Funniest picture EVERRRR!

So, many of you may not know my Aunt Beth. But, she's a hoot. My mama sent me this pic today. Apparently, there was some little community dance in the tiny town of Hickory Grove. If it's considered to be on the outskirts of York, SC, it's damned small. In any case, this "gentleman" asked my aunt to dance. He was some random stranger. I'm sure my Uncle Jimmy was thrilled to witness his wife dancing with this guy. I'm still laughing my ass off...

More birthday pics...

Chuck E Cheese Birthday ... grab your Valium!

Yes, indeed! Silas liked the idea of a boys' party at Chuck E Cheese. Let me tell you: Those people should be paying us to be there and have psychologists there to study adults in the midst of high levels of over stimulation. I quite like Chuck E Cheese. When it's a week day and there are, like, 12 people there. Otherwise, it's like being at some college rave, only the participants are under 10 years old and the hosts are all high school students that pick at their acrylic nails and yell at one another. Oh, and the dude that was running things looked like he ends up in the back every 20 minutes taking bong hits. If I worked there (and tended to like the marijuana) I would probably self medicate too... But, man oh man, it was a scene set for TV. I wish I had a video camera of the dude that was "in charge." It makes me feel much better about my aspirations of becoming the ruler of ... well, ANYTHING!
Robert and Jacob (from daycare) came. Eyan, Jaden, and Marco were there too. It was quite a great time. Silas got lots of great toys ... a monster truck, spider man and transformers figures, a Spider Man ball and bat, "kidk'nex building toys (sweeet!), a race track, cars and place mat with all the presidents of the USA. All the boys had lots of fun playing games and winning tickets for playing games. That's another thing ... you win nearly a THOUSAND, damned, tickets and all you got to show for it is a damned sucker or a pencil or some crap. While we were "purchasing" a TINY FRICKIN BALL with our million tickets, I took the liberty of handing the other ball left on the counter to my girlfriend to give to her son. I know it was there so the high school kid could show us the difference. But, honestly, he fell asleep on his watch and left that ball there ... he'd already given several other random things out
for free. You snooze you loose.
All in all, it was quite a good afternoon. But, I'm still wondering why it's called Chuck E Cheese when he only shows up for 5 minutes or so. It should be called "CHILDREN'S WONDERWORLD WHERE PARENTS NEED TO DRINK OR GO COMATOSE UNTIL THAT DAMNED RAT COMES OUT FOR FIVE MINUTES ... AND THEN YOU SHOULD LEAVE, OR PAY THE RAT A MILLION DOLLARS TO STAY OUTSIDE OF HIS HOLE FOR ANOTHER FIVE MINUTES TO APPEASE THE KIDS THAT HAVE BEEN AMPED UP FOR A YEAR." SHITE!
Lesson learned.
xoxo
Anna
p.s. Thanks everyone for so much fun. We need to shoot that rat!

Happy 3rd Birthday Silas Levi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday Dear Silas. Happy Birthday to you!!!!!
Tomorrow you'll be 3 years old. I cannot believe how quickly the time has passed. It's been a crazy 3 years. But, it has been unbelievably wonderful for me. You are the most wonderful person in my world. You are the dreamiest son a Mama could EVER hope for. I adore our Friday date-days. I adore the way you say, "oh, that's right, that's right..." I adore the way you ALWAYS say "excuse me" when you interrupt a conversation. I adore how you LOVE to tell everyone you love them. I adore that you love your family so much. I adore that you love to draw inside AND outside of the lines. I adore that you love queso dip. I adore that you question everything. I adore that you are so brave ... ALL THE TIME. I adore that you love to cuddle up and read books. I adore that you make me laugh harder and longer than anyone in the world. I adore that you choose to put your shoes on the wrong feet. I adore that you are always the only kid at the dog park ... and you end up "serving" everyones' dogs. I adore that you laugh when I crack your toes. I adore that you are such a great eater. I adore that you ask me if I'm "okay." I adore that you smell my stinky feet and then make me smell yours.
I adore you, my Mosey. You are such a great, great person and gentleman. I'm so proud of you. I love you ... positive infinity.
xoxo,
Mama

Saturday...

