A Day at the Sacramento Zoo

A tiger at the zoo
Look at how close you can be to him! It's through a thick glass window.

Giraffes at the zoo.
Aren't they beautiful! Jiraffes are so cool looking!


Denise and Dave at the Sacramento zoo

If you have a nice spring or summer day open, you might want to consider spending a day at your local zoo. The Sacramento Zoo is one of the bigger zoos in our area and I found it to be absolutely grand and beautiful. There are so many animals that you've probably never seen before and you learn something while you're there too!

Snowboarding at Northstar

Me on the chair lift.
Always in a good mood when we're going boardin'.


Me boarding
You can tell that it's early in the season because the snow is so chunky. There's plenty of it, but you can see how rough it is.


Ryan boarding
This is a good picture because the sun makes Ryan look very awesome.

This was a fun trip. My good friend Ryan and I went up to Northstar for the day. Usually we don't prefer Northstar because it's so busy but we had a great time! Skiing and Snowboarding is such a fun thing to do! It's almost a vent, a way to get some aggressions out on the mountain by pushing yourself to the limits. Ryan and I like going through the trees and trying to make our way back out, or finding some cool random jumps in the terrain, that's not in the busy terrain parks.

If you have ever been to Sierra at Tahoe you know how fun it can be. Northstar and Sierra at Tahoe have a deal for students. Students can get a "double whammy season pass" and it's usually about $100 dollars less than a regular season pass. Also, it's for 2 resorts, both Northstar and Sierra. If you want to check it out for next season just click here. Sierra is cool because they have so many terrain parks. Also, it's not anywhere as busy as Northstar can get.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium

I love being a penguin!


He looke like he's being punished! : )

These pictures are inside the gift store at the aquarium. There were these penguin hats! It's so funny! I made Dave put one on for a picture, he looks like he hates it!!! He so cute! : )


Where's Nemo?

Lets see... I see Gill, Dorey, Bubbles.... but no Nemo!


Aren't they beautiful!

This is one of the many jelly fish exhibits. To see them in person is so amazing!


Would you like a box of chocolates?

This is my first and only visit to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. If you haven't been there, I highly recommend it! You'll see fish there that you have never seen before! Everything is so beautiful! I must have taken over 200 pictures on my digital camera yet none of it really captured what it's really like to be there. It's amazing!

This last picture is of Dave sitting in front of "Bubba Gumps" restaurant, just like the movie! On a bench, in front of the restaurant, there are ceramic shoes that you can put your feet into, and next to it a suitcase with a box of chocolates. The restaurant is really neat! The inside is completely decked out with Forrest gump stuff. On your table, there are two license plates, one that says "run forrest run" and one that says "stop forrest stop". When you change the sign to "stop forrest stop" a waitress will immediately stop by your table to serve you.

The most magical place on earth!!!

Dave & Denise @ Disneyland One Way???

Disneyland
I love Disneyland! Some places are special to certain people. For example, some people are really attached to the beach, or some people to a certain lake. For me I am really attached to Disneyland! It brings me back to childhood. Eventhough the rides are not as scary and exciting as some places like Great America or Magic Mountain, Disneyland just touches my heart. I think my favorite part of Disneyland is how "in character" the entire park is. For example, if you go ride the Haunted Mansion and you ask the cast member that works the front of the line how he/she is doing, he/she will respond with something like "I'm feeling very cold and deadly today...."

When I watch Fantasia (which only plays in the summer time) my heart starts racing! Disney goes to such an extent with all of the lighting and music. No matter where you sit, you can hear the surround sound speakers that coinside perfectly with the preformance on stage. Then, the water sprays up into the air and you're so close that you can feel the mist, and when there is an evil scene in the performance, they light the water on fire!!! You can feel the heat!! You can see all of the characters, that you've become so attached to as a child, and they float by you on a huge boat. And on their biggest boat, Peter Pan and Captain Hood battle in front of everyone and you feel like you're watching the movie all over again. I get excited just thinking about it!!

My favorite ride in the whole park is the Pirates of the Carribean. "Yo ho yo ho a pirates life for me"! HAHAH!!!! YAY DISNEYLAND! I wish that I lived closer, because I would definately be a season pass holder!!!

Labor Day 2004

Floating down the Sacrament river.
(from the left) Chris, Me, Dave and Al (front).


Labor day float. (left) Me, Amber, Kati, & Lisa.

I love summer, almost as much as I love winter. In the winter I love play in the snow and I love to snowboard!!! But I love the summer weather! This picture makes me want to go swimming and tan in the sun. I can almost feel the warmth! Maybe play some beach volleyball or go wakeboarding!

