Holiday Cheer

We went and picked out a tree this morning. It was freezing and we were in a hurry because I had a work related phone call which ended up getting rescheduled for another day minutes before the mini-hearing took place. Oh happy joy.

Anyway, the tree we did end up with cost an arm and a leg, I'm seriously considering planting my own christmas trees, but it looks pretty good. With that photo, I'm off, we are about to have our images captured by Lynn and Jesse Rosten. As soon as we get some of those we will post them up! Be blessed.

-dg

Blah.

So the last few blogs have been from Michelle, I figured it was my turn. With the last few months many things have changed, some good, some bad. One bad thing is that we moved again, the good part is that we moved into a house that we bought! Another bummer deal is that my parents split up. Whatever the reason doesn't really matter to me, I love both mom and dad equally, I only care that they find a way to happiness. Again on the good side of the balance sheet, I am now working close enough to home that I sleep in my own bed every night. It feels so good.

The path life is taking right now is one of the most challenging times for me. Not physically, but emotionally and spiritually. I have never been in a better position financially, my wife and son are healthy and I am surrounded by some amazing friends. While I am in a good place, my siblings, my parents, my grandparents and some friends are facing some of the toughest times they have seen. It leaves me wondering what to do. All the things I thought were steadfast and sure in life have been turned upside down. Except one thing.

Now I sit, faced with an up and down roller-coaster everyday. I laugh with my dad, trying not to get depressed, watching as he tries to start his life from scratch. I chat with friends and try to be supportive as we try to sort through the confusion and heartbreak presented before us. I avoid the news because it just makes me want to quit. Apparently misery is the new happy. Michelle is listening to a song right now that sums it up, "All we can do is keep breathing" - Ingrid Michaelson. And pray.

Oh well. This is the path in life I am on, for better or worse. All I am going to do is try to live up to my name. My first name, for example, means "God is my judge". My family motto from ancient times is "Victory or death". That's a lot to live up to, good thing I don't quit easily.

Thanks for reading my blah-blog.

-dg

What Happens In Vegas

"Really?! Has it really been five years already?" That's what we were saying on our trip to Las Vegas for the weekend. It was great! And it was our first real weekend away from baby Daniel so it was a big step for us all. We had a great time! We shopped til we dropped. It was such a treat and I am so thankful for a husband who doesn't mind hitting up the retail stores with me. We went to The Forum Shops where I bought some product at MAC PRO. We went to Miracle Mile and I went into Urban Outfitters for the first time and bought a dress and jacket at H&M and the sweetest pair of heels I've ever laid eyes on at Bakers. But I think my trip to Fashion Show Mall where I got two dresses from Betsey Johnson was the highlight. Truly, I was in retail heaven this weekend!

We went and walked the strip and it was pretty crazy due to 4th of July weekend. Hope everyone had a great 4th this year by the way. We went and saw Circ De Soleil's "O" at the Bellagio which was amazing and saw fireworks after that. I think I was literally on the edge of my seat most of the time watching "O".

The next day was filled with more sites to see and then hanging by the pool to catch some sun. We had a lovely dinner at the Top of the World restaurant followed by my winning $58 on the penny slots!! Thank you to Mom and Dad for watching baby Daniel this weekend! Without you we wouldn't have been able to go away for our anniversary. And thank you also for the card. Aunt Alison I got yours too! :) You helped make this anniversary that much more special.

-mg

SPONTANEOUS DAY TRIP!!!

Daniel and I decided to take a last minute road trip today to somewhere we've never been before. And that place was Bidwell Park in Chico, CA. We've heard a lot about it. It is after all the second largest park in the US, the first being Central Park in New York. We've been into parks and nature lately since we bought our camera that we're totally obsessed with. We call it our second child. It goes where ever we go and for good reason. We get to capture all the special little moments of a 15 month old baby D discovering nature. It's lovely (except for the mosquitos) and I have proof. Hence all the photos your eyeballs are going to see right now. :)

-mg

It's that time of year... again.

Yep. Another move for the Gallagher family. Our lease was up with the house we were in since relocating back to the motherland and we decided it would be best to scale down into something more comfy for a family of three and save, save, save for owning our own home, home, home. That will be one glorious day. The day when I can finally say "we will plant roots here for ETERNITY". But until then, boxes have been packed and unpacked, floors have been swept and mopped and swept and mopped again. I have made Daniel fully aware that we will be here until however long it takes us to only move one more time. Because nine times in less than five years is ridiculous in my opinion but alas... that has been our life and we have done many things most people would not get a chance to do.

On a happy note Daniel was able to buy the camera of his dreams after many months of saving. We bought our friends', the Rosten's Canon 5D because they too have upgraded and purchased the Canon 5D Mark II. Yay for them! Happiness all around people!!!! So thank you Lyn and Jesse. Your generosity never goes unnoticed. We've been playing with the camera ever since so I will leave you with a few pictures that I was able to capture this afternoon.

-mg

The Calm Before The Storm.

I've been feeling really inspired lately. I got the chance to see a friend whom I haven't seen in about six years. We played in the Shasta Youth Symphony together before she moved away to pursue a career in music. She came back last weekend and performed as the viola soloist with the Shasta Symphony and blew me out of my chair. It kinda sparked that fire up in me again to play like I used to.
As far as makeup goes I've been able to do a couple professional gigs a month which is another great creative outlet for me. I love to do bridal makeup but the picture below is inspired by the great model Twiggy. Lyn was so perfect for this look and it was so fun to try and re-create something so timeless. I hope that I can continue to do things outside of being a homemaker. I value the time I have away to explore other things about me that I might not have known about if I hadn't taken the time to find it. Nothing is worse then sacrificing the very thing that makes you... well; you.

"As time goes by..."

Okay, so I know this is a song about two people in love but as I'm listening to Jimmy Durantes recording of this classic love song I can't help but think about this past year and all of the change it has brought. (And if you don't know which song I'm talking about go rent the movie "Sleepless in Seattle") Particularly our ten fingered, ten toed, tooth grinning, almost walking, brown haired, hazel eyed, chit chatter I'd like to call my son. He is one and that is crazy. It's hard to think that a year ago today Daniel and I were three days into being new parents. 

I have to give a big shout out to Daniel. For the first two weeks solid he was taking care of both of us and for that babe, you are the most amazing, patient, wonderful, husband EVER. He never complained once shuttling the baby back and forth to me seeing as I had an extremely hard time doing anything while I was healing from the surgery. I didn't change a single diaper for the first two weeks!! I couldn't use my stomach muscles to get out of bed in the middle of the night so I'd have to wake up Daniel just to use the bathroom. He was so natural at being a father it was ridiculous. It seemed he was never clueless about anything to do with the baby and if he was it never lasted. I will never forget how amazing it was to watch him in action those first couple weeks. 

And to see how far we've come as a little family is wonderful. I am so very thankful for everything in my life. I feel so blessed to have the men in my life that I do! Happy Birthday my son, I am so very proud of you.