Losing loved ones

Dying is a part of life, but it really, really stinks. My dad is losing his fight for life since having a stroke Monday night. He's had a good and long life (he's 75) and he's worked so hard and done so much for his family. I already miss being able to call him and hear his voice. He's not much of a talker, especially on the phone. When I call, if he answers, he says hi and not much else before calling for my mom. But I've never doubted his love for me. His job as a truck driver kept him on the road 6+ days a week during my childhood, including nights. It was hard on everyone to have him be gone so much but I guess we learned to get along without him. But we always knew he was there and knew he'd come home. He has driven at least 4 million safe miles....and that's a conservative number--and only while working, that doesn't count personal driving.

His is Polish and thinks Polack jokes are pretty funny...although he thinks almost everything is funny. This apple didn't fall far from that tree! All I can think about is that my sister Linda is going to be there for him and he's been waiting an awfully long time to see her again!!

Ok, I'm bumming myself out here...

Christmas Miracle

The Sunday before Christmas we went to church and found out that our neighbors (a family in our ward) lost their home the previous night to a house fire. We felt so bad for them, especially a few days before Christmas, an already stressful time for many parents. They do have insurance (thankfully) and hopefully the insurance company treats them right, but almost everything was lost. I can't imagine. We drove past the house and took a look at it on the way home from church and couldn't help but cry, the sight was overwhelming. While nobody was physically hurt, I just can't imagine what rebuilding will be like with so much instant loss.

But what happened next warmed my heart tremendously. A neighbor, who has a very large property, recently built a new home behind their original one and offered up their empty, older home to this family. With a home to work with, family, friends and church members went to work. By 9 pm Sunday evening, the family had a home to stay in. The home was freshly cleaned, the fridge, cupboards, and pantry stocked with basic food items, and there were beds and blankets in every bedroom. Bathrooms were stocked with toothbrushes, shampoo, razors, shaving cream, soap, towels, and even "Bath and Body Works" hand soaps. (Women know what matters~!) Somebody brought crayons and Christmas coloring books for the kids (2 boys). The house smelled of homemade bread from the oven. There was not a lot of furniture in each room, but enough to welcome the family into their temporary home when they were ready, including a dining room table and chairs, complete with a holiday tablecloth and centerpiece! There was even a huge entertainment center--complete with a big-screen tv--in the family room and a tv and dvd player (with remotes!) in the master bedroom. Clothing that could be saved from their home had been washed, pressed, and hung in the closets. Burned-out light bulbs were replaced with fresh ones. I think this family now has a year's supply of toilet paper, almost every family that came to help brought some! The house was even decorated for Christmas. This was just 24 hours after the fire.


There is so much need in the world that at times it's easy to feel helpless~ or like our little bit of help we could offer won't even start to make a difference. But when an opportunity is right in front of you and you know and see the good that can be done it's a different story. To me, this was a real Christmas miracle.

I hope that everyone is having a great Christmas and will have a fun and happy New Year's Eve celebration. I hope that 2009 is one of your best years yet!! Many of you are just plain due a great year according to the law of averages!

Christmas concert

We may start decorating for Christmas and begin having get-togethers and parties and recitals and concerts after Thanksgiving....but it's just not Christmas for me until I've been to Jon Schmidt's annual Christmas concert. This year was his best by far...what a night! The concert was supposed to go from 7-9 pm but it went until 10 and it was still too short. Jon's music is hard to describe, he's a prodigy. I've never heard anyone play like him and he makes it look so easy...Jon is also pretty funny, there are plenty of laughs through the evening. If you remember Victor Borge, he's the closest thing I can think of...but while I'm sure Jon can play classical music, too, his style is really unique and all his own. Teens love his piano music, if that helps you understand. His guest this evening was a cellist who played several songs with him...it was breathtaking music. They did a "Bring A Torch, Jeanette Isabella" from around the world thing where they played the song in different styles, like a polka version, a version with a Russian flair, one with a Jamaican feel (Jon even made the piano sound like steel drums), and one with an Indian feel. Whether you're 5 or 105, this show is for you and if you get a chance to see Jon in concert, GO. Take everyone you know. It'll be the best $12-$15 you ever spend-especially if you're lucky enough to catch a Christmas concert.

The highlight of the evening was when Jon pulled a family up on stage; the father of the family has been in Iraq for the past 6 months and gets to come home on Christmas Eve. There were 3 girls and 2 little boys in the family and Jon was willing to share the stage with one of the boys and let him sing a song about peace that he sings to his daddy on the phone. It was hard not to tear up with that sweet little voice calling for peace in this world. It was even harder not to tear up when Jon announced that their daddy had come home early--and he appeared from backstage. While it may sound a bit contrived or showy, it wasn't. There wasn't a dry eye in the house as the children ran to their daddy who had apparently missed every birthday this year, the youngest child's first steps, and even a wedding anniversary while serving in Iraq.

You can find Jon's music, videos, mp3s, and more at www.jonschmidt.com.

Christmas Decorations

My favorite part of decorating for Christmas is that we hang a wreath with a dark red, velvet ribbon on every inside door. We hang a large wreath with a long ribbon on the front door. My second favorite is the holly and white lights we usually hang on the stair railing. We haven't done that yet this year, we don't know where all our white lights went! Then we hang our stockings on it, too. That railing really comes in handy! I don't know where we'd hang them if we didn't have stairs because we don't have a fireplace. (Somehow Santa gets in anyway.)



Outdoor decorating is Ken's area...he loves his new toy; he got a box that plays music and flashes the lights to the beat of the music. I am personally quite embarrassed by it, but oh well. I'd love it if we could hang icicle lights on the roofline of the second story but I'm sure not climbing up there and nobody else is volunteering.



Having grown up in Pennsylvania, we are ashamed to say that we have a fake tree. We miss the smell of a real tree but don't want to spend $150 for a 5' tree with barely any branches or needles left. Besides, with 10' ceilings, a short tree would look pretty funny. Maybe next year we'll get a smaller one just for the smell, I really miss that!




The other day, Dr. Phil had a show on Christmas extremes. One guest was a lady who fills her house so full of Christmas decorations she can barely move around from Halloween to Easter...she hangs trees from the ceiling in corners where the floor doesn't have room. She has a full-sized tree in every bathroom. She has talking snowmen and talking Santas and talking ornaments that wish you a Merry Christmas every time someone walks into the room. We're not that bad, we think less is more! But I'm always sad to take down the decorations because they make the house look pretty.

Next year I'm going for candles in the windows on the front of the house. That may be a thing for back East, I haven't seen many people do that here in Arizona but I LOVE that look. I plan on raiding Michael's (craft and decorating store) after Christmas when everything is 75% off and they have coupons, too...

I'd love to see your decorations....besides, I need ideas!

P.S. We still haven't gone Christmas shopping. I'm starting to panic...

