What I've Been Up To Lately

I have experienced lots of fun, new things over the past couple of months. I'll try to do a quick recap of everything!

First off, everything is going well! I love the family I live with and the family I nanny for. Both families are cool to hang out with and I can totally talk to them about anything. So the move to Laguna was indeed a great decision.

In July, I ventured to the US Open of Surfing. It was pretty neat! It takes place in Huntington Beach each year. Afterwards, I decided to have an early dinner at BJ's Brewery. Apparently, it is unheard of for someone to eat at a sit down restaurant by themselves. I asked the hostess how long the wait would be for one. Her reply, "The bar is open seating. It's happy hour now too." I said, "Oh no, I would like a table." When my pager went off, a different hostess said, "Will it just be one?" Then my waiter said, "Is it just one today?" I mean, is it seriously that taboo to eat dinner out by yourself?

The next day I went to the OC Fair!! The KY State Fair is wayyy better, by the way. I mean, they didn't even have elephant ears! No one even knew what in the world they were. So disappointing, but I did get peanut butter fudge and a frozen banana. I saw the pig races and a pie eating contest too. After the fair, I broke out in a rash. It itched so bad. It lasted for a couple days before I went to the doctor to get a steroid. He said I had contact dermatitis, which just means my skin came into contact with something I was allergic to. After going over and over what I had used that was new or what I had changed, I came to the conclusion that my sunscreen had caused it. It's called photo contact dermatitis actually.  It only causes a reaction when in the sun for a long period of time (The US Open of Surfing and the OC Fair).

The day after the fair was my first surf lesson in Newport Beach! It was so much fun! Well, once they got me on the right board. They started me off on a board that was not for beginners. Then they switched me to a board without the leash. So I had to chase it every time because I would fall off when trying to stand up and the board would shoot out. Not fun. Finally, they got me a beginner board with the leash. I stood up on the second time with this board. It was awesome! I also took a surf lesson about two weeks later in San Clemente. It was a surf camp, so I was surrounded by little kids. They all thought they were better than me because they'd been at camp all week and I showed up on a Thursday. But once I told them I was 22, they thought I was cool.

In August I took my Aerial Arts class. It actually was a really neat class. The instructor taught us how to climb up on the static trapeze, the hoop, and the silk. I wasn't a fan of the hoop because it spins. But the trapeze and the silk were legit! I was able to climb the silk pretty fast, but it burns your foot on the way down. The static trapeze was difficult to get on at first because you're basically supposed to do a pull up. Yeah, right. That wasn't going to be happening. So I would just jump up and climb on. I was surprised that I was able to do everything he taught.

My friend, Amy, from college came to visit at the end of August! It was so nice getting to see her. We had such a jam packed few days, but it was a blast! She arrived on a Friday evening. We went to In N Out of course, then to South Coast Plaza and the Irvine Spectrum. The next morning we went to Laguna Beach, Top of the World, Crystal Cove, Fashion Island and Huntington Beach. The weather turned out to be pretty nice too. Sunday we went to LA. We went to Hollywood Blvd., drove up the hills to the Hollywood sign, went to Rodeo Dr., and Robertson Blvd., ate a cupcake from Sprinkles Cupcakes, took a picture with the Beverly Hills sign, went to Melrose Ave., went to the new DASH store-Amy bought $7 chapstick, drove to Malibu for the Malibu Country Mart (a few days later the Kardashians were there!), drove to Santa Monica, went to the pier, rode the ferris wheel and walked to the end of the pier. It was a longggg, but fun day! Monday we rode the ferry to Catalina Island! We sat by a couple from Washington. They were really sweet. She gave me career advice. They also had gone to the KY Derby this past year, so they knew exactly where we were from! We saw dolphins on the way too! It was so amazing. In Catalina, we rented bicycles to ride around and check out the island. Worst. Idea. Ever. We discovered the island is just a big hill. It sucked. We couldn't go very far in any direction because a steep hill would be in the way. Next time, I'm going to rent the golf cart, for sure. After that miserable hour of our life was over, we got some ice cream. Then it was time to go snorkeling-my first time! At first I thought I was going to hyperventilate. I could not get the hang of breathing through the snorkel. I was afraid water was going to go through the top whenever a wave came or someone swam by me. Finally, I calmed myself down and was able to do it. We saw a sea lion and a bat ray, along with many other fish. The guide thought it would be funny to throw the fish food at Amy and I. Wasn't funny at all!! The fish were basically attacking us. Jumping all around us. Not okay. Then trying to get out of the water was a ridiculous task! The people were laughing at us. First, we couldn't get out of the water. We had to sit down and scoot backwards towards the shore. Then once we were out, there were rocks you had to walk on, which hurt so bad. After what seemed like foreverrr, we made it to our shoes and walked across the street to the lockers. I changed out of that wetsuit so fast. I was so over it. Once we got back to Newport Beach, we went to Balboa Island. It is the cutest place! It is really small. There is a main street with little shops and restaurants. They had this amazing candy store. It was kind of like a Cracker Barrel because they had all the old school candy and soda in glass bottles. After Balboa we went to Downtown Disney! We ate dinner at an Italian restaurant and walked around a bit. The next day, I sadly dropped Amy off at the airport.

Then came September, my birthday month! My birthday weekend was a lot of fun! First, the mom I nanny for took me out for early birthday drinks and dessert...while I was working! Then Saturday morning I woke up and the family I live with had bought me my favorite donut for breakfast. My mom had contacted Melinda (the mom I live with) about ordering a birthday cake. So that morning, the dad went out to the bakery to pick it up. They lit the candles and sang Happy Birthday to me! Afterwards, I went shopping for new clothes. Then my friend, Sam, and I went to San Diego to meet up with some people. We all went to the Padres game and then out in Pacific Beach. It was pretty cool to walk outside the bar and be at the ocean. It turned out to be a really great birthday! :)  (By the way, MY mom/dad means I'm talking about my legit parents. THE mom/dad means I'm talking about the parents I live with).

Last week I had my first photography class. She went over some things I already knew from the photography class I took this past spring. The class is basically a group of retired moms...then there's me. It's a six week course, with two homework projects and two in class projects. I'm really looking forward to learning about photography and gaining new skills. This could turn into a potential career.

