Wordless(ish) Wednesday - Bad Ass Birthday Girl Edition

You didn't think I would stop at the carnival birthday photo shoot, did ya?  Oh noooo.....that'd be too simple. 

Now remember kids....this is MY blog.  MY child.  And NO kids were hurt in the making of this photo shoot.  Perhaps I am just a lil demented?  Exhibit A below. 

Definitely demented!  Exhibit B below.

This was not planned.  But I laughed and laughed and laughed when I got home and reviewed these.  So sick!  Yet, satisfying.  Kidding.  No, really I am.  Just liked the colors in the clown!  Hahahaha....

Truth be told, I did not ask her to pose any such way once we arrived at the graffiti walls.  This is her.  Layla in all of her bad-ass-ness.  Er, shall I say, sassiness!?! 

Or, unwillingness?!?  Yes, I do believe that is what we are seeing here!  But, it worked!  It works....at times.  This time being one!

::

Manic Monday - 08.29.11

And cherish I did, this weekend!!!!  More on all of that later.  But, we did enjoy ourselves snapping some 4 year old pics, picking out boutique cupcakes for said photo shoot, meeting an old friend to share cupcakes with, and watching the Smurfs in 3D!  To top it off....carnival fun!!!!!  Weather?  Oh, about balmy 107 degress!  Yeah.

Until then....I hope you enjoy the below photos!

My thoughts and prayers are with those who were or are in the path of Hurricane Irene.

and with a bolt of lightning...it's over!

Yay!!!!  As of Wednesday night...say, about 8:00 pm...my funk was offically over!!!!!  Yep, that's right!

What happened, you ask?  Let's start from the beginning, shall we?

Picture this.  Me, Layla, Sammie.  Our dog.  Layla lounging on the couch, watching Good Luck Charlie, her new favorite t.v. show, before we head upstairs for a bath.  Sammie...he's chillin' somewhere in the house.  Me?  Naked, in the downstairs powder room, dying my own hair.  Nice, huh?  You like that visual, dontcha?!?  M-hmmmm....

{via}

Well, okay...then picture this!  Me in that state....and then the power goes off!!!!

Yeah.  For real.  Houston hasn't had any...I mean ANY....significant rain all.this.year.  But it decides it is high time to rain.  And not only that.  But to storm.  And storm in a may-jah way! 

So my lights go out just after I put some color on my roots...and on the ends of my hair.  Then...nothing!  No light.  All darkness. 

{via}

So that did it!  The funk was OVER!!!!  Oh-ver!!!! 

I couldn't help but stand there in the complete darkness and giggle.  Naked.  With my hair half colored.  The other half not.  With my baby girl screaming for me on the couch.  And my dog cowering in the corner.

 

{via}

The funk was over.  Reality check set in. 

I really do NOT have it that bad!  And I need to get over myself.  I am lucky I have a broken ankle to hobble around on.  And a mother who can loan me her car.  And this house.  The house that is keeping me dry from the pouring rain.  And that baby girl!  That baby girl who is crying FOR ME!!!! 

I like to call it, "a check yourself before you wreck yourself" moment! 

{huh?}

So that is that.  I was in a funk.  Now it's over.  I am glad. 

I still have no new car.  (boooo!)

I still have a broken ankle..."that is repairing..."  (yay!!!!)  And I don't have to wear that big boot foot cast thingy anymore....that's fabulous.  Except for the fact that the broken ankle "popped" last night.  And not in a good way.  So.  I am still in the boot.  But it's okay.  I'm over myself, remember? 

So instead of reading all.of that!!!! 

I could have showed you this picture....

{via}

And you would have known it is all peaches and rainbows and hedgehogs over here now...but instead I fill your head with all MY crap!!!!  Yes...that is I!!!!

This is the Meli Faif Life....I thought you knew? 

10 years...still remembering...still groovin'

Aaliyah Dana Haughton

January 16, 1979 – August 25, 2001

It's hard to say what I want my legacy to be when I'm long gone.

~ Aaliyah

No doubt her music, her legacy, and what she represented - and still represents - means more than I could ever express in words.  So, today....I remember her.  And celebrate her beautiful, yet all too short life.  

 

Rest In Peace, Baby Girl.

I'm here....I'm just....

{via}

And this foot cast on my leg takes me twice as long to do any and everything...so...

{all the time.  always!!!!}

And frankly I am completely over this.  The broken ankle.  The car search.  The summer heat. 

{via}

And this FUNK!!!!!

{via}

So, if any of you know how I can get back to feeling like a million bucks....

{via}

...please DO share!!!!  Until then....happy summer wishes to you and yours!

it's official....I'm in a funk!

Please excuse me....while I sort through this.

{via}

This tends to happen to me from time to time...and I'll be honest, it's probably overdue.  I've been a warrior.  I've been pushing through.  And trying to push off the negative for quite awhile now.  But I'm spent.  And FYI - my FUNK is not as pretty as that picture above.  It is actually down right really bad.

I know it stems from my accident.  And the fact that I have almost been plowed through everyday since the accident.  Now granted, I did the damage in my wreck.  It was my fault.  I get that.  But I have had close calls every single day since I started driving again.  EVERY single day!!!!!

