The busy season

I keep hearing everyone refer to their "busy season" doing this and that for Christmas time. I don't have a job and we finished shopping months ago, but can I still claim a busy season? I swear in my church calling, Thanksgiving/Christmas is the "busy season." If you wonder what I'm doing all the time I can almost guarantee it's something for Relief Society. I love the opportunity to serve, but I don't want anyone (outside of my ward) to feel I'm being neglectful or anti-social. I love all of you!!

Pianos and cheesecake

Remember when James bought cheesecake instead of cheese sticks?? Well we made the cheesecake and everyone loved it.We also got a piano, Gus is pretty much a prodigy.I joined the gym, (ps, Costco has a ridiculous deal) and I go. This is a huge accomplishment for me, I haven't worked out in years (If you can't tell by my big butt and gut.) Wish me luck, and ask me if I'm still going; it will keep me in check. Gus is really proud of me.

4 years

Four years of wedded bliss. Well not always bliss, but we always come back to the good stuff. I love James more every year, I couldn't ask for a more honest, generous, selfless man to spend my life with. He is exactly what I always needed in my life.

PS, he is a FOX with his beard. Just kidding, that's not James beard. Just trust me, his looks super handsome.

Excellent

Some of you may remember this post NEIGHBORS. Guess what? I got a surprise visit today from that special neighbor, just letting me know they were back in the neighborhood and she would love to stop by and say hello now and again. Awesome, is that a warning? Do they really think the neighborhood is going to roll out the red carpet for their return? Bold, they are bold thinking they can roll back and we would be cool with that. I guess I can quit carrying cash, I'm sure she'll be asking for money soon enough. Or maybe she'll just break in and take it.

Watch Out

You will see from time to time some PERSONAL HISTORY blogs popping up on here. I think they are fascinating, but very wordy and really intended for my posterity to have. Just so your not caught off guard.

Personal History: Summer 2005

The summer of 2005 was a strange one. I had just finished my first year of teaching in Gilbert and had decided after a hard year and much thought and prayer to take a summer off and go back to Glacier National Park. I was certain I was going to find my future husband because I had been so positive this is what I was supposed to do. Summer drove with me to Montana, after a brief stop in Idaho to see Ty and 4 weeks later I made the trek back to Arizona on my own. Montana was beautiful and the job driving the tour boat was so much fun, but my heart wasn't in it. One day while hiking a trail I got a phone call from a company I had sent a resume to in Washington DC, they said they wanted me to come out and interview. This was the dream job for a single girl, I prayed and knew I was supposed to come home. I now knew that that coming to Montana had been a test of my faith, and now DC would be my new reality. Once I got home I called the DC company only to find out they had gone with another candidate, I was shocked. Now I was home, jobless and not knowing what my next step was going to be. I looked for jobs that would help me use some of my interests and settled on working at an organizing store. I got several calls from the school district asking me to come back and work, but I didn't want to go back and feel that same stress I had felt my first year. I then got a great job offer from Fulton homes that was comparable to what I had been making as a teacher, and the hours were perfect.
When I came back from Montana I called up the guy I had been dating before I left, and after one date knew that he was not someone I wanted to waste the rest of my summer with. I thought to the cute boy at church that was so much younger than me, but had always been so nice. I put on my best moves, casual seating arrangements that led me to sitting with him at church, arm touches, you know. After a couple of weeks he asked me out for the 4th of July. It was great, my whole family was there to critique my outfit and James as he came to pick me up. We went to a backyard BBQ/concert that was all together so funny, and we were gone about 1 1/2 hours. When he dropped me off I wanted to do something else, but I didn't know him well enough to suggest anything like that. After some persuasion from my family I called him and asked him to go see fireworks with me, then a couple hours later I called and canceled. I felt so bold and I was sure he would think I was crazy. After that first date I knew I had found someone special, he made me feel awesome. I was determined to go on at least one more date to see how things panned out.

Watch it grow

One week, and almost 2 feet tall. I'm seriously obsessed.

Watch it grow

I always loved doing this project with my school class during our plants and growth curriculum. They always thought I was pretty impressive growing something in water and such a fast growing plant at that. I'm hoping it works on Gus and the rest of you. I hope you are super impressed with our sweet potato plant. Try this, it's fun; your family will be amazed.

Even Mr.Owl is impressed.