Sisters in the Hood

"Make new friends keep the old, one is silver and the other gold." So true in my life...I'm thankful.

I've been married for almost 7 years now. Travis and I moved away to Utah 3 months after we got hitched.  It was bitter sweet at the time, to leave my family and friends, but a blessing in disguise. Travis and I had to 'grow up' pretty fast beings we were 20 and 23, Judas Priest. It's amazing, the paths you go down and the people you meet on your journey of life. One of the best things in my life are my friends. I don't have any sisters so, my life is full of a lot of friends better known to me as sisters. I've met so many life long sisters from the different places I've worked at along my journey. I've also 'ran' with the same group of women, seven to be exact, some since elementary school the others since middle and high school. Together we've become wives, mommies and aunts. We've had so many trials too, trying not to miss any(I'd be the friend with the worst memory ever btw) Infertilities, miscarriages, relocating from state to state.  Illnesses, surgeries, pregnancies and births :) Schooling, graduations, work and life in general we're there for each other through the ups and downs.

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All the friends in my life are amazing. It would be super if we could all just relocate into the same neighborhood and raise our satan spawn kids from hell together(friends that don't have any, yet, your days are numbered...) All of these women are the kind you don't have to talk to for months and you can shoot a text or pick up the phone, it's like you never missed a beat. I'm so grateful for my childhood friends and the new friends I've made from our little journey. Hello to my Utah gals, some not currently in Utah but you get that title too and you know who you are :D

Well, with this being said, I just said 'goodbye' to another 'new' friend I made 3 years ago. Man, what a rough couple of months it's been for me. I was an absentee wife/mother for the week she was fixing to leave. We tried to squeeze in every second we could to play together. Even if it was just spent packing her crap into boxes and drinking diet cokes :)

I started my job in May of 2009, we've been attached at the hip ever since. The first day we met, we just clicked. You know you have a great friendship when the week Crystal was done working my phone was going off with texts and messages asking if I was doing okay and if I needed a hug :) yes, yes I did need a hug. My bestie had left my workplace and was leaving Idaho for good.

 At work Crystal and I were known as Frick and Frak, Ying and Yang but most called us the 'two blondies' or the 'blonde girls' Crystal and I were asked weekly if we were sisters. Our answer was no for the first two years, by the end of year three we gave up and just started answering "yes."

We had a lot of firsts together. For me, the purchase of the first Henderson home, and my first baby. Together we ran our first half marathon we trained daily for...not. Most of the time we'd skip running and drive to get a snow cone or Costa Vida salad where we would close down the place and refill our diet cokes give or take one million times.

Crystal's firsts consisted of her falling in love with Andrew Smith, getting married and moving to California to be a beach bum. Just kidding she's already got a job and sees celebrites on a daily basis. Her other first in life is ending up being best friends to one of the craziest women she will have ever met (side note is I might be crazy but damn it I'm a fun person) well I think so anyways!!

Crystal is so selfless, loving, and beautiful inside and out. She has a very strong testimony and love for her heavenly father, I was her wild and she was my calm. We always dedicated songs to each other during our workday, just out loud for example I was always going to sing at her wedding a lovely piece from Milivanilli or Mariah Carey. Something really sick like that. When we would be at work together, we just knew what each other was thinking all the time, no words necessary. Before she found her now husband, I was always telling Travis that I'd be fine if she wanted to live with us and be a 'live in' for the rest of her life. She agreed to this if she hit 30 and wasn't hitched. Andy ruined it, thanks a lot Mr. Smith. I could have had a sister wife doing all the crap I didn't want to do, haha!! Offer's always on the table Crystal ;)

We can shop together and wander Target and TJMaxx for hours and I miss that. I wander aimlessly around these stores and take pictures of Maddox and I with obnoxious things on our heads or something we're eating with the words, "wish you were here" attached to the text.

She's been gone for almost 2 months now and I'm a mess. Ahhhh life, whata ride sometime huh? So I helped her pack her room before we parted ways, we hugged/sobbed/embraced before she left. Love you sister!! I love you two million Red Bulls. Three million Casa Mexico salsa and chips and four million Red Robin fry baskets!

