Life at the McGuire Zoo...

Story Time!

2010-12-09T12:03:00.001-08:00

Ivy's been "reading" Charlotte's Web in school. I love the projects they do on the story! Too cute to not show everyone!

I don't know if you can see it, but on the web there's light blue lettering that says 'Terrific'.

Seriously, I'm so far behind on the times! There's a 'new' version of Charlotte's Web as a movie that we haven't even seen...sigh...at least it'll make a great Christmas present!

Catchin' Up - Spring Gardening and Fall Veggies

2010-11-01T21:55:00.001-07:00

Yes, I know it's fall now, but going through the camera and trying to decide where to start I couldn't pass this set of cute pictures up!

We decided to let the kids have a flower runner box along the front of he garden fence and had to plan flowers right away! Of course, all but one stubborn little flower bush plant died over the summer and is now happily residing between the purple "Green" Beans. (I commandeered the runner for the 'purple' beans. Riley helped plan them though)

19 'purple' bean plants in all! The makings for a great Thanksgiving dish!

The stubborn flower.

Second one's almost ready!

Riley's baby watermelon.

The first watermelon!

Riley likes to go say 'Good Morning' to the baby watermelon...telling 'him' to keep growing.

The watermelon plant is huge!

Yikes...

2010-10-17T16:00:00.000-07:00

2 months...really? 2 months since I've posted on our blog? Shame on me.

Well, time to get caught up, and boy have we been busy! Gardening, Kindergarten, birthdays and roadtrips! And for anyone that's remotely familiar with me, you'll know that I HAVE to post things in order. So while I get everything in order to post, I'll leave you to giggle over this hilarious pic we took from our trip to recent (like last week) to Disneyland with Karen and Lexie.

Utterly Freakin' priceless.

Additions to the Zoo...

2010-08-12T10:36:00.000-07:00

I guess just I can't say no...especially when it pertains to more free pets.

Wait I take that back...if it was another dog, I really could (and have) say no. Another kitty might be the moment of caving in.

But when the new pets come in their own home, there was no denying the newest members to the McGuire Zoo...a pair of Zebra finches.

Meet Neko and Inu.

Ivy started a new tradition when she named the Christmas Present Gerbil "Mouse McGuire". New pets will be named an animal name; the finch's names mean Cat and Dog in Japanese.

I've never had a bird before (Kim had a parakeet when we were 8/10ish) so this has been a fun learning experience. They have to stay with a mate and are busy arranging, then dismantling their nest. I'm expecting an egg pretty soon.

I know they're kinda hard to see, but that was the best pic I could get with them being so flighty. Inu the male likes hiding up the the greenery while Neko the female dives into the nest whenever I have to change their water/food.

I love listening to their calls, sometimes they sound like little chickens clucking...quite interesting!

Kim's Deployment

2010-08-03T17:22:00.000-07:00

Well, if you haven't heard from her blog, Kim's currently serving on her deployment in Kandahar, Afghanistan. And of course, she hasn't even been at the air base for a week yet and it was attacked. Well, they attempted to attack...Here's the news story.

It's nice to have my brother in law in intelligence as he gets to see the actual reports that come from the region. Granted he can't tell us everything, but he assured me that Kim was completely ok when he called. Adding to that, I got to talk to Kim this morning (they're about 12 hours ahead of us) and she said it was nothing.

Goodness, I hope her deployment isn't gonna be filled with instances like this...please remember to keep her and all our troops in your prayers.

On a side note, but related to Kim...Ivy wrote her first letter! We've been trying to explain where Kim is and why she won't be home until after Christmas, so we showed her and Riley a bunch of desert books and such. Ivy saw a picture of a camel and asked me..."Kim has a camel?" Needless to say, she just had to go draw Kim's new "pets". She also copied a letter that we'll be sending to Kim...It's great practise for learning where those Upper and Lower case letters go!

Camping Trip

2010-07-16T14:33:00.000-07:00

This year's camping trip was a bit unusual compared to the other years we've gone, but still always enjoyable. Through some scheduling errors and other mishaps, we missed out on most of our extended family going. So as it turned out, only our family and Karen's family went! Although we greatly missed everyone, it was rather nice just the 7 of us. (In fact Ivy kept naming off everyone that should have been there.)

John doin' what he does best...STEAKS!! Too bad there were no campfires allowed or he would have been grillin' them...

It rained quite a lot this trip so the kiddlets had plenty of time to do camp crafts.

On the second day we all decided to talk a walk, and I got a bunch of nice pictures!

Mornin' Sunshine!

First cup of Cocoa is always the most important...

Happy 18th!

2010-06-04T06:16:00.000-07:00

Haha...no I'm not celebrating my 18th birthday for the 2nd time...

Bridget's now an adult!

Scary thought...just cuz it makes me that much older! 12 years older to be exact!

Happy 18th Birthday Bean!

Riley's Birthday

2010-05-27T18:28:00.000-07:00

Well, after many delays...we finally had Riley's Birthday Party. Even though I think we did it some time in April (when his birthday's at the end of Feb!) it will sit in the right order in the scrapbook...if I ever can get to that point!

Ivy's Art Work

2010-05-21T10:56:00.000-07:00

Talent in the fine arts must run in this family...Bridget's a fantastic artist, I'm a pretty good author and Dad's great on both ends of the artistic spectrum! Well, add another artist to the list...

Ivy's in love with drawing lately. Everything from 'Toothless' the dragon from "How to Train Your Dragon" to bikes, flowers, birthday cakes...and the list is always expanding. Now she's learned to write 'love you' from memory and is busy making love posters for everybody. Here's a few...

After drawing this one, Ivy runs up to me and asks "How write Kim?"

I asked her for which Grandma this was for and Ivy said both!

I love the 'corrections' on this one...This was for her Grandpas, but she used the wrong word example and re-wrote Grandma. I wrote out 'Grandpa' and she looks at me and says, "I got an idea!" Ivy added the 'p' in front of the first 'a' and then said, "There, all better!"

Don't feel left out if you didn't get one named to you...I'm sure there's more to come!

2010-05-07T13:14:00.000-07:00

3 Things About Me!

Its fun to learn new and different things about our friends.

3 names I go by:

1. Jennie

2. Jennifer

3. Oneesama (Bridget's name for me in Japanese, meaning 'Honored Older Sister')

3 places I've lived:

1. Mesa, AZ

2. Queen Creek, AZ

3. San Tan Valley, AZ (same house...new city name)

3 places I've worked:

1. Walmart

2. America West Airlines

3. Fry's Food and Drug

3 places I go every week:

1. Ivy's school

2. Work at Walmart

3. Post Office

3 places I've been on vacation:

1. North Carolina

2. Four Corners

3. Disneyland! (I think you'll notice a trend here soon...)

3 people who email me regularly:

1. Linda (My mother-in-law)

2. My mother

3. John / Kim (they email me about the same)

3 people who text me regularly:

1. Kim

2. John

3. Mom

3 people I'd love to see right now:

1. Kim and Steve

2. Karen and Fam

3. Either parent of mine

3 places I'd rather be right now and with whom:

1. On a Alaskan Cruise with John...(hopefully next year!)

2. Blue ridge reservoir with the Family

3. On a road trip somewhere with the family

3 things I did before noon

1. A load of dishes

2. Played with kids and their play-doh

3. Took Ivy to school

3 foods I love to eat:

1. Japanese/Chinese

2. My in-law's Italian cooking

3. John's steaks

3 places I love to eat:

1. Taco Bell

2. Red Lobster

3. At home with family and friends

3 goals I have:

1. Keep losing weight

2. Get the many project I have done-- scrapbooking, writing...

3. Get my house cleaned up

3 things I am looking forward to this year:

1. Seeing Kim and Steve in June

2. Disneyland!

3. My 10th anniversary

3 people I've talked to today

1. John

2. Kim

3. Bridget

3 places I want to visit some day:

1. Japan

2. Ireland

3. Hawaii

Anyone that wants to take a shot at it...by all means, have fun!

Odd Little Boy

2010-04-23T14:15:00.000-07:00

So Riley likes to go to bed wearing things. It started off with a purple 'ski' cap and now it appears he's moved onto sunglasses. Half the time, we're not even sure he's asleep or faking it!

This family just keeps getting bigger...

2010-04-20T10:08:00.000-07:00

It's so interesting to see how many people from different backgrounds and upbringings you can get into one family! Ivy and Riley just gained another uncle (Steve) almost a year ago, and now they have a step Aunt and Uncle. Pam's son Charles (my step brother) and his fiance Kiera tied the knot earlier this month while on graduation leave from Marine Corp boot camp! We're all so happy for them and very proud to add another Marine to our long list of military family members.

Congrats to you both!!

Easter

2010-04-09T13:42:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone had as much of a nice Easter as we did!

Happy Birthday Kim!!

2010-04-06T10:08:00.000-07:00

Yay! Whoo-hoo! You're 28!

Wow...don't you feel old...

cuz, I know I sure do sometimes!

Happy Birthday Sweetie!

We're Back...

2010-03-25T18:34:00.000-07:00

Yup...we're back home! North Carolina is so beautiful, so different from Arizona. It was so nice to visit with Kim and Steve, and help them settle into their new apartment...for all of 4 months until their deployment. Geez, I'll miss them so much!

Had a lot of firsts on this trip...

* First time nearly running out of gas in the middle of nowhere. (NOT my fault...I always fill up at 1/2 a tank on road trips, but the only station available at the time was an unlit creepy single pump...like out of a horror movie. And at 3am, I thought it was wise of me to move on!)

* First time experiencing black ice and skidding off the road into a snow bank. This is one of many reasons why I live in Arizona!

* First time driving that far across the country and for 40 hours straight. I started forgetting just how long and what day it was since we'd been in the car for so long!

* First time narrowly missing making additions to the roadkill population. Stupid Jackrabbits and ELK!

I'll post the few pics we took shortly...but there's not much cuz we didn't do anything! Just sat around watchin' Star Trek movies, playin' Mario Cart, and generally just vegging-out. Too bad we were so lazy, there was a zoo and a botanical garden I thought the kids would enjoy. Oh well...next time! Perhaps a trip when they get home from deployment...

AND...
My computer is working again! The motherboard crapped out so I had to use John's for two weeks. But it's back...thank goodness! We thought it was my hard drive, so I was prepared that I lost almost everything. But nope! All is saved and accessible again, so hopefully I'll be able to finally get more of my projects finished up and all my files backed up. It's hard to do since they're constantly changing!

I must say...my husband rocks...seriously. He always manages to fix my computer before I have a total melt down of anxiety. It's just one more reason (out of about a million) why I can't live without him.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2010-03-17T07:32:00.000-07:00

Myspace Layouts

Portable Microwaves?

2010-03-12T13:19:00.000-08:00

My mother in law sent this to me...now if it's true, that's kinda scary. And we hold these thing up to our ears?

Pop Corn téléphone portable micro-ondes
Uploaded by sassiere. - Watch the latest news videos.

Now I know just like everyone else that you can't believe everything you see...so I'm gonna try this when we get out to NC and there are 4 cell phones together. Should be interesting.

To Birthday or Not to Birthday...

2010-03-10T13:21:00.000-08:00

...And Other Updates...

Well, Riley is now three years old and he's growing like a little vine!

This was supposed to be a posting of his birthday party, but he hasn't had one yet. It was planned for the 28th, but unfortunate circumstances stopped our 'merry-making'. John's Grandfather passed away after a brief battle with kidney failure and other ailments. Quickly making arrangements, we postponed the party until the next Sunday so John could spend the week with his father and relatives in New York. I'm glad he decided to go (with a bit of pushing from me...). Although the kids missed him terribly, he said it was so good to visit with his Aunts and Uncles, who he hasn't seen in 10 years.

So the next Sunday was set for Riley's party until I got a call that morning as I was getting off work...Riley has a fever and can't keep anything in his tummy. Birthday party plans foiled again!

So now his party will (God willing) be held in a few weeks since for the next two weekends we'll be in North Carolina visiting Kim and Steve at their new home/base. And yes...we're driving.

I'm both looking forward to the drive and kinda dreading it. I LOVE road trips and driving long distances, yet the kids have never had a trip this long. Riley's never been on a trip longer and up to Blueridge for camping (3 hours) and Ivy's only been as far as San Antonio, TX...plus on that trip, we stopped in El Paso for the night. For this trip, we hope to drive straight through. On the plus side, we're leaving a few hours before bedtime so everyone gets to sleep through the first 10 hours.

Ooh...maybe I'll get to update from NC with the handful of fun things we have planned!

So cross your fingers for us! Hopefully this will go smoothly!

Happy Birthday Riley!

2010-02-27T08:04:00.000-08:00

Wow, already? Riley is three already? Yikes...

More Craziness From John...

2010-02-23T23:57:00.001-08:00

OH MY GOODNESS...
What is wrong with my husband?

Well...he's crazy, but in such a funny way.

Like this.

