The Art of 50

The Wonderful World of Blogging

2012-01-17T13:23:00.000-08:00

Let me begin this post by saying.....that I hated the first grade.
I have absolutely NO good memories of the first grade.
I know what you're thinking. What on earth does this have to do with blogging??????
And how do I have such a clear memory of first grade at such an advanced (cough, cough) age?
Well, it really has nothing to do with blogging except that whenever I go through on of my extended blog breaks, when I debate about whether I should continue blogging.......
One of the things I think about is the first grade.
You see, my first grade experience in Southern California in 1967 had quite a lasting impression.
And I am certain that it was completely different from my children's experiences in the 80's and 90's.
This is because my overwhelming memory of the first grade was the little chat my mother had with me after a certain parent/teacher conference.
It was not a pleasant chat.
During the parent/teacher conference, my first grade teacher told my mother that I was a little too full of myself.
Hmmmm....yes, I did not have a whole week devoted to me and how special I was.
Like my children did.
Instead, in 1967, I was reminded how utterly not special I was.
Not a bad thing really because, lets face it, the affectiveness of holding our children in such high esteem is now being questioned. Such as whether we made them ill-prepared to deal with the fact that everyone else thinks they are special too.
Anyways, I digress.....and you're probably still wondering what on earth this has to do with blogging.

Well, as I ponder why I blog and whether I should continue to blog I think about that first grade teacher (I am purposely not naming her).
I wonder, if she is still around, what she thinks of this new world 44 years after reporting about this attention needy six year old. Did she change her mind? Or does she throw up her arms in disgust as she laments about "kids these days"? All those kids who will do anything to be famous if just for a few minutes. They'll even do the dumbest of things on reality television.
I wonder what she would think of this blog.
I spend more time that I would like wondering if I real do this blogging thing because I'm an attention whore.
Or maybe because I think I have some little pearls of wisdom that I can impart on an unwitting world that did not know what it was missing before I came along.....yes, that was a joke!
I would tell you that I blog for no one but myself because I like to write and because blogging provides me with a cyber outlet for something I have enjoyed for years.
That is partially true. I do blog because I love writing.
But let me be honest here.....I really hope that people enjoy what I have to say. And come back.
And I secretly hope that all you creative types will gush over my crochet and scrapbook creations....no matter how "so-so" they are.

Yes, I am exactly what that first grade teacher said....a needy little snot who is a bit full of myself.

I'm just a 50 (almost 51!) year old version of that little girl.
And I'm going to keep blogging.
If nothing else, my children can read it to me when I'm in an old folks home as a way to spark my memory (a la The Notebook).
Hey, at least, it will serve some purpose....someday.

The Thing About Resolutions

2012-01-05T09:43:00.000-08:00

......or a better woman.

Anyways, this will probably be my mantra for 2012.

Let's see.....it's already January 5th.

And I have already completely bombed on most of my resolutions.

Yes, I generally make more than one.

And I have never been a person who just refused to make resolutions

because "I'm not going to keep them anyways."

I always have hope.

Hope than I can be better.

And that's saying alot for a 50 year old woman.

Because let's face it I have had plenty of time to become jaded,

and trust me, there are many areas of life

where I am very, very jaded.

But not in the area of self betterment .

So what were those resolutions.

Well there are the typical resolutions.....to eat better and exercise more.

(Isn't this everyone's resolution????)

So far, this one has not been too bad.

Started P90X2 on Jan. 2.

Started eating lighter and cutting out sugar...

(Well, at least until my birthday....)

Which probably led to the sputtering out of another resolution.

Or at least a slow start at it.

That resolution is to procrasinate less.

Well (insert heavy sigh here)....

Going cold turkey in the no sugar department = Very grumpy old woman.

Very grumpy old woman = I just don't feel like doing ANYTHING cuz I'm mad at the world.

This led to putting off my "easy" Trig homework until the very last day.

Turns out it wasn't so easy.

What usually is a few hours of work turned into a day long ordeal.

And a major meltdown.

I got it down....but all I wanted to do at the end of it was eat a giant sized Hershey bar.

Don't worry I resisted....

Instead I had a glass of wine.

The healthier alternative!

The other resolutions?

To be more organized, get more projects down, and to be a more consistent blogger.

Hmmmm.......not so good, so far.

But like I said, I always have hope!

So, here's the thing.....I'm starting again.

January 1st and come and gone.

But that does not mean that the opportunity has passed.

So I'll just start over again.

And maybe again. And again.

After all, I'm always still working on being a better man, er, woman.

Happy 2012!

Thank You.....

2011-12-31T13:17:00.000-08:00

The past few weeks have been a busy blur.

Probably no different from any of your homes during this time of the year.

There has been a lot of baking.

A lot of gift wrapping.

A lot...er....too much...eating.

A lot of good time spent with family.

Like every year past, Christmas and New Year's seemed to sneak up on me.

And it seemed like there was a lot to do....

And very little time to do it in.

I wish that I had taken more photos to document our holiday season.....but I didn't.

I know....Big "L" on my forehead!

I did get some pictures of some holiday crochet.....

Some ornaments a la Lucy.

A table doily thingy...(sorry I'm experiencing crs right now)

And the beginnings of an afghan.....

Hopefully I'll have it done by next Christmas!

I plan to spend the next couple of days relaxing and crocheting...

Before I get started on the purging and organizing that always seems to come with every new year.

I just wanted to take a moment to wish you all a happy, healthy, and safe 2012.

And to thank you all who stopped by, lurked a little, or left a comment.

I am so grateful for all of you!

Hopefully I will be bit more consistent of a blogger in the coming year.

The Best Sugar Cookies Evah!

2011-12-22T18:22:00.000-08:00

Okay, so they might not look like much

Because my decorating skills leave a lot to be desired.....ahem.

But don't let looks fool you, they are heavenly.

I got this recipe from my good friend, Lori.

She has got a wonderful cooking blog that you can find here.

Check it out. There are a lot of yummy recipes on her site.

Especially if you're a fan of cupcakes. Yum!

The sugar cookie recipe can also be found on her site here.

As you can see, her cookies look much prettier than mine....

but, no matter, they are oh so good.

Take my word for it.....

No, don't just take my word for it!

Give them a try!

And try not to eat them all in one sitting.

Because I have never really done that :-o

Do These Make My Butt Look Big?????

2011-12-19T17:54:00.000-08:00

In the past few months, there has been one significant thing sucking my time.....

And it can be described in just one word.

PINTEREST.

That's it.

I spend a lot of time there persuing ideas

And finding little gems.....

Like this.

Just to clarify....

This is not a picture of my back side.

If it were my husband would be a very happy man ;-)

And I would have a very lucrative career as a.....ahem....body part specific model.

Oh, and I might have more than 27 blog followers.

hahahahahahahaha....thought I'd get you all on that one.

I have to tell you that I initally thought about how I might make a pair of these.

Then I thought who on earth would thing of this crochet idea.

Obviously, someone with a rather flattering....er....

how should I say....

um....back side.

Which I can tell you that I clearly do not possess.

What I can tell you, however, is that Pinterest is very, very cool.

If you haven't been there, you should check it out.

If you need an invite, just drop me an e-mail.

You won't regret it.

I mean, seriously, can you imagine your life

without the pleasure of crocheted shorts.

Really????

How Empty Nesters Get Their Kicks

2011-12-18T16:48:00.000-08:00

It has been quite some time since we have had our children living at home.

Yes, Christmas is just not as exciting as when there are not children around.

Pretty boring actually.

So, what do I do to break up the monotony.

It involves the animals.

And torture.

I don't know.....you think this is a bit much???

There are two things that I am certain of.

Number One.....they were not happy with me.....AT ALL!

Number Two.....my two "human" children are rethinking their plans for Christmas morning...

Yeah, I think I need to dig up some Santa hats and reindeer ears.

It should be so much fun!

Two Weeks

2011-11-30T08:34:00.000-08:00

The two weeks leading up to Thanksgiving were spent with this view.....

My rear side was planted firmly at the kitchen table typing away on my laptop.
Assignment after assignment.
I had three of them. Three loooooong assignments to finish up my most recent class.
Long, as in term paper long. They reminded me why I like Math so much more than English.
But I got them all done.....finally.
Of course I had a little distraction in the background. ;-)
That lovely rainbow of yarn that I recently received in the mail.
I would look up every now and then, and try to visualize what I was going to do with it all.
Eventually, I had to move it to another room. It just became toooooo distracting!
So that is what life has been....while I have been away.
There were also a couple of reprieves from school work.
Like attending a little college football rivalry game.....

A little University of Arizona-Arizona State action.
Just for the record....I was NOT rooting for the home team (Go Cats!).
And I was very happy to be able to celebrate a win.
However, since I was suffering from a miserable sinus headache I was just hoping for a quick game more than anything!

There was also some hooky stuff in the evening to clear my mind.

Still working on this project....well, somewhat working on it.
It will be "on break" for a while.
For now, I'm focused on all things Christmas...
Christmas ornaments!
Christmas cookies!
Christmas cards!
Christmas music!
Christmas lights!
Christmas shopping!
Christmas decorations!
Oh, and with a little dash of Trigonometry (yeah, how Christmasy is that?????).
So off I go.....Falalalalalalalalalalalalalala!!!!!!

Someday I'll Learn....

2011-11-08T12:34:00.000-08:00

How to take decent photos of my crochet projects.
For now these will just have to do......

Just a couple of pillow I made for a friend who LOOOOOOVES pillows :-D

I love the colors but I don't know if I love the yarn even though it is called "I Love This Yarn!"

I usually do love it but as I was working on this project I noticed it "pilled" a little more than I would like.

Oh well!

Anyways, I was just taking a break from my mountain of school work!

And now it's time to go back to work.....

Toodles!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

2011-11-07T14:20:00.000-08:00

I woke up this morning to a sound I had almost forgotten.....
The sound of rain pounding on the rooftop.
We had a very brief storm blow in a couple of nights ago.
But it was oh so brief.
It came in at about midnight.
Sounded loud and furious.
And then it was gone by 12:30..... A.M.
Humph! Such is the life of living in Arizona.
Which is why the rain was such a pleasant surprise.
It is very rare to wake up to rain in this state.
Now, the doggies weren't very happy....
Water falling from the sky got them all hyped up.
Waaaaay out of the ordinary for them.
But I, on the other hand, was very happy.
I finally feel like Fall is here.

Another thing making me happy was the annual debut of these.....

I don't know what it is about these red cups that instantly lifts my mood.
I literally feel like the heavens have opened and angels are singing when I get my first glimpse every year.
Okay....well....maybe that's going a little overboard.
But I do feel a certain increase on the happiness meter.
These red cups make me want to have a latte every single day.
Now my husband would tell you I could have a latte every day....with or without the red cup.
And he would, of course, be right. (shhhh....don't tell him!)

The truth is that to me this is the most wonderful, fabulous time of the year!
And the red cup always seems to mark the beginning :-)

Poor, Poor Pitiful Me

2011-11-05T08:59:00.000-07:00

Did I ever happen to mention that I am surrounded by testosterone?
Eh....maybe I did once or twice....I don't know.
But in case I didn't mention it.....I am.
Surrounded by testosterone, that is.

The cat, which you have seen prominently displayed, enjoying my half finished crochet creations....
Is a boy.
Then there are these two boys.....

Khalil

AKA Nervous Nelly

Skinny Bones Jones

Nash

AKA Chuba Wuba

Fat Boy

Then, of course, there is my husband.

Then if you throw my son into the mix....

I am clearly outnumbered.....

My only source of hope is my daughter.

But she is 350 miles away!!!

Which brings me to my next complaint.

She is having her ultrasound next week to learn the sex of the baby.

And it is abundantly clear to me that I am the only one hoping its a girl!!

Which means it probably is a boy....because that is the way things usually work.

(Do you feel sorry for me yet?????)

Is it really too much to ask for a little more pink and cuddly added to the family??

And I don't want to hear that raising girls is harder than raising boys.....

Raising children is hard. Period.

So in the mean time I will hope and pray for pink.

Knowing that I will probably see blue....

Like Linda Ronstadt says.....

"Oh, these boys won't let me be,

Lord have MERCY on me.....

Woe is me." ;-)

Just Call Him Punkin'

2011-11-04T10:34:00.000-07:00

So last weekend I decided to crochet a pumpkin.

I saw one on the internet and knew I just had to make one.

I started it and got more than halfway through.

And then it just sat there on the table.

Not surprisingly I got sidetracked by a number of other things.

Not to mention that I was sore!

Yes I was sore from crocheting!

My biceps and triceps were used to many types of workouts,

But not the type of workout that requires crocheting with really thick yarn.

And that also contributed to my lack of motivation.

Until this morning.

When I discovered that my "half" pumpkin was being put to...er...good use?

This is what I found.....

Hmmm.....yeah.

I do love how the color of his lovely coat matches the yarn.

I managed to get another photo before wielding the water sprayer.....

Yes...he is not fond of the water sprayer :-O

Anyways, he did give me the motivation to git er dun.

And give everyone a preview of one of my weekend activites.

Hopefully the next time the orange yarn makes another appearance

it will be in the form of a lovely Thanksgiving display.

Thanks so much for stopping by :-)

I hope everyone has a great weekend.

A Quarter of a Century Later

2011-10-28T10:44:00.000-07:00

Okay, everyone......altogether now

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.......

