What a Way to End My 30's

Okay, I was all prepared to write this whole post about how I'm turning 40, and how I was going to reflect on my life so far. About how in my 20's I first moved out with my friend, Stacie, and then a year later, moved in with my other friend, Susan, and how I met my hubby and got married and had my first baby when I was 27. And then how in my 30's I had my second baby, lost 30 pounds, lost my mom, bought our house and much more.

And then I end up in the ER today, because of some kind of bite I got a few days ago that has swelled up to a nice plump size with an infection.

Yea. Nice.

So I go to the ER (twice, no less because I thought it was getting worse later on, but it wasn't and I was probably having a reaction to the double antibiotics I'm on combined with a bit of an anxiety attack) and they "mapped" my ankle, gave me antibiotics and then some topical cream as well, as some anti-itching medication because it itches like CRAZY sometimes!

As I "ring" in my new decade of being 40 tomorrow, I get to hobble around with a "cankle". Oh wait, excuse me HALF of a cankle from some sort of bite (I think it was probably a spider bite though) because it's only on one half of my ankle.

Nice.

Even if I do have nausea from the antibiotics, I am determined to have my hot fudge sundae from Baskin-Robbins. It's a long standing tradition on my birthday, that I get that, and I will, dammit!

Oh a positive note, hubby sent me my birthday present (however the mailman did not leave the package) and I am going to the post office tomorrow to pick it up. I can't wait to see what it is! :)

Her First One!

My baby lost her first tooth!!!! It has been wiggly for a while and last night she was playing with it and she just all of the sudden pulled it out without even trying! She was so excited but SOOO nervous at the same time! When something new or unexpected happens to her, she's unsure on how to deal with it. I could literally feel her shaking a bit because of it. It only lasted a couple of minutes and then she was all happy because the tooth fairy was going to visit her!

Here is her first toothless grin. You can see the adult tooth already coming in.



I'm telling you, this girl does not waste any time getting things done! Okay, let me rephrase that, when she's READY to do things, she doesn't waste any time. My baby is my dreamer child. You can ask her to do something and she'll be walking along to do it, find something else along the way and focus on that. Ahhh......if life were only that enjoyable, not to have a timetable, you know??

Oh, and the toothfairy gave her FIVE DOLLARS for that tooth! I'm telling you, inflation.........of course I did tell her that the tooth fairy only gives her that much for her very first tooth. All remaining teeth are only worth about a buck.

A Love Thursday Post

I love taking pictures of my girls at the park. It's such a beautiful setting and there's so many shots you can get.

Our school had their spring pictures this past week and I know exactly how my little one here smiled.....a fake painful smile. She'll be all grins and smiles until someone tells her how to pose. Then it becomes fake. A friend of mine who helps when they take the pictures was talking to the photographer and asked how they came out and he said good, why? Then she said, "My friend's a photographer" and he's like, "Oh". Yea, he knew. He knew the shot that she did. And then it hit me. My friend called me a photographer! Wow, what a compliment to me! I LOVE taking photos of my girls and I loved photography classes in high school. Hubby and I have always wanted to have a darkroom so that we can develop our own pictures (black and white), but now with the digital age, Photoshop will have to do. (Plus we don't have the space for a darkroom). So bear with me as I show off my youngest today and her many faces.......


Yea, this one? I think she picked up from her older sister. I should make a mental note to show this to her when she becomes a teenager because I know she's going to do it then too. She's going to look at me like I'm a fucking idiot (pardon my french). They all do, all the teenagers. I know I gave that look when I was a teenager.....

My happy-go-lucky little one. Enjoying life and all the fun that comes with it.

Hmmm....is she contemplating life? Is she wondering what amazing things life has to offer out there? Or is she thinking of devious ways to bug her sister..............you make the call.....

This is my silly girl who LOVES, LOVES being rambunctious and crazy and goofy. (She gets the crazy and goofy part from me....yes, I admit it, I love being a dork when I want to......)

The look of....."I love you mom, thanks for letting me play at the park"

Her gorgeous piercing blue eyes. She gets those from Daddy.

I just LOVE the look of happiness on her face in this shot.

Another favorite of mine.....

This is her. Disheveled hair. She doesn't care. She loves life.

And a "behind the scenes" shot of her just laying in the grass, enjoying herself. Because she does. She does enjoy herself. I love listening to her pretend play. She has a wonderful imagination.

And that's our day in the park. Now see? There's no way I could just pick one shot. Could you???

Petco.....Where the pets go............

To get de-skunkified, in our case.

I had the just wonderful pleasure (insert HEAVY sarcasm here) of having my dog "skunked".

I took him to the groomers this morning and then while he was there, I purchase the above product and sprayed the hell out of my house, especially in the rooms where he had been. I had to wash some bedding too, because we have a trundle bed and he got next to the bedding on that one bed. Oh joy.