Love you Serena ;D -that "R" is rolled heavy just for you...

A True Love, the Oreo

Growing up my mom wasn't a big baker(not knocking her, just sayn') for argument sake we did have our boxed brownies and frozen cookie dough. Anyways, I didn't have Sunday pie or apple cobbler each week after super like my husband did. With that being said, we did have one VERY crucial staple in our home, the Oreo. It's been passed down from my Grandpa Jones and dad as a favorite. No one thought twice if you were seen eating a 6 cookie stack morning, day or night. Oh and did I mention midnight was acceptable too? :D A must with an Oreo stack is his partner in crime, milk. No milk in the house meant there was no consumption of Oreos, dunking is a must!

Well, guess who had his first Oreo, the little man himself. His was not the original or double white stuffed. He clearly had the Holiday style Oreo, non-the-less it was clearly a hit and now a passed on tradition. This event was so big in our house it warranted a call and picture text to Grandpa Jones, he was a proud papa beaming ear to ear:D

                                      

                                                     

Judas Priest, Whatta Week...

What's the quote about you should pray on your knees more often, ummm yeah, something like that, I dunno but I just need to write how I'm feeling at this moment.

You just never know what the lady next to you at the light is going through or the gentleman walking his dog on the sidewalk. If we all had slate boards that we wore around our necks that had written on them just a couple of words that describe the shit you're going through would make you feel more compassionate toward your neighbor wherever you are. Just a couple of words is all. Some I know would be more shocking than others. Maybe just for the day your slate would read 'Stubbed Toe', or 'Calculus Final'. The lady next to you without makeup on and is a hot mess would read, 'New Parent'...ugh wasn't that the best and worst times I've had all wrapped up into one. Even happy events, 'Just Married' 'Preggers' 'New Car'...

Well today my slate would read, 'Dad has cancer'. Colon to be exact.

What is it about this word that scares the hell out of me...maybe the unknown. I know for myself it's because I know NOTHING about Cancer. I mean who the hell googles cancer...no one unless you're a freak or you need to know whether this word is about to rock your world more or less than you think. You need to google it so you can brace yourself for what's to come. Cancer I do know doesn't choose its victims. Just a random draw of 'who gets the short straw today...' Also I might add is I've never had someone in my family since like my great great great grandma have cancer so I've never really wanted to read about it, if that makes sense.

You now what else the cancer word makes me want to do. Get a colon cleanse, body scan, head scan, stomach scan, heart scan, limb scan, did I miss a scan. How about just a body scan altogether. Also only  eat that green smoothie crap for the rest of my life, get off of anything fast food, stop eating meat, stop all snack runs to the local Chevron and cut out all soda in my life...alittle extreme, absolutely. Oh did I mention not eating food dye anymore and making sure I run 5 miles a day everyday until I'm saaaay 85 years old, that's a good number.  (I have to giggle because I'm feeding Maddox Cheetos as I type...nice, way to start that healthy kick)

I think I've personally only known a couple people who've gone through CANCER. I feel like I have to put it in giant letter like THIS!

I vividly remember the day I was at work when my boss's wife had been diagnosed with CANCER, in I want to say 2008. What a crumby day. I say crumby because she'd describe it as crumby because she's such a nice, tender, spiritual, church going, did I mention nice,  suuuper wonderful woman. I'm a pig face and would like to say every swear in the book, don't put it past me at the moment...ever actually, I'll always be a church going curser ;)

Cancer also makes me want to scream at the top of my lungs in anger but in the midst of screaming fall on my knees and pray to my Heavenly Father. It never fails to makes you feel better, every time. (I'm going to burn for cussing and talking about praying in the same post)

Well this is what I'm feeling, I usually don't write in sadness or anger. I'm a very happy person but I needed to just (pause)..........write.

