Happy Halloween

I can't believe I am actually putting up a post on time....Wooo Hooo!


Last year we started the tradition of decorating pumpkin people. We each decorated our own and Jackson and I did the pets this year too. Here is The Standifer Pumpkins.... Lou....
Shannon....
Jackson.....
Simon.....
Benji....Goldie....Arn't his fins great?!

Here's a few pumpkins we carved too....
And since we were feeling so silly....Jackson and I decided to go to Target last night and pick out some costumes for the dogs...They were onsale and we just couldn't wait to get home and try them on the dogs... Benji...The pumpkin! AND Simon...The Hot Dog!....Hahahahahahahahahahahahahhahaha! We thought this was hilarious! We are lucky our dogs are pretty good sports about dressing up...they are not crazy about it, but they left them on long enough to take pictures.

Here we are at the Pumpkin Patch...We had a fun time

Sleep Over

This last weekend we celebrated my cousin, Jill's, baby's 1^st birthday. Like many 1^st birthday parties…it was big. It was in my grandparents' backyard…because that is The place to have a party. Just ask Jackson…he's gotten permission to have every birthday party for his "whole life" in Grandma Gail's backyard. My grandma and aunt worked hard to get everything ready…My grandma made orange chicken, chicken nuggets, potato salad, lil' smokies, all kinds of good food. And my Aunt Kim made an adorable Nemo piñata, and put together some fun goody bags for the kids.

Jackson and I went to the party and Lou stayed home to get some school work done. I'm sure he would have rather gone to the party, but he really was swamped with papers to grade, lesson plans to write…you know, teacher stuff. Anyway, Jackson and I had a lot of fun visiting with family and friends.

Side Note: In 2007, when Lou and I got married, Jackson met Nadia. Nadia is the daughter of our close family friends. They live in Irvine and we, unfortunately, don't get to see them very often.

Nadia and her family came up to visit for Sophie's party and so Jackson and Nadia got to see each other. At first they were a little shy…They have both grown up a lot in 2 ½ years, but it didn't really take long for them to warm back up to each other.

This was a weekend Jackson was supposed to be with his mom, so I felt lucky to get him long enough to go to the party. I knew I needed to have him back to her around 5:00 so I was watching the clock. I started hinting to Jackson that we needed to think about leaving soon and before I knew it he was asking me if he could spend the night at grandma's house. He has really NEVER expressed an interest in spending the night ANYWHERE. I was a little surprised, but quickly said that I didn't think Nadia was spending the night (I actually knew she was), and that she was probably going to head back home to Irvine in a little while.

A few minutes went by and Jackson came back and said that Nadia "told me" they are spending the night. I said no again. I told him it was his mom's weekend and that he was lucky he even got to come to the party. He begged me to call her and ask her.

I did what any step-mom would do…I called my husband. I told Lou what was going on and he said no. I told him that Jackson was begging and practically crying and so he said he would call Jackson's mom. Less than a minute later he called back and said that she wasn't answering his call.

I told Jackson that we had to go. He hated this, but I told him that we could ask his mom and if she said yes…I would bring him back. He said okay to this and we left grandma and grandpa's house quickly. On the way to his mom's house I warned him that she might say no and if she did it was all we could do. I told him that she might have already made plans for them and he could not be mad if she said no to this request. Jackson assured me that he had an "approach."

We pulled up to her house and walked to the door. He went inside and said, "Mom, can I see you on the porch?" The next thing I know Jackson, his mom and me are all on the porch of her house and Jackson says, "Mom, Nadia is here visiting and she's all grown up and she doesn't come very often and we want to have a sleepover." His mom says, "Okay." And Jackson is so excited. That was his "approach."

I took him home to get some clothes and things together. He gave Lou a quick hug and kiss and in less than an hour, from when we left, we were back at Grandma's with a back pack full of stuff.

All the way over there I was asking Jackson, "Are you sure?" "Are you scared?" "If you want to call us, you can." He was so happy to be going for a sleep over…he didn't even seem one bit scared. It was my Grandma's house…I had slept over there a bunch of times (and lived there a while in my twenties), but I was still kind of nervous…this was Jackson's "first" sleepover.

