It’s Time to Give 2017 the Boot!

I know it is cliché, but I have to do it. A New Year’s post. Time slips by quicker every year. A year is nothing anymore. Plans fly away on pieces of paper, never completed. Days and weeks fly by and my kids grow and the opportunity to “Raise” them flies right out the window. Work turns into life and weekends are for rest instead of fun. But as I look back on the year, there were some pretty cool things going on in life.

We started off the year on wobbly legs feeling some growing pains within our family. And that is a large suitcase to unpack. So, we will leave that alone.

I took Kayla, Christa and Jonathan to see their favorite comedian, Chris D’elia in San Francisco and we had a fun adventure walking and then taking an Uber around the area. We also sat in the front row and drank root beer floats. It was awesome.

Abby turned 9 and I took her to the American Girl store for her birthday and we spent forever walking around trying to decide what she wanted to get, and we got her doll’s ears pierced. She also bought herself an Alex and Ani bracelet.

All she wanted to do on her actual birthday was take Grandpa Paul to Dinner so we went to Pinocchio’s and ate Italian food.

I experienced the joys of something called torticollis or wry neck.  I couldn’t turn my head for 3 days then I went to the emergency room and got some awesome pain meds that hurt like hell as an injection. I got to wear a collar for 3 days and that was super fun with my PTSD issues having to do with being touched on the neck. I even got to sleep in it. That was about as comfortable as this paragraph is literal.

I had surgery to release my trigger finger. The surgery was fine, the stitches were horrible and I hated having them in and I hated the process of having them taken out. It was painful and I wanted to throw up the whole time. The surgery was apparently successful, but the healing was very slow. The surgeon gave me 6 weeks off of work and then said I could go back. He would not extend my disability even though there was no way I could do my current job with the nerves taking so long to heal. My index and middle finger were numb and actually still have some loss of feeling. I was not happy.

Lydia performed in her school’s talent show and she was awesome even though she was sick and her voice cracked. I was insanely proud of her. She sang “I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You” by Elvis, acappella while signing the words in ASL. It was beautiful.

 I bought a dresser from a thrift store and made it into our entertainment center. I LOVE it still!

I got custom shampoo and conditioner and it lasted me almost the whole year.

Lydia dyed some of her hair purple and continued cutting it shorter and shorter. She looks awesome and I love it.

There was a huge storm and all of the creeks were flooding. It was crazy. One of the roads to our house flooded out and closed. The raging water looked like a chocolate river.

Kayla graduated Cosmetology school and they had a little ceremony and it was awesome! I was so proud of her. Not only did she prove her dad wrong by finishing the program, she did it in spite of new owner ship at her original school that lost some of their records, moving to a new school half way through the program and not being able to start until the following semester and not finishing when she graduated high school and having to continue going for almost 8 extra months. She rocked it and on top of that impressed all of her instructors and classmates with her color skills. I loved being her model!

Steve and I took a trip with our friends to Santa Cruz for my birthday and I got to visit with a friend I hadn’t seen since high school and hadn’t been close with since 1^st grade. It was awesome and I loved seeing my friend and reconnecting and realizing that I may be that kind of person who leaves an impression. My friendship is worth taking time out of your day to sit down for dinner together. It meant a lot to me.

On this same trip I was listening to my friend complain about work a little and I blurted out that he should hire me instead and everything would be better. This eventually came to fruition and I left my job and the dental industry to work in the service department of Subaru. I planned on taking it easy and letting my hand heal so I could return to dentistry a new person. I have been insanely busy ever since.

It snowed at our house in Jamestown enough for the kids to spend about 20 minutes pelting each other with slush balls.

I made ruffles Krispy treats and they were not as great as I thought they would be.

I discovered “This is us” and cried a million times.

I discovered dark blue bath bombs and my life will never be the same!

Pearl parties online were a thing that happened. Anyone want to buy some pearls?

Dogs got sprayed by a skunk

Lipsense was a thing.

Steve and I went on a tour of the Shriner Hospital in Sacramento and it was amazing. I understand why it made my grandpa so happy to contribute his time and money to such an awesome facility. I hope to spend some time and money there when I find extra of either laying around.

