Monday, September 22, 2008

This is where I live

It dawned on me there are some of you who have not been to Colorado to see where I live. I do not want to name names JANET LEE HANSON or GREG THOMAS WALSH. But I thought this would give you an better picture in your head.

This is my view out my front door to the N of us

There are many bears among us!


What I see when I go to work!


Straight out my front door faces east!





More bears...





This is Lake Forest the lake we live on. We are in the NW corner of it.






Another view of our lake I'll post more but I am tired ATM!!It's midnight here and tomorrow I have to work (and bring Sam Pray it will go smooth). UGH!!







Nemo

Wrong Nemo! I meant this one below!!!





After many years of repeated requests, we gave in and let the kids get another ferret. Kyle has been saving for 2 years and we decided if they were really good this summer and helped out, instead of an allowance we would help them out with the purchase of a ferret. Sam and I went down to Farmington, NM and met my friend Amy. We went to Star Bucks and then she accompanied me to Petco, where I am sure I drove her nuts with my undecisiveness and played with the many wild and crazy rodents. The lady helping us knew nothing more than I about sexing them. All I knew was I was told NOT to come home with a male. All the really cute ones were wild. Amy loved one, which was a doll and while I said I was not going for looks, I lied as I just could not bring myself to go that far! Ehhh! But she was sweet, bless her heart and I hope she gets a great home as she really wanted to leave with someone. But back to how we got Nemo! The rodent man (I mean the small animal specialist)finally arrived and the one I had my heart on was a boy! Damn it! So I said I had to go, call hubby and think about it. Meanwhile Amy and I looked for some boots for Emma. Without success on that I did however get Mike's approval on a male after I filled him in on the news I learned -Scoop out poop daily and bathe often (ferret not me!!) So we went back to bring Nemo home!!
Isn't he cute!

Pagosa Colorfest 2008

Pagosa Colorfest 2008 A very special weekend in my heart, this is the very weekend 10 years ago Mike and I hooked up. As well a special occasion for the kids. This weekend Kyle was @ boyscouts camping and Emma was with a friend. But Mike, Chelsea, Sam and I got up early, got a fancy coffee and headed out to watch some 28 or so balloons lift off!
Though Chelsea loves watching our local balloon touch down in the lake infront of the house I think she was alittle frightened of the noise and massive size as we walked around and under the many balloons! She kept insisiting she was hungry and tired, telling us she needed to go home to take a nap. (Chelsea = nap. NO!) We have since learned this is code for "get me the hell out of here" and words of plea when she doesn't want to be doing something. But not much later she became more comfortable and the false comments deminished. We enjoyed a nice stroll and AM together. Sam quietly watched in awe from the babyhawk carrier he was nestled in.


Ended the day in the evening @ the balloon glow. No pics, sorry! Only 5 balloons came to light up the crowd. Chelsea again pleading she was tired and needed a nap. It wasn't untill we were walking to the car she thought it was cool. Goof ball!!




My Favorite picture of the day





Wednesday, September 10, 2008

video of our trip to m,l,m house

here is a video, my first ever attempt at creating one -I chose this one as I only had a few pictures, my second attempt is much longer!! This is a clip when we visited our stranger friend Matt and his beautiful daughter Madeline!

http://www.mydeo.com/videorequest.asp?XID=3669&CID=218851

Saturday, September 6, 2008

Road trip! Meadow Vista!


Well as most of you know the kids and I drove solo from CO - CA. Sounds easy enough, but what an ordeal. An hour into the trip it starts off with the realization that I forgot all and anything for Chesea to do. So I stopped in Durango and bought a few things only to get to the car and discover Sam had a blow out. After 8-9 days of no BM he finally has the poop of a century. And I learn it got all over my shirt. Take care of that. 1 hour of road travel down only 19 more to go.


