Scar revision

Riley had a scar on her cheek from December 07 and it was finally time to do the scar revision surgery. Six in the morning the day before Thanksgiving we were signing in. Her dad and I agonized over this decision for months. We cancelled two previous appointments, we wanted to be sure the result would be an improvement.  I tried to get a good before picture but its difficult to see. The thing we worried about most was the indention it made when she smiled. (below: before)

All gowned up and ready to be wheeled in to the OR. She was cracking jokes and laughing the whole time.

This is recovery.

And here she is being wheeled to the car.......... Shes not laughing any more.

We get her home and I'm expecting that we are going to spend the rest of the day in bed. I couldn't have been more wrong! Apparently Tylenol with codeine makes some kids hyper. This kid was bouncing off the walls, feeling no pain. She wanted me to stop and get her and ice cream on the way home. Sorry kid its

8 AM, no one is open yet. She reminded me at 11 AM when Pink berry opened..

Her cheek looks much better now, still a little red but healing very well.

playing catch up.......

So here I go.........my attempt to catch up on all that has happened since I dropped off the bloggy radar.

REWIND to mid August. I lost my last grandparent to pancreatic cancer and my aunt in Germany to bone cancer. What an ugly word... August was an ugly month.


September: On a lighter note, Riley went on her first field trip. Her whole class went to the LA County fair. With me and her BFF (since preschool) Roxanne by her side, there is nothing this kid didn't see.

 First time milking a goat (or anything for that matter)

 Class picture

 First time on a bus.

October: Riley won the fundraiser. She sold 184 items. Second place was 64 items. 

Gotta get a picture with the man that made it all possible...... her dad. He spent two weeks of his life hustling all his Facebook friends for his sweet Lil Riley Ann. (insert sarcasm "sweet")

Then Halloween came and it was time for a class party. Although now its  referred to as Literature day. All the kids had to bring a book that had the character they dressed as in it... silly I know but those are the rules. Since when is Halloween an offensive word?

 Can you see my Grumpy lady bug in the back row?

.....And here she is with a smile on her face just before trick or treating.

Tyler and her pooped out at the end of the night candy buckets full.....

2011 Resolution

...........To blog more, among other things.

Happy 2011 to Everyone!

1st day of Kindergarten

We are almost done with the 1st month but here are some pics of the first day.

I just love this kid!

.....Gosh, I really miss the flexibility of preschool. This schedule thing is going to take some getting use to.

Day dreaming

I stumbled upon this blog though a friends blog.......... A lady on maternity leave, imagines what her baby is dreaming of during nap time and tries to recapture the dream. TOO ADORABLE!! If you could use a smile, check her out. http://www.milasdaydreams.blogspot.com

Wonder if Riley will let me do this to her?

From :( to :) in 30 seconds.

Not only was I in a grumpy-Gus mood yesterday, but so was Riley. From the second I picked her up from school all the way through dinner, it was an uphill battle..... Then came a knock at the door, it was UPS with a package.

.......Like a light switch was flipped, she was happy again. Her flower girl dress, for my sisters wedding had arrived. This is the best shot I could get because she wouldn't sit still.

I ordered it from http://www.mygirldress.com/ and I have to say it is even better than the picture! I am impressed with the quality and price.

Have I ....

Abandoned ship??
No, but I'm kinda in a funk. You see I created this little blog so that my relatives in Germany could read whats going our family.

My Aunt Irmchen, well my great aunt (my grandma's only sibling) and her daughter Gabby are ecstatic to read what new skills Riley has learned or where she's been... Basically they live and breathe for this little girl, which was how it was when my sister and I were little. My Aunt Irmchen and Uncle Herbert had one child and she never had children due to medical issues, so my sister and I were their grand kids. They would visit twice a year for a month and we would fly with my grand parents to Germany on our breaks to see them (Oh the beauty of year the around school system).

I remember all the little trips we would take, here in California and in Berlin. They are some of my most cherished memories.. Lately I have kinda been reliving them through the boxes and boxes of pictures that I am attempting to organize (before the digital age). Eventually I will scan them to digital, but for now organization is my main goal.

Any who... Those trips and visits slowed down when my Uncle Herbert passed away 15 years ago, then my Grandpa 9 years ago. In fact the last time my Aunt was in California was when my grandpa died.

