I was so excited to get up today! I knew I was taking a day off...a whole day to read, write on my blog, take a long shower!! Oh I am so happy that the official end of tax season is here. Of course, I am not really done, I have some folks and businesses on extension that have to be completed as quickly as possible. But the crunch of getting to all of those returns and the stress of trying to complete 6 months worth of work in 2.5 months is over.
Yesterday I pulled an all nighter, I am really trying NOT to do that anymore. I have finally come to the realization that I need my sleep! I used to get away with only 5 or 6 hours, but now I need 7 or 8 and if I don't get that for a few days I get sick. But I slept like a baby last night! And woke up with the best attitude!
I bought the 3rd book in the Twilight series and will start it in a few minutes! How delicious to just sit and read all day!! Oh this day is better than Christmas!
Tomorrow Katy and Mackenzie are off school and we will go out to lunch and maybe see a movie. On Saturday Katy has her 2nd soccer game of this season. I will try to remember to bring my camera to the game.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Sunny, Windy, Icy, Snowy...
I have always said that if you like weather, any weather at all. Then Kansas City is the place for you! In the last 2 weeks we have had days with 81 degrees and sunny and a weekend like the last one with 26 degrees and 6 inches of snow! Today is about 60 and they are saying more snow on Wednesday! It is so weird!!
But I love weather, rain, snow, wind, or sun! I don't care as long as it isn't the same thing for too long. Which is why I live in the Midwest! In San Diego we used to get "Breaking News" on the television in which the newscasters would break in to your program to tell you that a storm was on the way. There would be this really intense music that made you think you should go to the hardware store and buy large pieces of plywood to put up over your windows and stop at the grocery store to stock up on canned goods! And then...when the (I'll use this term loosely) storm arrived, you'd get one half of an inch of rain!! I am not kidding folks...this is totally true! And the newscasters would sit on the air congratulating themselves for warning everyone and making sure everyone in their viewing area was safe from...what...drowning their big toes?! Talk about a let down!
Which is why, just after I moved here in 99, I watched as the news predicted a large storm in our area, with a Tornado Warning. I watched the whole thing play out on the television and from the window of my home. I watched because I didn't really believe them, even when they said you should be in your basement and NOT watching out of your window! OK, so I learned a valuable lesson...and I didn't get killed which is great because now I actually go ahead and go down to the basement and watch the television down there...yes, I can be taught.
Saturday was actually kind of fun. My friend and neighbor Karen was having a Baby Shower for one of our other neighbors, Amy who is having her 3rd boy. I was in charge of the games...yea for me! I like games at baby showers, I know not everyone does, but I am corny that way.
So the shower was at 10am which worked out perfect as it didn't start to snow until noon. We ended up with about 6 inches of snow. The girls played indoors, mostly in the basement. We had an extra girl, Mackenzie's best friend Kayla came over and spent the night on Friday. This was Mackenzie's first official sleepover. She was so excited and so was Kayla, they did not get a lot of sleep!
I had to send the nanny home early on Saturday because by 3pm the snow was really starting to pile up. So I stopped working for the day a little early and made a big pot of chili and a batch of corn bread muffins. It is so cozy and warm in our house and so wonderful to sit at our table with all of my children eating a cozy meal and watching the snow fall outside. I imagine this could be the last snow fall, at least measurable snow fall, for this season. Spring is ready to burst out here, some of our trees already have flowers on them.
As much as I love the winter and how it makes me feel, I also love the Spring. This year I am having a protion of our yard dug up for a vegetable garden. I am NOT going to try to do anything extraordinary! So don't worry, just a few vegatables. We are going to concentrate on tomatoes and cucumbers since we eat so much of those. We might add some lettuce, but I am not sure. I think the girls will really love to do this and it is something I have always wanted to do. I will let you know how it turns out.