I open my email to find a letter from him entitled "Cat herders". That just begs to be opened.

I loved the guy with the lint roller. Absolutely hilarious. Hope you enjoy another John-inspired giggle.

The craziness must spread, cuz I found this one all on my own.

Now that's angry!

2010-02-22T08:32:00.000-08:00

Every time I see this, I giggle...
...so I thought I'd share it.
Just a bit of more random-ness for ya!

Spring pumpkins anyone?

2010-02-10T10:35:00.000-08:00

Yeah...pumpkins.

After the heavy rains we had the joy of experiencing last month, I was finally able to wade (seriously) out to my garden and survey the damage. Surprisingly, everything was thriving...the peas were still flowering and a few of the broccoli were already producing a head. Even the new little seedlings of radish and broccoli had sprouted. (I planted them just before the two weeks of rain).

As I was inspecting pots for stagnant water and came to my sunflower pot. I noticed a little sprout had popped up in the same pot and almost dismissed it as another sunflower growing from a fallen seed, except this little sprout still had it's seed shell attached to on of the leaves. Sure enough, it was a pumpkin seed shell.

I'm guessing either a bird dropped it there or the more likely suspects are my two 'kinshou bakemonos' (little monsters in Japanese...they think it's funny when I say that to them.) I suppose one picked up a pumpkin seed out of my seed box and 'planted' it with the sunflower...for company of course.

So we'll see...perhaps will have pumpkin pie for Easter. I transplanted it to it's new home between the two garden plots so it'll have room to grow, as long as I can keep it warm enough to keep growing. Some more old Christmas lights ought to do the trick.

Here comes the broccoli!

Girly Confessions

2010-02-04T10:03:00.000-08:00

1.Do you sleep in your bra?
Yeap. Gotta or else I wake up very sore...being greatly blessed and all...

2. Do you enjoy drama?
Uh, depends.

3. Are you a girly girl?
Oh hell no. My family is all out-doorsy and military...no room for a girly-girl. (And no Kim, you don't count as a girly girl when your in the Army!)

4. Who was the last person you hugged?
Husband

5. Small or large purses?
Neither. I have a wallet. Black. With ladybugs on it.

6.Are you short?
Nah, About average I'd say...maybe a bit on the taller side.

7.What would you do if someone smacked your butt?
Again it depends...John? I'd probably reply with a suggestive comment.
Kim? (Yes, she does.) Probably with a silly "Ooh Baby"
Stranger? Spin around and deck the creep.

9.Do you care if your socks are dirty?
Who can see them when they're in shoes?

10. Do you dress up on Halloween?
Naturally...Fav holiday.

11. Are you double jointed?
...and that would mean?

12. Where is the weirdest place you have slept?
Bathroom stall. Yeah. I bet most people that work nights has done it at least once...

13. Has anyone touched/smacked your butt in the past 24 hours?
uh...I don't think you want me answering that one!

14. Is there a rumour going around about you?
Couple months ago there was one that I must be sleeping with my friend at work because we were always together and got along so well. Duh people, we were 2 of 4 people doing the exact same job in the same backroom!

15. Do you call anybody by their last name?
Don't think so.

16. How many guys will read this just because it says "Girl Confessions"?
That depends. I don't really care who reads them as I'm posting it on my blog for darn sakes! Stupid question...NEXT!

"X" Marks the spot:
[x] I do wear make-up.
[x] I have cried at a movie theater.
[] I can put mascara on without opening my mouth.
[x] I get jealous. (Have a massive inferiority complex...)
[X] I love to laugh.
[X] I like death/grind/black/heavy metal.
[ ] I like rap.
[X] I like country.
[ ] I carry a purse.
[x] I’d be lost without my computer.
[ ] I own a Spice Girls CD.
[ ] I own a Britney Spears CD.
[ ] I own a boy band CD.
[ ] I get bored watching football.
[x] Guys are confusing.
X] I've been called a bad influence.
[] I have/had a piercing other than my ears.

Come on ladies, be truthful!

1. What colour is your bra that your wearing?
White with flower embroidery

2. Do you prefer light or dark haired guys?
John...Vegeta...Hugh Jackman...Johnny Dep...I think I see a pattern for dark-haired guys.

3. Are you currently frustrated with a boy?
Only my 3 year old son...

4. Do you have a best friend(s)?
Of course, Kim, Bridget and Karen...and as sappy as it may sound John.

5. Have you ever had your heart broken?
Yeah, but you can't know what love feels like without it.

6. Have you ever thought of having plastic surgery?
IF anything I'd like lipo...but I'd rather have the satisfaction of losing all that fat instead to the huge bill.

7. Do you like your life?
Honestly yeah...

8. Has one of your friends ever stolen a boyfriend from you?
Not that I can recall...

9. Have you ever jumped in the pool with your clothes on?
Once. Only once. And it was when Bridget got pushed into the pool at 2 years old.

10. Do you have more friends that are girls or boys?
It's pretty even right now, but I usually tend to get along better with the guys.

11. How long have you had Facebook?
And who said I had one?

12. Have you ever slapped a boy in the face?
No, but I'd love to! Weird I know but it would have to be a very good reason of course.

13. What are your biggest fears?
Letting my issues get the better of me...or John leaving me because of them.

14. Have you ever cried yourself to sleep?
Can't remember. Probably as a teen.

15. Have you ever not been able to get someone off of your mind?
Yeah.

16. Do you believe in the saying “Once a cheater, always a cheater”?
Depends why they cheated in the first place.

17. Have you ever had a good feeling about something?
YES!!

18. Do you ever wish you were famous?
Not really-then all the creepys and freaks come out of the wood work.

19. Are you currently missing someone?
Yep...Kim and Steve. Can't wait to go see them in March.

More Questions.
01. Eyeliner or Mascara?: Both
02. Louis Vuitton or Dooney & Bourke?: Who?
04. Skirts or pants?: Jeans please!
05. Socks or leggings?: Socks, mate. Socks.
06. Hoodies or jackets?: Jackets
07. Heels or sneakers?: I'd rather hiking boots.
08. Straight or curly hair?: Kinky kind of wave
09. Hoop or dangling earrings?: Small danglingy or studs.
10. White or black?: For what?
11. Victoria’s Secret or Bath and Body Works?: Both
12. Smoothies or lattes?: I like both, so who cares? :D
13. Diet or regular sodas?: Regular. Diet tastes too super fakely sweet.
15. Pearls or diamonds?: diamonds...Ooh sparkly
16. Vintage or boho?: What?
17. Mary-Kate or Ashley Olsen?: Spawn of corporate greed, they are.
18. Lindsay or Hilary?: Niether...both bad role models for girls.
19. Ipod or cell phone?: Cell phone :D Other's are too complicated
20. Friends or family?: Both! I need them both!
21. Lip gloss or lip stick?: Lip gloss is too sticky. Prefer Lip balm
22. Manicure or pedicure?: Never had either.
23. Tiffany’s or Chanel: See previous...and don't really care to.
24: Peace or love?: Both! Peace and love go together, no?
25. Sunglasses or purses?: Sunglasses! Purses are bothersome, unless you plan on using it for a weapon. XD

Randominium

2010-01-25T13:57:00.001-08:00

The 'Other' side to Mount Rushmore

Guess it never hurts to think of the other side to things!
XD

Intricacies of Phoenix life on the road...

2010-01-19T12:32:00.000-08:00

A friend at work passed this around, so I thought I'd share...

Only someone from the Phoenix area would understand and the really funny thing is, that lot of this is so true!

'Phoenix'actually consists of Scottsdale, Chandler, Mesa, Tempe, Gilbert, Peoria, Queen Creek, Tolleson, Avondale, Goodyear, Litchfield Park, Sun City, Sun Lakes, Surprise, Laveen, Apache Junction, Gold Canyon and half of the Mexican Border.

The morning rush hour is from 4:00am to noon. Evening rush hour is from noon to 9:00pm. Friday's rush hour starts Thursday morning.

The minimum acceptable speed on most freeways is 85 mph. On Loop 101, your speed is expected to match the highway number. Anything less is considered 'wussy' and a road hazard.

Phoenix has it's own version of traffic rules. For example, cars/trucks with the loudest mufflers go first at a four-way stop; the trucks with the biggest tires go second. However in the East Valley, SUV-driving, cell phone-talking moms ALWAYS have the right of way.

If you actually stop at a yellow light, you will be rear ended.

Never honk at anyone. Ever. Seriously. It's an offense that can get you shot.

Road construction is permenent in Phoenix. Detour barrels are moved around for your entertainment pleasure during the middle of the night to make the next day's driving a bit more exciting.

Watch carefully for road hazards such a drunks, dogs, barrels, cones, cats, mattresses, shredded tires, rabbits, vultures, javelinas, roadrunner, and the coyotes feeding on any of these items...

Maricopa Freeway, Papago Freeway and the I-10 are the same road. SR202 is the same raod as the Red Mountain FWY. Dunlap and Olive are the same street too, as are Cooper and Stapley. Glendale Ave becomes Lincoln Drive. Northern and Shea Boulevard are the same. Ironwood becomes Gantzel. Jefferson becomes Washington, but they aren't the same street. I-17 is also called the Black Canyon Freeway, as well as the Vetern's Memorial Highway. The Superstition Freeway is also known as US 60. The 101, 202 and 303 remain a large mystery to most residents. It is not yet determind if there is a Red Mountain and a San Tan Mountain or just a Red/Tan Mountain.

The SR51 has recently been renamed to Piestewa Freeway because Squaw Peak Parkway was too easy to pronounce. SR101 is also the Pima Freeway except west of I-17. Lastly, Thunderbird Rd becomes Cactus Rd...but not the reverse because it dead ends at a mountain.

If someone actual has their turn signal on, wave them to the shoulder immediately to let them know it has been 'accidentally activated'.

If you are in the left lane and only driving 70 in a 55-65 mph zone, you are considered a road hazard and will be 'flipped off' accordingly. This is seen as a warning but if you return the 'flip', you will be shot at.

For summer driving, it is advisable to wear potholders on your hands and rear end.

Please note that there are many, MANY more issues to the phenomenon of driving in the vast Phoenix area -- such as the 4-cars-through-a-red-light rule -- but these will at least get you acquainted with our unique life on the road.

Let's Play Catch-up Part 1 ~ Halloween

2010-01-12T12:48:00.000-08:00

Okay, I haven't posted pictures of anything for far too long. I won't offer excuses, cuz they're like belly buttons...everyone's got one. So let's start with a bit of Halloween shall we?

Ivy was Minnie Mouse and Riley was an Army soldier.

I dressed up as Mother Nature. You can't really see it, but I also had a bird's nest with a finch in my hair. I think I'll do this costume again this Halloween cuz there's more I wanted to 'customize'.

More of our ghoul-ish crew. They're all trying to take pictures of the kids, so I got them instead! Dad dressed up as a Arizona Ranger...John decided to wear a mask from 'V for Vendetta'...Pam's a Casual Witch...and Bridget (hiding behind Mom) was a Greek Goddess. Notice the creepy looking Ozzy under the pool table? Told ya he's evil.

Out Trick or Treatin'. Karen, Ryan and Lexie came over for our little party and joined us out in the night. Lexie was a Cowgirl...I'm jealous that Karen made her costume on her own! It looked so cute!

This was the best picture I could get of Bridget's costume...her backside! She is notoriously hard to photograph, but her costume was excellent.

Well, that's it for the Halloween edition of 'Let's Play Catch Up!'

A bit of fan-service...

2010-01-05T09:51:00.000-08:00

Happy 2010-The Wright Sisters by ~Naiyru on deviant ART

Is this utterly cute? I love having an exceptional artist for a sister! Thanks for the 'fan-service' Bridget!

Happy New Year Y'all!

2010-01-01T00:01:00.000-08:00

Glitter Graphics Maker & MySpace Layouts

You know you live in 2009 when...

2009-12-29T22:16:00.000-08:00

1.) You accidentally enter your email password on a microwave.

2.) You haven't played solitare with real cards for years

3.) The reason for not staying in touch with your friends is they don't have email or a blog.

4.) You'd rather look all over the house for the remote instead of just pushing the buttons on the TV.

6.) Complete gaming systems can fit inside a shoe box with room to spare.

7.) The original Super Mario Brothers, Sonic the Hedgehog and Legend of Zelda are seen as 'vintage'.

8.) Your TV doesn't even have any buttons to push.

9.) Your boss doesn't even have the ability to do your job.

10.) You still use the term "rewind", even when watching a DVD.

11.) And you were too busy to notice there was no number 5.

12.) You scrolled back up to see if there was a number 5.

13.) Now you are laughing at yourself stupidly, as a blog entry just got the best of you.

In honor of the ending of 2009...

All About me...Christmas Style

2009-12-18T15:13:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Christmas edition of getting to know your friends. Okay, here's what you're supposed to do, and try not to be a SCROOGE!!! Just copy and change all the answers so that they apply to you.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags: Wrapping paper...nuttin like opening up a present by tearing into it first!

