Charity's Crazy Beautiful Life

12 years -- I can't believe it!

My oldest, Daziel, turned 12 today.

 

Twelve years ago, I was seventeen. Having him changed my life forever... and I would not change it for anything. Twelve years later, I hope I'm making as much of a difference in his life as he has made in mine.
I love you Daziel, Happy Birthday!!!

"Sisters" -- Enjoying the View

Through this journey my family has been on over the last few months, you've heard me say the word "sister' a few times. And you may be wondering how many sisters I actually have. Well... I am blessed to have five wonderful sisters!! Over the next few weeks, I will introduce them all to you, in no particular order, except for who's on my heart. Enjoy this episode of "Sisters".

Earlier this month, the kids and I were in Battle Ground visiting my little sister... 

 

Alisha. (Who is actually my little step-sister. But I don't like to call her that, because I just don't like the word "step" -- it sound so mean. And maybe that's because I think of Cinderella.) But anyhow, while I was there visiting Alisha, I was impressed with so many things!! First off, that she lives out in the country in a house all by herself. Ok, so her Uncle does live on the same piece of property. But, she goes to sleep out in the country all by herself. And she's only 22 -- and she's not even afraid!

 

I was impressed with the view from her front porch! It was so pretty and perfect with the plush green grass, the white picket fence, and Mt. Saint Helen's off in the distance. 

I was impressed with the view from her back porch as the sun was setting...

 

The perfect blend of pinks and blues in the sky. The way the trees frame it out.

But mostly while I was there, I was impressed with my little sister.

She has grown up so much from that little girl I met when I was thirteen. That was the year that my mom married her dad and I gained two little sisters...something I had always wanted! She was six. My Colby's age. And she was cute. And sometimes she was not. And now...she is growing up. She's got a good head on her shoulders. She's in college and will graduate next year. She's focused and has an awesome GPA. She volunteers for CASA and she is going to go to Law School and fight for children's rights. She keeps her house clean and her laundry caught up and she cooks for herself. She doesn't go out and party alot, nope, she does her homework instead. She took my kids each separately after dinner on three different nights into town for dessert and to pick out a Mother's Day gift...for me. She touched my heart with her kindness. By how much she has grown. By how I was able to hold such grown up conversations with her. And by how much I got to know her as the woman she has become. 

 

Even though she's no longer a little girl, she's still my little sister. And I sure am enjoying the view!

Idol Pilot

This boy of mine, my youngest... Colby?

 

(Picture courtesy Allyssa's camera -- yes, I'm a photo thief. :-)

Yeah, well, he has had a movie obsession for a while. Not in a horrible way (I don't think). I mean, he's very active and loves to play outside and is by no means a couch potato...but...he loves to watch movies. And he has an obsessive tendency to want to watch the same move over...and over...and over...(you get my point). For months on end, as much as he can (which means daily if I'd let him), until he's over it. Then he moves on to his next theatrical fixation.

It began with Finding Nemo before he turned two. Then Dumbo. Then...well, he's moved on to much bigger and better things. Like...Tom Cruise and airplanes. Yep, for the last few months his favorite movie has been Top Gun.  He even got a Build-A-Bear a while back that he named Goose and dressed in a white navy uniform, complete with aviator glasses. (All his idea, I'm not kidding!) 

So, for the past few months, Colby has been walking around doing things like...asking us to call him Maverick. And telling us that he wants to be a Navy pilot. Not things that are too off base for my military brat. Things that we find quite cute, actually.

But the cutest thing of all? Well, besides when he wanders out to see what I'm doing every time there is a "smooching scene"? The funniest thing was tonight, when we were watching the finale of American Idol...

He was cuddled up next to me watching the show, and with the most serious look on his face he said, "Mom, you know what I want to do when I grow up BEFORE I become a Navy pilot?" And without leaving room for me to utter a word, he continued, "I want to be an American Idol. Then I can be an Idol Pilot!"

I think he was referring to Auto Pilot. But hey, he's six -- and really -- it's all just semantics, right? What do I think about it? I think the world is his oyster! I say, Colby, be who you wanna be. Do what you wanna do. And if being and Idol Pilot is your dream? Then so be it!!

Haircuts and an Update

So...do you ever do something drastic when you need a change? Or when life gets too mundane? Or stressful? Or because you're tired and hot and PMSing? (Sorry guys!) Well, yesterday, my darling daughter, Allyssa, and I went and got haircuts. Not a trim, either. Like, newer, shorter cuts. Read into that what you will...

