Christmas is over

I am so happy Christmas is coming to a close. I have been dreading the day for over a year and am glad it has past. I love Christmas and the meaning don't get me wrong but I knew that it meant Grandma would almost be gone a year when it got here. Christmas music made me cry and when my Dad came and we had our nice Christmas dinner it was like there was a elephant in the room no one wanted to talk about or mention. The part that killed me the most was the grocery store was selling poinsettias for 5.99 and last year before Christmas when we went to visit grandma sent me out to buy poinsettias but only if they were less than 7 dollars a plant ( but not small ones). I went to several drug stores and Target, Walmart and Grocery stores and couldnt find any less than 7 dollars. So every time I went to the grocery store this year and saw those 5.99 nice big poinsettas I wanted to cry every time because they made me think of her and my last trip to the store for her. Every time I hear " Here comes Santa Claus " or " Santa Claus is coming to town" I think of Gramps and sitting at the little white table in the kitchen and him singing those songs to me when I was little ( or any of us kids for that matter). Then to add it all together it was my other grandma's birthday and I already missed her on that day. I kept thinking I needed to call someone and had called everyone already. It was a rough one but I was able to keep it together.This year has flown by and I will reflect on that closer to New Years.

I want to go to England

My life long dream is to go to England and I have never been.

 Now I am desperate to go next summer for the Princess Di concert and memorial. It was announced today and I would walk to go! I cant believe it has been ten years since Catt and I went to LA to sign the condolence books and since Lionel walked up to me and told me he was so sorry for my loss. It also means Conner is almost ten since I was pregnant and I remember people telling me to calm down because they were worried I would lose the baby. I cant believe it has been that long.

  It was my life long dream from 5 to meet Princess Di and she was the epitome of my childhood. Now almost ten years have gone by since the day that dream died and I cant believe it. Times flies faster and faster the older you get.

life with a son

This morning as we were dicussing our daily schedule and school schedule I told the kids we were doing baking and crafts after our daily studies. I was making breakfast at the time and Conner says " I am just going to play my play-station and you and sis can do the baking I dont want to learn how to bake." I said" No, you need to learn how to bake" He says " I plan on finding a good wife who can do all that stuff." I about fell on the floor laughing it was so funny. " I told him it is nice to have a husband who knows how to cook and cleanup after himself too." He says " Well, I dont plan on being single" and I say "Neitheir did your Grandpa but he is and he knows how to do all that stuff." then he dropped it and went on. It was so funny!!! The things kids think and say sometimes is so funny.

Thankful

It was such a great day today and I was able to reflect on things I am thankful for as most of you know I tend to be a complainer and pessimist at times. But I have really been trying to focus on what is good, true, real, noble, praiseworthy these days. During this Thanksgiving holiday I was really missing my Grandma since she taught me most of what I know about cooking Thanksgiving and when reflecting back on this horrible year I tried to see what has been good. So for myself and posterity a list of what I am thankful for:

My Faith
My husband who stands by me and loves me unconditionally and is such a blessing to me.
My two healthy,happy, well behaved, cute kids who love me uncoditionally and bring me joy each day.

That I had 3 wonderful grandparents and got to say goodbye to each and every one of them and be with them and spend time with them before they all passed away.
That I had Grandparents who took the time to teach me stuff
That I had safe places at their homes when my own wasnt so good.
That my relationship with my dad has greatly changed
That I have re-connected with my dad's family and that I got to be there when it mattered most.
That I have close cousins who listen when I need them too.
That I have a home,warm bed,clothes and food.
That my husband has a good job that provides for us so that
I can stay home and teach my children.
I am healthy

One of the biggest ones is that I have been so blessed to have so many really great friendships at all stages of my life. I have old friends, middle of the road friends, friends from jobs, friends who I met when I moved, New friends just so many friends. I have been so blessed to have each and every one of you in my life and I KNOW that I wouldnt have made it through this yr with out all of you in my lives. You have been a shoulder to cry on, a ear to listen and a sounding board for advice. You have prayed and stayed when I have been nuts with grief, sorrow and heartache. As a year comes quickly next month I need to take the time now to say thanks and let you know I am forever grateful and hope I can be there for each and every one of you when you need me.
Thanks

accosted

You get accosted in the mall shopping by people at the carts wanting you to try there wares... have news for you if I want your product I will just come up and buy it. This drove me nuts walking through the mall with Marty Yesterday.
Then I get on here as a way to keep up with family and old friends mainly and get accosted by strangers to be my friend. They think because I know someone they know that I will be there friend too. That isnt so odd and this is a public place and I choose to be on here but still I feel pressure to add and accosted at the same time.

