My Older Stinkie Minkie "LB" Little Beecher

Our backyard in the Buffalo SNOW...

My Stinkie Minkie

This is Mukai Russell,my stinkie Minkie. I always thought is was silly when moms gave their children stupid nick names...now I am one of those moms.

Thanks mom..for everything....

So it is after midnight on December 15, 2008 and I feel like I need to fix everything..my messy house..clean the attic..work out like crazy and lose the baby weight, I am devoured by the need to make today better. But I know I can't, and I will fail the task. Today is bitter, anxious and weird for me. It is the four year anniversary of my mother's death...and no I don't say "passed away" or "passing"..I say death...unless I am with someone, a stranger perhaps or someone I know doesn't feel ok with the word death or dying. For me..its a common word, for someone who used to be in the grief counseling field. But four years ago today Deborah Ann Patrick died. I seem to scare people when I say my mother died from a brain tumor..just seeing the words on the screen as I write this take me back a little, and make me think..I wish I would not have written this entry in my blog...but I am still writing....because I have learned a lot from my mother. I look around and see two bright red and I must add (pottery barn) stockings hanging in my house..Beecher and Mukai are the names written on the stockings in perfect cursive. I have accomplished a lot since December 15, 2004. Now its my turn..I get to give kisses and hugs...but his time I am the mommy.....I get to take walks...play with blocks and make cookies, but this time I am the mommy. I get to kiss the owie and give the baths..but this time I am the mommy. Thanks mom.

I would not be the person I am today without my mother. She really instilled what is good about me. She was sweet and bubbly...with a little fiest to her....loved shopping and spoiled me rotten....now I get to be the spoiler, Thanks mom.

Who I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angle, my mother.
-Abraham Lincolin

Holiday Decorating..at its finest..well maybe?!

Happy Holidays!!It's that time of year..for tree decorating..and yes I have already poked my eye with a branch while putting up the lights...its true, check my facebook status. I'm ok..though. When I was younger my beautifully layed decorations and ornaments were placed in the location I desired and remained there until Christmas was over and it was time to get that (soon to be heavy and loaded with items) green plastic container courtesy of Target. However, now that I have kids..make that a little two year old monster....I'm kidding...my decorations seem to be moved about or I must put them back on the tree..hmmm How do they find there way to the floor?? hmm..? I have even caught him (LB) in the act...he even takes down ALL for of our stockings....as if he is thinking "maybe something has been placed inside each one..I must look since the last five minutes when I pulled them down to take a peek". Oh well...the joys of Christmas! As my good friends card says.."its not Christmas without family"..very true!

Super Mom or Crazy Mom?

I was asked many times.."are you flying to Washington with the boys?" "alone?" "just you?" "WOW!" "are you supermom?" Yeah right I! But We made...We Are Back....glad to be home...aaawww. The boys (LB & Kai) and myself flew across this grand country for a visit. It's nice to be in the hometown where you grew up..Taco Time, Seattle, family, and old friends...oh and don't forget Ross (shopping is legal when you are on a vaca right?) I love Covington, Washington....its where my grandparents live! Riding alongside his "papa", LB drove a tractor in the pasture and through the creek while mommy took lots and lots of photographs. Kai did a lot of growing...daddy even said he looked bigger after only two weeks being away. Long Beach, WA was the site of a family trip. We spent a few days walking along the beach in YES...65 degree weather in WA and YES in November and YES @ the beach with sun!!!LB fell into the water during his first encounter with the waves...his papa said he had to get right back to the ocean..so he would not be afraid of the water.."its like getting back on a horse", he said....that is true....we did and LB's trucks came along too, driving down the wet sand. Seeing old friends was nice....but its such a tease too...it reminds me that I am missing out on the lives of so many loved ones..thanks...Marissa, Amy, Sarah, and Donna! I love you and miss you all! Mostly I will miss my grandparents,Aunt Lori, Uncle Max, Kassy, Shelby, Kloey, Kasey, and also Darren, Kristan, Mason and Elise...LB had fun being a "wild man" with Mason...oh boy..just wait till this summer..look out family...two Whiteaker boys will be running around!

Soulja' Boy..and a Baby Pumpkin!

HaPpY HaLlOwEeN! Yes, it's that time of year again, HALLOWEEN NIGHT...when mommy gets to dress up her "real life" little monsters as something less scary..well at least that is the deal here at the Whiteaker house. So my little soulja boy will be Trick or Treating with dad this evening. Kai, the little one dressed in orange will be Trick or Treating in a Bjorn..good luck kid!

Who will you VOTE for?

I guess I am a passionate person about most things. Death, dying, hurting children and politics. Because politics influences many things in our lives creates a fire inside to care. One can chose to stay out of things and turn away or can be active and involved. I chose to be active and involved. I supported the Obama campaign and placed phone calls to a few states earlier this year and had the opportunity to volunteer with the Buffalo, NY Obama campaign headquaters. Very exciting! We are blessed to be part of such a historic point in the history of the United States of America. I respect all political parties....I am a woman, a Christian, and a Republican from the liberal sided Washington State...yes I am friends with the tree huggers there....but I will be voting for a Change to Believe in....with the Obama Biden ticket. I am excitied and will be voting on November 4th!

The Great Pumpkin Farm

Last weekend we spent the cool fall day at the Great Pumpkin Farm in Clerence, New York...I hope I spelled that right. We have been living in Buffalo for just over a year and I still don't know how to spell other cities and to be honest, get lost once in a while. LB had a lot of fun....we picked out two pumpkins..Kai prettu much just slept most of the day..typical 2 almost 3 month old for ya...anyway, we rode a tractor around the farm while watching a pumpkin cannon shoot the small squash towards a nearby field. Happy Halloween!