I thought maybe I'd post some pics of what I've been up to...

Right before Nessers and I rode the Rip Cord at Worlds of Fun!

Happy dog!

My cool kid at the pool.

Some of my very favorite girls.

Pool day with the girls

My beautiful girl

Delilah and Grandma modeling the new Country Club hats.

She made a new friend at the park.

Getting ready to slide at the park

Swinging!

When did she get big enough to slide down by herself?

Love.

Painting her cardboard play house.

Obviously her leg needed to be painted too.

She knows if she's a good girl at the store, she can ride the horse.  As soon as we pull up to Walmart or Price Chopper, she makes a horse noise.  50 cents is a small price to pay for her happiness.

Meeting a neighborhood cat.

Just another morning walk.

This girl knows how to relax.

Mom got her a little monster toy from Old Navy and she's pretty obsessed with it.

This is my most favorite painting I've done recently.

I've been pretty happy lately.

Delilah got herself a new kitchen set.

I guess that's about it.  Nothing too crazy/exciting happening, but just lots of good.  I'm thankful for the people making this separation easier for both of us.  Moving back here has opened my eyes to who is a good friend, and who isn't really.  Those that make the time to see me, knowing that I can't do as much as I used to are so appreciated.  You know who you are.  Thank you.  I appreciate you more than you know. 

I'm going to take more pictures when I'm out and about.  

Hope this week has been a good one for everyone.  Mine sure has been.

xoxo 

Danielle

Good Tuesday morning to you all!

First of all, The Little Mermaid was absolutely amazing.  Went with my friend Jonny and we just had a great time. The show was great, the singers were fantastic, and the night was cool.  It was a PERFECT evening.  I couldn't have been happier.  

Fun thing that happened: we heard gunshots about 20 minutes before the show ended and a helicopter flew over with a searchlight.  The zoo/Starlight is located near a pretty crappy area, so I'm not really surprised.  Kinda scary though. 

Other than that, I've just been doing normal stuff.  I've had a lot on my mind, but I'm not sure of how to put into words what I've been thinking, so I'll let it simmer some more.  

I started a new painting this week, and am LOVING it so far.  I woke up this morning and looked at the work in progress and smiled. Usually, I won't feel happy until something is complete, but I just really like this one.  The colors and design of it is really pleasing me.

Delilah is just beyond amazing.  She sings on key and knows words to songs at 19 months.  All the time, people ask me how old she is (when we're out and about and they see her doing that).  They are shocked when they find out how young she is.  Good genes and engaging your kids is a good way to help them grow mentally.  I saw way too many people in Clovis who just pushed their kids off to the side like they were just accessories.  I'm very proud of how much Delilah knows and how much she's able to communicate, verbally and using sign language.  There aren't a lot of times that she and I don't understand what the other is trying to say.  Not a lot of frustration when communication is there!

Picked up my bridesmaid dress for Chelsea's wedding in October.  Love the color sooooo much.  The cut is great too!  I can't wait.  What an exciting wedding this is going to be.

Well, time to go get my butt in the shower and ready for the day.  I've got a lot to do, and that's perfect!

xo

Danielle

Oh, and hello to the people in Clovis and estranged family members still reading this.  Hope you're getting the dirt you need to continue to talk about me.  It's actually really weird that you are still very much..obsessed...with my life and how I live.  Ah well, doesn't effect me.  I'm living a happy and fulfilled life.  

I cannot contain my excitement!

I get to do something amazing this weekend.

Not only am I getting to see a Broadway musical, but it's THE LITTLE MERMAID!  I can't even explain how happy and excited I am.  I've been wanting to see this for so long!  

Nothing too crazy going on lately, just doing normal stuff.  Trivia last night, we won!  Skipped it last week because I drove back from Smithville that day and didn't want to drive anymore.  Regretted it because they had Buffy and Beatles categories.  I would have KILLED it.

Fun girlie time with Vanessa tonight.  Really looking forward to it. Love that girl.

