Hiatus...Part 3

I said I was going to write about all the pics and I really just picked the stories that would actually gain some interest. I know if I wrote about ALL the pics I would lose you somewhere between paragraph 25 and 30. So to spare you here are some key stories. I want to preface this last "hiatus" blog by stating that I am one of the luckiest gals I know. Despite trials, tribulations, distance and hardships I am still blessed with not only the best husband, kids and family but also the best of friends both near and far. I don't always appreciate the ones right in front of me and I don't always give you enough credit but I love you for always being there for me guys. You are all my rocks and without my life wouldn't be complete...NOW go read my sob stories, my poor me's and my attempts at staying sane and try not to laugh or cry to hard :)

Bodega Bay
Well, the hubby and I had some rough times and we decided to take a weekend off to go to Bodega Bay. We stayed in an awesome hotel room and even had an amazing dinner. We had a great view, we went saw deer chillin' out the back window (no I could not get pics) and although we were still at an akward place in our marriage we had a great time. We also went to the beach and hung out, chased seagulls, had random strangers take pics of us and did a lot of talking and reminiscing. Sometimes you get so wrapped up in what is going on that you forgot how you got there. Both good and bad. As we grow with one another in our family, in our relationship and in ourselves I think we are becoming more aware of how much time alone counts and affects things. I mean, really, as you sit at home and worry about homework, bathtime, cooking, laundry, cleaning, play time and then doing add in work, grocery shopping, paying bills and once all that is done add in Softball, ballet, classroom volunteering, back to school nights, time with friends (both kids and our own), birthday parties, baby showers, etc etc, and man, it all adds up and you forget that a date night is mandatory to remember who your partner in crime really is. Its not the calendar you keep so close to your heart and watch (lol) its the person standing right next to you. For us Bodega was a good way to recapture that and get back on track. It didn't happen right away but here we are, happy, open and back on the same page.

Crab Feed:
Holy smokes. It was sketchy, this was also in our akward time in our relationship so although the night didn't go off without a hitch we did have some great times. Not to mention the insane amount of crab RC at and the insane amount of spaghetti I ate. I know I know, who goes to a damn crab feed and fills up on Spaghetti. Well. ME! I am not a big crab eating fool like RC so I did not gorge on that but I did eat about a whole bowl of both spaghetti and bread. haha. I was soo full it was disgusting. I mean, you can totally see my food baby belly in the sweet pic RC got of me dancing with like the hottest person in the place (insert sarcasm here). All in all I am glad we went and I will certainly go back to another crab feed, even if only for the fun stories and awesome second main course. LOL.

Phoenix for work: Okay so my work has been working on how to get my old department motivated again. Without going into detail I will just say that we had a bunch of us "old school" folks from way back when get back in there to shed some light and give some advice on whats missing, what might help etc. WELL I took this as an added opportunity to visit with friends. LET ME TELL YOU, I had a great time. I didn't see everyone as much as I would have liked but at least I saw them a little bit. Alison threw me a great BBQ and I got to drink all night (literally) with some great friends. Can I just say Alison and I each finished off a bottle of vodka. Yeah. I wasn't even hung over the next day, but Alison...well she got to know the bottom of her toilet bowl (and works) pretty well! Good times. I saw so many folks, met many new folks and again, had so many great memories that it made me sad to leave. In fact, it started me up on RC as to why I was so unhappy etc, but I had to remember, that I had at least not lost touch with all those friends. That was the most fun, yet most sad work trip ever. HOWEVER, i will be back in June (thats the plan) with the family to see those friends again and make some more great memories. Although we have friends out here, I just don't always feel like I fit here quite the same. I don't get invited places as often, I hate to impose, I dont have many folks that really want to come up to our place (granted its in NOWHERE land) and I just feel kinda like, i made a life with my friends in AZ and now I am imposing on my friends out here. Its kinda of an odd thought but its how I feel and I am sure it will go away but sometimes my off days make me feel very sad and lonely and like I wont have quite the same friendships that I had in AZ. In fact, lately I feel myself pulling back and keeping to myself more just because I started to feel like the only reason I was being included was due to me shoving myself into situations and now that I'm not I find no one is really around much anymore. Blah. I dont know where I was going with that but currently I am happy with life, I know Im busy and I know my friends are busy so I am sure we will all be back on a similar page at some point, its just sad to know that all my friends are busy but I still tend to be closer to my peeps in AZ. I guess I just wish I had lazy days like I used to. Now my lazy days are alone, with just the kids. Still great, but not quite the same.

