Category Archives: Family

Thank you, Mya

Posted on by
2

I asked Gino the other day if he ever thinks of Mya. He said, “Not as much anymore.” I thought about his reply and thought about how a year ago she was all I thought about and now a day actually does go by that I don’t think of her. I’ve prayed many, many, many times for healing. To heal my broken heart for missing my baby. To help me to not resent my sister and my nephew. I honestly, full heartedly believe that Heavenly Father answered my prayers.

I look at Vani and I don’t think of Mya. I never thought that would be possible, but it is. I even stopped wearing my necklace with Mya’s ashes in it every day. Not on purpose, but sometimes life is busy and I actually forget to grab her.

I can think of her and smile and thank her for allowing Ella into our lives. If Mya never said Goodbye, Ella would never say Hello. And that right there, bring this peace to my heart and soul and I know that Mya exists, and that she’s with our Heavenly Father. She was too special for this world. She came at a time that we needed her, and her purpose was served. She brought this family from chaos to love. She saved us. I will forever be grateful to her for what she did for our family.

Thankfully we have a beautiful plan and Mya will be a part of our eternal family… I know it. I feel it in my heart, and that’s what gets me through this life. We will all eventually be happy, complete and together forever.

Thank you, Mya. Thank you for everything you did for your family ~ we love you. We will always love you.

My Fro Head

Posted on by
12

Well, I missed Tackle It Tuesday, because I’ll be honest – I DIDN’T TACKLE A THING ~ I missed Kitchen Tip Tuesday, because my poor family hasn’t even had anything from my kitchen in a week, so basically I have no right to even talk about my kitchen. Works for me Wednesday ~ nothing worked for me this week – so let’s just back track a little bit in life and join in on Sincerely Fro Me To You.

Notice the Fro’ in this carnival ~ Kristen had an awesome Fro so that’s where she came up with this title. Well, I wanted to show the world that my helmet hair headed child actually at one point in his life did have a Fro’ and it was cute. I made the dreadful mistake of cutting it and now it’s straight as a board.

I stumbled upon this picture on my computer just now while I was looking for another picture for Sincerely Fro’ Me To You, and my heart jumped at the site. Sadly, it was only 5 years ago, but we look SO DIFFERENT! We all looked so young. Well, this is dedicated to my Jayden ~ You did have a fro’ and I loved it….. and I will always love you my freshly kindergarten graduate.

Echo Echo Ecccchhhhooooo

Posted on by
Reply

I know, I know, it’s like there’s an echo going on here, but here I am to update as to why. I’ve been running around like a crazy, mad woman, and things are so different with Norm and my Grandma living here.

It got to the point in only a week I was done. I was tired of it and I didn’t want to leave my family behind anymore to tend to them. I know, I’m terrible. SO! I came up with a solution…..

Here is my new trusty schedule and they MUST abide by it or I pack up and move a little more North…. and I’m not kidding 🙂

Sunday: Church and then after church BBQ @ Grandma’s house w/Norm and Grandma

Monday: LEAVE ME ALONE DAY I HAVE TO WORK!

Tuesday: In the morning I work – in the afternoon we go for a stroll through Lithia Park

Wednesday: In the morning I work – in the afternoon I take Norm to his massage & then we all go out to dinner

Thursday: LEAVE ME ALONE DAY I HAVE TO WORK!

Friday: In the morning I drop the kids off with my Grandma and go to read to Norm – in the afternoon I work

Saturday: The morning is ME time ~ In the afternoon we’ll take Norm out on the town for any shopping or whatever he’d like to do.

SO! That’s the set schedule, but of course it can be tweeked for fun things that come up. I’m hoping that we can catch a couple of play, since that’s what it’s all about where we live. Can you believe that I have yet to go see a play since I’ve lived here…. terrible, I know.