My Pop's in the hospital ... again. Pop was diagnosed with prostate cancer several years ago, as I've mentioned before. Apparently, he's got several blood clots in his leg. He's doing okay. They are treating the clots and have his pain - from them and his cancer - under control. So, I'm hoping he is able to make it back home in a few days. He HATES being away from home and ANYTHING that has to do with hospitals and such. He's such a great, great man. One of twelve children born to my great-grandmother (Grandmama Brandon). She was from the mountains of North Carolina. Hard, hard core lady. So, he grew up pretty tough. Mill village style ... as did my dad.
Pop, when I was a girl, scared me. Now that I'm a woman, he's one of the most dear people I've EVER known. He's become, in his older age, one of the most kind-hearted and prolific people I've ever known. He's not really spoken to a women as a true buddy until I became an adult. We've been pretty tight since I was in college. I see that as an honor. To sit there with him on the front porch while he whittles away at sticks, whilst we joke about our cancer treatments and the issues that they create is a bit surreal. We happen to be on the same drug: Lupron. I started it over a year before he did. So, I was able to warn him about the hot flashes and such. I tried to warn him about the atrophy that his vagina would experience, but he said he doesn't use his vagina anymore. THANKS BE TO JESUS AND BARRY MANILOW!
He's a love. He's my buddy. He is a man that will forever be a soul-mate of mine. So, please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. I appreciate it.
xoxo
Anna

St. Patty's Day

We had a great night tonight. Mary Ellen had her annual St. Patrick's Day Party. We've been going for years. The usual crowd showed up. The house was packed and the food, as always, was phenomenal. Silas grabbed my camera and took the liberty of taking some picks. The only ones that were viewable were the one of my ass and the one of me and Joe (a sweet fellow from France that came with Travis and Sasha). You see them here.
Otherwise, the night was fantastic. I'm really lucky to be able to work with such great people. Even old employees of the salon showed up. It was great to catch up with my girlfriend Karalee and her husband Ashleigh. Miss her so much!
Silas' birthday is next week ... on the 27th. We're planning a really small party for a handful of his "boyfriends" at Chuck E Cheese. Yes, I know, it's gonna be stimulation overload. But, they do serve beer. So, I've let the parents know that.
Happy St. Patty's Day to all, and to all a good night.
xoxo
Anna

Cancer can kiss my ASS!!!!!!!!!!

AND IT CAN KISS MY ASS AGAIN, AND AGAIN, AGAIN...
and then some more, and some more and ... been a long, long, long night!

Wow...

So, I don't know quite what's going on, as I've not been in contact with this fellow since high school. But, I just found out that a really great fellow, Lance Ellison, had a horrible accident in 2001. Sweet, sweet fellow. He was the "star" kicker for our high school football team and was drafted by the Arkansas Razorbacks. He kicked for them as well. I'm still looking into the whole issue. Until then, if you'd like to donate some cash to his cause (which I'll update you on later, once I become more familiar with it) you can go to ellisontrust@gmail.com and contact his peeps.
I'll keep you up to date!
xoxo
Anna

Night introducing Tootsie to Carolina...

Well, Carolina came out to visit Tootsie tonight. Tootsie, fortunately, had a full belly and was worn out after chasing her own tail for 30 minutes or so ... literally. That stuff never grows old. Kevin and I are in stitches watching her go round and round and round. You can tell when she hasn't made it to dog park. It was rainy today. So, she made it her business to "exercise."
After she keeled over, I got the mice out for their nightly "play-time." Carolina was very comfortable rooting and sniffing around on Toots. Tootsie, in turn, became really maternal and sniffed and cleaned little Carolina. It's amazing how animals respond to one another when they don't feel fearful or predatory. It was so, so sweet!
I worked all day and the boys hung out and had brunch with our dear friend Lisa. She loaned Kevin her Wii. So, they were playing it when I got home. I, for the life of me, cannot imagine trying to figure that damned thing out. But, I'm gonna try to give it a whirl. It's got bowling on it. I love to bowl. I'm absolutely horrible at it. But, love the shoes and the beer that inevitably come into play!
xoxo
Anna
p.s. I just realized that I am an "octomom." 2 fish, 2 mice, 2 cats, 1 dog, and 1 adorable Silas. At least my lips are my own.

Growth...

Well, Tootsie is growing by leaps and bounds ...and then some. If you check older posts from nearly a month ago, she was still this small(ish) pup. In the past month, she's gained 12 pounds. Not certain what the average is. But, that seems a bit much. Her legs are longer than any puppy at the park and her bark rivals those of the big dogs. GREAT ... WE'VE ADOPTED CLIFFORD!!!!! No joke. Every time we go to the dog park, everyone is in awe at how long her legs are. She's like the puppy version of a damned giraffe.
I guess we're use to surprises. So, it is fitting that the dog we rescued ... that was supposed to be large-ish ... might just be largerER.
But, man oh man, we love her anyway.
xoxo
Anna

Hello, lover...

