Epic Photo Bomb

Today is one of those days that I want to write about everything and nothing at all,  all at the same time.
That's not an easy topic folks. So maybe, instead of trying to solve all the worlds problems, and tie it up pretty with a bow here on the bloggy poo, I think I will just share this... 

EPIC with a capital E
FRICKEN
FANTASTIC
PHOTO BOMB !!
Brought to you by yours truly from my niece Savanah's, Super Hero Themed , 7th birthday party. We were trying to capture the fact that everyone had on a super hero item of clothing.

Even Grandma and Grandpa Pellant were in full attire. Aren't they just the raddest super hero's ever? They are without a doubt my hero's!! Man I love those two!
Well, there we all were gathered for the perfect photo opt and out of nowhere ...
Was it a bird?
Was it a plane?
No it's a Flying Zed Head!!!

Just in case you didn't catch it the first time here's another one. I tried to be upset, but I gotta say it was pretty damn hard to be ruffled by this silly kid! 

Here's what the above photo should've looked like.  Such a great day celebrating my favorite 7 year old on the planet, Savanah !

Can you see why she's my favorite?
Oh but wait... The fun photo's don't stop there from this day. There was this one celebrity there his initials J.T.P
He's so cool
He's so hipster
He's Batman Jeremiah

What a Stud my bro is!! I'm so glad he decided to grace us with his presence that day. It's hard to catch a sighting of this Batman Jeremiah. He's my favorite 22 year old. Can you see why?
And since these photos have brought me so much joy I think I will end this blog with a quote about joy. It's gonna be a real simple quote. One I think you may have seen before.

"Don't you think daises are the friendliest flower." Meg Ryan- You've Got Mail
Ok maybe two quotes ;)

S'more Favorite Pics from 2012

Sorry to trick you with that title. I won't actually be doing a DIY on how to make S'mores so if that's why you meandered over here, you should probably just meander on over somewhere else. Although, I will say my favorite way to make a S'more is with a Reese's Peanut Butter cup. Have you ever tried it that way?  Why am I talking about S'mores when it's just the very cold, dark, start of winter and S'mores are very clearly a summer time treat? Well, thanks to my Bro in Law or as I like to say, Bro in Love Izzy. Speaking of Izzy he and his beautiful wife my sister Bean(real name Bean... just kidding... Gina Bo "bean" A) came for a visit in April of 2012. They came with my brother Jeremy and my Mom and Dad so I'm sure you can imagine the amount of fun that was had, and pictures that were taken, but for now  Here are some, and by some I mean a lot, okay maybe just 4 that jumped right out at me, of my favorite pics from that trip. Let's just start with Bean's family first since Izzy is the King of S'mores and then we will have S'more pictures later. Ok... I'll stop. No.  No I won't.

(Sister Bean and Bro in Love Iz with beautiful nieces Savanah and Sophia at the Tulip Festival in April 2012. Aren't they just the prettiest bunch of tulips, I mean faces you have ever seen? Except Iz, he's looking dapper as always, not so much pretty.)

(Savy Rae my niece. With a melt my heart sweeter than a S'more makes me want S'more of her cute grin)

(Isaiah, and Sophia Tulip Festival 2012. My baby Isaiah who is not actually the baby in the photo he was 7 here, and sister Bean's baby Sophia who is in fact a baby in the photo was only 4 months. She is her youngest, he's my youngest... the babies of our families. To see this makes my heart swell with Joy! Babies, Oh how I have a wicked strong romance for the babies!! And, No I don't want S'more babies, I just will always love the babies. Ok maybe I could have S'more, but I would have to win the lottery and then adopt. Hey it could happen? :)

(And Finally I leave you with these here Gangsta's !!

Isaiah Spider Man and Savanah Butterfly.

Have way more, like S'more amazing pics from this visit, but I will stick with those for now.)

I can hardly believe that it's 2013.

Does anyone else feel the same?

Meet me right back here for S'more picture fun tomorrow.

Until then, how are those resolutions going?

Anyone, fell off the wagon already?

Where Does The Time Go?

Hello Beloved Reader- I hope this post finds you happy, healthy and enjoying your last days in 2012. Speaking of days... I can't believe that we are already 10 days into this glorious time of year, can you? I also can't believe that 31 years ago my baby sister Gina-Bo-"Bean"a,  was born.

I remember so well being 6 almost 7 years old waiting for her to come home from the hospital with my mom.  I was beyond excited. She was to be my new dolly :) Her birthday falls exactly one week before my own so not only was I excited for a brand new baby in the house, and my birthday, but then Christmas! It was like that saying that my Gram, "Grandma The Great" always used to say,  "All This AND Heaven Too" And that's really all I can say in regards to having not one but TWO amazing sisters!
Bean is without a doubt one of my very best friends.  I treasure the time we have together and miss her dearly when we are apart.

