Saturday, October 24, 2015

Mom and Dad's Ashes 10/24/15: Bradenton Riverwalk

Today we went out to a place called Riverwalk in Bradenton.  When I cleaned out my parents' house when they died I found hundreds of pictures of us walking along this stretch of the Manatee River.  Back then there was only an old train to play in but now there is a playground that the girls love to go to.

Me and the girls holding the jar of ashes.


Opening the jar to scatter the ashes in the Manatee River.



We kind of made a mess and had a lot of people looking at us wondering what we were doing!




Looking out at the water.  That bridge that is open is the train tracks that Tropicana (the juice company) uses, they're located just a few miles from where I grew up.


This spot is also not even a mile away from the hospital where my dad died.  Today is the one year anniversary of me telling my dad that my mom died (he was in a coma from the time she died until a week later).  I will never forget what he said that day "that's how it happens, one day someone is here and the next day they're gone".

Saturday, October 17, 2015

Mom and Dad's Ashes: Anna Maria City Pier 10/17/15

Today is the 5 year anniversary of my mom dying.  Sometimes it seems like yesterday and sometimes it seems like it was such a long time ago.  I barely remember what it was like to have parents.

In honor of my parents for all of the weekend in between today and the anniversary of my dad dying, December 4th, the girls and I will take a portion of their ashes and scatter them at some of their favorite local places.

Today we went to Anna Maria City Pier.

Whenever we had someone visit us from out of town or if it was someones birthday (either my mom or dad) we would go out to the restaurant at the end of the pier.

Today the girls and I drove out to the end of Anna Maria Island to scatter their ashes at the water beside the pier.


I have a picture of me and my parents together under this same sign


Posing together with the jar of their grandparent's ashes


Dumping them into the water


Watching them wash away


Looking out at the Skyway Bridge in the distance at the end of the pier


They loved walking on the pier



My little loves



Both of the girls loved where we went, although, I don't think they understood what we did entirely I'll have these pictures to show them when they're older to explain it all.

Saturday, August 29, 2015

Sweet Annabel

I'm sure I have another post with the same title somewhere, but when anyone thinks of Annabel they think of how sweet she is.

Now that Annika is in school she's alone during the day with Josh (which could possibly change soon as we're discussing her starting preschool 2 days a week).  I thought she would be sad but on the first day of school when we were in line to pick up Annika she says to me:

"Momma, I cried a little bit when you and Annika left this morning.  I cried for you, not for Annika."  So I think she might be a bit happy to have so much individual attention!

That face!!  And she's adorable when she says little because it sounds like "yittle" which makes it 1,000 times cuter.


Last week she went to the dentist.  Usually dental trips are a nightmare!  Every single visit we've had with Annabel for a check up she has screamed the second the dentist walks in and demands that I carry her the entire time we are in the office.

She surprised me by allowing them to not only clean her teeth but for the dentist to do a FULL EXAM!!!

People, she is smiling in the dental chair!!  I was so proud of her that I cried when she got her teeth cleaned, shhh...I know.


Our biggest problem right now is that she insists on sleeping with me at night.  It's hard to say no to someone who says "I love you so much, I have to sleep in your bed".  When she says it all I can say is "yes, yes you do." :)


She also has an intense love for cats.  She almost exploded with happiness when we went to a friend's house that has a "meow meow".


I'm really hoping that by Christmas we'll be in a place where I can finally get her a "meow meow" of her own.  I cannot wait to see her reaction!

Friday, August 28, 2015

How Is She In Kindergarten?

So it might just be possible that whenever I think of Annika this is how I see her in my head still:



But really she's a sassy 5 year old with a fantastic sense of style who has already master the "selfie".






The week before school started I took 2 days off to spend time with her.  We went to Lido Beach in the morning.  We couldn't stay too long since a storm was offshore about to roll in!




Swedish fish are our "go to" beach snack!


After the beach we got dressed in the car and went to a salvage store in Sarasota.

Annika told me that "this place is beautiful!"


Monday was the big first day of school.  I wanted to walk her to class so I went into work late.  So glad that I did, even though after I took her to her class she looked at me and said "can't you just go now?"  Sassy monster..


