A Day in the Life...

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-28T21:59:00.000-07:00

Keeping busy

2009-07-08T22:47:00.000-07:00

Just for my loyal reader (smile). Things are busy as usual here at the house of K. We are preparing for our family vacation. This year, we're switching things up a bit and traveling down to Southern California to see Megan rather than the opposite. We're going to rent a beach house in San Clemente, CA for a week, take Kaylee to Disneyland for her 11th birthday, and visit friends and family that a good portion of our family (Kara and Randy) hasn't seen in a while.

It's been a pretty good summer so far even though we miss having the older girls here. It's strange not having them around but we're handling it pretty well because we'll all be together in a few weeks. Kaylee has been busy with church and dance and I've been driving her all over the place so that keeps me busy. And although business is slower this year for Randy, he's busy too. And things are picking up so that's nice.

Other than that, we've just been hanging around the pool, having friends from out of town visit, and pretty much just enjoying summer!

Hope summer is just as much fun for you!

See you in Cali!

Letting Go

2009-06-29T19:27:00.000-07:00

I just had a conversation with my daughter Megan about letting go of childhood and embracing adulthood. I never realized that there is this possibility of teenagers actually not wanting to get older. It was a new revelation! It wasn't until I was already an adult and trying to survive in the big, bad world that I realized I missed childhood and all of the things that that represented, like spending time with my parents. It was sweet and heartbreaking to hear her talk about letting go.

She's 16 now and just received her driver's license and naturally wants a car to experience this new found freedom. The only problem is, she has to work for it. Her dad suggested selling her dirt bike to help pay for "freedom" but she didn't like that idea. Even though the bike is too small for her and her dad was selling his anyway and, even though they only do it about once a year, it represented a piece of her childhood that she's not ready to let go of.

This was the last activity that she and her dad had together and she didn't want to lose it. She was afraid that they wouldn't have anything else to share together and that would be it. Most teens wouldn't have blinked an eye if there was a way to get even one step closer to having their own car. At the same time, most parents would LOVE to know that their teenagers actually like spending time with them. And although Megan really wants her own car, the thought of not having this with her dad, I believe, scared her.

She and her dad will always be close. I believe that if she told him how she really felt, he'd understand and find another way to spend that precious time with her. Plus, I explained that she'll have the opportunity to create this same type of relationship and memories with her own children by doing with them the things she loved to do as a child.

I'm really proud of and admire her for recognizing what she was feeling and hopefully I helped her in some small way to let go a little of her childhood and start embracing the inevitable...adulthood. It's a slow, painful process but one we all have to face and hopefully, with the help of family and friends, she'll face it with strength, love and dignity.

Our Time in Texas

2009-05-25T15:37:00.000-07:00

San Antonio, Texas is a great city. With an abundance of old west architecture, mission row, The Riverwalk and it's outlying countryside, it definitely has a lot to offer the first time tourist. Randy and I had a wonderful week relaxing, taking in the sights and celebrating our 10th year together!

Texas also has some of the best food and the nicest people in the U.S. Everywhere we went, we made friends and I think between the two of us, we gained enough weight to equal the amount of time we've been married! But it was worth every bite!

We really enjoyed ourselves and in the quaint town of Fredericksburg, we came across this sign in a storefront window that pretty much describes our trip to Texas and our new motto in life!

We really loved the German town of Fredericksburg. Only about 30 years ago, if you didn't speak German, the townspeople would not help you or sell you anything. That's how deep the German culture ran. But the need to survive surpassed the need to retain a cultural "island" and they let go of their rigid expectations. But the town has maintained it's uniqueness and beauty and it was one of the best days spent on our trip! By the way, you're allowed to drink outside of the pubs and restaurants. Needless to say, Randy was a happy camper and so was I! Who wants to sit in a dark pub when the sun was shining and there's shopping to be done!

This was our last day and we visited the Marketplace where one Mexican-American family built an empire starting with a little restaurant counter. This soon became Mi Tierra, the best Mexican Restaurant in San Antonio, or so they say. We had to try it for ourselves and we weren't disappointed. Across from the restaurant/bakery was this neat Mariachi Bar, complete with the painted brick wall that used to be a billboard for cigars.

