More of Aliya and Merry Christmas!!

From our huge family to yours...


It was a really great day today...as a lot of you on FB already know, the kids and I put most of our money and time towards feeding and providing toys and toiletries for the homeless.
It's an effort made by the employees of Kyle's job...and their families and they do an excellent job.
It was for sure humbling and a tradition we want to do every year.
I have some pics of that, but they are on my phone...I'll get them up real soon.
Don't get me wrong...we had a wonderful Christmas...we're still very much missing Karl...and with his three year anniversary just passing on the 22nd, I have to say....it's just not real easier yet.
I know it's coming...but when it does, it hits like bricks.
I miss that man more and more every day.

I am very lucky to have a husband who totally understands and lets me have my time. This year in-particular...it was rough, I'm not going to lie. But from 1000 miles away, he somehow managed to make me OK.
Gotta love him for that. :)
I'll have more wedding pics up this week...I forgot already what I've already put up...so I'll take a look and get more on here. It was such a beautiful day...it really was.

Anyway....ready to see more of my sweet lil newest "Glamdaughter"?
Well...here she is, Miss Aliya Nicole...all of about ten days in these pics.






I thought I had more on Flicker...but it seems I don't. So, tomorrow I'll upload more real quick and get them up here on the blog.

Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!!

TTYS!!!

XOXO
Kim

Aliya Nicole

Well, to start off with...this post was supposed to go below the post below...so, yes I did this all backwards, but it's all good, right? :)
Here's the second half on our big, crazy, changing families news.

On November 26, 2013 at 9:34 AM and 1 month early my beautiful "Glamdaughter" Aliya Nicole was born.

Aliya is Kaysha's very first baby and we are all so happy, so incredibly happy and blessed.


She is 6 lbs 4 oz and 19 inches long.
She has Kaysha's nose, long fingers and a full head of gorgeous long dark brown hair.
Best part? Although she was a month early, she was perfectly healthy and didn't need to spend any extra time in the hospital.

I'll have plenty of more pictures soon, hopefully this coming weekend she can get here to have her first official newborn pictures done.
I already have everything set up for her "Princess and the Pea" themed announcement. :)

And with that....the post below will let you all know what else is new here.

XOXO

Kim

Changes...

While I know this started as a family blog...mainly about Kody, and with his increasing health...which at times sometimes still fails and sends us spinning, it's slowly but surely gotten so very off course.
I don't have to always repeat myself, that started the day Karl left us. Left us with an emptiness so bad, it seemed nothing or anybody could possibly make it better.

Here we are almost three years later, many, many visits from him, so many messages and it's pretty safe to say he is GREAT!! Healthy, handsome as always, at peace, happy and with us.
Signs still come every day, dream visits, conversations, footsteps, numbers, and even a quick glimpse.
Yeah...he's awesome, that's for sure.

Our family has changed once again (actually twice) and although all my friends who followed me over to Facebook are aware, some of you whomstill (maybe?) get on here without a FB have no idea.
I wonder if it would be wrong to put it here but...well, I probably shouldn't keep the news from you all.

With that said, Michael asked me to marry him on Jan 1, 2013 on the Dr. Seuss merry go round ride at Universal Studios in Orlando.
And...without hesitation, I said yes.

It's taken lots of determination, planning, tears, high times, low times, stress and complete bliss and on October 27, 2013 we were married at Tiki Gardens Beach in Indian Rock Shores, FL. Close, to Clearwater Beach.
We had a small, intimate ceremony and it was beautiful.












I have tons more photos...does anyone want to see a few more? I don't want to overwhelm...I know I already shocked.

Michael...where do I begin, he has showed me that it is perfectly OK to live. He has patiently pulled me out of my own hell. He makes me laugh, he's gentle, kind and a hard worker.
I know we were together in a past life somehow. One day I hope to be able to get a past life regression session and find out how. It is possible to have more than once soulmate and there is one other thing I know for sure.
That my beloved and forever loved "Vinny" was there and he was happy too.

I have more BIG news...I'll post that here in a minute and because of the way the blog is...you'll be reading that first, so yes...I did this backwards. :)

I hope I don't get slack from this news...I just want to be happy. I just want everyone to be happy. :)

Honey Nut Bee

Isn't she so cute? She's walking, has so many new teeth {molars time!}, starting to talk instead of babble, uses just about anything for a phone, and loves her Cheerios!! :)


till next time...XOXO!!

Kim

I'm Back!!

So much has been going on and the "K" home is full of activity these days..I know all you FB friends out there know what I mean. :)

Anyway, since I've been MIA I've decided to blow this site up with a bunch of pictures...hope you all don't mind. :)

Summer is over (for the most part, it's still hot around here) and school is back in session.

