Our Year 2007

With every photo I see here, I see blessings, a year that held many changes.
A year of moving towards the future, a year of self-reflection and growth.

A year that I am thankful, I got to see.
A year I am thankful you shared with me!

Here's to seeing those changes bringing only the best to all of us!

Christmas Clean Up

As, usual at this time of year, I am cleaning up the ol'computer system. John got me a MyBook for Christmas and it has done WONDERS for the speed of my computer. All of my photo's and music (and Johns crap that is twice the size of mine)it stored there now, between that and the memory Valette gave us, I am ZIPPY. I can't believe the difference. I still have this quirk on start up, I think I partitioned my drive or something. It needs to see a professional...

Anyway, what I really wanted to say is I am now able to finish some video projects that I found (the slow computer is not holding me back anymore)....While sorting and backing up photo's early this year I found these....

This one was taken with the "Gateway" camera in 2003, we had 30sec of sound option and it had to be recorded separately from the video. I don't know how I was going to get her the message but...with time... I think it will finally get there.



Closed captioning brought to you by...ME!!

"We love and miss you Grandma Jeanette...oh, you messed it up"



Here is baby Lou ...also taken in 2003.

Some low life scum stole my baby Jesus, right out of the manger, and on Christmas Eve! What is this world coming to?

Joyous Holiday Cheer

The gifts are wrapped, still searching for bows,
A day full of cooking,we watch as it snows.
Visions of Christmas dancing in my head,
keeping me up, keeping me from bed.

Childlike anticipation, like a little girl,
dreaming of bows and the ribbon's curl.
it's time to enjoy, slowing the pace,
each surprise, the look on their face.

The spirit I see, seeping in rather thick,
not of getting, but giving, that is Santa's trick.
He reminds us of sacrifice, like the one on the cross.
to spend his days thinking of nothing but us.

The giving, the caring, lets reminisce,
the thought of people we will miss.
with egg nog-n-grog, I raise to the new the year,
wishing you all, the most Joyous Holiday Cheer.

I took my younger GS Troop to Bean's Cafe, yesterday, we volunteered to help cook Christmas dinner. It was a success and I couldn't be prouder of my girls. They were respectful and helpful. Even with so many of us there, it was not a circus, even with the staff having to dance around us.
I was impressed with Bean's new kitchen and office space, from United Way. We learned that Bean's Cafe only employees 6 people (some are past clients), everyone else is volunteers or is a person they serve, a Beany. They serve breakfast and lunch, and they act as a day shelter. If a Beanie (what they call their clients) helps in the kitchen they receive a "Beanie Bag" filled with snacks. They serve an average of 600 meals a day, use 50 rolls of toilet paper and 12 pounds of coffee in a day. I didn't realize but Bean's was named after a little girl, her and her mom started Bean's in the '70's.

We were the last of the groups of volunteers for the day, for a total of 63 outside volunteers, so Christmas dinner was already done. We helped clean up the kitchen, Midnight (the cook) was thankful he would be able to go home a little early.

Because there were so many of us, we were assigned to different tasks, we cleaned the serving area, I noticed several eyes getting good looks at the dining area and seeing how many people were eating (we were not allowed to go out front), I should have asked what the girls were thinking. We cleaned the bread carts, with the nicest lady who taught them to speak pig Latin, she could even do it in Spanish. I cleaned those carts, last spring, not an easy task.

We also got to stuff the "Beanie Bags" full of sweets and yummy goodies... yogurt, chocolate muffins, sandwiches, chocolate bars, life savors, rice crispy bars, gum....everything a kid could want. Before we left we were offered some goodies, some girls accepted, some girl felt someone else needed it more...I did encourage the girls to take the "unhealthy stuff", figuring the protein and good carbs should be left to the Beany's.

Here we are with out hairnets.

On the trip home I heard many girls wanting to go back, Thank You BEAN'S for such a great experience.

When John got home that afternoon, he took on the rest of the Girls Scout waiting to go home and I got to get my sister out of the house alone. I have decided the best place to shop is the 5th avenue mall. Here's what you do....You swing into Sullivan's and order a $10 Martini, then head up stairs for food from every place in the food court, when you are over stuffed, you wander around EVERY shop pretending you are the only one there. I got little shopping done.

Yesterday, I also found something I never realized I missed, reading to young kids. I read Melissa and Warren their "bed time" stories...the excitement over a book they probably have read millions of times....I LOVE IT!! It's those little things that make life worth it!!

LOVE LIFE, LIVE IT WELL, and BE THANKFUL for EVERYTHING!!

Christmas Card

Well, some should have gotten our Christmas card, if not it will be coming (or I don't have an address and its sitting on my desk), I am sorry if I am ruining it for any of you but I feel like I should have explained in the card.

I wanted the project done, so I set my girls out to get the photo for the card, I needed some inspiration, and they needed a project. All I asked was they take lots of photo's, they all three need to be in it, and I get one traditional photo in front of the tree. Well they used the tree....

Charlie's Angles

Real Life

Speak-Hear-See no evil
(note the Manson shirt purposely worn)

Sending you our love,
Merry Christmas

Have you ever peeked?

