Thankful

I have spent the past few days of reading "Thankful" posts on Facebook, and have thought about the last year and all the blessings in my life....too much to list on a Facebook post so I decided to list them here.  So without further adieu, here is the thankful list for 2009.  Not in any particular order and there is some tongue in cheek included......

I am thankful that in this tough economy I have a stable job and a roof over my head.

I am thankful that I live in Arizona and there it's not snowing outside.  This will make my hike much more enjoyable.

I am thankful for nonfat lattes from Starbucks and the cool festive cups they are served in at this time of year.  Makes me want to drink three of those babies a day!!!

I am thankful for the Michaels 30% off coupon I have in my hot little hands for Early Bird shopping tonight!!! I have my eye on some Vanna yarn and some storage cubicles :) 

I am thankful for Octomom, John and Kate, and whatever other controversial figures there were out there in the last year...makes me so thankful for my very boring life!!!

I am thankful for Lucy and Lindsay and SarahX2 and Stephanie and NieNie....Mind you, I have never met any of them (well that's not technically true....I've taken classes from both Lindsay and Sarah1) but it has been a pleasure getting to know them through their blogs and getting fabulously creative ideas from them!!

I am thankful for a 97% score on my tax preparation final.  Woo Hoo!!!! I am now qualified to prepare taxes....well, some taxes......

I am thankful for a healthy body (or somewhat healthy body) that allowed me to hike 24 miles across the Grand Canyon earlier this year.  The right ankle didn't really comply but I still made it!  I am also thankful that I got to spend time with my old friend, Carol, the night before the hike.

I am thankful that Arizona finally has a winning football team.....and Kurt Warner.

I am thankful for football on Thanksgiving. 

I am thankful Brandon Webb will be back next year.  I just hope he is healthy!

I am thankful that my husband's shoulder is finally feeling better. 

I am thankful that for ten months I had the most awesome cubicle neighbor at work.  I have recently realized how cool it is to work with someone you have so much in common with.

I am thankful for Sunday mornings.  Going to church and being able to worship freely as I choose. 

I am thankful that Oprah is calling it a day.  (I did post this on Facebook.)  It won't be long, thank goodness, that I will not have to listen to "Well Oprah said" , "Did you see what was on Oprah today" or "Have you heard what Oprah is reading".  No.....because I'm capable of finding happiness and well being on my own!! (My apologies to all the Oprah lovers out there!!)

I am thankful for all the police officers and fire fighters working out on the street, today and everyday, to keep us safe.  Do me a favor....say a prayer for all of them as you sit down for your Thanksgiving feast. 

Also, for the men and women in the military.  So very thankful for these young people who give so much that I sometimes think that we don't realize just how much.  I believe Winston Churchill said it best...."Never have so few given so much for so many."  Still holds true today. 

I am thankful for my children and the fact that they are healthy and (finally) happy!!!  I am also thankful, that as adults, they still have four living grandparents that they have gotten the opportunity to know.  Not many people can say this....I know my husband and I couldn't. 

I am thankful for my other children too!!!  The four legged and furry ones.  It's so nice to come home to the scruffy little things that are always happy to see me.  (Not that my husband isn't ;)

I am thankful for the Scentsy thingy I have currently bringing a nice aroma to my house!!! That thing is friggin' cool!!  Thanks Denise!

I am thankful for the opportunity I had this year to take a trip to the past when I attended my 30 year high school reunion.  It was so cool to hook up with old friends, both at the reunion and on Facebook.  It has seriously been the highlight of my year and I'm so glad I found all of them.

I am also thankful for all the friends I have made since then.  In the military, on the police department, and through all my crazy interests and hobbies.  I don't have hundreds of friends that I can list on facebook but I have a nice gaggle of people who have truly enriched my life. 

I am thankful for 25 years of marriage :)  Happy years....enough said!!!

Lastly,  I am thankful for all of my family....near and far. 

My husband who does do dishes and laundry....and also pushes my fat butt on the ellipical (hee!)....
A mother who nags me to call her more often. 
A father who doesn't nag me to call him at all :) 
A son who calls me at 7:00 in the morning to tell me about his night...I'm just always glad when he's coming home safe!! 
And a daughter who texts me asking for recipes (and I text them back to her!!). 

I am thankful for all of this and so much more.  Really way too much to list.....

And for those of you who read my blog ....all three of you....I wish you a safe and happy Thanksgiving day!!

Ruby Slippers

For the past few months I have been eyeing a very cute pair

of red Born flats. I debated whether to get them or not but

for a long time it was a matter of the "need" over "want thing.