I also joined the gym last week. I joined LA Fitness because they have a lot of group classes to choose from that fit into my schedule well. So far I have tried the spin class twice and a boot camp. I really enjoyed both and am excited to start working out again! This past Monday night I had a complimentary personal training session. Worst thing ever. After filling out the questionnaire, he asked if I had a boyfriend. I said, "No." He then said, "Once you start seeing some results from the training sessions, you'll get noticed a lot more by guys." Is this kid serious!? Who says that to someone? And actually dude, I don't need any help getting noticed by guys. Thank you though! Oh and even after telling him that my degree is in Exercise Science, he still continued to lecture me on everything that I already know. He even said that I didn't have an education in this field, which is why I needed to sign up for the sessions so I could get back into shape. I'm not sure what he thinks Exercise Science is...  The guy was a total douche bag.

Last Tuesday was my first Bikram Yoga class. The room was supposedly heated to 105 degrees with humidifiers all around the room. At first, it was okay. I mean, besides having beads of sweat rolling down my body before class even started.  About thirty minutes into the class, I felt as though I couldn't breathe.  There was no cool air circulation, so obviously I was having issues. I hate not having air circulation. After contemplating for 15 minutes if I was going to stay or not, I got up the courage to leave. I didn't feel well and just wanted some fresh air. I rolled up my mat super quick and went to the cubby to get my stuff. Well, that's when the instructor caught me! She asked if I was alright and that I should really stay and finish the class. I stood there frozen for a second trying to decide what to do. She told me I could just sit down and to focus on my breathing. She assured me that I would feel better. So, I walked back over to my spot, unrolled my mat and laid down. After she announced that you could lie or sit down when not feeling well, people all across the room started dropping. Apparently I wasn't the only one having issues.  I pretty much stayed in that position the rest of the class. I attempted a few more poses, but was much more content lying on the mat.

This Monday at 9 o'clock will be my first kickball game! I signed up with a WAKA league in Irvine. I am very excited to get to know some new people and attempt to play some kickball. It should be a good time!

I can't believe I've been in California nine months already! It's crazy how fast time is going by. I'm not sure when I will be home next, but I'll keep everyone posted! Love and miss you all!!

Mission Beach, SD

I recently got the chance to meet up with a couple of friends from college. We were all three Exercise Science majors. One was a soccer player and the other was a swimmer, so both athletes.  Then there was me. A good ol' sorority girl. Somehow we managed to become friends though, so I was stoked when I found out they were coming to San Diego. They were with a group of their friends who, I kid you not, were either Canadian, a swimmer, or both. So once again, I fit right in! 

Even though I am far from being Canadian or an Olympic swimmer, I had a great time. I arrived Tuesday afternoon. We hung out on the beach for a little while then got ready to go to dinner in the Gaslamp District.  The only problem was that we had no way of transporting seven girls, so we decided to take the bus. This was a first time experience for many of the girls, myself included. It was quite interesting; however, we learned that for only $5 bucks you can purchase an all day bus pass and Google Maps is ballerrr.  It literally tells you exactly which bus to get on and where to get off. We would have been lost without it. One of the girls decided she was not a fan of the bus. She said something like, "I am not a public transportation kind of girl. I'm the kind of girl who needs a driver. I am taking a taxi back. I just wanted to try it once. But mark this one in the books, girls. San Diego-July 2012, my first and last bus ride." In her defense, it was really crowded so she got stuck in the front of the bus by herself while the rest of us were sitting in the back.  After one or two stops though most of the people got off so she was able to sit in the back with us.  After the bus ride she said, "Once I got to the back of the bus I was fine. I don't know why Rosa Parks even complained. The back of the bus is where it's at."

The Gaslamp District was a pretty popular place that evening. There are restaurants lining the street, as well as little shops. In front of every single restaurant was someone trying to persuade you to eat there. It reminded me of China Town in NYC where all the Asian ladies are basically begging you to follow them down some secret stairwell to buy their "designer" purses. We chose a restaurant that had a Happy Hour, so we were forced to eat in the lounge area. Three of us got stuck sitting on these awkward stools, while the other four girls got to sit on the comfy couch. Although no matter your seat, eating comfortably over this small coffee table was near impossible. After dinner we walked around a bit.  We saw a street magician put a nail up his nose and "hammer" it in, found a cute boutique that was unfortunately too expensive for most of us, and ended up at The Melting Pot for dessert. This was another first for many of us. The chocolate fondue was amazing. We were all in Heaven. Then reality set in and we realized we still had to bus it back to the condo; however, our bus #30 no longer was running. So we had to take bus #2 to the trolley station, then take the Blue Line West to Old Town, where we finally boarded bus #8 to get home. Upon arriving home, we found out that the two girls who had the key had not made it back to the condo yet. We waited for what seemed like forever for them to finally show up and let us in. 

Wednesday morning three girls went to the San Diego Zoo, while the rest of us decided to venture into La Jolla (pronounced Hoya, not Jolla, like I thought. But give me a break, I am from Kentucky...Bullitt Co. at that).  It was only about a 20 minute bus ride. We got off in the shopping district and saw numerous signs for a missing cat.  This wasn't just a normal cat. It looked as if it walked straight out of the jungle. The reward for finding it was $5000. You best believe we kept our eye out and were prepared to catch that beast.  Unfortunately, we never saw it.

[But I swear Thursday afternoon when I was in my neighborhood with the kids, I saw it. We were having a picnic in the park, minding our own business, when a large being caught my eye. I was like, what in the world?  As it jumped over the fence, I realized I had just let $5000 run away from me. Such a let down.] 

We walked through the shopping district to the park where there were about a million kids. I thought I was on a mini vacation and was getting away from kiddos...apparently I attract lots and lots of rowdy children everywhere I go. We basically had to dodge kids on our way to look out over the ocean. It was beautiful though. We walked down some stairs out onto the rocks. There were sea lions nearby laying out on the rocks, lots of kids snorkeling, and lots of pelicans. In fact, one pelican stole some poor kid's sandwich. (The kid probably deserved it.) It was still in the plastic bag. It took 'em a while to bust through that one..good ol' zip lock.

