14 Years.

Today I celebrate Love, Life, and 14 years of Marriage.

I promise I won't go on and on about my eternal love for my husband today

because I know that you've already heard all about how we met .......

and how we got hitched....

And if you keep up on my posts, you already know how much I love this Guy.

So I will spare you the mush...

But I must warn you....

We are leaving on a romantic get-a-way.......

with no kids.....

So I can't promise that there won't be a blog filled with Mushy-ness upon my return.

I will say this.

I'm so glad I have you in my life.

Happy Anniversary Clay.

I love you....

 Today, Tomorrow, Always.

Happy Birthday Mary!

Happy Birthday Maria!!!

It's a given, that if someone has known me for any amount of time, then they know Mary.

Mary is my oldest and dearest friend.

Of ALL my friends that are in my life.  Mary has known me the longest.

She knew me before my first kiss, before my first boyfriend, before my first period, before my first sip of beer, before I could drive, before I could vote, pretty much before everything.

And through the years, she has been there.

FOR EVERYTHING.

Because that's who she is. 

My Friend Mary. 

And I love her.

We have never been able to agree on the details of how we met, but I can tell you, it happened in the girls bathroom, in sixth grade, at the Halloween dance, and tears were involved....

So our anniversary is quickly approaching, and I can happily say that Mary and I have been together like peas and carrots for 24 years this Halloween..... 

Wow.  

I just realized what I said.

24 YEARS.

(I probably should give her some flowers or somethin.....)

If I am in a bind, if I need a shoulder, If I need anything Mary is there.

No. Matter. What.

We have had some very good times together......

(I can not confirm nor deny that alcohol was involved in this photo)

She is always cheerful, always up beat, always Glass half full.  

Miss Sunshine.

Well...

Mrs. Sunshine now....

:)

My Daughter ADORES here.
 She is always up for some time with Auntie Mary.
(who spoils her rotten by the way...)

Of course I can't complain...Mary spoils me rotten too...

She remembers every birthday, every holiday....

Everything.

I'm there for her too....You know..Keep her supported...
:)
(This photo is from our High School reunion.  I'm 7 months pregnant in this photo)

You would think with Mary and I knowing each other for so long, that I would be able to find more old photos of us...

But I didn't have much luck...

I did find this Gem though..

Here is Mary and her Older Sister
Floral dress....Frosted eyeshadow..
Good times...

Mary's family is my family.
 I call her parents Mom and Dad, as she does mine.
She has changed ALL of my brothers diapers.....
(How Awesome is that?- That's right Brit! Benny's fanny has been seen by Mary!)

I love this photo.  I feel like this pretty much sums up our friendship.  It's me saying.  "Mary! What the Hell are you talking about!"  and Mary very patiently explaining what she needs "Heid..."
So funny.

She is the friend of all friends.

Mary, I hope you know today and always how much you mean to me.  You are my forever friend, I know as we approach whatever life has to offer us...

We will still be together.

Always.

I love you.

And

Happy Happy Birthday Hot Stuff.

Weekend in Pictures x 2

It's been a loooong September....

I had every intention of telling you all about our weekend last Sunday...

But that didn't work out so well....

so you are getting a two for one!

Mr. Kirbyface has been working VERY hard lately.

Last week AND weekend Daddy had to work Day and Night.  Which left not much time to play with him.

And then This weekend....Daddy was on his annual Boys weekend in Minnesota.

So it was All Mom, All the time......

And if you are an avid reader of this blog...you know...All Mom, All the time is no fun for my chitlins.....Because Dad is Mr. Fun.  And Mom....not so much.....

So last weekend, I decided.  Mom is fun too!  Here is last weekend in photos:

Friday Night Clay took a *break* from work to go to the Sharks Game.  Dad and Mom came down and we had a Double Date.
Complete with Nachos!
(Thank you to Aunt Casey and Uncle Justin who completely spoiled my children while we had an evening out-They even kept them overnight!  So nice!...and Brave!)

After I picked the kids up Saturday Morning we headed to Jack's in Pleasant Hill for Pancakes.  Mom and Dad decided to stay and join in on our Weekend of Mom Fun.

After Breakfast we headed to the Farmers Market

Sampled the Goods

And got our face painted

After the Farmers Market we decided we should support our local merchants

Off to Sinful Bliss we went.