Well a couple of things happened as fate would have it.

First, there were a few extra bucks in the household kitty

so we went shopping. He got a 55" HD LED TV and I got a

pair of shoes. Hmmmm......Well, anyways, the second thing

is that I got a smoking deal on the shoes!!! A double bonus.

So I bring the shoes home and show them to the husband and he

says....."Yeah, great shoes there, Dorothy."  Here they are for the

inspection of everyone in blogland.  I took a photo of them

a la Lucy (see Attic 24) with a crochet project to enhance them

even more. 

Um....yeah, the ruby slipper correlation did not occur to me when
I bought them.  But I don't care....I still love them even if I do look
like a dork wearing them.  That didn't keep me from wearing them to
work yesterday.  And as I was preparing to leave, my husband
reminded me....."If I was having a bad day, just click my heels and
wish I was home." 

I don't think he realizes that I do that everyday....even without a pair
of red shoes on!

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

Need I say more......

California Day 4: Pizza Port

We are creatures of habit.....Seriously!
When we go over to California, we hit the same beaches, same restaurants, same hotels....
Pretty much the same everything.
I think we just find what we like and we stick to it. 

So...one day, about nine years ago we were doing a little coastal drive and
decided that it was time to look for some grub.
This was a little tough because, as I mentioned before,
we really aren't very adventurous about trying new places (or at least I'm not!).
Well, it was that day that we stumbled across this place.....

and have continued to return every year!!!

Now it was not the fact that it was a pizza place that cause me to pull over rather abruptly.
No....it was the term "beer" that drew my attention. 
Since I am a good wife I know that any place that prominently promotes
itself as a place where there is beer, and lots of it, is going to be a hit.
The fact that there is handcrafted beer got me extra bonus points!!

So, anyways, after a day at Torrey Pines beach,
we headed up to Solana Beach and feasted on this...

The yummy Pizza Lahaina!

Now I have friends who would find this very gross

because it has the dreaded pineapple on it but I love it!

In the years since we started going to Pizza Port

the handcrafted beer selection has expanded

from like four choices to about 20 choices.

Like a kid in a candy store or so I told by the family beer connoisseur.

I couldn't tell you anything about them because....ahem....

I don't drink the stuff.

I know...I'm a loser just never developed a taste for it.

Well, that was day four...

Night four was the Padres/Cubs at Petco Park.

More to come.....

A day (or two) at the Races

Our first two days in California were spent at Del Mar.....
"Where the surf meets the turf....."

Anyways, here I am posing

in front of the paddock and imaging myself....oh...
in the first weekend of May looking pretty much the same

except there will be tall spires in the background and a mint julep in my hand :)

Can you picture it?? Anyone? Anyone?

Well I'm enjoying that visual, but for this day

I had to settle for Del Mar

and a Grade I Breeder's Cup qualifier (not thatI was complaining...)

We spent only a half day there on Saturday

and we spent most of that time

getting to know the bartender

who was stationed just outside the Red Star Cafe.

We learned that his name is Brian

and that his real job is as a history teacher at a local junior college.
We also learned he makes a pretty good margarita!!

The second day most of our time was spent at the paddock

where Russell accessed our choices for upcoming races......

And kept an eye on Christina Olivares :0

Overall we didn't do to bad....pretty much broke even.

I did win on the first race on Sunday.
(It was a gray horse....go figure!)

Hopefully our luck will be better in May at Louisville :)

Back to Reality

This was the view I was enjoying this week at this time......

It was pure heaven...hmmmm. Just got back from a week

in California. It was both relaxing and busy!!! We went to

a couple of baseball games, spent a day at the races at

Del Mar, sipped some wine (well alot of wine), and relaxed

at the beach. The last two days were spent at my 30 year

high school reunion.

I was up until 1 a.m. for the last two nights of the vacation (I

don't think I've done that since I was in high school!!). And

then we had the five hour drive back home. It literally took

me until today to catch up on my sleep and feel normal!! Boy

am I feel everyone of those 30 years since high school :0

It didn't help that I had a couple of little dramas to deal with

once I got back home.

Anyways, there will be pictures and a play by play in the next

few days.....for anyone who cares to gander on by.

Toodles......

Latest Obsession

As if I needed another hobby.....I have now added crochet to my repertoire. All my cool scrapbooking supplies have been gathering dust while I work on crochet projects. And since I have the attention span of a gnat, I can't just simply work on one project at a time!!! I have two going right now with my eye on a third....

This is the beginnings of my first project.....a pretty multicolor starburst afghan. I've gotten a little bit further than this on it but this is the most current picture I have. I'm hoping my afghan will look like this when it is finished.

