2010 was good, 2011 will be better

Today I buried my best's friends father.  He was like an Uncle to me.  I have known the family and been involved with them since I was a little girl. 

In January of this year he was diagnosed with cancer, already in stage 4 and "sentenced to death" by his doctors, "A year or so to live."  Sad that they were right.  

He is not suffering anymore, there's that.  He is not hurting anymore.  He is at peace.  He was a good man, always there for his family, his wife of over 30 years, his two sons, his daughter and all of his grandchildren.

He will be missed.  

Take this time to reflect on your year.  I know we will.  I will also never take for granted that I have all of my parents with me still, all crazy four of them.  

Today I won't stress over bills that are over due or my house being neglected because I have been sick all week. Today I will hug my children and my sweetie a little tighter and a little longer.  Today I will bring on the New Year with love and happiness and not care a minute about my weight.

Tomorrow is another day ... 

Happy New Years.

Please be safe. 

  

Let it Dough ... and we'll make cookies!

What's another lengthy list of reasons my little girl loves time all alone with Mommy and Daddy and zip, zero, nada brothers? To make Christmas Cookies however she wants, whenever she wants and to not have to share the green coloring!

My boys had a "band gig."  (I am sure I will get into that blog topic one day) ...so anyhoo, sister without brothers has tons of fun making Christmas cookies.  No worries, boys will have their time before Santa gets here!

The Set Up  

Most Christmas Things ... not sure if the pig, tooth and sheep are holiday'ish

 There's that tooth and piggy again

All I want for Christmas is my front tooth and bacon?

New Christmas song ... 

 Christmas Cookie Decorator Extraordinaire

Mr. (Melting) Snowman

So proud

All About Me In 30 Days - Day 7 - A Photo That Makes Me Happy

Um ... not possible.  I LOVE pictures, love taking them not so much being in them, but getting over that ... but I LOVE pictures.  I love the beauty and art in pictures, I love how a simple item can be taken into a whole new level just with a click.  I think I may have been a photographer in my past life or something. So, photos that make me happy, a WHOLE BUNCH, remember my Friday Fun Photos Post?  Yep - photos are my friend!

Here's a few more of my favorite and come back Friday, as always, for more!! Please? :) 

My children and I poolside on a bittersweet weekend, 2002. My boys are only 3 and 2 and my daughter is only 3 months old. I recently moved back home and left my unstable and unhappy marriage. I have never looked back and that decision was one of the best I have made.  

A favorite photo of my kiddos.  What's a girl to?  Oh brother, brother! 

My little brother and kiddos on a San Francisco trip back in 2006

The love is very clear in this picture.

That same little brother and I.  He's tremendously awesome and such a brilliant young man. 

One set of my siblings.  I am truly thankful and lucky to have these folks in my life. 

Same famous brother with our sister. 

And here we are again, Sisters are cracking up at their goofy bro.  Toasting our parents at their 25th Wedding Anniversary!

And our father.  Reason 2,345,934 he's silly and we love him!

Our Scottish Clan ... William Wallace HOLD run ... have you seen Braveheart?  No?  Go, now, watch it. 

My gorgeous sister and her handsome hubby. 

One of the many fun parties my clan enjoys.  Yes, we raise the roof! 

My Aunt, Sis, Mom and Uncle Ricky ... I think everyone has a Uncle Ricky 

 How do people make it through life without sisters? 

Look up SMILE in the dictionary ... I swear her picture will be there! 

Sisters are fabulous! Two of my little cousins, I should have a post dedicated to all my cousins, I have a billion 

My amazing family, the 'rents, the bro, my squeeze, moi, and sis and her hubby 

Look up CUTE in the dictionary ... she's there. 

(BLACK) Friday Fun: Photos That Make Me Happy

No, I don't do Black Friday ... I am not that crazy.  I just don't get the idea of standing in the cold (or being really nutty and camping in the cold) and having to fight through other crazy people to get something that is half price.  You might lose a leg, get arrested for punching out a crazy chick, but hey, you got that awesome find and saved yourself some money.  Nope, not for me.  Besides after my crazy evening with my crazy loved ones, I don't need anymore crazy.