But I love weather, rain, snow, wind, or sun! I don't care as long as it isn't the same thing for too long. Which is why I live in the Midwest! In San Diego we used to get "Breaking News" on the television in which the newscasters would break in to your program to tell you that a storm was on the way. There would be this really intense music that made you think you should go to the hardware store and buy large pieces of plywood to put up over your windows and stop at the grocery store to stock up on canned goods! And then...when the (I'll use this term loosely) storm arrived, you'd get one half of an inch of rain!! I am not kidding folks...this is totally true! And the newscasters would sit on the air congratulating themselves for warning everyone and making sure everyone in their viewing area was safe from...what...drowning their big toes?! Talk about a let down!
Which is why, just after I moved here in 99, I watched as the news predicted a large storm in our area, with a Tornado Warning. I watched the whole thing play out on the television and from the window of my home. I watched because I didn't really believe them, even when they said you should be in your basement and NOT watching out of your window! OK, so I learned a valuable lesson...and I didn't get killed which is great because now I actually go ahead and go down to the basement and watch the television down there...yes, I can be taught.
Saturday was actually kind of fun. My friend and neighbor Karen was having a Baby Shower for one of our other neighbors, Amy who is having her 3rd boy. I was in charge of the games...yea for me! I like games at baby showers, I know not everyone does, but I am corny that way.
So the shower was at 10am which worked out perfect as it didn't start to snow until noon. We ended up with about 6 inches of snow. The girls played indoors, mostly in the basement. We had an extra girl, Mackenzie's best friend Kayla came over and spent the night on Friday. This was Mackenzie's first official sleepover. She was so excited and so was Kayla, they did not get a lot of sleep!
I had to send the nanny home early on Saturday because by 3pm the snow was really starting to pile up. So I stopped working for the day a little early and made a big pot of chili and a batch of corn bread muffins. It is so cozy and warm in our house and so wonderful to sit at our table with all of my children eating a cozy meal and watching the snow fall outside. I imagine this could be the last snow fall, at least measurable snow fall, for this season. Spring is ready to burst out here, some of our trees already have flowers on them.
As much as I love the winter and how it makes me feel, I also love the Spring. This year I am having a protion of our yard dug up for a vegetable garden. I am NOT going to try to do anything extraordinary! So don't worry, just a few vegatables. We are going to concentrate on tomatoes and cucumbers since we eat so much of those. We might add some lettuce, but I am not sure. I think the girls will really love to do this and it is something I have always wanted to do. I will let you know how it turns out.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Half way through!
We are officially half way through Tax Season!! Yea for me! I just had a quick minute to get on here and write a few things.
The girls and Randy are all doing well. We had a bout with some kind of illness about 2 weeks ago, it went through the tribe and settled on me for some reason, so while everyone else was sick for a day or two, I had it for a week!
Our schedule is pretty light right now, no soccer or big musical productions. The girls still have dance every week, they are preparing for the year-end production in June of Lion King. We have that one week before we leave for Disneyland and San Diego.
Oh yah...we have a new little girl!! We call her Angie, at this time she is my foster daughter and I have no idea how the case will turn out. She is very sweet, shy and really sad. She is 22 months old and her mother only ever spoke to her in spanish...even though her mother is caucasian and 100% American. I can't really say anything more about that at this time. But it really has been hard on Angie. I speak a little bit of Spanish, just enough to make me dangerous. Angie doesn't speak at all, she is terribly delayed in speech and other areas. But she is picking up sign language so she can communicate her needs to us.
Angie loves to eat! She eats everything except salad, which she is getting more used to every day. She still drank from a bottle when she arrived, even took a bottle to bed (Don't get me started on that!) but I got her off the bottle right away and she is terrific with a cup!
