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Dropping Laurel off at School  -Picture by Miah

Idle Wednesday

Silver Byzantine Chain Mail Bracelet

Chain Mail Pendant

I love nothing more than taking 150 silver jump rings and turning them into something wearable.  I spent several hours listening to Taylor Swift and opening and closing jump rings.  It's better than meditation!

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Puppy Love

Laurel took these photos in the Jeep, on the way home from Kentucky. 
I'm so glad we decided to get another dog.  I can't imagine our kids growing up without knowing the love of a dog.  Dobby is great, but small dogs just aren't the same as a big one.  All you have to do is look at these photos, and you can see how much she loves Miah. 

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Friday was my 32nd birthday.
Jay took me to P.F. Changs (The BEST Chinese food I've eaten, and THAT'S saying something!) for lunch, which we got to eat alone because he rushed home before we had to get the kids from school.  If you try, you CAN sneak in some alone time. 
Jay bought me  a fountain pen for my birthday, along with some pretty paper.  I guess he started searching antique stores, and doing online research to find out what he needed to get.  This might seem like an odd present to get excited about, but the best part of the gift is that when I mentioned the fact that I loved fountain pens, because when I was a kid my dad gave me one and made it seem like a big deal that he did so.  I remember he told me a story about why these pens were the best, and how he'd had one too.  So Jay filed this information away, and months later remembered it and got me one.  THAT'S really the present.  He was paying attention.
The first thing I did with my new pen was to make a bucket list.  Then I realized how boring I am.  I really don't want much out of life, and I don't care about half killing myself with crazy stunts like mountain climbing and bungee jumping. My list is more mundane.  Maybe I'll share it someday, when I think of a better list.  Oprah always says to dream a bigger dream for yourself, but it's hard to do when you don't really know what you want to do anymore.
My mom sent me some money for my b-day this year.  I have to say, some people thing this is impersonal, but I LOVE it!  I have been wanting a smaller camera that I can carry around in my pocket, but I felt bad about spending that much money on yet another camera.  Mom sent me just enough money to get the exact camera and memory card that I had researched for hours, and desperately wanted.  That's so much better than someone guessing at which camera I might want and surprising me with it.  I'm in love with it!!

This is one of the first pictures I took with the new camera.  The awesome is in the fact that this is indoors, with minimal light.   My other camera is very particular about lighting, and this one has several settings that make indoor pictures look natural. Very cool.

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Dobby's dirty little secret.

When we brought Dobby home from the pet shop, our male dog Chet was there to greet her.  He fell in love with her immediately, and she with him.  Chet is no longer with us, but the lessons he taught Dobby still are.  See, he's the one who taught her how to "go to the bathroom". She both squats and lifts her leg. I can't help it, every time I see her do it I crack up, but never more than when I see her lift BOTH back legs and sort of hover over the grass. 

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Jay - Having way too much fun working the concession stand.

This is what we are going to be doing every weekend until we move.  Jay seemed to be having a ball.

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Laurel and Xavier

Idle Wednesday

Doesn't she look excited to be posing?

Another project done!  I loooove this yarn.  It's soft, stretchy, and has great texture.  I found three skeins at Tuesday Morning the other day and fell in love.  I can't wait for it to get cold!  I wasn't sure that I'd be able to post this tonight.  I've been working feverishly for the past couple of hours to get done though...and stayed up later than usual too.  Thank you Laurel for staying up with me, knitting and watching "Roseanne's Nuts".

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Miah, a little more awake.

A mere half hour later (from yesterday's picture) , and she's actually awake.  Still a little out of it, but at least pleasant looking.  She is her Daddy's girl. 

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Something that makes you grumpy.

This may be why my days usually start off rough.  This is Miah's regular morning face.  Note the bright sunlight streaming through the windows.  Ugh.  I'm actually starting to look forward to Laurel driving.  I'm going to drive her nuts with chauffeur duties.  I'm about burnt out.

