Eggleston Eggstra

To my sweet Kyli-girl

2011-02-23T22:47:00.000-08:00

From the moment we knew you were joining our family, we adored you. When we met you for the first time we were overwhelmed with your gentle beauty, your petite features, your long fingers. Your demeanor is sweet and delicate, your smile melts us, your movements are graceful and your laugh is contagious.

Kyli, you have awoken a greater creativity in me, a softness and protectiveness that is new to me.

I have so many hopes and dreams for you, but my deepest prayer of all is that you will know how perfectly and wonderfully you have been made. May you always know that you are adored by your mommy and daddy. But most of all, may you know that Your Heavenly Father was overjoyed when he created you and He is so pleased with his princess, Kyli Jo.

You have changed our lives, baby girl. You have given your family so much joy, laughter, and have forever blessed your mommy.

I love you sweet girl.

Happy Birthday Kyli

2010-08-11T23:26:00.000-07:00

My beautiful little girl has turned ONE. She has changed my life and my heart for good. What a year it has been! Many joys and heartbreak at the same time. God has blessed us beyond our wildest imagination with his gifts- we can't wait to see Kyli grow- she is such a fun and loving little girl. Always smiling and laughing.

9 months old!

2010-05-30T23:00:00.001-07:00

God has truly blessed us with Kyli. She is a joy to us everyday.

Updated photos

2010-03-18T23:39:00.000-07:00

Friends and Family,
I am so sorry for not updating this blog regularly. Kyli keep me busy and always on my toes. I've instead uploaded a photo album online of her growing up. I'll to post photos here when I have a moment to spare, but in the meantime, click on this link for a full gallery: http://picasaweb.google.com/kathyslau/KyliEggleston#

3 months old!

2009-11-23T17:02:00.000-08:00

Ok, so this blog updating this is harder than I thought. From getting Kyli to take her naps, to encouraging her to sleep through the night, and now she's teething, there isn't much time left in the day to blog about her. Oh dear, where does the time go? One thing I learned is that babies are always changing and to always try different things. Isn't that true! Kyli is always one step ahead of us. This week, she found her fingers then finally, her thumbs. Boy, does she love them. It settles her down for naps and helps her soothe herself to sleep. Its cute, because when she sucks her thumbs, the rest of her hand covers her face because she's so tiny. She will even fall asleep with her thumb in her mouth. Will we regret it later? Maybe, but for now I'm just enjoying watching her soothe herself. It makes me proud and happy that she has reached this development stage.
Last night she slept from 7pm -7am, woke up for a feeding, then went right back to sleep from 8am-10am! Crazy girl. She must get it from her mom, who loves to sleep in. You won't hear me complain about that! I'm crossing my fingers that it will happen more often. But then again, she's prob. playing a joke on me. ;-)

I can't believe how fast she has grown. Today, I put her 'newborn' clothes away. It makes me sad and happy at the same time.. sad that she will never fit those cute, adorable clothes again (and thankfully so, she's growing) yet happy that she's growing and thriving. At the moment, she is crying -waking up from her 'to short' nap. I'm thankful that I get to hear her cry, and that she is crying. When she was born, I longed to hear her cry, especially after her surgery, which signified to me that she was alive. Thank you God for giving us such a loving, complicated, healthy baby. We are so thankful for your gifts this Thanksgiving season.

12 weeks old!

2009-10-19T00:07:00.000-07:00

Life with Kyli has been an adventure. Sorry for not posting any earlier, life with a newborn is more hectic than I anticipated! We do love every minute with her. All the cliches are true of parenting- since having her our hearts have grown softer, we love more deeply and fully and we also are grateful for the experience and privilage of being parents.

6 weeks old!

2009-09-10T19:40:00.000-07:00

kyli is now 6 weeks old! She is delicious. We love every moment with her (although the sleepless nights are rough, I must say) and she is starting to smile when we make faces at her! ;-) We also discovered that our little girl is gassy. And I do me GASSY. She has been crying about several times during the night- which is hard for us because we have exhausted all of our efforts to console her. From placing her in different positions, to rocking her to sleep, and also making laps around our house, we have been struggling to find a solution for her discomfort. We're hanging in there otherwise. We had a bit of scare yesterday when she vomited her feeding-which sent us rushing to the doctors. Because of her condition, we have to closely monitor her intake and outake- especially when it comes to any abnormal vomiting, spit up, etc. So far, so good. We have been feeding her smaller dosages of breast milk more frequently and the vomiting has stopped! Please pray for her full recovery. At times, its hard to believe what she has been through in her short lifespan. We continue to pray and be the best parents we can to her, to help her recover from the trauma her body has been through. She gain about 1 lbs over the last two weeks, which is very encouraging.

Kyli's NICU stay

2009-08-22T22:44:00.001-07:00

Everything takes a lot longer to get done once a newborn is in your arms. We learned that from day one! Here are some photos from Kyli's stay at the NICU.

Kyli is home!

2009-08-21T23:23:00.001-07:00

We are overjoyed and grateful to bring our little girl home today! Now the real fun begins. ;-)

She's here!