Next week we find out what type of Cancer beast we're dealing with...off to say a little prayer(like the song off of My Best Friends Wedding, love that movie) apparently I'm a smart alec when I'm typing under emotions of upset/sad/mad, good for me ;D

My dad's a wonderful man, hard worker and loves his family. We're all bracing ourselves, holding on tight and nervous for this question mark of a ride...

27 years young!

Well my Birthday came and went and it was fabulous. I'm the big 2-7 now, whew that number's getting bigger and bigger ladies and gents!! Maddox tried to steal his mama's Birthday, his being on the 20th and mine the 23rd of January, we're cutting it close to overlapping it there. I let Travis know he'll have to up his game alittle so that this girls Birthday still shines like it did back in the day of pre-children, er, one child...

We celebrated by hitting up the all-you-can-eat-sushi joint in Boise, Sushi Ya. It's amazeballs. Travis had to work after sushi Maddox and I went to TJ Maxx and we had a little shopping spree of our own, then came back home for nappy time. That was about it, oh and I topped off the night with the Bachelor and the RHOBH, those are both goodies in my book right now. Let's not just jump to conclusions that I'm a horrible mother having the tv on smut at all times. Maddox is learning to love the female and estrogen world. Maddox LOVES watching these ladies, be my guest little man, be my guest. Travis didn't really believe me until he was home on a Monday night(this is when we're planted in front of the boob tube) he witnessed the pure silence and frozen infant when those women frolicked on the screen...so funny.

My girl party was, Sat Jan 28th at mi casa. We've had the same group of friends since elementary, middle and high school. Two of our girls were missing due to their current living away situations, and by situations I mean they're married and have jobs haha!! Sophie Ai is located in Utah and Andrea Ann in Portland...sad day. We love you long time ladies, like fat girls love cake! Those are the words off of my Birthday card from Amber last night, so funny :D Anyways tonight wasn't just a regular "you had a Birthday" party, we had a Spa night party!!  If your 'spa' night consists of massages and relaxation you've come to the wrong party here!! We have a bit of a twisted idea of spa night I guess. We did have some face masks invovled, that was about the most relaxing part, oh wait and some gel nails that were lovely with the UV light and the whole nine yards thanks to Santa's delivering that new item to the Henderson household. We then got down to business. Just for the record NONE of us work in salons and have never had any proper training of what I'm about to type, not a shock to anyone if you know this group. Let us all keep that in mind as you see the large flames in the pictures that everyone has their parts intact,  mmm-kay!! So I've wanted to try those, 'clean that crap outta your ears' candles, so that's what we did, well Chelsea and I, no one else was a believer...until now. A question you may have asked yourself in the past, "do those ear wax candles work to remove the nasty excess wax buildup in your ear canals?" Your answer is a big fat YES!! Yes, you may start your house on fire, burn your hand profusely or get severe smoke inhilation but sign us up!! So Chels and I positions ourselves just right on the stairs with plates in the middle of the candle for a 'drip resevoir' to prevent accidents. We also had waxing assistants Lindsey and Brianna, they're true friends :D The outcome is amazing as you can see the pictures below, it speaks for itself. Our next task was waxing...we had a professional kit if that makes anyone feel better, not enough for me to try it but we had the whole setup...let's just say I'd NEVER get done what went down tonight, I have my limits people, but we have some serious waxing semi-pros on our hands. Who needs a spa when you can just come on over and get your facial, your gel nails, your ears cleaned out and our waxing expert will hook a sister up, where ever you choose...I'd also like to add we're getting a spray tanning gun and we'll be professional tanning techs in no time! Whew whatta night. Thank you for the fun party ladies, I love you breast friends!

Discussing our plan of action

Scared and supporting eachother...alittle screaming was going on too

 Our personal fire marshal was ready at all times, assisting with ash removal and the stabilization of the candle :D she got an A+, always remaining calm under the pressure of the situation

 Getting our de-waxing on

The inspection

 YIKES!! That hard looking ball at the topish of the circle is the wax that made it's way up the candle

Now this looks like a good night, haha. Just the candle residue, don't get crazy people!

