Hellomynameislacee's Blog

It bugs me that I haven’t posted in months.  This is my thing.  I love to blog.  Time disapears and I don’t like it.  It takes serious time to sit down and put together a post.  Pictures take time.  Pictures are what makes a blog in my opinion.  It’s been a long time….

Today I shall change that by proceding to the cool things going on latley….

Cool thing #1:

my *new* camera

My beautiful, beloved, badass camera.  Check it… You dig?

It was a momentous purchase that has been accompanied with absolutley no regrets.  I didn’t take it out of the box for 3 days.  I didn’t trust myself to hold it, much less take the lens cap off.  I’m still drooling.

Cool thing #2:

She is five years old now.

She proudly holds the title of ‘most likely to give her parents hell.’

I think she is wonderful.

I think she is strong-willed.

I think her daddy and I have our work cut out for us.

Word on the street is, I’m paying for my raising.

I’ve always been up for a challenge.

Cool thing #2:

dimpled hineys

Good lookin grins…

Spunky blue eyed little boys that love their momma….

Mobile little men coming at the camera with a vengence….

This is our life.  It’s messy.  It’s inefficent.  It’s unorganized. It’s relaxed and usually filled with laughter.  It’s something to be seriously thankful for.

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I don’t know what else to say except HE’s BiG.

And he’s got BIG blue eyes….not from me.  Mine happen to be a pretty shade of urine yellow/green.

I’m not bitter though….

Because as he grows, he reminds me of Joe Bill (that’s my dad).

Max may of have never had the pleasure of experiencing Joe Bill’s company….

but the BELLY…..

the belly is proof.

He’s got Joe Bill’s belly.

But the belly is not the only character trait I see shining through each day…..

It’s his laugh.

And usually it’s Lauren who can coax the gut laugh right outta him with ease….

But today it was my turn.  Mia and Presley went to a friends house to play.   They went to play with their Georgie…..who is beautiful.  I just happen to have proof….

everybody knows Georgie is one of my favorite kids in the world…..

I’ve known her since she was in my Kindergarten class circa 2005…or was it 2006?….

The girl has killer freckles.

But I got off track here…..

What?!?  Freckles?!?  I got embroidery hoops up in here!

Embroidery hoops that your momma never uses….and one good lookin’ grin…

Whose grin reminds me of Joe Bill.  Through and through.

and one ‘duh’ look you must have inherited from your momma….

Sorry about that Max, I’m appaled as well…..

Genetics can be a real bitch.  But I will always love you.  Because I will always me your momma……

Mia is now an official pre-Kindergartener people.  This is a big deal okay.  We’re talking serious responsibilities here.

We’re off to a roaring start.

Today she comes home with a note from her teacher.

It’s a friendly reminder note. .  .  .  directed to me.

The note simply stated the importance of bringing Mia’s backpack and folder to school everyday.

Awesome.

I am a teacher here dudes.  This kinda business should come naturally to me.  I should understand the importace of bringing her crud to school.  Do you think that’s prevented me from walking out the door and leaving the damned backpack sitting RIGHT BESIDE THE DOOR?

No.  No it wasn’t.  Like 3 times it wasn’t enough.

I can’t even get my kid to school with her backpack.

Mom of the year award right here.  Thank you Ms. Rochelle and Ms. Padilla for not thinking I’m a loon when I send my kid to school with a large hole in the crotch of her pants…and no backpack.

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I was also informed today that Mia will need a recent family picture for a school project by the end of the week.

*Gulp*  okay.

I thought for a second and remembered the first and only family picture we have taken since Max has been born (he is almost 6 months old)…..

Smooth move mom.  I take dozens and dozens of pictures everyday and I haven’t managed to fit my own family in one of them in 5 months.

So we tried again today.

Attempt #1…….

Not that Mia doesn’t deserve a good ole’ yank on the ear, but really.

I am not shooting for picture perfection here.  I just want all four of us in the same picture with somewhat of a smile on our faces.

So we aren’t quitters.

Attempt #2….

I really really wanted to spank her.  But something told me that would not be productive to the picture outcome.

So I did what I always due, and threatened the hell out of everyone.

Here goes attempt #3……

I’LL TAKE IT.

And happy 6 months to my Max Henry…..

He is the goofball I never knew knew I needed.

 

He’s big, bald and all boy.

….and an absolute blessing.

We have been seriously busy.  As of Friday, I have 13 days of first grade teaching experience under my belt.

Turns out, starting completley over, is good for the soul.

Three weeks into the new school year and I’m embracing some change in my life.  Like for instance, getting Mia to pre-school and Max to his precious babysitter, all before 7:45a.m.  If you’ve never seen a couple of frantic freaks running around at 7:10am, just swing by sometime.  We’re tossing bottles, throwing lunches together, brushing teeth, changing diapers, searching for shoes (usually Troy’s) and this is not done with calm voices and quiet footsteps.  And don’t think for a minute that pouring that last cup of coffee in your coffee cup won’t get you yelled at.   Somedays I get out the door with my hair half done and toothpaste on my chin, somedays it’s worse.  Somedays it’s noon before someone lets me know about it.  Our weekddays start with a locked front door, leaving the living room looking like a violent event just took place in the vacinity.  We throw one kid in my car and the other in Troys, and speed off in separate directions.

