Her Big Day

Finally, after seeing the other three go off to school, Jessi's preschool started. She was so excited to go and she did really well.
She also had her first day of dance. She is a natural dancer--it is something she has loved and has been good at since we first met her. She asks everyday if it is dance day.

I've Got a Feeling (that you are going to like this)

So, ya'll probably know that I Tivo Oprah everyday, and watch most of the shows--sometimes she bugs, but overall I really like her. I also like the Black Eyed Peas. So, you can imagine how excited I was when they were on her first show of the new season. Then, to make it even better, they did this:

Labor Day Weekend

Our weekend started with a wedding. My little brother Ryan married Erika. It was a lovely day. Here they are trying to get a good picture with the eleven nieces and nephews she now has.
Whenever Mel and Doug come to town we always head to Boondocks. This is Doug and Lauren beating Bev and me on the track.

Grandma and Kiki and Camille and Jessi.

Bev broke out her new Heelies. She is a maniac on them. Kiki inherited her old ones and she started providing Heelies classes in the basement. Class the first day was entitled "the basics."

We went to the aquarium. Mike takes the kids there a lot. They love touching the sting ray. It was fun watching them have fun, although I did get creeped out when I saw the sea urchin. When I was a teenager I stepped on one in Hawaii, and I can't see one without getting a little shiver down my spine.

Kiki got his own library card and put it in his green wallet. He felt like such a big kid.

Several months ago after eating a cantaloupe, the kids took some of the seeds and planted them. We are actually getting some from it.

We are getting a few watermelons too. This is the largest.

Having a garden has been so much fun. Christian and Bev especially enjoy picking the fruit and veggies.

a dozen years

Twelve years ago I married this guy. I had just turned 24 and he had not even turned 23--I didn't feel old enough to be getting married.

Okay, now that I look at those two pictures I'm not sure it's such a good idea to post them together. It's kind of like one of those before and after shots where one is perfect and the other hideous. Mike looks better now than the day I married him. Me, well, I have had a few kids.

The current picture was taken at my brother's wedding Thursday. As we attended the ceremony, I brushed back the cobwebs in my memory and remembered our wedding. So much has happened in our lives in twelve years. Four great kids. Four different residences. Several job changes. Happy times. Sad times. Adventures and trials and lots of fun.


Marriage (like parenting) is a mixed bag--it is the best and the hardest endeavor I have ever undertaken. I am so lucky to have Mike as my partner. He helps me keep perspective. He is a great father to my kids. He supports me in all my endeavors. He works hard and provides for us. He makes me laugh everyday. He is cute. We have fun together. We balance each other out.


Here's to another dozen years!

this is how my brain is working today

Bev wore this new shirt three times last week.

I have a really long list of things to do, and either because of my own inability to get it together or because of interuptions (home warranty people, children who actually need their mother's attention,etc.) I cannot get anything done. What to do, what to do. Well, blog of course.

I just ate some almonds and some "Naturally Delicious Dried Mangoes" from Costco--yum.

Jessi just asked me to turn on the movie The Sandlot. The cousins introduced us to it this weekend. We love it, so we keep watching it over and over again. "Anybody who wants to be a pantywaste who wears his mama's bra, raise your hand."

We got one last camping trip in this weekend. It was great to get away.

I have a constant pile of laundry to fold that sits on my bed.

Jessi was cute at her dance class today. Kiki wanted to take his gun there. Instead he took Bev's GameGirl (it's pink and belongs to Bev, so it is not a GameBoy.)

My brother gets married on Thursday. I have a lot to get done before then--food stuff for the luncheon, hemming pants for the boys, finding headbands for the girls, shoes for me.

I saw this bumpersticker yesterday: "My greatest fear is that there is no PMS and that this is just my personality." I relate to that quote more that I like to admit.

I like David Letterman. I tivo it and then watch it while I clean.

We had a picnic at the park for dinner last night. The sprinklers went on and the kids all got wet.

I don't know yet what is for dinner tonight.

My allergies are acting up. Claritin doesn't work anymore. Thank goodness my friend Kim told me about Zyrtek.

I have a pile of papers to organize--they cover the kitchen desk. It must be done before the kids get home. There is a slushy Diet Pepsi in the back corner of the fridge--it will help. I have exactly a half hour. Bye.

a big day

Christian came in our room at around 4 a.m. asking for his school clothes. Then, as Bev and Andrew were getting ready to leave, he put his backpack on. All morning he kept asking if it was noon yet. At eleven, he wanted to practice walking to the bus stop--over and over again. We took some pictures.
I know he will do great. He is so incredibly independent. He loves learning and he loves new things. He loves being big and he is ready for this.

He waited at the stop with his friend Tommy and when the bus finally came he jumped right on and didn't look back. I drove to the school to watch him get off and line up. As they walked in the building, his teacher told the kids to say "bye" to the parents. He put up the peace sign, looked at me and said, "peace out mom."

So then, Jessi and I went home and read a story and took a short nap. I am going to enjoy the one-on-one time with her.

I walked to the bus stop to watch them get off. I told them to walk normal while I took pictures. Two didn't have a hard time doing it. The oldest, however, couldn't do it normally. I had to post them in a series. Click on it to see how interesting his technique is.

After he got off the bus, I asked him how his first day was. He said that there was a bad thing about it. He said they didn't get recess. I asked if they played on the playground. He said that they did but that they didn't get the "food recess." The poor guy was sitting there all afternoon just waiting to be taken to the lunchroom.

Mike called and told me that when the kids got home I was supposed to make myself scarce. I went shopping and came home to a surprise.

They decorated the house with balloons, got me a chocolate chip cookie cake and flowers. Bev made me a windchime out of beads and a pop-up card. Andrew made me a card and gave me some lego guys. My day started with breakfast in bed and some gifts--a gift card for a pedicure and a computer thingy that I needed.

Last week we had a party with Mike's family. Thanks to his parents and grandparents I am now the proud owner of some bulbs (to be planted in the front yard) and some comfy pj's (I'm such a fan of comfort attire.) Everyone spoiled me!

Then we went to one of my oldest favorite restaurants--Tres Hombres.

I also got a new lens cover (seen in the picture) because my other one is somewhere in a river in Yellowstone.

I am not really big on having a big deal made of my birthday, but Mike always has the kids help him with something special for me.

In my now advancing years, I look at birthdays with some perspective. First, if I live to 72 my life is half over. (I have to stop and think about how old I am--I still feel like I am twenty-something.) Hopefully I live well past 72, but anyhow, it motivates me to try and make the next 36 even better than the last 36. I am a very blessed person. I have such great kids. I have such a great partner/dad for my kids/lovie-bear in Mike. I have a great, supportive family--my own and Mike's (that are my own too.) I have wonderful friends. We have our health. We have the things we need. I am able to stay home with my rascals.

I am a very lucky girl, cough, woman.

one more day...

My "baby boy" just came downstairs, barely awake, singing, "One more day, one more day, one more day till kindergarten." He has been counting down the days for the last 2 weeks. I am coping--really excited for him and this new experience--I only show him that I am thrilled for him. But I am going to miss him terribly. I am sitting here wondering where the heck the last five years have gone.