Motorcycle class

Riding a street motorcycle has been on my 'bucket list' even before I made a list... My dad and my Grandma Taylor used to ride all the time. They had street bikes and dirt bikes. They spent a lot of time at Roosevelt riding and camping. I know my dad rode up until after my brother was born and if they could have afforded to have multiple vehicles he would have kept riding, but it just wasn't practical for a family of three... and my mom said grocery shopping was a huge pain. 

Anyway, it is something I really wanted to try and Kenny bought me a Groupon for an intro to motorcycling class. I was really happy he signed up too and we ended up having a really great night. 

The first part of the class was all inside listening to lectures and videos. I am better at learning by doing, but one thing that Kenny had tried to tell me numerous times (the neutral is between 1st and 2nd gear) finally sunk in from looks at a diagram. The teacher, Grey, was really awesome and if we go back for our licensing class Kenny and I both agreed we need to request him. 

After we filled out a diagram on the board labeling all the major controlling components of the bike it was time to gear up and pick out a bike. 

We spent a lot of time identifying components before we even turned over the engine. They do a really great job with the structure of the class, because there really wasn't a time in the class where I was overwhelmed or nervous... of course we didn't get out of first gear, but still.

I was surprised to learn that street bikes and dirt bikes were so similar and was thankful for the (limited) knowledge I had. 

It was SO much fun and although I am not ready for a street bike I am saving up for a new dirt bike : ) 

Little Brian is 7!

Little Brian choose to got to Wazee World to play Laser Tag for his birthday. We went on Wednesday night because they had a deal. Laser is SO much fun, running around and hiding with the boys. They almost always stay with me which make us easy targets, but they don’t care. The equipment is SO big and heavy for Jacob. The vest is almost bigger than him, but he is such a trooper and plays along juggling his gun and trying to hold the vest onto his body. Little Brian won the first game and he was SO proud of himself it was just adorable.

When we dropped Taylor boys off at their house I was on the back porch talking to my parents and Kenny was inside with the boys and Little Brian told him, “Its funner when you guys are here” Ahhh melt my heart!!

In the morning of his 7^th birthday Kenny and I came over bright and early and helped decorate his room and fill the floor with balloons. He was so cute with his sleepy eyes and scratchy voice, “So I am 7 now?” We said yes and he smiled.

The Monster Truck Cake Kenny and I made for Little Brian 

That evening we had a little party for him. I had got a screaming deal on a home laser tag set at a second hand store and couldn’t wait for him to open it! We started playing with it right away and were in the back yard when Crystal and Krissy showed up. Crystal just walked in like nothing was wrong… she hasn’t seen or called her boys since Thanksgiving and then just showed up at Little Brian’s party. My mom gave her a warm welcome and invited them to stay for Pizza and Cake. It was awkward, but it made Little Brian’s day. He was SO happy to see her. My brother took a walk and missed the rest of the party : ( Little Brian was upset that his dad missed his party but he was also happy to have seen his mom…

Brian, Kenny and Little Brian 

Crystal and Little Brian 

Singing happy birthday to the 7 year old 

Jacob and Krissy 

Crystal and Little Brian 

Crystal and the boys 

Jacob, Crystal, Little Brian and Krissy 

Oh and we had to do our traditional silly string attack to finish off his birthday!

10 card extravaganza

I met my mom, Jackie and Merrit up at the Occasional Artist in downtown Glendale.

Here are the cards I made from tonights event: 

Weak, I know only 3 out of the 10... but by the time I got to class it was already late and I still have a million things on my to do list and still wanted to have a little bit of fun! 

A Sweet Surprise!

Today I came into work and found this: 

Its an adorable homemade notebook cover with a cute flower pen to go with it! My friend Carol surprised me and few other ladies at work, just because. THEN another friend Donna, surprised me with some yummy cotton candy!  

I guess today was all about surprises, because I had a surprise planned for my piano teacher too... Homemade marshmallows! 

The Weekend

Friday night my mom and I went to the Occasional Artist in downtown Glendale for their craft mixer night. We made this adorable home decoration! We used cute out letters and dabbed paint around them on pattern paper to create this look. Then we cute out cute phrases from old books to finish off the project. Very cute, simple idea!

While we were gone my brother and Kenny worked on his car. They were adding some internal green lightening... the project ran well into the night.

The boys kept busy playing video games most of the night... about 10PM I could see Jacob fading fast:

A while later he had a little bit of a meltdown and wailed and said, "This level is too hard!" Its not funny I know... but we were all so tickled by it. Life is just too hard sometimes.

Saturday morning I ran some errands with my parents and the boys. We went to the 'candy store' AKA ABC Cake decorating. and then hit the dart store. That evening Brian, Kenny and I went for a late dinner at  China Chili, one of my brothers favorite places ever. Their chicken fried rice is amazing! After dinner we went to see Blair's boyfriend, Allan's band, Virulent at Marque theater.

Sunday morning Brian, Kenny and I did an 11 mile bike ride in the Canal to prepare for our bike ride coming up. That afternoon Kenny and I went to Blair's house for Hailey's birthday party!

Hailey is One!

I cannot believe that Hailey is already 1! It seems like she was just born! I can't believe a year passed so quickly. I hate that I don't really know her... She is a friendly baby and always lets me pick her up when I come visit (which isn't often enough) 

We headed over to Blair's to celebrate Hailey's first birthday with her family. 

Had Cake: 

And ate it too :

I love that Allan 'helped' Hailey open her gifts, she sure is a daddy's girl !