Weren't they so cute?!?!?!?!?

(insert chuckles)

Well they aren't as cute now.....

A quarter of a century later.

Well.....maybe they are cute...but just in a different way.

But they weren't so cute at age 14.

At least to their mama!

(They both know what I am talking about!)

Anyways....it has been 25 years since that first photo was taken.

Which if you are doing your math.....that makes the little guy

25 Years Old

TODAY!!!!!

Happy Birthday to my boy!!!!!

"Living" Proof That Kids DO Listen to Parents....

2011-10-26T20:19:00.000-07:00

Well....not all the time.

But sometimes.

And this blog post highlights one of those "sometimes" moments.

You see, while my daughter was growing up there was one thing I drilled into her brain.

Well, actually, there was more than one thing.

You know, there was the usual...don't do drugs, don't talk to strangers, don't sit too close to the TV....etc. etc. You get the idea.

But there was one thing of the utmost importance.

It went something like this.....

"I think 50 would be a good age for me to be a grandma...."

"Mom....I am not waiting until 30 to have kids."

She maintained that stance for a long time.

And guess what happened.

I turned 50. And she just turned 30.

And no baby.

So, you see, she did listen.

And like the good daughter she obeyed....hee.

In fact, she obeyed sooooo well.

She granted my wish.

And waited until I was well into 50

to give me this news that in May I would be joining a new club......

Yes! I am going to be a grandma!

Very exciting!

Now, my daughter is not the documenter that I am.

So, there are no pictures of the stick she pee'd on.

( I know....I'm weird!)

And they left the first ultrasound picture in the car where, of course, it faded.

But there will be plenty of pictures and memories to document in the future.

I'm looking so forward to it.

Snapshot: 10/23/2011

2011-10-23T13:04:00.000-07:00

     snap shot: an impression or view of something brief or transitory

I had an English teacher in college who hated when you would use a definition in a research paper.
I, on the other hand, loved definitions and loved using them.
I thought they were an easy, albeit, lazy way to open a paper.
So it is with a definition that I start this blog post.

I provided the definition because it is going to be a snapshot of my week.
What is currently going on in my life and what is on my mind..
A snapshot of this moment in time.
So here we go.

(1)   Today is October 23 and the high is going to be 97 degrees. Seriously.
I would like to say it feels like fall but it doesn't. Not even close.
It is hard to believe that there is snow only a state away.
And here....there is not even a hint of fall.
I am really yearning for fall.....I am so over summer.
But I guess I'll have to wait a bit longer.
Or maybe if I crochet a couple of these it will feel more like fall.

(2)   While on the topic of "90's", I got a 93 on my algebra final.
I was disappointed. I wanted a perfect score dammit.
I figure, if I'm going to teach it I should be able to ace it!

(3) Keeping with the theme of "9".....
I am surprised at how the meaning of the number "9-9-9" has changed for me.
Two years ago I was a police officer.
To a police officer "999" means "officer down".
The worse think you can hear as a police officer.
Now...well thanks to Herman Cain it's the big catch phrase for the pre-primary politcal season!!
It seems to be all I hear about when I turn on the TV.
A reminder of how quickly your life (and perspective) can change.

(4) The surprise of the week? Or maybe the month?
My husband has been watching "Dancing with the Stars".....with interest.
Oh, and offering up his own critiques.
And he has a pretty good eye for the proper dancing techniques.
My husband? A dance afficionado? Who knew?????
I guess I can still be surprised.
Our faves? Ricki Lake and J.R. Martinez.
Who are your faves?

(5) I'm back to my "short attention span" crochet.
I started not one, but three projects this week.
I have a very short attention span....what can I say.
Here is a peak at those projects.

Yes, I'm in a very "colorful" mood right now.

Need to change gears to a Christmas color mood.

Or not. After all it does still feel like summer. ;-) hmmmmm.....

(6) Although I did try to get into the mood of the season with some fall baking.

I found the best recipe for ginger snaps HERE.
Whipped up a batch of these babies.....

And wanted to eat every single one of them!!!
Therefore, for the good of my waistline and cholestol count.....
I ~~pawned them off~~ gave them to the first person I knew of that has kids.
I did save a few for myself though.....;-)
If you like ginger snaps, I highly recommend this recipe.

(7) Lastly, on a sad note, my thoughts right now are with my friend, Lori. Her brother passed away last week and his memorial service is today. He was only 45 years old......way too young.
So, right at this moment, my thoughts and prayers are with her and her family.

Peace friends.
I hope everyone is having a wonderful and inspired Sunday.

30 Years of Fabulous!

2011-10-17T07:00:00.000-07:00

Today marks a very momentous occasion in my life.

It's one of those milestones that makes a person stop to take pause.

Why? Because it's always been really hard to wrap my mind around it.

What is it you ask???

Today is the day that I become the mother of a thirty year old.

Oh, I know, it is probably far more momentous for her than it is for me.

But please, just let me have my moment

My moment to wonder where the heck time went.

I remember when I brought her home from the hospital.

One of my friends was holding her and cooing....

"Before your mom realizes it, you're going to be in school."

In school???

No! I blinked and she was thirty.

Okay, I've had my moment. I'm over it now.

Now the focus is on her.

I could tell you all about her entry into this world.

But I did that already....last year.

I seriously don't think she wants to hear that story again.

I could tell you she is so very happy at this moment.

But I would be lying.

For as I am typing this entry, she is at Foxborough.

At the Pats/Cowboys game.

Brady just threw an interception.

She, is not at all happy right at this moment.

(Note: Yes, this is one of those postdated blog entrys!)

Hopefully the Pats bounce back and win.
But if they don't.....I have the perfect remedy to put a smile on her face. (hee)

A little walk down memory lane.

Oh! She's going to love this!

I mean, really.....how could I let this occasion pass without digging up old photos.

So, without further ado.....

Here she is.....

Amanda.

Through the years.
My Panda Bear.
My Tweety Bird.
The first person I truly fell in love with.

Here's to Thirty years of FABULOUS!!!!!!

Enjoy!

Three Days Old

Three months old

Six months old

Those big ole eyes :-)

Me and my sweet baby girl.

(I wish I still had that blanket!)

Amanda and Grandpa.

A true poser...

And scene stealer!

With her cousins (They'll probably love me for this one too!)

Again.....those eyes!

1st Grade

Fifth Grade

At Disneyland with little brother. This was just the beginning of her love affair with the mouse.

She was a soccer girl.

And a cheerleader, too.

When she graduated, Ryne stole the cap......

And five years later, she returned the favor.

A senior beauty.

And a theme park cutie.

Partying in Aruba at 24.

And sharing my birthday dessert on my 44th birthday.

Chilling with dad.

Giving love to our Miss Maya.

A pensive girl.

My favorite picture!

And the most current picture of her....

(Taken right off her Facebook page yesterday....I hope she doesn't get mad!)

Amanda and Laura at the Pats game.

By the time I finished this they had won so I'm sure she IS happy!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY GIRL!!!!!

The "Bumps" and "Lumps" of Life

2011-10-15T07:01:00.000-07:00

There has been a bit of "controversy" around these parts in the past week.
The controversy has been over a t-shirt.
Not just any t-shirt.....but this t-shirt.

This is the t-shirt worn this week by the cheerleaders of Gilbert High School in Gilbert, AZ.
As part of their campaign to raise money for breast cancer awareness.
The saying, "Feel for Lumps. Save your Bumps" was deemed as inappropriate by the principal.
I don't know....maybe there is something I am missing here.....
But it certainly doesn't sound as objectionable as "I Love Boobies."
And that is displayed all over the place lately....
On T-shirts. On bracelets. On hats.
Heck, I even saw it on a billboard.

Now I know that school administrators have got to be careful.
But the kids are just trying to raise money for a very good cause.
Then again, I may be considered less than objective.....
It wasn't so long ago that my daughter was a Gilbert High cheerleader...

"Occupied"

2011-10-14T18:58:00.000-07:00

This is the word of the week.

And it seems to be the word on everyone's lips.

Of course we have "Occupy Wall Street."

And locally, there is "Occupy Phoenix."

On the local news radio station,

one of the anchors said she was going to get an "Occupy Sesame Street" t-shirt made up.

Me??

Well, I've just been flat out occupied.

Mostly with studying.

Had to take a final today so my head is filled

with visions of logarithims, systems, and permutations.

I even had nightmares about math....which is weird because I really like math.

I've also been occupied with a big scrapbook project which is not going to be done as soon as I wanted.

Seems I've had creative brain freeze. Ugh!!!! Not a good time for that!

Well, anyways, before I was so "occupied".

I did complete a crochet project.
It is one that took a loooooooooong time to complete.

But it is done! And here is the ta-da!

Here are the deets......

Starting with the yarn and colors....

The yarn I used was Michaels Loops and Threads.

I really like this yarn.

It is somewhere between Red Heart and I Love This Yarn! in the way it feels.

And it is pretty easy to work with.

Plus, they had the colors I was looking for.

Now, let me be honest.....I would have never thought of putting these colors together.

I did have some help.

The help came from a web site called Color Combos Galore

Color Combos Galore is actually a scrapbooking challenge site where they give you four colors to work with each week and you create a page using those colors.

I also found this really helpful with color combos for crochet....colors I would never think of.

So, that is where I got the color inspiration from.

It's a very good site if you're looking for color combo help.

The block pattern came from this site.

I really had fun making the blocks and they came together pretty fast.

But then....came the border.

I don't know what it is but borders totally bore me.

And then the project slows down.....

I tried to do something a little different with this one.

When I went to California in April, I made off with a blanket my aunt crocheted many years ago.

I really liked the border which was several rounds of hdc and then several rounds of a granny stitch.

So I decided to try it with this blanket.

And here are the results.

Hmmmm.....Don't know if I'm loving it......

I'm one of those people who likes straight lines and angles.

And this didn't turn out like that at all.

It does not lie flat at all!!!

(Do I sound like I'm high maintenance?!?!?!? hee-hee)

Well, hopefully this will grow on me......

Until then, I'm off to work on my 300 other projects ;-}

Here's wishing everyone a fabulous weekend!

Happy Birthday to my Favorite Guy!

2011-10-07T11:51:00.000-07:00

See this guy.....

Pretty darn hunky, huh?

Careful though ladies.....he's all mine.

And today is his birthday.

I'm not going to say which one it is...

but I will say he is a little bit younger than me.

A-hem....yep, I'm a craddle robber.

I think that after 27 years, our age difference doesn't really matter.

According to his horoscope today:

"You have an instant rapport with people this month. You'll quickly bond with a group that hangs on your every word and gesture."

Um....yeah.....I'm sure he's looking forward to hanging with THOSE people.

But for now he'll just have to settle for me ;-)

Words to Live by: "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish."

2011-10-06T14:59:00.000-07:00

I think by now everyone from every corner of the world knows that Steve Jobs died yesterday.

And there have been many tributes all over the internet.

As I was perusing Facebook last night I saw the same quote from Mr. Jobs.

It was from a commencement speech he gave at Stanford University.

I had never heard the quote before but it really reasonated with me.

So, of course, I had to google the speech so I could read the whole thing.

The speech in it's entirety is equally amazing.

It may have been addressed to a group of twenty-something newly minted college graduates,

but it's content applies to everyone regardless of where we are in life.

As a 50 year old embarking on a new career, I especially found the words inspiring.

I've attached a copy of the entire text of the speech.

Just cuz it's a good piece to go back and read regularly.

Someday, in the near future, I will blog about my favorite line from the speech.

But, for now, I will just leave you with the link.

Steve Jobs's 2005 Stanford commencement address

They are truly words to live by.......

Just When We Thought It Was Safe to Sleep With Both Eyes Closed......

2011-10-04T14:11:00.000-07:00

A couple of nights ago I was taking a little stroll

down the hallway in our house when I spied an intruder into our

little slice of desert paradise.

The intruder looked just like this.....(here's a warning, it is going to be creepy!).

I was surprised and freaked out at the same time.

I was surprised because it had been well over a year since I'd seen one inside the house.

You see, the first six years we lived in this house, I had seen only one.

And then after year six, we had a little monsoon related mishap in our front yard.

Yep, that's an uprooted tree.

And that is my son's car.

He was in Qatar at the time.

Side Note: His reaction when I posted this on Facebook was priceless.

I can say this because I knew when I posted this there was no damage to the car.

Just call me a really mean mom (insert devious laugh...).

Anyways, my son's car may have been saved

but our house beared the brunt of this mishap.

Meaning we got an immediate scorpion invasion.

No bueno.

So we immediately went into attack mode.

With the help of the guy from the Weed and Bug Mart

we were able to get the problem under control.

And we were told that having a cat was a plus

because they are natural predators.

So when I saw the little bugger on Sunday night

I did my little "there's a scorpion in the house dance",

squealed like the girly-girl I am,

and cursed the cat for not doing his job.

All at the same time.

That got my husband's attention.

(Note: Sure glad I have one of those.)

He immediately paused Sunday Night Football

and came to my rescue.

I am happy to report that the last thing

the creepy little critter saw was the word "Keen",

as in the bottom of my husband's Keen shoe.

I would have taken a picture of the actual dead body

but I'm not in the business of totally scaring off blog readers

and I really didn't want it in my house any longer than necessary......

dead or alive.

After the deed was done I had a long talk with the cat

about his duties as the family feline.

I think he understood me perfectly ;-)

But just in case he didn't....