So many things

It's been a very busy couple of weeks, we've had so many things going on! These things may not really be in order, but they've all taken place since my last post.

Adam, Austin, and Jeremy all had projects to do for their school science fairs. Those are usually all scheduled around the same time of year so tri-fold display boards can be hard to come by. Ken had a great idea a few months ago to grab several; so a few weeks ago while many parents and kids were running around trying to find some display boards, we were cozy at home with our secret stash.

Here are their projects:

Adam's



Austin's



Jeremy had to build an animal cell: (this looked pretty cool!)



Josh has been working as a sushi prep chef at a restaurant called Kona Grill. They have really good food!! It's sort of an "east meets west" type of place. He looks pretty scary with that knife!



Adam had a winter choir concert. Adam is in the front row, second boy from the right wearing a yellowish tie...



This is an example of my terrible photography skills; I don't know why a camera gets put into my hands! I was trying to take a picture of Adam's choir concert and when the flash went off, I started to put down the camera. The flash went off again and this is what I wound up taking a picture of. It was pretty funny!



Ken volunteered to work at the finish line in November for the Ironman. He ran one in April and was so excited to go back and hand out medals the finishers!



Last Saturday (Dec. 4), our ward had their annual "Night in Bethlehem". It's held outside in our Bishop's pasture. Several years ago we built faces to buildings that would have been seen in Bethlehem, so we put those up and put on a program full of songs and kids in costumes, etc. There's even a real donkey and some sheep. That takes place after dinner, which is usually pretty good. Because they hold it outside and it takes place after dark, it's usually pretty cold. It took me hours to thaw out (and it was only in the 50s!). I'm such a Phoenician now, my blood is thin or something! I was too busy with the Primary kids to take any pictures.

Last night I held my annual piano recital. The kids play Christmas songs or they can also play regular songs; but it's a fun evening that I look forward to every year. The kids did a good job!! It's so fun to see how much they've progressed each year. I always give the kids a card, an ornament, and a Hershey's Symphony candy bar. After the recital we have goodies and visit and it's just a fun evening. Ken is my "Ace of Cakes" and made this piano cake. One of my younger students was reading the writing on the cake and said "holiday...rectal 2008". Pretty funny, it did say recital!



Other than that, I've had choir practices, Josh got his mission physical, and Austin was sick so I took him to the Dr. and he has strep. He didn't get very sick but really needed the medicine! This morning Josh had oral surgery. A few years ago when he had his wisdom teeth removed, the Dr. accidentally removed a molar instead; so Josh had to have an implant. About 5 months ago he had a bone graft done and then this morning the implant post was put in. He'll heal from that and when he gets home from his mission he'll get a crown put on it.

Whew! It may not sound like much but we've been extremely busy!! I have at least 8 loads of laundry upstairs to fold and several that need to be washed, I can't believe the laundry around here.

I've spent several hours over the past few days creating a poster in Photoshop and trying to figure out how to get Costco to print it out in 20" x 30"...but now I know how to do it and it won't take so much time next time. It's for the Primary's Jr. and Sr. classes of the month and we take the class's picture and put the picture on the poster and also give the kids their own little copy to take home.



So it's been such a busy time--we haven't even started our Christmas shopping!!

Christmas flashback

The year was 1999. Austin was only 3 years old, Adam was almost 5, Jeremy was 7 and Josh was about to turn 9. Josh and Jeremy had a school program so they were dressed in their dark pants and white shirts. The other boys had theirs on, too, and I was dressed fairly nice, so Ken decided to take a picture. It has turned out to be one of my favorite pictures of the boys. I don't know what Austin was doing. Adam has his cheesey, big smile, and Jeremy is trying to be patient with everything going on...you know, the things that go on when someone is trying to get 5 people to pose at the same time. Josh was always really cooperative and patient but unfortunately didn't keep his eyes open for the picture.



The boys crack me up in this picture; again, I don't know what Austin is doing...Adam is wearing his cheesey, big smile, too. And Josh and Jeremy are cooperating really well so we're not late for their program!!

Ken always said that one day we'll be happy we have these pictures, and he was right.

Wimp of the year

It's official, my sweet Zoe has been chosen as the official wimp of the year. The other day she wanted to go outside so she did her usual; she came up to me, stood at my feet, and started to sort of snort to get my attention. If you ignore her snorting, she will quietly bark. If you ignore that, she will hit your leg with her front paw, which is pretty funny so we ignore her until she does that-just for giggles. Yesterday, instead of hitting me with her paw she growled at me. My sweet little dog who would acquiese to a mouse actually growled! I was so proud of her!! So I thought it might be funny to growl back. She didn't think so! As soon as I growled at her, she put her head and tail down and laid on the floor, apparently forgetting that she needed to go outside. Oh poor Zoe, you need a bit of a backbone!

I can't imagine a sweeter, more gentle animal anywhere, but I'm not sure it always serves her well. But I sure love her. When you pick her up, she actually melts into you and hugs you back. The boys wish she'd be more playful, but I think she's not because she is intimidated by the toys. Seriously.

I can't imagine paying someone to cut her hair and bathe her, etc. when all the hair cutting in this house gets done in this house. If we don't pay for humans to get their hair done, why would we pay for a dog's haircut? So a few weeks ago I tortured Zoe with a very long grooming session. I plucked her ears clean, gave her a hair cut, brushed her teeth, trimmed her nails, the works. Then I bathed her and blew her hair dry. She is always so patient that she stays right with me until I say "ok" and she runs off, knowing she's done. When I said "ok" after that long session I was sitting on the floor. Instead of running off she stood on her hind legs and hugged me!

I don't know if it's just her breed or if she was mistreated at some point? But I wouldn't change her for anything.

Thanksgiving memories

So I had high expectations for Thanksgiving. Not anything in particular, just that it would be a great holiday and weekend. (Everything with Rachel is fun.) It was! It was! It stopped raining long enough for everyone to enjoy the Turkey Bowl annual flag football game down at the park. The food was yummy and didn't disappoint, although I could probably try some new recipes next year. The kids got along great. The dogs got along great (definetely!!) except when Zoe dared sniff Rio's water and food bowls! She learned quickly that Rio is an alpha male! Haha, anyway, for 2 dogs that didn't know each other they did great. There were lots of video games for the kids and even adults (Wii boxing is very theraputic, I'm told.) We played Air Hockey, too. We watched some fun movies like Jingle All the Way, Christmas with the Kranks, and Money Pit.

Rachel's oldest son, Chandler, turned 15 while they were here, so we celebrated his birthday with pool, bowling, and a football cake. We found his birth announcement so we measured him to see how much he's grown since he was born. When I find our measuring tape I'll see how high the mark was on the wall and let ya know! They decided to stay Saturday and go home Sunday, which was awesome for us, although this morning they're probably dreading their week ahead without a day of rest.