Present day, my Aunt is 75 and her is daughter 54. My Aunt has serious heart issues and her daughter has been battling cancer for the past year. All they have is each other and the thought of one of them being alone breaks my heart. Honestly they are two of the most genuine, sweet souls I have ever meet.

My Aunt called 2 weeks ago and told us the Doctors believe that Gabby has 2 more months and the cancer will win this fight. My Aunt called again last Friday night and said that Gabby had passed away at home in her arms. So answer me this GOD why aren't horrible painful diseases reserved for rotten people? When you can answer that I will join your team!

Oh and on Aug 22, it will be 1 year since my Grandma passed away... Leaving me with only my fraternal grand mother. Shes 77 and has pancreatic cancer that has spread to her liver and kidneys. She has a few days. As you can tell I'm not in the most chipper of moods, so I will post again when my world is a little brighter.

It's 8:00 AM in our house

My two little bed hogs....... and Riley & cat wonder why they are not welcome to sleep in my bed. How can that be comfortable? O' to be a kid.

Have a fantastic weekend.........

Making the world a cleaner place....

One crapy bumper sticker at a time.

Rant Part 1:
If you are going to use your car as your own personal mobile billboard, the catalyst for your message to the world… This message is sooooo powerful, everyone need to be aware of your position....
Then do me a favor and wash your freaking car!
How am I ever going to take your message to heart (or serious for the matter) when your rig is filthy mess?

Remember: CLEANLINESS IS NEXT TO GODLINESS (Insert sarcastic smirk here)

Rant Part 2:
Once the proposition(s) / election(s) have been put to a vote, it is now time to remove the sticker…. Let’s not wait until it is a crumbly illegible mess. Think of it this way, you will have more room to affix more propaganda to your ride. Yeah everyone wins.

So here are a few bumper stickers that I find ironic and amusing:

He sure is...

Only in Texas!

I still see peeps rockin this one.... in all its faded yellow and kinda still blue glory.

Have a great week

OZZFest returns

I read this article in the paper this morning........ So excited, it was all a big rumor and now I have confirmation! I'm a huge Ozzy fan... way before "The Osbournes", I'm talking back when he was with Sabbath.


OZZFest returns after two-year hiatus
By Joe Nelson

After a two-year hiatus, heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne is bringing his OZZFest back to the San Manuel Amphitheater on Aug. 14, with co-headlining act Motley Crue.
The inaugaural OZZFest kicked off at the San Manuel Amphitheater (then called the Blockbuster Pavillion) in 1996 and became one of the defining hard rock festival tours. Over the years, its roster has included some of the most legendary and up-and-coming bands working in the business today including Metallica, System of a Down, Linkin Park, Incubus and Slipknot.
On Aug. 14, OZZFest will be back in full force with Ozzy, Motley Crue, Rob Halford (of Judas Priest fame), DevilDriver and Nonpoint set to perform on the main stage.
Black Label Society, Drowning Pool, Kingdom of Sorrow, Goatwhore, Skeletonwitch and Saviours and Kataklysm will play the second stage.
OZZFest tour dates coincide with the June 15 release of SCREAM (Epic Records), Ozzy's first album in three years and 10th studio album overall.
Tickets go on sale May 22 at www.OZZfest.com and www.LiveNation.com. Read more: http://www.dailybulletin.com/news/ci_15007551#ixzz0mybyPAGt

Until next time my friends,

Went to do some computer shopping the other night............. no computer but we came home with a pair of Iphone(s). :0

Cut off from.............

...all social media. Ya, ever since MONDAY, the hard drive (HD*) crashed on my laptop, no facebook (FB*), no blogging.... NOTHING! At first I was lost, upset mostly because there are pictures on that stinkin' HD that were not backed up on the external HD. So I sent it off to a friend and we shall see if he can recover them.. Waiting waiting waiting.

Any who without FB my house is fantastically clean, laundry is washed IRONED and put away... dished done! Not like we lived like slobs before but I did my fair share of procrastinating house work while surfing the web.

And since I refuse to access social sites from my work computer, well that and they might blocked, I have been FB free for 3 days. I use Riley's laptop to google things I need to know.....Like where I'm going to stay for Stage Coach weekend... You know important info LOL.

Yep having a girls weekend in an S-hole little town called Indio. I am going to enjoy an entire kid-free, country music filled weekend. I almost peed myself thinking about it.

(Oh the loneliness when you lose your best buddy... {tear*} the computer)

Now on to laptop replacement decision:

New HD for my current craptop.. I fear something else will break and I will be up a creek again.