I'm going to be sleeping with one eye open.

Forgive Me Father......

2011-10-03T08:53:00.000-07:00

I committed a sin yesterday.
A cardinal sin.
At least according to one Laura Ingraham.
I wore flip flops to church.
Yep I'm damned...
But allow me to explain ;-)

It all started with a decision I made roughly three weeks ago.
Yes.....a decision I made WAY back then led to this particular sin.
I made the decision to take a P90X break.
For those of you who don't know what P90X is.....
Here is a little introduction.

Yeah....Note the word "extreme".
When I tell people I'm doing this I get many different responses that try to define my mental health.
"Are you NUTS??????"
"You're crazy. That is way too hard."
You get the drift.
I also get people who are intrigued by it but are leery about doing it.
I think they are afraid to plop down $140 and then have the DVDs sit and gather dust in their wall unit.
Trust me, there have been times I've thought about making it simply a display decoration and nothing more.
The truth is that it becomes easier once you get used to it.
Now I'm not going to lie.....the first week or so is hell.
When I started the program I literally thought I was going to die that first week.
I even went to see my doctor because I was certain that I was dying.....
"No, you're going to live, " he said, "Would you like some pain meds?"

This brings me back to what led to my sin.
I decided to take a week long break from P90X.
And then one week extended to two weeks.
And then I decided to start back.
Ok, may I say this now in a way that you might feel my pain.
Taking two weeks off.....
NOT A GOOD IDEA!!!!!
By Saturday morning, I could barely get out of bed.
By Sunday morning, I was certain I would die.
Which made it imperative that I make it to church.
Need to make sure I was a-okay with God just in case.
So there I was....moving verrrrrrry slowly as I got ready for church.
I went to my closet and wearily eyed my strappy high heeled sandals and winced.
I then looked slightly to the right and saw relief.
Ah, yes, flip flops!!!
I slipped my feet into those babies and off I went.
Yes, I committed a sin.....well maybe to Laura Ingraham.
But I have a feeling that the good Lord didn't mind.
I mean I did make it to church.....even if it was for selfish reasons.....
Now Tony Horton.....he might be another thing.
If he ever happens to stumble upon this blog post....
I might have some 'splaining to do about the two week break.......

Just Cuz I Like to Keep Things Real

2011-09-28T09:33:00.000-07:00

I remember it was not so long ago that I'd gather with girlfriends and our conversions would encompass the mundane, yet the oh so important, topics of kids, fashion, decorating, recipe exchanges, and the latest workout fad at the gym.

Actually, these topics are still part of our repetoire.

However, they take a back seat to something that is far more at the forefront of our minds these days.

Aging and menopause.

Yes, we still talk about kids (and the prospect of grandkids, now) and all those other subjects

but now hot flashes and botox dominate our conversations.

(No, I have not done botox.....yet!)

The reason I bring all this up is because I can't help but chuckle at the subject of our most recent conversation.

The subject was......chin hairs.

Yes, chin hairs.
How utterly pathetic we have become!

We talked about finding long chin hairs and short chin hairs.

And the absolute horror of a significant other finding said long chin hair.

About how different chin hairs feel and look.

We also talked about how we are constantly feeling our chins.

Feeling them to make sure we can find those hairs.

And eliminate them immediately.

Now, I know, you're thinking that this is an odd conversation.

But you'll never know how liberating it was for me to hear that other women suffered from my agony.

For me, these little demons started making their appearance shortly after I turned 40.

I discovered this new phenomena when I found the dreaded long hair.

After that, I was constantly on a mission.....

To rid myself of all chin hairs so they don't have a chance to become chest hair.

And I have been downright obsessive about this.

From the first feeling of an araent hair poking through the dominating thought on my mind is

finding a pair of tweezers.

And I can't get it out of my mind until I find those damn tweezers!!!!

I become fixated.

So much so that on a trip to Vegas I paid an obnoxious sum of money

for a pair of tweezers in the hotel gift shop.

Don't judge....they are really good tweezers!

Yes I still have them.

And my obsession has risen to new heights.

For on a trip to Vegas this past summer,

(Yes, we spend a lot of time there)

I discovered something revolutionary.
Well, I'm sure it is not revolutionary to most women.
But to me, the person who has never spent more than five minutes applying make-up,
it was totally new.
May I present
THE MAGNIFYING MIRROR!

I honestly do not know how I lived without one of these for the past ten years!
This baby went right up to the top of my Christmas wish list.

I know....I know....I live a sheltered life.
I've already been told this.
I mean, really, what chick doesn't already have one of these.
I just never felt the need for one.
That is, until the invasion of the chin hairs.
Now I'm ready to declare all out war,
with my soon to be new weapon.

Those little buggies should be really scared.....

Pardon My Dust

2011-09-26T18:18:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid, we lived in this very small apartment in Southern California.
I'm pretty sure that the apartment could fit in my present family room and kitchen.
Not that I live in a large house; the apartment was just that small.
And although the apartment was very small, my mother always found innovative ways to rearrange the furniture.
To me, it seemed as though she moved that furniture around every month.
I'm sure it was not that often but it sure seemed it was THAT often. I think she tired easily of the same arrangement.....which explains where I got my adult ADHD from.

No, I do not move my furniture every month. My furniture is pretty much where I dropped it down when we moved into this house eight years ago.

No, I do not move furniture but I do seem to get easily bored with my blog page....
As you may have already noticed.
I guess I have a little blog schizophrenia (hopefully I spelled that right!).

Trying to jazz up the ole blog page although I have very little tech savvy. HUMPH!

So, needless to say....I'm still messing with it, so bear with me ;-)

Tweet Tweet

2011-09-24T12:12:00.000-07:00

Well I went and did it.

What I said I would never do...

What is that, you say?

I started a Twitter account.

Well, actually, I would be lying if I said that I just started the account.

I opened the account, oh, about five years ago.

Back when Twitter was in it's infantile stages.

When all the uber-cool bloggers were raving about this new social networking thing.

So, I opened an account.

Because I too wanted to be uber-cool.

And then I did nothing with it.

Because I just did not get it.

Does everyone really need to know what I'm doing every minute of the day?????

And does anyone care????

Probably not.

What changed?

Nothing really.

I'm pretty sure no one cares about what I have to say.

But I do enjoying what other people have to say.

So I have become a stalker.

A Twitter stalker....hee. hee.

Does that sound creepy enough?

Oh, trust me, my sarcastic nature makes me want to post.

To post what I am going every five minutes.

Just to screw with the whole system.

I think it would look something like this....

"Just got up, brushed my teeth, and went to the bathroom"

"My honey brought me coffee in bed"

"Crocheting and watching the TODAY show."

"Matt Lauer is a doofus"

"Just finished two rounds on granny square blanket."

"Changed colors. Next round."

"Fed dogs."

"Brad Pitt is a knucklehead."

Ahem....you get my drift...

Anyways, I decided that this would not be a good idea for two reasons.

I would need a smart phone to tweet from some of those inopportune places I might find myself in.

And I only have two followers.

Some person I have never ever heard of....and my daughter.

I don't think my daughter would appreciate hearing EVERYTHING I do in a day.

I think there are things she wouldn't ever want to know....

So, for now, I will just be the Twitter stalker. ;-)

{One}

2011-09-23T17:00:00.000-07:00

Yes. It is a lonely number.

But today it has a whole different meaning.

Well, at least it does here.

To all the baseball fanatics here in AZ.

Today it is a magical number.

Why you ask?

Because with one more win.....

My beloved D-Backs head back to the playoffs

Can I get a WOO-HOO?!?!?!?

And maybe.....just maybe....

There will be a repeat of this scene from 10 years ago.

A girl can dream......

Scrappy Granny

2011-09-22T11:00:00.000-07:00

If any other crocheters/knitters are like me (and I'm sure they are) they have a ton of scrap yarn around.

I have lots of little balls of yarn that look like this.

And since I also have the added little joy of being just slightly ADHD.
Meaning I have lots of little balls of the same color because when I come to the end of a skein,

I go right to a brand new one rather than looking to see if I have some excess scraps of the same color.

I know.....wasteful. I'm hanging my head in shame.....

Well the good news is that this basket of balls used to be double in volume because I took some of those balls and came up when this beauty.

Yes.....I had A LOT of scraps.

I will admit though that the cream color yarn was not from my scrap pile.

I do seem to go through that color quite easily.

Although I find myself very attached to this newly squared pile of scraps...

I already have a home in mind for this one.

To someone whom I'm sure will give it a good home....

TTFN all!

And thanks for stopping in.

Amazing!

2011-09-20T08:41:00.000-07:00

Last night during Monday night football this commerical caught my attention.

I guess it has been around for a few months but this is the first time I've seen it.
(Maybe I should watch more sports.....)
Anyways, it really caught my eye because it is one of those that makes you think.
It makes you think about looking at the world around you.
Well at least it made me.
Not that I don't look around and find the beauty in the small moments.
But sometimes you need a reminder.
And then I go back to the recesses of my mind
To remember all the amazing things.
And when I do this I see the world in more brilliant hues.

Of course I tried to think of the most amazing thing as the commerical asks.
I cannot think of just one......there are so many!!
How 'bout you? Can you think of just one amazing thing you've seen?
I challenge you to think of just one.
Betcha can't! :-)

Thanks for stopping by!
Have a brilliant Tuesday!

Sunday Football

2011-09-19T07:41:00.000-07:00

This is how our family enjoys Sunday football

when we are all together.

(which is rare anymore)

With lots of nice unhealthy food.

Some drink.

A lot of talking.

Though no trash talking even though we all root for different teams.

Just a good, fun day.

I wish we had more of these.

9/11/11

2011-09-11T11:56:00.000-07:00

I spent a good amount of time this morning debating....with myself.

Debating whether to post anything on this day.

I just don't know what words I could use that could properly encapsulate the feelings I felt on one horrible day.

One horrible day exactly ten years ago.

Or how any of us felt.

So I decided to borrow some words....from Katherine Lee Bates.

This is my favorite verse of America the Beautiful.

Because it says so much about that day and all the days since.

"Oh beautiful for heroes proved

In liberating strife,

Who more than self their county loved

And mercy more than life!

America! America!

May God thy gold refine,

Till all success be nobleness

And every gain divine!"

Hello September!

2011-09-08T09:20:00.000-07:00

I know. I know. We're actually eight days in.
But in these parts, it doesn't feel like September at all.
The average temperature since the beginning of September????
Can you say 110 degrees???? Yuck!!!
Not a climate that makes you want to drink Pumpkin Lattes or wear dark colors.
Yeah, that whole 'no white after Labor Day' stuff....Nope! Not in Arizona!
It's still shorts and flip flop weather here...
That is....if you care to venture outside.
Me? I'll think I'll hibernate indoors and do some crochet.

Well....if this guy surrenders my project and allows me to finish it ;-)

Hope everyone has a fabulous Thursday!! Thanks for stopping by.

Oh! I almost forgot...the first game of the NFL season...Maybe this will get me in the FALL mood.
Go Packers!!

Voila!!

2011-08-23T09:26:00.000-07:00

Finally a new crochet project.....done!! It seems like it takes me forever to complete a project!
Well...actually....part of the problem (A BIG PART) is that I lose interest in one project and start on the next project before the current one is completed. Hmmmm....anyone else have this problem??
Judging from the crochet blogs I follow it doesn't seem so.
Everyone seems to have two characteristics that I envy so much......(a) they stay on task until a project is done and (b) they are wicked fast!! I always imagine "finger flying crochet"!! Me?? I am slow as molasses!

So enough complaining about my inadequacies....and on to the now completed project.

Voila!!!

It's granny squares!!! Is this a shock?? ;-)

I actually saw something similar in a Michael's ad earlier this year. Loops and Threads came out with a few new very bright and vibrant colors, and there was an example use of the new yarn that is similar to what I created above. I just added another color and also added color to the border. I really liked how it turned out. The colors are really eye-popping!!

And now that I have this project done....it's time to complete another one of my "half-finished" projects!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great Tuesday!!!

When Life Throws You a Curveball.....

2011-08-18T07:00:00.000-07:00

I am a blog reader.
I admit it.
My husband does not understand it.
But that's another mystery for him to figure out...

My preference of blogs is wide and varied.
I like creative blogs.
I like food blogs.
I like crossword blogs.
I looooove humorous blogs.
I love to laugh so if you have a sense of humor I'm usually hooked (no pun intended!).
Not real fond of political blogs (Although they make me laugh sometimes too).
Probably my favorite blogs are those by very good writers.
I really wish that I could write as well as many of these bloggers.
Lately my very favorite blog is this one.....

Teetering.....on the Edge of a Glass Half Full

I learned about this blog through one of my Facebook "like" pages.
And ever since I found it I have been totally absorbed.
The blog author is one of those people who has been thrown one of life's worst curveballs..
One that most of us can only imagine....
And never ever would wish on even our worst enemy.
Her young and very healthy husband died.
Suddenly, and unexpectedly.
I have never met the author.
Nor had I ever met her husband....
Even though he and I walked the same halls for many years.
And wore the same uniform....
And the same patch on our shoulder.
I remember the day he died.
In a police department, news of this nature spreads like wildfire and affects each of us personally.
Even if we don't know the person....it doesn't matter.
They are still family. And there is still an emptiness.
However, it is nowhere near the emptiness that a wife, a child, or a parent feels.
This blog captures that and then some.
This young woman captures with humor, humility, and sadness all the struggles and awakenings this new path has laid out for her. She does it in a way that is so vivid and wonderful.
She really is an amazing writer.
And it is an amazing blog.....I highly recommend a visit there.