Our neighbor, George Southern, is a San Antonio native and he gave us many suggestions on what to do while we were there. The best one was driving an hour out of town to visit his daughter's restaurant "Rails". We thought it would be cool to meet her and tell her we're friends with her father but unfortunately, she had left early. However, even after only eating an hour before, we decided to have a light lunch there because the food sounded so good and the service was outstanding! Again, we were not disappointed! The food was out of this world and the restaurant really has a nice, relaxing feel to it. We sat out on the patio and afterwards, toured the inside since it used to be an old train depot and has a really rich history to it. Ironically, Southern Railroad used to run by this station and so it's befitting that a "Southern" owns it!

In downtown San Antonio, the place to be is the Riverwalk. With every restaurant imaginable, a beautiful park-like setting and happy people everywhere, this IS the place to be on a warm summer night. Another place where you can take your drinks with you! We enjoyed the gondola ride and learning about the grassroots history of this fine city!

Of course there's the Alamo. It isn't as big as you think but it's BIG on history and learning of the history and the battles that this little mission endured, is a wonderful experience. Our hotel was right next door and across from that was a federal building that was haunted because it sat on the ground where the most lives were taken in battle. And another thing that was interesting to find out was that because it's a national monument, nothing can be built around it that would cast a shadow on it. So all of the city that has been built around this mission is either low to the ground or faces away from the monument so as not to cast a shadow on it.

Let's not forget that prior to our wonderful anniversary trip, I had to attend a conference, which was great by the way! At our hotel, which had a country-western theme of course, there was the long bar for those evenings after the conference when all you wanted to do was listen to the juke box and drink a cold one! This was the place to be!

Well, that was our trip to Texas. We had a great time and would like to go back someday. I think Randy wants to be a cowboy and move there! We didn't find a real country bar with cowboys dancing around but I did get to wear my boots so I was happy! We did however find some good BBQ, great Mexican food, wonderful cuisine, and some very lovely people!

Thanks Texas! Y'all got big hearts!!!

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T15:52:00.000-07:00

Today is Mother's Day and we've celebrated it somewhat quietly. We're also trying to get ready for our trip but even with all the work that needs to be done, my wonderful husband took time out of his busy schedule to take portraits of Kaylee and I.

The picture you see here is not a part of that session, but I thought I'd throw it in to give you something to look at until the real thing is ready. It was a very nice surprise and something I'll cherish always. He also gave the two of us (Kaylee and I) pedicures. So my Mother's Day has been VERY nice!

Now we're busy packing, charging our iPods and getting everything ready for a week away.

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful mothers in my life! Aunt Mary, Aunt Towana, Sandy, Karen, Lee, Gloria, Brenda, and Thao. All of you have made a difference in my life and I love you very much.

And a special thank you to my three daughters who make being a mom easy and VERY rewarding. I love you girls soooo much!

Thank you my love for making this and every day special and wonderful because you and our daughters are in it! I love you all ways!

T

San Antonio, TX here we come!

2009-05-03T16:38:00.000-07:00

Got my shit kickers ready to go. Yes, I have black cowboy boots that are very well worn, thank you very much! Worn out from dancing in them, not kicking anyone's ass! Although, I'm not above kicking ass in my boots!

Texas, here we come! As much as I claim to be a cowgirl, I've never spent any time in REAL cowboy country. I've been through Texas many times on my way to various destinations and once; a long, long time ago, I almost moved to Dallas. But for the first time in my life, I'm going to Texas for real!

This year Randy and I are celebrating our 10 year wedding anniversary. Coincidentally I had to go to a business conference in San Antonio, TX, the week before our anniversary. And since TX is a place neither of us has ever visited, Randy decided to go and we extended the stay a few days to make an anniversary trip out of it. Now we're both so excited because we are making some awesome deals and it's turning out to be a very luxurious vacation!

Our first three days will be at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort which is where the conference takes place. Then, we will move to the Emily Morgan Hotel on the Riverwalk. Some BBQ, a REAL cowboy bar, The Alamo and other missions, and our country-western trip will be complete!

During the conference, Randy will be able to explore the city and take photographs for himself! And in the evenings and the days following the conference, it will be all about us! We are both so very excited about the possibilities! From the information we've received from fellow photographers in Texas and the web, San Antonio looks like a great destination so we are REALLY looking forward to this trip. Just the two of us!
Oh yeah, and it's HOT there!!! Man, what a great week it will be!!!

