September, October, November 2011

So, I did write a post for last month but I always check with a few others before I post - to make sure I am not disclosing too much information and to make sure that I am not offensive to others...obviously something was wrong because I did not post for the past few months.  I wasn't offensive so apparently I was putting a little too much info out there into cyber-world.
To sum up September:
still working away at Weight Watchers, thus far I have lost about 25 pounds, yay me!  I am still getting to the gym at least four times a week - unless we are traveling, then I try to squeeze in workouts when I can.  I helped make the food for a luncheon bridal shower for a family friend.    We made it over to Las Vegas once to see Jackson, he is still the cutest baby in the world.  He will always be the cutest baby in the world to me.
October:
 In one way it seems like a lot happened in October, in another way it seems kind of like a slow month.  A good family friend got married at a very cool venue in Newport Beach, se we all headed up to Newport to get onto a boat that cruised us around for several hours while we saw the ceremony and had the reception on the boat.  Friends from Washington were able to make it down for the wedding and I was able to pal around with my friend Maddy.  She's 4...and AWESOME.  She did ask me if I would come to her house to play, how do you explain: she lives in Washington, I live in San Diego?....makes for a tough play-date but hopefully I can visit them sometime....we will have to have a dance party to re-live the wedding reception.

I managed to get through another birthday, hard to believe that I am 37 years old - holy crap.  The funny thing about going through an accident such as the one I miraculously survived is that I no longer fear getting older.  I am simply ecstatic to still be here and turn a year older.  In my confused time after I woke up from my coma I was apparently telling people I was 26 years old when they asked how old I was....needless to say I was WAY off - I turned 35 while in the hospital, a few weeks after I had woken up...26, 35, whatever.  This year a few girlfriends treated me to breakfast at World Famous in Pacific Beach which was lovely, we had the valet take our picture but it didn't turn out so hot - on this you will just have to trust me.  I helped make the food for Danielle's baby shower:  Laura provided a lovely Fruit Display with a yummy Fruit Dip, we had a Roasted Corn, Black Bean and Jicama Salad, Caprese Salad, Turkey Salad, and Pumpkin Cupcakes with Mascarpone Cream Cheese Icing.  All in all it was a lovely day and Danielle brought a beautiful baby boy into the world towards the end of the month!

At the end of October we went to Las Vegas so we could be with Jackson for his first Halloween.  He was a monkey, the cutest darn monkey you have ever seen.  We went to a kids neighborhood Halloween party at a new local mall, we also got to see his music class - so cute!  He is a little Maestro and a 4 person band plays music for the class (of sometimes 1, sometimes 2 children).  We don't get to go to Vegas in November but we are going twice in December, first for Cowboy Christmas (and the Rodeo Finals) and then again for Jackson's first birthday, followed by Christmas.   

This toy dances to the Monster Mash, Jackson likes to dance with him

   At the very end of the month Dad and I headed to Oakland, Ca. to visit with two specialists for my head injury - more on that next month!

November
Time is just flying by...I guess the holidays will do that to you!  I went to Oakland with my dad to see a few specialists, both of whom were so nice and so smart....I also found out a few things I hadn't heard before in regards to my injuries.  Apparently the reason why my right side always feels so cold is because I am lacking so much feeling on the right side....which results in it always feeling cold.  I asked if anything could be done to change that....I got a big fat "NO" as my answer - bummer.  They also did some testing with my vision and found that I can see things with my left eye, but the brain injury has made it so I cannot transfer information that I see with my left eye...I can transfer the information if I am using both of my eyes...weird.  Is there anything that can be done?  Nope...just keep on truckin' I suppose.  We were in Oakland when the Occupy Oakland mess reached its peak, the city was majorly affected but luckily we were able to get to my doctor's offices and we were able to get to everything we needed.  I also got to see my friend Jacyn who I met back on the Big Island of Hawaii.  We worked at the same restaurant and shared a great group of friends.  We went to dinner, had a glass of wine and just spent some time catching up, it was awesome and I cannot believe I did not have someone take our picture!