Did this happen before?  Probably.  And I wasn't so traumatized.  I probably honked my horn.  Or swerved.  And went about my business.  Well, it's not that easy for me to do anymore.

So here I am. 

{and I'll consider this a sign from above}

I am really trying....but this is not easy. 

I was about to buy one of these....

{2011 Hyundai Sonata}

...until one of these almost plowed right through my mom's 2005 Sonata, my current ride...yesterday....



{Official "all over our roadways" Texas Truck - The Dually}

So now I am rethinking my purchase.  If I would actually like to live to see my next birthday...and keep my daughter safe.  I probably need one of these instead.

{The Hummer}

But I might as well make Layla's year and go by her suggestion of "get a big pink truck momma!"

{That's a BIG pink truck, alright!}

And HEY!  Then we would really be twins....

But this girl REALLY needs to work on her road rage. 

{move.  Mom.  Get out tha way!}

This was captured right after she ran.me.over!!!!  Hello?!? 

{no sympathy - for real!  I was laying on the ground and she could do was scowl at me!}

Anyways.  I suppose this too, shall pass.  Pray for me....please?

Manic Monday - 08.15.11

Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.

{via}

Commit your way to the Lord;

 

{via}

trust him and he will do this.

{via} 

~ Psalm 37:4-5

four years in review...in pictures

**Updated**  four years in review...in pictures...and words. 

Here I sit, Sunday afternoon after returning from Layla's 2nd bday party, courtesy of my parents, MiMi and PoPo.   Thankyouverymuch.  I feel compelled to add more to this post.  Both in pictures and words. 

On the return trip from San Antonio to Houston....yet another - same scenario of my "car-totalled-broken-ankle" accident happened on Interstate 10.  However, this time we {yes, baby girl of course is with me again} are traveling at a rate of about 70 mph, give or take - not the 30 mph on the last one.

It was a close call.  20 cars all suddenly going 70 mph to almost a dead stop!!!!!  Really!?!  I just don't get it.  No wreck up ahead.  No roads merging.  No debris in the roadway.  Perhaps it was just the school bus, traveling probably as it should, maybe 60 mph, in the right lane {the proper, courteous "slow lane" for those of you not from Texas}.  But because people wanted to get ahead of the bus, they start cutting cars off, with little space from one car to the next in the fast lane.  

Anyway.  It just brings back bad thoughts I used to have in college.  Those that you hate to have, yet they come anyway.  And it makes me want to NOT travel with my daughter!  Yes, I realize that sounds ludicrous  and is impossible, but it is how I feel.  I'll share this so you get where I am coming from....I've always felt I would die young in.a.car.accident.   Don't know where it comes from, but it comes.  I had overcome it for many years, but with the wreck, and now another close call.  This time, I was good in the front, but someone got extremely close to hitting me in the rear.  Closer to Layla. 

What if?  Is it my time...and it keeps missing me?  Ugh....I don't know. I know this may sound so crazy to some of you, but it's just how I am feeling right now.  Like I want to move to the country somewhere.  In a bubble would be nice.  

But it sure makes me appreciate, and not take for granted all of these precious moments I've had with this blessing of life...for these beautiful four years so far....

{1 month - sweet precious sleeping angel}

{1 month}

{2 months}

{2 months - showing me she'll be a fighter}

{2 months - showing me she would also like to use my phone...she still does...we've got a talker!}

{3 months - 1st personal dog encounter...stare down ensued}

{3 months - she won!}

{3 months - she rolls!}

{3 months}

(4 months - !st Santa Visit - beginning of "fluffy" phase}

{6 months}

{9 months}

{1 year old}

{1 year old bottom}

A mother's treasure is her daughter. 

~ Catherine Pulsifer

{1 year old - 1st birthday party}

{1 year old - in awe}

{1 year old - ...those lashes...}

{15 months - school picture}

{18 months}

{22 months - 1st splash pad}

{2 years old}

A daughter is, a joy bringer, a heart warmer, a memory maker; a daughter is love.

{2 years, 3 months}

{2.5 years old}

{creeping up on 3 years old}

{3 years old - yippee!!!}

My daughter is the most precious gift I've ever received.

{3 years old, 2 months - insert attitude}

{3.5 years old}

{March 2011}

A daughter is a little girl who grows up to be a friend.

{April 2011}

{April 2011 - 1st haircut}

{May 2011}

What the daughter does, the mother did. 

~ Jewish Proverb

{please start praying for me now}

{May 2011 - 1st time bowling}

{mid-May 2011 - showing her cool factor}

{late May 2011}

While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about.

{June 2011}

{mid June 2011 - 1st airfield visit - I spy something sweet!}

{late June 2011}

A daughter may outgrow your lap, but she will never outgrow your heart.

{early July 2011 - showing her groove}

{late July 2011 - 1st circus}

{Layla, on her 4th birthday}

A daughter is the happy memories of the past, the joyful moments of the present, and the hope and promise of the future.

When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts.  A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child. 

~ Sophia Loren