Yucky, Stucky, Cal-a-ma-jucky

That's how I describe this past month. I've dreaded this time. I've dreaded it with all of my heart and I've hidden down here in Houston for as long as I can, hoping to stop time. I got the call on September 15th that my grandpa had passed away. This is my real dad's dad. I say "real" dad, because I feel like "biological" father leads people to believe that I have a dad still out there somewhere who has nothing to do with me. Long story short, my read dad passed away before I was born. My mother married Jim, my "current" real dad who has been there since I was a year old and is a wonderful father to me and now an even greater grandfather to my kids. He's been there my whole life and a dad doesn't get any more "real" than him.

But my original father's dad, Grandpa Anderson, has always held a special place in my heart. All of my grandparents have and I don't mean to belittle any of the relationships that I had with any of them. I was blessed to have 4 sets of grandparents. My dad and mom's and Jim's parents and his first wife's parents. Make sense!? We were a "brady bunch" sort of family - totally meshed together and were blessed enough to be welcome and accepted as "one of our own". Ohhhh....I am so rambling. I just want any and all that read this to realize how lucky and special I feel to have been blessed with such a HUGE family.

So 2 weeks ago I got the call about my Grandpa Anderson. He was 93, a farmer and what an honorable, incredible man. If I started to even try to describe him - well, I'm afraid that this entry would turn into a small novel. He was a farmer, an honest man, a simple but incredibly loving man. He'd drive us around the farm in his old blue truck. He lived in town with my Grandma but often went out to the farm off our FM409 - is that right?

The time that I have had with my grandparents (all of my extended family) is such a treasured time. Do they even know how much I love them? How much each and every moment I had with them meant to me? My heart aches for those days when we were all young. to have those days back. I want things to stay the same - for them to be here forever.

This weekend we went to my parent's house. We were supposed to go up to Nebraska but my Grandpa (my mom's dad) fell and broke his hip last week and had a replacement surgery. We were planning to visit this week - to make the looooooooong drive up to Nebraska but after much ado - decided it was best to wait on our trip. Adding 2 young children to an already stressful situation can only make things worse. Ah - there is so much I want to say. I need to make a separate entry about each trip.

So now, a mere 2 weeks later, my other Grandpa is nearing death. I hate this. I HATE this. He is old, 89 years and so very weak. He needs to go but my selfish being wants to cling to him. To hold him and never let go. I guess I'm afraid that all of the memories will go with him. I've known this day will come but my heart is still breaking. I'm falling apart...I'm barely breathing... so goes the song by Lifehouse that makes me fall apart every time I hear it. I am praying praying praying for my Grandpa as he nears death. Oh God, please be with him, take away his pain. I want to see him in Heaven. I pray vehemently that his heart's faith is in Jesus. I want to see him again.

So tonight, I take a break from life - to pray, to honor my sweet grandparents. Oh how I love them....down to my very bones...with all of my heart...all of my soul. I ache for them, but I am comforted in knowing that my heavenly Father is with them, now and I pray in the end.

I am not very "in your face" with my friends and family about my faith but I am not ashamed to say that I am a Christian. Recently I was tempted to say "Hey, everyone needs a little Jesus in their lives and when you are ready for Him - call me." I didn't say it, but well, maybe this is my opportunity. If you are my friend and you read my blog - I love you. You know my heart and if you need me, you'd better bet your butt I'm here for you.

Cali Trip

Palm Desert, California - September 1, 2009

On August 28th, we left our babies and ventured out for a trip to the great state of California. We used credit card points to get plane tickets and car rentals, then were able to trade in a timeshare week and so we went to Palm Desert (right next to Palm Springs). Well, it was certainly HOT. No humidity which was the only saving grace. No, forget that, that was no saving grace. The saving grace was the mister systems at the pool bar. Cooled it 20 degrees. NEXT HOUSE WE ARE INSTALLING ONE. Just to give you an idea - at 9 p.m. it was 105 degrees... I believe that it would be the first time I'd ever seen an egg fry outside - in the dark. Dangit, why didn't we try that while we were there?

