.

Friday, September 30, 2011

The smiling teenager....

Yeah I know...
unheard of...
especially in these parts.
but it's true.

She smiles.

She's been smiling a little more often...
and that I can't get enough of.

Here's the thing.
When we started talking about buying a house...
I had all these dreams.
Visions really.

I dreamed of cook-outs in the backyard...trampolines...and swing sets.
I dreamed of sprinklers and slip n slides in the Summer...and snowmen and sledding in the Winter.

I had wonderful visions of running beside my babies holding on to the back of their bicycle seats, teaching them to ride without the training wheels.

Most of all I pictured kids.
Lots of kids.
Neighborhood kids.
All of them.
At our house.

Ialways wanted to be that house.
The one where all the kids were.

and we moved in in 2007...and I still remember the first time Reilly said to me..."Mommy, can I go outside and ride my bike?!"

We had always lived on very busy streets.
There was no riding bikes or going for walks without an adult.
There was no walking to my friends house....
It was just too dangerous.

So that day.
The day she asked to go out and ride her bike. I remember feeling so happy. So glad that I could give her a neighborhood she could "play" in.

We moved into this great neighborhood. This neighborhood with wonderful neighbors and cul de sacs. A neighborhood that has an annual block party...The old fashioned kind...they actually BLOCK off the road...and have a live band...

but...we lived at the end of it.
Like the very end.
and as much as we have always wanted to be a part of our neighborhood we aren't.

and all those kids.

They just don't seem to make it this far down. They live and play a little farther back in the neighborhood....and just never made it here.

and then....
this year...

all of that changed.

You see most of the neighborhood kids are boys.
I know... I know...that's the last thing I need...
but they were a little younger than my teen...
and as much as she was interested in friends...
they weren't interested in a girl for a friend.
Seriously. girls are gross when boys are 12...and then they turn 13 and all of that changes.
Boys are weird.

Well. Those boys. Who were playing pokemon last year...
Those are the same boys knocking on my door this year.

Yes!
FINALLY!

I am so happy that my girl has a posse.
I am so happy that she takes walks and hangs out.
Don't get me wrong, I SO wish they were girls...
but they seem like pretty nice kids.
and having them around makes her smile.

I can pretty much learn to love anything that makes her smile.

I can't say the same for her Daddy.
He isn't down with it all yet.
He'll come around.
Someday.
I hope it's before someone is asking for her hand in marriage.
then again....
I'm not placing any bets.
;)

I confess....

I confess...
I haven't blogged since August.
Yikes.

I confess...
There are many many reasons.
and I could  get into them all.
but honestly I don't think you want the long and short of it all.
but I will give you the short.

My Dad (who I haven't seen in over 10 years) came to visit.
and stayed with us..
and it was nothing short of wonderful.

and

I quit my job.
I mean....
I didn't just quit my job.
I DID have another job before I quit my job.


 but...
the other job was my starting my own business...
and it was super scary....
and I wasn't 100% sure I was ready...
and I was stressed....
and my brain just didn't have the space for blogging  anything.

and...

Ryan was out of town for a month. 
OK...
not a whole month.
but like 26 days.
so it seemed like a month.
which means I was here by myself a whole lot during all the craziness.

He is my rock.
In so many ways.
It was very scary doing it without him...
but I did it.
and I am glad I did.
because now I have that.
forever.
that I could do it.
that I can do it.
it's a nice thing to be reminded of.

That although you're always a part of a team
that you are capable of doing it alone.
if you have to.

So yeah.  It's been more than a little crazy around here.

I confess...
I am so glad I did it.
Started my own business.
That's a whole other blog....

I confess...
I have tried to blog a few times.
it just hasn't worked.

Nothing I write about seems interesting.
even to me.
so why the heck would it be interesting to any of YOU?

Yeah it wouldn't be.

So I came back to good ole Mamarazzi.
It's just a place I feel comfortable "coming back to"
I knew her HAPPY list or her FRIDAY CONFESSIONAL would be a great place to start back up.

So hopefully I am back.
We'll just have to wait and see.

I am linking up with the every lovely, almost famous Mamarazzi...
come and join us for some fun!

Photobucket