Have boots, will travel!

Summer!

2009-04-20T17:00:00.000-07:00

It is no secret that I love summer. Just follow me on Facebook or read the past 4 years of blogposts, and you will know just how much. There's always lots going on with the Kepples in the summertime. The girls usually arrive by the end of June, there's the annual Prutch 4th of July barbeque, and of course our family vacation!! Plus, all of our birthdays are in summer (except for Randy's) and this year, we're celebrating some big ones! Kara will be 18, Megan 16 AND, Kara graduates from high school this year!

For the past few years, our family vacations usually consisted of a week at the Oregon Coast. Last summer we were able to do something different because the opportunity presented itself! Our trip to Florida and the Bahamas was a very memorable trip for the girls and I but Dad was not able to join us. I thought it was the last vacation where all three girls would be together but it looks like we'll get one more chance and this year and Randy will be able to join the fun!

Kara is off to Western Washington University this Fall and we're hoping she'll take some time off to spend with friends and family. Megan has to go to summer school which means she won't be able to spend her usual six weeks with us so we're going to bring vacation to her and spend a couple of weeks in So Cal. I spend so much time down there during the school year that it never really feels like "time off". But this time, it actually WILL be a vacation!

Kaylee is turning 11 so we thought it would be fun to take her to Disneyland for her birthday! Everyone gets in FREE on their birthday in '09! Then we're planning on renting a beach house and spending time on the warm beaches of Cali. Maybe a quick drive to Vegas to visit my aunt, a day in Napa Valley and then home! I'm so excited!! It makes me giddy to be planning this upcoming trip!

For even more excitement, we're hoping Randy's dad, Roger and his wife will join us at the beach and have a mini-family reunion with my dad, brother, and possibly some other extended family members! The countdown is on! I don't even think the thought of more rain between now and then can get me down! I know for certain my summer will be filled with sunshine, fun and family and I can't wait!

And, in the meantime, Randy and I will be traveling to San Antonio, TX for our 10-year wedding anniversary. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to spend a few days away and, even though I have to attend a conference while there, most of the expenses are paid for by my work! Not a bad deal, if you ask me!

So, on this unusually hot day in Washington, as I sit in the warmth of the sun at Starbucks drinking my Venti iced-tea, I am happy. I am excited. And I am anticipating the months ahead!

Ecco un meraviglioso estate!

BoomBox at ADX Competition Saturday, March 21, 2009

2009-03-25T17:06:00.000-07:00

Dreams

2009-03-16T17:27:00.000-07:00

We all have dreams. Some we realize, some we let go of or change and others we keep in the back of our minds for the future...hopefully.

And we're always hearing that if you have a dream, you should never give up on it! Anything is possible if you keep believing! That philosophy sounds good until you try to fulfill a dream and fail. This is a hard lesson to learn at any age but especially when you're a kid.

My 10-year-old daughter has dreams of being an artist. She loves art. All kinds of art: dance, drawing, music, theater. And, by chance or by fate, we ended up living in a school district where there was a public school that focused on the arts. We couldn't wait for her to get through her elementary school years so she could start to fulfill her artistic dreams. She'd worked toward this dream for the past three years. And all her teachers, friends, art and dance instructors told her she was perfect for this school so she never thought for a second that she wouldn't make it. All she had to do was complete an interview and have an interest in the arts. Done! No problem.

But by chance or by fate, she did not get in. And the question we keep asking ourselves is WHY?? We may never know but that's the least of our problems. The bigger question is how do you keep the dream alive and continue to build up confidence in a 10-year-old when it's just been shot to hell by people that have no clue who she is, how talented she is, how much she loves art, and as someone who really wanted this?! She thought she had given them the information they needed in the 10 minutes they gave her, but apparently not!

Now we have to go to plan B, which we kind of had in the back of our minds, but now that reality has hit, it just doesn't sound good anymore. We are all depressed. Especially Kaylee.

I believe that everything happens for a reason. I know this to be true because in my own life, things haven't always turned out as I planned but worked out for the best anyway. And I will use this experience to teach my daughter this lesson. But it's still hard to watch your kid's heart break. It's hard to see your friends get something that you wanted really bad. And it's hard to accept that maybe, just maybe it's right, just not right now. So be patient!