We saw how many Tom Hanks (my FAVORITE actor) and Tom Cruise movies we could name and then Googled their movies to see what we missed. It's harder than it seems, try it! I want to try it with some other actors (maybe Harrison Ford or Tim Allen), but those two are the ones that we thought we could do best at, and still missed several obvious movies. (I forgot Money Pit, one of my all-time favorite Tom Hanks movies!) Mark, Rachel's husband, acted out movie titles we didn't have. His performance of the Risky Business scene where Tom Cruise slides across the floor with wearing only a dress shirt and socks was pretty funny! He was not in costume, in case you were wondering...

I've never seen so much junk food--even for a Hosch household it was a lot. Ice cream, apple pie, cherry pie, pumpkin pie, pumpkin cheesecake, doughnuts, sodas, hamburgers and fries complete with milkshakes, chocolate fudge, peanut butter fudge, birthday cake, pancakes, and pizza...WOW. There's still a sugary smell in the air. The funny thing is that Rachel and her family really don't eat much junk.

Time goes by too quickly when we get together. The minute Rachel and her family left we were all sad and missed them. Ken, who barely sat down the whole week, took a very long and well-deserved nap. He's sure a worker.

Thanksgiving 2008 is now a memory; I hope all of you have your own great memories and I'm already looking forward to next year!

My Favorite Week...

Thanksgiving is my favorite time of the year. I love Fall (when there is a Fall, unlike where I live now...), I love football games, I love watching parades- especially when they're on tv so I'm not standing out in the cold to see them. I can pause them and get something to eat/drink or do anything and come back later. I love Turkey Bowls, Turkey Trots (5k's run on Thanksgiving morning), and everything having to do with it. It doesn't have the commercialism of Christmas, Halloween, Mother's Day, or any other holiday. It's an American holiday through and through and I'm definetely a patriot. I love to think of all the college students coming home for a long weekend visit and people gathering all over the country. I've never been nutty enough to fly over Thanksgiving, but it's exciting thinking about it. Because it's always on a Thursday, schools and many businesses are closed on Friday so our family gets to actually spend a few days in a row together; and then we still have a whole weekend! I love the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving special. I own the DVD but still get excited when it's on tv. And by far, Thanksgiving dinner is my favorite dinner/dessert of the year. I love all of it! And when it's over, Christmas season starts!

This year we're planning a really great week. Wednesday, my best friend, Rachel, is coming from Utah with her husband, kids, and dog. (We've been wanting our dogs to meet for quite a while.) We're going to go to our annual flag football game Thursday morning at the park near our house, watch parades and football together, and play games. When dinner is over and we're sufficiently full, we're going to go to the movies. Friday we are going to decorate our house for Christmas and celebrate Rachel's son's birthday. It's going to be over all too fast, but I'm so excited...and it's just hours away from all starting!

I'm very grateful for a lot of things. Right now, Costco is at the top of my list. I'm not kidding. They bake my pies for every holiday. I'm really thankful for a lot of things but I won't make a list here.

I'm really, really grateful for my friends, old and new. Every one of you is a real gift and adds something to my life I wouldn't have otherwise. Collectively, I admire your humor, your parenting, your talents, your generous hearts, your compassion, your honesty, your strength, your patience, your ways of dealing with other people, your testimonies, and your passion for life. If a person is judged by the company they keep, then I'm doing just fine. If you're reading this, you're surely included.

If I'm just too darn busy having a wonderful time with my "sister from another mister" to write this week, have a really great Thanksgiving.

Swim and Dive Awards Banquet

Tonight was the Williams Field High School (Black Hawks) Swim and Dive Team's annual awards banquet. It was a really nice evening held at the clubhouse by the pool to a nearby neighborhood, Power Ranch. Jeremy served as the swim team men's co-captain this season. He lettered in swimming last year so he got a pin this year. He also got a certificate for being a state championship qualifier. Jeremy received the "Golden Wing" plaque for the most points scored by a male swimmer on the team for the season and received the "Black Hawk Award" plaque. That award is chosen by the coaches for the athlete who best exemplifies athleticism, sportsmanship, and academics. What an honor!

It goes without saying that we're awfully proud of him and how hard he has worked with swimming. It's such a demanding sport. And it sure makes him hungry! He used to come home from practice and make several hamburgers and eat them (buns and all), then he'd ask what was for dinner because he was hungry! At one point during the season, he wanted to quit. A caring and awesome coach talked with him and helped him see that what he's doing right now isn't just about right now, it's also about his future. He stuck out the season and is so glad he did. We're really appreciative of his coaches and the time and effort they give to the kids.

I never stop being amazed when watching our boys grow up. Seeing them achieve goals, learn important life lessons, learn to be leaders, make friends, and have a ball doing it is such a privilege. If it seems like I'm bragging...I am. I think it's a mother's right. Jeremy's an awfully sweet young man with an amazingly bright future. Way to go, Jay!

It's safe to have high expectations...

I saw Twilight today with some friends of mine. What a great afternoon; a good movie, a good lunch, and good friends. I could go see Twilight again right now! Usually I don't like a movie if I've read the book first and vice versa. This time I wasn't disappointed! Like so many people, I didn't want to expect a lot but it's ok...expect it to be really good!

Women at the Well

It's been so long since I've written. That's because I didn't really have much new to write about. My Sundays lately have been pretty busy with church, then choir practice, meetings, and practices for "Women at the Well". (I play the piano for choir and the WATW program.) Despite having to practice with the flu and my grumbling at having to leave my family yet again (who these days are really only home at the same time on Sundays), I've loved it. Last night for Enrichment, we performed "Women at the Well". Everyone did a really great job...better than any practice session we've had, which is the way I love it. It is really beyond great in this world of division and chaos to have evenings like that. It renews hope that things will ultimately be just fine. You could have heard a pin drop throughout the whole program. The voices of the singers and speakers cracked at some points and I had to bite my tongue to fight back tears--you really can't read music through tears and I didn't want to mess up and spoil the moment. Singers can be moved and have their voice crack and it adds to the feeling of the program, but a pianist messing up is another story. I have always wished I could sing but I realized last night that behind the piano is where I belong. I'm really grateful for being asked to be a part of the program and would do it again in a heartbeat.

Nostalgia...

It must be my age or something, but I had a huge, very real, very strong bout of nostalgia around 1 am. I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep, so I did my usual--I started flipping through tv channels. I found a show called "Saving Ronald Reagan". It was about the day he was shot and the doctors who worked to save him over the hours that followed. I didn't know that they didn't realize right away that he'd been shot-they thought maybe he had broken ribs from being shoved into the Presidential limo by the Secret Service. Even though I knew the ultimate outcome, I couldn't stop watching until it was over. As they wheeled him out of the trauma room toward the operating room, Nancy came over to see him and he said "honey, I forgot to duck". In the O.R. just before the doctors put him under, he lifted his head and said "I hope you all are Republicans". Upon waking after the surgery, breathing tubes prevented him from talking so he was given paper and something to write with. He wrote "am I alive?"