2009-08-08T10:57:00.001-07:00

My beautiful daughter who I am so proud of is here! She's a fighter like no other. The moment she arrived, she melted our hearts and we love her beyond measure.
Visit: http://www.carepages.com/carepages/KyliEggleston
to hear more about her recovery.

Wishing and Waiting...

2009-07-23T22:25:00.000-07:00

Still here. And waiting. Here I thought our little girl would be early. Ha! I guess our little girl has a mind of her own and has decided to come on her own time and NO ONE’S going to rush her. I hope this isn’t an indication of what her personality is going to be like when she’s born. Although I'm 38 weeks this week, it says alot about my personality- I tend to be impatient AND stubborn. Not a good combination- just ask Keith. He knows all about it. ;-)
We went to our appointment earlier today. My belly has dropped a bit, but I'm not dialated at all. I thought for sure I would be, given the pelvic pressure I've been feeling lately. It’s definitely starting to feel like the end is near. My stomach is so heavy and it’s starting to become REALLY difficult to get around…even just walking makes me incredibly tired and winded. Not to mention having to get up multiple times during the night to go to the bathroom. I literally have to roll myself out of bed and roll back on. Sigh. The heat wave we've been experiencing doesn't help, since it results in me retaining water (extra weight gain) and swollen ankles. I'm also expereincing carpel tunnel in my joints and hands. So my 31 year old body, feels at least 60. Well, at least its what it feels like. The anxiety and fear is definitely building. It’s hard to describe. I feel both excited and scared. I can’t wait to meet my little girl, but scared at what I have to go through to meet her. Sigh.

Baby Shower

2009-07-04T23:33:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, my friends threw me a baby shower to celebrate the arrival of our little girl. I really had a great time and felt immessly blessed to be surrounded by people who drove miles and made sacrifices in their daily schedules to be present for me. It really touched my heart. Every little detail that went into the planning, the time and effort my girlfriends made to make me feel loved and cared for made me really happy. I think the best treat of all, was seeing all my girlfriends in one place at one time. Its rare that something like that happens because we all get so busy. Thank you ladies for making this mamma really happy!

Cute visitors

2009-07-04T23:21:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, Keith's cousin, Ali- came by with our all time favorite fruit- blueberries! She also brought her posse with her, her adorable little girl, Noelle Rae and her dog, Izzy. Dash loved all the attention from little Noelle and Izzy. I think I saw him pout when they left that afternoon.

Week 32- Home Stretch!

2009-06-08T12:05:00.000-07:00

I can’t believe we’re already in the home stretch -- 7 weeks to go! We’re still preparing for baby’s arrival. There are quite a few things that still need to be done, including setting up the baby’s room, selecting a physician, GIVING HER A NAME, etc. We also just started our baby prep classes. We have Lamaze classes every tuesday night for the month of June and are taking classes on nursing, how to get the baby to sleep, etc.

I’m excited to have our baby with us, but have to admit it’s still a little scary to think we’ll be parents and our lives are going to drastically change. I guess what makes it scary is that we don’t know what to expect! (this pregnancy thing is still a bit surreal). I think about our God, the amazing Creator. He has fearfully and wonderfully made this little baby and he has allowed me to carry her in my sinful and broken body. I am so humbled by that.

I get a little more uncomfortable each day and good sleep seems to be quickly escaping me. The baby’s jabs are getting stronger and my breathing gets more difficult. I get really warm while sleeping and toss and turn several times at night, clutching my body pillow for comfort.

As excited as I am for our baby’s arrival, I can’t help but to think of the things I’ll be able to regain or do once she is born. As I was tossing and turning one night, taking the usual one hour to fall asleep, I listed in my head the top things I want to do once the baby is born.

-Eat sushi. Tons of sushi.
-Eat cold cut lunch meats, especially from Capri Deli, a local italian deli in town. (the best sandwiches in town-really)http://www.caprideli.com/
-Sleep on my back- all night long and stay in that position.
-Lie on my stomach to rest, read, write, watch TV, etc.
-Hug my husband without my belly getting squished
-Be able to close the kitchen window above the sink, and to be able to reach around the kitchen counter to retrieve an object without my belly being squished
-Put on my shoes without sitting down
-Be done with my daily prenatal horse pill vitamins
-Be able to carry heavy objects without assistance
-Wear a fitted shirt (though it may take awhile for me to get back to those!)

