Playing Catch Up

Pictures from October: Look how much Bear has grown! Two little princesses out trick or treating and a little girl that just loves her Jack O'Lantern!

Update at home is that Michael is working full time at Twin Lab in production. Lately he has had to work a lot of overtime. It seems that now more than ever he is finally learning a valuable lesson in hard work, budgeting expenses, and goals to work toward. He will be on probation for the next 6 years and plans to get his divorce in January. I feel he is doing exceptionally better and hope he stays on the right path.

We now have ceramic tile in our bathrooms! So much better than that icky linoleum!

Savannah had a little Christmas program with her preschool. The kids were all so cute and you can't tell how excited they are for Christmas at all. No not at all. This is just the beginning of the fun age, I think last year that she and the other kids her age just didn't really quite know all what is going on to really get excited. I am really looking forward to Tuesday!

Welp, and finally, I am moving to a new job after the first of the year. Half the commute time and something that will keep me busy and will feel a little more worth worthwhile in the time I do spend there. I have been miserable for at least a year so some change is due.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I am sure wondering what the new year will bring us, hopefully better luck and success than this last year has given us.

"Savannah-isms"

So we're walking into the grocery store the other day when all of a sudden Savannah yells out, "Hey! It's a cowboy!" I looked up and sure enough there was a cowboy! I started laughing out loud so hard and turned around to see the lady behind me was also laughing. Cowboy Dan didn't notice at all. Hee!

Good Thanksgiving

In addition to the joy of indulging in nothing but comfort food all day one day out of the year, I am pretty sure we all had a great Thanksgiving at my sister's house a couple hours north of us. The food was great and I got to try fresh cranberries for the first time...loved them. Savannah didn't recognize one of her older cousins, Andy, and was quick to tattle tell that he was eating our food off the relish tray. It was a hoot! This morning she asked if we could go back, "I like Aunt Monica's house." We played a few games and watched a couple movies and just had a good time being with each other. I just love Thanksgiving for that. No hurries, no rushes, all enjoyment.

Yikes, Teenager on the Road!

Jake has gotten his learner's permit to drive...well technically he doesn't have it yet until he re-takes the eye test that he failed. He's had and needed glasses for about 10 years now or more but does he wear them? No. Neither do I wear mine and so you see my examples are not well as a mother. He gets the glasses this weekend and one thing that will guarantee to keep them on his nose is knowing he cannot drive without them. Wearing them will also really help with his school work although he may not believe that. He asks to drive everywhere all the time even if it's a block over to his friends and back. I remember that old feeling of being in control of the wheel and how exciting it was.

I think I ought to get some new glasses for myself and wear them too, besides I noticed my sight is/has gotten worse. Maybe after Christmas, I will make it a new year's resolution to wear them...my problem is I feel like such a nerd when I have them on. I just need to get over it or try contacts. I guess if Jacob can do it and not worry about what his peers will say then I have no excuse and can do it too. Funny observation for me that the tables can turn and your kids can influence you to be better too, not just the other way around.

In My Daughter's Eyes

Through all my recent battle with depression I have been going through accompanied with anxiety attacks and self-consciousness from my low self esteem as a mother (yes I think everything from this year is now just hitting me and hard) There is one thing in my life that really calms me the most - even if I do worry that someday she may also be under her own hardship and of course I will blame what I did or didn't do. I just love having a little girl and she brings so much joy to our home. What a blessing she has been in our family.

In my daughter's eyes I am a hero
I am strong and wise and I know no fear
But the truth is plain to see
She was sent to rescue me I see who I wanna be
In my daughter's eyes

In my daughter's eyes everyone is equal
Darkness turns to light and the world is at peace
This miracle God gave to me gives me strength when I am weak
I find reason to believe

In my daughter's eyes
And when she wraps her hand around my finger
Oh it puts a smile in my heart
Everything becomes a little clearer I realize what life is all about
It's hangin' on when your heart has had enough
It's giving more when you feel like giving up I've seen the light
It's in my daughter's eyes

In my daughter's eyes I can see the future
A reflection of who I am and what will be
Though she'll grow and someday leave
Maybe raise a family
When I'm gone I hope you see how happy she made me
For I'll be there

In my daughter's eyes

(Song lyrics by Martina McBride)

Halloween

So I still have yet to post and report about Halloween. I have umpteen pictures on my camera, just need to take the time to download them to the PC.

Savannah was a princess, of course, and she thought that at every one's house she needed to go in and explore. Forget about the candy. "Can I come in your house?" She was so friendly but it's scary to know that she could be that easily led into a strangers home. I am glad the weather wasn't bad, Halloween is no fun when it's cold.

News

Michael is home with us now. He won't be sentenced until December 11th. He has decided to get his life straightened out and although it will be hard he is in the right place to start. I hope we can support him and encourage him to try harder than ever knowing that he does have a family who loves him. Trust will be hard to gain back but time will tell. He is not sure where his wife is and has decided to end the relationship. He has been job hunting all week and has had a couple of interviews. I'm relieved that he is safe and sound and away from her influence, however I am still apprehensive about everything. It's hard not to be when you are a worrisome mother.

Another birthday come and gone...

It's so funny, when I say the title of this entry in my head I remind myself of Eeyore. It's exactly how he would sound but only in my voice talking about another year going by. This one was a milestone, 35. I am now a speed limit. Funny how before yesterday I never thought of myself as a "grown woman." So what was I prior? A young lady? I don't know, but I'm sure you are all thinking, "35? That's nothing!" I'll be thinking the same thing when I hit 40. Ugh. After all was said and done, I was just happy to get my cake and eat it too even if all the wax from the candles became another layer of frosting.

Memory never to forget...

Savannah is always wanting to play with Grandma's dolls, especially the ones with shiny hair. When we went over to my mom's the other day, she was pleasantly surprised that Grandma had some new Terri Lee dolls that she could really play with and not hurt too much. A moment to always treasure. Here's Grandma and Savannah playing with them together. How sweet! (Picture seems to be lost - hoping to find soon)

Why I love Columbus Day...

