On a More Serious Note or: Fuck You Cancer

What the hell, Cancer?

I just found out today a woman I went to high school with has ovarian cancer.  She and I were not close friends.  At best, we could be described as acquaintances.  Hearing the news of her illness today affected me in a way I didn't really expect and took me quite off guard.

I got really weepy.


I mean, I am not a callous bitch. (Just a regular bitch, thankyouverymuch) I do get feelz.  For instance, I can not hear the song "Do You Want to Build a Snowman" from the movie Frozen with out my throat becoming uncomfortably painful, and tears spilling from my eyes. This reaction just kind of floored me.

I don't know if I am just entering that time in life where people my age start dying, or what.  It just seems like there has been a lot of this happening and I think it really sucks.

I have always really been able to "hold it together" but now it just seems like I can't anymore.  I had another friend from high school lose her mom last year.  Anyone who knows me knows that my mother and I are seriously best friends.  When my friend lost her mom, (to ovarian cancer, dammit) I seriously could not look at her with out just openly crying.  All I could think about was how I would feel in her place and quite frankly, for lack of a better term, it fucked me up.  Just thinking about it now, I am about to lose my shit.(I apologize for the blue language, but you are kind of getting a dose of Cassie Unfiltered here. )  Another friends' 14 year old son has been dealing with cancer and chemo for the last year.  I can't even wander into the realm of feeling there- children?  Fuck that.  Fuck Cancer.

*big sigh*

I don't know where I am going with this.  I just needed to acknowledge my feelings. I have friends that are like "Everyone dies, so and so is lucky" and to that I say bullshit. In my head of course, (we are really too old to be so confrontational.  Unless it is on Facebook, in a comments section of a Tea Party post.  But I digress.)  Somethings are good, somethings are bad.

This thing, is bad.

In the words of Forrest Gump, "That's all I have to say about that."

Thanks for reading.

Happy Blogaversary to me!

I had no idea when my mom gave me the newspaper clipping about this new fangled "Mommy Blog" thing that I would be typing this six years later.

I started the blog when my son Ayman was about 10 months old. I wanted to basically bitch about things and share stories of my children. I totally have. Ayman is now almost 7, and he has a sister Jennah who is about four and a half now. I am glad I made this little spot on the web. We have a whole family in Egypt (Salamo aliko everyone) that gets to take a look at this to keep up with the kids milestones. I have pretty much taken the bitching out of the equation. (ok, not entirely) Sometimes I find it hard to keep up with the blog, and to keep it updated. There are so many other timesucks out there on the interwebz! But I am glad I have. It has come in handy as well. One of my fathers friends actually found him, by finding my blog. Kooky, huh?

Well that is all for now, I just wanted to give myself a written pat on the back for keeping this up so long. Here is to another 6 years, and more. Thanks for reading.

First day of school, 2 times.

Aymans first day of school was the 18th. He is in first grade this year. He picked that shirt out himself at the "boutique" (a fancy was of saying thrift store, lol.) He is getting so big.

Not for nothin', but my son does an awesome robot.

And here he is at his very own desk in class. *sniff* I am verclempt.

Jennah was sick on the real first day of school so we will call this Jennah's first day of school. She is also sporting a complete "boutique" ensemble, WOO HOO! It is adorable and she was very excited to go back to school.

And here we have a crazy pose, just for funsies. Too cute. Mommy is super proud of you guys, and loves you very much!

Milestone: Ayman lost his first tooth.

I took this picture on August 7th, 2004 of my baby boy's first tooth. I have to say it is one of my favorite pictures of him. Yesterday, August 14th, 2010 That tooth went bye bye. It had been loose for months. I kept telling him, "You better pull that thing. The tooth fairy doesn't give you money if you eat it!" He would not wiggle it. Well, he wouldn't do any aggressive wiggling. I remember working on my first tooth like it was job. I crunched it til it made sick noises, I twisted and pulled until it hung on by a thread. Then, I finally just pulled. Ayman wasn't having any of that.