As soon as we got there Nadia and Jackson went off in the bedroom to claim their spot. They both had their Nintendo DS and were "chatting." Jackson brought "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" and Nadia was excited about that. I gave Gram the run-down and after a little while I left.

I picked up dinner and a movie for Lou and me and we snuggled in for the night. We had our cell phones and our home phone right near us just in case Jackson called, but about ten o'clock or so we figured he was good and went to bed. I have to say I didn't sleep all that well. When morning came we got up and got ready and went over to Gram's for breakfast (and to pick up Jackson). We walked in the back door and there he was sitting at the kitchen table eating breakfast.

Grandma told us that he had a great time and that around midnight she had to finally go in there and sleep between Jackson and Nadia because EVERYONE had told them that it was getting late and they needed to go to bed. Grandma slept between the two kids on an airbed. She said Jackson made fart noises and Nadia cracked up, they told jokes and laughed at each other…Grandma kept saying "okay quit talking and go to sleep" and they would giggle and just keep talking. I think they had a great time…Even Grandma! It has been a long time since she had a slumber party with the grandkids.

*Note: I didn't take any pictures of the two of them at Grandma's House....I don't know why.

In Loving Memory

I have sat down to write this post about a half dozen times...It's been hard for me to do. Tonight I was lying in bed and I could not get Kat out of my head...at one time I laid there and said, "Kat, what do you want to tell me?" I realized that tomorrow will be a month since she left us. I got out of bed and decided tonight I would post this post.

Fifteen years ago (I was 15 and in the 10th grade), I met Luna Runge in my drama class. I can't really remember the getting to know you stuff...It seems to me like we were just always friends. Over the years we have become the best of friends and I feel so lucky to call her my very best friend.


I can't really tell you when I first met Kat...Luna's mom. Their family has always been easy going and I really don't remember any formal introductions. Sometime in high school as my friendship with Luna developed so did my relationship with Kat and Dennis..and Wylie (although to Wylie I have probably just always been "his sister's friend").

I remember so many nights spent out at the Runge House. We had Sadie Hawkins dinner out there one year. I spent the night in Luna's room a bunch of times (she had two twin beds...it was perfect). I remember one Thanksgiving (in high school) going with The Runge's to see Hamlet (in the movie theater)...It was the only movie I have ever been to that had an intermission.


As I spent more and more time with Luna and her family, Kat became like a second mom to me. When Luna went away to college in San Diego I still saw Kat quite often. She had a stamp store at the time and I used to stop in and visit her...and Jeremy (another close friend who worked for Kat in her store). When Luna graduated from UC San Diego I went down to San Diego with Kat and Dennis for her graduation.


Luna went off to grad school in Michigan after graduating from UC San Diego. I can't really remember what year it was, but one day while Luna was up in Michigan I remember her calling me. Kat was in the hospital after having a tumor removed from her stomach. Luna was quite upset that she couldn't be there and asked me to go to the hospital. Jeremy and I went to see her in the hospital. I know she was glad to see us because it reminded her of Luna.


Her family was so important to her.


Over the last few years Kat didn't feel like Luna's mom, or my friend's mom...she was my friend.

I have so many great great memories of you Kat...Playing in your stamp store, making cards and bookmarks with you, putting together favors for Chris and Luna's wedding, gathering up craft supplies to make favors for my wedding, dinners out on your porch, visiting your dad with you and Luna and trying on some of your mom's old dresses, long talks about anything and everything....I loved your stories...You really had all the best ones.


Here is Kat and Dennis at our wedding. She always had that big smile on her face. And most of the time she was laughing...sometimes I can hear her beautiful laugh. Anyone who has laughed with Kat can hear her laugh (and knows what I mean when I say it was beautiful). Here is Kat's tanning bed on wheels....

We nicknamed it that one day when we were out to lunch at Mimi's. I will remember that lunch forever Kat! I often drive by Mimi's and look to see if you are sitting at our table right outside. We had lunch together just to catch up on everything. I remember our conversation so well...and you took my picture sitting at the table...I remember thinking, oh I can't believe she is taking my picture...we just ate. But that is just how you are. And I didn't care.