The 1st pictre is a picture of us floating down the Sacramento river. On Laboy Day, in Chico, many of the students pick up a tube at any local liquor store and head tword the river. Every year in Chico more and more students join the Labor day float. It's a ton of fun but it's also a big hastle. Because of the large amounts of people, there is usually a lot of traffic. Also, because of injuries in the past years, the police have become very involved in patrolling the float. This is a good thing, but it is also makes things complicated. They have many DUI checkpoints and they close off several roads leading to the river. But of course it's good that they are there because everyone is safer and if there is an injury or safety issue, they are available with medical care. I have gone floating two Labor Day's but I don't think I will be back for the next float. I will just enjoy the town with 15,000 less students in it.

Star Trek The Next Generation

Star Trek the next generation

Who doesn't love Star Trek!?!?!? The Next Generation is my favorite series but I am also partial to the original Star Trek with Captain Kirk! If you want to check out their official web site click here. You can check out other Star Trek series such as; The original Star Trek, Enterprise, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager.

Just a little news for ya! Star Trek Enterprise, the newest Star Trek series has been canceled so maybe they will have more time for The Next Generation. hehehe j/k. Also, it's Brent Spiner (Data's) birthday today! So HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Data

Death

Don't go to bed with unsolved issues between friends!
In my lifetime I have had to deal with 3 deaths, the death of my grandmother, the death of my best friend, and the death of my boyfriend.

My grandmother.
She was my mother's mother, died when I was about 12. I only saw her occasionally and we didn't have a very close relationship.

My best friend.
My best friend. Throughout the last few years of middle school (7th & 8th grade) my best friend Erin and I got into a huge fight at the end of 8th grade. Now being a 5th year senior in college, I understand that this was about 9 years ago for me. But you wouldn't believe how often I think about her. Of course when you're in middle school girls almost always fight about silly things such as; boys or long drawn out dramatic simulations of real troubles that adults have in life. We fought about a boy that we both liked, and we never talked again after that day. In high school, a year later, she wrote me a note apologizing for our stupid fight and hoping that we could be friends again. And out of bitterness and spite, I never wrote her back. We both started hanging out with different people, doing different things with our lives. That summer she went to Washington to visit her grandparents and she got into a car accident and cracked her head on the cement. She dies shortly after. I always think back and wonder if I were her friend at the time, would she still be in that situation? Would she be hanging out with those people? Would the accident even have happened? I think of her always and I know that she's up in heaven looking down on me and looking out for me. But I will always regret us not remaining friends, because through thick and thin, your friend should always be there for you and I wish I was there for her in her deepest hour of need. I miss you Erin!!
Love,
Denise

My boyfriend.
Years later I would encounter one of my larges hurdles; dealing with the death of someone I loved. I started dating Gilbert the summer after high school graduation. He was the nicest, most considerate, honest, caring, loving, gifted, talanted, motivated, inspirational, spiritual person that I ever knew. Just to know him for a short amount of time was so impactful to your life. It's hard to explain, but I felt like I knew him my entire life and the memories that I have of him, I will have forever. I can remember them as if they were yesterday. You know how some people make you a better person just by being around them? Well, he made everyone better just by being near him! He had such a glow and such an aura. Everything about him was real and true. He did what he believed in, and he didn't care if it was "cool" or "in". Yet everyone loved him just the way he was! Knowing him was a miracle.

Gilbert and I broke up because we went to colleges so far away. I went to Chico State and he went to UC San Diego. If you don't know those colleges are about 10-12 hours driving distance away from each other. We would call each other and e-mail each other. We would send each other post cards. But he was right, and I think he knew some how, that it was the time for us to break up. Very soon after, Gilbert was just starting school, and he went out to the cliffs ,that over look the ocean and the beach. He was merely taking a break from doing homework, and he slipped over the cliffs and hit the rocks at the bottom of the cliff. He died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.

It has been the hardest thing in my life for me to bear. After that happened, I took a plunge downward. I started doing worse in school, partying a lot, I've still never been back to church... And I know that these are all things that he wouldn't want. I know that if he were looking down right now, he would probably try to help. I just couldn't understand for the longest time, why? I always understood that God took His children when He needed them, or when it was their time. But I understand now. Gilbert always wanted to be as close to God as possible, he wanted to serve Him the best he could. And that's exactally what he's doing up in heaven. I know exactally what he's doing at this very minute...... he' s singing. : )

Good Night