Here's a pic from Komen's Grace Notes Gala that Kevin and I helped with again this year. I'm not certain how much money was raised. But, I know it must have been quite a lot. The items up for bid at the actual auction were amazing ... not to mention the silent auction that went on before AND after the "show." I, personally, donated a color and cut at the salon. I hunted it down on the silent auction tables (which went on forever) and the minimum allowed bid was $400.00. That's pretty telling. So, I imagine that Komen raised a whole hell of a lot. Last year we raised, nearly, a million dollars. But, with the recession and et al, who knows what the amount was this go-round. I cannot IMAGINE being someone that spends my weekends going to these amazing galas. It's astounding how "the other half" live.
Silas is hopefully over this bug that he acquired 2 days ago. Fever, fever, fever. But, he seems quite well today. He's eating better and seems like he's on the mend. So, off (back) to daycare he'll go tomorrow.
As I'm typing this, Kevin said that he thinks he needs to go to the doctor. Um ... KEVIN IS ABSOLUTELY AVERSE TO DOCTORS. So, I asked him why. He has a large lump near his groin ... noticed it today. I, instinctually, went "it must be a hernia." But, he doesn't think so. So, I'm gonna make sure he makes it in the doctor to check on this "lump." I HATE lumps. Sends me back to a dark time. Great.
I just know that his will be the yard gnome that I blame on all my scares with lumps and bumps that lead to scans. Ah ... the inscanity!
xoxo
Anna
xoxo
Anna

Ahhh....

"When Nettie's foot come down on the porch I almost die. I stand swaying, tween Albert and Shug. Nettie stand swaying tween Samuel and I reckon it must be Adam. Then us both start to moan and cry. Us totter toward one nother like us use to do when us was babies. Then us feel so week when us touch, us knock each other down. But what us care? Us sit and lay there on the porch inside each other's arms."
(The Color Purple by Alice Walker)

The plague is upon us ... YET AGAIN!!!

What the hell is it with kids!? They are like walking petri dishes. Silas, yet again, has contracted some sort of coldish thing. He had a friend over last night. But, he was "off." After checking the little man's temp, he was at 102.6. That's right, he's got YET ANOTHER bug. So, we've hunkered down and eaten well ... Pedialite and the works. Hopefully, he'll be better in the AM. I'm still having to take most of the day off tomorrow, as he cannot go to daycare if he's had a fever within 24 hours of going.
These pics are of Silas and Marco's evening, the dog park, and another sweet one of our night over at Jeremy and Claire's place. Note the big belly on Claire ... she's REALLY letting herself go!
Silas' birthday is coming up. After thinking long and hard on it, we're thinking that we'll just do a tiny pizza lunch with 2-5 of his close boyfriends. Thinking it'd be too big to do it at our apartment we many more folks. One day ... I'm gonna throw the biggest b-day party for him EVER. Tom Cruise, be ware.
Tootsie went for her booster shots yesterday. Apparently, she's gained 12 pounds in a month. They were commenting on how long her legs are and how they believe she MUST have Newfoundland in her ... looking at her ears. So, I'm hoping that the projected 65 pounds will prove true. But, I'm not so certain anymore...
xoxo
Anna

My Charleston Girls!

We had a busy day today. Silas and I took Tootsie to the Magnusen dog park today. Had a ball watching Silas and Toots run around like maniacs. We took her out to the end of the park where there is water access. She's still really leery of water ... especially, after I threw a stick and she ran into the water after it ... not remembering that she's not a fan a water right now. In any case, we had lots of fun out there watching her play with all the big dogs.
Tonight was a lovely night. We spent the evening with 2 of my girlfriends from Charleston. Malia is here on business and is staying with our pal Claire who has recently moved back up here from San Francisco. Claire is 6 months pregnant and looks gorgeous. She and Jeremy are sure to have an adorable baby ... it's a girl, by the way! I'm pretty certain that they have chosen Dorcas for her name. What saints.
Silas had lots of fun seeing Claire and Jeremy again AND meeting Malia for the first time. He, basically, wrote us off for the night in order to hang with Jeremy and Malia while Claire prepared dinner. Many laughs and lots of good food and wine were had.
So good to spend such a great time with old friends. It's amazing how these women don't age. They are the same beautiful girls that I've know for years ... even though we've all been thousands of miles away from one another. We settled right back into what we had before: comfort, laughter, and many hugs. So glad to spend my night with my girls!