I was 10 or 11 it was Christmas and the presents were stacking up under the tree. One day the prettiest box showed up and it had my name on it. It was a small box, bigger then a jewelry box but smaller then a shirt box. It was wrapped in bright paper, yellow maybe, with lots of colors. The most beautiful bow was attached. The package was hidden in the back of the tree, but at that time packages were inventoried daily, so of coarse it couldn't stay hidden for long. I looked at that package for what seemed like weeks, shaking it. It didn't make a lot of noise just kind of a swish, it was light and airy. It left me wondering.
Day after day of shaking led me to (subconsciously) plan a way to open it without anyone knowing. By the time I made up my mind to open it, it was already strategically planned out. It had to be, for I had very sneaky parents. I just new the had memorized what tape they used and just how many pieces and god forbid if a ripped something they would for sure know if I had to re-wrapped it.
I knew the fist step would be making sure the tape detached itself perfectly from just the lower layer of paper, so I would be able to use the original piece of tape to repackage it once it was open; and making sure it did not attach it self elsewhere.
The next step would depend greatly on the "wrapper" if the wrapper taped the paper to the box then the I would have to be very careful to peel the tape off both ends of the box and the back where the paper meets. This day I was lucky in that way, I had peeled the first piece is tape so slowly it probably took me hours. When the tape was finally loose, I was able to slide the box out of the paper that was holding it.
I had a plain white miniature shirt box in my hands, the package was soft and filled with tissue paper. I knew tis was going to be good, like jewelry, the stuff that costs some mayor money. Then it came to me, how will I react when I really open it on Christmas day? or how could I handle putting something so great back under the tree once I knew it was there? But I would live with my actions and I moved forward. I pulled the top away to confirm my instincts, the box was full of tissue paper. I knew something expensive was nestled in all that tissue paper, for tissue paper was reserved for special gifts only. As I peeled the tissue back I started to see colors, many colors, rainbow colors. When the gift was finally revealed, I found the box was full of rainbow colored ribbons, attached to a ...
hair clip. It was a filler gift. One of those ones when you childrens number of presents do not total the same.
When Christmas day came, I acted surprised told my mother I loved it, and I probably would have meant it if I had not spent that one afternoon peeking. I never did wear that hair clip.

The moral of this story....My Ladies...I learned from my mother....the good stuff doesn't come out until Christmas Day.

3000 pounds...

of frozen corn on the cob.
Tonight or Friday night I took my older troop to the Food Bank of Alaska for some good doing. They really have a great operation going. To simplify it it is just a big network. The food bank warehouses the food for the 100 to 200 different churches, soup kitchen, and distribution centers all around the state. They also act as a middle man with a Federal program.Who also pays the shipping costs to the bush, for the distribution centers there.
The food comes from the fed's, state grants, cash donations, local business, food drives, and just personal food donations. .The manufactures give large donations or cuts on cost on food with out dated promotional packaging. We were show several pallet's of canned pears, the pallet's were damaged on the barged coming up to Alaska. The whole pallet was going to be thrown away because a few cans had popped open damaging the packaging. How wasteful.
When deciding to do this project the girls wanted to help the homeless, you know those people one the corner. We learned something tonight, the homeless is very small percent of people that are using the program. The largest demographic profile is our seniors. If you know of anyone out there that is going hungry there is food out there.
In the case of the mass amounts of corn it was a trade somewhere in the lower 48, a state had too much corn and we had to much salmon, so we did an even trade. Fruit, Veggies and Protein (peanut butter, tuna, canned chicken) are alway a big need and Alaskans can only do so much salmon.
Tonight we were handed two pallet's of frozen corn. Our goal was to package it into produce bags, in family size portions. With 15 kids we packaging 3000 pounds of corn. They each packed an average of two hundred pounds of corn. I am still amazed at the team work, the problem solving, and the speed of the act.

Finding the Spirit

I have been trying to absorb the Christmas spirit in me since the 3rd of December, I have been subjecting my self to the carols, in hopes that the process would start to seep into my veins.
Life outside the home has tried to pry the spirit into me.... spending the week decorating the office; it's kind of hard to tell but our (her) tree is decorated with pencils, pens, 3.5in disks, tax software CD's, and tax documents folded into swans and cranes. Very creative, but only makes the need for the spirit stronger.
I tried to find it by shopping around for the perfect gift for Johns party, attending the party, and feeling the first anticipation of opening my first gift, the Christmas CD of the "red green show" and then I sadly watched it get taken
from me to open a...

Elmer Fudd Chiah Pet which thankfully was taken from me
after Joe opened his gift which I was able to take.

None of this helped me soak up the Christmas Spirit, I now believe you cannot steal a Christmas Spirit and still feel good about it.
I tried the liquid form of the Christmas spirit, but I think the bartender was against me, 4 sunrise's, three comicazi's, and a who knows how much wine, left me feeling sober by midnight.
I searched under the house for some spirit, and felt the start of the osmosis process as I decorated with a cup of eggnog and my mommy. But by the time we were done I was to exhausted from the emotions of the the day and the previous day, to sit and enjoy. Watching someone leave state is never easy and reminds all of my family of what we have lost when the younger's leave state to find themselves. We are sending lots of prayers, be safe!
Maybe if I get some Christmas cards done I would feel ready to start shopping for the Christmas Spirit, maybe, if I figure out what I am shopping for I will find the Spirit, maybe if I start cooking I would find the Spirit.....
....maybe if I would just RELAX and enjoy my family and friends, the Spirit will find me.