She is an amazing momma to these two beauties;  My nieces Savanah and Sophia. They have captured not only my heart, but my wallet as well.  I would buy them the world if I could. Sophia my niece, is the baby in the picture and she is coming up on her first birthday this  December 31st. My friend Natalie nicknamed her our "Last Minute Biscuit" and be still my heart that girl... oh good heaven's do I miss her SO!! Ah CRAP!! Now I'm getting misty.
Again, where does the time go?
Happy Birthday Gina! I wish I was there to celebrate. Give the Last Minute Biscuit extra kisses from her Auntie, and  have an extra piece of cake for me.

Thankful Thursday

“What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family.” 

                                       Mother Teresa

This Thankful Thursday morning I am so beyond grateful for my recent trip to Nevada to be with my family. On Sunday, I got to surprise my mom and dad who share the same birth DAY. They were both born on November 4th, but 4 years apart. 4 is kind of their number. Their birthday is the reason that they even met. A mutual friend of theirs 42+ years ago set them up on a blind date because of it, and the rest... well it's MY history.

“I sustain myself with the love of family.” ― Maya Angelou  


My parents are without a doubt my heroes. 42 years married, 5 children, 6 grandchildren, a faith in Christ that is inspiring, those are just some of the reasons I look to them for inspiration. This past summer my dad had some major health issues and so this birthday I was especially grateful for his 71 years of life.  Nothing like a little brush with almost death to appreciate the everyday moments.

“you can kiss your family and friends good-bye and put miles between you, but at the same time you carry them with you in your heart, your mind, your stomach, because you do not just live in a world but a world lives in you.”
― Frederick Buechner

Another life I'm really thankful for this morning is my brother Greg's. That's him in between my sister Jen and I on his birthday. He was born the day right after my mom and dad's birthday on November 5th. My mom tells the story that she was at her birthday party 35 years ago, big and pregnant and she started to get contractions so she had a glass of wine to relax her. Well it did relax her, so much so, that Greg was born the very next day. Huh, funny thing is though the "relaxed" effect didn't linger. Nope, that kid is full of more energy than Red Bull on Crack! Seriously though,  My brother is all kinds of amazing. He is a truer, than true friend and I'm thankful I also get to call him my brother.

I got to see this little sweetie, my niece Sophia that I have nicknamed #lastminutebiscuit , because she was born on Dec 31st last year. I can hardly believe that this biscuit is going to be 1 year old soon. She is walking and talking and I was bound and determined to teach her my name while I was there. I kept saying can you say....  Auntie N-o-e-l....  Auntie N-o-e-l? She just smiled at me so sweet and cute like. It melted my heart every time. The good thing about the beginning of my name is that its the start of another word that most lil's learn to say pretty quick(NO!!) so I'm pretty sure my name will beat out her other Auntie's and Uncles.  Well, and even if she just goes around saying NO!! I'll take the credit for that too ;)

Are there any words that an Auntie can say to express the joy within that our nieces and nephews bring to us? All I can think of to say is that my nieces, even my oldest niece Kaylanne who I haven't seen in far too long, brings me such joy. When I see a part of my siblings, or my sister-in-love Hillary who is no longer with us, in my nieces it makes my heart swell with joy. They are JOY incarnate to me. There I tried, to express what a niece or nephew can do.

“The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other's life. Rarely do members of one family grow up under the same roof.” 
― Richard Bach, Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah

The final above quote is truly what I'm thankful for today because, I realize that my family of origin, is a rare gift. The older I get the more I realize how rare this gift, my family, truly is. I deeply love and admire each and every one of my siblings, and my parents. To have had the health and good fortune that we claim, through the Grace of God, is without words the greatest gift a life could ever behold.


Linking Up Here and Here

On Being an Auntie

I can't even begin to tell you all the joy I have in being an Auntie.

There is something so special about this relationship.

Ever since I heard my first niece Kaylanne call me Auntie it has been a treasured relationship that I hold so precious in my heart.

My newest niece Sophia, aka Last Minute Biscuit because she came right at the tail end of 2011, brings me joy overflowing.

And so this post is just so that I can look at her pictures and brag about how "fartin' CUTE" she is.

And while we are at it, Her older sister is pretty "fartin cute" too!

Although, in the above picture Sophia doesn't seem to like the competition.

My New Niece

My niece Savy who is in the picture above that was taken this past Christmas is now a big sister.

