Monday...Ya GOTTA see this!

Did everyone have an AWESOME Thanksgiving? Did anyone else besides me kinda dread Monday???

I am IN LOVE with these doggies and their sense of humor:

http://lifewithdogs.blogspot.com/2009/11/one-word.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NigelSolaCo+%28Life+With+Dogs%29

Check that out. LOL! Nigel, slobbery kisses and high fives to you and your crew!

Janine, Scooter and Zipper

P.S. If anyone knows how to explain to me how to add those cool little links with just the titles in them, I am more than willing to learn! :) I like nice, small underlined links. Thanks in advance to the brave and willing.... ;)

It's Beginning:

To LoOk A lOt LiKe ChRiStMaS!

Thanksgiving was a success with all the family near. We only did 3 dinners this year, so that's a relaxing year!

I'd like to take a moment and thank our Lord and Savior above for:

*My successful surgery
*My older sister's successful surgery
*Ricky, Andie, Tori and Tyler
*My loving fiancee, Jimmy
*Mom and Dad
*Getting to see my younger sister
*Scooter and Zipper
*Great friends
*All the rest of my family

As we move into the Christmas Season, PLEASE remember those who are less fortunate. There are many! We are all struggling in our own way, but reach inside and find a smile for someone.

They just might return the favor...

Mia

Today as I was reading my daily Facebook posts, I came across this post:

http://lifewithdogs.blogspot.com/2009/11/constrained.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NigelSolaCo+%28Life+With+Dogs%29

It is a story about a rescue dog. Now anyone that knows my family knows that we are suckers for Rescue animals.

We had 2 Doberman rescues as a kid. My parents have since taken in 2 German Shepherds, one more Doberman boy and a giant Anatolian/German Shepherd girl.


My darling Scooter is a rescued rattie. My new Zipper is a rescue rattie.


There is no better dog on this planet than a rescue dog. They are sweeter and more appreciative than a pet store pup.


Look at beautiful Mia:

Please, consider a Rescue pet this Thanksgiving or Christmas. Animals are in need, too.



You will NEVER regret it. They will NEVER forget it.



Here is a link to Mia's page:

http://goodkarmarescue.rescuegroups.org/animals/detail?AnimalID=1904224

MEGA Giveaway!

I know I haven't posted in a while. I just really have not had anything exciting to blog about! This morning, I ran across this site:


http://jewelrybysolange.blogspot.com/

She is hosting a MEGA-Giveaway! She has 30, THIRTY items she is giving away to some lucky readers.

Head over there and enter for yourself! I did!

http://jewelrybysolange.blogspot.com/2009/09/scrumdiddlyumptious-mega-giveaway_4734.html

Arches National Park

For Jimmy's big 3-0, we took a trip to Moab. We saw Arches National Park and Canyonlands. That is SUCH a cool place. I cannot believe it's been basically in my backyard for 16+ years and I have never seen it!

Just look at the beautiful Red Rock on the way IN.

This looks like a fish tank decoration to me!

Double arches...how cool was this hike?!

This is on the path to the delicate arch. I LOVED the Petroglyphs.

And FINALLY, here it is: Delicate Arch. I have been looking at this thing on my license plate for 10 years! (Or so...) The hike was gruelling, only because we had a half of a 20 oz. bottle of water and it was 95 degrees.

Which is actually bearable weather for the area....

If anyone lives near enough to see this gorgeous park, DO IT! Take the hikes! Stay in Moab, there is a TON to do.

Enough pictures...I don't want to spoil it for you!

Change of Plans...

Ok, just kidding. I changed my mind on this little guy's name. I thought he was quick like a pistol. Hmmm, he is more like a Zipper. He zips here, then there. He is NUTS!




ZIPPER

a.k.a. Zippy








He was almost renamed Chewy, but Zipper seems to be sticking. (My poor new Reef sandals...)

Puppies....sheesh. Pray for him. Nevermind, pray for ME! lol I need an obedience lesson class to teach ME how to train him. Apparently spraying him with the spray bottle (Trigger...) is not what I am supposed to be doing.

I see improvement everyday! Look how I rehabilitated Ruger. :) Ruger is doing great actually. The little old lady he went to is in Heaven on Earth! Ruger is also, because there are no little Tylers to chase him or Andies and Toris to dress him up. He gets ALL the attention, and it's all good.

No, I am NOT bringing home any more doggies. This is it. I promise!

Tanks A Lot...

