Celebrating Independence Day......Am I Odd or Old?

Sometimes I don't know if I am 'Odd' or 'Old'....and that is a sign I have a lot of time on my hands to think about things.  I have never been able to 'do nothing', not as a child, certainly as a mother or a working professional or as a grandmother....I love to be busy, have a full day and a list of things that need to be done; places to go; people to meet up with, trips to plan, etc. I am happiest when I plan the work and work the plan - as unrealistic as that is in life. Schedules, Itineraries, lists, tasks = be still my heart! 

 

The Master Plan was to ease into this phase of my life slowly and scheduled, however all that changed because of many twists and turns with my career with all of Steve's surgeries the days of going and doing and planning have been scaled back - way back - without my master plan and schedule phases. 

 

Hello!  Being a control queen it is a HUGE adjustment and honestly, I feel a little lost.  I still have lots going on; however, all 'necessary' things and not so much of the other kinds of things that were part of my plan. 

 

Surgery #3 was this week and I am so hopeful that he will feel good again soon.  I realize it is important I finally face and deal with down time that I used to crave for back in the crazy days and figuring out my new normal...slowly getting there....not quite a rudderless ship but not quite on course either.....and always learning, learning, learning. I can do this!

 

Independence Day - aka July 4th is my FAVORITE holiday, second only to Thanksgiving (is that Odd that Christmas, Easter and Halloween aren't my favorite?)

 

 

 It was the day after Steve's surgery but he was able to hobble out for our annual picture with the boys before the parade.....

 My little guys were so tired after a busy week, but they know I love to take them to the parade and manned up.  Of course I loved the lap cuddling before it started - never too old for that!

 Our selfie....miss you Gramps!

 Brian was working so it was Mommy, Me and the boys...

 We have been going to this parade since Kristen was 5, so fun to take her boys....

 It's a funky little neighborhood parade, kind of like the Doo Day parade in Pasadena (small scale) and the theme this year was our 30th anniversary of Scripps Ranch - Flashback to the 70's. 

 The Village People were really looking old.....the cop had knee replacement surgery.

 There are a few 'Normal' entries....loved this one.  These ladies in the Ranch make Red, White and Blue quilts for Wounded Warriors....our neighborhood is very Patriotic!

One of the Annual Entries is 'Preservation of the Middle Class' - basically drunk guys dressed up weird pushing their lawn mowers and equipment in formation while drinking beer...a crowd favorite!

 At the end of their formation they all rush to the crowd and kiss a pretty girl - Kristen got a big juicy one this year!  Lucky guy!

 This is my favorite view of the parade....watching my little loves watch the parade....

 This view is not bad either.....

After the parade we go to our house and let the boys play in the water, barbeque, have fireworks and kick back.  This year the backyard is all dirt (the never ending landscape remodel) so we had to improvise!

 Then we had our 'Daytime' Firework show.....and save the 'Nighttime' stuff for later in the month

 The boys loved the 'Crazy Eyeballs', Snakes and Sparklers....then they went home and packed, met up with Daddy and headed to Colorado!

 It's nice to focus on what Independence Day is and what it is really about, not parades, wearing red, white and blue, picnics and sparklers, but to be grateful for why we have Independence and the cost of it all....the day before Steve's surgery we took the boys to the Navy Seal Exhibit in Coronado to help them understand the real meaning of Independence Day.  This kinda says it all....after the museum we took the boys around Coronado and thanked everyone in uniform for their service. 

 I have been cleaning out closets and working down my project pile.  I came across these School Themed items that I have had for awhile.....

 The boys have to go back to school in Early August so I like to do a little Back to School table scape on their table here at the house.  I had these bird houses that were kind of shaped like school houses....so I painted them up....

 Are school houses yellow - or is that odd?

 I embellished them up and they will be ready for display after all the 4th stuff is down.

 The landscapers had a nice long weekend so Brian and the boys helped us plant around our area near the patio in front....these boys love to dig in the dirt.

 This is the cutest plant we have!  He is growing like a weed!

So am I Odd?

 

 or Old?

 

The Addie gave me a list of TV shows that he thought I would enjoy during my downtime....try 'Orange is the New Black' mom....so I did.  Honestly after the first few episodes I was perplexed as to why Adam would think I would enjoy a bizarre lesbian psycho Netflix show.  I was thinking I was too old - or too odd to 'get it'.  But having lots of down time, I stuck around for a few more episodes.  So by investing a little more time - which I would have never done before...I found the real reason why he thought I would like it.  It's not about my first impression, it is about looking beyond where your circumstances are at the present, finding a way to cope, struggle, endure and appreciate things more.  It's about the bigger lesson when you have nothing but time to deal with things and creating your new normal.

 Well played and Good Call The Addie......you know what your mom needs before she knows it!  Odd or Old = Both!