Cleaning Sucks!

Years ago, when myself & Mr. Not So Wonderful moved into the really big house in the fancy neighborhood, he insisted that we hire someone to come in and clean once a week. I didn't grow up having all those extras, especially someone that would clean our house. So, I have to admit I was uncomfortable at first. One of my friends had this awesome woman, Susan, clean her house. So, she began to clean ours. After I got over being uncomfortable, it was great. The house would "smell" so good when I got home after work when Susan had been there. When I divorced and moved to my house in a regular neighborhood, Susan still came to clean. In fact she came over the morning after the big move when the house was a disaster, and helped me clean and get some of my stuff put away. We were really good friends, and I would always help her while she was here, if I could. Guess that is the part in me that thinks that is what we are supposed to do in life, help when you can. Susan is a wonderful person and we became very good friends. After all, she watched my kids grow-up and have babies of their own. Over a year ago, when our great economy began to kick us in the ass, I had to make cuts like everyone else. So, I sadly don't have Susan clean my house anymore, although we still keep in touch. I am now the new "Susan", and I hate it! Plus I have little kids running around, live with two teenagers, (oops, I meant Bryce and Justine) and my house is always full of people. Yesterday I had to take one of my few days off and do "cleaning". I'm going to confess something, I HATE it!! But, it was nice for the house to smell better and shine a bit. But it will never be as sparkling as the real Susan days! While cleaning, Justine had asked me if I could watch Morgan for a few hours last night while she went to a BBQ. At first I told her I would let her know because I was knee deep in you know what! Then I realized, my office and bedroom could wait for another day to be cleaned. But Morgan will never be the same another day, she will only grow older! So, me and little "Mo" hung out. Brande came over and we ordered Chinese food and watched some lame TV! Everything goes into Morgan's mouth these days. All of her teeth are coming in at once. These are the happier pictures of her as later she had a 45 minute meltdown! She's not feeling too good, think she has what Riley has been sick with. My little ones are growing so fast, and the one thing I never, ever take for granite is that I AM very happy to be a part of their daily little lives!!

A Sunny Saturday

My babies are growing so fast. Hard to believe in a little over a week, Morgan will be 10 months old already. She's at a fun age especially with how much she changes each day. Justine took her over to the park the other day near our house. Morgan loved it as you can tell by the look on her face. Finally, the little pink car Morgan has had forever got put together, and now Morgan enjoys cruising around the neighborhood checking things out. It was time for a break. Morgan sat patiently watching the ducks in the distance, the trees and other kids. Morgan can be so mellow at times and then when she is ready for a change, she turns into her daddy! Bryce has no patience, and Morgan at times gets like that and has no problem letting you know about it! I love just watching her when she discovers new things. The way her little hands picks them up and examines stuff at every angle and most likely after that it goes straight to her mouth!! I love how little kids when they are swinging love to look down and find their feet! Just something about little ones on the swings that warms my heart. Seeing Morgan at the park reminds me of an "incident" many years ago at the El Dorado duck pond. I had just dropped off Brande at pre-school and took Katie and Bryce over to see the ducks. Katie wasn't quite two years old, and Bryce was still a baby. One of those damn geese started chasing us. I'm running towards the car with the stroller, which of course my boy Bryce enjoyed. Katie on the other hand, is under my arm SCREAMING at the top of her lungs! I got them both in my old car. It was a old Toyota Celica that sat kind of low to the ground. And that damn goose went over to Katie's side of the car and started pecking on the window! I don't think Katie as been back to that duck pond since!! I've had a week of getting to spend time with my little girls! I am very grateful for that time because I do know that they grow so, so fast. And I'm one of the lucky ones to have my grandkids in my life daily, and I am always so thankful for that. So, with that said, I best prepare to head out to "the store" (our reference to Country Roads). It's a sunny Saturday, and I just KNOW our customers will be in happy, cheerful moods! I hope.