I just found a cool blog called The Shopping Mama. Check it out:

http://www.theshoppingmama.com/

She has a cool giveaway going right now called "Reconfigure your Figure"

http://www.theshoppingmama.com/2009/07/reconfigure-your-figure-with.html

It's no secret that Utah Moms are the most beautiful in the nation! Check out the shape configuring power of Slimpressions! How cool is that? They have so many different styles and colors. They even have just shirts that don't expose anything that shouldn't be exposed!

They are ALSO not as expensive as the kind Oprah raves about. Go check them out, and enter to win your own!

http://www.theshoppingmama.com/2009/07/reconfigure-your-figure-with.html

Trigger

Meet Trigger. He's my new buddy. Ruger had smitten an old couple and they gave me $$ for him. (People with disabilities really get me...)

This is one FUN animal. He reminds me a lot of how Scooter used to be. :(

We need to fatten this boy up a bit!

The 8th of July

The 8th Of July ? ?

What is so different about the 8th of July this year?

At five minutes and six seconds after 4 am on the 8th of July this year, the time and date will be

04:05:06 07/08/09.


This will never happen again.

Hehehe......COOL!

Exercise is Fun?!

Exercising fun. I think NOT! I was in GameStop the other day drooling over a Wii Fit when some lady bought this:

http://www.easportsactive.com/home.action

Well, i drool over that, too. :( I got to watch some people play it and these guys were really working up a sweat!

I WANT ONE! I WANT ONE! I WANT ONE!

If only I didn't have bills...hehe

One of my favorite blogs, The Dirty Shirt, is having a giveaway! Guess what she is giving away?

YOU GUESSED IT!

Wii Active!!!

Hop on over to her blog and enter for yourself. If you are lucky enough to win, GIVE IT TO ME!

Just kidding, there's always Christmas.

Enter here: http://thedirtytshirt.com/ea-sports-active-30-day-challenge-giveaway

GOOD LUCK!

It's my 2nd job!

Thanks for the well wishes! I did get 2 emails from one panicked parent and another from a friend.

No, I didn't quit my day job! :) I still work at the school, and will be back when school's back in session in August!

This is ME trying to get a bit more cash flow!

Thanks parent and friends! :) I appreciate your concern and emails!

Welcome to Wal*Mart!

Hello! If anyone is in the Syracuse area and is bored, come look for me at Wal*Mart!

I started there last Thursday, and I'm a cashier for the summer or until I get child support. (Looks like a long term commitment....Lol!)

Yesterday, I was cashiering, and Jimmy came through my line. He leaned over and kissed me goodbye.

The next people in line were a little old guy and his wife. The little old guy asked me,"How can I get one of those?"

"One of what?" I asked.

"I'd like one of those kisses!" he laughed.

I just looked at his wife and she was just smiling. "Don't offer, because he will take you up on it!"

I explained that the man I had kissed was my fiancee. The little old guy was having fun teasing me, "Well, that's false advertising!"

***CLARIFICATION***

I feel I need to defend the people greeter position. :) No disrespect intended to ANYONE, regardless of race, religion, sex, age, disability or anything else!

--BUT--

Near the end of my shift yesterday, I was asked to give the people greeter his lunch. No problem. I'm getting paid, what do I care what I do? (Within reason...)

I noticed how people would look at me strangely. I'd say 90% of them looked at my name tag. When a few ladies had returns, they talked different than they would have if I were at a register. They talked slower, louder and enunciated their words nicely.

So, people who shop at Wal*Mart:

DO NOT assume that just because someone is a People Greeter they have a disability! It's cool that society is respectful of this position, but do I look or act disabled? LOL

I thought about taking Jeff Dunham's "Walter" stance:

"Welcome to Wal*Mart. Get your $**t and get out!!"

Just Kidding. :)

Laptop Giveaway!

I need a new computer. My desktops are both SO hammered! As I was browsing this evening, I came across this giveaway!

Isn't this laptop GORGEOUS?!

Enter to win at this website:

http://blissfullydomestic.com/blissful-style/giveaway-hp-mini-vivienne-tam-edition-from-intel/

GOOD LUCK!

Class of 2015

Class of 2015!













I brag about my girls and Tyler a LOT. Don't get me wrong, Ricky is a COOL kid. He just gets bored in school and chooses not to complete or turn in assignments.


Ricky graduated from the 6th grade today. I was happy he made it! It has been a struggle for the past few years.


Today, Ricky was presented with TWO awards in addition to his "diploma!"


The first award?


A 'President's Education Award'. This is a HUGE honor I guess, and he had no idea he was getting it. I was so surprised. The award is really cool looking, and it is signed by Barack Obama.
