And because I knew you'd ask to see -- I went ahead and took some pictures. (Really, I'm ONLY showing you the pictures of me because my hubby will want to see them. You know I'm not a big fan of posting pictures of my big ole melon head on here.)

  

Ok, yeah, so...trying to take my own picture in the mirror -- yeah, not so good at that. On to Allyssa's cute new do.

 

Oh my GOSH doesn't this make her look grown up?? Why'd I let her talk me into it? Why?

 

Because she's turning ten this year, so I figure I'd better start letting her have a say in these types of decisions. But I won't let her have a say in how many pictures of her I will take.

 

Even when she covers her face and says "pleeeeaaaassssseee stop, I think you have plenty"...nope, not me. I don't stop taking pictures of my kiddos. Even when they beg! I like to torture them like that.

 

She does, however, get to have a say in what pretty little things she gets to put in her hair.

Ok, ok, I know you want a better shot of me and my new haircut. I knew you'd ask. So, I talked the kids into taking pictures for me. Here ya go.

 

Wowza!! So I wasn't even planning on getting it cut yesterday. But I was hot. And it was driving me nuts. And...look how dang short it is!?!!!?!! I think I'll like it much better when it grows out a bit. I might even decide to get it angled a little bit. Or...not. 

And just for good measure...not that the kids aren't good at taking pictures...I asked my sister, Ange, to take a picture of me when she got home from work.

 

So now, for the update. Yes, we FINALLY have Daziel's passport. (Woo hoo, woo hoo. I actually did a happy dance when we got it last Friday -- my sister's dog started howling because I was making such an uproar.) We had booked a flight for this week, but now we ARE NOT flying to Japan this Thursday, the 21st as originally planned. We have to take a flight that has room for our beloved, dog, Nicholas who is much a part of our family. That flight didn't have room and we found that shipping him unaccompanied is going to just be way too expensive. So, I'm looking into a flight date of next week that will have room for the dog. So, we won't get to spend Daziel's Birthday this weekend with Craig, but we will be able to spend it with family. The poor Daz man...he is going to have to fly back to the states in about a month for his summer visitation with his Dad. I hate flying!! I hope he doesn't mind it as much as I do. I guess he'll be a pretty seasoned international traveler at the end of this assignment to Japan.

So, that's that for now. I'll update more when I know more. We're at my sister, Ange's in Cheney, until then...enjoying our new haircuts, which really means, wondering "what the heck were we thinking!???!??"

Tomato, Tomahto, Bacon, Bakin', let's call the whole thing off!

This is my brother-in-law, Darold.

  

He likes to cook. And he's good at it! We like to talk cooking.

 

This is my darling niece, Sarah Grace. She looks adorable in blue and she loves to bake! She's good at it and makes sweet, yummy treats! She wants to grow up and be a pastry chef. I'm sure you recognize my daughter, Allyssa Hope. She's usually pretty game for about anything, especially when it involves her cousins.

The story:

(Setting) The girls were in my sister's kitchen, looking like they needed something to do. Uncle Darold was in the kitchen too... surprise, surprise!

Darold: "Hey, Allyssa, do you like bakin'?"

Allyssa: "Yeah, I LOVE it!!!"

Darold: "Well, then would you girls like to bake a cake?"

Allyssa: "With BACON!?!???"

Enjoyable Evening

 

Yes, an enjoyable evening indeed! With Aunt Kimmie and Uncle Lance...and cousins Madisen and Chloe and "The Andy Griffith Show".  

This week we're staying with my sister, Kim, in Portland (Oregon, not Maine).  I know, I know...you are all wondering how many darn sisters I have (if you're not one of them :-) I'll fill you in on that later. Right now I want to tell you that my kids went to bed very excited tonight. Because tomorrow night Uncle Lance is taking the boys to a Portland Beavers baseball game and Kim and I are taking the girls to the mall to shop.  With money they earned by setting up a spa and charging us old and aching adults $2 for massages. You know they earned bank on that one!!

Side Note:  I just watched Grey's and it made me cry tonight. And I'm FAR FROM a tv crier. I don't cry at Hallmark commercials, or Lifetime movies (heck, I don't even watch those!)...I didn't even cry when I watched Marley and Me! But for whatever reason, I cried tonight. Izzy Stevens made me cry. 

