Saturday, March 28, 2009 ~ 2:45 p.m.
This is interesting, going back through my old entries. March 2006, we had lots of snow in the forecast, and it turned out to be nothing much. This week, the meteorologists were predicting up to 14 inches of snow this weekend. So far, we have about .5 inches.

Friday, March 27, 2009 ~ 2:45 p.m.
I suddenly had the urge to update this blog! I can't believe how much time has past. I am just updating the look for now, but will write a true journal entry soon. I can't even view this, because Yahoo is acting up.

Saturday, August 5, 2006 ~ 10 a.m. H~O~T !!!

Well, we are back! We got back late Thursday night. We had a wonderful first half of our trip, but while visiting my aunt and uncle in Washington, we got the news that my grandma suffered a stroke. We had planned to drive down the Oregon coast via Astoria, Oregon, but when we heard about my grandma we left for Denver (where my grandma was in the hospital). We stayed in Denver for three days. It was a bit scarey at first but my grandma is recovering. The main thing now is for her speech to return. I will probably be going back to Colorado in a week or so to help when my grandma is released.

Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless His holy name! Psalm 103:1.

photos, left to right:
Dean and I at Yellowstone Falls - Grand Tetons - Dean at Grand Tetons
Me at the Columbia River in Washington - Hot Pool in Yellowstone - some of my family at the Puyallup Famer's Market
a Moose in Lake Coeur d'Alene (Idaho) - Dean at Joe's Pasty Shop in Butte, MT - Buffalo on the road in Yellowstone

Sunday, July 2, 2006 ~ 10 a.m.
Happy July! I am feeling really busy! I've been working 12 hour days. When I get home I'm just brain dead and my shoulders hurt, so I do not want to sit at the computer any more!

Dean and I are going on vacation the end of July. It is not the best planning/timing, but I kind of forgot. Since Dean is a teacher, we have to go on vacation during summer and the end of summer has crept up on me. If it was up to me, I would not go on vacation, but Dean is making me , and I am kind of glad really! I think I'll need it.

So, onto our vacation! We are planning a big road trip to Washington State. I have a dear Aunt and Uncle that live there and lots of cousins. Then we will visit my mom and grandma in Colorado on the way home. We'll stop various places on the way there and back.

I've actually been doing some yard work this weekend. I had gotten so lazy, and just let it go. So I watered and weeded and pruned and trimmed and it looks pretty good. I still have lots to do. It sure gets away from you! This summer has been very mild for Kansas. It hasn't been that hot and it has been cooling off at night, which is unusual. It has turned really hot this week, but it's still cooling off at night. In years past, even if you try to work in the yard in the early morning before it gets too hot, there are too many mosquitoes, but the mosquitoes are not too bad this year, which is a HUGE blessing! Friday and Saturday a.m. I did not see one mosquito. This a.m. I saw a couple, but not that bad.

Ok, my neck is starting to hurt, so I better get off here!

Thursday, June 1, 2006 ~ 11 p.m.
Happy June! Next week is mine and Dean's fifth wedding anniversary! What romantic celebration do we have planned? Well, nothing. His dad and brother will be here for a visit (they live in England).

So, we are getting ready for them and fixing up the spare room.

Tomorrow is my day with my baby Kerian! Well, is he a baby? He will be 4 (already!) in August. I just love him so much and he is such a joy and blessing to me and to everyone. I know I'm his grandma and I'm supposed to think that, but other people say it. I know that he is special. Tomorrow Dean and I plan to take him to the dinosaur museum about three hours from here. He loves dinosaurs and I think he will enjoy it. There is also a Russel Stover factory on the way that we might stop at. I have always wanted to stop there but have never had time when we go past.

Saturday Dean has a gig and we have LOTS of cleaning and organizing and yard work to do. Sunday will be more cleaning and then back to work (how utterly depressing) on Monday.

Anyway, I should be in bed. I need to get my clothes out of the dryer and get to bed.

Monday, May 15, 2006 ~ 6 p.m.
I am not a very good blogger, I know. It looks like once a month is the best I can do! I keep thinking I should close this down, but I don't want to.

What's new? Well, we got hit hard by the tax man. We owed several thousand dollars. So we are having to penny pinch right now. We put it on a credit card. Then we applied for a new card that has zero percent APR for LIFE on balance transfers, no fee. BUT, they did not grant us enough credit for the whole balance. So that backfired a little bit. I think we'll still be ok though. We need to consult an accountant to see what's up. I don't understand how we can owe so much. We don't make that much!

