Tools & Turkey

November seems to be the Souza’s Month of Home Improvement!!! Last November we woke up one morning to find mushrooms growing through the carpet in our bathroom. Which led to us ripping the bathroom floor out and having to put tile in (before our friends from Ireland arrived)

Talk about disaster!

THIS November, we decided we needed to rip all our carpet out downstairs to put in laminate floors. Our lovely little (bastard) Yorkie dogs, Ando and Clare, have been giving us a run for our money since having Owen. I think our “first born” Ando is having some jealousy issues which have led to him marking our house.  We started noticing it a few months ago, tried using a diffusor to minimize his stress (which did NOT work, Sorry Holly) and when I was on chemo I felt like the house always smelt like pee. I was so embarrassed to have people over and we’d be “those people” with the stinky house. So we decided to put ourselves further into debt and get laminate floors!

Yosh has slaved over the floors the whole month and has done an AWESOME. He did most of it by himself but had some help from his friends Joel Manley, Kris Gerke and Michael Patterson. Good Job Babe! He’s actually finishing up the “quarter round” and “t- molding” as I type (which he better not wake up my child!!)

So all the flooring work aside, Turkey day arrived…our family does the Thanksgiving dinner at usual dinner time. All morning while Yosh was finishing up laying the floors, Owen and I got some playing time in and I thought about Thanksgiving last year.

In 2009, my friends from Ireland were here, Catherine and John…we had our turkey dinner the Tuesday before Thanksgiving since I had treatment #7 the day before.  Obviously in Ireland they don’t celebrate Thanksgiving so the two Irish Micks were thrilled to be getting an extra turkey dinner that year.  On actual Thanksgiving day we watched football all day and went to the beach for sunset…it was beautiful.

…and on to 2010…

We didn’t have any international visitors this year, but the thought of turkey, mashed potatoes, potato salad, strawberry spinach salad…ohhh I couldn’t wait this year. Cancer robbed me of enjoying all turkey last year, so I was pumped about it this year!!! We spent the day with our usual family at my parents house…Mom and Dad, Marilyn and Al, Sister Teresa, Catherine and us. It was a beautiful, yet windy day, and my poor mom was feeling under the weather so I couldn’t help but feel so bad for her !!	Sick or not she still cooked an awesome turkey

 

My favorite dudes last year…	…and again this year!

Another wonderful Thanksgiving…I’m so very thankful for so many things. My health, my family and my wonderful Owen!  Good Night! 

ps. Also saw Dr. Chan this month for my 9 month cancer-check. Everything is awesome…and I’ll see him again in February for my 1 year check! yay!

“To my Grown Son”…but he’s not really grown yet! Thank God!

 

My hands were busy through the day.

I didn’t have much time to play

The little games you ask me to.

I didn’t have much time for you.

I’d wash your clothes, I’d sew and cook,

But when you’d bring your picture book

And ask me please to share your fun,

I’d say: “A little later, son.”

I’d tuck you in all safe at night

And hear your prayers, turn out the light,

Then tiptoe softly to the door….

I wish I’d stayed a minute more.

For life is short, the years rush past…

A little boy grows up too fast.

No longer is he at your side,

His precious secrets to confide.

The picture books are put away,

No good-night kiss, no prayers to hear…

That all belongs to yesteryear.

My hands, once busy, no are still.

The days are long and hard to fill

I wish I could go back and do

The little things you asked me to.

-Author Unknown

Mom gave me this poem that was in a newspaper article and was given to her by my Aunt Kim Gallagher back in 1979 (the year Paul was born).  Not sure how Mom felt when reading it back then but I’m sure she reads it and feels differently now.  Reading it makes me sad because I’m sure there are so many mothers out there that feel this way once their children are grown.  I don’t want Owen to ever grow up…well at least not for a long time!!

 

Reminds me that its ok if my house isn’t immaculate, if the laundry isn’t put away, the house isn’t vacuumed…because getting to spend all my time with my little man isn’t going to last forever and I want to enjoy EVERY second I can! I now understand when my  Mom told me that the love you have for your child, your first born, is indescribable! I have trouble putting my love for Owen into words…because its beyond words, he is just MY Owen! <3

Halloween 2010

Another Halloween has come and gone…seems like our lives are just flying by us these days. We kinda started a tradition for Halloween with our wonderful friends. They live in a gated community off Green River and the 91 fwy…last year Owen was a little Irish rugby player…He wasn’t too sure about all the camera flashes…and gosh seemed like such a baby!

 

I felt like crap last Halloween…it was warmish out AND on top of my hot flashes I was dieing with a Chemo Hangover, BUT put on a happy face and braved the trick-or-treating fun! haha

THIS year was sooooooooo so so so much more fun!!!

Started the day off trying to get a pic of Addi and Owen…yeah didn’t happen. This was the best we got. (I took their suckers and they followed me!)

The Cilderman’s had us all over their house during the late afternoon for fun and pumpkin carving.

All that joined the fun were…The Cilderman’s, The WHOLE Harp Family, The Hudson’s, The Manley’s, The Gile’s, The Rowe’s and us. Talk about lots of people but even MORE kids! Its awesome that Owen has so many friends close to his age! We ate and played until it got dark. Then tried to get some pictures of the kids…HAHAHA MY child of course didn’t want anything to do with it…haha Yosh tried to hold him in the picture BUT that didn’t work out very well.

Owen, Ryland, Tate, Payton, Jaxon (Mickey), Addison, Memphis, Charlie (Thing 1), Austin & Phoenix (Thing 2)

Actually…I think my child threw a fit last year when taking the kids group picture…

                                                              Ryland, Payton, Tate, Addison and Owen

Our group is growing rapidly…and with more babies on the way…so exciting!!

Thanks friends for another awesome Halloween!!