While looking out over the water, we saw a beach. We decided it was a genius idea to walk to the beach. And by walk, I mean hike a million miles in flip flops and sundresses with beach bags.  On our way, a guy running with his dog passed us going in the opposite direction.  A while later, he passed us again. This time going in the same direction as us. I mean, was there some shortcut we weren't aware of or were we just that slow? We were almost to the beach when we decided to stop for frozen yogurt. It was delicious. After we ate, we continued on our journey to reach what we thought would be a lovely beach. Boy, were we wrong. Once we arrived, probably an hour after we had first noticed it, the beach was crowded. Really, really crowded with lots of kids. The ocean was green. It was not worth the hike, that's for sure. But we were there and decided to make the best of it. So we laid out for a bit, but shortly after decided it was lunch time. We hopped on bus #30 back to the shopping district and found a BBQ place. After lunch we stopped at a crazy hat store and then it was back to the bus stop to catch a ride home.

I hung out on the deck with some of the girls that night & left around 8:30pm.  Shortly after I got onto the 5 expressway/freeway/whatever you want to call it, I got stuck in traffic. The Border Patrol was open. Every car was stopped by a police officer who casually glanced in your car. Luckily I'm far from looking like I'm from Mexico (I really need to work on my tan), so I was waved on through. A car in the next lane was not so lucky and had to pull off to the side. Not sure what happened to them.

While I was in San Diego, I received a phone call from the mom I had recently interviewed with. It's a mother's helper position for six month old twins. She said, "We interviewed a lot of people for the position. My husband and I decided we really liked your energy and the way you interacted with the twins, so the position is yours if you'd still like it." I start one week from Monday!

What Do You Want to Do with Your Life?

I've been in a bit of a funk lately. I believe it's because I have no idea what to do with my life and I don't have anybody out here who actually knows me...missing the "home" feeling; however, I have no desire to actually go back to KY.

I was perusing Stumbleupon.com when I found this http://beforeidie.cc/ website. It made me contemplate my purpose. What am I supposed to do? What difference am I supposed to make?

There are so many thoughts that run through my mind when asked, "What do you want to do before you die?" 

I honestly, don't just have one answer. How can you possibly have one answer to such a crucial question? I want to travel the world. I want to focus on painting and photography. I want to learn to surf. I want to read and write more frequently. I want to eat healthier. I want to run a program for at-risk youth. I want to volunteer at an orphanage in Africa. I want horseback riding to become a hobby of mine. I want to fluently speak Spanish. I want to run a half marathon. I want to rock climb. I want to stay at an Ashram in India. I want to adopt a child. I want to live peacefully. The list goes on...

But after much thought, I realized there are only three that truly matter: 

1) I want to be genuinely happy.

2) I want to show love & compassion to all.

3) I want my absence to be felt. (I want to leave an impact on this world.)

If you were asked that same question, what would you say?

What do you want to do before you die?

From North OC to South OC

I have been in my new house with my new family for almost one week. The three boys are adorable, ages 5 years, 2 1/2 years, and 8 months old. The parents are welcoming and very sweet. They are also quite humorous.  I have two new pets, Oliver, the dog and Lucy, the cat. I thought Oliver and I were going to be buddies since he slept in my room the first night. Apparently, that was just a fluke as he hasn't slept with me again. 

I somehow managed to break the sink the second day I was here. After I washed my face I reached to turn off the faucet, like any normal person would do. Apparently, I am The Hulk, because the faucet knob came right off and water shot out everywhere. I had no clue what to do, so I started screaming for help. I shouted, "HELP! MICHAEL! MELINDA! HELPPPP!!!" It felt as though I was screaming forever before they came to my rescue. I found out later they thought I was singing, very poorly at that, so they just let me be. Until it was continuous, then they figured they better check on me. Melinda came in first and decided it was best to turn off the toilet water, which makes perfect sense. I mean, water spraying from the sink...better shut off that toilet. I was all for it though. I was thinking, "Look at her. She knows exactly what to do." At least she had a proactive response, as opposed to me standing there drenched in water, water running down my face, screaming, trying to hold a towel over the faucet. A few seconds later, Michael walks in eating an orange. He immediately takes over holding the towel on the faucet, which is still spraying water and says, "Ah, this is the hot water!" He knows exactly what to do though and shuts off the water. The knob was under the sink. I mean, who would've guessed. The boys came running to see what all the commotion was about. Melinda told them it was an emergency. I was thinking, "Greattt. This accident reached emergency status. I bet they sure are glad they hired me as their nanny." But all is well. Melinda said, "Welcome to the family!" while Michael joked about how strong I was. This happened last Sunday. The sink is still broken. I am forced to wash my face and brush my teeth in the bathtub or kitchen sink. 

Besides that minor, err major incident, everything is going really well. I hang out with the family all the time. The schedule is working out great. I am still debating on jobs. I would like to start a job soon though. I feel like such a bum not working. I've applied to nanny positions. I am also going to apply to be a substitute teacher. I have to take the CBEST Test before turning in my application though. Luckily, the schools don't start until September here, so I have plenty of time.  

I'm still going on dates with random guys, kickboxing, and just living my life.

It's Official

I AM MOVING!!! (Sorry people, not back to Kentucky.)

July 6th will be my last day as owner of Randi's Daycare, as well as, the last day with my current family. I have found a new position with an awesome family in Laguna Hills. I mean, the mom is even from Bullitt County and graduated from North Bullitt...How can she not be cool?!

SO STOKED! 

Things Pierce Says

Part Six


As he grabs my face, "I want to just kiss you on the lips."

"I'm a good kid because I'm expensive."

"Dammit. (After I gave him a look) Okay, darn it."

"Stop singing, Randi."

I told Pierce that I had the hiccups. He said, "BOO! I scared them away."

While at Disneyland waiting for the parade, "This is ridiculous!"

"My dad has lots of underwear."

While walking home from the park, "This is vigorous!"

Finally!!

It is time to fly home.

I am so stoked. It has been about five and a half months since I have been home. I can't wait to see all of my friends and family.

