Night before Halloween!

Well, here it is, the 30th of October already. Rainy, cold wet. I truthfully do not enjoy this season very much. I like it until it rains. I don't really like the rain. Well, DOWN POUR I don't like. The drizzle is OK. I cannot believe that I went to the Madonna concert one year ago already! Where did THAT year go?

All of the costumes are ready for the kids. Last night. Yes! Now, we just need to carve the pumpkins. Probably tomorrow morning. Maybe even tonight. We will see how crazy it gets. We are only carving three this year. Eight pumpkins a bit too much as we discovered last year.

Cameron - Hunchback

Claire - Alex Russo from "The Wizards of Waverly Place"

Carly - Mother Nature

Catie - Little Red Riding Hood

Caroline - Blue Fairy

Courtney - 'lil Devil (so cute)

I have to talk about the cost of these costumes. I spent for sure under $90 dollars.

Last night, I went to the fabric store because the 'cape' was missing from Catie's costume. I got her costume for only $7 dollars! I purchased four costumes new and all at half price. The fabric for the cape, I got for $3.10 and a large round button for $2.00! And, I walked in A HA! There was what I needed. Thankfully, because I didn't want to walk around for costumes for more than a minute.

Thankfully my Mom in Law sews and so from that fabric, she was actually able to make TWO capes LAST NIGHT. One for Catie, and one for Courtney. SO cute!

Today, Cameron dressed up in his costume. A stuffed backpack, and his old painting smock from Kindergarten!

Claire and Carly went in orange and black shirts from last year. I gave them pig tails and tied pretty orange ribbons over the elastics.

Catie, I dressed her up as this is her year of 'firsts' in Kindergarten. So, she had her basket, her ensemble, and her red lipstick. She looked so sweet and LITTLE! Perfect! She had her first playdate this week with girls from her class. And, today a very first school party. She is enjoying it so much! I know she gets to parade around the school to the bigger kids' classes. So, I guess she will go see Cameron, Claire and Carly. I love that!

Caroline. Not dressed up, but pig tails like her big sisters.

Courtney. As herself today. With a 'waterfall' in her hair.

Oh, and I got some candy treats to hand out tomorrow. I don't think Cameron wants to go trick or treating tomorrow? He is only 10! Let me see if he changes his mind when his sisters all go out.

I will take some photos of the front door tomorrow. The kids did it all this year and I LOVE it! We bought a blow up cat (not scary at all) and some orange lights. I love that they LOVE to help us out!

You might get scared...

But honey! I don't want to blend in with everybody else!

OK, this looks too real and freaky even for me!

OK, I'm a trouper!

Somebody needs some dental work and botox...and a lift!

Cheers to us honey! Yikes!

Tonight, we had some shopping to do, and we got a bit silly with each other. We were laughing, and taking photos of each other.

Enjoy!

A couple more from California

So, just a fun little fact, when I was shooting at the Jessica Claire workshop...the 'wedding' location was just across the street at a sweet little park...right across the street from The Real Housewives of Orange County!! This is their gated community! We drove up, but this is as close as we could get!

Some of the very neat Candy Corn in 'Candy Corn Acres' in the California Adventure park. I thought this was so festive and beautiful!

And of course, Cliff couldn't help but get a photo of this...this was also in the California Adventure side. It was really hot! But we loved it so much!

From my Birthday

P.S. I know one child is missing. She didn't want to be in the photos...and just you wait until I share the Apple Barn photos. Same story...LOL

38

Well, it happened. I turned 38 yesterday. I had a good day! I had my cousin Andrea over, and her sweet little man Evan over. She brought Starbucks for us. I made a sandwich for us all. She also brought me some gorgeous fall flowers. I am thankful her and my relationship. Although we are cousins, I feel that she is my older sister by 11 months. I just love her, and all that we can talk about. Sharing our true feelings and bouncing stuff off of one another. Truly a relationship that I love and cherish. My kids had a card for me, Cliff brought me flowers and a card.