My second WIP (Work in Progress) another granny blanket. I've gotten the first two (of 36 total) squares completed. I got my inspiration for this one here. I love the colors!!! I never would have thought of putting these together.

Of course with my newest obsession comes my never ending need to collect. So along with all the paper I have......there is the ever growing stash of yarn. I just look at the colors and I can't decided.....I need to have one of each. It's a good thing I don't do this with shoes. Oh...yeah...that's right, I have three pairs of Danskos....In three different colors!!!! :o

I've also started perusing (sp?) crochet blogs but my new obsession for that is for another post!!

So I'm off to get hooking ;) I've got a lot of work to do!

I Love the Smell of Rain (and Dust) in the Evening.....

Every place that I have lived has had some meterological (sp?) or geographical anomaly.

I grew up in Southern California so that meant I grew up with earthquakes.

I lived in Arkansas for three years. Tornados!! Yikes!! Scary stuff.....

I lived in Utah for two years. Nothing like digging your vehicle out of eight foot snow drifts. Oh....and I was lucky enough to live there during one of the colder years. California girls just don't do well in 10 degree temps.

And now.....for the past 24 years I've lived in Arizona. Roughly nine months out of the year it is beautiful. But the other three months.....well.... it can be hell. Literally. There was one June where we topped out at 122 (luckily I was working the graveyard shift!). I've grown to hate 110 degree heat but I deal with it because the other nine months of the year make it so worth it. Our major meterological problem is the summer monsoon. Totally hot during the day and then the monster storms roll in. It can be kind of refreshing to get some rain to cool things down but there are some areas that usually get hit hard every year. Wind damage, floods, power outages, etc.

We have managed to avoid any major problems....until this year. Well, until three days ago to be exact. We got hit hard on Sunday and well.....so did my son's vehicle which is parked in our driveway while he is away. This is what it looked like shortly after the storm blew thru.......

Of course I had to promptly post it on Facebook which I'm sure nearly cause him a heart attack!! The good news is there was no damage to the vehicle. The bad news was my husband had a big mess to clean up. I'm glad he's put himself in charge of the "outside stuff"=D. We no longer have a big tree in our yard. I'm pretty sure my son would be glad to hear this since there is another storm brewing outside this evening.

But then there is that outside that the neighbors tree could uproot and fly towards our house. Ooops....I think I'll go knock on wood right now!!!!!

Two Weeks

This is what two weeks of doing no laundry looks like.

I'm sure that those with larger families would find this laughable.

But there's only two of us.....and it's alot of stinkin' laundry!!!!!

I guess I'd better get started......

I'll have more energy tomorrow!! I promise :)

A Myriad of Thoughts and Emotions

This week has just flown by. So much going on and so much to think about. Here's a recap of the major events of the week.......

Father's Day. It was a nice father's day weekend. The nice weather we have been having lasted straight through the weekend. I don't know that I have ever experienced a June that has been this nice in Arizona. We've been very lucky this year.

I did call my father (of course). He said he hasn't been feeling well. I'm not going to go into details but I seriously considered heading up to Northern California. I know I am approaching a point in my life I have nevered looked forward to nor am I sure I am ready for it.

My child is on his way to the Middle East. He got the call on Monday. They told him he was leaving Friday. Wow! Very fast. He was expecting to be activated....just not this quick. The bad news.....he had to get ready quickly. The good news.....he's not going to Iraq.

I have many friends who ask me if I'm worried. I find this a little funny because of the intrinsic danger involved in his regular job away from the military. No one ever asks me if I am worried about him when he starts a shift!! Of course, I'm worried. But then again I worry when he driving across town at night, when he goes out with friends, when he says he spending a day at the river, etc, etc..... You get the idea. I'm a mother. It's my lot in life to worry.

Anyways, he spent the week getting ready. Also, my daughter came down from Vegas and we all went out as a family on Wednesday. It was very good to have bother my children at home...even if it was just for a couple of hours.

Michael Jackson died on Thursday. Hmmm.....My thoughts on this are not going to be very popular. I just don't feel the overwhelming sadness that I see depicted on TV. I don't know.....maybe it is because the Michael Jackson I grew up loving was gone long before June 25, 2009. Or maybe it's because I really was not shocked by his early exit. I just never expected him to make it to old age. Don't get me wrong....I think his is a sad story. I feel bad for his family , especially his children. But there was another event on Thursday that brought more sadness to me.......

