Wish (wĭsh)(v.): to want; desire; long for

Around this time of year, every year, wish list requests begin to float in. My parents want to know, Nana wants to know, Guy's parents want to know. I often get asked the question, What are you wishing for this holiday season? This year I only have two things to request and they won't fit in the stocking hung on the mantel.

Number One: A quick, easy and successful bone marrow transplant for Spencer. If I get nothing else for Christmas for the rest of my life, this will be enough. To think that this could be to solidified end to his ten year battle with cancer is incredible and such a blessing. And a perfect match? 10 out of 10? What an amazing Christmas gift for our family and friends.

Number Two: A better year in 2009, for myself, Guy and our families who have suffered greatly in the midst of great joy this year. I hope the coming year is full of love, hope and a sense of peace that has at times escaped us in 2008. We have so much to look forward to! Getting married, Spencer's improved health, my graduation from college, a honeymoon in Europe, married life (a double edged sword, or so I've been told) and so much more.

"And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more."-How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Dr. Seuss

Eight (āt)(n.) :a cardinal number, seven plus one.

Jon and Kate Plus 8 is probably my utmost guilty pleasure (of which I have many and will be documenting here). Why, because the truth is I don't have a whole lot of free time and what little free time I do have tends to be spent watching Jon and Kate plus 8.

What's the show about? A husband and wife who accidentally ended up with eight kids when their attempt for a single baby, after having twins (Mady and Cara), resulted in sextuplets (Alexis, Leah, Hannah, Joel, Collin and Aedan). In the last maybe year, the show seems to have drummed up a good amount of controversy. People claim that Jon and Kate are using their kids to get free stuff and make money. My take on the whole thing is this,the kids seem happy and comfortable. A family that has eight children would never be able to go on ski trips, to go to Hawaii without someone offering to pay for it. I think the kids are getting to experience a lot of things that would just be too expensive for them to afford otherwise. People tend to be critical but I can't imagine that most people would turn down amazing opportunities offered to their children. I certainly wouldn't.

Why do I love this show? It shows what I would consider a real family, with real problems and real relationships. The parents bicker. The children fight. Mady throws tantrums. The little kids melt down. Despite those things, I really feel like there is a whole lot of love a long with the undoubted stress that would come from having eight children. The kids are cute and the parents like each other and care about their kids.

Sick (sĭk)(adj.): afflicted with ill health or disease; ailing.

I am very very sick. The kind of sick where it hurts to breathe and sit. I think I have the stomach flu which is well very unfortunate. I am home from work which means my paycheck is going to be practically nothing. I don't know how the bills are going to get paid this month but for the time being I am going to try to get better so I can go to work tonight and at least make some money today.

Cat (kāt) (n.) : a small domesticated carnivore, Felis domestica

Stupid but cute

Out (out)(adj) :to a point or state of extinction, nonexistence

I have run out of things to write about . I am in a rut. So, I ask you, what do you want me to write about? Give me a topic and I will find a way to write about it something before the end of the month.

Hoax (hōks)(n.) : something intended to deceive or defraud

Looks like someone with a good deal of spunk and html skills has pulled one over on Warner Bros. They created a website, Wonder-Who.com , pretending that it was a viral campaign similar to that used by Warner Bros. to promote the the Batman sequel, the Dark Knight over a period of a year. The tricksters revealed Megan Fox, known for her role as Sam's love interest in the blockbuster hit, Transformers, as none other that Wonder Woman herself. The Wonder Woman feature film in question has never officially been announced and Warner Bros. claims that the Wonder Woman character will act only in a Justice League film. Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing her get her own film.

Pancake (pān'kāk') (n.) : a thin, flat cake of batter fried on both sides on a griddle or in a frying pan

While listening to much music trying to whittle down our must play list for the wedding Guy and I rediscovered our extensive love for Jack Johnson. This is one of our favorites. If you enjoy it check out Do You Remember? and Better Together as well.