We talked about Wylie and Shauna getting married and how you found out. We talked about their plans to host a reception (possibly at your dad's house). We talked about Dennis and your travel plans for the summer. We talked about that Eggplant Napoleon recipe that you were going to cook for me. We talked about my infertility and I remember you having such a positve outlook on the whole situation (I was actually pregnant while we were having that lunch, but didn't know it yet). I remember you had the grilled cheese and fruit and I had pasta. I remember when it came time to pay you said, "I got it this time...you pay next time." and I said, "then lets do this again soon." We walked out to your fancy sports car and you gave me the tour...we laughed when I called it the tanning bed on wheels. You drove off and I went back to work. It was a wonderful time that I will always remember.

Not much more than a week later you were at my house with dinner for me and Lou after we lost our baby. You brought us lasagna and salad and bread and flowers. You stayed and visited and like you always did, you shed light on a gloomy situation. I don't think anyone has that ability like you do...Anytime I talked to you about a bad, sad, frusterating situation you could always make things not look so bad. (I actually think Luna has that a little bit too.)

Kat you have been there for me more than you probably realized...one other thing you did for us that meant so much to us...You hosted our rehearsal dinner out at your house. You put everything together so nicely and went out of your way to make us feel so special. Thank you!

I found this on your facebook page after you passed away...I think it really says a lot about you:

25 things to share about me:

1. I married my best friend.
2. Was on an experimental chemo drug for over a year...saved my life.
3. I own a boat manufacturing company.
4. Love spending time with my kids.
5. I drive fast...really fast...and have a sports car to support the habit (& a '69 Mustang musle car).
6. I have lunch with my brother almost every week.
7. Helped birth two of my grandkids.
8. Once owned a retail craft supply store.
9. I love looking out my window and seeing the snow capped Sierra.
10.I was assistant professor at University of Northern Iowa (costume design)
11. Lived in NYC...Williansburg specifically...around the corner from Peter Luger's and on the NY marathon route.
12. Can't pass up a pop-up book...the artsier or cleverer and more intricate, the better.
13. Borrowed my son's Wii and don't want to give it back.
14. Spent August 1983 cooking chili and cornbread in Edenburgh...while looking out over an old old graveyard...very Oooooold.
15. I stood on a train trestle over a gorge in Alaska...truly an aweson and awe inspiring experience.
16. I drink coffee...fresh brewed or old...hot or cold...love the smell, love the taste.
17. Have an art collection...my home looks more like an art gallery...Ha!
18. I prefer Pinot Noir, Syrah and Port...dark, sultry and rich.
19. I adore gargoyles, grotesques, and dragons...sculptures...they can be found all around my home watching over me.
20. I have a pssion for bracelets and earrings...so I make them. I also buy other jewelry artist's work.
21. Audible.com...God bless it!
22. Practicing patience...waiting for The Mister to retire so we can take more road trips.
23. I wish I had a personal assistant...I could get so much more done.
24. I believe in the 80/20 theory...we use 20% of our "stuff" with 80% sitting idle. I'd like to get rid of 80% of my craft supplies. I managed to rid myself of 80% of my clothes, but somehow my closet it full again...sheesh!
25. As is typical of me....I am writing this list on the middle of the night.


Kat, you were such a neat lady. You will be missed greatly and never EVER forgotten. We Love you Kat.

Visitor at the Standifer house

My dad came to visit us a couple of weeks ago. It was a quick, but nice visit. We got to show him around our favorite parts of town...Casa Corona, Yodigity, Swim America, and Target. He loved our new house and really enjoyed our new neighborhood. We took a few pictures in our back yard. We tried to get the dogs to cooperate, but they weren't feeling like being photographed.

Dad, we are so happy that you finally made it down for a quick trip. We know it's a long way for you and you never have enough time to stay too long, but we sure have fun having you here. Jackson was so glad to have you try Yodigity and we've been looking for our picture up on the wall in there, but we haven't seen it yet.

Thanks for everything. We love you! Come back again soon.