He had a positive outlook, a quiet strength, and a real presence. And he absolutely, without question, loved this country. He is not the first actor to get into politics but is the first to be better at politics than acting. He once asked reporters "how can a President not be an actor?" He had a point there!

When asked what he intended to do about the cold war, he said "win". He sure had a way with words. He also had a way with people. I can still hear him say "well..."

I wasn't alive when the Berlin Wall was put up, but I sure remember the day I heard President Reagan say "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down that wall!" and watched through tears as that very thing happened.

Maybe it's because I was a teenager through the 80s, but I think it's more than that. I just loved President Reagan. I'm glad I couldn't sleep last night...

Happy Birthday, Jen!

Who's got a great sister-in-law? Me, that's who. Jen is married to Ken's brother, Roland. Jen is really cool. She's friendly and is great fun to talk to, hang out with, etc. She always has great ideas and her good mood is infectious. She's more organized than a human should be and cleans compulsively...yet somehow we get along. Jen is an awesome teacher and soon-to-be Principal. She's a real go-getter, that one. She's the perfect wife for Roland which isn't always an easy job. She is excited about life and has her favorite things and favorite places. It's so fun to see something through her eyes. She bakes like nobody's business and is a great cook all-around. She's always a great hostess. She has fun stories to share and is a great listener, too. Her one fault is she lives too far away. Happy Birthday, Jen!



Sorry these pictures aren't very current, Jen...this picture is from Christmas of 2002.



This picture is from a fun visit in 2004.

Sports

This past week marked the end of the first sports season for the boys. It was a good one!

Adam's basketball team competed in the district finals. They won their game Monday and moved on to Tuesday's game. Although they lost Tuesday and didn't advance to the final, they did a great job. His school's 7th grade team did go on to win their title. We're really proud of Adam's dedication to basketball this year and are so glad he did well. He has a lot of heart and I'm sure he'll miss playing, although he's very happy that 6:30 am practices are over! He has joined the cross country running team to try to get into better condition. Good luck, Adam! We're so proud of you!

Jeremy participated in the state swim meet at ASU on Friday and Saturday. He was the only member of his high school swim team to make the finals in an individual event. Way to go, Jeremy! Two relay teams also made the finals, so Jeremy swam in three events. We're really proud of Jeremy and his swim season. He was co-captain of the boys' team for a second year and went to states for the second year in a row...and he's only a sophomore! We're looking forward to next year already. Jeremy is looking forward to some rest...



This is Jeremy (to the right) starting in his 500 freestyle race on Saturday.



This is one of Jeremy's favorite ways to relax. He took his guitar to the pool and entertained his friends and relaxed by playing songs.



This is Jeremy (left) with his relay team. Also shown, left to right, are Marcus, Saxon Thomas, and Andrew Gatti.

Austin is in 6th grade and there are fewer sports available to 6th graders. He could have played soccer but that's not really his game. He wants to join Adam in cross country, so it looks like the second sports season will be a busy one, too.

We're really happy that our boys want to get involved in sports. They have to keep up their grades to play, they make new friends, and they get some much-needed exercise while having fun.

It's November already?

We had a fun Halloween--although it was quieter than usual. We've lived in our neighborhood for six years. Each year we have been increasingly surprised by the turnout for trick-or-treating. Families have huge parties in their front yards complete with bales of hay, carved pumpkins, scarecrows, music, chili, bbq spare ribs, etc. We've been known to show movies outside, including "Monster House" and "The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown". As people come around to trick-or-treat, the kids get candy and the parents get some yummy food and have a fun visit. You really could spend the entire night on one street. Families from other neighborhoods have been known to come here because we have quite a reputation. No one is too young or too old to dress up and make the rounds. It has taken more and more candy to satisfy the hungry mobs, too. This year I bought five HUGE bags of candy because last year we bought three and ran out with hours to go. Around 5:30 I sat by the front door waiting for signs of the first trick-or-treaters. 6:00 came and went, 6:30, 6:45 and still no kids! I heard kids playing up the street but nobody was coming around yet. (This is especially odd because there have been years where by 5:00 the doorbell was ringing...) By about 7:15 kids starting coming around, but it just wasn't the night it usually is. We had a lot of candy left over! Austin is the only one of our kids who wanted to go trick-or-treating. He came home with 13 lbs of candy. Yes, 13. That is not a typo. So I guess he got enough for everyone! Between his stash and our leftovers, we had more than enough and threw away a lot yesterday. By only 8 pm I left our house and went to visit with neighbors. I scored some great chow mein and bbq spare ribs. Oh, and a piece of pumpkin cheesecake. Wow, that was good! Even though it was quieter than usual, it was still a fun night.

Our late summer garden is doing well (unlike our regular summer garden). Our strawberry plants are getting bigger and bigger. One of these days we may actually get some strawberries. We have five green peppers and several blossoms. And we have three tomatoes and lots of blossoms. Maybe we'll get some food for our investment after all! Here in AZ we have to use raised beds. We need about 6" of soil so we use concrete block forms and fill them with good soil. From what I understand, we can garden here year-round. I have no idea what grows at what time of year, but my thinking is that whatever plants are on sale at the garden centers is what will grow this season. I think it's a good plan.

I ask you all, where has this year gone, I can't believe it's already November! Maybe that's partly because it's still been in the 90s here. UGH! Enough already...this week is supposed to be cooler, with highs averaging in the mid 70s. That sounds much better!

It's been a week...

It's been a really weird week. Not being able to sleep well combined with a flu-like illness has taken its toll. I also started working this week doing literature reviews for my research job. I've been trying to read and work at home, which has been a challenge. Josh is home all day, Adam was home sick Tuesday, the boys had a half day of school Wednesday, and today I had a few errands I needed to run. It seems there aren't enough hours in the day to do all the things a person needs to do! We've had interviews, appointments, activities, kids need rides, lessons need to be taught, etc. So it's just been a week! I'm glad it's Friday tomorrow...

Sorry my post is boring! My head is filled with information about the human factors of individuals and teams operating unmanned aerial vehicle flights!

My baby is no baby...

For quite some time, Austin has been looking forward to this day. I remember October 25, 1996 like it was yesterday. When he was born, people thought he was born at 10:10 and weighed 7 lbs 4.3 oz. But no, he was born at 7:43 and weighed 10 lbs 10 oz! That is not something you soon forget. From moment one he has been a great joy. He is a smiler, for sure, and loves to help people. He likes to have fun, is a really good friend to people, and is always up for trying new things. My kids can have whatever they want for breakfast on their birthday, and today Austin asked for scrambled eggs with onions, sweet peppers, and toast (on sprouted grain bread). Mind you, if they asked for cake, doughnuts, pizza, etc. they would get it; they can have ANYTHING...and he chose the healthy stuff! I asked him why and he said "Mooooom, gueeeeeess!" I said "what's her name?" and he just smiled that big smile of his and said that there's not one girl, but three. Uh oh...my baby is no baby anymore! Happiest of all birthdays to you, Austin!

