Blogger blows

Anyone else not able to upload pictures to blogger? I've been trying for 3 days.

Hey, that looks like my house

Besides super cute clothes at great prices, this is the latest advertisement for The Childrens Place. Looks like my house, only Jess has blonde hair.

Trick or treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat

Today marks the 3 year anniversary of when we moved to Temecula. And for this special occasion Mother Nature decided to throw us a party complete with fire and smoke. Three years ago while pulling up in the U-haul pretty much all of San Diego was on fire. It was totally crazy. As we pulled up we could see a fire heading up and over a hill, towards us. We weren't sure weather to unpack the Uhaul or just keep everything in boxes and flee. So once again, we're on fire! This is looking out our office widow. Usually you could see mountains off in the distance. Today the entire town was full of smoke and raining ash.









Last night we carved pumpkins. Jessica's job was to pull out all of the "guts". She didn't really appreciate her job












I carved a ghost, Jessica (with my help) carved a smiley face and Phil carved a skeleton. Because it's been soooo hot, Emma's pumpkin has already started rotting.




Last weekend we took the girls out to the pumpkin patch.
Only in California can you go to the pumpkin patch in late October and sweat to death. It was so blasted hot! We waited over 45 minutes for a stinkin' 3 minute pony ride. After a few hours Jessica threw a fit and we were outta there....we didn't even buy pumpkins

Emma's first Halloween

Mama's little pumpkins

to see more Pumpkin Patch photos click here

This weekend we are to attend the mother of all Halloween parties. Adult Halloween Party!! This year we're going to a party where everyone brings a little something to eat and we'll have a live band. There is nothing I love more than parties where people are supposed to dress up. I LOVE dress up parties. Here is past costumes we have worn to parties.

This was when we went to New Orleans with a bunch of friends to see Widespread Panic for Halloween. Our group dressed up as the Royal Tanenbaums. I went as Margo and Phil went as Richie.

For years, I begged Phil to dress as a Spartan Cheerleader (from SNL). And he finally did. Unfortunately the great party we were to attend was a total dud. There went the hours of cheer practice. And boy was I ready.

Taco, burrito, what's bustin outta your speedo ?


Can you tell by the look on Phil's face, how excited he was about this costume.....he's still complaining!










Phil went as White Trash and I went as Mrs. Roper.

The best part is that the outfit I was wearing was something my grandmother used to own and wear! This year we had stumbled across the awesome party (in Denver) on the top floor of an apartment building. It was a huge conference room, with a DJ, drinks and you could walk outside on the roof.

Last year we were Slash and Wonder Woman. For all you faithfull readers (yes, I'm talking to all 2 of you.) Wonder Woman is my all time favorite person!

Any ideas on what we'll be this year?

Blast from the past

So the other day, I was skimming through the channels when I looked up and said, "holy crap that's Kristin Veitch!" How did I remember that so fast? Who is Kristin you ask? Kristin is an old friend of mine from middle school. We hung out a bit and spent the night at each other's houses and went trick-or-treating together. I remember one time on our way to Blockbuster with her mother driving we hit a black poodle at night. We pulled into the fire department down the street and reported the accident.

You too may know Kristin as she has a show on the E! Channel. Pure craziness. I haven't seen her show yet. I just saw her on a commercial. Have you seen her show? I think she's actually part of the E News show that has Ryan Secrest (can't stand that dweeb) hosts. Anyone else go to school with someone who ended up famous?