I'm running and not getting anywhere, splitting my day up in some many small periods of commitments is making me feel my wheels are spinning. Especially when a big block of time is spent sitting and waiting for the clock. Yesterday at least I got to sit in the company of people who actually talk, the waiting room at the dentist.
It was quit the active day, first thing in the morning I was on-line buying a birthday present for my youngest birthday party, that night, lucky for me they emailed it to me. Saved me an hour trip downtown. After, two of the girls set out for school, Rosey and I hit the stores in search of the perfect company Christmas party gift. We found some thing but for other people, I am not ready to do my Christmas shopping.
We then headed to Party World where we picked up a few more odds and ends; it all could turn into something right?
We then dart across town to the dentist and we wait a half hour for them to get Rose, later she tells me the doctor didn't see her until an hour after the appointment time. Like I don't have better things to do, we would have come back!
As I sit waiting for her to be one, an Older man strikes up a conversation. Turns out, he was a blast from the past, I spent many Saturdays with him working on little adjustment in the developing some spectacular prints of photography. I learn an awful lot from this man...so much I have forgotten most of it.
He had cleaned up quiet a bit and even looked sober, that is why I didn't recognize him. We had a nice little talk about the people I worked with, and what he was doing now. We even talked a bit about a few more photographers that we both know now, dead and alive. It is truly a small world.
He was there selling some photographs to the staff at the dental office, I got to check out some of his new work, which is still amazing. We had just gotten started on an amazing discussion about digital vs film, and the fact that film photography is going to be a dieing art, when Roseys doctor came for him, now I know why I sat in the waiting room for so long...the doc was shopping for art.
I would link you up and introduce him but he is one of the only photographers, that I knew/know, that is still doing things the way he always has...with an old school SLR, a pocket full of film, trading film developing for product, and surviving by selling photos out of the back of his van down by the river in Somewhere, Alaska! It kind of makes me wonder what ever happened to the other Furgi not Fergi?

After Gene left, I sat and knitted, when an older women asked me what I was knitting. In a very nice, helpful, and interested way told me she has never seen anyone knit the way I was. I guess I am doing it backwards, upside down,inside out, or something. I had to explain I was self taught, with a little help from a left handed knitter, and a Learn to Knit Book. I may have to do some research!

After we left the dentist we finished put shopping for Byrd's birthday, nothing like the last minute to get things done. Picked up another kids and rushed home to clean for the party. Which was a success....many kids (girls and boys), lot's of dancing (girls), video games (boys), and eating (all). She had a great 10th party!

After the last guest was BROUGHT home at 11pm, John and I sat down to figure out this gag gift thing.... check it out!! John Christmas party is to night I better finish up so I can get sexy!

Today, I found the Christmas spirit...just had to get past the Birthday's. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I am alive...

...I am doing it...life...that is, hanging out going through the motions...need details ...try the archives, I am sure I am doing the same things.

A few new artist...

...a few of you might enjoy!

Live show Sampler NEW!

Add to My Profile | More Videos



Housewives On Prozac....check out some of their other stuff.

I am liking this

I am liking this everyone leaves the house at a different time. One gets up and gets ready, as I wish her a good day and send her out the door, another appears from her den and proceeds out straight out the door, when that one is gone the last of the crew awakes and gets up and lazes around until she finally leaves, I have a half an hour of me time before I must leave. It repeats itself in the afternoon adding John to the list. It gives me quality time in the morning and the afternoon with each one! Best of all....NO MORE MORNING FIGHTS!

Speaking of mornings, I have found that the Chicken crows every morning at 8am, this Chicken will someday turn into a Rooster and I am wondering why he is calling my Byrd so early.

I saw Santa today at the mall, he was parking his SUV in a handicap parking spot, I think he was starting his shopping also. He was going to pick me up that sleek black leather jacket I have wanted for years, that I got but just wasn't right. I started my Christmas shopping … HAAHA ….I make me laugh!

Home sick...

...after a four day weekend, I feel really bad, really, for having to call in sick, but my youngest partied way to much this weekend and has a tummy ache. So it is now a five day weekend, and after farting around with Blog layouts yesterday, I really need the extra day to catch up.
Laying out the new layout was quiet easy, using the templates (link at the bottom of page), and Blogger has made it REALLY easy to add those cool things to make it your own. I would like to play with another project but a domain name is holding me back. Why is naming a web site so much harder then a child?
Okay back to work...already spent to much time here!

I hope todays anti-smoking ads have the same effect as these past tobacco ads did on past generations....

Adopting Illusions

Discussing the trials of raising preteen girls, with a friend, she replies.... "Lord help me, are these girls 18 yet so all I have to worry about is where we are going to go for lunch?". I think I will adopt this illusion.

This is to good...I couldn't wait to post until tomorrow...so today you get TWO posts.

Check this out...Totally beats the Diet Coke and Mento's trick...and Valette stay off the DEW!

Thanks TAB!

Thanks to Steveo, I now have a new mission in life, I am jumping on the band wagon, I might be leading the band wagon....but I vow to SAVE the CHICKS.

