Precious moments

No longer wanted???

Sean yelled from the loft...
Sean: Mom I have to tell you something!
me: I'm in here....(bedroom)
Sean: Mom I have to tell you something!
me: I'm in the bedroom, Sean...
me: What do you have to tell me, Sean?
Sean: I don't want to be in the family anymore.
me: What? Why don't you wanna be in the family anymore? Mommy and Daddy would be really sad to not have you in the family anymore.
Sean: I wanna get married to Lexi.
me: Oh, you do? (acting surprised, but I'm not really, because he must tell me this 3-4 times a
week) When do you want to get married?
Sean: Now
me: Ok, where will you live?
Sean: Here with you and Dad
me: But Lexi's family would be really sad if she didn't live with them anymore.
Sean: oh.
me: Why do you want to get married so bad?
Sean: So I can be like you and Daddy. And, I wanna dance with Lexi.

awwwwwwwwwwww... had to post so I can remember this when he's 18yrs old.

Easter bunny is coming

Easter is just a few days away. Sean is ready. He made these cute ears at school with Ms. Frances. (it was also "pajama" day at school, which explains the fireman jammies).

Garden is growing

Corn

Pumpkins

We have SPROUTS!!!

Spring has Sprung...

I have been saying for years, that I wanted to try my hand at planting a garden. I felt like I had the perfect space to use. So after some short consideration... I decided that this was the spring to do it, and just decided... WE'RE DOING IT TODAY. So on our way home from getting a coffee, I made Steve go to the Home Depot, where I quickly assessed what I was going to need. We made our purchase, and off we went. I wanted to build a bed... but the premade boxes were pretty expensive (or just more than I wanted to pay). So I got a brilliant (if I do say so myself) idea on the way home. There were some homes under construction in the area... I thought we could drive by and see if they had any scrap wood in the trash dumpsters. They did! I loaded up my truck, while Steve and Sean yelled at me to put the stuff back.... (of course, I did not listen). And here's what Sean and I created!




Pumpkins and watermellon in these two larger areas...

Corn and Romaine Lettuce in these smaller boxes.

JUST A FEW FUN SHOTS

Our new babysitter.

You should always brush your teeth, right after going potty!

STOMP ROCKET!

VERY LIKELY, THE MOST WELL SPENT $14.99 EVER!!!!!!!!!

Sean's 3rd Birthday

Marley Farms... you never know what you're going to see.

Pucker up!

Birthday Party Eve

To say that Sean is excited for his birthday would be a tremendous understatement! He has been discussing his upcoming 3rd birthday, everyday since December. He's been practicing saying "Freb-brew-ary" (February) with such diligence. Tomorrow, Feb 5th we are having a birthday party for him at Marley Farms. We will celebrate again on Monday night, his actual birthday, along with my Mom's birthday with a nice dinner at home, all family included.

So as I mentioned, Sean has been talking about his birthday... and pretty much telling me that EVERYTHING that he sees on TV, he wants for his birthday. (typical for this age... and I'm sure many more years to come) But he's been doing the funniest thing.. that just cracks me up.

A couple weeks ago we were at a park where there was another boy his age playing with something called a "Stomp Rocket". It's a cool toy, that has a Styrofoam rocket that launches into the air when you stomp on a air cushion/pump thing... He played with this thing for nearly an hour... so happy! So ever since then he is obsessed... but not in a whinny, annoying way... Sean has mastered the technique of subtle, subliminal messaging.

Sean tells me......as serious and straight-faced as a discussion about politics... he says "mom, I wanna tell you something.. " pause.. pause.. pause... I say, "what do you want to tell me, Sean?".... pause .. pause.. pause... "stomp rocket" ........... Several hours later while cooking dinner... "Mom, I wanna tell you something..." "Yes, Sean what is it? " .... "Stomp Rocket" ... he walks away... he comes back in about 25 seconds later... "that's what I want for my birthday."

This EXACT same scenario has occurred everyday (or almost everyday) for the past 2.5 weeks. He has not wavered. He has not mentioned another toy, nothing! He knows what he wants and he's going to make sure I know that this is what he wants...

sooooo ... not a single store in Arizona sells this item off the shelf.. it must be ordered online. So I did... and it's now stuck somewhere due to all the horrible storms in the Midwest and East Coast. I'm praying it arrives by his birthday on Monday.

Beau... tough decisions

I've been struggling so much lately with how to handle my precious Beau. He's almost 10 yrs old now. He's completely blind now. His arthritis is so bad that I can just see, feel, and hear his discomfort. He insists on making the hourly trips up and down the stairs, although it's such a daunting task that he usually ends up falling down the first section and often the second section as well. I just know he's going to break something, and I'm fairly sure he has fractured or twisted his foot already. I have to get up with him every couple hours to take him out to go potty, which usually ends up being a 30 minute process, because he can't find his way back to the door to get back in. I think that the going blind portion of him getting old is what is killing me. It is really difficult to see this massive 116 lb, lug-o-love, boxer running into EVERYTHING. He walks into walls, chairs, furniture, people...