12 great things about Austin:
1. he is so friendly
2. he is really responsible--I know I can count on him
3. he is fun to hang out with
4. he is easy to get along with
5. he is a gentleman
6. he shares really well
7. he has gorgeous eyes
8. his smile lights up my day
9. he is charming
10. he has great character
11. he is honest
12. he is playful

Making backgrounds and headers...

I was up past midnight learning how to make my own blog backgrounds and coordinating headers. While there are glitches in the system, what you see today as my background and header are ones I've made. I spent many hours finding free papers, embellishments, etc. online, then re-learning how to use photoshop to make these. NOW I have the cutest blog on the block...and bags under my eyes!

Here are some other backgrounds I've worked on, which fit this time of year pretty well.

Good singer

Ok, so I heard this guy --Shayne Ward--sing a song on a You Tube video. I like the song and he has a great voice...so here's the link. You'll have to copy and paste because I can't get the link thing to work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcz9VS7IdFI

Yes, it's a sappy ballad. I am a fan of sappy ballads, as it turns out. The sappier, the better! He has another good song called "That's My Goal", which can also be found on You Tube. He was the winner of Britain's version of American Idol called the X Factor.

That's my cultural contribution for the day. Enjoy.

One of those days...

Today was one of those days where several things were happening at once and I kind of needed to be several places at almost the same time. Tuesdays are just like that lately, with piano lessons and two kids in sports. I volunteered to take snacks for Adam's basketball game, which of course I had to shop for. I also said I'd take a cake over to Austin's scout meeting tonight so they could celebrate his birthday with him, which is on Saturday. He will be turning 12 and moving into a different scout group. But thanks to Josh for helping out, it all got done, we got to Adam's game in time to see him be a starter for the first time! Way to go, Adam, and the team won their game! I'm so proud of Adam and love to see the new-found confidence he has. He's doing well in school and seems to be doing well all-around. Yeah!

Our Peticure came in the mail and Zoe's nails have been filed down...she looks and feels much better! I really like it and would recommend it to anyone who is grossed out with the prospect of clipping their dog's or cat's claws like I am.

Sorry my blog isn't very interesting today, but it was a good day.

Until next time!

The end of an era...

With the exception of a few years in the early 1990s when I worked at a travel agency, I have been at home with my children. Yes, I've taught piano lessons, worked part-time jobs, gone to college full-time (including evenings and summers), etc. But for the most part, I have considered myself to be a stay-at-home mom. Now, I have gotten a job that will be full-time, and as I look into the future, I see that once I begin this job (in a week or so), it will mark the end of my days as a stay-at-home mom. I don't know at what point I will be able to-or want to-be at home 24/7 again. With our children well into their school years (and even leaving their school years), it seems like the time is right to use my education and go out into the working world. It's not a nice world all the time, certainly not convenient, comfortable, or cozy like home. I'm really happy and lucky, though, that I found work at ASU East campus, which is really close to my house. It is located on the grounds of an old military base that houses ASU East (Polytechnic), Chandler Gilbert Community College--Williams Campus, and the Williams Gateway Airport (my office will be about 100 feet from the runway). President Bush actually flew into Williams Gateway once because it can handle 747s, it would be really cool if that happened again. Anyway, the campus is small (just my size) so I'm really happy about that. When this 1-year research project is over, I am really hoping to find something permanent on this campus.

For now, I will do my best to enjoy my last few days of time as a "stay-at-home mom".

It's somebody's birthday...

(Roland is the one in the middle)

Today is my brother-in-law's birthday. He is a fun-loving guy I've been friends with since childhood. He is almost always smiling! He loves nature, hiking, biking, taking road trips, and being with his family and friends. He loves to garden and grows most of the food his family eats. Seriously, folks, he has an orchard you wouldn't believe, and a garden to match. He has lots of talents, all of which he's willing to share. He's a health nut...if a report comes out that says something is healthy, he'll down it, even if he hates doing it. He's a great teacher, whether in the classroom or anywhere else. He's also a great story-teller, and lives in such a way that he has some really fun stories, believe me. If you want to laugh until you cry, have Roland tell you about "bear poop" or pulling his friend, Troy, down a hill. He married the perfect girl for him, Jen, and they have two great kids, Olivia and Spencer. He's one of the rare, truly happy people I know. Happy birthday, Roland!

50 things...

Ok, I've been tagged. (Thanks, Rachel!) I'll have to think hard to come up with 50 things you don't know about me or would at least find interesting. I'm a very open book, as they say, so it will be tough to come up with things you don't already know. I'll try, but if I have to cheat and put some things you do know, forgive me!

1. I have some favorite things that make me feel at home no matter where I am. They are some of the items on my "a few things I like" list. Actually, many of the things on there...
2. I collect little things, or have to have certain things without really understanding why. Adam must get this from me! It's not that I'm a pack rat, because I really don't like a lot of "stuff", it's just there are certain things I love and have to have. (Sand from a beach I've visited, a rock from a hike, things like that.)
3. I insist on quality toilet paper. When we are too poor for decent toilet paper, then I know we're in trouble.
4. I love love love love love love going out to eat or eating at someone else's house. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, whatever. You name it, I love when someone else cooks it. (I doubt this is new to anyone.) And I love to eat oustide.
5. I don't like to buy t-shirts when I go somewhere special, I like to buy a towel. I bought one in Florida and one in San Diego at Sea World. I can't believe I didn't find a Hershey's towel in PA last month! They have everything else, why not towels?
6. I love Pixar movies! Cars, A Bug's Life, The Incredibles, etc. These are not kids' movies, they are for adults. If you ever doubt that, watch one and listen for all the things they say that kids wouldn't understand...yet they appeal to kids, too. I wish I could work there, how fun would that be??? Except I don't know that I could ever come up with the cute things they do.
7. I am very cynical about some things, like entering contests. According to "The Secret", this keeps me from winning. I'm cynical about politics. Does it really matter, most of the time, who's in office? For the most part, we're screwed anyway. See what I mean...cyndi=cynical!
8. I really like to travel. For the most part, delays don't even bug me, they're just part of the whole experience.
9. I'm terrified of the ocean. Beyond terrified. I think that I have every reason to be. It's not from watching "JAWS", it's from watching the news! Things really do happen to people out there. I find it pretty interesting that as a kid, I wanted to be a marine biologist when I grew up. I thought they all worked in pools in aquariums. My dream was shattered when I found out they had to go...gulp...into the ocean, too.
10. I really, really, really, really, really don't like back-stabbers. I mean it!!! I'm pretty forgiving, but back-stab me or someone I love and you're DONE in my life. Like Maya Angelou says "When somebody shows you who they are, BELIEVE them. Believe them the first time!" Back-stabbing is a deal-breaker.