10 years ago

2009-05-14T12:35:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is a special day for me and Keith. It will mark the 10 year anniversary of when we first met. We met back in May 15th, 1999, when I went for a ride-a-long with him while he was at work. Talk about a chance meeting! Two minutes before I met him, there was another opportunity where I could have rode with another person, thus leaving little to no room for me to meet my future husband. Now looking back, its hard to imagine a chance meeting that which I had no control over, or anyone for that matter, brought us to where we are today. It was all out of our hands. Wierd how some things which seems so by "chance" results in something that is meant to be. Today, 10 years later, I'm 28 weeks pregnant with our baby, happily married and very content. When we first met, I was a broken person, young, carefree, confused and innocent. Now, I'm a healthier person (mentally, spiritually, and personally) with much more room to grow into what God wants me to be. (Just look at how God has stretched my belly to make room for our little ladybug!)I am still in shock that this is my life!
Day after day, being married to Keith confirms that I have chosen the right man. A man who is just, patience, kind and has a strong, solid sense of character. A man who loves good and shuns evil. A man who will tell me when I have done wrong and still loves me. A man who I trust with all my heart and whom I will entrust my daughter with her life. I like and perfer him to anyone on this earth. As I watch him struggle to wake up at 4:30am in the morning to go to work, I am in awe and in appreciation on how he has sacrificed for me to be able to stay at home to take care of my health, our home and our unborn baby girl-AND even when he's exhausted, exherts stored energy to help out around the house too. ;-)In the midst of the chaos of our life, he even takes the time to handle the aftermath of my father-in-law's affairs after his passing 10 months ago.
After 10 years of our "chance" meeting, and as we come close to becoming actual "parents" (God help us!) Keith is my source of strength and encouragement that we will do everything in our power to raise this little ladybug in the best way we know possible. Keith is not perfect, but he is the perfect person that God has chosen for me. Just like the Brad Paisley song- "I thought I loved you ... then".

Getting bigger...

2009-04-30T22:17:00.001-07:00

Week 26!!

2009-04-29T14:28:00.000-07:00

Symptoms:

Nesting: Still feeling the need to clean. Can’t stand dirty dishes, or dirty floors. They must be cleaned right away.

Ligament pains: If I'm sitting down for a long period of time, getting up is hard and painful. Its like your stomach crushing your uterus.

Restless sleep: Maybe this is nature’s way of training me for the lack of sleep I’m about to suffer through, but I haven’t had a single good night’s sleep lately. Most of it is because I was told not to sleep on my back and try to sleep on my left side for better circulation. So I’ll wake up numerous times at night with a sore shoulder or neck from sleeping on my side. Sigh.

Next week: Our 27th week ultrasound! I can't wait to get another glimpse of our baby girl.

David and Pam's wedding

2009-04-22T12:20:00.000-07:00

We had the honor of witnessing two very good friends getting married last month. It was so much fun trying to squeeze into a dress I "tried" to fit into. Ladies out there who have been through this know what I'm talking about... and for those of you who haven't yet, you'll know soon enough. Even my doctor noticed me finally wearing maternity clothes even said "So I see you've graduated into maternity clothes". Congrats to me, I've graduated! Now what? ;-)

Natalie: Ask and you shall receive!

2009-04-22T12:13:00.001-07:00

Natalie, this one's for you! Now its your turn. ;-)
Ladybug (that's her new nickname) is growing very well. Maybe a bit too well. People are starting to stare at me when I'm walking down the street, especially men. At times I just want to glare back and ask them if they want to ask me anything. I know, I always stir up trouble. ;-)
Ive gained 25lbs. so far! Can you believe it? I even asked the nurse to weigh me again just to be sure. She laughed at me, needless to say I'm not the only pregnant woman that has asked her to recheck the weight scale. We go in for another ultrasound in two weeks, I just can't wait to see her again. Every 10 weeks is a very long time not to see my little girl. ;-)
Last night Keith and I felt an odd movement in my belly. It wasn't a kick this time, more like an elbow moving across my belly. Very wierd, yet life changing as its a constant reminder of what a miracle God has given us. I'm honored to be her mommy.

She's a kicker!

2009-04-01T15:24:00.001-07:00

This will be my 22nd week... and she's a kicker! She is constantly moving and making waves in my belly. She loves to remind me that she's inside of me, especially at 3am in the morning. This little girl has no concept of time! Will this be any indication on how often she will keep me up at night? ;-)
So far, I've been doing well. I've been told to eat well, rest well and pray often. I plan to keep this as my motto as I am close to my third trimester. Yet, there's still so much to be done! I've been a bit overwhelmed in trying to get things done before we get our floors redone (scheduled for next week) and spending time with my sister and niece who is staying with me this week. I've noticed that I've become a bit obsessive about cleaning, getting rid of stuff and making sure our house is germ-free. I think God intended for a newborn not to walk/crawl during his/her first few months, so it allows parents time to ease up on their germaphobe behaviors. I suppose I have some time to work on this. ;-)

Its a girl!

2009-03-16T23:05:00.000-07:00

Keith and I went in for our 19th week ultrasound and the doctor revealed to us that we're having a girl! The ultrasound checked for abnormalities, making sure the little lady has all her ribs and fingers intact. Everything looked good, including the baby's heart and level of fluid. Praise God! We are so thankful that everything checked out well.I could have watched my baby girl all day on the screen. She was really active, moving around and even playing with her fingers! It was amazing to see her so active and alive. Another thing the doctor mentioned was that she was so hungry! Her stomach was completely empty that morning. It didn't help that I was nauseous that morning and didn't eat a complete meal for breakfast. Regardless, We are very excited and thankful for a healthy baby!

