Autism

Hi folks, check out video and .49 cents in donated to autism. Nice video. Nice cause. Pass it on.
Jen

http://www.whatkindofworlddoyouwant.com/videos/view/id/408214*


*Please view this video and send to everyone you know...every little bit will help....thanks! The band, Five for Fighting, is generously donating $0.49 to Autism Speaks for *each time* the video is viewed the funding goes toward research studies to help find a cure. When you have moment, please visit the link below to watch the video and pass it along to your friends and family. They are aiming for 10,000 hits, but hopefully we can help them to surpass this goal!!.

GENIE


Gesenia Sloan-Pena, M.A.
Registered Psychological Assistant
Board of Psychology Registration # PSB-33295

Doctoral Student
Clinical Psychology
Pepperdine University
Graduate School of Education and Psychology

Rockn' Out with Mom (Nana)

This past Friday, Jan 18, I got the privilege to rock out with my mother at a concert. Disney has a partnership with Yamaha corporations. Yamaha holds their annual convention here at Disney. At the end of the week each year they throw a huge concert for the company with huge headliners. Mother invited me for a date night and I jumped at it. It featured John Legend, Jamie Cullum, Jon Anderson (from the YES), Sara Bareilles, Gabe Dixon, and Isaac Slade (The Frey). It was more than awesome! I was 10 rows back in the center with a fantastic view. The set up was such that the performing artist played the piano and sang while the Yamaha Band and Orchestra rocked out with them. It was such an amazing night. But oh, it didn't stop there. Every year the company has a surprise guest. And this year it was...drum roll please.... STEVIE WONDER!!!!! I don't care who you are, and if you like Mr Wonder or not, this man is a Legend!!! He was so humble, and yet his presence was overwhelming. I instantly became this psyched out teenager screaming that there is Stevie Wonder!!! I was laughing, here I am 27 years old and I'm screaming at man that came into the industry before I was learning my ABC's. He started off his set by saying, " I always start off every time by first wanting to thank my God, Lord and Savior for allowing me to share the talents that He has graciously allowed me to have". He then lifted his hand towards the band and orchestra and thanked them for allowing him to play with them and that they were his special guest. He immediately had this spirit of servant hood. During one of his songs he started off on the keyboards and then moved over on a bench to play the piano next to him without skipping a beat! Which is impressive if you can see let alone if you can't. It was night that I will not forget. It was so very special!!!! Oh and to top it off as we were leaving the concert Stevie Wonder and his family were looking for a restaurant at the Grand Hotel to eat, but everything had closed for the night. My mother was able to find a chef for Napa Rose and asked him to reopen for Mr. Wonder and family (15 members). The family stayed for 2 hours and sang together with no instruments!!! How cool!

Picture this

So, as many of you know, Greg loves photography. His grandfather loves it, his cousin loves it, he loves it, and he now has a new generation to pass on his love of photos. Greg is such an awesome dad. He has really taken the time to go for bike rides and walks with our kids, just being around. Here are some photos Mak shot on a walk with dad (while he was molding our young impressionable Makayla). Turns out, I think she might have an eye for this stuff. She really was excited about taking photos and was even more excited about her "works of art" going on the computer. Also, Greg said that he'll print a couple shots for her and put them up in her room. How cool it is to see her get excited about life and the idea of producing something to share with this world. So, here is fare warning-- proud mama post of her children!

FIVE YEARS, BABY!!!!!

Well, made it to the 5 year mark!!! Yeah God! It has been crazy. At some points it seems like only yesterday we were on our honeymoon and then other times it seems like more than 5 years ago we were saying I do's. We switch off every other year on whom is going to plan the anniversary. This was Greg's year. Originally we had planned to go away and go hiking, however, it turned out that Greg's folks were gone for the weekend (whom we leave with) and Mary took the kids for us. So we stayed home. I know, sounds like a yawner but trust me, with kids there are not many mornings where we can sleep in. And on top of getting to stay in bed till 10:00 am, we also got to read with no interruptions. On Friday night Greg took us down memory lane with dinner at Fio Ritto's which is the restaurant we went to the night we got engaged; and then went down to Seal Beach to walk around (which is where Greg bravely asked me to be his wife). The next day we headed out to play Frisbee golf (sorry, I was just corrected- it's called DISC golf)  and then for two rounds of bowling. It was great! Unfortunately though we ended our time together Saturday night with Greg throwing up and feeling pretty miserable. The flu hit him hard.  It's been great-- and I do have to say I married one great man! Nice to know that I share my dreams and hopes with my best friend and that we actually really enjoy each other's company. Here's to a whole lot more years!!

Friends that make me say "Praise Yee The Lord"

I had the joy of having coffee (or tea on my part) last night with a dear friend of mine. It was almost utopia in the sense of being able to drink tea while it's STILL warm and have uninterrupted conversations. We laughed and giggled and sighed over thoughts of this past few months. I drove away thinking how special it was to have this friend. And then my eyes began to swell as I thought about how good God is. That He loves us so much to meet us through our interactions of other relationships. And how wonderful to leave a friend and to have my thoughts turn towards God. Isn't that how it should be? That all of our interactions throughout the day should turn our minds towards God?  

"...because I'm a woman".

Okay, so last night Mak, Zeke, and mama were playing in the Land of Mak (pretend world that lives inside my daughter's brain which only she really understands). And we were off to the Beach, also known as our living room. Now you have to understand Mak was not Mak, her name was Eli and she was the mom of her daughter named Makayla. Ezekiel's name was Micah. Which for the poor boy, didn't understand why his sister was spouting off commands to this unknown character named Micah. When daddy sat down to join in the fun, he tried asking way too logical questions for who was related to who. This is the following conversations (well most of it at least):

Greg: So who are you?

Mak: I'm Eli

Greg: and where is Makayla?

Mak: Makayla is sick and so she is sleeping. She's my daughter.

Greg: And who is he? (pointing to a little boy following his big sister)

Mak: That's Micah. My son. My baby.

Greg: And who am I? 

Mak: My husband

Greg: Wait, I'm married to you? Then who is she?

Mak: Jennifer, only Jennifer

Greg: How old is Makayla?

Mak: 4

Greg: And how old are you?

Mak: 4

Greg: So you are the same age as your daughter Makayla?

Mak: Yep!

Greg: And who is the boss of you?

Mak: (and without skipping a beat) No one, because I'm a woman.

All to say I have no idea how in the world she ever got that idea! It sent us laughing out loud. I love my kids and sure love how their little minds work...even if it is a complete mystery to me. 

Here we go.....

Okay, so here we go. This is our first post/blog. I believe it was not quite a year ago when I mentioned to a good friend (Adam Escobedo) that I wanted to start a blog so all of us crazy folks that are moving around this world of ours can keep in touch. So...we're off and trying to figure this thing out. So stayed tuned for more to come...at least I hope so. . . .