Ahhh a day off when no one else has one it seems. Not many people get Columbus Day off, not even the schools take it off so it's always been one of my favorite days. I loved having the day off yesterday even if I did have to spend part of it running errands that I couldn't do after work or on the weekends. After taking Jake to the dentist and the dog to the vet, my mom and I went shopping. It was a lot of fun I must say and I found some really cute clothes. (I must mention that this probably has to do with losing weight that actually makes it fun to shop for them again.) It seems every year she and I go as we used to have the day off together when we both worked for the government but now that she's retired we've continued the tradition. I think it's more so a good way for her and I to spend time together and sort of celebrate my birthday which is usually a few days around Columbus Day. Sometimes my actual birthday will land on the holiday which is even a better treat. So we always go shopping and go out to eat and yesterday the weather was just beautiful and made it all the more enjoyful. We went to this new Chinese place in town, it was pretty good for them just starting out. I probably ate more than I needed but I didn't care to worry about it. After all birthdays come but once a year.

Thanks mom, I had a good time!

Halloween Hangman

Tis the season!

Circus in town

Pictures of our outing at the Ringling Barnum & Bailey Circus..Savannah was so into it for about the first 15 minutes then she was pretty much satisfied and wanted popcorn and soda and all the expensive toys and gadgets they were selling. It's a kids market in the Circus I tell ya or maybe a circus in the kids market, you could take it either way I guess.

Savannah was very bashful when it came time to take the picture with one of the friendly clowns.

Leaves are turning...

I can't believe we are approaching fall in the next few days. I mean the nights are chilly and the mornings are even more chilly. I can handle the days alright but already I am getting cold off and on throughout the day that I have had to wear my jacket. Like all autumns here in Utah, this one too will be a short one. Soon there will be snow on the ground. I just hope it stays decent until Halloween at least.

Speaking of Halloween, Savannah just can't get enough of her costume. She wants to wear it and play with it and show it to everyone, even passing neighbors on the street. She says, "You want to come see my room? You want to some see my costume?" This year she is going to be a princess. She calls her crown a "queen" and her magic wand a "bippidee boppedee" (I know princesses don't have magic wands but I couldn't resist getting it.) The dress is a little big for her but I planned that on purpose so it will last for more than Halloween since she loves to dress up.

Also speaking of Halloween, what is every one's view point of it? I have recently been influenced that is not right to celebrate however I don't think that what our culture, or at least not mine, is celebrating is the original Halloween derived from a long time ago. I do not feel as that we are celebrating death or evil spirits. For me it is about celebrating autumn time with silly pumpkin decorations, dressing up to be someone you are not, and candy. The witches and skeletons really have and never will represent anything morbid or evil to me. I just can't imagine a child never to experience their childhood without trick or treating, can you? I suppose if they never have, they will never know, but with all the commotion on around them such as neighbors, schools, and in the stores, how can they not be engulfed and intrigued by it already? I dunno. And in addition to the controversy about Halloween, I also think it's okay to read and watch Harry Potter and that wizardry is hardly anything to worry about for hurting some one's faith in God. Guess either I'm not a true Christian or have never really been exposed to anything harmful enough from these things to feel or believe there is harm in them.

Growing up!

My babies at home are growing up too fast.

Jake started driving range last night. Just like it was for me, Driver Education is his favorite class. I can't believe my baby boy will be driving soon! (Actually he's hardly a baby boy, he passed my height up a long time ago and shot up just like a weed. Kind of funny how he was short for what seemed like forever. Not anymore. But he'll always be my baby boy.) I've been thinking about handing down my Dad's brown truck to him and to let him put in his name when he graduates High School. I just really trust him to take care of it and it would be better that he use it rather than it just sit around collecting dust. Besides, isn't it an honor to be given such a sentimentally valued item?

Savannah started preschool yesterday. She was so excited to tell me about it even before she went. I think it will give her a good start that I wasn't able to offer to my other kids but get this; (and I love my husband for this) ever since I told him, Charlie has been so worried that we are pushing her too far too fast by letting her go a half year earlier than we discussed. I reassured him that at this age it's like a glorified play date with structure and that if she doesn't like it we would take her out. I love him for being concerned for her sake and not the money's sake, and I realize he's just as scared as I am to let her grow up too fast. I also love him for the fact that I know another person that was told by her husband she could not let their kids into preschool because "he" didn't want to pay for it. I see this comparison of Charlie to this guy as well as to my first husband's lack of interest or even desire to give an opinion on his kids and this is what makes him a true father. All the more to prove item #2 in my tagged list below. :)

I've been tagged!

THE RULES OF THE TAG ARE:

Each person posts the rules before their list, then list 8 things about themselves.
At the end of the post, that person tags and links to 8 other people and then visits those people's spaces and comments letting them know that they have been tagged, and to come and read the post, so they know what they have to do.

(I am ignoring the rules, so please take it upon yourself to post 8 things on your blog for me to learn about you!)

1. I had my first child at age 16.

2. I have been married twice, this time it's a keeper...well, most days anyway. (Just kidding!)

3. I am half Mexican.

4. I have worked for the state government for 7 years.

5. I love freshly baked chocolate chip cookies.

6. I have lived the life of a drug user was able to get out of it.

7. I have never moved out of Utah County or even the state of Utah. I want to.

8. My first job I worked as a seamstress.

Saturday is a special day....

Planting trees!

Savannah playing on the swing set near the Peach tree.

Planting the flowering pear trees in the city strip. This was not as exciting to us as we didn't get to make the choice as we did with the others. The whole town has them and we were told to use this type of tree so just to mix things up we also planted a flowering crabapple next to our mailbox! Take that! (picture not shown.)

My favorite of all, the Linden tree. Funny how when we went shopping and I saw them at the nursery I really didn't want it but it was something that Charlie wanted so I decided no matter. Now I love it!

Backyard view of the Fruitless Mulberry. This one isn't so hot looking now, but we saw a full grown one at the nursery and fell in love with it. Looked like a good climbing, shade, and over all a "happy little tree."

