Create & Commit

Christmas Smiles....

I just love the christmas season!!.... the lights, the shopping, the yummy food, the parties!!, getting christmas cards, decorating the tree but most of all... the smiles!!

Merry Christmas to all!!

21 days and counting....

Yup... it's true... only 21 days til Christmas... yikes!! I think this is the first year that I feel very unprepared.  I usually have all my shopping done by now!!... now the pressure is on...

We were able to go to San Jose for the Thanksgiving holiday and spent 3 days with family and friends. Staying with Debbie, Hector's sister is always so much fun! she spoils us with yummy food and treats!!

On saturday, we met up with many friends at the Pruneyard and spent several hours catching up with the Goguens, Bybee's, Kellenbergers, Belardi's, Ahrens, Truett's and Dena, who I had not seen in about 14 years!!... Thank you all for coming out to see us!! It meant so much to us!!

Another highlight was getting to spend friday with my childhood friend, Cathy and than Jeannine coming to join us at the mall in Pleasanton... What a fun time we had!!

Such good memories!!...  and oh yeah... I've been doing alittle scrapbooking too... some vintage pictures, one of Hector's mother's first communion and the other one is Hector's mom with his sister, Debbie... I just love these pictures of his family!!

Happy Scrapping!!

XOXO

Kari

We survived... Survivor!!!

And what a great time we had!!... but the best part is knowing that even tho we were exhausted, we had, along with 148 other women, raised $57,000 for the Susan G. Koman Breast Cancer Foundation!!  Our table was the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boobs!!... fairy godmothers of sorts... We had such a great group of girls... Samantha, Lisa, Lori, Cindy, Gina, Monica, Amanda, Karly... all led by Ashley, our table hostess with the mostess!!... What a wonderful 24 hrs. of scrapping, laughing, eating and knowing we were all there with a common goal!!

I was even able to get 17 pages done for my Maui album...  Here are acouple of pages I've done recently that I just really love, so I thought I'd share!!

my sweet little Rita at about 8 mos. old... 

 and here she is again at 3 mos. old... and now she's 18??!!! Whhhaaatttt??????  LOL!!...

Happy Halloween everyone!!

Kari

And now we return to our regular scheduled programming....

Summer is officially over, kids are back in school and christmas decorations are already showing up at the mall!!! what is up with that??!!!.... but one good thing, I've been able to scrap alot lately... here's one I just did the other night....
This is my mom, walking down the isle at only 16 yrs. old...
My baby girl turned 18 last week... how did that happen?? in a blink of a eye... that's how!!

As one of her birthday presents, I took her and her friend, Allison to LA for the weekend... Rita was picked to be part of the audience for the Jonas Bros. at the VMA's last sunday... so you can only imagine how excited she was!! it was quite the experience!! they enjoyed the rehersals more than the actual show since there was less girls and they got to see them perform about 4 times!!!

while they were having their little adventure... I had one of my own... I had been wanting to visit the gravesite of Michael Hutchence, lead singer of INXS for years... this was my chance!! I got alittle help from a friend over at INXS.com who gave me the info. of where it was and I actually found it quickly... where I was able to pay my respect to an incredibly talented man that is still missed to this day....

So now it's time to gear up for the coming holiday's... yup... they are all right around the corner... can that be possible?? Rita is already planning on being Snow White (even if she is 18, she still likes to dress up!!) and Marshall never makes up his mind til the day before... guess we are back on our regular scheduled program!!....
Kari

Nothing like a Party in Vegas!!!

Yup!! and that's what the whole Toro, Rodrigues & Martinez clan did!! along with many of our wonderful friends and family from all over the place.... We came together for a fun filled weekend in Las Vegas to celebrate Hector's 50th birthday... and MAN!! did we Celebrate!!!.... So much food(yummy dinner at the Market City Caffe)

shopping (Diane & Rita at the Forum at Casaer's)

sightseeing (New York,New York & tasting all the coke products from around the world!)

 

But of course the highlight was Hector's party on saturday night...

At the Monte Carlo Resort & Casino.... 56 of Hector's relatives and best friends came together to  celebrate Hector turning 50...

I was thrilled that Hector's first band from 1978.... "Night Flight" was able to reunite!! with Hector on drums, Jeff Lane on bass, Chris Wischman & Hector's brother, Eddie on guitar, they all came together to play some of our favorite songs!! They rocked it out!!!