Now for the real reason I chose to blog about this. Marty and I took Elizabeth to the park because she was whining Conner got to go with a friend and she didnt. I explained to her life isnt fair and she isnt always gonna get to go. So after she happied up she asked if we would walk her across the street to the park. So we did and about two minutes into it I see a lady walking up with two younger kids. Immediately the little girl runs up to Elizabeth and says "hello" Elizabeth ignores her in true Elizabeth fashion and upon the second hello finally says "Hi" then the mom starts jabbering endlessly to Marty and I. Now you know me and I can out talk anyone. She out talked me. So because our little girls are playing she is suddenly my new best friend asking "where do I live?" "what does Marty do" "where do your kids go to school" "oh, she lost a tooth, how old is she" "how much does Marty make at his job" YES, she actually asked him that question. Where do I go to church? Am I a Christian? Do I rent or own? How much a month do you pay for rent? Can I have your phone number? Yes, she actually wants to get together again. Then she tells me she has a mom's group and I should come to that. I told her I have one of my own plus my kids are too old for me to be in hers. As we were walking away Marty was like "What the heck was that?" I told him that isnt the first time that has happened to me at the park. I have twice been invited over to someone's house swimming from the park( I didnt go) and I have been asked for my phone number so many times it is nuts. Then I dont want to be rude or unkind and insult this person. But people wonder how bad things happen and how people and their kids bad situations. I am floored at how people will just tell you everything without knowing you. So I knew I had to blog about being accosted at the park today it was too funny. I am such a cynic!

El Patio

Some of you may know that growing up our family had a restaurant we frequented weekly in uptown Whittier "El Patio". My parents had gone there since they were teenagers and taken all of us in the baby carrier and sat us on the table. The owner's were Gabriel and Ruth De la Parra and were wonderfull people. Gabriel was the nicest man and smelled sooo good always he would take us and make us Shirley Temple's and Mexican pizza's in the kitchen. He is credited for starting my life long love of bean and cheese burrito's and would help me cut them to eat them. They gave my dad side jobs doing work on their floors and hosted many a Brown family function including my grandparent's 5oth anniversary and my graduation party. They sold the restraunt a few years back but remained friends with my dad. I called my dad yesterday and asked him what he was doing and he said sitting down. My dad never sits still except to sleep so I knew something was up. He told me "Gabriel died this morning" and broke down crying and I broke down. This is the 4th major death for my dad this year and after the sale of the house could be counted as 5 deaths. He had just seen him the day before and he had been struggling with Cancer for awhile. I felt awful for my dad because I think he feels his world falling apart and to some extent it is changing dramatically. I am glad I got the opportunity to see Gabriel just 2 months ago at my grandparents house. I put the pic up in my pics to share the memory. So many memories being a adult sucks!

Gabriel and Ruth

10-26-06

Ok, First I will make you laugh...

Conner asked for a sonicare toothbrush for his birthday-AAAhhh,That's my kinda boy.


I was teaching the kids the song Seek ye first and then I told them to draw a picture of a castle during social studies and Elizabeth draws one with a person and I asked her who it was and she said "That's zeek" and I said" Who's Zeek?" and she said"You know Zeek ye first" I was rolling laughing.

We have been crazy busy with all kinds of stuff around here lately and I am hoping next week will be quiet I am going to take the afternoon off tomorrow! that will be a change.


The house has sold and the new owners have the keys and it was really sad for my dad. I cant imagine living somewhere 51 years of my life and having to leave. I am sad I wont go back to the house ever again. Things don't seem to be getting easier yet with the grief and I dont know when it will......................

Here is me at my grandparents house leaving and not looking back