Charlie Brown

I know I introduced my father, Charlie Brown in a previous BLOG, but did I mention what a character he is? He is too funny for words sometimes and always has something "spicy" to add to any occasion and he always totally gets away with it! Well his most recent was at my sister's wedding...mind you this was a Christian ceremony...and as the Pastor asked who giveth this woman to this man...Good 'ol Charlie Brown stood up proudly and said "Her mother and I do...and Mark...Git 'r Done!" Well he had the whole church laughing and even the Pastor chuckled and said "Charlie Brown, you never dissappoint!" LOL No he doesn't! I love my Daddy so much! So I'm pretty sure that Mark took his new Father-in-Law's advice and the following picture is Mark's attempt at "Gitin 'R Done"!!

More of the perfect day...

Hi girls...you know me and pictures...wanted to share more as they slowly come in! <3 Love you all!

Here's to MRS. Baker

Well, phew...I made it! Not that I was the bride or anything, but jeez, that was a lot of work and stress for me! I couldn't be happier for my BIG sister! She found an AMAZING man, the weather was perfect, and it was a gorgeous fall day to spend with family and friends, celebrating the marriage of two people who couldn't be more perfect for each other!! From the Shower, Rehearsal Dinner and the Wedding...everything was just perfect and meant to be! Oh...and did I mention that I caught the bouquet (legitimatly) and Ron caught the garter? Lets cross our fingers that Ron decides NOT to break a centuries old tradition...love you girls!! <3

Not without Tears...

Well...it's official, Ayva is now a Kindergartner! I can't believe it. It's very bittersweet. She has always consumed so much of my time and effort that it's really hard to let go and just send her through the doors of school! Even as a teacher who has been on the other side...it's one of the toughest things I've ever done! Ron was there to go with us to school, before he rushed off to catch his own son getting on the bus for his first day of Kindergarten! And my pare ts were there to tell me to be a big girl as I whimpered and cried when she walked away into the school with her teacher! My parents even treated me to breakfast afterward and were very supportive and understanding as they told me that I clearly ordered blueberry pancakes...when I meant to order chocolate chip. I told the waitress that my pancakes had blueberries not chocolate chips...but I guess that's not what I said...lol...my Dad politely explained to the waitress that I had just sent my daughter off to Kindergarten and it all became clear to her! The blueberry pancakes were delicious by the way!! Ayva had a wonderful day and Cam as well. I'm so proud of her...she's a strong, smart little social butterfly and I know she is going to do great at everything she does!! It's just going to take a little getting used to! Thanks girls for the supportive shoulders to lean on!

Did I mention...

Ayva's First concert ROCKED!!!!

Nothing Gold Can Stay

Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold,

Her early leaf's a flower;

But only so an hour.

Then leaf subsides to leaf.

So Eden sank to grief,

So dawn goes down to day.

Nothing gold can stay.

~{The wonderful and amazingly talented} Robert Frost

Well, this is my absolute favorite poem ever...and i found it appropriate for the way I've been feeling lately. I guess I've been bumming and freaking out a little with the approach of Fall, Ayva's departure to Kindergarten and my impending joblessness...(is that even a word?!) Anyway...to add to that, I was class president in all my years of jr/sr high school except one...so naturally I inherited the task of planning our ten year class reunion...which no one wantd to offer any help or input with! So...it went down like this...I planned a Happy Hour get-together with appetizers at a bar in Granville, where we graduated and then a more formal get-together at a BEAUTIFUL place on Glen Lake, (very close to Lake George). We had a buffet set up and it cost $35 per/person for the buffet, drink ticket, and icluded tax an tip. I was using class funds to pay for every classmates ticket and only holding them responsible for guest ticket..pretty reasonable I think, right? Anyway, I got 11 RSVPS to the buffet gathering, which I was most worried about getting a solid number...and YES, I harrassed a little to make sure I could get an accurate count. So I took 11 responses, times two for guests...and gave the place a number of about 20-25 expected guests. Friday night Happy Hour went pretty well, we had about 12 classmates show, some with significant others...which got me pretty pumped for Saturday...Guess how many showed? 6!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have never been so disappointed, irritated and embarassed in my life. Did I mention that beuatiful location on Glen Lake also happens to be one of Ron's accounts?? Ha! I felt like such an ass and am soooo dissappointed in my classmates! So, no sweat off my back I guess, but our class fund ATE IT big time for the 25 tickets that I paid for! Oh well. We were never a very close group to begin with, and I guess I'm not surprised in the end. It was really nice to see a few of the people that did care enough to show up!!

