Hang Out Night: Movie Night! Er, YouTube night!

Tonight is hang out night and we were going to watch a movie. But, no one could quite decide on what movie to watch, so we're doing the YouTube thing! Here are our favorite YouTube videos this week. And since I am going to be an Aunt again, we picked videos of cute babies.

Since Chelsea is new to our family, here is something you get to look forward to. HAHAHA!

Can't have a baby compilation without laughing babies!

Get the tissues ready! This one is adorable!

Being the awesome people they are, my brother and sister-in-law are foster parents to dogs looking for furr-ever homes. I saw this one and hope they see something as cute after their little one is born.

One more, then it's time to break out the games and play something fun! We can even share our toys!

Just one more note before we head off to have fun... Kevin and Chelsea, I hope you had fun watching these and I hope you have a beautiful, healthy, little bundle of joy! And if it's a boy (I here it is!), Chelsea, you are going to have your hands full LOL. Mom and I will tell you all the stories of when Kevin was little. MWAHAHAHAHA!

3 Easy Ways to Remember Your Deceased Loved Ones this Holiday

If you lost a loved one, the holidays can be a pretty difficult time to go through. There are ways to incorporate them into your holidays and keep their memory alive.

When my first son died, the first Christmas just wasn't as cheerful and nothing really seemed festive. I wanted to celebrate with my son but he wasn't there. Instead, I created traditions for him on the holidays, and Christmas, that make me feel like he isn't forgotten.

Here are some of the things I do to help celebrating without him become more bearable. 

Letters in a Stocking

photo by Jim, the Photographer on Flickr

Hang their stocking anyway! Only this stocking will have a different stuffer. Write a letter to them. It doesn't matter what you write. 

You can spend the entire letter sobbing and telling them how much you miss them. You can tell them about your holiday, the Christmas tree, what you got for presents, what you ate. Write to them like you are going to mail the letter to them. Write a poem to them. Anyone who wants to write to them can join in.

Leave it in there. When the holiday is over and you pack away the stockings, pack their stocking too, letter and all. The next year, do the same thing. You will soon have a stocking diary you can read each year to see the progress you have made in the grieving process. 

Or you can do as my friend did. Each year when she unpacks the decorations. Once she is done decking the halls, she reads the letter from last year and then burns it. She says it is quite cleansing to her soul.

Special Yearly Ornaments

photo by Ben McLeod on Flickr

Buy a special ornament to commemorate each year or just one very special one for them. You can hand-make their ornaments if you like. I usually make a butterfly or a bow to add to our tree since they are symbols of my son, to me. 

Play Santa to Someone in their Honor

From Two Chums website

I never had the chance to buy my son a present for Christmas while he was alive. One year, as I stood staring at an Angel Tree, I noticed a tag for a five year old little boy. He wanted trucks and action figures. My heart melted. 

That year Brandon would have been five and suddenly, I had a great idea! I bought a 5 year old little boy a box of hot wheel cars and an action figure.

Now, whenever I have extra money around the holidays, I either go to the Angel Tree, donate to the nursing home in the area, or find a family who needs a real life Santa (although those years are rare. But SO much fun!) 

I never told the family it was me which makes it more fun. Each family member received a gift (kids get TWO!), then there was a family gift (a movie or a game), and finally, a box of food. Usually enough for a nice breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 

I have only had the chance to play real life Santa for a family a couple of times but, if that doesn't put you in a good mood, nothing will! It is the best feeling EVER! 

But buying a present for a needy child is still wonderful if you can't afford to play Santa to a whole family. Pick one of the Angels on the tree that just calls to you. Or you can look for one that is the same age as your loved one, or gender, or maybe someone who wants something that reminds you of your loved one.

And it wouldn't hurt to buy two presents for the Angel Tree either. That would be a wonderful stocking letter to read the next year!

Here's hoping everyone has a Happy Holidays this year.

Hang Out Night Movie!

This week was a busy week for me! I am pretty tired too. I tried to get everything done but the week ran off with me. I think I lost Thursday somewhere on the way too. My whole crazy week ends tonight though. It's hang out night! And this weekend, I am watching a movie!

Here is one of my favorite movies from my teen years. ENJOY!

Fiddler On The Roof

What are you doing for Thanksgiving?

With all our food allergies, we don't celebrate Thanksgiving like we did in years past. I stopped liking Thanksgiving as much years ago, but I do enjoy eating and having family over.

This year we plan on having friends over and a few family members. But it's different now. 

