New Year 2017: Let's Catch Up

So, I made one whole post in 2015 and nothing in 2016. I have to tell you I've missed my blog. So, with the new year comes a new commitment to my blog and maybe vicariously, myself.

And while I have a TON of things swimming around in this little head of mine to talk about, I think I'll start with an update since it has been 2 years since I wrote anything.

LW: What do I say about my little Lone Wolf (who as a reminder can't do anything alone)? She's still plugging away at her undergrad degree. She's only take one or two classes a semester because she's working almost full time at a swim lesson company as tech support. She moved out of her grandmother's and moved in with her boyfriend at his parent's house. They hope to move out into their own place soon.

GG: My sweet Glamour Girl is about to start her LAST semester of her under grad degree. When LW moved out of their grandmother's house, GG moved in. She has two new kitties and is happily single and having fun with her friends.  Last I heard she planned to work for a year before going back for her Masters.

The Hubs: He completed not only his undergrad, but just wrapped up his graduate degree. His biggest issue now is having  no clue what he wants to do it all of his new found spare time after 6 years of schooling.

Bunny:  My girl is 11 now. And a 6th grader. Can you believe that?? Not to sound like the proverbial old woman, but when did that happen???? And where was I??? Okay, back to Bunny. 6th grade in a new school where she didn't really know anyone with 7 different classes and teachers and teaching styles and expectations has been an adjustment. Throw in all of her classes are honors and it has been not just an adjustment but a challenge.  She and I are working through studying and organizational skills.  She's also did soccer in the fall, she's a girl scout, and in choir and youth group at our church not to mention socializing with her friends. She's a very busy kid that's for sure.

Bug: My boy is 9 years old now and in the 3rd grade. He's a soccer playing superstar and is about to try his hands basketball in the Spring. He did baseball last Spring but decided it wasn't his thing. He's had exactly one scrimmage for basketball and loved it. As a girl who grew up on basketball, this mama couldn't be more proud. I just hope his games don't interfere with March Madness! He's also in his 3rd year of boy scouts, and in choir at our church.

And Me: I'm 42 now. 42. Most of my life right now is kid centric (can you say driving the kids across all God's creation All. Of. The. Time) I think this year will be more about my own journey.  So if you're interested in reading about how this middle aged caterpillar transforms into a middle aged butterfly..you're welcome to come along for the ride.

Seriously.. Thought?

PS Happy New Year Everyone!

The Big 10

Today is our official 10 year anniversary.  If you know our family at all, you know a rose ceremony was part of our wedding.  This is where we all (LW, GG, The Hubs and myself) exchanged roses.  The point of this was to symbolize the change in our relationships as we became a family and we come together every year to exchange roses again - adding Bug and Bunny along the way, and talk about what our personal goals are to help make our family stronger.  Since we're all very busy people, we don't always do it exactly on our anniversary, so last night was our night to celebrate.  Since it was our TEN YEAR anniversary, I thought I'd shake things up a bit.

A few weeks ago I sent an email out to LW, GG and The Hubs asking them to provide me with 10 unique reasons they like/love LW, GG, Bug and Bunny respectively - with  reminder that they can't submit reasons why the love themselves.  Their egos are fine people, just trust me on this.  I sat down with Bug and Bunny separately and asked them to do the same thing. Then I got to crafting, hole punching, cutting - SO MUCH CUTTING - and double sided sticky taping and this is what I came up with.

Each kid was presented with this little booklet, made from playing cards and craft paper. It included 10 reasons from each of their siblings, 10 reasons from The Hubs, 10 reasons from me and then two extras reasons about why we like/love them to make 52 reasons.

The thing I really liked about this project was it really made everyone think about each other.  Really figure out what it is they love about them.  It was fun to see when everyone came up with similar answers - Like Bug is really funny, or Bunny sings a lot.

And more funny when the answers contradicted each other.  Like when LW said that GG wasn't judgmental, but GG said that one of the things she loved best about LW was that they could sit and judge things/people together.  (All in good fun of course - no feelings were hurt in the making of these booklets).

The best part though, was letting the kids read their booklets and try to figure out who said what.  Some were obvious, and some not so much.

But ultimately, it let each of the kids feel really good about themselves and about how the rest of the family sees them.  I can't believe we've made it 10 years, but it's easy to see the love in our family that holds us together.

Seriously.. Thoughts?

PS - this project was not my idea, I found it on Pintrest!

