiped out of the human species and God said "I choose this family to repopulate the earth". I have 10 nieces and nephews just from my siblings; my "other siblings" have a total of 7... I think that's right. Don't get mad at me if I forgot someone, use a condom! Now this doesn't include all of the other children in my family; I would have to spend all day doing that because my Dad has 8 sisters and 1 brother and my mother has 2 sisters and 2 brothers and I don't even know how many kids trickle down from that... Now do you understand the title of this post and why I don't have children???

It never fails, our gatherings are a blast. Whether it's bbq'ing on Sundays, holiday celebrations, baptismals or tailgating; we eat, drink, and have a good time. Sometimes there's a nip slip and sometimes we get just a taaaad bit rowdy and get in fights... But when it comes to birthday parties, that is just craziness all around whether it's a kids party or adult outing. I feel like birthday parties are the most hectic gathering for this fam, or really, any large family. Not everyone needs to show up for Sunday bbq's, tailgating, or 4th of July hangouts; but a birthday party, it's like you have to go because your kids will hate you forever if they miss their favorite cousins pinata and jumpy thingamajig. Plus you'll miss out on the delicious food, so you go. Parties at houses usually turn into an adult event with coolers full of beer, adults wrestling each other in the jumper, and the cops getting called at 1am. Peter Piper's are usually overtaken by our family then we all go back to someone's house to continue the adult fun. And then there's the times we decide to go out to sit down restaurants for the adults birthdays...

Normally on one's birthday, you want to go out to your favorite restaurant with the people you love the most surrounding you while eating your favorite meal. Not me, I've decided to opt out of this for celebrating my birthday for 3 good reasons:
   1.) This family is never on time.
Like Joe Pesci says in Goodfellas "Yeah, you were always fuckin' late, you were late for your own fuckin' funeral". My sister has to make 3 different sets of invitations for birthday parties! Three!! One set for her white friends (who are always good at being on time) and another set for my family that usually says the party is at 2pm when it doesn't really start till 5pm. The 3rd invitation is for my aunt who's invitation says party time is at Noon that way she'll be there by 6 the latest. The chances of the restaurant letting us sit down without the entire party there are slim to none.

   2.) Hassling restaurant employees to make room for and serve 24+ people their correct food.
The minimum wait time for a party this big is usually an hour, when you're waiting for one side of the restaurant to leave so you can all sit together. Even if we did make a reservation, we'd still wait till everyone got there so the waiters could take orders. Just looking at the faces of the waiters taking drink and food orders then bring them out to the correct person makes me pity them. Thank God restaurants do that automatic tip for parties of 8 or more.

   3.) Splitting the bill.
This usually takes an extra hour after everyone has finished their meals and is ready to be on their way. Most waiters ask in advance if and how the bill will be split, but it always happens that someone got the wrong items on their bill or was over / under charged. It wouldn't be that big of a hassle for everyone to throw your money on the table and leave, but in this day and age no one carries around cash. So we have to wait for the waiter to correct the bill, then run all of our cards and bring them back to sign. What's worse is just yesterday, my family went out for a few birthdays and the waiter put the bill all together and gave them a pen to figure out their own totals. WOW! What a jerkoff! Apparently my Ma thought the same cause I was told she was about to get fist to cuffs with the staff for pulling that stunt.

Ahhh.... I love my huge family!!!