Shaking the Tree

Well, my 7-month pregnancy is over. (we were in denial the first 2 months so it's been a short one lol) On July 31st we welcomed Addi into our little family. When I first discovered I was pregnant, I was in shock! I thought I was done having kids. Moreover, I thought I was done being pregnant. I don't enjoy pregnancy like some women. I'd have had more kids if I didn't have to endure the 9 months of being uncomfortable or sick and what have you. But I will say that in the end, it's all worth it. And love, at first sight, takes over. Mary

I've been sitting here thinking about things and in a roundabout way and the subject of my dad came up. See, I tend to have my dad on a pedestal, he can do no wrong in my eyes. My husband makes fun of me all the time about it. The little girl in me still can't get enough of him. My teenage parent's shotgun wedding didn't last. As a matter of fact, the thought of my bio-parents... together... weird. I have only one memory of us together at Disneyland, and it's a vague one at that. (Hubs thinks this is the seed of my Disneyland obsession) Anyway being the daughter of teen parents wasn't easy, they made many mistakes and relied on family members to help take care of me until I was about 5 years old. I am grateful in my case that I wasn't given up for adoption, which was the trend back in the early '70s. They both did the best they could with their given situations. Trust me, not all 17 year old boys turn out to be such caring individuals. My p...

So obviously it's been forever and a day since I have blogged. Today I was bored, I've watched way too much television, searched Craigslist more than I ever care to again, and Facebooked to death. so I thought why not check out the blog o sphere. Lots of my old blogger friends have abandoned their blogs as well. It made me kind of sad. So, time for an update... Well, the last year has been incredibly crazy and filled with surprises, sadness, and changes. I think last I left off here I announced our move to California and I was on the road with a client running for political office. Well, we survived the election even though she lost. Would I ever do a political campaign again? Probably not, just not my thing, but the money was right for the time since business was so bad last year. The kids have adjusted rather well to California. Come to find out, there were a few things our son was happy to leave behind in B.C. One was a bully! That's another post for another time. B...

I've been gone, gone, gone.... but now I'm back. Sorry no new exciting gigs to report on, its always scary slow during the Christmas ~ New Year stretch. I made a quick cash on New Years Eve at the Bellagio , I was back home by 9:30 pm covered in glitter from the Ice Princess Atmosphere models we prepped for the grand ball. Of course, I forgot my camera.. sheesh , someday I'll get the hang of that. But I didn't forget my camera on this day a few weeks ago. My siblings (and cousin Angie who is like my little sister) and I got together to cook a few days before Christmas, in an effort to bring our family traditions to Vegas. Our mothers spent hours over the stoves in one another's homes making tamales, posole , tortillas and cookies for the holidays. So we did the same for a day, it was well worth the calories just to revisit good childhood memories and make new ones with our own kids running amok. The day after Christmas we headed to the snow in our Taurus. ...

Well here are the results of the Rockstar Makeover Birthday party I put together for my little girl a few weeks ago. Again here are the fun invites we made together. She actually wasn't into decorations too much and her cake was an idea we got from Jeanette's blog of her daughter's birthday. A donut cake. Easy pleasey! I am sure parents wanna kill me for these buckets o' beauty fun. I hate play makeup, its just gross. So I ordered some real fun from E.L.F. cosmetics and hit the dollar bins at Target. And as you can see, the future rockstars very much enjoyed getting ready for their big show. Another thing these rockstar's moms love me for is the hair teasing and blue streaks their wholesome daughters returned home with. We topped the fun off with a little photoshoot, minus the rock outfits my mom dropped off at 9p.m. I never did get a shot of them, they're black and teal leopard print vests and skirts. Nor did I get a shot of the rocker charm bracelets th...