These gems are the result of candle waxing, I know disgusting.  But I can attest that I can hear better...say whaaaa?

 These gals know me too well :)

Chelsea's skills in the nail department, I'd say she's a well rounded spa individual. She also was the waxing expert...no we don't have pictures of that event,  you can probably guess why... :D

You've had a Birthday shout Hooray!!! The big O-N-E!!

Well, we made it one year...sometimes barely but hey, we're all alive and well at the Henderson household :D Our little, or tall, monkey turned the big 1 on Jan 20th, sigh. Here's a little re-cap on our weekend festivites for the Goo. Friday morning we woke up at 11, just in time for breakfast ;) Maddox loves him a good elmo party so that we did. Breakfast with the red guy. We put Maddox in his highchair, I donned a Big Bird hat, daddy Cookie Monster and the man of the week got Elmo. He likes to be apart of making food so he watched while we listened to the All time Number 1 hits of Michael Jackson. Maddox loves alittle MJ in the mornin...er afternoon. We made eggs, pancakes(elmo shape for the boy), bacon, sausage, hashbrowns, strawberries and blueberries. I think we needed some more options. We put Maddox on his new rocking/bouncing horse, he was alittle unsure of what to do, he'll get the hang of it...someday. We also got him some more big boy cups in an array of colors, color tablets for bath time and bubbles. Apparently we've deprived him off the bubble world because you would have thought  Santa himself was taking a bath with Maddox, a little creepy maybe but it's true. He was screaming with excitment. Of coarse while mom is doing the dishes, dad and Maddox played and played in the bubbles. I could hear him just screaming with excitment so I came upstairs to join the nudity fest. Travis had to work that night so Maddox, G and G Jones and I went to "On The Boarder" for dinner.

My sad attempt of an edible Elmo

                            Inspecting the bubble situation :D

            After his dinner with G and G Jones and his mamma.
                                         
Saturday rolled around and it was party central for this klan! We had a circus themed party at the one and only cesspool in Boise...I mean I wanted to immediatly bathe just walking through the doors into this place, drum roll please...Chuck e Cheese, I mean wooooow. I'm surprised we all don't have diseases this morning but hey, welcome to the world of kids and germs. No.?  Well anyways we had a blast, and actually closed the place down, Maddox had a blast for being a one year old around a million kids screaming like hethans. Apparently the American tradition is to have a small child receive their own cake and let them flail themselves about with their little appendeges and digits just everywhere...ok I guess. So we did just that. He loved his cake and ate it too ;) he really got in there and dug around, shocking acutally. We set up an account for Maddox and when asked what he 'needs' for his Birthday we just directed them towards cash giving, best idea I've ever had. He has more toys, clothes, hats, shoes, onsies, blankets, stuffed animals, bibs, lotions and binkies you could shake a stick at. So money is what he was given, oh and some cute clothes, hats, shoes, toys and pj's haha!

                           Not so sure of that mouse guy...

His DARLING sock monkey GG Henderson made!

Cake Time!!

Looking alittle over stimulated at this point 

 

Fun meter is below empty for the Birthday Boy

            Most of our family and Maddox's favorite Aunts, notice that's plural ladies attended the birthday bash. I'm not sure if I got pictures of anyone else other than the Birthday boy and us with the mouse guy. In attendance were the Manning and Whittle family. Both sets of grandparents Jones and Henderson. Great granparents, the Richards. Our other family the Brintons, minus Jordann because she's in Africa eating only roots and bananas apparently. My take on that is a great way to shed some LB's, just sayn'. Uncle Taylor and Aunt April with the baking fetus, Bryten. Aunts Chelsea and Crystal. Aunts/Uncles Brianna/Jake, Cassi/Bry. The Robertsons klan are hosting the chicken pox virus so we missed them. We also missed the Roberts, Reinertson and the Clune family . We had a great friend L'erin and her boys Nixon and Boston who attended our party at 1 instead of 5:30, she said she had a great time even tho we weren't there yet...haha. Love ya L'er!