I almost forgot.

I am not a blogger. In fact, I wonder why I even have one.  I rarely make attempts at documenting what our happenings are but then I have these really random moments of thinking, hey, I should probably write this down.  Moments are easily forgotten and unless I write them here I might not remember them. Ever.

The other day I was driving home from 7-11 and against my better judgement got a vanilla pepsi (they didn't have Rootbeer)...I took one swig and dry heaved.  It immediately reminded me of college and the countless shots of cheap vanilla vodka chased with pepsi and the shoulder shudder after. It still makes my mouth water.... Anyway not that this is a noteworthy memory of profound self-reflection, but I did learn,  and I did eventually decide alcohol every other day of the week was not for me.  The reason I mention this is because as insignificant as this is it happened, it's funny now, and really I don't want my blog just to be about how amazing I am at motherhood, or how many fun things we do as a family, but about real moments. Good and bad. This is me/us.


This finally happened! Hooray! I was so happy that he decided to walk and that Jordan got to see and understand the significance.  Here's to one chapter closed and another one in the making.... he is still deciding what to do next, and we may be the eternal students but I'm looking forward to change, even if it's small.

And this one.  He is growing up.  He has settled into a good place at school, and he is learning so much it amazes me.  The homework is intense but it gives us some good one on one time that I really appreciate. It's a little scary to see him become more independent from me and see him come into his own a little more each day but he makes me so proud to be a mommy and I can't wait to see him soar.

As for me, I'll try to stay away from all things vanilla and will continue to make failed attempts at being domestic.  My house is cleaned a lot less than I'd like to admit and that's ok because at least I know I shared time with the ones I love, and that's really what it's all about. 

November

It's funny how time seems to speed up the instant October arrives.  I can't believe it is December 2nd..... Well, November you weren't too awful, and yet I dread you every year. 

When you work in retail, or the service industry in Dj's case, you will know for certain you will be working the holidays. Moreover you know that Thanksgiving is not a holiday of family, feasting, and festivities, but chaos, annoyance, and disgust rather. Thanksgiving in Vegas is non-existent, especially when most of your clientele is foreigners. So needless to say, we did not get to go see our families, nor did we do anything festive.  Dj woke up feeling slightly under the weather on Thanksgiving and so we opted out of waiting in line at a restaurant but stayed at home and had #instantThanksgiving.  Literally.  I went to the store about 10am, knowing full well we had about 5 hours until Dj had to be to work.  So yes, it was instant. Everything.  And you know what?! It still tasted pretty good, so to all you naysayers of instant stuffing, potatoes, and rolls.... hmph.

The day before Thanksgiving we I got to go to Jordan's classroom and watched a play about the first feast.  Jordan spoke all his lines perfectly and then we got to go eat Thanksgiving lunch.  After that was the most exciting part of the day.  The Turkey Bowl.  They sent home flyers the week before asking about father participation, I mentioned it to Dj and of course he was in.  It was a flag football game so I was certain it wouldn't be that serious.  While we were waiting in line to eat I had asked Jordan's teacher, Mrs. Ellenwood, how serious the game was.  Her eyes got big and she said "oh, it's serious.  In the past we've had broken collar bones, dislocation knees, elbows, torn ACL's..."  I was thinking oh great, a bunch of former athletes proving their manhood.  Well,  it was actually really fun, only one injury, and the Kindergarten/1st grade dads came out with the win! Whooooo!!!

And this is how the boys watched most of the game.....

It was really quite fun and I'm looking forward to next years Turkey Bowl.

I know I'm always such a pessimist during November, and I really try not to be bitter and cynical. So in honor of a day of thanks I'd really like to show some love to those that I love.  To all my family, and to my friends that are just like family.  I love you.  You make crappy days easier, and easy days exciting.  I am grateful for each and every one of you and without I would be a messy, blubbering idiot.  You teach me how to be a better mother, wife, and friend.  You remind me it's ok to loose my cool in the candy isle at Target, or that washing the same load of laundry all week is in most cases "normal".  You give me advice when I am overwhelmed, and help me laugh when I really feel like crying.  And to the past 10 years of remembrance. Thank you.  Thank you for reminding me everyday the man my father was and the love he has for me, and continues to show me through lessons he knew I would someday use. 

Dalley Family circa 1983. How amazing is this picture.  I especially love that my sisters hair looks like her cabbage patch!

And to these two modest men... I love you both so much and am more than thankful to call you mine.  

 

October

Only 11 days left of the month, but I have been meaning to write for the past 19 days and as with most things in my life, I don't quite get it done.  But it's getting done now, right?!

I have really been missing a real fall season.  There is little, if any, evidence of the changing of the seasons here in the desert but  I have stocked up on every pseudo fall spray for my home so at least one of my senses is satisfied.  We are going to UT next weekend for my nephews farewell and I am hoping that fall will hang on just a week longer and not become winter, but who am I kidding? How many Halloweens did it snow while I was growing up? Uhm, almost everyone. 

