The Hardest Part

Later in the afternoon of Aunty La's passing, we had to leave the hospital and head over to her rehab facility and clean out her room. Sydney insisted she come with us because she was so upset for not being allowed to say goodbye. She was shaken up but I didn't want to inhibit her feelings and emotions about this. Cleaning up her room and going through her things hurt the most. Even the box of kleenex prompted a random memory.

We all shared stories about her and Wally talked about their past and early days. He is a mess. After we cleared everything out, and I had my bag containing her old dial radio, shawl and cross... it was just Jenny & I. We sat there forever trying to leave but it was hard knowing we'd never be back to visit. I stared at her empty bed and her walker leaning against the wall.

It hurts so bad.

1931 - 2011

On Sunday, September 25th at 7:51 am we lost our beloved Aunty La.
This was the last picture taken with all of the girls together. She surprised us by showing up to Sydney's 5th birthday party. I remember like it was just last week. How excited Sydney was for her to be there and for several moments, it was as if La was the only person there... forget the moonbounces, cake and 20 friends running around. Sydney was over the moon that La showed up. I'll never forget that. And in the back of my mind, I think La came because Wally advised her not to. Stubborn as she was, she'd fight through the discomfort and pain and do opposite of what anyone told her.
That is how she fought her cancer. Knowing she wouldn't win, but raging through the battle simply because others advised her not to.
Not enough words to express what this woman meant to me. Not enough time to talk about all of the memories I will cherish. I will just miss her "like the dickens".

Sweetberry Farm 2011

First stop! The corn maze. Last year Sydney was not game for this, but she was a bit braver this time around. All I can say is... it was hot.

1/2 way through the maze, Kelli lost her enthusiasm.

So did Sydney.
(I never really had any)

But we marches on. Singing Dora.

and on. and on. and on.

Finally I cheated and handed them over the fence on the right and we walked back to our stroller. We mazed enough. They got the idea.

Same truck! Same photo.
Just slightly taller children.
*sniff*

A really nice lady took our picture.
Did I mention... it was hot?

They are both such good little photo subjects now!! Kelli gives the 'ol "cheese obvious" grin while Sydney throws a "blue steel" at the camera.

Kelli kept saying "awww!!! silly goat!! awww!"

This picture should be the one you get when you buy a picture frame at target.

Hayride. Kelli was impressed but trying to hide her nervousness.
What. No I'm cool. I'm totally as excited as Sissy about this hayride on a crickety metal trailer from 1925.

Made it to the flower "farm" and the girls picked about 783 flowers.
Incase I didn't mention... it was a little warm outside.
But I'm smiling!! I'm enthusiastic, proud Mommy!! yaayyyy you picked another flower!! good job! so pretty!! pick some more!!! yyyyaaaayyy!!!!! good job!

Kelli picked hokie flowers for Daddy. red & orange.

Time for the train ride!!! Had the whole thing to themselves. Picked the front seat. Kelli lasted 30 seconds. "nope. I no want it"
And because I didn't respond to her immediately: "NO!!! I. NO. WAAAAANT. IT!!!!!!"
Okay dude. Fine... get out. Jeez.

So Sydney slid to the back because that's where big kids go.

Hayride back to the other side of the farm. Kelli didn't hide her feelings this time.

Farmer Syd!

She decided to make a scarecrow. Best $15 ever. That was fun.

"His name is Daddy. Just like Daddy"

This is so sad. They pretended it was Daddy and gave him a hug. Seriously, he's only been gone for 5 days.

Oh man she did NOT like the fact that she couldn't lift it. "Help meeeeeee!!!!"

Is that all? Or should we find more. Maybe even BIGGER pumpkins? Maybe the expensive ones over there not sitting in shade. Let's go browse those for 20 minutes!!!! yaaaayy.

Kelli and Sydney took turns on this. It was a moment I had to capture.
"Sissy turn!!!"
"Okay Kelli. It's YOUR turn"
"okaaay! now Sissy turn!"
Santa heard that.

Days Like These!

Well. It was a Friday. You know what that means! Gymnastics and storytime! One of Kelli's favorite days. We had to leave her gymnastics early, however, because she pushed a friend. (I didn't want to rain on that little girl's parade but that *is* Kelli's balance beam)

Soooooo, that was fun. Short lived. But fun.
We were early (so I thought) for storytime so we took a nature walk around that shopping center and came across this bridge I had our photo taken on 2 years prior (almost to the day!).
It's the season of giving thanks, so I reminisced and thanked God for all my blessings! Starting with that one right there.
(which took me right into being thankful, also, for patience)

Well I had the Friday time confused with the Wednesday time and we were there too LATE rather than early. Soon as Kelli sees the building she begins screeching "tori-time!!! tori-time!!! mama I find tori-time!!!"

We made the best of it. Did you think I'd pull Kelli out of there after she saw it?
We got to the kids section and she said "is nobody here! no one here! noooooo friends. aww!"
she then sneezed 3x in a row and said "bess you Kewi"

I gotta take a lot of self-portraits in order to prove I'm their Mom.