When Friends Become Family

As a family, we've been part of the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism) for over ten years now.  We were invited one event to come out and camp for the weekend and we loved it.  Quite honestly, what's not to love?  Dressing up in historical(ish) clothes, getting to do arts and crafts, and camping plus shopping for things that have no place in the ordinary world but are still super cool like daggers, swords, armor, and all things dragons, fairies and fantasy.

But it's the people that have kept us going back year after year, event after event.  We camp with an amazing group of people every year.  We started out as a bunch of single people out having drunken revelries, then we got married, started bringing LW and GG (who the whole clan adored and immediately adopted), then more little kids (our Tweedles included) started popping up and we've moved from the party encampments to the quieter ones with quiet hours.  The experience when we go has changed over the years, but we keep going back because we love the people.  And after 10+ years, they've become family.

Last weekend we had the anniversary event of our clan - the Scottish kind, not the KKK kind.  Just a weekend to spend with people we only get to see a few times a year, to catch up, and be amazed at how the kids have grown.  Be excited for good news, commiserate with bad news and do what families do best.. EAT.  We had an amazing feast with turkey and all the trimmings, drinks, laughter, good fun and friends.  The best kind of weekend.

The best kind of weekend that was made just a tiny bit better by a hysterical and completely inappropriate game GG found.  It's called Cards Against Humanity and again I can't emphasize enough how inappropriate this game is.  It's a simple game, similar to Apples to Apples, where a black card is read and everyone has 10 pre-written white card to choose from to give the funniest answer.  The funniest answer wins the black card and at the end of the night, the one with the most black cards wins.

For example: the black card may read: What is my anti-drug?  The white cards could read: Santa Claus or Passive Aggressive Post-It Notes.  This is an adult game as some of the answers are much more raunchy than than my examples (this is a family blog after all).  So we waited until all the kids were put to bed to play and the game went on until the wee hours of the morning with so much laughter, our stomachs were sore. They were out of stock of the game last weekend, so we simply downloaded the pdf and had the cards printed at staples for under $10.  Doesn't get any better than that!

I didn't take any photos from our event. I brought my camera, but was having so much fun, I forgot to use it.  Maybe next time.  Meanwhile, we went all of last year without doing a single SCA event and this year, I think this year we're ready to get back in the game and do events again.  So, expect more pictures to come!

Seriously.. Thoughts?

October 22, 1988

1988 was a busy year.  I say this with some authority because I just looked it up online.  On October 22, 1988 I was 13 (almost 14) and in 8th grade.  And despite my complete lack of interest, lots of things were happening all over the world.  

Some good:

Iran - After 8 years and 1.5 million dead the Iran -- Iraq war ends
Australia - Australia celebrates its bicentennial.
UK - Archaeologists uncover the original Globe Theatre in London
U.S. - US Shuttle program resumes 2 1/2 years after Challenger disaster

And some not so good: 

Armenia - Earthquake in Armenia Kills 60,000
Scotland - Suspected Libyan terrorist bomb explodes on Pan Am jet over Lockerbie in Scotland on December 21st killing all 259 on board and 11 on the ground
U.S. - A new drug Crack appears ( A derivative of Cocaine ) and is increasingly found in US Cities

Being the geek that I am, I can't pass up mentioning some of the great science & technological advances that year even though at the time, I could have cared less.

First transatlantic fiber optic cable laid able to carry 40,000 telephone calls simultaneously
Stephen Hawking Publishes " A Brief History Of Time "
The first major computer virus infects computers connected to the Internet.
The Hubble Space Telescope is put into operation.
The US Stealth Bomber is unveiled.
Using Carbon Dating it is established that the Turin Shroud Can Not Be the Burial Cloth of Christ,
The Antidepressant Prozac introduced which quickly became the market leader for treating depression.

It was also the year of movies like Rain Man, Who framed Roger Rabbit, Die Hard, and a Fish Called Wanda which were much more in my sphere of life experiences than all that other stuff.  Hey, I was 13.  If it wasn't entertaining or a boy, I wasn't much interested.

It was also the year of George Michael's Father Figure, which I admit I could sing by memory even today.

And which, to my 13 year old mind, was the sexiest song I had ever heard.  Ever.

In October of 1988 I was living in New Hampshire attending Oyster River Middle School.  I was on the field hockey team and my favorite teacher was Mrs. Andrews.  I had friends, went to middle school dances, laughed and cried in ways only a dramatic 13 year old girl can.  

