My dad...

I realized that it's not often that I post anything about my dad.

Except that he made it to my wedding.

 

He emailed me a link to a video his friend uploaded on YouTube.

See...my dad is a musician.

Has been for forever.

My FAVORITE memories when I was little was watching my parents' band play.

When I visit my dad, I make him play his guitar and sing for me.

And he will. But when he tries to stop, I make him "sing one more".

This goes on for hours ;)

As I was watching this video, I started thinking I really need to try to get up there and visit. It's been way too long. The last time I saw my dad was....my wedding? So almost 5 years ago.

That makes me sad. He's never met my kids.

I try not to think about it much...or else I'd probably cry.

 

 

Background for anyone interested:

My parents got divorced when I was 8. We were living in Chewelah, Washington at the time. When they divorced, my mom took my brother, and I to live in Southern California with my grandparents. My mom remarried when I was 9. My step-dad, John, was in the Air Force and was about to be stationed in Englad. So we moved there for 3 years. Had a little contact through letters with my dad, and I think TWO phone calls during that time.

When we moved back to the states, we were in California for a little bit, then my mom moved us to St. George, Utah. We visited my dad when I was 13. So, 4 years of not seeing him then. That was the last time I'd had that long of a gap of seeing him. I tried to make sure I visited him here and there. But after our wedding, we just haven't made it work.

It just sucks when I happen to think "what if something happens?....and I don't GET to see him again...." I don't like that....

 



Randomness to fill in the space....

Some random pictures I came across to catch up a bit (in the last year!! :P  )

And random facts.

One of the first times I let Kai hold Kirra. He still doesn't really get to hold her. Hes too rough and can't sit still to save his life.

Kai was pretty obsessed with Cars for quite some time. Somehow he got on an obession for Thomas the Train. I think he had to have gotten that from our neighbors across the street. Their boy loves Thomas and that's probably the first exposure Kai had to it. So when I was on maternity leave, it was 87 different Thomas shows that was on rotation to keep him busy! He has quite the collection from stuff we got him and a co-worker of mine who was nice enough to force her son to sell a TON of his trains and tracks to us for Kai. He got all that for his 3rd birthday. (pics to come eventually)

Playing in Pine Valley at the West family reunion. With his trains, of course.

Being goofy in the tub.

"Giving Loves". I had to stop him right about here, he likes to try to press his face too hard. He really does love her, I just think he doesn't understand that he hurts her. And he has SO much energy that it's just exploding out of him in the form of head bunting, hitting, pushing, squeezing, etc.....

Kai was actually just letting Kirra sit for once. Kirra LOVES Kai. Its so funny how he can just push her around and be so rough, but he is definately the one that can ALWAYS make her laugh.

"Bleeeahh" So cute that Rob caught both of them at the same time. Kai would always want to lay under her play gym with her.

Watching Thomas. Kirra started to be a bit interested. Probably because it was a song.

She LOVES when music comes on and she perks up, and lately she'll totally focus and start dancing. Its adorable.

She was about 6 or 7 months here. Pretty Princess, just started sitting alone.

For the longest time, this is the look that she would give most people. So serious! Just really checking people out.

Amanda made this cute headband that Kirra wore with her Witch costume for Halloween.

I can't get over her eyes. She is gorgeous.

Kirra had reflux like Kai, so she was constantly soaking bibs and spit rags. Kai had it until just after he was a year. Kirra's let up finally around 6 months, thank goodness.

Until later....

...A rough day...

*8/25/12*

 

 

 

It still doesn't feel real. I keep thinking we need to get together for dinner soon....

 

Here's the video my cousin did for the memorial:

The beginning of it just tears me up.

And this song is the first song I thought of when the news sunk in....

 

Jason

I had written this up a while ago, and decided to go ahead and blog it....even though I have Kirra's birth story done, just need to upload pictures...yes I KNOW she's now 11 months old!!

Jason is my cousin. His mom and my dad are siblings. I have a span of memories of Jason at different times in our lives. The first thing I think of is when I was close to 5 years old he would to tease me to no end. One of his favorite things to say to me was “Should I call you ‘Danny-yell’ or ‘Danny-scream’?” I would say, “Danny-yell” (because it was closer to my name, Danielle). And he’d call me “Danny-scream” anyway and I would cry. Despite this teasing I looked up to him and his sister, Shawna, so much. Later, in high school I would use “scream” as my internet screen name, because of Jason. Jason has always been an artist, when I was little I remember he drew amazing pictures (a lot I remember were of “Watership Down”) and he had some cool Star Wars toys that my brother and I envied.




