Day #24 - Something you have learned

I would like to think that I have learned a lot during my 31 years of life. The last three years have been filled with the most growth ...

I have learned how to become a better wife, a better mother, a better friend and a better Christian. I have learned that I can not be everything to everyone and, in return, everyone can not be everything to me. I have put expectations aside and realized that what matters most is the way I live my life. I have learned to be more positive and put much less weight on what others might be saying or thinking about me. I have learned that (unfortunately) I can not do it all. If I didn't slow down, life was going to pass me by!

Thank you everyone for letting me grow and learn with you!

Day # 23 - Favorite Vacation

Honestly, I do not have a FAVORITE vacation. Whether it be as a whole family, as a family of four, or as a couple, I enjoy everywhere we travel and have traveled together. Texas, New York, Hawaii, St. Lucia, Palm Dessert, San Fran, Arizona, Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe...doesn't matter to me.

Have Bag...Will Travel!

SWEET STUFF!

Isabella's very first sport and team picture came out adorable!

Aren't Coach Jose & Coach Kristy (on the left) so cute!? They are married and I just love them.

Day # 22 - Favorite City

Favorite City to travel to...no shock here...

Kapalua

Day # 21 - A picture of yourself!

Here I am in Hawaii (Circa 2010). It must have been windy! This picture makes me laugh because it is so "me". No matter how hard I try, nothing is every perfect and you know what...that is OK!

Auntie Donna!

We were lucky enough to have Aunt Donna come stay with us this past week! It was so much fun having her here and visiting. We just went about our daily lives...she bunked with Isabella and played with the kids lots. Vincent said, "Oh No, Donna gone...she workey??" after she left. And this morning as we past Sissy's room he said, "Shhh...Donna sleeping...Oh NO! Donna not there!" Thanks for spending time with us! We love you!

One day last week I had a box filled with all of these peanuts. Isabella asked if she could play with them. I said she could play with the box, but if she dumped out the peanuts then she would have to pick them all up herself. Of course when the time came, she was having none of it. Aunt Donna made up this racing game to see who could pick them up and throw them away the fastest! They had the best time :)

And finally...these are the things Popi does. Last week Chris had to pick up some documents from my Dad. He sent home a surprise treat of yummy cookies for the kids. Love that he wrote them a special message. Isabella ate her dinner so fast in order to get to dessert.

Day # 20 - Nicknames

Becky
Beck
Beckdog
B
Beedle B
Becky Bird

Day 19 - Something You Miss

Not something...rather, Someone...

I miss all of my Grandparents. I often think about how much they would have LOVED and ENJOYED my children. I am lucky enough to have those fond memories stored away of my Grandparents and I know they are in heaven looking down on us all.

The only Great-Grandparent Isabella met was Grandma Jesse and unfortunately she wasn't in her right mind at the time. And Vincent is named after his Great-Grandpa which I will make sure he always knows.

I love and miss you Grandma & Grandpa Piraino and Grandma & Grandpa Hansen!

Day # 18 - Something you Regret

Although not necessarily regrets, there are three things I will mention here. Nothing is major yet they have all shaped me in some way....

1. I regret not writing down every little thing Isabella or Vincent have said. I regret not writing down funny stories or keeping track of things in their baby books regarding my pregnancy and their growth. I have gone back through and started to write things that I remember in the baby books because it made me too sad thinking I had not done so. It would have been a ton easier had I done this along the way! This has lead to me catching up on baby books and catching up/staying current on photo albums.

2. I regret letting other people sway my decisions and feelings. I relied on other's opinions with friendships and not trusting myself makes me sad. However, had this not happened, I wouldn't be the friend I am today...which I hope is a better friend and person all around.

and finally...

3. I regret not enjoying my carefree years a bit more. Believe me, I would not change my world now for anything and I did have an absolutely awesome time in high school and college. However, I was always looking forward to the next thing to come in my life: graduating, getting married, kids, etc. Had I just been in the moment I think I would have worried less. I would have worried less what others thought of me and less about my weight. I would have just HAD FUN! But now I have learned to have fun in the current 'life' and enjoy the now!

