Last Days of Summer for Sarah

Before I ease you into my first summer pictures by showing off my Bella's birthday party.  I will fill you in on my exciting day.  First, I sent off my husband on his first mandated business trip.  He never travels but he has to travel this week.  Quite frankly it sucks (pardon my language).  It wasn't his choice and the timing sucks (again...sorry) as Sarah starts school tomorrow.  To top it all off he is headed to Fort Hood in Kilene Texas.  If the past shootings and bombings weren't enough to make it a sucky aweful trip it was 109 degrees there today.

Due to the impending end of Sarah's summer we celebrated by standing in line for an hour to get her books, trying numerous times to work her new locker combo, and meeting some very nice school teachers.  This is hard for me because usually I am on faculty of my kids schools but this time I was just a plain old parent (step parent).  But this public school was very nice and I think she is excited to start.  We also did a little last minute shopping and one more visit to the school to make sure we were OK with finding classes and that darned locker.  Thankfully all is good and some of the nerves are gone.

I am hoping for a couple of first day pictures to share tomorrow. 

So...the following pictures are from my Bella's birthday party.  I know, she is so cute!!

We had an art themed party, so I made an artist pallet cake and we had different art stations the girls could go to. 

We were so happy that all but two of her friends could come.  We were worried that summer vacations would interefere but it was a great turn out.

Of course, her BFF Hannah was there and these two are all silly. 

We ended the day with a birthday dinner with our Sabrina at BJ's.  It wouldn't be a birthday without a Pizookie. 

It was a great day.  We are usually are travelling to Iowa for her birthday and spend it either on an airplane or in Iowa.  Although family birthdays are really great it is nice to have one with friends every now and then.

But boy this mama was tired after this day, but the smile on her face was worth it all.  Not sure Justin (Rich' son) would agree, as he spent the afternoon with 10 silly 11 year olds.  He was great though and thankfully he knew how to run a helium tank AND tie the balloons.  That is a really great skill to have and I am trying to get him to put it on his resume.

Well that's all for now.  Keep your fingers crossed that Sarah will allow some pics tomorrow.  You know that I'll try my best!!

More Later

- A Ro

Phew

Well I realize it has been over a month since I have blogged, but there has been a lot going on and it was just best that I keep quiet for some of it.

We have been up the coast of California to pick up Andrew from camp, and to Iowa and back (Rich numerous times).  We went to the Iowa State Fair and ALMOST ate a fried twinkie (but not fried butter on a stick, because that would be gross).  We celebrated 5 birthdays and 1 anniversary. We worked and played at summer camp and went to Arkansas to visit a certain red head.

More pictures to come from those adventures.

But on of the most important thing that happened to us was that Rich's daughter Sarah decided to come live with us!!!!!

As I stated in my last post Justin is here and he is doing great.  He is getting in shape, and looking for a job.  Ultimately he wants to join the Air Force or the Coast Guart.  Sarah deciding to live with us was such an unexpected blessing, and it took some doing, but due to the ability of her parents to work with each other it finally happened, and she is doing great.  It has been a crazy few days with trying to get her registered for school (she starts on Wednesday) and getting all of her stuff in order, but we are there.  We are so excited to have her here, and it gives me more reason to get this exciting time in our family's life down on paper (or up on the web).

So my goal is to take as many pictures of these kids for all of our families (Sarah is just going to have to get used to having her beautiful face photographed) and only spend about 30 minutes a night on this blog.  If you want to read along and enjoy the crazy new adventures of all 6 of us here in CA come visit and leave a comment or two. 

I promise I won't use as many parenthesis as I did tonight.


More Later
- A Ro

Happy Birthday Tyler!!!

To celebrate the birthday of my oldest nephew Tyler.  His Aunt Amy has come up with a very bad acrostic poem just for him (don't worry Ty your real present is in the mail). 

I love you and can't wait to see you soon.  I hope you had a wonderful day.

T - Y Ty is a very cool guy

Y ou can see he loves everyone even this small fry

 L ucky for him inherited a really great smile.

E ight years old (right??) is just his style.