And of course, it can't be a nice spring day where I can have the house open all day to help air it out.

No. It's 90 degrees here at 1:30 p.m.

I aired it out as much as possible this morning and will do the same this evening once we get back from the youngest's t-ball game.

I also have to keep him out of the one room where he "transferred" the most odor. So the oldest gets to sleep with me for a few days while it gets aired out.

Oh joy.

And here I thought I was going to get to have a nice relaxing Saturday until the youngest's t-ball game.

Well, on the positive side, he's nice and clean now.

Game Done

My baby pitched in her very first game. :)

She was SOOOOOOOOOOO nervous that first inning. She got after me for coaching her, so I just kept my mouth shut for her. She did good for her first time. She pitched pretty slow though, I think she was just worried more about it going over the plate.

One of the coaches on the other team told her that she did good, that out of 25 batters, she only walked 7, which means the other 18 hit off her or struck out (she did get 2 strikeouts). And the coach that told her this was the other pitcher's dad. So that made her feel good too.

I was extremely proud of her for going out there and giving it her all. Not many girls out there will go and to that to help the team. She practiced every day for over two weeks straight to help out her team like that.

But she's certainly glad it's done! Haha!

Game On

Right now my oldest is out in the backyard practicing her pitching.

She's going to pitch tomorrow night for the first time.

She's been practicing every day for the past two weeks in preparation for this game.

The anticipation and excitement level is high here.

Wish her luck!

The Creative Side of School

I absolutely LOVE looking through my youngest's folder each day from school. I love being able to see the drawings she creates there. Ever since school, she has loved starting to draw things and now she can put words with them too. I love seeing what her mind creates.

A Little Spring Break Fun

I took my girls to a ceramic place where you can pick out the figurine/plate, mug, etc., and paint them. I decided to have a little fun and paint one of my own. :)

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter to All!

We have a long standing tradition in my family.

The night before Easter, the Easter Bunny hides all the Easter baskets that are filled with goodies all over the house. In the morning, all the kids have to find their Easter baskets. I did this when I was little as well. It's amazing some of the places I found my Easter baskets at times!!

I have kept this tradition alive with my girls as well. The only thing that has changed is the fact that the Easter Bunny now wraps the baskets in cellophane, because we have a cat and a dog in our house and we don't want them getting into the baskets in the middle of the night and eating all the chocolate. Case in point in following picture:

My youngest one was so excited when she got Hannah Montana socks in one of her Easter Baskets. She kept saying, over and over: "I got Hannah Montana socks!! I got Hannah Montana socks!!"

My oldest one was quite happy with her stash as well, as she organized it all too, including a gift card to Itunes:

A tradition that started at my Aunt's house as well, was looking for the plastic Easter Eggs out in the backyard. We used to go to her house every Easter, but she moved far away, so it's not possible to to there at Easter now. So we continued the tradition here at our house. As you can see, sometimes they have to climb to find those eggs:

A lot of times they are just in plain sight too:

Happy Easter to you all!!!

A Common Thread

There are about 20+ of us around right now wearing this.

Last month I had the priviledge of co-hosting a baby shower for a wonderful dear friend of mine, Schmoopy, who I have known most of my life. She loves to read and gather information and she came across this tradition: Blessingway. While we didn't go with the exact order of events, we did use some of them. One of them was a birthing necklace in which everyone placed a bead on the string to represent them and their loved ones and she is going to bring this in the delivery room with her as a symbol of our love for her and to give her strength in there knowing that we are all there with her in spirit.

Another one was the string you see above on my wrist. The guests who were invited all have one tied around their wrists and we are to wear it until her precious baby is born. It keeps us all thinking of her until she gives birth.

I, along with all of her friends are so happy that this day is almost here for her. She has had a long journey to this point.

I was talking to her the other day too, about a magazine, Parents. I have subscribed to it for over 11 years and I am now letting my subscription run out, as it is meant more for parents with younger kids and mine are getting a little old for the articles. I have enjoyed it immensely and it has come in handy so much for me. Now she will be getting it. One subscriber giving it up, another one starting out.

Ahh......Random Things......

Spring is almost here.

Good news on my end, I finished doing that darn yearbook for the girls' school. And it's my last year doing it too. It's just too much stress for me and my family and I need to focus more on me and my family.

And I love gardening.

So in celebration of finishing the yearbook, I went to Lowe's and bought plants for my garden.

I bought two hydrangeas, which are one of my absolute favorite flowers. I remember the huge hydrangea bush in my grandma's backyard. It was always so beautiful. When we sold the house after my mom died, I was able to take some of the clippings from that plant. This plant had been there since my grandma bought the house in 1950. And so far ::::::::::::::crossing fingers::::::::::, my clipping from that hydrangea is still surviving. I kept it in a pot for a couple of years, and then I finally planted it out in my front yard where it is shadier, so I'm hoping it will thrive even more out there and give color to our front yard.