Aside from the very obvious October happenings there are a few things I have also always associated the month of October with.  1) Breastcancer awareness and 2) Down syndrome awareness and I think about them most often during these few weeks.

In August of 1986 my mom was diagnosed with breastcancer.  Up until that point she had been in multiple times and had 5 seperate lumps removed, but by the 6th biopsy she knew something was different that time.  And she was right.  She was laying in the hospital bed after the most recent biopsy when she overheard the Dr. give his apologies to my dad about the diagnosis and when he came in the room to tell her she hit him with her purse.  Yes, her purse.  My oldest sister Kim was 16 at the time and was also there when the bomb was dropped.  As you can imagine, my mom would tell you it was one of the worst days of her life, falling just short of the days my oldest brother was also diagnosed and died just 8 years earlier of neruoblastoma (brain tumor).  She was pissed, and refused to let her children 16, 13, 10 and 3 become motherless.  She began intensive chemo, interuppted briefly by radiation, and had multipe exploritory surgeries.  I am not certain of the entire story, and this is just from my own recollection after hearing the events maybe a dozen times in my life but I know that 17 of her 24  lymph nodes were malignant.  Translation: she was going to die.  Well, that was over 20 years ago that she fought like hell to be here.  

 Good thing my sisters don't read this blog because they would be pissed I posted this, and I know I look hot, I had given birth only a few weeks before.

There are no words for the amount of love and respect I have for her.  Do we always see eye to eye? No. And we have certainly had heated words repeatedly in my lifetime, but I can not wrap my head around her determination.  She is stuff inspirational best sellers are written about. She has had more than her share of heartache in this life, and if it's as they really say once you die, she deserves only to be in Heaven. She has earned it.  

I think I will write about my sweet Aunt Susie who saw the world a little differently with a little different DNA another day, because this is already lengthy and there are a few questions I'd like to ask my mom first, but there have been great examples of love in my life and Susie holds a special spot right under my heart. 

Until then.... Happy Halloween! 

We are back.

Back from the hap-hap-happiest place on earth or the loudest, depending on the mood of your child.... it's about a 50/50. Especially when you have older cousins.... We did have a blast though, and managed to survive 10 hrs in a car with a high kid to parent ratio.  More on Disneyland later.... I'm too lazy to upload my photos. 


I am mostly excited for a girls weekend.  Nothing crazy, no big plans, just a little girl time, with a few of my favorite people.... yay! 


And maybe just one photo from our trip.... Good times.

Easter. Cousins. Easter.

Well, our house has returned to it's normalcy, and by that I mean it's semi-clean.  We are missing our cousins so very much but next time we see them will be when we are on our way to Disneyland!!! DBJ. Don't you think the Easter Bunny needs to hop on back and clean up the candy wrappers and annoying shredded grass?! I mean, really.

The weather wasn't all that great on Thursday when they arrived, in fact it was COLD! Luckily it redeemed itself on Friday and kept the wind away.  The kids were dying to swim, knowing it wasn't warm enough, we loaded them in the wagon and went for a walk to see how cold the water in the pool really was. Not cold enough apparently.

 Saturday we opted to hit up Town Square and their Hop and Shop. It was busy, and by busy I mean annoyingly (is that a word?) crowded.  The egg hunt was free but you had to register so we got up at what felt like the crack of dawn, okay, like 7am, and stood in this long ass line all in the name of childhood memories.  You know how kids get so excited that they get tunnel vision?! And really who can blame them, but adults become equally as oblivious as their child and will trample a person and entirely disregard any manners.  We watched as two ladies screamed at one another.....something about cutting in line.  I have to admit it was kind of funny because one of the ladies had on a mask, ya know like the dentist wears, so for a split second it looked like the other lady was in fact crazy. Obviously she had some sort of health condition (which is not funny) but I guess that doesn't give you a free pass to cut in line!  Two hours later their age category was up for the hunt, it was over in less than 30 seconds but they didn't manage to get a few eggs, and they were extra generous with the candy when we turned in out eggs!! I think next year we'll try the helicopter egg drop.
Only two occasions seem to get me to church, Easter, and Christmas. (I promised my sister I would try better, she's worried about our eternal salvation or something... ) our weekend ended after lunch and they were soon on their way home, back to God's country. :(

 

 "....cause we're the three best friends that anyone could have...."

Side note: Jordan's only been to Baptist church services, he was less than impressed with the "listen and learn" technique. I would feel jipt  too. No band? No standing and clapping? Pst. He kept saying "get me out of here", made me laugh because I was feeling the same way.  Sorry mom. Not that it needs a shout-out, and I laugh and joke it off but I do want to clarify. I am religious, I do believe in a God, and the power of prayer. It's all the blurry words in-between that I choose not to include in my life, and not out of guilt, or embarrassment, but through life experience having holier than thou members, and church leaders (not that there aren't amazingly good ones)....sorry, tmi.

I hope your Easter was as fabulous and fun as ours!