A blossoming friendship

One of my biggest fears with Hayden has been the fear of her making a friend. Since she's socially awkward and is often embarrassed, obnoxious and doesn't know how to act around her peers, I worry that nobody will want to be her friend. I think I worry about it even more, because she often complains of it...not having lots of friends like some of the other girls in her class. BUT....I constantly tell her that she doesn't need 10 friends, 1 best friend is perfect!

Well, she has a friend. Her name is Lauren. This is not a frienship that quickly bloomed overnight. It's been in the making since the beginning of school. They have developed a friendship solely by themselves without the guidance of Mommies.

Once Lauren's mom and I realized that the girls had been consipiring for a playdate for quite some time, I offered to take Lauren on a Friday after school, as she had a lot of work to catch up on. Lauren got to ride home with us, stay and play and the girls made pizzas for dinner.

They had so much fun just being silly 6 year olds. Lauren is only a few weeks younger than Hayden, and they really balance each other out well. So well, that their teacher said she'd like to try and keep them together in 1st grade next year! Yay..hopefully so!

Lauren and Hayden had so much fun playing that Lauren turned around and invited Hayden over to her house for a few hours the very next day. They just live a few blocks away, so it's very nice and convenient. Hayden can't wait to be old enough to cross the street on her bike so she can just ride her bike there. (YAH...that's gonna happen ;) )

They also had Hayden over this past Friday after school. It was her turn to ride home with them. Lauren is very sweet, and they think the same of Hayden. Phew...such a relief. I'm glad to know that behind my back when I'm not around, that she's well behaved and polite.

The girls are now working on us for a sleepover!

Taylor goes to Kindie

Last Friday, Hayden's class had "Snowman Day". Just some fun activities revolving around snowmen. Pin the carrot nose on the snowman...make an edible snowman...and a 'snowball' (paper) fight in the courtyard, amongst a couple more stations.
I took Taylor along with me, and boy, did she have a blast! The kids were asking if she could come back on Monday! Only 18 more months and she may be able to call that classroom home for a whole school year!

Under my umbrella, ella, ella, eh, eh, eh

...and she rides...

On New Year's Eve around 6:30 in the evening, Hayden dug out her bike and tried to get on it, sans training wheels. We had company over and I didn't feel like dealing with it at dark, with a houseful. I was expecting to spend awhile running after her, holding onto her seat while she steadily started to gain balance and confidence. I begged her to wait until the next day, and promised we'd take her to the park to try, where there is more room.

You can bet she was up early on New Years day, asking to go to the park.

This girl needed no assistance. No guidance, no instruction. We did not run behind her or next to her or even near here. Quite honestly, she popped on that bike and took off. No bumps, bruises or scrapes. She had never tried it before, and really, didn't even ride her bike with training wheels too often. She had a hard time pedalling, and a fear of falling. Apparently, she conquered that fear without us even knowing!

The Rain Crazies

What is it with the rain that makes people CRAZY??!! Not sure if it happens anywhere else..or if it's native to Arizona. This whole week, I feel like I'm walking in crazy!

I cannot believe how nuts the local channels are over a few inches of rain. Okay, okay..the Governor called for a State of Emergency. Okay, okay..it may be the most amount of rain that this State has seen ever, in it's complete history. But really..let's not over-react people! It's rain. There's a drought. We could use it. And it's not my wedding day, so I really don't care anymore ;)

In the meantime, what we could do without are the drivers who see a single cloud in the sky and shift down to 30 in a 45 giving me..the driver 2 car lengths behind him whiplash and my 3 year a bajillion reasons to ask me "why you driving fast? Is the police gonna get us cuz now you stop fast, too?"

I could do without the weatherman interrupting the Biggest Loser to tell me that rain is on the way. I have priorities...and TV is one of them!