We are almost to the 1/2 way mark of hubby being away and I miss him so much!

I ache for him. I just want him home.

I've never been a particularly patient person when it comes to things I want. And I want him. And even though this is the 7th time we've had to do a deployment, I'm still not a patient person when it comes to this. Obviously I have no choice in the matter and have to deal with it, but it doesn't mean I like it, or am any more patient.

It's Spring Break for the girls and the first week is over 1/2 way done(yes, they get two weeks, lucky for them).

I was supposed to get my new recliner tomorrow, however they made a boo-boo and put someone else's recliner in my box to be shipped. So as of right now, they have absolutely no idea where mine is. It could literally be in Canada for all they know. They hope it's not, because then it could take up to two weeks to get it back. Nice. Oh well, that's our luck when it comes to furniture. We NEVER get it on time. NEVER.

Tomorrow I get to put my new plants in the ground and pots. I can't wait. I love gardening. Oh wait, let me rephrase that. I love putting new plants in the ground. I love watering them. I love seeing them bloom. I hate weeding.

Ahhh, and I get to sleep in a litle bit tomorrow. That'll be nice.

I HATE Junior High

We just found out this evening that my eldest is supposed to be the brunt of a practical joke this week (it's bullying in my opinion) by some of her "supposed" friends, with this one girl who seems to be spearheading it all.

The one girl who told her, thank goodness, though told her not to tell anyone that she knows. Okay, I guess I understand that you wouldn't want to be labeled as the "snitch" or anything, but why doesn't this girl stand up for my eldest and tell everyone else that she thinks it's mean.

I HATE that junior high girls can be so petty and mean and spiteful. And to girls who have done absolutely nothing wrong.

I want to go to those girls and tell them what I think of them.

I want to pull my daughter out of school and homeschool her because of these awful, awful girls. But then they win, if I do that. And no one gets to push my daughter around.

No one.

I want her to find new friends.

Ones that wouldn't talk like this behind her back.

I want her to have her best friend back.

The one that moved out of state.

Then I wouldn't have to worry about this, because that friend was tried and true to her and helped her to be herself and not worry about what others think.

You know what they say though....

Karma's a bitch.

And it's going to bite them in the butt one of these days for being this way.

I just hope I'm around to see it.

Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss, we do love you.
You make us rhyme with new blue goo.

Green Eggs and Ham
That Sam-I-Am

A Cat In The Hat
how about that?

My youngest is now starting to read
And a book from you is just what she needs.

She created a reading area in the hall
With stacks of books around her all.

I had gotten these books out from in a box
That belonged to her sister, including Fox in Socks.

I myself had read them here and there
When I was young I read them everywhere.

Fox in Socks is my favorite one.
The tongue twisting.....I got it done.

And here my youngest is, reading Green Eggs and Ham.
She loves the book, especially Sam-I-Am.

So Dr. Seuss, thank you so much for your wonderful words.
Your drawings, rhyming and odd looking birds.

Finally

it stopped raining for a while and the forecast predicts sun in the future.


at least for next week.

Quotes

I subscribe to these daily quotes I get via email. I found this one I got to be very interesting:

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other people's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.
--Steve Jobs

One thing I would add to this though is to be understanding to other people's opinions and respect it. Because otherwise you just have people running around spouting their opinions and not caring about the other one.

Unless they are of the negative kind.

Then you can just drown them out completely.

I Wanna Be A BAD Girl

My youngest comes to me this morning all dressed up like this and says to me: "Mommy, do you have any gum? I want to be a bad girl". Apparently she's been informed by someone that to be a bad ("ass") girl she has to dress all in black and chew gum.

Geez, what's next, she wants me to help pick out her posse and take some "kick your ass" lessons as well?

As you can see in the background our new couch came. I will take pictures later of the rest. Still waiting on the other recliner though.

Happy Valentine's Day

Yes, I know I'm a few hours early when I posted this, but where hubby is, it's Valentine's Day now. :)

Oh, and by the way, I didn't make this. My eldest did. She made it for her friends tomorrow. How stinkin' cute is this???!!! That girl has got some talent!

Happy Valentine's Day to you all and may it be a true Love Thursday!!

Looking For The Positive

I am one of those people who tried to look for the positive.

For example, if the eldest comes home and tells me about how one girl was acting at school, whether it be bitchy or mean or whatever, I listen, comfort her and then tell her, "Well, maybe she is just having a hard day, or problems at home or something else that's making her be this way". Because I KNOW that my eldest can certainly not have the nicest demeanor at times, and it's usually because she's hurting or upset or something to that nature.