A lot has happened since my last post. I bought a Disneyland Annual Pass, my friend came in town, we went to the San Diego Safari Park, we SKYDIVED, I got my hair trimmed and colored, I did a body detox wrap, got a manicure/pedicure and got my eyebrows waxed. I'll write more details about skydiving when I get back from KY. Now, I need to finish packing.

I leave for the airport at 6:45AM!

Things Pierce Says

Part Five

Pierce overheard mine and Sam's conversation on how Sam hasn't seen The Hunger Games yet. Pierce says, "Sam, I'll take you to The Hungry Games!"

Whenever he gets hurt by running into a wall, counter, etc..he yells, "Bad counterrrr. That's a badddd counterrrr" while hitting it.

"I'm not being a fool."

When he says granola bar, it sound like banana bar.

"I'm going to snap the wedding off and you'll never see it again!" (He tells me I'm not allowed to fly home for Kelsi's wedding.)

After ignoring him because he wasn't listening to me he says, "Randi, listen to me. Listen to me. TO MY FACE."

"I'm going to be a motorcycle man!"

"The garbage man is really startling me!"

"Pee comes from my wiener."

"Blake and Teddy are gonna carry my balls all day." (Referring to baseballs.)

"It's my new hat so I won't get sunburnt!"

Two Games in Two Weekends

I recently got to see two of my favorite MLB teams play. 

On May 19th, I went to Dodger Stadium for the first time to watch the LA Dodgers play my team, the St. Louis Cardinals. I was so stoked for the game. I even wore my Cardinal hat and t-shirt (even though both are red) with Berkman #12 on the back. Sadly, Berkman injured his knee in the second inning and was out the rest of the game. He tore his meniscus in his right knee and will unfortunately be out for eight to 10 weeks, such a bummer. The Cardinals lost that game with a final score of 6-0.  

On May 28th, I went to Angels Stadium for the first time to watch my first Yankees game. I've ALWAYS wanted to go to a Yankees game. One would think since I've been to NYC twice, I would've made it to at least one game. Nope, I was forced to attend a Mets game instead. I've even had a Yankees hat for years. So I was pumped to finally get to wear it to a game. 

Tony the Tiger

The game Monday was quite interesting. The pitcher for the Angels was injured in the first inning for no apparent reason and was out the rest of the game. Two of the Yankees' outfielders ran into each other at full speed while chasing a fly ball. It was crazy, but neither were injured. Then there was 'Tony the Tiger' who sat behind me. He would randomly shout, "Charrrge. Get 'em outta there 1-2-3. Noise, Noise, Noise. Everyyyy Batter Hits. Stay on the plane. Push 'em back, Push 'em back."  I am convinced he was a cheerleader in high school. The score was 8-8 going into the ninth inning. I was hopeful the Yankees would win. I mean, the bases were loaded with Jeter up to bat with only one out. It was looking pretty good, but dang Pujols plays for the Angels now.  He caught the ball forcing Jeter and the player at second out. A player for the Angels hit a homerun in the bottom of the ninth, ending the game. 

If Pujols had just stayed with the Cardinals, both of my teams probably would've won. But I'm not bitter or anything.

After attending these games, I have decided I am bad luck. Every baseball game I go to, the team I am rooting for loses. Every. Single. Game. I went to three games last season. So far, I've been to two this season. First it was the Reds, then the Cardinals. Next were the Giants, the Cardinals again, and then the Yankees. They all lost. It's becoming a bit ridiculous. 

Jumping Out of a Plane

It's official.
June 10th, at 10AM.
I will be skydiving.
I cannot wait.

:D

Things Pierce Says

Part Four


"I'm such a little stinkah."

"I'm going to kill my mom."

"Pierre is a blind, old dog."

"Teddy, you're being a little punk!"

After bumping his head, "Take it off. Take the hurt off!"

I asked Pierce, "Why do you hit?" His reply, "Because I'm crazyyy!"

"A is for octonauts and astronauts!!" (I'm obviously a great teacher.)

While we were painting he said, "I'm just coloring a picture for Jerry's wedding and Kelsi's wedding."

He asked me, "Why do you got your morning sandals on?" I wasn't aware that I owned 'morning sandals'.

"When my mommy and daddy get back, you can have the day off." Why thank you, Pierce!

I asked Lizzie where she was going. Pierce said, "Her's getting out of this crazy place!"

I told Pierce to push his foot into his 'gardener boot'. He said, "I'm a good pusher!"

We played with a puppy at the pet shop. Pierce said, "Now we can get rid of our old dog and keep this new dog!"

I'm not only the Maid of Honor in my sister's wedding, but apparently also her body guard. Pierce told me, "I'm going to give you a gun, so you can kill all the bad people at Kelsi's wedding." So don't worry, Kels. I got your back.

Me & the Boys

Becoming an Official CA Resident...

is much more difficult than it seems.


EDIT: A picture of my license for the world to see (the only cool thing about the license is the bear that shows up in the light). By the way, everyone has my address now so I'm expecting some mail, people.

On Wednesday, I packed up the boys and the hundred pound double stroller to head to the DMV. But first, we picked up my friend Sam so she could help watch the boys while I was filling out paperwork and taking the written test. I had an appointment for 12:20, but we went early because Sam had work at 1pm. I got in line to get a number and was informed I needed my birth certificate in order to switch my license. I had my social security card and my KY license, but those were not sufficient. The only thing running through my head was, "Are you kidding me? You mean, I have to put the boys back in their carseats, figure out how to fold this dang stroller (which had taken me ten minutes just to open), drop Sam off because she had work and come back here all by myself with a 14 month old and 3 year old. You've got to be joking?!" The man wasn't joking. So back to the car we went. 

After picking up my birth certificate, snacks for the boys, and dropping Sam off I was back at the DMV. I opened the stroller in record time, got the boys loaded and back inside, roughly an hour later. They still hadn't called my original number. We only had to wait about five minutes though before B108 was called. Upon arriving at window #15, the lady asked if I had gotten my car inspected.  She said, "You need to take your car around to the side and have it inspected." I looked at her like she was speaking a foreign language. She couldn't possibly mean that I have to go back to my car, unload the boys, strap them into their carseats, fold the double stroller, lift the beastly thing into my trunk, maneuver it until it actually fits, get in my car and drive around the side of the building for a ten minute inspection just to repark my car, unload the stroller and the boys and come back inside to complete the paperwork.  Oh, that's precisely what she meant. I was about to just leave. 