He got the award because he has greatly improved his grades. I was so moved, I almost cried. I didn't have my camera ready, so the pictures aren't great.




Ricky is next to the flag pole in the stripes. :)


























The second award was:

An Achievement Award for outstanding performance in Language Arts!






(Again, not ready. I need a new camera!)

Every student in the class received some sort of award during this part of the ceremony. "Peacebuilder," "Great Leadership Skills" I expected Ricky's to be something like, "Most enthusiastic," or "Student who turned in LEAST amount of assignments." You know, those types of awards. The teachers have to make something up.

Outstanding Achievement in Language Arts. That ROCKS. I am so dang proud of him! When we were driving home, I got all choked up. I knew the kid had it in him. I tried so hard to tell him that without crying.

Mr. Warren, Principal of Parkside Elementary

Ricky receiving his diploma.

If you see or talk to Ricky, PLEASE congratulate him. This is a HUGE deal.

Congratulations to ALL graduates: Class of 2009 (Taylor Yip!) and the future Class of 2015.

Ricky waiting patiently while all the names were called out.

HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLP!

I'm too young for this.

My beautiful 11 year old twins came home the other day with a new necklace. Each of them had one. Of course, the new bling certainly caught my eye. They played it off, and I got distracted, so I never did really get where the new bling came from.

Fast forward to today. There is a Scentsy open house down the road. Sweet Tyler bought me a car candle and a Blueberry Cheesecake bar. (My favorite!) As I was putting the new bar away, I noticed another new bar in the drawer. Oxford smells good, but is not really a scent I would burn. When I asked where it came from, I was NOT ready for the answer.

I found out about the bar and the necklaces! The necklaces were gifts from their "boyfriends." I asked what they had given them in return and they both insisted "nothing." Well, turns out, the 5th grade boys who had girlfriends all went out and bought their ladies some "bling." Each of these girls that hangs out together got one, but each is different, so the boys know who's girlfriend is whose.

Um, WOW. I got a ring my Junior year of high school and my mom flipped. It was a pretty emerald. (NOT engagement by the way.)

The Scentsy bar? A gift from the neighbor boy, who knows they love the Scentsy warmer in their room. He is around enough to know that I refuse to give the girls my favorite scents to burn. (Moms, you know how they never come back.)

As far as the necklaces go, I guess it was just all the boys that hang together giving their little "girlfriends" that hang together a gift. I talked to the mom of another little girl that got a necklace. She thinks it's hilarious and sweet and told me not to worry.

Yeah, so, do I let them keep these gifts? Necklaces and Scentsy bars? Did anyone catch the Desperate Housewives Season Finale last week? Am I being paranoid? My girls will NOT be like that Ana chick. I will not raise flirty little hussies.

On, the other hand, they cannot control silly boys who want to spend their money.

HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLP! All advice is solicited and welcome.

Memorial

Today was Kayleigh's memorial. We, of course, could not go, as it was in North Carolina. So, we released pink balloons instead, like the Freemans requested.

Tyler wanted to take the balloons outside to make sure nothing happened to them on the way.








Here are all the kids with a balloon. Left to right: Ricky, Austin, Colton, Tyler, Andie and Tori.






Austin and Colton are Ricky and Tyler's friends. They wanted to be a part of this. We all said a prayer, then we released them.

Wouldn't it just figure that my batteries died in my camera RIGHT as the kids let them go? LOL By the time I got the new set in, this was all I could get of the balloons. If you look really hard, you can see 3 of the pink balloons.




We watched them until we couldn't see them anymore. It took 27 minutes!

God bless you Kayleigh. We hope you liked your balloons! Rest In Peace, sweet baby girl.

Pink balloon

Adam and Aimee Freeman and family will be releasing pink balloons tomorrow at 4PM Eastern time. Please join them in releasing a pink balloon with this note attached:

Kayleigh Anne Freeman
Our One Pound Miracle from God
(6/23/08 - 5/11/09)
www.KayleighAnneFreeman.blogspot.com

My heart breaks for this family, and I wish I could help them more. On top of losing their daughter, they are losing their home! If anyone that reads this is in any financial position to help, please do. I'm sure every little bit helps.

If you can't, will you please release a pink balloon tomorrow at 4PM Eastern? I want Kayleigh to see how many people love her! I bet thousands of pink balloons will be visible from Heaven.

Kayleigh

Sweet baby Kayleigh is an angel now. My heart breaks for her family; they are just the most amazing people.

Kayleigh's life had a huge impact on MY life. I love her and will miss her beautiful little face.