Hubby is gone now for 4 months. It sucks. Let me tell you, it's NEVER a good thing when he goes out to sea because we miss him terribly. And I KNOW he misses us terribly too. I mean, I don't think I could EVER do that, be away from our girls for that long and home and everything else. A positive note? It helps us to appreciate each other so much more during these times.

Now that's not to say that I'm one of those people who always has a cheery disposition and in "la-la" land or one of those TV shows from the 50's.

I can be a downright bitch at times too.

And then there are the times when there is absolutely no way to find a positive in certain situations. Sometimes things happen and it sucks and it hurts. Like when my mom died over 3 years ago, 6 days before Christmas. There is no positive in that. It was awful. It was painful and it took me a VERY long time to get to a place in my life of now. That's not to say that I constantly miss her. I do, all the time. I went through major anxiety attacks and the fear that I was going to end up just like her and die and leave my girls and my hubby without me. It took therapy and a conversation with my aunt to get past that. After talking with my aunt, she helped me to see a different side of my mom who was most likely depressed and lonely and who chose not to take her medication. And after she said those words, it was amazing how my view of the whole situation turned. It made me look back at her life in a totally different way. She was lonely. She did have a hard life, raising 3 girls all by herself. The fact that she probably never got over her father's death when she was 13. The fact that her mother, my grandmother, made her go to a home for unwed mothers when she was about 18 or 19 and forced her to give up the baby, and another baby after that, but before me. She was always looking for that love that she lost when she lost her dad.

I certainly do not want to end up like that. I make sure I take my medication. I don't drink. I don't smoke and I exercise. I've already changed the course somewhat by doing these things that my mom didn't do. Maybe you could say that the positive in that is that I now take better care of myself.

See, there I go again, trying to find a positive somewhere.

I had a miscarriage before I was blessed with my eldest. It was such a devastating thing for me to go through. I don't wish that on anyone. And while it was an awful thing, if I had not had that miscarriage, I wouldn't have my eldest. I do mourn for that little one lost, but I have to realize that I have my eldest and I wouldn't trade her for anything. Or my little one for that matter.

I've also been one who hasn't had to have the most expensive stuff, or the biggest house. All I have ever wanted in life was to be married to a wonderful man, have children and a house. And I got what I wanted, thanks to my hubby. There have been times when he would say, "I wish I could give you more, or a bigger diamond, etc." and I tell him that while that would be nice, you have already given me my dream come true.

So, after all this rambling, I guess what I'm trying to say is that I do look for the positive, at least over 1/2 the time. It may not be right away, or sometimes it may not even be there during a situation, but it's life. And you might as well go through life with a good outlook. It's the only life you're going to get.

Blue Sky

I took this picture going over the Coronado Bridge on Monday.

Ahhh......blue sky again.....

We have had weekends of rain the past two weekends and it really bums me out. I don't care much for rain at all. Oh, I don't mind it every once in a while, but a lot? No way.

That's why I don't live in Washington (no offense all you Washington gals).

I need the sun.

Not so much for tanning purposes at all, but the sun rejuvenates me. It gives me energy. I'm one of those people who could be come really depressed living in rainy, gloomy weather all the time.

Thank goodness the sun is back. :)

Sports...

We are knee deep in sports around this house these days.

The eldest just finished playing soccer a few weeks ago, and now she's juggling basketball and softball.

The youngest had her first t-ball practice too just the other day. She enjoyed it, but I think she has more fun just running.

And me? Well, I guess I needed to be involved too, so I'm on the softball board for the organization the girls are playing in.

I think we will be eating, drinking and sleeping softball for the next few months.

This evening when we got home and after the eldest and I watched our General Hospital (yes, we watch it and we love it!) I was flipping through the channels and came across a hockey game. The Los Angeles Kings v. New York Rangers. Oh, how I used to LOVE to watch hockey. There was at time where I watched almost every game of a Los Angeles Kings season. I even went to a few hockey games too. Weird, huh, to think of me as a hockey fan. And it's a hard sport to watch too. That hockey puck whizzes by so fast it's hard to keep up at times. I was such a hockey fan that I even collected hockey sports trading cards at one time. And I still have them in storage. Luc Robitaille was by far, my most favorite player. And one of the cutest as well.

Hubby loves to watch football and baseball games too. I enjoy watching football as well. In high school when everyone went to the football games to socialize, I would enjoy watching the game itself as well.

Hubby and I used to watch baseball games together and I would come up with nicknames for the guys on the field. Hubby still watches baseball games though. Every once in a great while I'll sit down for a spell and watch it with him.

Now we just watch our children play sports. I know hubby is so upset that he isn't going to be able to watch the girls play softball. That's one of his favorite sports to watch too. So I'm going to have to tape a couple of their games and send the tapes to him.

Ahhh....I'm tired. Tomorrow is Wednesday and thank goodness we don't have any sports practices to go to. It will be nice to be at home all evening.