It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year...

So, if you know me, you know that I love this ad. The pure joy on that father's face encapsulates every frustrating day of "I'm bored," "She started it," and "Mmmmmooooooooommmmm" and translates it into "Three more days!" I one day want to traipse through Staples as though the aisles were rows of poppies tossing Post-It Notes over my shoulder into the cart, using staplers as castanets, and gliding across the floor on the cart with my right leg in a perfectly balletic attitude. All while my kids stare with grumpiness etched on their adorable little faces. The glee! Yes, this is definitely on my bucket list. Until then, I will watch this ad and try to make the most of my last 3 days with moody young ones trying to suck the last bit of summer out of their break. And next week I will most likely remember how the 24/7 moodiness of my kids wasn't really so bad compared to the horrors of getting kids up, ready, and to school on time. Alas, it's always something.

Cotton Candy Grapes? I'm in heaven!

So maybe you all are more up to date on your produce than I am, but I just discovered this amazing little treat: cotton candy grapes!

Mia and I were in Sprouts tonight getting the requisite fruit to satisfy the little beasties in our home when we ran upon the grapes. I had just sacked up the red seedless variety and was going for the green when the produce guy said to me from across the grapefruit, "Have you ever tried this kind?" I looked over and saw the name Cotton Candy emblazoned on the container and said, "No." "Come over here and try it," he beckoned. So Mia and I scooted on over and gave it a try.

Now, if you don't already know, Mia is my candy girl. Always has been. I have a picture of her at age 2 with 5 lollipops stuck in her mouth. Her sweet tooth has not tempered with age. I love candy myself, and I'll admit that cotton candy is one of my favorites. The fluffy pink cloud of spun sugar delight transports me back to lazy days lying under a palm tree watching the clouds go by. Every time. How can I resist?

And after tasting just one juicy Cotton Candy grape I still couldn't resist. It tasted like cotton candy! It was amazing! Of course it's nothing like cotton candy: round, solid, squishy, wet, and an undeniably unattractive shade of green. But it tasted like cotton candy. I don't know how they were able to do that, but, boy, am I glad they did. Naturally, we bought a container.

It is more pricey than regular green grapes ($5.99 for 2 lbs), but my candy girl was so taken with the "cotton candy" that is healthy for you that I had to get it. My impulse shopping for the day.

If you haven't tried it yet, try it, if for no other reason than to experience the flavor sensation of candy in a fruit. You may be a purist and not like it. That's fine. The regular green table grapes are right across the way. And if you do like it, don't thank me, thank the Sprouts produce guy. Thanks, Sprouts produce guy!

A Decade

I remember when I was a senior in high school and looking forward to my future. "Where will I be in 10 years?" Do you remember asking yourself that question? Do you remember your answers? In all honesty, I don't. Well, not all of them. Some of them I'm sure were "traveling the world" or "starring on Broadway" or something else very ambitious. But I do remember one of my answers. It was an answer I didn't really voice often and didn't really dwell on, but it was one of the some-wheres I wanted to be in 10 years: married with a family.

I actually did achieve that goal. I was married to a really awesome guy 5 years after high school and we had our first child 10 years after high school. No world traveling and no Broadway, but those were never truly my goals anyway, not in my heart of hearts at least.

It's now been %!@^# years after high school ;) and I have another "Where will I be in 10 years?" moment to recount.

10 years ago I was blessed with something incredible, something truly amazing, and well beyond the senior year scope of ambitions. I was blessed with my second child.

Mia was 3 weeks early, and a firecracker almost from the start. She loved to take naps to The Messiah. She was the fastest crawler in the west. She learned how to climb up and slide down her Little Tikes slide before she could walk. She got hurt doing the same ridiculous things over and over to the point that I wondered if she'd ever learn. She looked like Massive Head Wound Harry for a bit thanks to her energy and a wooden trash bin with sharp corners. She learned how to ride her bike because she wanted to keep up with her big sister. In short (or should that be, in long?), she was my wild thing.