You can read about it here:

http://kayleighannefreeman.blogspot.com/2009/05/51309-update-on-memorial.html

Here is a small excerpt from her Daddy's blog:

Many of you asked if there were something you could do to help and I came up with an idea. At 4:00PM(EST), we will be letting off pink balloons in Kayleigh's name. Tied to each balloon will be a card that reads:

Kayleigh Anne Freeman
Our One Pound Miracle from God
(6/23/08 - 5/11/09)
www.KayleighAnneFreeman.blogspot.com

Please continue to pray for her and her family.

Mothers

This is my older sister, Jenn, and my daughter Andie. Jenn is a mother to 3 AWESOME kids! I love my nieces and ONLY nephew. Jenn, you rock and you are my rock at times! Happy Mother's Day to my older sis.

This is Tiffany. Tiffany is my future sister-in-law. She is Mommy to her sweet 'lil nuggets Austina nd Lexi. Love you Tiff! Happy Mother's Day. Hope Wii Fit doesn't kick your butt too bad! (When we gonna see you to play together?!)

This is MY mom. Isn't she pretty? My mom has 4 kids. My older sister, the hellion. Me, the bratty whiner. My only brother, Tommy. My younger sister, the liberal.

This is my Aunt. She is Mommy to these 2 adorable twins! She is also one heck of a mother, and I love to hear all her funny stories. I love you, Aunt Barbara. You are the 2nd best twin Mom I know...j/k. :) You are the best Fraternal Twin Mom in the world!

This is my Grandmother. She is the furthest back that I have a picture of that started it all. If it wasn't for her, my mom and Aunt would not be here. You know how the rest goes. I wouldn't be here either. My Grandmother is who I would like to emulate. She is soft spoken, until she needs to be firm. She is sweet, nurturing, forgiving and she never forgets ANYTHING.

My Mom and my Aunt also have these beautiful qualities. I love all the mommies in my family, and I am thankful for all of them. Each contributes something to me that is invaluable!

TWO Proposals!

I went on a field trip today! My elementary school's 3rd grade went to the Clark Planetarium in Salt Lake City.

I don't know who had more fun: ME or my group. I had the biggest group I have ever had on any field trip I've been on.

Bad: I had 7 hyped-up, curious kids to contain and keep together. (One was my Special Ed student.
Bad: I was neither their mother nor their teacher, so technically, they didn't have to listen.

---------------------------------------

Good: 6 of the 7 children are now aware of my awesome-ness. :P
Good: We made trucks honk and played slug-bug on the bus! (I ROCK at slug-bug when I am not the one driving.)

--------------------------------------

Better: One of the girls in my group told me I was "almost as pretty as her mom."

LOL! I died laughing at that one...

Better: I got kissed on my hand by one of my boys. LOL!

--------------------------------------

BEST: A student asked me to marry him. (NOT the one that kissed me either. Sheesh...)

Student: Janine, will you marry me?
Janine: Oh, I'm sorry! I am already engaged!
Student: Oh. Well, if it doesn't work out, let me know, ok?

*LOL! Are you serious? Wow. That's flattering!*

--------------------------------------

Not to be outdone, the student that kissed my hand decided that HE had a better shot.

Kissy Student: Janine, I am taller and 4 days older than Other Student. Will you marry me?
Janine: Ok, you guys are being silly. Go play Red Rover.
Kissy Student: Ok, come play with us.
Janine: I'd love to, but I have a broken ankle.
Kissy Student: Want me to kiss it better?
Janine: GO PLAY RED ROVER!!!

-------------------------------------

Um, West Point mothers, WHAT is wrong with your sons?

LOL!

Proposed to TWICE in one day. Top that!

Footnote: Neither of the boys were Special Education students.

FOUND: Chicken Leg

I am a city girl. I have now lived in Utah longer than any other state I've lived in, but my earliest memories are from when I lived in Florida.

Florida girls are not known for their farming abilities. They are proper, fun, beach-tanned girls!

My older and younger sisters do not seem to have been Florida-ized. Only me. I do not garden; (everything that's not a dog or kid dies in my home) and I cannot cut my own firewood. (Neither can Jackie, though! Check the scar on her leg for proof...)

Heck, I never even touched a lawn-mower until I was 24. TWENTY-FOUR. But, at the ripe old age of 30, I re-stringed (re-strung?) my very own Weed Eater!

I know, pathetic, isn't it?

Want to know another MORE pathetic fact?

I REFUSE to eat meat off a bone. Sounds dumb, I know. (Not dumb to my family. They are chicken wing, drumstick, BBQ rib, T-bone steak kinda people!)