Anyhow, it was a very nice night...crying and all! I hope you had an enjoyable evening as well! Nighty night. Over and Out! Hasta Pasta.

I have issues (no need to agree) and I need your help!

So yes, I have issues. Of many kinds. In many ways. And I know that every reader to this blog could weigh in here and together you could all have a fun roast in my honor. But that really isn't necessary. Why? Yes, yes, I know it could be alot of fun. But it's not necessary for you to point out all of my neuroses because, well, I dwell on them and point them out all on my own.  And I'm very good at it, actually. Thanks for asking! 

 

So what's my point? Well, I just wanted to let you all know that sometimes I don't blog because I have issues. Do you want to know what they are? They are really silly and stupid and...stupid! But I'm sharing them with you in the hopes that you can sit me down and talk to me about these issues so I can blog more often. So you can read about my crazy crap more often. So you can stop clicking on this page and getting the same old crazy crap. I know, I know, it drives me nuts too! So...

 

Blogging issue one: Sometimes I don't blog because I don't have a picture to go along with my post. And I hate to post without a picture. But here is the funny thing: I have tons of pictures because I take tons of pictures all the time! So why not insert some random photos into posts that don't have pictures to go with them, you say?  Ok, then, I'll do that from now on! Problem solved! Inserting a few random photos from the last few months.

Blogging issue two: Other times, like tonight, I want to blog about something. Something specific that I actually do have pictures to go with.  But I don't have my camera handy to download the pictures from. Like tonight, for instance, my camera is out in my van.  And guess what people? I love you!! But I'm not walking out there in the cold, while in my pajamas, to get it. Nope, not doing it!  So why not post about some other random nonsense, then? So that you don't have to click on this page to read the same old random nonsense again? And then blog about that other, more specific nonsense with pictures to go with it, tomorrow? Ok, I guess I can do that too! Sheesh! I didn't realize you'd be so helpful in solving my blogging issues...problem solved! Currently posting about random nonsense.

 

Blogging issue three: Many other times, I'm too busy watching tv to blog. Wow, not the issue you expected? You thought I'd say I'm too busy reading to my kids or folding laundry, didn't you?  Well...nope...that's not it! Because I do those things earlier in my day. And I'm a late night blogger. (Hey, I'm just being honest here.) So, as I was saying, I'm a tv watcher. That's how I wind down at night. I watch my favorite shows. Tonight -- American Idol baby (Adam! Adam! Adam!). Sorry! So, now you're telling me that since I bought myself a new laptop (yes, I did!!), and since you know that I actually like to "multitask", that I should blog while watching those shows on tv? Well, hmnnn...uughhh...errmmhhh...I guess I hadn't thought of that!! Hey, good point there! I could actually do that! Problem solved!! (You know, you're good at this!!) Ok, I am not watching tv at the moment. But the next time I post, you'll be wondering what I'm watching, I know you will!!

 

Blogging issue four:  I like to write. I don't like to edit. I like to do things right. I don't like to edit. And to be honest, I'm not the worlds best speller.  (No, I know I don't suck at it either.  But I also know how often I use dictionary.com, and how often I should use it.)  Yes, this blog does have spell check that I can use. But guess what? I hate using it!!! Because my children are named Daziel, Killian, Allyssa and Colby. And I blog about them alot. And guess what, ALL of their names get picked up on this stupid spell check thing! And...and...it's just darn annoying is what it is!  Did I mention that I don't like to edit? And to add to all that, I use too many commas, hyphens, and ellipses...and I start sentences with the word And and But and put exclamations after EVERYTHING!! So...I don't like to edit, but because I like things done right, I can't just say "who cares" about the spelling and grammar stuff. Because it bugs me to read it, so it must bug you, right? Right!?!  So, anyone out there willing to read my blog posts and then send me and nice little email to let me know what my typos are?  Hmnnn..anyone good at spelling and grammar and being kind and sweet?  Please don't post it in my comments, though, because that would lead to utter embarrassment! Anyone? Anyone? Ok, I got it!! I'll just have to do it. I need to get over it and edit already!!  Editing now.

So that's it, folks. Those are the issues I sometimes have about blogging. Nope, it's not EVER because I don't have anything to say. I ALWAYS have something to say!!!  And I thank each and every one of you for being willing to listen to all that I have to say!!! Listening to my crazy crap, my random nonsense, and tonight, to my issues! And thanks for this great conversation, too! You were a great help!!!!!