The girls are loving having another little sister to love on. Ava Marie is not being pushed aside, so don't worry. In fact, she acts like she is the bigger sister to Angie, she gives her toys and offers her some of her snack. And one day, when Angie seemed a little overwhelmed and was standing in the middle of the kitchen crying, Ava came over and patted her on the back and then kissed her cheek. It was so precious! I love that my girls are learning to be kind and share with someone else. Of course Ava doesn't really understand, but the others do. And Madyson is also really rising to the occasion. She is now smack in the middle of the bunch, and she is really beginning to act more like a big girl. She used to whine and beg me to dress her in the morning, which, under the right (or should I say wrong) circumstances, I would sometimes do!! I know...I know it was wrong, but some days we are in quite a hurry and I will do anything to get out of this house on time! Or at least try to.
So there you have it. We are still alive and thriving. My business is booming, Thank you Lord! I just don't have a lot of time and will not until after the 15th of April or sometime around that date!
I will try to get on again and post some Valentine pictures. Have a great February!
The girls and Randy are all doing well. We had a bout with some kind of illness about 2 weeks ago, it went through the tribe and settled on me for some reason, so while everyone else was sick for a day or two, I had it for a week!
Our schedule is pretty light right now, no soccer or big musical productions. The girls still have dance every week, they are preparing for the year-end production in June of Lion King. We have that one week before we leave for Disneyland and San Diego.
Oh yah...we have a new little girl!! We call her Angie, at this time she is my foster daughter and I have no idea how the case will turn out. She is very sweet, shy and really sad. She is 22 months old and her mother only ever spoke to her in spanish...even though her mother is caucasian and 100% American. I can't really say anything more about that at this time. But it really has been hard on Angie. I speak a little bit of Spanish, just enough to make me dangerous. Angie doesn't speak at all, she is terribly delayed in speech and other areas. But she is picking up sign language so she can communicate her needs to us.
Angie loves to eat! She eats everything except salad, which she is getting more used to every day. She still drank from a bottle when she arrived, even took a bottle to bed (Don't get me started on that!) but I got her off the bottle right away and she is terrific with a cup!
The girls are loving having another little sister to love on. Ava Marie is not being pushed aside, so don't worry. In fact, she acts like she is the bigger sister to Angie, she gives her toys and offers her some of her snack. And one day, when Angie seemed a little overwhelmed and was standing in the middle of the kitchen crying, Ava came over and patted her on the back and then kissed her cheek. It was so precious! I love that my girls are learning to be kind and share with someone else. Of course Ava doesn't really understand, but the others do. And Madyson is also really rising to the occasion. She is now smack in the middle of the bunch, and she is really beginning to act more like a big girl. She used to whine and beg me to dress her in the morning, which, under the right (or should I say wrong) circumstances, I would sometimes do!! I know...I know it was wrong, but some days we are in quite a hurry and I will do anything to get out of this house on time! Or at least try to.
So there you have it. We are still alive and thriving. My business is booming, Thank you Lord! I just don't have a lot of time and will not until after the 15th of April or sometime around that date!
I will try to get on again and post some Valentine pictures. Have a great February!
Monday, January 19, 2009
I just want to say Thank You MLK...
Just so you know, this will be a reflective post. We are having a great relaxing family day today. And last night, at dinner, I looked around the table at my family and started thinking about the man we were honoring today, and the man we are inaugurating tomorrow. And my eyes welled up with tears that these things are actually happening...in my lifetime.
It is not lost on me that my family would have been impossible 20 - 30 years ago. The idea that I, a single unmarried woman, would be able to adopt a child at all was completely out of the question. The idea of adopting Black children, another impossibility. And let's not even go into my baby, a child of both Black and Hispanic descent, again, probably never would have been born at all.
I watch my daughters, and I see that they are true sisters. They don't pay attention to the color of their skin or mine. Oh they see the color, and they love the differences, Katy is a deep dark chocolate brown. (I am a foodie by nature, so you'll have to excuse my use of food to describe my daughters, but this is my post, so get over it!) Madyson is a my latte coffee girl, she is almost as dark as Katy but with a little bit of cream in the mix. Mackenzie is my strawberry vanilla girl, her skin is so pale it is almost blue. Ava Marie is a coffee with cream, maybe a hazelnut? But my girls love this about each other, they love all of the colors, and their teachers love to watch all of the crayon colors they use to create a drawing of our family. How boring it would be to draw a family of 6 and only have to use a couple of crayons!
