Something old....new.... or just forgotten?

So...... another year has gone by.  I can't remember the last time I wrote on here.  What once served as an almost therapeutic kind of thing has seem to slip my mind for quite some time. I will easily admit that I've been busy. In fact busy isn't even the word for it. Another year gone by, the kids are another year older, oh my how time flies and with each day seems to be busier than ever. All on top of working full time. Not much time left for Momma time but sometimes I just need to take it. There are few things in this world that calm me down. Writing on here has been one and eating pistachios before bed is becoming quite the addiction. What time I do have with my love I try to make the most of every moment. And it is a heavy price to pay for all the nights alone but they're very well worth it. Until I don't have to spend any more of those nights alone, relaxing and eating pistachios just seems to help. Everyone thinks of New Year's resolutions. Most peoples are highly unrealistic. Mine this year have become quite simple. My list of new years resolution is as follows; number 1 recycle more. Simply we just don't do enough in this house. Number 2 delegate more family time, time to watch those little faces grow more and more everyday for I know it I will be blinking sending them off to college. I want to make the most of every second while I have it. Number 3 write more. Use this blog for what I intended it to be. Number 4 Actually finish a book and continue to keep reading others. And lastly but not least, number 5 be a better person than I was last year. I know that's a pretty broad statement but as I look back there are definitely things I can do to be a better me. They are not things I need to list nor say just things I know within myself to not only make myself but also my family stronger. So to heck with all those people who make this silly resolutions that involve a gym or some fad diet, cause let's face it, that's what most people do, however thanks to my lovely thyroid condition those are things I need not to worry about, so I can focus on my realistic expectations;)

Pain is beauty...

Beauty is pain.. And in the eye of the beholder. Each one of us is a canvas, and to each their own as to how it is expressed. Now little me myself and I,, I see a well decorated canvas as one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen:) 

Always and forever...

It's been quite a while... I have been so busy, but busy is good right. Kaitlynn is on dance team and she is everything I was to afraid to be. I'm so proud of her. Dance team is a family and I truly do enjoy being part of it. I love those girls and my new dance mom family:)
Rebekkah just went to outdoor school. I'm proud of her, she survived the week and may have even had a little fun too :) she will be in 7th grade next year... And is gonna do dance as well. I love my little dancers :)
Nathan and Zakary are busy being little boys, awnry as ever.. They are growing up so fast, too fast for mommy :)
I recently got in contact with some friends from long ago. We'd lost touch with our busy lives going in different direction. I am so happy to have these people back.. I can't describe it in words :) it's nice to hang out and catch up... See what the future holds :)
I will say you never know what to expect, or what may be around the corner... Life is an adventure full of so many things, love, loss, learning... I want to focus on what's ahead not dwell on the past... My future's looking pretty bright, I might need some shades :);))

Sleep? too busy! I'll make up for it in winter!!

Summer has been busy, so for now i'll sum up some of what we've done so far......

I recently learned to get there early on free slurpee day so there is more than just cold syrup in your cup. There are secrets to not having your hair and makeup melt at a car show in 80 degree weather, I know them well and looked hot all day because of them. I flat out adore everything about winnie the pooh. Energy with style helps you get through the day at Cub Scout camp where you should watch your fingers, perfect your aim and be allowed a 3:30pm nap at any age. Girl Scouts can do anything, even get matching tattoo's with your mom =]

I think Defying Gravity is more of a way of life for me =]

I don't cause commotions, I AM one. ~ Elphaba

I read the books. In some weird way I relate to her so much. Maybe it's cause I grew up loving The Wizard Of Oz as much as my mom does. Maybe it's cause my mom played Wicked Witch with my girls when they were little and it was so cute to watch them giggle sooo much. Maybe it's cause my mom and my girls secretly called ME the Wicked Witch for years without me knowing. None the less i've always been curious of her. I grew up believing I am a princess, seems fitting that I relate to fairy tale so much then doesn't it. =]

I loooved seeing Wicked. I loooved sharing the excitement with my mom. I was so excited for it to start I wanted to cry.... still do just thinking about it. I've always played by my own rules and it's true some times you just gotta leap!

"Defying Gravity"

GLINDA

Why couldn't you have stayed calm, for once! Instead of flying off the handle -- !

I hope you're happy

I hope you're happy now

I hope you're happy how you've

Hurt your cause forever

I hope you think you're clever

ELPHABA

I hope you're happy

I hope you're happy too

I hope you're proud how you would

Grovel in submission

To feed your own ambition

GLINDA & ELPHABA

So though I can't imagine how

I hope you're happy

Right now

GLINDA

Elphie, listen to me. Just say you're sorry!

You can still be with The Wizard

What you've worked and waited for

You can have all you ever wanted -

ELPHABA

I know

But I don't want it - No!

I can't want it anymore

Something has changed within me

Something is not the same

I'm through with playing by

The rules of someone else's game

Too late for second-guessing

Too late to go back to sleep

It's time to trust my instincts

Close my eyes

And leap...

It's time to try defying gravity

I think I'll try defying gravity

And you can't pull me down

GLINDA

Can't I make you understand

You're having delusions of grandeur?