And baby makes three

2009-03-04T20:41:00.000-08:00

Its been taking me a while to post on this blog. For those of you who know, Keith and I are expecting a baby this summer. The past three months has been filled with ambivalent, fear, excitement, new experiences, anxiety, hopes and dreams as we have gradually accepted the reality of becoming parents and having a human being rely on us for everything. So hence, my hesitation to announce my pregnancy and our new life change. Also, I'm working on "waiting for the other shoe to drop" mentality, as this news, at times was too good to be true. Somebody pinch me!
I'm now in my 17th week and starting to show. I've got as Keith would call it a "little kangaroo pooch". ;-)
At times I can't wait to meet my little bean sprout and hold my baby in my arms, yet also dread the days of sleepless nights. Regardless, this year is sure to be an interesting and an eventful one!
Sorry for the delayed post. I hope to continue to post more often from now on, since I've got a lot going on inside of me! ;-)

My niece, Sydney

2008-12-09T11:58:00.001-08:00

I just love the expression on her face. Oh yeah, and that little round belly!

Super (under) dog

2008-12-09T11:47:00.000-08:00

Its not much, but Keith and I made a Halloween costume for Dash. Its really not a costume, but just a cape. We really had a fun time making it. Unfortunently we didn't have time to parade him that night to show off his new costume. Maybe next year, or the next time it rains. ;-)

Wiggle Waggle Walk

2008-10-28T17:18:00.000-07:00

Our family (minus our pet bird, Mango) participated in Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA's 8th Annual Wiggle Waggle Walk for the Animals on Oct 11th. More than 2,000 walkers and their beloved pooches took part, helping raise more than $237,000 for the animals at the Pasadena Humane Society. Thank you to those who supported us with your generous donations to help find new and loving homes for the thousands of animals Pasadena Humane Society takes in each year.

Halloween 2006

2008-10-28T13:16:00.000-07:00

What will I be this year? Keith and I got into the spirit of Halloween and even made Dash a costume. Its not much, but it was fun making it together. There isn't much that makes me happier these days than to spend quality time with Keith and Dash. ;-)

Dash and Friends!

2008-10-27T12:15:00.000-07:00

We have been making an effort to get Dash more socialized with other dogs and different people over the last few months. And boy, has he been busy. He's been to several different dog parks, has had numerous play dates with dogs 3x his size, had his first encounter with a cat (and no one got scratched!), been swung around by adults who adore him and had his first photo ops with a little one. Caden, my cousin, gravitated to Dash immediately, and the feeling was mutual from our little pup! We were pleased that Dash didn't react negatively to Caden's pinches and pulling of his ears. We're so proud of his calm temperment. Of course, having Caden hold a dog biscuit didn't hurt either. Stay tuned for more photos of him and his new friends.

Sydney's facination with ketchup

2008-10-27T12:06:00.000-07:00

Sydney and Evelyn stayed with us for a few days last week. They were our first overnight guests in a while!

Sydney's Birthday Fiesta

2008-10-06T11:33:00.001-07:00

When was the last time you could fit on top of a box this size?

Its official!

2008-09-09T21:35:00.000-07:00

...he's officially ours! We are no longer "foster parents" to Dash, but we are legally his owners. We applied for a dog license 2 months ago and the license came in the mail over the weekend. I suppose its a reason for a mini-celebration because since he was a lost dog, we couldn't legally call him our own. By registering him with LA County as our dog, he now legally belongs to us.

We will never stop missing you, Joe.

2008-08-16T23:05:00.000-07:00

Thanks for visiting our blog and being a part of our wedding. We feel truly blessed for having you with us for so many years. Thank you for loving us. We love you pops.

New Kitchen!

2008-07-29T13:10:00.000-07:00

Now for the unveiling of our new kitchen! I have no complaints...seeing these photos of our new kitchen makes remodeling worth the headache. Although I don't think I will wilingly live through this again for a while. Once is definetly enough for me. Our new kitchen is so much more better-looking and functional than our old kitchen. I love these photos- I will probubly never see it this clean again.

Little Rascal

2008-07-28T23:37:00.000-07:00

Our little super-active guy just loves to play fetch! At times, we make a game of it and toss him around (literally). Just another excuse to torment our pup. ;-)
We think he would love a doggie agility course.

Inspirational photo

2008-07-16T23:47:00.001-07:00

Here's my photo of the day. My friend, Paul Lee is an avid photographer and he took this AMAZING shot of The Arc de Triomphe in Paris. It brings me back memories when I went to Paris about 2 years ago and this was by far the most amazing structure I saw in Paris. Bar None. To believe Napoleon had the desire and guts to build a triumphal arch standing at the top of the Champs Elysées avenue in Paris. His victorious troops would march on through the arch cheered by the population of Paris.
I love the angle and clouds in the background and how it adds definition to the overall architecture. (sigh) Only in Paris.

Look what's sprouting!

2008-07-15T23:34:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos of my niece, Sydney. All she ever wanted for Christmas was her two front teeth and now she got it. ;-) Isn't she adorable? Don't know what her mom is doing to make her laugh so hard, but its working!

Strange day

2008-07-15T23:30:00.001-07:00

Well, I'm having major bout of insomnia today... and for good reason. I got laid off this morning. Everything still seems like a blur to me.. first I'm in denial and then it sinks in. I can't explain it. I'm excited to see what opportunities God will unfold for me next, yet scared of the unknown and uncertainty. Gracefully, my husband is so supportive and it makes me so appreciative of him. He's not worried about a thing. Its me that I have to convince. Isn't that just so ironic?