On the other end...I have not yet found a job, still looking, and worrying about insurance for Ayva. I have applied for unemploymnet and will have an appointment Wednesday to get insurance rolling for her. Her first day of Kindergarten is RAPIDLY approaching, and I know I'm going to have a super hard time letting go...but I guess everything really does happen for a reason, because now I will be able to be there to drop her off and pick her up in her first day, instead of being in my own classroom! And poor Ron...my below-average attitude has not been good for him lately. But we had a really nice heart-to-heart last night, and he told me exactly where I stand with him, no matter what. He's always very good at talking some sense into me whe I get all melodramatic! Well...here's looking to FALL...the beautiful changing of the leaves, the Adirondack Balloon Festival, the County Fair , my sister's wedding, Ayva starting an important chapter in her life...the starting back up of dance classes, open houses, parent teacher conferences, plays, concerts etc...except now I get to be on the parent side of it!! Wishing all of you a wonderful school year!!!

Can I just have a moment!?

Well, here I go sliding down the slippery slope of self-loathing and self-pity! And what got me here? Because honestly...things couldn't be going any better as far as my relationship and family life go. Ron and I get along so well, I love him so much, and our little blended family is REALLY becoming a FAMILY!
I suppose it could have a little to do with the fact that my sister's wedding is 2 months away now, and SURPRISE!...my big brother just got engaged to his girlfriend of seriously...I don't even think it's been 8 months! Don't get me wrong...I am SOOO happy for him, I have never seen him happier and she seems like a really great girl who is totally in love with him. And I'm really happy for my sister too. She also has never been happier and her man is AMAZING in everyway...like amazing in that he adopted her first three children and took them as his own, amazing! But you know what? Guess who else has never been happier...this girl right here! So why do I have to be prone to these periodic bouts of "feel sorry for myself" syndrome?? It's so hard to see everyone else being so happy and consimating that happiness with the committment of marriage and I feel like I don't get that same opportunity. I don't know if I'm selfish, too impatient or just can't be happy with what I have...but it kills me sometimes. I love Ron with every bit of my heart, and without a doubt want to spend the rest of my life with him, but I'm so afraid that I'm always going to have this one thing that is missing and dragging me down! I don't know how to shake it! :( I don't want to turn into a bitter old woman with a folder of wedding dresses that I've picked out, but will never wear...scowling at everyone with good news to share! HELP ME, PLEASE!!!!!

AAAAHHHHmazing

Well...it's official...our first Family VACAY was a huge success. The beach was pristine, the weather was perfect, and seeing the two little ones react to seeing the Ocean for the first time was priceless! It was so nice to relax on the Beach and not worry about everything else for just a little bit! Our motel was literally a minute from the beach, and everything was within walking distance. It was so nice not to have to drive anywhere! I definitely want to make this a summer tradition!

This one's for you Cindy...

My tattoos...

My first tattoo is along my lower back, my sister took me to get it as soon as I turned 18! I wanted to surprise my parents and couldn't wait to go home and show them..haha! When I got home, a huge grin on my face, my mom said...so let's see it! I said "what? see what?" How did she know? I guess it really is true that parents have this magical, telepathic, ESP skills, although I have yet to find and develop mine! No, actually, come to find out, the tattoo shop called and left a message at my house to confirm the appointment! LOL, it figures!

My second tattoo, the one around my belly button, unfortunately was drawn/designed by my ex-husband! And appropriately, it hurt like HELL!!! I think I may have cracked a few bones in my sister's hand that day! LOL But no worries...it is a painful scar to remind me of my past, and how I've overcome it...and at least its not his NAME!!!! Ha!

