Angelrose's Journey

[minniecarousel]

Good news about Chuck. These things are scary, any good news is welcome, I'm sure.

I hope you have a nice week, Angelrose. I'm trying new hours at work. Actually, I'm going back to last school years hours: 7:15 - 11:10 AM (gotta keep it to 19.5 hours per week, otherwise they'd have to offer me health benefits & retirement!) I had adjusted my hours to just a little later, coming in at 8 AM, but the traffic just 45 minutes later is crazy! Some days, it was taking me twice as long with so many more commuters and parents taking students to middle and high school. Silly, since I'll be home at 11:30, which was great when my Mom lived with us. She wasn't alone for very long. Guess I'll consider a cat nap some afternoons!

 

[Angelrose]

Thanks minniecarousel. Butch is a great guy and his partner Don is perfect for him. I love Don and know that he takes good care of Butch when he's not feeling well. Don is just as crazy as the rest of us.

It's funny how a few minutes can make such a big difference in traffic. I've found the same when I got to babysit during the week. I can go at 8 or even 8:30 and it's fine, but just 15 minutes later and I run into traffic from heckingers.

You could take up a hobby or take a walk around the neighborhood. The fall weather is just perfect for walks.

 

[Angelrose]

I had such a great time at the Princess and Pirates Party for Jesse and Zoey. Karen asked me to come early to keep the kids occupied while they got ready for the party.

I got there around 10 and Chuck ran out to meet me. He had to tell me something. He has the whole Brady Bunch dvd set and started playing them. Jesse took one look at Florence Henderson with her blond hair and said, "Grandmom!". I thought that was so cute. Both kids were off the wall they were so excited. But I kept them occupied and then helped get the party ready.

It was almost 2 when we finally got everything ready and Karen flew upstairs to get ready and I got my costume on too. Everyone started arriving and it was wonderful. The characters and the photographer arrived right on schedule at 2:30. He took great pictures and I would like to share them with you.

Hope you don't mind, but there over 20 of them.

You see the pirate's sword? He gave that to Jesse to keep. I thought that was so sweet of him.

Isn't he cute? I wanted to take him home with me.

Karen made her own outfit and Zoey's.

Zoey and her best friend Anna.

Chuck is trying to keep away this naughty boy from blowing out Jesse's candles.

Two YUMMY cakes.

More pictures in next post.

 

[Angelrose]

The Pirate Wenches

These two were the sweetest people.

Walking the plank

I'm proud to say I was the ONLY one to fall off the plank into the sea. Alas, I was eaten by sharks.

 

[minnie56]

AWESOME Pictures Angelrose!!!

What a great party!! Lots of happy faces..
Jesse is getting such a big boy and sweet Zoey, I can't believe what a little Princess she is...awwwww

 

[Angelrose]

Thank you minnie56. He is getting to be so grownup and sometimes he is just his age. LOL He can be trying sometimes. But he is getting more human all the time. Miss Zoey has a mind of her own. She had to tell everyone at the party that she was NOT a princess. Nope, she was a Mermaid and don't you forget it!

 

[4nana]

5th Birthday Jesse! ~ Happy 2nd Birthday Zoey! ​

Thx so much for sharing their BD party pix AR, looks like such fun and a good time was had by all !! Love their cakes and all the neat costumes ! Geez...where has time gone...can't believe Jesse is 5 and Zoey is 2 already! Thx bunches, we feel like part of the family watching them grow up . I might add... girl you make a pretty good looking wench!?!?!?

PS ~ Godspeed your cousin Butch. Thx for the update and prayers for a successful treatment plan.

 

[rndmr2]

Great pics of the pirate and princess birthday party! Looks like all the kids had a great time!

I am sorry to hear about your cousin. My best friend's mom had been diagnosed with rectal Cancer about 1 1/2 years ago and she is cancer free now. She had a partial round of chemo and then radiation to prepare for surgery and at the pre-op appointment the tumor/mass was gone! She never had to have surgery. She did end up going to finish the rest of the chemo course as a precaution and the cancer is still gone. She is doing very well. So it's definitely treatable/curable especially if it is caught early. I will definitely keep him and your family in my prayers.

 

[funkychunkymonkey]

2484 picture 1
I love the way the two little babies are looking at each other.

 

[Angelrose]

Thank you 4nana. I really had the best time at the party. Jesse won't be 5 until November 13th but it's so cold in November that they decided to have both parties together.

And thank you for saying I made a good looking wench.