Day # 17 - Something You Are Looking Forward To

This is a hard post because there is so much that I look forward to on a daily basis and in the future.

The most immediate thing I am looking forward to is gardening and planting lots of beautiful flowers. I am looking forward to weeding and straightening up my back and front yards. I am looking forward to planting Isabella's garden with her. I am looking forward to Isabella being off for the summer to play more outside. I love flowers and they make me so happy. I love having my backyard and courtyard straightened up for guests to come over for BBQs...

So, Come on ... give me some good weather!!

Day # 16 - Dream House

I LOVE, LOVE my house and know it is a dream, but there are still things I would change! I will always remember the dream house that didn't pan out for us, but maybe some day the perfect one will go on sale.
My dream house:

 

• By a Country Club (this one was by Vellano...still in Chino Hills)
• Single Story
• Casita by the courtyard for the pool table, video games, etc. (would love to decorate it all in sports memorabilia)
• Very open kitchen, nook and family room
• Open office with built in book shelves on the same side of the house as the master bedroom
• 2 bedrooms on the other side of the house (they were decorated for a boy and a girl)
• Backyard with spa

 

I remember walking in and thinking it was just perfect and it was home. I saw us growing old in that house together. The funny thing is, when we walked into the model of our house now, I also thought it felt like home and that it was meant to be our house.

Day # 15 - Bible Verse

3 of my favorites...

Popi's Birthday

Yesterday was Popi Guy's birthday! We didn't think we could make it with school and softball practice, so we enjoyed a Sunday night dinner at Mimi's. Then, Isabella's practice was canceled, so we were able to join the dinner celebration at Aunt Amy's house. Of course, we had a great time chatting and laughing. Uncle Soner and Amy rock at cooking! And don't you just adore these pictures!! Happy Birthday Pop! We love you!

Fabulous at Forty!

Aunt Jenny is certainly FABULOUS at Forty!! Her party turned out adorable and we all had a great time! The food was yummy, drinks were great, music was awesome ... LOVED IT! Happy Birthday Sister!!!

Day # 14 - A Picture You Love

My Isabella Rose
11 Months Old
Dreaming of going back to Hawaii

Day #13 - Goals

I have a lot of goals, but off the top of my head, I will say these:

1. Continue going to boot camp. Stick with it even though the numbers on the scale might not be what I want. Stay healthy.

2. Work on my self confidence.

3. Volunteer at a Soup Kitchen.

4. Learn to budget and spend money wisely.

5. Keep my family happy.

6. Get gardening back on my schedule.

7. Read more.

8. Work harder.

9. Finish catching up on my photo books.

10. Be full of love, good spirit and positive energy.

#12 - what you believe

I believe...

In God
In Heaven
In the power of prayer
In the power of positive thinking
In happily ever after
In myself
In my husband
In my children
In everything there is a reason
In giving it my all

Day #11 - Favorite TV Shows

I think this might sum it up. I am sure there are more that I watch but I can't think of right now. Basically I LOVE TV, especially reality!!!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Day # 10 - Something You are Afraid Of

The thing I am most afraid of is Dying. It isn't because of the afterlife; I believe in God and I believe in Heaven. It is because I don't want to leave my children. They need a Mother and I want to experience all I can with them...Birthdays, Vacations, Driver's liscenses, Sports, High School Graduations, Weddings, Grandchildren... I know that only God knows when I will pass, but I pray to stay healthy and strong in order to live a very long life and I trust he knows how much my kids NEED me :)

Blog Challenge # 9 - Picture of your friends

A tribute to all of my wonderful girlfriends whom I hold very dear to my heart ... Thank you for letting me into your life ...

