Goodbye October .... Hello November ....

Yesterday was the last day of October, ol' Hallows Eve .... Allhalloween .... particularly the Gaelic festival Samhain...

Yes, Samhain is the Pagan Halloween, but it is the day that marks the end of harvest and the beginning of winter.  This is the just a day to mark the end of one thing, and the beginning of another season of life ....

Halloween is my favorite holiday, which is closely followed by Christmas.  I love the feeling of Christmas and it may just be the feeling I give myself, but there is true magic around Christmas... everyone is in a giving mood, there is more kindness and love for fellow people if you know them or not.  But that's still a little ways off... 

So this Halloween, well it didn't go as planned for me.  Halloween is absolutely my favorite holiday ... and we usually make plans for several days of activities...  this year there were things we wanted to go to on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and then on Halloween (nothing on Monday or Tuesday.)  Then we could just sit back and enjoy our beginning to the month of November...

Plans are funny.  You get one idea in your head and then they get dashed.  It's been happening to me a lot lately. 

I make plans, with the best of intentions to follow through, and then ....... BAM!  Nope, no sir, not gonna happen.... joke is on you ....  only the joke is on me... 

Thanks to Fibro, and my sucky ass immune system (Psoriasis, Fibro, CFS, Diabetes, etc and so on) ... I got some bug that one or both or all of the boys brought home and it kept kicking me ... I'd be seriously sick for a few days and then I'd get better only to turn around and get kicked in the gut again.  I was miserable, wanted to go to the hospital/ER several times, but didn't because I seriously could not even fathom the thought of sitting in the ER, upright in a chair, for hours waiting to be seen.  So I passed and figured I'd at least die in the comfort of my own bed.  Only I knew I wouldn't die.

So all the Halloween plans went out the window, including my favorite one of the Haunted Harbour down at Brownsville Marina.  No one but Kaedyn even wanted to do anything this year, and he's my little man who doesn't like to dress up.  He never has.  We've always tried to accommodate him with less intrusive costumes.  Sweatshirts that "transform" him - or a simple cape and hat with the promise he can hold Mommy's crystal ball... 

None of the other kids have had any problem dressing up, but Kaedyn has since he was three years old.  Seven years later, he still won't dress up.  He will watch paranormal shows, oddities, whatever ... but he just will not dress up.

And he was a bit excited to watch Insidious with us the other night, to watch a grown up scary movie, but less than an hour into it, he says to me....  "Mommy?"  yeah....  "I think this movie might be too scary for me..."  Poor boy.  So I sent him to bed, with a kiss and a hug, and the words that it was very much alright that he recognized that the movie just might be too much for him.  And he left happily.

But between the rain and my energy level, all the Halloween plans went straight out the window...  into a puddle.... where they promptly drowned .... it was a very sad death, indeed. 

But I wanted to make sure the boys had fun.  Got some goodies and all that fun marvelous stuff...

This is Nathan on Monday - his PJ wearing day ....

Dennis took me to eat lunch at Denny's ...

But we got the boys all buckets .... and we put a lot of stuff in them, fun stuff, and candy ....

Kaedyn went around the complex and then he came home and got his goodies. 

Nathan got his goodies, he loves his fox socks...

He changed into his new hooded dinosaur PJs ... they make him happy ....

 Mr. Noah ....

 Sir Calahan....

Elly went out with Daddy and Momma Brook tonight.  She's getting so old!  My Mom sent me off this pic before she left with Kale and Brook. 

 Here are some pics from their night taken by Brook and Kale's step-mom Cheri ... 

Shila went out with Clairah tonight ...   and she sent some pictures too....  Clairah's Kindergarten pictures...

And then my little Wonder Woman grandbaby...  she looks like she had a good time.

In the boys goodie buckets, they got these really cool "glow" balls...  Kaedyn's was green, Nate's blue and they were MAGICAL .......  I adore these photos ....

When DB and I got home, we watched the Ghost Adventures LIVE Halloween special, which they haven't done in ten years ...  so it was pretty amazing. 

"Resting Witch Face..."

And then I was screwing around...

I have a problem ....

It's called.........  I have NOT have a lot of time to blog so far this month.....

And it seems like it's not getting better....  but I don't want to let go of my "August blogs" ...  I have some done, but I also have some I still need to do.  So once I get past the first one (which is like a million chapters talking about me, myself and I ...) ... it's the most detailed introduction I have ever done.... 