July 4th at Donner Lake

2008-07-14T14:43:00.000-07:00

Keith and I escaped LA for a weekend at Donner lake. We both had a relaxing, fun time hanging out with extended family and eat all the homecooked meals my heart desired! Keith got a chance to get rugged playing paintball and off-roading on an ATV bike! He did get hit several times. Now he thinks we need to get a paint ball gun so he can "practice" for his match next year. ;-)

Just about done!

2008-07-14T14:40:00.000-07:00

Here's a photo of our kitchen about 95% complete, its just missing our stove. We're so excited to have a functional kitchen back! Our stomachs are yearning for homecooked meals. We plan to take a little break from all the remodeling until the summer ends, then we will work on replacing our windows.

Old out-dated kitchen

2008-07-02T23:39:00.001-07:00

A new kitchen in the making

2008-07-02T23:36:00.001-07:00

Here is a glimpse of our new kitchen in the making...

College Buds

2008-07-02T23:26:00.000-07:00

Caroline, Jenifer and I used to hang out in college... I would crash at their apartment when I didn't feel like driving home. I was considered their 'honored' houseguest who didn't pay rent... ah, those college years.
Years later, we're all married, Caroline has 1 baby boy and Jenifer just welcomed her third boy! Its true as they say, life goes faster than you think.

Back from Vacation

2008-06-08T21:14:00.000-07:00

Keith and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary (June 10th) with a Mediterranean cruise that included visits to Spain, Italy, Turkey, Greece, and France. We also added an additional 2 days to the trip with a visit to Venice, Italy. We're experiencing major jet-lag as well as coming home to a house going through a major renovation. Here is two of (just about)900 photos we took from our trip.

The calm before the storm

2008-05-19T22:23:00.001-07:00

I think this photo should say it all of how our lives have been. ;-) Amazing how much we've accumulated just living in this house - and we're only a family of two. Just think of the mess if we were to expand! We're anticipating our kitchen to be demolished on Thursday- so we've been packing for our trip AND packing away our kitchen.

Lessons Learned

2008-05-08T22:17:00.000-07:00

Lessons Keith and I've learned throughout this remodel process.. (and I'm sure there will be more to come)
1) Don't fall in love with a product so much that you're willing to disregard the price.
2) Make sure you negociate everything you want before you sign the contract. You'll always find things in the midst of remodeling that you've "wish I included that in the price". Once you sign it, the contractor has the bargaining power, you don't.
3) Don't sweat the small stuff.
4) You actually get what you pay for. Really.
5) Your contractor and his workers aren't doing you any favors. You're paying them. You're the client.
6) The squeaky wheel gets the oil.
7) A remodel ALWAYS will take longer than expected.
8) Stop obsessing about "adding on" more projects. (this one I'm still working on- hehe)
9) Everything adds up.
10) You'll most likely go over what you budgeted for.
11) Avoid special order products/materials as ALL costs. This one is an expensive lesson we've learned. (sign)

New Windows!

2008-05-08T22:03:00.000-07:00

Can you spot the safety hazard in this photo?

2008-05-08T22:00:00.001-07:00

Don't tell animal control...

Approaching 1 year

2008-05-05T21:43:00.001-07:00

Keith and I are approaching our one year anniversary. Whew! We made it! We managed to survive a messy house, adopting a dog, a remodel, differences in finances, schedules, eating habits, cultures, tastes... and the list goes on. Our first year together has been amazing. God has taught us so much about patience and understanding. Our official anniversary will be on June 10th. What can I say? I'm tickled to celebrate our first year together as husband and wife.

Master bath remodel

2008-04-25T15:54:00.001-07:00

Here is a glimpse of our master bath before. When the contractors demo'd the bathroom, they found mold behind our sink! We found out that there was a leak in our plumbing under the sink and water was seeping into our walls, thus attracting a million spiders to our bathroom. (or at least it seemed like it) Good thing we caught it before it could get any worse.

Goofy Dash

2008-04-25T09:33:00.000-07:00

This little guy makes Keith and I smile every day.

My photogenic puppy

2008-04-25T09:29:00.000-07:00

Turning 30

2008-04-25T09:08:00.000-07:00

Kids, so I turn 30 tomorrow. Overall, Its been a great ride. Those of you that know me well are aware of the struggles I went through in my 20's of self-doubt, character transformation, self-confidence, and other typical '20's' crisis. I'm really grateful for where God has taken me and the journey he has given me to take. What a decade it has been! 10 years ago I was living at home, driving a Chevy Corsica (yeah baby!), worked at Sav-ons (now CVS pharmacy) and in college worried if anyone would hire me. 10 years later, I've moved several times, changed jobs 5 different times, made many life-long friends, made investments, traveled overseas, married a wonderful man, adopted a dog and a bird, and now remodeling a house! Talk about life changes. I can't wait to see what God has in store for me for the next 10 years.
Friends and Family: Thank you for being a part of my journey.

