Hot Fun

Hot Fun         

Hello All! How have you been enjoying the heat? If you do not live in Southern California let me tell you a little bit about the weather, it has been hot: hot and sticky. Follow this link to the latest weather update in my area, http://www.weather.com/weather/today/Garden+Grove+CA+92840:4:US. It is currently 93 degrees Fahrenheit but my phone weather update displays that it is 69 degrees Fahrenheit, oh how I wish that were true. With no air conditioning at my house we have been looking for alternative ways to stay cool, my favorite choice is running to Target and enjoying their free AC. Well maybe not entirely free I always seem to find something that I just absolutely have to buy. We take dips in the pool and then lay down on the ground with the fans blasting at our heads; this one is funny when wearing a skirt.  So now after some stimulating weather chat here is a Right Now post for you.

Right now … the cousins celebrated Labor Day weekend together. My sister moved (on the hottest weekend of the year, poor girl!) and I got to hang out with my niece and nephews Saturday and Sunday. We swam in the pool at their new place on Saturday and then at our place on Sunday. We walked to McDonald’s both days since there is one right around the corner from both houses … hmmm that could be trouble. Anyway, I had a great time goofing around with some very fun kids. Allison was so excited to have friends for the whole weekend that she was a little confused and unsure of what to do on Monday, the actual holiday. She only had Mom to play with and she just kept walking to the door looking out and pointing.

Look No Hands!

Allison let's eat all of Gabriel and Xander's ice while they aren't looking.  Good idea Emi.

Want a cup full of dirt?

Right now … these boys crack me up! My Sister was just remarking how all of the pictures she took as a child are silly and how Xander does the same thing, “I am always making a face! Look at all of these pictures Xander has the same face. He is going to grow up and look at all these pictures just like me and wonder what he actually looked like.” I don’t know, I think the “pig-face” and tongues sticking out are just as good as and much funnier than just a regular smiling face. 

Even Gabriel likes to make faces, check this one out. He was trying to be cool but he snatched the camera  right away saying, "What does my face look like?"

The lips on these boys, good grief! :)

Everyone enjoy your weekend with some Hot Fun!

HER

HER

My computer is jealous of me; she wants Terry all to herself. She no longer allows me to work on her even when he is in the room. He finally got a glimpse of what has been happening a few nights ago when I tried to upload my blog and she had a fatal error and turned off in the middle. This has happened the last three or four times that I have attempted to use her but every time Terry is not around to see what is going on. He comes back to take a look at her and she has reset and then everything seems just fine. He can set her to run calculations and download large files; she does it with no issues what so ever. I want to look at one little email, upload a post to my blog or edit a few pictures … ABSOLUTLEY –FRIGGIN –NOT!!!  I might as well ask her to bring me the moon.

I am writing this rant to let you know that I am still blogging, writing, and taking pictures still documenting the life I see around me but for now I seem to be the only one that is allowed to enjoy my perspective. Don’t get me wrong I loved to hear my own opinion, I even read my own blog to “hear” my voice and make sure I am keeping it consistent but I would have continued to journal if I didn’t want to get my voice out there and have some feedback.

So hopefully you are all reading this and I have been able to find a willing electronic device (don’t let HER know!) to upload my blogs.

The Butlerian Jihad may have to commence and bring down the Machines overlords! (From the DUNE series by Frank Herbert, read them love them.)

Have a great week! And don’t let the Machines get you down!

GIRLS

GIRLS

Growing up my sister and I were known as “The Girls” then about ten years later my Aunt had her three daughters and they were known as “The Little Girls”. Now my sister and I have our own little girls and I am just feeling very reminiscent this week. My family is made up of many Girls and I am so grateful to have shared so many of my life’s milestones with these women.

 

 

Last weekend my sister and I went to Barbara’s bridal shower and we took our little baby girls. I was surrounded by women from my family and I felt the great weight of so many traditions. Barbara’s sisters, Sally and Katie, threw her a beautiful shower with handmade decorations, goofy games and scrumptious food. “The Little Girls” are growing up and know how to throw a party. I had to cry when I read the card my Aunt gave her eldest daughter, her baby is grown up and getting married but she will always be my Aunt’s baby. I look at my own little baby and I have the hardest time thinking of her grown up and living her own life. My Mom laughed at me and said, “What did you wish for when you were pregnant?”

I replied with a blush, “I wanted a pretty baby.”

“Yes, but remember the other thing you told me? You wanted her to like you best.”

“Oh. Yeah.” More blushing.

“So whenever you are getting tired because she is crying and clinging to you remember this is what you wished for, she likes you best.”

She is right too, I wished for her to be pretty and like me best. So there it is I am a selfish and shallow person and I wished that on my daughter. I can’t imagine a world where she grows up because she is supposed to stay with me and like me best FOREVER. Yup, crazy Mom here but  as this weekend came and went I started to think that maybe I will not always get what I want and my baby girl will grow up. So I hope to set her up with traditions and when she is going to her own cousins’ bridal shower she can see all of the threads of tradition that this family weaves together whenever we celebrate each other.

 

To all you Girls out there enjoy each other now because time is still marching on and we should celebrate with goofy games, scrumptious food and beautifully crafted decorations.

Enjoy your week everyone!

River Rat Allie!

River Rat Allie!  

The hot desert sun scorched and seared away all of my worries and cares two weeks ago in Lake Havasu City. It was HOT and sublime. How do I explain the enjoyment I have when lounging in the sun and water? I who faint at the drop of a hat! Something magical happens when I cross that California/Arizona state line, I am relaxed and I remember to hydrate myself.

 

This year we had Jason, Noelle, Saige, Cierra, April, Dustin, Zannah, Zoe, Gabe, Amy, Tristen, Billy, Sophie, Matt, Sarah, Katie, Mike, Terry, Allison, me and two cute dogs Bubba and Bruce Banner  aka the Hulk.

 

My memories have now flowed into one another settling into a pool of good feelings. Our vacation did have an itinerary, water day then paly day, but mostly we orbited around each other talking, laughing and throwing a few “cup o’ farts”.  Each day before going on the water all of the girls got together and made sandwiches: lettuce, mustard, meat, avocado and bread went flying through the room and into the coolers. Then in the morning kiddos were lathered with sunblock, gas was pumped into the boats and coolie cups were located. As soon as the boats hit the water my little girl started beaming: she leaned into me and let the wind whip her hair. To her the boat rides were the best part of the whole vacation.

 

 

The rest of us enjoyed floating in the cool water while the kids explored, finding crawfish and other river treasures. Gabe was a high flying wake boarder and the airhead float yanked the girls (including Dustin!) through the choppy waters. One night Sarah and I went on a Pie finding mission and came home with lots of pie even if it wasn’t the original pie order we set out to fill. The boys went shooting and came back very impressed with themselves, they shot a P90. I had to send out a PSA (Public Service Announcement) on Facebook, just let me say it is always a good idea to keep track of your phone and enable the password option. If you do not then it is entirely your own fault when your account is hijacked. J

 

 

I wish I had some great stories to tell or some life altering epiphany to give you about but really this vacation did exactly what is was supposed to do … help us all relax. When everyone is relaxed the days are the same, the nights are fun and I just remember smiles. The horse shoe pit, mini-golf and neighbors pool were in constant use but there is nothing that stands out as an event. Just float through the pictures and let your eyes get far away and that is the feeling that I have taken away from this trip and I am completely grateful.

 

 

Next year Allie will be two and half, older and defiantly wiser, and the water will call. I wonder what her answer will be? Will she still love the spray on her face? I hope so.

 

Enjoy your week.