Okay new subject: Britney

As discussed previously I’ve been nervous for Britney, my long lost sister, to move here. I was not ready to look at her as a sister and decided to approach her as a friend instead. It’s working. She’s a pretty cool person, and while we don’t have tons and tons in common, we haven’t had a silent moment yet. I guess the fact that we both despise our biological father is common enough huh? So, we’re doing well here 🙂

Best New Family Site

Posted on by
1

If you’re anything like me right now, you’re running around with stressful household and basically, YOU’RE GOING CRAZY!!! First off, if you’re looking for ways to have a stress-free home, what the heck are you doing reading MY BLOG??? I’m still trying to figure it out, but I’ll tell you what ~ I think that RD.com – Parenting might just have the answers to all of our problems. You gotta love 7 Ways to Create a Happy Household.

I’ve been searching around on this website all morning and I LOVE LOVE LOVE all of the stuff that RD.com – Family Life has to offer their readers. They have awesome, awesome, awesome ideas for tips on traveling and I’m definitely going to be using their games for the road for any of our road trips we’re going to be taking this summer.

This actually might be my new favorite website. It goes beyond family tips and goes on to health, politics, basically everything you’re looking for on one, great site! So, stop stressing out and living in a unhappy home and go read some ways that you can change your family’s life. Our lives are so short and we all need to be happy, and through inspirational, amazing family stories and family tips that we never thought of ourselves, RD.com will help you get to the happy place in your family that you need.
Sponsored by Reader's Digest

Not so bad

Posted on by
6

Things have been BUSY! I must say that they’re running a lot more smoother than I thought they would. Norm has taken to his new home quite well and I hope that he falls more and more in love with it here. I actually sit here writing without anyone in my house. That’s right ~ PEACE AND QUIET! I sent Gino and Jayden off to the movies and Ella off with my Grandma so I could actually get some work done. I LOVE IT!!!

My sister Britney ~ the one who’s moving here, sent me a text and asked if she could have a part in my children’s lives. She said that she really would love to get to know them, and that kinda put a smile on my face. I liked that she asked and I’m starting to realize that while we may be different, we have similar situations. She doesn’t know me and she’s probably just as reserved as I am.

I’m going to follow my dear friend Sam’s advice of starting out with a friendship and not a sister relationship. I’m taking a deep breath and hoping it all goes well.

Great-Grandma Louise

Posted on by
10

In this 5 generation picture, the old lady on the far left is my Great-Grandma Lousie, which is my children’s Great-great Grandma Louise. This week’s Fro’ you to me I’m going to share a little story on my Great-Grandma Louise. The old lady is a wretched old woman. Notice I said IS? She’s still alive.

My memories of her bring nightmares to children. She LOVED to scare the crap out of us grandkids. Here’s a couple little tricks she pulled on us:

When we’d stay the night at her house, she’d put a rubber band around her wrist and tell us that if we didn’t go to sleep that her hand would fall off and come get us.

We went camping once and she made Indian Stew ~ the kind where you actually bury the bag to cook it. After it was done she told us that the Indians would be back for their stew so if we don’t eat it quickly they’d kill us.

She’d tell us scary stories and tell them to be true so we’d be utterly frightened to death while laying in our sleeping bags, in the wilderness, camping. I still don’t understand how my mom allowed her to be around us.

There’s another little slice of dysfunction in my family ~ My Great-grandma Louise.

A Slice of Family Dysfunction

Posted on by
2

I thought I’d elaborate a little on an ingredient in my soup life that makes my family dysfunctional. As has been stated before, I have a dad that has 4 daughters with 4 different women. My father has been married 4 times. My current step mom is 2 years older than me. She’s different and I find it kinda funny that out of all the women in my dad’s life she’s stayed with him the longest. From my calculations, they got together when she was 17 ~ yes, that would mean I was 15. I told you ~ DYSFUNCTIONAL!

It’s situations like that, that make me happy I wasn’t a big part of his world ~ or should I say that he wasn’t a big part of mine. I’m working on things here, and she’s a big issue with me. I don’t really care for her, because she lies. She doesn’t even seem like a girl to me. She acts just like my dad, and she’s a drunk. She’s drama and she loves to gossip, and those 2 things are definitely things that I try to stay away from.