Abby had to do a solar system project and it was probably more fun for me than her. It looks so cool!!

We participated in the Motherlode Round-up parade on Mother’s day. This would turn out to be Grandpa’s last parade and I’m so happy that we were there to take a photo of him and to participate with him. I walked with my awesome Retired Rebel friends and Lydia joined us.

I was published again! The literary anthology at Las Positas College featured my poetry and art this year and I was so excited to go to the ceremony and to have Lydia get up and read my poem to the crowd. It was an impressive experience. She was thanked by many women after performing it.

Lydia was in her last production at Columbia Elementary and she proved her talent. She stole the show as a beatnik in the Nifty Fifties. She got sick on the closing night and could not finish the show. But I had been to all of the other ones and she did great.

Abby bridged to Junior in Girl scouts. It was really a cool ceremony!

I SAW HAMILTON!! My Mother in Law took me and Christa to see Hamilton and it was BRILLIANT!!!!

I took Abby to Sonora Comic-con and she participated in the cosplay contest as Hermione. She is so brave and outgoing and I love it!

One of my favorite coworkers left and I made an awesome carrot cake (my first from scratch) I even made one with dairy free cream cheese frosting for one of the other tech’s who can’t eat dairy. It was very popular!

Steve killed a giant rattle snake that was trying to eat the chicken’s eggs in the yard. I mean this sucker was HUGE!!

Lydia cried about how hot John Stamos is.

We went to the fair and Lydia got stung by a bee on her hand.

I bought my SUBARU!! First new car ever.

We went to my Sister’s house for Jillian’s birthday party and came home with 2 party favors that will probably last many years to come. They are dogs…like real alive dogs that we will add to the other 2 dogs that we already had and have to keep forever.

My ex-boss’ son graduated dental school and we went to the party in Livermore. It was so much fun seeing all of them again and eating all of the delicious Filipino food.

There was a huge fire really close to our house so we got to find out how long it takes to pack up what is important to us and figured out that we can fit it all in the trunk of my car- besides the dogs.

I got too fat to fit in my wedding ring. So there was that bit of fun that wasn't planned.

Then came my trip to Chicago. I had a blast. I got to see all of my family again and even meet some that I didn’t get to meet before. My uncle was there from Florida and he brought his grand-daughter (my 1^st cousin once removed) Courtney, and we had fun hanging out. My Mom’s cousin Kathy hosted us at her house the whole time and the whole family was awesome. Her kids came over one night with all of their kids and made BBQ ribs (Which were so good). We went to Wolf’s Bakery like 5 times and even ordered stuff to be frozen and we took them home in extra bags on the plane. I went to Firehouse 51 where they shoot Chicago Fire and to the real Molly’s Bar (Which is really Lottie’s Bar). We took a bus tour of the city and saw them shooting the show and my new favorite statue. (She has no face. She is on top of a building and at the time, no one ever thought that other buildings would be tall enough to see her close up so she didn't really need a face. But now there are a tone of buildings taller that that one and you can see her from these buildings - up close and she just has no face - I love the story so much!)

I got back and Lydia was just finishing with her summer acting camp and she had performances of Into the Woods, Jr. She played the Baker’s Wife brilliantly and I was very impressed! She made some great friends in that camp too.

Steve and I started a diet and lost a little weight, but slowly rolled off of the eating plan and gained it all back.

There was a full solar eclipse and I had to work so I went outside and watched it in bits and piece with a piece of paper with a hole punched in it and once through a welding mask, but just for a second. It was very weird and it looked like the days that the sun is blotted out by the smoke of a huge fire up here.

School started again and we finally decided that Abby would be going to the school that was closer to home and Lydia began school at an independent study school. Both decisions were hard because they had just moved to their current school after being there since they were in Kindergarten and moving them again seemed unfair, but they are both doing great where they are.

I took Lydia with me to CDA (dental conference) in San Francisco. We filled bags with free samples and had fun in the city for the day. I took her into Tiffany’s in the mall too.

We went to a pool party and I recharged my mermaid powers.