Today Mia turned 10. I don't think I ever thought, "Where will I be in 10 years?" in regards to Mia, but I've been reflecting on where we are now. That carefree, impulsive, happy-go-lucky little being I welcomed into my life 10 years ago has developed into a loving, affectionate, considerate, thoughtful, generous, and kind individual. She will share anything and everything with anyone, right down to her last stick of gum. She loves babies and itches to give them a little squeeze when she sees one. She wants to makes others' burdens light by offering to help. She is a genuine and open person who is loved by all who meet her. She is a bright light in an oftentimes world of darkness. I didn't realize 10 years ago, even though I loved her from well before the first moment I laid eyes on her, what a jackpot I had hit!

I love all of my children. Absolutely and completely. They are each exceptional and amazing and perfect. But today is my day to think about Mia and just how exceedingly fantastic she has become in a decade. Where will I be in 10 years in regards to Mia? I can't even begin to fathom, because with a person as fabulous as she is, nothing I can imagine will ever live up to the reality I know she will set.

I love you, my Mia girl! Happy 10th birthday, sweetie!

Mia with some of her favorite "sweet" birthday gifts.

I'm back!!! ... With a summer reading pick!

So I dropped off the face of the earth for a while. That happens when life just keeps picking up speed and you find yourself struggling to catch up. I joke that I've been behind since 2011, but it's true, really. Actually, I've been behind since way before then, but that's when we moved last so I figure that's when I should have gotten back on track. But, alas. Still behind. So, lengthy intro completed, I'm back! And back with a book recommendation!

Many of you already know about my SIL author, Mindy Hayes. Mindy's awesome. I've known her since she was born, and she became my sister-in-law at the tender age of 8. She is a talented lady: sings, plays the piano, can make anyone smile and laugh, and has authored 3 books with one more to be released very soon. Kaleidoscope is her debut novel and the first in a series. (Ember is the second in the series and Luminary, the third, will be released sometime in September.) Here's the summary from Amazon:

“Was I still a human? Gosh, I still wanted to be human. Even just to keep a sliver of who I thought I was. But as I thought about being human, standing in the shade of the forest, I felt less human than ever. The trees fought for my allegiance." 

It starts in her chest. The change Calliope doesn't see coming. It pulses like a second heartbeat, urging her to give in to the need to be in the depths of the forest. She's compelled to fight the pull, but the more she denies it the stronger it becomes until she finally surrenders and is pulled into a secret world of enchantment. 

Kai and Declan need her to accept what she is, but with everything left unsaid, acceptance may be the least of their worries. Knowing their fate lies in her hands, they’ll stop at nothing to protect and prepare her for what lies ahead. 

Will Calliope be able to accept what Kai and Declan reveal or will her desire to be normal keep her from acknowledging her true destiny?

Doesn't that sound awesome? It is. I've read it, and I can tell you firsthand that this is a great debut novel. Fairies, humans, love triangles (or maybe quadrilaterals), and a dang good story line. Read some of the reviews it's been getting if you don't believe my totally unbiased opinion. ;) And right now Kaleidoscope is FREE on Amazon, iBooks, and Smashwords! If you haven't read it yet, you really should. Summer is in full swing, and this makes a fantastic kick-your-feet-up-and-enjoy-the-summer read. Go on. Download it. Give it a read. It will be worth it. Promise. And when you're done reading, give it a review on one of these websites. (Listings below.) Indie authors live by their reviews, so take a few minutes and jot down your impressions for her. Whether you like it or not, she appreciates the time you take to read and review.So, now, go. Read. Enjoy summer. And may popsicles and ice cream always be plentiful in your freezers. :)

AMAZON: http://amzn.to/1nT8tSL

iBooks: http://bit.ly/1tDt2WB

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/UQFjHO

My Fortune

So I was having a fortune cookie last night.  Typically my "fortunes" tell me I'm going to go on a long adventure (which I never do), I'm going to make a new acquaintance (which is typically a given), or just plain tells me to be kind to a stranger (which is just plain common sense).  This one, however, was pretty dead on.  Kind of rare to get one of those.  I'm still waiting for the one that makes me switch bodies with someone else, preferably someone rich, famous, and beautiful. ;)

A blog? I have a blog??