She seriously loves school already.  I think she also enjoys getting to ride with me each morning since her school is down the street from my work.  It's a bit of a drive, it can take us anywhere from 30-45 minutes.  Hopefully we'll be moving a little closer soon.

This was her outfit for day 2.  She loves getting to pick out her outfits for school!




Quick unrelated note: Thank you to everyone who commented, texted me, or FB messaged me about my last post (I did remove it).  I probably won't address it here much but we are separating for many personal reasons.  Thanks again for your support, I feel like I've posted so much of my life over the last 8 years and I would hate to quit blogging now so I will continue to post stories about the girls and life in general.

Thursday, April 9, 2015

A Beautiful Life

Sometimes I look through pictures and just want to go back there and sit.  

Last Sunday Annabel and I relaxing in our front yard watching Josh wash the car.


Annika riding her scooter at a park in Sarasota.


Climbing Trees, wish I climbed up there with her!


Annabel hiding like a squirrel!


Annika at our community pool, she's such a fish.


Sassy little Annabel.


Stealing Annika's cookie at the Farmers Market.


Annabel smelling flowers.


I just enjoy looking at all these pictures!

Also I enjoyed this chicken recipe and I totally forgot about it.  Can't wait to make it this weekend!

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Writing Books

~I know I say it a lot by someday I'll get better at blogging constantly!

~I was looking at my old food blog and now I want to make these brownies, I totally forgot about them!

~I bought a notebook, so that means I'm starting to write a book.  I've written a short novel years ago, like 12+ years ago but it sits in a box in our garage because I think it sucks.  I have ideas in my head so I'm ready to write.  I have sort of strange method to writing.  My thing is that I do not at all like to be stuck to computer so I buy a notebook, I'll write in the notebook until I fill the pages and the type everything in a Word document.  As I'm typing I make edits and then print the entire book.  I print the book double spaced and place more edits there and add paragraphs along the way.  After that I add those changes to the Word document.  I totally expect this to take me at least a year based on the amount of time I actually have to write, but I'm going to try it!

~I also have the whole story of life with my mom.  Her mental illness made for an interesting childhood, a bit crazy.  I'm debating on if I should write it as non-fiction and only include facts or if I could make it a little more interesting and make it fiction.

~This whole book writing deal I want to get back into could be because I feel like I may need an escape from the whole corporate world.  I'm working on a promotion on and feeling a bit nervous about it all.  Is this what I want?  Do I really want it bad?  Can I do this the rest of my life?  Eeeekkk.


Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Getting Braver

Annabel has always been hesitate to try new things.  Annika typically dives into everything head first (including the pool at my boss's house, she almost gave him a heartattack!) and has no fear, at all, about anything!

Last year Annabel would not go into the water at the beach at all.  This a picture of her up to her waist (she's on the left)!


Annabel loves horses and ponies but lasts year at an Easter event in our neighborhood when we tried to put her on a pony she screamed "NO PONY!!".  It was funny because all she talked about while she was in line was riding the pony and then she got scared when we tried to lift her up.

This year she went running to the ponies and she was yelling "I want to ride a unicorn!"


So I let her ride on, you know, minus the horn, but she still believes it's a unicorn.


Last year Annabel wouldn't let anyone paint her face.  She cried when I tried to put her in the chair and just watched Annika.  This year she even picked her own design, a rainbow with 2 pink butterflies.



Next we had a petting zoo.  Again, last year she watched Annika, this year she went into the gate and touched this little black chicken.


Then Annabel touched this little black goat.  After that she looked at me, put her arms up and said "get me out of here". 


She's a girl who knows what she likes and doesn't like!

Friday, March 27, 2015

The Girls

Swinging together on Sarasota Bay.


Posing as "Twins".


In their pool!


Getting ready for the first swim of the year!


Trying on swimsuits (Annabel's was much too small!)


Matching dresses from H&M.


Picking flowers.


Being silly at dinner!


Making my birthday cake. 


Dinner last night, Kefir mustaches ;-)