However, she called last night. My phone rang and when I saw who it was I just stared at my phone for a minute contemplating what exactly I should do. I decided that if she was calling ME then if must be some emergency, because ever since I’ve moved here it’s been a little obvious that she didn’t care for me much. So, I answered it.

This is how our conversation goes….

“OMG, Amanda! You are not going to believe what Alyssa (my 15yo sister) did.”

I sat there thinking – OMGosh is she seriously calling ME to gossip. Is she seriously that immature? It’s been baffling me today and what Alyssa did is really what all 15 year old girls do – she went to the movies and had a boy meet her there.

I promise I really am going somewhere with this. I brought this odd conversation up with my husband and he told me something that I didn’t want to hear. He actually told me to appreciate that she’s trying to make an effort with me. Hmmmm….. Well, I really don’t think that calling me to gossip is a great way to make an effort with me. Why is that he just can’t feel how I feel and agree when HE’S SUPPOSED TO AGREE? I guess that’s why I love him.

I never thought I had issues with my dad and his whole dysfunctional family situation, but I’m learning that I really do. I want to put up a brick wall and pretend like they don’t exist, but is that really the right thing to do?

My friend Sam left a comment earlier that I’ve been thinking about all day. She made a point with my sisters that I don’t have to replace Jessica with these girls, but form different bonds with them. Why is that so hard for me to do? Why is so hard for me to accept that I actually have other sisters out there and they actually would love to be a part of my life? It’s not their fault that our dad is a loser. Yet, I’m still feeling reserved with this.

It all goes down today

Posted on by
1

The big change is happening today. Yesterday I felt like I was shopping for my first house and it was SO MUCH FUN! We’re getting Norm’s room homey for him. We bought plants and flowers and picture frames and everything you’d need for your first apartment minus the furniture. They’re supposed to be here tonight, so we have a lot of decorating ahead of us. I’m hoping he walks into his new apartment after living in his beautiful home for 45 years and can put a smile on his face.

I do feel extremely honored that Norm has chosen to spend his final days with me. I’ve been thinking about all of the things we can do with him. In Ely all he did was sit in his house and just hope that people would come to visit him. Not very fun. Here’s a few things that I have planned for him.

1) I want to start reading to him ~ more than likely articles out of the Ensign

2) I want to take him to Lithia Park so he can bask in the beauty ~ this will probably be an every other day experience for him ~ I love Lithia Park!

3) I’m going to see if the missionaries can come to visit him weekly

4) We’re going to take him to church with us

5) I’m going to go over and have him tell me stories of his life and write them down ~ his life is an amazing one.

6) We’re going to go for walks around his community ~ they have a beautiful duck pond that his room overlooks.

7) I’m going to go play bingo with him w/the rest of the people in his community ~ he wouldn’t just go and do this on his own and I really want him to get social with people.

I just want him to enjoy his life. Norm has never lived his life in an enjoyable way. It’s always been about work, work, work, work! Even on Christmas ~ that man was working.

My Life is Changing

Posted on by
2

We have a lot going on this week. Tomorrow is church and I HAVE to go. I have so much to do, but I think in order to get through everything that lies ahead of us this week we HAVE to go to church. I need the strength.

1 year and 2 months ago we ventured off on our own away from our families. Meaning, my mom, my brother & sister and Gino’s entire family. We left them all to focus on us and to give our children a better life. I personally don’t believe that raising your kids in Sacramento is the smartest thing in the world to do.

This past year we’ve grown into a family that is startling everyone that knows us. I think that being by ourselves (my dad and his family that live here really haven’t been around much) we’ve become people that we want to be. We’ve found what our purpose is, and we’re happy with ourselves.