Still with me?

11. I am very 'smell' oriented. If I walk into somebody's home, the way it smells speaks to me. There are very few places, actually, that I don't like the smell of...it's just that every home has its signature scent and I could tell you whose home I'm in (pretty accurately, I think) just by smell. To this day I could smell something brought here from Ken's parents' house and know exactly where it came from! I'm sad I'll never smell that house in person again because it was sold and now somebody else lives there. One of my favorite restaurants, Carrabba's Italian Grill, smells odd. As much as I love their food, I can't believe I go back there with the way it smells. It has an odd cheese smell. Cheese does NOT smell good, folks.
12. I like to exercise. I may not always be consistent with it, sometimes I may work out lighter than I should have, but I genuinely like it. It's me-time. I secretly would love to look like Miss Fitness America. NEVER EVER bulky or gross with man-muscles, but insanely fit. I'm an athlete wanna-be.
13. I actually like to cook. I play dumb about it sometimes, but I'm not bad. I just really, really hate to think of WHAT to cook. Sorry, Rachel, I had to use this one, too...it's just so true. Rachel texts me and asks me what's for dinner and I know she's looking for ideas. Sorry to say I'm rarely a help to her. I just text back and say "I don't know, what are YOU making?"
14. I don't like cats. I used to think I did because I loved my Sassy, my childhood cat. She was a siamese-burmese mix. Black cat with gold eyes and she was my best bud. She loved me no matter what I did to her. One time I put her in our mailbox and put up the flag to see what would happen when the mailman came...but took her out a few minutes later. At least I didn't put her in the dryer and turn it on...that was my sister.
15. I really like camping. Campers, camping equipment, camp fires, etc. I love it all! I'm not a fan of sleeping on the ground, however, so when I camp I take a blow up mattress. I also don't like having to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Someday, we'll have a simple, small trailer (maybe a pop-up, I love those) with a bathroom.
16. I have a hard time making conversation. I usually wind up talking about myself simply because it's a topic I know well...but would rather not. To be perfectly honest, I'd rather have something more interesting to talk about. Small talk is agonizing for me. When I don't know what to say I start to just ramble and that's just embarrassing.
17. I edit my texts, emails, blog posts, Facebook posts, etc. I don't want to spell incorrectly, use improper grammar, or look like I'm uneducated--even in those seemingly unimportant areas. It's actually quite annoying, I'd love to just type and not worry about it, but you just never know who will read these things.
18. I am not very politically correct and I don't care. Funny how I think I'd like to work in Human Resources, isn't it? I'm sorry, but the things they waste time and money worrying about in the workplace are ridiculous. And I have a MAILMAN, whether it's a man or woman. If I delivered mail, I'd be a mailman, not a mail person. Ugh.
19. I don't like spicey food, but I'm trying. I don't like when my mouth burns (Polish blood, I guess), but the tastes are great.
20. I don't care much about celebrities. I listen to entertainment news and sort of think of it as fiction writing. It's never really true information, is it? Even if it's true, WHO CARES?? I may talk about it, watch lots of tv and movies, etc., but do NOT care about celebrities. I have to admit that at the Shania Twain concert my husband took me to for Christmas a few years ago, I was awe-struck by her and almost cried when she came out. That was weird for me.

20 down, 30 to go...

21. I, too, have a BEST best friend, Rachel. We started to get to know each other at her brother's 16th birthday party. She was 12 and I was 14. When she had her 13th birthday, she was allowed to take a friend to NYC to see a Broadway show. She chose me and we went to NYC with her dad to see "A Chorus Line". I loved taking the train from Lancaster to NYC, eating at NYC restaurants, and staying in a nice hotel. Her dad is always very thoughtful; when he took her shopping for a birthday gift, he let me pick something out, too. I got a pink "GUESS" sweatshirt. We've been close ever since, though there were a few years we lost touch because we didn't have email and texting. Many of the great times in my life have happened with or because of Rachel. I left her a message once, upset about something, and she returned my call. I hadn't known she was in England, but right in the middle of her trip she took the time to call me back--and she listened without rushing me, even though it was costing her a mint. Another time, she talked with me until the sun came up. Now THAT's a friend! She's just so fun to hang out with, she is smart, funny (I LOVE funny people), never disrespects other people, she's very thoughtful, generous, listens, knows what to say and when, etc. etc. I could go on.
22. I think I can take constructive criticism. Not mean or rude comments intended to hurt, but true constructive criticism. I like to improve myself and sometimes others see things I can't see. Even if it doesn't seem like I'm listening, I do hear it. (don't all start criticizing me, now! I said CONSTRUCTIVE criticism!)
23. I love that I can play the piano. It's a feeling I could never describe to sit and play a really awesome song! And if I play for an audience and know I nailed the song, I know it has an affect on some people the way it affects me when others play. Not all the time, not every time, not every person, but once in a while. It's a cool feeling.
24. I wish I could sing.
25. I wish I could dance.
26. I wish I were a pilot.
27. I wish we were independently wealthy so my husband could be home all the time. He's so burned out working and commuting, and I miss him all day. If we had just enough to cover the basics, I'd be happy. I want him around. And I want him to be free to do things he really wants to do, like volunteer for a Habitat for Humanity project and exercise like crazy. He also cleans the house like a maniac. I could handle more of this! I'm not interested in mansions, fancy cars, or things like that, I just want my husband around and want him to have a freaking break!
28. I get way too excited when I know the answer to a question. I even like to help my kids with their homework because I get excited about knowing that stuff, too. Sad, isn't it? Hey, it's not just me. We all watch tv game shows because we like to answer the questions, solve the puzzles, etc. before the contestants. We're not that happy to watch others win, we watch because we know we could have done it better and faster!
29. I share some things pretty well; with other things I'm VERY territorial. I don't always know what those things are until I have to share them...
30. I think teenagers are great. I don't think you'll ever hear me complaining about the "young kids today"...I think they reflect the failings of the generation before them, which is getting worse all the time in some ways, better in others...but it's not THEM. I like their energy and their fresh outlook. The ones who are REALLY annoying or even dangerous were GROWN that way. But overall, I think we need to be positive about the "young kids today".

That was 10 more!