Yes, finally after living here for 4 years now, we have trees! Just like kids and pets, we'll watch them grow. As we complete more and more on our house from when we got here and it was brand new, I think about all that we have done and yet to do as well as what I'd like to improve and I decided there are now only two things that I really dislike about my house the way it is now and they are:

1 - The commute. (this will get better in time though, the place is growing like a madhouse so of course it will fill out before the next 5 years and the fact that I work so far away is my own fault)

2 - My carpet. It was once beautiful and soft and luscious until we had a kitten, a baby, a dog, and now a puppy. I can't even stand to look at it or walk on it and to tell you the truth, I'd rather invite my company over when it's dark out and we are using candle light. Yes that is how embarrassed I am about it. Been thinking about getting hard wood flooring done or even vinyl...

The things that I absolutely love about my home:

1 - The night sky. Little to no light and you feel as if you are actually in the Milky Way.

2 - No sirens. No city crap. So quiet and peaceful. I especially love Halloween here. It's like I remember, all the kids in the streets at night getting all the loot they can. None of the "trunk or treat" stuff around here to make sure kids are safe.

3 - Our new backyard! I love having a fence and now patio furniture. We use our back yard like we never had. BBQ'ing has a whole new facade for me and it reminds me of growing up at home where we always ate outside as a family.

4 - My new vinyl floor in my laundry room! Thanks sweetie for putting it in and thank you Home Depot for having an awesome close out sell on those tiles. I love not standing on the cold cement any longer.

So you see I could probably go on and on even more with the stuff I love yet there are only two things I would like to really get changed...and you wait and see, they will! (Eventually, just as soon as those trees start growing that money!)

We had a scare this weekend.

Little Savannah hit her head on the bathtub after she announced she had to go potty she started running down the hallway and tripped on the bath rug. It seems when she gets hit hard like this she has the tendency to not breathe when she cries. Usually she just holds her breath instead of screaming and one time she had passed out because of it. Not this time though. This time her body went completely stiff and she wasn't breathing at all and was unconscious. What seemed like forever she finally started to come to but her body was convulsing into a seizure. Of course when the ambulance arrived she was doing much better and seemed to be okay but we weren't taking a chance. I rode with her to the hospital just in case anything else were to happen they could maintain it and they kept her in a neck brace and stretcher to make sure she didn't hurt her spine. She slept the whole way there as well as on the way home it really took the life out of her. The CT scan and x-rays turned out okay but I don't think we will ever get over this and we have made an appointment with her pediatrician to get a referral to see a specialist.

I don't know what I would do if I ever lost my little girl. She has become a large light in my life since she was born. I stayed home with her yesterday and made quality time with her and cherished every moment of it. I try not to take life for granted sometimes but it can happen, so we spent the day hanging out together doing mommy-daughter stuff. We painted each other's nails, played her Dora video game, watched home movies of her when she was a baby, did puzzles, and made cupcakes. My heart just breaks thinking of the thought of her little spirit being gone again, even if it is for one second.

Good news.

I lost the 1.6 lbs gained from vacation. Wahoo!

It's Wednesday!

Finally, some slowing down at work. I am thinking this would have been the better time to have taken a vacation. Now we just need to plan next year's family trip!

I think I'm finally starting to feel normal again at home. At first when we got back, I was antsy to not be there, but now I enjoy it again. We had some friends over for a BBQ on Saturday and it was nice to not worry about if the kids got out of the yard. I love our fence! I also had them bring their dog to play with ours, however it is a mastiff so I think we're a little premature in thinking Bear is big enough to play back. We also found a great patio set on sale at 1/2 off and now I can say I feel like I have a real back yard now.

This weekend we are finally seeing Harry Potter and going out to celebrate my recent salary increase I got at work. (I know, anything to make an excuse to dine out and have a drink.) Jacob finally got to see Simpson's last weekend, so at last, no more nagging. Eh, I'll wait to rent it.

And of course I gained about a pound and a half over vacation and have been worried that our WW at work meeting wouldn't start up without enough people to sign up but thankfully we are okay. I know if I hadn't this meeting at work, my chances are slim to none for going to them outside of work which would result in going back to old habits. To me that would be one more errand or chore that I don't want. You figure I leave the house at 6:30 in the morning and don't get back until about 5:30, depending on how long I visit with the sitter, so my week is shot for any extracurricular activities outside of doing dinner, dishes, bathing, and reading Savannah a book before I hit the sack. Saturdays are errand running days and chore days. Sunday is our only day to relax.

Anyway, enough of me rambling. I hope you all enjoy the slide show of our pics from vacation, I know I do!

Can't stop thinking...

About Oregon. I want to live there! Love it, love it, love it. There. Now it's out of my system. For a few minutes anyway!

I wanna go back!

Okay, I am in love. With the Oregon Coast vacation we had that is. People have told me how beautiful it was and I know I went when I was younger but I've gotta say that I haven't seen anything that beautiful enough to fall in love with it. I think it's something to do with being out in nature; the sounds, the smells, the sights. I'm really contemplating moving out there. I want to be closer to the ocean and it's massive beauty. I loved the green foliage that is just overflowing across the land. The air was so fresh even when it was fishy. There was seafood served at every restaurant even for breakfast! I think the biggest thing that sticks in my mind was Astoria. I can't tell if this is because it was the first stop along our coastal endeavor or if it was because we spent the most time there. I loved the houses and the cute little town that sat off the river's edge. I dunno, there was just something about it.

First we went to Seattle where we spent a couple days with my sister. I always love spending time with my sisters so of course that was great. She also took us to see the Locks and to the aquarium and some other places around town. We also went to Pike Place market to see the famous fish throwing scene. It is always fun to visit. The ferry ride was also fun, I loved the wind in my face and the seagulls that flew next to us.

After staying with my sister we rode down state and stayed in Astoria. We ate dinner that night at a cool place on the pier. It was a fancier restaurant and we just loved the atmosphere despite the cost of the items on the menu. After ordering and two beers and another half hour later we still didn't have our food, our waitress stated they would be taking care of our bill. I guess their chef wasn't there that night and the others that were there had a rough time making some of the recipes. What a nice surprise to know we didn't have to pay for our meal and the food was excellent. Worth the wait I say.