This week my Grandma and Norm (who is like my Grandpa) are moving here. She’s rented a place in Ashland and Norm is going into an assisted living apartment/retirement community that is really a great place. I work for them. They do so much for us, and I’m excited and nervous for the road that lays ahead. I think that they both really need this. They used to live in a miserable town where there was no happiness and now they’ll find some. I really could use the help. Sometimes it’s extremely hard to get my work done, because let’s face it, Ella is DEMANDING! I love this little girl to death, but sometimes I can’t work, because she wants to be a part of it. So, it will be nice to have help with her.

This is life changing. I don’t do well with change and am hoping that I can adjust quickly to having family around again. I’m staying positive and I think that if I stay positive it will be a positive situation. Right?

Norm needs this. Norm is in his final years and needs to be away from his businesses and needs to live life for himself. He packed up his home that he’s lived in for the past 45 years and has chosen to live by me. That’s an honor. It’s an honor that he loves me as much as he does. He’s an amazing man and I wouldn’t even know where to begin. It’s going to be a lot of work though, because he’s needy. I don’t want him to think I’m throwing him in a home and leaving him there, so we as a family are going to make it a point to get him out 5 days/week. Even if it’s just a walk in the park.

Another person is moving here this week as well. I’ve talked many times about my dad’s daughters. First there’s Tiona, who’s 9 and I really have resentment issues with. Then there’s Alyssa who is 15 and just moved here from San Diego w/her mom last November. I’ve started baby steps with her this past week and so far things are going great. She even stayed the night last night and Jayden spent the day with her at her house. I haven’t talked about the 3rd and final sister from my father yet.

Britney is 18 years old. I think – she might be 17 and turning 18 this year… ugh I think she’s 18. Anyways, I found out she’s moving here with her family and will be leaving Tennessee on Tuesday. My dad will have all 4 of his daughters living here. I don’t know what to think. It’s taking me a lot to start with Alyssa and now to have another one coming around, and she’s different. I don’t mean that in a bad way, it’s just I don’t see how we’ll have anything in common. This will be a challenge.

Like I said…. I REALLY need to go to church tomorrow.

Having all these sisters is so weird to me. Growing up I only had 1 sister, and in my heart that’s all I think I can ever love as a sister. A sister to me isn’t thrown on you as an adult, but someone who you grow up with. I haven’t even discussed the story of my sister, brother (from my mom) and me, but someday I will. We didn’t always live with each other, but we’ve always ALWAYS had a very strong bond. I may not have the same father as them, but the bond that we have with each other is strong. I love them so much.

I have to stay strong, because there’s a reason why my life is changing this week. I have to believe that there’s a reason why I’m about to be surrounded by family that I haven’t been surrounded by.

Batman Twirler

Posted on by
7


I love Christmas. I have so many wonderful memories from Christmas time as a child and I just came across this photo of Mitch (my brother), Jessica (my sister) & me. You have to admit, the socks are just the coolest things you’ve ever seen.. I know that my kids will have lots to laugh about when they get ahold of pictures of me as a little girl.

I wanted to talk about a couple of memories that I have around Christmas time. Memories that always have stuck with me. My sister and I used to love to twirl around in our dresses and I so wish I had a picture of this, but so did my brother. My brother and sister are only 12 months apart, so he would get dressed up in one of her dresses and twirl with us. As he was twirling you could see little batman underwear under the dress.

Every year for our Christmas tree we’d go behind our house, which was desert, and look for our Christmas tree to cut down. We’d always have to go really late at night when it was really dark, and I never caught on to the truth of the whole charade until my mom told me not too many years ago. My mom and her brother would actually go up in the mountains and find our tree, cut it down and bring it down and prop it up against the little non-Christmas trees behind our house. Somehow, they had us fooled to think that we were actually going in the back, hunting for our perfect, tree. Last week I talked of the trick my mom pulled on me, and she always tried to make things fun and memorable, and I’m lucky to have had a mom like that.

So, I know it’s not Christmas time, but finding this picture brought back so many memories. So, here’s Fro’ Me to You ~ if you wanna join in on this fun carnival of reaching into the depths of your childhood head over to We are THAT Family and join in!! Even if you don’t, she has a great blog so take a look around!!