Lastly, I added a butterfly above my lower back tattoo...because I thought it needed something...and what girl doesn't LOVE butterflies! I think it represents quite the metamorphosis in myself...I emerged pretty well from my "old" life and have an AMAZING "new" life!!

I have to say though, it's been a while and I am starting to get the "itch"! Ron has none and wants to get one too! We have decided that we will both get one in Vegas...our trip that we've been dreaming of for quite a while and has yet to be scheduled:(! I was thinking that I would like to get one that incorporates my zodiac sign, Pisces, with Ayva's zodiac sign, Cancer, or a four-leaf clover because I am ridiculously good at finding them, a trait I inherited from my Daddy!!

I love getting tattoos but have a real pet-peeve about where I will put them. I don't want them to be anywhere where they will show if I want to dress up and look nice. I think there is a time a place to show them, and I like to be able to pick the time and place...LOL.

Summer Loving had me a BLASSST

Ayva with her "tied" shoe!!


Ayva and Cam in the pool!

Ayva jumping in the pool!

Ayva and me at Million Dollar Beach in Lake George!

Ayva doing Cam's hair at her new Beauty Salon that she got for her birthday!! LOL

All the little Kiddos at Ayva's Birthday party!

Ayva getting ready to hit the ball with her new tee-ball set, also a b-day present!

This summer has been particularly good to me! We've had Ayva's birthday party, trips to the local beach... We put up one of those Kwik-set pools, which is pretty big, (small to adults) but perfect for the kiddos. Ayva has overcome her fear of water and is becoming quite the little swimmer! She even gets up on the ladder and does this jump that can only be compared to a flying squirrel!! The other day, she had her 5-year check-up/physical for Kindergarten and she did very well! After that, we went school shopping, she is definitely going to be the most stylin' little chica in Kindergarten, lol! Yesterday, Ayva and I went to CVS and printed out a TON of pictures and we made a scrapbook, for her. (she got a Hello! Kitty scrapbook kit for being a good girl at the Dr. and getting a shot)! I told her to include all the people she loves and we made a page for everyone. She picked in order...Kelsey, Cameron, Poppy, Me-me, Ron, Mommy, Uncle Mark (Ron's Brother), Uncle Ken (Ron's other brother), Grandpa and Stacey (Ron's father and step-mother), Daddy, Uncle Kody (my brother), her cousins Shaylah, Sebastien, Jestyn and Braxtyn, Aunt Alycia and Uncle Marky (My sister and her fiance). LOL...I;m just glad I made it in! We had a lot of fun cutting up pictures and decorating the pages. It came out super cute, and she wants to bring it for show-and-tell in Kindergarten. Yesterday, I also taught her how to tie her shoes! She was getting so frustrated then we started singing this song from Yo! Gabba Gabba! "Keep trying, keep trying, Don't give up, don't give up!" LOL it really did work, because by 9:30 last night she had it and she called my dad, her Poppy to tell him and she even called my mom, her Me-Me at work to tell her! Ayva amazes me more and more everyday! I love her so much!

This weekend, Ron and I are taking our annual trip to the Syracuse Nationals Car Show (we have gone every summer since we started dating, so this will be our fourth rip!) I can't wait, because this year, we both have arranged to have no kids and booked a hotel room for Saturday night!! We NEVER get any alone time, so I am so excited!! Ayva will be having a weekend sleepover with her Aunt KaSandra, (my best friend since the womb) and I know she will have an amazing time! Kelsey and Cam will with be with their mothers. And to make things even better...in two weeks, we have planned a family vacation to Hampton Beach! I am SUPER excited! I can't wait for Ayva to see the ocean! And I have REALLY been craving some salt water and sand in the worst way!!! I haven't been to the ocean since my trip to Florida in the summer of 2004! It's been WAY too long!

All in all, this summer is looking pretty good, I've been staying busy, which is good, because when I have nothing to do, I go crazy!! Well...chat with you all soon!!