Delve into the adventures of Supergirl: October already?

September FLEW. I mean FLEW by.

Busy. What's new? Don't I always say that?

I think it's safe to say that I have a free half hour to update:

First, the good:

I've started using a day planner. You know, like a mini pocket calendar? I'm totally old school that way, even though my fancy phone has a calendar. I use my fancy phone for 3 things-phone calls, texting, and keeping the kids busy in a pinch. They like the stool scanner app.

Anyway, the day planner has items on it every.single.day. Photo shoots for parents at my school, baseball practices, tournaments, games, racing. Parties, get togethers.

Planning a Halloween bash, a trip to an awesome pumpkin patch in Utah, and Katie's bridal shower. Our Disneyland trip (just B & I) has been rescheduled because the pumpkin patch trip to Utah can only be done in October, and it turns out we only have one free weekend this month.

Work has kept me BUSY. My 6 hour day flies by. I get there and the next thing I know, it's time to leave. It's a good thing. I rather work and be productive, you know? Sometimes I wish I worked full time just to be able to finish all that I need to do, but the work can be done the following day, and the students will be there when I get back the following day.

Kai's running for student council President. I'm not sure he has the popularity factor going for him, he's more of the book worm type. I am so proud of him for even taking the initiative to run. How did I luck out and get such an amazing 10 year old?

I dropped Kai off at school today at 6am-he left on his big 5th grade field trip to the San Bernardino mountains in California to a place called the Pali Institute. He won't be back until Wednesday evening. He loves all things outdoorsy and science related, I know he is going to have a wonderful time.

http://www.paliinstitute.com/

Jake started tball, and I forgot how ADORABLE 3 and 4 year olds look in their little uniforms. Jake is definitely more outgoing than Kai was at that age. He'll yell out, "Coach! I gotta go pee!" in the middle of a game, and run off the field to go pee. He is a CRACK UP. He's still very much interested in auto mechanics. His current obsessions are Halloween, skulls, and the BP oil spill. He's very concerned about the ocean animals and birds that were involved in the spill, and draws pictures of them a lot.

Jake's been doing great with the workbook preschool work that we do together. My Mother in law is very involved in the work as well-she has a copy of the workbooks at her home as well.

Jewel has found her quirk. She loves fashion. The different textures and colors interest her. She has taken a liking to dressing funky-brightly colored tights or leggings with a denim skirt, a necklace and chunky boots, or skinny jeans, flats, a funky patterned shirt and a scarf. She's very artsy and is still very much interested in painting, drawing and writing.

Jewel is starting hip hop dance classes tonight. She has also been signed up for the next theater workshop there. I love her dance/gymnastics school. It's a conservatory of the arts so there many choices of what type of dance and activities to do.

Billy & I drove to Colorado the other weekend. We spent 13+ hours in the car to and from his hometown in Colorado, and never once had a quiet moment. Wait, I lied. It was quiet when he fell asleep =) It was a quick trip-we spent the time with his childhood friends as well as cousins.

I love my siblings. My sister moved into my condo, which is about 6 minutes away from our house. She picks me up for coffee, we stop at my Dad's house since it's on the way to mine. My brother is there and we just hang out, talking. I'm in my PJ's the whole time, peeing with the door open so that I won't miss any of the conversation that we're having. That's just the way we are.

..and for balance, some of the 'icky'. I won't say they're 'bad' things, they're just things that I could definitely be fine without.

My Dad is getting a divorce. My stepmom and him have been together for 13 years. The day after Labor Day, him and I had a long talk about things. We all knew that he hasn't been happy with her, and vice versa. When I used to ask him if he was happy, he's say that he's 'content'. I told him that being content isn't enough. She's moving out in two weeks.

I think a lot, and worry a lot about my Dad and stepdad. They both will be single men in their early 50's. I just want them to be happy. I wish my Mom were here. I wish I had the strength to be able to do something to make them happy. I know that ultimately, you make your own happiness, but why can't a daughter assist in helping a Dad (and stepdad) find their happiness?

The older I get, the more I notice that I've somehow become the glue of the family. I have merged my step family (my stepdad, cousins, my littlest brother), my Dad's family, my Mom's family, AND my inlaws. Relatives from every side of the family gather at my home on Thanksgiving and Christmas. When there is a get together to be planned, everyone looks to me to be in charge of this. That is the part that I enjoy immensely. However, the part about wishing I could do more to make my loved ones happy can be an enormous responsibility at times.

Also, my Dad has a mole on his nose. Biopsy results show stage 1 melanoma. As if Dad's not going through enough already. He's treating it like a minor procedure. He does this a lot to my Grandma and I. He doesn't want us to worry. *HE* was the glue and the support of his family. I wish he could see that it's OK to be supported when he needs it.

Dad gets back from Hawaii in a few days, we shall see what happens next with the melanoma. Of course, this will take major monitoring of any and all moles. Luckily, this stage doesn't seem as serious, but with what happened with my Mom, there is always a feeling of dread, when it comes to things like this.

Another issue-I have really bad self esteem right now. My face has broken out horribly the past few months, and it has not recovered. I have never had blemishes this bad in my life, and now in my 30's, I am experiencing adult acne. I know that this has to be due to stress or my hormones being off balance, I suppose. My diet has not changed. I have actually lost some weight (hello, size 2 bridesmaid dress! But I ordered a 4 'just in case' because I fluctuate). My face hates me. I am so embarrassed even to be around B. Somehow, B has been extra affectionate and our sex life (TMI) has been AMAZING lately, but I don't understand it. I look like a 14 year old girl with bad skin.

I left a lot of things in between, but you get the gist. We're just living, the best way we know how.

Jake's tball