Can you have a post with A LOT of randomness?

Maybe if I include lots of pics and a few videos you'll bear with me. It's been awhile.

A grumping to begin with: 

My daughter has a friend who struggles to make good choices. Every time she (my daughter) takes a chance and invites this "friend" over she gets burned. Then the girl goes and posts negative things on facebook. The girl says that my daughter is two faced. Really? Because you lie to her and me about how you are getting home and after years of your lies I text your mom to let her know what you are saying now (the plan was different and hour earlier) because I DON'T TRUST YOU  and that makes Sassy the two-faced, bad friend. She continues to care about you, give you second chances, and invite you over, knowing that you will probably use her, lie to her, and get mad at her for your lies and your consequences. Ugh! Her parents are such nice people. I love her mom. I hate the way she treats her mom and my daughter. Sassy decided she has had enough. She pulled the welcome mat in. She needed to in order to protect herself.

I am so glad she decided that your hateful words were not anything she needed to read and unfriended you on facebook. she doesn't need "friends" that hate and despitefully use her for having morals and values. (Not that this young lady will ever read this, but you get why I addressed that to her, right?)

Some disturbing news items:

If THIS is inappropriate dress what do they define the shorter skirts as? I am pretty impressed by this lovely outfit. I question the reason or purpose behind the administrator who define this as inappropriate. My daughter's middle school had a dress code. It wasn't enforced. They kept making is stricter and stricter, but the girls wearing the tight bosoms showing shirts or the short-short skirts weren't the ones being asked to change or getting reprimanded for violating the dress code. It was the girls who had on modest clothes, but not the right kind of collar, or their shorts were an inch too short. We had parents on the "patrol" who volunteered to send the kids to the office. they quit after a short time, because of the discrepancy. The new principle simply disregarded the collared shirt requirement, but did enforce the decency part of the dress code. Thankfully, some sane thought with the new blood. I supported the dress code as it helped reduce gang activity, but when it isn't enforced as written is become useless.

Speaking of useless laws: Does anyone else think the money fined here would be better served in the programs for the students? Maybe I'm the crazy one. I have some serious concerns about our law makers. If I wanted junk food in high school NO ONE would have stopped me. They kept the vending machines running to avoid students leaving school and risking accident or tardies. I also think that the federal government has NO BUSINESS in our schools. They botch things. Exhibit 1-  No Child Left Untested  Behind.

Some better thoughts:
Mr and Mrs Monkey Wrench and L'il Miss Lady Bug went to California for Easter. We planned to see my paternal uncle, but he was being placed on hospice the day we arrived and we only had the one night. It was a quick trip.  I got to give my aunt a squeeze before we left, but they needed to calm him down. Too many changes in too short of time had him pretty agitated.We went to an Easter Egg hunt at Jackson Park in Riverside and then headed back to Las Vegas where we played an then spent the night with some friends. Three nights on the road and all three at a different location.

Momma and L'il Miss Lady bug carrying the basket.

Daddy and L'il Miss Lady bug waiting for the hunt to begin.

Papa holding her up high to check out the scene.

Sitting in Auntie Tree Monkey's lap waiting for the start, checking out the eggs on the grass.

Screaming because "I do not like the grass on my knees!"

"I got one!"

The TWO eggs she picked up!

Us with the red M&M. Who doesn't have one of those pictures?

Race car shot because daddy loves racing and fast cars.

See. Everyone has a picture with the red M&M.

L'il miss lady bug turned ONE!!!! We didn't make it to the birthday party :( Sassy and Tree Monkey have dance competitions every April thru May. On the day of her party they had a dance competition that went until 5 PM. Not only were hubby and I there to support that, but Sassy made JV Cheer and it was the BIG fundraiser for the cheer leaders, so parents and cheerleaders were required to work teh dance competition. We has Sassy work it Friday all afternoon and night so she could dance on Saturday and Hubby and I worked the Saturday afternoon shift. We didn't know about the party when we signed up. Likely it wasn't planned that far ahead, but whatever. We also tried to let the party planners know that we couldn't attend until after 5:30 PM. No changes were made to accommodate our previous obligatory commitment*. Sad we couldn't be there. We did get to hear the announcement that L'il miss lady bug will be a big sister about January, AND we got to giver her her presents that we got her.  She is good at pushing her baby in the stroller, but doesn't really get the baby bottle thing yet. In time.