Farrah Fawcett. Yes, I was more sad about Farrah Fawcett's death. I knew it was coming because her illness had been in the news alot recently. But it didn't take away from the moment I heard it. I think because Farrah Fawcett provided a more indelible memory from my youth than Michael Jackson. I just remember THAT poster. And wondering how I could get my wiry hair to be like Farrah's....and could I ever have teeth that white. She was so beautiful......

Well those are my thoughts. Hopefully, the coming week is less eventful.....

30 Years Ago.....

I graduated from high school. I really can't remember the exact date. I just know it was 30 years ago this week. In 1979, to be exact. As I ponder this I realize that many of the authors on my blog read list weren't even born yet. Yeesh!!!

Anyways, you won't be seeing any cute graduation photos from 1979. I really don't think my mother thought to take pictures. And kudos to her for that!!!!! Seriously.....Photos of myself from yesteryear are not among my favorites. I was a homely little chub. If there had been an award for "Most Likely to be sitting at home eating bon-bons", I would have won it hands down!! It was so bad that a couple of years after graduating from high school I cut my photos out of all four of my yearbooks. I thought there is no way anyone is seeing those babies....especially my husband!!

And my husband never saw them.....well, not until my 20 year reunion. I seriously should have thought longer about attending. Because if I had then I would have foresaw the moment that a former classmate whipped out the yearbook. NO SHE DIDN'T!!! Yes, she did. And the reason was specifically to show my husband that yes....at one time in my life I did wear tents. His response?? Oooo....I would have never dated you. Awesome dear!!!

Well, thirty years have passed very quickly and I am not the girl I once was. I'm pretty sure I shed a portion of that girl somewhere along the way :)

Just a Little Something.......

I threw together :) Yes.....I wish is was that easy!! I have been obsessed with making this blanket ever since I saw this. I spent a lot of time studying the pattern. Trying to figure out how it was put together and what colors were used. Well it's not exactly like the original but I thought it turned out pretty. Now I'm on to my next project!!

A Grand Adventure...AKA Not for the Faint of Heart

This past Saturday I did what I do on many Saturdays. I went for a hike.

Only this hike was a little different. This hike started at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.

And ended at the North Rim.

I have to say that even with all my preparation I was still very nervous. I went with a group of people from work, many of whom have already completed this hike. I have to say one of my FAVORITE (insert sarcasm) conversations with one of my co-hikers was with the nice gentleman who reminded me that in parts of the hike there is a 4000 foot sheer drop.

He said that if you fall they don't bother looking for you because you'll be in pieces anyway.

YES!!! Just what I needed to hear just before this hike!! Made me feel SOOOO much better!!

So, understandably, I got very little sleep the night before.

I was up at 3:00 a.m. getting ready and we got to the South Kaibab trailhead at about 5. It was already light out so I did not need by headlamp. As we descended into the Canyon, we were treated to some spectacular views. This was really a treat!!

And we hiked down on switchbacks that looked like this......

And as we were strolling down to the bottom, I was thinking we need a little excitement to make this REALLY worth our while. So, I provided some entertainment. I gave the group a little display of my ever stunning grace. In other words....er...hmmmm......I fell. It wasn't just a little trip. No....no.....I had to make it good. It was a doozy. I twisted my ankle and scrapped my knee up pretty good. Luckily, I had several fellow hikers around me who were experts at dealing with stressful situations......and providing top notch first aid. I got assistance with a makeshift gauze, tape, and bandaid knee wrap, and one of my fellow hikers offered up his trekking pole. Very gallant!! (BTW, I will not go on another long hike without at least one of these again). And then off I went.... Someone asked me later if I was going to continue to hike. My thought was......did I have a choice. There are after all only three ways out....mule, helicopter, hike. Not fond off mules and helicopter=$$$$$. So, as long as I could walk I would be leaving the canyon on my own two feet!!!

Anyways, as we were heading to Phantom Ranch, I was telling the group how my husband was going to meet me at Ribbon Falls.

"What time is he leaving?" someone asked.

"5 a.m."

"He is going to get there long before you do."

Now I should have clued in on this statement and realized one very important thing.....my husband is not a patient man. If I had done this, what happened next would not have been a surprise. As we were approaching Phantom Ranch, I saw a familiar figure coming towards us. And then I got this sinking feeling. My husband and his friend, Tony, hiked from the North Rim all the way to Phantom Ranch. 14 MILES!!!!! And they had to go 14 miles out....with a woman with a bum ankle!!!! This was going to be interesting, or so I thought. It actually was not bad at all.

