If you're happy and you know it...

i was having a conversation the other day with my sister and after she left i realized something-for the first time in a very VERY long time i am TRULY HAPPY.things that usually make me mad or are frustrating dont,i'm seeing the cup half full,i smile alot more,i wake up every morning with so much gratitude for being able to breath to walk to see...the list goes on of things that im grateful and happy about but it's a great feeling.dont get me wrong i have my moments but for the most part i just feel a true sense of HAPPINESS and i gotta say-I LOVE IT! what makes you the happiest? These faces just add to the joy in my life...luv you all and happy blogging:)

I'm ready for the new year!!!!!!

so i've been thinking alot about this past year and of everything that's happened.i'd have to say that it's been one of the best years for so many reasons-weddings,trips,birthdays,new friends,life.it's been an amazing ride and i'm ready for 2010.one night i was sitting contemplating what my goals were and i realized that there were a few i really REALLY wanted to work on. in no particular order here goes:
1.GET OUT OF DEBT-now i realize that it might not ever be entirely possible to be fully get out of debt,but i want to try my best to wipe the slate clean.it's not going to be easy at all but it's something that i really need to work on.
2.EATING HEALTHIER-my inspiration?lots of people that i love-family,friends,nieces and nephews.fyi-shawn and darcy were a huge inspiration after giving their talks a few weeks ago.i guess we sometimes bypass the little everyday things we eat or do without thinking.i want to be healthier to feel good not to starve myself and be miserable.
3.DEVELOPE MY TALENTS-now this isnt neccessarily saying that i have talents,but i guess i want to keep doing things that i really use to love to do and just havent made time to practice.for example-i want to keep dancing.i miss it alot and after watching sila,nani,and jada perform saturday, it made me want to get back in the game. i also really want to start sketching again.it's my comfort zone-i use to use it as a way to take out frustration or just to have time to reflect.
.........so i'll start out with these 3 and hopefully by this time next year i will have tried to achieve these goals.i'm so excited for the new year and for the new opportunities to better not only my life,but the lives of those around me. enjoy the holiday season,merry christmas,mele kelikimaka,manuia le kerisimasi,feliz navidad. i love you all.......................

Congrats to Nia&Daniel:)

so most of you know nia got married this past saturday.it was such a beautiful wedding.the food was amazing,the decorations were beautiful,and the reception was so fun.it was definitely a good time.here are some pics that my cousin took.....congrats nia&daniel i love you guys!!!!

NiaBiaBoBia

My second oldest sister is getting married this weekend and i just wanted to write something special to and for her.Nia is one of my very best friends. She's been an incredible strength in my life,and i am so grateful to have been blessed with 2 of the best sisters any girl could ask for. There are so so many things and memories i could write about but i'll just share a few. Nia is unselfish-she is so willing to help and give to anyone,especially to our family.When we were little we didnt have much money, but we made the best of what we could.One Christmas I remember she came up with the idea to find a toy that we already had and exchange them with each other.Wouldnt you figure that she gave me her blue teddybear that i absolutely loved even though my gift was just a card that i had made? I always remembered that because she wanted to make my Christmas better and we were only 5 and 7. I also remember one time i had gotten a quarter from my dad and so i decided to buy m&m's from the machine. I was such a greedy little brat that I didnt share with her.....until i dropped them on the floor.I offered them to her after that I she started to eat them,but then Mese yelled at me because he had seen what i did.I felt bad then and I still do now sometimes.....i think i've made it up to her by now.

So,there are so many things i could say about my sister because she is such an amazing person. She will be a wonderful wife to Daniel,and an even better mom to their future "little job's." I love you tons sis and am so very grateful for all the wonderful things you done for me,and for the life lessons we've learned together.We dont always get along but that's the fun part of being sisters,and best friends.Thank you for being my rock and for letting me still sometimes act like a brat.hahaha! Congratulations of getting hitched-Daniel is definitely one lucky guy! I love you sis:)

Yes it's me and i'm updating my blog....sort of:)

i know i know it's been awhile,a little too long since i've updated this bad boy.LOTS and i mean LOTS has happened in our family.You probably all know Nia's getting married and I couldnt be more happy.I am sucking at the maid of honor duty-sorry for that sis:)Thank everything for Melina and our friends who have been so awesome with helping out! For example, her bridal shower is next week Thursday at Darcy's @ 7.See?I SUCK! I've got to get her invites out:)Anyway, all the babies are growing up so fast and they're all absolutely BEAUTIFUL! Erica & Bret moved to town and since then our lives have been a whirlwind of FUN.Melina lets me come over whenever I want, even when i know she's tired:for that I am grateful to have a sis & bro in law who let me do that, even so take a trip for 2wks to Idaho with them....can't wait!My bro's are still funny as ever,and my dad is still the hardest working man i know.He loves us,golf,to eat,& Sanford & Son. I think I'm going to start school in the fall-just start and go from there.I'm excited about the new adventures i get to go on,and for what life brings my wonderful,crazy,but AMAZING family:)

I've got to do a better job at this blogging stuff...

