Am I forgetting something? Oh yes!...

I forget that most people that I know who blog write updates on what's going on in their families, and such. While I've been writing an occasional silly blog on my random thoughts I've forgotten to mention What's been going on in Anjuluh world. So here's a quick update:

In September 2011, I discovered that I had a basal cell carcinoma on my left cheek. I was sent to a specialist in MOHS surgery, because it was on my face. I was removed and now you can barely see the scar.

In October 2011, I got a part time job at a locally owned music store. Since all of the kids started school full time and the oldest is at babysitting age, I decided it was time. 

I'ts the perfect job for me, because it's totally low key, friendly and easy. I get an employee discount, which is nice because Veronica and I have both been wanting to take lessons in music for so long! Veronica is taking voice lessons, and I am taking piano. 

Since getting my little part time job I have also been able to enroll Sage and Gwen in Karate and swimming, Gwen also in ballet, and Sage took Skateboarding lessons for a while. 

Here are some pictures from Gwen's first recital:

She's loving ballet, and will start again in the fall.

We had some drama in late July, while my mom was recovering from having a lymphoma removed, the mountains close to our home caught fire. Our home wasn't in danger of fire, but the air became unsafe to breath and we were evacuated. I had planned on visiting my mom that day anyway, but what I hadn't planned on was having to bring my whole family, including cats, with me and spend the night! That was an adventure! Here are some pictures, the night time one taken by a neighbor, and the others taken by me the morning we were evacuated from our home:

 This is the sun, seen through a cloud of smoke above my rooftop.

This picture looks like snow on the mountainside, but it's actually ash and smoke.

In February my brother, Dan and sister-in-law, Araceli had a baby girl! They moved to Arizona just a few months before she was born, for a job. So most of us didn't get to see her until the 4th of July, when they came to visit. We were so excited to see baby Ava! It was great to see Dan & Araceli too. We missed them so much! I only was able to take a few pictures from the 4th of July, we had a potluck barbecue at Araceli's sister, Priscilla's house. It was so nice to get together! 

 Veronica and Ava, cousins

 Sage and River, cousins

 My dad!

 James with Sage and River

 Gwen

 Veronica and Jennifer- hahaha! I love my sister!

 Me, Jennifer, Araceli, Andrea

 Veronica and Jennifer

 Me & my mom <3

My daughter & me

Browbeating

Does anyone else, but me, like to watch movies from the 80's and contemplate how much eyebrows have changed in the last 20 to 30 years? I can't help but love how women back then wore their eyebrows in all of their natural glory! Now it is socially acceptable to pluck and wax those suckers to your heart's content until you are left with a thinner, more desirable shape. Our poor, poor eyebrows!

Even Madonna wore her eyebrows proudly back in the day!

Just look at those wicked fat brows!

Gone are the days of having a uni-brow and still being considered beautiful!

Frida even had a matching mustache and she was lovely. At least she loved herself enough to include it in her self portrait.

I never had a problem with my eyebrows before. In the late 90's I started plucking stray eyebrows that didn't seem to go with the flow of their fellow brow hairs, it seemed the thing to do. 

Later my sister talked me into waxing my brows. I was browbeaten into beating up my brows, I suppose. I didn't think it was really necessary, but consented since everyone was doing it. Surprisingly, I liked it! I felt like it opened up my eyes and made me look better somehow. Eventually I started waxing my own eyebrows, though that probably wasn't the best idea because a few times I accidentally took off half of an eyebrow and had to draw it on with a pencil for about a month! I suppose I should consider having it done professionally, but doing it myself is so much cheaper. And I'm a natural born cheapskate! 

I can't help but wonder what the fad for eyebrows will be in the next 20 to 30 years...