Yes, I am completely lame when it comes to blogging as of late. I rocked it when we lived in DC. Then we went back to Yuma and the heat must have zapped me of all my blogging strength. Or, more likely, my entry into the Facebook world took over my computer time, leaving me at a sad blogging stand still.

So here I am, 2 and a half years later, wondering how all of my friends and family have been able to maintain their blogs while I have fallen off the edge of the blogging world. Since I have no real answer to that musing, the only thing I have to say is, I'M BACK!!! Yes, life is whirling by and I need to chronicle it before it gets past me again.

So, for my first post back after 2 and a half years, I wanted to keep it simple. Oh ho, my LIFE has not been simple. No, no, not by any means. But I don't want to inundate you with all of the chaos right off. Oh, that will come later. :)

For now, here's a brief rundown of the last 2 and a half years:

* I was in a show for Desert Pointe Productions (DPP), a friend's theatre company. "Into the Woods." It was great fun, especially since I hadn't performed in live theatre since 1995.

* I directed a show for DPP. "Forever Plaid." A LOT of work. Hard, but a good time.

* I began working in the Young Women program for my church as the President of the organization. Great girls. Fun stuff! (Just finished up with the YW. It was a good 2 year run.)

* We got a cat. Yup. We're pet owners. Cute kitty. BIG kitty. And the girls love him!

* We started a band. Mostly classic rock, but really a melding of lots of stuff. (Even the occasional country and pop song.) Chris was the front man and lead guitarist. I was talked into singing back up and occasional lead and filling in as keyboardist. Occupational hazard of being the front man's wife, I guess.

* Hailey wants to add that we were gonna get a fish, but never did. :P

* Did another show, but with Yuma Community Theater. "White Christmas." Sometimes a hassle, but still a good time.

* The girls got into gymnastics. Mia is really excelling, constantly regaling us with her back bends, round offs, and near front walk-overs.

* Chris transferred to El Cajon with his work. We've been living in two separate places (Yuma and El Cajon) for the last 4 months. Tough stuff being apart so much. I call us transient. Hailey calls us homeless.

* We are buying a home in El Cajon. Supposed to close escrow a week ago. Didn't happen. Hopefully in the next 2 weeks...

* Selling the home in Yuma. Supposed to close escrow at the end of August.

And now I have done what I said I wouldn't: inundate you with the chaos. Well, once I get on a roll, you know. I guess if I make blogging a regular thing I won't have to flood you with everything all at once. So, here we go again. Think I can keep it up this time?

More pix of our anniversary

At Seaport Village

Mia captaining the boat at Legoland

The views from our hotel room

13 years!

January 5 was our 13th wedding anniversary. My, how the time flies. So, for our anniversary we decided to take a little trip out to San Diego. First we hit Legoland. Maybe not so fun for older teenagers, but just right for our small ones. Then we did Rockin' Baja Lobster (ah, Rockin' Baja Coastal Cantina now) in Old Town for dinner. Great place, by the way, if you haven't been there. Then my wonderful parents took the girls for the evening while Chris and I slipped away to the Manchester Grand Hyatt downtown. It's the hotel right next to Seaport Village. I was actually surprised Chris took me there. I really wasn't expecting anything so "grand". :p We were on the 38th of 40 floors and had great views. It was a little escape, but a very nice one. Here are some pix of Legoland. They wouldn't let me upload any others, so I'll try to post them separately.

Hailey driving her own motor boat. She handled it very nicely.

Hailey on the jousting horse.

Amy and Mia flying the police helicopter.