After stopping at Phantom, soaking my foot in the stream and refilling my water, we headed off. This was really my favorite part. I had done a lot of studying prior to this hike and read that this section could be torture due to the sweltering heat inside the canyon. But we were very fortunate. The weather was very pleasant. Overcast and mild. We got rained on a bit for the next seven miles. It was very nice!! I loved this portion though because it was like walking through a peaceful valley. Very green with the stream running along the trail.

We stopped to take a picture along one of the many bridges along the way. NOTE: The very lovely bandaged left knee!!!

After about seven miles of this type of scenery.....came hell. Or so that is what I was told. Was it difficult? Hell yeah!! But as I described it later it was kind of like labor. You forget about the pain shortly after it is over. So we trudged on slowly taking breaks. As Tony said it was not a race.

I will say I did find the elevation a little unnerving at times. I had been told there were some really narrow areas along the trail and that it was a sheer drop. One part of that was not really true. The trail was not as narrow as I thought it was going to be. The narrowest point was about 4 feet. That wasn't really bad.

There was, however, a sheer drop. As I trudged upward, I looked over towards the edge a couple of times. I think it was on the second glance I decided that I would NOT be doing this again. Yes....it wasn't the distance nor the gazillion switchbacks that made me say "I am never doing this again ." No siree!!! It was my fear of heights. Yep....I think once is enough.

And just to give you an idea of the drop....I took a picture. I wanted to put an arrow to point out the trail but since I'm photoshop illiterate that wasn't going to happen. So if you look at the right side, about half way up, you'll see what I'm saying. See the wall....see the drop.....hmmm...yeah!!

Anyways, I think the last two miles were the hardest. I don't know if it was just because I knew we were so close. Or if I was just tired from my lack of sleep. Or maybe, it was the mule trail we were stuck behind stopping every 100 feet or so, and leaving deposits along the way. YUCK!! Whatever it was......it took forever!!!! It made getting to the end so much sweeter!!!

When I finished all I could think about was a shower, food, and a margarita!!! We stayed at the North Rim Lodge. OMG!! What a beautiful place!! This was the view from the dining room. Can you believe it!?! AWESOME!!!

Oh....and I also surveyed the damage my body took from the fall. WARNING: People who are freaked out at the sight of feet may not want to look....

Here's what my knee looked like the next day. Hmmmm....not too bad. Considering all the blood gushing out of it the prior day.

And this is the ankle.....The picture was taken on our drive back the next day. Yep....hiked about 17 miles on this beauty. Needless to say, I spent the next two days with my feet up and lots of ice packs!!!!

I'm glad I did it but I'm also glad it's over. Time to start training for the next endeavor.

Hmmm....Seven Summit Challenge in November......We'll see.

The Making of a Hero

Many, many moons ago when my son was four years old he had a rather terrifying experience. Actually, it started out more terrifying for me....

My husband and I were watching TV when we heard this blood curling scream. You know, it's the kind of scream that sends the stomaches of all mothers right down into their toes. Makes their hearts stop. Where they are certain that they are going to find their children (or at least one of their children) in the most horrifying of conditions.

In this particular situation, the scream came from my son. We both ran to the bathroom to find him cowered in a corner and pointing at the floor. There we saw the dreaded scorpion. You know....those things that roam around all Arizona homes and wreak havoc and terror on all inhabitants!!!!

"I STEPPED ON THE SCORPION!!!!!!" he yelled.

As a mother, I did the best I could to comfort him. I carried him upstairs with big sister lingering not far behind. I washed the bottom of his foot and inspected it for any sign of injury. I then called Poison Control. I did all of this while he continuously wailed.

While I was on the phone with Poison Control, he wailed at the top of his lungs and yelled "I DON'T WANT TO DIE!!!!" The lady at poison control chuckled in the background and said, "Tell him he's not going to die".

Why do I write of this.....well possibly, because, eighteen years later, this is what I think of when he calls me at 7:30 on a Friday morning to tell me of how he worked to give aid to a dying man the night before. He tried to save a life he couldn't save.

Wow....how quickly time goes by and how fast things change.

He couldn't slay scorpions when he was 4....but as an adult, he is facing bigger obstacles everyday.

I am so proud of my son.....I am so proud of both of my children.

They constantly amaze me.

A New 'Do and Dental Humor (If there is such a thing)

I'm in between dental appointments right now so I thought this would be a good time to do a blog post. So what's new? Well I'd like to say I had a vision on Saturday morning that the derby winner would be a 50-1 longshot and I made off with a boat load of winnings. But no, that did not happen!!! Although one of the guys in our group did bet on Mine the Bird just on a whim and made off with 1000 smackeroos!! This would be Exhibit 1 as to why I will never win big. I am way too conservative.