A homemade beanie for "Beans"

2008-04-21T14:10:00.000-07:00

Since I haven't crocheted in ages, I was pretty proud of the hat I made for little Bean. Her mama even added a sweet butterfly clip so people wouldn't mistaken her for a boy. I miss little Beans.

Old Closet In Our Bedroom

2008-04-20T15:52:00.001-07:00

New Closet!

2008-04-20T15:38:00.000-07:00

We decided to compress our closet space to allow for a bigger master bath. People I thought I was crazy to do this. Sacrific closet space?! Although this did make me nervous, the end result allowed for more storage space in our master bath AND closet. Although I get a smaller closet, it actually provides more space because we added compartments for specific items. (dresses, suits, jackets, pants, etc)

Our guest bathroom before...

2008-04-20T15:37:00.003-07:00

Our New Bathroom!

2008-04-20T15:28:00.001-07:00

You ask, and we deliver! A lot of you have asked for photos of our remodel and finally we have something to show you. Our guest bathroom was completed after 2 weeks. We couldn't be happier to get a bathroom back. We were literally without a shower for the past two weeks. Keith has been taking showers at work, and I have... resorted to taking a sponge bath. Our house was designed in a way that our contractor couldn't do one bathroom at a time, which means they had to work with two showers and tub at the same time, hence leaving us without the ability to take showers at home for two weeks.

Working overtime

2008-04-10T13:26:00.000-07:00

Spent 2 days in San Diego last week to host a event for my clients at work. We hosted the event at a snuffy Wine Bar at the Gaslamp Quarter, which turned out to be a lot of fun. I learned alot about wine paring and types of wine at the event... not to mention I also got confirmation that I'm allergic to something in wines... or shellfish. I ended the night breaking out in hives. That wasn't fun.

Caught in the Act

2008-04-10T13:00:00.001-07:00

I was at a Laker game a few weeks ago, and was caught in the act of returning to the buffet line to get a second serving of their delicious chicken wings. Hey, how often do you get the chance to pig out at the Staples Center? I took advantage of it. ;-)

Animal Abuse in DACC?

2008-04-07T15:18:00.000-07:00

This is tough content to absorb, but those of you that know me, know that I feel strongly about the mistreatment of animals. Please inform yourself and make your own decision. http://lacdacc.blogspot.com

I love my subject

2008-03-30T20:03:00.001-07:00

Since taking my photography class last fall, I haven't been really good at 'practicing' what I've learned. I'm glad my pets don't mind being my 'subject' during my photography trials.

Mango turns 4

2008-03-24T16:45:00.000-07:00

So our little pet bird turned 4 this past month. With all the fuss over our new pup, we actually forgot her birthday. Shame on us. She has adjusted well to Dash...at first she plucked out alot of her chest feathers, due to anxiety of a new addition to our family- but she's gotten really used to him and his "dog" noises (bark, whine). We taught Dash to not go anywhere near Mango, and he is not to mess with her. So far, he's gotten the hint. He could care less about pestering her. I guess the idea of Mango sitting on Dash's head for our Christmas cards this year is out of the question.

I've been tagged by Cindy Bui!

2008-03-18T11:38:00.000-07:00

Cindy, this is for you, my #1 blog reader :)

What is his full name? Keith Aaron Eggleston.
How long have you been married? 8 months. I plan to claim the "newlywed" title forever.
Who eats more sweets? Keith. The lover of Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Who said I love you first? Depends on who you ask... HE DID! (according to me)
How old is he? 42, but if you ask him, he will claim he's 4.2.
Who is taller? He’s taller.
Who is smarter? We're both smart. I am school-wise and he is street-wise.
Who can sing better? He raps better, I can at least carry a tune. ;-)
Who does the laundry? He does. I tend to mess up the colors. I turned his white undershirts to pink one time.
Who pays the bills? He does! Although I'd like him to trust paying bills online. We seem to constantly run out of mailing stamps.

Vanessa Chan~you're it! I'm tagging you!

Hue's Baby Shower

2008-03-17T22:25:00.001-07:00

Several of Hue's friends and I threw her a baby shower for Hue and her husband, Anthony. They've decided to name their new baby girl Siena. She's is so lucky to have a parents that are so warm-hearted and generous. Hue and I used to walk home together from elementary school. I really love having friends in my life that allow me to reflect on where my roots are, where I've been and who I have become. Check out the yummy spread! It was my first attempt to make Devil's eggs and tomato -basil bruchetta. Came out pretty tasty! Keith indulged himself with chocolate chip cookies from Mrs. Field's. I think he helped himself to pretty much all of it!

The Roaring 20's

2008-03-17T22:15:00.000-07:00

Keith and I got invited to a friend's birthday party where the theme was "The Roaring 20's". Since we didn't have anything specific to this time period, we successfully whipped out a few items out of our closet and got creative. Surprisingly enough, I didn't supply Keith with a wig to wear. He actually found one on his own. Pretty nerdy of my husband.

Happy Birthday Caden

2008-03-17T22:10:00.000-07:00

Caden had his first taste of cake at his 1st birthday party. Although his dad was tempting and distracting him with another substance... which he seemed more interesting in trying.