I am thankful to all who have made this possible. The men and women who had to suffer to make the world and our country in particular look at itself and right the wrongs we have made.
I am no PollyAnny, I know that we are still fighting racism and sexism and intolerance for those that are different in many ways. But like a journey that begins in darkness and ends in the bright sunlight...we are going the right direction.
So I say today...Thank you Martin Luther King, Jr. Thank you for all you did. Happy Birthday to you. From a house of love and laughter, where beautiful children with brown and white and coffee colored skin live together and call themselves sisters. And they believe that they can do or be anything...anything!!
It is not lost on me that my family would have been impossible 20 - 30 years ago. The idea that I, a single unmarried woman, would be able to adopt a child at all was completely out of the question. The idea of adopting Black children, another impossibility. And let's not even go into my baby, a child of both Black and Hispanic descent, again, probably never would have been born at all.
I watch my daughters, and I see that they are true sisters. They don't pay attention to the color of their skin or mine. Oh they see the color, and they love the differences, Katy is a deep dark chocolate brown. (I am a foodie by nature, so you'll have to excuse my use of food to describe my daughters, but this is my post, so get over it!) Madyson is a my latte coffee girl, she is almost as dark as Katy but with a little bit of cream in the mix. Mackenzie is my strawberry vanilla girl, her skin is so pale it is almost blue. Ava Marie is a coffee with cream, maybe a hazelnut? But my girls love this about each other, they love all of the colors, and their teachers love to watch all of the crayon colors they use to create a drawing of our family. How boring it would be to draw a family of 6 and only have to use a couple of crayons!
I am thankful to all who have made this possible. The men and women who had to suffer to make the world and our country in particular look at itself and right the wrongs we have made.
I am no PollyAnny, I know that we are still fighting racism and sexism and intolerance for those that are different in many ways. But like a journey that begins in darkness and ends in the bright sunlight...we are going the right direction.
So I say today...Thank you Martin Luther King, Jr. Thank you for all you did. Happy Birthday to you. From a house of love and laughter, where beautiful children with brown and white and coffee colored skin live together and call themselves sisters. And they believe that they can do or be anything...anything!!
Saturday, January 3, 2009
The Baby Walked!
Yes, you heard it here first! And I am not talking just a few baby steps...no she has been taking 2 or 3 little steps for a couple of weeks now. Today she walked all over the house! On the carpet, the hardwood floor, even out in the yard on the squishy grass, which I do not think she really liked. Now of course I will have to chase her around the house and keep her from getting into everything. Oh how I loved and will miss that little crawling baby!
It was so nice here today that we spent a lot of time outdoors. The kids even had their lunch outside on the patio. My Mother and my Aunt were here for their last afternoon with us, they left for the airport at 4:30pm. We had a nice last afternoon, then had some chili that I had started this morning, then Mom and I and the kids went for a walk around the neighborhood. All of the neighbors were out, some putting away their Christmas lights, lots of people washing cars. And some of the kids on the next block had set up a lemonade stand, very industrious!
Right now the kids are watching the movie Jumanji, Ava Marie is sleeping and the wind is howling outside. I think it has already dropped 20 degrees! I love the cold and the snow for Christmas, but then I just want it to be spring right away. It would be easier if there were another holiday. Not just President's Day, but some sort of present giving, snow covered, twinkling lights holiday in January. Someone should start one...OK, I can do that! How about the Snow Queen's Birthday...on January 31st...and everyone should give each other gifts wrapped in white gift wrap. And the gifts have to be typically white things, like underwear, socks, and sheets!! Okay, most people don't have only white underwear anymore...and I don't think I even own a set of white sheets. But it could be kind of interesting!