At the Zoo on her birthday with her daddy

Eating her birthday cake a day later at her party.

 Here is her stroller and baby....

She has her own swimming pool, swim diapers, and swim suit and Nana and Papa's home. She is almost running everywhere. She says "baby," "puppy," "dadda," "momma," "no," "uh oh,"  and "owie." Sometimes we hear "nana' and "papa," but they are not regular yet. She is a joy to be around and brightens any stressful day.

Who needs water? Auntie? What are you doing around there?

Auntie was blowing up the pool.

 We got her a princess chair to sit on at our home. 'Cause that's what grandparents do....

We are done with competition dance. It has been great. It has been taxing. It has been fun. It is time to move on. Both girls made a dance team at the high school and one made cheer as well, so we will be busy still. But different busy and new busy. Kinda looking forward to it.

The Pom number

Starstuck

Hey Na-Na

Where I Am

Hey Na-Na at different location than above

My baby brother and his wife are expecting. This is her on Mother's Day at our BBQ. She is a hawt momma.

Shirt says: America's Next Top Mommy!

I hope to get more regular at blogging this summer. It may be more of just my rants on certain topics than about the family, but it is my blog, right? 



*Our presence isn't considered crucial at these things.

Man's Best Friend

Well mostly the kids best friend......

Edited to add ** March 30, 1999 to October 12, 2011 **

The first weekend in May of 1998 our family of 4 young children with their parents (that'd be me and the Mr Monkey Butt) walked through PetCo in the town just North of our home. We had purchased our first home in the October previous. Getting a home meant fulfilling a promise to get a dog. We had been looking sporadically for a couple of months and not very seriously as we were taking our time.

As we walked through PetCo we looked at the puppies and dogs they had for adoption. One in particular caught my eye. The kids loved them all. We found out he was found in a drainage with his mom and puppy siblings. He was barely 8 weeks old. He had big puppy dog eyes and a chocolate color.

We named him Coco. Cause I am not creative and he was chocolate.

December 2003

December 2003

He has always been puppy like. He would chase balls before we threw them. He would roll in the leaves, the grass, and the cow pies. He thought the cows that lived in the pasture behind our home were large bath toys for him to chase and play with.

October 2004. The Scooby for my 2 Shaggy Dudes

2005

2005 with his tennis balls. He loved his tennis balls and was considered a ball hog. He would gather them up and keep them all to himself. Once he had like 6 of them and he wouldn't share with the other dogs.

2005 with Tree Monkey's hamster, Tinky, walking on him. He was that gentle.

2007 guarding Oldest's saxophone.

2006 posing, cause he liked his picture taken

December 2008 playing with my cousin

2009 with his squeeky toy. He loved his squeeky toys.

The only dog Sir Pounce A Lot ever liked. But Coco did help raise the kitty.

He loved to eat ice cream cones.
He love balls and squeeky toys.
He loved to see you.
He chased skunks...and lost every time. (BTW- tomato juice DOES NOT work. Baking soda paste does.)
He was terrified of thunder and always ran to me when he heard it. He whined until I petted him and told him it was okay.

Good bye old friend. Your tumor and enlarged liver is too much for you. Go rest and play with grandpa in heaven. Chase balls and not hurt anymore. For we know that all dogs go to heaven.

August 2011 wrap up

Sassy turned sweet 16!
She passed her driver's license test and is waiting to get enough money for insurance so she can get her license.

She had a party with her friends at my brother's club house and theater. They swam in the pool, sat in the hot tub, and then watched White Chicks on a huge screen!