Hailey on the driving course. She obeyed all of the traffic laws. Of course. (Oh, she admitted to running one red light. Oops.)

Mia on the Miniland cruise.

Christmas Greetings!

No, we didn't fall off the face of the earth! Yes, we've been blogging slackers. We're alive and well and back in Yuma after much expectation and confusion. I could go into a big long explanation about all of that, but it would be neither exciting nor cohesive, so I'll spare you. Long story short, we are here and ready to be a part of the blogging world again. So, for our first post back in cyberland, here is our Christmas greeting to you! (Click the image to enlarge.)

The Host

Okay, so I finally finished The Host. I liked it, but I'm not sure I liked it as well as the Twilight novels. I think that since I didn't have a lot of time to devote to uninterrupted reading I got off on the wrong foot. I wasn't as taken in right away. And it took me much longer to read than usual because of how busy I've been. But towards the end I took more time to read it uninterrupted, and I ended up liking it much better than I did at first.

The whole "alien" concept was kind of strange at first, but I knew it was this kind of science fiction premise before I started reading. But the whole "alien" idea was really more of a side story than anything. This was truly a human story that dealt with truly human emotions. I really liked the main character(s), Wanderer/Melanie. Wanderer more than Melanie, though. Funny that I'd like the alien better. Anyway, the author made the point that humankind can be volatile and selfish and unkind, but that this way of life, with all of the pain and anger and devastation, is still better than an altruistic life devoid of the balancing powers of pleasure and joy and triumph. There must be opposition in all things, in other words.

This book is billed as Stephenie Meyer's first "adult novel", and people have been complaining that it's not adult enough. I don't know why "adult" has to mean gratuitous themes and scenes. It should just mean it's about adults. I loved that she didn't cave and include gratuitous immorality. Way to go, Mormon girl!

I wondered at the beginning why I didn't like Jared, the main love interest, as much as I thought I should, but I don't think I was supposed to like him as much as I originally thought I should. And I wondered why I liked Ian more than I thought I should. That was by design, too. I felt the whole time like I was seeing through Wanderer's eyes, learning as she learned. That is the masterful work of an author.

Anyway, if you get the chance, this is a really good book. The message is great, and the way the characters mature and grow during the novel is tremendous. Let me know if you've read it and, if so, how you liked it.

My rating: 4-1/2 stars out of 5.

Happy 4th of July!

Ah, Independence Day! I was very glad to spend this 4th of July in Washington, DC. Last year the girls and I were on a plane back to San Diego on the 4th. The fireworks were really anticlimactic in the rain flying out of Baltimore.

This year we opened our sliding glass window and stood out on the balcony to watch the fireworks. It was a little disappointing in that they set off cannons during the first stage of the fireworks that created a black billow of smoke that blocked a lot of the fireworks from view. After a while we could see through most of the smoke and got to see some good ones. It was truly amazing to watch the fireworks with the Washington Monument just off to the side. It was hard to get a picture since it was so dark and we were still a ways away, but I had to get a shot of what we saw from our balcony.

The girls enjoyed the show despite the black smoke. And, as always, Mia was ready for the camera. As we watched the fireworks we had "A Capitol Fourth" live on the tv. A highlight was Jerry Lee Lewis's performance just before the fireworks. (He was great, by the way. Sounds a lot like he did back in the day.) Then the National Symphony Orchestra played patriotic music to back up the fireworks. It was a fun evening, and a lot less crazy than being down on the Mall with the masses. Although I think we will have to join the mad throng before our time in DC is up, just to say we did it.

I'm thankful for this great nation we live in, and for being able to be in the Nation's Capitol during this holiday. This country may not be perfect, but it's still pretty darn good, and I'm glad to be an American. Happy 4th to you all!

Water Fun!

Yesterday we went to the Sandy Point State Park for some beach fun. The girls had fun floating in the Chesapeake Bay and playing in the sand. It was a beautiful day with just enough clouds to keep it from being too warm. Sandy Point is just past Annapolis, MD. It's not South Carlsbad, but we'll take it!