Luckily, I need my dad's signature to complete the car registration so she said I could come back at a later date to finish the registration and get my car inspected then. I was so relieved. After finishing the paperwork to switch my license, I had to go to Camera 1 for the dreaded photo. I was prepared though. I did my makeup that morning, although my face was flushed from getting the boys in and out of the car a million times, my hair was straightened. I hadn't worn sunglasses all day to be sure I wouldn't have the marks on my nose. This picture was going to turn out perfect. The lady told me to stand on the line, look at the blue dot and wait for the flash. She failed to mention how long this would take. So I'm smiling, staring at the blue dot, even though the camera is clearly above the dot. My smile starts fading into the "hurry up and take the dang picture" smile, and as I glance over to check on the boys, it flashes. She's obviously going to have me retake the picture because there is no way that's going to be the picture everyone sees when they ask to see my cool, new CA license. She hands me some papers and tells me to go to the blue door to take my test. That was it. No, "Oh let's retake that and get a better picture". Nothing. As I look over the papers, I see the picture. My hair is flat to my head. My right ear is sticking out. My face looks fat. My smile looks fake. And to top it all off, I have a lazy, awkward looking eye. Great. Just great. 

The boys have been perfect this entire time though. Not making a sound. They ate some Goldfish, drank water and have been doing awesome. We get to the blue door, go inside and wait for the lady to give me the test. Of course, Pierce starts kicking his feet against the stroller. Need I remind you, the room is completely silent. I tell Pierce to stop and to stay quiet. He surprisingly complies. I get my test and go to the corner of the room to take it and park the stroller directly behind me. There's only 36 questions. Surely the boys can stay quiet for another 5 minutes while I take this Driver's test. Apparently, that was asking for too much. Pierce starts saying, "Randi, Hey Randi. Randiii. Hey." I turned around to ask him what he needed. He was finished with his Goldfish. I took the container from him and told him to be quiet for five more minutes and we would be leaving. I continue taking my test when I feel someone poking my butt. I hear Pierce giggling while saying, "Belly buttoonnn, belly buttoonnn." I tried not to laugh because that would only egg him on. I reminded him to stay quiet. So of course he turns around to start playing with Teddy. Teddy starts laughing. Loudly. I quickly answered my last few questions, so I could get out of there. I mean, the people in that room needed their peace and quiet to concentrate on this test. While I was waiting to be given my test, people were being told they failed. It was seriously one after another. So when I got in line to get mine checked, I was sure I had failed. Every single person in front of me had. It was ridiculous. She graded my test (I only missed three), punched a hole in my KY license, gave me a temporary license to use in conjunction with my KY license, and sent me on my way. 

Only I didn't get very far. I was attempting to not run over anyone's toes and get out of the blue door, but the stroller was just not cooperating at all. I mean, picture little ol' me trying to maneuver this huge double stroller through a tiny hallway with people lined up on the sides. Impossible. So a lady had to literally pull the front of the stroller for me, while another was holding the door open. I finally escaped the testing room and made my way to the car. I loaded up the boys and strapped them in their carseats. Then I tried unsuccessfully to load the dang stroller into the trunk. After about five minutes of no success, a lady who is randomly jogging through the DMV parking lot (I mean, who does that?!) passes by and says, "Oh, don't worry honey, it gets easier!" I wanted to scream, "These are not my kids. I am not a 22 year old single mother with two children." But I refrained and just smiled at her. After about another five minutes of unsuccessfully getting the stroller in my trunk, I had to ask a guy walking by to assist. He lifted it out of the trunk, flipped it over and put it back in. Genius. Why didn't I think of that? 

After spending the entire day at the DMV, we were all tired and hungry. So we stopped at IHOP to eat chicken, waffles and chocolate cake. And it was the best dang food I've ever eaten. 

Even though it was a crazy day where nothing went as planned, I can finally say I am an official California resident, organ donor and registered voter in CA. My license is being mailed to me and I have two months to go back to complete my car registration. 

After going through all this trouble, I definitely won't be moving back to Kentucky anytime soon.

Things Pierce Says

Part Three

"You're driving my family really crazy!" is what Pierce tells me on occasion.

I walked outside to sit on the blanket with Pierce. He says, "Where's your suit? You need to put it on to get some sun."

"You're still my best friend."

While playing in the sandbox Pierce told me, "We're digging for the Gold Rush!"

Waking up after falling asleep in the car he immediately starts saying, "Beast. Beast. I'm saying beast to Sam", not realizing that she wasn't even in the car anymore.

He yelled, "TEDDY HAS AN INK PENNNN!!!" Thanks for the heads up, buddy.

Pierce shouted to the waiter at IHOP, "We're done! We ate it all!!!!"

Pierce seems to think, "I'm going to beat you up" is the same as "I'm going to beat you".  So he quite often says, "I'm going to beat Teddy up. I'm going to beat him up!", in reference to finishing his lunch first.

As I'm taking my written driver's test at the DMV in an extremely quiet room, Pierce, who is in the stroller behind me, starts poking my butt and saying, "Belly buttonnn, belly buttonnn!" 

After putting on makeup Pierce asked, "What happened to your eyes? You look like a monster!!"

"I just wanna be a bitch."

Mother's Day

Mom,

     First off, Happy Mother's Day! I wish I was in Louisville right now so I could be with you. Now that's saying something, because I have only wished I was back in Kentucky maybe five times. 

     Who would've thought the girl who cried leaving you during elementary school would go away to college for four years, then pack up and move across the country? I was only able to do so because of the values you instilled in me growing up. You taught me to believe in myself and to be confident in who I am.  You always say 'I love you' before hanging up the phone, even though I don't always say it back. I notice you say it though and I'm glad you do. Thank you for always being there for me when I needed to vent, for always listening and keeping things just between you and I. Even though we argue and disagree, I still respect you.  
     I want you to know how much I appreciate you. I realize how blessed I am to have a mother as open minded and supportive as you.  I am grateful that you supported my decision to move to CA. While I know you didn't exactly like it, you never once made me feel guilty for leaving. You understood my reasons and never questioned my decision. I hope one day soon you will be able to come out to CA and see this wonderful, crazy state I live in.