Dash- Dazed and Confused

2008-03-14T14:59:00.001-07:00

Moments before he attacked my camera with slober.

I've been tagged! We're going private on March 16!

2008-03-10T09:57:00.001-07:00

Friends and Family,
After being convinced by my hubby and my cousin Cindy, We're going private too. What this means is that to read our blog, you'll need to log in with your email address. We do love sharing our lives with you through our blog, but its just a small measure of protection we need to do to feel safe with the content we share with the world. Please send an email to: kathyslau@yahoo.com and let me know to add your email to our "reader's list". We would still love to be in touch with you. Cheers!

Dash got a new haircut!

2008-03-07T09:21:00.000-08:00

Keith and I found a total of 6 ticks on this little guy. It was utterly disgusting. Besides the tick issue, he had huge mats behind his ears and near his bottom. The previous owner didn't do a good job of maintaining his coat.
Dash went to the groomers this week and he came out a brand new dog! I found this mom and pop dog groomers down the street from my work and I think they did a great job. Don't you? I even spotted him doing sprints in the backyard right when he came home from the groomer's. Do you think he knows he just became a few pounds lighter?

Gung Hay Fat Choy: Wishing you good fortune and happiness

2008-02-18T09:44:00.000-08:00

Sydney's First Chinese New Year

Ryan holding his grub...with a smile

2008-02-18T09:42:00.001-08:00

Dash!

2008-02-18T09:31:00.000-08:00

Keith and I have quietly grown quite attached to this little pup. He's a hairball full of fun and frustration. He's actually learning to heel quite nicely, loves to retrieve a ball to you, and already knows how to "sit" on command. Beside the major separation anxiety he displaces when either of us leave the house (or we can't be seen within eyesight), we think he's a keeper. We decided to name him Dash. If you ever come over, you'll see how excited he gets and will make circles in our yard around you. He even springs his jumps when he chases after the ball in the yard. We are quite fond of him.

Foster Parents

2008-02-14T20:17:00.000-08:00

While pulling into our driveway, I noticed a white puppy wandering aimlessly across the street from our house. As the dog was crossing our neighbor's driveway, it nearly escaped being hit by a car which was backing out of their driveway. I got out of my car and called him to me (with the baby, puppy voice of course) and he ran over to me. I noticed that it didn't have any ID tags. I coaxed it to come into our backyard.. and pondered over how to break the news to my husband...
We posted signs within a 1/2 mile radius from the house and have not heard anything from anyone. I even posted flyers in people's mailboxes. Not even a crank call from anyone thinking I was some psycho opening mailboxes and stuffing it with a flyer. Not a peep.
With a past week of silence (the dog, on the other hand is NOT silent at ALL)I am contempleting that the puppy could be ours. We haven't actually accepted the harsh reality of all the respondsibilities that comes with dog ownership. Definelty NOT a piece of cake. Especially if we want to have a happy, well-behaved dog. We both feel fondly of the puppy, he's adorable is so many ways. We both knew that we would eventually get a dog, but not this soon! We're a bit unprepared. But at the same token, isn't that what life is about?? Unplanned, unanticipated, surprising and unpredictable?

My parent's trip to China

2008-01-22T19:36:00.001-08:00

Keith and I heard the funniest story from my parents. We went over to vist them when they got back from a 10 day vacation to China. As we were reviewing their pictures, here is how the conversation went with one particular photo:
Kathy: Mom, what does the two finger salute mean in this photo?
Mom: Which photo?
Kathy: This one (and referring to the photo you see above)
Mom: (chuckling) Oh, I don't know
Kathy: You don't know? Then why are you making that sign?
Mom: Well, we saw alot of other people making that same sign in our tour group as they were posing for photos, so we thought we should too"

Please pray for the Mikasa Family

2008-01-07T21:43:00.000-08:00

Everything that I hear about this family are all sweet things. I hear they were part of our church community, and even had their children dedicated to Christ a few years ago. I am deeply, profoundly sadden by the news of Millie "Midi" Mikasa and Nathan's passing. Such a tragic loss and such a turn of events in this family's life in a split second. They were on their way home on Jan 1st from a family gathering. That sounds like something so routine. Those that knew Millie and Nathan were truly blessed by them. Please, hold your kids a little tighter and treasure the times you have with your loved ones today. Please. Let us pray...

How was your Christmas?

2007-12-27T15:33:00.000-08:00

I had a great time at Christmas... visiting and catching up with family, who I don't see quite often enough. With all the little kids running around now, it was fun to experience Christmas through their eyes. Even though hubby had to work that day, he got to visit for a bit and share in the gathering. Even though I feel like 10 pounds heavier with the 24 hour eating marathon, Christ's birthday made me reflect on how much we are blessed with and thankful for.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

2007-12-20T15:28:00.000-08:00

Festivus ChristmaKhah! 2008, here we come!

Grammie and Grandpa Bernardin -So happy after 50 years!

2007-12-20T15:25:00.000-08:00

Cute photo of Keith's grandparents.

Grammie and Grandpa Bernardin's 50th Anniversary

2007-12-20T15:22:00.000-08:00

In November, we went to Sacramento to celebrate Keith's grandparent's 50th Anniversary. What a treat it was to see Keith's extended family and spend some time with them.