Next morning we went to visit the Flavel Mansion, climbed the Astoria Column, then headed off to Fort Clatsop. Along down our way to Waldport we stopped at Tillamook to spot the cheese factory and get some good food. We spent so much time sight seeing that day that we didn't get to our hotel until late that night. Jacob and Savannah treaded the cold waters in the pool there and I just couldn't do it. I must be getting old.

After leaving Waldport we headed down the coastline stopping to beach comb at one of the pull outs. We also visited the Sea Lion Caves and stopped at a place called Devil's Churn. I just loved the sound of the waves hitting the rock. It reminded me of thunder.
After arriving at our next stop in Gold Beach we went beach combing again. Savannah and Jacob just loved it! It was quite windy but nonetheless fun to spot the leftovers of nature in the sand. We found quite a few sand dollars to take home to our tank unfortunately they were not whole pieces, but we love them anyway. The hot tub felt awesome and the next morning the air was so crisp and the view of the bridge was awesome.

Next we stopped at the Trees of Mystery to see Babe the Blue Ox and the talking Paul Bunyan. Savannah had a good time climbing all over the boot and running under the Ox. We were also supposed to visit one of the Redwood forests but as we found out that there wasn't one entry for the national park as I had thought so I didn't know to turn out in one of the state parks.
Redding California was hot and the kids had a lot of fun swimming in the pool as Charlie and I watched. Savannah's getting to be a pretty good swimmer I must say. We found a nearby Chinese buffet that had much better food than Utah offers. It was fun to tease the coy in the pond there that would suck on your finger as if they were desperate for food. Pigs!

On our way to Reno we stopped at the Donner Pass Memorial. I've always heard the story from a different viewpoint, one that focused on them having to survive with the means of their loved ones who had passed. The memorial was different and didn't really go into detail of it as much as I remembered always hearing about. I guess it is morbid only if you look at it that way. Things on TV are portrayed so much differently than they need to be sometimes I think.

Reno was hellacious with what they call "Hot August Nights" where they have a car show every year I've been told. Millions of people but also a lot of really cool cars. There was no where to eat in the casinos without waiting for at least 2 hours. It was my brother's birthday and he wanted a buffet dinner, but instead of $27 and an hour and half of waiting we opted to go across the street to Ruby River. I know, I know, something we could have had at home, but we had a good time and the food was great. I didn't know we were going there so I missed out on getting a picture of him with his silly cowboy hat made of foam to celebrate his big 40!

Later that night Charlie and I took a cab out to the city. He used to live there and was curious to see what happened to some of the locals and so we ventured out and had a couple of beers and ran into a drunk lady at the Circus Circus who was a little too friendly with everyone there. Walking up the strip a ways before getting another cab, we saw many semi trucks in the parade. I knew it was a car show, but I thought it was neat that they fancied up those big trucks too. It was cool.

Next day we left and drove straight home. We thought about staying in Elko but really the only there would have been swimming at the motel. I think everyone was tired and didn't have much sleep so we all just decided to drive straight through. It was a long drive but I felt we made good time.
I sure have a lot of photos for my souvenirs. I didn't buy anything and didn't feel the need to. Photos are the best memories of all...here are some of my favorites:

Fun Weekend!

As you can tell we had a great weekend at Lagoon and the Ogden Dinosaur Park. We went with friends and their kids. Although we didn't get to swim there or even visit half the attractions we still made a full day of what we could. The next morning we visited the Hill Airforce Base Museum before going to the dinosaur park and then on the way home had a BBQ in Ogden canyon. I think it's safe to say that we ran the kids ragged instead of them running us ragged. Don't get me wrong though, we did do a good job of wearing ourselves out too! It was a much needed weekend away from all the drama that's been going on lately and a good prequel to our next vacation. Only one more week until our next excursion to the Oregon Coast!

Here I am with Savannah on the Ladybug

Savannah and Riley on the Jr. Speedway

Puff the magic dragon

Family photo at Hill AFB

Jake and Savannah at the Dinosaur Park

Slowly but surely...

Welp, finally lost .8 more pounds! Why am I excited? Cause the last time I lost anything significant was a month ago...and to be honest it's been since March that I re-started WW after my short break and have lost a total of 7.8 lbs since then, so even though it's slower than it should be, at least I'm still on my way! I started a little over a year ago and my total now is 36.8 total however I haven't stepped on that treadmill since October 30th! So to encourage and motivate myself again, I bought a "Walk Away the Pounds" DVD and am going to try it! Maybe by buying myself some new clothes that will help to keep up my stride as well. I bought some cute stuff this past weekend and can't believe the difference it has made this past week to see myself in the mirror with clothes that I'm not swimming in!

Speaking of swimming we are going to head to Lagoon Saturday then spend the night in Ogden and the next day visiting the dinosaur park there. I am stoked. I need to get away from everything for a bit, even if we are going on vacation in only two weeks.

Silly Girl!

Savannah is so funny. Yesterday we were looking at some pictures and of course Michael was in one of them. So she says with her hands up, "I can't find Michael. I don't know where he is," then she puts her hands in a circle around her eye and says, "We need a telescope to find him." All I said after chuckling was that she's right, he is lost and even he doesn't know where he is.

Poor Rooch

Poor Bear. He only wants to play and doesn't understand that the cats are not puppies. His little eye got scratched with a kitty claw the other night and now it's clouded over. We are taking him to the vet to get it checked out as well as a health exam and to get his shots. Since there is no way for us to know if he has had any shots previously we will just have to start them new to be sure.

The window well covers are now on all our basement windows and I have to say it's nice to not worry if Savannah or the dog will fall in. We will be getting our fence next month and I can hardly wait. Our fish tank and stand arrives today and slowly but surely you will see the progess made on it as we slowly buy the supplies for it to get it started. Of course it will all be documented with pictures. Now instead of getting the usual nagging from the overbearing husband for the tank, it will be all the goodies that go along with it instead. But when all is said and done it will be beautiful.