E-v-a-h .... 

I will do this (she says with hesitation in her voice) 

Nah..........  I WILL DO THIS!  (she says with full confidence!)  Stay tuned for back dated blogs! 

Hello August ....

So ... I liked doing the prompts so much last month that I'm going to do it again this month!  Not only did I enjoy talking about different things....however, last month I did TWO different ones, and they didn't overlap ...  this time I'm going to do FOUR of them, and they DO overlap - so some days, I will wait and talk about something sometime down the road....  sometimes I'll talk about it the first time it comes up ....  gotta keep ya on your toes!

This month my Granddaughter turns 3 ....

Elly's step-mom Brook took this pic

My niece (and Goddaughter) will be 9 ...

My step-daughter is turning 14 ...

My nephew is "due" at the end of the month ....

My adopted son and Elly's Daddy, Kale is getting married to Brook....

We also have a birthday party on the 12th for the little boy (foster son) of a family friend ...

School is starting ...

Nathan goes back to see the sleep doc, and discuss our failure of the CPAP ...  and I see dermatology and my endocrinologist ...  I have a bunch of appointments I need to make.... 

Just a lot going on ... it's going to be a busy month .... 

JULY BLOG PROMPTS in one spot...

So the month of July I worked on blogging prompts to get back into the habit of blogging.

Here they are, I did two a day, one from each of these lists....

JULY 1st : All About You & What is Important to You

JULY 2nd  :Dreams and Goals & Your Best Trait

JULY 3rd  :Favorite Thing to Do & Movie that Makes You Happy

JULY 4th  :Special Memory & Something that Excites You

JULY 5th :Favorite Quote & Something that Worries You

JULY 6th : Draw/Paint Something & Actions You Admire

JULY 7th : What I Did Today & How Did I Feel Today

JULY 8th :  A Time of Transition & Best Friend

JULY 9th :Favorite Thing About Winter & What Do You Spend Your Time Thinking About

JULY 10th : Dream Travel Destination & What Year Has Been Your Best So Far

JULY 11th :Favorite Outfit & Who Do You Trust

JULY 12th : Grateful & A Song From Your Childhood

JULY 13th : Nature & What You Wore Today

JULY 14th : Dream Job & How Are You Creative

JULY 15th : Inspiration & The Best Part of Summer

JULY 16th : Home & A Letter to Someone Else 

JULY 17th : I'm Really Good At.... & I always ... 

JULY 18th : Best Book Ever & A List of Things You Like 

JULY 19th : The Weather Today & A Question That Needs To Be Asked

JULY 20th : A Daydream You Had & What Do You Need? 

JULY 21st : Your Favorite Story & Your Summer Playlist... 

JULY 22nd : What Makes You Laugh & What Inspires You

JULY 23rd : Abstract & What Do You Want Less Of

JULY 24th : Old Photo Of A Family Member &  What Is Holding You Back? 

JULY 25th : Explore & A Tiny Step Towards Your Dream

JULY 26th : I'm Excited For ... & Three Things You Want To Change In Your Life

JULY 27th :  A View From Today & How Have You Grown In The Past Month

JULY 28th : Someone/Something You Love & What Are You Offering The World 

JULY 29th : I Wish ...  & How Do You Spend Time Resting?

JULY 30th :  How You Felt Today & The Best Idea You've Had This Week?

JULY 31st : Celebration & The Book You're Currently Reading 

JULY 31st : Celebration & The Book You're Currently Reading

CELEBRATION ....

In just a few short days .......... lil' Miss Elly is gonna be turning the big THREE YEARS OLD....

Miss Elly - Birth to 1 years old

Miss Elly - 1 years old to 2 years old

Miss Elly - 2 Years Old to 3 Years Old

I have been so blessed to have been in this little girls life, loving her, from the moment she was created.  When I mean blessed, I truly mean blessed.  She is my "Belly" and I'm her "Nonna"

There was a day - when I looked at Shila and was like .... "you're pregnant" ....  a few days later, confirmation happened...  then the first look at baby sprout .... that was her first nickname...  and then the whole pregnancy...  the day we found out she was a she ......  I mean, my heart burst ...  I never got a baby girl, but I was definitely going to love and adore and spoil her for the rest of her life.  I wasn't the first, or the second person to hold her, but I was the third.  I was there at the hospital every day - all day - helping in whatever way I could.  I even spent the night one night... where I practically held her all night ...