2. Real tree or Artificial? Real...or rather live. I prefer plant it over trash it.

3. When do you put up your Christmas tree? Usually around Dec 10th...not too early but plenty of time to enjoy it.

4. When do you take the tree down? Sometime after New Year's.

5. Do you like eggnog? Yes...but cut with skim milk...that makes it not so heavy.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? A little black purse with lip gloss and other early teen makeup stuff I got from a cousin.

7. Hardest person to buy for? My husband...had to drag out ideas for that man!!

8. Easiest person to buy for? This year was Ivy and Riley...so many great ideas!

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes...as long as a little people Nativity play set counts

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Snail mail all the way, baby.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? A box set of a season of Married With Children. Poor John, it was all a misunderstanding. At least he's gotten years of practice now!

12. Favorite Christmas Movies? Muppet Christmas Carol, the kid's new Curious George Christmas movie (very cute), The Santa Clause, and Mickey's Christmas Carol

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Early fall when I bought the first thing...can we say Walmart clearance?

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I know I have...I think I'm doing it this year too!

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? My Fudge, Mom's cookies, Dad's dinner with Oyster Stew

17. Favorite Christmas song? I always like "Angels We have Heard on High" for some reason

18. Travel or stay home for Christmas? Travel to mom's, travel to John's parents, the travel to dad's...

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? yes

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? star-for some odd reason all the bulbs in the star are red...O_o who the heck designed the devilish Tree star?

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Morning...though growing up we always openChristmas PJ's on Christmas Eve.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Crowds, traffic, commercialism, bah-humbugs and the fact that stores are merchandising off Christmas earlier and earlier every year...(didn't change Kristy's answer cuz I Totally agree!)

23. Favorite ornament, theme, and color? We get a new ornament each year for the one big thing that happened that year...babies, new house, etc. This year's is very cute!

24. Favorite Christmas Dinner? Dad's roasts are always yummy.

25. What do you want to do for Christmas this year? The same thing we do year after year! Plenty of family and good food!

Well it's your turn...enjoy! Merry Christmas!!

Happy Turkey Day!

2009-11-26T08:01:00.000-08:00

Riley's Coloring

Ivy's Coloring

And of course Mom had to get in on it too!

TWAS THE NIGHT OF THANKSGIVING,
BUT I JUST COULDN'T SLEEP.
I TRIED COUNTING BACKWARDS,
I TRIED COUNTING SHEEP.

THE LEFTOVERS BECKONED -
THE DARK MEAT AND WHITE,
BUT I FOUGHT THE TEMPTATION
WITH ALL OF MY MIGHT.

TOSSING AND TURNING WITH ANTICIPATION,
THE THOUGHT OF A SNACK BECAME INFATUATION.
SO, I RACED TO THE KITCHEN, FLUNG OPEN THE DOOR,
AND GAZED AT THE FRIDGE, FULL OF GOODIES GALORE.
GOBBLED UP TURKEY AND BUTTERED POTATOES,
PICKLES AND CARROTS, BEANS AND TOMATOES.

I FELT MYSELF SWELLING SO PLUMP AND SO ROUND,
'TIL ALL OF A SUDDEN, I ROSE OFF THE GROUND.
I CRASHED THROUGH THE CEILING, FLOATING INTO THE SKY,
WITH A MOUTHFUL OF PUDDING AND A HANDFUL OF PIE.
BUT, I MANAGED TO YELL AS I SOARED PAST THE TREES....
HAPPY EATING TO ALL - PASS THE CRANBERRIES, PLEASE.

MAY YOUR STUFFING BE TASTY,
MAY YOUR TURKEY BE PLUMP.
MAY YOUR POTATOES 'N GRAVY HAVE NARY A LUMP.
MAY YOUR YAMS BE DELICIOUS.
MAY YOUR PIES TAKE THE PRIZE,
MAY YOUR THANKSGIVING DINNER STAY OFF OF YOUR THIGHS!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL

Feeling a bit better...

2009-11-20T07:59:00.001-08:00

Here it is Friday, and Ivy's transition into her new class has been utterly seamless.

So it turns out that I misunderstood how fast they were working her into the new class: Monday was 30min, Tuesday was supposed to be 1 hour, but she was doing so well that they kept her for 1 1/2 hours and Thursday she sprinted to the door at 1pm and stayed there until 15 minutes before class ended. Apparently she loves it. Go figure!

I've come to the conclusion that Ivy will never be predictable. When you expect her to have problems with something or act badly (like 4 hour plane flights) she is cool, calm and collected. Then there are the things she throws ya for a loop on...like having her hearing tested. An utter ballistic fit. And it wasn't just a tantrum, you could tell she was terrified, but for the life of me, I can't figure out why. Her hearing is just perfect, but she has this sensitivity with her ears...no clip-on earrings, no head phones, and she plugs her ears when she's scared. Odd.

I also found out that Ivy's new class doesn't do much paperwork / worksheets, so I've been feverishly printing and creating worksheets for her to do between school. I'm surprised at the things I've already made for her that she can do with out explanation or help. Matching a letter with the animal (T for Tiger), coloring specific shapes certain colors...etc. She really is a smart little cookie.

On a side note...making all these worksheets for her has caused the teaching bug to bite me again. I think I want to go back and finish my associates degree but change it to teacher's aid for now. I really like the little kids in Ivy's class so maybe working at a preschool could work for me. I think I'd enjoy that.

Um...not too sure about this...

2009-11-16T12:35:00.000-08:00

Well, last Thursday we had Ivy's Evaluation review / IEP meeting (Individual Education Plan) to help her speech along. On the positive side, they found no cognitive delay. No Autism or any other disorder. The speech and language however...is rated at the same level as a 3 year old. We were expecting that as Riley can hold little conversations with Ivy, and they understand each other. Very cute to just listen to.

And now for the eye-brow raising part. They decided that instead of pulling her out of her class for 30 minutes with 3 other kids that need help also, it would be better for her to be taken out of Mrs. Briggs / Ms. Kristina all together and placed in a Special Education class with other kids with the same problems.

Now I know what you're all thinking...What's the big deal? If you've ever met our daughter, you'll understand just how bad she does with change. Especially when it's change taking people that she loves away from her. Daddy leaving for work used to be hell, not to mention dropping Kim off at the airport. Getting her to understand that they were in charge and that mom will back them up almost no matter what was a huge challenge, as was Fall break. Geez, I hate to think of how she's gonna handle Christmas break...

Now she has to start all over. New teachers, new friends, new routine. They don't even start at the same time so that Ivy can't see her friends anymore. 1:00pm - 3:00pm. Plus, they don't even have recess. How is she gonna contain all that energy? At least now that it's under the Special Ed program, I don't have to pay her tuition anymore...but I HATE those words...

Special Education. I freakin' hate the stigma that follows those two words.

I really feel like I've let Ivy down somehow...I wasn't helping her develop as she should...I suppose. All these thoughts just run thru my head...should have put her in daycare/preschool to be around other kids. Should tried for State help programs earlier...shoulda...shoulda...shoulda...

Well, today is her first day over in the new class room. They wanted to just put her in permanently, but Briggs and I thought...not with Ivy. They are now going to gradually ease her into it...one day this week, two the next and so forth. It will probably help that Ms. Kristina will be taking her over to the other classroom, but being left there without knowing anyone? Hopefully I'm just overreacting and she'll be just fine. We'll see in about 1 1/2 hours...

Ivy's Class Halloween Party

2009-10-30T13:24:00.000-07:00

I finally got to go volunteer in Ivy's class and yesterday was their "Fall/Harvest/Halloween" party. This was so fun! I really need to go volunteer more...perhaps on a few Thursdays when John's working from home or drop Riley off at Grandma Linda's for a few hours. I helped with two of the craft centers: making spooky houses and glitter glue faces on jack'o lanterns.

Ivy and a few of her friends...one who also dressed up as Minnie!

A class full of costumed kids!

As they were going through their 'morning' routine, (the date, day...) it was Ivy's day to check and post the weather. It was so cute...she runs over to the window while the other kids were singing their weather song, runs back over, grabs the sunny sticker and with great enthusiasum yells, "It's sunny outside!" at the end of their song. Apparently that's her favorite thing to do.

Munchin' on the party food...her Teacher had a great idea...instead of a lot of sugary foods, she assigned each parent a color to bring a healthy food. Green cucumbers, black olives, yellow cheese...

Ivy was the only kid to put the olives on her fingers...yeah, that's my kid!

Minnie Mouse zoomin' around on a trike...her fav thing to play with.

Ivy's First School Picture!

2009-10-22T13:16:00.000-07:00

Heh...so cute, even if she's not fully smiling! I think the whole thing was confusing to her, hence the bland smile. If ya look close enough, you can see the faint freckles that are on the tops of her cheeks and nose! Hard to believe that cute little thing is mine!

I'm so glad she loves school. Over the fall break she was quite distressed over not seeing Mrs. Briggs and Ms. Kristina. Just didn't understand the point of fall break I suppose. But I kept her busy with printouts of the letters they're learning in class and practicing writing thank-you notes to Auntie Kim, Uncle Steve and her Great-grandfather in NY (for her birthday presents). Sorry if you didn't get one yet...that's a lot of writing for a little girl and I didn't want to over load her.

Truth Tag

2009-10-19T16:40:00.000-07:00

Yet another tag stole from Kristy's blog

1. What was the last thing you put in your mouth? My finger...don't look at me like that! I just finished a cinnamon roll.

2. Where was your profile picture taken? Uh...wow. I really don't have a profile picture!

3. Can you play Guitar Hero? Nope, never tried and don't care to learn.

4. Name someone who made you laugh today? The kiddlets-they have a bad habit of that!

5. How late did you stay up last night and why? Um, I worked a half night last night, so...4:00am?

6. If you could move somewhere else, would you? Probably not, I Love my Arizona.

7. Ever been kissed under fireworks? Not that I'm aware of...

8. Which of your friends lives closest to you? Nate and Jen

9. Do you believe ex's can be friends? Yes, if they are able to move on with their own lives first.

10. How do you feel about Dr Pepper? Pure heaven-sent ambrosia.

11. When was the last time you cried really hard? Really really hard? Probably Nick's death...five years ago. I'm not a huge crier.

12. Who took your profile picture? Haha...trick question! Don't got one!

13. Who was the last person you took a picture of? Ivy and Riley holding hands walking to Ivy's class room.

14. Was yesterday better than today? Hmm...kids took a nap...working another half night tonite...not as tired as yesterday, so yeah better today.

15. Can you live a day without TV? Yeah, but it's so habitual it would be interesting.

16. Are you upset about anything? Hah...Not really.

17. Do you think relationships are ever really worth it? Of course! How else could you torment anyone on a daily basis with out a relationship with them?

18. Are you a bad influence? haha...oh yeah...right Karen?

19. Night out or night in? I like calm nights in (Okay as calm as two crazy kids will allow), but nights out alone with john are always nice.

20. What items could you not go without during the day? A little time to write at my computer and a bottle of VitaminWater.

21. Who was the last person you visited in the hospital? My dad and his mystery heart problem.

22. What does the last text message in your inbox say? O_O Um...a naughty phrase in Japanese from John...but I won't translate...hey this is a truth tag right?

23. How do you feel about your life right now? Very good...have a great husband, great family and friends...life is good.

24. Do you hate anyone? I don't waste my energy hating someone not worth my time.

25. If we were to look in your facebook inbox, what would we find? Haha...nuttin'! Don't got a facebook inbox!

26. Say you were given a drug test right now, would you pass? Duh...

27. Has anyone ever called you perfect before? Only with added sarcasm.

28. What song is stuck in your head? Meow, Meow, Meow, Meow...Meow, Meow, Meow, Meow...ha! Now it's probably stuck in your head as well!

29. Someone knocks on your window at 2:00 a.m., who do you want it to be? A hot Saiyan...lol...only kidding! Okay, I'm not.

30.Wanna have grandkids before you’re 50? Sure...I'll still be 'young' to keep up with the little brats.

31. Name something you have to do tomorrow? The norm...get up, feed kids, take Ivy to / from school...work another half night for the 8th day straight (Yay, only 3 more regular days to go before I get a night off)

32. Do you think too much or too little? I like to always be thinking about something...next vacation/trip...upcoming chapter I'm writting...

33. Do you smile a lot? Yeah, except when I'm concentating. Then it looks like I'm frowning or pissed off.

YOUR TURN-GET TO IT!!

The next project: walkway & sitting area

2009-10-11T15:18:00.000-07:00

The next project has started. A walkway that goes from the patio to the garden, with a sitting area set off from the middle. Below is the progress over this weekend. The base layer of sand and paver stones will get laid next weekend.

Area dug out

Ivy supervising

Riley and Rocket checking out the pallet

We all take a break

Ivy contributes the first handful of gravel

The gravel laid

The paver stones that are going on top next week

Oh how they tease me...