...maybe I can fit it in sometime late January

I could write a novel here, it has been a hell of a week. Half days of school, parent teacher conferences, working longer hours (so I could take time off to go to PT conferences), Girl Scout re dedication ceremonies, Girl Scout Service Project events, birthday party prep, clean up after last weekend project, and the loss of Rosey's classmate.

Conference have gone great so far, Slow down and turn in your class work are the only complains the girls teachers have...so all is well there. Two honor roll students, lets see if they maintain, as school gets boring. I am debating the whole special Ed thing again, now that Tay's IEP is due, the the teachers are struggling to keep her in the program. Who know what tomorrow brings...is all I can say.

My house is being swallowed by pile of recyclables, mostly it is my box Christmas box collection (don't tell mom). My crawl space was full of nothing but junk, with John replacing the boiler it was a perfect time to clean out the crawl space, now it is headed to the central land fill. With many doubts that is.... Monday I set an 8 foot stack of fiber glass ceiling tiles out for the garbage man. As soon as he pulled away I kicked myself for throwing them out; they would have insulated the garage door wonderfully. Now I am having doubts throwing any of it out. I mean how could I ever part with the box from Nordstrom's that Grandpa Epperson used to get his Christmas socks in... well that one was easy it is only 25 years old and smelled like mildew, but my point is those are MEMORIES.
I set my girls up with a project, shredding old financial documents, three small boxes, that were from before John and I married up until Byrd was born, those three small boxes were turn into 5 or 6 garbage bags of (and still shredding)... MEMORIES...

This was for the flowers at our wedding, I think they cost more then our wedding rings!
This one was from when we first came back to Alaska, we had more money then I had ever seen and a bedroom set was a great first investment for a newly engaged couple. We only have the bed frame and bed side table left, we passed the mattress to Heath (and have since replace our bed the second time), and Sarah has the head board. Many GREAT years for a measly $1200.00.

Speaking of which....today is Rosey's 12th birthday... right about now, back in 1995, I was getting my water popped at 7:30 am, while waiting for John to get to Anchorage. We all thought it would be a quick labor so John was hauling tail, to make it. Rosey had other plans and refused to come until ER came on television, 9:09 at night. I was probably a little pissy that I missed my TV show, when I sent John to go get dinner from Arby's; a craving I had all week and because I was tied to a hospital for the last five weeks, I could not get to it, by the time things had settled after her birth, Arby's had closed and John returned with all wrong things. The poor boy. Rosey was healthy, I was irritable, and John couldn't win. Today, we are celebrating with pizza, roller skating, and sleepover.

Along with a normally the busy week, Rosey and her classmates lost a friend on Monday. Cameron had gone to school with her since 2nd grade, his little sister is friends of Byrd's, and their Mom worked at the elementary School, until recently (she started got a job with another friend of ours). Cameron had some serious allergies, milk being one of them. There have been a lot of rumors going on, but the one piece that has been constant is that he drank pink lemonade that what fortified with protein, a milk based protein, he had breathing complications, and his brain wouldn't work any more.
I feel for these parents, and these kids. We have had a house full of kids all week, making t-shirts, posters, and banners. The girls that new him are taking it very hard, I can't imagine what the boys are doing dealing with it.
Death is nothing new to most of these kids, our local elementary school has lost a student or a teacher every year around this time for the last three years. Morning the loss of a loved one, sound like we should add it to our curriculum. It is just to much.

With dealing with the dis-organized house (which seems like all the time now) and the active social lives of the children, I am struggling with being a grown up about this job. I love the extra money, and I love getting out out of the house (I wish this job gave me more opportunity to meet new people), and I want a job, and my family is dealing with it, and I know I need to work....but I HATE THIS JOB. I did in the beginning, right after the interview, and I took the job anyway. I thought I was just resenting giving up my days. I am trying to positive, open minded, to remember that it will look great on a resume, and that it is easier to get a job when you have one. BUT...I am having communication problems with my boss which I am sure leads her to believe I am totally inapt to do the job, but she keeps contradicting herself and when I try to explain the contradiction she denies the previsions conversation. I can deal with that to some point, but sitting around for 4 hours to answer 3 phone calls, that I am not allowed to do anything but transfer....WHAT IS THE POINT... there's a thing call voice mail. Out of the 16 hours I put in I work maybe 4 of them. You would think it would be a dream job, but I call it BOREDOM! Maybe she will fire me...have I put enough into unemployment yet?

It has been an emotional, stressfull week. And I need a weekend in bed with a good book...maybe I can fit it in sometime late January.

What a warm Halloween, I never remember Trick-or Treating with mud on the ground. Along with the warm weather came a little extra evening daylight, due to the new federal law. I am not sure why Alaska participates, I would rather have extra daylight in the evening when I can enjoy it. Why do we switch? Just leave me on summer hours!

I was realizing, that this may be our last traditional Trick-or-Treating Halloween. This year Rose went out with her friends, Tay wanted to stay home and eat our candy, and Byrd was excited to take the babies out. The costumes aren't cute or scary anymore, unless you count how scary it is that my girls are looking a little too old and watch to much top model.

No photo of Tay... due to the fact she was not dressed for the occasion and refused to be photographed.

We found it living under Shana's stairs.

This the the crew from Jojo's Circus...the dog is supposed to be a Tater???

Spider webs are bad for Byrd's.