.5 hour later- Kyle has to go. We stop! .5 hour later Chelsea chirps in she has to poop. (as you all know they can never go at the same time and make it easy for us. If you ask them why they did not go 5 minutes earlier you will all receive the same answer, I did not have to go then) So somewhere outside of Cortez, close to Dove Creek I have (correct that "had" -wallet got stolen. More about that later) pictures on the side of the road of Chelsea sitting atop the luggage rack with her blue porta potty trying to Poop. I think we stopped 5-6 times for false poop stops. I had to nurse Sam ever couple of hours. And then came all the monsoons. Now for those of you who don't live in our neck of the woods these things are like mini typhoons (well don't take that too seriously as I really do not know what those are but it sounds good). The lightening and rain are so violent, it is the type of rain you get that makes your knuckles whiten and hold on for dear life, the type of rain and hail that beats down so hard on your car you think it is going to break the metal. The type of storm that makes your heart palpitate so hard all the meanwhile you are trying to hold your composure for your kids who are starting to get a little freaked out themselves. We crossed paths with a few of these. Sometimes the kids would be silent with fear and sometimes they were oblivious and carrying on LOUDLY. Moments when I would have to tell all the kids to cork it, moments I could not see infront of me too well nor well enough to see if there was a shoulder to pull over on and wait it out, a time where I called 911 for the first time in my life for a car that did a 180 and landed in the middle divider, a time where I thought I shit my pants. No, I was scared "shitless" for that to happen! All in all I made it thru. some where in Nevada Sam decided he had enough. He could not possible understand why he was stuck in the carseat all day and not in his usually place "my arms". The day lingered and night was definitely in the horizon. I contemplated staying in a town several hours before my anticipated stop but every hotel was booked. I feared the approaching dark and weather (I inherited that lovely night blindness my mom spoke all too often about when I was a kid, the nightblindness that I thought was a gimmick to not have to drive us around) if I pushed forward I had no other place to stay as I was entering that lovely stretch of the "lonely highway" (seriously that is what they call 50). But the kids were feed and still excited about our road trip and the adventures that await us so we went on. (really had no other choice) oh wait, let me take you back a moment. Dinner at Mc D. (UGH) Chelsea saw the big play apparatus (the ones I loathe as I think they are a breeding ground of bacteria, feces, vomit and gloom) So I decided it would be a good place to stop and let her blow off some steam. I think we were in the car for 10+ hours now. She was so excited she could not handle it. As she is climbing up the ball pit, the shit hits the fan. almost literally. the poop that we had stopped and hoped for all day finally arrives. So as I am quietly nurses Sam, she comes flying out of this plastic tunnel like a bat out of hell screaming she has to poop. There she goes past the Mc D patrons with poop down her leg. Fucking lovely. People commented how brave I was to make this trip alone, but all I could think of it what a complete and udder dumb ass I was. brave no! Stupid, possibly!! Poor Sam, his dinner awaits. There I placed Chelsea again on the luggage rack of my car and tried to clean up more shit. I tell you cleaning up 3 year old poop is not like wiping a babies ass! So there I bag up even more pooped on clothes to put in the car with us on our journey. (Truthfully I contemplated throwing them out) Back on the road we made it to our destination -right smack in the middle of Nevada. Austin!! and what perfect timing it was dark already and starting to rain again. This town has like population 10 and only 2 motels. The first one was a dive (we got to see the insides of several rooms when we drove in), only one smoking room available. I was freaking out. with people behind me I tempted fate and took a chance. I called the other motel. he had one room left as well. but his was a renovated room. Sweet. So there we sat in our newly redone motel room in a trailer while it rained all night and had not TV. Actually it was refreshing to be with the kids alone with no distractions!!