I was actually able to get out for dinner with my Dad, Mom, Granny, The M family and Amy and Tyler. And, I took Cameron. Who totally deserved a night away. He has been working very hard at school this year, and I am so proud of him. So, he got to come along. Before we left, I blew out my 13 candles on my cake (thankfully not 38!) and then I served the cake to my kids. Had a lovely dinner, and of course cake for the 'triplets' which if you don't know are my Dad, myself and my Sister. We share the very same day. I love it!

After dinner, and some goodbyes. We headed to Best Buy to pick an iPhone up for me. So, thank you Cliff for my birthday gift! I just love it and now trying hard to learn it all! So far so good! I picked white, to match my MacBook. Yay!

So with turning 38, I am trying to get used to it. I find it takes a while to grow into that number. Especially now that the big 40 is only two years away for me now.

This morning I felt exhausted, my hips have been aching. I am tired, as per usual I fell asleep on the couch exhausted. When I woke up off the couch, our littlest one was already in our bed. Asleep. So, I had an extra bed mate as well. She is adorable to cuddle, and now that she has the next birthday in our house (2) in November I take it where I can get it. I just love that little girl so much. She is my baby after all.

I will not lie, at times I think we have made a mistake by not having more kids. People can poo poo that statement all they want, but it is my blog :D

But, I am happy with my family. Just extra sad realizing that that 'baby' stage is leaving my house. And I am growing older. But, hey! Two more babies entering the family in December and April! So, hopefully holding that wee baby will give me peace. Or make me feel like I need to have more.

Today, I am dreading a meeting with a teacher. One of my older daughters has been stealing...so....I feel like I am in trouble. And my children are a reflection of Cliff and I so, of course that hurts. And, I wish that I didn't have to go. But hey, this is what motherhood is all about! So...

Also, I have been sad over friendships lately. What I thought to be friendships, seemingly over. Very sad. I read a lovely quote and this is what it said:

"friends are like stars, they come and they go but the ones that stay are the ones that glow"

So, for weeks I have this bad sense of uncomfortable-ness. This un-easiness that follows me around. In person, online and in other friendships that inter-twine. And truthfully this is hurting me quite deeply. But, I guess I move on from here. And stick with the friends "that glow!"

I will continue to be me, and just be the best me I can be. And, if that is not good enough then I guess they were not really my true friends now were they? So, in chatting with others who have been in this situation I know what I have to do. Where I have to go. It sucks, but this is life.

I don't want this part of life to feel like I am in a catty high school drama! Time to move on! Time to connect with true friends. So, I guess I have to press the delete button. So hard to do! I have spent too much emotional energy on this. I need to focus that energy elsewhere!

So, today I let them go.

Thank you to my dear friends who remain, and stand by me and love me. I am so thankful for you all.

This weekend we celebrate our Thanksgiving with all of our family. The WHOLE family! It is going to be a bit hectic, and very loud. But this is what life is made of! Memories! Thank you Granny for having us ALL over to your place.

I am thankful for so much in my life. Thank you all for listening to me today.

Cathy xo

A week in photos...

. Can you believe this is a mall? There was a carousel and and a ferris wheel at this mall. It was called Irvine Spectrum. I have more photos of this mall if you want to see them. Let me know in the comments.

After the workshop, and a special lunch with another photographer (someone I very much admire and look up to) we headed on the big old I5 towards Anaheim. To check into our next hotel (which was across from Disneyland and California Adventure Park) A nice lady offered to take our photo together which was great! We also went into the second largest Disney store in the world. Conveniently located in Downtown Disney!

A glimpe of what the I5 looked like. Most times, eight lanes across...sometimes MORE!

I just love all of the different types of palm trees. Some tall, some small. Some skinny, some wide. Just like people...

One of just me, of course in a C. I look forward to having a photo here with all of my C's!

A quick glimpse on our GPS on just how crazy the lanes were!

I was able to FINALLY meet up with my friend Michele. She lives in San Diego. We have been chatting online for over six years. When we were pregnant with our "September Stars" on babycenter.com (She is also a photographer and she has been a great mentor to me) and it was one of the best evenings I have had in a long time. We felt as if we have known each other foerever. Almost like sisters! Or something like that. It was a connection I just cannot explain! Cliff came along for dinner too, and we sat in California Pizza Kitchen (oh so yummy!) for almost three hours talking away. We had some nice California wine there too. Much love to you Michele! I am so glad we finally could meet! xo

A view of our first hotel in Mission Viejo (a community that we are both in love with! Much like Osoyoos just a lot larger!)

