Chapter 2013 Page 1 of 365...

 Peace Out 2012. 

Unfortunately I will spend the majority of the year away from my hubs. I still have a hard time believing that he is actually gone again. I don't know why I'm having such a hard time this go around, but I am. 

Up until now, I have spent the past 37 days mostly doing nothing but willing the next day to hurry up and get here so that it too may pass.  

I was lucky enough to have my sis and niece come spend a little over a week with us. It was a nice distraction to be around family. We took a mini road trip to New Mexico and explored a little over there. [More on their visit to come.]

As for now, it is high time to knock off the Poor-Pitiful-Me BS and get back to reality. He has his own time consuming daily agenda  and I need to get back to mine as well and get out of this damn rut once and for all.

 

So here's to a 

New Year, New Adventures, 

New Friends and Cheap Wine!  

{CHEERS}

You'll poke your eye out...

I am going to do something that I do not do very often. I am going to talk about a #PinterestSuccess.
I know right. Typically, I think the original pinners are just messing with us and waiting to see how many #PinterestFail they can get people to do ( like this one. ) Well not this time!  
No-sir-e-bob! 
This one was too easy to mess up!

I found this idea on Pinterest and thought huh, that looks easy and cheap. I'm down!
A quick trip to DollarTree (where everything's $1) and a quick round of up of supplies and this is what I came up with:

This little creepy Halloween DIY cost a total of $3.
I had black spray paint & hot glue on hand already, then bought the creepy bird, rubber snakes, and small wreath. BOO(m)! <-- see what I did there. Yea, I'm witty like that. Success!

USPS ~

a true story of humans acting awesome

Isn't it funny how you can remember things at the most unexpected times?!

Today, while standing in a busy Post Office I thought about ...


A few years back (probably in '07) I was struggling to stay sane and make it through another busy day as a deployment-induced "single parent." I had a wild toddler son and a needy baby girl, who demanded my attention every second of every day. I had just finished filling two large boxes with all the fake Christmas spirit I could muster up.  There was a small wooden Christmas tree, cookies, letters, pictures, candy, peppermints, snow flake confetti, and many many other goodies nearly busting out of these two boxes that the kids had scribbled "pictures" on. 

After loading the boxes, the kids, and the stroller into our car we headed out the Post Office off post in Savannah, Ga. We parked, Dollface went in the stroller, Redd was holding on to my back packet, and the boxes + customs forms were being balances on the stroller. I'm pretty sure my hair was a mess and Dollface was missing a shoe. We ventured on and made our way in the Post Office and found ourselves at the end of a very long holiday line. Redd was an active toddler and trying his hardest to have fun and play, Dollface was getting fussy and I was trying to fight off the empty feeling of sadness from spending another Christmas without my husband-their father.

I was able to see the light at the end of the tunnel; we were next to be called to the counter. Dollface was starting her soft cry she used to let me know shes had enough and its just a matter of time before she goes full blown spaz-child on me. Perhaps the lady in line before me over heard Redd and I talking about sending Daddy his boxes? Perhaps she could see the desperation on my face? Maybe she had planned on paying for someones packages before she ever went in there? I don't know what inspired her, but when the postal worker turned to me, and asked if my boxes were addressed properly with customs forms ready, then said to go a head and sit them on the counter and to have a happy holidays, I about fell over in shock/gratitude/disbelief/love. 

I some how formed the words Thank You then turned and walked away. I wanted to hug her, and I probably should have, but I knew I needed out there and away from all those people before the tears came. After I had kids in their car-seats and everything ready to go, I couldn't leave the parking lot without saying Thank You one more time. But I couldn't find her. It was busy, it was crowded, it was prime shipping time for the holidays. She was no where to be found. 

Every year I think about that nice lady at the Post Office. Though I never properly thanked her, or expressed my true gratitude for what she did that day, I still think fondly of her. I hope she knows that she reaffirmed my faith in humanity. 

Thank you, sweet southern lady in Savannah, Ga. 

The 2012 Debate

No, I'm not talking about these debates. Nope, not at all. I am talking about something much more important. Much more entertaining. And so much more fun...

The 2012 Costume Debate

On Redds list:

• Russian Soldier
• Jack the Skeleton
• Indiana Jones
• Darth Vader
• Spy
• Viking
• Ninja

On Dallface's  list:

• Sally (from The Nightmare Before Christmas)
• girl Darth Vadar
• girl Ninja
• girl Viking
• Monster High - Ghoulia Yelps
• Vampire
• Egyptian Princess

(apparently adding 'girl' on Dollface's list was a must...) So far the ninja's are winning, which is completely fine with me. Ninja costumes can be easy and inexpensive to make.