Got up bright and early and fled that peculiar little town of Austin, Nevada. Felt good to be back on the road. (or so I thought. Never did I know how many hours, traffic, road and weather conditions did I know lied ahead of me) Made it to my brother Doug and his wife Jean's house around noon. It was so nice!!!! I love them!!!! I really miss my family. (after 9 years of living outside of CA, it has finally hit me hard how much I miss everyone. But I hate CA and won't come back :( ) Turned around the next day and went to lake Tahoe. It was sooooo pretty. Totally different than how it was when my dad owned a house and condo up there. Totally beautiful and totally typical of CA. Too many, WAY TOO MANY, stinkin people. The traffic. In Tahoe??!?! Ugh. I had my first fender bender of my life. Never hit anyone and I rear end my brother. In his LEXUS and my new car!!! AHHHHHH looking for a beach, turning right on a corner of the road, he goes and I inch forward to get a better view of what was coming on the left corner from me and whack. I hit him. Luckily Jean was in my car (it was actually her car I hit) and she comments how I barely touched the gas. I know, but with the weight of my new Durango it felt like a lot. My brother got out of his car and gave me that look! You all know that one, the look one can give that makes you feel like the smallest peon alive. But fortunately both cars had not a scratch on them. (huge thanks to all those above me) Turns out kids ran across the road and Doug had to stop for them. (Still my fault though. :( I take pride in my clean driving record, now I feel tainted) But Tahoe was amazing. It is hard as hell trying to find a beach though. But my word what a beautiful place!! (Now I could live there, even though it is CA. But what would one do for work???) Went back the next day only to get stuck in Tahoe city traffic and then stuck on 80 going to their house. What should have taken 1.5 took 3+ hours. More poop stops on Chelsea's request none of which were successful. Damn it, that kids has my issue. will only poop at home or where you are very comfortable!! We ate like kings thanks to Jean (she is such a fabulous cook) and went to there local pond to swim, picked blackberies, went to a gold mine museum, went to the American River and swam in the cleanest, warmest swim hole (off course it had to be it was 109 out) while we watched kids jump off this crazy tall bridge and my kids body surfed down the rocks and jumped off the cliff. I had awesome pictures but the ass that stole my wallet also stole my camera chip out of my diaper bag.

San Rafael




















So unfortunately our stay ends only to get in the car again and journey down to my parents house. There we swam from AM to PM, visited with my childhood friend Moira and her son, Declan. We also got to see Caroline and her new baby , Ruby and Leslie. Janet and Tom came down for a day to swim and BBQ. Only to make me saddened by the reality I only see my sister one day out of the year. I can not get over this realization and I felt bad for not driving up to see her more. I just could not subject myself to putting my poor kids in the car and more than they had to as I knew what lied ahead. (Almost 2000 more miles.)As well we visited with Kate, Tim and the twins Jennifer and Jeff that I nannied for when I was younger. They are going into their senior year of HS now. My god, it is the only thing that makes me feel aged. Even though I know my son is going to be 12 years old. Beong a parent at 24 wasn't too young. But how could these kids I took care of for 3 years be on their way to college?? It does not seem possible. I suppose that makes the reality of turning 40 in 4 years all the more near!! AHH! Spent time with Greg and his adorable dog, Kurtis as well as Greg's new girlfriend from France, Cinti, of which made me want to speak with an accent every time she spoke. but she was really sweet and my kids loved her. Emma and Kyle are wondering if she will be our Aunt one day. I don't what makes them ask that?? I mean they just started dating??!?!? They say kids are more intuitive than adults?!?!? Could it be???
Oh yes, I forgot to mention the AH who stole my wallet out of my car. Jackass!! Well, Sometime on the weekend they must have entered thru an unlocked door. ( I really thought I had locked it with the automatic key chain lock, but maybe I forgot. Kyle also went to the car. But the thought he could have done it makes him so upset so we will just say I forgot. Not important anyway) But they went thru everything and I mean every nook and cranny in my car. Every hidden zipper in my diaper bag, even my little wet bag I used for the baby butt creams and etc. They left all our DVD's, CD's and wireless headphones to our built in DVD player. They seem to have only taken my wallet and chip to my camera!! Thank god I had my bank card in my pocket. So they got $100, all my medical cards, ID but I am bummed I lost all my pictures from Tahoe, Doug and Jean's, the mine and the American river. Those were the "cool" pictures. I had to file a report with the SR Police Dept. PITA!!

