The Big 3!

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My blog turned three on January 10th (a bit late in mentioning it, as usual), where does the time go? *sniff* I can't believe it's the Big 3 already! Maybe it's not like the 'Big 3-0' when thinking of someone turning 30, but it is kind of a big thing to have a three-year-old blog. A blog's life is measured differently than humans, just like cats and dogs; for every year of a cat's life you add on five for the actual age of a cat, and ten for dogs. We have two cats that are 11 years old, but measured in human years, they're actually 55 years old; I have yet to tell them this. I'm not sure what the actual age of the blog is when going by this system, but it seems like it's been more than three years I've been slaving away at doing this blog. What does all of this mean? I haven't a clue, I just needed a name for this post and then felt a need to explain it, even though I haven't a clue what I'm talkin' about. How this blog ever made it to three years is beyond me.

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Here are some of the pics I took during the last year. There were a lot more pics in this collage, but realized that I was putting pics I had already posted on the blog throughout the year and was just duplicating them, so I picked my favorites from my favorites (um, yeah), and ended up with the ones you see in the collage below. Make sense? I didn't think so... moving on now...

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Thanks for taking the time to come by and read my many bemused and incoherent posts (like this one), and looking at my many pics, some decent, and many that I should have kept hidden away due to my poor photography skills.

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I don't know about you, but I'm ready for another year of incoherent ramblings and lackluster pics... um, yeah...







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My Sister, My Friend

"With a sister like you, I know I'll always have a friend and so will you." (gotta love hallmark)

I did a photoshoot of my girls in their 'sister shirts'. You can tell they're crazy about each other...



Sweet sisters.



This one is my favorite.



Caitie's showing Bailey a game on her new Nintendo DSi (thanks, nana). Caitie's addicted to it, and it looks like Bailey might become addicted as well... I know I am... um, I mean it looks like a fun game. Okay, okay... so I'm addicted as well, so much so that I got one for myself; yep, I surely did. They do make games for grown-ups, ya know, not that I haven't enjoyed playing the Zhu Zhu Pets one that Caitie has. Yes, I just admitted that... um, yeah... moving on now...



I think the photoshoot is over... Silly gals.



I don't have a sister, I have a brother, who was often mean, overbearing, inconsiderate, bullyish (is this a word?), did I mention mean? unkind, condescending, cruel, oh, and... mean, not sure if I mentioned that or not. Maybe I'm exaggerating a bit here (a lot, actually), I am referring to our childhood years, which happened waaay long ago, so my recollection may not be the best... but you know what? I wouldn't change a thing if I could, because he really wasn't all that bad back then, and now, well, he's a responsible, nice, caring, funny, sarcastic (oops, did i let that slip in? i'm sarcastic too, so it's no biggy, i guess), considerate guy, who has been through quite a bit in the last year, and handled it all remarkably well. Do you have a sibling or siblings? If so, I'm hoping you can say you're friends, and are always there for each other, just like I'm hoping my girls will be. Now, go hug your sibling(s), or if they're not around, go hug your cat, if you don't have a cat, go hug a tree, if you don't have a tree... well, just go hug somethin', will ya? Blech! This mushy stuff is too much for me, give me sarcastic any day...

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Firsts

Caitie had a couple of firsts lately... and I, of course, had to take a few pics...

She had her first dental visit. Yeah, I know, I know... I'm a neglectful and procrastinating mother; she should have seen the dentist before now, but all was well... no cavities, but there is some crowding of the teeth, which is of no surprise since both Michael and I had to have braces; it looks like Caitie will as well.



Here are her x-rays. The doc laid them on the countertop, so I grabbed them and took a quick pic. Caitie would only sit through the bite teeth x-rays, she wouldn't agree to the back molar ones; I didn't force her to do it since I know how uncomfortable it is to have the back teeth done. The dental assistant said she would try to get those x-rays on her next visit, which is in six months. You can see her 'adult' teeth below her 'baby' teeth in these x-rays; there is crowding. See the nice view behind the x-rays? This was the room she had her teeth cleaned in; we were on the fourth floor.



Here's her dentist; he's checkin' out her little teethies. We've been going to him since forever, it seems. Michael and I started going to his office when we worked at the hospital; when we left the hospital, we stopped going to the dentist. Michael has since been back to his office, but I have yet to go back. The tarter build-up behind my lower front teeth is wonderful; they would have a fun time cleanin' my teeth. I really should make an appointment. I wonder if they have a hour day open for a teeth cleanin'; that's how much time they would need, I'm sure.



When the doc was done checkin' out her teeth, his assistant came in to polish her teeth and give her the fun flouride treatment. She got a toothbrush, a cute dental floss thingy, which will probably never be used, and a paper instructing her on how to brush her teeth.