There's always light at the end of the tunnel and she sees a glimmer but it's going to take a while before she puts this behind her and lets go of the dream...for now. There's always next year!

The one great thing that has come out of this is that Kaylee now sees who is there for her and who isn't. She knows she has love and support from her family, from friends, and from those people in her life who have inspired her to be artistic in the first place!

She'll be okay. But the moral of this story is that life sucks and then you die!!

Just kidding! It is to never give up! You will never be sorry for persevering!

BoomBox 2009!

2009-03-01T17:48:00.000-08:00

Kaylee started her new competitive dance team in September and they've been working hard ever since! This was their first performance this season. It was at KidFest '09 in Portland, OR. Stay tuned for competition results coming up in March, April and May. Do you think they're ready?? Kaylee is the blonde in the orange scarf. She start out on the left and there are moments when you can't see her but there will be better videos later!

Randy and Tammy

2009-02-16T15:50:00.000-08:00

After being home two weeks from one of the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean, it's hard to get back into the routine. I just want to hang out on the beach with my husband sipping margaritas and eating chips and salsa.

I knew, before we left, that this trip was much needed and well-deserved. Especially since, as a couple, we rarely get the opportunity to take this much time for ourselves. It truly was a gift!

I loved connecting with Randy without the distraction of phones, email, chores, and kids. We could devote all of our attention on each other, AND we have photos! Photos of the two of us! That, in and of itself, is a miracle!!

I'd like to go back to that week but instead will make more of an effort to make those moments happen more often here at home. This was such a huge treat for both of us and the memories will last a lifetime!

Playa del Carmen

Getting ready for dinner. Self-portrait of a very good-looking couple!

lunch at La Palapa.

Leaving Denver airport (which was 7 degrees), sooo happy and excited!

WOW!

2009-02-11T19:19:00.000-08:00

There is sooo much going on in our life, it just never stops or slows down! And these days, there are so many ways to keep friends and family apprised of what's going in our life. There's Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Blogging, and if you're really lucky, you might actually receive a personalized email!

And since I'm the least geeky person on the earth, I sure do spend a lot of time posting my life online that I can't even keep up with my own geekiness!

I'm seriously thinking of moving my blog to Facebook which is where I spend a lot of my time keeping friends and family updated. There are over 150 people that I'm friends with and it just seems like consolidating makes more sense then repeating the same thing over 3 different online sites.

So, for those of you who read my blog regularly, check out Facebook and see if this is something you wouldn't mind joining in order to get caught up on The Kepples. If not, let me know. Comments are CERTAINLY appreciated and needed if you don't want me to stop blogging.

If you're interested in seeing pics of our trip, let me know. I'll send you a link to the gallery. Fun stuff! But again, I don't want to keep posting the same things over and over again.

Looking forward to hearing from you my friends!

Viva la Mexico! A message to our friends and family.

2009-01-19T12:41:00.000-08:00

We are on the final countdown to Cancun and needless to say we’re acting like little kids; we can’t wait for this adventure!!! I think we've decided that we don't have to sleep at all while we're there! We're just going to have fun 24/7!

I've made all the necessary plans for this trip and Kaylee's week but there's always the unknown that we cannot plan for. Nobody knows what God’s plan for us is and I can say with 100% certainty that I especially don’t! We make plans and God just laughs, right? All we can do is pray! My request is that you pray for safe travels for Randy and I and that Kaylee has a safe, fun week with Ashley, her sitter! She's a little nervous about us both leaving as am I for leaving her.

When we return, we'll have LOTS of photos (Randy's bringing the big boy camera as well as our point and shoot), lots of stories and hopefully a KILLER tan! So look for us in two weeks! Until then:

Adios Amigos!

Welcome Home Randy!

2009-01-14T22:39:00.000-08:00

My husband has been gone for the past 4 days and will be home tomorrow. I miss him. It's very quiet in our house when he's not here. If the tables were turned, he'd relish the opportunity for peace and quiet so that he can get more work done. But for me, it's too quiet. I realize when he's gone that there's not a whole lot of talking going on. Kaylee and I talk but we're also busy getting ready for this errand or that that it just seems like business as usual.

