Baking makes me happy!!!

Friday Victor had a potluck at his work so I was nominated to make my cupcakes and cookies. So I did just that with the help of my little working elves.

Some day when I own my own bakery I might just have some free help!

Free and Goofy!

My cupcakes came out BOMB as always... with googy orange insides!

Thanks girls for your help! Everything was a hit as always!

Then what do you think we spent the rest of the day doing? Another 2 hooked for life!

Carving Madness

I was really looking forward to carving pumpkins this year with Alana because I knew she'd love getting her hands dirty in the pumpkin! And I was right! Victor had to pull an all nighter that night so he missed our festives, but Auntie Crystal came to help and boy was she a big help!! We went to Victor's mom's house to carve with the kids!

Alana dug right in and helped pull out all the googyness and seeds.


I think everyone's favorite part was getting dirty!


Victor's mom take the insides and makes pumpkin Empanades... YUMMMY!!!


Alana couldn't go without tasting it of course

And smooshing her hands in the bowl even more

I think she was sad when she realized we were going to cut into the pumpkin. Just kidding, I'm not sure why she had such a sad face.

Auntie Crystal was a CHAMP at pumpkin carving and taught those boys really well!

Bummer Victor had to miss this year, but we always have next, and next, and next.

It's a BOY!!!

So after 10 Loooooong months, my friend Anda had a little baby boy! She wanted the sex to be a surprise, which KILLED me for 10 months, not being able to get stuff personalized or even buy clothes at work! Finally Tuesday morning at 8:05, Montgomery Joseph Palmore was born! It was a planned C-section so I was able to be there. I spent the day and the day after at the hospital with Anda, her husband and new little man!!!


Proud Mama Anda!


Proud Auntie Jamie!


What do I do with a boy? Don't know how to change diapers... but I learned!!! He was only 6-14 which is SO small compared to Alana at 9-13. It was so nice to be holding a tiny little baby boy! He was C-section perfect! He made me smile and gave me some better memories about being in a hospital. When I first got to the hospital I sat in my car for about 10 minutes not wanting to go into the hospital. Even though my mom wasn't in it for very long... the hosptial is where she died and it was HARD going back into one for any reason! But he made it all ok again! Thanks little Monty!!
Congrats to Anda and Brian! Can't wait to get the little guy home and all settled in so I can bring Alana over to meet him! Yes... makes me want another!!

Pumpkin Patch take II

The night we went to the Pumpkin Patch it had rained all day, so none of the rides were open and everything was wet. I told Alana we'd take her back during the day so she could ride the rides. My friend Jennifer and I packed up the girls and took them out!


Alana LOVED the little Petting Zoo. She loved to feed the goats and the sheep. She was freaking me out because she is SO fearless. She just wanted to hug, kiss and squeeze the goats. Um... they aren't that friendly... She's not rough with them, she just isn't afraid of them at all! They tolerated her while we were there!


This poor Lama! Seriously... that is only a face a mother could love!


Alana oinked at the pigs and quacked at the ducks. Her love for animals is crazy! She loves them ALL! She should have been raised on a farm for sure!

She let the goats eat out of her hands. YUCK! I felt so grungy when I left there!

Alana rode her first pony! Being a mom... I was scared to let her go on because she seems so tiny to me. And holding her in was just one little strap.... She LOVED it so much! She was happy the whole time she was up there just taking it all in!

Not a care in the world...

Alana and Raven rode the train together

They rode the "wanna be" dumbo.

She's not scared of anything and that scares me! But she always does so good!

We had such a great day with these girls! Thanks Jenny :)

My baby love!

Her Father's Daughter

This girl LOVES to fold laundry! If she see's a lundry basket, she'll take out the clothes, shake them out and then try to fold them and spread them all over! She's crazy! But she is JUST like Victor! Can't wait until this starts to pay off for me!

