Wednesday, December 31, 2008

UNBELIEVABLE


Well I finally gave in..... Yesterday after a very long 12 hour day at work, I came home hungry, tired, and cranky!! I ate, hugged my boys, wandered around thinking I should do a load of laundry but instead picked up Twilight and started reading!! A little back story..... I first heard of the series from my GT Friend Eve, she raved about the books and soon it became the national phenomenon we all now know about. I was not at all interested in reading , even after every third person I talked to said I should! During our last trip to the GT with endless chatter of the books going on everywhere, my friend Karen said, "okay the curiosity has gotten to me I think I need to read these books". My niece Nicole (sweetest girl you'll ever meet) has read them all and loved them. She let me borrow them and Karen took Twilight on vacation with her. She returned the book yesterday and said "there is something very likable about the vampires", you've got to read it. And so as before mentioned I was exhausted from my day and I managed to only read the first TEN CHAPTERS before falling off to sleep! This morning I have read one more chapter, but really need to do that load of laundry!! So to Eve and all the other GT book reviewers.....You were right! It only took 9 chapters for me to fall for Edward :0).

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Happy New Year Everyone


This is a super cute test take it and let me know what you think :o)

WHO IS YOUR ROLE MODEL???
Try it without looking at the answers..... .

1) Pick your favorite number between 1-9

2) Multiply by 3 then

3) Add 3, then again Multiply by 3 (I'll wait while you get the calculator.. ..)

4) You'll get a 2 or 3 digit number….

5) Add the digits together

Now Scroll down .............






Now with that number see who your ROLE MODEL is from the list below:

1. Einstein
2. Barack Obama
3. Abraham Lincoln
4. Helen Keller
5. Bill Gates
6. Oprah Winfrey
7. George Clooney
8. Thomas Edison
9. Lisa Dones
10.Tiger Woods

>
>
>
>
>
> I know....I just have that effect on people....one day you too can be like me.... :-) Believe it!
>
> < > P.S.: Stop picking different numbers. I am your idol, just deal with it!!!!

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Merry Christmas


Merry Christmas to all of you!! This Christmas has certainly zoomed right in!! We are gearing up for all the fun that the holiday brings! We will attend the Children's Mass at Church and Joseph will be an altar server (makes me beam with pride to see him up there). Then we will go to my parents house (just around the corner) and celebrate with our entire family and a few friends will drop in. Santa usually comes for a visit. We make our traditional Tamales a week prior but don't steam and eat them until Christmas Eve. After an evening of celebrating up to 27 of us all have a slumber party!! Yes we all spend the night, we have a pajama contest, sleep all over the place, stay up into the wee hours of the morning laughing and chatting! In the morning we all make and eat breakfast together. Then open gifts, say our goodbyes and all move onto to our other families. This year Joe, the boys and I will have Christmas Day Dinner for my parents and grandmother as we won't be traveling to see our other family until New Years Day. So we are all looking forward to a long drawn our celebration! Lucky us!!

Monday, December 22, 2008

Wow! Where has the time gone! 16 years ago, we welcomed our first born Joseph Michael Dones Jr., he was a tiny little thing at 6lbs. 4 oz. look at him now!! We are so incredibly proud of you Joseph!! Here are a pics to share from the school Holiday Concert (he plays the clairnet) and the Winter Ball (love the shoes!) and a soccer game....Enjoy

Sunday, December 14, 2008

It Finally Looks Like Christmas

We have been so incredibly busy, I was starting to think that I would never have time to decorate the inside of my house. Joe and the boys put up the outdoor decor weeks ago! Now if you know me you know that I was born without the holiday decorating gene. My Mom decorates like a pro and her house is always beautiful. If it wasn't for her reminding me how dissapointed she'd be in me if i didn't put up a tree and decorate the house, I would let it go!! Well Joe and the boys jumped right in and helped out and the house looks great! I am always pleased when it is finished.

Monday, December 1, 2008

Patting Myself on the Back

I am back from my wonderful, relaxing, and productive trip to the Green Tangerine. My scrappin' partner this trip was the always fun Karen. Thanks so much for your friendship and creative support :o). I completed 75 pages!!! Karen completed 50 pages!! So together that makes....US AWESOME :o). A million thank you's to my family for pitching in to help Joe out while I was away. A HUGE thanks to my three guys for being just plain amazing.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Miss You!!