When I was at my all day wedding workshop, Cliff stayed here. And enjoyed the California sunshine. They were having a heatwave when we were there! Amazing!

OK, so I am not so good at posing myself LOL

And outside of the Pirates of the Carribean at Disneyland. We thought of our kids.

Top back left, Cliff and I on the "California Screamin'" I got Cliff on here, and finally he decided he loved rollercoasters! YES!!

Me on the backlot in California Adventure Park. Before riding the "Tower of Terror" one of our new faves.

Thank you to the kindness of strangers who took a photo of us together!

And, a photo with MM!

(Mickey was busy somewhere else!)


Do you want more? :D

Cathy xo

Fall is in the Air

OK, every child has a photo like this right? Courtney enjoying her pasta dinner. Actually is the one meal that EVERYBODY in the whole family enjoys and is easy to make. The benefit sitting down and talking about our busy days with everybody. We go around the table and ask what the best part of the day was, and the worst part of the day. Keeping those lines of communication open. And staying in touch with the kids. We look forward to this part of our day. When we can all be together. And, we are totally out-growing our tables/benches. Time to get a new table I think! We barely fit!

Catie's first day of Kindergarten (same day she turned 5!)

Find your name Catie! (Can you see her little wee hand?)

A couple of sisters...Catie 5 and Caroline 3. (and Julep the monkey)



Wow, October 1st and time is flying by. We had a good start with September and all of the kids going back to school. And one, starting Kindergarten. Catie had a bit of a rough start. She was a bit nervous, but she is doing well now! I am happy for her.



My days are quiet with 2 or 3 in the house. I am enjoying that time. It is way easier to keep up with my workload that comes with having six kids!


I just got back on Sunday from a week long holiday to California. One part wedding photography workshop with Jessica Claire (a wedding photographer that I just look up to and love!) who is rated in the top 10 ten in the World! I had been saving up so that we could go together. One more dream realized for Cliff and I!

Second part fun fun fun! That fun happened in Disneyland for three days! Thank you to my Mom in Law who took a week off work to care for the kids. And thank you to my parentals who took the kids out a couple of times to give my Mom in Law a break. It was a much needed break, and time alone to be just "Cathy and Cliff" instead of "Mom and Dad" it was time to have that after no trips or flying since our honeymoon in 1998. I really loved being away, as I just love California and really think I should be a California girl. Come on Cliff, get a job at Disneyland! Oooh the perks LOL.



As for running...and all of that good stuff. Well, I am not running. I am still experiencing hip pain on a daily basis. I walk a lot these days with school drop offs and pick ups. But that is only a measly 3 kms a day. Not enough for my liking! I have put back on a lot of my weight, which really bums me out. So, in true form I am embracing the me that I am today. I bought some new clothes and just saying OK, this is me. Deal with it :D

I have a birthday coming up, and that means my Dad and my little sis get one year older as well. I love sharing my birthday with them both. And of course, once our birthdays are done. That means Thanksgiving dinner! This year the WHOLE family gets together at my Grannie's house. I look forward to doing this, and catching up with the family. Apparently it was 5 years ago since we did this. Catie was weeks old! So, yay!

I love family get-togethers! So much love in the room! It is wonderful. It also means tummy rubs to both of my sisters. Both expecting babies! One due in December, and one due in April!
So exciting!

That means that my little Coco will be celebrating her second birthday next month. I'd better start planning! It is so fun to watch her grow up! She is fun and is full of energy! The sad part. No more babies in our house. That still makes me sad! Get over it right!

Life moves on, and I am thankful and blessed. I have a happy life. A great and supportive husband and six very happy and healthy kids.
Life is good.

[pictures of Disneyland and my vacation to follow on a separate post--and all the kids got from California were stupid t-shirts, some Mickey Mouse suckers and some taffy and they were HAPPY!]

Happy Fall! I hope you do not grow webbed feet in all this rain!

I know I am California Dreamin...I cannot wait to go back with all the kids!


Cathy xo