It's hard to determine if he's happy, when every day is a struggle.

He appears to be fine if you just look at him. He looks like a well fed, old man. The grey around his muzzle is very distinguished now. :)

It seems like within my family, we've had to put so many dogs to sleep over the past 5 years (all because of old age, or severe cancer). And it feels as if we, as the loving and somewhat selfish owners, wait til the very last minute of their lives to make that decision. Because we can't bare to let them go.

Beau is particularly hard for me. He's been in my life through some very important changes. In more recent years, he's taken a bit of a back seat to Sean, but he understands, and still gets plenty of love.

So every day, I struggle to determine when will it be time for me to make the tough decision? I'm just not sure.

Merry Kis-mis

To hear the audio from the video, go to the bottom of my page, and PAUSE the music player.

Funny Things

Sean has been asking to "do dishes, Mommy". Nearly every night, he wants to do the dishes. Can you believe this? My, goodness... has God sent an Angel down to answer ALL my prayers? Please Lord, let this last for the next 16 years.... pleeeeaseeee.... Man, I love this lad. He's so awesome, and not just because he likes to do the dishes...

Sean has also taken up Photography. This is one of the first photos he has taken. Me, Daddy, and the top of Beau's head. :)

This is just random. But this is our "reverse mohawk" bush. Steve ran out of clipper battery and the bush looked like this for about 3 days. I came home one day and thought we had be vandalized! I had to take a couple pictures of this. Mostly because one of my awesome neighbors HATES "bush-balls". (fyi, a bush ball is any bush that has been attacked by an army of landscapers, and forced to conform to a generic, unnatural, round or foot-stool, formation. So of course I had to call her right away to see if she had witnessed the HAKES' PROTEST of BUSH-BALL-scaping. (of course we had to fix the bush... and it now is perfectly rounded and back to irritating the Allan Family. LOL)

Why I'm Thankful

2010, this Thanksgiving was wonderful. The day started off with a sprint Triathlon for me, which I placed 7th, and ended with VERY full, calorie filled, BELLYS. Thanks to the wonderful cooking skills of friends and family... our dinner was fabulous.

My beautiful best friend, Jody, her husband Forrest, joined us this year.

Of course, all the "regulars" were there. Marti and Bob (not shown in this pic... ) LOL of course this is Mom and Marti, my SEESTER, Andrea, Dad, Steve, Susan and Great Grandpa Bill.

Me and Great Grandpa Bill.

Steve, Susan and Sean. (great picture!)

Halloween, Snuggles and Goggles

Missing in Action... the catch up

It's so sad that I've neglected my Blog lately. I was getting so good at updating it regularly, there for a while. But life gets hectic and time flys by and here I am nearly a month and a half later... all be it, 2:30 in the am. Which of course, I'm not happy about. But I can't sleep, so I might as well.

As many of you know, Steve and I have each embarked on new career journeys recently. I'm having a difficult time with my flexing schedule. I'm doing graveyards at the moment and it is just as hard as I was afraid it would be. I am having a very difficult time adjusting regular life on my days off with working life on my days on. I'm all over the place with my sleeping patterns. I like the job a lot, but I'm terribly nervous about having to work a graveyard shift and living my life like this for an extended period of time. In some ways the schedule is perfect and allows for lots of time as a family throughout the week... but I'm not sure if the trade off on my "days off" is worth it. Pleeeaasse Lord, don't let me get a permanent graveyard shift.

Steve's job is going well. He really likes it and is traveling a bit. Thank God for the kindness of my family who has been more than willing to step in when we need help with Sean, or even sleep over on nights that I'm working. It really does take a village.

Sean is doing GREAT. Words can not express how much I love this little man. He is so affectionate and kind. He is the best darn morning snuggler in the world. He is learning and changing every day. I'm truly amazed with the things he says and does, and behaviors he exhibits. Becoming a mother and parent to this young man is the best thing in the world. Steve would agree. He just rocks our world, and brings so much joy. Lucky for me, I'm raising him with an amazing husband and daddy.