Hooray for Chris!

A couple of months ago Chris took a test for work. His score determines his eligibility for promotion, and the better his score, the greater his chances. Well, he got his score back today, and combined with his other scores he is now definitely able to be hired as an Assistant Chief at headquarters. He will put in for the promotion next week and it will be a few weeks after that before they make their decisions, but we should be here permanently by August or September. Way to go, Christopher!

Summer Kids Movies

Do any of the movie theaters in your area offer free summer kids movies? Back in Yuma our theater offered 10 movies for $5, or $2 each movie, but you had to go on the same day of the week for each movie. Out here, the theater has 2 free movies per week, both offered on Tuesday and Wednesday. Free is a pretty good deal. Today we saw "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium". We hadn't seen it before. It was okay. Not my favorite, but it had a good message: believe in yourself. Hailey sat and watched it without problem, but Mia was a little sleepy towards the end. Anyway, I'm glad we have summer movie offerings out here. It's nice to have something different from the everyday stuff to do.

So, what do you do to make the summer more interesting for the kids? And how did you like "Mr. Magorium" (if you've seen it)?

5 Things

A few weeks ago my sis-in-law "tagged" me to do this. Yes, I'm only now getting around to doing it. Oops. So, without further ado, here goes:



5 things


5 things I was doing 10 years ago:

1. I was working for Creative Touch Interiors in San Diego.

2. I was living in my grandfather's house rent free while he lived with my parents. (Those were the days...)

3. I was teching the Sunbeams (3-4 year olds) in church.

4. I bought my first car. (Used, but new to me.)

5. I was spending a lot of time with my family and in-laws. (Sunday dinner, anyone?)



5 things on my to do list:

1. Figure out how to rent out a house.

2. De-stress.

3. Schedule dentist appointments.

4. Get back into scrapbooking (once I get all of my stuff from Arizona).

5. Write.



5 favorite snacks/food:

1. Smoothies

2. Nielsen's Frozen Custard (nope, none of that out here)

3. Creme brulee

4. Lobster and crab legs

5. A really good steak



5 things I would do if I was a billionaire:

1. Buy my own jet so I could visit family anytime I wanted to.

2. Hire a personal chef.

3. Take lots of vacations.

4. Randomly donate money to good causes and people.

5. Be more generous.



5 bad habits:

1. Staying up late.

2. Letting paperwork overtake my computer desk. And my dresser. And my counter...

3. Being a dreadful pack rat.

4. Spending too much time on the computer.

5. Being late.



5 places I have lived:

1. San Diego, CA

2. Provo, UT

3. Yuma, AZ

4. Arlington, VA

5. Salem, OR



5 People I'm Tagging (Yep! You guys gotta do this now)

1. Kim

2. Anna

3. Tami

4. Cate

5. Janelle

Hailey's Art

One of Hailey's favorite subjects in school is Art. She's drawn some good things. I've even posted some of it. This week she brought home her drawing book from school. She has some good stuff in it, but we think this one is her best. She was sure to tell me that she drew this inside her classroom without a flower to use as a guide. I think she's done a fantastic job.

New York, Part Nine--Letterman and Rupert Jee

At last, the final part of the NY trip.

Of course, we are big Letterman fans. We only get to watch every now and again, but we think he's pretty funny and we really like his Top Ten lists (usually). Well, Letterman has made Hello Deli a regular hot spot on the tourist circuit, so we had to stop in and give it a try.

As it turns out, the sandwich we got was actually quite good. Apparently Rupert Jee has a good little deli, and being right around the corner from the Ed Sullivan Theater hasn't hurt any.

Here we are with a very obliging Rupert Jee.

