Sweet 16

Every year is an amazing year when you’re a parent to see the changes and growth from one season to the next as your child grows, but its the milestones you hit that really make you wonder where the hell all the time has gone.

It was only yesterday when I was refilling sippy cups with watered down apple juice and stocking my purse with snack bags of cheerios. Now I’m sitting in the passenger seat gripping the seatbelt as she changes lanes and sips on lattes.

Here is the breakdown of her whirlwind weekend (yeah weekend, I’m a TOTAL push over)

1. Homemade youtube Video of family and friends wishing you a Happy Birthday
2. Presentation of ring given to me at 16, now a family ring passed down to you
3. Trip to Tiffany’s. The YIN to your day and a plan of ours for years. Your choice.
4. Thrift Store trip.The Yang to your day and a fun one too!
5. Dubs, your friend of choice to spend the rest of the weekend with
6. Hair. Gorgeously styled and curled
7. Nails. Finally, the mirrored Minx nails you have wanted for ever!
8. New Outfit. Shopping for you both
9. New Shoes. Got new clothes need new shoes.
10. SUR in Beverly Hills. The surprise of the night!
11. Glen Ivy Hot Springs
12. Massages. After all, its rough being spoiled.
13. Mud Bath, we went tribal and had a blast.
14. Disneyland. Okay, that we did NOT do just seeing if you were reading.
15. Gossip Hour in the lap pool. (This was pretty darn fun!)
16. Happy Happy Birthday Kates! 

                                                                                                                          xoxo

Celebrate-16

April 26th 1996

You are a strong female among four generations of strong independent females who stand before you, love you, and share with you their path, their stories, trials, and tribulations of life. 

We have paved our way not only for ourselves but also for you. To show you what is possible and to allow you to dream beyond your immediate grasp, reach beyond the stars and aspire to places that your Grandmother, your Great Grandmother and me, your Mother, could ever imagine.

Happy Sweet 16 Kates.  

60 Hits Vegas

I know they say what happens in Las Vegas stays in Vegas and for the most part that is true but not because of some big sorority pledge that occurs when you fly or drive across those sinful boundaries but because most people have to sober up to get the hell out of dodge and when everyone does that they are left with no earthly idea of what has transpired in their recent past. 

If it were not for the evidence on our handy state of art phones how many of us would be totally in the dark about our indulgences the nights before?  Sin city has simply made it their trademark and we have soaked it up having been granted permission to be bad and not tell a soul.

Cut to my Mom Nancy, her best friend Julie (aka my second Mom), myself, and a 60th birthday celebration.

It involved a limo, orgasms, a room overlooking the fountains, an amazing dinner with a sommelier, a first rate show with fire sand and a moving set that was spectacular, helicopter rides, gaming, and two absolutely amazing women!

We changed that town it didn’t change us for it will never be the same again. 

I have the pictures on my phone to prove it.

                                                                                           Happy Birthday Mom!


P.S. I had you at Orgasms didn't I? Well it is the best damn Blush out there and my Mom can't stop talking about it! It's a hoot. Thank you Sephora.

Timing is Everything or When Left Alone- because both fit

One White iPhone 4                                                            $399.00

Goofy Glasses left over from someones Xmas stocking      $4.95

Laughter with oneself on a sleepless night                           Priceless 

Sometimes the only one who will play is my sweet Meggie (and only then its because I am holding the duck jerky in one hand while balancing my finger on the camera button with the other).

The New Guy at Work

There is a new co-worker here at work. His name is Archie and he is a bit young and has a slight medical condition that requires him to wear a neck collar that can, at times impede his goals. 

But his determination is strong and of course he is on track for employee of the month- Those new guys are always showing off, so I didn’t feel bad at all when I caught this little video of him recently having some issues on a recent lunch break we had together and he dropped a bit of his tasty treat

...of course he got me back later in the day when I had to pick up after him out in the yard.

A Tiger Earns His Wings

Just yesterday he was a Tiger Cub, putting on his little orange T-shirt with the iron on paws and gold belt buckle that always clanked in the dryer when it was washed because inevitably he would forget to take the belt out of the loops and off the pants...

Today he stood surrounded by his family and peers, a boy turned man in the blink of an eye. He has given to his community, his family, this land. 

My son is an Eagle Scout. He stands proud and I stand beside him, even prouder.

(Yep that's me beside him on his shoulder there in the picture, always thought I acted like I had a higher than thou like complex? Well there's the proof right there people. So we agree, now carry on and get me my slippers my toes are cold.)

Skiing the Golden Gate Bridge

This year for the holidays Erik and I had the brilliant plan to not get the kids anything. 














To not get them anything because well, they already have everything they need and most everything they could possibly want. So, THIS year we would get them non tangible gifts and give them a super cool trip instead (ooh aah). A ski trip to be exact in wonderful Lake Tahoe. While the boys exhausted themselves with overstimulated ski 24/7 Kates and I would take time out to hit the spa and unwind, shop, enjoy, and you know, wave at the slopes.

So while I went around town and watched friends and strangers frantically looking for gifts and crossing off names on lists that were pages long, I made quick stops at the local sporting goods store getting gloves, scarves, and warming packets for our pockets. Picked up cocoa at the grocery store while also picking up dinner for that day. Little things that would fill stockings and fit under the tree but nothing major or stressful to burden my mind. I was soooo sure THIS was the year I had it all figured out.

Then on December 21st a friend of mine who lives in Reno sent me this...

...and I panicked. Really what is Tahoe without snow? It’s kinda like Wally World being closed for repairs. Not only that but everything else under our holiday tree was specifically purchased to go with the big snow trip AND it was dangerously close to Christmas day (see bold font above for emphasis). 

Cut to me frantically getting on my phone backing out of rentals and bouncing around town returning things (yeah I’m THAT person) holding up lines and bringing sales people to the breaking point who are already six espressos deep after three straight shifts of “Countdown to Santa Days”.

With our money in hand and a day to get things done Erik and I bought the only thing we could agree upon and each had a margarita rocks no salt. Then we had another. Yeah, it was pretty much a crap shoot from there on out.

The next day it was Kindle fires all around (Amazon Prime rocks it yet again) which was a great choice since we would be driving to San Francisco and, as you can see, we had a terrible time. 

                                                                                It was the best not a ski trip ever.