December 2007

2007-12-16T16:59:00.001-08:00

My sister Evelyn gave birth to a baby girl, Sydney Manguy. Here she is at 2 1/2 months. Another excuse to go shopping for cute baby clothes!

Baby Sydney

2007-12-16T16:55:00.000-08:00

A few wedding photos

2007-12-16T16:48:00.000-08:00

Haven't been really good with updating my blog, so here are a few photos from our wedding... its already been 6 months!

Kathy, Keith and David

2007-12-16T16:44:00.000-08:00

Happy Kathy

2007-12-16T16:40:00.000-08:00

Seeing each other for the first time

2007-12-16T16:32:00.000-08:00

Wedding photo highlights

2007-12-16T16:26:00.000-08:00

I'm Married!

2007-08-10T11:59:00.000-07:00

Ok, so although I vow to be a good blogger and a frequent one, um.. I don't think I could be one. Sorry. Well, to give you guys an update- I'm married! Yay- Keith and I had an amazing wedding- we loved every minute of it- and TODAY is our 2 month anniversary! (so cheesy, huh?) Although its only 2 months, it feels like its ben 6 months already. All the anticipation for one day, and its over- I guess adds to the feeling of "where did the time go?" Keith's gone for a few days for work, leaving me on my lonesome. Oh well, even more reason to spend money. ;-)
Click here to see our wedding slide show

20 more days

2007-05-21T09:31:00.000-07:00

Yes, unbelievable but true... I'm getting married in less than 20 days! The wedding planning process has been an interesting experience nonethless, and we're thrilled and excited to spend the rest of our lives together... (well at least I am!) Everything is set in motion, but there are just a few final details yet to be resolved. After the wedding, its Hawaii baby!

The BIG day is almost here!

2007-04-23T17:01:00.000-07:00

Hey KIDS!

So its a month and a few days away until I'm getting hitched! Yes, I will become a "Mrs" - crazy but true. Its been a nutty, eventful last 4 months since I last posted- > my days have been filled with endless wedding planning/organizing/managing/a little bit of everything. I'm turning the graceful age of the big 29 this Thursday. Alas, the twienties are almost over. What a way to celebrate leaving my 20s with a wedding. God help me. God save my wedding! I know, I'm being dramatic, I think its the lack of sleep I've been getting over the past few days. Hope everyone is well, I miss all of you!

Happy New Year

2007-01-14T19:09:00.000-08:00

We're quickly into the second week of 2007 and I am still figuring out my New Years resolution. Like many of my friends, I had a hard time letting go of 2006. Last year signified many changes-professionally and personally. I changed jobs, traveled, made new friends, caught up with childhood friends, transitioned into my "late" twenties, (contrary to popular belief, "late" twenties start when you're 28) and got engaged toward the end of the year. As I remember 2006, I had a lightbulb moment: As I start a new chapter in my life this year and anticipate many transitions (some extremely stressful) my goal is that I will pause and enjoy every season of my life, as I may never experience them again. I hope to be eternally grateful for all that I have and always give my thanks to God for everything.

Some "engaging" news

2006-12-02T23:32:00.000-08:00

News Alert! You heard it here first-Keith and I are engaged! Keith proposed to me on Nov. 4th at Descanso Gardens in La Canada, CA. After making month long arrangements with the caterer at the Japanese Gardens, I was pleasently surprised (well, I must admit I had my suspicions- a generally flexible easy going Keith was rigid and nervous the entire day)when I found a ring sitting on my desert plate. Needless to say, I said "yes" followed by a pause and asked nervously "did you ask my parents?" Let's just say the old-fashioned boy did the entire engagement process the way I would have liked him to. He's good like that. :-)

2006-12-02T23:31:00.000-08:00

We're Engaged!

2006-12-02T23:29:00.000-08:00

Goofying around the gardens before the proposal. Hug a tree...hug a pumpkin...

2006-12-02T23:27:00.000-08:00

Even I can't be quiet when they ask me to...

Back from Europe

2006-12-02T23:25:00.000-08:00

Yes, its been a while since my last post- this may possibly be a record length of time I've blogged! Keith, his mom, and I returned late September from a delightful vacation I will never forget. I've always dreamed of traveling through Europe and couldn't believe I was seeing things that I've only read in history books. It gave me a greater appreciation for art, history, God, beauty, architecture, and life. It also gave me the opportunity to tantalize my taste buds with the best tasting and best looking gelato ever! It is definelty worth a cross country flight to Italy again!

2006-12-02T23:23:00.000-08:00

Gelato, anyone?

2006-12-02T23:20:00.000-08:00

We finally made it to the French Riviera!

2006-12-02T23:18:00.000-08:00

My favorite monument in Paris

2006-12-02T22:59:00.000-08:00

Overlooking Champs Elysees

Remembering Boba (again)

2006-09-03T11:43:00.000-07:00

September 12th marks Boba's 2nd year anniversary of his passing. He was a very sweet parakeet. Mama loved her little baby.

2006-09-03T11:41:00.000-07:00

Little Boba-cakes