Happy Thanksgiving to my Nephew Pfc. Manuel A. DaBranca III. He is stationed at Fort Sill in Oklahoma. We are counting the days until we see you again!! We are proud of you! Stay ARMY STRONG :o)

Tuesday, November 25, 2008


AND THE WINNER IS........

Okay while most of the world is completely engrossed in the Twilght series, I am obsessed with Dancing with the Stars!!! Call me physic, but I called it on week one! Brooke and Derek are the Champs!!!! YEAH!!!!

Monday, November 24, 2008

THANKFUL

Our crazy life in this crazy world during these crazy times, we are THANKFUL!! For so many things. I am so encouraged by the upcoming change in our government, hopeful that the economy will be restored and people can relax alittle. Here is a randon list of the things we sometimes take for granted but are so thankful for:
1. Our Family and Friends
2. Pepsi
3. Lollipop Lane Preschool
4. Shear Illusions
5. Public Schools
6. 17481 Meekland Ave.
7. Our camera (even Joe thinks it stinks)
8. The ability to commicate through the Internet!!

Another Sport Same Great Player!!




Anthony has moved on to his CYO Basketball Season. This is his 4th season with St. John's and Wow! he is playing really well, or as they say, "he's a balla". He was named Offensive Player of the week having scored 10 of the teams 25 points. He is playing forward and point guard. He plays with an insane level of intensity, so i am a nervous wreck!! Such a different game than soccer! Our goal as a family is to support Anthony without being ejected from a game! So far so good....Joe can be alittle vocal and Joseph alittle protective.

The Dones Boys just keep going!!

Joseph made the High School Soccer Team and we are very very proud of him!! I am looking forward to the hectic, freezing cold, slightly long high school schedule. Most of the games are being played on Tues. and Thurs. this is when my customers loyalty is teasted as I really don't like to miss a single game!! GO DONS (never thought I'd say that seeing as I attended the local rival high school).

I'm Baaaack!!






Life obducted me for a while! I have found that this can happen when you are the Mom of two active boys. Our Club League Soccer Season has ended and both of the boys teams placed 2nd in their divisions!!! It must have something to do with the coaching (hehe :o). We all had a really great season. Both teams will play in post season tournaments, The Association Cup in January and State Cup in March. I miss soccer already and can't wait until then!!

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Someone has beat me to it!!!

Well it seems that my Little Sis is better at bloggin' my life than I am lately!! go check out her blog to see what we've all been up to! www.mommymouseginaweaver.blogspot.com

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Six Long Years




On Monday Joseph had his braces removed!!!!!! After two phases that lasted six long years, I no longer have to remind him to put on his rubber bands or pick up those nasty little things from the bathroom floor! That evening I caught him looking at himself in the mirror, and I said " not bad for a chubby little kid with braces and glasses huh?? He turned and flashed me a big smile, hugged me and said....Thanks Mom. Okay so maybe all the nagging to brush, swish, rubberbands, rushing to the afterschool appts., endless payments were all worth it! Check out my young man with the flashy new smile.....

Friday, October 24, 2008

HAPPY 11th BIRTHDAY




Today is our youngest son Anthony Mariano Dones' 11th Birthday!!!


Happy Birthday to the sweetest, nicest, most loving 11 year old I know.


Anthony is my social bug, so we have a pizza party for this classmates today, a Pump It Up! party for 33 of his closest friends tonight, a family dinner tommorrow night, and church, lunch and a movie with just the four of us on Sunday!! He doesn't leave anyone out of his celebrating!!!

Saturday, October 4, 2008

YUCK

So I have a case of the "Almost Fall" yucky cold symptoms. I am trying to lay low so I'll be better quick! Anthony's team won 7-2 awesome game and he played like a pro!! So happy that I rolled out of bed for that one! Joseph plays tommorrow and hopefully it will be the same outcome! Off to bed for me and my yucky stuffy head!

Friday, September 26, 2008

A few soccer shots

I am an avaerage photographer, and a downright lousy soccer picture taking photographer!!! So I love when we go to a tournament and the Hot Shot People are there! They love me also, because I buy all the pics of my boys!!! Here are a few shots from this season, mine and the Hot Shots. The season for both of our teams is going well and we are having a BLAST!!

Settle Down!