When she was done, the assistant told her she could pick out a toy from the toybox on her way out. She found this plastic watch; there wasn't a whole lot to choose from. She thought this was the toy I promised her if she behaved and got x-rays and sat through the teeth cleaning, etc. (yes, i bribed her); I reminded her that she could still pick out a toy the next time we were at the store. She did really well for it being her first time at the dentist.



Another first for her was going to the hair salon to get her first professional haircut. I've trimmed her bangs before, but that's it; I've never cut the length of her hair. She didn't want it too short, neither did Michael, so I agreed to let it stay close to shoulder length.



She was nervous about getting her hair cut, but she did really well.



Michael remembered what I did at the dentist office to get Caitie to cooperate... so we decided to do the same thing at the hair salon... she was promised a toy from the store if she behaved while getting her hair cut. The people in the chairs next to her kept commenting on how cute she was and how quiet and well behaved she was. She didn't look too happy about getting her hair cut, but she did cooperate. Bribery, a parent's best friend.



Here are her two rewards for behaving and cooperating at the dentist office and the hair salon. (take note of her new 'do.) She picked these out at Kohl's. When you buy these particular stuffed animals, all the money goes to a children's organization, which is nice. The one on the left is a caterpillar, in case you were wondering. I'm sure you can tell the other one's a turtle... if not... the other one's a turtle... now you know.

Excuse me

Where were you last Saturday night? We were freezing our 'you know whats' off at Glendale Glitters. We've gone every year since 2006. Yes, it's tradition. I took a few pics...

My usual hot air balloon pic. I took this pic while walking, watching Bailey, and freezing my 'you know what' off, so this isn't the best pic. Yeah, I know... excuses, excuses.



We spent most of our time in the 'ride area'. (i don't know what else to call it; it's late. yeah, i know... lame excuse.)

This was Caitie's favorite part. She loved going down the super steep, super scary slide. She wouldn't go down it with anyone but her daddy (that's them coming down the slide); of course, my subtle (ahem) decline in agreeing to go down it could have had something to do with that. I'm afraid of heights; yeah, I know... lame excuse; or is it? hmmm...



Her daddy won her a red velvet bulldog at the 'water gun game' (i haven't a clue what the game was actually called). Michael always wins at this game, even after being told by someone who had been watching the game for a while that the #13 water gun had won the last several rounds, so I decided to claim that one and challenge my hubby, and one other person (there were only three working water guns left when we arrived at the game), knowing I would win, because the lady said so. Well, she was wrong, Michael won... as always. I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation for this... my fingers were really cold, and I had been snapping pics all night, and I hardly ever play that game... (yeah, i know... excuses, excuses.)



Caitie and I went on the helicopter ride; Caitie was the pilot. It's similar to the Dumbo ride at Disneyland, which Caitie and I love. It's not quite as exciting as ol' Dumbo, but it was fun.



As you can see here, Caitie likes flying high; the other helicopters are below us.



Here's Caitie and her daddy on the spinning bear ride. The people controlling the ride had to stop it due to Michael spinning their bear around too fast, which threw the other three bears off balance. You could definitely see a difference in the speed their bear was going compared to the others... they were spinning out of control while the other three bears were barely moving; it was fun to watch.



Don't think I forgot about Bailey; I took some pics of her while Michael and Caitie were on the bear ride. As you can see here, she was thrilled with the whole experience.



And that's all for now, because, well, you know... it is late, and I've run out of things to say... and, well... anyway...

Yeah, I know, excuses, excuses...

Christmastime Part 3 of 3

Here are some pics I took around and on Christmas of 2010...

The girls in front of the Christmas tree.



Bailey dressed in the same santa dress that Caitie wore on her first Christmas. I took it in the same spot that I took Caitie's pic.



Remember the 'Pretty Paper' Christmas song? Here's my take on it..."Pretty paper, pretty ribbons of blue..." this is my addition to it: "a red bow on the head of a baby so cute..." um, yeah... moving on now...

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Opening presents on Christmas morning. First Caitie...

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Then it was Bailey's turn.

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"I'm likin' that santa fella."

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The 'in front of the Christmas tree' pic.

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"I can get used to this present stuff."

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Then all too soon, Christmas was over. The Christmas tree wasn't ready to let go of Caitie; it was especially drawn to her hair.

In Loving Memory

My grandmother (the girls' great-grandmother), which we always called Nannie, passed away on Dec 30th. I told her on several occasions that she should write a book, she lived a long and interesting life; she was 91 when she went to be with the Lord. She is now with her husband (my Granddad), which she lost back in August of '65, her eldest son, and her second son, my dad, in Heaven. What a reunion that must be! :) I'll see her again one day, along with my dad and the others, and we'll all rejoice being in God's presence.

Click on the 'play' button below to view a few of the many pics I have of Nannie; I would have put more, but there was a 10 pic limit. When you arrive on the page, click the 'black play button' to view the slideshow, or you can click the 'plus sign' to go through each pic, and click on the 'minus sign' to see a previous pic. You can pick the speed of the slideshow by sliding the 'speed bar' back and forth.

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