Wordless Wednesday: "Creative" Chaos?

2011-08-17T07:00:00.000-07:00

One Day

2011-08-16T07:00:00.000-07:00

I will finish this project.....

When the king of the castle finally allows me to!! Ha!!

I think he likes this blanket almost as much as I do.
Hopefully I will be able to post better pictures later this week.
If he can pick his bottom up off it long enough!

Coffee & Parabolas

2011-08-15T07:00:00.000-07:00

Two weeks of no blogging.

Two weeks of mornings that started just like this......

Sorry if I frightened anyone with mathphobia ;-)

But I am in the middle of a College Algebra class.

It's a bit of a refresher for me.

I figured I should take some refresher math courses since I'm looking to teach math.

I thought these classes would be quick and really easy...

Since I already know the stuff.

I mean, really, what more can I learn????

Well...silly me.

I guess I forgot how much the world has changed since I last took an algebra class.

Yes, it has!!!

I have resisted entering the techno math world for many years.

I worked for seven years in a job which required me to do complex calculations...

And I resisted plopping down the money for one of those fancy calculators.

You know, the ones that speak foreign languages and serve you up a drink ;-)

Did I really need one????

After all, we weren't even allowed to use calculators (of any kind) when I was in school!!

Did I really need one of those uber-fancy ones????

I found all those buttons very daunting.

Plus, I was....how shall I word this....CHEAP! LOL!

So, my little trusty TI-30X worked just fine for me....

Until now.

I realized that since high school (and some junior high school) students are required to have a fancy calculator for classes that I too should have one.

Oh, and learn how to use it.

And you know what.....

It wasn't as daunting as I thought.

In fact, it wasn't daunting at all!

And now I am wondering how I lived without it.

I guess it goes to show that even an oldie can learn something new....

And maybe even be a techie.....

27 years ago today.....

2011-07-28T10:20:00.000-07:00

We took a little stroll down the aisle.....

Holy Heck!!!! We were young!

We have had our share of ups and downs.

Good times and bad times.

Sadness and great joy.

We talk alot. Laugh alot.

Think the same thought at exactly the same time. Alot.

He is the love of my life ...

And my very best friend in the world.

And this I will say.....

THE BEST DECISION I EVER MADE!!!!

Wordless Wednesday: YUM!

2011-07-27T14:27:00.000-07:00

Refreshed

2011-07-25T15:57:00.000-07:00

For a good part of last week, this was the view I enjoyed......

And just to get a better idea of my surroundings....let me pan out.....

Yes, we headed up to Vegas for a few days last week.

The week included a lot of pool time,

Trying our hand with Lady Luck,

And, ummmm, maybe one or two margaritas.

We also got to spend some fun time with our girl.

Our itinerary included the following fun....

A visit to Cabo Wabo....

And guess who was there.

Yep, Sammy Hagar.....very cool.

He stopped in to have some dinner.

We got some photos.

I also got some photos with my daughter who works at the restaurant.

It was so good to see her....

Note: I would kill to have those abs!!!!

The next night, Amanda and I went over to Caesar's while Dad hit the tables.

Amanda was thrilled to discover a brand new, and very large, H & M.

We did a little shopping, Vegas style.

Amanda found this very cute dress....

And the beer in her hand was a very nice accessory.

We then went over to Max Brenner.

For those of you who have never heard of Max Brenner let me give you the cliff notes....

Max Brenner = really, really good (note: amazing) chocolate.

Who needs drugs?? I could get high on the aroma of this place.

I was in chocolate heaven....mmmmmm

I really wanted an entire chocolate pizza....but I settled for a big chunky chocolate chip cookie.

The.best.chocolate.ever. Yum!

We spent the last night in Vegas enjoying the culinary delights of Chef Franklin (i.e. my daughter's boyfriend) and learning (finally!) how to play craps. I wish I didn't forget to bring my camera that night because we had so much fun. And it was nice to be away from the strip. A lot more relaxing!! We both decided that we will be staying away from the strip the next time. Hey, as long as there is a pool, a margarita, and I don't have to drive, I'm good to go!!

We came both refreshed and a little sad....it's just not as fun jumping into a pool with 97 degree water....that is NOT refreshing at all....

More In Progress

2011-07-17T20:01:00.000-07:00

So....my crochet ADHD is in "full blown" status these days.
And trust me, I am not kidding when I say I have ADHD....
I really have a million things and projects going through my head at once.
Right now, these are the projects I am working on......

This is actually almost done. I've just got a couple of more rounds of edging to do. The only problem is that I get really bored with doing edging (does anyone else have this issue?), so I do one round at a time and then go and work on something else....like this.....

I really love the colors of this one but I just don't think this picture does the colors justice. Also, I've been debating the idea of pulling the squares apart and using a different method of joining. I don't know.....they look crooked to me. We'll see....maybe I'll just get lazy and leave them this way. Hopefully this will look better when it all comes together......

And the last project I'm working on is just something I've been fiddling with. I had this combination of colors in mind for some time but I just didn't know what I wanted to do with them. Then I spied this on Flickr and voila! I knew. Of course, it totally distracted me from my other projects! I dropped everything else and put this together.....

Once again, I don't like how the colors look in this photo....and I'm using acrylic rather than cotton so it has a completely different look. I hope it looks as good as I am envisioning it......

So, there you go.....throw in my scrapbooking and needlepoint and you see, I'm a very busy girl. Oh, and I also found a quilt I wanted to make. Yep, I'm easily distracted....I hope I actually get something done in the next few weeks.....

Edible Granny Squares!!!

2011-07-12T12:23:00.001-07:00

Granny Square Cookies, a photo by Sugar & Meringue / Flying Time Designs on Flickr.

Who knew?!?!?
Not only can you snuggle up warmly or decorate with Granny Squares....
You can also eat them! YUM!
You can find the instructions for making these lovely confections at Sugar & Meringue.
One of my friends just sent me the link on Facebook.
I'm relatively certain that this is going to be one of my new favorite sites.
So much for losing a few pounds.....

A "Haboobie" Prize

2011-07-06T11:26:00.000-07:00

This is what came barreling through our community last night.
We didn't realize it was coming until it full on hit us.
I really wish I had stepped outside because I so would have had my camera out like this guy did!
All I got to see was a massive dust fog out my back door.
But in the process of this massive storm I learned something.....
A new word....
Haboob....That's what they called it.
A Haboob.
That's funny because for the 26 years that I have been living in Arizona I've been referring to it by it's simple name.....
A dust storm.
I guess I've have that wrong all these years!

So I'm wondering.....would that make the cloudy brown pool,
the patio furniture in said pool,
the nice layer of dust on our cars, sidewalk, cool deck, and remaining patio furniture,
oh, and the dust in our eyes and up our noses.....
Our "Haboobie" prize???
Just a thought.

Gearing up for more tonight.
'Tis the season in AZ
For thunder, lightning, dust, and rain.
I just hope the power stays on.
105 degrees with no air is just no fun!

Hope everyone is having a good day and staying nice and cool :-)

Road Trip

2011-07-05T10:47:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I went on a little solo road trip.
Over to California.
To help a high school friend celebrate the Big 5-0.
A few days before the trip I hooked up with a couple of AZ friends for some liquid refreshment, i.e. margaritas.
The conversation turned to my upcoming trip. It went something like this.....
"So, you're flying?"
"No, I'm going to be driving."
"You're driving???????"
"Yep."
"Alone."
"Yep."
"So you feel okay about driving alone???"
At this point I felt it necessary (although I don't know why) to justify my decision....
"I've done it many times before, in fact, I drove across the country with a two year old."
I bring up this conversation because I find it funny that we, as humans, seem to want to attach all our own likes, dislikes, fears, etc. to others as though every one of us thinks exactly the same way.
In my case, it would be chocolate.
I just don't understand how anyone does not like chocolate.
Wonderful, luscious chocolate....ummmmm.
Okay I'm getting way off point.

Anyways, I'm not a person who is bothered by solo road trips.
In fact, I like them.
Not that my husband is a bother to travel with but sometimes
I just like being alone with my own thoughts.
With no distractions around like the computer, tv, housework......
I like singing to the top of my lungs as I'm driving without worrying about offending anyone.
I like stopping to use the loo whenever the need arises.
I like stopping to get a yogurt (without having to beg).
I like stopping at the outlet mall.
And I like stopping at places like this.

Yes...I doubt my husband would have been up for this place.

Sometimes I just like being alone.

And by the end of the six hour drive, I was ready to join society again.

If society would have me ;-)

Happy Tuesday to Everyone!

Happy Independence Day!!!!

2011-07-04T09:50:00.000-07:00

Today is Independence Day in the United States.
In recognition, I thought I'd share one of my favorite videos...
Courtesy of Gene Simmons and You Tube.
Enjoy!!

I hope everyone has a fabulous (and safe) 4th!

It was Five O'Clock Somewhere.....

2011-06-13T09:56:00.000-07:00

So how does one spend a hot Sunday afternoon in the AZ?

With pool time and a lovely margarita...that's how.

I think it topped 103 here yesterday but it wasn't too bad in the patio area.

And the pool water still feels quite nice (it won't feel so good in August....).

So, here's where I spent my day.

Away from the computer.

Away from drama....well, that is, until 7:00 p.m. when the Real Housewives reunion came on.

I am hooked and am ashamed to say so.

I watch this stuff and wonder what the h*ll am I doing!

But I keep watching it....just like a real bad train wreck.

Well, so much for a totally quiet day.

What can I say....I'm a masochist.

And I think I need to recover today with some ohms.

Oh, wait, Part Two is on tonight.

I guess the ohms will have to wait until tomorrow.

Maybe I'll just have another margarita this afternoon.

Yearning for Fall

2011-06-11T10:36:00.000-07:00

Yeah Yeah. I know. It's June.
Could I really be looking forward to fall already?
Truth be told I've been looking forward to fall since mid-May.
I do this every year.
Probably because of my dread of the next few months of 105+ temps.
It's the big downfall of living in Arizona.
The scorching summers.
I hate them.
So I try to look at it all in a positive light.
The positive is...that after summer, is fall.
My favorite season.
And I guess that I may have, on some subconscious level, been channeling that feeling in my most recent crochet project.
Because it screams fall.
What do you think?????

And just to show I'm really looking ahead....my next project is going to be Christmas-y.

Hey, it may be some months away but a girl can dream, can't she?

Wordless Wednesday: Naptime

2011-06-01T07:50:00.000-07:00

We Must "Earn This"

2011-05-30T11:27:00.000-07:00

Let me just say this at the very beginning...

I hate war.

Absolutely hate it.

I really wish that I could buy the world a coke and, well, you know the rest.

I know that people who know me will find this statement interesting since I did serve as a member of the military.

That doesn't make a difference

I still hate war.

But I do understand the reality.

That living on a planet with almost 7 billion people with diverse ideas on how things should be will result in war in some part of the world at any time.

Not the most favorable of situations.

But, unfortunately, the reality.

And as part of that unfortunate reality, people die.

Some are civilians who find themselves helpless in the middle of a war zone.

The others are those who go marching into battle.

Those who fight, and die, perserving ideals and a way of life they cherish.

On this day, in the United States, we honor those very people.

Those who fought and died to perserve our way of life.

Whether we believe in every reason why we, as a country, go to war.

There is one thing we can agree on.

The unselfish sacrifice of those who serve and die.

For us.

That brings me to the photo above.

It is a picture of a newspaper editoral that I have pinned on the bulletin board in my craft room.

I have many things on this board that have touched my heart or made me think.

And someday I will do a separate blog post about everything that is on this board.

But for now, I want to write about that editorial.

It appeared in the Arizona Republic on May 26, 2008.

As it is the daily editorial from the newspaper, I have no idea who wrote it.

So I am not sure who to credit it too.

And I wish I could just post the entire article so everyone can read it but I don't want to break any copyright laws.

Also, I can't find any reprints on the internet to provide at least a link.

So, I'll just have to give you the gist of the editoral.

And why it touched me so.

So much that it has remained on my bulletin board for the last three years.

As you can tell from the title, the editorial addresses the message of the movie Saving Private Ryan.
I saw Saving Private Ryan when it first came out.
To say this movie affected me deeply would be an understatement.
The movie, particularly the first 24 minutes, affected me so much that it was six years before I could watch it again.
Never had the realities of war been so vividly immortalized.
And Mr. Spielberg made me think. About something I had really given little thought to.
Sacrifice.
Now I realize that not everyone viewed the movie through the same scope that I did.
I got that dose of reality shortly after seeing the movie.
As I sat across the table from a co-worker at lunch.
She shared with all of us at the lunch table that she found the movie very offensive.
"I almost got up and walked out of the theatre," she huffed.
Someone at the table asked her "why".
I expected her to say that she didn't like war movies.
Or that she didn't like the gore.
Both very understandable....this type of movie really is not everybody's cup of tea.
No, it was neither and her response totally blew me away.
She said, "Do they think we really need to see this stuff?"
One of us at the table replied "Yes" meaning that yes we really needed to see this stuff because we had a tendency to forget.
I believe her theory was that it is the job of parents to teach this to their children.
Not Steven Spielberg.
I started thinking......
I was born 16 years after the end of World War II.
I barely remember Vietnam as I was just a kid.
And the only war up to that point that I could remember vividly, lasted, like 10 minutes. (This was pre 9-11)
How on earth could I convey to my children in a lifetime what Steven Spielberg did so well in 24 minutes.
I have no idea.
Which brings me back to the editorial and why it touches me.
When I first read the editorial I immediately thought of the above incident.
The editorial says we are all Private Ryan because since the formation of this nation, many have sacrificed their lives for us.
I believe it is the reason we "need to see this stuff".
At the end when Tom Hanks says to Matt Damon, aka Private Ryan, "Earn this" it was as though we were all being told the same thing.
To Earn This.
Those sacrifices.
That is what Saving Private Ryan is all about.
And in my mind, it is a message that needed to be conveyed....on film....to be remembered for eternity...lest we ever dare to forget.
It is what made me cut out a newspaper article and post it on my bulletin board three years ago.
So that I will never forget.
And I will remember to "Earn this."