Long Weekend

Have you ever wanted to erase an entire day from your memory? I do. It's not that big a deal, but the Friday I embarrassed the hell out of myself. Laurel's first game of the season, and Jay and I were at the consession stand volunteering. It was hot as hell, and I hadn't eaten yet. So, I'm an idiot. I got sick. I almost fainted, tried to bow out gracefully, but that wasn't what happened. I ate, sat in the air for a few minutes, and got a cold wet cloth from a very nice couple of ladies. After a bit I thought I was better, but as soon as I got back into the stand I started to feel faint again. I got a couple of funny looks that made me feel pretty akward and embarrassed. Yay. Jay worked his butt off, and I thought did so well that he made up for my not helping the rest of the night, but that doesn't stop me from dwelling on the situation. I've decided that I'm just going to chaperone from now on. I obviously can't handle the heat. I spent All day Saturday and Sunday trying to recover. I thought I was getting sick, because I kept falling asleep on the couch. No fever, no other symptoms. I think that the heat and low blood sugar, along with high blood pressure knocked me for a loop. I probably should go get checked out at the Dr on post, but good grief. Such a pain in the rear. I think I'm feeling better now, so I'll do my usual wait and see. I'm going to do a better job of taking care of myself before the games. The embarrassment is a lot worse than feeling sick, I have to tell you. Everyone makes such a big deal about it when you fall over.
I still can't seem to shake the embarrassed feeling. I keep dwelling on it. That I keep dwelling on it makes me even more upset. I should be able to get over such silliness.
On the other hand, I have never been more excited for another person as I was Friday. Laurel marching on the field with the high school band was amazing. I was at the stands when she came off the field sweaty, red, and excited. I ALMOST got choked up. Xavier gave me a huge sweaty hug, then Laurel hugged me too. It was the sweatiest, stinkiest group hug ever, but I loved it.
I'm at work with Jay now, so I don't have the video with me to post, but I'm going to get it loaded as soon as I get home. They sounded great, they looked adorable, and I'm so proud!
This season is going to be busy, and crazy, but Laurel is going to love the hell out of it. Tons of pictures and videos to come! I hope some of you get to come down and see it in person!

Xavier, by the way is Laurel's friend. He stayed with us for the week while his mom went out of town on TDY for work. We've been hanging out, playing games, and eating together. Just in time for us to move again. Figures. Donna and Xavier are so fun to hang out with. Miah is so in love with the both of them. She was pining for X this morning, who went home after the game on Friday. I have to admit, it is a little lonley with out him giggling on the couch. :( The entire upstairs smells like his cologne, and crazy-for-him Miah says she never wants to wash her sheets. It's a little weird. We are going to have to keep her away from him! lol

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I'm watching Jay grade the Student's tests on their computers. He's so much goofier at work than he is at home. He's bouncing around, making jokes, and fussing at the students. It's odd to see him at work. He's usually so quiet at home. I used to go to his Commo Shop at Campbell all the time and watch him do his job there, but it was a lot different. The structure and aura of that place was more strict and stiff. Here it's a little lighter. I like to hang back and watch him interact with people. His personality changes drastically depending on the people around him, and it makes me wonder if it's a conscious change. I'd like to be invisible for a day, so that I can follow him around and observe him. I think he's facinating. Maybe that's why we are still married?

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Excuse me!

Miah was trying to get Laurel to smile for the camera...saying all sorts of silly things, and singing to her.  Harley, not liking what she thought was rough housing, intervenes on Laurel's part. 

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Good Morning!

Taken outside Miah's school with my new camera. 

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Random Bumper sticker.

One of the band kids has this sticker on his/her car.  We giggle every morning when we see it. 

Five Word Friday

Age doesn't automatically breed maturity.

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Unexpected Guest

After dropping the kids off at school yesterday, I saw this guy perched on the fence.  For some reason that morning I had put my camera in my purse, so it was handy.  I tried to approach him at the fence but he jumped down into the yard.  These shots are taken over the fence using the pull out digital screen on my camera.  It took me a minute to realize he was starting right at the screen.  I think he was hurt, b/c when I walked through the gate he was only able to fly about four feet high to the next yard before he landed on the ground and flopped out of the way.