R eally just a perfect kid, that T-Y Ty.

Happy Birthday Big Bud!!

More Later

- A Ro

Please Tell Me I'm Not the Only One

Now if you have been reading my blog and paying attention you would know that I don't really watch a lot of T.V.  The only show I watch religiously is Chuck and the only show that I Tivo is Modern Family.  I just don't have the consistent time to watch a series T.V. show.

However, since it is summer and I find myself with a little more time I now have a couple of shows that I have watched a little more religiously...and I am ashamed to say that they are sorta guilty pleasure shows.

The first one is Bridzilla and man does this show make me crazy!!  I used to think that the show was about normal people who turn a liitle crazy when they are planning a wedding, but now I am pretty sure most of those brides swallowed the crazy pill WAY before they got engaged.  This one episode had this bride yelling and putting guilty trips on EVERYONE.  Her parents, sisters, best friends, and her future husband to be.  Her husband went out in the pouring rain to go get her some lunch and had the audacity to come back without her tea.  Well you know where this one is going.  She yelled at him and said that if he loved her he would go back to get her her tea.  He wouldn't budge and went upstairs to get away from her.  She yelled up that she wouldn't marry him unless he went back to get the tea...and sure enough 10 minutes later you hear him coming down the stairs and the door open and shut.

He went and got that dumb woman her tea!!

Now what lesson did this immature brat learn??  That all she has to do is threaten and manipulation and she will get what she wants.

So here is my advice.  If someone who is supposed to love you says they won't marry you if you don't go back out in the rain and get her tea.  You tell her...OK.  Because one of two things will happen a) they will go through with their threat and you won't have to marry the cukoo bird or b) she will learn that you can't do that to the one you love.  See win-win. But no so many of these "loved ones" give in to her and she just continues her messed up ways.

I will now coin the term the Bridzilla tactic to refer to someone using bullying and manipulation to get what they want.  You can use it to if you want.

The other show I have started watching in the morning as I get ready for camp is Tabitha's Salon Makeover.  I wish I had ONE of the cahones this chick obviously has.  She does not take any crap from anyone.  She tells it like it is and looks really good in a pixie haircut.  She is my kind of girl.  However, those people on that show are also a taco short of a combo platter.  Seriously, you need to stop being a doormat and let people know that you are the boss. 

If all it took was wearing all black, platinum hair, and a thick accent I would so do it.

OK I am glad summer is only a couple of months long as my mind would certainly turn to mush otherwise.

Do you have guilty pleasure shows?

Please say yes.

More Later

- A Ro

The Hodgepodge...and I'm Not Lyin'

I am joining up this week with Joyce over at This Side of the Pond for her weekly Hodgepodge.  Head on over answer the questions on your blog and link up.  

1. How has your hometown changed since you were a kid? What has changed most about the neighborhood you grew up in?

Oh my gosh has it changed.  We used to walk a dirt path to and from school and now that dirt path is a major road through town.  The area behind my elementary school was just a big field and now our town had doubled that way.  It is crazy when I go back and am in the new section I get so turned around that I don't know where I am. 

2. What song makes you laugh?

Any song that my husband tries to sing to me...ha!!  He is really a brave man.  His wife is a professionally trained opera singer and yet he has the guts to sing to me often.  I love it!!  And to answer your burning question...no he can't really sing.  But I don't care sing away honey.  I know that was sort of avoiding the question but the only song that comes to mind is a song that is called "Drop Kick Me Jesus Through the Goal Posts of Life"

3. Are you a fan of Harry Potter? Read the books? Seen any/all of the movies? Will you be standing in line somewhere close to midnight later this week? For those of you playing along today who live outside the US or UK is Harry Potter a phenomenon in your part of the world?

Love Harry Potter.  Read all the books.  Saw all the movies, except for the last one which I need to see before I see the current one (obviously).  I didn't see it because I couldn't find anyone to go with...sad I know.

4. If the truth hurts, will you tell a lie? Are we better off as a society in a world that allows no form of deception whatsoever?

