Christmas at our House

Christmas is a wonderful time of year, if you happen to celebrate it. Even if you don't I bet you go out and eat good Chineese food. That sounds good. Perhaps I am hungry.

This year was a tad different for us, but none-the-less, great. The kids had "the best Christmas EVER!!"

Everyone got what they wanted!! (see previous post for more details)
Austin got candy and sweat pants. I'm sure he'll sit around with his hoola-hoop eating candy and playing Monopoly City eating his Christmas goodies.

Bay got superman undies. I sure hope he wears them to school in gym!

Liza got a bottle of her own mustard, which is sitting in our fridge with her name on it. She loooooves mustard; what can I say?

Kate got her own roll of tin foil. She wrapped one present for me and four for Taylorat!

Most importantly we all got love. It was a good day spent with easy times and no stress.

I feel so blessed to have so many people in my life whom I love and who love me and mine back.

MERRY CHRISTMAS....YA FILTHY ANIMAL!

The Most Wonderful Time of The Year

I was standing in line today at BYU to get gifts wrapped (You're welcome). A women came and stood in line behind me and started chatting. Not just chatting, but having a full blown conversation with anyone and everyone who would listen/participate.

She was a nice enough lady, for a perfectly good stranger. Anyway we started talking about Christmas and she told me that her mom gave out "black" marks one year for Christmas. If they got 10 she was cancelling Christmas. They got to 9 1/2. She said it was hard to only have brothers. She had to defend herself.

I have told my kids the same thing. However, we don't do black marks. I just tell them they are "losing presents" and if they don't stop fighting they can walk home (if we are in the car).

I do love Christmas and I do love short people.

Merry Christams, Happy Haunika, Kuanza and Happy Holiday's to you all.

CHEERS!!

Then there were TWO

I know I am a tad on the, shall we say, "Interesting side", but without people on that side, the world would be lopsided. It takes all kinds right?

What I would like to address is something I got out of a book called "Mutant Message from Forever".



Our experience here on earth is really all about remembering who we are as spirit beings.

We forget for whatever reason, but there are clues and cues that make us aware and cause us to remember again.

This book is written by a doctor from America who was invited to Australia to implement a preventative medical program. While she was there she encountered the Aborigine's. They are more of an outcast people than other races are in our culture. However, she did not buy into the myths of them and set out on a journey to assist them despite what other people had told her.

On her journey to get to know these people, who call themselves the "Real People", she learned ten things.


1. Express your individual creativity: this means that everyone has a significant roll to contribute to society. There is not one thing that is more or less than another.It is all based on life experience.

2. Realize you are accountable: We are guests on this planet and we get to treat it as such. We get to leave it as good or better than we found it. We get to care for the plants, animals and children who may not have a voice. We get to be accountable for the promises we make, agreements we enter into and the results of our actions.

3. Before birth you agreed to help others: what does this look like to you? Are you keeping your word? Are you being accountable? Are you doing what is in the "highest good for all those involved"?

4. Mature Emotionally: The goal of being human is to grow and to discipline our emotions. We are as happy as we allow ourselves to be. Being truthful with ourselves and others is the key.

5. Entertain: Show off that side of yourself that is childlike, easy going, happy. On the other side show off the side that can receive entertainment as well. Life is about giving and taking.

6. Be a steward of your energy: For me this is the most significant of all things. We were born of energy and everything we do is some form of energy. Energy can not be destroyed or created. It just is. However, energy can be expounded, or grow larger. Everything in our world, seen and unseen, is made up of energy. Therefore, our words, our action and our thoughts are energy. What we focus on grows. If we focus on scarcity or fear, that is what grows. If we focus on love and abundance that is what grows. We are the creators of our lives.

7. Indulge in music: We love music...every nation on earth has their "brand" of music. Music touches our very souls, it makes us move, it makes us think, it makes us real. Music is our soul speaking. It is the voice of our planet communicating to the universe.

8. Strive to achieve wisdom: wisdom is how a person uses knowledge. It is the deliberate, selective decision to act in a certain way or not to act at all, considering the welfare of everyone concerned.

9. Learn self-discipline: Self-discipline can help keep your body healthy. The state of human health is a barometer showing us the state of the earth's health. It is necessary to develop self-discipline to experience any inner connectedness of body and soul.