T-Dog & B-Fab

Holly, Rebecca, Caitlin, Melanie, Lauren, Amanda (tried to find our old school pictures, but they must be at my Moms), Meagan and Vanessa (why don't we have more pictures?)...

I love you all!

When Life Gives You Lemons...

... Make LEMONADE!!!

Day # 8 - A place you've traveled to

New York, New York
(Techincally Vincent is there too, but didn't know he was a boy yet!)

July 2008

We can't wait to go back!

Teegan's 3rd Birthday!

Teren did an OUTSTANDING job, as usual, on the adorable Toy Story birthday party! I loved it and the kids had a wonderful time playing with their friends!! And T, the treats were all YUMMY!! Thanks for having us!

Blog Challenge #7 - Favorite Movies

Yikes, this was tough! I have so many movies that I love and so many that are not included here. Looking at this collage it is obvious that I like romantic comedies (shocker) and movies that pull at heart strings! I LOVE Disney movies! I LOVE Tom Cruise, Julia Roberts, Kate Hudson, Jennifer Lopez, Anne Hathaway, Richard Gere, and Matthew McConaughey ... I love movies based off books (especially Nicholas Sparks books) so that I can read the book first and then see the movie! Top Gun is my all time favorite (my Dad and I can recite the lines to each other!) Oh, and Chris and I saw Notting Hill on our first day :)

Blog Challenge # 6 ...

...A picture of something that makes you happy.

These are all of my digital photo books that I have had printed. There are each years' family photos, family vacations, the kids' birth, the kids' baptisms, each birthday and holidays. I even have a book of our house being built! I coordinate the linen cover to the event which makes for an array of beautiful colors. Every time I go past these on the upstairs counter, I smile. It gives me peace of mind and makes me extremely happy to know that these books are printed and that most of my pictures are off my computer in a safe place. Every once in a while I will walk by and pull one out randomly to look at the pictures. I am still trying to catch up and I have a list of books that are done but need to be printed: Vincent's 2nd birthday, Christmas 2010, Preschool, Disneyland trips, and all of Ballet. I would also like to venture some day and scan my wedding activities and possibly do a book of Chris and I through the years. Some day I will be completely caught up and just get the books as the event passes ... Hope you can see why these make me HAPPY!

More of Pixy!

Yesterday morning was an early one! 8am game ... yikes .... but we made it and we love to watch Isabella learning more each week about the game :) She really enjoys softball and likes to get 'down and dirty'. All the Sweet Stuff girls seemed a little tired and played much better the week before, but watching them is so cute and fun!

Day # 5 - Siblings

I am also going to keep this post short, as all you who read this blog know the relationship I have with my siblings. I love them all dearly, they all have amazing yet different qualities, and when we get together you can usually find us hanging out in the kitchen filling it with nonsense and laughter (and Chris and David having some weird eating challenge!)

David is the oldest. He is 42 and has been married to Julie for 21 years. AMAZING! They have 3 children who are equally as amazing...Samantha, Allison and Jacob. I have always considered my Brother to be role model, not only in profession, but in faith and family. David and Julie are Vincent's God Parents for this reason.

Jennifer is going to be FABULOUS at 40 on Monday (Happy Birthday, Sister!). She has been married to Frank for almost 4 years and has 3 beautiful daughters: Taylor, Camryn and Rylie.

Amy is 37 and has been married to Soner for 2, almost 3 years. She has a step-son Jon and Amy is Isabella's God Mother.

I have always considered my Sisters and I to have a 'power of 3'. When you have a sister, you have a built in best friend for life. These two are hilarious and like I said, can always keep me in stitches. They are gorgeous, intelligent women who are always there to offer me support, advice and unconditional love. I love them beyond anything I can express and thank them for always being there.

And last but not least, I have an amazing Brother in Law named Nick who will be 31 this year. He is so smart , funny, good natured, strong hearted and amazing. I am proud to also call him my Brother. I love him dearly and always enjoy having him around...I can always go to Nick for advice on computers and technology and we love going to Vegas together :) Right, Nick?!

