Lou Dodged The Bullet

Last week Lou's employer Delta Dental of California laid off 70 people at his location in Rancho Cordova. One of his co-workers was laid off and he had to help her carry her stuff to her car.

Lou said that when he got to work on Friday (the day of the layoffs) there was a memo in his email (like the one below) but he elected not to call me so that I wouldn't panic.

I was working on Twitter for a client when BAM I saw a Tweet from News 10 announcing the Layoffs, gotta love technology! That is how I found out and of course I flipped out and called him in tears! I was so scared that something was going to happen BUT I know I need to think positive thoughts so I tried that and then called my mom to say a prayer!! I guess that the prayer worked because within an hour he knew that his position was safe.

Wheeewww.


Rancho Cordova Delta Dental Lays Off 70
by Michelle Ventress on January 30, 2009
in News
Seventy employees at the Delta Dental office in Rancho Cordova learned Friday morning that they will be laid off. Delta Dental has announced nation wide layoffs totaling 156 employees. According to company officials, the cuts, combined with a hiring freeze, amount to a 5 percent reduction of its workforce.
The company’s president, Gary D. Radine said, “We want to be ready in case this economic downturn hasn’t yet reached bottom, and make certain we are in good position to emerge more strongly once a recovery begins.” Delta Dental serves about 23 million people nationwide. The company has offices in California, Florida, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Alabama, New York, Nevada, Utah and Texas.

Happy New Year, Thank GOD 2008 is over!!

Happy New Year, it's time to take down your Holiday Decorations!!!

It has been a crazy few weeks here in the Cullo household. In addition to the usual craziness of the holiday season we decieded to throw a game party. I had a great time but will never do that again because the holidays are crazy enough! What happened is that we normally have a Dessert party a few days after Christmas so that we can bring together our left over desserts from the holidays and get rid of it. But this year the party wasn't planned until after New Years and it just didn't make sense to keep the Dessert Party theme so we changed it to a Game Party.

Well, I didn't know it (because I am a silly girl) but there was a football playoff game that night and all the guys ended up watching the game instead of playing cards, oh well no big deal. Once the game was over people started to play games.

But the one thing that did go really wrong was Lily's cold. It took a bad turn that night. She had been sick for a few days already with a crazy runny nose, cough and sneezing. Well that night after everyone left she looked terrible and then I felt it, the fever! She got up to 103 degree fever that night and the next, I was really worried. She had no other symptoms other than the fever and a cold. I kind of wanted her to throw up so that I could say it was a stomach virus.

We saw the dr the next day of course her fever was gone. The dr said that Lily somehow got Roseola. What?? Apparently this is pretty common but it sucked. The next few days were rough, she got the fever back that night and the next day and she felt horrible, she was a nasty little Oscar the Grouch the whole time she was sick and I felt so bad for her. I just tried to keep her comfortable while the virus ran it's course. Lots of coloring, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Dora The Explorer.

My guess is she got the virus while we were out and about running around doing holiday stuff, she hasn't been around anyone who is sick. Thankfully no one she has been around has gotten her virus either. It was nasty and since it was viral the doctor couldn't give her any medicine. We gave her Triamenic and Tylenol a few times as she refused to take the Triamenic Flu medicine because it wasn't pink, it was red. =) oh joy!

She is back to normal now, jumping off the couch and beating me at Uno.

The lesson learned: Don't run so many errands with your kids! Next year we are hosting Christmas at our house and I will make it a point to leave Lily with my mom or do most of the errands while she is in Preschool.

Cullo Elf's 2008

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

The Cullo Cousins Country Elf Dance

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Lily in Ballet Class

The clubhouse in our community has a 1/2 hour ballet class for just a few bucks. I really wanted her to go to a local dance studio, but maybe when she is a little bit older. She reallly likes this one because her best buddy Stella is in the class with her. Lily follows the directions of the teacher very well, and she has a great time.

This is a picture of Lily before class.

Here is is dancing around during class.

Lily and her best buddy Stella after class.

Second Saturday

We went to Second Saturday in downtown Sacramento. I thought that it would be a fun event to take Lily too because she could see a lot of different types of art in one place. We went to The Art Foundry and were able to see a demonstration of a bronze pouring, it was really neat and she liked it too. As we walked around the different galleries within The Art Foundry Lily would point out pieces that she liked and one time said really loudly "This is cool".

Bronze Pour

My printmaking teacher has some art work on display at The Art Foundry so she had some space set aside so that people could try out making Monotype prints. This is what I am doing (for 1 unit) at Folsom Lake College.

Lily tried her hand at the printmaking process. She is applying the ink with q-tips and moving it around the plexiglass plate with pieces of mat board. She had a great time mixing the colors together.

She even told my teacher that she wanted to use purple. When my teacher asked her what two colors did we need to mix together to get purple Lily told her "blue and red" Then when my teacher was mixing the colors it was dark and she asked Lily if we needed more red or blue and Lily answered "red, because the blue would make it too dark". My little artist!! Later that evening I asked her what her favorite part about the Gallery was and she said "painting".


Here we are at the press ready to print the plate. It was an automatic press and Lily liked watching it.

Here is the print, looks great.

Being at Second Saturday and see all the different types of art was a blast. It was great to see downtown busy with people attending various galleries during Second Saturday. The sidewalks were packed, it was great to see Sacramento Artists being supported by the community. We only stayed for about an hour but it really got those art juices flowing again for me. It reminded me of being back in art school in San Francisco, I really miss those times. When Lily gets older and is in school I can go back to creating my art.

Happy Halloween

Lily found a great costume at Old Navy and loved wearing it tonight.

RPM - Race Place Motorsports

Lou wanted to go racing with me for his birthday. So we headed off to Race Place Motorsports in Rancho Cordova - http://www.raceplacemotorsports.com/

Here are a few pictures of us before the race.

Lou

Dawn

Monster Energy Track Results

Wicked is coming to San Francisco

Get your tickets!!! http://www.ticketmaster.com/promo/0xtjrz/?dma_id=374

Wicked Events - http://www.wickedthemusical.com/#WickedCitiesSanFrancisco

Exclusive Presale Offer!
Take advantage of this special presale offer to purchase tickets to see Wicked at the Orpheum Theatre. The musical phenomenon that started here in San Francisco returns to the Orpheum Theatre on January 27, 2009. Don't miss Broadway's biggest blockbuster. Purchase tickets to WICKED before they go on sale to the general public on Friday, 9/26. Be one of the popular ones and secure your seats today! Presale offer ends on Thursday, September 25th at 10PM. To take advantage of this offer, mention or enter Special Offer Code. For best availability, please select performances after March 17. For best availability in January and February, please select Premium Package tickets. Offer available through internet at shnsf.com, ticketmaster.com and Ticketmaster Charge-By-Phone. Convenience fees apply. Tickets may also be purchased in person, without convenience fees, at the Orpheum Theatre Box Office (1192 Market at 8th, Mon - Sat 10am - 6pm). Tickets subject to availability. Restrictions may apply. NOT available at Ticketmaster Ticket Centers. No refunds, cancellations or exchanges.

Happy Birthday Louis !

Louis posing with Lily in his new Bo Jackson jersey.

The Raider Football Cake

Mama & Lily