We spent Thanksgiving with dear family friends in Vista.  Dana and John made a fabulous turkey and it was a very nice way to spend the day.

Let's see...what else?  Were going to Las Vegas again at the beginning of December, I promise to write about December soon.

Love and Aloha, Nikki

December 2011

December 1 - 6 we were in Las Vegas, it was Dad's birthday and we went to the NFR (National Finals Rodeo) at UNLV.  We were able to be a part of Jackson's first rodeo experience which is so cool.

Jackson's first cowboy boots

Trace Adkins sang the National Anthem

I was also lucky enough to spend some time with my friend Ty, he lives in Hawaii but was in Vegas for business...we spent some time at the Conservatory at the Bellagio and got to see it decorated for winter, we also went to dinner at Firefly - one of my favorite spots, delicious tapas and bartenders and waiters who are just fun to look at

I went to dinner with my friend Kimberley recently, we celebrated the holidays at PF Chang's and then we went to see the "Holiday of Lights" in Del Mar, it was very cool to be able to actually drive around the racetrack.  A few days later I got to catch up with my friend Cheri who I had not seen in 7 years.  Cheri has recently moved back to San Diego and I am looking forward to seeing her more often!  We have been reliving some of our old adventures at the Wyndham Emerald Plaza...geez, I feel old!

                                                    Dinner at the Local with Cheri

Holiday wine at the Hotel Del Coronado

Most of the rest of the month was spent in Vegas celebrating the holidays and Jackson's first birthday.  Jamie and Nate had a lovely 1st birthday party for Jackson, monkey-themed of course.  We went a little nuts with decorating for the theme but really - would you expect any less when you have a teacher, a pastry chef and a "crazy craft lady" (sorry mom) planning the shin-dig?

                                              Name banner in the form of a jungle vine

                                           Hanging giggle monkeys for the guest kiddos

                                      a photo from each month of the first year of Jackson's life

                    Banana cupcake filled with banana pudding, chocolate frosting and monkey faces

 1st birthday cake, decorated by Mimi

We made it through the birthday and settled right into Christmas.  We spent the morning at Nate and Jamie's house watching Jackson open his gifts.....he is not a ripper with the wrapping paper and he wasn't all that interested in the whole process but I think we will see a bit of a change next year.

                                                   

                                                       

                                                           

                                                         Dr. Seuss holiday shirt

                                               

                             hey, who gave my bull a green solo cup?  Now it is really a party!

                                         mommy tried to ride my bull but she's a little too tall

                                                          bowling at the Red Rock

As 2011 comes to a close I look back over the last year and I am so grateful for so many things.  I am blessed with fantastic friends who always go out of their way to make sure I am included in as much as possible.  I have re-connected with a friend whom I was afraid was gone from my life, looking forward to adding new memories of adventures with Cheri!  I took a trip to Arizona to visit my friend Heather, she had a girls night full of food and fun so I could meet her fabulous  group of girlfriends.  I have gained some strength back from my dedication to the gym and the tricks of my fantastic trainer.  I was finally allowed to have the surgery that alleviated the pain in my left shoulder.  I have lost 25 pounds (thank you Weight Watchers) and hope to loose a little more, I approach food in a different way now, I see it as fuel for my workouts yet I haven't lost my taste for the finer things and I still love to try new restaurants and new foods...I just steer clear of the fried cheese these days.  I would also like to mention my family for being one of the things I am most grateful for this year.  I am blessed to have the support of wonderful people and Nate and Jamie added to the family, giving me just one more reason to fight to keep on getting better.  If you had asked me a year ago if I ever though I would fall in love again the answer would have been a resounding "NO", yet one look at my nephew and that decision completely fell by the wayside - who would have thought that the love of my life would be short and bald?.  XOXO

May you all have a fantastic 2012, keep loving one another and keep taking care of one another!  All my love and much aloha, Nikki