Organized Confusion and Wonderful Memories

2011-05-28T11:35:00.000-07:00

I started this post yesterday.....

And then it suddenly disappeared.

So in my frustration I stepped away from the computer.

Took a breath and now I'm back!

Back to share what I have been up to this week.

Interspersed with exponential equations, laundry, picking up doggie doo, and torturing my husband with passive arm therapy (insert slightly ghoulish snicker).....

I've been organizing. My scrapbook creations.

You see I am a person that makes lists like crazy but does nothing in any particular order.

So my scrapbooks are a mass of organized confusion.

And it should come as no surprise that there are photos I have scrapbooked twice.

This led me to the theory that 'willy-nilly ' memory preservation is no longer going to do.

So I became an organizing fool this week.

The result was piles of scrapbook pages lying all over my craft room floor.

This is what I ended up with......

Hmmmm.....yeah.... very scary.

And this is pretty much the way it has stayed.

All these pages waiting for PHASE TWO of operation organization.

While a daunting task, it was also very fun.

Fun to look at all those pages (including many I had forgotten about).

The photos and the words brought more than one smile to my face.

So much so that I decided to share some of my favorites here on my blog.

So without further ado......

The photograph in this first one just cracks me up. The look on my husband's face is priceless. And I am totally enjoying myself. Of course, there were one or two adult beverages involved......

And speaking of adult beverages.....Yes! I have a scrapbook page dedicated to a favorite bartender who also happens to be a very good friend. I've had many a tasty margarita but this gal's are the best, hands down! When I'm 90 and in an old folks home I fully expect her to sneak one in to me in a sippy cup.

Next are my kids. All of them. The human ones who can't stand to have their pictures taken and the four legged and furry ones who will do anything for a Milkbone. Hmmmm....Sure wish I could figure out how to make that one work on the human kids!

Me and my favorite companion. Well, that is, until yesterday when he let me down. Yes, I don't know how I lived without a laptop (or a cell phone, for that matter!). It came in handy when we did our cross country trip last year.

I think this page probably does not need an explanation. I mean, really, doesn't every parent take a picture of the first time their child is carded. And then slap that picture in a scrapbook. I could say it was his first drink, too. But, yeah, um.....No!

And yet another fabulous kid moment. Love this picture!! Although, if I had to guess I'd say she isn't entirely thrilled with it. This is once again a situation where my children are not eager to indulge me...not even a little bit. Even when I beg them. So I had to catch her off guard. I believe she had just taken a bite out of a sugar cookie when I snapped this. It turned out to be my favorite Christmas picture.

I like this page because it documents one of my favorite places in the world.

The pictures on this page hold a special place in my heart because for years they were taped on the inside flap of my work clipboard. Of course, that was before I understood how bad tape was for pictures. Then, again, I really don't care. The tape is part of the story of this page as I wrote about how these were my reasons for making it through the shift and making it home, alive and breathing and in one piece. Reminders of my reasons were always nearby.

I love this page because I am reminded of what a great night this was and these two very fun girls!! We were at Angels Stadium in Anaheim. The Angels were taking on the Sox (I really wish I could type in a Boston accent). We drove over from Arizona and met up with Lori and Becky there. It was a great weekend of baseball and wine tasting. The perfect combination made even more perfect with good friends.

I guess I should have posted a warning at the beginning.

I have the "Seinfeld" style of scrapbooking....

Where I scrapbook about everything.

And nothing at all.

I like to tell stories.

And that just flows into my pages.

I just hope that someday a couple of great great grandchildren might enjoy them too.

Oh, that's right, I have to have grandchildren first!

And, with that, I think it's time to sign off.

And get back to organizing.....

We Can Fix Him.....We Have The Technology....

2011-05-22T18:22:00.000-07:00

We can make him better......

Did I happen to mention that I am married to the Bionic Man?
No kidding.
He has enough metal in his body to be very attractive to magnets.
And he is very entertaining at airport security checkpoints.
Ah....yes.

Well, this week he added to the hardware.
Shoulder replacement surgery...ouch!
A lovely little two hour procedure....
That turned into four hours.
Afterwards, the surgeon came out and showed me an xray
of the shoulder.

No, this is not my husband's x-ray. It's just something I found on the internet.
But this is pretty close to what it looked like!
My first thought?
Holy Crap! He has a golden spike in his shoulder!
Well, it actually isn't a golden spike...
But it look like one, doesn't it?
And I went looking for the hardware on the internet and found this....

It actually looks like a silver spike....
A very heavy silver spike!
Heavy metal collection has a whole different meaning to this guy!

Anyways, the surgery went well.
And the bionic man got to come home a day early :-)
For now, his days will be filled with ice and rehab exercises.
And no P90X!
I just hope I can stay motivated without him!

Who Says I Can't Wear a Miniskirt!?!?!

2011-05-16T15:52:00.000-07:00

I always love all those studies and surveys that come up almost daily.
You know what I'm talking about.
The one's that tell us what we are doing,
How we should feel.
Or what we should be doing.

It was a survey that from that last area that currently has me shaking my head.
Last Friday, I was watching TODAY.....
Again.
Yeah. I know. I watch way too much of the morning show.
But cut me some slack....
It's where I get some of my best laughs.
And where it's one of the best places to ponder the utter absurdities in the world.
(Right there with Fox News, MSNBC, and all the Real Housewives).

Anyways, the absurdity to ponder on Friday the 13th?
At what age should women stop wearing certain items of clothing.
Oh, and it also included hair styles (long hair vs. short hair...).
And who did they survey?
Women, of course!
I was curious to know how much it cost to ask women
when women should stop wearing bikinis and miniskirts.
And I was trying to figure out what magical formula determined that
a bikini should not be worn after age 47,
and a miniskirt should not be worn after the age of 35.
They went further and determined that high heels are a no-no after 51, no tennis shoes after age 44, and bathing suits of any kind are frowned upon after age 61 ( I guess the "birthday suit" will have to do.)
Oh, and I only have another year of pony tails!

Now, truth be told, I work out almost everyday but I still would not be caught dead in a bikini.
And a pair of stilettos?
Well, that's a sure fire way to end up in the emergency room because I guarantee this....
Me + High Heels = Face Plant.
But there is no one who is going to tell me I can't wear a miniskirt!!!
So, on Friday, as I prepared for date night
I started to reach for a pair of shorts.
But then I remembered the TODAY show segment and went right for the miniskirt.
Of course, I had to take a picture....wet hair and all......

And I looked at the picture and thought....
Hmmmm....not half bad, not bad at all!
Could use a little color on the legs and a touch of make-up....
But, otherwise, not bad for a 50 year old.
(And no! I am not fishing for compliments! Please don't go there!)

The point is.....we should wear what we are comfortable in.
(Well....as long as we are not breaking any laws. )
And shouldn't allow special surveys or studies to rule our thinking
Or how we see ourselves.
It's a matter of personal preferences.
Besides....would you tell Demi Moore not to wear a bikini....
I don't think so!

All the Best Laid Plans.......

2011-05-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

Usually start with a dream.
Or a scheme.
Or an idea.
Whatever the mode, they start somewhere.

For us, a plan starting taking shape last Thursday.
Cinco de Mayo for all you non-partying folks ;-)
We, meaning my husband and I, were halfway through a tequila and lime concoction
when we start talking about the royal wedding.
And, more specifically, London.
I love London.
Love, love, love it.
I love the architecture.
I love the pubs.
I love the atmosphere.
I love the diverse culture.
I love the underground.
I guess you get the point.
I love London.
I pretty much love England in general.

I told my husband I would love to escape for a year....
And live there.
In London.
Or even a village in the English countryside.
When I was a teenager I often dreamed of this type of scenerio.
I dreamed of backpacking through Europe.
I dreamed of living in another country.
I dreamed of shopping for my dinner messages daily.
Of going to the butcher.
The baker.
The candlestick maker.

But, I did things I little differently.
I joined the military.
I got married.
I became a mom.
And such dreams went on the wayside.

But, now, here we were.
Talking about the possibility.
And I was getting very excited about it.
What would we need to do?
Sell the house?
Or maybe we could rent it out.
What about our cars?
Would we need them overseas?
And what about the dogs?
Can we take them?
As these questions went on....
We started thinking that it wouldn't be as easy as we thought.
By the end of the conversation,
we decided that we would decide
at the same time we put all of our decisions on hold until.
December 2012.
We can then re-evaluate the housing market, our finances,
and we will know for sure if that little Mayan calendar thing
comes to fruition ;-)

Of course, the next day when we came down from our
tequila induced haze we started thinking
of some other obstacles.
We are fortunate that all four of our parents
are still here with us.
My hope is that they all live to be 100,
but I know realistically that probably won't happen.
(but won't it be cool if it does!)
I would just hate to be so far away if something does happen.

I will say that my husband and I spoke of this again a couple of days ago.
We still don't consider this outside the realm of possibility....
It will probably just have to wait a little longer....
The thing is that we view things our dreams much differently
When we are 50 than when we are 16.
Yes, I know this is not rocket science.
But I really didn't think about how much....
We really do think about when we are making plans.
It's just that all plans look better with a margarita or two.

Oh, and note to self.....
I learned something very important in all of this (and this will show you how slow I am...)....
One should never post any indication of one's dreamy plans on Facebook.
Especially when said person is very excited at the moment
And is enjoying a beverage or two.
My post read like this..
"Busy making plans....maybe a big move in the future..."
Based on the responses you would have thought it said....
"We're packing our bags and leaving tomorrow!"

Yeah...I didn't realize such a vague status would get such a shocking response.
Insert "chuckles"
And after all those responses, I felt guilty.
Like I needed to provide some very juicy tidbit
when the fact was it was going to take about three paragraphs
to explain our thought processes.
A little daunting on Facebook.

So, here it all is....minus the margaritas!

Gone.....

2011-05-13T12:05:00.000-07:00

So for the past 18 hours Blogger has been having some hiccups and whoosh....
My last blog post is gone.
Damn.
In case you missed it, it was a lovely post
about our recent California trip.
Oh well, such is life.
I may recreate it at another time.
But for now I will leave you with a little glimpse
of my Mother's Day loot.

If you look closely, you'll see the wine bottle is empty.
My husband and I enjoyed it last night.
Muy delicioso!

And the Michael's card has already been put to good use.
I purchased something that I definitely needed more of.......yarn!!! ;-)

Happy Friday the 13th to all!!
May there be no black cats in your path ;-D

Update: Well there you go.....the last blog post just magically appeared again.....

Time Flies.....

2011-05-11T18:34:00.000-07:00

So I was reading an interview earlier today with a high profile blogger.
One of her pieces of advice for blog success??
Update often....at least 3 to 4 times a week.
Hmmmm... well I guess I'm never going to be the uber-blogger....
Oh...but I have an excuse....
I'm old and times flies when you get older.
Hee...is it a good excuse.
Well, not really...but I'm going to use it every chance I get.
But really, time has flown the last few weeks.
I really don't know where it went.
What have I been up to??

Well there was another midterm
A power trip to Northern California.
Lots of homework.
Quadratic equations.
Cinco de Mayo.
A career fair.
A controversy (that's for another blog post).
The Kentucky Derby.
Piaget's Stages of Cognitive Development.
Mother's Day.

Where do I start?
Well in this blog post it I'll start with the California trip.
We went to see my parents.
My mother had a little health scare recently.
So I told my husband that I wanted to head up to see them this summer.
And then we got the news that my husband would have a much need surgery.
In May. Meaning next week.
We knew he would in no way feel like traveling for a couple of months after the surgery.
So we literally put together this quick trip.
A power trip.
There were so many things that we had planned on doing.
A Dodger game.
A trip to Paso Robles for wine tasting.
Sightseeing in Yosemite.
All those were cut out in the interest of time.
We had to be back at least a week and a half before the surgery for tests.
We did manage a little wine tasting along the way and near my parents home.

We visited a couple of wineries in Lodi, CA

Note: This is what happens when the camera is not on the right setting ;-(

And we also visited this winery near my parents home.
It was once owned by the actress Lillie Langtry.

I don't think these pictures do it justice.

It was simply beautiful there.
And the wine was excellent too!

And the most important thing.... we had a nice little visit with my parents, my brother, and my niece and nephew (who I have not seen in 10 years!). It was really great seeing them all!