10. Observe without judging: This gets thrown in our faces on a regular basis. We know the term, "Thou shalt not judge" yet we ALL do it anyway. Why do we do it? The "Real People" say, "Observing without judging is sometimes called "unconditional love". All humans are spiritual souls. All were created in the same instant. No one is older, smarter or better off than anyone else. Each was given the save one gift, the gift of free will, freedom of choice. The Source is perfect, and everything created by the Source is perfect. We were created spiritually perfect and have remained so, but our gift lets us believe and act otherwise. We allow ourselves to see ourselves and others as less than perfect and have the adventure of acting less than our potential peaceful selves.

I truly love you all. I am perfect in all the ways I was created. I am not perfect in my physical body. I still make choices that are not in the highest interest of all those involved. Nevertheless, it is my experience. My experience leads to my reality.

Love and light to you all.....FOREVER!!!

I'm BAAAACK

It has been far to long since I have made a post...Far to long. I will blame it on school. However, I am done with the really hard part of school and I am doing my student teaching in January.

How exciting, right? The correct answer is RIGHT!

What a roller-coaster the last few months have been. I honestly don't know how I made it though. We had some family issues, but who doesn't, then Taylor went off and infected his appendix, aka...kitten pouch, which had to be removed during finals!!!!

I suppose I still love the man, but seriously...

Let me inform you what kind of wife I really am. He woke up Wednesday morning and said, "My stomach hurts. Do I have a fever?" I felt his head, pushed on his stomach and said, "You aren't sick. You don't need to go to the doctor."

Then I left for "my" day. I had a job interview, therapy and two finals...and it was our anniversary! I really wanted to do something exciting for being married for 15 years. Being married to Taylor for 15 years is the equivalent of being married in dog years. That means in human years I have been married for 105 years and I still look good. HA!

On my way home from my job interview, which I didn't get, I had the feeling, "Call him and see if he wants to go with you." So I did and he did. His appointment was at two.

At one-thirty, after I had been to American Fork four times that day, I drove the man to the doctor's office in Springville. As Taylor is telling the doctor his symptoms I am madly studying and cramming for the final from hell....nutrition 100. The doctor runs some blood work and as he comes back in with the results he says, "Can you take that final another time?"

I'm thinking, "Yea, right pal. Are you serious?"

Taylor's white blood count was elevated and the doctor set up an appointment for him to have some kind of scan done at the hospital. I can't remember if it was an MRI or a CT. Whatever it was/is is going to cost a pretty penny.

To make a long story, a tad shorter, by 6:30 pm he was in surgery having his "kitten pouch" removed.

The moral of this story is this...be careful what you wish for. My wish was to have a spectacular anniversary.

No one will EVER convince me that God does not have a sense of humor!!!

I am still laughing. Har...Har.!

Sites You Should Know About, But Might Make You Ill

www.awkwardfamilyphotos.com

AND



www.thisiswhyyourefat.com

These sites are courtesy of Taylorat and his bizarre, um, something.

And then there was ONE

I like the short people, I really do, they just seem to be so synergistic when combined with each other. They have magical powers that can destroy or stink up a room in a matter of seconds, and I am the haz-mat person that comes through after they are done and cleans up all the debris and lights matches and sprays fabreez.(I was informed that it's not healthy to hold it in; it could make you sick).

However, starting yesterday, I am slowly but systematically, farming them out. Marry Poppins has gone to St. George with a friend until Tuesday, and tomorrow, Hose A and Hose B are going to scout camp for a WEEK!!! Only Katydid will be at home.

That being said, I am sure I will be fully educated in sprinkler running, the fastest way to the Creamery, how many treats have not been consumed at any given moment, but this child never says, "I'm bored". Bless her heart.

I am looking forward to not finding grapevine parts, shredded paper, candy wrappers and an assortment of shoes under my couch and between the cushions. I am looking forward to regrouping my sanity and taking back the house even if it is only for a day. I have hope. Furthermore, the end is near, as school will be starting in 24 days, but who is really counting? Certainly not me.

The Four Agreements

I love to read. This week I have read a plethora of books, OK 3 or 4, but I love the word plethora. At any rate, for anyone who has not read The Four Agreements, I would highly recommend it.

It is a practical and, oh, so simply way to live. For anyone who wants to be, and do better this is a launching pad.

I will include the link to the amazon site so you can read a bit about the book by the author.

http://www.amazon.com/Four-Agreements-Practical-Personal-Freedom/dp/1878424319#


Other books I have read this week that are equally as intriguing are:

Way of the Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman. A story based on true events. Dan came across an old man who acted as his tutor and whom he called Socrates. This is his story of how he transformed from regular to extraordinary.