i haven't been great at all at blogging so let me try to give up the shortest version possible of my life...so far.i had an awesome b-day at the beginning of march.we made a trip out to the huntington beach dance & my cousin richard graced us with his presence-always great to see family.then on sunday i had family and friends over for a freakin awesome dinner.my uncle made terriakyi beef which i love,but most of all he made sushi.yep-the real deal like in the restaurant.it was awesome.it's probably one of my favorite things to eat-besides my families cooking.nothing better then being surrounded by people you love and eating food you love. FYI:i'll do a quick update for nia:she's working at the vet full time,and is dating a pretty awesome guy.i'll let her blog about that stuff when she gets the chance.......
ok, so back to me(so selfish:) i'm in search for a job and trying to figure out what i want to do wht my life.not going to lie-it's hard.it's not like when you're a kid and you know that everyday you go to school,do your homework,go to bed, and wake up the next morning and do it all over again-with the exception of summer.i've got to figure it out and fast....i've let too much time go by and so instead of regretting lost time i've got to get up and move on. so that's where i am.still single but there a few possibilities,which totally make life fun.nia and i have made alot of new friends,and it has been a blast just hanging out with them and getting to know new people.
so i guess that pretty much sums up life for these ugapo girls.we always forget to take pictures when we go places-we'll try really hard to remember.luv and miss you all:)

So I was thinking...

what's 24 going to be like?i'm pretty stoked to be getting one year older,but a little sad to be too.Upside?one more year and I can rent a car freely without the hassle of being under 25.Downside?I feel more my age when the people I hang out with talk about music and bands I've never heard of.Upside?Well, I can pretty much do whatever I want.Downside?I can pretty much do whatever I want.Upside?I finally feel like I can run with the big guys-well I feel like I'm closer to my siblings ages.Downside?I'm not the little girl they use to protect & hassle all the time.Basically I guess I'm just looking forward to plenty of new adventures for 24.I've decided just to enjoy being 24 and loving every moment......and figuring out my life.Better late then never right?!So,here's to new adventures,new friends,new memories with the old people i love:)

I'm not anti-valentines...entirely.

ok,so i don't hold anything against anyone who's in love & likes to celebrate v-day.i think it's wonderful for people to do special things for their spouse or b/f g/f...and i'm not anti-valentines because for every single valentines i've been single.i think one reason i don't really care for it is because we should celebrate the ones we love everyday.ever since i was little i've kind of always felt that way about v-day but i understand why people do celebrate it.it's also kind of a bitter-sweet holiday.6 yrs ago i lost 3 very good friends in a car accident on valentines day.they were only 17...so young and the possibilities of who they would have become were endless.i miss them so much-kind of makes it hard sometimes but they're in a better place.i just want everyone to know that i love them.sometimes people are taken from us before we get the chance to tell them.i sometimes take people for granted.i should work on that.so let's celebrate the love we have for those around us-all year long & keep the memory of those we've lost in our hearts.
R.I.P.
danielle petersen,tiffany lamb, rosalie hernandez

Memory Lane...

so,it's late and i should be asleep but i took a 2hr nap so there you go.i've been home all night just watching tv and taking a stroll down memory lane.i was remembering good, fun times i've had with my crazy cousins & sisters, & also i was thinking of all kinds of songs that i really like but haven't downloaded yet.it's kind of lame but i love music especially if they're really awesome songs.so i'm posting a list of those songs that i love and haven't heard in awhile.tell me what ya think or if you have a song to add to the list...hope you're all enjoying life and loving the weather wherever you are:)
*rapture-anita baker
*with or without you-U2
*baby come to me-james ingram
*tell me something good-rufus/chaka khan
*rock me tonight-freddie jackson
*at your best-aaliyah
*to live & die in l.a.-tupac
*escapade-janet jackson
*on the road again-willy nelson
*footloose-kenny loggins
*dust in the wind-kansas
*and i love you so-perry como
*yellow-coldplay
*almost paradise
*i'll never love this way again-dione warwick

ok so that's good for now.some of these songs are lame but i just can't help but like 'em:)

Swish,Swoop,Make it in the Hoop...

so we got to see our elders quorum play in their opening game of this years season of church basketball.it was great to see so many guys from the ward & branch supporting.as usual we(me,melina,darcy,johanna,theresa,ashley,and all the kids)resumed our spots in the stands to cheer on our ward.unfortunately they didnt win but winnings not everything-they still did good.i of course try to go to every game-i love cheering and yelling at the refs...well, one ref!anyway,so way to go guys,and let's see some three's next game ok?!oh,kudos to the kyles for scoring some,mason,kenny,and well the whole gang...oh and kenny i'll give you $5 if you deck the ref for calling dumb fouls next time deal?:)j/k...that would be funny to see though.WAY TO GO BANNING:)

Happy Birthday Nina!

happy birthday nina!so today my other favorite sister celebrated or is still celebrating her birthday:) i just wanted to wish her an awesome day-well it's almost over but who cares.she is such a wonderful person.i am so lucky to have siblings who care,and love me so much.she is a great example to me.she's a wonderful sister,friend,mother,wife,daughter.i love you so much and hope that mason does whatever you want him to do for your birthday...hahaha:)so here's to another wonderful year to growing up.thank you for everything you do for me.have a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY and i luv you:)

Happy 2009!

happy new year everyone!so i haven't blogged in a really long time so let me do a run down of my life...
1.i got new bedding for christmas and absolutely love it-i need new curtains now
2.i went to go see "wicked" with nia & mike...it was PHENOMINAL!and yes i cried...twice!i realized when i was sitting there watching the play that i love things like that.my personal highlights: last scene of the first act:"defying gravity" and pretty much anytime elphaba(the bad witch) sang...all in all it was AWESOME:)
3.i got to play guitar hero christmas eve with ala,mese,nia,jeanette, & anna.i made it through one song after 5 tries:)
4.we ate at the famous"roscoes chicken and waffles" chicken was great-waffles not so much.
5.i went salsa dancing at sevillas in riverside.i decided that i need to stop thinking of perfecting things and just have fun in the moment.i got a little frustrated with myself.i eventually got over it:)
so i can't think of anything else even though i know there's tons more.when i do i will be sure to update it...and pictures will be coming shortly!enjoy the new year-live it up!