Thursday, October 1, 2009
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Jamie's 60's Themed B-Day Party
Jamie's 30th B-Day Party
Sept. 19th we celebrated my high school friend's b-day. For those of you who know her, Jamie (Vandenboom) Givens has turned the big 3-0. Her hubby threw her a 60's themed surprise party. We had a great time experiencing an era we never had before :0 We all got dressed up. Christian was of course going around and flirting with all the ladies. I mean, he did look nice, so who could blame him?! Jacob set up a "photo booth" where we could take pictures. Here are a couple from the party. I will upload more when I get them.
Christian's Birthday
Christian's 2!
Well, the little boy is 2 now. It wasn't quite the extravaganza as last year's party at the park. Without family and friends around, it would have been a small celebration. We decorated his door with streamers like my mom used to do for me every birthday. There was something so special waking up to a streamered doorway. Probably cause my birthday was in the summer and I never got my locker decorated, it was like my at-home locker :) He seemed to love them and kept running back and forth through them.
We served him toaster strudels with two candles for breakfast then we all went on with our day. Chris and I had work and he had preschool. That night we got his new favorite food, cheeseburgers, for dinner and presented him with what we thought would be the favorite gift of the year...a new basketball hoop. He LOVED it!
A couple days later a present from Papa and Grandma Passaglia arrived at Wal-mart and I went to go get it. Our present was trumped. They got him a table that had a car track in it. This kid is obsessed with cars. Every day all he does is play with his cars. Papa and Grandma won the present of the year this year, but I'm deteremined to win next years ;0 j/k
Here are a couple picks from that morning. I will try to upload more when I have them accessable.
We served him toaster strudels with two candles for breakfast then we all went on with our day. Chris and I had work and he had preschool. That night we got his new favorite food, cheeseburgers, for dinner and presented him with what we thought would be the favorite gift of the year...a new basketball hoop. He LOVED it!
A couple days later a present from Papa and Grandma Passaglia arrived at Wal-mart and I went to go get it. Our present was trumped. They got him a table that had a car track in it. This kid is obsessed with cars. Every day all he does is play with his cars. Papa and Grandma won the present of the year this year, but I'm deteremined to win next years ;0 j/k
Here are a couple picks from that morning. I will try to upload more when I have them accessable.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Groovaloos!
Last Friday Chris was invited to a dance production with Johan. It was so weird how it happened. Early that day I was driving to Genevieve's school (as I thought about going back, but not a resident yet - too expensive). As we were driving we passed a theater that said "Groovaloos." Now, I've been following the Groovaloos for awhile now. In fact, last time I lived here I looked into taking a workshop with them, but never did. Johan has a friend that is in the group, who funny enough is actually married to a girl Vieve and I used to dance with at Oasis church. Chris called me after the show and said - "I'm buying you and Vieve tickets. You guys have to see this!"
So - that's what he did. Sunday the fam went to Oasis for church, which is so comforting to be back at, then Vieve and I headed to the theatre to watch the show put on by the Groovaloos. OMG! I don't think I can ever express to you how AMAZING this show was. Chills - tears - screams - way too many emotions in 2 hours for me to process. It was so inspiring, Vieve and I left like "why are we giving up on our love for dance?!" I'm still having a hard time processing everything it meant to me. I HIGHLY recommend it. They are heading to NY next, then doing a tour, so please check out the website and see if you can make a show: http://www.groovaloos.com/
The main thing that I think I left with was - if you love it, it doesn't matter what you look like, it's that you're doing what you love. I think as dancers we are so critical of ourselves and other people that we forget sometimes to just let go and enjoy the fact that we can move and that a passion to move was birthed in us. There are a couple dance options coming down the line that I'm looking in to. 1) Oasis is having auditions in October for their dance ministry - maybe 2) Genevieve is choreographing for a student showcase that I could audition for - maybe 3) There are 10,000 dance studios in the area that I could take class at - maybe 4) I could go back to school for dance - probably not, but maybe
So - there you have it - the maybes are back on the table. I'm so glad I have options again, now I just have to get off my butt and do something!
Friday, August 28, 2009
Shannon's Job Update
Well, we've been speeding up hill since we've been here, it was only a matter of time till we started a slight decline. Many of you may be confused by my Facebook status one day saying "I got the job" and the next day saying "Back on the job hunt." Well, here's what happened.
Last Tuesday was my first day at my new job downtown LA. I was hired to be a Program Manager. Tuesday and Wednesday were good, trying to get a grasp on the job. While I was there, though, a couple red flags started waving at me about the job, the environment, my boss and the company itself. I don't want to be negative on here, so if you're really interested in what those flags were, I can elaborate in person. However - Thursday was the breaking point.
Early that morning Christian woke with night terrors. I ran in there to hold him, then he started crying for "Dada." Chris took him and held him for a little bit, then we laid him back down. This began the self reflection and fear of "what am I doing to my child?!" All day Thursday at work I kept thinking about him. I know kids are resilient, but we've had so many changes in such a short time, our time with him has decreased tremendously and he's in a new environment at preschool. I kept thinking that we pushed too hard too fast. So - that was on my mind. Then being at work little things started to bother me A LOT! I was trying to be patient and tell myself to give it some time, because starting a new job always takes getting used to, but I was miserable.
All weekend I kept thinking about the job, talking to family about it and trying to talk myself in to just being patient. I prayed hard on Sunday about what to do...well, answered prayer on Monday. Got to the office and my boss wanted to talk to me, closed the door behind us, and I saw my employment folder on the table. I knew this was it. Basically she said this wasn't a good fit, that I would be bored in the position, and instead of working to help non-profits, I should be running my own program. She had very nice and kind things to say. Of course, I agreed with her on everything. :) Nothing she said was about me personally, but that what I brought to the table was more than what they needed. She helped me process what I should be looking for, paid me for the work I had done and sent me on my way. That was it...the fasted employment I have ever had.