But being without him is hardest at night. The one thing we love to do after a day's work is relax and watch a movie. I haven't watched any this week because I don't want to without him. I'm looking forward to sitting with him on the couch, snuggling up to him and watching a movie together. I'm very excited to have him home again.

The best part of his return (other than a few other things I won't mention) is that we get to go on a date Saturday night and then in one week, we're traveling to Cancun! A well-deserved trip that we desperately NEED!

So welcome home sweetheart. You were missed by both Kaylee and I and we're REALLY glad to have you back!!

With Love in All Ways!
Tammy & Kaylee

17 more days!

2009-01-09T19:34:00.000-08:00

Only 17 more days until we leave for Cancun! I'm soooo excited! Today I bought a new bathing suit for the occasion. It's weird buying a bathing suit in January.

I overheard one of the salesgirls ask her friend, who was also trying on clothes, if she was trying on swim suits. Her friend said "no" and the girl was like, "good, because I would've had to make fun of you." I was hoping she wouldn't make fun of me for buying a bathing suit but I'd just have to tell her why I was buying one in January. I have no problem bragging to the whole world that we're going to Cancun!!

Lots to do before we leave. Buy more clothes, get a pedicure, get a haircut, and oh yeah, get a tan. That's always challenging during winter in the Northwest. Thank goodness for tanning beds and spray on tans!

I can't wait to post pictures of the trip so stay tuned!

Adios Amigos!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-03T20:44:00.000-08:00

Another Christmas behind us and a brand new year ahead! We had a great break this year with the girls, thanks to the weather! Being snowed in those first few days gave us the opportunity to really spend time together as a family. There was no hustle and bustle because it wouldn't have mattered. The chance to slow down and just appreciate being together was the best Christmas present EVER! It really gave me a chance to put a lot into perspective.

I know this year will be filled with its worries and such but I also know it will be better than last. Many positive changes are already happening in our family so I'm very excited and hopeful for the coming year! Our blessings are abundant!

Happy New Year to all of you, my loyal readers. I hope you have a blessed year filled with prosperity, love and happiness! But don't forget your part in that too!

And thank you to my friends and family for loving, supporting and praying for me and my family! You obviously have some power!

Love to you all! Hope you enjoy the family photos of our Christmas break!

Randy and Kara at Christmas Dinner with the Prutches!

Kep of KepPrutch!

Megan and Kaylee anxiously awaiting dinner!

Kara, Kaylee and I leaving for dinner on Christmas day.

Christmas morning, waiting for Dad so they can open presents!!

Happy New Year!

2008-12-31T20:12:00.000-08:00

Yes, I'm sitting at home on New Year's Eve, 3 hours and 35 minutes away from a new year and a new beginning, but that's okay! I have my favorite people here with me (sans Kara) and we're just having fun listening to music, baking brownies, drinking champagne (sparkling apple cider for the girls), and snacking!

I just wanted to wish you all a VERY Happy New Year! May your 2009 be filled with peace, joy, love, happiness and wealth!!!! That's what I wish for us as well :-)

We are starting this year off right with a trip to Cancun. Check out where we're staying, The Royal Resorts villas. I'm thinking one week here will NOT be enough but it'll do! This is the first get-a-way Randy and I have taken in the 12 years of being together without the girls. It's our honeymoon/10-year anniversary trip! I'm REALLY looking forward to it! More to come about that!

Well, it's always an adventure for us when we start the new year, so here's to resolutions, vacations, peace, love and happiness!

Happy New Year!

adios '08!

White Christmas 2008!

2008-12-24T12:31:00.000-08:00

These pictures are Randy's that I took from his Facebook but we're all family so it should be okay. Right dear? ha.ha.

I just wanted to show my loyal reading fans what I was talking about when I said it was snowing! It's been snowing for the past 5 days! A record for this area. We haven't seen levels of snow like this since 1968!

Anyway, we've had fun playing in it, walking around in it, throwing it, and watching it continually to fall. This is the first time since we moved here that we'll actually have a white Christmas. And that's cool but we are all ready for it to go away. Especially the girls. When it confines you to the house, it can get old VERY fast.

So I hope you enjoy the photos and our adventures in the snow!

Kara and Kaylee playing in the snow!

Sledding time!

The girls.

Here we go!!!!