So I have been craving shrimp enchiladas from Mi Ranchito this week. Not sure why. I have been in this shrimp kick lately. It's either cause I've only recently indulged in them more than usual and now have a love for them or because they are so low in fat that I am so guilt free in eating them! (Not fried of course.) Mmmm it makes me hungry just thinking about! By the way, I'm still on Weight Watchers. I've gotten to a pretty slow speed of losing but am still losing nonetheless. I need to hop back on that treadmill but I am so lazy it's terrible. I do good to stay motivated to eat well, but exercise is something I need to be motivated on that Weight Watchers doesn't always teach you. What is good though is that they teach you to know your emotions and to recognize your eating patterns. It is good in that doing this does help keep and lose the weight, to be fully aware, yet I would like to get back to being active. Thing is the only thing that sounds fun to me is to go swimming. Guess cause it's so hot right now! Maybe washing the car could count as activity and cooling off?

Hope you all have a great weekend!

And the roller coaster ride continues...

As of yesterday Savannah has had her first set of stitches. Three that is. It seems the bath faucet and her chin didn't mix with the slippery floor of the bathtub. I've been letting her bathe somewhat alone off and on while I walk in and out of the bathroom putting my laundry away or something, and of course this happened just as I walked out. I am so proud of how well she did at the doctor's office though. I can't believe how brave she was! And she was so happy to get a princess sticker and a sucker, happier than she was at any other doctor's visit. Probably happy to get out of that office where she was forced to hold still and be subjected to weird doctors that talked baby talk to her. She didn't have any pain though. My poor little Boo!

A Prayer

My heart is heavy today from the distraught for those I know and love. My mom has recently lost two cats, my friend lost her brother last week, another friend lost her son this week, and even though I sound tough about Michael and his wife, I am also thinking of them. I can only pray to God for these people around me to get comfort and guidance as needed and hope that they have enough faith to receive it. And if they don't, I pray that they will even if they think it is from their conscience. So may God bless them in this time of need. Bless that I may gain sight when given a prompting of ways I can help them if I can.

Good Weekend

Saturday was a fun day. We spent it running around shopping for our fence. I am happy to say that we accidentally found a place we never heard of and to top it off they were having an annual sale that day so we got 10% off! We weren't so lucky to find such a good deal on salt water aquariums though. We decided we'll get just a tank and stand with canopy to start and work our way up. Yes, salt water aquariums can be a very expensive hobby, but so worth it in the long run. I can't wait to see what it will look like after we start putting live rock and fish in it!

We stopped to feed the ducks out by where Charlie works. And of course with that came the seagulls. They are vicious! Even more mean than the geese. Savannah loved it and I think we will make a picnic of it next time.

We ended the day with a delicious Mexican dinner at a new restaurant I've heard of but never went to called Guadalahonky's. Their catch phrase is, "Get gas at Guad's". They had crab enchiladas that turned out better than expected. Charlie being a past chef even complimented them. I was also impressed with their Chili Verde. Mmmm...I love Mexican food!
Sunday we went to my niece's birthday party who is turned 3. Savannah loves birthdays especially for the balloons and cake. She was a little too excited to give MattieJo her present though and unwrapped it as soon as we got in the house. Bear had a fun time too with all those kids to give him attention.

Weird weather we've been havin'

So it was odd driving to work today and see all the white caps over the mountains. High today will be 55. It is so cold that even Savannah was requesting to watch Frosty the Snowman this morning. I like it though, we haven't turned on our central air yet! I am actually anticipating our utility bill and am excited to see the savings!

So upon news that we're getting our loan next week we are going to go fence shopping on Saturday. I wish I knew someone that could give us a good recommendation for a local company. It is quite a big purchase and I really, really don't want Charlie to do it himself to save money. It would be nice to watch someone else do all the work for a change. I also want to get some trees and our flower bed edging finished as well and I also need recommendations on what kind of trees to get. I want good shade trees but also ones that will not create a mess in the spring with blossoms or in the fall with leaves (although that's probably impossible). If there's anyone out there that can help, I'd appreciate it.

Bear is making progress in the potty training department, but I can't wait for that fence! He was good to let me know he needed out this morning and the mornings he is always good. I think he is just like a kid in that during the day he gets to playing and is so sidetracked he doesn't even think about it and sometimes will just go when he needs. We've learned to take him out every 30 minutes and while it's aggravating, I keep my hope for when the day comes that he is finally trained.

Jacob has a job interview at Subway. He says he's excited and this being his first job, that's good. He applied at the closest pet stores in our area but since that didn't pan out, no hurt in trying for something else to give him some work experience and a little change in his pocket.

I haven't heard anything about Michael since two weeks ago. In fact the last contact anyone in my family had with him was when he dropped to dog off at our house. My mom has been on a cruise this week, so she's not home to get weird messages from his work or him stopping by for favors or to check on messages. I'm assuming they haven't gone over or my brother would have said something too. I have been wondering about him and how they are doing, but I have to hope for the best.

What to do, what to do...

So we have a new dog but not by choice. It seems word carries fast. Michael and Kristen formerly owned this little guy and either A. They were being nice and felt bad that we lost Sheba, or B. They realized they couldn't take care of him since they can't even take care of themselves, or C. They didn't want the responsibility of taking care of him any longer. So what did they do? Dropped him off by our mailbox on Saturday with a note stating they were sorry for the loss of our other dog and asking us to take care of him. They signed the note, "Your Secret Neighbor." One of the neighbor's found him out there and brought him to our attention and it's a good thing we were home to take him. Had we been gone at that time on Saturday out running errands like we usually are, he would have really had a bad spell left out in the heat in a small pet taxi.

Of course the kids were ecstatic upon his arrival and yes, he is cute. But we really were not ready for another dog as we haven't clearly grieved Sheba yet and of all dogs especially a puppy. I've never had one of my own and have come to find out that I really miss Sheba and how easy it was to take care of her as she had a pattern and didn't always need someone or something to play with not to mention the fact she was completely house broken and didn't leave our yard. We couldn't bring it upon ourselves to take him to a shelter and my brother and his wife weren't interested in taking him so we decided to keep him. Thank goodness Jake is out of school and we won't have to leave him unattended and alone all day. He will be a lot of work yes, but I do picture him being a long time pal but I will miss the idea of a lap dog that can lay by me in bed, just as Sheba did. Now I really can't wait for that fence!

