Johnny Depp...(swoon)

Oooo, my man (and Jessie's) won another award for Captain Jack Sparrow! Who needs an Oscar when you can have the Kid's Choice Award for Favorite Male Actor 2 years in a row? Do kids now days have taste, or what?!!!

If you haven't seen it yet, RENT Sweeney Todd, Demon Barber of Fleet Street! He's sooo great in it!

Olivia's back, Max turns 10, Ian turns 16!

Olivia's back after 2-1/2 weeks in Tennessee with Grandma and Grandpa! Yay!

She returned on the 25th, Ian's 16th birthday.

I can't believe I have a 16-year-old. It felt really weird the entire day. I couldn't tell you how Ian felt turning 16 because it was all about me that day. I'm the mom, dammit, I carried him for 8-1/2 months, throwing up every day until I delivered, craving all kinds of weird food (mostly strawberries/sour cream/brown sugar...I swear that's why he's allergic to strawberries), and losing my heavenly pre-child body, so I was TOTALLY entitled to take this day from him!

Up through the night before, (which was Max's birthday...they missed having the same birthdays by 13 minutes) I was excited for him and HE didn't care much about turning 16, or at least he didn't lead on that he cared. Then, when I woke up the next morning I felt like I was standing still and the entire day just passed by me while I watched. Every time I'd try to move it felt like I was in slow motion. I would sob, then feel freakishly happy, then I'd get depressed, then feel overwhelmed with love for him, all in just a few minutes. This happened all day! Weird. I never thought it would affect me like that. He's my 6-foot, size 16 shoe-baby boy (who is still growing) and I always wondered about that mother/son bond and how I would feel when he grew up and went to college, or when some girl would come along and steal him away from me. We were always close when he was little and since he's grown older we've definitely had our teenager/parent mini-battles, but the past few months he's been changing, turning in to a nice young man, giving hugs, being sweet, growing out of his gawky stage. If just turning 16 affected me this way, HOLY CRAP will I be a psycho mother-of-the-groom!

Happy birthday, baby boy! I love you.

Gone, Baby, Gone

My baby's gone and I miss her sooo much!

Olivia's heading back to Grandpa and Grandma's in Knoxville, Tennessee for 2-1/2 weeks of total spoiling! I miss her already! It's snowing in Nashville, where she'll be landing, and also in Knoxville. She gets to go skiing in North Carolina with her cousins from Texas...her first time! Whoohoo!

Did I mention that I miss her already?

We had a great time in the terminal waiting to board the plane. There was hardly anyone there at 6:00 a.m., and it was very quiet - except for us constantly giggling about silly things. I'm sure it was the Starbuck's espresso. What a great memory we made. Of course I sobbed, like a 3-year-old that was told she couldn't have a cookie, when she walked through the gate all grown-up...13...WOW! Just yesterday she was the colicky baby that only came to mom when she wanted to nurse, then wasn't content unless she was in daddy's arms. Then it was the day after that when she graduated from pre-school, then kindergarten, a few days later entering middle school. Now she's a beautiful young lady. What a busy week.

Did I mention already that I miss her?

Love you, Sissy!

"Tina, you fat lard, come get some dinner!"

OMG, I totally can't believe that I forgot to include the llama's and emu from my Reno trip. How random is that? We're driving along and all of a sudden get whiplash from slamming on the brakes because I yelled "CRAP, there's an ostrich...and some llama's. No, that's an emu. CRAP! I have to get a picture!"

Reno 911...Literally!

Went to Reno with my friend Patty this past weekend. HAD A BLAST!

The Dollar guy liked us and upgraded our car to a convertible. Cool beans normally, but when the high is 46 plus a wind chill factor, no big deal. Anyway, it was a total rad car and we were NOT going to be driving around in a cool convertible without the top down, REGARDLESS of the weather, so down went the top, up went the windows, we turned the heat on high, flipped the butt heaters on and drove like Thelma and Louise. It was so fun! Woohoo!

Reno is an unusual city. Not many teeth where we stayed. If you ever go to Reno and are not fortunate enough to stay with friends or relatives, STAY AWAY FROM DOWNTOWN! Stay in a hotel near the airport (I refer you back to the title of this blogging and also the comment about not many teeth, now paint your own mental picture). I'm guessing you should also get fast food by the airport. NOT the Arby's on North Arlington. There was this crazy guy all dressed in bicycle riding gear...knee pads, stretchy pants, and all...walking around the restaurant talking to people in normal tone and randomly shouting "YEP! (pause) YEP!" . It's all quiet, we're at the counter waiting forever for our food..."YEP!" Hmmm. I'd like that to-go, please.

(our hotel and some random spider sculpture on top of a building)

Patty's reason for going was to attend her sister-in-law's baby shower. My reason was to see my friend Shontell, YAY!!! Shontell is ALWAYS fun. She's like a melted Hershey's Almond Bar...all warm, gooey, and full of nuts! Speaking of, we actually met up at a place called the Chocolate Bar (snort). Yummy fondue and waiters named Freddie, Jason, and Michael (this is too much of a coincidence, yes...we actually told the last waiter that his new name was Michael so he would complete our trilogy of horror flick stars).

Our last day there we drove to Carson and Virginia City for some cool pictures of the Capitol, Governor's Mansion, old buildings, etc., etc..

I am sooo ready to go again! "YEP!"