This past weekend my sister (Karla) tried her first art fair. It was a Renaissance Faire in Manhattan, Kansas. She wanted to sell my jewelry also, because she was worried she didn't have enough stuff. So Dean and I went to help Karla on Saturday. Kerian and Alicia came in the afternoon and I was going to watch Kerian and leave, and Alicia was going to stay to help my sister, but I didn't leave. It was kind of fun and it was a perfectly beautiful day for being outdoors, and Kerian was having fun. I didn't sell very much, but my sister did pretty well. It was not a huge event. Then I watched Kerian Sunday while Alicia worked the booth with Karla.

So now Karla is all excited about doing arts and crafts fairs. I think it would be fun, but I am not optimistic my stuff will sell well enough. I do beaded jewerly and A LOT of people do it as well, so it's not a very unique market. My sister is doing wire wrap jewelry and funky - unique artistic type stuff, so she has a better niche than me. I like doing my jewelry but I think it will just be a hobby for me.

I meant to post a photo of the lovely lawn / garden outside my office but I didn't do it right away and a few days after my last post, it was past the peak, so I won't post a photo.

I think I'll do some spring cleaning tonight.

... Until next month, ha ha, maybe sooner??!!!?

Wedneday, April 12, 2006 ~ 9 p.m.
We sure have had gorgeous weather the past several days!! I love this time of year. I want to soak it in, because I know it won't be long before summer weather is here. I am not looking forward to it. Actually, we'll get a taste of it tomorrow, as it's supposed to get up to 92! ack! Where'd that come from? But hopefully it won't be humid with it.

There is a large lawn with trees and a garden outside my office and it is so beautiful. We have white and pink redbud trees, tulips, viburnnm, and thick, lush green grass. I just love it. I'll try to take a photo that does it justice and post it.

I was moving some rocks (edging around my rose bed) and I found a baby garter snake. It startled me at first, but then I realized it was harmless, and actually quite cute! Then I found another one a few rocks down. I had never seen snakes here until one of our cats, Sidney, started catching them and bringing them up to our front door last year. I wish he would leave them alone and catch something like, ... mosquitoes!

Broken record, but I am still overwhelmed at work, to the point where I am seriously, seriously considering quitting. I am getting a very poor attitude, and I don't like being that way.

Ok, I need a cookie break, then I'm going to do a quick update of the graphics here. I hope!

Sunday, March 26, 2006 ~ 7:30 p.m.
Well, after we had up to 10 inches of snow in the forecast last week, we only got about 1/2 to 1 inch of snow. Bummer! I really was hoping for one last lovely snowfall.

Yesterday I went in to work for five hours, but I took Friday morning off so it balanced out.

Today has been a pretty good day except for the lack of Kerian. He's with his dad. Dean and I spent all afternoon doing yard work. Dean pooped out before me and Alicia came and helped for about an hour. Wow, it feels good to get outside and do some physical work! I've been sitting at computers (at home and work) waaaay too much!! We need to tackle the front yard this week. If I can get home from work before 7 p.m., it'll be good! I need to trim the rose bushes, it's a bit late for it, but I have been lazy and putting it off.

Dean and I have rented "Dreamer" so I will sign off now and go watch it. It looks to be a feel-good movie, my favorite kind! Although I am looking forward to the next X-men movie, "X-men: The Last Stand". And "Take the Lead" looks really good. I just saw it at IMDB today and I don't know when it's being released. Anyone know?

I wish you all a wonderful week!

Monday, March 20, 2006 ~ 9:45 p.m.  
Well, Happy First Day of Spring! We have up to 8 inches of snow in our forecast! Althought I think it's since been revised to 3 - 4 inches. Yippee! Hee hee. I am ready for Spring but I think one last beautiful snowfall would be lovely. The only bad thing is it's been raining/sleeting and if it snows on top, it could be a bit treacherous.

Oh, I almost forgot, we have our DSL installed and wowoozies is it fast! It's wonderful.

Thursday, March 9, 2006 ~ 9:45 p.m.    
Cloudy but I don't think it rained at all today. We sure could use it.

Just a quick post and then I'm going to beddie bye. I have been working until at least 7 p.m. (about 11 hour days) each night this week. aaahhhh Tomorrow is my half day -- I go in at 7:30 a.m. and I HAVE to leave at 11:30 in order to pick Kerian up in time, so that keeps me from staying late. Which will be nice. We're going to lunch with my sis and then I'm not sure what Kerian and I will do after that.

Oh, but what in the heck am I gonna wear tomorrow???

Dean and I have finally switched to DSL after paying $23.99 a month for DIAL UP for several years, now finally we'll have DSL for only $12.99 a month (a one-year rate). Plus we can get rid of CallWave internet answering service that's $3.99 amonth. So we'll be saving quite a bit. The DSL is active Monday so I'm excited to see how fast it is and it'll be nice to not tie up our phone line.

Happy Weekend Wishes to Everyone!

