Puppy

(This is Puppy)

Thank you, Puppy, for serving our family so faithfully these past six years. I love that you have been Declan's best friend and co conspirator for so many seasons. Thank you for enduring to the end for this boy...

(This is Declan)

...all the times you have been puked on, slobbered on, bit, thrown in anger, and lost and or forgotten! How many times have I traveled miles and miles to retrieve you? Thank you for being understanding and a constant companion through all of Declan's woes. Anyway, I promise to mend you and wash you and keep you forever as long as you make my son happy! Keep up the good work!!!

A little absent

I didn't realize that it has been so long since my last post. My excuse? Life exploded and has kept me ever so busy! An understatement. In February I began work a little bit more full time than I have in a lot of years. Our son is now a full day student and what else was I going to do with all my time? Stay home and clean, I think not. Why not get paid a few extra bucks, right. I do wish I had more time in the day but what are ya gonna do?

So....I think I will recap the last months of life. Albeit from my lousy memory but I'll do my best, here goes....

February was a sleepy haze. I was rudely awakened at a new time each day in order to get myself ready for work. Plus side to all this is the cute guy at the office that I call way too often with computer questions. Sometimes I even walk past his desk to get a whistle or a smack on the rear. Luckily he's my husband and the lawsuits are on the back burner (for now). He can harass me any time! And we get to "eat" lunch together every now and then.

March was a little smoother now that I am use to the new schedule. I turned "30" and celebrated our 10 yr anniversary! I had a very fun party with all the peeps I love the most. Minus a few key people that live out of state. I can see the plus side to planning your own shindig. A lesson well learned from Brian. I also received a fabulous belated gift from my sister (see April for details). A highly regarded tradition between the two of us. The later it comes the more we love you!

April I was able to fly to Salt Lake for my nephews baptism and took along my birthday gift. The book Twilight was not on my immediate list of must reads but with my sisters persistence I began the book reluctantly. Guess what...this highly observant girl has no recollection of who sat next to me on the plane to or from Salt Lake. My family heard a lot of "Just let me finish this page" and "In a sec". Needless to say, I stole the rest of the series from my sister and proceeded to let everyone else borrow so I wasn't the only absent wife for a week.
I also was called to be the Primary President in our ward and also proceeded to feel sick at the thought. Glad I gave in, I really love the kids of our ward and the people I serve with. I am also learning a great deal about myself and others. Heavenly Father sure is teaching me how to love those who do not belong to me!

May is voting time in the world of school politics and I am this years VP of PTA and I am so happy not to be the treasurer. The grays have slowed growth in my brown hair.
Chloe turned eight and had a fun birthday at Build a Bear. First party that was not concocted by me but she had fun and I suppose that is what really matters. I say it with sarcasm because it makes me sad to be upped by a franchise. Chloe was also baptized and some of the fam was able to come all the way to Arizona for it. So we had a big party after to celebrate her grand choice to be baptized. I was kind of worried about Brian's philosophy of letting her make the choice for herself but she made a very informed decision and I couldn't be prouder of the reasoning she made. Kids these days are so much stronger than we were.
School finished and a hectic summer began.

June...all I have to say is BEACH HOUSE! I think this was the best time I have had there. We couldn't get enough of the beach or the walks down the board walk. We met a few fun people and had more laughs together than ever. I'm telling you this year will be hard to beat. Brian's cousin Valerie was the new comer to our group and I am so glad she came. I just love her! All the girls took a fun walk to Balboa Island and I found a fun candy shop. I bought Shannon some candy cigarettes (cigs if you were there) and we smoked them in the alley. Just kidding, we did it right in front of the shop owners. Rebels! Some people are really bad influences on me. I really almost peed my pants in that moment though. But for some reason my niece Caitlin thought we were totally lame. I guess that's what happens when you get older. It was all fun until we got back and the little ones got in on the action. The candy "cigs" lost there appeal really fast. We also got to see a baby gray whale and lots of dolphins and seals. We took a three hour tour around the peninsula, okay it was only thirty minutes. Needless to say we had a blast!
Chloe decided that she wanted to try diving this summer. She joined the dive team at the local pool. Who new she was a natural! She got really excited to share her talent with Grandpa who is also a fabulous diver. Chloe was so excited to have something in common with him. She even started to place at the meets which made her want to work harder at practice. It was a lot of fun for Brian and I to watch her develop that talent and show us her new dives. I hope she continues with it next summer.
I also got to see my "boyfriend", Robert Smith, and all his pals of The Cure. We got some sweet box seats which I have discovered are only cool because they are "free" or they were for us. I would much rather be down on the floor with all the die hards dancing. This was one of the best concerts I have attended and they sang every song I thought I would never hear live. I was in heaven!