"It's cold!"

Randy and I cuddling in the snow!

Megan thought it would be funny to shove snow in her face. Now she has frosty eyelashes!

Randy and the girls.

Daddy and Kara.

Our family!

Kaylee thought she'd shovel some snow off the driveway but gave up on the idea after a couple of scoops!!

Merry Christmas everyone!!

Snow Day!

2008-12-20T15:46:00.000-08:00

After a week of the news threatening a "major winter storm", it finally hit last night! Thankfully after Megan arrived from California! Now all three girls are braving the cold wind and falling snow as they sled down the hill at Kaylee's school. It took about an hour to bundle them up in all the protective gear! I thought they'd be back by now but they're still out there having a good time.

We tried to go to the mall earlier today but after sliding around so much only a few blocks away from our house, we decided not to be "those stupid people" who drive around in the snow with no studded tires or chains and play bumper cars in the snow. I didn't feel like being on the 5 o'clock news. So we turned around and went to plan B: gingerbread houses and sledding. Now they're back and it's time for hot cocoa.

I hope the snow stops enough for us to finish our shopping before Christmas but lingers around long enough to make it a white Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone. Hope you're with those you love and enjoying this holiday as much as we are!!!

The weather outside is frightful!

2008-12-15T12:20:00.000-08:00

Burrrrrr...it's REALLY cold here!

We got some snow this weekend and temps aren't going to get past 30 this week! And the East winds are horrible!!!

Arizona and Mexico are sounding really good at this point!

Well, on the upside, we might have a white Christmas!! The girls would love that!

Hope your holidays are warm and cozy! Geez, I hope MY holidays are warm and cozy!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas is coming!

2008-12-08T12:25:00.000-08:00

And I'm ready! I couldn't say that last week but this weekend I decided to stop whining about it and start doing productive Christmassy things. So over the weekend Kaylee and I decorated the tree and living room, I finished up my Christmas shopping, and I wrote our Kepple newsletter (no cards this year to save time/money). Now I'm feeling pretty good because I can relax and enjoy the rest of the month.

Next Friday we have our annual Prutch Christmas party to attend, Megan's flying in early that day and Kaylee has a small performance before the party. This weekend, Randy has a wedding I'm helping him with, another party, and a day at the salon! So I'm feeling very accomplished at the moment.

Now that the Grinch is gone from my Christmas spirit, I'm going to focus on making this a great Christmas with our girls since it may be our last for a while. Next year Kara gets to choose for herself who she spends her Christmas with and who knows, she may travel the world instead, and Megan will be with her dad. I'm really looking forward to the two weeks I have off to really enjoy my family. Even Randy will be able to participate in our family antics because he is all caught up and has very little work that NEEDS to be done. This will be the first Christmas where he hasn't had to sacrifice family for work. It's going to be a great time!

Hope your holidays are happy!

Getting Some Holiday Spirit

2008-12-02T18:16:00.001-08:00

Kaylee's been teaching us some cool dance moves. Hope you like the results!!

Ha.ha. This is about as festive and involved as Randy gets at Christmas time so enjoy the fruits of his labor! ha.ha.

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Leaving the nest...

2008-11-30T20:21:00.000-08:00

I really hadn't thought about this concept until recently when I had to face this truth: Our girls are growing up. And not so much Kaylee, I still have a 8 good years with her. But Kara and Megan are getting older and the older they get, the less we see of them. And, in six months, Kara starts her adult life so I know and have to accept that we'll see very little of her for a few years. But I never thought it would happen this soon with Megan.

Megan is only a sophomore in high school and I didn't really think that her high school career would interfere with my custodial time (breaks and summer). I thought I had two more years before I had to worry about how little I would see her. But now I'm faced with the cold, hard facts: I'm losing both of my girls at the same time! I am NOT happy nor ready for this!

It's one thing to accept this fact and quite another to HAVE to accept it knowing that it doesn't have to be this way! Why, you ask? Well, with Kara, she turns 18 in six months. She's graduating from high school, her life is her own now and it's up to her to decide where she wants to spend her free time. Of course we hope she'll WANT to spend time with us vs. the "court appointed" time we'd been given these past 10 years. But we've had time to deal with that. Megan, however, is another story.