ELPHABA

I'm through accepting limits

Cuz someone says they're so

Some things I cannot change

But till I try I'll never know

Too long I've been afraid of

Losing love I guess I've lost

Well if that's love

It comes at much too high a cost

I'd sooner buy defying gravity

Kiss me goodbye, I'm defying gravity

And you can't pull me down!

Glinda, come with me. Think of what we could do - together!

Unlimited

Together we're unlimited

Together we'll be the greatest team

There's ever been - Glinda!

Dreams the way we planned 'em

GLINDA

If we work in tandem

GLINDA & ELPHABA

There's no fight we cannot win

Just you and I, defying gravity

With you and I defying gravity

ELPHABA

They'll never bring us down!

Well, are you coming?

(GLINDA decides to stay behind.)

GLINDA

I hope you're happy

I hope your happy now that your choosing this -

ELPHABA

You too--

I hope it brings you bliss

GLINDA & ELPHABA

I really hope you get it

And you don't live to regret it

I hope you're happy in the end

I hope you're happy my friend

ELPHABA

So if you care to find me

Look to the Western sky!

As someone told me lately

Everyone deserves the chance to fly

And if I'm flying solo

At least I'm flying free

To those who ground me

Take a message back from me!

Tell them how I am defying gravity

I'm flying high, defying gravity

And soon I'll match them in renown

And nobody in all of Oz

No Wizard that there is or was

Is ever gonna bring me down!!

GLINDA

I hope you're happy

CITIZENS OF OZ

Look at her

She's wicked

Get her!!

ELPHABA

Bring me down!

CITIZENS OF OZ

No one mourns the wicked

So we got to bring her -

ELPHABA

Ahhhh!

CITIZENS OF OZ

--Down!

"I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours, to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of Freedom."~Abraham Lincoln

It seems that in the busyness of every day life it is so hard at times to just take time to your self. I cannot count the number of times I have wanted to sit and blog about something amazing that happened in my day. Like around Easter when i found out that my Stepdaughter is going to have a baby, when Nathan turned 7 and looked like such a grown up little man when he chose to wear a suit to his birthday party. Over spring break we took the boys to the aquarium at the beach and Zakary insisted we played on the beach even tho it was freezing. The girls were at the beach with Grandma and Grandpa and Kaitlynn was getting driving lessons in the dune buggy. Or when Bekkah's Powder Puff Derby car won best paint and she was soooooo excited. It was an Oregon Ducks car =]  My favoritest of all tho was when I took my mom to go see Wicked the musical. We are both wicked witch fans and our fifth row seats were nothing short of amazing!

So why today do I make the time to blog? Today I feel like my emotions are much bigger than I am. Today is Memorial Day. I went to the different cemeteries where grandparents are buried, our first stop was to Willamette National. My mom's parents are there. We seemed to time it just right that we got there as the 21 cannon salute went off and the jets flew overhead. It was a neat feeling to be there for that. There are so many flags, it really is an amazing sight. Even though Memorial Day is meant for those who our in memory, I think about the people that are sacrificing so much to keep us safe. Now don't get me wrong, I have more appreciation that I could put into words for our military who have fought for us over the many many years. Without them I wouldn't have my very own senseless corner of the world wide web to dump my thoughts into, to say the least. I have a friend who is serving in Africa right now, and it was him that I thought of most today. He is far away from his wife and kids, only gets to talk to them every once in a while, and is risking his life every day to help keep us safe and free here at home. If my grandfathers and friends would never have made the sacrifices they had and continue to do, I wouldn't be able to tuck my little ones into bed each night knowing they will be safe and sound. I wrote that friend an e-mail right before I started this blog entry. I wanted to tell him how thankful I am for what he and all of the soldiers do for us. My Girl Scouts wrote letters to the boys in his unit, I'm sending them tomorrow along with some much anticipated Tagalongs. I wish I were delivering them to his house so he could share them with his kiddos, maybe I'll keep a box out and hopefully he will be home soon to do just that. Freedom isn't free. such a true statement. For all of those who have fought and continue to fight for out freedom I cannot say THANK YOU in big enough letters. I wish all that are away a safe and soon return home to their loved ones.

I do not know who the man is in this picture, but I have a feeling that the words he is reading from that piece of paper are meaningful enough to make some tears fall.

And to you I say.......... (insert mouth fart noises here)

Ever have one of those days? you know the ones where your mood just tells you to stick your tongue out at the world. I seem to be having quite a few of those lately. However I have some very adorable little faces in my life that make me smile, as I'm sticking out my tongue. Speaking of those little faces one of them isn't quite so little anymore. She is turning fourteen in just a couple days. We have now graduated on to inviting boys to our birthday party as well. Wow how time flies. Most days I don't feel old enough to have a kiddo that old, but that's a good thing, right? I'm excited for her. As much as I don't want her to be so grown up it really is an amazing feeling to see her get so excited. Our Friday evening will consist of a house full of teenagers and who knows what kind of shenanigans, it's gonna be good times. When I was fourteen my mom let me invite boys. She also got me a cake with black licorice icing that gave us all black mouths. It was fun and I never will forget it. I hope she has as much fun at her party, and no I'm not getting anything with black icing. You know for all the things in life that make you want to stick your tongue out there is always so many more of those little things that make you just smile. We will see if I survive this weekend........ I hope so, after all it is cookie season and what doesn't kill me really does make me stronger.......... monkey ears and all!