31. I have a hard time believing we can choose to be happy or choose to be unhappy. Randy Pausch, Carnegie Mellon professor who died from Pancreatic Cancer and wrote "The Last Lecture", said "you choose to be a Tigger or an Eeyore." I've only ever heard "Tiggers" say this! Maybe it's true? I'm trying...I think you can choose how you handle things, that is different.
32. I love sitting around a fire. Campfire, fireplace, it's all the same. It puts me into a trance.
33. I love burned marshmallows; the blacker the better.
34. I like happy endings. In life would be awesome, but in movies and books, too. Come on, how hard is it to write a happy ending when you're the author? I ask ya...
35. I like to be entertained. Again, I don't think this is news.
36. I love all my friends from growing up and feel the most like myself when I visit them or even think about them. If you're out there, I love ya! You know who you are!
37. I'm a Gemini. I think this means nothing at all. It's just a fact. It has been said, though, that Gemini, or the twin, can see more than one side to things. Interestingly enough, I think I do. Many psychologists are also Gemini's, or vice versa, however you look at it. And what did I major in??? Psychology! I still think there's nothing to astrology.
38. I am extremely lucky because my husband has studied reflexology and will give my feet and hands a really good reflexology treatment while we watch tv. Seriously, this is heaven. The man did the Ironman, all 140.6 miles of it, and when we came home he gave MY feet and legs a treatment because I was tired from walking around for 6 hours to see him finish! Who is this angel?
39. I love the smell of food cooking--and especially something baking.
40. I love 3 seasons of the year; fall, spring, and summer. I was born in June and have blonde hair and green eyes, these things scream summer to me. Maybe it's why I love Phoenix, there's no real winter, only fall, spring and summer. I think I miss snow, but I'll bet I really don't.

10 to go! Is this really interesting to anyone? You probably need a potty break by now.

41. I love hot chocolate.
42. I have some great kids. They are kids and I'm an adult; those two go together like oil and water sometimes, but I do have great kids.
43. I watch entirely too much tv. I offer no excuses and make no apologies. I watch decent things, I hate smut. Through tv I've travelled around the world, learned survival-tips in case I'm ever lost in Africa, this will come in handy. I've had many good laughs, watched other people's home movies, and more. It's my connection to the outside world and my way of decompressing. The tv is even on when I'm at home alone all day. It's on when I'm not in the room. Like I said...entirely too much.
44. I have sleep hallucinations; I start to "dream" while I'm still awake but trying to fall asleep. They can be very scary because they are a mix of reality and dreaming. My doctor told me this many years ago and I thought he was making it up. Then I studied a chapter on sleep in my neurological psychology class and it's a real thing. Scary things burst through my windows or doors...falling asleep with the tv on helps. When I use a timer to turn the tv off, I wake up when it turns off and wind up turning it back on anyway...so it's on all night. I'm a lousy sleeper in general, but having sleep hallucinations shoots me with adrenelin and I don't sleep well the entire night! So having the tv on is a medicine for me. Fortunately, my husband likes to sleep with it on, too.
45. I love thoughtful gifts. I'm ALWAYS very grateful for any gift I receive. When they're really nice gifts, I feel a bit guilty for receiving it. I have a bit of an issue with feeling worthy to have nice things. I'm working on that.
46. I don't like shopping. I know this goes against my female genetic code, but I just don't. I would be a clothes horse if I had a decent body, I'll tell you that, though.
47. I believe in life after death. This is not just because I want to believe it, it's because of experiences I've had. I'm not particularly scared to die; just scared of HOW. Because when you know this life isn't the end, dying is a transition. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a fan of death...many people I love have died and it really sucks.
48. I like to read. I read a lot of books, and it doesn't scare me when they're really big. Of course, the tv is on while I read. Like I said, too much tv.
49. When I don't want to do something, I have a really hard time saying no, but try to find ways to get out of doing it. I am trying to improve this, but may struggle with this one until I'm 100 years old. Then, of course, my age will be the perfect excuse...
50. Aaaaaah, last one. I'm at a loss, though. Sorry folks!

Ok, wait...I think 10 years ago this would have been difficult to impossible for me to fill out. I didn't know myself very well and was overwhelmed beyond belief by daily life. But now, I can do it! It was difficult, but here it is. For better or worse, I think I'm getting to know myself. I am a work in progress!

YOUR TURN!

Is it just me?

Ok, so I watched the debate last night. While I'm not the biggest John McCain fan, I certainly want him to be our President over Barack Obama. When asked about his associations, Obama skirted the issue every time. He named some very respected names when talking about who he gets his philosophies from. (Did you notice he kept looking down to read the names from his notes? If they were so influential, why would he have to read them?) One MIGHT believe him...if they hadn't read his books. In his 3 books, 2 of which I've read, he names the very people John McCain was referring to as his mentors, friends, associates, respected colleagues, and people who have been most influential in his life!!! His own books! So how is it that people are so fooled by this man? My thinking is this. John McCain needs to be our President for, if nothing else, these 2 reasons:

1. nobody becomes President without some serious financial backing. Once President, they then have favors to give. Barack Obama will owe favors to some very dangerous people and he will use our country's resources to pay them back...and that's a best-case scenario. Even if Obama has the best of intentions (who knows?), he will owe HUGE favors he won't be able to deny.

2. whether the President is Republican or Democrat, we can't have Congress and the President be from the same party. Too many bad things are passed when that happens, where are the checks and balances then?? President Bush has been seriously ineffective over the past 2 years because Congress has had a Democratic majority...not because he hasn't tried to do good things.

Of course there are MANY other reasons, not the least of which is that John McCain has served our country in the most personal of ways...but that's right, we are the American voters who voted TWICE to put Bill Clinton in office when he admittedly ran to Canada rather than be drafted into military service...is it just me, or are we in trouble?? (By the way, was anyone fooled by Obama's wearing of the American flag pin last night? Geesh, he might as well have stood up and pledged the flag in front of everyone, too...if he could remember the words.) I really hate politics, I really do. Why, oh why didn't we pick my man Mitt?

As far as the school goes, Austin did tell me they offered him granola bars as he sat and watched the clock tick away in the office all day. Their story was they are sorry they missed calling us, they were dealing with 34 other students in the same situation. Austin said there were only 4 kids in the office with him...hmmmmmm, curious...anyway, these are the times I wish he would stand up for himself and ask to call me. I wonder if he thought I was ignoring their phone calls or if I refused to come get him? Poor little guy! Then, after that all day, he got to get 2 shots! It wasn't his best day ever. I'm happy to report he has fully recovered. Report cards came out and except for Jeremy's AP biology grade, we have all A's and B's. Good job, boys!

P90X

I have a friend who is letting me borrow her Power 90 Extreme workout discs. She warned me that the workouts really kick your butt...she wasn't kidding. I just did the first workout, the "Core Synergistics" that is a core workout, but really uses your whole body from head to toe. I may not be able to move tomorrow...it was seriously the toughest workout I've ever done. I don't think today was the hard part, I think either tomorrow or the next day will be the hardest to push myself through, but I'm determined to do this 90 day program. Further, they have a couple different programs and I'm starting with the "P90 Lean" program this is more geared toward fat burning. (Those of you who know and love me know I need this!) You do push ups in many different ways (as if normal ones aren't hard enough), chin-ups (I can't even do 1!) and other things that are just not human. But I will fill you in on my progress as I go through these. One thing for sure...I will sleep tonight! I think this program should be called "the natural cure for insomnia".