The River Why by Robert Duncan (perhaps the funniest book I've ever read...again)
A story of a fisherman who discovers that life is more than just fish and water and beer. The vernacular is hysterical as are the characters; Gus, Bill Bob, Ma and H2O (aka Dad) will jump into your heart and you will laugh right out loud. Try it, you might like it.

How to See and Read the Aura by Ted Andrews. OK, perhaps not entertaining, but at the very least interesting. I'll keep you posted.

Have a magnificent day!

The Case of the Elusive Pee Badger

The Fourth of July is one of our favorite holidays. We almost always hike the "Y" and BBQ and eat lots of Otter-pops and to wrap up the end of a perfect day we watch firework from our front lawn. This year we were also privileged to have Elasta-girl at our house.

The Y trail is a steep hike. It only takes about an hour to get to the top if you aren't lugging short people. However, what goes up must come down, and it is ultra steep on the way down as well.

The girls wanted to know why someone hadn't thought to install a slide? I couldn't come up with a good reason either, but I am pretty sure that is on their to do list now.

Three of the cutest girls alive

Stink eye to Thee

You might be a Red Neck if....

Our view

There is always one

His usual self

The Cheeser



This year, in addition to the above mentioned, we made a discover of a new species. The Pee Badger. Please click on the video link below to see this magnificent creature.

Christmas in July

For some reason I thought I wouldn't have to start thinking about Christmas until, um, December. However, my children have different ideas about when to start thinking about things... like Birthdays, for instance, they start talking about their next birthday the day after their currant birthday and for a whole year I get to listen to their grandiose ideas for parties, presents etc.

They have now added Christmas to the list of "Things to talk about a year in advance". Do they not realize my brain can only hold so much information?

However, I am really excited about Christmas this year because the kids are simplifying. I have only gotten a list from 3 of the 4 thus far but I am anticipating the request from the fourth child to be just as unique as the other three.

So far the lists of must have go something like this:


Bailey: wants a unicycle with a really long chain (maybe he's going to join the circus)



Eliza: wants her own jar of mustard (I don't even know what to think about this)


Kate: wants her own roll of aluminum foil (for boat making or contacting aliens I am guessing)




Austin: undecided as of yet, but I will let you know

They have asked for nothing else. Isn't this great? I will only need to go to two stores to get everything I need. The bike shop, how convenient since I work there, and the picnic isle at Macey's. Perhaps I'll get Taylor pickles and Red Hot while I'm there and call it good.

Who says life has to be hard?

Huzzah!!

Subing

Since I am working on becoming a teacher in secondary education I thought it would be a good idea to give myself some real life experience. So I applied to be a substitute teacher.

I got my first assignment, a High School in our area, and I was really excited, but a little nervous as well. The class was a special needs class and I wasn't sure what to expect.

I had a hard time finding a parking space and so I was a tad late getting to the office to get the key to the room. After the secretary explained how to get to the room I took off hunting for this room that had students standing outside waiting for me.

I had been warned that sometimes students take a liking to their teachers and to always conduct yourself in a professional manner. However, I didn't think they really were all that serious about the situation.

I found the class room and I as I was walking down the hall I heard, "Ooooh, la, la." And the first thing that went through my mind was, "Don't react to that." And "Seriously?".

I let them into the room and explain them who I am and begin passing out their assignment.

One young man, let's call him Juan, asked, "Are you married?" to which I replied yes. (Say this next part out loud with your best Hispanic accent) Juan then yelled across the room to his "oooh, la, la-ing" friend and says, "To bad for you Omar!"

Seriously?

Stop the Rocking...Stop the Rocking

The noise is killing me smalls! There is no where to go because they always find me. I have not had a complete thought for 14 years. I could have graduated from college six times as fast, but because they all keep asking me questions....well, I am still in college. Some of the more interesting questions that have recently been asked are, "What would happen if a child was born with only their middle fingers?" That would indeed be a shock to a teacher when the child raised their hand to ask a question for the first time. Other question include, "Have you seen my shoes?", "Do you know where my belt is?", "Is there anything you need besides apples and grapefruits?", "Do we have any food to eat?", "Want to see what else I bought?"

I dont' know...how come no one ever tells you that the game of 20 questions takes on a whole new meaning after you have children? Perhaps they did tell , but I probablly didn't listen because I was asking a question.