Jungle FunWell, speaking of how miserable I feel for myself. I did have a great day with the Snooks. They took us out to some Jungle play place for all the kids to enjoy. It was a bit spendy for what it was and we weren't there for very long but the kids had a blast. I suppose thats a small price to pay :) They had huge tunnels for the bigger kids and the only downside really was that Rian is in that in between age. Wants to play with the big kids in those tunnels but is still the same size as the little kids. I think thats why I didnt see the point. He is only entertained in a tiny ball pit or couple of slides for so long before it gets boring. On the upside, we went to Fuddruckers and Cost Plus World Market (or whatever its called). I got some super sweet cupcake shapers and a cool bday present for my mom, her bday was in April and she loved it. Jungle Fun for the win.

Melodys Baby ShowerMel had her baby shower for her newest addition Teagen who is mentioned later in this blog and it was fun. Met some new folks and then saw some old ones. Its funny, I sit back sometimes and think, wow I have had a friend in my life like Mel for a really long time. We have been around for 12 years. CRAZY. I mean I still didn't win the "who knows me best" contest but then again, who the heck beats the persons mom. Yeah. Right! I had a great time. I said a TINY speech, and I really do hope that we keep in touch more as the months and such go on. I know that the day of that baby shower made me realize how when you leave your friends, you lose touch and its hard to get back in the same place as before. People move on. Its kinda crappy. HOWEVER the day of that baby shower I felt like although we have had ups and downs (as many friends do) I hope that we begin to be around one another more. I hope to see these little men of hers grow up. Congrats Mel to you and the fam. I love you guys.

Potty Training Fail. Nuff Said.

EasterWhat a day. We were sooooo ready to just have a lazy day that I didn't dress up, I didnt really dress up the kids (except for Neya who won't turn down a day to buy a poofy dress) and we just hung out with my parents. In AZ we would have been at the Trojans having silly string fights (yes, I loved their vids on Facebook) but here no one invited us for Easter Egg hunting, no one asked us to hang out or BBQ and its because we aren't engrained in these folks lives like we were in our buddies in AZ lives. We all kinda grew up together in parenthood and work etc. My friends out here have other lives that we arent so intertwined in so its hard to really be sad when you dont get the invite but I do still think those are the days i miss AZ the most. The ones where I know we would have had other plans. The good news is that we had an egg hunt, we had food, we had lots of candy and we ALL had smiles on our faces. In fact I think my parents were glad to have yet another holiday with the kiddos around. Makes them smile. Makes me smile. Did I even mention how happy I am to BE BACK just for those days. I know I can be a downer and mention the times I miss in AZ but honestly, being back has also been really great. We do have great friends out here, its just hard to really get together, we are ALL so busy (especially us). Easter was a good time, and we are still trying to eat up some of that easter candy!

Pat's RunOkay. Let me just start this by saying. When I signed up I really thought I was going to be running a half marathon a month and a half after the Pat's RUn. Boy was I mistaken. As soon as we moved into our own place life took over. Softball started, unpacking started, homework became crazy, work especially became crazy and before you know it, the treadmill I borrowed turned into a damn clothes hanger. UGH! I ran about 4 of the 4.2 miles and walked the other .2. What an embarrassment. The good news is that its for a good cause, I still ran, I didn't die and i will just have to do better next year. There were about 70 people and I would say about 50 of them were all in the military and/or freshly out. I was in a league WAY different than those folks but at least I wasn't the last one to run in. haha. I made it in 48 minutes and I'm not sure that beats last years but again, I made it. Thats all that matters!