Well, I am thinking this is the last Saturday evening I will be sitting around relaxing with a cup of tea and the computer. Tax season starts right away for me. I am sitting here right now, putting off starting to work on W-2's and payroll taxes. It's not that I don't like tax season, I actually do. I find it really invigorating to get a file with lots of documents and information and organize it and use the information to create the tax return. It's just that it is also a lot like an avalanche...you are up on a mountain, enjoying a beautiful day in the snow, and the next thing you know, you are at the bottom of the mountain under a pile of it! That's the part I don't love so much!
Oh well...it pays the bills and keeps me in chocolate! Have a great Saturday evening.
It was so nice here today that we spent a lot of time outdoors. The kids even had their lunch outside on the patio. My Mother and my Aunt were here for their last afternoon with us, they left for the airport at 4:30pm. We had a nice last afternoon, then had some chili that I had started this morning, then Mom and I and the kids went for a walk around the neighborhood. All of the neighbors were out, some putting away their Christmas lights, lots of people washing cars. And some of the kids on the next block had set up a lemonade stand, very industrious!
Right now the kids are watching the movie Jumanji, Ava Marie is sleeping and the wind is howling outside. I think it has already dropped 20 degrees! I love the cold and the snow for Christmas, but then I just want it to be spring right away. It would be easier if there were another holiday. Not just President's Day, but some sort of present giving, snow covered, twinkling lights holiday in January. Someone should start one...OK, I can do that! How about the Snow Queen's Birthday...on January 31st...and everyone should give each other gifts wrapped in white gift wrap. And the gifts have to be typically white things, like underwear, socks, and sheets!! Okay, most people don't have only white underwear anymore...and I don't think I even own a set of white sheets. But it could be kind of interesting!
Well, I am thinking this is the last Saturday evening I will be sitting around relaxing with a cup of tea and the computer. Tax season starts right away for me. I am sitting here right now, putting off starting to work on W-2's and payroll taxes. It's not that I don't like tax season, I actually do. I find it really invigorating to get a file with lots of documents and information and organize it and use the information to create the tax return. It's just that it is also a lot like an avalanche...you are up on a mountain, enjoying a beautiful day in the snow, and the next thing you know, you are at the bottom of the mountain under a pile of it! That's the part I don't love so much!
Oh well...it pays the bills and keeps me in chocolate! Have a great Saturday evening.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
A Few More Photos of the New Year's Eve Gala
More dancing!
Mackenzie & Katy being called out by Glinda, "Come out, come out, wherever you are...". They were so cute, they had rehearsed it where all of the children climbed up on their seats and stood up when they heard Glinda start singing. Then they crept toward the dance floor and then broke into song. Very nice.
Randy had to work and didn't arrive until after 8pm, he almost missed dinner, but our waiter brought him a plate as soon as he sat down, really good service!
Mackenzie loves dressing up and doing things she thinks are grown up.
We are so lucky to have friends and family to spend the evening with! Happy New Year to you and yours! May 2009 be filled with love, good health and prosperity for all of us!We Danced All Night!
Grandma dancing with Ava Marie!
The girls ready to celebrate midnight!
Happy New Year!! Of course, this was actually staged. We were on the dance floor at midnight and then redid this for the camera...what a bunch of hams!They had a great silent auction and a live auction, and performances by different singers and dancers. Katy and Mackenzie got to reprise their roles as Munchkins and sing "Ding Dong the Witch is Dead". How fun!
At about 10:30pm they did a countdown and had a fun balloon drop for everyone. It was supposed to be so that families with young children could then leave and get home a little earlier. But everyone just stayed and danced on the big dancefloor and waited until the official midnight countdown! We stayed until 12:30am, and only left because they finally turned the lights up, I think the staff was ready to leave before any of us were!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)