We then headed back home by way of Death Valley.
Yep....Death Valley.
My husband wanted to see it.
So off we went.
And it was nothing like I thought.
I thought it was going to be completely flat.
Boy was I wrong!
It was an "E-ticket" ride down to the flatness.
Did I ever tell y'all that I am afraid of heights???
Well I am.
The ride down was winding and narrow.
Or so it seemed.
I was very happy to make it to the bottom.
And this is pretty much what I saw.

A whole lot of nothing.

It was an interesting nothing though.

Hmmm...I wonder if there is any such thing.

The trip took a week and I felt like I was in the car most of it!

According to my husband, we logged something like 2500 miles.

Or something like that....I'm not sure exactly how much.

He keeps all those stats.

I just know it was a lot.

So that's it.....

California in a whirlwind.

TTFN

50 is NOT the new 30

2011-04-25T17:27:00.000-07:00

One day back in February I was sitting in bed, sipping on my coffee, and having a little pity party all while watching the TODAY show. My birthday was a few days earlier and I was having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that I was officially a card carrying AARP member.

50!!!!!! Really? How did I get here so fast?!?!?!
Wasn't I 30.....just last week???
I was having a very hard time attaching that ginormous number to myself.
Needless to say, there was a little wallowing going on.

So, anyways, as I was sinking into the depths of despair...the announcement of the next segment on TODAY caused my ears to perk up......What was it??? "WHY 50 IS NOT THE NEW 30?"

Whoa! Were they trying to depress me even more???

So I continued to watch, because, lets face it.....I'm a masochist.

In the segment, they introduced this lady.
She says she's 52 (i think....).
I was like "yeah, right." I mean really she looks all of 35....on a really bad day!!!!
I was also thinking....of course it's easy to say 50 is not the new 30 to all of us....
When you look like one of the "does she or doesn't she" ladies.
(And if you don't get that reference, you're probably too young to understand anything in this post!)
So, where was I......ah, yes.....
50 is Not the New 30 is actually a book

that Tracey Jackson wrote about this lovely transition in life....
I don't remember exactly what she said but by the end of the segment I remember thinking...
I've got to have that book!!
So I got it.....that very day.
And read it cover to cover.
I loved it!

I found it in the self help section at Barnes and Noble
But it is not your typical self help book.
It is a witty and very refreshingly candid look at the nuances of being a 50-something.
She talks about sex, menopause, job opportunities (or lack there of), life and death.
And all of it is from the perspective of the challenges she faced.
I especially enjoyed her take on menopause....
And I appreciated it even more after spending an evening with the girls and having a couple of them
try to shove their theories on menopause down my throat....oops, sorry, bygones!
Anyways, it is a great book....and it pulled me out of my funk.
I do have one gripe about the book though...
I really think the title should have read "LIFE DOES NOT END AT 50".

Hmmm.....maybe she could write another book...
Just a thought.....

Later, gator!

Label This Under Performances that Blow my MInd.....

2011-04-23T17:09:00.000-07:00

Just a little video
I found courtesy of one of my facebook friends.
So in honor of this blessed Holy Saturday and
the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior.....
Enjoy this rendition of "How Great Thou Art".
It is AMAZING!

A Very {Good} Friday

2011-04-22T16:45:00.000-07:00

Once again I have been gone for a while.
Well, not gone so to speak but gone from blogland.
My brain has been otherwise occupied....by the brain.
Confusing? Yes I know but let me explain.

I had two finals last week.
Yep, two finals and 20 essay questions.
My brain is mush.
And the funny thing is that one of my finals was on the brain.
I now know everything about the brain.
Got any questions about firing neurons and synapses???? I'm your girl!
Needless to say I was very glad when those two finals were over.
And what did I do to celebrate?
I headed over to the Mesa Scrapbook Convention where I scored some pretty good loot.
I got some of these......

And I raided the Studio Calico Booth for paper and letters and stamps. Oh, and I fell in love. With these....

Yes....the evidence is there.

I've already used them.

Can I just say....these are the best sprays evah!!

I would have got one in every color but it clean out my allowance ;-)

So, since I got all this cool stuff I have spent the week scrapbooking.

And finishing up a little crochet project.

I finally got this one finished.

I really love how it turned out. (Yeah I'm tooting my own horn!)

I just used a simple block pattern.

The yarn I used on this project is Red Heart and Loops and Threads.

And the hook size was "H".

Now it's time to start on my next project!

Or maybe I should work on one the various projects I have laying around.

Hmmmm....I'm gonna have to think on that one.

It really is trying dealing with this ADD thing! (LOL)

So there it is in a nutshell.

I thought Good Friday would be a good day to break my blogging dry spell.

And it is a stunning Good Friday here in Arizona.....90 degrees.

I hope it is a beautiful (and blessed) day wherever you are!

TTFN!

A Plethora of Projects

2011-04-02T07:39:00.000-07:00

I often wonder how many people out there are just like me.
I wonder how many kindred spirits there are.
Those souls who, like myself, have unfinished projects lying around everywhere.
I guess I get bored easily....
Or maybe I like to multi-task! mmmmm......no.
I'm sure I drive my husband crazy.
Not that I worry too much about that!

And the projects currently in progress?
Well here are a few.

There is this blanket.....

I photographed this outside because the colors just did not show up that well at all in the photos I took inside. This is coming along.....slowly.

Then there are the flowers......

Flowers are popping up everywhere on the internet lately. So I decided to join in. This is going to be a scarf/wrap. I'm using Caron Simply Soft yarn. It is wonderful for a project like this.

Then there is this big colossal project....

I love cross stitching samplers but man, is it ever time consuming!!!! This project here is roughly four months in the making.....And it's not even close to done! I love to do cross stitch and needlepoint but it is a slow process.

So there they are. My projects. Well there are a couple of others and roughly a thousand or more swirling around in my head!!

So what is everyone else working on?

So It Wasn't Raging Hormones! Who Knew!

2011-04-01T10:47:00.000-07:00

I totally wish I had read this book, oh, about 15 years ago.

I think my life may have been so much easier!!

Spring in Arizona

2011-03-31T16:25:00.000-07:00

Springtime in Arizona starts a little earlier than mosts places in the country.
And in Arizona, spring means one thing.......
Baseball.
Spring training baseball to be exact.
Starts at the end of February and ended....Tuesday.
The cool thing about being retired is that I got to go to a Spring Training game
whenever I wanted!!
So away we went......to three games.
Cubs and Rangers.
Rockies and Cubs.
Cubs and Diamondbacks.
See a pattern here ;-)
Anyways, here are a few photos from the various games.

Hmmm.....wonder who he's rooting for......

No! I did not eat the whole thing!

In fact I had nightmares about this hotdog for a whole week afterwards!

(That's another blog post!)

Spring training brings a whole array of visitors to the Valley of the Sun every year.

And usually there from much colder climates.

At Tuesday's game they announced the temp. in Chicago.....39 degrees.

And then the temp. in Mesa, AZ.....83 degrees.

Ah.......yes.......

It is our one bragging right.

My favorite moment occurred at the first game we went to.

A gentleman a couple of rows up decided to call his son in Wisconsin....

During the game.

He proceeded to tell his son (and all of us) that it was a beautiful 78 degrees

and not a cloud in the son.

Of course he shared this little tidbit after his son told him he was shoveling snow.

Bwwwwaaaaahhhhhh!! Way to rub it in Dad!

Ummmm...... yeah! The signs of Spring!

Living, Breathing, Priceless Works of Art

2011-03-30T16:30:00.000-07:00

It is no secret that I am a big fan of crafts and artsy stuff in general. My brain is constantly racing with new things that I want to create, make, draw, put together, etc. In fact, my brain is pretty much always in overload.

Anyways, I've made some pretty cool things and I've made some things that haven't quite worked out. Hmmmmmm.......

But, by far, my greatest masterpieces come in a very different form. And my brain was not in overload from my greatest creations. Of course I can't take complete credit for these works of art. I did have a little a help......it does after all take two (ahem.....sorry.....am trying to keep the ole blog g-rated!). Oh, and I do believe there was devine intervention from above that had a hand in them also.

If you have visited this blog for any great period of time, you've probably seen these masterpieces. First, there is this one.....

There's a little post about her here.

And then there is this little gem.

There's a little more about him here.

There is another one that I have never written a blog post about and that I rarely speak of. That is because she was with us for only a short period of time. Although I don't speak about her that does not mean that I don't think about her especially during this time of the year. It was almost exactly 26 years ago that she was taken from us. She went to sleep one night and never woke up. According to the doctors it was SIDS. I created this scrapbook page about her a few years back.

We were devastated. I guess that goes without saying.

The passing of the years have dulled that pain.

I know this might be difficult for some to understand as many never get over such pain.

I can't explain this exactly.

Maybe God had better plans for her....

Maybe years of delivering devastating news to others numbed me.....

Or made me realize we all have a burden to bare.

Yes, coping with this loss came easier over time,

But there is one thing that has always made me sad.

And it is this......

That my oldest daughter does not have her sister.

When Robyn was born I was beyond thrilled that Amanda would have a sister.

I was the only girl in my family.

I had two brothers.

And I always wanted a sister.

To fight with.

To swap clothes with.

To talk about boys with.

To get advice from.

To share secrets with.

To always have a good friend.

And when I think about Robyn,

I get mad that she was taken away from being all those things to Amanda.

And for the opportunity for Amanda to be all those things to her.

It makes me so darn sad.....

So I'm a Styling Blogger.....

2011-03-22T16:55:00.000-07:00

Or maybe a Stylish Blogger. And here is my award to prove it!

Cool beans! I think I've arrived!

Well I guess I shouldn't get too carried away but I am very flattered.

To start with I give a special thank you to Miss Eileen for giving me this award. So very sweet of her!

Now the rules say that I must share 7 things about myself. Hmmmm...where do I start. Well here goes...

1. I am a retired police officer.

2. I am addicted to Starbucks (not donuts!).

3. I love to bake.

4. I hiked from the South Rim to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon in one day!

5. My favorite season is baseball season ;-)

6. I am not a neat person.....at all!

7. I could wear flip-flops everyday.

And now I must pass the award onto some other stylish bloggers. These are the blogs I passed it onto.
wiLDaBoUtCoLoR
Crocheting the Day Away
The Pine Needle Valley
The Craft Attic
CroCreations
East of Eden
Butternut Street
HooknWool
Getting Hooked
This, That, and the Other

Check them all out. They are wicked awesome!

My Favorite.....So Far!

2011-03-15T15:21:00.000-07:00

This past December I was perusing the Flickr GrannySquares Pool looking for inspiration when I came across this blanket.

It was instant love. Of course, this is not unusual for me. I seem to fall in love everyday when I love at crochet creations.

But, for some reason, this one was different. I had to make it......now!

So I studied it carefully, determined what yarns were needed, and went to work on it. And pretty soon I had a big stack of granny squares.

And then February came......

And the stack just sat there waiting patiently to be joined.

Well, I finally got it all put together.....

Finally.

And this is the final product.

And I think I fell in love all over again......

And it now has a special place on my sofa.

Within my reach when I am just sitting there watching TV.

It's also within reach of the doggies.....

They totally loved snuggling up under the blanket as I was joining

the squares together.

I with I had gotten a picture of them...it was so cute!

Yeah, I'm one of those people....the dogs are my little humans.

But hey...cut me some slack....

Grandchildren are not in my near future!!

Anyways....it is done...

And I thank Amanda for the inspiration!

Mornings

2011-03-14T19:08:00.000-07:00

This is generally what my mornings look like.

Actually this is what the dining room table looks like.....

Minus my cup of coffee which I had already finished when I took this picture.

It is an illustration of how scatter brained I can be.

There is my textbook and my assignment right next to the computer....

And if you look closely I am not working on homework as I should be.

Instead I am easily distracted.

I'd much rather be reading blogs.

Or doing the crossword...

My husband gives me the part of the crossword he finds too hard.

And on this particularly morning....

It is really hard!!!

He handed it over to me straight away.

And this is as far as I got.

Hmmmm.....I guess it is time for more homework.

Or just a little more blog reading...

TTFN and Happy Monday to everyone :-)

Doodly Doo and a New Title Too!

2011-03-10T14:52:00.000-08:00

A couple of months ago I signed up for an online doodling class with Stephanie Ackerman. I love to just doodle but unfortunately I haven't had a whole lot of time to do it lately. I did manage to "doodle" a birthday cards for a couple of friends. And I integrated some crochet into in. This is how they turned out.

I put the crocheted flowers on the card in a way that they could be easily detached and used for other things like as an embellishment on a scrapbook page or as a coat lapel pin. Or as an added embellishment for a headband. Anyways, you know what I mean... I think I'm going to do this again for future birthday cards and maybe even Christmas cards! But I think I'd better get working on them now ;-) I can see myself procrastinating.....hmmmm....yeah....not me....no never!! (insert sarcasm)

Another thing I've been up to is a re-naming of the ole blog. I initially picked the title "This and That" because I honestly couldn't think of anything else. I just figured there would be a whole lot of "this" and "that" on the blog so that's what I went with. Well, the other day, as I was on a little hike I was thinking about my blog and some of the things I wanted to blog about. I want to blog about all my various hobbies, but I also want to blog about this new phase in my life. So somehow "the art of 50" came to mind. Meaning there will be art (or actually crafts) on this blog but also there will be entries on the "art" of being 50. Get it? Art? 50? Yeah.....I know.....I'm a goof. But, hey!! This is totally 100% me. In all my imperfect glory. Can it get any better than that???? Hmmmm.....yeah.....I'm gonna say it can get so much better....but it's the best I've got.....