Hailey wasn't very interested in her gifts, but sure liked the wrapping paper and liked to taste each item : )

Here is what we gave Hailey (along with a shirt and princess sippy cups):

I made this skirt! It took me 3 hours and I used fabrics I had on hand.... I had intended on making a skirt for Jaylen in September, but I was a big old chicken. I finally tackled the pattern, but I sort of hated it when I finished it... it looks like a clown skirt or something. I got lots of reassuring comments on FB and most importantly Blair loved it (Hailey didn't seem to mind wearing it either).

Hailey, Allan and Blair 

Hailey and Tamera 

I love Blair's big, loud family parties and feel honored that we are considered part of the family. 

Happy First Birthday, Hailey! 

Monty

Monty

Dogs don’t make up our whole lives by they make our lives whole.

Monty was such a good dog for my mom. He was her first and only dog that was just hers. Kenny and I helped her find him when she lived in her apartment back in about 2006. He was a huge pain in the butt in my opinion, but a constant, faithful friend for my mom when she needed one.

A few weeks ago it became apparent that Monty was sick. He slowed way down, wasn’t barking (the boy loved to bark) and was extremely lethargic. My mom took him back and forth vet, until it was finally determined that he had an aggressively growing tumor. They could remove it, hope it wasn’t cancer and hope that is wouldn’t grow back, but the vet wasn’t very optimistic about the quality of life he could get from the months or years the operation would buy him… My mom made that very difficult decision to put him down.

My mom asked that I go with her and Kenny watch the boys so that Brian could go too. Not so much that we were going to say goodbye to the dog, but just to be there for our mom. She took him to the same Animal Hospital I had to take Faith to 5 years ago… at least it wasn’t the same room. The surroundings sure did stir up a lot of feelings. I really felt bad for my mom. Its not a task I would wish on anyone.

We sat with Monty in the room while we waiting for the staff to prepare. It was sad. Even my brother cried.

At least he is no longer in pain and can run, and bark all he wants now. I am sure his barking is already driving my grandma bonkers while he waits for my mom.

Surprise in the Mail

Its funny how a little surprise in the mail can come at just the perfect time on the perfect day. Kenny was having a bummer day today, nothing specific just a down day. We got a package in the mail from the Wagy family and naturally being the awesome man Kenny is he waited until I got home to open it.
His sister, Jennifer,  sent some beautiful family photos, a note and a tin can packed full of name tags that belonged to Kenny's dad. There were tons of them from the Ghost Busters to the California raisins! A treasure for him, for sure. I love to see that natural smile spread across Kenny's lips. Not that I don't see it often, I mean the guy is always laughing and joking, but this smile is different. Pure joy and contentment.
To anyone else these might be plastic trinkets, but to Kenny its a link to his dad and he loved looking at each one of them. He especially loved the ones that still had Ron's name on them. 

Thanks for the super awesome surprise Jennifer and Susie!

A Trip Down Memory Lane

So I have extra time between work and Piano on Tuesday afternoons and I often find myself just driving around looking at houses. Today I went to on of my family's old houses.

This house is at 2525 W Seldon Lane in Phoenix, AZ. My family rented it in the early 80s. It is actually up for sale right now for $50,000- that is crazy cheap, but it is only a 1,000 ft2 house and it was built in 1959. 3 bedroom/ 2 bath.

I remember it being so much bigger... and nicer :) It probably was nicer when we lived there- probably wasn;t bigger though ; )


My earliest memories were in this house:

* I remember sitting at the coffee table eating Bologna and Cheese sandwiches with my dad while watching I love Lucy or Andy Griffith at lunch time. My mom and brother weren't there.
* Our dog Holly Girl
* Playing in our TP in the back yard
* my brother falling off the roof (there used to be a tree by the front door) and cutting his head open. He begged me not to tell... of course I did anyway, but its not like she wouldn't have noticed all the blood on his forehead.
* I remember being in the kitchen with my mom... nothing more specific just being in there with her
* I remember my baby sitter whom I called Grandma Rena (she lived on the next street over)
* I got my first scar at that house... I ran across the street, fell and skinned my knee. I still have the scar.
* I remember when my dad decided to burn the weeds with gasoline and lit the entire chain link fence line on fire.
* I remember when the house was robbed... everyone was evaluating their rooms to see if anything was taking... my room was so messy I had no idea if anything was gone (like they wanted any of my 4 year old stuff ha ha ).
* One night my brother and I were going to run away from home... we got our bikes out and I don't even think we made it to the end of the drive way when we heard a dog howl and turned back.

My very earliest memory was actually in the living room of this house when my parents told me that my Grandpa Max passed away. It was 1985 and I was 2 years old. I don't have any specific memories of my Grandpa Max, but I remember that night when they told me he was gone and how mad I was and that I loved him a lot...



I had my 6th birthday party on that porch. We played musical chairs and did the egg race stuff.

I know of a lot more things that happened in that house because of photos and stories that were told to me, but all of these things are actual memories.

Have you ever been asked what your earliest memory was? Its hard to pin point, but if you can find the place you lived or look at pictures you might be able to jog it. I really can't believe that I remember my Grandpa Max Lang especially when I recently found out the year he died was 1985 making me 2 years old... thats crazy.

Anyway, that was my trip down memory lane.... maybe next week I will find another of our old houses and write about it. 

Super Stuffed Potatoes

4 small baking potatoes 

1 lb ground beef

1/4 lb Velveeta Cheese 

1 small tomato chopped 

2 green onions sliced 

1/2 cup sour cream 

Bake Potatoes. Brown meat then mix in Velveeta, tomatoes and onions until Velveeta is melted- stir frequenetly. Split Potatoes, mach insides with fork, top with meat mixture and sour cream. 

Kraft Foods Magazine- Fall 09

Since we were just chillin at the house today I made this for lunch. I actually doubled the Velveeta and used about 1/4 of salsa and no tomato, onion of sour cream. Kenny loved it. It was VERY filling too.