Yesterday, we were at my cousin Adam's 17th birthday party at Uncle Jim and Aunt Cindy's house. I was telling my sister-in-law Renee about the tooth situation, and how I tried to pull it earlier but was too chicken to do the deed. I mean I tried, but I just couldn't. It wasn't happening for me. Renee said: "Uncle Alex will pull it!"

Sure enough, wouldn't you know it, Uncle Alex did. Here is a picture of the amateur dentist and his willing patient, shortly after the procedure. I have to say my brother had some skillz. Before Ayman, or any of us knew it, he had that tooth YANKED. I quickly tucked a piece of tissue in the socket before he could see it was bleeding and ....

There ya go. He seemed a little shocked at first, but then he was VERY excited, and Auntie Cindy gave him a cow shaped trinket box to put his tooth in for the tooth fairy. Ayman asked how the tooth fairy knew he lost a tooth. Amr told him that she got an email or they tweeted it or something. (which was pretty funny coming from Amr.) In the wee hours of this morning, Ayman woke up to 3 dollars in his cow trinket box, in place of his tooth. I am still amazed that my baby lost that tooth. *sniff* They grow up so fast....

New look...same great taste.

Well it was time. I have had this blog going on six years with no changes to it. I saw this new template and liked it, so there ya go. I am still the same lame ass me though. Don't worry.

Change is good.

A Birthday Dinner.

Jennah and the customized Cherry Chip cake I made for her.

Ayman, Millie and Jennah with the cake.

Photobomb! (LMAO, Alex)

This is my present. I got her 4 years ago last Thursday.

Well we had a little dinner over at my Mom and Dads house tonight- and a tiny birthday celebration for the girl. No big deal, just dinner, cake and ice cream. She did get some good presents, and loved decorating her cake wit the M&M's. She even let Millie help her open presents. My girl is a great sharer. Well sweetie, Mommy loves you so much, Happy 4th Birthday. *sniffle, tears, sniffle*

Sleepover, Wooo HOOOO!

The pictures run backwards, But Ayman and Jennah had their first sleep over on Friday the 19th. Lilyith, one of Ayman's kindergarten classmates stayed over. It was her first sleep over too. They had a blast, and I took plenty of pictures for her mom to see. The awesome thing is that Lilyith gets along great with Jennah too- she has little sisters so she is just wonderful with her. I would totally do this again. So, if you want, scroll down to the bottom and work your way up. Thanks for reading.

The above picture is Jennah (right) and Lilyith, PASSED OUT. I mean it was only 11:30! Lightweights.

Ayman was not happy about having to sleep all by himself, but dammit, RULES ARE RULES.

Lilyith and Jennah at bedtime. Observe the awesome murals that Ayman and Jennah made on the walls. I was going to wash them off, but I think they compliment the room. NOT.

MMMMMM, Popcooooooorrrrrn

Jiffy Pop is old school but way cool. I remember when I used to stay the night at my Uncle's house. His wife at the time would have my brother, and cousin and I make Jiffy Pop. it always seemed like it took forever to get going and I remember my arm would hurt from shaking it, so we all took turns. I brought that to the table for these kiddies. It was a raging success, if I do say so myself. (and of course, I do.)

For dinner the menu consisted of Chicken rings and seasoned crinkle fries. What part of the chicken do you suppose the "ring" comes from, anyhow?

The kids playing dress up. Ayman is wearing a cape I made for him in ought six, for Halloween. he was Dracula. In this instance he was a ghost, and a wizard. Wonder where he got that, Dad? *coughHarryPottercough*

When we got home after school the kids were sent out to play. It was a beautiful almost spring day and the back yard is so....dare i say, verdant? Right now. They figured out a way for all of them to ride the Barbie Jeep (thanks, Grandma!) It wasn't dangerous at all. Look out Mother of the Year Award, i am owning you! LOL.