WE had company for dinner, last night. This was Rosey's pumpkin' ...hers was not the only one that ended up dinner.The only survivor was Tay's...
I guess anarchy is something moose aren't into.

Cleaning out the camera...

I was just cleaning out my camera and found these....Some child was playing!

Rose tells me "We need one of these installed on Byrd."

Helping out

Work in progress

Dr. Brittany Icky ('cause they rhyme)

I think she wanted to take picture also.

My kids were baby sitting... I think Babysitting 101 is in order.

Top left to right - Shana's, Heidi's, Buddy's, Rose's, Taylor's
Bottom left to right - Kymber's, John's, Fake, Dr. Icky's

There is a mutant running around my house. I have seen him once, but he was faster then light. An inch if not bigger. I can hear him, his voice echoing, louder and louder everyday. I hear him in the walls as I sit to pee, is he in the bathroom? the furnace room? or the laundry? a tunnel through the walls? There's no one there to answer, there no answer when seeked. It's been days, it gets louder, angrier, thirstier, hungrier...will it eat me in my sleep? or just drive me nuts?

Speaking of bugs, did you know one pound of worms eats one pound of garbage in one day? I heard it on talk radio.

It's just me and the frog at work, he say hi every time I walk by, I think he has a crush.

It snowed and then it rained and then it snowed and the roads were slick and there were rollovers all over the Glenn Highway, and I had a nip of anxiety when I arrived at work. Not like the anger the bus driver felt for having to do 60 miles an hour with the rest of traffic all the way to Eagle River. Or the angry bus driver that tried to pull out onto Northern Lights in front of me at 8am with roads so shiny you could watch the sunrise, in another hour. What is it with me and buses? Is it time for them to get revenge? Isn't there a statute of limitation on Karma?

Dang cricket is driving me nuts! I wish Matilda the frog knew how to retrieve.

We are getting ready for the Holidays!

Weinerfly

She Devil

One-eyed Unicorn

The dog that ate that man.

All, caught up, at work...I am liking it better. I have a four day weekend, the boss has ran out of things for me and she is concentrating on getting any tax extension returns out and quarterly taxes paid. Which means, for me anyway, that next week I can start cleaning out the 1999 tax documents. YEAH! My big project yesterday was, playing on the internet...I got to research "How to remove photo's from the sticky paged photo albums." If anyone has any idea, I would sure like to know an easier way then Microwaving them.

The household is holding up, Byrd has asks often if I am still working. So no, the world did not fall apart when mom went back to work, it is not effecting the family at all. The house is still in okay shape, but I am not going to clean it. That will be up to the whole family this weekend.

The house has been a little odd lately, it must be the freezing temperatures, the kids and John are in bed by 8 and asleep by 9, the girls have even been taking naps after school. I think their metabolism's are slowing down and we are going to have a long winter. It probably doesn't help that everyone is home by 4pm and that makes the evening long.

I am glad that it is October, just for the fact that good TV is back, who has been watching Hero's?

My goal this year was to get my ALL photo's organized so I can get them in scrapbooks. I have always said it was nice to store them on CD's but with the new Windows VISTA, I am afraid I will be able to access any of it in 5 or 10 years. So I am spend god awful amounts of money on reprinting any old photos, that were lost or missplaces or used for school projects. I want them in books so they will last for years. I am feeling accomplished, for it is only October, and I have my photo's in order (or on order) and have started scrap booking our 2007 year. Rose has joined me in this hobby and Tay is developing the want; but the "is it worth the time" question is popping up. She showed real interest when she saw that I was printing off some old Blogs and putting them in the scrapbooks. I even added your comments you left. In the years to come I think they all will appreciate the work. My next goal is to pull out the memorabilia so that can be added... 5th grade graduation, camp letters...that sort of thing. With my parents traveling, it makes me want to dig out our photo's, of our trip down the Alcan. Maybe I should start scrap booking the old day in stead of 2007?

Somebody educate me...Why did they wait so long to pursue this matter them selves? Why haven't they questioned the rest of the legislature yet? Am I just missing something? or should of an internal investigation already been in the works?

September is Over?

I think every photo I have of her this last year is here at the computer listening to music. She has explored the music of every generation since the 50's. I have learned a lot with our music apperication times, thanks Tay!

OHSA would be proud.
Deep thoughts, Rosey?

Yesterday was National Public Lands Day, my older Girl Scouts went to help out. I thought it was going to disaster. Last year we participated and we heard nothing but wine! This year all my chaperone's ditched the night before too late to round up new ones. I really needed two adults in case of emergency but that is not what worried me. I was afraid would not be able to motivate them. We worked the Goose Lake Trail system thinning the wooded area 15 feet on either side of the trail and learned why... to allow ventilation through the woods, to keep bugs down. Pedestrian safety; so the trail users couldn't be surprises by animals and other dangers. Fire hazards; in case of a fire they wanted to prevent a canopy fire. If you enlarge the photo you can see piles of small spruce that
was cut and hauled to the trail, the trees are waiting to be chipped
and put right back to were we took them from.