My parents divorced when I was 8 and I moved away and wasn’t able to see their family until I was about 13 years old. We came back to Washington for a family reunion and I was so excited to see them! I remember my brother and I being upset because our trip was in jeopardy of being cut short, and Jason said, “Wow, you guys have really grown up, you’re way more mature, in this case before, Josh would be spazing out and Danny would be throwing a fit and crying. You’re all grown up!”



Losing contact again, it wasn’t until I was in my mid-late 20’s when his mom told me I should read his blog. I found it, became a follower and started my own blog. On my side-reel of blogs I read, I called his “He’d call me Danny-Scream”. I had commented on a few blogs, and he eventually was curious enough to look through mine and realize that I was his long lost cousin! When I got engaged and started planning my wedding, my mom wanted to see if she could have this amazing nephew of hers come and take my wedding pictures. We’d seen his work on his blog, and knew we had to have him come down. He agreed, but kept saying that he couldn’t promise anything amazing, he hadn’t done a wedding before. When he showed up, he just started getting ready to take pictures, and I said, “HEY, DORK!! Get over here and give me a hug!!” (I hadn’t seen him for 16 years!) He later told us that he was apprehensive about the whole thing, not really knowing us anymore, and didn’t know what to expect. But he was glad that he and Shawna make the trek down here to reunite with old family. And I was happy to have some of the most amazing pictures from my wedding!

After that, we closely followed eachother’s blogs and facebook. We’d reunite a couple times a year for dinner, and we all so looked forward to these meetings. He’d stop to show me new things on my camera, so that I could progress in my photography. He’d make each of us feel so special and important. Just the way he did with everyone.

I’m a very nostalgic person and I love my extended family so much, they’re all so amazing. And I am SO glad I was able to have Jason close again. And so heartbroken that he is gone.

Jason, I will miss you more than you’ll ever know. But I know that I will see you again. And I look forward to that big huge hug. I will embrace your memory by getting back on track with my blog, and taking more pictures of the beauty around me that you captured better than I could ever hope to. But I will keep at it, like you always told me; it takes a hundred pictures to have that one good shot.

**Pictures are courtesy of his blog.

Off to Powell.... ::July 4th weekend::

I'm not gonna lie.....
I was nervous as all get out! We've really only taken Kai to the lake twice: once this summer and once last summer. Anyone who knows Rob will think that is the most bizarre thing EVER. Rob LOVES the lake. Most of the reason for not going is me. The first year I was just plain nervous for every reason under the sun about Kai being out there. Going to Powell made me super nervous.
It actually ended up being pretty fun. Kai only screamed and cried 50% of the time... :P
Here are some pics of the fun:
Kai sleeping on his cousin Kalie

My neice Stephanie

Kai says "GO!" cause Kalie wouldn't jump

Rob showing them how its done!

We ended up leaving a day early because a storm was heading in and I wanted to be at mom's for the July 4th family festivities :D

The Family time was great, as always. Until fireworks time....Kai was ridiculous. He wanted to run in the street to play in traffic, would NOT listen, or sit, or be held, or ANYTHING....so we left DURING fireworks. Kai is grounded until he's 8. Terrible two's, anyone??

Gummy

Oreo

Cousins :D

Cute Kai

Just Dance!!

CUTE O

Kai LOVES "scumming" (thats what he calls it)

Fireworks...

Stuff

So remember how I said I was going to get better about blogging? HA! Hows that working out? Yeah...not so much. :P
Here are some pictures from Memorial Weekend. April's birthday is May 25 and Brycen's is the 30th, so we celebrated both since April, Darrin, and Jackson were in town. We had a nice time hanging out, tossing the kids in the pool and eating some good food!











Cute Jackson:



Kai, not too happy about the cold pool...before his haircut





Post-haircut, with a sucker:


Sitting in a bucket, of course, to watch Yo Gabba Gabba!


It was a great weekend...