Really, I think they just want to be ninjas so they can add the cool ninja swords to their random toy/warrior collection.  Can't blame them there.

I would love to have a really great, spook-tastic,  hauntingly amazing Halloween bash this year, but quite a few of our friends here will be on leave and probably out of state. (click here if you are confused) If we do end up having a huge bash, like I want, here a few great ideas I found on Pinterest.

This one we will be doing for sure. I have an extra wreath at home, + Dollar Tree snakes + black spray paint also already at home = BAM  Too Easy and you'll have a front door that even Madusa could be proud of.

 source

This one I have actually been doing for years. This usually has a good response at our Halloween get-together, but not always. I swear, some adults just act to grown up. Grow Down! Since I am not entirely sure where my photos are of it, here is an example that I found. 

source

Covering your chairs in black tulle. Hello, how easy is this and why haven't I thought of it on my own! Face Palm!

I don't think I will use orange as the ribbon color though, rather purple or black. 

source

 If I have learned anything about preparing for Halloween decorating, it is to stock up on cheesecloth and tulle and LOTS of it!

If you want to follow my PARTY: Like a Goblin board on Pinterest, you can do so here.

Traditions

Whoa! Where did the time go?
My baby boy. He is now EIGHT. WOW. 
It feels like it was only yesterday that I went for a normal baby o.b. appointment. I had just began to start talking to the doctor about what our plan was going to be if I went past me due date. To my surprise, he called a nurse in & told me "we wont need to worry about that." What?! The nurse enters with a wheelchair to take me up to labor and delivery.
Turns out that our little 'fiery one' was going to make his debut that day!
Fast-forward to major back labor then an emergency c-section and bam. Here he is.
A blue eyed, red haired, button nose, prince charming. 

 

So there you have it. My Aidan. My heart. 
and just a little tidbit- 
In 2004 the name Aidan name was #43 on the most popular list, not #1. We had no idea his name, and several variations of it, would reach such popularity immediately after naming him. 

So that brings me to -Birthday Traditions-

In our house, if its your birthday you are greeted with singing, chocolate chip pancakes and a candle to blow out. Side Note: if your pancakes are still mostly hot, thin candles like these tend to melt and not stand up. 

 

Next weekend is the party. Gosh, I love parties. I'll be honest tho, I'm just not feelin' it this year. Oh well. We are hosting a pool party birthday party this go around. Complete with tons of pool activities and a hotdog bar.Should be a good time & I know I will have camera in hand most of the time, so be sure to come back next week to see the Pool Party post!

I'm interested to know what, if any, traditions you do for your kiddos on their birthdays?!

Green Beer For All

I drink to your health when I'm with you,
I drink to your health when I'm alone,
I drink to your health so often,
I'm starting to worry about my own!

I cannot begin to express my sadness for being in this desert climate and not back in good old Savannah, Ga on this fine St. Patrick's day. 

Do they even serve green beer in El Paso?

As I weep, I shall toast to thee. 

My St. Pats scarf : here

Good Stuff

Happy New Year, we have a healthy child. She was able to get her sutures out and her incisions are healing nicely. In a couple years you probably wont even be able to see much of a scar. All pathology tests have been turning up negative! Thank you ALL for your support and kind words! xoxo

(don't know what I'm talking about? find out more here and here)

Here's to having two healthy kids and a rotten dog. 

Life is good.

Life is grand.

Life in Texas is to improving, albeit slow, improving nonetheless. 

After everything 'Eleven' had in store for us, all I have to say is:  

2012, Bring. It. On. 

Happy Everything

via

xoxoxo

Holiday Apocalypse

 

We are probably the only generation ready for a 

Zombie Apocalypse. What will the zombies be like?

28 Days Later? Dawn of the Dead? Zombieland? 

But wait, there is a NEW EPIDEMIC going around. 

One that I do not think we are ready for. It must be contagious. Perhaps airborne toxins caused by  car pollutants?  

The origin of this unknown phenomenon has yet to be established.

BEWARE. Vehicles everywhere are sprouting antlers and red noses. 

I am convinced they eat the human occupants. 

This is a warning to all, do not park by infected cars, do not drive an infected car, and do not accept rides from friends driving an infected car. 

THEY ARE EVERYWHERE!

Be observant, be alert, ride a bike, run-don't walk, show no mercy. Do this and you may survive the rest of the holiday season and the roving reindeer epidemic.