Hope you enjoyed that backwards pictorial journey.... Coming soon, the lovely conditions of my probation for the RCB, or "Why You Should Never Ever Be An Ass When You Are Younger And Have a Record to Prove It."

Woooo Frickin' Hoo., CRT some kid pics.

Ayman and Jennah ready to go to the mosque for Isha. so cute.

Ayman is like his mom, digs the self portraits.

Ayman had a friend over for the first time today to play, his name is Nicolas and he lives 3 doors down. They all attempted to play SpongeBob bingo.

Here are the kids rolling in Jennahs barbie Jeep for the first time this spring.

Well, i was notified today that i will be getting my Respiratory license. This should happen sometime in May. I will keep you all posted. Now i am just gonna need a job......

Well then, another birthday....

Yep another birthday. I am thirty*coughcough* years old. Woo Hoo. Today i am going shopping with Mom, and then to Lincoln Center to their Xmas Open house. Maybe some lunch, who knows, we are gonna get WACKY! Riiiiiiiiiiiiight.

Umm, Six month regurge, sorry folks. Time flies.

Okay so yeah, i have been a terrible blogger. Real quick before i go in to all these pictures let me update you on me. I took my CRT exam and passed with flying colors and am now Cassandra Smedley-Nasr, CRT. Yay me! I also went to my 20 year class reunion in August and it was a wonderful time, however i forgot my camera so no pics. Like you care, right? So that is it for me. Lets talk about the above pic, this whole post goes backwards chronologically and i havent got the patience to change it so forgive me.

Above Pic is from my adorable niece, Emilias first birthday. She loves her auntie.

Here is the birthday girl with her adoring cousin fan club.

Thend result of jennahs very first haircut. She was so excited. She wanted to look like her friend Rana. It looks so cute. I gotta say i teared up when I took her for this cut. Yes, i save the hair.

During her haircut. She sat still very good for it.

Jennah before her first big girl haircut. I did this on the second day of school when i decided that i no longer had the patience to brush out all that hair.

Ayman, Mommy and Jennah on the first day of school. Jennah is in preschool and Ayman is in kindergarten.

Jennah was so ecited to go to school, and her class starts 55 minutes after Aymans. She thought i was taking her home, and lost it. Then when we got to the preschool she was all smiles again. Drama Queen.

Here is Jennah and Ayman on the ginormous slide at the county fair. they loved that thing.

Ayman took a trip to the train museum in Sacramento with Uncle Jim, Aunt Cindy, Jacob and Adam. He could not have been more excited, let me tell ya.

Ok her is a bit of silliness. This is 4th of July at my mom and Dads. this guy next to me is Jacob, my cousin. We were all amazed at how much we look like each other, and commented that if you put a goatee on me, we would be twins. well, scroll down.

Jake did a darn fine job photoshoping that goatee on me. LOOK WE'RE TWINS!

Jennah and her Daddy at 4th of July BBQ at gramma and grampas.

Woo Hoo! Sparklers! Ayman loved this, and.....

So did Jennah.

So we went to Mickey Grove, and they had these lorakeets. One Crapped on me, then another one bit me. Freaking birds.

this picture is at Pixie woods, in june Jennah looked so pretty in these hydrangeas. She was all "Look Mom the flowers are beautiful!!!!"

Jennah and Ayman in front of the little train at Pixie Woods. This was a big hit. Helpful himt, dont sit in the first car behind the engine. I had a headache from the deisel fumes. bleh!

Cute face, there, Ayman. Pixie Woods. It was a good day.

McDonalds Picnic before going to Pixie Woods. Grampa and Ayman were yackin' it up.

Millie, Uncle Alex and Ayman at Aymans preschool graduation.

Ayman getting his preschool completion ceritificate from Ms. Sonia. Sonia is now Jennahs preschool teacher.

Millie and her pretty Grandma at Aymans graduation.

The happy familia de Nasr at Aymans graduation, June 3, 2009

Jennah looking like a diva in Gammas sunglasses, at graduation.

This is Cameron, Ayman and Rami getting ready to graduate.