She lives in CA with her dad and since we moved up here, he's never been generous or courteous with my custodial time. It's always been a fight and usually the fights come down to days and even hours with her. But now there's a new glitch in our parenting plan: Megan's life. She does have one, even at the ripe young age of 15. She's learning how to drive, doing water polo, involved in her church, and taking summer school. Plus she has two families that want to spend time with her. The problem is her family in CA couldn't care less how much time she has with her mom and now that I've been asked to give up my custodial time with her because of summer school, we're still fighting over how much time we have with what is left over. Of course I don't think that's very fair to me; the parent that hardly sees her child. But of course, whose fault is that? Mine, according to some.

Anyway, I realize that this is just the beginning of what's ahead for me. I'm not there in my daughter's life and the older she gets, the time that the courts appointed to me will diminish. Not because she or I want it that way, but because that's the way it is. She can't stop her life because of me and I wouldn't want her to. But that doesn't make it any easier to let her go. I don't want to let go. I want her to be here. I want to be with her. I don't want to spend less time with her than I already do!

I'm prematurely dealing with "empty nest syndrome".

I'm very proud of both Kara and Megan. I know they have good heads on their shoulders and I know they love us very much! What bothers me the most is that we didn't get the time that we really wanted to have with them. We tried. God knows we tried. But for reasons that would take forever to list, we fell short.

So I'm sure that what I'm feeling here is a lot more than just loss. It's guilt, fear, pain, sorrow and loss! A whole bouquet of fun feelings!!! They are emotions that I could neither explain nor justify to anyone who has never been in my shoes but they are real and they are emotions I'm just going to have to deal with.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-25T17:24:00.001-08:00

I know it's early but we have a fun-filled, jam-packed week ahead of us so I probably won't be blogging for a few days!

Vacation starts tomorrow and I'm really happy to have a few days off to just chill, watch movies until I can't keep my eyes open, and sleep in!! Oh yeah, and work on a science project with Kaylee...yay me!

Up until yesterday, I wasn't very excited about Thanksgiving. Then Randy made reservations at Jake's Grill. The menu is to die for! Once I found this out, I couldn't wait for turkey day! We're going to have a small, intimate, fine dining experience and since I don't have to cook, clean or worry about storing (and eating) leftovers, I can relax and enjoy the company of my family and our friend James! And then we'll go see a movie; maybe Transporter 3 with Jason Statham. Sounds like a good day to me!

After that, it's Christmas shopping time. It's going to be a great week!

Happy Thanksgiving! May your life be blessed with peace, love and happiness!

T

Sunday

2008-11-16T12:17:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted anything for a while...how boring. Life in the Kepple house has been busy, to say the least. No time for frivolous activities like blogging. Between keeping up with laundry, cleaning, cooking, and work, school, and dance, there's not enough time in the day to do much else. So I thought I'd throw something up really quick before I continue on with my day.

This week marks a very important event in our household. One that doesn't happen that often. Randy has completed all of his "work" and can now concentrate his attentions on projects of his liking. As well as start going back to the gym and spending more time with us! We celebrated Friday and Saturday by sharing some alone time together and then going on a date with our friends Amy and JP. It was a nice weekend.

Now it's the countdown to Thanksgiving, Christmas, Arizona and Mexico. And I'm looking forward to all of it! This year we won't have the girls for turkey day so it's just the three of us. We've invited our friend James to join us for an intimate Thanksgiving dinner and perhaps a movie...a Thanksgiving tradition at the Kepple's. Christmas will be nice and possibly our last with all the girls. Kara will be in college next year and who knows what her holiday plans will consist of. Hopefully she'll always make time for her family. We found out Friday night that she was accepted to her college of choice, the University of Oregon. She was so happy and we're happy for her. It's exciting for us as U of O is only two hours south of Vancouver. We may even see her more than we have these past 3 years of high school! I think over Christmas break, we're going to go to Eugene to check out the campus. It's so exciting.

And then after the holidays, we get to look forward to some vacationing away from the cold, wet rain. I'll be traveling with Randy to Arizona for a photography convention and then we're off to Cancun.

I'm hoping 2009 will be a much better year than 2008. It will start out that way and with a new government coming in, there's a lot to be hopeful about.

Well, it's off to finishing chores and getting ready for the day.

Happy Sunday!