Thursday's Thoughts

Those who are too dumb to engage in politics are punished by being
governed by those who are dumber. -Plato

It's that time again. We are gearing up for election season. The state of politics has bothered me for as long as I've paid attention to it, but it seems to get worse and worse every year. These days we do not elect the people that are best for the job, or even elect the people that have the answers. We now watch a battle of mud-slinging, pandering, and sound bytes and either for the person that has the least skeletons in their closet or blindly pick the person our party of choice has presented us. WHY?!?! There are people in this country who are smart enough to solve our problems. Millions of people balance their household budget every week. Millions of homes have learned to not waste resources. Business owners from state to state have learned to keep both their workers and their customers happy. Often one works to improve the other. But many of these same people are unwilling or afraid to step up and lead our country because the political realm is so dirty and vicious. If you are in one party, you will be attacked by the other, so first you must prove that you are a better candidate than anyone else in you party. Let me say that again, not a better leader, but a better candidate. Not that you are smarter, wiser, more discerning, better at solving problems or making hard decisions.... just more electable. I ask you all out there, everyone smart enough to fix the problem, please get involved. And voters, vote for the people who can fix our problems, not the people who will stubbornly drag their feet and blame everyone else for them existing in the first place

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6000 of something.  Yikes! 

I found these baseball cards at Goodwill for $4 a box (of 500)  for a total of 6000 cards.  We spent SEVERAL hours the other day sorting them, arranging them by number, logging them in to the computer, and boxing them back up.  Jay is in the middle of pricing them and adding it to his spreadsheet.  It was a lot of work, and I didn't enjoy it one bit, but I hope Jay has fun selling them.  If he's careful we should make quite a profit. 

Idle Wednesday

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Ky Car Clutter.  lol

The only place I've ever been where you find bibles tossed into the back seat of a car. Kentucky.  Jay and I giggled.  NOT that we are making fun of the person whose car this is.  We love you!

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Crazy Dog

On the trip home from Kentucky, Dobby decided that she deserved a little treat too!  She usually roams around the car looking for the best, most comfortable spot and this time it was my lap, and a milkshake.  Well the leftovers anyway. 

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Family!

Laurel, Me, Miah, Jay, Ron and Billie.  Mi Familia!

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We went home to Edmonton last week, just long enough to drop off some things and come back.  I wish we had more time, because it felt like we were rushing around trying to do everything, but that will have to do for now.  We stayed at Sheila and Scotty's house this time, rather than mom's so that we could bypass all the costumers and the girls could hang out with the kids, and the animals.  Miah was so excited about the animals that she really didn't want to leave.  She and Laurel fell in love with the kitties, and tried to talk us all into letting them have one (can you imagine, two dogs and a cat in one car!) but I fell in love with the puppies.  I want!
School started on Monday.  I watched Scotty's kids head off to their first day of school, and marveled (and laughed) at the paperwork they came home with, but Jay and I got hit with the same pile on Monday. Already we have a preseason football game that Laurel will be marching at, a parent orientation for band, band pictures, and holy cow, $200.00  for uniforms that we really can't afford.  I want to cry.  I know this school is a little more highbrow than we are used to, but they act like we all have money trees growing in the back yard! 
More exciting news: it's official.  Jay has orders, and we are off to a new post. The move is only a couple of months away, so I've already been getting ready to leave in anticipation. I have gotten rid of almost everything that goodwill will take, and have been tossing the rest slowly.  Unlike every single place I've ever lived, THIS place won't take extra trash (defined as anything not stuffed deep into the trashcan) without a huge charge.  I've been spreading it out as well as I can, but my trash bill was still 235.00 last month.  They suck.  I can't wait to GET OUT OF HERE!  

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Accidental funny

Deciding what to watch, I saw this...and laughed my butt off.  I had to share.