Livin' The Dream

This is the Kardashians' Christmas card this year. I just saw this and instantly thought, "Oh my! This is when you know your family is just too fabulous." Go, Kardashians!

I love my nyc but Winter is definitely not my favorite part. Sure the snow is pretty to look at, but walking around in it day in and day out is just not cute. So I bid farewell to one of my favorite seasons, beautiful Fall, and say hello to Winter. I have to say my life has been saved by my new puffy coat with the puffy fur trim hood. My life was almost taken by said coat as well though. The hood is so awesome but you really can't see what's next to you. I stepped right in front of a car. Gotta be more careful, but glad for puffy coat. My friends were right, it has changed my whole outlook! Should have got a longer one though, cause my buns are freezing. But live and learn! Happy Winter to everyone. Christmas is just around the corner!

My df finally got the chance to come and visit me in nyc. We had the best time. It was wonderful showing her around, spending time, and letting her discover what has kept this df almost 3,ooo miles away from her for so long. Boy, I miss my df. I am so glad I will be seeing her in just a few weeks back in CA. I am so grateful to be blessed with a friend that I love so much that I cried when she left. href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-2cpTykiyPnW8da62SSoklPIfTK9T3maBpZimzmrQOxnfE7LAclahgiOrkTsABKNby0FIqz5hTG41xPVWKqmtMdLJPCTNKIkCoX3nMCVhiv_6QLOqK7Sh-yyxgbe4CUCaO65-ezScmXMC/s1600/DSCN1408.JPG">

So I am so excited that Fall is here. The leaves are turning, the humidity is subsiding, and well, nyc is beautiful! I am not so excited that Winter is just around the corner. Oh well. You know me....I will find some good in it :)

Lesson learned this week - When the sky looks like this, don't go running for the train. Scary times were had by this California girl. The storm came on in a matter of seconds. Like most New Yorkers, I don't own a car. I go where my feet, the train, and a bus can get me. Leaving work and headed for the train, I was pelted by hail and sheets of rain as the sky turned black and lightening struck. Dare I say, but I miss me some earthquakes. This severe weather is just no bueno.

So yesterday, September 10, 2010 marked my one year anniversary as a foster care worker with The New York Foundling. What a crazy year it has been. Coming into the job, I had prior experience with the foster care system back in California. I had a feeling it would be a little a different here in nyc, because let's face it, everything is a little different here in nyc. I don't feel I was really prepared for many of the challenges I was going to face.....but I hung in there and have survived the first year - the year of hard knocks! I'm not sure what the future holds for me......but I will be forever grateful for this real life experience. I now know why I was told time and time again, "If you can make it in foster care in New York City, you can do anything!" Truer words were never spoken.

It's been awhile since I last posted. I had 2 whole weeks of vacation which included 4th of July. Now that I am back in nyc I am carrying a peaceful, easy breezy spirit as best as I can. Even though the waves of dramarama have come, I stand firm in the faith that I am fulfilling a greater purpose.

No matter what the clients throw my way, I am doing my best to keep on keepin' on. So far so good. Even amidst the stress of 12 hour days I keep the peace in my mind and the joy in my soul. Like this little guy....I am holding on tight in the face of drama drama drama. Chill, cardinal. Chill.

If Pink and her hot bod don't make you want to eat healthy today, I don't know what will. You go, Pink!

So I am feeling a little ill-equipped lately. Like I set out to do one thing, and it just isn't working out. As a goal-oriented-go-getter, I am not a fan of that. I am realizing that it has me just feeling like I want to throw in the towel. Ugh!

I was so excited to go the exhibit because I want to see King Tut before I die. Weird...but yeah, it's on my Bucket List. Although I knew I would still want to see the pyramids one day, I was so excited thinking that I would see the King at the Discovery thing. The exhibit was really neat. Like really really neat! So many things from the tomb are there. But when you get to the end there is a reproduction of the mummy. Hmm. Not sure why I was surprised. I recall the exhibit in Los Angeles years ago and the press saying King Tut would never return to America. They spoke truth, peeps. He hasn't. But lots of his really cool stuff has, so it was still worth the $40 to go through the exhibit. Like Angie said, it just gives me another excuse to go to Egypt one day. Yay for King Tut's stuff, but I'm sure my Daddie is right. King Tut probably is sad he never got to see my in nyc :)

Few things brighten up Times Square like a bunch of military men. I was hanging out with a friend this evening and taking in the view. I'm so grateful for the men and women that work so hard and sacrifice so much to protect us. It doesn't hurt that they get to wear fancy uniforms and look all handsome and stuff!

It is hard to believe that just 2 years ago I came to nyc to study at Columbia. Here I am over looking the City. I was so excited, so nervous, so happy, even a little sad to have left my family and friends in California....so many things. Then 10 short months later....I was graduating from Columbia! Now I have been out of Graduate school for a year now and working in foster care.....getting my bootie kicked by foster care....and I'm still excited, nervous, happy and even sometimes sad. At milestones we tend to reflect and evaluate, which is what I have been doing a lot of lately. I have considered returning to school for a Psy. D. I have thought about moving home and working at a hospital in Pediatric Oncology. I have even considered (dare I saw) sticking with this foster care thing a little while longer. I know I will find the path that is right for me.....but for now I am just so happy that many of my dreams came true in the last 2 years. What a blessing!!