The note said he goes by the name of Max but Jacob named him Bear since he reminded him of the bear cubs we saw at Bear World last month. He's very cute and playful. We think he may have some husky in him with his curled tail and fuzzy fur, but we aren't sure.

Home Improvement Part IV

Even though my efforts in getting a fence is late and could have prevented Sheba from being gone, the process is in place and has been for the last week. Our house was appraised last night for the equity loan we are getting and I am glad to know they take into consideration the market value of the homes in our neighborhood as well. We will be consolidating some higher interest debt as well as getting the fence put in and hopefully the majority of our landscaping done. Funny how I get the feeling once we are done with our list of goals to work on, we will move. Don't know where or why, but I just get that feeling, you know?

Sad day

My eyes burn and sting...no not from my leftover cold, but because our doggy died today. And the worst part is we don't know what happened to her. Charlie unfortunately had to go to the doctor after coming up with the same symptoms Savannah and I had - only his have been worse with coughing. Come to find out he has pneumonia. When he let Sheba out at noon after his doctor appt and she never barked back at the door, he went looking for her and she was found in the window well. It is so sad cause she had so much energy, spunk, and life in her and you should have seen her when we would come home from anywhere. She was so happy. I guess my efforts in getting a fence were little too late.


We'll miss you Sheba. :(

Uggh!

I hate colds! Especially the kind that make your body ache. So in addition to being unable to breathe and taste or smell anything, I can't move either. What's worse is that Savannah's got it now too. It's hard enough to feel sorry for myself and try to take care of myself let alone do a good job for her as well. I hate colds. Just plain bad enough to make you feel miserable but not bad enough that you can still function, if you want to call what I've been doing for the past three days functioning. We went to the store this afternoon so I could get the ingredients for chicken noodle soup. Well I forgot the noodles but luckily I remembered before we left the store completely. So I guess I still have some functionality left, eh? Well hope you all are having a better evening than Savannah and I are.

How cool is that?

I just love it! Charlie's job is giving the whole family free tickets to see the Pirates of the Caribbean III this month. Not just to us either, to all of their employees. At first I thought, "Big deal. I don't want to fight the crowd," but it's private so no worries. How cool is that? I guess I get overly excited about this stuff being that I work for the government and we aren't allowed to get any kickbacks other than great health insurance. Heh, they're even taking our pensions away.

And how cool is it that my sister from Seattle will be here tomorrow? My mom is flying her in for her Mother's Day present to herself. Now how can I compete with that? BTW, what do you get a mom for Mother's Day that has everything she needs? I'll come up with something though. I always do. My other sister is having a Cinco De Mayo/Mother's Day theme BBQ at her new house on Sunday so that sounds like a lot of fun.

Jacob is working hard to finish his year of 9th grade. He gets to go to Lagoon on Friday to play all day...fun! He has also been applying for jobs at the local pet stores and is zealous to find something that will help him in the field of work he has a goal to get a degree in. Can you picture my Jacob all grown up working as a Veterinarian?

Savannah is growing too fast. I wish I could pause and freeze time sometimes. My little girl. I cherish every moment I get with her. She now has learned to ride her three wheeled tricycle and is getting pretty darn good at it. She said her first prayer last night too, it was so cute! She's been able to complete her floor puzzle that she wasn't able to do before and I was so surprised! She did such a good job, she's even helped me with my Tigger puzzle and amazed me at all the pieces she fit together (not including the one she chewed).

Well have a happy Mother's Day everyone!

We went to "I-Der-Ho"

So this last weekend we went to my brother's in Idaho this weekend for a quick visit. Savannah was so funny, the night we were packing she put her backpack on and was waiting for me at the door saying, "Come on Mommy, let's go." I had to tell her that we weren't leaving until the morning. We had fun but the trip was a bit too quick. It seemed like we didn't get to really see Marty as much as we drove. I hope that maybe we could go out there or have him come out here for Independence Day, especially out there if they have better fireworks than Utah does.

We visited Bear World, I didn't want to at first because the weather was so cold and wet, but I'm glad I did. I can't believe how many bears they had and never knew that bears could climb and sit in trees! I want to go back when the weather is good and we can all see it since Charlie didn't go as he was asked by our church to be involved in a Praise & Worship for the homeless at the shelter in Salt Lake. After we came back Savannah was so excited to see her Daddy, yelling, "Daddy! Daddy!" Monday night as I was getting her ready for bed she bluntly stated out of the blue, "I want to go to Marty's." It was so cute! Thanks Marty for having us stay!

Jacob and Savannah in front of the Yellowstone Bear World...

Got a good photo after getting lost off the exit in Idaho on the way to Marty's house though!

On the way home we also visited with my sisters, it was a lot of fun. I hope our family can get together soon. We didn't have a reunion last year, but maybe, just maybe we can get together sometime this year all at the same time and call it one. Mom could get her family photo finally done too.

You say you did what?

Yep, we bought a new car! I love it but isn't it sickening that I'd rather not drive it to keep it new? It's so fun. When the guy at the dealership tried selling us a car, it felt as if we were driving the one we already had. You'd think he'd listen to me tell him, "I want something different! I'm tired of cars." But he insisted we take it for a drive anyway, no go though, not until we heard about this manual 2WD that came with a price that tapped out just under the maximum limit we would spend. Our other cars are up there in mileage and soon Jake will need a car himself. I told Charlie that if we went window shopping we would find something we like, but he didn't believe me. I swear they put pheromones in those new cars that make you instantly sign the paperwork to take them home!

Easter

Easter was fun, my friend and I took the kids to an Easter egg hunt at my church and then later that day we colored eggs. What a mess! You should have seen how colorful her kitchen got! Jacob found more than eggs at the hunt as you can see from the picture above. I told him to make sure and bring it out after the kids got done finding eggs otherwise they wouldn't be too interested in them and will want to pay attention to the snake instead.