2009-10-06T14:12:00.000-07:00

So I was innocently looking though my email and a friend (and fellow DBZ nut) sent me a message entitled..."The next one may have promise" I open it up and this was what greeted me:

That my friends would unmistakeably be Vegeta...by far my favorite-ist character in the whole lengthy series.

Now neither of us are sure if this was a legit teaser pic for the movie...but damn. That's just a mean tease. I can't find any info of where the next DragonBall movie is picking up from, much less who's cast as what characters! Argh! That's so maddening!

If Vegeta is to be in the next movie, I hope they tone down his hair like that did with Goku, but at the same time keep the spiky wild look to it. Only time will tell.

I know...I'm flipping crazy to still be adament over an anime...I already know, ya don't have to tell me!

Happy Birthday Steve!

2009-09-23T11:17:00.000-07:00

Man, he's getting old! 29 today...Ooh...that means you'll be 30 next year!

Oh wait...so will I...and before you will. Hmmm...

Well, in any case, enjoy the last year in your twenties! I sure will!

Here we go again...sort of...

2009-09-20T12:52:00.000-07:00

Well, as many of you family-types know, I work part-time for Walmart on the overnight shift doing stocking. Now, some of that title has changed...I'm no longer a stocker and no longer part-time. Yeah...you heard me. I'm back up to 40 hours a week. But this time around, my managers are letting me do 4-10's (4 days, 10 hours). And I have a new job...a small promotion if you will. I am now a "Backroom Inventory Associate" complete with a .20 cent/hour raise. (It entails pulling and scanning overstock out of the backroom to go to the floor and re-binning/scanning new overstock freight...did that make sense?)

I really like my new job and am very fast at it...although I need to be careful...I'm getting kinda arrogant over how good am I at it. In fact, many of my co-workers that know I love Dragonball have now 'lovingly' dubbed my new name to be Ms. Vegeta. Not even kidding. They say I act alot like the so named character, which really isn't a bad thing. (Hmm...strong willed, confident, good strategy-forming, independant, physically strong...what's the downside here? Oh yeah, the angry-arrogant-pride thing.) Maybe I should get my name tag changed...

So this should be interesting...

The positives are that John can now be added back onto my insurance thru work (yeah, only me and the kids available for part-timers), I'll be earning sick-time, short-term and long-term disability coverage again, and a bigger paycheck to stock away/clear out credit cards/landscape the back yard.

The negative is that I will be losing a lot of sleep. Maybe. Since John works M-F and I'll be working Th-Su, I'll be awake from 7ish Thursday morning until 9ish Saturday morning, with 2-2 hour naps. Yikes...We've already conned my dad (being retired and all...) into coming over Friday mornings and watching the kids until it's time to take Ivy to school at noon. That will help immensely, even though Mondays will forever be my 24 hour days...at least I'm actually used to it.

So if anyone ever drops by my store in the middle of the night hoping to find me...odds are you won't. I almost never leave the back and that's only to deliver freight or go outside for breaks. So call ahead and we'll get a cup of burnt and bitter coffee on my next break...cuz God knows I'll need the caffeine!

New City - New Zip

2009-09-09T09:38:00.000-07:00

No, we didn't move again. But apparently, I have a new city name and zip code to boot. We used to be...

Queen Creek, Arizona 85204

We now live in...

San Tan Valley, Arizona 85104

So update all those address books...obviously the street address didn't change. If you need that part, leave me a comment for it, with your email. I ain't dumb enough to put it out on my blog! =P

10 Things I love about Arizona

2009-09-08T09:20:00.000-07:00

Well, thought of a cute idea for a tag, mainly because I wanted to know what everybody loves about the state they reside in! So Here we go!

10 Things I Love About Arizona

1. The vast wide open spaces of wilderness for backpacking, camping, canoeing, etc.

2. No snow shoveling!

3. The biodiversity...Pines to scrubby desert to sane dunes to caves!

4. Cheap houses! Well, at least for now...

5. Our beautiful pastel sunsets.

6. I can grow sunflowers in January.

7. Our "Wild West" history. Wyatt Earp, anyone?

8. Monsoon thunderstorms!

9. The vast array of poisonous critters...scorpions, black windows, rattlesnakes, Gila monsters, brown recluses... Can't ya just feel the sarcasm?

10. Cleaner air than LA or New York! hehe

Now I tag...everybody! Yes, even you John! I'm curious to see what makes everyone's homes great places to live, so shoo! You're tagged so go do it! No tag backs!

Poor Ozzy

2009-08-31T09:43:00.000-07:00

How to tell when your cat is out of water...

Hmm...I think we need to check that more often! Either that or the cat has been hanging around the dogs too much...

Happy Birthday John!

2009-08-28T13:34:00.000-07:00

We will officially celebrating both John's and Pam's and Pierce's birthday when we get together for Labor Day. I have a really cute idea for a cake, so I'll post that later!

But for now...Happy Birthday John!

Projects Completed and New Toys Obtained

2009-08-23T16:37:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been a busy couple of weeks:

Painting the bedroom is now completed.

The second garden plot has been set up and some covers are being made to keep the birds out while things start growing.

Finally, I found a couple of useful new toys off Craigslist.com: a 12 inch miter saw and a drill press.

Ivy's First Days of School

2009-08-15T10:19:00.000-07:00

Yup, my little girl has officially started school. Even though it's Kinder-prep and not Kindergarten yet, (she missed the cut off date) it still counts as her first days of school. Complete with the obligitory tearing up mother...but only as I walked to the car! No one saw it! lol

Ivy's having a bit of a rough time adjusting to the new routine, but is making progress. Had a couple of 'melt-downs', as the teacher calls them on Tuesday and Thursday, but not on Friday! Phew! AND we are finally getting her in (Wednesday) to be assessed for Developmental Delay and Speech Therapy. Once she starts speaking better, that will help ease her temper. But she sure loves going to school! She asks every day when she gets to go...

We survived the first week! Wahoo!

Painting has begun

2009-07-29T21:14:00.000-07:00

Painting the bedroom has been started. Two of the walls were done today, and the other two will be done within the next week or so. There is now also a pallet full of retainer wall bricks sitting in the driveway for Jennie :). That will be turned into a second garden box in the backyard this weekend. Jennie will probably blog it when completed. Below is a before and after of the bedroom.

Before:

After:

Riley and Ivy kept an eye on me during the painting:

Fighting game fans

2009-07-25T08:12:00.000-07:00

Here is a funny fan-made video on a new fighting came coming out, BlazBlue. Parental warning due to language in the subtitles.

Kim, at least Steve doesn't get this worked up, right?

Oh, the elation!

2009-07-20T08:59:00.000-07:00

Wow...finally.

Probably as I'm writing this posting, Kim and Steve are down at Justice of the Peace getting married and signing the necessary Army papers.

I can't begin to describe how happy I am for the both of them. I know that this isn't her ideal wedding, but it sure seems like she found the ideal man for her. None of the other guys Kim dated seemed to fit her as well as Steve does...he's marvelously intriguing (just ask him about one of his many scars), very funny, warm, a wealth of Southern knowledge (you eat what?) and just plain fun to be around. Kim couldn't have found anyone better. Heck, my kids absolutely adore him...without a goatee of course! Congrats to two!

For those that don't know, Kim and Steve needed to get married so soon because Steve got his new duty orders...to be stationed at Ft Huachuca, Arizona! Without being married, they would have been split up, leaving Kim back at Ft Campbell. They'll be here in AZ around August 10th. Yay! A 2 or 3 hour car ride is SO much better than a 6 hour plane trip! We can't wait to have Auntie Kim and Uncle Steve to much closer to home!

As you can see...Ft. Huachuca is about 15 miles north of the Arizona/Mexico border. Now there's an even better reason to go visit Tombstone and Bisbee!

Riley + Pudding = chocolate boy

2009-07-19T12:21:00.000-07:00

In a spurt of insanity, I decided to give the kiddos a pudding cup to each along with their lunch. At least I thought ahead and put an oversized cruddy shirt on Riley. Amazingly, most of it did end up in his tummy.

And of course we can't forget Ivy...

Look at the comprison between my nearly 5 yr old daughter and the 1 yr old dog...and she's the smaller of the two canines!

Clever little thing...I kept trying to slyly yank of the bandaid (already falling off) from her latest round of shots, so to stop my sneaky efforts, she wrapped her blanket around her arm so I couldn't get to it.

The workbench, continued

2009-07-18T22:34:00.000-07:00

The workbench is finally upright and usable :) The top still needs to be planned smooth and a block of wood drilled to finish the front vise, but so far it's coming along well.

The next projects after this have been lined up: an extra set of shelves for the pantry and then a full size arcade machine.

Is this really a shock?

2009-07-17T11:59:00.000-07:00

Another steal from Kristy. Seriously, is anyone shocked by the outcome on this?

"I have 15 boy traits and 8 girl traits"

YOUR BOY SIDE

[] you love hoodies
[x] you love jeans
[] dogs are better then cats
[X] its hilarious when people get hurt
[X] you've played with/against boys on a team
[x] shopping is torture
[] sad movies suck
[X] you own an XBOX
[X] you own a Wii
[X] you played with Hot Wheels as a little kid
[] at some point in life you wanted to be a firefighter
[X] You own/owned a DS, PS2 or Sega
[] you used to be obsessed with Power Rangers early morning cartoons
[] you watch sports on tv
[x] you go to your dad for advice
[] you own like a trillion baseball hats
[] you used to collect football collector cards
[x] you love baggy sweatpants
[] its kind of weird to have sleepovers with a bunch of people
[x] black, red, blue, or silver are one of your favorite colors
[] you love to go crazy and not care what other people think
[X] sports are fun
[x] you talk with food in your mouth
[X] you sleep at night with your socks
[x] you have fished at least once

TOTAL= 15/25

UR GIRL SIDE

[]you love to shop
[X] you wear eyeliner sometimes
[] you wear the color pink
[x] you go to your mom for advice
[] you consider cheerleading a sport
[] you hate wearing the color black
[X] you like going to the mall
[] you like getting manicures and/or pedicures
[] you like wearing jewelry
[x]you cried watching The Notebook
[] Skirts are a big part of your wardrobe
[] shopping is one of your favorite hobbies
[] you don't like the movie Star Wars
[] you are/were in gymnastics
[] it takes you around Half an hour to shower
[X] you smile a lot more than you should
[] you have more than 10 pairs of shoes
[X] you care about what you look like
[] you like wearing dresses
[X] you like wearing body spray
[] you like high heel shoes
[x]you used to play with dolls as a kid
[] you like putting makeup on others
[] you like being the star of almost everything
[] you love shoe shopping
[] pink is one of your favorite colors
TOTAL= 8/27

Post this as 'i have ? boy traits and ? girl traits'

Personality test

2009-07-08T17:03:00.000-07:00

Your 'fruity' personality

In the middle of the table is a round food tray with five kinds of fruits on it.

They are:

A. Apple
B. Banana
C. Strawberry
D. Peach
E. Orange

Which fruit will you choose?
Please think VERY carefully and don't rush into it. This is great, I was astounded!

Your choice reveals a lot about you!

Test results: Please SCROLL DOWN:

If you have chosen:

A. Apple: That means you are a person who loves to eat apples
B. Banana: That means you are a person who loves to eat bananas
C. Strawberry: That means you are a person who loves to eat strawberries
D. Peach: That means you are a person who loves to eat peaches
E. Orange : That means you are a person who loves to eat oranges

Congrats! I just wasted 15 seconds of your life! heh heh...

My Birthday Gift Art

2009-07-01T09:08:00.000-07:00

Ok, as promised, I finally got around to scanning in the artwork that Bridget did for my birthday. Such talent...I'm so glad she indulges me with my favorite characters, mostly Vegeta from Dragonball!

Chibi = little, or baby

Favorite poses of Vegeta...

Pencil draft of Goku

The inked version
Oneesan = big/older sister

Vegeta looks like a teenager! So kawaii! (Cute)

Ivy saw me scanning them and wanted a copy to color...quite the little artist herself! Plus, she wrote her own name when I showed her the letters!

And of course Riley needed one too! He let Ivy color the tail and hair, then did the rest.

There's one more comic style drawing, but it isn't quite finished yet...I'll post it when Bridget's done. It perfectly describes me to a 'T'!

Who's is it this time?

2009-06-15T10:36:00.000-07:00

Hmmm...birthday cake picture...must be someone's birthday around here...

Hehe, yay it's me! Oh man, if I admit it's my birthday, I'll have to acknowledge that I'm (gulp) 29. Woaw. It's kinda funny that out of my friends, I'm among the oldest, yet at work, I'm such a spring chicken I haven't even hatched yet! (Almost all my co-workers are 55+) There's a shift for ya!

John 'tried' to surprise me with a party yesterday, but as I had to work both nights, he needed to confess why I had to get up early. But it was fun, never the less! We had yummy chicken and pizza, and an even yummier cake that Karen made...oh that icing! Bridget bestowed upon me a bunch of drawings of my fav characters from Dragon Ball which is always a treat! (I'll scan and post later...)

