Busy, busy bee!

Little Miss Sunshine Esguerra! She is such a crazy lady! And she's like this ALL the time! =)

I sure wish I knew some people having babies...hmmph.


This was a card I whipped together for a wedding Dale and I went to Saturday. I bought the ring stamp for $4 at my favorite stamp store...not knowing anyone getting married. I just liked the stamp. I love my scallop punch from SU! It rocks! Am I the only one who does silly things like this?

I ended up decorating the wrapping paper with the same stamp. Super cute! I got them a scrapbook kit for their wedding and honeymoon pictures. Dale grew up with the groom. He was kind of like a big brother to him. We didn't know the bride other than she is a minister's daughter...so I didn't think my taste in lingerie would have been appropriate for a gift. This seemed safe. =)



Mel =)

More NYC...sorry it took so long!

We went to church! St.Patrick's Cathedral was the most beautiful place I've ever seen! The carvings, the windows, the high vaulted ceilings...oh, and the organ! It was upstairs. The pipes were so HUGE!! It was a very powerful place. If you remember, when I was tagged, one of my "facts" was that my hubby and I had relegious differences in the first few years of our relationship. Not a big deal to us...we both believe in God. We believed in being good people. His parents, being high rank in their church, expected me to convert to their religion. I couldn't lie to them. I went to their church several times, bible studies and conventions...I didn't believe like they believed. So, at 4yrs in, Dale and I were faced with an ultimatum. Step out together, or go our seperate ways. So, for him to plan this vacation with this part in it was HUGE! It was something he knew I would enjoy. It was a selfless act. He's awesome!

Mel =)

My 2nd favorite scrapbook store!

Thanks to an awesome Bella sista, I discovered a store called Green Tangerine in Rocklin, CA. (Sorry Sistah, I don't remember who told me about it.) It is this HUGE scrapbook heaven with tons of "stuff"! My goodness! It took me about an hour and a half to get there, but it was worth the drive. I spent over 3hrs. shopping. It's very modern and clean. Tons of stamps and embellishments...and check this out...I happened to visit on one of their weekend garage sales! Yes, garage sales...fellow scrappers bring the stuff they don't use anymore and sell it super cheap! Ahh...I bought four punches for Sunshine's preschool class for $1! There were tons of idea books and magazines for $1. They had scrapbook kits, stamp sets, cutters...pretty much anything you can think of. I didn't find my Zutter Bind It All though...boo. They sold out. I found a site that featured them...http://kcra.cityvoter.com/green-tangerines-scrapbook-superstore/biz/77161. Make sure if you're in the Sacramento area, you check it out!

There was also a store about 5min away that wasn't worth the drive. Not sure about the actual items in the store, but the service wasn't that great! The moment I walked in, the lady told me they were closing in half an hour. No "hi"..."the baskets are there"...then bash me with "We're closing soon."...nothin! She must not have known how much damage I could do in half an hour. The store was little anyways. It wouldn't have taken that long to go through it...and the prices seemed a little high for what they were offering. She just ruined the thrill...know what I mean!?

Mel =)

And the winner is...

I let Kaila pick the number before we started so I couldn't be bias and pick my favorites or change my answer partially through the contest! =) She picked 234,559!! So...the guesser who came closest is...Ms. Katie Shawger aka. Paper Makeup!! Woo-hoo!! Looks like I will have to go shopping for another blog candy soon as I now have almost 800 hits! Go, fight, win!

Katie, please email me privately your address! (melanie.esguerra@sbcglobal.net) I will pop this in the mail as soon as I get it!! Congrats!

Mel =)

The Good 'Ol Days

Sometimes we get older...well, all the time we get older, but sometimes we forget the things that make us truly happy. Know what I mean?

I have been a Polynesian dancer since I was 5yrs old. My grandma (as seen in the picture) was born and raised in Hawaii. She made costumes for the largest dance troupe in this area, Lehuanani. They used to practice in my great grandma's backyard because it was the only yard large enough to fit them. I guess I was just born into it.

Not being the most patient and graceful dancer...well, person...I felt most comfortable Tahitian dancing. I joined my first halau (dance troupe) in 1994. We were a new group to the area, Te Poe O Patitifa, or Pearl of the Pacific. There were 14 of us including drummers. Our Kumu, or instructor, was a former dancer, Ioani Burns, or Uncle Joel. He was a retired dancer that was a judge at the largest competitions here in the States and in Tahiti. He was my second dad.

I competed with the group and we were booked for 3-5 shows every weekend. Hot, cold, raining...it didn't matter. We were a hot party item. Everyone knew who we were and wanted to be with us. In 1998, we competed in San Jose, CA with over 100 dancers and about 15 drummers. We got to travel to Tahiti in 1999 as ambassadors to learn from Le Grande Ballet and O Tahiti E...two of the most prestigious halaus. It was awesome!

However, when we returned, the halau changed. It started to take form of a business. The fun was gone and it was now all about the money. I retired for the first time. I returned in 2001, but left shortly after. It just wasn't the same. Maybe because I wasn't the same. Maybe because my sisters had grown up, gone off to college and another generation was there....I don't know...but it was different. Uncle Joel had moved back to Tahiti and a new instructor had taken over...literally.

I started my own troupe, Haviti Tiare, in 2004 after Sunshine was born. I decided to teach 5 year olds and under students. We practiced in the backyard in the summer and in the garage in the winter. It was really fun.

I went back to Te Poe O Patitifa in 2006 and competed one last time...with Kaila. I was so proud. I wasn't going to dance. I was going to pass the thrill to her. It was her time. She asked me to compete with her. So, 7 of the original dancers including me, got back out there and took some trophies home!! Uncle Joel was there. I dedicated my solo to him. He walked out half way through it. When I asked him why, he said, "Melani, I already know how you dance. I am very proud." I think it hurt him to see the 7 of us again. We were like his children. (And, no, I didn't spell my name wrong. That's how he insisted on saying it! Accent on the "a".)

I miss it. I miss the family spirit. I miss practice. I miss the thrill. One day, I will return...again. =)

Mel =)

This is my card I submitted at my favorite Stamp store in Elk Grove, CA. The theme was buttons. Hopefully I win. You get a $25 gift card to use at their store and I already know what I want! =) It was so crazy...after I went there the first time, I rec'd a handmade card from one of the girls that was working that day to personally thank me for coming in and inside of it was a package of bling. So sweet. I know they probably make it a habit of doing that as customer satisfaction, but, hey...I like it! It's a great idea! Got me to come back! =) I left the card for the lady, Marilea, that sent me the card. She's a sweetheart! Enjoy!

Mel =)

Thank you Auntie Mae!

Just thought I'd let you know I have the best Bella Sistah! She sends me the most thoughtful gifts...and...today...as I was literally ripping my package open because I could smell something good and hear something rattling...my daughters sat eagerly watching. They kept trying to reach their little hands inside. I told them it was for me and I had to read the card first! I received her very first Bella card! Woo-hoo! Super cute. On the card it said there were two goody bags for the girls. Ahh...they were so excited! Thank you Aunt Mae!!

The smell were Cinnamon Bun tea lights!! Good thing because I was running low! The rattling were brads...in one of my favorite colors I might add! Thank you! Thank you!

Mel =)