This McDonalds play structure was, I kid you not, in someone’s backyard!!  I am truly and utterly JEALOUS!!!!!!  Yes, I do want one for my very own!

You can find more WW at 5 Minutes for Mom, My Organized Chaos, Mrs. Cox Slice of Heaven, and WW home !!

Me, at about 3 years old

That was the line my mom started off our conversation with earlier this summer.  She was begging me to go get a pedicure with her that day, but when we got to our favorite place to have them done, they were closed.  It was a Sunday.  Neither of us had realized they may close early.  So in the parking lot, she told me there was something we needed to talk about.

Oh god, what did I do this time, I thought desperately to myself.  I mean really, your mom says that you need to talk… Isn’t that the first thing that pops into your head, too? No?  Well, okay.  Palms sweaty, heart racing, and knees weak, I waited for her to speak

To make this long conversation short, when I was about 3 years old, my mom had another baby.  A little girl, who she gave up for adoption because at the time, my “father” (I use that term lightly, when in fact he is now more of a Sperm Donor to me) and my Mother were in an on again, off again sort of relationship.  For whatever reason, my parents decided it would be best to give the baby (my 100% biological sister) to a family that could give her the best in life.  To give her everything she would need, and more.

Now, at first I thought this whole thing was a sick joke.  I mean, all my life I had fantasized, or played make believe that somewhere I had a long lost sister or brother.  Someone who was separated from our family at birth, that would some day walk back into our lives.  Maybe it’s normal, or maybe in my sub-conscious mind I really did remember my mom being pregnant and having another baby.

Alas, mom told me that my sister had contacted her on Facebook.  That she wanted to meet her – meet us.  Meet the family that she had that she never got to be a part of.

This was sooo exciting and so scary at the same time!

After running it by my mom and getting her okay, I friend-ed my sister on Facebook.  I didn’t think she looked much like me at first.  I look more like my father.  My sister, on the other hand, has more of my mom’s dominant features.  Either way, we started messaging each other and really seemed to just hit it off.  We talked about this and about that, and I came to realize that she sooooooo fits into our family, in more than one way!

Up to this point, we have met, and hung out a few times.  She only lives a couple hours from us, which is the best part about it!  We can literally drive to one another or meet in the middle for a day trip to hang out.

I am also an AUNTIE but I will leave that update for another post.

Me (ew), Cydney, Mom, William, Dalton, and Amanda!

She’s at it again!  Speedy (aka 80MPHmom) has come up with yet another completely FABULOUS weekly meme!

This time, we are taking photography and exercise and family time and combining all into one.

Let me present to you, my first week of “In My Neighborhood Tuesday!!”  While I am being a bit of a cheater, this was still family time and exercise.  Just it didn’t happen recently.  These pics were taken a couple years ago at the Peter Iredale Shipwreck along the Oregon Coast.  It ran ashore in October of 1906, and has been sitting there ever since.

What I love most about this new meme is that not only can I share with others my passion for photography, but I plan on having Konnor and Ariana help me each week with what we “choose” to use for our assignment.

That’s the other great thing about this new meme.  You have a weekly assignment so everybody’s site you visit will have the same theme.  I will absolutely love seeing the creativity of others!

So really, click on the “In My Neighborhood Tuesday” button to be directed over to Speedy’s site and check out the rules/assignments.

Holy macaroni, people!!!! It’s been like halfway to forever since I’ve blogged, right?  So it feels!

Well, I have been here and there and really not anywhere outside of my own bubble in this world.  Summer just kind of took me and the fam and whooshed us away into a land of fun!  :)  Oh yes, we have had lots of fun.  I guess I had a summer vacation away from the blogging world.

I suppose losing the computer and access to my blog for a while doesn’t completely constitute as fun, but I have really enjoyed just being able to enjoy my kids and friends and…. life!

Oh and my mom dropped a bombshell………….

Another sister.  She is 20.  But that is a post all in it’s own.

I promise to fill you all in on my fantastic summer with tons of pictures soon!

You can always find me on Twitter if you need me:  www.twitter.com/theJAKAmommy — if you follow me, make sure you @ me, so I know you are a real person!