So today is pretty quiet...a normal 30+ hour day. I merely stay awake by sheer willpower...and alot of coffee (bletch! Icky!) But still lots to do! Going camping Wednesday so laundry room here I come!

Happy Birthday Bridget!

2009-06-04T07:23:00.000-07:00

And what's a better cake design for a fellow Japan-otaku than a Kimono cake! I wish I could order this cake, but the company's back in NY. Phooey!

Anyhoo, Ureshii tanjoubi tame watashi no ritoru shisuta! (Happy Birthday to my little sister! And no, I didn't know all those words...I had to look some of them up, but I knew Ureshii, tame and watashi no!)

I can't believe Bridget is 17 years old today! That only means one thing...I'm getting old! If she's 17 and I'm 12 years older than her, that makes me...wait, nevermind. I don't wanna think about it for another 11 days...

Happy Birthday lil sis!

This is why...

2009-06-02T16:04:00.000-07:00

PHILOSOPHY OF HOUSECLEANING

I don't do windows because ...

I love birds and don't want one to run into a clean window and get hurt.

I don't wax floors because ...

I am terrified a guest will slip and get hurt then I'll feel terrible

( plus they may sue me.)

I don't mind the dust bunnies because ...

They are very good company, I have named most of them, and they agree with everything I say.

I don't disturb cobwebs because...

I want every creature to have a home of their own.

I don't Spring Clean because...

I love all the seasons and don't want the others to get jealous

I don't pull weeds in the garden because..

I don't want to get in God's way, HE is an excellent designer!

I don't put things away because...

My husband will never be able to find them again.

I don't do gourmet meals when I entertain because...

I don't want my guests to stress out over what to make when they invite me over for dinner.

I don't iron because ...

I choose to believe them when they say "Permanent Press".

See, I have perfectly good reason for it all.

The Workbench Progresses

2009-05-30T23:52:00.000-07:00

Well, the new workbench is slowly coming along. The butcher block top is about half-way done and the main frame just got assembled tonight. Tomorrow, a pair of shelves will be added to the bottom of the frame. Within another two weeks, the top should be finished & bolted into place and the vise can then be mounted to the front of the table.

Happy Memorial Day

2009-05-25T07:19:00.000-07:00

Before you head out to a family barbeque or light the fire on your own grill, please take a moment to remember what this holiday is about. Too often, I believe we as a country take our armed forces for granted, mostly remembering to thank them a few days a year, if that. But every man or woman that served in any branch of the military needs to be reminded how thankful we are. I don't think Memorial Day should be limited to the fallen, rather to thank the existing military while we can. So, please, if you have retired, active duty or reserve military memebers in your family or circle of friends, thanks them for me. I hate to think of where our country would be without our brave defenders.

Remember all gave some,
but some gave all.

So lets see if I get the whole list...
My Father (Coast Guard)
My Sister (Army)
My Future Brother-in-law (Army)
My Uncle Ken (Coast Guard)
My Step-Mother (Air Force)
My Uncle Therald (Navy)
My Uncle Fred (National Guard)
My Grandfather "Pa" (Army)
My Grandfather Chuck (Army)
My Great-Uncle Eddie (Army)
My Cousin Joey (Navy-Marines)
My Husband's Uncle Robert (Navy)
My Step-brother Charles (Marines 12-09)

Thank You for all your determination and sacrifice, all in the name of serving your Country.

Bridget the Fantastic

2009-05-22T14:50:00.000-07:00

It's funny what kind of talents emerge in the different people that belong to your family. My mother is the world's best cook/baker, not to mention the best at crafty stuff. My father has a fair bit of good art talent as well as excellent writing talents to him, and Kim is such an awesome medic it blows my mind with her confidence in procedures to patch us up. John is a computer deity in every sense of the word, and I've been told that I'm a very good author for my DBZ Fan-fictions.

Then there's Bridget.

I think she knocks us all back for a loop with her original artwork. She is so fan-frickin-tastic that real words don't even portray her true awesome-ness. Let me show ya!

This was a self-portrait she had to do as an assignment in art class. Sou Kawaii oyobi kanbashii! (So cute and sweet!) It think it looks like a younger version, even if she thinks it doesn't look like her.

This is her original character Naiyru Mikage. Yes, she has cat-like ears and a tail for she is a (nice) cat-demon-who has a very elaborate story behind her. Bridget's working on a whole manga (Japanese style comic book) for this character. I've seen a few pages in progress and can't wait to see more.

I think the best part is that she indulges her Oneesan (Big Sister) with my obsession with Dragonball. This sketch is of Vegeta's eyes as Super-Saiyan (FYI hair and eyes change from black to blond and green in a powered-up mode.) I got to see the real drawing and the scan just doesn't do it justice. I don't know it you can see it but the shading on the pupils was spectacular. She swears it wasn't a trace, (I believe her!) and was drawn from memory of watching the show with John and I.

I love her artwork so much, I've commissioned her to draw a couple of scenes out of my stories. I can't wait to see what she comes up with!

To see more of her work, visit her Deviant Art page at:
http://naiyru.deviantart.com/

The next project starts

2009-05-16T17:10:00.000-07:00

My new project for the next month will be a workbench for the garage. I decided to try making the top out of 2x4s, butcher block style. When all is done it will be 6' by 2', 3' high. This pic is the first two boards glued and left to set. Another 14 will be added over the next few weeks. I'll post more pics as it comes together.

Assassination of Rodrigo Rosenberg

2009-05-15T18:45:00.000-07:00

This video was leading to riots in the street in Guatemala. It was handed out by the family of Rodrigo Rosenberg at his funeral. I thought I would do my part to spread it around a bit more. Additional translations can be found in the comment threads on YouTube.

Hehe...

2009-05-13T14:31:00.000-07:00

You are Lois Griffin! Though generally kind and motherly, you have a tough side too. You have many talents, including piano skills, wrestling skills, putting-up-with-Peter skills, and a strange affinity to attract 80's rock band members. You come from a wealthy family but gave it all up for true love like the tough woman you are. Watch out world, don't mess with Lois (or she'll show you who's really boss)!

Yeah, as you can probably guess...nothing new going on around here. Ho-hum. Thought I'd at least take a quiz and post something...

And now one just for Steve...

2009-04-29T13:33:00.000-07:00

Yes, Steve's (Kim's bf) from Georgia, but I'm pretty sure he knew the difference...Love you Steve!

Just for John...

2009-04-28T10:48:00.000-07:00

Funny Stuff & MySpace Layouts

So how about it John...can you figure it out?

Help the Planet...and your waist!

2009-04-22T07:22:00.000-07:00

Grab a Funny Picture from pYzam.com

As if we needed another reason to lose weight...I swear, I'm trying!!

Thinner is better to curb global warming, study says
By Elizabeth Landau-CNN

(CNN) -- Here's yet another reason to stay in shape: Thinner people contribute less to global warming, according to a new study.

Researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine published a study showing that, because of food production and transportation factors, a population of heavier people contributes more harmful gases to the planet than a population of thin people.

Given that it takes more energy to move heavier people, transportation of heavier people requires more fuel, which creates more greenhouse gas emissions, the authors write.

"The main message is staying thin. It's good for you, and it's good for the planet," said Phil Edwards, senior lecturer at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

The study offers this novel approach to the global warming problem as U.S. lawmakers discuss the future of climate change legislation. This week, the the House Energy and Commerce Committee is scheduled to begin on a comprehensive energy and climate bill. On Friday, the Environmental Protection Agency announced that six greenhouse gases pose potential health hazards, an announcement that could prompt the regulation of the gases.

More than 1 billion adults worldwide are overweight, and about 300 million are obese, the study said. Generally, the body mass index, a measure of obesity, is increasing in most countries worldwide, from China to European countries to the United States.

BMI is going up because of the availability of food and motorized transportation, Edwards said. People are less active now than they were 30 years ago, and the prevalence of fast food has given people less healthy, more energy-dense options.

"In terms of environmental impact, the lean population has a much smaller carbon footprint," Edwards said.

The population with 40 percent obese people requires 19 percent more food energy for its total energy expenditure than the population with 3.5 percent obese people, the study showed.

This 19 percent increase in food consumption translates into an increase of 270 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, the study said.

"The findings make sense and highlight an important global co-benefit of losing weight, along with the significant personal health benefits," said Patrick Kinney, associate professor at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, who was not involved in the study.

In terms of obesity rate, the U.S. population is not far off from the overweight population model in this study. The country has 33.3 percent obese people, according to the Mayo Clinic.

No more DBZ Budokai Tenkaichi for me...

2009-04-20T16:31:00.000-07:00

When Will I Die » QuizRocket.com's fun quizzes!
~ American Idol Quiz ~ Backyard Makeover ~ The Dumb Test ~
Quizzes | Hollywood Quizzes & Movie Quizzes | Dumb MySpace Quizzes

February 23, 2017: Exhaustion due to non-stop gaming. You really got into playing a MMORPG and have been consumed by it. You hardly sleep and your diet consists of nothing more than energy drinks and chips. Your friends are all worried about you and try to get you to stop. You finally see that this has gotten way out of hand and promise to stop... just as soon as you finish this last game. You die of exhaustion and heart failure 30 minutes later.

Geez, that sucks...right before Riley's 10th birthday and 3 years before the 2020 Disneyland trip...and at 37 years old no less! Is it kinda scary that I don't know what a "MMORPG" is? Aahh! Don't tell me! Perhaps I can push this thing back a few years...

None of that Sissy Crap...

2009-04-17T20:52:00.000-07:00

True Friendship-None of that Sissy Crap

Are you tired of those sissy 'friendship' poems that always sound good, but never actually come close to reality? Well, here is a series of promises that actually speak of true friendship..

1. When you are sad - I will help you get drunk and plot revenge against the sorry bastard who made you sad.

2. When you are blue - I will try to dislodge whatever is choking you.

3. When you smile - I will know you are thinking of something that I would probably want to be involved in.

4. When you are scared - I will rag you about it every chance I get until you're NOT.

5. When you are worried - I will tell you horrible stories about how much worse it could be until you quit whining.

6. When you are confused - I will try to use only little words.

7. When you are sick - Stay the hell away from me until you are well again. I don't want whatever you have.

8. When you fall - I will laugh at your clumsiness, but I'll help you up.

9. This is my oath.... I pledge it to the end.. 'Why?' you may ask; because you are my friend and you know too much to let you out of my sight.

Friendship is like peeing in your pants, everyone can see it, but only you can feel the true warmth.

Crazy weekend at the "Zoo"

2009-04-15T09:55:00.000-07:00

Geez! This Easter weekend sure was crazy around here! First of, we had to take Penny into the Vet since she wouldn't eat and couldn't keep down any water...Parvo. This of course sounded like a death sentence for my 11 month Rotti since we lost an entire litter of puppies to Parvo when Kim and I were little. But, we caught it early before it could do any damage to her insides and she's back to being the same psycho-rambunctious dog she was before. We also took in Pepper, but she tested negative...phew!

Then, John and his Dad set about to fixing my truck. It died on my way home about 3 weeks ago (lol, had to tow it a whole half mile) and we've been racking our brains to figure out what was wrong. The fuel pump! I was a little nervous on letting John tackle replacing the fuel pump, (think code monkey-not grease monkey) but his dad and our friend Nate jumped in on the task. And she runs smooth and beautifully now! Not that there was a doubt, but when your husband wakes you saying they took OFF the truck bed, it tends to raise an eyebrow. Kinda scary now that I know the bed is only held on by 8 bolts...yeah, just 8.

Lost Generation

2009-04-14T07:52:00.000-07:00

Wow...that's just about all that needs to be said. I had to watch this three times, and teared up over the presented harsh reality then it's powerful redemption. And I totally agree.

Good for the Soul...ELMO!

2009-04-10T08:03:00.000-07:00

I would figure it's obvious that as a "part-time stay at home mom" I watch a lot of Sesame street with my kiddlets. Duh, right? But what is perhaps not so obvious, is that I really like watching most of their shows with them. Kim Possible, Little Einsteins, Mickey Mouse, Curious George are just some of the cuteness that daily fills my home. But I think that my favorite part is when actors, singers and such do a guest appearance on Sesame Street. Some of the best are the skits of Law and Order and Opera singers showing off their glorious talent. One of my favs is below, Andrea Bocelli singing Elmo to sleep...so sweet and I absolutly LOVE this song. The real version is called "Con te Partiro" if anyone is interested. Enjoy!

The other fav is Denyce Graves singing Habanero from Carmen with an "Operatic Zoo"

Chashu Pork!