Ta Ta for Now! And Happy Thursday!!!!

MIA

2011-03-03T16:56:00.000-08:00

Well, before I get started I'm going to post this pic.....

Of this little work in progress. I do so at the beginning because the rest of this post might be a tad bit....hmmm.....depressing. My own little pity party. So, read beyond this point at your own peril.....remember I did warn you!

Yes, it has been a while since I have dropped in on blogland. I've been missing in action....for several reasons.....

For one thing, I have been busy! Yes, I know it is hard to believe being retired and all. But yes it has been a busy month. It went something like this......

I turned 50.
Then I promptly got sick. First with a respiratory thing then with a stomach thing.
Next, my hormones went wonky ( yes, TMI, I know!)
And with those hormones came a face full of pimples (still get 'em even at my age...)
Oh, and a big ole red splotch below my eye that looked like someone punched me.

I spent an entire weekend crocheting a baby blanket for a friend. Was working feverishly to get it done before the big arrival. Of course it would have helped if I had not waited until the last minute!
I went out of town for a time (wine tasting and Sin City). And again I got sick...oh, and had horrendous insomnia. Nothing like dragging your butt through your whole mini vacation.
Then there were the two midterms I spent hours and hours studying for. The older I get, the less the information sticks

Oh.....and did I mention I turned 50....
Hmmmm.....did not think this was going to be a big deal.
But I felt strangely lonely.
Yes, there were people around.
I just thought it was going to be a bigger deal.
Well, it was a big deal...but in a different way.
I learned it was a much bigger deal to me than it was to anyone else.
But I guess that's the way it is suppose to be.
After all, they weren't turning 50....I was.
And why is that a reason for anyone else to celebrate.
There was a little celebration in California.
With a old friend I hooked up with after 30 years.
And it was wonderful.
I felt bad for her though because I got sick :-(
So I wasn't as much fun.
I don't know....it just could have been my mood of late.
Turn 50 and there's this sudden realization that you most likely have more Christmases and Birthdays behind you than you have ahead of you!
Yikes! I am depressing aren't I!
Don't mean to be....just needed to type what was going through my head.
And, no, I don't feel old at all!!
Just a little reflective that's all.

Another reason for not so much blogging is that I have been trying to think about the direction I want the blog to go. Initially, it was just going to be daily observations.....
Then just artsy, scrapbooky, crochety stuff....
And now, I need it to be something more...
All my neurons are firing at full speed and I have so many things going through my head......
(Neurons and dendrites and axons have been on my mind a lot lately!)
But I don't want to scare anyone away.
So here is the plan....
There will be my usual stuff.
And there will be daily observations.
But there will also be a little bit more of me and my thoughts.
At the beginning of any such posts I will give you a little warning....
In case you don't want to read the blatherings of a premenopausal woman.
If you happen to be a premenopausal woman you may understand.

In any case....I plan to still be here......

Crocheting a Rainbow!!!

2011-02-09T09:14:00.000-08:00

Everyone has heard about the horrendous flooding and storms that have hit Eastern Australia. Seeing the pictures have been really heartbreaking!! Well this lovely lady is doing her part to help. She has reached out to the crochet community for their assistance in the Crochet a Rainbow project. She is asking for donations of granny squares so that she can join them together into blankets to donate to those affected by the floods.

So, for the past few days I have been rummaging through my yarn scraps and creating my own part of the rainbow.....

Hopefully they will help to bring color to someone's life......

I Scrap!

2011-02-08T08:53:00.000-08:00

Yes, I confess.....I am a scrapbooker. One of many talents, er, hobbies :-) Although in the last couple of years I have had a love/hate relationship with this hobby.

When I started about it, about 10 years ago, it was simply all about displaying my photos in an organized manner and telling the stories. Hmmmm.....and then the obsessions started. I started looking at more magazines and collecting more stuff. And I became very self conscious. If a scrapbook page wasn't worthy of a gallery opening then it wasn't worthy to be viewed by anyone. Then there was the scrapbooking community....it was like a high school society where everyone wanted to emulate and be pals with the super cool, chosen ones.

I. Really. Started. To. Hate. It.

Yes, the love was gone. What happened? I got away from the reason I really started to do it. You know....display my photos and tell the story.

I have friends who would go on vacation and a week after they were back would have their photos in a scrapbook with captions and a few stickers. They would sound almost apologetic for the simplicity of the album but it was that simplicity I loved! They were perfect and I was secretly very jealous!

So, there I was, with enough stuff to open my own scrapbook store. And I stopped.....temporarily.

(I think that was about the time I picked up a crochet hook for the first time in years!)

I retired and I thought I would be scrapbooking all the time....but I wasn't. And when I started again....I was realistic....realistic about what I was trying to accomplish and about what my style is. Things (and pages) became more simplistic. Most of my pages look like this.......

More photos and stories......less embellishments.

But every now and then I'll slap (literally) a flower on a page.....

And there are times I'll just do what I feel like doing......

And....every now and then (pretty rare), I'll be in a really creative mood. And when the mood strikes me I just go with it.....

Back in the day I would have lamented about the squares being perfectly straight and painting the chipboard the perfect color (I didn't paint it at all....I just plopped it on there! That NEVER would have happened before!). Oh....and there wouldn't be any doodling (even though I love doodling!) because I would have worried that it would not have been perfect (Yes.....I have A.D.D.).

The point is.....I stepped back and learned to quit trying so hard.

Do I still purchase scrapbook stuff? Yes....I'm addicted to those little letter stickers from October Afternoon ( some habits die hard!)

But I did cut back on magazines. And also on scrapbook blogs....there are only a select few I look at. (See side bar)

I just learned to go with what I like....and keep it simple!

Oh....I follow a simple rule.....I use the first piece of paper I pull out.....even if it doesn't match. It keeps me sane!

In a Fog!

2011-01-25T14:48:00.000-08:00

That is how I have felt for the last week. Like I have been in a uber congested, full headed fog! Yuck! I caught the crud and I caught it good. And for the last week I have felt like doing nothing more than laying around and watching back episodes of Grey's Anatomy. I did get engage in a couple of fun activities. Activities that did not require me to even leave my bed :-)

I whipped up a few of these......

Can't wait to put these squares together! I just love these colors!

I also started playing a little with my colorful pens....

I did a little doodling, that is....

(Love the stray little piece of yarn in this photo!)

I signed up for a doodling class given by Stephanie Ackerman.

Here's a preview of what I have been working on....only a preview though because this project is actually a surprise!

I have a tendency to skip over lessons and go straight to what catches my eye (Not a good quality!) so I got a little ahead of the lesson plan. It was very therapeutic nonetheless!

And now I am slowly beginning to feel better.

Had a bit of a setback when I realized it was going to be the Steelers and Packers in the Superbowl :-(

But I think I am now recovering even from that!!

Til next time......

Sunbursting!

2011-01-14T14:15:00.000-08:00

I think I am in love.....with this Sunburst Granny pattern.

Yes, I'm pretty sure of it since I can't seem to help myself. I keep making circles that turn into squares that turn into a blanket.....

And into pillows.......

And there are a few more like projects in waiting....not to worry though there are other crochet projects I'm working on that don't involve circles!!

But the circles.....they are still my favorites....

Brave New World

2011-01-04T07:11:00.000-08:00

Brave? Yes.....Very brave of me to post a photo like this....

Yes, there I am in all my foiled glory. The photo taken yesterday at the hair salon (duh!). I was way overdue for some root therapy, not to mention hiding all the gray. I never knew I had so much!! The result???

A new beautified me!! (Man I sure look like a goof when I try to take my own picture!). Pretty blonde to cover the gray. Misty created a masterpiece with that hair. Just wish she could wave a wand and do something about those wrinkles! Looking at this picture makes me feel every one of those 50 years!

Anyways...speaking of brave.....I'm getting ready to embark on a new adventure. I don't know....some people may not think it so brave but for a middle aged woman....it's a little scary. Here's a hint.....

I'm going back to school. To get my teaching certificate. To teach teenagers. Yep....scary! But exciting too. Something completely new....completely different.

A new world. For me.

Resolutions

2011-01-02T15:21:00.000-08:00

On New Year's Eve my husband asked me if I had any resolutions.

No, I told him.....No resolutions.

Actually, even at that time, it was a lie. I always have some resolution. It's just that I am constantly making them (and re-making them) all year.

And it's always the same stuff.

Lose weight.
Get in shape.
Cut out sugar (that one lasts about 10 minutes!).
Get organized (I gave up on this long ago.....Never gonna happen!).
Quit drinking wine (Nope.....another losing cause...)
Get all my projects done (yeah, even retired I put a lot of pressure on myself)

Anyways, you get the drift. So yes I always have resolutions in mind (this brain never shuts down!)

But then I saw a television clip about how technology has taken over our lives so much that there are actually apps to keep us from using technology as much. For example, there is an app that will keep someone from texting from driving. YIKES! I guess the consequence of being involved in an accident and causing serious injuries isn't enough. The reason for these apps.....WE HAVE NO WILLPOWER...even when it comes to the inappropriate use of technology.

So I decided that I would take a big step away from technology......

I'd quit getting on Facebook ....hmmmm.....yeah....that didn't last very long either. I did decide, however, to be more conscious of how I communicate. Now, I'm not a big fan of texting (really can you just call me!!) and I don't really like to e-mail (I really miss letters.) So, after much thought, this is what I have decided......

I will make more phone calls and write more letters. I will work on being more personal than impersonal. I know the texting and the e-mails will not vanish from my life but hey, as Fleetwood Mac sang.....Yesterday's Gone.....

One Little Word......2011

2011-01-01T18:52:00.000-08:00

Every 365 days a phenomenal event occurs.....There is a new year. The calendar resets itself and we all have a chance for a new beginning. A fresh start.

There are a few things I do plan on doing this year. Things that are totally new. Totally different.

I wasn't going to make any resolutions. But then I changed my mind.

I am beginning 2011 with a word. For several years now I have followed this blog. Every year, the author always comes up with a word to focus on for the upcoming year. I actually rolled my eyes at this concept for a couple of reasons. For one thing, it seems as though everybody latched onto this idea....and I'm not a girl who likes to do what everybody is doing. The other thing is that it seemed so "Oprahish". It's like everyone is trying to be the next Oprah, and lets face there is only ONE Oprah.

Well this year I changed my mind. And for good reason. You see, this year is going to be a monumental year for me. A monumental event is occurring that warrants my word. My word for 2011 is actually a number. My word is......

Yep, that's right....it's fifty. Because in a few short weeks I will join the ranks of "AARP"dom. Now many may think this is a negative thing because really it is just a number. But rather than acting like the number is a scary thing that I'd like to ignore I plan on charging head on right into it.

It is, like I said, very monumental. One cannot reach such an important milestone and not take time for reflection. I'm sure I will be engaging in plenty of reflection in the year ahead. And I really don't mind who comes along for the ride......

Cookies - Part Deux

2010-12-20T08:52:00.000-08:00

So yesterday was day two of cookie making and there are already enough cookies for a couple of armies!! On the menu were Chocolate Chip Cookies, Polvorones (a type of Mexican Wedding Cookies), and more Ginger Snaps (The recipe I used Saturday was so awesome I decided to make more!).

The Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe came from Allrecipes (again!!). It can be found here. Of course, after reading the comments, I couldn't resist tweaking the recipe a bit. Instead of three cups of flour, I added two cups of flour and one cup of ground oatmeal ( I grounded it using my blender). Also, instead of salt, I added 1/2 tsp cream of tartar. Everything else stayed the same and here's how they turned out....

And yes, they taste as good as they look!! Probably the best chocolate cookie recipe I have ever made.

Today, I will be making more of these.....

Polvorones!! And also Sugar Cookies and Peanut Butter Cookies! There's a little story about my Polvorone making adventure that involves the Pioneer Woman. But that's a story for tomorrow.

For now I am off again to make a total mess of kitchen!! My husband will be so happy.

Cookies!

2010-12-18T09:15:00.000-08:00

So I've been a cookie making fool lately....which I usually always am this time of the year. The only difference is that I have much more time for baking. Yay!

Last weekend I made a whole bunch of cookies for a party and this weekend I picking it up again. This time the baking is going to be for gifts for family and friends. On the schedule for today??

Raspberry and Almond Thumbprint Cookies. The recipe can be found here at AllRecipes.com. I made these for the first time this year and, wow! They were yummy! Usually I will make changes to recipe a bit to suit my liking but this one....well, I wouldn't change a thing. The only complaint I have is that these things are dangerous! I truly think I could eat the whole batch! Not at all good for my girlish figure ;-)

I think I'm going to take a stab at making Granny's Ginger Snaps also from AllRecipes.com. I've made ginger snaps in the past but they never really turn out like I'd like them to. But these look pretty good so I'm going to give them a try.

Well, I've got some cookie baking to get to. So, Later Gator.

A Charlie Brown Christmas????

2010-12-14T08:24:00.000-08:00

So on Saturday we set up our new Christmas tree and once it was up we were a little....ummmm.....depressed. You see, last year our tree looked like this......

It was very pretty. Nine feet tall and very full. The thing is.....pulling this thing out to set up was a major undertaking. We both got a pretty good workout pulling it out of the garage and setting it up. And for a person just a sneeze over 5 feet tall, decorating it was quite the challenge.