Some of us were not in a cupcake mood.

After a much needed nap-time we headed to Clayton's Octoberfest.  Which included carnival rides!

First Stop.
Fun House.

Then the rides.
I wish my Mom snapped a shot of the after.
(the smile was left at the top of this ride.)
But there I am!  Riding a ride with my Son.  See!  Mom can be FUN!

Madeline found Elmo on a Wand.  He had to come home with us.

We had a very full car.  Mom, Dad, Brit, Casey, the kids and me.

Skips in Clayton was PACKED

So we drove to Walnut Creek.
Mmmmmm Pizza.

 Mom and Dad left early Sunday.

So it was just the 3 of us for Noah's on Sunday.
With such a busy Saturday, Sunday was much more low key....
But we did find Jack's Halloween Costume, and had a nice Dinner with Daddy.

Before we knew it, it was Wednesday and time to say good-bye to Daddy.

Wednesday night we had pasta and salad with Aunt Casey.

Thursday night was quiet at home with just Mom.

Friday Night the fun started again.

Aunt Lindsey decided to Brave another year with me and the kids during Daddy's Boys Weekend.
I'm proud of her for giving us a second chance.
If you remember....
Last year was not pretty....

Mimi picked Jack up for Date Night

After "Dinner"

They headed to our local theater for their production of The Wizard of Oz.
As I have mentioned Shan has lots of connections in this town.  So prior to the Show when they were welcoming the Audience, there was a Special shout out to Jack welcoming him to his first Theater experience.  Which he LOVED.

After the show, since he was VIP, he was able to go back stage and "mingle" with the cast.
The Wicked Witch was his favorite.

Madeline had a "Date" of her own with Tasha.

And got her first Mani-Pedi
compliments of Spa de Tasha.
I still can't believe we found such an amazing sitter.
Madeline couldn't wait to show us her pretty new pink accessories

Saturday after I worked for a bit, we went out for Pizza, threw some coins in the fountain and splurged on Haagen Daz.

We had some down time

And some Catastrophic moments

Madeline's feesh didn't last two weeks....
(it's good to know that even the fake ones don't make it...)

Aunt Lindsey made it all better....

We opted to stay home for Sunday's breakfast.

Pancakes for the Kids

Feta, Spinach and tomatoes for the grown-ups.

So we did it.

With lots and lots of help.

Thank you to all who helped me.


especially 

Aunt Lindsey.
WE LOVE YOU!
(I'm pretty sure Lindsey has had her fill of children, and can probably skip her birth control for quite some time........but....She is a good good friend and I'm hoping we can convince her next year to join us again)

We survived two weekends without Daddy.

BUT we sure did miss him......

Good thing his return is only hours away.

It's gonna be a fight to get the first hug in....

Madeline's New Pet

When we purchased our home almost 7 years ago, it was fully decorated.

Curtains, throw rugs, wall paper...

That all had to go.

The one room in my house that I made almost no changes to was the guest bathroom.

I loved the coral walls, and the fish theme. 

I did swap out a few items....

But I kept the waste basket.

I hide it in the cupboard in my laundry room.

I keep a small trash bag in it, and that is where I keep my lint.

Tonight, I was emptying the trash in the laundry room.

and I left the trash can on the floor.

Tonight was the first night that Madeline has ever noticed it.

And it was hilarious.

Because the bathroom was Fish inspired, the trash can has water and fake fish that swim at the bottom of it.

Madeline wandered over to the can.  She looked at the side, and then slowly looked in...then back at the side, and then back in.  Her shoulders stopped her from putting her whole body completely into the can.

She ran back over to me.

"Mommy!  Feeeesh!"and ran back over to the can to point out her find.

"You found fish?  How many are in there?"

She put her finger right up to the plastic bottom and started to count.

"Tooooo, Treee, Tooo, Fo!"

"You see four fish?"

"Yes!"

Then she shook the can to make the fish swim.

"Uh Oh Maddie!  They might get sick!"

She stuck her head back in the trash can.
 

"You Kay?" She asked the Fish very concerned.

"Are they okay?"

"Yes!"

"Do you love the fish?"

"Yes!  Feeesh watch Calliou!"