Greatest Story ever Sold

Jessica woke up this morning looking like a pirate missing her eye patch. Her right eye is swollen, red and spewing green goo....thanks preschool!!! Needless to say with her pink eye she stayed home from school and hung out with the rest of us. I'm sure we'll all have pink eye by Friday. One thing I did today while just hanging around was watch some of the Oprah shows I have Tevo'd. One show imparticular got me thinking a bit. It was the episode with Frank Rich the author of The Greatest Story ever Sold. During the show someone posed the question wether or not people in the US are demanding that we receive the truth through our media sources. It seems as though we have become so comsumed with celebrities and materialistic bullshit, that no one really cares what story is being told regarding to the war. It's like we could careless if the reporters are feeding us dogshit, as we're not really paying attention anyways. I'll admit I too have payed more attention to the rediculousness of Hollywood. Never in High School did I pay as much attention to "who" got what boob job, or "who" was dating "who." I feel that now as an adult with two children and a husband, for some reason I am actually buying those gossip magazines. And it's not just me, it's almost all of us. For me personally, I've become numb. The nightly news is almost the same, and it's been this way for years. Another roadside bomb....another suicide bomber. It makes me sad that I even think of it this way. But week after week, when you're looking at rubble and debris left from bombs, sitting on last weeks rubble and debris, sitting on last month's rubble and debris...you become numb to it. For me, it's so easy to look at a celebrity magazine and not have to put much effort into it. Not to have to figure out politics, war, hate and destruction. What makes me sad is the lives being lost and so many times it's just a new (higher) number on the TV. I really try not to have those lives be "just another number on the news" and try to think of the families left behind.

A few times I have heard about all the wonderful things "we" are doing in Iraq. "We're" building schools, hospitals, water systems, roads and bridges. So where the hell are the pictures and stories ?? Why hasn't the media shown me this? Some people suspect that the coverage of the war is slighted by the fact that it's such a dangerous war. You're not ever really sure who is fighting who and you can't simply carry your camera around videotaping what you like. But if we can show pictures of rubble and destruction, where it is obviously very danagerous, how hard would it be to show a peaceful school being built? The whole thing is hard to wrap your mind around. I'd really like to think that we're not a nation full of assholes that really only care about purses, Hollywood and materialistic crap. Are we not asking enough of our media or are they keeping up with our demands for "just another entertainment show"?

Disneyland or bust

Last Thursday, about noon, the car was gased and packed. The Hogette's had taken naps and we were off to Disneyland. After two hours of sitting in traffic and not making it 30 miles we turned around and came home. ACK. We were so not happy. There went an entire days completely wasted. Thankfully Jessica did NOT throw a
fit and was just as happy going to the park
and feeding the ducks. So yesterday we tried
it again and had success.







The girls had a blast! Here they are with Pocahontas.

Cinderella


Nothing like maneuvering a double Hogette stroller through crowds.

Last weekend daddy gave mommy a much needed break. If you live anywhere near Big Bear Lake and enjoy beer, brauts and music attend the Ocotberfest.

Some new biker friends I met.

Whatever you do, don't forget the chicken hat!

Grab a gaggle of friends and GO!

For those of you looking to get your teaching credential in the comfort of your home (and you live in California) check out Calstate Teach. We still need to figure out if I'll be able to get the credential now, or if I need to work somewhere first and then go for the credential later.

Calling all California teachers

If you have gotten your California teaching credential ONLINE after receiving a bachelor's degree could you please email me? Here's what I am trying to accomplish. With my bachelor's of science in marketing from the University of Oregon, I am wanting to get my multiple subject credential to teach K-8. I want to do this online, as I need to work while going to school. The more research we put into this, the more confusing it is. I am looking for a reputable online college that would fulfill California's requirements. Any and all help is appreciated.

A week sure can make a difference

I am happy to report that the Hogettes are back to "normal". We figured out that if Jessica so much as gets bored for a nanosecond, it's going to hit the fan. Hence why I have enrolled her in "My Gym" classes. Last weekend was great, we attended a wedding overnight without the girls! It was great as this was one of our last friends from college that was getting married. Good gawd are we slowing down. Certainly not as wild and crazy as the first wedding of the bunch..ours.

Thursday we are headed to Disneyland. Remember the Pony jar? It's back and better than ever. This time Jessica is attempting to be good for a trip to Disneyland. For one full hour straight a few weeks ago, we sat down and told Jessica about everyone (Mickey, all the Princesses, Pooh, blah blah blah.....we even made some stuff up) that lives at Disneyland, we also told her all about the rides, the food, you name it, we hyped it up. Needless to say, she's ready.

This video, made me laugh. First off, how cute are they? Second, one way we know that the girls are back to normal for the time being, is that Jessica tries to make Emma laugh the entire time we're heading home from school, just like the video. And third, Emma has this same silly laugh.