My 5 favorite Steveo quotes

1. Mom, can we go to 7/11 for dinner?

2. Maybe one day I can work at "Your name here" they seem to be everywhere, what do they sell?

3. Mom, you need to shift your anger to your artwork, work it out with the paint mom.

4. When I grow up, Im going to be a writer or actor or artist or wrestler or chef or musician or doctor.

5. Hey, Ive got an idea, instead of going to the beach today, lets just go to Ireland.

Steveo when you read this, I just want you to know, I love you so much and had such a good week exploring the beach, second hand shops, parks, eating ice cream, and going to China town together. I hope you will always be my little traveling buddy.

Orange County Fair

Yesterday, Steveo and I brought Gram and Alex (Steveos cousin) to the OC Fair. Its pretty much like any county fair. Steveo wanted to go on the rides. Alex wanted to play the games. I wanted to spend hours in the petting zoo (and hoard some animals) Gram was content with all of it. We learned patience, kindness, compromise. Steveo got to eat Chocolate covered bacon and rode the rides, Alex played and won a few games, I made friends with a goat, and Gram enjoyed the day. On the way home we met Tom at his work and went out to dinner.
Today I am in full lazy couch potato mode.

4th of July photos

Chance didnt like the big dogs.

Bellula was sweet.

Im just grateful he wanted to come with us.

It has become a new tradition to go to Toms dads home in San Clemente where the weather is beautiful and the air is clean. We go and roast marshmellows, along with my soon-to-be sister in law Dana and her husband Eric. I took Chance along too. I had an opportunity to have a good chat with Steveo regarding bullying. I love that he trusts me enough to tell me about his worries. I hope we always maintain that tight connection.

Nick had a blast too, and spent half the time playing video games and watching Spaceballs. He seems really comfortable around Toms family too. All in All, it was a happy Independence Day.

Sea World

Sea World with the boys was cool. This was Steveos first time there, and Nicks 3rd. It has been a few years since I last went, and they added a cool Cirque De Solei type show. That was my favorite part.

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Steveo got a snake painted on his face.

As Im taking pics of Steveos new face paint, I notice Nick made a new friend. I discretely snapped a picture of her. Apparently, while Nick was sitting on the bench waiting for us, she sat next to him and initiated small talk. Nick is such a cutie and girls were checking him out left and right. He was completely oblivious.

steveo and I play with light

Amazing what you can find in the $1.00 bin at Target.

Dear Nick

I dont know how this happened, but somehow you have transformed into a full blown 14 year old on his way to high school in September. I tried to use our road trip today as a series of teaching moments. Like, when I was driving on the freeway and I almost changed lanes right into a black SUV. I explained to you that its really important to check your blind spot to avoid that kind of a situation, or how I showed you how to pump gas and and swipe a credit card to pay for it. I suddenly feel like I have so much to teach you about driving, handling money, being safe, how to not cave into peer pressure. I just cant keep up. I still remember talking to your dad when you were a baby about how he has more patience and he should be the one to teach you how to drive. He proudly agreed. He looked forward to teaching you to drive a stick, I wish he was here. You both have missed out on so much of each other. You two are more alike than you know.

And so here I am, 14 years later, trying to make up for the loss, trying to do it all as fast as I can because before I kn0w it, you will be graduating, you will have your whole life ahead of you, and whether I want to or not, I will have to let you go to live life on your own, to make mistakes, to learn from mistakes, to make choices and live with them. I have to release you into a scary world and that thought alone keeps me in the now. I cant even focus on that time yet, so I will just celebrate who you are now. I love you and you will always be my Nicolopogus and there isnt anything I wouldnt do or sacrifice for you.

Happy Birthday Nicolopogus

So his birthday fell on Mothers Day this year, so we did the whole birthday/paintball day today instead. This is his 3rd year, and he brought 2 friends along this year instead of one. I cant believe he will be in high school next year. Im so proud of him, he has been getting all A's in his classes except for Language Arts, and this year he has made a lot more friends at school. All I want is to see him happy.

I love you more than anything my little Nicolopogus. ( He made me swear to never call him that in front of his friends)