Well that brings be to the most exciting thing (in my boring life) of the past couple of weeks. I finally went to my hair girl and got a new 'do. Oh, and some coloring too. The gray was becoming too dominant on my head!! So, here is the new me.....

























The new look past the most important test.....my husband really liked it. He said (and I quote), "You look younger." This made me chuckle. When I pointed out the picture of this haircut to the younger hair girl, her response was...."That's an old lady cut." Misty, my young friend, it's just a matter of perspective. :)

In other news, I have a dental appointment in , oh, about 40 minutes. My crown came out this weekend while eating my share of a brownie sundae (yeah I thought I'd bit on something a little too hard!). I went in this morning and the dentist decided he was going to have to do more than just replace the crown :( UGH!! So I'm going back for a longer appt. I did get a chuckle this morning as he was looking at the displaced crown. I had looked at it earlier in the week and noticed the inside was dark. I thought, wow, that's a lot of cement. Well, it wasn't cement....
The doc was looking at it and said "What is that in there?" He said it with that lilt that made me think "Uh oh!" My mind started racing...what did I do? Then it dawned on me....I little piece of brownie was inside the crown....and it's been there for the last six days!!!! GROSS!! I'm betting my dentist just loved that!! Glad that crown is not going back on my tooth.

Well got to head out to see the torturer...i mean...the dentist. Smiles everyone!!

Horse, Paper, Scissors

Today, many of my fellow scrapbookers will gather to spend an entire day of putting together pictures with pretty paper. They will gather, socialize, and catch up on some long overdue pages. Me? Well...In a twist on the Rock, Paper, Scissors game where Horse replaces Rock.....Horse won.

I will don my cute little hat and head to north Phoenix where I will close my eyes and pretend there are steeples around. I will surround myself with the strains of "My Old Kentucky Home" and mint juleps. Yep, I will gather with a few thousand others in the Valley of the Sun at Turf Paradise and celebrate what the second Saturday in May has meant for 135 years. It's Derby Saturday!!!! So I won't be scrapbooking. Instead I'll just tick off all the PETA people in the world.

For the last couple of weeks, my husband has been analyzing the field. Making up charts and everything! Seriously! Me....well I have a more scientific way of determining the winner.

Him: Who are you going with for the Derby?

Me: The gray horse.

Him: Why?

Me: Because it's gray. ;)

Now my husband has assured me that the gray horse, otherwise known as Dunkirk, is a very good pick. So I'm going to pair him up in an exacta with a horse that I was destined to wager on. I mean, for the love of all things chocolate, how can I pass up on a horse named Chocolate Candy. Really!

So I'm ready to head watch the most exciting two minutes in sports....(well, kinda.....it's going to be on TV) and maybe I'll even sip on a Mint Julep :0.

Wish me Luck!!!!!

R.I.P. Bird

Every now and then a news story breaks that instantly takes me back to happy memories of simple times. Unfortunately the news is usually not good. Today is one such day. As I was watching the Cubs doing a pretty good job handling the Rockies on a very damp Chicago day, the announcers brought sad news that instantly brought to mind the All Star game, 1976, Philadelphia.

There, on the mound for the American League, was this gangly looking character who was extremely colorful in his preparation for each pitch. They called him the Bird. He even posed on the cover of Sports Illustrated the the Big Bird himself!!

I remember being so taken with his antics.....as was much of the country. How he would walk around the mound talking to himself would just make me chuckle. I thought he made a somewhat boring game to me at the time so interesting and so entertaining. I'm sure that people who never watched baseball tuned in just to see him.

Well today brought news of his passing. An accident they say. While he was working on his truck. He was only 54.

And with the news, the memories of one of the main characters when the game of baseball captured the heart of this girl.

Rest in Peace Bird......

Easter Sunday

The other day I was driving home and saw the following saying on a billboard in front of a church.

"LENT.....SPRING TRAINING FOR CHRISTIANS."

I chuckled and wished I had a camera ready to take a picture. The saying is so true though. It really is like spring training. Those six weeks of preparation before Easter are sometimes the toughest time of the year. I struggle to stay away from all those things I love most and right now I am exercising unbelievable restraint in keeping myself from wanting to soak in a big tub of chocolate even though I now can.

When I think of the sacrifice made by Christ....I know that giving up chocolate, lattes, and wine pale in comparison. And it was all worth the sacrifice come Easter morning in celebrating the resurrection of the Savior.

Not if you'll excuse me....I'm going to go sink my mouth into a lovely See's scotchmallow egg. YUM!

Happy Easter!!

