Neglect

I've been neglecting posting here and I have no excuse. Life got crazy. I am going to try to get back to it. May-November highlights:

June and July-
* Caitlin was in the play Once on this Island. Fantastic show. She also worked and squeezed in some social activities.
* Brady had a good summer. She took piano lessons and we did a few fun outings here and there to keep her occupied.
* My health declined and a decision was made to do something about it!

August-
*Caitlin had her third spinal surgery. We are hopeful it will be her last.
*Caitlin began college.
*Brady began 7th grade.
*Late August I made the decision to quit my job. Working nights really took a toll on my health, physically and mentally. I was trying to do it all...work and then be available to my family when I wasn't. It was just too much.

September-October
*We went on our first cruise, and then spent a couple of days at WDW and the Nick Hotel.
*Brady got the swine flu, which although inconvenient...was not the end of the world.
*Halloween- Caitlin as Tink, Brady as Selena Gomez.
*I had surgery, with several benign tumors removed. Recovery is going slower than I like, but I am getting there.

Caitlin-A true life in progress

Graduation Party...

Final choir concert...

Final dance show...

It all seems so final, finality of childhood. Caitlin had a great senior year...tomorrow is her last day of school. Surprisingly, I haven't cried yet. I am just so proud of her and so excited for her future. I know I have cherished her childhood and I don't have very many regrets or feelings that I wasted precious time with her. I am looking forward to seeing what she does with her life...now that it is hers alone to conquer.

Mother's Day gift- Brady

For Mother's Day, I had asked the girls to each make me a painting. I asked that they think of what I enjoy, and that I would like them to incorporate a fingerprint of theirs into the painting.
This is Brady's painting...I absolutely love it!! I used the flash for the top photo which really shows how she put her whole handprint into the whale tail. In the bottom one (and the original), it's much more subtle and I actually searched for her fingerprint within the painting and had to ask her where it was. Melt my heart...I love it so much!

Another great Spring weekend...

We created art from twigs found in the woods out back...


We roasted marshmallows with friends...

We dined on hummus, ceasar salads and pizza at the Mellow Mushroom...followed by a play.

We swang...

We hiked...and picnicked...and Brady freaked out over a tick that turned out to be of the harmless "freckle variety"...

Loving this beautiful spring weather and outdoor opportunties!!

Tattoo

Caitlin said it barely hurt at all...and as you can see it's not even red today! I was sort of hoping for "Hurt like hell...never doing that again" type response....LOL

Prom...Caitlin's pics

Then she said she started having too much fun to take any more pictures...dang it!

Prom