Blue Jay, (Lake Arrowhead) CA







So our journey in the car yet continues onto Blue Jay ( AKA Lake Arrowhead), CA to see Sarah and Eric and their twins Gabe and Amber. Not too bad of a drive from LA. Till we passed her exit. Got off, gased up AGAIN, turned around to her exit to be minutes behind a fatal accident. (Sometimes I think everything happens for a reason and someone above was really looking out for us. That could just have easily been us had we exited correctly??!Spokey!!) Well after that depressing and reality check we switchbaked up a 5000 ft incline to their sketchy neighborhood. Who they hell decided to build homes on cliffs and to top it off put these psycho driveways/access roads that T off into oblivion?? But their house was beautiful and it was soooooo good to visit with them. They kids picked up like the never missed a beat together. I think Chelsea played the role of Elmira from Tiny Toons and hucked the smallest runt kitten in the tub and held it by its neck a few times. I know some of it's 9 lives were taken upon our visit. I am telling you seeing friends and family you miss only makes you miss them more. It was a very short trip that left me saddened of the days I long for with Sarah! We used to keep each other pretty entertained!! I miss that!!

Disneyland-LA














































So this brings me back in the car @ 5:30 Am to avoid the all to overwhelming traffic I HATE in CA to go to Disneyland. I must admit this was the worst leg of my drive so far. The only stretch where I was tired and had to get out of the car for energy. It went fast though (sort of) We arrived to our hotel well before my parents plane of where Emma and Kyle's bathing suits were. Being our room was not ready I made them wear their clothes and go to the hotel pool. Man I am not used to CA weather anymore!!Our room was finally ready. It was a nice 2 b, 2 ba suite but man the hotels hallway smelled like a dump or dirty gym socks. Never went away but at least our room was clean?!?!Odd. Disney was great. Chelsea was petrified of all things that wore costumes and touched her and any ride in the dark. She only like the train and Nemo submarine. My parents are awesome, they did so much for us and we had such a wonderful time. I will forever be thankful. I could never have given the kids a trip like that!! (So if you are reading this mom and/or Pete, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart) We had a blast!!
So the driving saga continues in the most insane LA traffic. Never in my life would I want to deal with that on a daily bases.I dunno, what is it like 6-8 lanes? Traffic merges in on the right, exits on the left. They accelerate like they are driving on a race track and stop on a dime. I just stayed in the middle lanes and felt like I had tunnel vision. But I think what should have taken half hour to drive took almost 2 and that was after commute hours??!?! (frickin CA I tell you. That is why I am here. I remember that all to well from Mill Valley to home. Ugh)3 days in LA and then Off to see/meet a stranger/friend of mine who I have gotten to know from his blog (http://www.mattlogelin.com/). A man who lost his wife 24 hours after having their first baby, Madeline. A man, a father, an awesome soul of whom I admire deeply. Not directly because he lost his wife but because he appears to be one of the most open, honest, genuine and unique people I have ever had the opportunity and acquaintance of. He, his stories, his writings, his photographs, his persona,his crazy adorable baby have touched my life. I really do not know why I am so deeply connected to their story but for some reason I am really taken. I was inclined and driven to make Madeline some knit goodies and something special in honor of her mom, Liz. I dyed some T's and silk screened and outline of her mom on the front and angel wings on the back, made her a "suck this T" with a outline of a pacifier on it and knit her pants and a flower hat and gave her some matching converse high tops. I hope to see her one day in it. Of course I was so looking forward to visiting with them and it was the one day Chelsea decided to be "busy" and not let me really sit and talk but rather run around and chase her!! Sucks ,but such is the life with 4 kids. Some days are mellow and some days are crazy.