Hair is here...

Well, it's coming back. The hair. It was nice and brown and ... NOT ME. So, Joseph bleached the hell outta my hair yesterday. Thank God. It's back to the platinum that I lurve. Hoping that these antibiotics that I'm on don't make the stuff fall out ... yet again. But, in the end, its just hair.
Silas and Tootsie are continuing their romance as brother and sister. She makes him laugh like a maniac. She, also, makes him scream like a maniac when she's nipping on his pants and such. He hasn't quite caught onto the whole "don't run away and scream ... she thinks you're playing, man" deal quite yet. But, they are still such buddies. Still adore seeing them roam off together at the dog park. All the dogs, including her, are running around together. Yet, when she sees him wandering off, she's right by his side. So, so sweet. I'm so thrilled that they will be able to grow up together.
My "Pop", my dad's dad, isn't feeling so well lately. He's had prostate cancer for some years, but he has heart issues, as well. Nearing 90, I know he's not keen on surgery for his heart. He's a strong-willed man. Grew up, poor, on a mill village. I know he's so chock-full of pride and so set in his ways that he's not planning on doing surgery to correct the issue with his heart. But, it still drives me nuts. He and I talk about it very openly, as we're so, so close. I keep telling him that I SO want him to do the surgery. He doesn't care to do it. As much as I love and adore this man, who am I to set the standard for his path in life. We had some great conversations about this when I was home in January. He and I would sit out on the porch, in the sun (his favorite place), and talk about life and death ... our fears or lack thereof. It's an amazing thing to be able to talk to your grandparent as a peer. Someone else dealing with cancer and the prospects it entails.
Tomorrow is Friday. My day is gonna be a whirlwind. Gonna go see my co-worker's baby for the first time. Gonna cut my girlfriend's hair at her house before she jets off to Russia to meet the beautiful child that she's adopting. Gonna go visit with a 2 girlfriends of mine from college ... one is living here now and PREGNANT-the other, visiting from NYC. Saturday, I'll work. Then, Kevin and I head out to help out with Komen's "Grace Notes" gala. Sunday, Silas has a b-day party for a friend from daycare.
Then, AND THEN, we're having dinner at Zeke's with Dawg's husband and her 2 precious little girls. I saw them a week or so ago when I dropped off some dinner. Gorgeous as ever, those little ladies. A perfect ending to a long, long weekend!

It's been a while...

Happy Tuesday, dear readers.
We had a great evening out on the town with Joseph and Mark. Joseph is my boss-man and Mark is his gorgeous partner.
We had a wonderful dinner at Green Leaf. It's an amazing Vietnamese restaurant in the International District. The food is amazing, the prices are amazing, and the staff is unbelievably congenial. I mean, they were so, so sweet. Nice to see people enjoying their jobs and their customers. It, actually, reminds me of our salon. We happen to have a pretty tight staff that loves what they do and are like a family. So, it was cool to see that in a restaurant.
I have, of course, ended up with some phantom infection in my reconstructed breast. If you're an "avid" reader of this blog, you'll remember that I had one in my arm in September. So, it's about the same deal, except it's in a much more volatile area. My plastic surgeon was very concerned and has me on a CRAZY regiment of antibiotics. A: I don't want to get thrush again ... and I can already tell I'm getting those tell tale signs in my mouth. B: We're waiting to see if the strong antibiotics will cause my hair to fall out, YET AGAIN! Man, oh man, give a girl a break, I say.
Oh well. We saved the Foob. It's lookin' darned good now. If I have to lose my hair and get the thrush ... so be it.
The Fates are gonna deal with my wrath sooner than later, at this point!
Kevin just launched the website for his new record label, Tsurumirecords.com. He and our dear friend Jeff (the, actual, President) have done such an amazing job with this record label. Three bands are signed. All of them are amazing. They will do a small tour later in the spring. So, I'll keep everyone posted.
Kevin and I are volunteering again this year for the Grace Notes Gala, put on my Susan G. Komen. We'll be like the blond chicks on The Price is Right. Except, we hope that people bid tons and tons of money. We helped raise, nearly, a million dollars last year. Hoping the recession doesn't scare off the bidders.
xoxo
Anna