Memorial Day Carnation Drop

Re-posted from 5/28/09. I can't believe this was a year ago!

On Memorial Day we went to the carnation drop at the Palm Springs Air Museum. It was a thrilling experience. Carnations were dropped from a B-25 Mitchell bomber that thundered by not far overhead to honor our war veterans. Next time I'll bring a cooler. Ahh, hindsight is 20/20 where common sense fails to thrive.

Joe loves his big brother Dennie, and something about the way Dennie is tenderly holding Joe's hand in this photo just touches me to no end. Joe's other big brother Brian braved the center of the crowd to make sure we could pluck at least one carnation from the batch for our little one. And that is, in fact, what he did.

Thank you to all war veterans and to every man and woman who has served this great country of ours in any capacity, be it military service, as a peace officer, fire fighter or teacher. We owe you a debt that can never fully be re-payed.

Around the New House by Joe Joe

I'm feeling more comfortable in our new Texas home. One thing that makes me happy is taking pictures.

[caption id="attachment_2673" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="This is what I see when Mom is working and I crawl under her desk to bite her toe."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2674" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Lily's sippy cup is empty. Mooommy!"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2675" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Mommy doesn't know this but she puts her hand on her face when she is thinking."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2676" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="I dragged the rocking chair into the family room from Mommy & Daddy's room. I was bored."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2677" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="I like my dune buggy."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2678" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="My feet are getting bigger."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2680" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Daddy thought he would be a big ball of blur in this photo. Hee hee."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2681" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Mom told me to stay away from this, so naturally I am taking a close-up photo."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2682" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Mom put this in the family room, then freaked out one day and put it in the back yard."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2683" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="Mom said she used to think I had six toes. She's nuts."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2684" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="My sister Lily likes it when I flash the camera in her face."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2685" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="That's it for now. Bye bye."][/caption]

Life returns to normal

[caption id="attachment_2542" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Our classy mirrored bar room, baby."][/caption]

Our new house came with a fairly extensive learning curve. It's an odd U shape and sports more windows and light switches than the viewing room at Good Morning America.

I'm not a fan of ridiculously bright rooms. I like a subtle, glowing atmosphere. Hence, nearly every time I walk by the living room I flick off the overhead lights. Only I'm not flicking off the overhead lights, I'm actually flicking the switch that my husband's computer and light are plugged into. It's not my fault they put the switches in the wrong place. I'll get used to it eventually. Ahh, the little things we do on a daily basis to compound our marital bliss.

Which makes me think of this morning. I cooked eggs for the kiddos in a little cast iron skillet that we found buried in the back yard of our old house in Placerville when I was a teenager, scrubbed to a black sheen by my determined Mother. She read somewhere that I can get iron in my kids' diets by cooking with a cast iron skillet. I don't know if it's true, but I figure it can't hurt. (Note to self: buy some SOS pads.)



After an unsuccessful battle with the stubborn egg funk coating the sides of the skillet aprés cook, I tucked my tail betwixt my legs and trudged over to the side of the fridge to add non-stick cooking spray to my running list. Shocked and pleased was I to discover that my husband had added something to the list for the very first time: AAA batteries! However, since he was in the area, he saw fit to install judgment on my denotation of intent to purchase self-tanner.



Listen up, Mr. Smug with the natural golden glow. I'm sick of being mistaken for the recent undead due to my ghastly white pallor. Not only that, I'm convinced that if I carefully apply self tanner to the ridges of the cellulite craters on my thighs I will render them invisible. Again, I have no proof to back this up but it's worth a try. You'll be thanking me later.

We all had fun last night after bath time. There is nary such a pleasing sight to thine eyes as my babies Joe and Lily scooting around in their jammies, freshly-scrubbed and sweet-smelling, high on new surroundings to claim and explore.



[caption id="attachment_2550" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="What's your order, Mom?"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2549" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Joe was moving so fast I had to snap this picture two seconds before he ran into the kitchen to get the shot."][/caption]

Here are some random pictures of the past couple of weeks for interested family and friends to peruse. Some were taken at home, others at Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas. Have a wonderful Sunday, everybody. :)



[caption id="attachment_2539" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Lily and Brian camped out in our living room shortly before the move to Texas."][/caption]

Joe got his first real haircut!

Supercuts + Lollipop = Fun!
[gallery link="file" columns="4"]

A couple of days ago Dennis and I took Joe to SuperCuts for his first real haircut. His Grandma used to trim his hair, but a trim was way overdue and it was time for his first real cut. Joe did great! I was prepared for all manner of drama, but it never unfolded. Joe actually seemed to enjoy the process.