Regardless of the temperatures it was still fun. Our friends Gene and Erica were our travel companions. The guys golfed and golfed and golfed some more. Our trip highlights included the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, dinner at Peaks Restaurant (original name, eh?), Moorten Botanical Garden, Angels game, Trip to the Wineries in Temecula...and more food. I can't wait for the next trip! (somewhere cooler please!!!)

Palm Springs Aerial Tramway - top of Mt. San Jacinto

20 degrees cooler!!!! HAAAAAALLELUJAH!

Erica and I at Moorten Botanical Gardens

At the LA Angels of Anaheim Game vs Oakland

Erica, Gene and Mike

What's that smell? Oh, that's just my leg flesh burnt to the seat.

At Ponte Winery

Lisa Sliheet (now Larson) - Great friend from high school; lives in Cali

The last days of summer!

Here are a few pictures from our last days of summer. Kendall loves to paint and it was actually cool enough for her to go outside in the middle of the day. She's a little artist for sure!
A couple of weeks ago we had a wonderful visit by my good friends, The Lees. Pat was my 6th grade teacher and although she was tough on us and I didn't appreciate her nearly enough back then, I love her now! We had a wonderful evening. Pat and James are expecting their first grandbaby in December and had lots of fun playing with our girls. Kendall adored them of course. Who doesn't!?

And Little Miss Avery - she is chewing on EVERYTHING! She's got 5 teeth now. Three on top and two on the bottom. She has perfected crawling and pulling up. We are expecting that she'll be walking in the next couple of months. Today I'll be putting together a gate because she LOVES the stairs. Kendall could have cared less about them, but Avery is our little daredevil. Plus she has a big sister to keep up with!

Kendall painting. Isn't that such an artist's expression?

Pat Lee, Kendall and James Lee. Kendall is teaching them how to use an iPhone.

Avery gnawing...on everything.

Vintage Avery

Our sweet Avery was baptized today. In lou of my mom (and dad) not being able to come, I put Avery in my mom's dress. It's REALLY old (uh - 29 years old, right mom?!) and beautiful. Avery wore it well. It's definitely not an everyday dress. It meant a lot to have her in it. Kendall was too old to wear it when we baptized her, so it was a special "Avery only" moment. My mother-in-law took the good baptism pictures so I'll post those later, but here are the pictures I took this afternoon.

And she's off!

Well, Avery is REALLY crawling now. Daddy has been working hard coaching her. Kendall created a "toy trail" to encourage her (below the video). So my life will never be the same. Ty (the dog) is already annoyed as is the cat.

the toy trail

The Moss Visit

Last Friday Sarah (my college roommate - the blond one) came AAAAAALL the way down from North Houston with her 2 boys for the day. Her hubby was working out of town so we declared it party time. Well, as much crazy partying as you can do with 4 children under the age of 4. We all survived...we even went to the pool! Luckily we don't have kamikaze kids thats love to test their limits in the water. They were perfectly happy playing in the shallow 3 inch deep water. We survived and here are the pictures - taken with my new baby D40.

Avery wishing she could have hair like Kyle...she's on her way!

The old married couple...

Rocker Kyle...it's all that Metallica his daddy makes him listen to.

CLICK...take a PIC

So...I'm very excited to report that I got a REAL camera. I've been motivated by a few friends who have them and I'm tired of taking mediocre snapshots of everything. It's time for the real deal. I looked for weeks, did lots of research, got lots of advice and I am so so thrilled to have a new baby Nikon D40. And it came with a telephoto lens! I supposed that I could blame it on all my mom who found a really cheap book at Big Lots called "how to photograph your baby." Hmmmm...cheap book - expensive camera? I'm sure Mike really appreciates that. But in mom's defense it wasn't just the book. I'm going to take a class in August to learn the basics since I have no clue what I'm doing. Point and shoot. I've heard that's the best way to learn! I'm having lots of fun though.