22

This is a number that has been on my mind for the past few days. There are a couple of reasons for this. The first reason came about on Thursday morning as I was listening to the news. Early Thursday morning a 22 year old pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels was killed in a hit and run collision. Only hours earlier, Nick Adenhart was the starting pitcher in a game against the Oakland A's. He pitched six innings giving up no runs.

My first thoughts were of how devastating a loss to his family and teammates. As a baseball fan, I also thought of what could have been. This young man was probably on top of the world at that very moment realizing the fulfillment of a dream when it was all taken away. As a mother, I thought of my own son, only two months younger that Nick Adenhart.

Which brings me to the other reason that the number 22 has been so prevalent in my mind.

On Thursday night, my son came over to the house. It was just the two of us and we engaged in a conversation about our individual life philosophies. This should make anyone chuckle who remembers a brooding teenager who responded to questions with grunts. Now, well....he's a bit of a chatterbox and I wouldn't have it any other way. Anyways, our conversation wasn't one of those deep conversations. It was just pretty matter-a-fact. But he did surprise me with one comment. If my recollection serves me right, the comment went like this "My generation is made up of a bunch of pansies". Huh??? I asked him to elaborate and he told me that many (not all) of the kids from his generation did not have a whole lot of strength to deal with the things life throws their way. And they don't like it when they don't get their way.

I think I was thunderstuck. Wow!!! My husband's response when I told him of this was "So he was listening to me all along."

I know it is more popular at this time to believe that if we have just positive thoughts the world with be wonderful. My thought is that life is full of ups and downs, magnificent highs and unsettling lows, and triumphs and tragedies. And we have to approach both with the same vigor.

At the tender age of 22, my son has figured out (and accepted) that sometimes life is not fair.

If it was, Nick Adenhart would be pitching next Wednesday against the Mariners.

Just A Bunch of Random Stuff!

**Right now I am in hurting status. We did an 11-mile hike on Saturday and I am hurting. Today I am still nursing a sore back and my ankle is aching from the little twist I took on the trail. I don't know what happened because I usually do not feel this bad after a hike. I'm thinking that I probably should not have worn my brand new hiking boots and insoles for an 11-miler. I guess I learned my lesson!

**I wound down my weekend by watching movies, reading, and doing as much cleaning as my sore back allowed. We watched the Sex and the City movie for like the sixth time. I recently took the Sex and the City quiz over on Facebook. You know the one.....the personality test to determine which girl I would be. I turned out to be Charlotte. Pretty surprising considering the fact that I stay away from seeing anything through rose colored glasses! Oh, and I could never picture myself telling Big (much less anyone) "I curse the day you were born!" Just not my style.

**I'm finding the fourth week of the Lenten fast to be a bit challenging. On Saturday, after the painful hike, I was dying for a margarita. On Sunday, I'd given anything for a Three Musketeers bar. And today, I wondered if I could just sneak a small latte without anyone knowing ;) "sigh" I know this is a time for fast and repentence but right now I'm just praying to God for a little self control. Oh, and perhaps a big slice of chocolate cake!!!

**I'm trying to wrap my head around the term "Man-Made Disaster" in place of "Terrorist Attack". Hmmm......For some reason, I don't think the sting of 9-11 would have been any easier if it was called a Man-Made Disaster. Nor do I think it changes the hearts of people who wish ill will on us. Just sayin'.

**I'm just not feeling American Idol this year. I don't know what it is. Perhaps, I've just grown tired of it. Or maybe it's because this year (like last year), the judges have seen fit to make sure that in the first week, we all know exactly who they think should be in the finals. So, if I base it on their better judgment, I can just save myself a couple of hours each week and tune into the finals to watch Adam Lambert and Danny Gokey battle it out. You know, kind of like the two Davids from last year. But with my stubborn nature (and my tendency to always root for the underdog), I'll continue to watch and hope that Matt Giraud, Kris Allen, or the little red headed girl (sorry, her name escapes me) give 'em a run for their money!

**My March Madness brackets were totally shot to hell this weekend, no thanks to Louisville. Although I was glad to see Arizona get to the Sweet Sixteen, I didn't have them getting past the first round (My husband had more faith). Yep, I had Louisville winning the whole thing and up until yesterday, I was at least smoking the Prez in the brackets. It felt really good while it lasted :).

**Any last (and most importantly.....) there are officially 6 days, 23 hours and 4 minutes to Opening Day!! Yeah! GO D-BACKS!!!!!!!!

Training Day

Today was a training day.
Training, you say?
Yep, I am in training.
For a roughly 22 mile hike through a "big hole in the ground" (aka, the Grand Canyon)
If it wasn't so beautiful, I'd say I was preparing for a hike from hell!!!