Thank you rndmr2. That is such good news about your best friend's mom. And it is very encouraging. I called him last night and he said his first round of chemo and radiation went well. He didn't have any side effects at all. All his doctors are very supportive and caring. That makes me feel better to know that.

funkychuckymonkey, I love that one too. They are just checking each other out. All the kids got along so well at the party. Only a couple of tears and they were minor things. It was a great success. (except for the part where I was eaten by sharks). LOL

 

[snapppyd]

Oh my goodness, what wonderful pictures!!! I can really see how much weight you lost, you look wonderful! The kids are absolutely adorable, I can't believe how fast they are growing up!

Well, three weeks from now I will be touching down in Orlando! I'm having lunch with my sisters tomorrow to talk about the trip, I need to start packing!



Yesterday was my 31st wedding anniversary, the time has flown by!

 

[Angelrose]

Oh thank you snappyd. I needed to hear that. This week I am down .8. Maybe I can keep it going next week too.

Yes my grandbabies are growing up so fast. It was just yesterday that I was holding Zoey in my arms at the hospital. Now look at her running around. Jesse is looking more and more like Chuck and Ron.

I can't wait to hear all about your trip. I want all the details.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

 

[Angelrose]

I thought you would like to see how much Zoey looks like Karen. Here is a picture of Karen at 2 on the left and Zoey at 2 on the right.

Chuck and Karen dressed up for a wedding.

Chuck's opinion of wedding receptions in general.

 

[4 mickey]

wow I love the party ( birthdays ) pictures Angelrose what a nice party theme your grandkids are just too precious !!

 

[Angelrose]

Thank you 4 mickey, glad you liked them. We all had such a great time. It is a lot of work to prepare and clean up, but worth it.

 

[snapppyd]

I think Karen looks like you in that picture!

 

[312.Duck]

Holy cow I just came across this thread. How terrible. It hit me hard because this happened right around the time (3 weeks before) I lost my mother to a rare, aggressive cancer at age 69. I feel worse about this, though, in terms of how it went down.

I'm not going through all 167 pages to see how you've progressed (or not) over time, but I can say with certainty that my dad (who was Ron's age when my mom passed) seems to have finally returned to the closest semblance of his prior self about three years later; just this past summer. He was supposed to go first, not my mom.

My only hope is I can get him back to Disney at least one more time in our life. We actually had a trip lined (this week) but things happened and he's not going to be able to make it. I hope you'll be able to go back without Ron (if you haven't already), if only for your kids (assuming they're carrying the Dis torch! ).

Take care.

 

[Angelrose]

snappyd, that is funny that you say Karen looks like me. She does remind me of myself sometimes. I would never tell her that because I think she might think it was disrespectful of her mom. I really wish her mom could see what a wonderful wife and mother Karen is. Maybe she does.

312.Duck, thank you for your post. I'm so sorry for the loss of your mother. My journey has been hard, but I have gotten better. I no longer cry all the time. I remember the good things and know that Ron would be proud of me and our son. We have gone to Disney twice since Ron passed. We are planning another trip in February of 2014. (Only 476 more days!) It is hard to be there without him, but my grandkids make it easier. I just wish Ron were here to play with his grandchildren. He would be so over the moon with them both.

You never really get over the loss of your spouse. It just gets easier to deal. I never thought I would be able to say that. There are times, when the tears do fall and I go on the "it's not fair" kick. Of course it's not fair. Ron promised me 20 more years and he was taken away from me. I know we will be together again, and that helps.

 

[snapppyd]

One more week til my trip with my sisters. Have absolutely nothing planned!

 

[Angelrose]

snappyd, sometimes that is when you have the best time.

The next time we go, we are going to spend more days just relaxing in the pool at the house or find other things to do. Now to me, that is a waste. I sit around home all the time. When I go to Disney I want to go there every day. Hopefully things will change a bit by the time we start planning. I can see one or two days of lounging, but not more than that. I would go bonkers. I think they will too. Those grandkids have a LOT of energy and are not going to be happy just staying around the vacation home. This time we will not be getting a lot of dinner reservations so we won't have to do a lot of planning which day to do which park so we can dine. Wherever we are, we will find something to eat. February is not a real busy time and most of the restaurants were practically empty when we ate.

Tomorrow is our family dinner. I am so excited to see all my cousins again. Butch is feeling better and is eating again. He lost 18 pounds because he couldn't keep anything down. They gave him an IV and it was like magic. He felt better almost immediately. He got his appetite back so he will be fine for the dinner.