"Neglecting the Blog"

I have been neglecting Tiffs Kids Blog .... I can't believe how time has flown by. I did manage to not neglect taking photos and pretty good with my memory so I am going to get everyone caught up on Tiff and Tiff's Kids ... stay tuned ... raising two teenagers can be both exciting and nerve wracking to say the least. Since May we have had Birthday Parties, Family Trips and the Teenage House Party while mom was out of town ... yes Teenage House Party .. I repeat raising two teenagers can be both exciting and nerve wracking to say the least. I'm going to give my best effort on this Saturday afternoon and see if I can complete May through October... here goes.

Family Trip to Alabama

The summer went by so fast for us. We had hoped to travel to see as much family as possible and the time got away from us. But we were very blessed to make a week long family trip to Alabama. We stayed with family an enjoyed every minute of our visit. The kids especially enjoyed bonding with their cousins. And with every trip our family gets larger and larger. I try to tell them we have a big family but they didn't believe me at first. Now they are believers...smile!

Aliyah, Tiffany, Jaime

Jay, J', Michael, Ceasar

Two cousins same age 15, both born on December 22nd, 1992

J' and Jay

Aliyah and Jaime

Can you believe I was actually approached and asked if they were twins???

Jaime and Shanimia

Aliyah, Great Uncle Earl, J'

Last Day of School

Last day of High School, 9th Grade for Jeremy. He took the camera to class and took pictures of his friends. Of course he only took pictures in one class. From the looks of the pictures you would think he was the only boy in a classroom of all girls. He is now officially a Sophomore. The first picture is Jeremy and Brittany his first crush then girlfriend from middle school. They attended the 8th Grade Prom and now are best friends.

Below Jeremy and Brittany at the 8th Grade Prom.

I couldn't show how handsome he was without showing him with his Boys. I wasn't blogging at that time so now and then I will sneak a few old photos in.

Mom Turns 35 ...

Well being that the Blog is Tiff's Kids I will refrain from posting pictures of my 35th Cocktail Birthday Party. I say Cocktail Party because I too planned a small gathering of 10 friends for my welcoming in age 35 but like all Fortune parties the end of the night was standing room only .... I was very blessed to have so many of my wonderful friends come and celebrate this day with me. I have to say 35 is not as bad as I expected.

Aliyah's 13th Birthday

Aliyah turned 13 on June 6th, 2008 with a small gathering of about 40 friends, 2 bouncers and mom. My baby is a teenager. Aliyah is a big fan of Eeyore so we had to have Eeyore and Pooh decor. You can't see the full gang in the picture above but I believe you can get the idea it was another Fortune Party Success! When the kids sang Happy Birthday I thought we had a mass choir in my living room.

Birthday Party Excitement

The big day was a month away and Aliyah could not stop talking about her party and party plans. Funny because I never knew we where having a party. You would've thought she was planning a wedding the way she had notes and party planning meetings. Well as the day grew closer and all the party locations she wanted her father and I to rent where unavailable my home became the target. So not only did Aliyah recruit her friends to help in convincing me that it would just be a small gathering she convinced her brother and my boyfriend to allow this event to come into my private sanctuary I call home. You must understand in the years prior my children had convinced me of allowing two other house birthday parties. First, Aliyah's 12th birthday party in which she invited 20 kids oh so I thought. I recruited my friends to chaperon and we agreed. Within 30 minutes of the party starting I had not 20 not 30 not 40 but 50 kids on the 3rd floor of our home. Yes, 50 preteens......Now that was not the worse. Then there was my son J's 15th Birthday Party where he asked to just do pizza, games and movies with 8 - 10 friends. Well 8-10 friends I thought where going to be the guys...NOPE... 8-10 meant 6 guys and 4 girls .. 2 guys where without girlfriends at the time of this event. Needless to say I broke the party up rather quickly and it resulted in me enjoying a nice bottle of Merlot once the house was cleared out....

Today was sports day for the Fortune's. Aliyah had a softball game and Jeremy a track meet. Luckily, they both had home games and where only 15 minutes apart. Their father also made it to the area to be able to watch both the kids compete.
Jeremy ran the 400 today and came in 2nd place. Beat his on Personal Record and completed the race in 53.9 seconds. He has already qualified for Regionals and working toward State qualifications. He goes to District Meet next week. Smokin'......

Jeremy and his boys after the race.

Aliyah lost 2-20 but she looked cute getting prepared to bat. We had to snap a quick photo of her.

Aliyah and her best friend Deja, strike a softball pose. (Maybe I should not use the word strike after today's game.)

Bye Bye....Mariah Carey

Driving home from Portland Oregon where my family and I said bye to an amazing woman, OUR GRANDMOTHER, OUR MOTHER, OUR COUSIN, OUR AUNT, OUR GREAT GRANDMOTHER... this song came on and in 4 minutes and 26 seconds my feelings inside from the week that I experienced was being sung to me......We love you grandma!
November 19, 1929 - April 22, 2008

THIS IS FOR MY PEOPLE WHO JUST LOST SOMEBODY YOUR BEST FRIEND, YOUR BABY, YOUR MAN OR YOUR LADY
PUT YOUR HAND WAY UP HI
WE WILL NEVER SAY BYE
MAMAS, DADDYS, SISTERS, BROTHERS, FRIENDS AND COUSINS
THIS IS FOR MY PEOPLE WHO LOST THEIR GRANDMOTHERS
LIFT YOUR HEAD TO THE SKY
CAUSE WE WILL NEVER SAY BYE
AS A CHILD THERE WERE THEM TIMES
I DIDN'T GET IT BUT YOU KEPT ME IN LINE
I DIDN'T KNOW WHY YOU DIDN'T SHOW UP SOMETIMES
ON SUNDAY MORNINGS AND I MISSED YOU
BUT I'M GLAD WE TALKED THROUGH
ALL THEM GROWN FOLK THINGS
SEPARATION BRINGS
YOU NEVER LET ME KNOW IT
YOU NEVER LET IT SHOW BECAUSE YOU LOVED ME AND OBVIOUSLY THERE'S SO MUCH LEFT TO SAY
IF YOU WERE WITH ME TODAY FACE TO FACE
NEVER KNEW I COULD HURT LIKE THIS AND EVERYDAY LIFE ROLLS ON
I WISH I COULD TALK TO YOU FOR A WHILE
MISS YOU BUT I TRY NOT TO CRY AS TIME GOES BY
AND IT'S TIME THAT YOU'VE REACHED A BETTER PLACE
STILL I'D GIVE THE WORLD TO SEE YOUR FACE AND BE RIGHT HERE NEXT TO YOU BUT IT'S LIKE YOU'RE GONE TOO SOON

NOW THE HARDEST THING IS TO SAY BYE BYE.............

Memory of Grandma Rosie Lee Bowles

Grandma
© Michele S. Reeves
Grandma, A baby cradled in your arms... Teaching me your gentle charms. Growing up with you by my side... Learning from you never to lie. To understand and not judge too... Love and kindness I also learned from you. Through the years you watched me grow... Teaching me everything I'd need to know. Listening to every word I've said... And every word I've wrote you've read. You've been there for me to the end... Until the day for you, God did send. Now you watch me from up above... Shining down on me your heavenly love. I will miss you with all my heart... Thank you for being there from the start.