This brings me to the next thing that's been consuming my mind lately. To have another, or stop at one. It was never a consideration of mine to have only one child... but I have to say, I'm really beginning to lean that way. I'm so torn. On one hand.. I am NOT looking forward to possibly going back down that emotional roller coaster of hormones. I am not looking forward to another huge weight gain, after I just finally started feeling really good about myself again. I don't know how I feel about starting at infant again. What I DO know, is that I LOVED having a sibling (although not ALWAYS... but most of the time). I believe that you have a bond that is like no other with a brother or sister. I know that not all children end up liking each other like my sister and I do... but none the less, I'd put my money on the loving bond. The other thing I know is that if we're gonna have another... then we need to get going, because I'm not having one at 40 or with a 4-5 year gap. UGHHHH So, we're kinda at that point where we (maybe just "I") need to make up our/my mind.

Life.... it's crazy, huh?

The Memo

I don't go to church every Sunday... or any Sunday for that matter. But I do know and trust in God. Someone sent this to me in an email in 2004 and it is something that I reflect on often. I find peace in reading these words and I hope it does the same for anyone that may visit my blog.



FROM: GOD

TO: Us!



Effective immediately, please be aware that there are changes YOU need to make in YOUR life. These changes need to be completed in order that I may fulfill My promises to you to grant you peace, joy and happiness in this life. I apologize for any inconvenience, but after all that I am doing, this seems very little to ask of you.

1. QUIT WORRYING

Life has dealt you a blow and all you do is sit and worry. Have you forgotten that I am here to take all your burdens and carry them for you? Or do you just enjoy fretting over every little thing that comes your way?

2. PUT IT ON THE LIST

Something needs to be done or taken care of, Put it on the list. No, not YOUR list. Put it on MY to-do-list. Let ME be the one to take care of the problem. I can't help you until you turn it over to Me. And although My to-do-list is long, I am after all... God. I can take care of anything you put into My hands. In fact, if the truth were ever really known, I take care of a lot of things for you that you never even realize.

3. TRUST ME

Once you've given your burdens to Me, quit trying to take them back. Trust in Me. Have the faith that I will take care of all your needs, your problems and your trials. Problems with the kids? Put them on My list. Problem with finances? Put it on My list. Problems with your emotional roller coaster? For My sake, put it on My list. I want to help you. All you have to do is ask.

4. LEAVE IT ALONE

Don't wake up one morning and say, "Well, I'm feeling much stronger now, I think I can handle it from here." Why do you think you are feeling stronger now? It's simple. You gave Me your burdens and I'm taking care of them. I also renew your strength and cover you in my peace. Don't you know that if I give you these problems back, you will be right back where you started?Leave them with Me and forget about them. Just let Me do my job.

5. TALK TO ME

I want you to forget a lot of things. Forget what was making you crazy. Forget the worry and the fretting because you know I'm in control. But there's one thing I pray you never forget. Please, don't forget to talk to Me - OFTEN! I love YOU! I want to hear your voice. I want you to include Me in on the things going on in your life. I want to hear you talk about your friends and family. Prayer is simply you having a conversation with Me. I want to be your dearest friend.

6. HAVE FAITH

I see a lot of things from up here that you can't see from where you are. Have faith in Me that I know what I'm doing. Trust Me; you wouldn't want the view from My eyes. I will continue to care for you, watch over you, and meet your needs. You only have to trust Me. Although I have a much bigger task than you, it seems as if you have so much trouble just doing your simple part. How hard can trust be?

7. SHARE

You were taught to share when you were only two years old. When did you forget? That rule still applies. Share with those who are less fortunate than you. Share your joy with those who need encouragement. Share your laughter with those who haven't heard any in such a long time. Share your tears with those who have forgotten how to cry. Share your faith with those who have none.

8. BE PATIENT

I managed to fix it so in just one lifetime you could have so many diverse experiences. You grow from a child to an adult, have children, change jobs many times, learn many trades, travel to so many places, meet thousands of people, and experience so much. How can you be so impatient then when it takes Me a little longer than you expect to handle something on My to-do-list? Trust in My timing, for My timing is perfect. Just because I created the entire universe in only six days, everyone thinks I should always rush, rush, rush.

9. BE KIND

Be kind to others, for I love them just as much as I love you. They may not dress like you, or talk like you, or live the same way you do, but I still love you all. Please try to get along, for My sake. I created each of you different in some way. It would be too boring if you were all identical. Please, know I love each of your differences.

10. LOVE YOURSELF

As much as I love you, how can you not love yourself? You were created by me for one reason only -- to be loved, and to love in return. I am a God of Love. Love Me. Love your neighbors. But also love yourself. It makes My heart ache when I see you so angry with yourself when things go wrong. You are very precious to me. Don't ever forget that!

With all My heart I love YOU! God
(author of this essay unknown)

2010 Firefigher Challenge

My sister and her teammates, Sarah and Cian participate in this fundraiser every year for Cystic Fibrosis. I'm so proud to have her as my sister, she's amazing. This was a fun day for us! Sean had a GREAT time being an honorary Tempe Fireman.