The sign!

The food table- sans food

J dude- doing a flip and being all fancy and stuff

Friends in the pool.

Hanging out in the water

Warming up in the hot tub.

The other side

Two of the dudes

After the movie

Sassy has some totally amazing friends. She is a totally amazing young lady, so I guess it follows that her friends would mirror her in that.

The girls began school again. Sassy is a Sophomore, who can date and drive her whole year. I hope those boys know that I am good aim with a .45. Actually J-dude thinks it's funny when I remind him of that.

Tree Monkey started 8th grade. How can my baby be in 8th grade? It's crazy and fun all at the same time.

They both auditioned for the competition teams at their studio. Both are on Company, the highest competing team. It will be a great year.

I drive my girls to school each morning. They can totally ride the bus, but I don't get home til after 6 PM so I like to spend that extra 5-10 minutes with them. It's our time to start the day with each other.

Nothing else too exciting happened in August, besides crazy stuff at work that really isn't worth mentioning.

July part 1- Let's just hope I remember to do part 2 ;)

Where did this month go?! Seriously.

At the Freedom Festival with Nana and Papa

Being held by Uncle Oldest

Snoozing on Nana on July 3rd

The Monkey Wrenches, Sassy, Oldest, and Tree Monkey slept out on the parade route July 3rd and we joined them after sleeping in our bed. Well, kind of sleeping. Sassy left her dog home with us. He sleeps at her feet. She wasn't home, he slept on our bed, but my Izzy dog sleeps on my bed and there wasn't enough room for both with me and the Mr. But with more sleep than the parade place savers, we joined them with donuts and juice for breakfast.

Snoozing on Papa July 4th at Parade

L'il Miss Lady Bug slept the whole parade on her Papa (Mr.).
Then we had a BBQ at our home and went to our neighborhood's Sidewalk of Fire. It was the 7th annual event. The rain sent me home with the kids, but we watched from our garage window and lit a few fireworks of our own.

Mostly I am working, going to the gym 3 days a week, doing water aerobics (good workout), and spending time with my family. It doesn't leave much time for internet stuff. I read blogs, get on Facebook, and check email, but it is sometimes a couple of days before I get to it. I thought I would miss it, but I don't. I like my work and it keeps me very busy.

We have a camping trip coming up. Oldest has to work, so he will be staying home guarding the home front, but the Monkey Wrenches and the girls of course, L'il Miss Lady Bug will be going with us. Her first camping trip! So exciting.

I cannot believe that school stuff is out and on sale right now. I am still in the middle of my summer and those darn retailers are reminding about all my mom duties that are coming up soon. Darn them! I'm going to keep ignoring them.

So, I'm off to church now and then to feed the family and hold the granddaughter. You know why they are called grand children? 'Cause it's the grandest thing to happen in your life. It's why you let your children live through the teenage years. 'Cause then you get this beautiful child to hold and spoil and send home at night so you can sleep and have the energy to play and spoil them again.

Sleeping soundly in Nana's bouncy chair

Sleeping with Papa on July 16

Happy Birthday to Little Miss Lady Bug

***Edited to add***
7 lbs 3 oz and 19.5 inches long. How did I not remember to post this before? Too excited to think I guess.

Nana K is now a reality. My first granddaughter/child arrived at 1:04 AM on May 4th. 3 days before my birthday. That's a pretty good gift in my book!

Right after birth being checked out.

"I do not like being bothered," she screamed.

Me with my son, DIL and little miss Lady Bug

Little Miss Lady Bug

Nana K and a brand new grand baby

The growing jungle.

Little Miss Lady Bug

My first born with his first born. LOVE!

A few hours later in the day. Finally sleeping.

 She was very alert and had her eyes open. She also ate within 30 minutes of her birth. Kind of cool and surreal. You actually get to leave the hospital without a baby and not feel like part of you is missing. It is still hard to leave. Just looking at her is Heaven.