Gabe's birthday: The Inbetween's

There was so much, too much good stuff .....
With the most image heavy post in this blog's history,
here are the in between moments of Gabe's party....

There were kids swingin from anything weighed down......

Selfies with tweens....

New neighbor's who we don't know yet......

Time with Nando before he heads out for Marine Corps.....

Coley making some casual bonding moments with Em.......

Two moms catching up 14 years later.......

Split butts gettin sewn up.....

Feelin like a king in the hands of a fair maiden......

Being derpy.....

Dancin all fancy......

Dramatic falling outs between a couple of the kids.....

Followed by adult mediation.....

And so much more that I'll choose to just keep inside......

Gabe's Pee-Wee Shindig!

Oh, hello there. Lets just resume as if I haven't been absent here for over a year ;)
My only son turned five this weekend.
It was the best day, from first waking to hittin the sack.
I had grand dreams of painting all the characters of Pee-Wee's playhouse, recovering an old armchair and transforming it into Chairy, making a full on Pee-Wee photobooth, tailoring a men's grey suit waaaay down to fit Gabriel, creating a bullseye game with a picture of Pee-Wee's nemesis, Francis, on it and so much more....
but you know what? I'm learning to slow down a lot. I'm learning to balance my life in a way that I don't miss out on the relational opportunities because I'm so busy in my adult version of coloring or playtime. I'm glad I kept it simple. There was a whole lotta life I would've missed on this wonderful day if I had not simplified..........

My sister got here early to help me by making the cupcakes and a cake. While I was taking a shower a glass shattered everywhere and she had to toss the batter! I came out to find my sister gone, no cake and 30 minutes til the party. This cake was literally a whip up and by the time she got back with store bought cupcakes I had it neatly displayed. Still pattin myself on the back on this one ;)

My sister went utterly crazy on spoiling this boy. She bought him every last character from the playhouse on ebay and some of the vintage merchandise. We waited till after the party to give him the rest because we both know that other people's kids have not been trained in proper toy handling. 

He was so appreciative of everything and very impressed! I would usually stay up late working on party things to surprise my kids but losing sleep isn't in line with trying to find balance. It added more dimensions of fun to this with letting him be a part of the planning and occasionally "helping". He was so proud to show his friends!

Yep. 

These two were here. My heart still overflows with the joy from this day....

My parents came.

This was my mom's first meeting......

I know mom. Me, too.....

Cara came out and worked her face painting and balloon magic free of charge.

She didn't want payment but I noticed several who love her practically shoving an offering in her pockets ;) I said to her, "The best advice I can give you is never, ever turn down your blessing." 

She's one of my favorite people.....

Oh, how happy he was with every gift! Nando even bought him a toy and labeled it 

To: Kurt Cobain  (Gabe hates him to call him that. Not because he has any notion of who he is but rather because he wants to be called Pee-Wee)

Emily wanted to rep Sailor Moon but after being continually cut in front of in Cara's line we took matters into our own hands. Looking into her face with total justification for this long was heaven....

I was so present in this moment, 

if I close my eyes now I can still picture her there....

When people asked if they could bring anything, I just replied "Silly String!"

Little boy, you just don't know how much you are loved.

Happy Birthday, my son......

Quiet makes me talk

I'ts really quiet here. Everyone's in bed and Jerome's at his evening job. I blog in my head all the time, every day. Bloggers will understand that perfectly. I'm here all of a sudden and don't want to make a big fuss of it so I'm not going to edit this post. My grammar sucks pretty badly anyhow so it won't be noticeable......

I spend a lot of time alone.

 I spend most of my time alone. 

Well, there's always Gabe. I call him my constant companion. He's my closest friend :) 

I'm in my head too much when I'm hermiting. I notice that the more I fade from social media the more invisible I become to others in real life. I like it. 

I like Instagram, lately. It's really a lot to blame for my blogless life. I love that I can post a moment and move on. But you know what? I haven't used my camera in almost a year. That's not a good thing. 

I have been disappointed so much lately after putting my heart into people and projects that I have lost desire. For people. For projects. I am jaded and just want to do me and my family. That's not a good thing. 

I've had the weirdest theories and made some reaching parallels about my favorite movie, Labrynth. (introvercy will do that) 

Jareth tempts Sarah to "forget about the baby" and immerse herself in his crazy upside down world. In my own life I tried for years to "forget" while immersing myself in a crazy, upside down world of my own making. I met many twisted characters like in the movie,  some merely foolish and harmless but others who would have no qualms with seeing the worst happen to me. I could write about the parallels all night but my eyes hurt. I couldn't forget the baby and that's what matters.

I miss being here. I miss wanting to be here. This was my place. 

Take care, though I can't imagine anyone would be hanging around. 

And randomly, I just wonder about Eartha Kitsch all the time. I hope she is well. She put a hundred smiles on my face in a tough season. 

I leave you with a random picture of us on the first day of school. Gabe was caught mid sneeze. You're welcome ;)

The Minimalist Game

This is where I'm at today.  It's come a long way from a few moths back and I realize that it's really not that horrendous for the American standard of living.

 But what is all this crap?

Of course, I know what it all is. I can even tell you exactly where I picked it up, how little I paid, the conversation I had with the person involved in the transaction, etc etc.....

But like what does all this crap mean to me?

That's where I'm at.

And I'm finding it means a little too much.

 So I've joined Mason and Brian in a month long endeavor called

"The Minimalist Game".

On the first day you get rid of one thing, the second day two things, third day three things and so on and so on. My first item was perfect in this practice of "loosening" the grip we have on stuff.

My friend asked me if I had any vintage shirts I didn't want and I went to my closet and gave her one I am extremely attached to. So much that I won't even wear it and it more honor than any scrap of material has any right to. I gave that shirt more consideration than I do people's feelings and needs sometimes. That sounds a little dramatic but that is the honest truth.

 And ironically,

the shirt I thought I treasured so much has never shined more brighter ;)