A sibling bond

I remember coming home from school to my afternoon snack waiting on the counter that mom put out ...It was usually cookies, or sometimes crackers...or just whatever.. oh but those oreos made my day! I remember those summer days just playing out in the pool or working on my tan, only taking a break to come inside to get a drink or watch t.v., and then go back outside. I remember riding my bike up and down the street just happy to be outside in the sun. I remember playing sports all day long, and going to the park for softball and soccer games for my brothers and I. I remember playing on the tire swing in the back yard. I remember trying to ride the sled so fast down the hill in the back yard to try and jump the creek- but we never made it and always landed on our butts. I remember playing restaurant and house for hours with my sister and brothers. I remember playing king of the hill in Grandpa's back yard in the big ivy patch. I remember as soon as we got to Grandpa's house we'd suck all the stuff out of those honeysuckle things. I remember Christmas morning when we were all little, lining up at the top of the stairs waiting to see if Santa had come. I remember playing dress up or making up dances to lame songs and then performing them in front of the family like we were superstars. I remember sitting around the dinner table and laughing so hard that we almost got in trouble for being too rowdy. I remember those family trips to the beach or Disneyland when we just ran around all day and all night just happy to be kids. I remember going shopping for new school clothes and picking out the coolest backpack every year. I remember when we all gave Valentine's day cards to everyone in class, even people we hated. I remember when it was cool to take your teachers homemade cookies or jams every year for Christmas. I remember class pictures, and how fun it was to wear my best outfit. I remember how fun it was to wear braces--weird, I know. I remember when it was cute for me to have bangs. I remember when every present I gave my mom and dad was handmade. I remember when I didn't have a care in the world. I remember staying up late to watch the fireworks on the 4th of July. And the parties on New Years when dad made breakfast at midnight. I especially remember the times we spend as family. We’d make snowmen, and have snowball fights, and all work outside to shovel the driveway in the big snowstorms. We’d go to each other’s sporting events, beauty pageants, scout activities and go because that’s just what we did. We’d have birthday parties, and swimming parties and all hang out on Sunday afternoons at the house. We’d sit around the table in the living room on Christmas Eve for our traditional dinner, and the same couple of us would ALWAYS choose to open a present on Christmas Eve. We’d go on family trips to California to see our grandparents and other family. We’d go skiing in Vermont. We’d hide at the top of the stairs when people came to the door and try to make the other sibling make a noise and be discovered by the visitor….so lame, but so funny. We each had our own room, a boys and girls bathroom, a fun basement to play in, a fun pool to swim in, a tire swing to relax in, a tetherball to play with, a weeping willow to relax under, a garden to grow our family vegetables in, a field in the back to watch deer run through. We had a nice home, and nice things…because our parents worked hard to allow us to have them. They allowed us to be kids, to grow up at our own pace and enjoy life. I am grateful for that time in my life: The time I was able to get to know my parents and siblings, and form bonds that will never be broken and never be replaced.
I have fond memories of my childhood, and I appreciate them. I think I have a great appreciation of it all because I know, and I remember what it is like to not have a family….To not have a mom and dad and a house full of siblings. To not have a home to call my own. To not have my own clothes, or toys, or bed to sleep in. I remember it. And it wasn’t fun.
I wish that my bank account was endless, and I could afford to fly and spend time with my siblings more than I do. I wish that I didn’t have to work so I could just travel and spend as much time as I wanted with my family members. I wish that I lived closer to them, could spend every holiday with them, be there for every birth of a new niece or nephew, go to the park and watch our kids play together, or even just stop by and hang out for no reason at all than just to catch up on the day or maybe just sit and watch t.v. and say nothing.
I envy those who live near their family. Who can do those things that I wish I could…. Who can just stop by to borrow an outfit, or a tool, or something really random. It makes me jealous, but at the same time I realize—my family is my family, and my siblings are my siblings…the same as they were when I was a child. No matter who lives down the street or across the country, or right now even across the globe. We have those memories and we have a bond that cannot be broken, even through death. For that I am eternally grateful.

Where Flowers Bloom, So Does Hope

It's not a secret to a few of you that I've had a really long week. Maybe after a good night's sleep and a great big diet pepsi I'll be okay tomorrow. Well, no harm in hoping, right? A cute sweet friend of mine ...okay, it was Jacqui...brought these to me today...and what I loved about it is her son wanted to put them on the doorstep and hide around the corner. I was surprised and it was so cute! I love flowers. And, I'm lucky to have great friends. Really, I am.

A Much Needed Evening

You know when you have those friends that you could not see forever, and you're still just the same as when you left off? That's Becky and I. Since I moved here 9 years ago we've been friends. We used to live together. We'd go through phases where we'd hang out every day, or sometimes it'd be 6 months, or maybe longer. I saw her maybe a month and a half ago, so we're getting better. Tonight we went to the CopperCreek Grill & Pub. Kids can go there, though...so Kenny and I took Kira and met Becky and her boyfriend Rea. We were there for a few hours and it was so fun to catch up and just relax.

Becky, Kira and I

Kenny and Rea posing sweetly for the camera

Kira giggling...she loves being tickled

Kira was eating some cake and as she helped herself to a big bite, she got chocolate
on the side of her mouth. I took a picture of her as she's looking at Becky as Becky shows her how to smear chocolate on her face. Lovely girl.

Dental Hygiene

This is how Kira flosses her teeth. It's all about intention I guess?

My (Our) Gingerbread House

Our friends/neighbors Adam and Alicia invited us over last night to make gingerbread houses. I thought it sounded like fun so we went over after work for an evening of sugar and fun. I don't ever remember making gingerbread houses...so if I did make one it was when I was a lot younger.

We started out with our walls and ceiling...and it was quite the activity once we put it together. Kenny and Kira helped me with the roof .....

And then I decorated the rest while Kira ate all of the candy she could get her hands on, including scraping icing off the table when I wasn't looking, picking up candy off the floor, and trying to pull it off the house. Kenny socialized a bit and kept Kira from breaking things around their house.

At one point the roof caved in. It was pretty sad. But, we took it apart, and put it back together with a little team work. There was still a hole in the roof, but oh well? :)

The table was suuuuuuch a mess. And, I really was covered in icing. It was all over my hands, and dripped on my pants, and I was just glad I didn't have to clean up the mess! :)

I admit, this was probably more fun than it should have been. There is something refreshing, however, about getting messy and sticking candy all over these little houses. I had so much fun and I can't wait until next year!!!

Family

"Our most basic instinct is not for survival but for family. Most of us would give our own life for the survival of a family member, yet we lead our daily life too often as if we take our family for granted." ~Paul Pearshall

Note: I loved this vacation, I love the beach, I love my family, and I love this picture. I am especially entertained by this picture because Rick is smiling...and if you know him, he doesn't put a picture smile on like most of us do. This not being a common occurance --it must mean that someone said something inappropriate or hilarious. I vote Scott.

My Siblings

"To the outside world we all grow old. But not to brothers and sisters. We know each other as we always were. We know each other's hearts. We share private family jokes. We remember family feuds and secrets, family griefs and joys. We live outside the touch of time." --Clara Ortega