Money

I work on Sundays. In the morning, I walk over to the Greyhound Station (that's right- I work next door to the Greyhound Station) and purchase myself a newspaper. Throughout the day I read most of the sections..... but I like to save one part for when I can really sink my teeth into it. That part:

The ads.

I love to clip coupons. Sometimes I use them, sometimes they expire before I get to the store. Whatev. I feel like I'm doing myself a huge favor by cutting them out, or even knowing about the good deals out there. 

The point is this- Last night, I went to Walgreen's with my coupons and a plan. I bought 2 bottles of Windex, 1 bottle of Shout, Pantene shampoo AND conditioner, 6 bars of Irish Spring, 3 cans of tomato sauce and 3 small bottles of Palmolive for $26.74. It would have been less if I hadn't also thrown in a 2 liter of Coke. Anyway, the bill without coupons would have been $44.16. I'm feeling pretty good. 

(I know that some people manage to pay like $4.32 for all of that stuff....but I'm still happy with it).

And just for good measure, here is a picture of Shea as we left Spaghetti Factory a few weeks ago. She was saying, "I have no body! I can't walk! I'm just a head!"

Have a great day.

September 23rd

Dear Uncle Sam,


It has been one year and 2 days since I have talked to you.I don't know how it has been both the slowest and fastest year ever, but it has. 

Everybody misses you. We talk about you all the time. I know you wouldn't want us to sit around crying whenever your name is mentioned, so I try to keep it light. Some days, though....Man. I have to walk away and try to remember how it felt when I didn't know that you were gone. I guess that there are people in your life that take up space in your heart/mind, whether you are actively thinking of them or not. Heart expanders- they clear a spot in your being and make you who you are. They live there as space holders, stretching your capacity to love and respect and learn from someone. All of the other space holders build up around them as life goes on. You were one of the first people I ever loved. Family. Nobody else can understand like family can, or teach like family can. So there you are, at the center of my heart, with my mom and my dad, Nancye, Bev, Grandma Mary and my aunts and uncles and cousins. 

I would have thought that everything would crumble in if your space wasn't filled with a living, breathing, laughing you. What I didn't understand until now is that all of those other space holders keep the structure sound when one of the key pieces is gone. Your place in my life is more defined than ever. Your spot in my heart is always there. I wish I could tell you all of this to your face.

My fear is that I will forget how your voice sounds, but I guess that is normal. I'm worried that when we get together as a family tomorrow, I will REALLY miss you and not be able to keep it together. I am worried that you will be made into something other than you were. I wonder if stories will be embellished to leave out the real and quiet ways you affected all of us, and will turn you into some motorcycle badass who was always chugging Crown instead of the uncle who let me braid his hair.

My mom would want to be included in this letter. She would want me to tell you that she loves you and misses you more than she can explain. You were also one of the first people she loved. 

I wonder how the next year will be- I wonder how many things will happen that I wish I could tell you about. I miss you a ton. Hope you know how much you are loved.


Love,
Vanessa

Recent things

 Still over the moon about Trevortito.

Went to watch Trevor play baseball. His team has one game left- the CHAMPIONSHIP GAME. Go Indians!

Lemonade stand.

 We are dogsitting for five days. Meet Mugsy. Notice the background. Can you feel the tension?

I have also been spending time with Erin and Josh's little nugget of humanity. 

 
And that is all until I have time to tell you some more! Xo

From a while ago, I think.

There. If you want to know what I'm listening to right now, you got it! Good ol' Johnny Cash. 

Getting ready for a day at The Caravan.... yesterday was an odd one. Sometimes, people get touchy and angry...alcohol IS a depressant, after all. 

Last Meal

Alright- McDonald's for lunch then NO MORE! 

But goodness, do I love the taste. 

Made me laugh so hard

Google voice emails a translation of voice mail messages. This is one Trevor received regarding a couch we were buying:

Hi Jojo, this is a I was calling to return your phone calls. Yeah, I was just calling for it's office. Thanks, When you enter the apartment complex. If you have to find my name in the drapery effect. I mentioned in the mail. Please call me when you need to you. Your house so that I know you're on your late fee. Thank you. Bye.

I begged Trevor to read it to me again and again. I laughed so hard that I cried. We didn't buy the couch, by the way. We got this awesome red one instead (embellishments mine).

Guess it isn't really that great of a photo of the couch.

Hikers

Children should be outside.

Children should be kissing rivers.

Children should even do these things in flippies.

Hike hike hike. 

I love these people.

Lots of climbing. We're great at stuff

Disneyland- Day 3

Here it is: the final Disneyland installment. 

We woke up early to make the gate at 8am again. There were big plans to run RIGHT over to Star Tours. We got to the end of Main Street and were there for the rope drop/stampede into Tomorrowland. We waited about 20 minutes, and we were ON. So sweet!

In line. One of my favorite pictures from the trip.

Love that man. For reals.

After getting off Star Tours we headed over to Space Mountain, which had just opened up. There was nobody in line....which meant we walked right on.....which meant there was no time for Shea to ask if there were dips or if it went fast or any of the other questions that stopped her from being 100% gung ho on a few rides. Once we were strapped in, I explained what exactly this ride was. "It is a fast ride, just like Goofy's Fly School, but it is in SPACE. So cool, right? We're going to have so much fun!" It started getting dark- we were going uphill. The music got louder and I could feel her grip tighten. She had a blank stare. Oh, man. 