10 great years!!!!

Oi!! Can I just tell you how much I love city life. Maybe not city life but city excitement. Or maybe it's more like what I get a kick out of. The public transit system (not sure that's what it's called). Enough said!

Occasionally we ride it and that is fun in itself. The crazies that board that thing are usually in their own world. Some are perves and I watch the kids like a hawk. Some are crabby, just visiting, lost, dangerous, and just plain scary. But my favorite is the driver. Sometimes they even fall into the category listed above.

Today was a sight to remember. I really wish that I had had a camera with me. I think I would have clicked away. This driver was a super diva. I'm sure she knows all her regulars by stop and maybe even by name. She was a lovely black woman with hair that could have placed her in a music video and nails to match. And what did I spy her doing but bopping along to whatever song was in her head and TEXTING!!!! In heavy traffic no less. The maneuvering of that extra long bus and texting were simultaneous magic, I tell you.

I am thankful for our super tricked out minivan that keeps our bus riding only for field trips. "Tricked out" you say...yeah!! It comes fully equipped with popcorn, fruit loops, a rock collection, an art collection and it's even a water bottle recycle center. COOL.

Anyways...Peace out bus driver. I hope I get to see you again!

Praise to the Man

This wonderful man passed away last night. My first reaction was sadness; coming from the selfish part of me. Then turned to joy for his reunion with his sweet wife. I wish I could just see a glimpse of that wonderful rejoicing.

This man is the prophet I actually started to listen to. I was a teenager when he became our prophet. He prompted me and so many more to gain a true testimony of my own. I will always be in his debt. I have learned so much from this man.

He is the only prophet my children have known. Chloe was very sad to hear of his passing, but what a wonderful lesson to learn about eternal life. I hope that one day she will have her own prophet to urge her to find it for herself.

I love him and will miss him dearly.

Ironing shirts

In the course of nine years and eleven months of marriage I have never done the ironing. I do on occasion when we are running late for church and I need to iron kids stuff then I will offer to do Brian's as well. But I have never done the full weekly ironing load. Now believe me when I tell you that I get a lot of slack from husbands that do not belong to me! Brian thinks it is quite funny to share this with other people(only for the reaction he gets from me, of course).

Now, do not think of me as lazy, disagreeable, or even a terrible wife. I do many things on the wifely duty chart. You should rather think of me as a very clever girl for having gone this long without doing this "chore". In fact, I even included this information in my prenuptial resume.

Anyway....Friday afternoon, I decided to do my Saturday laundry to get ahead for the weekend. What a great idea!! So I got to thinking and performed a marvelous task. I IRONED!!!!!!!!!! I even think I heard the angels sing! I surprised Brian with a closet full of pre-ironed clothes for work and church. What a lucky fella.

Who new I would get such a great response from my man. I work for kisses and appreciation and I got both that day. But sadly I had to inform him not to get use to it because I remembered why I don't do it in the first place! But I will enjoy the surprise every now and then!

7-11

Last night we set out to find curtains for our Friday night activity. Now Declan has been ill for the past few days; he has spent some time with the porcelain king. He has been running into the bathroom about every thirty minutes or so. He also likes for me to sit there with him so he can lay his head on my lap. He is way to pampered.

So we were off but we begin to fear that Declan may be dehydrated and made a pit stop at the 7-11 on 16th and Thomas. I'd say on the scale of roughness it was probably a seven (as far as 7-11's go). Then Brian proceeds to ask the homeless for change and stealing their half lit cigarettes. Okay that was exaggerated for my brother's behalf, but he did go in.

As Brian is browsing the Gatorade flavors a very dingy and rough looking fella walks into the store. The clerk is on the phone not paying attention to anything. So this other guy walks behind the counter and seems to talk to himself and to my horror flashes a gun!!! What the crap!!! (Not exactly what I was saying in the moment) But ten years of marriage flash before my eyes and I am freaking out. Brian walks up front to get the o.k. on flavor choice which looks as if he is in the middle of a stick up(both hands up in the air). Could he really have missed all this while deep in thought about which drink to buy? As my heart is racing Brian hands over some of the contents of his wallet (his visa card) and has a laugh and comes to the car.

Me: What the heck was that all about?

Brian: Oh, I think that guy was drunk. Why?

Me: Oh, nothing. I just thought you were going to die, that's all.

The kids: Which flavor is mine? I want grape!

I am so glad I did not have to witness the demise of my husband. That would have been a terrible way to start the shopping trip;)

We proceeded on to our various destinations and came home with five sets of curtains and even ironed, hemmed, and hung them all before crashing at midnight!!!

By the way, 7-11 is officially off the pit stop list!

I almost watched every second of my husband's ending!!