One of my favorite pictures ever of my beautiful Mom

(don't mind the two cases of beer in the back, just remember my crazy family) 

 Remember the little brother who rocked the pipes, it was meant to be obviously 

Me and my awesome cousin 

My awesome brother, gotta love him!

Hawaii 2007 with some of my favorite people, brother and sister

King of Corny 

 Little Angel and her Daughter -hehe

Another reason why growing up was so fun, the bff and I  

  Before she grew up and went through all my crap, my little munchkin sister was this cute! 

And grew up to be this hot and my best friend 

And the food goes to:

I have just arrived home from a nice birthday party for my one-year-old cousin.  Always love hanging with my large clan and seeing what everyone is up to.  It seems though after every party my household is the one that ends up with the goody bag of food.  Maybe it's because I have the three kids and two growing boys that do eat, and yes, a lot.  And even though I don't want to say, "No" because, one, just seems a little rude to me, but more so, because I certainly do love to have these easy to access food handy for my kids and man and they aren't the ones on the diet.  And it's not bad food, not diet food, but not bad and actually stuff I would purchase at the local market, just a lot of it.  Well except for the plate full of leftover cupcakes but say what you want, I just don't say NO to cupcakes ... hence the little predicament I am in of being a fat ass.  So ... here we go willpower.  STAY AWAY FROM THE GOODIES IN THE KITCHEN.  Because I am thankful for my cousins to send me home with the food, even the goodies, my kids aren't sweet deprived and have no reason to be, it's just off limits for me!
Sunday is here and of course after Sunday is Monday, you know Monday, it's very popular for a lot of diets, we all seem to start on Monday.  And for me, this is the case.  I am going to start writing my food intake here, and be honest with Mr. Blogger.  I also started "Double Up On Healthy Seconds Challenge" with Jessica at Healthy for 100 and promised that this week I will get my booty moving for at least 30 minutes DAILY, drink more water, at least 8 glasses, and yes, WRITE IT ALL DOWN.  Check in with me and make sure I am holding my end of the bargain because it is Thanksgiving week after all and so easy for me to just want to be lazy during the holidays.

Go Me!

Just got done yelling at my offspring

Yeah, so maybe my beautifully sometimes-bratty kids deserved a good yelling, I don't yell at them and not get mad for a made up reason.  But now here I am feeling down about it and down on myself, again.  It all started because they couldn't get it together and get there chores done.  Yes, I give them chores, and more than just clean your room and brush your teeth.  I almost have two teenage sons, heck yes, they have chores.  So the fight between the three of them escalated (who's going to wash the dishes, who's going to put them in the dishwasher, who's going to vacuum, blah, blah, blah.)  And then something in me just clicked and BOOM, I was amongst this argument dictating who's going to do what and sending my poor dog off and away with his tail tucked under his body, he hates any noises, some guard dog, huh?  I hate to yell and really it doesn't do any good.  I don't scare my kids.  My sons are taller than me.  So, now it's quiet in the house, everyone doing as they should and I have to ask myself, was that really necessary?  Did I just ruin a perfectly good day, should I have let them take care of this crap themselves?  Why when Dad is here is this never an issue?  Can't I be scary like Dad?
And the big picture ... is there some underlying issue with me flying off the handle so quick?  Yeah, kids will be kids and parents need to be parents, so I will discipline and do what needs to be done Mommy-Style, just hate when this Mommy gets loud.  I think it's time for a nice walk with the dog.  They get to stay here and work together and pick up their bad attitudes, should've just done this before I screwed my mood.

Friday Fun: Photos That Make Me Happy

Nothing like a picture to tell a story and take you back in time to that certain moment.  I am a serious picture taker upper, it's my love drug! Nothing makes me quite as happy as capturing that certain moment or being in that certain moment.  Once a week I will post 10 pictures "That Make Me Happy!" And yes, I know all of these beautiful people.

I am that lucky!

My Soul Sisters and I 

A recent night out for my baby sister's 21st

 Yes, my little brother rocks the pipes!

My three sisters, they rock

My kiddos loving on their Mommy

The "insert last name here" We are a pretty cool family 

My 2 Mom's 

Reason 249,832 I love my little sister, she's really smart! 

My daughter's first time in a kilt and performing, really proud moment for both of us

 

Annual Girl's Camping Trip - Rad Chicks