Elly isn't my blood, Kale and Shila are my adopted children ... we took them in when no one else would.  Along with them, I became a grandma to little Clairah.  I adore Clairah .... but I don't have the same connection with Clairah that I do with Elly.  '

The first time we met Clairah, she was 18 months old and all she wanted was her Momma, which was 100% to be expected.  It took a lot of time for her to be comfortable around DB and I ...  and the boys.  But eventually she learned we weren't going to hurt her and only loved her.  Clairah has the typical behavior when she's here (with Shila) ...  she wants Shila's attention and when she feels like Elly is threatening that, she tends to try to get Elly into trouble so that Mommy will be mad at Elly and she'll give more attention to Clairah.  Claire is now five and she's so smart and amazing.  She's going to be starting school this fall.  Shila does't get to see her as much as she would like to.  It is what it is though. 

However, I have spent almost every day with Elly.  I did spend every day of her first year ... and then things happened, they went south to stay with Kale's dad for about 6 months, I saw her once or twice during that time, which was heartbreaking for me.  But we webcam'ed  ...  Shila would message me and tell me Elly wanted to talk to me...  really I think she wanted to talk to Kaedyn, LOL ....  Elly and Kaedyn have always had a super special bond.  He's called Elly his wife since she came home from the hospital.  Lately he goes "Wifey!" and she'll say "Hubby!" lol .... 

He has definitely loved her very much....  they have a special and unique bond too... 

Time has flown and Elly has proven to be such a smart amazing girl....  she's lucky enough to have two sets of parents.  Her Daddy and Momma Brook.  And Mommy and Daddy Cal (or Joey) ... 

THE BOOK YOU'RE CURRENTLY READING......

.....  and I am ashamed to say that I have been working on finishing this book for over a year.  I just haven't had a whole lot of time to read, like I haven't had much time to blog....

.............. or more rightfully - haven't MADE the time for either....   but that's all gonna change....

JULY 30th : How You Felt Today & The Best Idea You've Had This Week?

Happy MONDAY!!!!!!!! 

Okay before I get into the blog prompts for today, I am going to make a blog post later (today, tomorrow?) .... about life stuff.... 

....... oh that damn life stuff..... 

Okay, so I woke up this morning.... wait I should start with the fact that I went to sleep last night/this morning ....  EARLIER ... than normal.  SHOCKER.  I don't remember if it was 12:30am or 1:30am ... but it was around there.  I woke up at about 10am...  so I got about ...8 hours of sleep at least.  WOW!  That's pretty unheard of for me lately. 

So I get up, and .....  I notice ....  my laptop is not where I had it, it's on the floor.  OMG... whatever.  Cat probably knocked it down.  So I ask DB to hand me the blood pressure cuff.  I did my blood pressure, I took my temp (for shits & giggles) and I checked my blood sugar.  Yes, yes I did.  I knocked over my coffee cup full of my pretty pens I use to do my journaling in my calendar ...

So I've been taking my blood pressure a lot lately, for good reason.  I have high blood pressure, yes.  I am on meds for it.  But something else is going on - that is super weird.  Laying down, relaxing, my blood pressure is normal or high (mostly cuz of pain) ... but when I stand up, every damn time I've done this....  if I stand up, my blood pressure drops, and my pulse goes up.  It's weird and I'll talk more about it in my random July blog. 

HOW YOU FELT TODAY ....... 

It's been a bit of a rough day - to be honest about it ....

I'll get into more of the medical things in another entry for the month ...  but ....  I just haven't been feeling good all day...  yesterday was better, but today has been hard.  My head is hurting badly, my right hand is in a lot of pain, just over all my joints and muscles are all screaming.  I've been in bed all day, working on this and that ...  and my kids came to hang out with me today.   It's just been a rough day. 

DB and I got out for a little bit today.  He took me to a few pokestops and I got out and sat in the gazebo for a spell ...  it was nice. 

But the pain level has been rough. 

THE BEST IDEA YOU'VE HAD THIS WEEK..... 

Whatever clicked for me ....  that allowed me to almost bang out the whole of chapter 8 in one day ...  (yesterday) .... because I like it ....  so YAY!!! ...