Mountain Goats

My sister, my cousins, and I roamed these foothills by my parent's house

every year when they visited for Thanksgiving.

Dry or muddy.

Warm or cold.

We were released into the wild to become one with the air and dirt.

I haven't been back in so long I can't remember.

It was wonderful.

Being high in the fresh air,

out in the wild,

it stirred my soul.

 

My chickens and my nieces and nephews happily gambled about,

and nary a cactus needle had to be removed!!

Isn't this MY bed?

Brent worked nights for 2 weeks.

I let the girls sleep by me until he got home.

I don't like sleeping alone and I love snuggles!!

Only minor problem was,

all the pets thought this meant EVERYONE got to come snoodle into Mommy's bed!!

Kato is burrowed in under there somewhere.

Molly was down on the very bottom.

As far away from Floof as she could get while still getting to lay by us.

Le Floof is getting quite entitled.

It was a fun few week,

but I'm glad to have a little more space spend my REM sleep in!!



Sometime An Outfit Is Just Super Cute

And you have to document it!!

Ella had a field trip to Vegas to watch a symphony.

She was asked to dress nicely in a skirt or dress.

We had just got this one on the mail,

so it had its debut!!

 

Ella never sleeps,

but for some reason she drifted off on the bus during the ride in. 

Her teacher snapped this pic of her.

 Sigh.

She was supposed to turn 8 and stop there,

and never get older.

She did not hold up her end of the deal!!

Veteran's Day

I haven't been in the Veteran's Day parade since I marched in it as a high school cheerleader!!

Let me tell you,

as a parent,

walking in the parade is A LOT easier than sitting to watch it.

No obnoxious sirens.

No giant trucks that could run over someone.

No waitinggggggg for it to start and everything to pass by.

It was fun!!.

 

My beauties,

with one of my cheerleaders,

a cousin,

and a friend!!

8 Months Later

I am 8 months post surgical.

And I will not lie.

It has been one hell of a ride.

Or maybe a ride to hell.

It depends on the day.

I went to see a specialist and she ran blood tests from A to Z.

We discovered ALL my hormones were doing the wrong thing.

My adrenal glands were in stress.

I was low on Iodine. (?what the hell is Iodine right?)

And Vitamin D.

How am I low on Vitamin D,

in the desert,

in July.

 

I started some very low hormone replacement,

and barrage of 13 different supplement,

and our plan has been set.

Some days are great!!

Some days are terrible.

Truly terrible.

 

I have been teaching an MMA inspired fitness class since September,

and it (along with my cheerleaders) is a bright spot in my life.

I started this program after my hysterectomy because I had heart break.

And I had anger.

I was so angry.

I was tired of everyone telling me it was going to be ok and God had a plan for me.

I'm aware.

That doesn't make it NOT royally suck.

I started the program because I was bored.

But after the very first day I was hooked.

I didn't have to hold in my anger.

I got to pick an opponent,

and take out all my rage on that opponent.

The opponent I chose was life.

And I got to go into my bonus room and kick its ass every day.

I got to sweat out all of my angst and fury and disappointment

and leave it in a puddle on the floor.

 

 Every woman should find her inner fighter.

Every woman should get the chance to round house kick life to the face.

Every woman should get to picture that stupid kid who stop picking on her kid,

or the asshole who stole her parking spot,

or the same freaking pile of laundry in the same freaking place because apparently men can not learn,

and knee it right in the face.

And smile at it.

Because then she gets to leave it all on the floor and go home happier.

 

 

I hate pictures.

I get the necessity.

But bleh.

Pomegranate Festival Performance

My little cheerleaders had their first performance on Saturday November 4th.

I wasn't nervous until I got there.

I wasn't nervous that the girls were going to not do well.

I was worried I would forget something!!

Or my music would get messed up!!

Or some other random calamity that only the anxious mind can produce.

But they did AMAZING.

I WAS SO PROUD OF THEM.

They were beautiful and did well and smiled.

I was bursting with pride.

I am thankful to their parents for sharing them with me.

 It was windy.

A cheerleaders worst nightmare.

Terrible on the hair!!

 

Brent can not take a good picture of me.

It doesn't help I am quite possibly the most UNphotogenic person alive.

 

 

My loves.

My smart, sassy, beautiful girl.

My cunning, fierce, pretty baby.

My crafty, sweet, gorgeous niece.

I love them so much.

LOVE. THEM.



Happy Halloween!!

Poor Kato.

He hates Halloween.

Hates. It.

 We always start the day off with the traditional Halloween parade!!

It's so fun and cute.

I just wish ONE year I wasn't sweating to death.

Jara as Little Red Riding Hood

 Ella as my little Dias de Muerta sugar skull

 Jackie as Harry Potter

 Scarlet my butterfly

 Trick or Treating is a lot more fun with cousins!!

And it's even more fun to go to friends' houses!!

 Uncle Jed is always on point with his amazing costumes.

He also had roller blades on this year so he was about 7 feet tall!!

We had a wonderful night together!!

I love my family!!

Pumpkin Patch

Brent happened to be home the day of Pumpkin Patch fun.

I had not signed up to chaperone,

but because he was home,

we were able to go and help keep an eye on crazy children!!

 

I think the Hardy Family is just down right AMAZING that they do this every year.

Out of the goodness of their hearts.

Mr. Hardy, the 86 year old farmer who plants these every year, makes my heart warm.

He was out taking pictures and talking to the kids,

and I loved his energy of kind, loving grandpa.

 We maybe took out an additional pumpkin.

But I did personally ask Mr. Hardy and he waved me off with a smile.

I love old valley people!!

There few of us now.

It's so tiny!!

 Dynamic duo reunited for a few hours!!

This picture sums up all you need to know about them!!

 Having lunch in the shade!!

I'm grateful Brent was home to come with me,

and that I was able to share the day with my baby.

October!!

Every day goes by so fast,

 and Instagram has made me truly neglect my blog.

 

We had our first Daddy/Daughter Night this year!!

I didn't feel well,

AT ALL

so Brent took both girls.

Even if Scarlet is still has a few years to go!!

 They carved pumpkins, played games, and ate!!

 

We love our little home town carnival.

It's tiny.

And that makes it perfect!!

My pretty little sugar skeleton and her darling friend butterfly!!