Saturday, March 4, 2006 ~ 1 p.m.    
I know, I am a BAD blogger. After our freezing cold temps, it got up to almost 80. Funny huh. Today it's raining, which is good because we really need the moisture! I am still very busy at work -- it's quite stressful. And still very worried about my grandbaby (he's not a baby any more of course, but he's still my grandbaby!). Things get better, or quieter, then something happens to worry me again. Sigh. I love him to bits. He's such a joy and a blessing. We rented "Pride and Prejudice" the other night. I loved it! Dean liked it.

Sunday, February 19, 2006 ~ 9 a.m.
brrrrrrr!!!! We went from hardly having winter this year to single-digit temperatures. I'm using my "snow" weather bear because she looks like cold weather, and we did get a very light dusting of snow. And one of Jenny's cutie pie mood bears for the first time! the "cold" mood bear. Dean and I live in an old house and when it's this cold outside it barely gets above 60 in here, so it's a bit chilly!

My youngest nephew, Jesse, was stage manager for his high school production of "The King and I." Dean and I and my sis and brother-in-law and my dad and stepmom went to the play. We had dinner together before the play. It was a very good production. I was impressed with the young talent.

I will finish this in a little bit. Have to get offline for now...

6:30 p.m. Ok, I'm back. This day just flew by. We went to the garden show and I spent a lot of time there. First with my sis, then with Kerian then Dean and I went back again.

Ok, Pam tagged me with this and I thought it would be fun so, here goes!

Four jobs you have had in your life
1st Job: Fountain girl (at a local drive-in. I filled the drink and ice cream orders and also was the dishwasher!)
McDonald's
Temp worker as a secretary (I really loved this. This was my first "real" job out of business college.)
Communications assistant and forms administrator (one job)

Four movies you could watch over and over
Big Business
White Christmas
Pirates of the Caribbean
Anne of Green Gables

Four Places You Have Lived
Kansas
Oklahoma
Colorado (Ft. Collins and Lakewood, so counts as two!)

Four TV Shows You Love to Watch
Stargate SG-1
Stargate Atlantis
Keeping Up Appearances (too funny!)
Five Mile Creek
(even though it hasn't been on for about 10 or more years!)

Four Places You Have Been on Vacation
Norfolk
England's Lake District
Grand Canyon
Washington D.C.

Ok, again, I have to go. Will finish this later ...

Wednesday, February 1, 2006 ~ 7 p.m.
I added a couple photos to my "About Me" page and made a photo page, that is linked from my "About Me" page, under the photo of my dad and stepmom, if you're interested.

What beautiful weather we are continuing to have! I love it, but at the same time, I want some WINTER and SNOW! Oh where oh where is my beloved snow.

Sunday, January 29, 2006 ~ 11:30 p.m.
I should be in bed! But here I am. Friday was a beautiful day and Kerian and I went to the zoo. He especially liked looking at the ducks, geese and swans. He wanted to feed them, but I left my purse in the car, so we couldn't buy any food. So he checked his pockets for something to give them, but alas, only pocket fuzz. As the birds weren't interested in that, he said, "I'm sorry ducks, I don't have any food for you, but I can sing you a song." And he proceeded to sing them a song. How cute is that?!?! Aw, what a joy he is!

Saturday was warm but rainy, but that's good because we needed the moisture. We even had a minor thunderstorm. Weirdness (for January)! Today was beautiful again.

My aunt and uncle celebrate their 35th Wedding Anniversary tomorrow! They are very dear people.

I have some photos I hope to upload sometime soon.

I am still so busy at work I have all but given up on the fact that I will ever be caught up again. I used to always get a lull where work stopped coming in for a short time so that I could get caught up, but that has not happened for quite a long time now. I suppose I can look at it as job security, but it is making me sTrEsSeD out!

Ok, off to bed now.

Saturday, January 28, 2006 ~ 11:30 p.m.

Sunday, January 22, 2006 ~ 1 p.m.
Just trying to update ... Ahh, it's taking forever! Is that why lots of you are going to Wordpress?

I love Pam's graphics! I had a hard time deciding on which set to use. Thank you, Pam, for sharing!

Well, I'm going to have to leave this half-done. Kerian is coming over and we will go to the park or go for a walk. It's chilly, but not bad with a coat.

Monday, January 2, 2006 ~ 8 a.m.
Happy New Year! We have a houseful of company. My mom, grandma and family friend are here from out of town, so not much time to post or change graphics. It looks a bit rainy out -- the forecast says cloudy and windy. It was REALLY NICE yesterday. The high was 69 degrees! So Dean and I took Kerian to the "red" park. (It is a park in our neighborhood that, incidently, was built on the grounds of the junior high I attended {the junior high was torn down years ago} and all the equipment is red, so Kerian calls it the red park.) Not sure what we're doing today.