Neya's BirthdayShe turned 7. She got spoild. The end. haha. Just kidding. She did great. She was pretty sweet on her birthday and even before it. We got to use a jump house, we had a pinata, we had a great cake, thanks to Lauren and it even tasted yummy. My parents let us have it at their house. Thank goodness cause I'm not sure all those folks would have enjoyed coming up to our house in the Highlands. We had a BBQ and RC even got to participate in the party. Mostly due to it being so low key. We had the key friends and fam show up and although we missed Gma Jackie and Gpa Rudy as they were in Colorado we still got presents from them later. After all, at 7, that is all you are worried about. Neya was all girl and we even had some little boys at the princess party. Pretty priceless. As my kids get older I have to stop and remember they won't be cute and lovey for long so I need to take advantage of it. Being a working mom of 3 you often look over the sweet moments. I am working on this. Hopefully I get better. I love Laneya, I am glad she is who she is and I am glad she is as spunky and smart allicky as she is as well. I wouldnt change her for the world, but I may consider whoopin' her every now and again. teehee. I kid I kid. Or do I!

Grandpa Rich VisitMy step-dad (ex step dad technically) still keeps in touch with me and the kids. He has been a part of my life as long as I can remember as him and Frances (my mom) were neighbors long before they were married and I think that if he up and left my life would be missing a big piece. He is the only other Grandpa Carina and the other kids really knows on my side so its nice to have him still be around. He remembers birthdays, anniversaries and calls at all the right times, when you feel down and out or when I just need to chit chat. We get along great and I am so lucky to have him around still.

Softballbusy. Busy. BUSY.
That is the only way to explain it. Carina started the season unable to hit a ball, catch a ball or know even which base was which. Now she is soo much better and although she still struggles at hustling or really focusing she had made her mommy proud. Each time she makes a great play, a terrible play, or even when she just cheers on her team I know she is happy and that in itself makes me smile. I am proud to have her as my kid and I am even happier that we get to have just one more common interest. NOW if we can just get her coach to do more than just bunting with her. Hehe. We are going to get her with a batting coach, just so she feels more confident and hopefully in the fall season she will show much improvement. I am excited for her.

Heart Doctor VisitI started this day in the worst mood. I realize now that I am on pins and needs every time these appointments get close. I see Rian EVERY day. He is healthy, he is huge, he is smart and he is constantly growing and changing. All these things point to great things but somehow these darn doctors appointments make me focus on the amount of times we have been at the doctor, how many nights I have stayed up for a fever or questioned pink eye or ANYTHING. We went in with high hopes and we left with smiles. They gave us great news, Rian did GREAT, he even had his Cars get their EKG done (i know, how silly) but all in all it was great. They did tell us that as he gets older, if he does sports he will need more extensive tests done, Cat Scans, MRI's, etc just to make sure that all his parts are still working and that nothing surprises us. The doc informed us that because Rian was born with some "heart racing" as I like to call it and couldnt control it without his meds for those first few months, he will be banned from Caffeine forever. NOT that it will come back, in fact after the age of 1 its RARE that it could ever come back but to be safe and not give it cause to come back he warned us that Coffee, Energy drinks, soda, ice tea and even to much chocolate are not good for him. We can't give him any allergy meds with a -D and we have to watch his intake on other meds as well for Acetaminophen. Looks like he will have to be a Motrin baby, not a Tylenol baby. So far thats what we use anyways. Its just a quick step back into reality that although all signs show a healthy energetic toddler, he is still fragile. BUT before I start crying I will leave it at...Our doc said to come back in a year and no sooner. That Rian is FINE! Thumbs up!

Mothers DayPhew. 11 years. Thats how long I have been a mom. It hit me the other day that all my babies are getting older. It also hit me that I have had my really crappy mommy moments and I have had my really GREAT mommy moments but in the end I still love all my kiddos endlessly. Doesnt ALL make it sound like I have about a zillion. I mean it's no joke having 3 kids. Life will never be busier but I also love them a trillion times more than I thought I could ever love a human being. They test me, they try me, they argue with me and then they love on me, cuddle me and give me those ever so evil "i love you mommmy" eyes that always end with a sentence like "can I have this" or "i just need a few dollars". Haha. Mothering is a job I wish every one could go through but I also have friends who haven't been able to experience it as easily. My heart goes out to them and I will end this post by saying...

Being a mother is not measured solely by the number of hearts you have created, but also by the number of hearts you have touched.