2009-04-08T08:29:00.000-07:00

Recipe back story: We were watching a new Dragonball Movie when one of the characters (Goku) steals another character's (Vegeta) Sushi off his plate. In murderous retaliation, Vegeta then steals the last few slices of something called Chashu Pork from Goku, thus the brawl ensues. (Never take food from a Saiyan!) After laughing for a few minutes at the scene, it got me thinking...What's Chashu Pork? I hopped online and after a lot of searching, I found a recipe! I tweaked it a bit, but kept it as authentic as possible. SO yummy and fairly inexpensive! (Especially compared to take-out Chinese!) Now I know why Goku was so mad! (Although he deserved it!) Don't let the Sake scare you! All the alcohol cooks out during the long simmering. And it's relatively gluten free, KIM!

Chashu Pork

3-4 lb pork roast (any style of cut)
1 cup Shoyu (Soy Sauce)
1/2 cup of Sake
1/2 cup of Mirin or substitute (3 tbsp added to 1/2 cup of Sake, stir to dissolve)
1/2 cup chopped green onion
4-6 slices of fresh ginger
1/4 cup sliced menma (marinaded bamboo or can use canned bamboo shoots in water)

Drizzle abit of olive oil in a pot large enough for the size of pork. Brown the pork on all sides. Add in the Shoyu, Sake, Mirin, Onion, Ginger and Menma. Stir to combine ingredients and turn down heat to a simmer. Cover and let simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, turning over occationally. Remove and slice when cool enough to touch.

To thicken the leftover liquid to form a sauce: In a glass measuring cup, mix together 4 tbsp cornstarch into 1/2 cup water. Add to juice in pot, turn up the heat to boil and stir contantly. Let liquid boil until reduced to desired consistency (no longer than 5 minutes.) Serve spoon over warm pork slices and rice.

This is the picture from the orginal recipe that caught my attention! My picture didn't do the meal justice!

All that yumminess simmerin' away...
I used a 4 lb "picnic" roast, but cut it in half to allow more even cooking. If anyone tries my recipe, let me know what you think!

Happy Birthday Kimbe!

2009-04-06T09:54:00.000-07:00

Yay! My sister and best-friend is 27 today! Dang she's getting old...LOL I fully expect her to say the same (and she has...) to me in June. I only wish we could be there in KY to join in and celebrate! Hopefully my birthday package got there today, along with her very cute birthday card that Karen made for me. Hope she has a wonderfully peaceful and lazy day! Love you bunches Kim!

Riley's 2nd Birthday

2009-04-02T12:58:00.000-07:00

Well, I know it's abit late...and out of order with backpacking, but hey, it's up right? That counts for something!

My little man is 2 years old! Officially his birthday was on 2-27 but since Kim and Steve were coming out for backpacking, I decided to wait and have his party the next Friday (3/6). Of course we did the traditional birthday breakfast pancakes (pics below...)and took measurements. My how he's grown! He weighed 30.5 lbs and was 35 inches tall on his birthday.

Pin the candle on the cupcake!

We made Steve kneel down to play the game!

L->R Lilliana, Ivy, Lexie and Troy (Ivy was trying to pull Lilliana closer, not push her away)

Riley's birthday pancakes

2009-04-02T12:55:00.000-07:00

While we waited to have his party the following Friday when Kim and Steven were home, we just had to do our tradition of birthday pancakes and height/weight pictures. (Couldn't get that pic uploaded...stupid camera!) Even though I mixed chocolate chips into the batter Ivy STILL wouldn't eat them! Cheerios or yogurt is about all she'll eat for breakfast while Riley'll gobble down anything I put in front of him. At least she eats healthy stuff though!

Sideways Sunflowers

2009-03-30T10:56:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday we had a really wicked windstorm for most of the day. I honestly could feel my home shutter with some of those powerful gusts! Anyhoo, it turned out that my winter sunflowers weren't rigid enough to get blown over completely, yet weren't strong enough to totally with stand the force, so they were half-way blown over! See? I ain't making this up!

I don't know how well you can see it, but in this picture, a butterfly took up a resting spot with a snack.

Also, my orange tree survived the winter! Woohoo! Since it's just a sprig of a tree, it wasn't strong enough to hold a sheet to protect against frost. So I just wrapped a couple of strands of Christmas lights around a frame to support the lights hoping that the ambient heat would protect it and it worked! HeHe! I'm so smart...

Johns Randomness

2009-03-28T19:05:00.000-07:00

Well, Jennie has wanted me to hop on here for a while, so here I am. Below are my answers to the 44 question survey. Also, if anyone cares to play against me in a game of Go ( Bridget, have you been practicing? ) I can usually be found on the KGS Go Server. My screenname there is JMcGuire and can usually be found there nights and weekends. Ah well, thats enough of my geek stuff for now, as Jennie would say, so on to the answers:

1. Do you like blue cheese? Nope

2. Have you ever been drunk? Not yet

3. Do you own a gun? Nope.

4. What flavor of Kool Aid was your favorite? Cherry

5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? Occasionally

6. What do you think of hot dogs? I love Hebrew Nationals or Nathans

7. Favorite Christmas movie? A Christmas Carol or Muppet Christmas Carol

8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? Strong coffee

9. Can you do push ups? Yep

10. What's your favorite piece of jewelry? Wedding ring

11. Favorite hobby? Go

12. Do you have A.D.D.? no

13. What's your favorite shoe? Boots

14. Middle name? Thomas

15. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment? I hope the battery lasts on this laptop a few more minutes, what do i want to do tonight, did dinner get put away already

16. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink? Coffee, soda, milk

17. Current worry? What is wrong with the truck

18. Current hate right now? The dead truck out front

20. How did you bring in the New Year? Visiting at Bills

21. Where would you like to go? DefCon in Vegas one of these years

22. Name three people who will complete this? Bob Dole, or Chuck Norris. Randy Savage may also contribute...Oh Yeah!!

23. Do you own slippers? Do moccasins count?

24. What color shirt are you wearing right now? Blue

25. Do you like sleeping on Satin sheets? Havn't tried them yet

26. Can you whistle? Yes

27. Favorite color? Blue

28. Would you be a pirate? I already am :)

29. What songs do you sing in the shower? Whatever would be good that KUPD is playing. Disturbed, Ozzy, Metallica, Megadeth, etc.

30. Favorite Girl's Name? Ivy

31. Favorite boy's name? Riley

32. What's in your pocket right now? A thumb drive and directions to the Sonoran Aarts League office

33. Last thing that made you laugh? Ivy doing a kamehameha while watching dragonball

34. Best bed sheets as a child? Super Mario and Legend of Zelda

35. Worst injury you've ever had as a child? I tripped going down the stairs and cut open my chin on the pull tab of the zipper on my jacket. The scar is still a bald spot on the underside of my chin.

36. Do you love where you live? Winters are nice, but more of a colorful fall would be better.

37: What is your favorite mythical character? Norse mythology is always interesting

38. Who is your loudest friend? No one is really that loud

39. How many dogs do you have? Two

40. Does someone have a crush on you? I'm hoping my wife

41. What is your favorite book? Black House, The Wastelands, Red Cell

42. What is your favorite candy? Gummy Worms

43. Favorite Sports Team? Does Go count?

44. Song you want played at your funeral? Would Casey Jones be allowed :)

Randomness...

2009-03-27T11:13:00.000-07:00

Random questions..... ok! ok! Here you go Kim...

1. Do you like blue cheese? Sometimes, but gotta be in the mood

2. Have you ever been drunk? Got tipsy at a Halloween party once, but that's it. Not a fan.

3. Do you own a gun? Nope. I think it's on the "to buy" list for John.

4. What flavor of Kool Aid was your favorite? Was? Fruit punch and Black Cherry are still favs!

5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? Depends on the appt!

6. What do you think of hot dogs? Definate Guilty pleasure. I agree with my sis...DO NOT want to know truly what is in them. They are a staple food for Ivy and Riley.

7. Favorite Christmas movie? Muppet Christmas Carol! Yup! Its a Family Tradition every Christmas Eve

8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? Vitamin water-Energy or a Frappacino

9. Can you do push ups? Oh boy...I have no idea! doubt it though!

10. What's your favorite piece of jewelry? Seriously? My Engagement/wedding ring set. Mushy-gooey I know, but I really love how simple they are. The runner up would be this Mystic Fire Opal set that John got me Earring and a necklace.

11. Favorite hobby? Writting and Scrapbooking.

12. Do you have A.D.D.? not that I'm aware of... wait, where are my kids?

13. What's your favorite shoe? My hiking boots!

14. Middle name? Rebekah

15. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment? I am bit hungry, wet laundry needs to go in dryer and "Hey guys! Don't swing around like that! Be careful!"

16. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink? Vitaminwater, water, and my mocha-coffee (grudgingly)

17. Current worry? What the crud it wrong with the truck? My recycling is seriously backing up in my garage! AHHH!

18. Current hate right now? Pepper's in heat...and making a very DISGUSTING mess of my back patio...ugh

20. How did you bring in the New Year? Visiting at my dad's with Pizza then went to see Temple lights.

21. Where would you like to go? TN/KY to visit Kim and Steve, Alaska...the list goes on

22. Name three people who will complete this? Uhh...Kristy already did, so did Kim...perhaps Karen...or John? (Trying to get him to post on here)

23. Do you own slippers? Yes, but only use them if I'm standing in the kitchen for a long time.

24. What color shirt are you wearing right now? White grungy T from High School

25. Do you like sleeping on Satin sheets? Dunno, never have. I'd think I'd slide around too much and get cold.

26. Can you whistle? yuppers

27. Favorite color? Wine red with a metallic sheen...specific huh?

28. Would you be a pirate? I'd probably only end up as a tavern wench.

29. What songs do you sing in the shower? Does, "Get out Ivy! Go back downstairs with Riley!" count?

30. Favorite Girl's Name? Ivy! If I have another little one, she'll be Mollie Rozene

31. Favorite boy's name? Riley! Again the next one will be named Lerin Wyatt (I had Wyatt first Kim! And beside, it's a middle name.)

32. What's in your pocket right now? Chapstick

33. Last thing that made you laugh? Me and the kids dancing to the song off Chicken Little, "Shake your Tail Feathers", and Ivy shaking her butt. Riley just jumped up and down...LOL

34. Best bed sheets as a child? Don't really remember the sheets, but I loved the purple unicorn quilt my mom made me...currently residing on Ivy's bed.

35. Worst injury you've ever had as a child? I've had my share of injuries, but I think John's beatting me on the number of stitches we've had. Worst? Probably the slip'n'slide incident.

36. Do you love where you live? Yeah, just would like actual seasons though.

37: What is your favorite mythical character? Does Vegeta count? LOL...I really like all of Greek mythology.

38. Who is your loudest friend? Nobody's really louder than another...but all hilarious!

39. How many dogs do you have? Two and they both are monsterously EVIL.

40. Does someone have a crush on you?? I'm married...do I care?

41. What is your favorite book? Memoirs of a Geisha, and Wicked

42. What is your favorite candy? Mr Goodbar

43. Favorite Sports Team? Don't follow sports

44. Song you want played at your funeral? It's the end of the world as we know it by R.E.M... kidding haven't given it much thought...

Backpacking '09

2009-03-19T07:39:00.000-07:00

Whoo hoo! Finally getting the pics up of our annual (hoping to make it bi-annual) backpacking trek, and it was so great! We had quite a troop with us this year: Me, John, Ivy, Bridget, Kim, Steven, Mom, Dad, Pam and Charlie. Ivy was such a tuff little hiker! The only time we had to carry her was when it was getting dark the second day and needed to cover more ground...that and she was kinda getting scared of it being dark. Here's the map of how far we went...Starting at Canyon Lake and ending at First Water Trailhead.

And here we go...

Our view of Canyon Lake from the top

Ivy found Ivy!

My step-brother Charlie

Mom and Bridget

Mommy, Ivy and Daddy

Exploring a paint mine we came across

Ivy is to water like a moth is to a flame...

In honor of John's crazy sense of humor...

2009-03-17T15:09:00.000-07:00

Oh Boy, Oh Boy, Oh Boy!

2009-03-12T16:18:00.000-07:00

I am super excited. Scratch that...ecstatic! It is roughly 27 days until Dragonball: Evolution (Live action) comes out in theaters. I know it seems odd for me to be hyperventilating over a Japanese Anime turned to a movie, But I so love Dragonball Z! Like I mentioned in an earlier posting, John introduced me to DBZ when we were dating and was instantly hooked for life. I prefer to watch it in it's original Japanese dialogue since when they (Funimation) translated it into english, they dumbed it down and made it for kids. That is also partly the reason why I fell out of it just before Ivy was born...I got so tired of waiting for more episodes to be released!! Also, I incorrectly thought that since I was becoming a mother, I had to give up 'childish' things. So now I've jumped, or lets say canon-balled back into it and watching the whole series over again. Now for the movie...I'm holding out high hopes that the film makers do a good job on this. I'm comforted by how well the Spiderman and Xmen movies turned out...but scared by how the first Hulk movie sucked. But so far it looks like they've done their homework. I've read that Justin Chatwin (Goku) read the entire manga (comic book) to get a good grip on his Character. I just wish the makeup artist went a little bit bigger with Goku's hair----------> and just why isn't it black as it's supposed to be?? I understand some liberties will be taken (like changing Bulma's blue hair to brunet with blue streaks) but Goku's? There aught to be a law... Anyhoo...It's plain to see that I'm obsessed right? I wonder if there's a DBZ-A meeting near by...