What do you get when you have one short tempered coach, one "what me!?!" kind of player and one referee all in the same family....... Well this picture was staged, but so that we never have this scene actually happen Joseph is not ref'ing any of Anthony's games!! Joseph is working his first season as a licensed referee for CYSA and earning alittle spending money. He is enjoying it and doing a good job, he sometimes plays his game and then goes onto ref 2-3 more games!

Monday, September 15, 2008

What's in a name?

So all of us have names, nicknames, email addresses, blog names, etc. I personally am fascinated and interested in knowing where these names originated. Leave me a comment and tell where your unique "name" comes from. I will start....My Email address is: Berrygirl327. The 327 is my birth month and date. The Berrygirl is from my love of strawberries, I have been collecting strawberry items (for my kitchen ) for YEARS!!! At one time most of my house was decorated with strawberries because my collection was huge!!!!. About a year ago I redecorated and now just the kitchen is decorated in strawberries. The Lollipop Cropper nickname comes from my group of scrapbooking friends being from Lollipop Lane Preschool (one of my many beloved places of employment!) My Blog Name: Do I really have time for this? Well this one is self- explanitory!! I am super self enflicted BUSY all the time, have a hard time saying no, and consider the clock my biggest enemy! I have forced myself to blog, to carve out a little sit down and relax time :o)

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

No longer just a Lurker!!


I have officially moved up from being a lurker to a full blown participating Blogger!! My friend Eve is hosting a color challenge on her blog http://www.thisisbliss838.blogspot.com/ and I have submitted this card for a chance to win! click on over and join the fun! I'd love to see all of your cards! I am going to send this card to my nephew who is in the Army, he is stationed in Fort Sill, Oklahoma and we all really miss him!

Sunday, September 7, 2008

And we're off!!.........

It is Sunday night at 7:40 p.m., as I sit in a near stuper writing this. Opening Weekend for soccer is over. Let's see this weekend between the four of us we played 2 games, won 2 games, coached 2 games, referee'd 3 games, worked 6 hours in the snack bar, watched and cheered at many other games in between it all, and the kicker...Anthony's team had the weekend off! Next weekend brings 6 games, 4 different fields, and our church festival! Once again, no photos to post, dinner, laundry, housework, grocery shopping keeps getting in the way of all the fun stuff I want to do!! Hope to upload and post during the week.

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

The excitemnet is building!!!

Okay so I am a HUGE Dancing with the Stars fan, as many of you know I am not a huge fan of TV watching, I don't really have much time for it or interest in it, unless it is really late at night when I finally convince myself to go to bed, I will change the channel from my hubby's quality viewing choice, cage fighting....(he really is a nice guy, just has bad TV judgement). So for me to love a show enough to dedicate several nights a week to actually sitting on the couch and watching while shushing all my guys so i don't miss a thing, is a really big deal!! As you can see I have the countdown going and below is a complete list of the stars and thier partners!!! My fav's: Professional Dancer: Makism....so stinkin' cute!
Star Dancer: Brooke Burke...my hubby has always been a fan of hers, we once ran into her and her girls at Disneyland and she was really sweet to pose for a photo with my guys!



Cody Linley is partnered with 19-year-old cutie Julianne Hough.
Derek Hough is paired with actress Brooke Burke.
Chef Rocco DiSpirito is partnered with Karina Smirnoff.
Lance Bass is partnered with Lacey Schwimmer.
Kim Kardashian is paired with last year's champ Mark Ballas.
Olympic sprinter Maurice Green is dancing with two-time champ Cheryl Burke.
Misty May-Treanor is paired with returning pro dancer Maksim Chmerkovskiy.
Ex-NFL star Warren Sapp is paired with Kym Johnson.
Actor Ted McGinley is paired with newcomer Inna Brayer.
Stand-up comedian Jeffrey Ross is partnered with Edyta Sliwinska.
Toni Braxton is partnered with Season 1 champ Alec Mazzo.
Cloris Leachman will be dancing with Corky Ballas
Susan Lucci is paired with Tony Dovolani.

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

All Green Things Must Come To An End.....