The other day I took Kate to lunch at cheap chinease; she had the veal. For the last while she has been telling me how much she would like a cell phone. Again with the questions, "Can I get a cell phone mom?" I never really give her a straight answer, I just smile and giggle and walk away. Remember Kate is 5. So, I park the car, or in her words, the beast, and being the interesting child she is, Kate brought along her pink camo purse, which is actually Liza's. I have just picked her up from school and she has her school bag and inside of the school bag is her (Liza's) purse, her baby and a bottle of water. There are probably other things but those are the only things I can see.

They seat us and she is sitting accros from me. She bellies up to the table and plops her purse down and starts to empty it out. The first item out of her purse is our house phone. At first I couldn't believe it. Then it occured to me how creative she actually is. I asked her if she got any calls.

One-Two-Three, Lunge

Several years ago I bought a gag gift at Christmas time for Taylor. It was an orange speedo. Similar to this pair of orange underwear, but speedo style.



This gag gift has provided our family endless moments of entertainment. About the time I gave this gift to him the movie "Nacho Libre" came out. I feel that this movie contributed to Taylor taking the term "stretchy pants" to a whole new level.

Taylor does have a sombrero, but this is not him. I show this image only to help you conjure a visual image.

One afternoon Taylor called from the end of the hall, "Did Paul go home?" ,and the reply came, "Yes." He proceeded to leap down the hall, like the FTD flower delivery person, in his charming orange speedo, aka "stretchy pants". Stating, "Finally, I thought he would never go home." As if prancing in his "stretchy pants" around the house is a normal family activity that happens every night precisely at 6 pm.

If that wasn't funny enough, he then went to the entertainment center and stood in front of the TV with his buttocks facing all of us. He put his arms on the entertainment center to support his weight and stood in a lunge position with most of his weight on his front leg. He began to do buttock flexes and deep lunges with his hands on his hips. He lunged/walked across our whole front room making deliberate lunges right at eye level for the edification of each boy.(To Taylors credit, he never does this in front of the two little girls, only me and the boys. Perhaps that doesn't matter, but I feel that it is a generous gesture on his part as it could scar the girls for life).

I was laughing,and gagging all at the same time. The boys were laughing,(out of shock, I believe) calling out things like "Sick!", "Gross!", "Disgusting!" and rushing to find anything and everything to cover their eyes with, as if they would turn to stone if they were to actually look and see their father in his "stretchy pant".


I am half tempted to seek out a large cross such as the one in the above photo, however, I am not sure what that would lead to. I can just imagine the get up now...orange "stretchy pants", sombrero, giant gold cross, and his fake mustache or beard all the while running as fast as he can at a high school football game holding a sign saying,"Catch me if you can!" Then being called from police department with a request to post bail.

The Dog and The Dishwasher

In an attempt to become more envrionmentally friendly we are trying to reduce the amount of food we put down the drain, which in turn reduces the amount of dishsoap we consume. Plus dog food can get spendy, but that is really just an after thought.

We also feel that we get an rare vitamin by using this method; vitamin W as in "Walter". The vitamin improves sniffing, scratching , and burying skills. Not many humans realize they are difficient in this "w" vitamin.


Can't wait to have people over for dinner.

FrOm the MiXEd uP file of MY mAd Cow BraiN

Today I feel like my life is like this pre-menopausal weather. Hot, cold, snowing, freezing, anything goes, and then back to stable. This is classic Utah spring weather, but good grief...it is colder than a well digger's butt!

The real causes of my fluctuation in mood is going to a class I am taking at BYU. I regularly wish this professor a very itchy rash in very embarrassing places. That and I stayed up to late and my car doors were FROZEN shut this morning and I needed a polar suit with moon boots to just take the dog out to pee.

On the brighter side, one of my dogs had a bath and now he smell like shampoo and dog instead of rotten potato and dog. He is no longer a dirt neck either. He also loves me and crawls in my lap and loves me. This gives a new meaning to hot dog eh?


I recently read a book by Kelly Corrigan called "The Middle Place". It is her story of growing up with a father who never saw anything other than happiness and how she survived breast cancer and changed her perspective to live in his "land". If you can get past the four letter adjectives, and by get past them, I mean read the book, it will have you laughing and crying all at the same time. A tad bit like Steel Magnolias, only funnier.

