Neeley Family Blog

It took me a bit to come up with a title for this post.  Ending, transition, end of an era, Goodbye Nordstrom- all came to mind. But here I am settled with Opportunity.  I recently came upon an opportunity to apply for a position with the City of Happy Valley.  While on a field trip with Brylee there, one of the Directors mentioned they were hiring.  My friend nudged me and whispered, "You'd be perfect!" I was very hesitant to inquire about the job, but did eventually speak to the HR manager.  I applied later that day.  I had really been searching recently for what I wanted to do.  Stay with Nordstrom, try something different? I kept holding onto my 17.5 years there.  After several weeks of being disappointed by Nordstrom and Happy Valley, I was feeling stuck.  I had started helping a friend at their chiropractic office.  It was a good challenge and change, but I don't think it was for me.  The City of Happy Valley ended up ca...

Today, November 17th, is World Prematurity Day.  Many national and international monuments change their lights to purple (the color for prematurity).  People have been posting all kinds of pictures of their preemies.  I decided I better join in and add my voice too. You never know when it may help someone.  So to my dear littles: You have forever changed me and my life.  I could not imagine not having you in my life. Thank you God for looking after these little people as they developed inside and outside of my body. I am thankful for you and your brother (who was not a preemie) everyday.

My how sometimes it feels longer and yet at the same time, feels like he is still here. November 11th marked 3 years since my dad pasted away.  Since it is only a few days before my birthday I sometimes think that I will still get that early morning call saying "Happy Birthday!" The call that sometimes (OK many times) ignored over the years.  I would let it go to voice mail and listen later.  There were many years there, where I did not want to have that same conversation of, "how are ya Bugs (that is my nickname he called me)?", and the "what's new?", and the other questions that were like we were just getting to know each other.  But today I feel some regret for not picking up all those calls.  I know you cannot go back, but I just think man I should have humored him and picked up the call.  I think about how things could have been so different with him and I.  How different my life could have been if some of his choices had been different. ...

Well, folks I have done it.  I have joined the PTA at Brayden's school.  Not only have I joined, but jumped in full-swing as one of a group of three to be the fundraising committee.  I do have a passion for helping. I saw some places in the PTA that needed some "help."  The first task, planning, coordinating and orchestrating the Jog-A-Thon for the school.  Brayden's Elementary school is a K-5th grade school.  There are about 320 students in the school. Myself, and the two other ladies, developed a plan of action and took steps to ask for sponsorships from local businesses.  We raised money to help pay for t-shirts for all the students and staff.  We got donations from local business too.  Everything from a bike to food, free kids meals, ice cream, movies, and more! People are really generous with donations!! We worked out details of the day, coordinating music, an emcee, local city council members, the police chief and firefighters ran...

We sadly, had to say our good-byes to our first "Neeley baby," Tinsley.  He was 10 1/2 years old.  Brad picked him up in his Mustang when he was just 8 weeks old.  Tinsley has danced at our wedding, moved to every house with us, and welcomed each of our kiddos home from the hospital.  Tinsley was a smart dog.  He was a little too smart I think.  It often got him into trouble.  Brad and I called him curious George.  He always wanted to sniff things, test things, just check them out.  He loved going for rides in our cars.  He would stick his head, nose, tip of the nose....whatever he could out the window.  Tinsley LOVED his food! Treats, scraps, just any food.   It is probably one of the reasons he became diabetic.  We then had to limit his food and could really only give him his prescription dog food, with an occasional treat.  I can still picture him now prancing across the yard with his fluffy whit...

My friend Sarah just had her 35th birthday.  She decided she wanted to try something new for her birthday instead of just going out for dessert.  She settled on venturing to a Rock Wall Gym. She invited me along to try something new.  I have told myself that as a goal for 2013 I am going to work on new things to keep me fit and able to chase after these kiddos.  I have not been running my every other day as I was into Fall.  I didn't have the proper attire (truthfully) to keep warm running outside.  Well, Brad solved that problem for me by getting me some good gear for Christmas.  No excuses now, right!?! ;) Well, back to my initial story, I decided to take the challenge with her.  Brad said to me a few nights leading up to our outing that he was super proud of me for saying I would try because had he asked me I more than likely would have said, "Are you crazy!?! No way."  Which he is correct that would have been the words to come out of ...

