Photo Card

Merry Montage Christmas

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What to make for dinner?

This is genius!  A couple of gals started a website called e-mealz..  For $1.25 a week, you get 7 dinner menus, a complete shopping list and an estimate of what this should cost you.  And, if you choose Ralphs, for example, they base their menus on what is on sale in the flyer for that week. 

I admit I have tried only one recipe so far - but it was super easy and the kids loved it - and the shopping was a breeze with  the list organized by department. 

If you are in need of dinner ideas, I highly recommend this site.

Happy 4th of July

We had a really nice day, starting with the local parade in Newhall, followed by a barbecue with the folks, then heading back out to watch fireworks.  This year's finale was the most amazing I've seen yet. 

When we finally got back home after fighting the traffic to cross the valley, our neighbors were setting off mortars. Always fun, and a little nerve-wracking worrying that we'll get caught by the cops or we'll burn someone's house down.  Sadly no pictures this year.

A Moment of Clarity

One cannot explain what it's like to watch a parent go through severe memory loss after a stroke.  It's devastating when he thinks his wife is his daughter, or sister, or not have any knowledge of who she is at all; to hear him ask why his brothers are not there for dinner, although they've been 3,000 miles away from each other their entire adult lives; or to catch him "reading" the paper upside down. 

He was just released from the hospital yesterday. It seems he had another, albeit tiny, stroke. He had such severe weakness in his legs that he was not able to carry his own weight. And he had a very severe UTI.  But he's doing well and was able to come home.



Yesterday, before I left my folks' home, my father asked who he was sleeping with that night.  I said, "Her," pointing to my mother.  "Do you know who that is?"  His reply was, "Yes, this is my wife," and he reached out rubbed her back.  I had to fight back the tears as they both smiled and looked into each others eyes. 

These are the moments we're going to have look forward to and cherish.

Downer Alert!

Tough evening for me.  Most likely because I'm tired and it's Friday and I no longer have work to distract me.  Was thinking about everything I have to do this weekend and the realization of just how much all of our lives are going to change has overwhelmed me.  But mostly, I'm just so sad that my dad is no longer the man that takes care of his daughter, gives her advice and makes her feel secure.  The roles are now reversed.  And I admit that I'm a little scared.  Scared I'll be impatient or show my frustration too easily.  Scared I'll make my mother regret moving closer to me.  And scared I'll make wrong decisions for them when they no can longer make their own.

But for now, I'll concentrate on my father.  His heart is still in there.  He still has his smart-aleck sense of humor.  And for the most part, when I'm there, he knows who I am.  So I will embrace those moments and enjoy the time I spend with him and my mother.



Snow day!!!

Very excitng day here in Canyon Country! It hasn't snowed since 1989 and it's been snowing for hours and has finally started to stick!  Just measured and we have 1 and a half inches!!

2010 GV Football

Football season is over and I can truly say that I am going to miss watching these guys play every Friday.  What a great team we had this year - these boys are such great friends.  (The rest of pics are posted in the photo album).

Good job, Grizzlies!