**Sigh**

Was I adopted?

Where am I going with all this seemingly useless info?!

Picture this with me:

It's a beautiful, warm Sunday morning. The sun is shining through the new leaves that are blowing in the gentle breeze. I am sitting on my bum sipping coffee while my fiancee teaches my 11 year old how to scramble eggs. My beautiful little Rat Terriers are frolicking at my feet.

The frolicking becomes intense. Scooter growls. Ruger growls. Sage enters and SAGE growls.

Sage NEVER growls! What the heck is up?

I looked under the table, and Scooter is the center of attention. He has a stick that he is chewing and enjoying. Ruger wants the stick. Sage wants the stick. The fighting ensues.

I reached under the table to grab this stick and rid my furbabies of the evil source of contention.

Scooter growled again, and ran to the corner to hide. SCOOTER NEVER GROWLS AT ME! Once I got closer, I smelled it.

RAW MEAT.

Where did this nasty smelling stick come from? Why were my animals fighting over it?

I grabbed it and it grabbed me back!!!!!

I screamed and jumped back as far as I could.

The stick fell lifeless into the corner. Scooter resumed possession of it.

I sat at the table and started crying. Do you know what I had just touched?

****Remember, I am a CITY girl.****

A chicken leg. Not a foot. A WHOLE LEG! The meat hanging from where it had been severed taunted me. The blood was on my fingers. The leg, which had the foot attached, had CLAWS. The claws lay lifeless and curled inward, shrivelled under the command of my dog's carnivorous chewing.

**YUCK.**

**DOUBLE YUCK**

***CITY GIRL, remember?***

Jimmy could not breathe. He was red in the face and holding his gut, gasping for air. He started laughing. The dogs started barking. Scooter picked the leg back up and I screamed. Andie screamed. Tori screamed.

To end this VERY long and detailed story, Jimmy made ME pick up the leg. He taunted me all through breakfast (which I didn't eat. Do you know where eggs come from?)

Final thought:

Where is the rest of the chicken?!?!?!

(It's not in my backyard or the field behind my house. We checked.)

Pray hard...

God has a plan for each of us. I think it sucks that we don't understand, but I also must realize that it is HIS plan. Not ours.

Read Kayleigh's blog for tonight. Pray for her family's peace. Pray for strength. Pray for unity. Please pray for Adam, Aimee, Brandon, Allyson and sweet baby Kayleigh Anne Freeman.

I have been praying my heart out for her. Lord, let thy will be done.

Thank you, Freemans for sharing her with us. PLEASE PRAY for all these people!!

http://kayleighannefreeman.blogspot.com/2009/04/5109-ill-praise-you-in-this-storm.html

I must end this. I cannot keep a dry eye. God Bless.

The Red Snake

We have a snake in our house that Ricky won from Peter Piper Pizza years ago. It has sat and sat and no one has paid any attention to it.

Until Ruger, that is.

Ruger's first mama warned us that he liked to chew stuffed animals. Ok, we thought, what dog doesn't?

One of Ruger's favorite hiding spots is under the twins' bed. One of the twins' favorite cleaning depositories is under their bed.

Guess where all the stuffed animals went?

Scooter. My little Scooter. So frail when he wears himself out these days.

Scooter is still my naughty little Scooter no matter how sick he gets. Scooter is mischievous.

A bit of an instigator, if you will.

Well, Scooter has this way of finding toys he knows Ruger will enjoy. He then proceeds to parade them around Ruger, getting just close enough to tease him.

(Enter red snake.)

Think your mean older brother or sister here... Look at him eyeballing Ruger.

Ruger is patient. He is calculating.

Ruger is planning his attack.

Come a lil closer, Scooter...

GOTCHA!

Ha! I shall drag you back to my lair...

I think I can, I think I can!

I'M WINNING!

***Scooter chuckles under his doggie breath***

I was merely toying with the lad.

Notice the snake's guts hanging out now? :)

THE END!!

Easter egg fun

Well, here we are! Almost Easter! We colored eggs, paper, the deck and each other. :) But we have some really cool looking eggs!!!


Chey liked to make pink ones.

The mess is mostly contained here!

Andie made pretty blue eggs.

Tori liked pastels...

Ricky waiting patiently for the wax crayon.

Ricky's multiple personality egg...LOL! (Click the pics to make them bigger and see the detail!)

Ty liked to mix the colors and see what would happen.

Scooter even felt up to seeing what was up outside.

Ruger was trying to sample eggs...