Sadly, on Tuesday, December 11th, a man went into my mall at work and opened fire in the Food Court Area.  He killed 2 innocent people, injured another and then killed himself.  There were around 10,000 people in the mall at the time.  I was not working that day.  I was home with the kids when this all happened, but very well could have been there had circumstances changed.  We are short handed at work right now, so I could have been called in that day.  I was also planning to go do some Christmas shopping, but decided I would wait till Brad came home from work to do it instead.  We also had just been there the night before to see Santa (all 5 of us). There were quite a few of my co-workers in the store though. All the stores in the mall went into Lock down.  We close all of our gates and usher all employees and customers to a secure location in the store.  They remained there for over 2 hours before authorities came to say they could lea...

This summer has been fun at times, but also exhausting! I have to confess, I have had a couple break downs.  I know I usually seem as though not much bothers me, but a lot has been bothering me lately.  I have had these horrible feelings of not being myself.  I have been angry.  I have been down and feeling sorry for myself.  I have not been doing the best job that I can do as a mother.  I have wanted a break.  I have been letting the small things the kids do get under my skin and cause me to have a breakdown.  My patients has worn thin.  I had to pull Brad aside and say, "please help!" If you know me at all, you know this is not my standard and is a very big deal for me.  I HATE asking for help with things.  I would rather kill myself trying than ask for help.  Seriously. We had a great talk.  I got my feeling and thought out to him.  He comforted me and made me feel like I am not crazy as I had thought I was....

Well, it has been one year since my father passed away.  I can hardly believe it.  Time goes by so quickly!  I have had lots of memories floating through my mind of him today.  I also decided to make a trip to the cemetery and take some flowers.  I have not been back there since he was buried a year ago.  I had gone to St.Paul (the town he is buried in and where my grandmother lives) once during the year for the Rodeo, but not get a chance to walk over to the cemetery.  I will say I did alright going out there.  I had all the kids with me.  They did not have school since it also happens to be Veteran's Day.  I did not get emotional.  I was answering a lot of questions from the boys about what a cemetery is, where the people are, how they know their names, and of course the question of where they go after they die.  All valid questions from a 4 and 6 year old.  We went to the spot in the cemetery.  My dad is buried w...

Today, would have been my father's 60th birthday.  Crazy still to think that he is gone and all before he turned sixty.  Rather young and if he hadn't drank so much he really would have still been in pretty good shape.  At look at my dad in his late 20's after winning one of the Wild Horse Races at a Rodeo.  Here is a look at his 59 (would have been 60) years historically: May 11 Events in History 2010 The Gulf of Mexico oil spill threatens sensitive marshes and wildlife along the Gulf Coast; Admiral Thad Allan is appointed to lead the Federal response to the spill 1998 India resumes underground nuclear tests after more than a 20 year gap 1997 "Play On!" closes at Brooks Atkinson Theater New York City after 61 performances 1997 New York Mets C. Everett and Butch Huskey are 9th to hit consecutive pinch home runs 1997 Paine Webber Senior Golf Invitational 1997 Sara Lee LPGA Classic 1997 Scott McCarron wins Bellsouth Golf Classic 1997 Terry-...

Recently I was given a copy of my father's death certificate.  I have since had many thoughts on this piece of paper now in my possession.  Does this piece of paper make it even MORE real?  Am I suppose to treasure it as an artifact?  Should I carry it around so that when I am having a bad day I can just pull it out to let people know that is my excuse?  My first reaction: I don't want this! I don't need this! It is just so odd to me.  I don't possess hardly any material items from my father, yet now I have this paper that says he is no longer living.  Where does one go from here?  He chose a bad path.  He let himself slip away into alcohol day in and day out.  It is sad and unfortunate.  He once was a great guy, full of energy, knowledgeable in cars, electronics, gardening, horses and a force to be reckoned with when it came to Wild Horse Races.  He lost that all and his family.  You could feel really sorry fo...

Most of my posts are usually showing the kids and telling of our outings and special events.  I consistently show the happy times and not always the difficult days when there is a tantrum or the days that Brad or I (or both of us) are mentally exhausted from timeouts, yelling, crying and the regular days of parenting.  I am going to be a little more expressive with my blog.  I feel that there are many other aspects of our lives that I am not documenting on here, yet some days they overwhelm my thoughts. With that said I would like to explore one topic in particular that has been on my mind recently.  Most of you know that my father passed away in November.  This has been an interesting experience to work through to say the least. There have been many emotions that have flooded my mind on any given day.  Anger, sadness, frustration, the "now what" feeling and many more.  I was not close to my father the last 15-16 years of my life (which really is hal...