And they say its just like riding a bike!  You never forget!  When was the last time they were on a bike?  Me... a long time.  The Tobler's put together a FHE bike challenge, complete with obstacle courses, races, cookies and prizes. I thought I'd share the pictures of us adults attempting to maneuver these contraptions. I'm not sure what you would call this look on my face.  Fear or embarrassment ... whadaya think? Why is it boys can pick up where they left off? Although unlike the kids, they did have penalties... But at least they could actually steer around the poles unlike Rachelle and I. Doesn't matter!  We all got cookies anyway! Good times with good friends and doing new things is always good for the soul. What about you?  When was the last time you were one with your bike? See Crabtree Concoctions for more bike off fun with the kids.   email me if you don't have an invite to my family blog mary@maryrc.com Bicycle Race by Queen, Jazz 1978

Am I the only thirty something year old who just misses their "Mommy" from time to time? Am I the only grown woman who wants to stomp their feet now and then? Am I the only wife/ parent/adult who wants to hide from the world in their mother's embrace once in a blue moon? Once again I have neglected to appreciate who and what a person does for me. My mother came to B.C. to help me out with the kids when Mike took the job in CA. It was such a relief to have her here. I knew my children were cared for and happy while I was working. But alas, she had to return home. She stayed a month, a very short month indeed. As I cleaned out the area of my room she was staying in, I became very sad to see the bed and dresser go. I want her back! (stomp! stomp!) My mom and I have been through alot together. She's had a tough life and tried to make the best of it with the knowledge and skills that she has. I've done my best not to be a burden to my parents over the years, as the han...

I like to curl up on the couch under a lamp to read... My son likes to read lying in his bed. My mom has recently discovered the ease of audiobooks. My daughter likes to read in a creative fashion. What is your reading position?

Self Portrait Tuesday! 5 elements of Summer. WATER As I was pondering this week's SPT I started to think how we as humans gravitate to bodies of water or a water hole of some sort. I suppose it is survival instinct . We cant live without it right? Every summer that I can remember, I think there has always been a "water hole" in this crazy thing I call my life. Water Hole #1 The Colorado River Me and my great friend Stephanie Canada 1995, Oh and my dad! I was always the skinniest kid on the beachy shores, playing in the sand making drip castles and floating around the points in a giant orange life jacket. We were always surrounded by friends and fun. I couldn't find the picture I was looking for so I compromised. :-) There is nothing like the River to cool a person off in 115 degree heat! Water Hole #2 Clear Creek Canyon As a teenager in Winslow we hung out at The Creek, which was pretty much a deep canyon filled with water. I was so happy I found this picture o...

Well this is my first time participating with SPT . I've been reading my buddy Jeanette's blogs and really dig the idea. So this weeks topic is "SUN" one of my favorite topics.. What can I say about the sun other than he is my friend. I was born in Needles CA one of the hottest places in the country, where the sun shines 98% of the time. I was raised in Arizona where it only shines a little less. I guess you can say I am a product of my environment. I do not think I even realized he was a part of my life, I had no idea what a good friend the sun was to me until I moved away from him. I spent a brief stint in the 1990's in St. Louis, MO, 1 year, 5 months 2 weeks and 3 days to be exact. And as much as I missed my family and friends, I missed the sun more. It hid behind oogles of weather conditions on a constant basis. I would get so angry at the weather man when he would say, "Tomorrow there will be chances of Partly Sunny conditions at 12:03 p.m." Oh ho...

Now that summer has arrived and business has slowed, I find myself preparing more meals for my family! Mike has been a great sport but I swear, if my children roll their eyes and say "blech!" one more time at the dinner table!! I will pull everyone of my hairs out of my head with tweezers!! I realize this is my fault, as a working mom my children have become acostom to their father's cooking these last 4 years. But really, a person can only have bean burritos and rice so many times!! Chicken nuggets, cheese burgers and pizza?!! Gag me with a spoon!! (I 'm dating myself ;) I used to think of myself as a decent cook, but lately my gourmet ego is in a shambles! I have been torturing my family recently by trying new recipes to liven up dinner. So far I have had mediocre reaction. Martha Stewart is failing miserably here!! The only recipes that the kids will injest so far have been from my friend's kitchens. So to all of my friends I am asking you sincerely for your h...