Shea stayed quiet and squeezed my arm hard the whole ride while I'm saying stupid stuff like, "Wee! Yay!" in some voice that I have never used on a rollercoaster, trying to make it light and fun. Trevor and Sydney were whooping it up. We pulled back into where we started, get unbuckled and exit the ride. Shea still looks blank/shocked. Trevor picks her up, asks how it was. She get this slow grin and says, "Dad- I give it 10 out of 5 stars!" YES!!! We celebrated like mad. What a risky little game that was. I had told her at the very beginning of the trip that I would not tease/fib to her in Disneyland. I would give her the straight skinny about every ride, so I was a little concerned about the fact that we weren't straight forward with her before the ride, only because there had been no time. The relief I felt when she loved it was immense.

Still looking shocked.

We rode Dumbo after Star Tours.

To make use of Disney transportation, we got on the Omnibus that drove us down Main Street. We were getting off, and poor Shea tripped and fell. She cried- big, fat, sad tears. We hadn't noticed that Mary Poppins and Bert were strolling down the street with a following of fans. Trevor was consoling Shea on a bench, when Mary Poppins walked over to them, touches Shea's cheek and says, "Please don't cry...." in the nicest voice. It worked. 

From the Omnibus.

At 10, we went to California Adventure to get fastpasses for World of Color and Soarin' Over California. We also rode Grizzly Rapid Peak, or whatever its called, again. Sydney got the wettest....again. Water loves her. 


Then it was back to Disneyland!


Toontown!

 

Did I ever tell you that I really like Trevor?

Meeting Mickey again <3

 

We rode the train from Toontown to Main Street. We were BEAT. Sydney fell asleep during the ride and Trevor and I were halfway there. Shea seemed pretty peppy. We got off the train, headed to California Adventure, went on Soarin' then dragged our feet back to the hotel for a MUCH needed nap. After sleep and fortification supplied by McDonald's, it was BACK TO THE PARKS!!  

Sydney taught Shea how to braid while we were in the hotel- here is a practice run on my hair. 

Some fun pictures on the way back to the parks.

Disneyland- Part 2

Whew! I took a long break from the Disneyland blog. No problem. I remember it cleeeeeaarrr as day.

Sleepy. That is how the second full day started out. We slept in since we had done the 8am gate the day before, but it STILL wasn't enough sleep (apparently). Wake up, Shea....

It has to be said that we gave ourselves a rigorous schedule. Being able to go back to the hotel and take a nap was key to our success. That, plus we are 4 awesome people who are GREAT at Disneylanding! But also, the naps. We passed a little boy in California Adventure sitting down in the middle of the walkway- ears covered, eyes closed and refusing to get up. We were all glad that we had enough rest and didn't end up with our big brothers sitting on us and making fun like THAT little guy. 

We got to the parks around 11am, and went to California Adventure first. Shea was into going on Goofy's Fly School (A ROLLERCOASTER!!!!), and the rest of us were pumped for that to happen......so we could get her on some more rollercoasters. After riding the Jumping Jellyfish and the Silly Symphony swings, before Goofy's whatev, we stopped for some brunch. I actually got my food a bit later because rides that go in circles make me hurl. Disney knows juuuuust how much to subject one to, though. Within 10 seconds of starting to feel barfy on the swings, the ride stopped. Lucky Banessa, and lucky people around her.


Serious conversation over pretzels.

Tower of Terror was on our list...mine and Sydney's. Shea didn't want any part of it, but a GREAT thing that Disney does is let guests ride switch. So Trevor and Sydney went on while I waited with Shea, then Trevor got off and hung with Shea while Sydney and I rode. Sydney got to ride twice, and our whole party didn't have to wait in line twice. It was wonderful! We only did that for Tower and Splash Mountain. We were able to do everything else together, which was fantastic. Shea turned into a super trooper as far as ride bravery goes.


In line for Tower.

On the ride

A favorite was the Animation Academy. I had never done it before, and I LOVED IT. It was slightly bizarre to see a Disney character form on the paper in front of me. I must admit, we were all proud of ourselves for our drawings. They now hang on the wall in Trevor's dining room.

After spending all morning/early afternoon at California Adventure, we went back to the hotel for dinner. One of the pizza joints in the area had a deal- 18" pizza, spaghetti, salad, garlic bread and two drinks for $20.00! Couldn't pass that up. We ate, rested, some of us bathed, then we went back for a night at the park.


Girl stuff.

 

Sydney eyes.

Shea eyes.

When we got back in, we rode the train for a bit, got off at New Orleans square and stopped in to check on Brer Rabbit at Splash Mountain. We did ride switching, and I rode twice. The first time, Sydney got the most of the water. The second time- I got DRENCHED. Serves me right. Just before we got on the ride, Trevor said, "So, if we get soaked, we go to the hotel and change, right?" and I said, "No way, man! Toughen up!" Blah.

Train.

Shea being pretend scared in line.

Oh, we are so happy! Nobody will get nearly submerged in water very shortly!

Stuff. Check out our sweet ride poses.

Soaked.

 

More rides- AND I got Minnie ears and the Disneyland T-shirt I had been wanting!


Love these people I went to Disneyland with.

 

Trevor says that last one should be called, "Arguing with herself."

Okie dokie- I'll finish day 3 tomorrow. xoxo, friends.