Chopstick Casualties

Tonight after that GREAT HALO VICTORY, Victor, myself, Alana and Auntie Crystal headed out for Sushi!!! When the 4 of us go to dinner, we always have a great time, but tonight Alana busted out the chopsticks for a Rock Band dinner! The song "My Sharona" was playing in the restaurant and Alana went to town with her chopsticks. So Crystal and I joined a new band called the Chopstick Casualties! Alana was rockin it! Foot pedal and all! This girl LOVES music just as much as Victor and I do! Thank goodness! So then the 4 of us came home and busted out some Beatles Rock Band!! LOVE THAT GAME!

Yesterday... all my troubles seemed so far away...

Now it looks as though they're here to stay.

Today has been 1 month since my mom passed and I've probably cried more today then I have all put together in the last month. Everyone asks how I'm doing and I've been doing pretty good. Kept it together, kept the crying to a very minimum. Tried to really stay strong. The first couple weeks ran by like a blur. The next couple were full of things to do, and people to see, kept busy. Today I woke up and didn't want to get out of bed. I just laid in bed and cried for her. I can't remember how she smells, or how she sounds. I can't even remember sometimes what she looks like, or how she feels. I hugged her every single time I saw her and every time I left her, how is it possible I can't remember how it feels? I know this sounds crazy, but I can't remember what she looked like. I have pictures, but I feel like I can't remember her in real life. I remember pictures, all of them. I never forget a picture. But I can't picture her in life. However I do remember her laying in the hospital bed. I remember the few days I had with her that I didn't know would be my last. I remember climbing in the hospital bed with her and sitting next to her holding her hand, I remember crying hard and her turning to look at me, opened her eyes and said "Jamie, Stop it". She didn't want me crying. I remember what she looked like when she took her last breath, sleeping and peaceful. I remember what she looked like as I pulled the cozy blanket I had given her off of her body so I could keep it. I remember before I left the hospital, I went into her room one final time and kissed her on the forehead. I remember that.

I pray it's just a faze and a month from now I'll remember her on my wedding day. How proud she was standing there for me. The tears in her eyes as I came down the isle. I'll remember the first time she held Alana. I'll remember her coming into the recovery room to check on me, she just wanted to make sure I was ok. It's like a movie is playing and she is blurred out. I know she was there, I have the pictures. But my memory is playing a game with my mind.

I sit and watch the amazing slide show from her service and I ball my eyes out, but appreciate every picture she let me take of her. As soon as the song Yesterday comes on, Alana runs over to my lap and wants to sit and watch it with me. She points to pictures, it makes me sad that the only way she'll ever know her grandma Pat is through pictures, but again I'm grateful she has pictures. Today sucks.

When I lost faith
You believed in me
When I stumbled
You were right there
For every act of love you've done
I owe you one

There were hard times
I know I survived
Just because you stayed by my side
With all I have, with all I am
I promise you all my life

Whenever the road is too long
Whenever the wind is too strong
Wherever the journey may lead to
I will be there for you
I will be there for you

Through sorrow
Or the darkest night
When there's heartache
Deep down inside
Just like a prayer, you will be there
And I promise you all my life

Whenever the road is too long
Whenever the wind is too strong
Wherever the journey may lead to
I will be there for you
I will be there for you

Whenever the road is too long
Whenever the wind is too strong
Wherever the journey may lead to
I will be there for you
I will be there for you

I'll always be there

-Jessica Andrews

Everybody's lookin forward to the Pumpkin King!

Flashback to last year, pumpkin patch.... Ahhh.. she was so tiny!


Fast forward a year! Happiest girl to be there!


I want this one daddy!


She liked the small ones too!

Pumpkin Queen!

Hard to believe this is her second halloween with us!

She loved all the pumpkins, but daddy picked out a nice big one for us to carve!

My first!

Hard to believe that I just started to write for the Soldiers Angels just in June, it seems like it's been years now. Since June I've sent 2 letters a week out to Soldiers who don't get letters at "Mail Call" through a program called Soldiers Angels. I'm part of their letter writing team. It's been great to be a part of the team. We have a team leader who is GREAT and loves to do what she does! When I signed up they make sure everyone knows this isn't a dating service, blah, blah, blah... all these rules. DUH, I'm happily married, I just wanted the soldiers to know they have support here back at home from people who don't even know them. They also told us that most likely the soldiers won't write back. Some don't have access to the supplies, some just don't want to write back. Understandable! But I always left my address and told the soldiers that I'd love to hear back from them.
So.... Friday came and Alana and I went to check the mail and in it was my first return letter from a soldier!!!