We went to moms for a nice dinner with the usual ham, potato salad (gotta use those eggs up somehow) and all the fixins to go along with it. I wished the weather would have been nicer since she had a new badminton set for us to play with. Since we weren't in a hurry to leave for church Sunday morning you'd think I'd remember to have taken pictures of the kids in their Easter outfits, but I didn't. And of course only 5 minutes had passed before Savannah got hers so dirty you wouldn't have been able to tell she got it for Easter at all! I will get some and add them later along with the ones of them and their baskets once I've downloaded them. It seems that not only am I behind in blogging but also in getting my pictures onto my computer. Guess life is hectic and the last thing I want to do when I am at home is to get on the computer.

Happiness

Happiness is all about control. When you are in control of your life you feel happy. When you are not, there is despair. But there is two sides to this. Even when you are in control of certain things, what you are controlling can also make you unhappy. Like when you have to give hard lessons to kids using "Tough Love" or when you decide to make a change in life with a new job or move away from family. And why is it that when we have ample enough money in our accounts we feel in control? I guess I should quit using the third person and just say I feel in control today. Just for today though. It seems every pay day when the money is in the bank I feel calm. Peaceful. But tomorrow I will worry until next payday. I don't know why I'm built this way, but I am.

PICS

Jake and friends at his 16th birthday party. Harley Babe at the auto show!
Which one is Betty Boop?
Flyin' kites!
Making dinner!

Humdrum

It's been a while since I've made an entry. I know. Too much drama in my life I'll admit. Michael ran away from his uncle's house last week and now I have no idea where he is and when he called last night he didn't make any indications of wanting to live at home after I had asked him. He was just wondering when he can get his car back. I hope things will get better, that he will find a job and somewhere to live that he can feel welcome. Whether or not his girlfriend and he get married I guess is out of my hands. He turns 18 on Saturday and that being a big milestone in life, I wish he could celebrate his birthday with us. I guess he's got his own life now. Breaks my heart. Am I ready for this?

So it was snowing this morning...so much that Savannah was jumping up and down saying, "It's Christmas! It's Christmas!" Pretty cute!

Yesterday before I went off to work she said, "Where you going?" I told her, "Work." She said "I want to go with you." I said, "You have to stay at Jodi's (our babysitter) and play." She replied with "Stay home with me..." My heart just melted. Needless to say it was hard to drive into work after that.

Last weekend we had Jake's 16th birthday party. His real birthday isn't until April 3rd, but he wanted it early since he was having a sleep over and they had a day off of school. I'm pretty sure getting an early present helped his decision too.

Got some cute pics I will post...promise!

Update

Nothing like a good spring cleaning to refresh your mood. Even with all the scrapes and sore muscles and joints from bending in places I forgot I had, it really put me in a better mood! I re-joined Weight Watchers last week to and am happy to say that I feel back on track and in control again. Those meetings really do make a difference, but I guess only the scale will tell.

So we're planning on traveling down the Oregon Coastline this August with my mom and brother. I am looking forward to it. I don't remember how long it's been since I've been on a real vacation lasting over three days and many miles away.

Life is still moving on otherwise, work's been busy, weekend's are busy. The only thing I do in my free time besides playing with Savannah, is put together a photomosaic puzzle of Tigger together. It calms me, but I think leaning over the stupid thing is killing my back. Time to get a folding table I guess.

I don't hear from Michael, but I never expected to either. His birthday is at the end of this month. It will feel weird to send him a card in the mail. Jake will be 16 a few days after Michael's birthday and all he can talk about it is getting a Zune. What happened to my baby boy??? He won't be starting Driver's Education until the beginning of the next school year and when I offered to have him go to a summer class, he didn't sound too interested. I don't think he's in too big of a hurry to start driving yet, but that will change. You wait and see.

Stressed spells "desserts" backwards alright!

There are people out there that say they lose weight when they are stressed or depressed. Well not me. I think I've let myself do this though. It's no one's fault but my own. So how do you gain 3 1/2 pounds in 2 1/2 weeks? You eat cookies, and cake, and chocolate, and snacks, and anything that is fried and totally ignore any of your better judgement.

Don't know if it made me feel better or not. But now I'm paying for it. Yes the last time I was at my current weight was in November. I did good to keep it down but with all that's gone on lately I let myself go on a rampage.

Well I'm off to my Saturday chores and then go shopping with my friend. Have a good weekend!

Saturday

Well Valentine's Day was nice considering all the crap that's been going on around here. I woke up to a gorgeous bouquet of roses in the kitchen awaiting me on my way out the door to work. I made steak and crab for dinner and it was delicious!

Last night Charlie and I had "date night." We went to Ruby River and saw Bridge to Terabithia. It was great however the movie was not at all what I expected. Very good though. I didn't blink an eye through the whole film.

My mom and sister and her family are all enjoying beautiful sunny Hawaii right now. Oh how I wish the sun here was warm again. Soon I hope. I'm ready for some Spring!

Michael hasn't called and I haven't called him. Oh well. I guess he really doesn't have the need to or desire. It's really not too much different without him since he hung out in his room most of the time anway. I've gained a pound and a half during the last two weeks and some of it is from my trying to fill the void with goodies and extra helpings that I know I don't need. Isn't it funny how there are comforts given to us human beings that only we can enjoy?

Three day weekend for us all. Not sure why Charlie's work is giving it to them and they do every year. Usually President's Day is only given to state/federal government agencies and schools. But I'm not complaining!

Have a good weekend everyone. My plan is to try to get my laundry actually put away after I wash it this time. (As you can tell my biggest pet peeves are putting laundry and dishes away after they are cleaned.)

Sick of it!

I"m sick of being sick. I thought I was over this junk mid week but now it's back again. My cough isn't so bad, but my sinuses hurt. I wonder if I have sinusitis? All I know is that even my skin aches. Terrible way to spend the weekend, that's for sure.

Charlie's new job seems to be easier than he thought it would and he really likes the new shift working 4 ten hour days. He's already worked overtime which is nice in that Fridays are the days to go in for it instead of Saturdays. Best thing of all is that we have a pretty good plan to get ahead on bills and get out of debt! I'm pretty stoked about that, who wouldn't be? And we will be able to save up for a real vacation this summer. It's about time!