     Here I am, following in your footsteps with owning my own in-home daycare. Thank you for helping me with it. You have given me great tips and advice. Not to mention, you're the reason I know how to handle a million kids at once, plus get them all to nap at the same time. So thank you for starting your daycare yearsssss ago. I have learned so much from it. 

     Thank you for always sending me notes and packages. I love when I get mail. It makes my day! I have the card you and Dad sent me a while ago on my bulletin board/head board. 

     I miss you. After being here almost five months, I realized I miss the little things we used to do together. I miss going out to lunch after church on Sundays and going to the mall & to eat on Friday nights. I miss watching Wheel of Fortune together while eating pizza on Wednesdays. I miss hanging out with you and the kids in the afternoons.  It's so different not having anywhere to be today. I asked my friend to go to kickboxing with me today, but she had a family thing. My other friend was at lunch and going to the movies with her family. I just miss having family around; being with people who actually know me. Even though I don't act like I do, I miss living at home...sometimes.
     Which is why I am so excited to be home for a few days! I have a countdown on my phone. Thirty-two days left! The time is flying by. I can't believe I have been here so long already. Each week goes by so fast out here, it's ridiculous. I have a feeling that once I'm home, I may not be so eager to come back. I want you and Dad to take me to the airport that Tuesday. Maybe we can go to an early dinner beforehand.  
     I hope you have a wonderful day! You deserve it, Mom! I will see you so soon!!!! :)


                                                                                            I love you & miss you,
                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                     Randi


    
     

     

Things Pierce Says

Part Two

He said while giggling, "You have a pretty taco."

Referring to a newborn picture of Teddy, "What's wrong with Ted's wiener?"

While I was changing Teddy's diaper, "Why's Ted have a small wiener?"  Poor Teddy.

As he handed me flowers he said, "I got some flowers for Kelsi's wedding." He can be so thoughtful.

In reply to me telling him to share his toy with Lizzie. "It's my toy, not hers." I said, "It's the daycare's toy. She can play with it." His reply, "Well, the daycare can't take it home!"

I explained to Pierce about Mother's Day and told him he needed to be nice to his mom that day. He says, "I'm going to color her pictures and play Play-Doh for her!"

Right in front of his mom, "I love my dad more than my mom."

I told him thanks for picking up the spider. His reply, "It's your pleasure, Randi."

Before we walked to the library, "I'm going to put my money in my pocket so the kids won't be jealous."

He asked me, "Where is your dad, Jerry?" My dad's name is Jay.

I asked, "What are you doing?" He replied, "Just working.  I'm just cleaning up the neighborhood."

I walked outside in my swimsuit to lay out. Pierce says, "Randi! What happened to you?!"

Since I Couldn't Be at the Derby...

I figured pretending to be a Jockey was the next best thing. 

This past Saturday, while others were celebrating Derby & Cinco de Mayo, I took a horseback riding lesson at Fun with Horses. Of course, it was a Living Social Deal. The lesson was an hour long. In that hour, I learned how to bridle the horse and lead her to the hitching post. I was taught how to groom her by using a curry comb  first to loosen the dirt and hair, followed by a dandy brush, which removes the loosened dirt and hair. I used the hoof pick to remove the mud and dirt that was caked in the hooves. I was taught how to put the back pads and saddle on, as well as how to put the cinch on the saddle and halt the horse. I now know to always lead and mount the horse from the left side and stay clear of the kicking zone. After all this, Honeygirl was ready to go. I lead her into the arena and used a mounting block to get on the horse. I learned how to make the horse go, stop, and turn. We even weaved in and out of cones. 

I was a real pro, except when it came time for the dismount. Who knew getting off a horse could be so difficult? I always assumed the left foot stayed in the stirrup to assist in getting down. Apparently, not. I actually couldn't even use the stirrups when I was riding because my shoes didn't have a heel. I was told my foot could slip, I could fall off, and my leg would be caught in the stirrup. I would be stuck and dragged by the horse. Needless to say, I was okay with not using the stirrups while riding. But for dismounting, I was a little confused. I was told to put my left hand on the horse's wither (neck), swing my right leg over the back of the horse, and land with my knees slightly bent.

Easier said, than done. 

I was in position to dismount the horse. My left hand was in place. I attempted to swing my right leg over the back of the horse.


Mission failed.

Skinny jeans were a poor choice of wardrobe. I was stuck. I just chilled there for a minute until I finally mustered up the strength to get my leg all the way across the back of the horse and slid off. I obviously didn't master that technique.

Crossing Jockey off my "Possible Careers" list... 

Things Pierce Says

Part One

The 2 1/2 year old I nanny calls me his boyfriend. Even though I have explained to him that I am a girl and would be a girlfriend, he proceeds to call me boyfriend. He is very sincere about it too. 

He says, "Boyyyfriend, are you okay, Boyfriend?"

He also asks me to go on a date with him several times a day.

I told him that he has to be potty trained before we go out because I don't date boys who wear diapers. 

So now he says, "Boyyyfriend, will you go on a date with me? We will watch the firehorks and I'm going to take my diaper off!"

This is the same kid who attempts to touch my boobs while saying, "BOOBIES!!" He has also said while giggling, "Your boobies are adorable!" Need I remind you, he has never seen my boobs.

Most recently, he touched my crotch, laughed and said, "It's your taco!"

At lunch, he holds up his hot dog and says, "It looks like a big wiener!"

He has said, "My daddy likes big knockers!"

He can also sing "We Are Young" by Fun. Knows almost every word. 

Oh, I must not forget the time he was angry at me and said, "You're such a bitch, Randi. Such a bitch."

The other day, a lady was checking out the daycare for her 16 month old daughter. I comment on her daughter having so much hair. She said, "My husband has a lot of hair." Pierce misheard her and said, "Why is your husband a liar?" The lady replies, "Good question. Why don't you ask him that?" She is currently going through a divorce.