And she carried them downstairs.

Jack was not as impressed with Madeline's new "Feesh".

So..

Madeline has her very own pets.

Guess I'll have to find a new trash can for the laundry room

Hello My name is Heidi....

And I'm a Hoarder.

Now....

I wouldn't start contacting A&E just quite yet....

But I would say I have a teeny, tiny, very minor Hoarding problem.

I didn't quite realize it until we started cleaning the garage.

Here are the facts:

#1. I have a very hard time saying no to hand me downs.  I always say yes.  No matter what it is.  If you are giving it away, I will take it.  Mostly my hand me downs are items for the home. Old televisions, book cases, dressers, cookware, home appliances, the list goes on.  Clay and I just had to purchase our first television this year.  That's 13 years of hand me down TV's.

#2. I have a VERY hard time getting rid of clothes.  For these simple facts.  Fashion repeats itself.  Over, and over and over again.  Mark my words, even Overalls will make a come back.  AND no matter my size, I will be that size again...or fear that I may be that size again.  It took me FOREVER to get rid of my "Fat" clothes.  But I finally did.  It also took me until last week to get rid of the last of my Maternity clothes....but  I finally did.

and...

#3. If there is ANY sentimental connection to ANYTHING I keep it.  I don't know why.  But if a memory is attached to it.....It goes in a box, or a drawer....just for a later date, so sometime when I'm shuffling through boxes and I may come across something that will throw me right back into that time in my life where that item is from.  I didn't realize how truly bad this portion of my Hoarding was until I came across the following items:

*****Before you read on let me just say, I already know I'm crazy AND most of these items had their last memory fling when I took their picture and are now in a final resting place at Allied Waste.*****

I have the bottle of Mad Dog 20/20 I consumed the first night I ever got intoxicated. Strawberry Rose.  One bottle.  All to myself.  I can even tell you exact date....... But that might incriminate me.  I will say that I was an a adult.  I cannot confirm I was of Legal Drinking Age.  Let's leave it at that. (Mad Dog 20/20 Really?  What was I thinking.....)

I have the ticket stub from my first professional baseball game. Ever. 

(I can't believe it was the A's.....but nevertheless A Fan was born that day.  A Baseball Fan.  Not an A's Fan.)

I found my Walkman AND my portable CD Player, complete with my copies of Hootie and the Blowfish and Madonna Like a Prayer (a Christmas gift from Uncle Joe)

Letters from Friends and Family in Colorado who missed me when I moved back to Cali, and the Button  the singing telegram my friends had hired for my 16th Birthday gave to me when he sang to me during lunch Sophomore year. (the letter shown is from Benny in 3rd grade...and it's Awesome.)

My Freshman Student Body card, my Senior Schedule (that's right, I had bowling first period, and it was DAMN challenging I'll have you know!)  and...a stolen book from My High School library.

My employee manual and name tag from my Job in 1996.

(this one even shocked me when I found it)

Fun pictures, and good times with Friends.  (That is the invite to Laura's baby shower for Dominic!  He's driving now!  God we're old!)

I had the Booklet from my 10 year high school reunion.  Complete with Senior Picture.

Look at those curls, and frosted lipstick.

Hot. Stuff.

(okay...this one is BAD.)

This is the pack of smokes that Clay smoked the first weekend we met when we spent the whole weekend together.  I had his stuff in my purse, and at the end of the weekend...there it was....and I kept it.  Okay.....maybe somebody should start dialing the show....  This is definitely my worst hoarder moment.

I found our Marriage Certificate!  I thought I had lost it!  Turns out...We're really Married!  And Legally at that!

  

Oh....and I found....the receipt from the day we got married. 

Let me bring it in closer for you

Two things.

We did not get the Chapel even though it says Chapel- we got married in the waiting room, because the Chapel was $75 which was WAAAAAAAY out of our wedding budget.

and

How awesome is it that we were married at "Loves" Wedding Chapel?

(which has unfortunately burned down since)

There was more.

So much more.....

But these were my favorites.

Here is my promise.

I promise I will not Hoard anymore.

Actually....

I promise I will try and not hoard anymore.  I definitely will say NO to hand-me-downs we don't need.

I feel better already!

Thank you for being my support group and for not calling any Cable programs on me!