Mini HP notebook... what if I crave the big screen when the cuteness wears off?

IPAD.... Who's to say I wont want/need to do real work on the computer in the future?

New laptop..... ?????

Maybe all of the above just to cover my bases.. lol. Can you imagine the set-up headaches? I would have to institutionalize myself!

Easter

At our house "the Easter bunny" always leaves footprints all over the yard. Its her job to follow them and find the treat. She get so excited, it will be sad when she doesn't fall for it anymore.

The appropriate basket for such a wonderful child. 6 outfits and 12 lbs of sugar 2 pairs of shoes.... Her Mommy might have a shopping adiction. just a touch.. maybe

Checkin out her loot. As you can tell we run a pretty casual household... kid standing on the chair looking like a hobo... cats on the table...

The basket is empty and it looks like Spanky found the perfect bed.

Riley cleaning up for dinner and the strangest water lovin' cat I know!

All cleaned up, excited to have her hair curled..... just waiting for her Auntie for Easter goodies round 2.

Hope everyone had a wonderful easter with family and friends....

While daddy is away....

His girls will play...... in the 6 Series with the top down all the way to Disneyland! Yeppers, we skipped school and work on Friday to visit Mickey! Riley begged to put the top down and 10 miles down the freeway she was begging to put it back up. "Mom no more long rides in Dub-u with the vertiable off" (translation=She hates long rides in the bmw top down) :(

Hair everywhere!

Hailey & Riley teacuppin' Oh Mommy is gonna be sick....

Riley and I ended the day with cupcakes..YUM.

Can I get an "F" for FREEDOM......F-ya!..

I have the best sister ever!!!! She is taking my daughter for an entire night and all day tomorrow. For the first night since the release of the Ipod touch I will not be arguing with a certain 4.5 year old over going to bed... yehhhh



All this freedom and for no particular reason is yet another point for the best sister in the world!



Things I may do tonight:

*take a shower by myself.....ooooooor maybe not:)... lets just say there will not be a 4 year old pointing out the spots I missed shaving :)

* maybe a movie that's not rated PG?

*walk around my house naked

*drink a lil wine

*listen to a lil music

*sleep in....

Ohhhh I'm so excited about the possibilities. You childless friends will understand one day. LOL

My Boss has been out of town for 3 weeks... aww the life... Now if I could figure out how to route my calls to someone else, that would be awesome! (maybe I need an assistant)

I have been super distracted from this blog and it kinka sux but in the grand scheme of things there is just too much to do.

I will share a little funny with ya:

Few days ago at work I received a stack of free meal gift cards for BJ's (restaurant, for those of you who don't know) So I prepare an email to about 10 friends that was suppose to read:

Hey swing by my desk for free BJ's FOOD.

XOXO Jen

Well I got a phone call before I could type FOOD and hit send without proof reading..... Not only was I offering free BJ's but I managed to send it to all of Chino corp office. Whoopees!

Man-o-man was the phone ringing that day!

1 and Done?

The other day I was sitting on the couch watching Bridezillas (its a ridiculous show but entertaining) So I called my sis for the 5Th time that day... I continued to harass her about how she was borderline a Bridezilla (she getting hitched in Oct) She fired back claiming that I show tendencies of a potential animal hoarder. (To this I say aronious!) We bicker for a few minutes and then hang up.

It occurred to me that we talk multiple times a day and see each other at least 3 times a week. Then it hits me how much I love my sister, even if she is a pain in the ass sometimes. I seriously cant go a day without talking to her. We are close like butt cheeks!
Teary eyed, I call her back and tell her Riley doesn't have a butt cheek. For so long I was content with just one kid but now............. I feel this urge to create a BFF for Riley.. Is that a selfish reason to want baby #2? Well, that and I love fresh baby smell.

That is all my sis needed to hear, you see she works NIC unit and has a serious case of baby fever... She wanted me to get working on #2 that night... but that would mean I would be huge for her wedding and I would have to see the pictures of my fatness for the rest of my life. EWwwww, so sadly we had to delay operation fetus implantation. My Sissy mentions again that she is getting married in Oct with plans for baby right away. (told ya she was a bridezilla everything revolves around this wedding)
Sooo our plan was hatched. We want to become prego together around November-ish. I just gotta clear it with the man and we are good to go. Thanks Mino for being the very best sister and friend ever.