Her little sisters name is Sophia Adelle.
I had asked Sophia to come out and play while I was there. Pleading with my sister Bean's belly, I begged and begged. She didn't come when I was there.

She came a few days after I left.

She was born on New Years Eve.

She came earlier than her due date, and later than my trip down to NV would allow me to stay.

So I guess you could say that in her short life she has already learned the art of compromise.

Although I haven't yet had the joy of holding her I have had a few skype visits which have been a real treat, and I love her already.

I remember the day her sister was born.
I remember the day my baby girl was born.
Heck I remember the day her mom was born.
And if my mom was here she would say,"I remember the day you were born"
All this really means is that I am OLD!

Oh but the newborn.
The new life that is only a week and 4 days old.

Well what can I say about that.

The newborn phase in each of our lives is so very precious.

I know if I was living there right now, my house and my children would all be neglected because all I would want to do is to sit there and stare at her, ALL DAY LONG.
It's what my mom calls a baby romance.
That's what she calls the need to just sit and stare at a newborn.
ALL DAY LONG.
And it's a need make no mistake about it.
It's a need because it reminds us that
New life is such a gift.
It speaks of promise for the future.
Hope for better tomorrows.
And a love that is unlike any other.

Congratulations Izzy, Gina, and Savanah.

Give Sophia extra hugs and kisses until her Auntie Noel can do it herself, oh and be sure to get in some sitting and staring, because before you know it Sophia will look like this.

My big girl Emma Lou, working away, being so responsible, so grown up. So not wanting me to take her picture

I have to say that I have had absolutely no inspiration for a blog lately. It could be because I have been gone every single weekend for the last month and that doesn't leave much time for the imagination. 

 I thought about blogging the trips I took but then that's kinda like sending one of those postcards from Hawaii that says, "Wish you were here" which to me is just plain rude! 

(Speaking of rude, Bon Qui Qui has got the number on that word, "RUDE-  Don't interrupt" if you don't know who this character is you are seriously missing out) Put in Bon Qui Qui on YouTube and prepare to enjoy.

I was home this weekend though and still no inspiration is on the horizon. Some would leave their blogs unattended for a while but NO, not me.

I will sit here and type about nothing-ness just to have something new to look at on my blog.  I think I might share some fun new pics though.

- So the first would be SF-Giants ball park, I do believe that I could become a fan over time. Not more than the Bo-Sox's mind you but I have to say that SF has a pretty great park going on and I want to visit this place again in my lifetime. 

-Second pic is of me and Mo in our bus celebrating 14 years of marital bliss!! :)

-Third pic is Auntie Jen and Lo with blue bubble gum at Isaiah's graduation. Chloe is 9 now. She has this one last year before I have 2 kids in double-digits.....Help me Jesus!!

-Fourth pic Savy Rae Rae is a 2 year old now. I am just not okay with all these birthdays that happen so fast this time of year. We have Chloe and Em in May, Jeremy and Savy in June, and Isaiah in July. It hardly gives this phlegmatic time to breath.

-And Finally Emmers is now 11 and let me tell you something ....well I am practicing saying No and not caring that if her looks could kill me I would be dead 1000 times over, that is all I can say!! No really she is such a good girl it's just this pre-teen stuff not sure how I feel about it.

Favorite moments captured from 2008

This picture at the top is one of my all time favorites from the year. It reminds me of course of the journey of the Wizard of Oz and the journey that group of unlikely strangers faced. They soon became friends and defeated their greatest enemies together. Each realizing that the greatest enemy was just themselves. Reflecting back on the year past can be dangerous but this morning as I sit here and go through all the moments captured in 2008 I am reminded of my friends and family that have come along side me. I am blessed beyond measure with the greatest treasures life has to offer. People. The people in my life young and old are my gifts that I will take into this new year with a complete gratitude not taking even one for granted.








I have so much to be thankful for. If even one person in this life knows you, really knows you that is a blessing. So many people are lonely in this world that is full of fear right now. I am not alone. That is a good feeling. To know and be known is what it's all about so that at the end of it all you are not alone left in a room with all the stuff that can clutter and distract a life from the most important treasures, People.

Just a few pictures

The pictures that I took were mostly with Gina and Izzy's brand new camera so by the time I realized I should take some of her with my own camera to post and email she was already in the nursery. So these are through the window but you can still see how beautiful she is and all that hair :)

Can you say , proud Auntie.

Savanah Rae Guzman

Savanah Rae Guzman was born this evening at 6:58p.
She is beautiful.
I am already in love with this precious person.
My sister is amazing and God is so good.
Pictures to come soon.