July saw Madison turn one, yesterday saw Madison walking like a champ...nothing is going to slow her down now.
Yup, she's a little bit late in walking, but after us noticing that her ankles were turning in (mostly on the right) and that she was trying to balance on her arch...a quick trip to Stride Rite and a new pair of high top ankle supporting shoes..and well, less than a week later...that little lady took off.
Good luck with that Mom & dad. :)

Adriana turned six and started the first grade in a brand new school.
She is doing awesome...passing all her spelling tests, doing math like a pro and reading!! She's just going to soar this year, I know it. :)

Kolin is now 16 started tenth grade...love that kid, and love the way he is devoted to getting up and going to school everyday, but as we all know...we were all his age once and 6 AM combined with a 7:25 AM first period class are not always the best of combos.
Still, he does it and since art is his first class of the day and he loves it...he does great.
History too...that boy is a HUGE history buff.

Kody..yeah, our Kody...remember the kid with the round face, missing teeth, chubby cheeks, skateboard and spiky hair?
That kid is now a high school senior!!
Graduating Class of 2014...heck yeah!!!!!
Kody is into everything school related and this month is homecoming...he can't wait and in fact, has been helping with the school's float in the homecoming parade.
Lots of great things happening for this boy and oh yes...he is fully planning on going to college.
Makes a Mom's heart sing I tell ya. :)

Unfortunately, Kolin is anti-camera these days (unless it's taken in school and has a girl in it with him) so I have no recents of him....
But, the other three are still hams.
So..on with the pics...

These first ones are of the two "Glamdaughters" with their "candy store" theme {which was also Adri's 6th birthday theme} & also a couple of their teddy bears.










Next we have Bear's 18th "Finally Legal" pics...and no, he has still not given up his love of skateboards. :)








Many thanks to our local tattoo shop for letting us borrow their graffiti wall.

Kaysha has been doing great and I'll be taking her maternity pics in a couple of weeks. I can't wait for that as I have a couple ideas I want to do sooooo bad. :)

As I end this today, I just wanted to acknowledge the day, 9/11.
In memory of all those innocent people who lost their lives and to honor their families and the hero's who never thought twice about jumping in to help in any way possible...
I leave you with this video commercial made by Budweiser.
this commercial was only ran one time...never meant to profit from it but only to honor the victims of 9/11.
Honestly, it gave me goosebumps...it is so beautiful. <3

With love...

XOXO
Kim

It's a Girl!!!!!

We found out yesterday Kaysha's first will be another girl for this family!!
It was amazing being there for that moment when we all found out together.
She's due around the middle of December. :)


BTW...the mini vacation was WONDERFUL!! Absolutely the best few days I've had in forever.

Have a beautiful day everyone. :)

XOXO
Kim

Madison's Birthday Pictures

UGH...I can't believe I'm so late.

Well, anyway....
Madison turned the big 1 last Sunday {July 14th}.
We had a big "Under the Sea" themed party and she even took her first three steps just minutes before her first guests rang the doorbell..it was so cute!

I haven't even had two minutes to pull those pictures off the camera, but these were taken just the day before.

First one is the sign at Kyle's job...first birthdays are a pretty big deal here and hers was for all to see. :)



Her first official cake smash pictures...

Before...During and After







This one was taken even before the cake was brought out and the mayhem started...



And this one is with her "All About Me" board.
We plan on doing this every year till she tells us to stop. :)


As I mentioned, life has been busy.
School is about to start in a few weeks and I'll have Kody in the 12th grade, Kolin in the 10th and Adriana in 1st.

Before the madness of that starts, this Friday I'm leaving for a 3 day mini vacation down South...I hope to be able to bring home some pictures and some good news to share next week.

Thank you to everyone who still stops by...it's for you that I continue this blog. Though, not as often as I'd like...I'm trying to get better on that. :)

XOXO
Kim

Almost a Year

Kind of hard to believe how fast the year flew by, but our little mermaid will turn one year this Sunday. :)


XOXO

Happy Birthday America!

From all of us, have a happy and safe holiday!


XOXO
Kim

Madison at 11 Months

It's so hard to believe Madison will be 1 in a couple weeks. This year has flown by!!

Sorry about the picture overload this morning...but here she is, all 11 months of her and ready to take off walking any day now. :)

First one is a tribute to her (maternal) Great-Grammpa, who was in the Navy. {outfit made by me and yes, it's a bit big on her but we figured she could wear it for Halloween this year too}.



Next, our Beautiful All American Girl...



Coolest Uncle Ever...



Flowers...



Early 4th of July {more coming in a couple days!}



About to take off any minute...