So after last I decided.....ENOUGH!! It was on it's last legs anyways. Lights were going out and besides, I was tired of practically scaling it in order to put the topper on. It was time to downsize and this was the result....

Ummmm....yeah.....quite a difference. And this picture really does it justice. In person, this tree is really wimpy!! All I could think of was the Charlie Brown Christmas tree.

Well I guess I've been a very spoiled girl. I think I'll look on the bright side.....it should be a snap to take down :-D

Calories....Schmallories.....

2010-12-06T06:56:00.000-08:00

This morning on the TODAY show, they are having a segment that addresses the high caloric value in those foo-foo coffee drinks. So in honor of those good folks at the TODAY show, I decided to whip up a little treat.......(or, rather, my husband did!).......

Coffee with a little Baileys and a big glob of whipped cream (I'm retired....don't judge!). YUM!!! And I enjoyed every single calorie of it. Cheers!!!

And So It Begins.......

2010-11-29T16:56:00.000-08:00

The most wonderful time of the year!!! Yes it is! I know, there are many people who might disagree with me but I so love the Christmas season and this year I will love it more. Why you ask? Because I will actually have time to decorate, shop, and bake.....and to just enjoy the season as it should be enjoyed.....without stress!

Of course, the season really begins at Thanksgiving. And it was a very good one.

We began the day with a hike. Brrrrrr......it was cold!!!! Colder than these old Arizona bones are used to!! As we made our way up the canyon, the wind was blowing in our face. My face was frozen, my eyes were watering, and my nose was snotting up (How's that for graphic????). But when we got to the other side, we were treated to this beautiful view of downtown Phoenix.

I know, it may not seem like much but around these parts it is a big deal to have a clear view of the city without a big brown cloud. The wind just blew it all away......

Luckily it warmed up (well, somewhat) and we were able to comfortably enjoy the rest of our hike.

Judging from my husband's attire, you probably wouldn't think it was very cold....but it was. And I was the one more appropriately attired for the weather :-)

Our five mile hike (and the additional five miles I put in around the kitchen) entitled us to our fair share of turkey, mashed potatoes, and pie. I was extremely thankful to have both my children home for Thanksgiving. I was NOT thankful for the fact that my SD card in my camera ended up with a so called "fatal error" meaning I was only able to upload a handful of photos from the Thanksgiving feast.....and they weren't the best photos :-( Here is probably the best of them.....

Yes, the best one was with me looking like I'd been on my feet for the past five hours. Marvelous!!!!

And after spending all that time making Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday, I celebrated the day after in a most fitting manner....

I spent 45 minutes in line to purchase a Christmas Tree at Kohl's. Yes, I am just a little short of crazy (or maybe just full blown, who knows....) but it was a 7 footer with 800 lights and it was only $70. Oh, and I got the last one. Hee hee.....many people coveted that baby but it was all mine!!

Yes, and I am enjoying the season just as it should be enjoyed!!!

Scrumpdelicious! (Is This Even A Word????)

2010-11-08T08:51:00.000-08:00

Last week as I was perusing Facebook (something new!) I noticed that my daughter was spending a day baking......One of my most favorite things to do!! According to one of her status updates, she was making chocolate chip pumpkin cookies and pineapple banana bread. Ooooooo.....pineapple banana bread!!!! Just the very idea of pineapple and banana together was enticing. So, out I went, into internet surfdom to find such a recipe. I supposed I could have asked for her recipe.....but who am I kidding....I'm way too impatient to wait!!! I had to have it NOW!!

So I went to one of my favorite recipes sites and found this recipe. Now I did make a couple of changes because I am one of those annoying people who likes to tweak every recipe I see. So, instead of two cups granulated sugar, I split it up and used one cup brown sugar and one cup granulated sugar. I added some extra sugar (no exact measurement just threw some more in!).

And Voila! This is what I ended up with......

Looks good......and how did it taste?? Yummy!!! It was the best banana bread I have ever made. The pineapple really added so much to the flavor and the texture. Loved it!! Thank You Amanda! :-)

How Much Is That Doggie In the Window

2010-11-03T14:46:00.000-07:00

Heehee.....Actually he is not for sale but I couldn't think of another title to introduce a newly groomed doggie. Here is the before photo of Nash.....

This was actually taken a couple of weeks ago but you get the idea. He was pretty scruffy. I am amazed that dog could see anything through all that hair!!

Now here is the after picture.....

Wow!! He does have eyes!! I always wonder how they feel after being groomed. I know they don't really like going to the groomer but I've got to think the world looks so much better without all that hair in their eyes. Hmmmm.....who knows what a dog thinks.

Next month it's Khalil's turn for a new do.

And then, maybe, in January, I'll get my turn :-) (Yeah, I rate just behind the dogs!)

Well, that's all for now!! Toodles....

I Follow Orders Well

2010-11-01T09:46:00.000-07:00

The request was simple. He wanted his own blanket.
One in manly colors with no holes!
That meant no granny squares. :-(
I acquiesed.....slowly.
It seems I'm rather taken with crocheting in circles.
Eh....maybe it's because I'm a dizzy blonde
and am genetically predisposed to dizzying routines.
Hmmmm......whatever!!!!

So, the son got what he wanted.
A blanket with no holes.
Which required crocheting back and forth (yawn).
I did add ripples to keep me awake.
And I did finally finish......TA DA!!!!!

So there it is.....the finished product!!
It turned out to be a lot wider than I thought.
I didn't realize this until I tried to photograph it.
Hence the reason that it took so long!

So now that is it done, kid.....
You can come and get it.......anytime.....at all......

Because When It Comes to Embarrassing My Children.......

2010-10-28T15:05:00.000-07:00

I am an equal opportunity parent!! So, today, on his 24th birthday, it is my son's turn. After all, exactly twelve days ago, his sister had to endure this humiliation so why should he be left out of the fun.

He is getting a warning though. After I posted his sister's baby picture on Facebook, he informed me that he would hack my account if I did the same to him. Son....that is against the law....DON'T EVEN TRY IT!! Your sister took it like a man.....and you should too!! ;-)

So, without further ado......here is the adorable little guy.

Yes.....all decked out in his Ninja Turtle t-shirt and spiky hair! Oh, and the cheesy smile. There is a story behind that smile. He was not a big fan of smiling for the camera so I had to bribe him. I can't remember exactly what I bribed him with but it must have been good because if my memory serves me correctly, the cheesy smile was plastered on his face from the moment we walked through the doors at Olan Mills until we walked out. Hmmmm.....that kid had a way of working it even back then!!!

Anyways, this kid entered our world 24 years ago today and it was pretty calm and uneventful. No interesting drama stories on the day of his birth......sorry, Amanda. But alas, my dear daughter, this should make you feel better.....when I was pregnant with you, I never felt (or looked) better. My hair was beautiful and silky, shiny; my skin was so soft and free of blemishes, and, from behind, you couldn't tell I was pregnant. Now when I was pregnant with your brother......my ass was as big as Russia, my ankles swelled to the size of torpedoes, and I had the worse case acne known to mankind!!! (Note: No complaints, just reality!) I was so certain I was having a boy I didn't even bother picking out a girls name.

Of course, your father (and he probably doesn't remember this) had a momentary freak out the night before Ryne's birth. He had a sudden thought that it might be a girl and.....yikes! we didn't have a name picked out. I believe that one of his co-workers suggested the name Lindsay and I remember thinking, "okay, sounds good to me". So there you go.....if he'd have shocked me and came out a girl, Ryne would have most likely have been Lindsay instead. A little piece of information he didn't know (or perhaps, didn't need to know!).

So.....on that rather freaky note......

Happy Birthday, Ryno!!!! You are my favorite son! (Yes, you even rate ahead of Khalil and Nash :-D) Oh....and the blanket is done so anytime you want to come and get it.........

P.S. : I know that both of my children are embarrassed by my stories (and my complete willingness to share them). But the truth is, they have brought great joy to my life (Note: they are both now gagging!) and I hope they know that when I write these stories it is with love that I do so. It is the stories, even the funny and embarrassing ones, that keep the common thread of our family so alive. And I have a feeling there are going to be a lot more to come.

On This Date 29 Years Ago: Arkansas beat Texas

2010-10-17T07:14:00.000-07:00

Actually....they spanked Texas. It was brutal. How do I know this? I lived in Arkansas at the time. The state went absolutely nutso. Now if I wasn't a football fan I would have thought they were going crazy over something far more momentous.....something super spectacular....something just off the charts.

On this date, 29 years ago, I became a mother. I became a mother to this cute and cuddling little creature.

Who grew up to be this dazzling creature.........

Yes, I truly think she was worth all the fuss.

Of course, 29 years ago, my doctor probably thought she was a selfish little annoying snot even before she took her first breath. Which takes me back to Arkansas and Texas. You see, after a long time of laboring, it was determined that she was not eager to enter the world by the conventional means. No, she wanted to make sure she was beautiful the very minute she made her entrance (hence the future obsessions with beauty magazines and staying out of the sun). It was determined that there would be a C-Section. The problem was this little ole football game which was important to all Arkansans, near and far. Including, yes you guessed it, THE DOCTOR.

Ummmmm.....ma'am, would you mind waiting until half time. I can't remember my exact response at the time but I think that, in light of the pain I was in, it was something along the lines of "ARE YOU EFFING KIDDING ME?!?!?!?" Because I have learned that laboring women (or at least this laboring woman) do like to cuss.....alot.

Needless to say, we did not wait for halftime to be wheeled into the operating room and get that lovely spinal anesthetia (sp?). Yes, my girl made me proud that day. She inherited her momma's determination and she stood her ground....even on when she was coming in the world.

I cannot imagine my life without her.

Happy Birthday, Manda Panda Bear. I Love You!!!

Criminal of the Week!

2010-10-16T11:03:00.000-07:00

Here in the Phoenix area there is a morning talk show host who has a segment of his programs dedicated to the criminal of the day. He tells the story of one of the many stupid criminals there are. Well here at Casa de "Z" we had our own little criminal. Or so my husband says. Here is how things went down Tuesday night.

At approximately 8 p.m., he informed me that we had just been the victims of criminal activity. The crimes? Criminal damage and theft. I then got a tour of the crime scene.

The first area was the cat box. Roughly three-quarters of the kitty litter was out on the floor. We quickly surmised that the culprit was a purveyor of scooby snacks. I know......gross, huh? Which is why there will be no photo. This would be the criminal damage.

The second are was my craft room where I had been working on a halloweeny type decoration. Well this is what it looked like after the perp got a hold of it.....

I called this a criminal damage. Mr. Z insisted that it was a theft. A theft of candy corn. Hmmmm......

The criminal in question??????

This scruffy (note: badly in need of a grooming) little urchin. Momma left the gate open and he went for a stroll around the house. What gave him away? Could have been the proud as a peacock prance after he thought he got away with it!! No...he didn't. He was just promptly placed back behind bars (fitting) where he could be chastised and monitored for a candy corn overdose.

So there he is......our criminal of the week. Just hope this does not become a weekly event!!

A New Post.....Finally

2010-10-10T13:20:00.000-07:00

The truth is I've been busy.
Well....kind of.
In the past few months I have watched the entire LOST series while working on
little projects like this.....

And this.....

So far I am totally enjoying this retirement thing.

It's nice waking up in the morning with thoughts of....

"Hmmmm.....what am I going to do today."

Of course, because nothing is perfect, there have been

not so good days....and at least one very tragic day.

But, for the most part, I really can't complain.

The truth is....I have debated as to whether I wanted to

continue to blog. Really....seriously.....who wants to

hear what I have to say. But then I decided that, if for nothing else,

I need to continue it for myself.

Yes, despite the fact that I have no job to clutter my mind

I still forget stuff.

So, what better way to remember it than to blog it.

So, I'm back....hopefully to stay.

With a new title and a little bit of a new look.

I think I need to continue to work on the latter!!

Circles!!! Squares!!!

2010-07-21T14:13:00.000-07:00

So with all this new found free time I have there is plenty of time to start working on all those projects I have lying around the house. The problem is that there are so many projects that I have had a hard time deciding where to start.....this is where having Adult A.D.D. becomes a huge problem. Hence, the reason for so many unfinished projects! Yes, I suck.

So I am trying (and I use that term loosely) to focus on just one project at a time. I'll need plenty of focus for this. Hmmmm....it will be quite a challenge. So what am I working on now?? Circles. Lots of them.

And from these cute little circles they expand into grown up squares and join all the other circles!

There are a few more squares I need to add in order to fit this baby on the full bed in the spare bedroom. The one currently occupied by my son. He asked me about the blanket the other day and I told him it was for the room. I don't know if he was too happy that I was already planning the decor for the room once he vacants it. Considering how long it takes me to finish this stuff....I don't think he has to worry any time soon.....

This is Hell.....

2010-07-19T15:45:00.000-07:00

This is what the temperature gauge in my car said at precisely 2:52 p.m.

Of course, it is a miracle anyone can read it through all that dust!!!

Anyways, it is another lovely summer day in Arizona.

So, lovely that my husband is, at this very moment, on the golf course. Golfing. Uh....yeah....Some people just love torture.

Me??? I am hibernating in the house and debating if a margarita will make me feel better about the heat.

Oh, what the heck, a margarita makes me always feel better on a summer day in hell!!!

Oh....but it is a dry heat......