Flyin' Home

Booked my flight to Louisville today! I'll fly in at 6:25PM on Thursday, June 14th. I'll be in town until Tuesday evening, June 19th.

One of my best friends, Jess, will be flying with me! :)

I cannot wait!

The Happiest Place on Earth!

Although I was not able to attend Stagecoach this past weekend, I did get the chance to go to Disneyland & California Adventure...for FREE! I felt like such a little kid. I was so stoked! I had no idea what to expect, since I hadn't been to Disney World in years. Disneyland is so much smaller than Disney World. It is  just like Magic Kingdom (but there were less characters walking around), Downtown Disney World is wayyyy better than Downtown Disneyland, & California Adventure is a theme park for pre-teens and teens. 

My friends and I started off at California Adventure because the line was significantly shorter to get in. Let me remind you, we decided to go  not only on a sunny California day, but a Saturday nonetheless. Not the smartest idea, but hey..when you work 40+ hours during the week, you don't have many options. I hadn't ridden a roller  coaster since high school, maybe? The first one up was California Screamin', which goes upside down. I'll admit I was nervous at first, but it was actually a blast. Afterwards, it was time to ride The Grizzly River Run. We got the Fast Pass for it before riding California Screamin', so we had an hour blocked off when we could skip ahead of the line and hop right on! This ride was just like The Penguin's Blizzard River at Six Flags, which was one of my favorites. We grabbed some lunch afterwards, then headed over to Disneyland. 

We used the Fast Pass a lot at Disneyland. It worked out pretty well for the most part. We rode Pirates of the Caribbean, Indian Jones Adventure, It's a Small World, Star Tours, Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, Space Mountain (my favorite!), Thunder Mountain, Haunted Mansion, Splash Mountain (twice!), the Disneyland Train around the entire park, walked through Sleeping Beauty's Castle, went to Mickey's Toontown, ate at Redd Rocket's Pizza Port, ate lots of ice cream and chocolate, tried on the Mickey Mouse hats, & saw a few fireworks.

We were there nearly 13 hours. It was the BEST DAY EVER.

We're going back soon to devote the day to Mickey's Soundsational Parade, "Remember...Dreams Come True" Fireworks Spectacular, and Fantasmic!. 

Disneyland seriously is "The Happiest Place on Earth"!

Sam (friend #3), myself and Curtis (Sam's friend), who managed to make it into one picture.

I have realized, I'm not one for taking great photos while on thrill rides. My eyes were closed in every shot, while my mouth was wide open. 

105.1 Go Country!

Stagecoach was this past weekend. For those of you who don't know, Stagecoach is a three day country music festival in Indio, CA.  I had actually never heard of it before moving out here. A guy from Match mentioned it to me. Since I love country music I wanted to go, but quickly found out tickets had been sold out for months. So my sole mission for the past three weeks was to win tickets from the radio station, Go Country. The boys and I listened to country music all day, everyday.  I refused to miss a contest. I called. I texted. I was determined to win.

I didn't win.

The Questions

Why did you want to move? Why would you want to leave your family & friends to move someplace where you know basically no one? This a question I have heard numerous times. Well, here's the answer for you. I simply wanted to. I wanted an adventure. I wasn't happy with the place my life was at back in Kentucky. I didn't enjoy living back home after I had been on my own almost four years. I was a nanny part time & worked part time for my uncle. My girl friends were either in serious relationships or had a career path ahead of them. Some even had both, while I had neither. I was at a totally different place in my life. I didn't want a serious relationship. I didn't want a career. I wanted to take a road trip, learn photography, go sky diving, live close to the ocean, learn to surf, do kickboxing, live in Southern California. This was my chance to explore and actually live my life. I didn't have any responsibilities; nothing tying me down. So with a leap of faith, I went for it. 

When did you decide you wanted to be a live-in nanny? I had tossed around the idea of being a live-in nanny last fall. I knew this would be the only way I could move out, especially out of state. Although I never quite thought it would happen, I went with the idea and joined online nanny agencies. Nannies4Hire being the one that led me to the job I have now. I was browsing the site for different families in Southern California when I came across one that actually seemed like it would be a good fit. I messaged the family that night telling them I was interested in the job. Never actually believing I would get a response. The next morning I had a reply saying they read my profile and wanted to conduct a phone interview with me. That Thursday night I spoke with the family on the phone about the job and my experience with kids. That weekend they called my references. My initial message was sent on November 16th. I was offered the job one week later on November 23rd. Four and a half weeks later, I was on the road headed to California. It all happened so fast.

What is a live-in nanny? It's actually a pretty sweet job. I live with the family for free. I get paid a weekly salary, plus my groceries are paid for. All I have to do is watch their two boys during the day. I literally roll out of bed each morning and start work. I have my own bedroom and bathroom on the first floor of the house; separated from the rest of the house by a sliding door. The family is only on the first floor of the house during dinner. Afterwards, they go upstairs to the family room to hang out and watch TV, leaving me with the peace & quiet. I only work Monday through Friday from 7:30ish until 5 o'clock. The unique thing about this live-in nanny job is that the parents actually wanted me to start the daycare in their house. Why, you may ask? Well, while the parents will pay for all daycare expenses, they will also reduce my weekly pay each time I get a new kid. I will still be making more money though, so it's a win-win for all! Now, if I could only get some more kids in the daycare.

Where did you move to? I had never even heard of Placentia, CA before this job. I didn't even know how to pronounce it. It is not pronounced the same as placenta; although, many of you guys back home tend to say it that way. Placentia is located to the east of Fullerton & northeast of Anaheim. Anaheim is home to the Angels, the Ducks, and Disneyland! I live about 20 minutes from Disneyland, 30-40 minutes from the beach,  roughly an hour from L.A., two hours north of San Diego, and only four hours from Vegas. It's a great location. All the cities in Orange County tend to blend into each other. One minute I'm driving in Placentia, the next I am in Fullerton or Brea. 