The poor street sweeper guy was out there dusting down my street at 8:30 this morning. The street was flooded, and he was making a huge mess. Well...in all fairness, it was a mess out there to begin with, but he was just kicking mud all over the sidewalk. Although, as Lynn suggested, I actually did take him out a cup of coffee. LOVE overpriced disposable coffee cups. Not only do I look cool but they're actually useful too :-P Oh, I loaned him a wrench also because his swiper broke. So thanks Mr StreetSweeper for telling us your "Swiper" broke. My 3 year old loved that too. She's been playing Swiper alllllll day. I've fallen off my game a couple times (correct response: No Swiping...thanks, Dora ala Jenna) and lost a pair of scissors, a pack of gum, my phone, and she also swiped my bra forcing me to double up shirts and add a sweatshirt to pick Hayden up. It's just the drive through pick up lane, but still. It was cold out there, and a girl could use her coverage when it's cold!

There were about 10 kids playing in my driveway yesterday after school. As usual, I was the only parent around until neighba lady walked out with her girls. Bringing them across the street, she avoided all conversation by standing in my front yard, in the rocks, talking on her cell phone. She left around 6:00 only to call me 15 minutes after she got home to talk about neighborhood gossip for thirty minutes. Although she's rather different, and I'm pretty sure she thinks I'm a full blown whack-job, I'm coming to the conclusion that she may just be shy. And really, who am I to judge different.

Anyhow, the point of her phone call was to tell me to close my garage door. Some one (kids on bikes are suspected) stole some tools out of her garage last week, so she wanted to let me know to hunker down. Also...she informed me that the house two doors down, and directly across the street from her is a HALFWAY HOUSE. Yes, you read that right...a freakin' halfway house. I asked her how on Earth she knew that. (This is the woman who claims she didn't really realize we lived here...even though we've introduced ourselves twice to her, and she and her husband have 2 daughters our girls' ages). One of the men in this halfway house is in her Ward...her husband saw him at church and so he walked across the street later that day to meet him. Low and behold, he stumbled across craziness. See the theme here? Rain brings all things crazy. Turns out its a sober living for alcoholism. Turns out they're not registered with the city. Turns out neighba lady told the right/wrong NOT shy Mommy..that information. Turns out the city of Chandler has no statute against running a halfway house in a residential neighborhood. Even one such as ours...where I meet more and more people that say they've moved into this neighborhood specifically for the school. Apparently this neighborhood is desired by more than location and education. It was explained to me today by the city's 'Zoning Officer of the Day' (<---don't ask) that Chandler doesn't discriminate. And as long as there are no more than 5 non-related individuals living in a single family residence, then they are not stepping outside of the law.

I was very nice, very calm. Expressed my concerns that that of which, the ZOoftheD, Jason, wasn't understanding. It's been operating as that for a little over a year. I just thought it was a bachelor living there that always has new roommates. It is all men, and I've noticed that. They drive beat up cars with a lot of out of state plates. Not too much goes on other than the occasional large gathering. I'm boiling on the inside, but don't want to get ugly or mean. At what point do I let it go, or petition to get them out of here? Any thoughts?

Okay, I've digressed tremendously. As I sit here typing this..knowing that I have just randomly blurted meaningless nothings in circles, I think of all the other strange weirdness going on this week. I'm not kidding, I can't write sh*t this good. It's like the freakin' Twilight Zone around here! Thank goodness it's the weekend, because I think the rain even brings out the crazy in me...and I could probably use some backup support and a vodka drink to straighten me out!

*Post thought: 12 hours after I wrote this, I realized that I think Mr Streetsweeper called it a "Sweeper", not a Swiper. I think there was a bit of a language barrier. Hmm...yah, he definately called it a Sweeper!

Sand Angel

Who needs snow when you can make a sand angel?!For the record...I'm consciously aware that I took her out in public with hair that looks like a birds nest, shorts that are on backwards, a t-shirt that's too small and un-matching socks. Sometimes, ya just need to get out. QUICKLY!

Marquette BIGGEST LOSER!

Conal's siblings and I (six of us all together) are competing in our own family Biggest Loser. A $300 pot is at stake. But even more so, is our health! Our term is from January 18th through May 18th.

I think it's something really fun for us all to do. Not to mention, there's no better support than family!