Before we went to NY, I emailed the Late Show for tickets. We hadn't heard from them so we figured it wasn't going to happen. Then on our second day there the Late Show called and we got tickets. Apparently the writer's strike had kept them from taping, and our last day there was the first day they were back to it. Anyway, we showed up at the theater early and stood in line for a bit. When the line began moving the lady at the check-in desk asked us if we were excited to be there and what part of the show we liked the best. Chris told her he liked Paul Shaeffer. Anyway, she told us that she was going to put us in a special group. Well, that group just happened to be seated in the front row. So lucky us got to sit in the front row for the taping!

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The guests for the taping were Jim Carrey, promoting his new film "Horton Hears a Who", and Paula Abdul. It was a fun taping, and we had a great time being there. The CBS Orchestra was really great--our seats were right by them!

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Well, that concludes our New York trip--finally! We did go to a few other places that we didn't chronicle here, but we will get a slide show of those pictures up later. So, if you are ever in the NYC area, or need a great place to vacation, be sure to check it out. You will not be disappointed!

Indiana Jones

Okay, so I had mixed feelings about going to see the new Indiana Jones movie. After all, I expected so much from the Star Wars prequel and was, in all honesty, disappointed. I was so worried that Indiana Jones would have the same fate.

On Saturday night we went on a date night (thanks, Anna!) and saw The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. As far as Indy movies go, this was up there with the rest of them--mostly. I loved the chase/fight scene in the jungle; the fight in the diner was great; I loved that they used the original Marion; I loved that they used the same map and airplane to show where they were traveling; I loved that Indy was 20 years older in the film so Harrison Ford wasn't pretending to be 20 years younger; I loved the humor--very Indiana Jones; I even liked Shia LaBeouf (even though I still see the goofy Disney kid when I look at him). It was fun, it was exciting. I did feel that it was a little long, but in contrast, Chris couldn't believe it was already over. The only thing I wasn't thrilled about was...(if you have already seen the movie or don't mind a spoiler, highlight the following area to read the rest)... the alien thing. Leave it to Spielberg to bring in the whole outer space thing. I really liked the premise of the movie, but really. Aliens? I could have done without that. It seemed a little like Indiana Jones meets Independence Day. (Spoiler end.) But even with that, I still liked it. It had all the elements of a good adventure, including Harrison Ford. Yeah, he's getting older, but I still love him. :)

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So, I give it 4 stars out of 5. How did you like it?

Amy's New 'Do

So for my birthday last month, Chris set up a consultation for a hair stylist at Red Door Spas. We discussed cut and style, and I also consulted with a colorist. Anyway, it took over a month to get an appointment with both the stylist and the colorist. Yesterday I finally had my appointment. I got a single-process color and partial foil highlights. And of course my cut. So, after months of bemoaning my sad lack of style, here is my new look.

I like it so far. In certain lights the highlights look a little orangy to me, but Chris assures me that they look light brown in natural light. Anyway, it was a totally expensive appointment that I probably won't repeat again, simply because of the cost. But it's fun to have a new style anyway. Thanks, Christopher!

(This isn't a great photo--it's hard to see the highlights and the full style of the cut. I'll try to get a better photo in the next few days.)

New York, Part Eight--The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

So I thought I was going to post Letterman next, but I decided I needed to do this one first.

Of course, no trip to NYC is complete without visiting Liberty Island. We went down to Battery Park early enough to be on the first ferry to the island. Which is good, because the lines got really long after we boarded. The ferry ride was really pleasant, and we could see so much of Manhattan from the water. Here is Lady Liberty from the ferry.

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And we had to get the proof that we were actually there by getting our picture taken with the Statue in the background.

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The walk up the stairs was a killer for me. I must be becoming a wimp. But the walk down was much easier as you can see from the smile.

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I loved the view of Manhattan behind the Statue.

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And here is Ellis Island. What a landmark! The museum is really something, too. I really am impressed with the immigrants who came through here. What stalwarts!

Be sure to visit these islands when you get to NYC. It's well worth getting up early for.

*Part Nine--Letterman and Rupert Jee