Travel Time

I'll be taking Sydney to Arkansas this weekend to visit family prior to the holiday since I'll be working nearly every day next week. She'll be seeing her paternal grandmother and half brother for the first time in over a year. I hope everything goes well.

All It Takes is a Little Silence

Life has been so hectic lately. I've been picking up extra hours at work to get ready for the holidays. Today has been the first day in a long time I'm home alone with Sydney. In the midst of doing laundry and listening to her jabber in the background, some part of my brain was activated. I got lonely. I reminisced a little too long. Thought about where I'd be now if things hadn't changed so drastically 1.5 years ago. I shake and rattle my head to send the thoughts away, but I can't un-think them.

My World With a Collective Sigh

So, we all know who won the election. I guess it is what it is. I'll try not to get too political. The only thing I hate about it is that there are million of people who absolutely do not want this guy as president, but still have to accept it anyway and the positive or negative consequences with him and his decisions. GAG. It's a conundrum. What is there to do but grin and bear it? On a positive note, Sydney is pretty much potty trained. She hasn't peed in her big girl panties for almost two weeks. I'm so proud of her.

Election Day

I cast my vote, not that it matters in the state where I live.  Then took Sydney and her grandma to IHOP.  All is good with the world for the next 8 hours.

Halloween

I've taken a stance on Halloween for Sydney for the foreseeable future.  She was elated to hand out candy to children ringing the doorbell.  

I let her have one pack of smarties and told her the rest was for the "kids."  She giggled like a mad man every time the doorbell rang.

Better to let go of all of our candy than have it hang around the house increasing my waist line at the beginning of the holiday season.

 

Here Comes the Cold

I like cold weather.  I like wearing sweat shirts and long pants and bundling up a warm blanket.
I like snuggling with my munchkin
Syd's new favorite thing is to tell everyone thank you.  Which is really polite, but loses its sincerity over time.

Right now we miss Sydney's uncle, my brother, Ryan.  He's deployed to Afghanistan for at least another 7 months.  These pictures are from the weekend before his deployment.  I had a shirt made for Sydney.  The front says Rakkasan which is Ryan's troop name.

I have to believe everything will be okay.  If I lived in fear, I'd never let Sydney leave the house.

Where Does the Time Go?

I'm frustrated with the state of the world.  All the hate, lies, and manipulation people use to get what they want. 
I'm also tired of people taking and not giving... abusing the system. 
I hate that I work in a place where people can come in and use services for non emergent situations and think they will never have to pay.  For people who drink themselves into comas and turn up here for detox just to get sober for a couple of days and return again for their next "free detox."
People who constantly abuse illegal drugs and turn here when their trip goes bad.
I'm developing a jaded attitude here.