Austin was pulled out of classes today for not having his booster shots done for 6th grade. They also didn't let him go to lunch. He sat in the health office ALL DAY. If they'd let me know about this, I would have done it. If they'd called me, I would have picked him up and taken him (and FED THE CHILD.) Did we not have all summer to prepare? Did they not have my cell phone number, home phone number, email address, Ken's work number, Ken's cell number, and our home address?? YES! So tonight on top of everything we have going on, I have to run him to Walgreen's to get his shots...good luck Austin!

Hmmm...

What's with me lately? I'm having a horrible time sleeping, and also have seemed to run out of things to say! After a solid month, at least, of almost constant visiting, lunching, traveling, and talking, I'm talked out. I'm still having the best time reading your blogs! Keep them coming!

The old man that lived in a shoe...

Ok, so there really is a shoe house in Pennsylvania. It's now an ice cream shop. I lived in York for a total of 25 years and I've never once been inside this place~ I hear the rooms are really small. Wait...they sell ice cream and I haven't been there?! Maybe it's all that's going on in the world, but I am homesick for my childhood hometown. I don't really want to move back there, just miss so many things about it. I joined a group on Facebook called "I grew up in York in the 70s and 80s" and it's so funny reading the comments and things people remember.

So who's feeling nostalgic and sentimental lately?


This is typical Pennsylvania in the fall, so pretty! (Talk to me in February, though...)

In memory...

Today marks the 3rd anniversary of the passing of Ken's dad, Heinz Hosch. He was born in Michelstadt, Germany, a beautiful town in the Odenwald area of Germany. He came to the U.S. in 1957 (forgive me if any details aren't correct) and met and married Ken's mom, Susan, while at BYU. He was a college professor at York College of Pennsylvania. He had a lot of personal interests, like an avid love of nature, gardening, writing to pen pals, traveling, stamp-collecting, photography, running, and more. He was a good story-teller, too. While at BYU, he actually played a part in developing a BYU soccer team, and took a class in which he had to design a home. He later built that very home in York and he and Susan raised their children there. It was the kind of home where kids felt welcome and gathered there for big-foot pancakes (with chocolate chips), went swimming, and had some great sleep-overs (myself included). He is missed...

Lunching again...

Well, I went to lunch today. As I said several blogs ago, I am very good at this, if it were a profession, I would be an expert in the field. I love everything about going to lunch...especially the company. Today was no exception, I always have a good time with my friends and go away feeling very lucky to know the people I know. My time of being free to lunch is coming to a close very quickly as I will be working very soon. The job interview I mentioned in my blog on October 2 (Calling all parents...) went pretty well and I was offered the job. This morning, I accepted the offer. I'm really excited about it! I will be a research assistant at the Cognitive Engineering Research Institute (CERI) on ASU's East campus. That's only 2 miles from where we live, so no nasty commute. When I looked at the pros and cons, the pros won by quite a bit. I sure hope I'm as excited after I get into it, but I feel really good about it.

For those of you who don't live in the Phoenix area, it's been really nice out. While the rest of the country is dreading the coming of winter, we are looking forward to it. Winter is why we live here!

Nothing at all...

Today I have nothing at all to say. While this may seem a bit uneventful and even boring, it doesn't happen often, so I deem it a little newsworthy. I've been so chatty lately, as those of you know who have received long emails or have had one of the famous long lunches! I'm busy today scanning hundreds of pictures into my computer. I've included some examples...with pictures like these, how could I not scan them and share them?



Why is it that we often don't see what we have at the time? I'm sure that at the time this picture was taken, I was frustrated by being "stuck" at home with four small boys in a small house (I'd love that small mortgage back!) and no car to use during the day. I should have appreciated the kids and the stages they were in. If I'd only known then what I know now!

Our poor doggie

Ok, so Ken decided it was time to shave Zoe completely, head to toe. She got matted pretty badly while I was away and there was nobody to take the time to comb her out. After he shaved her down, we noticed just how bad her nails were. They were so long they were curling and even growing crooked. Her "toes" were splayed out funny to accomodate the length of her nails, and 2 were so long they were curling under her pads and pushing into them. There's no way she hasn't been in pain! I've taken her to PetSmart because it grosses me out to think I might cut her quick when I cut her nails. They have barely been cutting anything off because her quick is so hard to see, but now I'm sad because there's no way she hasn't been in a lot of pain. I ordered a Peticure last week and it's on its way. It will round off her nails and will also eventually reduce the length of the quick so her nails can be shorter and shorter. Perhaps this pain has been her problem!!!! She has the skinniest legs I've ever seen, I'll try to get a picture and download it, she looks like a rat. We also brushed her teeth. I swear she feels better already. Who wouldn't, after a full day of spa pampering?

No, I'm not one of those people who thinks their dog is a person. I have four kids, not five. I don't dress her up and take her everywhere with me. I just feel like she's in my care and depends on me/us for everything, and we need to do a good job for her sake. I think it says a lot about people how they take care of something/someone helpless in their care. We have two parakeets and one a long time ago jumped off my shoulder and hit the hard tile floor. (With his wings clipped he couldn't fly, or even "fall with style".) He broke his leg and split the skin open on his chest. We took him to the vet, who x-rayed his leg, gave him an antibiotic, and stitched his chest closed. The vet also put a small cast on the bird's leg. This cost over $140. Keep in mind that parakeets cost about $20...and they all look alike! But we just had to take care of him, it was our responsibility. In this picture you can see the "cast" and a little of the stitches on his little chest. His name is Sam and he is still with us. We've decided he needs to live at least 20 more years after what we paid to have him fixed up!

Grrrrrrrr...

...ok, now I'm REALLY ticked. Jeremy had a Homecoming dance tonight and went with a group of friends on a party bus. (Ok, a group of girls, we all know it's true.) We dropped him off at the rendevous point and at midnight were to pick him up at the same place. Around 10 to midnight I went to leave to pick him and up and saw Zoe was still awake. I asked her if she wanted to go bye-bye and she trotted out of the house into the garage right behind me. As I went to lift her into the car (she acts helpless at the car-I know she can jump several feet up and my car is maybe 1 1/2 feet off the ground) and she started to pee again! She managed to get a small puddle on the garage floor, on the side of the car, on both front seats, the center console, and my purse! UGH. If she doesn't have a bladder infection she is in SO MUCH TROUBLE! Freaking dog! My sheepskin seat covers are now in the trash and I was 20 minutes late getting Jeremy, who was "afraid" he was going to have to join the girls' slumber party because he thought we all fell asleep. Lucky for him we were just running behind!

I hope the vet can see Zoe MONDAY! No more peeing!!! Can this really still be because I went away??? Well, she is a girl, maybe she holds a grudge for a good long time? I've read dogs have a memory of 30 seconds. Umm, she must be exceptional.