I Am Missing Them

Yesterday my hubby transferred the pictures to my computer that he had taken of the G-babies while I was gone on that mega trip for gigs. Yes, I am planning on writing about it next week, so check back!


But I have to admit......I sat at my computer and cried.


I cried for about an hour, as I felt that stab of pain----the one you feel when you miss someone.


So, I HAD to share some of the pictures with you. I know, I know. You are tired of hearing about and seeing pictures of my little G-babies and my oldest daughter, but its my blog and.....well, I want to.


And yes, they were taken by my hubby at the studio. He is an amazing photographer----what can I say?


Check out his website at WWW.BBSNAPS.NET.

And the beautiful mother of these darling ones-----Hailey.

Now you can see why I miss them.....

The Best Visit Ever

I have not been around to blog lately.

I admit it. I am failing miserably in keeping up with my life AND blogging.

My hubby ended up being in the hospital for almost a week. I did my first Musical Theatre Summer Camp for the summer, and last but not least, my daughter, Hailey and her little family were staying with me.

Yes, those are my excuses. I will stand by them emphatically.


As for my daughter.......she has come to visit me before, but not with all four kids in tow, and not for so long.

It was so.....well......fantastic....the best visit ever!

I already posted some photos from July 4th weekend, but I just had to post a few more----to have it for future readers, as well as catalog some of the fun things that we did. (There was supposed to be more, but our schedule got a bit put off, with fingers being smashed and me leaving for a mini tour with my band---which you will HAVE to check back to read about.)


My little twin G-baby darlings!

4th of July with Hailey, her husband Ben, and the twins.

Hailey with Mila and Lucy.

Bret with Aydan---waiting for the fireworks.

With my little sweetie, Lane.

Mila's birthday party----a BIG nine years old!

Ethan and Mila give a sibling hug.

Mila, with Poppy and her present.

We moved over to the theatre to finish the party. The birthday girl in her
vintage costume.....

.....and with Aydan----acting out a play.

Fun Improv play.....

.....with the eldest to the youngest involved.

Meg and Brinna dancing with the twins.

Candle pin bowling----Aydan ready to throw.

Even Lucy took her turn!

Hailey and Ethan, just after the bowling game....

....And Mimi giving the twins some tips.

In Cape Cod, at the beach----Lane observing the horizon.

Hailey, showing the twins how to fly like the birds.

Brinna, with some stranger.

Here I am with Lane!

Lucy with sand all over her sweet little face.

Aren't these swimsuits the cutest thing ever?-----Lane and Lucy.

Trips to the park were also made, as well as a trip to the Museum of Science, a visit to the hospital to see Poppy, another visit to the beach (a different one---but I forgot my camera---ugh!) and pictures taken by Poppy for his website, BBSNAPS. There were also lots of days where we stayed home and just hung out, watched DVD's and enjoyed each others company, as the kids played and....well,....took over the house!

My oldest G-daughter even took the Musical Theatre camp----but I don't have pictures of that, of course, as I forgot my camera (are you seeing a trend?) at the rehearsals, and counted on my daughter to take some---but her camera ran out of space. Hmmm. We do have problems getting pictures of memorable events in our lives.....

All in all, it was a lovely time. I started to get used to having them close, and one morning when I realized that they were only here for a few more days, I woke up with an ache in the pit of my stomach.

I mean.....I had an actual pain.

My heart hurt, as I knew that it would be several months until I could see them again.


I do love these little G-babies of mine.

The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly

This has been an interesting week, to say the least.


My daughter is here with her little ones. That would be the GOOD.


My shoulder is acting up again, lots of pain, so I had to go get an MRI, as they are afraid that it is a torn rotater cuff. That would be the BAD.


My husband got injured at work on Monday----about 400 lbs. of stuff fell on his hand-----and he went into the hospital to get his finger operated on. They said that it was the worst smashed finger that they had EVER seen----they usually amputate them, but they decided to save it, even replacing an artery that had been destroyed. That is the UGLY.

UGH---LY bandage.

What about you? How was your week?

Happy Fourth Of July!

With my G-babies here with me this week, I haven't gotten around to getting on top of things yet, so I didn't get a Friday post done. My daughter spent the week in NY with her in-laws and her hubby, as he is doing an internship there this summer with a law firm. So, I got to be SUPER MIMI----as I tackled all of the G-babies for four days, and WITH NO TRANSPORTATION, might I add! My vehicle doesn't carry everyone, and it rained non-stop, so I believe that I should definitely get the G-Mom of the year for this one!!

Although, I have to say.....they are great kids, even the twins, who are so angelic and sweet with me and then turn into crying, whining things when their Mom is around. Hmmmm....do you think that they have her figured out? Makes you wonder, right?

Then, I had a gig last night that didn't get canceled for rain-----a miracle----so Bret (or Poppy as the G-babies call him) took all the kids to a parade BY HIMSELF. So, I guess HE gets the G-Dad award of the year!

Here they are----sitting on the curb....

The twins reaction to the parade---oh, so precious!

The little dance routine of Mila and Aydan.


Well, I got home late Friday night and got to bed late, as I was chatting with my daughter, as she had returned. I had to be up early this morning to get ready to be in a parade of my own for the band. Interesting work. I had never really performed in a parade before. Note to general public: Don't feel too confident while you are dancing on a moving float----you know-----that you won't fall down.

I almost hit the floor two times! It could have been scary. And funny, I suppose, if caught on video.


But I made it. And the results are as follows:




Now, don't forget-----it was without the band----backing tracks and all-----and it was difficult to hear each other----so don't be too harsh. Remember what your mother taught you. "If you can't say anything nice,.......um.......lie."

Seriously, I really do sound better than that.....




***I also have to mention that I was planning a video for Secrets In The Sauce, this FANTASTICO blog that caters to people who COMMENT (click on the button on the right side to find out more)----cause I wanted to win an amazing gift card to Target------can I hear a WOOOP? But they didn't get enough responses, so they canceled it. (I am tearing up now----really----I wanted that gift card and I had myself convinced that I was going to win it----we've all been there, right?)
So, now all my dreams have been dashed, and I have to start all over again with whatever they decide to do......

By the way. All things considered. We DO have a great country, don't we?

Rocky Mountain HIGH

Good food. Family. Laughter. Annoyances. Bad communication. Good communication. Driving. Games. History. Beautiful scenery. Wild kids. Hugs. More laughter. Improv. More food. A little bit of sleep. Getting re-acquainted. Love.

This is what we experienced during our family reunion this past week.

And this was where we experienced it----the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.

Our family reunion in pictures:

Sunrise from our window....

....and peeking through the clouds.

Lucy.....

....and her twin Lane.

Granby Lake

Aydan, trying to figure out how to clean out the water before he gets in.....

.....and then everyone joins him.

Playing "Pit" at one table....

....and "Apples to Apples" at the other table----fun, fun!

Adorable cousins!

An old caboose in the ghost town of Silver Plume.

And a random cave to explore.

A re-enactment in the old school house---lots of fun for the kiddies!

Learning about electric power in Georgetown.

Later at Improv night----Clayton and Hailey acting up.....

....and Aydan with Uncle Pat acting out.

Fun in the pool with Bret and Aydan.

Hottsie tottsie fam.---well, I was doing MY hottie move, but no one else was playing along. (All the sisters and brothers were there, except the youngest,----we missed you, He-toi!)

And here we all are!! (Except my two brother in laws---they were golfing---and Meg, Clayton's
girlfriend was taking the picture)