That is a tough question.  I believe that some little white lies are just necessary.  If we told nothing but the truth all the time we would end up offending lots of people.  I always tell my kids that you might not like everyone you meet, but you need to keep those opinions inside your head and always be respectful.  We really don't want everyone to tell us our butts look big in these jeans now do we. 

5. What is your favorite 'sauteed in garlic and butter' food? Or garlic and olive oil if that makes you feel better.

Shrimp Scampi...Woh Nelly.

6. Attending any reunions this summer/year? High school? family? Other? Do these events stir up excitement or dread?

Nah...just the normal family visits.  I went to my 10 year high school reunion and really didn't really socialize with anyone that I didn't already hang out with.  I would love to go to one now but they seem to always fall on the weekend before I have to start teaching again.

7. Lilac, hydrangea, peony...pick one.

I was just talking about lilac's with one of my friends.  I don't see them here in CA but we had a line of bushes in my backyard in Iowa growing up and I just loved those purple flowers and that smell.  It always brings me back to that time and place.

8. In Summary:  I would love to go to a high school reunion however, I might not be able to get you around my town anymore, (and as long as Rich is singing to me in the car I would drive around all day) but let me smell those lilacs and I can close my eyes and be right back on my backyard porch...and that's no lie.

More Later

- A Ro

Simple Things

A simple haircut made this beautiful young girl so happy.

She looks good and only gave me a little trouble in taking this picture.

At least she didn't talk the nice hairdresser into putting in the purple extensions she was eyeing...

Gotta love it.

More Later

- A Ro

The Weekend in a Nutshell

First of all I must thank the weather people for making it an absolutely might-be-worth-the-property-taxes weather we had this weekend.  It was in the mid to upper 70's with a cool breeze...ahhhhh.  I sit here now with my sliding glass door open and a cool breeze blowing in.  It is truly perfection.

OK so I need to back up a little before I get to this weekend's festivities.  Rich's kids are here with us.  Sarah is leaving on Thursday and she is not happy about it.  Justin is going to be with us for the forseeable future trying to get in shape to join the Air Force.  He is doing such an amazing job and I am so proud of how hard he is working.  I don't think I have ever seen him so happy and starting to be at peace.  Sarah really wants to stay and go to school out here as she feels she has been taken away from her dad for so many years that she just aches for a real relationship with him, more than the few weeks here and there.  She does so good out here.  She is eating healthy and getting a lot of exercise and has had only two headaches.  We are so happy to have her here and would love to have her back.  I know it would do everybody some good.

My kidlets are in New York with their dad having an amazing time. 

They got to go to a Yankee game.  Something they have done since they were little.  They are huge Yankee fans.  They went with their Dad and their Grandpa.  What a cool day....but it got even better.

Bella got a ball at batting practice...

...and they got to see Derek Jeter get his 3,000th hit.  Wow.  He just so happened to go on the disabled list, the game the night before theirs got rained out, so they got the winning ticket and got to see history.  What an amazing thing for them.  Andrew and John took some video of the homerun and I'll try to figure out how to upload the darn thing, it is pretty amazing.

So while my kids are off seeing history Sarah and I were off to California Adventure with camp.  It really was a very nice time and we had fun.

I adore this very silly Sarah

Saturday was Rich's birthday so we went down to the L.A. Farmer's Market and walked around and had dinner at his favorite restaurant...Maggianos.  Again, it was such a gorgeous evening and we really enjoyed each other's company and had such a good time.

Darn good-lookin' people if you ask me!!


Sunday was our normal get stuff done day.  Sarah vacuumed the upstairs and Justin did the bathrooms a true family event.  We went to the market and grilled out.  I love Sunday's.

I also got these bad boys in my inbox and wow did they make my day...thanks Michelle.

Be still my ever loving heart.  I think I might need serious help, if I dont' see these people very soon.  I'll be there in August but I'm thinking that might just not be soon enough.
Well a very important UNO game is about to start.  Last night Rich beat all of us by about 100 points.  It is no longer his birthday so it is no mercy tonight.

Wish me luck!!

More Later

 - A Ro