This year I did not hear much wine, but had a few girls just standing around and one pouted the whole time. But all in all we had a great time! We ended up leaving a little early trying to find a restroom, and got "lost" in the woods. It was a blast playing the situation up, one girl (the pouter) even called her mom (without my knowledge, darn cell phones) because she really thought we were lost (I can't wait to hear from that mom). Once we were found we had to stop and enjoy the view of Goose Lake in the fall. While we enjoyed the view we did a "Glamor Shoot" and decided that a photography badge and a photo shoot were in need!These poses remind me of the Tyra's "Top Model" show, what posers.
I know there is only 7 girls here, my pouter was sitting by herself 15 feet up the trail.

After our morning of work, we head for pizza and scrap booking. Me with 8 moody girls, it was a fun but exhausting time. I would do again and again!

On another note....

I saw this car on Northern Lights Blvd and couldn't help to wonder... WTF? What are you trying to say? why does the world need to know? and I hope they don't have kids. I find it very dis-tasteful.

And

Driving down Minnesota, I found what happens to our "City of Flowers"...


and it hadn't even frosted yet... and the plants still look to be in full bloom? I am sure they could have been harvested and the flowers would have made someones day! Like a "shut in" or "the old folks home" or someone in the long term care unit. Wasteful! That is what that is.

The Job

Work is going great, the boss is easy to talk to and when it comes to keeping records her and are on the same page. I do have problems spitting the name of the company out when answering the phones, but phone traffic is minimal. It is brainless work that I can leave at the office; and unless I create it with myself, there will be no work drama. The commute to Eagle River is alright, it is nice not to have to deal with the traffic lights and it only takes me 10 minutes. It is less stressful then driving to the south side of town

I have been trying to back up my computer and my CD writer decides to quit, I see a new system in my future! Oh wait new computer tower or new lens for my camera...ugh the agony! Okay there really is nothing to put here...now I am just babbling... and not very creatively either.

WHATZ UP?

Well, I finally got last weekend photo's on line, you can see then here. We had a great weekend; I did my good doings, played in the rain in my new Extra Toughs, got my first fishing rod, met up with good friends, saw new sites, did a little fishing (not catching), and went for a nice hike. I learned, even with MS you can ride 63 miles on a bike, I can pee in the woods standing up, and found if you take glacier photos with an indoor camera setting the blue comes out more vivid. It was a wonderful trip, I couldn't think of any way better to celebrate our 15 years together. Thanks John, Nadina and the National MS Society.

I start my new job on Monday, I am now an part time Administrative Assistant to a CPA, witha very flexible schedule. A very small company, with lots going on. She (the CPA) does forensic accounting for the courts and corporate taxes. Even though I feel over qualified for the job she has me doing, I should learn a lot from her and the experience I take away should be beneficial . The only down side is I need a social life outside of family and I won't be getting that hanging in a small office in Eagle River.

John and I got more adult time last night. We had dinner with Nate and Tab, I was so excited to go OUT to dinner with a couple and no kids where the conversation flowed and it was not awkward. The Bloody Marys set me on the right track for poker, but diner was cut too short. We will have to do it again.

After diner we then hit Valette's poker game, where I found myself with an incredible need to start playing with action figures. But more important I stole Valette's mojo, so that John could take the table. Okay he shared it with Steve but the point is I left with $11 bucks to Valette'a $1.

Girl Scouts is up and running, our first meetings was last week, this year we have more parents support then I know what to do with. I think it will be a great year!! We have already scheduled our first community service project. On the 29th we will be going to Portage to do some land management, laying trails and planting indigenous plants. I am looking forward to this, a lot.

I have 20 projects going on around the house and if I could just complete one I would be happy....hey I did complete one!!! I blogged and got my photo's on line!!! Time to get the house projects done now!

MS Bike Ride

The National MS Bike Ride (and here and here)was a success and we had a lot of fun. We volunteered for Saturday biker sign up in Granite Creek (mile 63 Seward Highway) and then helped sign bikes back in once they reached the Seward Sea Life Center. John and I counted 129 bikes (227 were signed up) making the trip on Saturday. The first rider pulled into Seward soaking wet, in about 4 hours, that is 63 miles in 4 hours, averaging almost 16 miles an hour, in the pouring rain. I would like to thank you all for not showing up because John and I had a wonderful quiet anniversary weekend. I have many pictures, I want to share, but the schedule does not permit blogging right now. So...for now you only get to hear about the bikers who raised over $100,000 for the National MS Society.

Who's with me?

Thing are slow around here, BLOG people!!! I have a few project in the works but nothing to blog about. I am looking for a song for Buddy's birthday video. Any idea's?

I haven' been playing much with my camera, since I got permission to buy my new lens's (is that plural, cause I can't just buy one I need them ALL). Now the camera seems boring with out them...but I can't afford them yet, so, I have to wait. Come on dividends!

School starts soon, I am job hunting again, you will find I do this every fall and nothing ever happens. Maybe this year I will apply myself! Byrd is only going into 4th grade, doesn't take everyone 4 years to find a job?

I am committed to volunteer for the MS bike ride. I am still looking for buddies...I sent out an email to my friends and relatives with the details!! Who's with me? How come I can find all these things to volunteer for but if it involves making money I don't want to do it?

Anyway BLOG PEOPLE!

" i'm "

Did you know "Windows Live Messenger" will donate a portion of their advertising revenue to a charity of your choice every time you chat on Messenger? So now every time you chat me up, I am raising funds for the National MS Society. There are several different Charities you can donate to...check it out!