Birthday

Here's one of the still pictures of Charlie and Savannah, blowing their cakes out. On the movie clip I took, you should have seen how long Savannah sat and watched Daddy blow and blow but they never went out. Hmmm...I couldn't even get them to go out to take the darn things off. Usually trick candles don't work very good so I was surprised. I was also surprised that our smoke alarm didn't go off! We had a blast even though I got sick later that day and Savannah wasn't feeling her best either. It seems I need to choose a different time of the day to have her party. I have come to realize after the third year now that her nap time really is important especially with so much going on. Maybe next year we will have a dinner party at Chuck E. Cheese? It was still a lot of fun though! I think her favorite present was the play kitchen and Charlie's was the summer sausage that he got from "Ma."

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHARLIE!

Happy birthday to my "old man," at least he thinks he's old. 38 isn't nothin' baby! Just wait until we are in our 50's then you can start thinking old!

What's up?

Savannah's been sick the last few days but I think she's pretty much over it. Good thing because we are having a birthday party for her and Charlie on Saturday. Michael has pharyngitis and I have a nasty cough that is really getting to me! I wish it would be more productive and less annoying so that it will get this junk out of my lungs.

Well my "honey-do" list is about to end, at least for the week days. Charlie has been extended a job offer. If he passes his background test he will start as soon as possible. I'm sure he'll pass it, but for some reason when people are looking at you with a microscope it always tends to make you a little nervous. So he's anxiously awaiting their call.

I saw a lady I work with the other day that I hadn't seen for two years and it sure felt good to have her notice how much weight I lost. I didn't think I was as big as I was for some reason and when people say things like they do it really boosts my ambition to move forward to lose the rest. I do admit though that WW is right about people losing more that attend the meetings. Since I've quit going I haven't stayed on my plan. Not even one week. But I haven't gained yet either. Yet; now that's the key word.

Funny thing. We had a Santa sighting the other day! This isn't the first time it's happened to me having two other toddlers before now, but what is funny is that Savannah didn't call the guy Santa. Yes, we were standing in the checkout line at the store and the guy behind us was wearing a full beard and mustache and had white hair with some blonde in it. She points to him as I'm writing my check out and says, "Christmas." I look at her and said, "What?" So she lifts her finger again and says, "Christmas." I turned around thinking there were still Christmas items for clearance in the aisle but instead it is a guy who somewhat resembled a Santa. He got a chuckle out of it. I bet older men with white beards hear it all year round. Maybe that's why they like to wear them?

Weekend's here!

Here is one of the pictures of the hens I took. Isn't it sooo cute? The mushrooms and the rice pilaf were great too!

Charlie has been on the job hunt. He had two more interviews this week and both are promising. Only next week will tell. I think he's been a bit bummed, but the with the start of the project he left off from last year it seems he has a renewed motivation to work on our house again and I love it! I am finally getting those curtains for my kitchens, but of course some of that involved finding the ones I wanted. I can be so picky sometimes. Here he is working on the master bedroom that will be in the basement. Other than that we've been preparing for next week's birthday bash and a warm end to the day with some home made clam chowder. Hope you're all having a great weekend!

Boo yah!

Given my tag line you can tell I haven't been very bored lately therefore I haven't been blogging. Nothing has let up at work and when I get home the last thing I want to do is be on the computer. I hope to catch up on my bloglist soon.

The hens turned out wonderful. Charlie used a fresh rosemary, lemon, and garlic recipe. They were so cute that I had to take pictures of them! Savannah tried eating the rosemary like it was her favorite veggie. I think she thought since the rosemary also looked like what she calls broccoli (aka "trees") it would be just as good. And you should have seen her face as she was spitting those little branches out!

Savannah will be three soon, and she is so excited when we talk about her birthday, well at least about the cake. We have been reminding her that she will be three now and not two. She tries to hold up her three little fingers and gets frustrated when they don't stay and says, "They're falling down!" She'll get the hang of it soon, after all everything right now is "Let me do it all by myself." I'm not sure if she understands what any of this birthday stuff means to her other than parties and cake. It's fun to watch her grow but sad at the same time to see my little girl changing so much right before my eyes.

Have a great upcoming weekend!

Heh.

Well we ended up not making the hens last night. Filled up on chips and fresh salsa and guacamole. The yum. In the meantime, anyone have a good recipe for Cornish hens?

Ahhh...Sunday

Well Friday was supposed to be Charlie's last day with Autometer however they contracted him for daily work that could last until the end of January, which we knew would happen. That place was no where near ready to close the doors. He has a job interview on Monday and one on Tuesday, a staffing agency has a coupld of amployers that could use him but to call back next week. Another place he interviewed for before Christmas told him to call back next week as well. Guess this time of year people are busy closing their books. Hope all goes well and he finds something soon, but on the other hand it would be nice for him to have a break and get some much needed things done around our house and "Ma's." (Not sure where Charlie got that, but that's what he calls my mom.)

My job is still busy but we did hire a couple of girls last week. I can't wait to hand them over the medical exam accounts but on the other hand without them my job will be less of a challenge.

Big excitement. I'm going to try something new today. Cornish game hens. Never had them before, but Charlie's suggestion to make them, so this will be a new experience for all of us. (Well maybe, I'm not sure if he's had them but probably.)

Enjoy your afternoon!

All's Well That Ends Well

So it's 2007. Wow. We celebrated with my babysitter and her family and had a blast. We made prime rib and Alaskan King crab, had a relish tray, chips & salsa, shrimp coctail, and cheesecake. Enough to feed 4 adults, 4 teenagers, and 3 little kids. There wasn't any meat left. At all. Yes it was that good. Now I know why I got fat. I married a damn good chef that isn't afraid to spend $40 on seafood. Maybe that's cause he knows how to cook it. Me on the other hand, when I was single I didn't even dare buy steak. I didn't know what cut to buy nor did I know how to cook it.

Today we took down our tree and decorations. I miss Christmas. It is sad just like every other year. I love all the time spent with family and all the celebrating and when it's over I go through withdrawals. I'm weird like that.

So I wonder if I should have a "bake" sale? I have so many goodies that need to be eaten and are not disappearing fast enough. Like Charlie said, "It's Halloween all over again!"

Happy New Year!