Sideways Sunflowers

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

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...

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

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...

Oh Boy, Oh Boy, Oh Boy!

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)

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?

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!

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

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.