There are a million reasons I love New York City. One of the things I love most is the fact that it is filled with so many characters! I think it is fantastic that you can see something like this on the train and not even bat an eye lash. Go New Yorkers! Do your thing!

So, I saw this pic and all that I could think is what if I had to carry all the foster kids I'm in charge of in my mouth. Thank Heaven there was another plan for us humans. My hat goes off to these fish though. Go them!

Now that my hair has finally grown out I am thinking of cutting it for summer time. Again with the decisions. I found this picture on a website (yeah, it's from Perez - don't judge me!). I really like this cut. It just may be my new summer do.

Spring has sprung here in nyc. The weather is unpredictable but it is wonderful. No more freeze your bootie off weather. Woot woot! And, the sunshine has returned. Winters are way too rough on this California girl. Way too rough! But now the days are getting longer and the sun is getting brighter. Dare I say....the funk is beginning to subside. I'm spring cleaning, setting new goals, and actually getting back the energy it takes to achieve them. So for my other friends living in sunshine challenged states - we made it! And to those of you back in sunny California - you have no idea how lucky you are :) Well, maybe you do. Either way, let's all rejoice!!

So as many of you know, I am struggling with a decision. I got my tax refund and decided to use it to reward myself with some good self-care. As my social worker, therapist, and all around awesome busy life leading friends can attest to, self-care is key to avoiding the dreaded burn-out. I've wanted a puppy for so very long. But, not just any puppy, mind you. A french bulldog, so stinkin' cute, way too freakin' expensive kind of puppy. Yeah. Yeah. I know there are so many puppies out there waiting to be adopted. And I feel for them, really. But, I have this perfect vision of my life with this french bulldog, and he needs a home too, no? Haha And, then there is Italy. Oh, Italy. How I have dreamed of you since my Grandmother visited you and returned to speak of your goodness. Plus, my roots...can't forget my roots! I just want to go and experience what so many have shared with me...and it will give me wonderful memories to inspire others with. Back and for

What do x-rays and DVF have in common? They are both inspiring me to keep up the good work. Winter was rough here in nyc for this California Girl. Now that the sunshine has returned and spring has sprung, it's time to put on the running shoes and hit the pavement. Best of luck to all my peeps who are striving for greater fitness and hot hot bods......we've got this!!

My work has been quite challenging lately. Foster Care in nyc is no joke! I feel like this swan, trying to keep her babies safe...only I have 19 kids that I am supposed to keep safe. All different ages. All different traumatic backgrounds. I know I am needed in my current position, but each day I come home I am beat down tired. I am just about at my 6 months mark. I am getting the hang of everything. At first I didn't know my way around Brooklyn or how to navigate my role. My silver lining at this point is that I know I am making a difference AND my 1 month paid vacation time is about to kick in. Hahaha. Thanks for your thoughts, prayers and well wishes. My friend Eric has encouraged me to update the blog more. Is anyone still checking it? Hmm?? Well, I will exercise faith that you are and just do my best to keep you all in the loop. xoxo from nyc

It's almost time, Peeps! On March 20th I get to see my boo, Michael Buble at Madison Square Garden. I could care less that I am a million miles from the stage. I will be closer to him then than I am right now! hahaha. Oh, Michael Buble....keep an eye out for me!

Dr. King had a dream. Against all odds, he led people to hope. To hope for a future where the lines of color were blurred and all men were equal. Though we aren't quite there yet, we've made immense strides. I'm inspired by his vision, his will to work towards it, and his ability to inspire not just the people of his time, but generations to follow. As we begin a new year, this is the perfect time to reflect on our own dreams. What dreams do we have that could change our lives? The lives of others? The lives in our community? Our nation? The world? I pray we can all evaluate our hearts and dig deep for those dreams that we were blessed with - those we are meant to see to fruition.

I'm not one to get suckered in by Saturday morning television ads that promise you the world for just 3 easy payments of $39.95. But, dare I say, they got me. Last week I saw this ad for Insanity. The commercial was so convincing that I decided to give it a try. Those of you that have known me for a few years know I've dropped a significant amount of chub. But I'm not done yet. Oh no! Now it's time to put the new year to good use. It's time for Insanity. My package just arrived and I am starting tomorrow. Check out the website. It's intense, but provided it doesn't kill me....fit chick hottie patottie, here I come! Stay tuned, peeps!

So much has happened since my last blog post. I've been to D.C. I'm settling in at my new job (translation: I don't hate it anymore), I've celebrated Christmas with the family and New Years Eve in Times Square. It's 2010, people! It is finally settling in that I am done with school for a time. I'm feeling like it is time to set some new goals and raise the bar a bit on myself. Stay tuned on how things are going. Best of luck to all my peeps in 2010!! These are pics of when me, Jules and David when to the top of Rockefeller Center. Super high in the sky, but good times indeed.