Here is a little blurb from her in her own words:


Some things you wouldn’t know about me from reading The Middle Place:


I don’t exercise, not only because I have inertia issues but also because it cuts way down on the number of showers I need to take. Other things that most people I know do that I do not are cook, shop and properly moisturize. I also cut my own hair and my childrens’ and ever so occasionally, when he’s trying to make up for something, my husband’s. I would cut yours too if you would let me.

I am interested in faith and people who have it. I am writing about it (essays, outlines for a novel, character sketches, a screenplay?) and thinking about it most days of the week. Although I am skeptical, I do pray. I do not go to church. I will always be Catholic (like I will always have brown eyes) but may grow into something else as well.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone.

Payback is like...raw eggs

I can't believe I didn't get pictures of this. The impact of this would be so much better had I taken pictures.

It finally happened,Moleman, aka Taylor, finally got what he deserved.

Like usual I was minding my own business doing my thing. I was planting seeds and cleaning the kitchen and had a few potato chips on the counter that I was enjoying. Moleman, aka TaylorRat, came in and started making coughing noises and slamming something on the counter. When I turned around to see what was going on I saw that he had smashed my chips into a thousand tiny little pieces. He thinks that is funny; ask Bentley. He has experienced it first hand.

Between the water down my pant and this I had had it and it was now time for revenge.

For some time now I have been planning my revenge. I have thought about how to retaliate and I finally knew what would be sufficient.

I acted like I was bothered and annoyed, which I actually was, and I reached into the fridge and pulled out an egg. The egg was small enough to conceal in my hand and without hesitating I SMASHED THAT EGG ONTO HIS HEAD and let it drip down all over him. He reached into the fridge and pulled out the sour cream bucket. I say bucket because it is the size you get from Costco.

During this interaction Kate had been standing by watching this transpire. She was in shock as I SMASHED THE EGG onto Taylor's head, but when he pulled out the sour cream, she said, "Oh, no!" and retreated out of harms way.

I don't think Taylor really knew what to do and was a tad hesitant to open the sour cream bucket, but when he did, he waited to long and I dug my hand into the bucket and SMEARED SOUR CREAM ALL OVER HIS EGG FACE!

He retaliated a tad and I only got a small face of sour cream.

He just kept saying over and over, "That's a raw egg." I told him it would make his hair shiny.

I love it when a plan comes together. Next, I think I will freeze his underware in a glass of orange juice and serve it to him, slushy style, for breakfast.

25 intersting, odd or whatever things you should know about me

25. I love Chubby Hubby ice cream made by Ben & Jerry's. In fact, I could eat the whole pint myself
24. On every bike ride I go on I bring back a rock from that area.
23. When I am falling asleep at night I rub my feet together to comfort myself.
22. I have a serious smelling ability and if something smells bad to me I dry-heave.
21. I dry heave A LOT
20. When I was pregnant with my children I carried an emergency zip-lock bag with me at all times.
19. I do not like microwave popcorn. I LOVE real popcorn
18. I have a beehive, thanks to Megan and Dave, in my yard
17. My favorite book is "To Kill a Mockingbird" I have read it over 100 times
16. I love to watch sports on the weekends with my boys.
15. I am extremely happy when I walk into a greenhouse and smell the soil and the moisture in the air.
14. I would never name a child Ransom, Delbert, Ruprert, Jesus (there is a story and a reason behind all of these), or Ramona (although I love Ramona Quimby)

13. I have serious personal issues with BYU professors, especially ones named Stephanie
12. My dog Chloe, loves Soy beans and peas and corn on the cob. I have seen her eat them right off the vine or off the cob in the garden
11. I feel that to help our economic situation in this country Tofu should be required, by law, for everyone to purchase, and then trow it away.
10. I once found $20.00 in a toilet at work
9. I have been bunjee jumping before
8. I have a brother who, as a small child, loved to find my shoes and pee in them. Only my shoes, no one else. I am not sure why.
7. I love to listen to Andre Bocelli
6. I would like to learn to communicate with animals
5. I am a fan of Jesus, Buddah, Bon Jovi and Captain Jack Sparrow
6. I iron my clothes with a spray bottle and a firm shake
5. My perfect day would be something like this: biking, rock climbing, 85 degree weather, a tank top, shorts, chaco's, water and red rocks
4. I was a pirate in a past life
3. My birthstone is topaz but I wish it were diamond or opal
2. I once wrapped my head in toilet paper at a state soccer game to stay warm. The news reportes took pictures for the Deseret News.
1. My husband is like an Italian mother who always wants to feed everyone all the time, when he is having a good day, and more importantly he wants you to know if it was good and how good was it? I still love him, and I remind him that it isn't always about him.