Here's the trailer http://www.dragonballthemovie.com

Chocolate on chocolate action (cake and icing that is)

2009-02-25T09:41:00.000-08:00

If all of the eight desserts listed below were sitting in front of you, which would you choose (sorry, you can only pick one)! Trust me...this is very accurate. Pick your dessert, and then look to see what psychiatrists think about you. REMEMBER - No Cheating. Make your choice before you check the meaning.

Here are your choices:

1. Angel Food Cake
2. Brownies
3. Lemon Meringue Pie
4. Vanilla Cake With Chocolate Icing
5. Strawberry Short Cake
6. Chocolate Cake With Chocolate Icing
7. Ice Cream
8. Carrot Cake

No, you can't change your mind once you scroll down, so think carefully about what your choice will be.

OK - Now that you've made your choice, this is what the researchers say about you... SCROLL DOWN---No Cheating

1. ANGEL FOOD CAKE -- Sweet, loving, cuddly. You love all warm and fuzzy items. A little nutty at times. Sometimes you need an ice cream cone at the end of the day. Others perceive you as being childlike and immature at times.

2. BROWNIES -- You are adventurous, love new ideas, and are a champion of underdogs and a slayer of dragons. When tempers flare up you whip out your saber. You are always the oddball with a unique sense of humor and direction. You tend to be very loyal.

3. LEMON MERINGUE -- Smooth, sexy, & articulate with your hands, you are an excellent caregiver and a good teacher. But don't try to walk and chew gum at the same time. A bit of a diva at times, you set your own style because you do your own thing. You shine when it comes to helping others and have many friends.

4. VANILLA CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE ICING -- Fun-loving, sassy, humorous, not very grounded in life; very indecisive and lacking motivation. Everyone enjoys being around you, but you are a practical joker. Others should be cautious in making yo u mad. However, you are a friend for life.

5. STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE -- Romantic, warm, loving. You care about other people, can be counted on in a pinch and expect the same in return. Intuitively keen. You can be very emotional at times but a true person in every way. You like to do things for yourself and help others learn about themselves.

6. CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE ICING -- Sexy; always ready to give and receive. Very creative, adventurous, ambitious, and passionate. You can appear to have a cold exterior but are warm on the inside. Not afraid to take chances. Will not settle for anything average in life. Love to laugh.

7. ICE CREAM -- You like sports, whether it be baseball, football, basketball, or soccer. If you could, you would like to participate, but you enjoy watching sports. You don't like to give up the remote control. You tend to be self-centered and high maintenance.

8. CARROT CAKE -- You are a very fun loving person, who likes to laugh. You are fun to be with. People like to hang out with you. You are a very warm hearted person and a little quirky at times. You have many loyal friends. You were meant to lead and teach others. A wonderful role model.

Now you're all tagged! Have fun!

Why did the Chicken Cross our Road?

2009-02-23T09:58:00.000-08:00

To get to the junior high school of course!

I really love living way out on the edge of Queen Creek it's so quiet, pretty and pollution free. And every now and then I'm reminded of just how far out we live. Like when all traffic on Ironwood (one of 3 main roads into QC) is halted due to cows in the road. On occasion, I've seen the literal tumbleweed blowin' across a street. And the desert-scenic drive out to our home reminded Kim's boyfriend Steven of his many tours of duty in Iraq-same scrubby bushes but the mountains were too plentiful. Here's one to add to the isolated desert reminders...Coming home from work this morning, traffic once again was slow at the stop sign in front of the Jr. high school as a rooster was out taking a stroll. In the middle of the intersection. I couldn't help but laugh what's next? An old west stage coach driving down the street? By the time I passed the wayward rooster, he had made it safely to the other side of the street and was headed toward the hay(?) field. I get it, don't you? The grass was greener on the other side...

8 item tag!

2009-02-21T08:42:00.000-08:00

Here are the Rules
Post the rules on your blog. Answer the six 8 item questions.

(Mine aren't in favorite order)

8 favorite TV shows

1 Law & Order SVU
2 In Plain Sight
3 Kim Possible
4 Robot Chicken
5 Gardening by the yard
6 Dragonball Z (orginally on TV but not sure if they are anymore...but it counts!)
7 30 Days
8 Reno 911

8 things I did yesterday

1 Took care of my kiddlets
2 Surfed blogs and other web stuff
3 Finally put Valentine's Decorations away.
4 Balanced checking account
5 Tickled and rough-housed with same kiddlets
6 A load of dishes
7 Talked on the phone to Mom and Kim
8 Worked on a story of mine

8 things I am looking forward to

1 Losing weight
2 Kim and Steven coming home for a visit...many times I hope
3 Backpacking!
4 Working Credit cards down
5 Camping in June
6 Ivy starting pre-kindergarten in the fall
7 A nice green backyard
8 A possible road trip to KY to visit Kim and Steven

8 favorite restaurants

1 Taco Bell
2 Subway
3 Red Lobster
4 Cafe Istambul
5 Panda Express
6 NYPD pizza
7 House of Egg Roll
8 Cold Stone Creamery

8 things on my wish list

1 happy healthy kids
2 To paint the walls in our house
3 A clean and organized garage
4 A weekend getaway with John
5 More energy
6 To see family more often
7 Peaceful and calm dogs
8 To finish my stories

Ok...it's y'all's turn! Get crackin'!

The things they pick up on

2009-02-20T11:23:00.001-08:00

This was inspired by an episode of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse...specifically the Mickey's comet episode. This one dealt with looking at things in a different point of view...from above, under something...and upside down. So Ivy got the idea to start looking at everything upside down and flipped up to a headstand on the couch. Then Riley had to get in on it too, but couldn't get his legs up the whole way. Ivy got too carried away and forgot to face the couch to flip up her legs, and faced away from the couch. Needless to say, she ended up on the floor. I couldn't help by laugh, which made her laugh too, instead of cry or whimper. All that from a MMC episode.

In trouble with John's cooking

2009-02-16T09:29:00.000-08:00

Some of you may have noticed that my weight-loss ticker hasn't budged in the last week. I firmly blame John. Now, before you start ridiculing me for blaming someone else for my lack of weight loss...let me elucidate.

John loves to cook. I love letting him. The downside of this delicious affair with his cooking is that A) He's really good at it and B) Everything he cooks is so not diet friendly. Plus, he's been on a BBQ sauce kick lately, so now I'm in even more trouble. BBQ Chicken...BBQ Burgers with sauteed mushrooms & onions...BBQ Ribs...you see my dilemma? In his defense, he tries to make it all diet-friendlier by oven baking it all on a wire rack so the fat can drip off. But there's really no good way to tweak the Fettuccine Alfredo made from Whipping cream, Parmesan cheese, garlic and butter. Nothing redeemable about that plate full of heaven. At the very least, I behave myself during the rest of the day so the evening's sinfulness hasn't caused me to gain any weight back...Phew!

I know...poor me right?

My 25 things about me...

2009-02-12T15:40:00.000-08:00

Yeah, I know everyone did this tag awhile ago, but it took that long to think of interesting things about me to post. And here we go...

1. Black socks seem more warm and cozy than white socks.

2. My favorite sodas are Dr. Pepper, Big Red, and Cherry Pepsi, but above all...I love water best.

3. I still love Dragonball Z (a Japanese anime) since John got me hooked on it while we were dating. Vegeta is the BEST character in the whole series, then Goku comes in a close 2nd. Just love them Saiyans...

4. Red Vines are way better than Twizzlers.

5. My favorite place in the world is Disneyland and a close 2nd is Blue Ridge Reservoir (camping spot).

6. I wanted to be a 3rd grade teacher, but realized that I couldn't handle the unsupportive parents, so quit going to school for it...for now.

7. I like to write stories, but since I can't think of an original plot, I just stick to writing fanfictions...Mostly Dragonball Z and POTC.

8. I hate coffee, but need it to function-working nights and staying up 24+ hours twice a week kinda mandates it. So I add hot chocolate to coffee for an extreme mocha.

9. I love living in Arizona, but feel like I'm missing out on seasons that the rest of the country has.

10. I love weird food combos-tuna macaroni salad scooped up by nacho cheese doritos is the best one so far.

11. I am a Disney Nut. Obvious by #5. All things Disney...I love it.

12. The sound of dogs licking themselves (anywhere) drives me insane. Especially so at 3am in a otherwise sound-void darkened bedroom.

13. My favorite holiday is Halloween...duh. If you didn't know that about me by now, who are you and how did you stumble across my blog?

14. I tend to like the Villians over the good guys...Hence Vegeta over Goku if your're familiar. Don't really know why...I guess evil has more sex appeal than goodness?

15. I actually like my job. Scary huh? Hopefully one day I can get off of nights and onto days as a Dept. Manager of infants. Or Lingerie. Or Cosmetics, girls / boys wear, or HBA (soap/shampoo). Some day...

16. I'll watch kids shows...but SpongeBob, Wiggles, Boo-Bah or strictly banned from me home. I need to keep some of my sanity.

17. I am truly in awe over how far my sister Kim has gotten in her life by the age of 26. In the Army and practicing medicine definitely makes me so proud of her I actually tear up.

18. While I drive to/from work...I 'm learning Japanese. I'd like to get to a level where I can watch DBZ without subtitles.

19. My guilty pleasure music is ABBA and Ace of Bass. hehe

20. I am addicted to chapstick. If I don't have a tube in my pocket, it's gonna be a bad day.

21. I truly believe I am blessed to have such a amazingly smart, goofy, understanding, loving, talented, forgiving, patient, delightfully evil, warm husband...and that's not even the half of the ways he's special. I really don't know what I'd do without him.

22. I usually would rather what a movie versus TV.

23. My pantry is "inventory ready" as the Walmart backroom system dictates. After working there for 7 years, some things rub off and just stick with you. (John finds this to be one of my cutest quirks...)

24. I'd like to go to culinary school some day...just for fun.

25. I have several OCD quirks-like not being able to put lotion on my hands without washing them immediately before. Balance. I HAVE to have level balance in all things-from the number of candles to holiday decorations. Can get pretty irriating at times.

Well, there we go...finally did it! If anyone hasn't done this one yet...you are tagged!

Scattergories!

2009-02-11T11:53:00.000-08:00

Rules: It's harder than it looks! Copy to your own note, erase my answers, and enter yours. Use the first letter of your name to answer each of the following questions. They have to be real. . .nothing made up! If the person before you had the same first initial, you must use different answers. You must put the first answer that comes to mind! You cannot use any word twice and you can't use your name for the boy/girl name question.

Glitter Graphics Maker & MySpace Layouts

1. What is your name: Jennie

2. A four Letter Word: Jazz

3. A boy's Name: Jace

4. A girl's Name: Jamie

5. An occupation: Janitor

6. A color: Jade Green

7. Something you wear: Jumper

8. A food: Jelly

9. Something found in the bathroom: Jammies (post wearing)

10. A place: Jamestown

11. A reason for being late: Jumpy Children

12. Something you shout: Jiminy Cricket!

13. A movie title: Jack-Ass the movie

14. Something you drink: Juice

15. A musical group: Jabbawockeez (I had to look this one up...)

16. An animal: Jackal

Phew! That was hard! Alright...now I pass this fun along to you!

Thinking of you...

2009-02-05T14:54:00.000-08:00

Here's something for John and Steve...the zombie-killing experts

and of course I'm thinking of you too Kim...

Don't blame me, I didn't find either of these (although they are funny). That would be John...while he's supposed to be working, might I add.

Playin' at the park

2009-02-02T06:57:00.000-08:00

For Christmas, Grandma Cori got the kids a wagon. But this is no ordinary wagon! It has fold-down seat backs, 4 cup holders and best of all...seatbelts! We figured that it was time for a "roadtrip" and to test out the new sand toys. I swear that other neighborhood kids can smell the combination of sand and plastic buckets and beg their parent to go to the park! No one was there when we got there, then 5 showed up, then 2, then 3 more! (None with their own sand toys, might I add...) Ivy was so good about sharing her toys that she shared them all away, then looked a bit sad when she realized that she didn't have one to dig with! Poor sweetie! Perhaps I need to buy another set just to have extra?

Hair cuts!

2009-02-01T08:00:00.000-08:00

Well, I finally did it. I got my hair cut! I had planned on doing it back around Halloween, but kept chickening out. Now it just was too long and couldn't do a darn thing with it but keep it in a bun ALL THE TIME. And thanks to my Mother-in-law Linda, it looks so cute! It sure is nice having someone in my family that gives John and I great haircuts for free! I kinda like that my hair is naturally wavy and don't have to put anything it in to be wavy. Whatcha think?

The before...

...And after!

And after again!