Interest (ĭn'trĭst)(n.):the feeling of a person whose attention, concern, or curiosity is particularly engaged by something

Develop an interest in life as you see it; the people, things, literature, music-the world is so rich, simply throbbing with rich treasures, beautiful souls and interesting people. Forget yourself. -Henry Miller

Disappointment (dĭs'ə-point'mənt)(n.) : the act or fact of disappointing

I have heard so many people utter "I am so happy its over" in regards to the election but the truth is the aftermath has just begun. This election has been bittersweet to me. I never imagined that the joy I felt when Obama claimed the presidency would be tainted by the knowledge that Prop Eight, the prop that would eliminate gay marriage in California, did indeed pass. Now, it is just beginning. Appeals are already being made. People are rallying together in the name of equality!

How appalling is it that we live in a world that embraces hate and discrimination? And yet, there is hope. Yes, I said hope. Hope in the numbers. Prop 8 passed by a mere four percent and seventy percent of people under 30 years of age voted no. Change is coming! My children will be raised in a more tolerant world that the one I was. If you are a California citizen over the age of 18 and want to support equal rights please check out this petition.

Remember...

President (prěz'ĭ-dənt)(n.):the highest executive officer of a modern republic, as the Chief Executive of the United States.

Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek. -Barack Obama

Voice (vois)(n.): the faculty or power of uttering sounds through the mouth by the controlled expulsion of air

Don't let your voice be silenced!

Honeymoon (hŭn'ē-mōōn')(n.) :a vacation or trip taken by a newly married couple.

Last week we booked the flights for our honeymoon. Where are we going do you ask? The answer is London and Rome with a day side trip to Paris to take a picture in front of the Eiffel Tower. Ten days in Europe and all I can say is what an impulse buy. We started to watch the fares climb daily and decided we would be hard pressed to regret five days in Rome and five days in London. My best friend is paying for our honeymoon, or a great chunk of it. In fact that is the only reason we are going. Otherwise there would be not be going anywhere.

Now we are doing the rest of the research. Trying to figure out what we must see and where we are going to stay. Getting passport paperwork filled out and gearing up for what we assume will be the trip of our lives. This is an adventure of epic proportion. Let the exploring begin!

Itinerary (thus far, not at all complete)
June 15th: Leave for London
June 16th: Arrive in London (thanks to the epic time change, wish us luck)
June 17th: Big Ben and Buckingham Palace
June 18th: Day trip to Paris via the high speed rail, possibly an overnight stay?
June 19th: Tower of London and the Globe Theater
June 20th:
June 21st: Leave for and arrive in Rome
June 22nd: The Roman Colosseum
June 23rd:
June 24th:
June 25th: Return to Los Angeles via a stop in London @ Heathrow

Autumn (ô'təm)(n.) :the season between summer and winter; fall.

Mooch said it best. "Let the pumpkin pies begin!" Today we saw just a brief glimpse of fall. Finally after a sweltering heat wave with highs in the triple digits these past couple of weeks (which may I add is odd even for smack dab in the middle of summer for sunny mild San Diego) we saw a touch of cold and a touch of rain sweep through as either a tease or a promise. I am hoping for the latter. Now the weather has warmed considerable and dark clouds have moved farther into the east but maybe just maybe this is the beginning of something great. Thanksgiving approaches and with that the true beginning of the holiday season which I am ever so excited about. I have been tempted to turn on the Christmas music when home by myself but have yet to give in. The small snippets I hear when I'm out about town has been getting me by. I look forward to the upcoming year. Two-thousand and eight has been a trying one but as we progress towards two-thousand and nine the prospects of a joyous year is beginning to pop up. Spencer's current treatment is leading to the life saving bone marrow treatment that will bring healing and relief. Guy and I are getting hitched and as scary as that is it is ten times more exciting. I can't wait to officially begin our lives together. My undergraduate studies are coming to a close and the possibility of grad school is starting to form. Cooper is healing and is nearly back to his old pre-attack self. And maybe just maybe I'll have Obama to call my president next year. Do I dare cautiously say things are looking up?

NaBloPoMo (pro. unknown)(n.):National Blog Posting Month

Every month is NaBloPoMo and this month it is my turn. To be honest I am simply doing this as a challenge to myself. Can I take a few minutes out of my day everyday for 30 days in a row? Do I have the means to stop everything else I'm doing in order to scribble down my thoughts? We find out. Wish me luck.

In other news Jenny Lewis concert tonight @ UCSD!