We have a few rules:

1. ABSOLUTELY NO TURKEY! (I am anaphylaxis allergic to it)
2. NO peanuts either. (Same thing)
3. I cook. I am the only one that cooks. Period. 
4. Share the chocolate or get hurt.
5. We eat buffet style and hang out in the living room.
6. You are required to play games! We have xbox, minecraft, and board games. We can also play cards, charades, or whatever you'd like too!
7. Bring your own drinks! We will have some, and we'll share, but bring your own.
8. Don't bring eggnog. That is torture for us.

We will be having

• BBQ chicken
• Macaroni and cheese, mom style!
• Vegetables, steamed, lots of them!
• Biscuits, gluten-free
• Something for dessert
• Probably sweet potatoes, candied
• Cookies
• Chocolate covered pecans

SO, what are you guys doing for Thanksgiving? What's your menu plan? Who's coming over? Do tell!

San Diego Sailing Trip

My son's are back from a visit with their dad. While in San Diego, they got to do something I wish I could do! They sailed from San Diego Bay to the Catalina Islands off the coast of Los Angeles. I thought I would share some of the pictures they brought back with them.

The first picture I got of them together. Don't smile or anything, kids!

One of my favorite pictures! And they are all smiling!

Great picture of Captain Miles

I think I feel my seasickness kicking in!

Beautiful sunset.

Mmmmm, now that looks good!

Both boys on Avalon.

Enjoying the beautiful architecture. 

I forget what this is called but I really love this photo!

Is that a smile? Mmmmm, maybe?

The artwork there is beautiful 

Just chilling at the helm!

Nice picture of the flag next to the main sail.

It's not a sailing trip without a proper injury.

My boys being kids at heart... oh, wait, they are kids.

Mendel 1.0 with the Coronado Bridge in the background. I think that's a smile...

Pepsi and sailing... Go hand in hand.

I'll try to get more pictures up this week. There are a lot of them so I don't think all of them will go up. But I love a lot of them. They are awesome.

Fall is in the Air! The Leaves are Turning Colors! OH YES!

I am so excited! Fall is finally in the air and the leaves are turning beautiful colors. I was outside with the girls and Nikky, playing in the leaves and I took some fun pictures to share with everyone.

Here is a brightly colored tree on my street. I took this one to show the kids when they get home from their trip, just in case all the leaves have fallen.

Here it is next to all the other colorful trees. Isn't it BEAUTIFUL!?

Nikky and the kids racked the leaves into a big pile so we could fill bags our landlords bought. Of course, you can't just fill the bags without...

JUMPING in them first! WOOHOO!

Nikky crawled into the leaf pile too and they had a leave attack! It was so much fun!

Here is an awesome picture of Nikky! Love the hair, girl! Love the hair!

And then the kids buried her in leaves MWAHAHAHAHA!

But popped out long enough for smooches on the cheek! Awwww, they are adorable!

I managed to get this wonderful picture of all three of them in the leaf pile.

OMG! Where did they go?

Of course, I had to get in on the fun too! I ended up being leaf attacked by GIRLS!

And dogpiled. They totally dogpiled me... and tickled me!

I made it out alive, if not a little leafy LOL

Then we got to the part we actually raked the leaves for... filling the bags! Linny wanted to fill them all by herself! she did a great job!

The sun was starting to set by then and I got this awesome picture of the evening sky!

And finally... we have pumpkin bags for decoration! 

Aren't they cute!

This is why your mom said not to play with knives.

It doesn't matter how many times you tell a kid not to do something, they have to go and do it. My 17 year old son decided to goof off and try to chop something with a knife. You know, the totally cool knife chopping that impresses people. Instead he ended up with this...

Yep. That's muh baby's thumb *facepalm*

This just looks painful.

This is how deep it went.

If you just look at it wrong he panics and screams.

And you also end up with this...

This is after we taped it together.

If it weren't for the nail, well, he'd have chopped his finger off!  I am convinced. This is after sitting overnight.

Ewwww!

This is the nail view.

 BUT! You get to have neon colored bandages!

So kids, if you want to play with knives, just remember that you will hurt! Your fingers will look like this, you'll have to wear neon green bandages, you won't be able to play Xbox or computer games for WEEKS and if your mom is a jerk like me, you'll be posted on a blog for everyone to see!

Don't play with knives!

Proud Daughter Moment!

My dad, David F Latham, has completed his new book Homeland Security. I can't wait to read it! If you want to check it out, it's for sale at Amazon! Enjoy! And let me know what you think.

We are delivering the papers today.

Go DAD! Eight ball in the pocket on the break! WOOHOO!!!

Sky with his pool stick.

Dad and Sky are playing pool.