Wow! What a fabulous holiday weekend I had! First of all my boys both had a great first week at school! On Friday I went to see Mama Mia with my gals the Lollipop Croppers, we had dinner before the movie and ice cream after. Karen and I headed to the Green Tangerine on Saturday at 5:30 a.m. :o) returned home on Monday at 7:00 p.m. (yes we stayed one day longer than planned) crazy I know!!! We scrapped for a total of 30 hours... I completed 49 pages and Karen completed 41 pages!! We had such a great time with the store staff, our bloggin friends, and all the friendly scrappers in Rocklin. Especially Raimi and Eve our "old buddies" . I have to say I couldn't have had such an enjoyable weekend without my great husband, he held down the fort at home, I walked up to a manicured yard, walked into a clean house, and sat down to a steak dinner! Lucky, I know. This saturday is Opening Day of Soccer Season so I will be completely consummed with the boys schedules until the end of November. I love to scrap, but I really LOVE to be at the soccer field with my three guys. I'll keep you all posted as to how thier teams are doing and I hope to post some layouts from my weekend soon.

And the Winner Is.......

First of all thanks to everyone that entered my contest! I had 18 of you play along! The most favorite new Stampin Up! product by a landslide was the scallop punch!! I numbered all of your comments and asked my youngest son Anthony to choose a number between one and eighteen and he chose number seventeen, so the lucky winner is.......Barb from www.fosterdesignhouse.blogspot.com she has a darling blog, click over to check it out.

Monday, August 25, 2008

New School Year Ramblings



Today was the First Day of School. The boys happily posed for a pic before we left, right on time!! I even cooked breakfast! Joseph is a Sophmore in High School, so he glided right in all relaxed and looking forward to his first year in the Health & Medicine Academy and another year on the soccer team, hopefully Varsity this year, I on the other hand had a small twinge of sadness as I thought this might be the last 1st day of school I drive him to as he will have his drivers license by his Junior Year :o(, Anthony is a Fifth Grader. The Big Man on campus, as our elementary school only goes up to the 5th grade. So he glided right in all excited to enjoy the popularity he has earned by being everyones friend since kindergarten!, I on the other hand had a huge twinge, alright a huge twist of the gut as I realized this was the last time I will walk him to his first day of school :o(, next year he will be in middle school and I'll just drop him in the parking lot, and be happy if he remembers to say goodbye, of course I may not notice if he doesn't because i'll still be crying from watching Joseph drive off on his own. Okay, this day must have actually gone too smoothly because I am already getting myself all worked up over next year!!! A true multi-tasker, adds worry to her list of things to do even when it isn't necessary!

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Welcome Stampers, Scrappers and all Crafty People

Most of you already know that I am a Stampin Up! Demonstrator. I have a small but dedicated group of customers and I'm always looking for. I do this to support my obsession..oops I mean hobby :o). The New Catalog has arrived and is wonderful! I am having a contest to celebrate the new Stampin Up! line of products. All of my local customers should have a catalog by now. For anyone that isn't local and would like to play along you can download the catalog from the Stampin Up! website @ http://www.stampinup.com/ Everyone is welcome to join the contest even if you are a Stampin Up! Demo yourself, or if you purchase the great SU! products from someone else. Here are the contest rules:
I have posted a picture of my favorite new item from the catalog.
Leave a comment telling me what your favorite item from the catalog is.
You will be entered into a drawing.
I will draw a lucky winner on Monday Sept. 1st
The prize will not only make you happy, but it will benefit the Ronald McDonald House Charities, each time this stamp set is purchased SU! donates $2.00 to the RMHC.
To all of my "new to Blogging friends" if you have never left a comment before it only takes a minute to create an account and I'd really love to hear from you.
Good Luck everyone!

My Favorite & The Prize


The new Scallop Square Punch is my favorite! It will happily sit right next to my Circle Scallop Punch! Say it with Scallops is the prize! Good Luck.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

I've been tagged!




Okay so I have been tagged by Eve a Superfunscrapper I met at the Green Tangerine
7 People! Wow! I don't have that many blog friends...yet! Here are a few:
Monique Super Cricut Teacher @ GT
Rebecca Awesome friend, photographer, and scrapper
Diana owner of the cool Scrap for a Cure site


Here are my seven random things:
1. I love being the only girl in my house!
2. I do not, have never, will never, eat condiments!!
3. I was the Head Cheerleader in High School
4. I eat a salad from Wendy's at least 3 times a week!
5. I Love a good sad country song.
6. I fall in love with my wedding ring each and every time I look at it.
7. I Could not live without my gals The Lollipop Croppers :O)

Leave me a comment especially if you are new to my blog, then I'll have more bloggin friends!