My Boy Bryce

Bryce "hit the highway" last night to sell at Alameda today. I look out my front window, his truck (that he just got out of the shop after weeks of repair) is loaded beyond your wildest imagination. It is raining, it is raining hard! I watch him pack for his trip. He comes out of his room with a lime green tote bag,which has a big cartoon panda on the front with green bamboo shoots behind the panda bear. I'm guessing it's Morgan's bag?? He fills the bag with several small bags of chips, water, soda, and I don't believe I saw anything resembling nutritional food get tossed into the bag. He grabs a few other essentials, and tells me his headed up to LA first to meet David (another young dealer at our store). They are following each other on theircaravan to Alameda, which for those that don't live here is near San Francisco. He tells me it should only take them six hours and he will text me in the morning. I watch out the window as he pulls away and I say a little prayer that he will arrive safely. He texts me a short time later to thank me for my help. I text him back and tell him to text me in the morning that he got there safely and that I love him. His text back, "K, love you too". I go to bed feeling somewhat better. I wake up this morning, and is there a text waiting??? What do you think? It's "my boy Bryce", off course not! I text him, he arrived safely, and sent me these pictures to share. I have NO idea why the pix's are tiny, damn iphones!!




He's learning this business well, and I know (hope) as he gets older, he will slow down a bit, take his time more, plan better, all the things that will help ME sleep better. I'm also a realist, so I don't count too heavily on this wish of mine! When I look at Morgan these days, and I see so much of "my boy Bryce" in her. I say a prayer thanking God for giving him a girl!! I couldn't imagine what it would be like for Bryce to have a son! A "mini" Bryce might really do me in!! Bryce makes me crazy as is, although I've always had a bit of that craziness in me as well. Not like our "BSC" Sunday customers, just a little crazy! Oh no, I just realized what day it is. It IS the dreaded "BSC" Sunday!! Better savor my last quiet moments here at the computer before I enter the world of the "BSC's"!!!

Morgan Time

Morgan and I spent the day together this past Thursday. Usually its not just her and I for that long of a time because someone else is usually home. It was nice to have a day with her. Morgan is just learning to sit up, or I should say has been sitting up, but is mastering the skill of that a bit better. Morgan is pretty easy about the other side of sitting up, as in falling down. Maybe she is just use to it? I love when I call Morgan's name and she just lights up like a Christmas tree. Look at that smile! I'm not a big fan on having my picture taken, but this one was taken when I didn't know it until I saw the flash, thanks Bryce! Babies grow so fast, and I am always grateful that I have little Morgan and Riley in my life daily. I couldn't imagine it any other way.

When Cats Fly!!

Do you ever notice how cats are attracted to something new in the house? Since Bryce now has a baby girl, some of his "stuff" has to be thinned out. He bought these vintage airline seats from one of our dealers at Country Roads. Recently he temporarily put them in Riley's playroom. And as you can see, the cats are ready for "take off"!! And for Jacque and Malisa, there will be more baby pictures up tonight when Riley meets Morgan! Okay, "fasten your seat belts"!

Our Little Morgan

 

As time passes, the more I become SO totally amazed at what technology is capable of doing. This is a 5-D ultrasound of my little Morgan, my new granddaugher that is due on June 2 of this year. My son, Bryce, had bought a gift certificate for his wife, Justine, for her birthday to have the 5-D ultrasound done.They also give the a DVD with music of the photos as well. As we all looked at all the pictures, I had to admit some of them were a little scary to look at. But of course in a good way! Apparently, Morgan already has quite a bit of hair, as in a full head. All of my kids had lots of hair when they were born, and Bryce actually needed a hair cut when he was four months old! Each time Riley gives me a big kiss, and hugs and hugs me, I start to be in awe that there will be another baby born that will fill my life with that same unconditional love. It reminds me that no matter how difficult things can be at times, the gift of a grandchild is magical and I do, indeed, feel blessed!