I was so excited!! I tore it open and read it! It was very short and simple but I was so glad that someone had written me back. I told myself that the first person to write me back, I'd send out a care package to them! I've been collecting a few things every now and then so I can put the package together! So by next week I'll have it all together to send out! Socks, soap, snacks, random stuff they need out there! It's so great to be a part of this and I LOVE it even more now that I've heard back from my first soldier! Keeps me going, writing the letters, sending my prayers, good wishes and thank you's to the brave soldiers out there fighting for us!

How Sweet it is!

Angels vs. Boston, 1st playoff game! You KNOW we HAD to be there right? My cousin got us tickets and to the game we all went... Sad but true, we've recently added a Red Sox fan to our family... so we had to bring him along with us so we could have more fun at the game, taunting him! :)

Me and my cousin Chrissy!


Not 1 empty seat in the place! Sea of Angels Red!

This is my cousin Jen and her new hubby, Angel fan vs. Red Sox fan. At least their marriage will be very interesting! Love you guys!

Poor Kwasi, Red Sux fan.... he was pretty sad! He took a horrible beating from the jackass Angels fans sitting behind us too. They were MEAN, not just taunting him, but being jerks about it! I thought for sure I was gonna have to back up my new family and jump into any fights that may have broken out! But Kwasi got up and left and watched the game on the monitors down stairs so we didn't have to fight anyone :) Red Sox fan or not, it was bad. This is the first time in my life that I was backing up a Red Sox fan, weird... Only cause Kwasi is such a nice sweet guy!

This guys's shirt says it all!

It was such a great game!

Amazing to be at the stadium when everyone comes together for a game like this!

Rally Monkey! OH YEAH!!!

Looking forward to kicking some Yankee butt now and moving onto the World Series!!! Possible freeway series? Wouldn't that be so nice?

Happy House, Happy Anniversary!

Congrats to Ashley and David on buying their first house!


It's an amazing house and I know you guys will be so happy there, starting a new life and a new family hopefully soon!


Ashley and David also just celebrated their 3 year Wedding Anniversary! I'm glad that Victor and I could be there on your wedding day, it was such a great day! Here is to many, many more happy years to you guys! Love you both!

Mountain girl

Monday we headed up to the Red Rock Mountains in Colorado. As our last day there we wanted to make sure we took Alana out on some trails. She was ready to start her day climbing!


It was beautiful scenery. The Rocks were amazing looking!


Alana LOVES her Aunt Ashley and Uncle David.

*Bestest*

This guy got down on the ground for us to take this picture. Thanks random guy!

I think Alana thought she was on a modeling shoot with all the pictures in the last week. She is really working the camera.

Dare I say... this is Alana's "Smeyes"?

Looking at Uncle David, she's always got a good smile for him!

Up on a big rock!

Oh our besties

Alana loved walking around and picking up dirt, sticks and rocks!

Where's Waldo?

She was such a daddy's girl the WHOLE time we were in Colorado!

Our last day was nice in Colorado. The weather held out for us to visit the mountians and on our way back to Aurora, it started to rain and pretty much rained the rest of the day. Glad we got home in time!

Our drive home was Looooooooonnnnnngggggg. We got out to our car at 530am and the doors were frozen closed and there were layers or ice all over the car. It was a challenge getting the car packed up and on the road. Trying to get through some of the snow filled passes trying to get out of Colorado wasn't easy either. Victor was great and is such a safe driver! Thank God! I couldn't have done it! Alana did SO good on both the drive up there and home. Seriously, 16 hours in a car just for one way. That's a lot for a 1 year old. But between singing, cards, books and toys... oh, and lots of sleeping... she made it, we made it! Gonna miss Ashley and David so much, but glad we took our first road trip out there with Alana!