Trouble with passport stuff.  I want to go out to visit Ben, but honestly, the thought of flying 18 hours with a toddler both ways by myself is really off putting.  I want to see Ben, of course, but I am not looking forward to the travel to and from, the messed up sleep schedules, and the fact that I'm the one that will have to deal with the aftermath of it all.  He's been gone and has never really had her by himself longer than a couple hours...so he doesn't quite realize how daunting of a trip this is.

I guess that's all I really have for now.  I'm just beyond excited for tomorrow night.

Life gets in the way of recording life.

I've been so busy lately, it's hard to catch up on here.  I don't mind it.  I'd rather be busy than sitting around being bored and lazy.

I'll start off with something I've been sad about and then end it with happy stuff.

I lost 2 friends at the beginning of the month.  I don't know if it'll be forever, but it feels like it might.  It was all over a dumb comment and a dumb reaction, but the reaction of one of my friends was completely justified.  I would have been super upset too.  I can only hope that that friend realizes that it was all a joke and that's it.  I can only hope that that friend forgives me one of these days.  I don't know if it'll happen.  I've texted that friend and left a voicemail, and that's about all I can do at this point.  I feel terrible.  UGH.  There's just nothing else I can do to fix it, and I hate it.  I don't like leaving things up in the air.  I don't like staying in an argument or fight for more than a day with someone I care about.  It was all so sudden and it just makes me sick to my stomach.  

Maybe one day we'll be friends again, but not now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Happier stuff:

I've been going to trivia with my friends each Thursday night (except tonight because I was super tired and didn't want to drive anymore today).  I've been having a blast, and it has been great to get out of the house and do adult stuff.

I've been hanging out with my friend Jonny a lot.  He has a kid too, and so he totally understands the fact that I can't always get out to do stuff.  We've had movie nights here at my house and he's had dinner with the family.  It's been really nice to still do something and take care of Delilah at the same time.  

Going to World's of Fun on Saturday with a great group.  I've already got lunch stuff packed so we can eat at the car instead of getting overpriced friend crap in the park.  I haven't been in a few years, so I'm pretty excited to go.  Going to ride the RipCord with Vanessa.  I'm brave, ya'll.  

Drove out to Smithville yesterday to spend time with some family.  Delilah and I had a great visit with Aunt Margaret and Uncle Rick, and D got to play with baby Rae.  It was a nice little getaway, even if just for a day and a night.  I don't have a lot of family I associate with, so I treasure the really great ones I have!

Had a spectacular 4th of July with the Baker side of my family.  Drove up to Columbia and spent the night up there and just had a blast.  Guns, fireworks, popsicles.  'MERICA.

Annnnd, here's the obligatory picture catch up:

My 4th of July cutie.

Just for fun.

Just for fun.

Held a contest for this one.  

Silly cousin Cody.

Delilah enjoyed the girls

Me and my cousin Becky about to shoot the shotgun!

Zombie baby

Everyone actually really liked the fireworks.

Learning to shoot a 9mm

I apparently need to get her a rocking horse.

Shot more discs than I missed.  Heck yeah.

Mom got in on the gun shootin' too.

Tracking discs

Fireworks are fun! (from a safe distance and as long as I don't have to light them)

No one will ever be as cool as this girl right here.

Been enjoying the pool at the club this summer.

The mustache pics are a custom order!

Running inside to say hi to Grandma before hitting the pool

Finally got a haircut. Sheesh.

Like I said...coolestkideverdotcom

This is what I came home to after trivia last week. Grandma wears her butt out.

Horsey ride after the store is an easy reward for an extremely well behaved baby.

She's so happy to see Grandpa when he gets home

Made this for my room.  It's a good reminder.  

5,6 pick up sticks

There's a dog on Sesame Street

After nap silly faces

Made this one for Delilah's room.

After nap cuddles are the BEST.

...and after nap kisses!

These three are just too adorable.

And that's it for now.  I'm just going day by day.