So right now I am aware of every moment I have to prepare for it.
Have done a couple of ten milers in the past month.
I wanted to do another one on Saturday
but my body (and my sinus passages) said no.

So, since I felt better on Monday I decided Piestewa Peak was on my itinerary for the day.
We did the summit trial and then the circumference trail.
Probably not a good idea.
I felt really pretty good.....that is, until I started up the mountain.
It was evident that I was still fighting off whatever gunk was trying to attack. NOT FUN!!
But I did make it. And was fast asleep by 7 p.m.

Here's hoping my future training endeavours feel a lot better!!
I need them to.....or 22 miles is going to suck!

This Morning....

I woke up with the sore throat from hell and a general feeling of impending (flu) dom. This shouldn't be a surprise since the flu germ has been just a cubicle away for the past two weeks.
It did ruin my Saturday plans though.
I had a wonderful 10-mile stroll through the desert planned.
Then I was going to have some fresh squeezed oj afterwards (yum!!).
But, instead, I laid there in bed wondering if I should push the envelope and go anyway.
I decided not to go which is a good thing since I got progressively worse through the day.
So I just soothed myself with a jamba juice and scrolled through my 100s of e-mails.

I really feel bad for anyone who legitimately sends me an e-mail.
I hate even looking through my e-mails because 99% is spam.
I think I only got two e-mails from anyone who matters.
So I'm thinking it's time for a new address....only for those who truly matter (A.K.A. No Spammies!).

Time to drag my aching body to the bed for a good rest......

A Week and (A Half).....In Photo Review

This made me happy.......

One of my co-workers sent me this very..ahem....
enticing birthday greeting.
I wonder how they got Patrick to put this together for me :)


























This made me sad.......

Last Monday was the last day for this place.
A sign of the bad times.
No more "Mary Margaritas".
I spent many a happy birthday at this place.
I know....it's a chain....but I frequent places
more for the people (and right now low prices!)

























These were yummy........

I made some of these for a friend's fundraiser.

















And I bought these......
























Right now I am on sugar overload!

And the last thing.......

A really cool birthday present.....

My coworker and I have been hooked on Nie

Everyday we check for the latest post.

And one of the things we both love

are the silhouettes she has made.

Deb loved them so much she made me one

for my birthday.

Really would have loved to have my double chin

photoshopped and I really wish I had a longer neck.

Otherwise I absolutely love it!!

Pretty crappy photo though doesn't do it justice.

Remembered to turn off the flash....

Forgot to turn off the light in the room (DUH!).

And that is my week (and a half) in a nutshell!!

Got lots of crocheting and scrapbooking done.

Those will be my next photos.

Good night for now....

Wishful Thinking.....

So I have a birthday coming up and my husband asks the obligatory....

"What do you want for your birthday?"

My inside voice is saying..."ooo....a Canon Power Shot SD 880 would be nice :)"

But my outside voice says......

I don't need anything we really don't have the money.

The reply to that...."How 'bout a Starbucks Card?"

"Perfect!!" I say.

A Starbucks Card can take my mind away from anything.

Well....almost anything!

Wear Suncreen

According to a famously uttered ode repeated
again and again at graduations everywhere....
this is the best piece of advice there is.
The ode begins and ends with the phrase
"Wear Sunscreen" while in between there is
a speckling of uncertain advice about all the
highs and lows of life.

The only certain advice.....
The one that has been proven time and again.....
"Wear Sunscreen"

This week if I were to give a random piece of
advice to anyone it would be exactly these words....
"Wear Sunscreen"

Our family has recently learned
just how important this advice is.
I believe everything will be fine
but it is a scary thing.

So as I sign off I'll say it again
For Pete's sake.....WEAR SUNSCREEN!

Treasures Found

A couple of weeks ago I was on one of my massive cleaning
binges. When I do this I always find something I thought
was long gone....something I had kissed goodbye long ago.
It is always a treat when I unmask these treasures.

This time the treasure was this......these really cute magenta
colored reading glasses. I purchased them on a whim.
Well actually, I was somewhere that I desperately needed
reading glasses.
So I ran to a Walgreens next door....and came away with
my soon to be favorite reading glasses.
Then I lost them. I thought I left them somewhere at a restaurant
or something. And that someone else, who would not appreciate
them as much, got their hands on them.
But I found them....hidden away in an old purse.
So glad I had them all along.


















Of course I had to get a picture donning these
fabulous specs. Hmmm.....but as I look at the picture
I realize I in desperate need of a haircut :0!

Well off to work I go.
Happy Tuesday!!!!