Blog Challenge - My Parents

Guy Francis Hansen & Nancy Anne Piraino

High School Sweethearts who have been married for 44 years! They are my true inspiration. They have shown that love will prevail. For those who don't know, my Grandpa Vinnie kicked my Mom out of the house for dating my Dad (they later became best of friends) and she lived at the YMCA. My parents lived in a trailer for their first year of marriage on the Army base in Texas. They had nothing, but each other and their love as inspiration to build the amazing family and life that they have. I am going to keep this short because I am very emotional thinking about these two amazing, wonderful, awesome people that God gave to me to call my parents!

This year for Christmas I wrote my parents each personal letters. I have copied a little of each below...

Part of Moms:

You are amazing to me, Mom. Your courage and strength as you go through life in much pain is truly inspiring.  I know it is a struggle for you, but you try so hard not to complain and to keep a positive outlook on life. You are a beautiful, classy, intelligent woman -  so full of generosity and kind spirit....

Since I have become a Mother myself, I now see the sacrifices you have made to raise four children. You have always put us kids before yourself and it is through you that I have seen how selfless a Mother can be. All you ever wanted was for us to be happy. And let me tell you, you succeeded....

You made sure we had traditions, fond memories of family time and faith in God. These are the important things I hope to instill in my children as I raise them. I can only pray to be the kind of Mother that you have been to me.

Part of Dads:

My childhood and all of my years have been filled with love and laughter. My memories are so positive of times spent together. I remember when I was having Isabella, you touched my face and said, “It will all be worth it when you see her little face”. That makes me cry to this day, because in an instant I realized what a special bond you have with a parent. And to see the joy that she brings you, the joy that Vincent brings you, fills my heart and makes me so happy. I love how they can put a sparkle in your eye. You have shown me that a real man can be strong yet sensitive......

You are a true Hero to me. I hope that I have made you proud with the woman, daughter, mother and wife I have become - because I am a true reflection of you and Mom and all you have taught me about life....

I love you and thank you from the bottom of my heart for your love, guidance, wisdom, encouragement, faith and friendship. God has truly blessed me.

And it wouldn't be right if I didn't mention the two amazing people that I call my In-Laws. I treasure the relationship we have and all of the time we get to spend together. They both have awesome qualities which all of you know first hand and that I could go on and on about....just know that I love them and am proud to be part of their family.

I can not ever find the words to Thank any of you for the type of Grandparents you are! I love you...

Day # 3 - First Love

My FIRST LOVE.....was a man named Eric Peter Karros. Yup, was pretty sure I was going to marry him. Signed my letters "Rebecca Anne Karros" (Bianca can attest to that...AND she was suppose to marry Mike Piazza...but whatever)...named my egg child, "Ashley Anne Karros" in High School...thought his mop of hair was 'oh so cute' coming out of the sides of his baseball hat...tried everything I could to be around him....still love the number 23 to this day and always get excited when I hear his voice announcing on the TV. I really don't understand why he didn't love an underage teenager such as myself??? Oh well, life moves on! I searched all over for the picture I have with just Eric and myself (that I put in a frame in my room so I could pretend he really liked me) but I couldn't find that one...so the below will have to do!

Sure, I had my high school crushes who didn't like me back...Jeff, Alex, Jacob... and a couple of boys I dated in college...Kevin and Jon...but I never LOVED any of them in the true sense of the word. I found my first TRUE LOVE when I was 19 years old and I haven't looked back. He is amazing and there is no other person I would rather spend my days with.

I will take him over Eric Karros any day!!

Blog Challenge - Day 2

No surprise here....

Chris, Rebecca, Isabella and Vincent...we make up "The Calagna 4"!

Est. 11.06.04 : Our family was established on the day we got married!