Hector recieved a beautiful hand made custom guitar from Doug Stein, one of Hector's closest longtime friends.... Hector was blown away by it!!

It was such a perfect night!!  There was so much love there for Hector and he was very moved and humbled...

Thank you to all who made this incredible weekend possible!!!  We love you!!

Hector, Kari, Rita & Marshall 

I'm Feelin' Lucky!!

I really am!! This week I won these two things off JackFM....

A PAIR OF TICKETS TO CHECK OUT BILLY IDOL LIVE AT VALLEY VIEW CASINO ON MONDAY, JUNE 23RD AT 8PM

PAIR OF OPENING NIGHT TICKETS TO SPRING AWAKENING AT THE BALBOA THEATRE ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 15TH AT 7PM.

How cool is that??!!  I totally wanted to see that play forever... and I LOVE Billy Idol... so I will be rocking out with Rachel that night... maybe I should go buy a lottery ticket?????

School is out, kids are going to church camp, family is coming to visit, Hector's big 50th birthday party in vegas is coming up...  a busy summer as usual... but I am finding time to scrap...I would NEVER give that up!!!

We are looking forward to seeing these guys reunite...

Hector's first band, Night Flight!! from the late 70's, early 80's days...  One night only!! in Vegas!!...

"Gonna rock n roll the place"!!!

Party on Wayne... Party on Garth!!!

Whatttt???? Where did May go????

Can you believe it??? tomorrow is May 30th... Where did May go???  The old saying, "the older you get, time seems to fly bye so much faster" is so true!!  but I did do some fun things this month... to start off, my friend, Shea flew down from Petaluma to spend acouple of days with me and we had a blast!!!  the first day, we met up with Rachel and Jennifer and went to Valley View Casino to see one of our favorite 80's band, "DuranDuran"!!! They can still rock it!!!

I couldn't resist, I had to scrap some of them for my rock album...

Than on friday, Rachel, Shea and I hit the House of Blues for dinner, and than The Bitter End for some fun!! It's been ages since I've been out to a club, so it was quite eye opening!! As a matter of fact, we only lasted about 45 min. cause the strobe light was killing our eyes!!! LOL!! guess I am getting old!! 

 

It's always a good time hanging with my girlfriends!! espcially Shea & Rachel!! There's never a dull moment!!!... Come back soon Shea!!

Let's see, what else, oh yeah, my daughter accidently dropped my camera and totally broke it on Memorial day... busted..... capute.... toasted... oh well... she felt really bad... I am hoping Costco will let me exchange it for a new one.... 

But I am looking forward to cropping with a bunch of fun gals on saturday at EverAfter.... Here are the details:  Summer Kickoff Crop   3pm-12pm  Light snacks and drinks included $15... Come and join us!!

Happy Scrapping!!

Kari

Happy 20th Anniversary Honey!!

20 yrs. ago today I walked down the aisle with this wonderful man!!

Thank you for sharing the last 20 crazy, wonderful years with me!! and I look forward to so much more with you and what the future holds for us!!

Love you babe,   Kari

Sunsets, Mai Tai's & Whales!!

Oh My!!... Hector & I just came home from a wonderful week spend in Maui with our wonderful friends, Tom & Carol... It was so relaxing!!  we had no agenda, just lots of enjoying the beautiful island...

Some of our highlights were.... going to the Lahaina Luau...

Driving the windy road to Hana... stopping off at the Garden of Eden and tasting some yummy banana bread...

and enjoying a wonderful sunset dinner cruise with whales all around us!!

I can't wait to start scrapping the 175 pictures I took!! plus some of the 600 that Tom took!!... By the way, we are planning a all day crop at Margaret's house on May 17th... come and join us!!

Kari

I can feel it!! Spring is almost here!!

Spring is in the air!! and I am so glad!!... One way to tell?? It's time to hangout at Coyote Bar & Grill downtown Carlsbad with the gang... enjoying live music, yummy food and wonderful margaritas!!

Amanda & Gina having a laugh!

Me & my sweetie....

Denny & Rachel (thanks for driving all the way down to hangout!!)

Rachel & I with our usual pose!!

Come and join us anytime!!!

Kari