I doing it!

I am going to do it! I am going to volunteer this year, for the National Multiple Sclerosis Bike Ride. It starts at Mile 63 Seward Highway (Moose Pass), the riders ride into Seward, stay the night and ride back out for a total of 126 miles. It is my understanding that you can have a "team" and share the distance, so next year, maybe, I can get a team together to do some fund raising. This year, I will just volunteer, maybe as a photographer, or wherever. Anyone want to join me?

12 more days!!

Twelve more days and school starts, the girls are all registered. Spent the week doing that ...one girl... one school...one a day. Big changes this year Rose has to ride the bus for the first time, Byrd is the only one at her school now, and Tay is a big bad 8th grader. The only hassle we had this year with her registration is they stuck Tay in PE again and two class were out in relocatable, No Wheelchair access. Which mean she is inside for Health and is disappointed that it will be taught by the male teacher that tends to look at her breasts and comment how nice her PLAIN WHITE t-shirt is. Everyone was teasing that I map out two hours to do Tay's registration. There's reason behind my madness! Now its time for supplies, and what I save by not buying glue sticks and crayons will be spent on Rosey's activity fees...is it wrong for me to pressure her into wrestling? I do miss watching sports!! Tay got her Journalism class, but had to give up keyboarding for art (my girls hate art). Rosey got French, home economics, Art and Keyboarding. homework should be a fun battle with two in JR high.

Rosey has been working hard on some video's


She had a friend over and they taped this, then put it all together. There are two more video's she is working on. I need to get her into the Audio video Club.

Here is Lou's Birthday, it was from back in May, but I just finished for Sister dear so she would feel left out.

On another note, Have you ever heard of this web site? I got a message on my FLICKR account that they wanted a photo of mine. It wasn't a great photo so I let them have it....but now I am published!!!! My photo is in the slide show, on the right lower part of the article.

Our trip was one of waiting, now I remember why we moved to Anchorage, so a dang doctor appointment wouldn't be a whole day thing. The flight down was a long one, it left an hour late, and of coarse we were on the plane when they decided something need fixed. So there went any sleep, as I worried about the plane going down over a 50 cent part.

When I did finally go to sleep I was awoken a half hour later buy this snuffling snorting noise. The gentlemen sitting in front of me, in the bulk head, was standing up staring at me making these odd noises, the noises were like what I would imagine a pig making when they are rooting for grub. It wouldn't have been so bad, god forgive me for saying this, but his whole face was deformed, swollen and lumpy, like a tumor, like Quasimodo, at 3am it is not a good way to wake up. Needless to say I did not go back to sleep because he wouldn't sit down and stop starring at us.

When we arrived, our ride to the Hospital was there waiting for us, we arrived just in time for the morning rush hour, 7am, the 30 minute ride took an hour. We waited at the hospital for her 9am physical therapy appointment, which was a mistake, they canceled that one and didn't tell us, but on a good note we didn't have to wait until 1:30 to see the doctor. By 10 am, the x-rays were good and we were waiting in the exam room. The doctor pushed and poked then had Taylor walk. "It doesn't get better then that!" his words (not mine) and for a perfectionist it was exactly what I wanted to hear. He also noted her hip flexion wasn't as bad as he thought. So maybe that means he won't have to operate on her hips and fix what I think the other doc broke.

The Physical therapist (note the therapist not terrorist, AWESOME GUY) Herb, noted that Taylor tends to pick her walker up when she turns and that she doesn't set it back down until she has taken a few steps. She is doing independent standing and a few steps. She didn't realize that, Herb asked her to walk/stand alone, it didn't work. Our conclusion, the next step is overcoming the mental side of it all, a battle she has to overcome. Which means we are back to where we were before the burns and torn knee tendons. YEAH!!!! Her next appointment is in October here in Anchorage, if all goes well there she won't have to go down again until May for another Gait Clinic.

By 11:30 we were done, but our plane didn't leave for another 12 hours, we talked our way into a ride back to the airport, where we lucked out. A flight leaving at 5:10 had two empty seats. We were on it at 4:30 and I was passed out by 4:40, I didn't even hear the other passenger board not did I feel the take off. Our stewardess was the same on from the flight down and she made sure the rest of the flight crew knew we only wanted to sleep. I am not sure when Tay finally slept but I know she slept hard because I have the drool stain on my pants where she laid her head and she had some major morning breath. We were home by 9pm where we were greeted with what did you buy us. Dang we forgot the souvenir's.

It was an adventure...not...more of a hassle, but we made it through. Wednesday before we left I was trying to finish up some photo's. All day I worked on this, but didn't have a chance to post it....so hear you go....

I can't believe time has flown by so fast. What has happened all week, the house was quiet without Byrd...we had two great BBQ's one for Riley's Birthday, the other just for the tequila! I have been working on a video for Josh, Crissy, and Riley. It's going slow because I have no music appropriate for a two year old party that won't drive an adult nuts! I picked Byrd up from camp and Tay and I fly out tonight...not much else is happening.

Byrd is off to summer camp, for a week, she was going to do a "Kaleidescope" of things but camp called this morning asking if she wanted to switch to "Paddlers Paradise". She took the deal, which means she will NOT be with her friends (though I threw a few names in there for the counselor to call if she still had room), but that won't be so bad, they will still be there. They will make a day trip to Ekultna Lake to do some Kayaking. I am jealous! I am also a little nervous, she getting over a cough. I hope it doesn't get worse and she gets sent home.