Blog Challenge - Day 1

Alright folks, I am joining Teren and Holly on this 30 day blog challenge. Here is what we will be posting about for 30 days:

Day 1-Introduce, recent picture, 15 interesting facts

Day 2-Meaning behind your blog name

Day 3-Your first love

Day 4-Your parents

Day 5-Your siblings

Day 6-A picture of something that makes you happy
Day 7-Favorite movies
Day 8-A place you've traveled to
Day 9-A picture of your friends

Day 10-Something you're afraid of

Day 11-Favorite TV shows

Day 12-What you believe

Day 13-Goals

Day 14-A picture you love

Day 15-Bible verse
Day 16-Dream house

Day 17-Something you're looking forward to

Day 18-Something you regret

Day 19-Something you miss
Day 20-Nicknames
Day 21-Picture of yourself
Day 22-Favorite city
Day 23-Favorite vacation

Day 24-Something you've learned

Day 25-Put your iPod on shuffle, first 10 songs
Day 26-Picture of your family
Day 27-Pets
Day 28-Something that stresses you out

Day 29-3 Wishes

Day 30-a picture

If any of you wonderful friends would like to join, please do!!!

DAY 1 - Introduce, recent picture & 15 facts



Here I am ... Rebecca Anne Calagna ... 31 year old Wife, Mother of 2, Friend, Sister, Daughter and Christian ... loving, living and learning one day at a time!
15 Facts about ME ...

1. Am a true romantic who looks forward to spending every day with my Husband, making a life and making memories.
2. Am amazed at my two beautiful children ...am so lucky to be home with them to watch as they grow. I dreamed of being a sports photographer, college professor and stay at home Mom...at least the most important one came true!
3. Love the feeling of a cold pillow against my face and will keep turning it over all night.
4. Am truly blessed to grow up in the family I did ... am blessed to be alive actually, born at 2.5 lbs.
5. Love traveling - as a family but also as a couple.
6. Want another baby, but my Husband is on the fence.
7. Love to cook or bake and to listen to music while I am doing it.
8. Have anxiety which started after my miscarriage and unfortunately I have to take medicine for it.
9. Love my computer and surfing the web on the couch, while my husband plays xbox or we watch our reality shows.
10. Love Nikes, baseball and football, shopping, reading, wine and martinis, musicals, jewelry and hats.
11. Love to hear my Dad singing, especially Church hymns...love church, but don't go as often as I should.
12. Talk to my Mom every day on the phone.
13. Can not keep anything clean.
14. Have weight issues; need to loose 20 lbs and probably will for the rest of my life.
15. Am an open book, overly sensitive, idealistic, have a tendency for high expectations and wear my heart on my sleeve...but that is just ME...

Parting is such Sweet Sorrow...

It is time for my formals and I to part. Orangewood Children's Foundation (a charity Chris and I have supported through Union Bank) is having their 4th annual Belle of the Ball and I am gladly donating my old formal dresses to them...

Belle of the Ball provides disadvantaged Orange County teen girls the opportunity to experience a day of empowerment, beauty and self-esteem. These young ladies are in the foster care system or come from low-income, at-risk families and this may be the only chance to get a dress for prom or graduation. This special day is providing an opportunity of many ‘firsts’ - having a formal dress and all the accessories, lessons on how to put on make-up and etiquette for special occasions. For these girls, it is an exciting day and a chance to gain self-esteem and self-worth.

Yes, a small part of me is sad that I will be getting rid of this box of my past, but most of me is extremely happy to help. I hope that someone will find one of my dresses perfect for her special night and she will experience wonderful memories like I store in my heart! (I wish for a special girl to be called Cinderella in my blue Prom dress ... my absolute favorite out of all!) 

Lucky Ladybug!

Did you know Ladybugs are considered Lucky?

I was making a snack of celery and peanut butter and I look down to find a ladybug crawling across my counter! It came to our house on the celery from the grocery store.

Isabella was so excited! We put her (and a leaf) in a mason jar and poked holes in the lid. I think once we plant Isabella's garden for the season we will let 'Lady' loose to bring good luck :)