After Sydney got home from her first golf lesson, she happily played with her little sister in the backyard burying acorns and watering the herbs. Then they picked some "special" plants and made a bouquet for me.

Honestly folks... I have to say that this is a well thought-out and creatively designed bouquet!

After Kelli went to bed Sydney and I began our Halloween crafts I had been promising her. She wanted to do it outside because (1) "it's the perfect environment for painting" and (2) "we might see bats!"

Sneak Peak into our days...

I don't know what the pull is but kids love rocks. Everywhere we go, they go rock hunting and then argue over rocks. Then they hug and kiss over rocks.
Why buy toys!
I'm putting a pile of rocks in their stockings.
We had smoothies for dinner that night (this is outside the juice place downtown) and Kelli and I loved ours. Anytime you make a green smoothie with kale and spinach, just add apples! No sugar needed, it was SWEET.
Sydney said "Mom, is this kale? You know I don't eat leaves"

Kelli and I watched while Sydney did her gymnastics, but had to leave early and have MeMaw do the pick up. #meltdowncity

Doing some research...

I watched "Food, Inc" and "Fork over Knife". Both documentaries opened my eyes even more to the connection of diet and health. Optimal health seems so easy to achieve now that I've accomplished that (but can always improve), but looking back I can see what an emotional attachment I had to food, and how my common sense was over-powered by it. It means so much to me that I don't have to take medications anymore. For anything. And that I don't get headaches and I can sleep and I have energy. I thought eating gluten free was just the answer. I wish everyone I knew would get on board with this.

http://www.foodincmovie.com/

http://www.forksoverknives.com/

It's back

I ran in Boston, and felt great. After 6 miles returning from 2 weeks on the bench, I had no problems. Even walked around the city that day and all day the next. We were on our feet all day at the ACL festival but the day after that I was given the green light to return to my higher miles and ran a 12. I felt good and even afterwards it was okay. Woke up the next morning and the entire left side was swollen and SORE.
I was ANGRY.

I elevated it and iced it. And immediately called the doc.
Had to get Sydney to school first, then Kelli to school.
The limped to the voodoo dr.

I got an adjustment and then accupuncture. Went back for a second dose the next day and am only allowed to swim, do yoga or bicycle.

After THIS sesson, my knee felt good!!!!!
But I still can't run for a week.
I was conditioning up to 2.5 hours, so let me tell you how interesting 2.5 hours of a bike or swimming laps is.....


_______________________.... that exciting.
But hot yoga rocked my world!!!

I will be #*@!ed if I don't do this marathon.

All in One Weekend!!

What a great weekend! To start off, I took my first run after 2 weeks on the bench with a knee injury. And I took it through Boston (in cooler weather to boot!). I got through 6 miles before I became nervous I wouldn't find my way back to the hotel. But I got a little neat surprise running into Paul Revere's house on the north side!

Love of my life.
Had about 34 of these in 2 days.

The old state house.
The sight of the Boston Massacre and also where the Declaration of Independence was read to the citizens from that balcony.
I love history!

A view only to be envious of. Look at that!
One of our financial advisors has a quaint little office in downtown Boston.

This embellished marker belongs to John Hancock.
Quite the... uhh... metaphore, eh?

So I read that funerals and head stones were really expensive back in the day so there are up to 20 bodies (in the family) at each head stone. Paul Revere and Sam Adams is also buried here.

As though his office didn't have the best view, our advisor Jonathan introduced us to THIS view.
From his penthouse. I said that I could live there with no furniture or bedrooms bc I'd just do everything facing the window!

We got to sit behind home plate at a Red Sox game!
Not the biggest baseball enthusiast, but that was FUN!
And my dear Andy and I don't look like tourists.
At all.

We left early (for din) but not before Ortiz hit a homerun!
The rest of that night is kind of fuzzy...

Can't leave Boston without eating seafood!
But no.
I refuse to eat clams. Or oysters. Whatever those things are... they look like rubbery tumors.
Not appetizing.

Whale watching!
I was freeeeeeezing!

I took video but we did see a whale! He kept surfacing and diving, it was truly amazing!

After my last cup of dunkin donuts coffee and a long flight home at stupid:o'clock in the morning, we arrived in Austin and headed straight to the ACL Festival!!!!! Couldn't miss it!

We started it off with a little Airborne Toxic Event:
http://youtu.be/nhrcckqvTko

My favorite artist Joseph Arthur, whom I was most excited to see, completely disappointed.
He played all his depressing songs. Andy said Joseph made him want to jump off a bridge.
I was hoping he'd sing this one:
http://youtu.be/oeg9Af7q9Jw

AWOLNATION came through! Amazing live performance. The guy even threw a boogie board into the audience and then jumped on it and "crowd surfed"...
http://youtu.be/gyN_jD58qCI

It was whirlwind but an amazing, fun, exciting weekend!!!