Why we have children and pets

There are times when I think I have lost my mind and I sure do miss it. Those times seem to occur when my children and/or pets are driving me nuts; nuts, I like nuts, except peanuts, they make me crazy. Crazy, I was crazy once, they put me in a round room with a rubber mallet and a rubber duck. It drove me nuts. Nuts, I like nuts...You get the picture.

Nevertheless, there are endearing moments when I am so glad I have children and pets. I get all misty eyed and have to take a deep breath.

For instance, how can I not just adore this face? When K comes into my room and says, "Mama, I am bored." She looks at me with that sad pathetic face and those great big eyes. What is a parent to do but feel love of all sorts?



Need I say more?


It's a funny thing, the things kids like. B could spend all day looking at and sitting in cars. I'm glad he found a car that was just his size.




Then they grow up and their voices squeak and they need showers four or five times a day and your fridge is constantly empty.



He tries to be good, but it is so hard. He just needs extra love, and all the attention at once.

Walter aka "the best puppy-dog ever"


The REAL queen of the domain! I love this dog almost more than I love, um, something. She is getting old, and I will be so sad when her time in my life in no longer allowable.

Well, it is a tail without a cat. Why are cats so bizarre? I don't know either.

Can I try something?

I am not sure if all husbands are like mine. In fact I am quite sure they are not. And yet, after 14 years of marriage, I am still amazed at how I get sucked right into Taylor's experiments. By experiments, I don't mean the scientific kind. I mean the kind where I am the subject of the experiment. He even is polite enough to ask if he can try "something".

"Sure!" I say. As I bend over to put something in the garbage. I am used to all kinds of antics where Taylor is concerned; one can never be to cautious where Taylor's brain is involved. I, nevertheless, being his wife, have forgotten that I am not exempt from his clown humor.

I feel something in the waistband of my jeans and I assume that he has put some kind of dumb thing back there like a hard boiled egg or mashed potatoes or perhaps even a raw hot dog, because that is the kind of thing he thinks is humorous.

At this moment my brain sends a signal to my mouth that ends in a screech and a flailing action, because, what I thought was an innocent object in the waistband of my jeans, turns out to be a funnel which Taylor poured cold water into.




Taylor is overcome by hysterics, and then to add insult to injury he takes pictures of my behind, which I post for all the world to see.

Life is certainly never dull, and it is full of contrast. Some of us get clown cars and some of us get clown husbands.

The Uncanny similarities between a dog and his owner

Taylor vs. Walter


They both like to sleep with their "blankies"
They both like to sleep late and it is very hard for them to wake
They both pee outside and inside
They both are very peticular and protective about their food and their food stores
Both wimper when you scratch them
They both like to eat in the middle of the night
They both have napping skills
They are both pleasantly plump
They are both soooo cute
They both have short legs
They love to smell EVERYTHING!!!!
I am sure this list will grow as time goes on, but it is true that a dog and it's owner have very similar attributes

Top Ten Favorite Sounds/Smells

This may seem like a weird topic, but so many of our life experiences are linked to a smell or sound;experiences that cause us to feel emotions that always make us rise to a better place because they have changed us fundamentally.

Chew on this a bit and think about what your favorite sounds/smells are and why they bring up such great emotion.

Top 10

10. Puppy breath


9. The sound of a newborn baby's diaper rustling when they move their legs
8. Summer rain on hot pavement


7. The sound of the bells at the bell tower
6. Sunscreen
5. The thundering of a fast car engine
4. Pine trees on single track on the Ridge trail


3. Hot soil in the greenhouse
2. Sprinklers
1. Laughter of short people outside

others, because who has only 10 favorite: smell of BBQ, the ocean, the smell of school on the first day back, chatter of a peloton, the roar of the crowd when a soccer goal is scored, saw dust, coffee brewing, bacon frying, chirping of crickets, call of the quail, when someone says, "I love you"

This is why you should mind your mother!!!

The last picture on this post is quite graphic. So please be prepared.

This is for all the kids who need to ask how come and why 90 thousand times a day, and never accept the answer "because I have lived longer than you have" as an acceptable answer. Here is to all the people who run with scissors, forks, knives and wonder "what if"!


I don't know who this is, but he obviously has had some time to heal in this picture. I'll bet he doesn't mess around or pick his nose with forks anymore.