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

To the Beach and Back and not a single minute to scrap!

The boys (all three :o0) and I are back from our annual trip to Pismo Beach, we were gone for 7 days! which is a record! We stopped in Gilroy at the factory outlets to shop and I spent the least... although my new Coach wristlets are cuter than anything they bought! We drove up to Pismo and had 5 days and 4 nights of total relaxation! I love cool mornings at the beach and cold sand in my toes! We drove to Santa Barbara for lunch, nice but too "touristy" for us... then to Valencia where we visited Joe's family. There was a Baptism on Snday and Joe was Godfather to our newest family member Matthew Kyle. Then off to Lemoore, CA for a quick overnight visit with Joe's Dad & his wife. We headed home on Monday and arrived just in time for soccer practice. Whew!!!
We had a really great time, just the 4 of us and no "real time commitments" It is wonderful to be surrounded by my boys they all take such good care of me! The most amazing part of the trip was I was so content and relaxed I never even unpacked my scrapbook bags, though I did shop at one local scrapstore.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Summer, Boys, Food and my Bug





Okay so I really enjoy summer vacation. I get to be home with my boys on Mon., Wed., and Fri. we have just been relaxing, being lazy, and spending time at home ( a rare thing in our busy family). But the truth of the matter is I need to go back to work!! I love being with the boys but they eat too much!! and I have no will power! I have gained 10 pounds this summer, and I am spending too much time on the net buying scrap stuff! I have bought the Cricut Design Studio, 4 Cricut Cartridges, cuttlebug folders, and enough misc. supplies to take me through to next summer!!! My only break in the madness is on Wed. when darling Isabella comes to spend the day with us. She keeps me very busy (though truth be told the boys do most of the work :o). Here is a pic of our little cutie calling Prince Charming on her cell phone. Have a great week everyone......

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Our Soldier Came To Visit






My nephew Pfc. Manuel A. DaBranca III arrived home safely from a one year deployment in Korea. We had a short two week visit with him. He is a wonderful, fun guy! It was great seeing him before he had to report to Fort Sill in Oklahoma for another long year. We all went to the A's game to celebrate his 20th birthday and had a BBQ on the the 4th of July to celebrate his son Roman's 2nd Birthday.

Some Scrappy Time


Friday night my sister and I hosted our monthly crop. We had a small crowd so we actually sat and scrapped! Here is a layout of me and my hubby :o). I love the chipboard swirl frame. I have more layouts in progress I will post as soon as they are complete.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Go Earthquakes!!


As you all know we here at the Dones Residence love soccer. This past sat. we attended a San Jose Earthquakes Game. We were VIP guests of Pepsi. The boys went on the field to watch the team warm up, participated in the 1/2 time activity, we had front row seats and they met and posed for a pic with the Earthquakes Mascot "Q". All three of them are cute huh!?! In a few weeks we will be attending another game that time against the LA Galaxy whose star player is M. David Beckham...I am hoping to meet and pose for a pic with him!!! Yeah right! oh well a girl can dream :o)

Saturday, July 5, 2008

Here are the pics





Twice in a week!!

Happy Fourth of July!! Gina and I made a trip to the Green Tangerine in Rocklin, CA a few weeks ago and took a Cricut Class. Monique is a wonderful, detailed, patient, and talented teacher!! I have included pics of the card and layout we created using the Doodlecharm cart. and the cuttlebug for textured backgrounds. The class was great and we scrapped all weekend I completed 30 pages and had a blast doing it! If you haven't made it to the Green Tangerine, visit thier blog and see why you should!! www.mygreentangerines.com

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

I'm stickin to it!!



Well a week has already flown by and I'm back..... Do you love my new background as much as I do!!! I have been busy scrappin! Here is a layout I did on Monday while all three guys were at Soccer Practice.

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Let's try this again....


Well, I have a made a pact with myself that I will post to my blog once a week. So let's see if..."I really have time for this!!" Summer Vacation is in full swing and I am on break from one of my three jobs. Soccer Season is in full swing and being the treasurer of the league has me very busy. We have a busy schedule planned but I also will fit in plenty of time to scrap, stamp, and relax with my guys. I am off to soccer practice, so i will post again soon. Enjoy the sunshine :o) and I hope that you'll check in periodically to see what I'm up to...