Day by day I say.

Day by day.

Because at 4pm, it’s time to cuddle on the couch.

Max will be 6 months old soon, and his personality is seriously chill.  He’s just happy to be wherever he happens to be.  He doesn’t really care what kind of commotion in going on around him, as long as his belly is full.

And so far, he’s even survived Mia.

well……barely….

Shall we just say that big sisters can be really clumsy.

and annoying……

and emotional……

and irrational…….

all the time…….

But we won’t go in to that right now.

“Is this drool ever gonna stop running down my chin?”  (that’s what he has to be thinking by now)

“Will these dang teeth ever come in?”

“Will she ever stop gettin in my space?”

“Will I ever get rid of these kankles?”

“Will I ever be able to get my big toe in my mouth?”

These have got to be the thoughts going on in his not so little cranium.

Because after all, the torment started early early in his little life…..

And the next thing I know, he’ll be asking for a donut….

….and Lord knows Mias got his back on that one……

We went to Fun Valley Colorado a few weeks ago.

Camping runs through my veins.

Seriously, this destination is embedded in my genes.

Our family has been traveling in camping trailer convoys to this place for 50 years.

No really, like 50 years.

I’m 31 years old and I bet I’ve been to Fun Valley no less than 12 times.  The last time I visited this place, I was celebrating my 16th birthday.

Now.  To a 16 year old, this is not a rad place to blow out your candles.  In fact, I bitched and moaned for 5 days until my parents finally got tired of me moaping around, and let me go home early with some family friends.  (Thank you Moose and Jean for saving my 16 year old all supreme social life)  Teenagers are a complete and total pain in the ass.

The next trip to Fun Valley was 15 years later, and it was a complete blast.  We showered every third day.  Smelled like a camp fire explosion from dawn till dusk.  Dined on delicious Nini cooking, and rode a gazillion miles on some super cruiser Huffy bicycles.

And not to be forgotten…..freezing your bag ass off tubing down the river…..

We’re talking the temperature of melted snow here.  I don’t care if the outside air was 90 degrees,  the water sure wasn’t.   In addition, I wasn’t particularly in the mood for a river rock enema that day.

So……I volunteered to take pictures (that turned out mediocre at best) of this incredible display of derangement.

And I bet you’re wondering who was brave enough to take the plunge down the rapid first…….

Um, Lauren of course……..(I know, this surprised the hell out of me as well)

……Men are such wussies…..oh just DO IT Cameron….

………..Troy goes for it…..

Everybody made it down….some with more hide on their talebone than others.  We won’t mention names……..

We will no doubt be back to Fun Valley.

This is no tradition to let go of.

The sixty degree mornings and eighty degree afternoons felt incredibly good.

I don’t have anything against beaches, but they ain’t got nothing on this.

There is something amazingly spiritual about the mountains.

And peaceful.

I want to live here like really bad. 

I’m usually not big on scenic pictures.  But man.  I could live right there and be happier than happy.

Don’t forget ole’ saggy cheeks here…..Say hello to Mutt and Jeff…….

She pedaled her little butt off from morning until night. Visited the campground snack shack more than a couple of times…..

Chased poor, defenselese ducks nearly to death…..

And spent hours playing in the river….

We drove to Lake City one afternoon.  The drive was breathtaking.Since nobody was game to stop for forty two photo ops, I took a lot of ‘out the window’ shots….

OF course Camereon had to drive like he was running from the law….

I shot my first favorite of all time (in the inanimate category that is).  This is straight out of the camera.  No editing.  And I love.

It was a good trip.

Memories are such sweet blessings.

We’ve been playing around can’t you tell?  Nini let me borrow this cool little milk bucket a while back and I had the grand idea to plant some nice potato vine in there.  And then I thought Max would look pretty cute in there.  He thought he looked pretty cute in there as well………..

But I had a better idea………….I thought a white sheet would look cool as a backdrop…

Which one do you like better???

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by the way, sister for sale……….5 dollars or best offer………………..

This one just makes me laugh.  like out loud…….

If you like big bald babies, you’d be in business at my house.  His temperament is such that as long as his belly is full, he’s got not a care in the world.  He sleeps with with his arms raised like he’s getting robbed and snores like Joe Bill Seuhs.  I’m in love and I love the way he loves his momma.  No one prepared me for the strong connection boys have with their momma’s.  I’m just thankful for it.

I  always hoped to have a son one day.  Its a good good feeling to know that my experience in motherhood has only just begun.  He may adore me now, but I know I’ll get old and uncool one of these days.  That’s okay though, I’ll make a man of him before that happens.