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Dress up

Red carpet over the shoulder glance
Aunt Meg and Maiya ring around the rosie in formal wear

"Who me?"

Soundtrack of Motherhood

In a bummed out mood a few weeks ago I dusted off my CD case, pulled out two of my top five most fav CD's (Paul Simon's Graceland and Disc two of Janis Joplin's greatest hits) stole my sister's boombox took it to the bathroom, filled the tub and turned the volume to just shy of earthquake. IT WAS WONDERFUL... I used to be a music fiend, not in the skill department only in appreciation. I had a CD of some sort for every occasion and on my person pretty much at all times. From my first mixed tape which included Milli Vanilli I was hooked. My days usually consisted of lip synching in the shower, VH1 on all the time - back when they played music, then falling asleep to Enya. That is until giving birth. My music took a back seat to listening for the baby in case he cried, talking to the kids in the car, being the referee at home, Dora in the background, Laurie Berkner on road trips, and finally peace and quiet at the end of the day. Well since that bath with Janis the other week I have started to reclaim music. Other than CMT while cleaning the house - I've been missing something and didn't even notice.I've pulled more out, Beatles white album, Robert Earl Keen, Creedence, Duran Duran, Tim McGraw, and you know what? The kids are liking my music! - take that Dora - Then my awesome husband came home from work yesterday with the Essential Paul Simon set for me. It was better than jewelry. Its great to be loved and its really nice to dust off a little bit of the mommy every once in a while.

still couldn't get google to work - but now blogger has a draft version that you can directly upload videos - lets see how it works

Party time

So Maiya had a great party - we half way turned it into an adult party - had finger foods and played games around her cake and gifts - but I don't think she noticed. We very much missed Grandma and Aunt Beth - really wish you guys could have been here. I just realized I haven't updated everyone on my Mom's situation. The health scare was a valid "scare" - She has stage two anal cancer and will need chemotherapy and radiation. Hopefully if those two things prove very successful she won't need surgery. You know technology makes living far away from family somewhat better until things like this happen. Its very hard to be this far away from family during times like this. Aunt Beth also needs surgery in July and my mom was her designated post op helper - that won't work so I'll be there in time to be with Aunt Beth. She is getting her tonsils taken out -(bring on the ice cream :) Thankfully it is summer, and summer camps have been rearranged and I can be with Aunt Beth and my mom for the bulk of her treatment. The kids will get to experience day care a little bit. That will be a good thing - maybe Maiya will start talking! And Benjamin needs a wake up call. The other day he said to me I know what I want to be when I grow up - "a mommy" - fearing weired gender issues I probed further -- "yeah I want to be a mommy so I don't have to go to work"- "watch it buddy your skating on thin ice!" I am thinking of bringing Ella with me - She would enjoy the trip, and is easier entertained, and since she is the house nurse...
so anyway on to the party - once again my camera is more advanced than me - I accidentally left it on the macro setting for close-ups all night - so these are not as clear as they should be.

She was a little scared of the candles

mmm licking the candles

Party hats

OWWIE - she accidentally popped her cheeks with the elastic

Yeah Gifts!!

Playing with the gifts - loved the caterpillar Nana

Her new trike

I have to give major props to Sarah for making a GORGEOUS album for Maiya - its a hand bound paper bag album and its so neat - I gave her tons of pictures and she got all of them included. Oh to be so talented! It will be cherished forever!!

P.S. - Does anyone else upload videos through google? - I can get videos to upload and I can email them but can't post them on the blog - ARRRGGHHH

Look who's two...

Happy Birthday Maiya

Bass Pro Shop

Picked up Daddy from the airport today and headed to bass pro - that place is too much fun...

I picked out our boat :)

Happy Father's Day

Kyle,

I remember a writing assignment in Sunday school when I was teenager - we had to write the characteristics we wanted in a spouse - I didn't even cover half of the good qualities that you have - you are literally more than I could have ever asked for... but for today I'll cover one --

THANKS FOR BEING SUCH A GREAT DAD

"Any man can be a father, but it takes a special person to be a dad”
- Proverb

Crazy Days

I have been in a busy fog lately, First off my Mom is having a health scare at the moment - I'll leave the details at that for now - but keep her in your prayers - she has an important test tomorrow, we hope the news is good and that she still gets to come see us in two weeks...

We bought a car this week - a bona fide "beater" its a cheap one (2001 dodge stratus) but it checked out Ok by our favorite mechanic and I will have some daytime freedom back. Now about how stressful buying a car with three kids in tow is a whole nother blog in itself!!!

I am still loving my camera - but I have a lot to learn and I have lately been preoccupied with another project - Kyle got me something called a Dazzle which hooks up your VCR to the CPU and you can upload home movies directly from your VCR, edit them and burn them to DVD - I have been mildly obsessed. I have been wanting to do this for soooo long and then having the capacity is so awesome. I now have this weird fear that something will all of sudden happen to the home movies so I am tied up most of the time uploading them. You can only upload them in real time and we have TONS of home movies - so this project might take a while! - If any of you are interested we found the premium dazzle on sale for $49 - so its not expensive.
gotta go I have a sunburn from the lake to tend to...

We can't stay away from this place...

Went to the lake again - LOVED IT!

Blog fans beware

I GOT A NEW CAMERA ... YYEEEEEAAAHHHH
My blog is already photo heavy but it stands to get worse - I got a new camera and its beyond awesome. I was waiting patiently for the Canon Powershot S5 to come out but I came across this Sony Cybershot H9 and it needed me, and it turns out it beats the specs on the Canon I wanted. So we got it and I have taken over 500 shots since Thursday night - yeah that is a little crazy. I hope I'll get better and better and maybe can start getting paid to take pictures soon:) We'll see...

Lemurs