So-yes a shock, but I am incredibly relieved. I know God has a plan for me, I just don't know what it is. As I stumbled into BreakDown I know I will stumble into the next thing he wants for me. Many ideas are floating around my head, but in the meantime I am signed up for some temp work, and there may actually be an opportunity to temp at WB - Chris and I back together ;) Kidding - I'm just going to be taking temporary positions as I continue to figure out my next move.
Thank you all for your prayers, support and encouragement during this time. I take a deep breath and think - it's only been 4 weeks :0 I am blessed I had employment for a short time, and in time I will understand my place here.
Last Tuesday was my first day at my new job downtown LA. I was hired to be a Program Manager. Tuesday and Wednesday were good, trying to get a grasp on the job. While I was there, though, a couple red flags started waving at me about the job, the environment, my boss and the company itself. I don't want to be negative on here, so if you're really interested in what those flags were, I can elaborate in person. However - Thursday was the breaking point.
Early that morning Christian woke with night terrors. I ran in there to hold him, then he started crying for "Dada." Chris took him and held him for a little bit, then we laid him back down. This began the self reflection and fear of "what am I doing to my child?!" All day Thursday at work I kept thinking about him. I know kids are resilient, but we've had so many changes in such a short time, our time with him has decreased tremendously and he's in a new environment at preschool. I kept thinking that we pushed too hard too fast. So - that was on my mind. Then being at work little things started to bother me A LOT! I was trying to be patient and tell myself to give it some time, because starting a new job always takes getting used to, but I was miserable.
All weekend I kept thinking about the job, talking to family about it and trying to talk myself in to just being patient. I prayed hard on Sunday about what to do...well, answered prayer on Monday. Got to the office and my boss wanted to talk to me, closed the door behind us, and I saw my employment folder on the table. I knew this was it. Basically she said this wasn't a good fit, that I would be bored in the position, and instead of working to help non-profits, I should be running my own program. She had very nice and kind things to say. Of course, I agreed with her on everything. :) Nothing she said was about me personally, but that what I brought to the table was more than what they needed. She helped me process what I should be looking for, paid me for the work I had done and sent me on my way. That was it...the fasted employment I have ever had.
So-yes a shock, but I am incredibly relieved. I know God has a plan for me, I just don't know what it is. As I stumbled into BreakDown I know I will stumble into the next thing he wants for me. Many ideas are floating around my head, but in the meantime I am signed up for some temp work, and there may actually be an opportunity to temp at WB - Chris and I back together ;) Kidding - I'm just going to be taking temporary positions as I continue to figure out my next move.
Thank you all for your prayers, support and encouragement during this time. I take a deep breath and think - it's only been 4 weeks :0 I am blessed I had employment for a short time, and in time I will understand my place here.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Shannon's Birthday
Friday, August 7th I turned the big 2-9. One more year to act crazy and irrational - then it's all seriousness from then on (yah right!). Thirty's the new twenty :) Well, I had a good birthday. Christian and I went to visit Chris at work. He gave us a tour of the animation office, which was really neat. There is so much history there. Not only did they have walls of the new stuff they're working on, but they had old concept art framed (Flinstones, Looney Tunes, etc). It was really cool. We walked around the WB Ranch, but they were setting up to film a new sitcom coming up with Rebecca Romijn, so we couldn't see too much of it. This is the location of the waterfountain that is in the intro to the Friends show, where they're dancing around and in the fountain. It's right in the middle of the WB Ranch.
(Christian sitting at Daddy's desk)
(At Warner Brother's Animation: Display case of old characters..."Look dad, Bugs Bunny!")
We headed over to the other studio lot, where the the WB water tower is and all of the movies and other sitcoms are filmed, and I think Ellen is there, too. We didn't do the long tour (which I want to one day), but we walked around, had lunch at the comissary and then headed over to the WB Museum. The whole upstairs of the museum was Harry Potter cosutumes and props from the movie. Chris and I both sat under the Sorting Hat - I am a Hufflepuff and he's a Slitheran :)
The downstairs area were costumes from the 1940's - Casablanca, some costumes from the Matrix and much more. It was really neat.
(Lunch at WB Studios)
Chris had to head back to work, so Christian and I dropped him off, then headed home. Later that night my friend/roommate Genevieve won tickets to a jazz concert on a public radio station. So - we went on an adventure. The place was kind of hidden and a backdoor entrance, but we entered this classic, old-school super club with a small stage. We sat in the front, had a couple drinks and chatted with an electic mix of jazz with a Latin influnece played. It was a great time.
(Christian sitting at Daddy's desk)
(At Warner Brother's Animation: Display case of old characters..."Look dad, Bugs Bunny!")We headed over to the other studio lot, where the the WB water tower is and all of the movies and other sitcoms are filmed, and I think Ellen is there, too. We didn't do the long tour (which I want to one day), but we walked around, had lunch at the comissary and then headed over to the WB Museum. The whole upstairs of the museum was Harry Potter cosutumes and props from the movie. Chris and I both sat under the Sorting Hat - I am a Hufflepuff and he's a Slitheran :)
The downstairs area were costumes from the 1940's - Casablanca, some costumes from the Matrix and much more. It was really neat.
(Lunch at WB Studios)Chris had to head back to work, so Christian and I dropped him off, then headed home. Later that night my friend/roommate Genevieve won tickets to a jazz concert on a public radio station. So - we went on an adventure. The place was kind of hidden and a backdoor entrance, but we entered this classic, old-school super club with a small stage. We sat in the front, had a couple drinks and chatted with an electic mix of jazz with a Latin influnece played. It was a great time.
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