Hell of a splinter

2009-02-01T06:52:00.000-08:00

I just had to share my adventures at Walmart...

So I was at work the other night pulling down pallets of overstock with a power lift jack. The pallet I had to get down was in a tight spot, wedged in between other pallets. I am very good (if I do say so myself) at the lift so this was no problem. Well, until I almost cleared the bin and heard a crack. A piece of pallet had caught a box on the neighboring pallet and impaled it. I had no choice but to keep going and break it off. Since the same pallet had to go back up in the same spot, I had to hunt for a tall enough ladder, climb up and then pull the wood piece out, resulting a in splinter in my hand! That's when you start twitching in irritation...thankfully no one was around to hear the cursing that insued.

Go Fish...

2009-01-28T16:11:00.000-08:00

Well, our home is back to a more Zoo-like state. I (finally) remembered to stop by the fish tanks in a walmart and pick up new fish. I picked a Shubukin, which is like a Calico Gold Fish and 4 little Rosy Reds. Still got the algae eater, so I hope he wanted company. I really wanted another frog, but the fish clerk said Walmart stopped carrying them for now and might get them back next month since so many people have been asking for them. Also, just next door to that specific walmart is a PetSmart, so I have options. Either that or I could try a Fiddler Crab, those are always cool.

Ivy posing with her new "bishies" as she calls them

In there new home-free from predators. (Rosy Reds are feeder fish)

Peanut Butter Recall

2009-01-22T09:21:00.000-08:00

For those of you that haven't heard, Kellogg's and Walmart have issued a huge recall on cookies with peanut butter in them AND my kids favorite crackers, Austin Peanut Butter Crackers. That means I have to throw out two packages (12 ct each) of crackers. What a waste! I'll have to wait til they're sleeping so they don't flip out seeing mommy tossing their snacks! If you want more info on it, here's the FDA articles on it:

http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/kellogg201_09.html

http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/ralcorp301_09.html

I thought everyone I care about should see this!

Penny and Pepper at 8 months old

2009-01-16T19:14:00.000-08:00

Well, it's hard to believe it, the girls have made it to 8 months old. And they are getting HUGE. Pepper is getting the size of their daddy the Rotti but Penny might be staying more on the sleeker side. And yes, as from the pictures below, you can see that they are constantly sleeping beside each other. Usually one has her head resting on the other's butt/hip. They even sleep in the same dog "crate", so far it's not too crowded for them, just comfy.

Pepper

Penny

I had John be in the picture to give the girls a size prespective

The girls chewin' on their toys, and not the kid's toys (YAY!)

Once upon a time (July to be exact) the girls were sweet and innocent

Jennie Hopes

2009-01-14T16:43:00.000-08:00

I'll take that Tag! This one's from Kristy.

The way you do this is to go to google and type in parathesis (Your name) hopes and look at what comes up and post it. These of course are not what I have said, but what google shows using my name that others have.

Jennie hopes...
...to bring in some of the town’s many performers for a walk and talk.

...to learn a lot by broadening her horizons.

...to give others a taste for cooking.

...your holidays are going good.

...to help mold the next generation of softball players.

...that she will live happily ever after in the mistaken belief that this is what normal people do.

...that you enjoy her new website & come back often to keep track of her results.

...to learn more about jousting and everything that goes along with it over the next year in anticipation of the next season.

...to dance with you sometime soon!

...to encourage awareness of the benefits of moderation and incorporating locally grown meals into our daily practices.

...you have been ok with the weather over there.

Heehee, that was funny! Ok Y'all...the tag has been placed in your hands.

Why chicken, why?

2009-01-13T07:35:00.000-08:00

Why did the chicken cross the road? (Yet another funny email, this time from my mom.)

BARACK OBAMA:
The chicken crossed the road because it was time for a CHANGE! The chicken wanted CHANGE!

JOHN MC CAIN:
My friends, that chicken crossed the road because he recognized the need to engage in cooperation and dialogue with all the chickens on the other side of the road.

HILLARY CLINTON:
When I was First Lady, I personally helped that little chicken to cross the road. This experienc e makes me uniquely qualified to ensure -- right from Day One! -- that every chicken in this country gets the chance it deserves to cross the road. But then, this really isn't about me.......

DR. PHIL:
The problem we have here is that this chicken won't realize that he must
first deal with the problem on 'THIS' side of the road before it goes
after the problem on the 'OTHER SIDE' of the road. What we need to do is
help him realize how stupid he's acting by not taking on his 'CURRENT'
problems before adding 'NEW' problems.

OPRAH:
Well, I understand that the chicken is having problems, which is why he
wants to cross this road so bad. So instead of having the chicken learn
from his mistakes and take falls, which is a part of life, I'm going to
give this chicken a car so that he can just drive across the road and
not live his life like the rest of the chickens.

GEORGE W. BUSH:
We don't really care why the chicken crossed the road. We just want to
know if the chicken is on our side of the road, or not. The chicken is
either against us, or for us. There is no middle ground here.

COLIN POWELL:
Now to the left of the screen, you can clearly see the satellite image
of the chicken crossing the road...

ANDERSON COOPER - CNN:
We have reason to believe there is a chicken, but we have not yet been
allowed to have access to the other side of the road.

JOHN KERRY:
Although I voted to let the chicken cross the road, I am now against it!
It was the wrong road to cross, and I was misled about the chicken's
intentions. I am not for it now, and will remain against it.

NANCY GRACE:
That chicken crossed the road becaus e he's GUILTY! You can see it in his
eyes and the way he walks.

PAT BUCHANAN:
To steal the job of a decent, hardworking American.

MARTHA STEWART:
No one called me to warn me which way that chicken was going. I had a
standing order at the Farmer's Market to sell my eggs when the price
dropped to a certain level. No little bird gave me any insider
information.

DR SEUSS:
Did the chicken cross the road? Did he cross it with a toad? Yes, the
chicken crossed the road, but why it crossed I've not been told.

ERNEST HEMINGWAY:
To die in the rain. Alone.

JERRY FALWELL:
Because the chicken was gay! Can't you people see the plain truth?'
That's why they call it the 'other side.' Yes, my friends, that chicken
is gay. And if you eat that chicken, you will become gay too. I say we
boycott all chickens until we sort out this abomination that the liberal
media white washes with seemingly harmless phrases like 'the other side.
That chicken should not be crossing the road. It's as plain and as
simple as that.

GRANDPA:
In my day we didn't ask why the chicken crossed the road. Somebody told
us the chicken crossed the road, and that was good enough.

BARBARA WALTERS:
Isn't that interesting? In a few moments, we will be listening to the
chicken tell, for the first time, the heart warming story of how it
experienced a serious case of molting, and went on to accomplish its
life long dream of crossing the road.

ARISTOTLE:
It is the nature of chickens to cross the road.

JOHN LENNON:
Imagine all the chickens in the world crossing roads together, in peace.

BILL GATES:
I have just released eChicken2008, which will not only cross roads, but
will lay eggs, file your important documents, and balance your check
book. Internet Explorer is an integral part of the Chicken. This new
platform is much more stable and will never cra...#@&&^(C% .........
reboot.

ALBERT EINSTEIN:
Did the chicken really cross the road, or did the road move beneath the
chicken?

BILL CLINTON:
I did not cross the road with THAT chicken. What is your definition of
chicken?

AL GORE:
I invented the chicken!

COLONEL SANDERS:
Did I miss one?

DICK CHENEY:
Where's my gun?

AL SHARPTON:
Why are all the chickens white? We need some black chickens.

Things I've done...with much more to come!

2009-01-12T07:12:00.000-08:00

Drat...I've been tag-ified...

Bold the items you have done...

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band- 8 years of flute, baby!
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a Praying Mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Been to the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa at the Louvre
20. Slept on a train -Disneyland train to be exact
21. Had a pillow fight- who hasn't?
22. Hitch hiked
23. Built a snow fort
24. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors-does seeing my dad's hospital count?
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight - Canyon Lake...remember Kim?
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business -starting...working on it!
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Tied a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a Bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81.Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible- but more important, do I remember it?
86 Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone's life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous-The singing group Peter, Paul and Mary...one of Dad's favs.
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Visited Italy

I think as a personal goal, I'd like to see if I can scratch off another number every year...could be interesting and worth a shot.

Ok, my turn! I tag Kim, Kristy, Christy and Dad.

My 9 Ways to Keep Busy in 09

2009-01-05T07:49:00.000-08:00

Help! I got tagged! I guess it's only fair since I tag others from time to time...so without fail, here's my obligatory 9 New Year's resolutions, not in any order.

1. Lose Weight. I know...this is just about on everyone's list to resolve, but I'll say it anyways. I really need to lose weight. 195 pounds is just too much and by saying how much I weight publicly, perhaps it will help drill it into my brain.

2. Get caught up on my scrapbooking. Aww geez. I felt really good about getting Disneyland '05 done in Sept '08, but I need to get crackin' on my Wedding book and caught up on the general book as well (I'm up to Ivy around 6 months old). At least I'm staying pretty much organized, thanks to John's Christmas present to me...a bookcase for my scrappin'.

3. Have more patience with my kids. (John included) Hopefully it will be easier since I've stopped taking my BC pills (no not trying to get pregnant...yet) which would turn me into a roaring you-know-what. Just gotta find something else that will work for me.

4. Get out and do something 'outdoorsy'. I love the outdoors. I love the Arizona Wilderness from Superstition mountains to Coconino Forests. So why am I not spending more time there? I really want to 'plant' a love of nature in my kids but how can I do that if we're never there? Well, I know why. It's very hard to plan things when everyone has such different schedules...Kim's in KY/TN and I work nights for example. But now is not the time for excuses, but for results. Still if I can resolve to do #4, it will help with #1...and visa versa.

5. NOT TO KILL THE DOGS. Seriously. Do they have to destroy everything?!? I know they are still puppies (almost 8 mos.) but I really am having a hard time not giving both or one away. I don't remember Katie and Toby being so destructive, except for chewing a hole through Mom's cabinet doors. I guess I could have lumped this one in with #3.

6.Stop being late all the time. Gets very irrating and embarrassing when we/I are late all the time. But it's not just me that has to fix this...need a lot of help from John on this...probably couldn't hurt to communicate the time we need to leave better.

7. Get rid of the plastic noose. I'm with Kim...not a fan of the plastic...credit cards that is. It's not hard to get over your head and I want to nip it in the bud before we get there. Once we pay them off I'm gonna keep them all open for emergencies or items I can pay off in ONE statements (to get rewards / Upromise money). I don't ever want to have this much debt surounding John's and my name again.

8. Grow (nearly) organic veggies and fruits so we can eat healthier. Pretty self-explanatory. I just ordered a ton of seeds online today so I can get started as soon they arrive. Also I gotta get my other garden "box" set up soon and ready to plant. (The picture is of my sugar snap peas with blossoms on it, as of yesterday. Can't wait for the peas!)

9. Go back to church. Wow huh? I think this is the year I'll finally be ready for it. I know in the past most of you heard that I'd never go back, but it's not just for me. I really want Ivy and Riley to grow up with the same morals and lessons that Kim and I had. I really really want to go to Girl's Camp with Ivy and "to-whatever-the-boys-do" with Riley. I'm just very fearful of how my ward will treat us since John isn't a member and really isn't interested. (Trust me, after my dad stopped going to church, I don't want Ivy, Riley or I to be treated like Mom, Kim and I were.) Here's hoping that Morningside Ward in Queen Creek is better than AJ 3rd ward.

Ok, to past it on...I tag anyone who had the patience and stamina to read through this entire lengthy post. Geez! I can be such a wind bag sometimes! LOL

That's a lot of people!

2009-01-04T08:37:00.000-08:00

A friend send me an email with statistics of how many other people had her name and decided to give it a shot...very interesting, I must say.

John
* There are 5,023,523 people in the U.S. with the first name John.
* Statistically the 2nd most popular first name.
* 99.63 percent of people with the first name John are male.

Jennifer
* There are 1,426,111 people in the U.S. with the first name Jennifer.
* Statistically the 21st most popular first name.
* More than 99.9 percent of people with the first name Jennifer are female.
* Names similar to Jennifer: Jen, Jenna, Jenni, Jennie, Jenny

Ivy
* There are 24,483 people in the U.S. with the first name Ivy.
* Statistically the 1178th most popular first name.
* More than 99.9 percent of people with the first name Ivy are female.

Riley
* There are 15,302 people in the U.S. with the first name Riley.
* Statistically the 1495th most popular first name.
* More than 99.9 percent of people with the first name Riley are male.
(See that Bridget? Riley is a BOY'S name...)

Ok, Tag! You're it! Muhahaaha! Didn't see that comin' did ya! Snuck that in all sneaky...like a fish! Anywhoo... if you want to get in on this here's the website:

http://www.howmanyofme.com/search/

I especially nominate Karen and my Dad...since they never update their blogs(in fact I helped my Dad on his most recent post on New Year's eve...), here is something to put on it. Love You Guys!