And on October 22, 1988 across the country in Southern California, a woman was in a local hospital giving birth to a baby girl.

This girl.  Who would, 11 years later, enter my life.  Who would challenge me in ways I never imagined.  Who would - with the help of her father and sister - turn my world upside down and welcome me into her family.  Who would ultimately 13 years after that, still be making me laugh and want to pull my hair out all at the same time.  Who would become someone I could count on to be there for her little sisters and brother.  Who would grow into the amazing, confident and wonderful woman she is today.

Happy 24th Birthday to my Lone Wolf.  I know this year will lead you down new and challenging paths that you will face and conquer with grace and beauty like only you can.  It is my sincere pleasure to watch you continue to grow into the person you are meant to be.

Seriously.. Thoughts?

Weekend Adventures 101

Saturday: 6:30 AM
Get up at 6:30 to make a 7:50 early morning Girl Scout Hike with Bunny's troop and a few younger siblings along.  Get to know the kids better.  Get to know the parents (and one grandparent) better.  Love that everyone seems to be having fun.

Hike 3/4 of a mile in to an amazing waterfall.  Have a snack and play with the water before heading back.

Saturday 10AM - 3PM
Clean the house.  No adventures here people, move along. Move along.

Saturday 3PM - 9PM
Head down to the California Science Center by train to get early seats to welcome the Space Shuttle Endeavor to its new home.  Get picture taken in front of the dinosaurs at the Natural History Museum near the viewing area for the shuttle.

Have a picnic style dinner on the blacktop conveniently located near a trash can.

Hang with your old man and wicked step-mother.

Make sure Mimi has a comfy camp chair so she's not sitting on the blacktop.

Get your very own space Shuttle Shirt.

Then rock out on your air guitar.

Run around with your blankie pretending to be a super hero of some sort.

Make friends with the volunteer staff (That's Benjamin and Jonathan) so you can get updates on where the heck the shuttle is now that it's almost 8:30 and it's no where in sight.

Find out it's now not scheduled to arrive until 1AM.  Look at your two very tired Tweedles, an exhausted husband and call it a night with promises to see it when the exhibit opens.  Then head back to the trains.

Get documentation of how dirty you got on that blacktop.

LW and her friend Emily have a term for this.  It's called "Black Paw".

And the term should perhaps be extended to their faces too.  Go home slightly disappointed thinking about how you're going to title your blog post "The Unadventure" and sleep until 7AM.

Sunday 7AM

Be woken abruptly by your husband slamming open your bedroom door with the announcement of "I'm just going to throw it out there." immediately followed by an update that the Shuttle is now scheduled to arrive at 9:30 AM.

Rush to dress yourself, two kids and call LW to meet you so you can all (Minus Mimi who had to sing in choir) rush back down by train to the California Science Center to again welcome the space shuttle to its new home.  Arrive by 9AM then wait almost 2 hours before seeing this.

Look closely.  It's there.  I openly admit that LW and I hugged and did a little sob or two at the sight.  Powerful, emotional, amazing.   And then it was followed by this.

And this.

Then wait almost another 2 hours while they try to maneuver this beast around a corner and bob and weave through light posts and trees on either side.

Get your, by now good buddies Jonathan and Benjamin,

to take this photo from the street for you.  (THANK YOU GUYS!! You helped make the time go by faster and kept us all smiling!)

Have your brain completely blown by how surreal the shuttle looks going down a regular city street.

Be proud of how patient The Tweedles have been even though they've been waiting for so long with little to do in almost 90 degree weather with no shade.

Be thrilled by how excited they are to see the shuttle.  Then try to keep the crowd back as you try to get the perfect shot of The Tweedles..

The Hubs & LW

and history.

The shuttle finally arrived around 1pm.  Only 16.5 hours late.

Completely Worth it.

Seriously.. Thoughts?

And Now It's Too Late

"Where there has been cold, you have brought warmth.  Where my life was dark, you have brought light...

..the true magic of our love is not to avoid changes, but to navigate them successfully..today I take my place by your side."

"Today you are my daughters.  In the years to come, we will laugh together, cry together, fight together and share hope together.  And through it all, my love for you will never waiver. Know that there will always be a place for you in my heart.."