Phoenix-Home


Back down into the valley we drive into the desert. On our way to see Theresa (Mike's sister) and family in Phoenix. Driving thru the 109 temps Sam decides he is done with the car. I had to stop frequently to nurse and comfort him. For what ever reason Chelsea thinks long car rides can be stopped with constant and frequent claims that she has to poop. Several stops and no poop. I am started to get frustrated!! Finally the requests seem more legitimate so I see a rest stop ahead (I tell you there are many miles of nothing and she can't poop on the side of the highway with no shoulder) We enter without success as we leave she gets panicky and I know this is it. (Well I hope) I think I was sternly letting her know she better take a dump this time and a fellow female bathroom patron must have thought I was the bitchiest mom alive. Finally she goes only to leave and discover she went on the way back into the bathroom and it is now on my shirt (Again, what is it with road trips and shit, ON ME?!?!) Clothes are packed to well. Decide to continue on, change later (it wasn't too bad). But I am pretty burnt out ATM. Passed the Colorado River at the border of CA/AZ, that was so cool looking. Middle of the desert and suddenly you see this oasis of blue green water, wave runners, palm trees, people, life exists in these extremely hot weather conditions. It gave us all a boost of confidence that we would soon be at Theresa's and out of the stinkin car and heat!! Made it. Her two oldest were there when we arrived. Sebastian has aged and Seamus was as welcoming as always. It was so good to see Theresa, Cecily and Cyrus. We swam and visited. James came home and we had the best filet Mignon of my life. The kids played and it was way to short.The next day was the longest leg of our trip. Not so much hourly, but we were all just DONE!! we so wanted to come home.But Sam really had had it with the car and I had to stop alot for him. I got pulled over outside of Flagstaff, AZ. The section going down hill into the rez. I thought it was 75 or did I?? That is what i told the cop. But really I was in the wake of everyone else. I saw him going up the hill on the other side and then turn around. Ugh , knew I was getting pulled over and knew I was speeding!! Then he pulls the car ahead of me over, sweet. And then he flags me down too. Not sweet. He asks me for my license and I gave him the story. He was really great about it. So while he is back in his car the other girl he pulled over gets out and starts crying. I mean not a tear or two. She is frickin dropping to her knees on the ground, freaking out about how she is 21 and this has been the worst trip of her life, and she can't afford a ticket blah blah blah. My first thoughts were "Oh god, there goes any hope of a warning". Sam woke up after we just got him to sleep, so I pulled out the boppy and nursed him on my lap. When the cop returned to my car he looked to the side and asked if I needed a minute, I replied"why? do you need me to get out of the car or something?". He said "no, I just thought you would like some privacy and time to finish". I said "no, you can't see anything." SO he told me had sat in his car and asked himself what he would want a cop to do if it was his wife traveling alone with his kids and he said he wanted to give me a brake. YES SWEET!! THANKS!!! He said he thought I deserved a break after getting my wallet stolen, having all the kids by myself etc. He said the other girl was just young and needed to learn a lesson. So nice!! SO off we went. 6 more hours back to Co. Probably more as we stop so much! Came home to find Mike, a face we missed so much, had prepared a nice hot meal for us! But came home to news that Amos and Delilah almost bleed to death. That story later!!

Thursday, September 4, 2008

The thing about blogs

Is that mine sucks ATM. It is really hard to get them off the ground! I am not too into reading blogs, there is only one that I read religiously and his rocks as does he and his daughter, but the few that I have read are great and mine is pathetic!!! So any tips, constructive criticism are welcome. Someone steer me into the right direction!

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Same old blog new host




Okay, after not liking the ease of posting pictures on my old blog -I opted to test out a new blog host. So here I am giving this one yet another test drive. My goal is to keep up with my blog @ least once a week if not more to keep everyone up to date on the happenings with our crazy household and my constant "Random Thoughts of Nothingness"! So let's see the ease or not so of posting a picture!!......


Sweet, what a piece of cake. Okay, me likey!! This will be the new blog spot!!! Stay tuned for future (I promise it will be sooner than later) I will definately have time to post now that the feral monkey, I mean our precious sweet 3 year old, is in preschool 2 full days a week. Yes, it is that time of year again!! School is in for the Casaceli kids. (This is where I would insert one of those crazy babies or animals doing a happy dance) Now for some long overdue one and one time with Sam!!