Penelope

Meet Ms. Pink Lemonade Penelope


This is my first Danger Craft Monster and I'm happy with it. I need to work on my seaming, but that will come with practice, and I will get plenty of practice! I have a list of monsters I need to make for Christmas presents. Ms. Penelope here is for Carmen.

Elijah can't wait for me to get started on his monster. Maddox or Sammy the sock monster for him. Will cast on later today after work.

Samuel's 21 Birthday

Yesterday was a dreary autumn day....kinda fit my mood. Samuel's birthday was yesterday. He would have been 21. He should have been celebrating, but instead we were celebrating without him. I wanted to head to the beach, but was unable to, so we had our balloon release at home. Elijah said we needed to bake Samuel a cake, I did cupcakes instead. Everyone went off to school/work and I stayed home alone. Time to think about Samuel, his life - playing the coulda, woulda, shoulda game. So many things I wish I could change, time I wish I could have back. But of course all the wishes in the world doesn’t change the reality. He's gone and there is nothing I can do about it.

So every day I wake up, being the mother of murdered child, trying to do my best with the boys I have here on earth, so I never have to play the woulda, coulda, shoulda game with them, while never forgetting the one I have in Heaven.


21 balloons


Happy Birthday Samuel - We love and miss you so much!

The boys, Me and Jay(my brother) - sending birthday wishes to Heaven






Elijah wanted to keep one of the balloons - I'm sure Samuel didn't mind.

Old School Hip Hop and an 8 and 11yr old

Salt n Pepa's Hip Hop Legends tour - sounds great huh? Fonzy and I thought so. And thought the boys would enjoy it too. They listen to our music, right? They know the lyrics and sing along. They would love it. Or so we thought!

So we got the tickets, and didn't tell the boys. It was a surprise. I was sooo excited and almost couldn't keep the secret! I had to keep it for weeks. That was rough. Whenever I would hear one of the artist we were going to see on the radio, I would turn it up and ask the boys if they knew who it was. If they knew the song. Most of the time, they knew.

So the day of the concert came, and we told the boys we were going to the movies. I could barely contain myself. I think I was worse than a kid.

Before the concert - self portrait with the boys.

We arrived at the concert and the boys were looking around wondering where we were at and what we were doing.

We get into the concert, and finally tell the boys what we were there for. We told them Slick Rick was there - they love Slick Rick's Children's story. But do you see Elijah's face there? That should of been a sign. A sign that you should not take your 11 and 8 yr old to an old school concert.

So the concert begins, and first up was Rob Base. All us "old school" jump up, start signing and dancing. We were having a great time! Ezekiel and Elijah - not so much. They were looking at all of us like we had lost our minds! Wondering what all us "old people" were doing.

Next was Kid N Play. I wish I had rented House Party so they would know who Kid N Play were. They actually liked them. They liked their dancing - you know Kid N Play's little dance.

Kid N Play

Next up was Slick Rick and as you can see Ezekiel was excited! He was up dancing and rapping along to Children's story.



Slick Rick


This was the scene AFTER Slick Rick.

Elijah is clearly thinking - "just knock me out now! I can't believe my parents took me to this mess! What were they thinking!"

Finally Salt N Pepa made it to the stage. This is who I really wanted to see, but by then Fonzy and the boys were done! I got to hear 2 songs.

The lesson learned here....

Never take your kids to an old school concert. No matter how much they like the songs on the radio, they do not want to sit through a whole night of them. Or their parents dancing and singing, having a good time. They would much rather be home!

Now we know - wish it was before we spent over $100 on their tickets!

Salt N Pepa

still

This morning was chilly! The kind of chilly where you snuggle a little closer and deeper in the covers. I love these days. October use to be my favorite time of month. I guess it still is, but it also brings with it the reminder that Samuel is no longer here. His birthday is October 20. He would have been 21.

still can't believe he's gone

still hurts like hell

Boys of the cul-de-sac

When we moved into our new house, I was hoping the boys would have someone their age to play with. Some of my favorite childhood memories are playing with our neighbors, Stephanie and Gina. The first few days at the new house and the boys had a new best friend, Simon. He lives 2 houses down from us, and is in between both boys in age. How great was that! The 3 muskateers! It'll be interesting to see how they all grow up together and hopefully still be friends as adults.

“The essence of childhood, of course, is play, which my friends and I did endlessly on streets that we reluctantly shared with traffic.”
~Bill Cosby

Fonzy's Bday

Fonzy's birthday was this weekend and normally I do a birthday post, but I was too busy running from mice this year to take many pictures or post on his birthday. He even wrote on facebook that a mouse stole his birthday. So sad.

One good thing about his birthday is Tyrone(his older brother) came down to visit. I wanted to take more pictures, but we were so busy with the boys football games and mice chasing I didn't get around to it. At least I got this one. Of course neither one of them were into posing, but I had to get at least one picture.


After the games, the kids and I built a fire in my new firepit. Everyone kept saying it looked like a witches caldron. I'm sure my neighbors were wondering what the heck I was doing. They probably all think I'm a witch now. We made smores and then they left me out there by myself. I guess it wasn't entertaining enough after the smores.


At bedtime, the adults went upstairs to find all the kids asleep on the air mattress. Awwww, aren't they just sweet when they are sleep.

All in all, it was a good weekend and I'm sure a birthday we will never forget!

Happy Belated Birthday Fonzy!

Love you always and forever!!!

Violated!

I've been violated! Mice have entered our house and I no longer feel safe. My biggest fear is rats/mice. It's all the same to me! Friday, I found a little mouse in our pantry. When I opened the pantry door it jumped out and ran under the stove. I guess this is where it got in at. Fonzy got traps and caught it, and his friend, but I don't care. I've been having nightmares since Friday. I'm scared to go in the kitchen and it use to be my favorite place in the house. It's getting cold, so they must be looking for someplace warm, plus Fonzy said that with our house being a new construction, we took over their spot. I don't care! I hate mice!!!!! We need to find out where they are coming in from and stop it!!!! I will no longer feel safe in my kitchen!

Me

Wish I was here.....