This one cracked me up, an outtake with the dogs. They looked so thrilled, don't they? LOL!


Have a great day everyone...I got to run and chaperone a movie trip for Adri's day care. Monsters University this morning!! :)

XOXO
Kim

DIY's

I've been spending most of my nights numb lately (another rough patch in my world of grieving has hit), trying to stay busy doing something.
Those are the days/nights I crave being alone, in my thoughts and memories.

So often I feel extreme guilt about loving another man and sadly I take it out on that other man an awful lot.
He drives a truck, so our time together isn't quite normal...10 to 34 hours here and there depending on his schedule is the best we get, but it's good...it's good because it allows me that time I still need.
There are some days when my world is so crazy, 24 hours in a day just isn't enough time to get everything done, those are the days I wish he had a normal day or night job...but, truck driving is in his blood, he's been driving for over 10 years and he comes from a long line of truck drivers.
It's what Michael loves, and I would never let the selfish side of me take over and demand he stops. No...never, in fact one day I hope to start going on some small trips with him.
One day...when my life is free of the drama that often comes with lots of kids, teenagers and grieving.

I love that he's patient, hard working, funny, gentle, kind to everyone, honest and true.
He see's the good side of everyone and everything...he see's the best and the worst of me and he tells me he loves it, everything about me...even when I don't.
He makes me smile, he makes me laugh, and yeah...sometimes he makes me want to stomp off and scream. I guess that's normal, right?

What's probably not normal is looking at him across from the dinner table, or sitting on the couch watching TV and picturing Karl there instead. God, I have GOT to STOP doing this.
Is there anybody out there that can tell me this is normal or after 2 1/2 years I'm still qualifying myself to be a nutcase?

Anyway...being alone and numb at night, leads me into my own little comfort word of creating knitted stuff, crocheted stuff and cute shabby chic rag-tie banners that I love to use with backdrops.

Here's a few things from recently...








Wishing you all the best day ever and a Happy Belated Dad's Day to all...including the single Mom's who take on both worlds. :)

XOXO
Kim

Sorry if I'm boring you all with Madison pic's...but I think she's just too stinkin' cute not to share sometimes. :)

These were taken yesterday...








I had the CRAZIEST thing happen a few days ago...
Call me crazy if you want but this is what happened.

AS most of you know, Karl and I share a lot of communication still to this day. Even in the spirit world he still lets me know not only is he alive and well, but he is always here...like, always.

Case in point, I put this on FB on Friday, I just copied and pasted here so I wouldn't have to retype it...

"Yesterday, last night and today are days that I have been talking a lot to Vinny, I need his help bad with a couple of things...major things that only he knew how to fix.
Not as in broken appliance fixing but more like family fixing.
I'm at my wits end, my nerves are shot and being a single Mom, especially to teenagers is getting to be more then I can handle at this point.
So, that being said I asked for his help {they WILL help you, but you have to ask. The only time they can't is when that problem is a life lesson you were meant to overcome and learn from on your own...that's what I believe. Also, always say thank-you}

He sent me two red birds yesterday, but that's pretty typical.
I sold one of my knit baby sets which at this point in time is a blessing, believe me.

This morning I got the boys to school, got Adri to school, got Kayara to work and by the time I came home, brought the trash can in and walked Miko...I got in the house and had to use the restroom bad {coffee = what goes in has to come back out times ten}

No time to get myself upstairs so I opted for the quick way, the downstairs bathroom.
These past couple of days I have noticed an almost used up roll of TP on the floor to the right of the toilet and back towards the wall and I've been hoping that one of the kids would use some of their brain cells and pick it up for me.
Where its at would actually kill whats left of my back these days, and actually I kept meaning to say to them "Pick it up and put it in the holder}.
BTW, in that bathroom I don't use a wall holder, instead a tall rack kind of thing that holds about three rolls upright, so it have to be picked up and placed on top of the last roll standing.

Anyway, no big deal for the young bloods to do, however, like I mentioned..my back has been hurting like a b***h lately and I just couldn't twist and reach down like that.

So..mental note "tell the kids to do it for me and quit being so damn lazy".

Onward...I did my thing I saw that there was only a half roll in the holder and I decided let me go in the garage where the extras are stored and bring in a couple more rolls to restock.

The garage door is located right across the hall from the bathroom so it took me literally 5 seconds to open the door, grab 2 rolls and go back into that bathroom.

And...what do I see?
The roll that was sitting on the floor placed standing up straight right in that holder!!

BTW...Miko and I are the only ones here.

Spirits are funny like that...when you least expect it, expect it.
I know he heard my pleading for his help, and I know he's here...that's for sure"

Hope this brightened someones day today, and maybe got a few to believe?? :)

XOXO
Kim