Tay and I fly down to Oregon, early morning on the 2nd, and fly home late that same night. She is doing well. After I took her chair away from her last week she fell/was pulled onto her knees. We/I thought she did some major damage. But after a few days off of her feet, she is back up again, and the chair is parked outside.

I have finished the new Harry Potter book, I tried to make it last, but there were to many late night reading sessions. So its over...no more Harry! I am kind of disappointed, but if she comes out with another series I am not sure I will latch on. It was a good but its time to end it been going on WAY to long.

Between the book, Tay, the puzzle Rose started, chores, the boat video, and trying to keep up on taking photo's....I still have not...finished up the Girl Scout Paperwork (that was due in May), grooming the dog, cleaning the garage....I'll stop there...can't freak myself out.

Fragments of Life

Last Saturday, some friends of mine and I crashed Bartlett High School 20 year reunion. I am sure if I would have gone to my brother's reunion (in Homer) they wouldn't have been so old, but these people were OLD. It was fun playing "What were you in High School!", especially since they grew up in the 80's ...there were the old Cindy Laupers/Madonna's, the cheer leaders that didn't fair to well, the lady that moved to Homer (I spotted her instantly), the stoner chick still wearing the leather, the Jocks all had beer guts, and, as it should be, the nerds sat with us! The parents of one of my Girl Scouts were there, I swore they were MUCH older. Now they know I am a lush that hangs at Bernie’s Bungalow Lounge , and that two lemon sours and a glass of wine is way to much for me.

I took the girls and the neighbor boys to Goose Lake, we finally got some July sun. Everyone else was either busy or had sick kids, so it was just me and my crew and the hundreds of other families that took the opportunity to enjoy the sun. I was a little bored, as the kids ran off to play, I wanted to, but couldn't get the guts up to be a stalker and take photos of the people enjoying the beach (my Flikr account needs some new photo's). Someday I will get the guts up to take photo's of strangers....but I did get these of my own kids.

• As soon as I took that one of Byrd, I thought of Bay Watch.

Today is my birthday, I think I am going to use that to my advantage and ask that the chores get done! I am wondering what I want to do, but I think the plans are being made for me, or maybe is my plans are will be around the important events...like payday, and play dates. Tonight it will be just us and cake. Tomorrow, it is boat races at noon and the Harry Potter Book release party all night. Saturday maybe a BBQ before the x-brother in-law leaves, maybe the weather will be nice and we can do it out of town. I would love to take Keith out and get him drunk for his plane ride home (lets see if we can get him wasted enough he will be so loud and obstinate to the flight crew they will land early to 86 him), maybe a babysitter for Saturday is on order!

Shriners called to day to tell me Taylors bike is coming, when I stated I wasn't expecting a bike, I found that Herb meant to call Taylor Mac... not Taylor Mc... Darn it!! Last night Taylor took STEPS up the stairs using mostly her right leg, so today I took her wheelchair so I could "Wash It" ...lets see how see does with only using her walker today. Is that child abuse? cause I feel really mean. Lucky the monster with-in is sleeping, I got away with it, so far.

Oh did I tell you I am the Brewopoly Champion!! After kicking Shana's family butts last Friday, I proceeded to whoop my kids butt (and my husbands) last night!! Now my kids really know to much about beer.

Whoa... after reading this through (and yes probably missing still more grammar/spelling error), if someone didn't know me, it would appear like I have a drinking problem. Hmmm... really its only socially, July is just really social and I am just really bad at typing and spelling.

Flat Top

I was bored and need to do something with these photo's.... so here...

The Poor kids, have been neglected, with me doing chores, us catching up on bills, and John working, I was afraid our house guest was bored (and I NEEDED them OUT of the house) so we went and did something FREE (Friday night). Valette and Steve joined us, but Tay and Rose stayed home (Rose has pneumonia, the reason we aren't in AP this 4th of July) and what an adventure. At first I wasn't sure what the weather was going to do.

The cloud looked like it was going to step on down town.

We lost Steve down lower but Valette and Sierra right behind me looking a little winded. The rest are probably at the top already.

Sierra wanted to show her parents the view of the Campbel Creek, there is a road following the power lines. We keep talking about traveling back there and staying the night. Someday!

I love to travel with Brit she is such a poser, here she is teasing Sierra trying to get her to Pose.

Super women wanted to fly. Her magic Daisy (hanging out of her head band) giving her the power.

Sierra only gave up one shot, with out a hand in the front of the face, maybe for she leaves I will get all the girls to give up some glamor shots.


The kids at the very top! I was suppose to be a group photo thing, but I had already used up all the time and the youngest ones wanted to LEAVE.

Danaldo (the little speck in between the hills) chooses a bad spot to go down.


Here is Valette, Steve and Donald... someone had the bright idea we will descend by the way of the old unmaintained trail, because its it's quicker.

These are the hare's, two of the three won the race.

Sunset overlooking Blueberry Hill and Anchorage, look closer and you will see our youngest on the ridge.

We all felt powerful after mastering the hike, my butt just started feeling the pain.