The woman who cut his hair was fantastic. She let him touch the buzzer before she used it, and made funny noises. She even put up with me helicoptering around them, clasping my hands together and squealing with delight.

I'm still emotional about the whole thing. I watched my baby transform into a little boy right before my eyes. Dang it, tearing up again here. Joe, I love you!

Dallas by Happy Hour!

Image by Ginas Pics via Flickr

Dennis, Lilypooh and I will be flying to Dallas today in search of a home, and will be returning to Southern California on Sunday evening. We're not actually making the move until January 5th or so of 2010, but we recently realized that in order to accomplish the relocation we must first procure a place to live. My Mom and Stepson Brian will be entertaining, hugging and keeping an eye on Joe Joe while we are gone. We would have loved to have taken him with us, but couldn't justify forking out the bread for an extra ticket seeing as how we're going to be returning for good in a month. This bums me out immensely because he would really have enjoyed the plane ride, among other things.

Boy, will  I miss my boo boo bottom. He dragged his suitcase into the family room about an hour ago and it nearly broke my heart. I'm being honest with him as he responds well to logic, but still... we've never been apart this long. Even when I spent two nights in the hospital after Lily as born he came to visit the next day.

I just went searching for a photo of Joe's visit to the hospital and found this...



It seems as though Joe's fascination with maxi pads was not recently born!

Here it is... this picture haunts me. I think of it on a near-daily basis. Joe looks so sad and unsure of himself. The poor thing was only 18 months old when Lily was born, one month older than Lily is now! His world changed so much that day. Sure, he gained much more than he lost but still...



Why am I doing this to myself? Where did this come from! Deep breath. Moving on...

The two hour time difference is going to be a bit of a nasty witch in the morning, as we will be meeting a realtor at nine, but we're used to getting up early a'la Joe Joe's penchance for turning on all of the lights in the house at 5:20 am. Lily's always up for an adventure these days, so I'm expecting good things from her. I'm hoping to hide her underneath my hooter hider on the plane and that she'll fall asleep after a quick nip since the flight takes off right at her regular naptime of noon. I packed little bags of snacks and toys to divert her attention (thanks for the plane tip, Gina!) should she start winding up to a meltdown. Dang, I should have done the same for Dennis.

I'll miss you all. Have a fun weekend!

Wow I've Been Busy by Joe Joe

Hello again! Lots of things have happened since my last post! :woot:

[caption id="attachment_1919" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="Last week I saw a hot air balloon come towards our house from a far away mountain!"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1920" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="It flew right over our house and the people inside waved hello to me!"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1921" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="It headed around the corner - where is it going?!?"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1922" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="It landed in a future park site just down the road. I told Grandma I wanted to go and get my butterfly net to catch it!"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1923" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Lily got all muddy in the back yard that day and Mommy tried to get all fancy and make the picture black and white."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1924" align="alignnone" width="199" caption="Daddy was watching a program about The Beatles and Lily fell in love with Paul McCartney. "][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1925" align="alignnone" width="200" caption="My Godmother Gina and Godsister Rachel sent a Thanksgiving treat to Lily and me, pudding cups and mixes galore, and creature paper plates! Thank you Gina and Rachel! We love you!"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1927" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Lily had fun stacking the pudding cups she ripped out of my hand."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1928" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Lily is proud of her accomplishment!"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1929" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="The tiger plate was one of my favorites. That and the beaver plate!"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1930" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Daddy pretended he was a tiger. I think he fooled Lily. Brian thought it was funny."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1931" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="I just wanted to put another picture of me in here with my fancy necklace."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1932" align="alignnone" width="200" caption="Lily thought it was fun to crawl into Godmother Gina's UPS box."][/caption]

Then the other day I woke up really early and found Mom's camera again. I can't believe she keeps forgetting to put it away at night.

[caption id="attachment_1933" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="I like this chest."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1934" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="I like the way my foot looks on the rug."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1935" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="I like the way my foot looks on the inexcusably dirty tile floor in the kitchen."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1936" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="I like my Elmo chair and my huge, messy stack of toys that Mom's always organizing only to discover that I've messed up her piles yet again."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1937" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="I like my leg, too."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1938" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="This picture scares Mom. She thinks it looks like a butt."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1939" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="I am first and foremost an artist. I kind of like this one."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1940" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="My big brother Dennis turned 18 on Saturday!!! We took him to Red Robin and I crawled on his and everybody else's heads for an entire hour!"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1941" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Dad, Brian, Dennie and me at Red Robin. Mom put down her huge glass of beer long enough to take the photo."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1943" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Then she picked it back up again."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1944" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="My big brother Brian held me while I looked for dropped food under the table."][/caption]

That's it for now. :D