Here comes the bride..........

All dressed in white.

My sister in law was married today. I am so happy for her. She has found a wonderful loving man to spend the rest of her life with. He even loves her kids.

Her new father in law, has "issues".

All I can say is don't look at me when you find the diaper "surprise" under your bed.

I have had a few drinks, rum and coke to be exact. It feels very good - it has been many moons since I let myself unwind and get a little bit tipsy. Don't tell anyone, but I also smoked a cigarette. I know!

I am posting this picture of my Gran and my baby boy.

My sister and I went to see her on Tuesday. I am thinking of going again tomorrow. I love that woman so much. I just wish I could absorb her pain and suffering and make it my own, just for a day. She deserves so much better.

I think it is safe to say I am rambling a bit. I haven't felt much like posting lately - I guess I've been a bit stressed out. I have so much I want to do - and not enough time. I should not overbook myself as I have been doing, and just stay home and relax. I have about 4 more weeks until I head back to work. Time is going so fast! New baby is 7 weeks old today. He is such a precious little lump. He was the hit of the wedding party today. Old baby had his share of admirers too.

I am sitting in the third bedroom right now. It has been our "office" since we moved in. The first day we moved into the house, I made sure the baby's room was arranged, and our bedroom. My husband moved everything into the office. I don't spend too much time in here, I kind of own the rest of the house! By letting my husband move into the office, he decorated it and set it as he wished. I remember right after he moved in him saying something along the lines of "I feel like I'm making it into my old bedroom". I didn't care. Actually, I was glad for him to have some space to call just his own. without my influence. I've always felt like a wet rag on his creativity, and I was happy for him to have a comfy place. As I sat down on the loveseat, I had the distinct impression of being in his old bedroom before we moved in together. I suddenly felt like I was just his girlfriend, all those years ago.

The last time I was in here hanging out with my husband, I had a few rum and cokes and, gasp, a cigarette! I KNOW!! I jumped his bones right there on the loveseat. I think it started with me saying "can I give you a blowjob?". That was in maybe February or March of last year.

One thing I have always loved about getting drunk with my husband - the talking. We do this every now and again. We sit around and have some drinks and talk about stuff. I think "Dr." Phil is having a seizure in his sleep right now. Whoever said you shouldn't have a heart to heart with your man when you've been drinking is full of crap. I think it's great. We do it less often now of course. It would help if I weren't pregnant all the time!

My husband is sitting here with me, and told me to let him know when I've finished my post. Do you think he'll remember what it was he wanted to talk about? We'll see!

Grandma Caroline

My Grandma Caroline is not doing so well these days.

Just less than a year ago, Gran was in the hospital with pneumonia and congestive heart failure. She can no longer live by herself, and has been at a care home in Davis. It is a beautiful home, and they give her the best possible care.

Gran has suffered from Rheumatoid and Osteo arthritis since she was 26 years old. Her hands are crippled severely, yet somehow she manages to make small tasks like spreading butter on toast seem elegant. She also managed to raise 6 children all born within 1 to 2 years of each other, much of it on her own as my Grandpa Art was in the Air Force and traveled frequently.

On Friday, she was admitted into the hospital because of severe swelling in her legs which was not going away. On Monday, she was actually on her way home when she became short of breath, lost counciousness and stopped breathing. My parents turned her right back around to the hospital. The doctor has determined that her heart rate dipped dangerously low. (My Uncle Mike says it was my Mom's driving, however he does not have a medical degree!).They have taken her off of the three heart medications she was on, and her heart rate is now in a more normal range of 50 - 60 beats per minute. Her heart rate had dipped to 30 beats per minute on Tuesday morning.

I drove to the hospital in Sacramento with the baby to visit her on Tuesday morning. I got to spend some time with my Uncle Clay and my Uncle Mike. Uncle Mike actually flew in from Colorado to see Gran, thinking this might be the last time he has a chance to be with her. She was so happy to see the baby. I layed him down on the hospital bed so she could stroke his chubby cheeks and hold his tiny hands. She couldn't quite remember what his name was, but she has a little bit more trouble than usual holding on to information. I can't say anything - it would be the pot calling the kettle black!

Grandma Caroline truly is the matriarch of our family. She has 6 children, 6 sons and daughters in laws, 13 grandchildren, 6 grandchildren in law, and 13 great grandchildren. That makes for quite a table full! Grandma came from a family of 12 children herself. Half of the kids were born on the east coast, and the other half were born in Fresno, CA. I am third generation California girl! My great-grandfather sold milk, and during the Prohibition made his own beer. He had the kids clean out the beer barrels, and every tenth batch he would brew up some root beer for the kids as payment. My gret-grandmother was apparently a baby factory. My Gran says that the older girls would take on the new babies as their charge. Her oldest sister Ruth was in charge of my Gran when she was little. My great-grandmother was still having children when her oldest kids got married and had children of their own. Grandma has nieces and nephews who are older than she is. The whole clan gathers in Fresno every summer for a family reunion. You can tell our group by the vast number of red heads running around!

My grandmother has some wonderful and amazing stories to share. I have spent many hours with her just talking. I find myself almost in a panic now, wondering how I'm going to remember all of these events which happened to her over the past 83 years. I am glad to be on maternity leave right now, hopefully I can spend as much time with her as possible before I go back to work.

My great-aunt told me once that I was my Grandmother's favorite. I was probably about 6 years old when she shared that with me. I remember telling my mother and she got very upset. She didn't want me to think that Grandma had any favorites, she loved us all the same. That made sense to me, and I let it go as just a friendly comment made by someone who was probably just trying to be nice. However, I have two of the 4 great grandchildren who are born in wedlock - and I know that counts for something!

I will be posting the stories that I can remember as they come back to me a bit. I know of no better way to honor her than to remember those things which are important to her.

Ha ha ha ha ha!!!!! I'm buff...........

Your Personality Is

Artisan (SP) You are both grounded and flexible. You adapt well to new situations. You are playful and free spirited - but you are also dependable and never flaky. You don't do well in conservative, stuffy situations. It's probably very hard for you to keep a normal job or stay in school. You are always up for fun and adventure. Most people are too boring for you. You take risks and bend the rules. And if things don't work out, you chock it up to life experience. In love, you tend to take things quickly - but you have a huge problem with commitment. At work, you need to make your own rules. You're best suited to be an entrepreneur. With others, you are animated and physical. You prefer doing something with friends to just hanging out. As far as your looks go, you tend to be buff and in good shape. Your spend more time on your body than your clothes. On weekends, you need to keep active. From cooking up a storm to running a 5K, you wear yourself out.

The Three Question Personality Test

Dude looks like a lady?

Happy New Year!

My husband and I rang in the new year very quietly at home with some Rum and Coke and Cook's champagne.

My sister and her husband had a New Year's party at their house. It was no regular New Year's party, as they decided to make it a "Red Dress Party".

In case you haven't seen the Red Dress Party pictures from last year, you can view them
here

Well, here in all their red dress glory is a picture of my family.




(p.s. I love how my Dad has tried to maintain a shred of masculinity by wearing the older than dirt 49'ers baseball cap and the red t-shirt. Seriously, relax!)

I have been told in no uncertain terms that this was the first and last time the universe will ever see my father in a dress. I have to believe in reincarnation, and that my dad will be the most fabulous drag queen the tenderloin has ever seen in his next life!

Just in case.......

.....I'm not awake when you leave in the morning.......

Happy Birthday!!

Happy Birthday to you my dear husband.

30!!

Wow. You're old.