Sausage Fest

**Most of this is plagiarized, with permission from Pams blog :)**

Making German Sausage is something my mom remembers doing with her dad's side of the family as long as she can remember. They did it together at her Great Grandparents' house, then her Grandparents', then her parents' (it was one of the things my parents served at their wedding!)and now... Her's! My Aunt Nan and Uncle Tom flew in from CA for this event and it was so fun getting to see them. In order to make it, once you stuff the casings it has to hang/drain in a cold place. Needless to say, they had a ton of sausage hanging in their garage on this January day!! The kids even got to jump in to help package it. It was a nice day hanging out together and we know how excited my grandpa would be if he was here to see it. He was so proud of his heritage!

I had the hardest job of all ;-)

Snapshot of a Decade

To look back on the decade that just closed, I find myself grateful, blessed and a tad bit emotional.
I know that the last half of the decade was heartbreaking for so many American's, and believe me, it was a struggle for us too. But to move onto the next decade with everything that we have, I feel that I am more grateful than anything.
Y2K
We opened a new millenium in New York. We celebrated Y2K, and our new engagement with Meghan and Greg and Kelly and Tom. Which, has been one of my most memorable New Year's celebrations, to date! 10 months later, in October, Conal and I were married. Really, what better way is there to kick off a new millenium?
2001

We purchased our first home, the house in which we still live. We didn't expect to be here longer than five years, but as I mentioned, I am blessed for all that I have, and my home...which is where so many memories have been created, is my comfort.

On our first wedding anniversary, we both attended our first World Series of baseball. They Yankees played the Arizona Diamondbacks. We all know how that turned out, but still, what an incredibly fun experience!

2002

Conal and I took a trip to Hilton Head on our second anniversary to visit his Dad, and then drove through South Carolina up into the NE corner of North Carolina to spend time with his mom. We had an awesome vacation seeing some beautiful parts of the country. Some of my most favorite parts of the country to this day!

This Thanksgiving brought us even more to be thankful for than we could've ever imagined. We announced on Thanksgiving day that we were expecting our first baby!

(see, I can't even type this without getting choked up! silly!)

2003

I'm sure there was more going on to this year than puking and weight gain, but quite honestly, the first 8 months of it, that's all I can remember. Well, until we found out that our 'son' was really a 'daughter'! SURPRISE!It didn't matter though, because on July 31, we welcomed Hayden Catherine..or Hayden Cate, as I affectionately call her these days. With a first baby comes a million 'firsts'. And I've covered all those in her baby book!

Conal turned 30, that can't go without mention!

We also welcomed the birth of our first niece, Morgan Anne and Pam had her first baby boy, Cooper Jay! What a WONDERFUL year filled with baby love!!

Hayden, August 5, 03

Donna, Morgan, Pam, Cooper, Me and Hayden, July, 2004 2004
Early in this year, it was decided that I would babysit Cooper. This is highlight-worthy because this is where I grew this unconditional crazy bond, (or at least I still feel it. I'm sure he was too young!) with Coop! I feel like 2004 was a year that I grew up tremendously, in so many ways.

We also purchased our first 'family car' in 2004. We bought a mid-sized SUV. Holy cow, we're parents!

Hayden celebrated her first birthday, and shortly after than, we took her on her first airplane ride clear across the country, to New York! She met her Aunt Kate for the first time, saw the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, spent a day at a Winery and did A LOT of shopping! We also took a girls, and Cooper trip to Central CA to meet Great Grandpa! She went on quite a few trips after she turned one. We decided worldliness is a great characteristic ;)

First airplane trip..Long Island, NY - August, 04

New York City, August, 2004Great Grandpa, Sept, 04
2005

Our family of three, my parents and Pam's family went to the Caribbean for a Mexican vacation this year. Hayden was not quite two yet, but proved to be quite the traveller. This area is where we honeymooned, so it was really special for us to take our daughter there with us. Even though she had no idea that we love the Mayan Riviera so much!

A couple of months after our trip, on Hayden's Christening day, we announced the expected arrival of baby number two!

Yet again, sickness fogs my brain up until...

