Where everything was fairly simple ... No broken hearts in the distant future ...it was all about toys cartoons and being together as a family .
Fast forward to today...Sadly I have become an expert on {{TRYING??} to help mend a broken heart . But in all honesty ...it sucks to have a daughter cry on your shoulder and there are no magic words to help take the pain away ...
...We have raised strong smart and compassionate children...and there are people out there in the big open air who love to take advantage of such people as my children ...
What happened to raising new and up and coming humans with values of others and their feelings???
I average these days about 85 loads a month ...not too bad...back in the day when everyone lived at home {13 people} it was 100+ loads a month with 2 washers....and to date the load count since September 2003 to today is up to 10,431 ...All done with Tide...
I'm a die hard Tide fan...have been since I was a kid...But the price of my beloved sudsy powder has gone up in price over the years ...more then I would care to pay.
So I'm stepping out of my comfort zone to try the homemade stuff. I have girlfriends that rave about it...send me the spread sheets and recipes ....plus their husband dig the price .... at .04 cents a load vs .46 cents , it was time to give it a shot ...
For about $11 I was able to get all the ingredients above and it yield 148.6 ozs and I should be able to get just under 300 loads out of it a Table spoon a load...sounds to good to be true...but as of tonight...this homemade jazz is pretty darn swell....
The time was December 1987... I was 17 ....working at a place called FedCo in Escondido California ....
I had met this guy....a few years older then myself...we worked together...He was my boss...He was a nice guy...funny and cool to work with and in all honesty ,he came across as a Bad Boy , long hair, jean jacket and all...and I dug the bad boys back then...
Fast Forward to Christmas Eve at FedCo...there was a party and gift exchange...We pulled names from a hat earlier in the week ...and I got my boss and little did I know , my boss got me . {I would find out later ,that the hat was rigged and every piece of paper had his name and only he was to get me }
The night of the party everyone dressed to the nines with big 80's hair lots of make-up ,exchanging gifts ,dinning on fancy food and dancing the night away...I gave my boss his gift , an art set { Pencils ,Water colors ,paper and brushes} everything a Bad Boy Artist would need , and in return my boss gave me a gold heart necklace and a cassette tape of a song that could tell me how he felt about me....
Later into the night the song played ....he gathered up his courage and asked for this dance...
Is there the moment you know you just fell in love with someone ??
Pictures....they tell a story of the moment of capture....
Case in point...
three incredible children...{our grand children} growing fast before our eyes...
I'm blessed with them everyday after school ...dinners together ...homework ,board games , puzzles, crafts... cuddles and movies on the big red island!!! Life all in all is pretty swell .
Life will be taking another U-Turn on us...and in the mean time...
I will be enjoying the adventure!!!
~Ciao~
•♪♫•**•♪♫*•♪♫•*Little Old Lady¨*•♪♫•**•♪♫•***•♪♫•*
Today brought Leila's graduation day from her AIT in Fort Gordon Georgia ....
How proud we are of her and her classmates !!! All the hard work and long hours these kids put in to get to their goal!!!
All dressed to nines .....
Now she is off to her duty station in Fort Lewis Washington for 3 years where she will be in Communications and computer programing and await orders to deploy where she will be needed .
We can hardly wait til she is back on our coast where she is a day drive away....I have daughters planning their spring break to drive up to see her.
I was Off on a adventure to Sunny Warm California....
in search of some Disney air .
The day's destination ~ Downtown Disney with my Aunt and little sister....as we weaved through the crowd of faces inside of The World of Disney ...I saw him....and he ...needed a home....
after he jumped into my basket ...off to the cashier we went.
On our way home ,we picked up some late dinner from In-N-Out...
he has great taste in viddles.....
After a grand time with Family ,
it was time to head home....
....He was excited to be heading to his new home ,where I told him a little boy was waiting for him...
He did well on our first flight...
He had mentioned that he was hungry...So off to Emporio Rulli Grand Caffe' ...a hot and much needed coffee for me and a fresh made croissant and a hot Chocolate for my cool little travel mate .
After breakfast , we were off to catch the second flight of the morning....
Olaf was pretty jazzed to see the snow from his window seat....
We landed safe and sound...
He was a bit nervous to meet the little boy I had told him about....
As you can see....he worried for no reason....Dante loved him from the start...
and at the end of the night...both were fast asleep....
Who knew this would be the last time I held my baby sister in my arms...the last time I would see her face...the last time I would hear her laughter.....
But sadly it was....on my Wedding day.{She was 4 1/2 then and I had just turned 18} . I didn't leave home on the best of notes...it was ugly and it was violent.... As like anything in this life...life happened....life took turns we never thought would come to pass.
Our mother died suddenly ... and the little baby girl I loved with all I had was lost to me.
The years have tumbled by...and never did a day pass that I didn't think of her and wonder/hope she was safe.... I loved her....and prayed she hadn't forgotten me..... Fast forward to today.... with the help of our loving aunt and our caring husbands, in a few short days my baby sister and I will see one another for the first time in just about 27 years....
~Dreams do come True~ ¨*•♪♫•*Little Old Lady¨*•♪♫•*
she is a girly-girl all the way with a huge love for music....fashion/make-up/hair and nails ....and to be honest...she has a great eye. She will spend her free time on YouTube and other sites in reach of the newest hottest trends.
She sends me pictures , videos and yes I will buy her teen magazines like J-14 ...did I mention I know the names of all the gents in 1D & 5SOS...well I do...
We will spend hours shopping for nail polish , make-up ,and shoes.
She has been wanting her hair done like this for many moons now....she asked for my help...
Before.....
After......
Her hair turned out pretty swell!!! Plus all her 7th and 8th grade friends thought it was great.
Winter break never seems to last long enough....Never the less
We sure had a grand time all the same...
To have everyone home was all in all a true blessing!!!
There were late nights of binge watching Friends and The Walking Dead...A house full of familiar faces coming to visit.... Late night food runs and reminiscing through old picture books...
(Spring Break 2001)
Photos taken with the two Army girls right before they left....
As like all good things....
They have to end....
Tessa left first ...last Saturday night...
It was hard to see her go....
Then came this Saturday , We did another trip to the airport....
I won't lie...it is hard on my mum heart.....To let them both go again....
But like a saying my grandmother tells me... Children are like rainbows...You can't hold a rainbow Karen, just enjoy the beauty that it is .
So ,I do...with tears in my eyes and an understanding strong loving man by my side ....and knowing this town is too small to hold such greatness ...they are meant for bigger things ....all the while I will be the proud mum off to the side cheering them the entire way :)
As the hours tick down to the start of classes in the morning....late night homework.... back to trying to run on time and get to bed before midnight....