Eight years ago today, two people became one, one person was blessed with two daughters and four people became a family.  A year later we added another daughter/sister and two years after that a son/brother.  Eight years ago today, we promised we'd be there for each other, to love one another, and committed to the new family we had become.

Thankfully, they had no idea what they were getting themselves into..

and now it's too late.   

Happy Anniversary to all of us.. and here's to the journey still to come.

Seriously.. Thoughts?

I Spy

I spy with LW's big eye..

something that looks like me!


Digital photography is so cool!

Seriously.. Thoughts?

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

The poll officially closed at 5pm last night and the winner was..

Lucky number three!

I think I still love number two the best (a distant second).

And since LW made this one her profile pic, I think she liked it best - which tied for last place with images 7 and 8.

I still think it makes it look too much like she and GG are bookends to the Tweedles.  Beautiful bookends, but bookends none the less.

Thanks so much for everyone who took the time to vote!

Seriously.. Thoughts? 

The Many Faces of a Lone Wolf

I finally got LW to let me take some photos from her on our trip last weekend.  I think they mostly came out pretty well, but I'm having a really hard time deciding which one to use for our family close-ups.

As a reminder, this is what the other kids' shots look like.  Then I thought to myself, hey, why don't you let the masses decide?  So here they are.  The many faces of our Lone Wolf.

A. LW 1
Love her eyes in this one but her expression seems lacking and not really "her".

B. LW 2
This is classic LW, but not sure about the weird sun highlights.

C. LW 3
She's a beauty for sure in this one, but the nose highlight.. too distracting?

D. LW 4
Too much like GG's?  I don't want them to be bookends for The Tweedles

E. LW 5
The camera angle might be too awkward here.

F. LW 6
Another classic LW expression.  Too Washed out?  Plus, not looking at the camera like the other kids' shots.

G. LW 7
Softer, gentler LW.  But again, not looking at the camera.

H. LW 8
Another classic LW shot.  Not as close up as the other kids though.

So, what do you think? Which one would be the best to finish off my quartet of kid close-ups?

Sequoia National Forest - Our Final Hours

Do you remember this photo?  We took this shot from the top of the ridge above Dorst Creek.  

See that pretty little water fall and the round pool of water?  Well, on our way back from the Lost Grove, The Hubs and Tamlin did a little cross country exploring to see if they could find that spot.  To see if it would be a good place for us to hang out for the afternoon.  To let the kids get wet, and we could all do a little relaxing before the long ride home.  Turns out, while not easily accessible, they found the spot just fine and there were several pools of water that were just perfect for us and for The Tweedles.  (WARNING: the water was moving very fast, so it was important that we found pools where the water wasn't really moving at all so the kids could play.  Water safety is very important, and so are my Tweedles, so we took no chances.  SAFETY FIRST PEOPLE!)

On our way back for lunch, we found a quicker trail back down to the water.  It was a lot prettier too. Narnia anyone? We made it down to the creek where we did our Dirty Dancing on the fallen tree and followed the edge of the water down stream until we found those pools above.  It was a little tricky as the rocks are all granite and once granite gets wet (or your feet do) it was super slippery. The sides were also pretty steep, so in a lot of places it was hard to find any traction at all.  Sometimes going right down the center was the easiest path.

And when we found our spot, the views were incredible.  This one is upstream from our spot.

And this is downstream.

Talk about your perfect location.  Not a soul in sight except for our little group.  It really was it's own little oasis.

Add some sunblock and we were ready to roll.

This little pool is the perfect Tweedle size. You can't tell from the photos, but it had a nice sandy bottom through most of it. And Bunny wasted no time getting in.  

The rest of us weren't far behind.

Did I mention the rocks were slippery.  A helping hand from Uncle Tamlin was always welcome.

And make no mistake, the water was COLD, but we managed to cajole LW into taking the plunge into the deeper lower pool.

Followed by the rest of us.

And Tamlin posing Sports Illustrated style under the falls.

But it wasn't so bad once you were in it.

Even 1/2 Point thought so.

I did mention about the rocks being slippery right?  Which caused some issues trying to get OUT of these wonderful little pools.  I believe the rally cry here was less about 1/2 Point and more about saving the beer!

And when we were done freezing our little toes off, we found a sunny spot to warm up on.

Or we just waded into the water enjoying the incredible views.

This day couldn't have been more perfect or been a more excellent ending to our trip.  We'll definitely be taking another trip up to do some more exploring!

Seriously.. Thoughts?