Hayden's Christening, August, 2005 2006

Pregnant w/ Tay Jan 06 April 9th at 11:31pm...SHE arrived! What an amazing day of labor and childbirth. If I could re-live those days over and over, I would. They are just AMAZING! I think every single moment of it is so etched into my mind because I knew that was probably going to be my last. So I wanted to savor and capture everything!
What a beautiful baby she was...and just six minutes after birth, things took a turn for crazy. And that's when the story of Taylor's struggles began.

Baby Tay, April 9, 2009

This proved to be one of the most challenging years of my life. Yet it was another year of tremendous growth for me. Plus, I turned 30!

With the overwhelming feeling of heaviness floating over, my father in law swooped in and gifted us a one week getaway to Newport Beach. That's where we found our love of Newport, the girls' first trip to Disneyland, and also really came together as a family of four. For the first time. We focused on fun, love and relaxation, and not all of the negative that we were faced with at home daily.

Hayden started a little community preschool in the Fall and we celebrated our first Holidays with two daughters! We couldn't be more lucky!

A COMPLETE family, April 10, 2006

Disneyland! October, 2006 2007

Taylor's struggles were on the forefront during this year. We had secured therapy services to come into our house several days a week to help her out. With numerous health issues, she was a sickly baby. She wasn't too happy and car rides proved MISERABLE! Enough said!

We also noticed that something seemed not quite right with Hayden. We embarked on an arduous journey...one that we had no idea would lead us where it did. Until Christmas Eve, when she was diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome.

We also found the perfect little preschool for her at St. Tim's. This move proved to be the perfect place for Hayden!

Mom, Pam and I also decided to brave a road trip and take the kids to the beach in Newport for a couple of days. What a great break from the heat that was!

Still, we counted our blessings and were thankful that our daughters have humbled us. Provided us with a sense of humility, education and a love deeper than we ever could've imagined.

September, 2007

Vegas, May, 2007Newport Beach - August, 2007 2008

Taylor turned 2. Which was not so terrible! Hayden turned 5, and we had one heck of a party to celebrate! She started Pre-K, and her Aspergers diagnosis was overturned and labeled Autism.

We enjoyed all things 'festival' with trips to the fair, the zoo, Schnepf Farms, Willcox and another Disneyland trip.

Pre-K, April, 08

Mesa Museum for Youth Circus - July 2008 2009

Taylor has grown leaps and bounds. Okay, maybe not physically, but developmentally! She completed OT and PT and started preschool through the district where she receives her speech therapy! She's not a fan of school.

We lost our dog Chloe :(

Hayden started Kindergarten and has loved every minute of it from day one!

We experienced the passing of my grandpa and a trip to California to be with family for the funeral.

We took the girls to the beach for a long weekend and Mom and I trekked to California with two very excited little girls to experience Disneyland at Christmas-time!

I cannot wait to see what's in store for us in this new decade! The girls will hit double-digits. Hayden will turn 16. I'm sure there will be dating and dances. Agh! I can't get ahead of myself, it sounds overwhelming!

Summer 09

December 4, 2009

Here's to a healthy, happy and successful New Year!

Ringing in 2010

Traditionally, we have a quiet New Year's Eve. I make some type of steak and a feast of King crab legs for Hayden and I. We watch movies and rarely make it till midnight!

This year, Bonnie and Andrew called around 3:00 to see if our ping pong table was set up yet, and if they could come play before the party they were headed to. An unexpected 7 hours of ping pong, errr....beer pong ensued in our garage! So our NYE meal this year consisted of Miller Lite and beef jerky! We saved our 'special' meal for New Years day! We're stingey ;) But we had so much fun...the laughter was never ending!

The kids had a blast singing and dancing in the driveway, running crazy and getting to be loud and obnoxious without getting in trouble. It was New Year's Eve, afterall.

Hayden just barely made it to 10:00, so I put on the East Coast ball drop to celebrate! They left around 10:30, and none of us made it to midnight. Conal passed out as soon as they left and Tay puttered out on me at 11:00.

What a way to send out 2009. Playing, laughing, drinking, reminiscing on the craziness that was the year leaving us and looking forward to all that 2010 will bring.

Happy New Year!