School shopping

This year we tried something different with the girls. Instead of the tears, throwing themselves on the floor, saying no that is too much and then crying because their feet are tired, oh wait that was just me. we told the girls you have x amount fo money each for school clothes and you get to choose what you want. You blow it on one thing then that is it and I do not want to hear one thing.

The planning went down for a few days and a place was decided where we could maximize their dollars. Woo Hoo.

We got a late start because there was not way I was going early. I had a day off and I was going shopping. Sleep was needed. Turned out Menji forgot is his lunch in the frig that day so we took mercy on him and went to lunch at a favorite restaurant and even made him pay. I drooled and had a salad because I was going to the Cheesecake factory with a bunch of women that night. Just a side note, I thought I was gonna have enough time to go home and freshen up but did not.

After a awesome lunch we headed to the shopping place of hell and got to it. First stop, JC Penny outlet. PS got the undergarments, camisoles (2 each of almost every color!) and socks she wanted. PGG got some shirts, undies and socks, she also scored two pairs of sandles she can wear to school! Off to the car to drop that load off. Next was the Old Navy Outlet where both girls got excatly what they were after. I think, Justice, Aeropostale, The childrens place, American Eagle, Quicksilver and the Converse stores were thrown in there too.

When all was said and done, I think they did a great job and it was cute to see them calculate things in their heads, decided what was worth spending and not spending on. I think each of them got a thing they really wanted and compromised on things they could live with out.

I will be doing this again!

Weekend Stuff

This weekend was filled with teenagers, beach and too many meetings.

Trying to find the balance with the teenagers is always fun, or not. PS had friends over on Friday night and one spent the night. So I loaded up on Pizza, chips and soda and waited for the arrival of everyone one. We had less people then I thought but a fun time was had by the teenagers.

PGG is having a hard time to adjusting to PS having friends over all the time. PGG is not at a place where we had a ton of friends. There are not a lot at church her age and in the neighborhood there is only one girl. So things can be funny for her. What crack me up even more is that Ryan is one of her favorite playmates. Yep Ryan is a boy and they get along so well.

Saturday we headed out to the beach. It was so crowded and the waves were HUGE! We had funa nd got lots of sand and really wet. Still terrified to take my camera to the beach unless I am holding it the entire time so no pictures there. I need to use the blackberry and get more pictures that way.

Sunday was a meeting day and I was at church at 7:30 am. That should be outlawed!!!

This week is a full week and I will throw some pictures up at some point!

So I have been harrassed

I am not really blogging and people are missing it. It is nice to know that if I got hit by a bus someone would notice.

So what has the summer been? It has been strange. With no summer vacation planed but possibly a small one right before school starts again. Yes you read that right school is not far from starting again. Remember long summers from when we were children, does not happen out here.

The summer started with Princess Seriously heading out to girls camp. The same one I spent my summers at. I still think that is funny cause I can tell her things and she can come home and describe things that I know. It is just a funny quirky thing that makes me laugh. Princess Girly Girl hung out with friends that week. Then we started right back into Water Polo and the early morning practice. I do want to say that 6:30practice during the summer is not fun! What in the world happened to sleeping in? Not happening.

Princess Girly Girl is taking care of her class Gecko for the summer. He is a funny looking thing that eats crickets and save some for later. But it is really cute to see her chatting with him and taking him outside for air every day. He is a different Gecko once he is outside. I think we might be keeping the house too cold for him.

Speaking of HOT, it started as a nice cool summer. NO LONGER. WOW what a shift in one week. But it gives us pool float time.

So Water Polo is done for the summer. Woo Hoo. Those were long days wating for three games, but they were always exciting. I discovered I can not text, scream and take pictures at the same time. Speaking of pictures photography is so picking up. I did my first wedding, check my photo blog after the weekend I will have some pictures up for that. They were an adorable couple that were just so cute! They had fun! I love fun weddings. But the even better part is my helper. PS came and backed me up and can I tell you she has an eye also. She got some great shots too. I think if I ever do another wedding she is my helper!

We have headed to the beach last weekend. We did the bonfire at night an froze. It was wonderful after being so hot. Then Princess Girly Girl came home to a sinus infection. She also does not do long car rides well. Poor thing gets car sick. Augh.

We are headed back out to the beach. Where I will probably get more sunburnt.

There are many things in this world...

...that I think this is too much and too hard to deal with. Then I get hit upside the head with a 2x4 (just for you Melanie) and think , ok I can do this. There are things that are much worse.

Seeing someone pass on to the next world make your pensive.

Summer is moving along

This has been a strange summer. The girls are having their usual I am bored but they are truly busy. We seem to have been everywhere and yet had our share of down days. It is strange to have an active teenage and a pre-teen. I look and think there are is really only one more summer for PS before she is in college. That would be next summer, the summer of her Junior year. Gasp. She she not even started her Sophmore year and here I am think about next summer. PGG is just her cute self and having fun.

There is more to talk about but for the moment, I must get going and will try to be back today to chat more :)

9 months

Today marks 9 months since dear sweet Danny went to heaven. My heart is with Donnann, Dan and Madison today. Please keep them in your prayers.

It seems that lately death has been part of my life and I am at a point of being to terrified to ask what is next? I have tried to pop in on Gina a few times, she is busy with trying to get on with life and that makes my heart feels good. There seems to be cars in her driveway everyday and that makes my heart feels really good that she has people that love and care for her.

Life is hard and at times there is what seems to be bad news all around but sometimes there is good mixed in there and that is what keeps me going.

I have lots to blog about and just need the time to find to sit and do it.

But for today, it is about my dear friend Donnann. Nine months, it seems like yesterday and yet it seems so long ago. How does one go on?

Late night phone calls.

Tuesday night the house phone rang at 10:30 pm. Gina, who is our dear neighbor across the street was frantic. She was home alone with her husband Bill. Bill has been very sick since 2004 since he had his first stroke. He broke his hip, then his femer then another stoke. We enjoyed spending time with them, we would go over all the time. In 2007 Gina got really really sick and was in the hospital and we helped with Bill's care. Menji loved to go watch movies with him and we just adore them.

It was time for Bill to pass on and Gina was alone with him and not ready. She called us to please come over. We threw on clothes cause we were in our jammies and ran over. We got there just in time. About 5 minutes we were there, Bill did pass on.

It was very strange to be in the presence of a dying person. I mean we were there when our much loved dog passed on and that was so sad but a person. I can not say it was sad. It was, it really was because Gina lost her best friend. But is was also happy because Bill was free.

Sidenote, Menji look a sleepaid that night and he was fading fast after the inital rush of emotion. He just needed to walk across the street and get home. He said he bumped into a few walls but was in bed when I got home.

We called her sons and had to wait for the hospice nurse to get there. Ria was the sweetest nurse I have ever met. Truly. I had to help with a few things like disposing of pain meds and things and getting information. Gina was able to get her pastor to come over and the other neighbor came over. We were all there just trying to be there for dear Gina. We went to town cleaning and trying to get her to sit.

Her sons arrived at different times and they each got a moment to say good bye. That was so hard to watch. Gina asked that I stay with her. What do you say to that? The middle son came, then a few hours later the oldest son came with his sweet wife. The mortuary waited for the oldest son before the took Bill and I was so impressed with those young boys that came and handled everything with such respect.

So that has been the last few days. I checked on Gina yesterday and all the neighbors are checking on her too. I figure we are going to be having one more person at the dinner table here.