What did your parents think of the move? At first, my parents were very hesitant to the idea of me moving across the country to live with a family I didn't know. Obviously they were worried something  could happen. They felt a little more at ease once I had talked to the family a few more times and my references had spoken with them, as well. My parents finally accepted the idea once they realized that I was going whether they liked it or not. Other members of my family were very surprised to hear I was moving to California, but were all very supportive.  They said I was the only one who had the guts to actually do it. Although for some reason, I didn't and still don't see my move as a very big deal. 

Do you like living in California? I absolutely love living out here. It is a bit different than Kentucky, but not necessarily in a bad way. I would say I'm doing pretty good for myself. I made three friends in three months (believe me, that's good for California...making girl friends out here is much harder than one would think). I don't just sit around the house. I am active. I do way more out here than I ever did back in Kentucky. The weather is great. The beach is nearby. There are plenty of opportunities here. I am very happy with my life. Although I do miss my friends and family back home, I have never regretted my decision to move...not once. 

No, the Family I Moved in with were not Serial Killers. I am Still Alive.

It's hard to believe that I packed up my car almost four months ago to road trip to California. To move to a state I had never been to before, to live with a family I had never met. 

In the past 119 days: 

I became a live-in nanny. I started Kickboxing (met friend #1). I joined Match.com-went on 23 dates with 15 different guys (I am still single). I have been to Fashion Island, Irvine Spectrum, The Grove, The Block at Orange, South Coast Plaza (all huge shopping centers), The Lab (a smaller shopping center), Brea Mall, Downtown Disneyland. Basically every shopping center has a movie theater, which I find odd. Valet parking is offered everywhere. I have tried almost every frozen yogurt place: Yogurtland, Cherry On Top, Pinkberry, Golden Spoon, Villa Melt. Yogurtland has my vote for the best. I went on a Sea Lion and Celebrity's Houses mini cruise. I have been to Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, Santa Monica Beach and Venice Beach. All of which are cool spots and offer different things. I went to San Diego. I went to Downtown Long Beach. I went out on Main Street in Huntington Beach for St. Patrick's Day. I went out in the Gaslamp District in San Diego. I also have been out to Heroes, Roscoe's, The Continental Room, Slide Bar, The Back Alley, The Tuscany Club, and Bourbon Street in DTF. Quit with your dirty minds...it stands for Downtown Fullerton. I babysat for two random families while they were in town for vacation. I met a guy who thought I was from Kansas, not Kentucky. I saw the Hollywood Sign and went to Hollywood Blvd. I drove on Rodeo Drive and drove past Kat Von D's tattoo shop. I went to DASH. I discovered Nordstrom's Rack (great place for shoe shopping). I had Jamba Juice, as well as, In-N-Out which is apparently a California staple. (Steak-n-Shake is better.) I tried Bruxie, a restaurant that serves everything on waffles. I had chicken and waffles. Delicious. I had Del Taco and Pita Pit. I have been to Yardhouse and BJ's (it's a restaurant). I went to Scoop on Cookies and Farrell's Ice Cream. Needless to say, I gained ten pounds. I took 15 hours of CPR, First Aid, and Preventative Health & Safety Classes through the RedCross. I got a background check and LiveScan fingerprinted. I officially own a Licensed Small Family Daycare in the Family's house where I nanny. I have flyers, business cards and a website to promote my business. I have been to the movies more times than I can count; once by myself.  I saw Titanic in 3D. The first time I had actually seen the entire movie. I have had three visitors from Kentucky (Kelsi, Stacie and Danielle). I went to an Anaheim Ducks hockey game. I went to the San Diego Zoo. I took the boys to the Santa Ana Zoo. I also took them to the La Habra Children's Museum. I saw the Kissing Statue at the port in Downtown San Diego. I rode the Ferris wheel at the Spectrum. I went to a concert. I drove across the Coronado Bridge. I parallel parked for the first time (it was perfect). I ran The Color Run 5K. I took a photography class.  I went to church. I did a Boot Camp for a month (met friend #3).  Friend #2 is the sister of the mom I nanny for. I "lost" my car in the parking structure at the Spectrum. I am doing Yoga for a month. I am still kickboxing. I found out "Cute Kickboxing Instructor" has a girlfriend of almost three years.  I am learning to eat healthier and actually enjoy working out. I have lost five pounds. I like to drink green tea and eat fruit. Yes, my fish Gryffin is still alive (he is over two and a half years old). I am obsessed with buying Groupons and Living Social Deals. I currently have these still to use: Bikram Yoga-25 classes, an Intro Sewing Class, a Beginner Horseback Riding Lesson, a Month of CrossFit, 12 Personal Training Sessions, a Facial and Foot Scrub, an Hour Massage, a Pedicure and Manicure, Three Oil Changes for my Car, Two Car Washes, another Hour Massage, and a Ticket for the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. My job makes me feel like Super Nanny. I am still officially a Kentucky resident, since my car did not pass the SMOG test; however, this will be changing soon. I have realized people in California don't shop at Walmart for groceries. Super Walmart's are few and far between. Costco or Ralph's is the place to go...even for a Redbox. However, I prefer Sprout's for grocery shopping or Trader Joe's. People here don't know what an expressway is or what I am saying when I tell them I am from Louisville. They say receipt not ticket. Every guy I have met has told me that people in California are stuck up and mean; however, I have found the opposite to be true. The only mean person I have encountered is a lady who stole my parking spot at the Spectrum. In case you haven't noticed, I visit the Spectrum quite often. Mainly when I am bored. It even has a pet shop and sometimes there is a band playing. California strawberries are way better than any I've had in Kentucky. Jarrito is also a pretty bomb drink that apparently isn't sold in the Midwest. People don't pull into your driveway when they pick you up or stop by for a visit. Parking on the street is the way to go. I have learned that traffic does suck in California, but Carpool lanes are amazing (when you have more than one person in your car), motorcyclists like to "split lanes" and going South on the "Freeway" is always a better choice during rush hour. People here act like a 20 minute drive is just as far as an hour and they don't know how to drive in the rain. Lastly, Californians need a geography lesson. No one knows where Kentucky is on the map. 

My Sweet Parallel Parking Job

Me & Stace

Me & Sam (Friend #3)

Newport Beach