We withstood the extreme heat and braved the Highland Games in Pleasanton as per tradition. Seriously it was 112 degrees

Grandpa moved in with us because we couldn’t stand the thought of him being in a setting that was more like a hospital. He was put on hospice and needed more one on one care, but it would have been torture for him. We wanted him to still have freedom and still be able to have 24 hour one on one care. It was challenging and rewarding and I would not have traded that time with him (frustrations and all) for anything.

Lydia shared her birthday with her little cousin Vivian. The kids all had fun but our female dogs decided that they needed to kill each other and they fought until there was some serious damage. We now get to deal with keeping them separated. All of the time! It sucks! But we really couldn't get rid of either one and they seem fine just being let out at different times.

We had an epic Halloween with multiple costume/make-up configurations for each event we attended. Lydia was a champ, letting me try out all of my ideas on her poor face. We attended the All-Hallows Fantasy Fair and had an awesome time. Christa came up and took Lydia to the 4H Haunted House. We all went to the Sonora High Cosmetology Haunted House. Halloween also brought to light a hard truth and I decided to stop caring about some people and just focus on those who are in my life because they want to be.

I found out John Green was coming out with a new book and that there was a tour going on for the release and I really wanted to go so I bought 2 tickets and took Christa. It was awesome and fun and I think I turned Christa into a fan of the Green brothers.

My neighbor had a baby boy and I got to babysit and I am so in love with that little ginger piece of sunshine, I can’t stand it.

Caramel Brule lattes came back and I had them all of the time for a while.

The girls auditioned to be a part of a Christmas production with MYACT Theater Company and they both got speaking roles.

I crocheted a hat and it was huge. I’m still learning.

I took Abby to the movies and ate a milk dud and had my entire tooth break off. I had to have oral surgery and it wasn’t fun, but as pleasant an experience it could be while awake.

Thanksgiving was celebrated simply with a normal dinner and some extra desserts.

Lydia made an awesome video demonstrating Newton’s Laws. I showed everyone I know and laughed way too hard. She’s delightfully awkward.

Steve became Master of his Masonic lodge and I was super proud. Many of his brothers from Livermore made the trip to be a part of the event and even made up his installation team. Grandpa was proud many times over that day. He was able to attend as he had been looking forward to doing for a long time.

I found a kitten in the engine of my car and she survived. Thanks to many generous friends and family members and even strangers we were able to afford the surgeries she needed to promise a good outcome and a happy life. The Mono Way Veterinary Hospital did an amazing job and gave us all of the help they could with making it affordable to save this kitty. She is living happily now in our home and she couldn’t be more adorable, even if she had all of her legs.

Lydia and Abby had all of their hard work pay off when they performed in the Christmas production "Home for the Holidays.” They both had quite a few line and monologues in the play and they also put together a great performance of Rudolph using the ukulele and performing as a duet. They got a ton of laughs, especially at the last performance where Abby got the hiccups and had them through the whole song. The audience loved it!!

On December 11^th we lost Grandpa. He passed peacefully at our home. He was ready to go and even though we miss him and it is terribly sad that he is gone, it is also what we all knew would make him happy. He wanted to be with his Rosa and he felt that his earthly duties were completed.

dogs got sprayed by a skunk.

My work hosted a Christmas party and I was able to blow off a little steam after having a trying few months. I got all of the guys to squish into the photo booth to take a few pictures with me. I had fun and felt guilty for it so soon after my grandpa passed.

We had a beautiful funeral and memorial for my grandpa and so many family members made it out to California for the occasion. Steve did an amazing job putting a lot of it together and making sure all of the aspects of his life were represented. He also had the news channel come out and they did a story on him that was broadcasted a few weeks after he died. Grandpa would have loved every minute of it and been so proud of how his life was honored.

Christmas came and went and we tried to keep it festive as much as possible. It was sad that Grandpa wasn’t here and that the kids had to sacrifice a lot in the way of presents because they were willing to help the kitten instead. But we did still have a nice Christmas together at home.

Kayla dyed my hair.

We attended the cast party for the kid’s Christmas Production.

We banged pots and pans at midnight to scare away the bad spirits for the following year and It was time to start again!

Let’s do this 2018!!